Best Music Artist(s) Today?

[Guest mewmewninja45]

Hi I'm Mewmewninja45, and I want to know who you think is the best singer(s), or band out today. I 've always been a fan of Gym Class Heros, but Linkin Park kicks a*s too. So who do you guys think is the best music artist(s) out today?!

[Jakehammaren]

One word:

[SIZE=4][B]AGALLOCH.[/B][/SIZE]

[Claire]

[FONT=Arial]Please put just a little more thought into explaining why you like those artists. We can't really generate discussion if all we know is that they "kick ***," or nothing at all.

Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and say that to me, AFI is the best band in the world. (No one has to agree with me, of course). They've been my absolute favorite band since I was in the seventh grade in 2004, and I finally got to seem them January of this year. Both their entire repetoire of music and the band themselves are amazing; I haven't heard instrumentation or lyrics that come anywhere close to being as awesome. Plus, I adore those girly men, and Davey Havok is pretty much the King/Queen of all of them. They have great personalities, of course...[/FONT]

[desertphoenix]

I agree with Clurr and I also wonder will this thread be genre basis. Well I can't actually say one artist I like to be the best over-all.

Outkast has been my favorite rap group for a long time even though my favorite rap song of all time is Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio. I can't stay with one rock band for more than a year, but right now I will say the best one is Mars Volta. I've only listen to Amputechture and it is that creepy kind of cool album. I probably should get around to their other albums. I've liked Incubus in the past for songs like Sick Sad Little World and Megalomaniac. I do like Anna-Molly that came out recently.

A few genres I will get into a little, because i don't think others might. My favorite Reggae artist I will say is Damian Marley. His older works like Still Searching I've liked a lot, and his Welcome to Jamrock was a little different but is was still good. Plus you can't go wrong with a guy with dreads that long :D . My vote for favorite Reggae Metal will go to Skindred. An odd genre on paper, but they make it work. I do like Turn-tables and abstract beats, but it's kind of hard for me to find the artists that made them.

[Sazumechan]

Hey mewmewninja45 I haven't talked to you in a while wait getting of subject here sorry. Ok the best band or artist in the world well I really like Linkin Park there sound is just so different from all the rest. I really like Breaking Benjamin,Evanescence,My Chemical Romance,and Flyleaf too.They all have distinct sounds and really good lyrics.But hey thats just me!

Oh and the best artist in my opinion is Avril Lavinge.

[Mr. Maul]

[size=1][color=Gray]Oh man.

This one time, I didn't know what good music was, even after it had walked up and hit me in the face.



Good times.


[/color][/size]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Jakehammaren]One word:

[SIZE=4][B]AGALLOCH.[/B][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]And a wonderful word it is. no matter your musical preference, there is no ecuse to not check them out. I've got techno fans, power-metal fans, and people who like musci in general plopping this in their CD players.

My personal favorite band at the time, though, is [B]The Mars Volta[/B]. Describing them is not easy -- they are a highly experimental group without all the chaos usually associated with the genre. They mix hard rock, salsa, progressive, and post-rock into a massive blend of awesome. The two-man group produces some of the best things I've ever heard. ([B]Cedric Bixler-Zavala [/B] and [B]Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez[/B] come from [B]At the Drive-In [/B] BTW)

Their first release, [B]De-Loused in the Comatorium[/B], is an hour-long adventure through the mind of a guy in a freaky *** coma. Be forewarned -- the lyrics make NO sense unless you put unreal effort into decoding them (see thecomatorium.com/forums). This doesn't matter, though, because Cedric Bixler-Zavala's voice is wonderful. This album contains ten tracks, each it's own small universe (except maybe the first two, [B]Son et Lumiere [/B] and [B]Inertiatic ESP[/B], which form one track). Many complain that there are too many parts where the mosic boils down into being overly scarce, but I beg to differ. Anyone with even the slightest affinity for post-rock will see that the slow parts on De-Loused are hardly anything. where the album shines is in delivering genuinely good, memorable tracks that you'll want to hear again and again, and forming a definite atmosphere.

[B]Frances the Mute [/B] is the tank of the Mars Volta rejime, and my personal favorite album of all time. Warning -- it takes nuts of steel to listen to this album. Coming in at 1 hour and 17 minutes, the album is a behemoth and designed to be listened to in one sitting always. If your one who listens to music casually, FTM is NOT for you. The album is broken into 5 tracks. three of them are in the 13 minute range, one about 5 min, and the monster, [B]Cassandra Geminni[/B], comes in at 32 minutes total (broken up into 8 tracks for the CD). This album is not like anything you've evr heard and can't be explained as well as you could experience it. I've heard this CD over 250 times, and I still sometimes find new things about it. This album is what got me into music as a whole and is a must-hear for fans of anything unique. i cannot through out enough reccomendations.

TMV's third album, [B]Amputechture[/B], doesn't nearly reach the plateu of their previous albums, but is still a solid release. It takes a far more progressive approach, but it's folley is trying to cram too much together, with tons of track overlapping and a lot of stuff that's impossible to hear until you've listened to the album a few dozen times. At first, I couldn't really get into it, but once I did, I found that it is still a great release, and still fit to wear the title of a TMV track. The upsode to Amputechture is that it's the first TMv album where each track can be taken in individually, though most are still very long.

One of the most notable facets of TMV is their live performance. Nothing is definitive in a TMV performance. They have all sorts of song additions, strange things they throw in, and they sometimes take a 12 minute track and make it 45 minutes long. I would kill to see them live. (though youtube does an outstanding job of saving someone's life.)

