Woods of Ypres is a "love 'em or hate 'em" kind of band...

[David Gold]

I found this, W3/WoY discussion, on a Torrent site of course:
http://www.kerrazy-torrents.net/index.php?showtopic=111688&st=0

Guy from the USA:

This is very good music....Sounds straight from these guy's hearts.....They put everything into the music, you can tell....I'm enjoying every song. Especially "Your Ontario Town is a Burial Ground"

Some piece of shit from Canada:

Der Morgenstern: The album is awful. Considering the build up David Gold tried to generate for it and then he delivers this garbage? Wow. Way to go.

(btw - we didn't 'try' to generate hype, we did it. We're #1 at The End Records after the first week.)

Even for some Woods listeners, there always seems to be much talk about "I loved the first album and I hated the second album" and "I didn't care for the first album but I loved the second album" blablabla, and now mixed reviews about W3, ranging from 0/10 to 10/10. Some people complain that there's no progression with the new material, some people complain that it's too different from the previous two albums. I feel I could soon lock the thread in my brain about all of these discussions because I feel I've now pretty much heard it all.

Don't even get me started about the Agalloch comparisons, haha! One guy will say "This band is just copying Agalloch note for note", the next dude says "This band sounds NOTHING like Agalloch". Holy crap guys! It is very clear to me what similarities we do and don't have with Agalloch, which seems to differ greatly from what many other people assume. NOTE: "Against the Seasons" (Woods 1) was recorded and 'released' before Agalloch's "The Mantle" even came out and I had never heard "Pale Folklore" or any of the other e.p.s until after I discovered "The Mantle". Also, we have great respect for Agalloch, but I've always 'thrown out' any riff ideas that were too Agalloch-y, not because they were bad, but because that's their sound, not ours.

After five years of this horseshit, you'd be much better to have developed a tough skin for hearing careless nonsense comments, as we have. I always appreciate the respectful constructive criticism and the kind praise, of course. After all that's been said and done, I don't mind being in a 'love 'em or hate 'em" band. It seems the same can be said for knowing us personally, haha! At least it keeps things interesting and keeps us working to be 'better' at being ourselves and doing our own thing. Love it or hate it, you are all listeners (and more often posters and talkers/word of mouth-ers), so thank you!

Keep spreading the goddamn word!!!

DG & the Woods... - \w/

 

[SeanNZ]

Wow, some of that criticism makes no sense to me. I think WoY has quite a distinct sound (I'm aware of no other bands like it). There has to my ears been an obvious progression over the three albums, but the essence of what makes this band appeal to me is still there - that mix of black metal, doomy atmospheres, and gentle acoustic passages and songs. And just as important as the music are the lyrics, that have such a personal edge to them which is sadly so rare in a genre more likely to sing about corpses or dragons or anything to sound "brutal".

Though the band may have it's (misguided) critics, i think that those who truly understand what the band is about really appreciate every aspect of the music.

 

[zkeleton]

What SeanNZ said.

I really don't get the whole Agalloch comparison.

 

[chrisdoig24k]

I can see that WoY has similarities with Agalloch (black/doom with an urban feel, ridiculously awesome), but saying they're copies is utterly ridiculous.

 

[David Gold]

black/doom with an urban feel

This was never really intentional from the beginning, it just turned out that way. That is a good way to describe what we do. Kinda like 'SDMF' (Society Dwelling Mother-Fuckers), but from a black and doom metal perspective. You know, commuting to work, aggravated by the price of gas, working day jobs, walking among you, disguised and unnoticed, blending in with society, we are 'the wolves in sheep's clothing'. Instead of watching TV at night during the few hours left for yourself, we purge metal.

 

[zekeyou]

I've pretty much stopped trying to describe WOY's sound in regards to other bands-- at most I think it's more honest to say "if you like band X you may enjoy WOY" if one is going to invoke other bands. In the past I've certainly used 'middle era Katatonia' examples, but I don't even hear that too much now...

