Dirt if it was written in a desert minus the heroin addiction with a singer who had never really been into metal whose fave band was EW&F.I dont believe they had never heard Sabbath at the time though. Josh homme claimed all they listened to was SST bands and the local desert rock bands like Yawning Man.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 18:38 (fourteen years ago) link
lol, I guess it makes sense that Kyuss sounds like QOTSA.
― Mordy, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 18:42 (fourteen years ago) link
5 songs into kyuss. it's basically just hard rock in a vein that doesn't really do it for me. too much classic-rock-derived riffing, and the singer is pretty uninspiring.
50 mil year trip was the first song that did anything for me on this--i like the woozy desert solo jam as it closes out.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 18:57 (fourteen years ago) link
apothecaries' weight is pretty good too. stop singing, stop recycling old riffs, just jam endlessly.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:03 (fourteen years ago) link
when you say stop recycling old riffs, do you mean from before that record was made? Because the fact that every stoner band has copied Kyuss since shouldn't take away from how awesome and unique Kyuss were at the time.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:06 (fourteen years ago) link
no i mean the 70s hard rock they were lifting from.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:07 (fourteen years ago) link
So I now have acquired all three of these, will probably start with the Entombed as that is the one I am least familiar with.
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:07 (fourteen years ago) link
please tell me the songs they stole riffs from
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:09 (fourteen years ago) link
::sigh:: you know when you hear something and it just kind of reminds you of a lot of other stuff, not in a specific way, but in a way that makes it feel like well-trod territory? that is what this sounds like to me.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:12 (fourteen years ago) link
i didnt mean to sound snarky btw
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:12 (fourteen years ago) link
i mean if u wanna go early, vitus were actually more derivative but were so desperate and weird that it worked for them. if u wanna go contemporary, sleep's holy mountain came out in 92/93 and is also pretty derivative but in a way that i like.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm having trouble revisiting this Kyuss record. Haven't heard it in about fifteen years, and though I like some of the bands that they inspired I find this a slog. Feels much longer than 50 minutes or so. Looked up the credits to see who wrote what, and the Brant Bjork tracks (Green Machine, 50 Million Year Trip & Caterpillar March) I like much more than the rest, even the ones he co-wrote. I'm not surprised by my reaction; I don't like Garcia's vocals on anything, and, though I think Homme is a talented guitarist, I haven't liked any of his bands either.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:30 (fourteen years ago) link
OK, just to demonstrate that I'm actually into this Listening Club idea, I made it through the whole Mastodon album, even the pointless gap-and-static at the end. I didn't like Mastodon before, and I don't like them any better after this. It's an apt triad, I think, as even when Mastodon is sprinting through their spazz-metal bits, there's a kind of leathery braying tone to their riffs that sounds of a piece, to me, with Kyuss and Entombed. To vastly oversimplify, I feel like there are kind of three major temperamental wellsprings of metal: overthought alienation, underthought aggression and pretensions to divinity. It's possible to combine these in various balances, but alienation gave us Black Sabbath and Celtic Frost and today gives us black metal, aggression gave us AC/DC and Motorhead and various -cores and now what's left of death metal, pretension gave us Kiss and Iron Maiden power/progressive/gothic metal. Me, I'm into alienation and ambition, particularly when they can be combined. Not so much into aggression for its own sake. I'm as dedicated a metal fan as you'll find, but I'm also a 43-year-old software designer with a 3-year-old daughter and a Scrabble obsession, and even as a 17-year-old I was the kind of 17-year-old who was bound to grow up to be a software designer with a daughter and a head full of anagrams for RETINAS. So there we are. The week I pick the three albums, some of you will hate them all, too!
― glenn mcdonald, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:31 (fourteen years ago) link
About halfway through the Entombed so far and this is really not at all what I expected to hear, given the date of release and the general description of Entombed as a death metal band. Of course further research shows me this was during their "death n' roll" phase, which I guess seems like a better description. I hear a little bit of bands like Pantera in this, in that I feel a sort of similar "groove" (for lack of a better word) in some of these songs. Normally hearing Pantera as a comparison would turn me off, but I'm finding myself enjoying it so far.