As for some of their best songs:

[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=JovRNx40c6E][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Son et Lumiere + Inertiatic ESP[/B][/COLOR][/url] (DITC) live (actually normal sounding mostly)
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=yyDHjCGoAEo][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed[/COLOR] [/B] [/url](DITC) Eva spoilers!!! But don't worry, worth it for this amazing song + AMV best of DITC
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=0vQhKEY28HQ][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Drunkship of Lanterns (and part of Eriatarka)[/B] [/url](DITC) [/COLOR] The Animatrix spoilers!
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=7ZcirMiwX5U][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]L'via L'viaquez [/url][/COLOR] [/B] (FTM) video, cut short from 13 min
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=mIwTxkTEUqY][b][color=darkorange]The Widow[/b][/color][/url] (FTM) video. Only song anyone seems to know by them
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=iMa2IKqdklI][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Vermicide[/COLOR][/B][/url] (amputechture) homemade video, didn't watch

And that's all because everything on youtube is from freaking DITC!
[/COLOR]

[Magus]

[font=times new roman]Tough question. I don't really listen to the radio or look at videos anymore (it's been about a good year) so I'm a little in the dark, and what I have heard lately isn't all that great either.

If I had to choose, it would probably be Eminem, but last I heard, he was done with music so "shrugs". Perhaps Beyonce. I heard she made 4 (5?) new videos..

Maybe I'll check out the radio one of these days just to get caught up with the times :animeswea .[/font]

[Jakehammaren]

Alright, I'll expand on why

[B][SIZE=4]AGALLOCH[/SIZE][/B]

is pretty much the sweetest band EVAR.

First of all, no band sounds like Agalloch. They are their own entity, and that is for certain. If you like your music unique, there's no way you won't dig you some Agalloch.

The amount of atmosphere these guys pour into their music is absolutely astounding. You cannot help but wander into a world of autumn rain and winter snowfall while listening to them. Every single song is a journey. Their music paints vivid, beautiful images in your mind, and the nature-inspired, sorrow-filled, poetic lyrics compliment it perfectly.

Basically, Agalloch transcends genre. They have created an entire world of their own, and for this, I love them to no end.

I strongly suggest listening to their music with a pair of really nice headphones while sitting somewhere peaceful outdoors. It's a moving experience.

Also see:
[B]Opeth[/B], [B]Wolves in the Throne Room[/B], [B]Woods of Ypres[/B].

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]NOTE: going to edit above post for more info...

I agree with everything Jake said about [B]Agalloch[/B]. Definetally an amazing band. [B]Pale Folklore [/B] and [B]Ashes Against the Grain [/B] are two of the grandest items of my collection ([B]The Mantle [/B] is great too, but not quite as powerful as the other two. Except for [B]In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion [/B] and, my favorite, [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=mN4AxskpSAE][color=darkorange][B]A Desolation Song[/B][/color][/url])

BTW, check out these videos if you're interested:
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=nU7urU81rJc] [COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Falling Snow [/B] [/COLOR] (Live)[/url]
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3Ow5v1laA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Not Unlike The Waves [/B] (video) cut short from 9 minutes -- one of the greatest songs ever. I doub't this videos ever actually been on TV >_<[/COLOR] [/url]

As for some of the other bands I listed.

[B]Coheed and Cambria [/B] - These guys are pretty popular below the surface of TV and radio commercialism. These guys are a prog-rock band somewhere between [B]Rush [/B] and, many say, [B]Zepplin [/B] (though I don't listen to Zepplin, so I can't confirm). Their sound is greatly different on each album. [B]Second Stage Turbine Blade[/B] features a mix of prog-rock and emo inflluences, being the closest to emo I have ever enjoyed (well... [B]At the Drive-In [/B] too).

[B]In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3[/B] is kind of a mixed bag. Every song is completely different, and it's hard to really say much about it definitively. I will say that it has a much more epic focus then SSTB.

[B]Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness [/B] (I'm not kidding) features their most omplete sound. It blends epic, sweeping prog-metal, straight-up pop sound, and a whole truckload of grooviness into one huge cake. It's got a little something for everyone and is monumentally enjoyable.

Their CDs follow a continuing story which I won't get into right now (that's [B]Wiki's [/B] job!) told through some truly unique lyric-writing. the story is grotesque and intereesting, and even has it's own comic!

[B]Claudio Sanchez[/B], band mastermind and vocalist, sings in an insanely high pitch remniscent of [B]Geddy Lee[/B], and recently two of the bandmates quit, though they've apparently been replaced. Coheed is doing a whole lot right now, with Claudio just having released an album with his side-band, a new album set to hit this summer, the first volume of the comic set to drop next month, and the recent release of their DVD The Last Supper.

Some of their best tracks from all across their albums include:

[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=nH-fxeTYnLQ][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Time Consumer [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](SSTB)
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=sWd2QQTGJs0][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Delirium Trigger [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](SSTB) live, I think
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=0jMl1z0SmLg][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Neverender[/COLOR][/B][/url] live (SSTB)
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=8EZzLPHo5pA][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]2113[/B][/COLOR] [/url](IKSOSE3) live, alright quality
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=bvH-70bY2C8][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Blood Red Summer[/B] [/COLOR] [/url](IKSOSE3) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y96koKa2PSE][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]A Favor House Atlantic[/COLOR][/B][/url] (IKSOSE3) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=BsgOl-vedtA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Welcome Home [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](GAIBS4VOFFTTEOM) video, cut short by 2 minutes
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=KUa4CXl8aH4][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]The Suffering [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](same) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=HJdxdtNBKEA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Ten Speed (Of God's Blood And Burial)[/COLOR][/B] [/url](same) video; ten speed = best bike ever.[/COLOR]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma]*Points to sig* - But for those who don't know what band I'm talking about, that would be [b]Breaking Benjamin[/b]. One of the very few bands who don't have a single song I do not like. I have just about every song from then DLed with the exceptions of a few off of Phobia. They, I believe are the best band of this generation....period.

