en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal The Last.fm journal for SomethingLesser. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2007/09/13/12lt_behold!___my_top_albums_from_2007: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:23:49 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2007/09/13/12lt_behold!___my_top_albums_from_2007: I will get around soon to reviewing each of my top albums in more detail.

My Picks:

The Red Chord - Prey for Eyes ...3.5 / 5
Pelican - City of Echoes ...4.5 / 5
Swarrrm- Black Bong ...4.9 / 5
Ion Dissonance - Minus the Herd ...3.8 / 5
Baroness - Red Album ...4.1 / 5
I really like all of their melodies. This band deserves more credit.
White Mice - BLasssTPhlEgMEICE ...3.9 / 5
Between the Buried and Me - Colors ...4.3 / 5
Ephel Duath - Pain Remixes the Known ...4.9 / 5
Swallow the Sun - Hope ...4.0 / 5
PsyOpus - Our Puzzling Encounters Considered... 4.8 / 5.0 Mathcore with some jazz metal type of shit. I like this album.
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - Danza II - The Electric Boogaloo ... 4.9 / 5.0
The Ocean - Precambrian ... 4.8 / 5.0
Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works ... 4.2 / 5.0

What other albums should I listen to?

Recommendations:

The End - Elementary
I liked their release from 2004, Within Dividia, and so far this new one sounds good. Thanks for the recommendation, amoyensis.

Mare - Mare
I will try to find some songs from this album, but the stuff I heard on their last.fm page sounds alright.

Rosetta - Wake/Lift
To me, this band sounds like Pelican, Russian Circles, etc. I will have to listen to this album again, but I like it for now. My only critique is in the length of some songs. Overall a good recommendation by HeWhoIsZ

Om - Pilgrimage
I don't really have anything good to say about this one.

High on Fire - Death is this Communion
I had to stop listening to this half way through, it was bad.

Jesu - Conqueror
I am liking this album. It's melodic, sort of heavy, but very much like doom.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2007/02/02/12ls_new,_very_not_%22typical%22_metal Fri, 2 Feb 2007 18:08:06 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2007/02/02/12ls_new,_very_not_%22typical%22_metal Here's just some of the new stuff I've been listening to lately. I don't think any of it is "typical" either. Fucking Chris!

As The Sun Sets - 8949
Anah Aevia - Statistic and Diognostic Manual of Mental Disorders 7th edition
Cloacal Kiss -Easter
Coprofago - Genesis
Coprofago - Unorthodox Creative Criteria
Elysia - Masochist
Engineer - Reproach
Finntroll - Nattfödd
Finntroll - Visor om Slutet
Finntroll - Jaktens Tid
Finntroll - Midnattens Widunder
Heaven Shall Burn - Deaf to Our Prayers
Knut - Challenger
Leng Tch'e - Marasmus
Math the Band - Math The Band And The Secret Of Mystery Island
Math the Band - Imaginary Everything
Math the Band - Robots Will Rise
***This band is actually not metal at all, just "math"****
Pendulum - Hold Your Colour
Spitfire - The Dead Next Door
Sons of Otis - X
Swallow the Sun - Hope
The Acacia Strain - Demo (the actual one)
Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck - Demo
Veil Of Maya - All Things Set Aside]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/11/14/12lr_the_best_concert_of_2006. Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:40:47 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/11/14/12lr_the_best_concert_of_2006. Everyone needs to know that Necrophagist and Ion Dissonance will be playing a show at Peabody's on December 13. I've wanted to see Ion Dissonance for a while now, and I'm glad they finally decided to tour somewhere other than Canada. I can't wait for this show.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/11/12/12lq_the_chariot....as_good_as_ever Sun, 12 Nov 2006 06:24:55 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/11/12/12lq_the_chariot....as_good_as_ever I just got back from Kettering where I saw The Chariot live. If I had to use one word to describe their performance, it would be: insanelyamazingbeyondimagination. Ha, I left with the basist's guitar strap too. Also, I got to hit some emo bitches...hope I didn't mess up their hair too bad. They might write about it on their MySpace blog or something. Anyways, the point of this journal is to let people kinow that The Chariot is still amazing, especially live. Go see them if you ever get a chance to.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/05/09/12lp_my_avatar. Tue, 9 May 2006 17:55:15 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/05/09/12lp_my_avatar. I need as many opinions as I can get about this. I'm not sure if I should change my avatar. What do you guys think?

