I had to start this countdown the week P&J was announced eh?CURSES
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 15:02 (fifteen years ago) link
19http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/0/9/8/209845.jpgCynic - Traced in Air (Season of Mist) 126 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 15:40 (fifteen years ago) link
2 for 2 in the top 20 so far that I've still yet to hear.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 22 January 2009 15:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Me too!
Not a Sunn fan, but I'll try to hear the Cynic.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 22 January 2009 15:53 (fifteen years ago) link
The Sunn 0))) is terrific.
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 16:10 (fifteen years ago) link
I liked Sunn live, but all of their albums have bored the piss out of me. What about this one will make me think otherwise?
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 22 January 2009 16:48 (fifteen years ago) link
there's not much you'll like about this one if you didn't like anything previously, i'd say. i'm a bit the reverse. love the records (particularly 'black one'), and was a little bit underwhelmed by the live show...
― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 22 January 2009 16:51 (fifteen years ago) link
I think I don't have a good enough, or loud enough, soundsystem to play records like the Sunn catalog. Live, the volume made their music truly visceral; on record, I can't quite replicate that "gut feeling."
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 22 January 2009 16:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Just did an interview with Paul Masvidal of Cynic for next week's OC Weekly. Thoughtful guy!
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 22 January 2009 17:23 (fifteen years ago) link
A large % of what SunnO))) do is tightly tied in with the live performance and the 'spiritual' concept of the group. I.e. they started as essentially a covers band - an Earth tribute group - which was then gradually developed into a devotional gesture towards some of the key aspects of heavy metal itself, hence the robes and the mock stern nodding and all the palaaver.
So you don't often get the sense of this on record but on this one, the fact that it's live from Bergen Cathedral and they get to bust loose on the church organ and Atilla does some weird hybrid Gregorian chant/Yat Kha throat singing (along with the awesome packaging).
And at the end of the day what does it say about the liberality of Norwegian society.
"Hey, we've got Atilla Csihar on the phone. Him and Gregg and Steven want to play live in the cathedral.""Atilla from Mayhem? That weird Satanist/nihilist/whateverthefuck group that burned all those churches down a few miles away?""The very same padre.""Well, I haven't got a problem if you haven't. But tell him he can't have the 24th - we've got the Prurient and Christian Death double header that night."
I still think that after seeing them live (which gives the albums an extra resonance) you can't beat the Boris collab 'Altar' but that's probably because it's almost song based and a lot more conventional in some ways.
― Doran, Thursday, 22 January 2009 17:36 (fifteen years ago) link
And as if by magik: SunnO))) have just announced live dates. I don't know how to put links in on here.
― Doran, Thursday, 22 January 2009 17:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Just copy/paste the link and it'll automatically convert to HTML.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 22 January 2009 17:55 (fifteen years ago) link
18http://www.metal-archives.com/images/1/9/3/5/193588.jpgAsva - What You Don't Know Is Frontier (Southern Records) 126 Points (1 Number One vote)
Terrific album, a real step up from their last excellent album, recommend this thoroughly to any fan of Sunn 0))) . This could easily have been my no1 album and wasn't far away from being so. Check this out if you haven't already. Especially the vinyl version which has terrific packaging --- pfunkboy
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 18:09 (fifteen years ago) link
My Asva blurb: if you stand at Sunn O))) and face towards Altar, your ass is pointing towards Asva.
― glenn mcdonald, Thursday, 22 January 2009 18:18 (fifteen years ago) link
They're the butt of that joke.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 22 January 2009 18:19 (fifteen years ago) link
17http://www.metal-archives.com/images/1/8/8/3/188328.jpgLeviathan - Massive Conspiracy Against All Life (Moribund Records) 128 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 18:48 (fifteen years ago) link
I haven't heard Leviathan but that sleeve art is most momentous.
― Doran, Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:01 (fifteen years ago) link
the sleeve art alone makes this thread a must read. it wouldn't be nearly as interesting without the awesome cover art, that is.
― Ioannis, Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:05 (fifteen years ago) link
the asva album is just glorious.
but I don't really associate what they do with what sunn o)))) do, really. there's a doomy element in there, certainly, but they have this vast, beautiful, elegant quality that's more in line with, say, eyvind kang or latter-day earth (which is a very different beast from the one that inspired sunn o)))'s crushing low-frequency abuse).