Other noteable/favorites:

-[b]Anberlin[/b]: Honestly, dun know much about this band other then they got some pretty awesome songs. I have to say my favorite thing about them is the lyrics of their songs, especially songs like Paperthin Hymn. They really impress me.

-[b]AFI[/b]: It's been said already but i'll reiterate it because I too am a fan of the band. To be honest, i have never met another AFI fan with the same favorite song as myself, lol. Also if it weren't for my good friend Amanda (a.k.a Disenchanted :P) I wouldn't have heard most of the songs off their newest album. I'm quite enamored with Love Like Winter atm.

-[b]Nonpoint[/b]: A terrific band with a lot of energy, and a friggen awesome guitar player. They got one of the best rock songs i've ever heard in spanish too.


I have a lot more favorites, but I am under the belief this thread was to pinpoint favorites of "Today". So twas what I did.[/FONT]

[James P. Galvatron]

[QUOTE=2007DigitalBoy][COLOR=DarkOrange]NOTE: going to edit above post for more info...

I agree with everything Jake said about [B]Agalloch[/B]. Definetally an amazing band. [B]Pale Folklore [/B] and [B]Ashes Against the Grain [/B] are two of the grandest items of my collection ([B]The Mantle [/B] is great too, but not quite as powerful as the other two. Except for [B]In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion [/B] and, my favorite, [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=mN4AxskpSAE][color=darkorange][B]A Desolation Song[/B][/color][/url])

BTW, check out these videos if you're interested:
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=nU7urU81rJc] [COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Falling Snow [/B] [/COLOR] (Live)[/url]
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3Ow5v1laA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Not Unlike The Waves [/B] (video) cut short from 9 minutes -- one of the greatest songs ever. I doub't this videos ever actually been on TV >_<[/COLOR] [/url]

As for some of the other bands I listed.

[B]Coheed and Cambria [/B] - These guys are pretty popular below the surface of TV and radio commercialism. These guys are a prog-rock band somewhere between [B]Rush [/B] and, many say, [B]Zepplin [/B] (though I don't listen to Zepplin, so I can't confirm). Their sound is greatly different on each album. [B]Second Stage Turbine Blade[/B] features a mix of prog-rock and emo inflluences, being the closest to emo I have ever enjoyed (well... [B]At the Drive-In [/B] too).

[B]In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3[/B] is kind of a mixed bag. Every song is completely different, and it's hard to really say much about it definitively. I will say that it has a much more epic focus then SSTB.

[B]Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness [/B] (I'm not kidding) features their most omplete sound. It blends epic, sweeping prog-metal, straight-up pop sound, and a whole truckload of grooviness into one huge cake. It's got a little something for everyone and is monumentally enjoyable.

Their CDs follow a continuing story which I won't get into right now (that's [B]Wiki's [/B] job!) told through some truly unique lyric-writing. the story is grotesque and intereesting, and even has it's own comic!

[B]Claudio Sanchez[/B], band mastermind and vocalist, sings in an insanely high pitch remniscent of [B]Geddy Lee[/B], and recently two of the bandmates quit, though they've apparently been replaced. Coheed is doing a whole lot right now, with Claudio just having released an album with his side-band, a new album set to hit this summer, the first volume of the comic set to drop next month, and the recent release of their DVD The Last Supper.

Some of their best tracks from all across their albums include:

[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=nH-fxeTYnLQ][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Time Consumer [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](SSTB)
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=sWd2QQTGJs0][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Delirium Trigger [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](SSTB) live, I think
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=0jMl1z0SmLg][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Neverender[/COLOR][/B][/url] live (SSTB)
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=8EZzLPHo5pA][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]2113[/B][/COLOR] [/url](IKSOSE3) live, alright quality
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=bvH-70bY2C8][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Blood Red Summer[/B] [/COLOR] [/url](IKSOSE3) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y96koKa2PSE][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]A Favor House Atlantic[/COLOR][/B][/url] (IKSOSE3) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=BsgOl-vedtA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Welcome Home [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](GAIBS4VOFFTTEOM) video, cut short by 2 minutes
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=KUa4CXl8aH4][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]The Suffering [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](same) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=HJdxdtNBKEA][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Ten Speed (Of God's Blood And Burial)[/COLOR][/B] [/url](same) video; ten speed = best bike ever.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]


I have to agree man Claudio is good especially the way he plays the double V-Neck guitar in the live shows.

The Suffering and Teen Speed aren't the best of the Album though.

The Best songs off of In Keeping Secrets Silent Earth:3 are
The Cuts in The March of Men
Al The Killer
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3 Best track on there
The Light and the Glass
THe Velorium Camper all 3 parts especially Part 2: Backend of Forever

Good Apollo I'm a Burning Star 4 the best tracks are:
Once Upon Your Dead Body
The Lying Lies and Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court
Mother May I
Every last one of The Willing Well parts 1,2, and 3
The best track on the album though is the last track:
The Willing Well Part 4: The Final Cut which has one of the best guitar riffs and solo's by Claudio some of the best I've ever heard in my life.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Inuyasha7271]The Suffering and Teen Speed aren't the best of the Album though.
[/QUOTE]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Considering I had spent 20 minutes writing my post and 20 looking for vids, I went for what was convenient and what was good for necomers, not necessarily for the best. As for their best...

SSTB: [B]Everything Evil[/B], [B]Delirium Trigger[/B], [B]Neverender[/B]
IKSOSE3: [B]IKSOSE3[/B], [B]Three Evils[/B], [B]the Light & the Glass[/B]
GAIBS4VOFFTTEOM: [B]Welcome home[/B], [B]The final cut[/B], [B]Once Upon Your Dead Body[/B]

Andnow, my next choice (and most well known yet) [B]Type O Negative[/B].

