What the hell was Arch Enemy thinking???

[Nate The Great]

I agree that the new Arch Enemy is way more commercial sounding than the older stuff. That's why I like the older stuff, and that's why I bought the new one. Unfortunately it let me down. People had it built up to be a return to the older more brutal style.



BTW: I saw the Arch Enemy video last night on Headbangers Ball. It was OK. The best video I saw was Meshuggah's. Those guys put effort and originallity into everything they do. The first hour of Headbangers ball was mostly "real" metal, while the 2nd hour was pure nu-metal. I was also glad to see the video for The Black Dahlia Murder. That's a band from Metal Blade that doesn't emit commerciality. They also have a ton of potential. Lamb of God had a pure anti-war video. I think a little more emphasis on the music would have been nice for that video.

 

[Erik]

I also agree that (what I've heard of) the new Arch Enemy is way more commercial sounding than the (what I've heard of) older stuff. Also, Angela is more commercial looking than Liiva was.

 

[JayKeeley]

People had it built up to be a return to the older more brutal style.

I think AoR is much, much darker than Wages of Sin. WoS is a very 'bright' sounding record - and that's not just due to the production.

The difference between AE then and now is minimal. You can't honestly tell me that AoR doesn't sound like an Arch Enemy record. This is all the same type of shit that went down when Slayer released South of Heaven. Sure, it mellowed out from RiB or Show No Mercy but it was still 'Slayer'.

As for the way Angela looks, it doesn't bother me in the slightest that she's attractive. I just don't have the same kind of hang ups. I don't have an issue with her presence, and neither do I have an issue with Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil or Tarja from Nightwish. I may not like all their music equally, but I'm just not intimidated by any of their presence.

In my opinion, Angela Gossow is a better/different vocalist to Liiva. Indeed, I think Livva would have fallen flat on his face had he been chosen to perform on Wages of Sin. Sure that's speculative, but for me, Angela was actually one of the highlights of WoS.

Good for her - I wish her all the best. I have the utmost respect for any minority that struggles to obtain success and actually achieves it.

 

[Nate The Great]

Angela is clearly the bright spot on AoR. The guitars and rythmns are all prepackaged, cliched, and boring compared to their earlier stuff.

I don't think AoR is darker at all than Arch Enemy's earlier stuff. I think exactly the opposite. It is way more "positive" feeling. That equates to "not dark at all" for me.

Let's move on and talk about the recent onslaught of amazing music from Relapse. I'm talking about Burst, Burnt By The Sun, and Halo. These are three of the best discs of the year. Burst is a total surprise for me. They are a little on the Converge/Cave In/Mastodon side, but they use slightly progressive (i.e. experimental) methods to really create something unique and amazing. They are from Sweden I believe. NAD would really love them, I think. It's music like this that makes me forget about the money I wasted on AoR.

 

[JayKeeley]

Angela is clearly the bright spot on AoR. The guitars and rythmns are all prepackaged, cliched, and boring compared to their earlier stuff.

That's just it - I can barely stay awake during Stigmata.

Hey by the way, I noticed you said you saw the "We Will Rise" video. Did you think there was a huge emphasis on Angela in the video? It's funny because the wife and I were watching it, and we both commented on the fact that they barely even show her, although she is waving that flag periodically.

It's music like this that makes me forget about the money I wasted on AoR.

ooh ooh, can I have it then? My promo went to NAD. I'll swap you for the Goatblood I ordered from tipton - I don't think I'll be listening to that much, hehhehehee. I didn't realize PJ had a demo of it already when I bought it.

 

[Erik]

Moonsorrow - Fimbulvetr Frost (demo)

\m/___//\\___\m/

 

[Nate The Great]

That's just it - I can barely stay awake during Stigmata.

Hey by the way, I noticed you said you saw the "We Will Rise" video. Did you think there was a huge emphasis on Angela in the video? It's funny because the wife and I were watching it, and we both commented on the fact that they barely even show her, although she is waving that flag periodically.

ooh ooh, can I have it then? My promo went to NAD. I'll swap you for the Goatblood I ordered from tipton - I don't think I'll be listening to that much, hehhehehee. I didn't realize PJ had a demo of it already when I bought it.