To be replaced:



Possible replacements:

...1

...2


...3]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/04/07/12lo_impressive_guitar_players... Fri, 7 Apr 2006 16:10:23 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/04/07/12lo_impressive_guitar_players... So I'm deciding to do this as a result of the most impressive guitar display that I have seen live. On Sunday, April 2nd, I had the chance to see Thomas Erak perform guitar and vocals with The Fall of Troy. Now, I had not given this band much of a chance before, but after seeing all of the crazy fratwork and tempo changes their
guitarist does with such great energy, all that has changed. So here's a short list of my absolute favorite guitarists. I will add on to this as I think of more. Also, I'd appreciate some suggestions.

1) Paul Waggoner, Between the Buried and Me


*This picture taken by yours truly.

He is known for a unique and highly technical playing style, which is featured in many of the band's elongated guitar solos. He, along with Tommy Giles Rogers Jr., are the only members of the band that have been members since the beginning.


2) Thomas Erak, The Fall of Troy


Thomas Erak is the guitar player and lead singer for the Mukilteo, Washington based prog-rock/post-hardcore band. He is better known for the complex guitar riffs that he plays and individual vocal style.


3) Sathonys, Agathodaimon


AGATHODAIMONs dark metal avantgarde is displaying a huge variety of styles combined to a new musical cavalcade. Poetic lyrics, misantrophic, yet darkly romantic and conterintuitive melancholic, sourrounded by devastating riffs, rooting in black- and deathmetal, decorated with modern keyboard elements, carrying earwick melodies and atmosphere.


4) Markus Jämsen, Swallow the Sun


The atmospheres presented by Swallow The Sun are thick and heavy. There's an ominous sound that echoes throughout each song and the swirling of the music beckons an unseen oncoming storm. Slow weaving and soothing passages take you deeper and deeper into the cataclysms of doom and dread.


5) Kit Wray, Into The Moat


Into the Moat is representative of the Mathcore genre, although band members prefer the term tech metal. As a sub-category of the tech hardcore or "chaos-core" classifications, at first impression their music is merely chaotic noise. Upon further listening, their technical musicianship comes to the fore. Some of their compositions recall Stravinsky in that they appear almost primitive with atonal notation and rapid rythmic changes.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/01/13/12ln_five_star_albums_of_2005. Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:38:20 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2006/01/13/12ln_five_star_albums_of_2005. Well kiddos, this marks the end of my search for the best metal album of 2005. I have listened to over 12,000 tracks since last March, so you could say that I know what the fuck I'm talking about. Here we go, these are the albums that I thought were worthy (***** out of 5). I have finally ranked them from 1-8.

8) Ephel Duath - Pain Necessary to Know
Not your typical "metal" band. This talented trio hails from none other than Italy? Who would have thunk it? This album and also "The Painter's Palette" requires a reformed listening ability to really understand their style. Ephel Duath stands out in the jazzcore genre, and that's why they get the five stars.


7)The Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma
I'm just in love with this band. From the teeth-grinding growls followed by intense high pitched screaming to some really creative guitar solos, this album has me on the edge of my seat every time I listen to it. These guys are really intense and they show a lot of their creative ability with this release. I believe The Black Dahlia Murder stands out in a genre that can get kind of monotonous.

6) American Head Charge - The Feeding
There is no other band out there that matches the feel of these guys. I really did not expect them to be able to follow up to the greatness that is "The War of Art", but they proved me wrong and just for that they deserve to be ranked high on my list. Besides, The Feeding is not by any means anything short of amazing.

5) Swarm of the Lotus - The Sirens of Silence
What can I say about these guys without sounding like I'm underestimating their creative genious? This album has me really excited about where metal is going in the years to come. From the absurdly creative riffs to the deafening bass, "The Sirens of Silence" has me thinking these guys are anything but. It's really hard trying to keep the stereo down to songs such as "Yah Hui" and "Nightmare Paint". I was truly impressed by this release.


4) Ion Dissonance - Solace
I had been listening to these guys for a short time before "Solace" came out, so I really didn't know what to expect from them. It was surprising that I was impressed right from the first moments. "O.A.S.D." just blew me away, along with the songs "Cleansed by Silence", "Play Dead...And I'll Play Along", "She's Strychnine", and others. The more I listen to them, the more I'm able to appreciate their technical ability. Solace really opened my eyes to the genre of Math Metal, and as a result I have been able to appreciate other great bands and also their older release "Breathing is Irrelevant".