Type O have what is described as 'Gothic Doom-Metal' as a genre. their songs mostly fall into two categories -- depression and comedy. Most of type O's tracks have a dark, brooding sound with heavy focus on bass and synth. their lyrics are sometimes about the sadness associated with death and love. The other half of their songs fall into any number of comedic trials. Whether it be about lesbian love, a woman who wants to bang Jesus, addiction to TV (and falling in love with TV characters), or proving your not gay.

Most people know Type O Negative for lead singer [B]Peter Steele[/B]. This guy is freaking huge, coming in at around 6'9" or something like that and having a simply massive build. He's got long black hair and fangs and is a purely evil-looking dude. His voice is increadibly deep as well. And yet he gets onstage and sings things like [B]'Cinammon Girl' [/B] and hilarity ensues. In one of their earlier tours he played a stand-up bass, but held it like an electric bass, his strap being a chain.

The band has been around since 1990, effectively making them old, but good. Admittedly, I've never heard their first album, [B]Slow, Deep, and Hard[/B], but I do have [B]Origin of the Feces[/B], a fake live CD that the band made using tracks from their first album and some covers. The album has an audience that yells things like 'you suck! you suck!' and Peter speaks with the audience making fun of them and stuff. At one part the concert is nearly shut down do to bomb threats XD

Their album that first made them big, though, was [B]Bloody Kisses[/B]. (you may have heard the track Black No. 1 on TV or the radio at some time). This is my 3rd favorite album of all time and a must-have for any metal fan with a sense of humor. From [B]Christian Woman[/B], a 9-minute song about a woman masturbating while thinking about Christ (and the ending chorus 'Jesus Christ looks like me') to the 11-minute[B] Black no. 1[/B] about an evil girlfriend who's a vampire and dies her hair black, and two of my personal favorite songs [B]'We Hate Everyone' [/B] and, of course, [B]'Kill All The White People'[/B]. You can't go wrong with this, people.

[B]October Rust [/B] is the result of the band and their record label reaching a comprimise of creativity and commercialism. I don't own it, but have heard all of it on youtube, and it is a generally good album. the tracks remain silly, but now there is a lot of stuff pertaining to nature and druids and other folklore. It lacks any of the more fast-paced tracks featured on other albums, but remains satisfying.

[B]World Coming Down [/B] is the most depressed of all the Type O albums, with almost no comical songs as Peter was apparently going through a very difficult time. Honestly, I've only heard one or two songs from this album, so I can't say much.

[B]Life Is Killing Me [/B] (which I actually own) combines the sound of Bloody Kisses and World Coming Down to create an even mix of comedy and tragedy. Some of the best songs on here include a remake of the song [B]Angry Inch[/B] from [B]Hedwig and the Angry Inch[/B], and [B]We Were (Electrocute)[/B] about how old the band has gotten. The album has a lot of airy and calming tracks, making it a great feel-good album listenable at any time, though it isn't all that spectacular.

Their latest album, [B]Dead Again[/B], just dropped a couple weeks ago, and I haven't had the chance to procure it yet >_< Apparently, because Peter Steele has recently renewed faith in Catholocism, the songs on it are very imbuned with Christianity.

Their best songs from some of their albums include.

[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=0CPD22KXuLU][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]My Girlfriend's Girlfriend [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](October Rust) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=z9Xjv9f9_eg][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Black No. 1[/COLOR][/B][/url] (Bloody Kisses) video cut short from 11 minutes
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=pBfEBE4-fLU][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]I Don't Wanna Be Me[/COLOR][/B][/url] (Life Is Killing Me) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=_yMGAyrZIx0][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Love You To Death [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](October Rust) video cut short from 7 min
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=DY3R6d0tJ7M][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Everything Dies[/COLOR][/B][/url] (World Coming Down) video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=3WF1bK2j3sc][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Christian Woman[/COLOR][/B][/url] (Bloody Kisses) live video
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=QXDBFpOHBE4][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Jesus Hitler/Kill All The White People[/COLOR] [/B] [/url](Bloody Kisses) live video DVD rip
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=FmWnRzWeps0][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]We Hate Everyone [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](Bloody Kisses) video with Metalocalypse
[url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=ubax2G78Yr0][B][COLOR=DarkOrange]Dead Again [/COLOR] [/B] [/url](Dead Again) homemade video, haven't yet watched[/COLOR]

[Jakehammaren]

Interesting... I actually found [B]The Mantle[/B] to be far superior to Pale Folklore. Even the instrumentals between the three "metal epics" are absolutely perfect - "Odal" and "The Hawthorne Passage" are completely inspiring all on their own. I'd suggest anyone pick this album up before looking into Pale Folklore.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][quote name='Jakehammaren]Interesting... I actually found [B]The Mantle[/B'] to be far superior to Pale Folklore. Even the instrumentals between the three "metal epics" are absolutely perfect - "Odal" and "The Hawthorne Passage" are completely inspiring all on their own. I'd suggest anyone pick this album up before looking into Pale Folklore.[/quote]

...I'll use that as a segway into doing a large piece on Agalloch. As Jake said, and I cannot put it better myself,

[quote=Jakehammaren]AGALLOCH

is pretty much the sweetest band EVAR.

First of all, no band sounds like Agalloch. They are their own entity, and that is for certain. If you like your music unique, there's no way you won't dig you some Agalloch.

The amount of atmosphere these guys pour into their music is absolutely astounding. You cannot help but wander into a world of autumn rain and winter snowfall while listening to them. Every single song is a journey. Their music paints vivid, beautiful images in your mind, and the nature-inspired, sorrow-filled, poetic lyrics compliment it perfectly.

Basically, Agalloch transcends genre. They have created an entire world of their own, and for this, I love them to no end.