Yes. Angela was not the main focus of the "We Will Rise" video. I thought that was smart of the band. Otherwise, it would have been a VERY typical MTV video. They also managed to smear a bunch of semicorpse-paint on her face. That was kind of weird. I think she was trying to stay away from the image of "the hot chick".

I'd probably trade AoR for something I don't have. I already have Goatsblood, though.

 

[Shakermaker]

Let's move on and talk about the recent onslaught of amazing music from Relapse. I'm talking about Burst, Burnt By The Sun, and Halo. These are three of the best discs of the year. Burst is a total surprise for me. They are a little on the Converge/Cave In/Mastodon side, but they use slightly progressive (i.e. experimental) methods to really create something unique and amazing. They are from Sweden I believe. NAD would really love them, I think. It's music like this that makes me forget about the money I wasted on AoR.

could you give me some info on burnt by the sun? never heard of them before

 

[Nate The Great]

could you give me some info on burnt by the sun? never heard of them before

Burnt By The Sun contains some VERY good musicians (Dave Witte of Discordance Axis for one) playing grinding metal/metalcore. They have some VERY cool riffs and typically play at high speeds. Every once in a while they'll have a metalcore breakdown riff, but they are generally closer to grind/metal than they are to metalcore. The vocals are very brutal. I can't really compare them to any one band. They sound sort of like Lock Up meets Converge. There is a review at UM, but it isn't by me. Mine would have been a little more enthusiastic. Nevertheless, it will propbably point you in the right direction. I'd HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend Burnt By The Sun to any fan of grinding, burtal metal.

 

[Shakermaker]

thanks a lot, i'll definitely check them out.
i quite like metalcore but after a while it gets a bit tiring - if burnt by the sun really succeed in mixing the good old brutal metal/grind stuff with metalcore, this might just be perfect for listeners like me.

 

[NAD]

I'm talking about Burst, Burnt By The Sun, and Halo. . . . . NAD would really love them, I think.

Alright man, so far you've recommended me Manes and Goatsblood which I am most satisfied with... I'm sold.

 

[J.]

To be honest, I didn't like BBtS too much. Just kinda boring compared to a lot of the other grinding hardcore bands I listen to.

From what I've heard from Halo, I need to get their stuff. Burst is already on the want list.

 

[Ayeka]

And not to get the ball rolling again, but does it piss anyone else off that a lot of bands get softer and simpler as time goes on?

Oh, YES.............

Actually trying to think of a band that got more brutal is a chore.

Nifelheim

I've totally lost track of this thread, so I'm going to have to catch up bit by bit...

 

[Ayeka]

Slayer. Got Hates Us All is fucking insane.

Are you mad?! That album is trendwank!!!

 

[NAD]

Are you mad?! That album is trendwank!!!

I've been told that a thousand times (well, in different words I suppose ), and I just don't see it. I don't really like the album, but it's still pretty nuts.

 

[Ayeka]

Your opinion is wrong

 

[NAD]

You funny.

 

[Ayeka]

I try my best

 

[Nate The Great]

To be honest, I didn't like BBtS too much. Just kinda boring compared to a lot of the other grinding hardcore bands I listen to.

From what I've heard from Halo, I need to get their stuff. Burst is already on the want list.

The new Burnt By The Sun is grinding metalcore of the highest level. I'm not sure why you don't like it. The vocals are ferocious.

As for Burst . . . GET THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so good it's insane. NAD will lick my balls when he hears it.

Halo is another story. I really like it, but it is sort of like a combination of early Swans, Godflesh, and a little bit of Khanate. Vocals are de-emphasized, and noise is very much the focus. I think it is rather on the experimental side. Some songs will really be of interest to fans of the really nasty Godflesh songs, and some songs will pummel you (very slowly) in a way that Swans used to.

 

[NAD]

As for Burst . . . GET THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so good it's insane. NAD will lick my balls when he hears it.

Hmmm... maybe I shouldn't order it then...

I'll pick that one up next time around, Burnt By the Sun should arrive soon though.