3) Into The Moat - Design
Some "critics" may call these guys a bit underdeveloped or maybe even unworthy, but I believe that this band is currently holding the "Math Metal" crown. What is "Math Metal" anyways? It's a sub genre of "Tech Metal" that incorporates unorthodox rhythms and unorthodox time signatures in order to create complex pieces of music. Math metal often makes use of polyrhythm and hemiola, two rhythmic phenomena in music, to achieve its complexity. I'm a bit worried about this band's future due to all of their lineup changes, but they have managed to hold on to their integral trio of: Matthew Gossman - drums, Kit Wray - guitar, Earl Ruwell IV - vocals.

2) Between the Buried and Me - Alaska
This album is simply innovative. "Alaska" takes me through a journey-like mental state that crosses over genres and all convention. You would think that by being so melodic they would lose the "heavy" feel that I love about great metal bands, but they pull it off quite amazingly. This album is full of twists and turns that will leave you thirsty for more. I have gained a lot of respect for this band since the release of this effort, and also from their ability to match that intensity on stage.

1) The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
This is probably the one and only thing I'll ever support that has come out of the south. It's easy to make a joke out of these guys, but with one listen to their Self Titled release, all stereotypes and misconceptions that you might have had will be destroyed. Every track has a distinct feel and is usually delivered with such raw and heavy emotion, that it makes it impossible not to feel the rush. Listen to "The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza" and tell me they didn't rock your socks off if you'd like your balls turned into nice shade of blue.



Damn, this was a great year to be a Metal fan, no matter what kind of metal. There were plenty of great releases from all genres, which gets me really excited for what's to come in the near future. Some releases that I just cannot wait for include the bands: Textures, The Chariot, Remembering Never, and The Acacia Strain.


One more thing:
I've come to realize that there were a few more albums in '05 that deserved at least an honorable mention, and here they are:

A Life Once Lost - Hunter
Horse The Band - The Mechanical Hand
Nodes Of Ranvier - The Years to Come]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/10/27/12lm_best_metal_album_of_2005_(the_results). Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:08:36 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/10/27/12lm_best_metal_album_of_2005_(the_results). I was thinking of making a list of the best metal albums of the year 2005. From that list, I wanted to pick the album of the year. But then I thought, since we have about two more months to go, and since this is a big community, I am willing to take suggestions from all of you. If you suggest an album to me, I will listen to it, and maybe it will have a chance at being Best Meatal Album of 2005.

So here's my list of great 2005 albums so far in alphabetical order:

Bold means that it was suggested by another user.

Hunter
The Feeding
Strength Through Vengeance
Doomsday Machine
Shadows Are Security
This Elegy, His Autopsy
Alaska
Down Low
Tyranny Of Souls
Anomalies
Character
The Healing Process
Judas Goats and Dieseleaters
Pain Necessary To Know
Gutter Phenomenon
The Blueprint Dives
Say Hello To Sunshine
Abandon Your Friends
IV: Constitution Of Treason
From Mars to Sirius
The Mechanical Hand
One Nation Underground
Since the Day It All Came Down
Design
Solace
So Pretty, So Plastic
Process of Elimination
Catch ThirtyThree
You'll Rebel to Anything (As Long as It's Not Challenging)
This Godless Endeavor
Descent Into Chaos
The Years To Come
O' God, the Aftermath
Ghost Reveries
Reign of Light
Immersed
Dark Ages
The Sirens of Silence
Mezmerize
Miasma
Doppelganger
An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time
Nuclear Sad Nuclear
Clients
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
Ascendancy

Edit: Most of the links do not show because Last.fm has not yet listed the albums.

And these are the results:
Albums are rated with stars (* to *****)

Hunter (****)
ALOL releases another intense album.

The Feeding (*****)
We waited a long time for this one, but it was worth it. I really wasn't expecting much out AHC, which is why I'm giving them five stars. That, and also the reason that they kept their signature style, having to change record companies to do so.

Strength Through Vengeance (0)
Did not spark my interest whatsoever

Doomsday Machine (****)
Surprisingly, this was a good listen. I didn't expect this band to rely so much on the guitars, but I also didn't know they were Swedish. Listen to "My Apocalypse" and you will know. The four stars were given because I waited too long to listen to his album.

Shadows Are Security (**)
Two stars for the number of good songs on the whole album.
This Elegy, His Autopsy (0)
Again, did not spark my interest

Alaska (*****)
Pure genious.

Down Low (*)
When I asked for suggestions, I asked for suggestions of bands that might have a shot at having the best album of the year. People kept suggesting anything that was released in 2005. I actually listened to this one, and I thought it was shit.