I strongly suggest listening to their music with a pair of really nice headphones while sitting somewhere peaceful outdoors. It's a moving experience.[/quote]

Now, [B]Agalloch [/B] currently has three albums and a bunch of EPs released.

Their first release, [B]Pale Folklore[/B], is the definition of a truly solid album. It begins with the 3-part track [B]She Painted Fire Across The Skyline[/B]. This track starts out kind of slow, but builds into an active and enjoyable song and has a brilliant and explosive climax worthy of comparison to the likes of such legends as [B]2112[/B]. [B]The Misshapen Steed [/B] is a 4 minute instrumental which, in my opinion, is the best of all of [B]Agalloch's [/B] instrumental pieces. It then goes into two solid tracks, [B]Hallways of Enchanted Ebony [/B] and [B]Dead Winter Days[/B], both of which are of Agalloch's more metal side. Then there's [B]As Embers Dress the Sky[/B], a track that reaches downright orchestral hights and is increadibly memorable. The CDs final track, [B]The Melancholy Spirit[/B], isn't particularly impressive, but is definetally Agalloch and still carries the atmospheric vibe.

Now, many would like to argue that [B]The Mantle [/B] is their greatest album, but i disagree. After a brief intro is the behemoth track [B]In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion[/B], which is absolutely brilliant and among their highest peeks. But that then carries into th 7-minute instrumental [B]Odal[/B].
Now don't get me wrong, Odal is a good song... in the middle. Unfortuanetally, the long, minimalist intro and outro really loose your attention and before long I found myself skipping the track altogether for the most part. Next is [B]I Am The Wooden Doors[/B], which follows in the footsteps of Hallways of Enchanted Ebony. There are parts of this song that I do like, but for the most part, it feels really off to me. I think I just hate the riff that lasts most of the beginning. [B]the Lodge[/B], another instrumental track, is once again good, but once you've heard it a few times, it gets old. Its essentially four minutes of one repetition and while beautiful, it does get old. There are some really good songs on here, though. [B]The Hawthorne Passage [/B] is Agalloch's longest instrumental piece and a generally apetising work. [B]You Were But A Ghost In My Arms[/B] just about makes up for the folley of Wooden Doors.
Then we have 5-minute track [B]...And the Great Cold Death of the Earth[/B]. now, the problem with this song is a strange one. You see, the most commonly used riff in this song is almost exactly identical to the one used in their [B]Sol Invictus [/B] cover of [B]Kneel To The Cross[/B]. Kneel To The Cross is my absolute favorite Agalloch song, though, so it ends up being a disappointment when I hear that riff and don't hear it.
Finally there's my personal favorite track on the album, [B]A Desolation Song[/B], a brief, somber piece with -- ACCORDIAN!!!

Agalloch's most recent release was [B]Ashes Against the Grain [/B] (which I'm actually listening to right now.) Ashes Against the Grain takes the best of Agalloch's sounds, and imbunes it with way more power and more synth. The album begins with two 9-minute masterpieces [B]Limbs [/B] and [B]Falling Snow[/B]. Limbs immediately tells you that this is a more powerful Agalloch by taking their usual sound and tuning everything up. Falling Snow is just plain amazing. It has great riffs, epic atmosphere, and one of the most vivid paintings of winter you will ever see. After a brief segway track, there is [B]Fire Above, Ice Below[/B]. This track most resembles the style of The Mantle, but far more honed and perfected into a cacophany of awesome.
After that is 10-minute opus [B]Not Unlike The Waves[/B], the crown jewel of AATG. I cannot easily describe this songs awesomeness, you simply must hear it.

Now, the next last 3 songs on the album, the 3 parts of [B]Our Fortress Is Burning[/B], are a bit of a departure. Part one is an instrumental piece, but not quite like any of their previous ones except in that it doesn't really hold your attention multiple times around. Now part 2, [B]bloodbirds[/B], is really something and brings ferocity with what i can only describe as the voice of an angry tree. It's a very good song, and a great ending to the album... or would be if it weren't for part 3. 7 minutes of wind and feedback. no joke. It sucks. Why its there, I don't know.

So overall, I think AATG and Pale Folklore are teh Agalloch win, though The Mantle isn't without it's strong points.

For vids, check out my previous post.[/COLOR]

[Jakehammaren]

You see, a lot of your criticisms of [B]The Mantle[/B] are actually reasons I love it! I love Odal start to finish. The minimalist intro builds the atmosphere up to the point where it's absolutely engulfing you, and the song just comes cascading over it. It's beautiful. And that piano outro... it's so perfect! The melancholy melody coupled with a little reverb and the sound of the wind just destroys me. I love every second of that song.

I'm not exactly sure what it is you don't like about [B]I Am the Wooden Doors[/B], but I can't get enough of that song. Hell, I can't get enough of this entire album!

Funny thing is, my least favorite song on the album is in fact [B]A Desolation Song[/B]. The whispered vocals don't do much for me, but I do enjoy the lyrics, and the accordian was a nice touch.

Anyway, if anyone wants to check out this band, start with the song [B]Not Unlike the Waves[/B] off the [B]Ashes Against the Grain[/B] album. That song sort of embodies Agalloch's incedibly unique sound.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I think the biggest problem with [B]Odal [/B] for me is that I can almost never get the really cool deep bass thing happening on most of my speaker systems, and the sound replacing it is nothing special... As for [B]I Am The Wooden Doors[/B], I do think it's alright, but the guitars just bother me.

anywho, I didn't feel like typing these again do here's some from the previous threads.

[Quote=21st Century Digital Boy][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Pearls & Brass [/B] - This band isn't really like any of the other bands I lesten to, nor any other band I've heard personally. They're about as underground as underground gets since I can't find a single freaking person who listens to them, but they are definetally awesome.