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:35 (fourteen years ago) link
And yeah, this is my first ever exposure to Entombed. I know!
i listened to remission on the way to work today as it's the only one of these i own on cd. stone-cold classic imo--it's so funny that they're consistently noted as/accused of getting "proggier" when there's plenty of that to be found on remission. the songs are very parts-y but they're played with such grace and flow so well. dailor was on fire here, obviously--i think the dumbing-down of his drumming is the worst thing that happened to this band. tracks 1-4 in particular are unbelievable, and "workhorse" is just jaw-droppingly good.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:37 (fourteen years ago) link
glenn, i don't think i understand your three wellsprings at all, but i nominate you to pick next week.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:38 (fourteen years ago) link
I second that, I'm curious to see what three glenn would pick.
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
The Entombed is working much better for me than Kyuss did. I've never really cared for Death metal, but this doesn't really hold to what I understood as death metal. Death n' Roll does make more sense, as Jon said. Vocals like this usually rub me the wrong way, though this guys spittle-laced tirades aren't really putting me off. Not adding anything, but I'm not gritting my teeth. Some great chugging guitars, but as I type the solo on "Full Of Hell" made me laugh. Not a strong point. Intrigued, and much better groove than the Kyuss.
I am not looking forward to the Mastodon, even though I like it more than the rest of their catalog.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:52 (fourteen years ago) link
Just wrapped up the Entombed, liked it a lot more than I expected and will be digging deeper into their catalog when I get a chance. As opposed to EZ, I really liked the vocals on this record, this is the type of growl I can really go for.
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:57 (fourteen years ago) link
snap, thats why i love entombed yet never cared for most DM
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 21:02 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm approaching the end of the Entombed as well; would have loved to see these guys back in the day. Growlers annoy me less in person than on record. When they up the tempo and thrash out for a few moments now and again I could love these guys. Thanks for picking this!
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 21:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Okay, no way am I making it through this Mastodon. Herman, you know my dislike - who am I kidding? loathing - and it isn't going to change. Sorry.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 21:19 (fourteen years ago) link
Remission is pretty great, but its a slog to get through, by the end of it you feel like you've been pummelled or something. I like their later stuff, especially the one from last year
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 21:33 (fourteen years ago) link
but feeling like you've been pummeled is why it's such a good record!
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 22:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Bill's a softie , you know that.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 22:18 (fourteen years ago) link
hahah
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 22:21 (fourteen years ago) link
I like to be menaced and emotionally abused more than beaten.
― I Smell Xasthur Williams (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 22:22 (fourteen years ago) link
The first bit of "March of the Fire Ants" is the greatest Mastodon riff ever. When they do that live, the crowd just explodes.
― A. Begrand, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 22:30 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm a bit of a lurker on the Metal thread. Can I still join in on this?
― subversive time travel (FACK), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:05 (fourteen years ago) link
of course, everyone can join in at anytime
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:05 (fourteen years ago) link
cool, thanks. I love Mastodon, but I don't think I've ever heard Remission, so this is good for me to give it a listen. Never really heard of the other two, but I'm looking forward to them.
― subversive time travel (FACK), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:08 (fourteen years ago) link
awesome, would be great if lots of non metal thread regulars joined in, im sure mordy will be glad of that.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:17 (fourteen years ago) link
I second that, the more the merrier!
I'm going to give that Mastodon a listen tomorrow if I can; never gave them the time of day before, even though I was working in a big-ass music store when that one came out (I was into the Hydra Head thing then, didn't branch out to much else).
As for that Entombed... didn't work for me, sorry. A pleasant enough listen, but I can't recall a single riff or tune. Nothing about it stands out to me. But to be fair, I didn't like the sound of To Ride... when that came out either.
― wronger than 100 geir posts (MacDara), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:22 (fourteen years ago) link
once this finishes...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqCKr5AeKpc&feature=player_embedded#at=11
...I'm q'ing up the entombed for my first listen in... probably over a decade? I think "full of hell" was my fave cut back then.
― original bgm, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:47 (fourteen years ago) link
hellraiser sample? good start.
