Your Top 2009 releases so far...

Oh wow, I strongly disagree. I thought it was less campy and more solid then the previous movies. I think the re imaginings that company is doing are great, and I'm looking forward to the new Nightmare on Elm Street as well.
The movie was excellent visually. However, it felt like there was no build up at all. It felt like the opening credits had just finished, when they cut to two teenagers having sex in a tent and being murdered 30 seconds later.

Speaking of (quasi) horror movies... have you seen Let the Right One In? Swedish subtitles. Brilliant film.

Zod
 
In your estimation, are they able to live off the music? I've always been curious what level of success a band needs to reach before they can live off the music.

Zod

Some of the more popular European metal bands can live off of the amount of touring and stuff they do, because their governments help them out far more than ours does here in the States. I can't really give much details about this because it's not my place to discuss anyone else's private lives and earnings but just trust me when I say that probably at least 90% of the underground metal bands you enjoy most likely don't make anywhere near enough to live off of. Alot of the popular, regularly touring acts need to stay on the road in order to survive. This is also a problem in my opinion because that's the reason why certain bands will crank out album after album, and you start to see the quality of the releases decline. Because, they need a new release in order to get the promoters and venues to support booking new tours for them, and the bands need to be on the road in order to keep alive, so to speak.
 
Some of the more popular European metal bands can live off of the amount of touring and stuff they do, because their governments help them out far more than ours does here in the States. I can't really give much details about this because it's not my place to discuss anyone else's private lives and earnings but just trust me when I say that probably at least 90% of the underground metal bands you enjoy most likely don't make anywhere near enough to live off of. Alot of the popular, regularly touring acts need to stay on the road in order to survive. This is also a problem in my opinion because that's the reason why certain bands will crank out album after album, and you start to see the quality of the releases decline. Because, they need a new release in order to get the promoters and venues to support booking new tours for them, and the bands need to be on the road in order to keep alive, so to speak.
Thanks for the insights. I'm somewhat fascinated by the business aspect of things.

Hey that's cool, a new voyager album! I liked Element V, but the 2nd one was a bit of a letdown. How's this one?
Not sure how to describe their current sound, as I'm not overly familiar with the band's previous works. The way I described it to my wife was, "Imagine if Duran Duran was a Metal band." :loco:

Zod
 
I listened to Shrinebuilder for the first time yesterday. Pretty decent for what it is. I just really can't get into that kind of music too much anymore, unfortunately. I'm a fan of everyone in that project though.
 
I wanted to see Shrinebuilder really bad the evening of the ND show at Reggies. I was hoping to make the late show, but Earthen Grave (who I had to finally see, being the TROUBLE fanboy I am), didn't end until after 2AM! Glad I stayed, as Earthen Grave were great. Took me a while to get used to their singer, but he is finally clicking with me.

I did hear someone at Reggies who went to the early show talking about Shrinebuilder. He said they were very inconsistent, and every song sounded completely different, so there was no logical flow. I haven't heard their album. I too am a fan of those guys, esp Wino and Dale from the Melvins.

As far as living off of music, I agree without having ANY real knowledge that most can't live off of the band alone. Hell, it wouldn't be enough to probably even cover your medical insurance, let alone living expenses!
 
Not my thing at all. Just knowing those involved, I have no desire to even hear the Shrinebuilder. Maybe someday, I'll hear it and be surprised, but I'm not really a "fan" of any of the involved.

Im still crushed that Them Crooked Vultures bored me to tears. :(
I had such HIGH HOPES.
 
Updated list, and added the Woods of Ypres on it.

NOVEMBERS DOOM - INRI
THESE ARE THEY - WHO LINGER
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Ajattara - Noitumaa
Devin Townsend - Ki
Devin Townsend - Addicted
Anneke Van Giersbergen (With Agua De Annique) - Pure Air
Anneke Van Giersbergen (With Agua De Annique) - In Your Room
My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire
Lamb of God - Wrath
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us
Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs
Hail of Bullets - Warsaw Rising
Slayer - World Painted Blood
Steel Panther - Feel the Steel
Warbringer - Waking Into Nightmares
The 11th Hour - Burden of Grief
Seventh Void - Heaven is Gone
Woods of Ypres - Woods 4: The Green Album
 
Awww man, that doesn't sound very promising :cry:

I was just gonna go and get the album, without hearing a note, just based on who's involved...maybe that isn't such a good idea now?

My expectations were very high for this... Honestly, I can only listen to this in doses. Like 4 songs at a time. Then it all runs together to me. It's not a BAD CD, just not as hooky and memorable as I had hoped.
 
I like the Them Crooked Vultures cd a little bit more than Paul does, I think. But I can understand what he's saying too, depending on your tastes and all it's kinda hard to sit through the whole disc attentively from start to finish. Then again I have that problem with alot of Josh Homme's stuff, with the major exception being Songs For The Deaf, which keeps my interest more probably because it's so off the wall and diverse. While John Paul's influence and touch is definitely present, Grohl seems like he takes more of a backseat (though his playing as always is fantastic), and it kinda winds up sounding like a slightly Zeppelin-ized QOTSA cd really. If you're a big fan of Queens and Josh, I don't think you'll be disappointed by the cd.
 
Just got done listening to the new Woods of Ypres. Pass.

"Life is just pain and piss"? How poetic.

The musical approach, often being minimalistic, leaves the vocals and lyrics front and center. Unfortunately, neither holds up under such a glaring spotlight.

I respect these guys for doing their own thing, and have enjoyed their previous releases. However, this just misses the mark for me.

Zod
 
For those who have heard it, how is the new SLAYER?

Unlike many of the BIG FOUR (and beyond), ths is one band I always still have a little hope for, esp since they still completely rule in a live setting.
 
new slayer is good, but nothing to blow you away. I really liked the new megadeth better, much to my surprise.
 
The new Megadeth is excellent - I was surprised how good it was. The opening instrumental really reminds me of Into The Lungs Of Hell from So Far.. So Good.. So What. Anybody else get that vibe?

I was looking forward to the new Scar Symmetry album, but from what I've heard, the two new vocalists don't seem as capable as Christian whom they replaced. Maybe I'll take a gamble and get it in the hope that it'll grow on me. I'm a huge fan of their first 3 albums.