Their LP [B]The Indian Tower [/B] is a masterpiece in a can (or rather, a disk). From the energetic grooves of songs like [B]No Stone [/B] and [B]The Mirror [/B] to the dragged-out-holy-crap-this-is-some-great-stuff riffage of [B]Beneath the Earth[/B], this disk is totally wicked sweet-awesome and contains ultimate riff-bustin. The best part, though, is the 2 acoustic tracks which are easily the coolest acoustic songs ever, [B]Away The Mirrors [/B] being one of my alltime favorite tracks.

I don't know what draws me to a stoner-rock, raw, blues-injected bass-guitar-drum jammer group, but I can't get enough[/COLOR].[/quote]

And slightly edited

[Quote=21st Century Digital Boy][COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Tool [/B] is one of the first bands I ever seriously listened to. Each of their CDs has a unique and equally amazing sound, and, other than [B]10,000 Days[/B], all are really amazing (10,000 Days still being cool but not like the others). Unfortuanetally, I still haven't managed to get my hands on the DVD yet.

[B]Opiate [/B] - Opiate was Tool's first recording, an EP. It has a very raw, dark sound to it. The songs are all blatant attacks on the wrongs of society and are also short in comparison to future Tool songs. This CD keeps the deep, swamplike sound of their later works, but with a more thrashing attitude.

[B]Undertow [/B] - Undertow sounds a lot like Opiate, but much deeper. When I listen to this CD then by the sixth song I usually feel like I'm miles underground and buried in sludge. Their lyrics are highly satyrical regarding society, but all have a very deep, almost wounding nature. Like... "God damn. That's messed up." The last song, [B]Disgustipated[/B], features some of the coolest music I've ever heard used with crazy sounds like sheep and chickens. After 7 minutes it literally goes into 8 minutes of the sound of crickets chirping before a demented short story closing off the album.

[B]AEnima [/B] - This CD introduced me to Tool and is probably the most interesting CD I've ever heard. It opens with [B]Stinkfist [/B] which almost slashes the swampiness of the previous album to shreds and gives a calm and almost depressed feeling. Several songs have the more swampy feel of Undertow such as [B]Jimmy [/B] and [B]Eulogy[/B]. The 9 minute song [B]Pushit [/B] mixes the deepness with an almost comatose instrumental throughout the center of the work. [B]H[/B]. and [B]Forty Six & 2 [/B] have a more spiritual feel as if someone were questing their conscience for something. Then theres the two angry thrashier songs [B]AEnima [/B] and [B]Hooker With A Penis [/B] which both are more basic hard rock songs which are ripe with anger. After listening to the sound of wind and static for four minutes through[B] (-)Ions [/B] you get to the trip-show that is [B]Third Eye[/B]; a thirteen minute epic which goes through a plethora of tempo madness. Cutting in between songs are all sorts of strange musical interludes such as one German song which sounds like a dictator giving a speech but is actually a recipe for meatballs and a very angry man leaving a nasty message on someones machine.

[B]Lateralus [/B] - This is probably my favorite of all the Tool CDs. Interestingly, aside from the first song, [B]The Grudge[/B], the muddy-swamp sound is all but gone. The songs remain mildly creepy, but take on more of a total prog-rock sound. Firstly, the music is amazing and blows me away that a guitar, bass, and drum could be played so well. Besides the first 2 tracks, the lyrics for all the songs on this CD come from a more philosophical and existential standpoint. There aren't any breaks this time around - this CD is a one way trip into your mind. [B]Lateralus [/B] is also one of my favorite songs of all time.

[B]10,000 Days [/B] - Take everything you expect and throw it out the window. This CD is utterly disappointing. The CD is mostly centered around two epics, each of which consists of a shorter opening song and an 11 minute second part. The first is [B]10,000 Days[/B], which simultaneously critisizes empty-hearted Christians and acts as an ode to Maynard's dead mother. This song takes on the feel of a sad rainy day and leads into a great scene of anger over an amazing bass line. The second epic [B]Rosetta Stoned[/B], tells the story of a man wking up in a hospital after being abducted by aliens in Area 51. He was the chosen one, but he cant remember the message he was to give. RS has the same feel as [B]Third Eye[/B], where you feel as if you're on a journey through the music, but unlike much of the older trippy Tool songs, it features constant music instead of minor sounds. There are two songs on there, [B]Intension [/B] and [B]Viginty Tres[/B], which are practically worthless, but between them is the crown jewel of the disk, [B]Right In Two[/B], about angels looking down on the human race. Other than that are 3 'alright' songs, all which have appeared on the radio at some point[/COLOR].[/quote][/COLOR]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR=DimGray]My favorite artist is [COLOR=Blue]M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold[/COLOR]. His lyrics are great. My favorite songs being, [B]Eternal Rest, Won't See You Tonight Part 1,Sidewinder, M.I.A, and Seize the Day[/B]. I have two of their 3 CD's and want to get their first one, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=DimGray]But for the most annoying I'd say[COLOR=Blue] AC/DC's lead [/COLOR] singer. His voice can really bother you after a while, despite their good songs.[/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange][B]Avenged Sevenfold [/B] is alright -- I love [B]City of Evil[/B], but their old stuff is all meh. The music isn't terrible, but nothing special, and his screaming voice is UGLY. As far as hardocre goes, Unearth is the only band I've found myself able to stomach. [B]M. Shadows [/B] lyrics are pretty good, they've inspired some of my favorite of my drawings.

Next would be... [B]Opeth[/B].

now, Opeth is a bit of a mixed bag for me. You see, Opeth is what we call Progresive Death Metal. What that means is, the sound commonly associated with such bands as [B]Tool [/B] and[B] Dream Theater[/B], but turned WAY dark and heavy. Now, Opeth is all-around good, and their style is very flip-floppy. Their songs switch beteen extremely heavy and extremely heavy often several times in the same song. Their songs put a lot of focus on intense riffs and the dark atmosphere surrounding their sound.