― original bgm, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 23:51 (fourteen years ago) link
up to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ViTp9uur8">titular</a> track now. really enjoying this one so far! for better or worse, the arrangements are a bit twistier and more convoluted than I was expecting from my hazy memories. (though this track is definitely not a great example of this observation!) this isn't remission but it hits some of the same buttons for me.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:02 (fourteen years ago) link
ugh, forgot to swap in the bbcode. one more time:
up to the titular track now. really enjoying this one so far! for better or worse, the arrangements are a bit twistier and more convoluted than I was expecting from my hazy memories. (though this track is definitely not a great example of this observation!) this isn't remission but it hits some of the same buttons for me.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:03 (fourteen years ago) link
just finished. fave track was "hollowman".
though the album is short, it gets a little tiring by the end. I think this is due to the downtuned, super-distorto guitars being so high in the mix more than anything.
but overall, this was fun and I had some good lols during "blood song".
― original bgm, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:30 (fourteen years ago) link
(and feel free to delete my botched post if you have the ability to do so. sorry about that!)
― original bgm, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:31 (fourteen years ago) link
glad you enjoyed it!
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:34 (fourteen years ago) link
I was thinking, maybe in future run, this as a poll so everyone can vote for what they think was the best album?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:28 (fourteen years ago) link
damn commas in wrong place
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:29 (fourteen years ago) link
or just run a poll as a companion and just post the albums for that week in this thread each time?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:30 (fourteen years ago) link
you need help.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Or we could just have a conversation without a "winner".
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:32 (fourteen years ago) link
No need to be rude, I was just putting a suggestion out there to see what people thought.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:45 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm with EZ, I'd rather just have a discussion about these albums without it turning into any sort of "competition".
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:47 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah agreed
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 14 April 2010 01:54 (fourteen years ago) link
Listening to the Kyuss right now, I already knew I loved "50 Million Year Trip", but was not prepared for how much I would love the quiet/loud dynamic of "Thong Song". The trick is really overused, but this is one example of how perfectly it can work.
― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 14 April 2010 02:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Love the idea that you introduced them to yourself; you rewrote the narrative in your mind and were surprised to learn otherwise.
I should do more review hunting and sourcing; when I have in the past I haven't enjoyed the results much, but that's on me as I'm not good at weeding things out - I still have tons of dead blogs in my regular reads folder.
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 29 October 2010 15:17 (thirteen years ago) link
What? Me? Do another week? OK.
http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/img/d1/26850.jpgKathaarsys: IntuitionWeirdo jazz-fission prog-out
http://www.hellbound.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Nechochwen_lowrescover.gifNechochwen: Azimuths to the OtherworldAmbient tribal metal
http://www.metalkingdom.net/album/img/d1/27000.jpgXasthur: Portal of SorrowIt's always darkest right before the sun gets sucked inside-out
― glenn mcdonald, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 02:33 (thirteen years ago) link
That Xasthur album is his artistic peak. Shame it's his farewell gesture.
― No Means Yes. Yes Means Anal. (unperson), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 02:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I've heard of two of these Glenn! You're losing your touch.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 02:50 (thirteen years ago) link
I was just going to come and do mine. I did say I was going to be late..
Kerr, what does the schedule going forward look like?
― Dame Anna NAGL (aldo), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 10:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Just post yours. There's room for everyone
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 13:29 (thirteen years ago) link
Okay.
Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s)
http://denovali.com/celeste/mortes400.jpg
Free download here (but the packaging is lovely, so you should buy it): http://www.denovali.com/celeste/
Are they French? Who knows. There seems to be a suspicion this band are not exactly who they seem, but who cares. Blackened Doom of the highest quality.
Murmuure - Murmuure
http://s.dsimg.com/image/R-2500715-1287427847.jpeg
http://www.myspace.com/murmuure
Damn if this isn't becoming my album of the year. Avant-Black, like if Zombi put a BM production on everything.
Titan - Sweet Dreams
http://shop.relapse.com/dbimages/sleeves/sweetdreams_362.jpg
http://www.myspace.com/titanaut
Previous releases have been Space/Kraut behemoths with heavy psych overtones, but the move to Relapse adds Steve Moore which pads ut the sound in maybe the ways you'd expect. Awesome.
― Dame Anna NAGL (aldo), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 14:00 (thirteen years ago) link
3 really really good albums there.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 14:32 (thirteen years ago) link
I've tried twice to get into Celeste and failed, and Titan didn't appeal to me any more than I expected from the description, but I'm liking Murmuure quite a bit.
― glenn mcdonald, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 18:44 (thirteen years ago) link