Tyranny Of Souls (***)
I'm giving this three stars because I listened to it more than once, and also because I expected it to be complete shit, and it wasn't.

Anomalies (***)
I didn't realize this album was great until recently, but it still lacks the "wow" factor that I look for.

Character (***)
Again another good album by DT, but they could have done a lot better.

The Healing Process (***)
I just recently started getting into this band. I'm giving them three stars because I was satisfied with their relese, but I don't really think they stand out much from a lot of similar bands.

Judas Goats and Dieseleaters (****)
This album had Ed Gein on my top ten weekly bands for a while.

Pain Necessary To Know (*****)
Five stars for keeping the jazzcore genre going.

Gutter Phenomenon (**)
I don't see anything special about this album. Another great band down the drain.

The Blueprint Dives (**)
This album would have at least three stars, but I'm giving it two because it's so damn overrated. That should balance things out a little I think.

Say Hello To Sunshine (0)
This is not metal!Finch fucking blows.

Abandon Your Friends (0)
The epitomy of shit, and also the epitomy of a band falling off.

IV: Constitution Of Treason (**)
This album kinda annoys the shit out of me every time I listen to it. I hate how they try to sound political. It's really not original. This was another overrated p.o.s. album.

From Mars to Sirius (****)
Surprisingly, this was suggested by someone on here. A good listen.

The Mechanical Hand (****)
Cannot be compared to R. Borlax, but the songs sounded great in concert.

One Nation Underground (0)
This band sucks so much.

Since the Day It All Came Down (0)
I will listen to this album when I feel like wasting an enormous amount of time.

Design (*****)
Genious. Enough said.

Solace (*****)
Not a single boring moment. Also, since the newest release is better than their older one, it's an automatic five stars.

So Pretty, So Plastic (**)
Why couldn't they make something as great as "Never Good Enough for You"?

Process of Elimination (**)
If only it was a great as "Man Made Predator".

Catch ThirtyThree (**)
Big name band, big time fuckup.

You'll Rebel to Anything (As Long as It's Not Challenging) (****)
Wouldn't consider this metal, but it's a great album.

This Godless Endeavor (0)
Yet to listen to it.

Descent Into Chaos (0)
Sounds like a shit band to me.

The Years To Come (***)
Not as good as their self titled, automatic loss of a star just there.

O' God, the Aftermath (****)
I can't believe they're starting to play Norma Jean on the radio. I am giving them four stars only because they were really intense live.

Ghost Reveries (-5)
I downloaded this album and ended up deleting it. No other band on my list was able to accomplish such a feat.

Reign of Light (***)
I like their style, but they don't leave me wanting more. I haven't found myself wanting to listen to them in a long time.

Immersed (***)
And that's being generous. Probably three good songs on the whole thing. I do like "To the Church" a lot though.

Dark Ages (*)
One star only because I was not completely disgusted.

The Sirens of Silence (*****)
Was not expecting such greatness. What a great suggestion. Thanks AndyChrz.

Mezmerize (****)
I don't care what any of you fuckers have to say, this was a good album.

Miasma (*****)
Would have one less star, but it was better than "Unhallowed". Automatic star rule.

Doppelganger (***)
This was a good album, but the one guitar got a bit annoying by the end. I wish their songs had more variety.

An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time (****)
I can listen to it and not be bored.

Nuclear Sad Nuclear (*)
I wish I could say the same for this one. How many versions of "Like a Cat" are they gonna release?

Clients (*)
This album pisses me the fuck off. How can a great band such as them release such a shit album. They have fallen off completely.

The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (*****)
Duh.

Ascendancy (0)
Who?]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/09/12/12ll_the_tony_danza_tapdance_extravaganza Mon, 12 Sep 2005 17:09:30 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/09/12/12ll_the_tony_danza_tapdance_extravaganza Goddamn, I finally got their newest release and I cannot stop listening to it. I love the new songs and what they did with some of the older ones, although subtle. "I Bet Heaven Looks Alot Like Talladega" sounds so much more intense. I'm so pumped about this band now, and I will definitely go see them on October 12 in Cincinatti.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/09/06/12lk_ion_dissonance Tue, 6 Sep 2005 19:46:41 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/SomethingLesser/journal/2005/09/06/12lk_ion_dissonance Their new release Solace sounds great. I encourage all of you to give it a try. If you like Breathing is Irrelevant, you are going to love this new one.]]>