Now, this band has released 8 albums (the 9th to see release this summer). Their first two, [B]Orchid [/B] and [B]Morningrise [/B] have a more garage-like sound (just overall bad production really) and we immediately see their style fleshed out with switches between death, black metal, and calm parts. Their early stuff is considered their best by some, though from the songs I've listened to, there's nothing so spectacular that it's worth hunting them down. Their third album, [B]My Arms Your Hearse[/B] is considered the misfit among their albums by many as it features shorter, less atmospheric tracks. The next one, [B]Still Life[/B], is more turned towards the atmospheric stuff again, and considered great by many fans.

Now, the albums I own all come next.

First, [B]Blackwater Park[/B]. now, I cannot deny that Blackwater Park is technically brilliant. It's got all the right riffs in the right places, good quality, and perfect timing in most places. The only major complaint is that there are several parts where something is dragged out excessively, especially in one song where a single riff is played for well over a minute with no additions. Personally, this album isn't really my style, and so I haven't listened to it too much, but I still know it is good.

[B]Damnation [/B] is easily the oddball among Opeth's albums. First of all, the album features 100% calm, quiet songs that reflect 70s era progressive rock. Unlike other albums, it's comparatively short with only 8 tracks, none of which are overly long (really,m this could have been an EP IMO). Despite all the differences, this is one of Opeth's true masterpieces. The songs are great, some catchy, and technically brilliant as well as beautiful. The first three tracks, [B]Windowpanes[/B], [B]In My Time Of Need[/B], and [B]Death Whispered A Lullaby [/B] are all extremely awesome songs, while the rest are still pretty good. The biggest problem is that certain songs take too long to pick up or fade out.

[B]Deliverance[/B], which was Damnation's sister album, is ironically probably Opeth's heviest album, featuring very few moments of peace within the 5-song onslaught. All the tracks (save the 2 minute inteerlude [B]For Absent Friends[/B]) are absurdly long and full of black. Once again, this album is very technically proficient, but it's not really my style. Overall, it is commonly considered the least wotrhy of Opeth's albums in this style, but I'm not one who should give opinion on this release.

[B]Ghost Reveries[/B], the band's most recent album, is easily their greatest in my eyes. Between the 8 tracks it accomplishes almost everything right. The forst song, [B]Ghost of Perdition[/B], at 10 minutes is a breath of almost total perfection. It's followed up instantly by 2 more great songs,[B] Baying of the hounds [/B] and [B]Beneath the Mire[/B], then a Damnation style track [B]Atonement[/B]. [B]Harlequin Forest[/B] is simply a masterpiece as well as the calmest oppeth track ever, [B]Hours of Wealth.[/B] The final and bonus tracks are both brilliant as well, which leaves us with only one 10 minute track, the album's single, [B]The Grand Conjuration[/B]. This song... well, it isn't horrible, but it's essentially no more than mediocre. Were it not for this one dragging down the whole, it would be a perfect album.[/COLOR]

[Anakoni Stark]

[SIZE=1] ok, here I go on my essay about why [B][U] Bloc Party[/B][/U] are the best art rock band out there.

the instrumentation is amazing! it's so damn hard to put into words, and the message on some of the songs reflect this very well. For example: [B][U] Waiting For The 7.18[/B][/U] also, their music is very danceable, even some of the ballads.

[IMG]http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q234/Leon_Fury/SilentAlarm.jpg[/IMG]

[B][U] Silent Alarm[/B][/U]: Which is their first record, has this very aggresve feel to it, with this record they manage to attack various things that people deal with in everyday life, with the very disco-y sound:[list]
[*]Realtionships [Like Eating Glass / Blue Light / This Modern Love]
[*]American Government (the president specifically) / Economics [Helicopter /The Price Of Gasoline ]
[*]Ecstacy / Cocaine / Meds Abuse [Positve Tension / So Here We Are / She's Hearing Voices]
[*]One Night Stands [Banquet]
[*]Turning Lives Around [Plans / Luno]
[*]The Crushing Power Of Routine [Compliments]
[/list]

[IMG]http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q234/Leon_Fury/A_Weekend_in_the_Cityavi.jpg[/IMG]

[B][U] A Weekend In The City[/B][/U]: Their Sophmore album, deals with life in London, with a more darker and violent sound:[list]
[*]The Crushing Power Of Routine [Song For Clay (Dissapear Here) / Waiting For The 7.18]
[*]One Night Stands [Kreuzburg / The Prayer]
[*]Relationships [Sunday / I Still Remember]
[*]Cocaine [On]
[*]Terrorism [Hunting For Witches]
[*]Clichés [Uniform / The Once And Future King / Secrets ]
[*]Suicide [SRXT]
[*]Racism [Where Is Home?]
[/list]

The artwork they pick on for the singles, and album covers also reflect the themes of the albums [as seen in my avitars and signature banners] very well.[/SIZE]

[Jakehammaren]

In resonse to DigitalBoy:

Ah, [B]Opeth[/B]. They are my favorite band (well, this switches off with Agalloch depending on my mood). I love every album, but there are definately some that are superior to others.

First off, pretentious metal genre correction: they're technically referred to as [I]Extreme Progressive Metal[/I]. The only real death metal element is Mikael's harsh vocals, but that's pretty much the only similarity.

Anyway, I'll start by saying that [B]Blackwater Park[/B] is my favorite Opeth album. To me, it's aural perfection. Transitional metal has never been better. All the acoustic parts are exactly where they should be, when they should be, and the clean vocals are used to absolute perfect effect every time. The atmosphere on this album literally consumes [I]everything[/I] while you're listening to it. It's otherwordly, really. Every single song on this album rules. It's truly difficult to choose a favorite (although I am quite fond of The Drapery Falls, myself). Perhaps you should try revisiting Blackwater Park after not listening to it for a while... it might help you rediscover the whole thing.