My comparison for WOY-- though not sonically:
Metallica's first 3 albums-- Kill 'em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets

The first album is the most 'raw' of the three. Some consider that album to be the only 'true' one before some 'refining' took place. There was a definite artistic leap between albums one and two, with the third being a beast of its own. However, regardless of any growth or shifts, all three albums are undeniably Metallica. And of course as with any band, you've got folks who have certain preferences of the three...


Oh, and I voted "love 'em"

 

[stevenfurgiuele]

you can't please everyone unfortunately
i find hearing negative feedback keeps myself grounded

 

[From the Miasma]

I find a lot of WoY songs are 'growers'. And I also find a lot of people don't have the patience to listen to a song or an album 5-6 times before blabbing all over the internets whether they like it.
So they don't get the full Woods effect. There's too much going on both musically and lyrically to enjoy in only a handful of listens.

 

[Dauden]

Actually, from my forum experience with real metal heads (see my sig), you guys are a love em or hate em kind of band, and these are guys that know their shit, not just guys who are like "they sound like Dragonforce!" haha. I dunno, some people are like me and just think you guys fuckin rule, and other guys just kind of say "meh, kind of boring" or "don't do much for me". However never has anyone gone out and tried to attack you guys or try to say you're talentless hacks or anything, like some of the other crazy nuts on the internet, so you can be re-assured by that, ha.

 

[David Gold]

Found it: http://www.heavymetalsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=643

Thanks for all the hype man! Good jab!

 

[TheCrab]

I like that this is a Poll, I wonder how many "Hate 'em" replies you'll get?


Anyway, I can understand why "unholier than thou" black metal warriors might get all bothered by Woods's sound. It is, no offense, not that "tr00." (Obviously, tr00th is not something I'm that interested in.) The incorporation of clean vocals, acoustics etc. are a big turn off for some people, and I can understand that. So in that respect, I can see why WoY might be a "love 'em or hate 'em" type band.

But then, the WoY fan in me takes over and says "How the hell could ANYONE hate this band!?!?"

 

[sdmf2]

I dont think any of us could really argue that upon first listen, all 3 Woods albums sound a bit different from each other... which would negate the accusations of not progressing. But at the same time, i think all 3 albums share a unique feel when you listen to them and have a similiar mood, which covers the "they all sound like different bands" theory.

either way, other people can think what they want.

"love em" +1

 

[Dauden]

Found it: http://www.heavymetalsociety.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=643

Thanks for all the hype man! Good jab!

No problem man! That thread shows it perfectly. In between two posts you get "Meh. Mehehehhehehehemeh." and "greatest bm band evar" haha.

 

[chrisdoig24k]

This was never really intentional from the beginning, it just turned out that way. That is a good way to describe what we do. Kinda like 'SDMF' (Society Dwelling Mother-Fuckers), but from a black and doom metal perspective. You know, commuting to work, aggravated by the price of gas, working day jobs, walking among you, disguised and unnoticed, blending in with society, we are 'the wolves in sheep's clothing'. Instead of watching TV at night during the few hours left for yourself, we purge metal.

I really just mean that you say 'asphalt' instead of 'ancient necrofrost'

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Even detractors of the band would be hard pressed to not agree that Woods has a truly original sound. The "love/hate relationship" is the nature of the beast when having a more unique/distinct sound.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

I like the song Lock eyes with a wild beast, that song is powerful and heartfelt.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

I wrote a Woods III review to submit to M-A once registrations are fixed but I'm a horrible writer and I'm not posting it here. = X

 

[KittyKatatonia]

The new album is really just so-so for me. I loved the demo and the 1st full length, but this one just isn't grabbing me.

 

[David Gold]

Okay, thanks for checking in.

 

[sdmf2]

The new album is really just so-so for me. I loved the demo and the 1st full length, but this one just isn't grabbing me.

Listen again. depending on how many times you have already, but if only once or twice, have another listen. it really grows on you.

just my thoughts.