― m the g, Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:09 (fifteen years ago) link
16http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/0/4/2/204209.jpgKrallice - Krallice (Profound Lore) 137 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:34 (fifteen years ago) link
another gem...
― m the g, Thursday, 22 January 2009 19:43 (fifteen years ago) link
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I VOTED IN THE 2008 ILX ALBUMS & TRAX POLL AND I LIKED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ballots due TODAY)
last chance to get your votes in that poll. Please vote.
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:04 (fifteen years ago) link
15http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/0/3/2/203263.jpgCaïna - Temporary Antennae (Profound Lore) 140 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:10 (fifteen years ago) link
Good placing for Krallice! I don't recall much chat on rolling metal 08 (which I think I read most of even if I didn't post a great deal)
― I'm Throwing Small Arms Around Powys (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Anyone wish to help out with blurbs for the top 10 albums?
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Good placing for Krallice! I don't recall much chat on rolling metal 08
Yeah, there was a good amount of Krallice talk scattered around.
― A. Begrand, Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:54 (fifteen years ago) link
There was? Well that's good too!
― I'm Throwing Small Arms Around Powys (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 22 January 2009 20:56 (fifteen years ago) link
There was enough Krallice talk that I redownloaded the album after having given up on it the first time. But I didn't like it any better the second time, either. I just kept wanting it to sound more like Leviathan, and eventually I remembered I could spent the time listening to Leviathan more, instead.
― glenn mcdonald, Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:09 (fifteen years ago) link
14http://www.metal-archives.com/images/1/9/1/9/191941.jpgMelvins - Nude With Boots (Ipecac) 141 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:12 (fifteen years ago) link
A bit of a shock coming up at No 13. One of the (so i thought) front runners for no1 didn't do as well as expected. It's fans on the rolling metal thread failed to turn up I suppose.
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:28 (fifteen years ago) link
But lets build some suspense :)
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:31 (fifteen years ago) link
I have a feeling I know what it is, but guessing now might make me a meanderthal neanderthal.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:37 (fifteen years ago) link
You like to wager on that?
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 21:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Hmm, not now that you've worded it like that.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 22 January 2009 22:05 (fifteen years ago) link
13http://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/0/7/8/207825.jpgEnslaved - Vertebrae (Indie Recordings) 145 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 22:06 (fifteen years ago) link
Didn't get any No1 votes rather surprisingly.
That was actually my next guess after Torche!
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 22 January 2009 22:09 (fifteen years ago) link
There's a bit of a shock low entry at no12 actually..
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 22:28 (fifteen years ago) link
Would you like to guess/wager?
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 22:53 (fifteen years ago) link
It has really bad cover art..
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 23:03 (fifteen years ago) link
12http://www.metal-archives.com/images/1/7/7/3/177301.jpgMeshuggah - obZen (Nuclear Blast Records) 155 Points
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 23:05 (fifteen years ago) link
Anyone got any comments on todays countdown so far? Any surprise inclusions?I shall post no 11 later before I go to bed
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 22 January 2009 23:36 (fifteen years ago) link
Curious: Do people actually think the Meshuggah (and Opeth) albums are standout albums for those bands or do you just see them as solid releases from great bands?
― Sundar, Thursday, 22 January 2009 23:46 (fifteen years ago) link
After revisiting Vikingligr Veldi this week, Vertebrae sounds even more useless. I had almost forgotten just how incredible they used to be.
At least it's paying their kids school fees.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 22 January 2009 23:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Sundar: I think opinion is split on the Meshuggah. Some think its the best they've done and some don't as far as i can tell. No idea whatsoever on the Opeth, but I'd be surprised if people think it's their best. However they might still think it's better than any other metal album in 2008.