As far as their old stuff is concerned, [B]Orchid[/B] is absolutely incredible. So the production isn't perfect... but it helps add a bit to the atmosphere. "In Mist She Was Standing" and "Forest of October" are pure gold. The sprinkling of black metal influence on this album really adds a nice kick, if you ask me.

[B]Morningrise[/B] happens to be the weakest Opeth album, methinks. It's just not nearly as interesting as the rest of their material. This one is really for Opeth completionists (such as myself :D )

[B]Still Life[/B] is probably my second favorite Opeth album, right next to Ghost Reveries. I can't really decide which one I like the best. The song [I]Godhead's Lament[/I]" absolutely destroys me every single time I hear it. It's incredible. This album really sets the groundwork for what was to come on later Opeth releases. Definately an absolute MUST for all Opeth fans.

The rest was pretty much covered by Digital Boy (although I do think that Deliverance is better than you're giving it credit for, and it definately outshines Morningrise as far as albums in that style go).

[Justin]

All I can really say is Iron Maiden, guys. If 'the Trooper' doesn't make you want to shoot paintballs at your neighbor's dogs, then you have no red blood in your veins.

That's not to discount my No. 2, Slayer. For most people into extreme metal, it all begins with Slayer (though, that's very unfair to Venom).

And neithyer of those is to discount my stand-alone, unrankable indulgence: Pink Floyd. Duh...

-Justin

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Jakehammaren']The rest was pretty much covered by Digital Boy (although I do think that Deliverance is better than you're giving it credit for, and it definately outshines Morningrise as far as albums in that style go).[/quote]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Well, see. the only [B]Morningrise [/B] song I've heard is [B]Black Rose Immortal[/B], which I thought was alright, though not great. You are the second person I've heard to dislike it beyond all other albums, though, despite it being the favorite of most reviewers. Mind you that I also have only listened to [B]Delivance [/B] 10 times or so, maybe 4 paying attention.

Also, I took your advice and started listening to[B] Blackwater Park [/B] and I'm starting to warm up to it again. I think the main problem I had with it before is that I never needed something quite so black, heh. You aren't kidding - it really does consume EVERYTHING.

Anywho...

[B]Gorillaz [/B] is a positively brilliant group fronted by the guy froom [B]Blur [/B] and shrouded in lore. As I'm sure you're all aware, Gorillaz poses as an animated band of four with an entire backstory, though there is actually no definable lineup except for the frontman. The band's story is fun and interesting and I would suggest cchecking out the wiki...

[B]Gorillaz[/B], the first album by this... amalgamation is just that - an amalgamation of all sorts of styles. The music is focused mostly on 2 things - the synth and the drums. In that way, it's sort of like good rap music, only with but a few rap songs and mostly pop or rock albums. Throw in tons of layering and some guitar on half the songs and you get the basis of the album.

What makes their first release so great is that in 17 tracks, no 2 are too much the same. From dance-worthy pop-rock in [B]19/2000 [/B] or [B]5/4[/B] (never noticed that before) to somber orchestral melodies such as [B]Tomorrow Comes Today[/B], creative hip-hop romps with [B]Clint Eastwood [/B] and [B]Rock the House[/B], straight-up punk in, well, [B]Punk[/B], trippy-freak in [B]New Genius (Brother)[/B] or ... whatever that one annoying song was called. Some synth-soaked techno in [B]Dracula [/B] and [B]Starshine[/B], and of course, the pure opus-ness of [B]Double Bass [/B] and [B]Sound check (Gravity) [/B] as well as some unmentioned songs.

[B]Demon Dayz[/B], as [B]2D [/B] once said in an interview, "is like someone took the first album and colored in it." now, this album features less genre flip-flopping, but still has plenty of variety. This album creates heavily-layered masterpieces by placing tons and tons of things into a track, a lot of which you may not even pick out on the first listen. ulike that freaking new [B]mars volta [/B] album, though, it all melds together perfectly, creating some of the best music you can conceive. On this album the rap stuff is mixed in with the synth-rock and fuses beautifully. Speaking of beautiful, every one of the first 10 tracks fits that description perfectly and in fact, this could have been a perfect album if cut off right there.

There are, in fact 5 other songs on there, all of which are... different. [B]White Light [/B] is a fast-paced dance-floor techno beat white [B]Dare [/B] is a high-school-dance in a nutshell (even though I'm 90% sure it's about masturbation, hehe.) Then there's[B] Fire Coming Out of A Monkey's Head[/B], a sort of[B] Devil Went Down To Georgia[/B] style story-telling piece, and then the rounding off with 2 part song [B]Demon Days [/B] and [B]Don't Get Lost In Heaven[/B], either of which is nice and calming.

Gorillaz is, more than likey, the biggest departure from my style, but I was really into them when I was first getting into music, so genre wasn't an issue back then. i'm glad for this, too, because these are two increadible albums that you miss out on if you judge at first glance. [/COLOR]

[Guest LiquidInference]

I think tool as a band is off the spectrum, yes they are mainstream but I think their music has a life of its own.

[Guest Insanity Hero]

[B]Nightwish[/B] and [B]Lacuna Coil[/B] a pretty good bands. If you want to get into Nightwish I suggest that you listen to their old stuff like [B]"Nemo"[/B] or [B]"Over the hills and far away" [/B]

[B]Lacuna Coil [/B] is a good band also. [B]"Heaven's a Lie" [/B] is a very good song and [B]"Enjoy the Silence"[/B] is also a top fave in my book.