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Friday, 23 January 2009 00:19 (fifteen years ago) link
11http://www.8mmrecs.com/immagini/THE%20GOSLINGS.jpgThe Goslings - Occasion (Not Not Fun) 158 Points (1 Number One Vote)
― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Friday, 23 January 2009 00:38 (fifteen years ago) link
And to recap our countdown so far (Rank - Points - Votes - #1 Votes - Artist - Album):
50 - 48 - 3 - 0 - Racebannon - Acid or Blood50 - 48 - 3 - 1 - Zebulon Pike - Intransience48 - 50 - 4 - 0 - Blue Sabbath Black Cheer - Untitled48 - 50 - 3 - 0 - Gnaw Their Tongues - An Epiphanic Vomiting of Blood47 - 52 - 5 - 0 - Bison B.C. - Quiet Earth45 - 54 - 4 - 0 - Nadja - Desire In Uneasiness45 - 54 - 4 - 0 - Withered - Folie Circulaire43 - 55 - 4 - 0 - Metallica - Death Magnetic43 - 55 - 6 - 0 - Unearthly Trance - Electrocution42 - 59 - 4 - 1 - Blood Ceremony - Blood Ceremony41 - 60 - 4 - 1 - Disfear - Live the Storm40 - 61 - 4 - 0 - Marnie Stern - This Is It And I Am It And You Are It39 - 62 - 5 - 0 - Darkspace - III38 - 63 - 6 - 0 - Intronaut - Prehistoricisms37 - 66 - 5 - 0 - Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth36 - 68 - 6 - 0 - Genghis Tron - Board Up the House35 - 70 - 5 - 0 - Witch - Paralyzed34 - 71 - 3 - 1 - Hammers of Misfortune - Fields/Church of Broken Glass33 - 72 - 6 - 0 - Ascend - Ample Fire Within32 - 78 - 6 - 0 - Jesu - Why Are We Not Perfect31 - 81 - 6 - 0 - Moonspell - Night Eternal30 - 83 - 6 - 0 - The Gates of Slumber - Conqueror28 - 88 - 7 - 0 - Earthless - Live at Roadburn28 - 88 - 8 - 0 - UFOmammut - Idolum26 - 89 - 6 - 0 - Moss - Sub Templum26 - 89 - 5 - 0 - Wetnurse - Invisible City25 - 98 - 5 - 1 - The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia24 - 100 - 6 - 0 - Ocean - Pantheon of the Lesser23 - 109 - 8 - 0 - Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God22 - 111 - 8 - 0 - Coffins - Buried Death21 - 118 - 7 - 2 - Grails - Doomsdayer's Holiday20 - 123 - 8 - 0 - Sunn 0))) - Domkirke18 - 126 - 8 - 0 - Cynic - Traced in Air18 - 126 - 8 - 1 - Asva - What You Don't Know Is Frontier17 - 128 - 8 - 0 - Leviathan - Massive Conspiracy Against All Life16 - 137 - 8 - 0 - Krallice - Krallice15 - 140 - 8 - 0 - Caina - Temporary Antennae14 - 141 - 10 - 0 - Melvins - Nude With Boots13 - 145 - 9 - 0 - Enslaved - Vertebrae12 - 155 - 10 - 0 - Meshuggah - obZen11 - 158 - 11 - 1 - The Goslings - Occasion
Tomorrow, the thrilling conclusion! And then a bunch of statistics that dwarf these in their sublime geekiness!
― glenn mcdonald, Friday, 23 January 2009 00:42 (fifteen years ago) link
outside of I, obzen is probably my favourite meshuggah album to date. it's a perfect distillation of their sound - so focused and lean and sharp. I know it's got a bit of stick from the hardcore for being a bit simpler than their older stuff, but that criticism seems largely to be based on 'combustion' rather than the album as a whole (which does get pretty damn tricksy).
even so, 'combustion' is an incredible track. by no means the most wilfully difficult in their catalogue, but a totally storming, brutal metal tune that's still characteristically meshuggah.
all of the above surprises me somewhat, as I'm usually a proponent of 'the more insanely complex, the better'. but for me, they just nailed it on this one.
oh, and I agree. the artwork is crap.
― m the g, Friday, 23 January 2009 00:42 (fifteen years ago) link
not too into opeth... as for meshuggah, they're one of my favorite bands but that's a little tricky for me to answer.
the way I see it, everything that they've done post-destroy erase improve has been a gradual refinement of one kind of sound: rhythmic, down-tuned breakdowns in wacky time signatures with (almost) melodic, (almost) ambient guitar leads and a couple other elements re-jiggered throughout the course of an album.
all of their albums of the last few years strike me as samey but I don't mean this in a negative way. pretty sure I've posted this on another thread, but I listen to this band the way I would listen to autechre or basic channel records. the head-nodding repetition is a big draw for me.
but because of this, I have a hard time identifying a real standout. could be chaosphere, could be the i ep, could be obzen. I like them all, really.
― original bgm, Friday, 23 January 2009 00:43 (fifteen years ago) link
I haven't been able to get into "combustion," actually. it's just... not what I want from them. I usually skip it. :-/
― original bgm, Friday, 23 January 2009 00:51 (fifteen years ago) link