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/mat35/journal The Last.fm journal for mat35. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/11/09/29o9y5_2008_ten_of_the_best_%28albums%29 Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:50:26 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/11/09/29o9y5_2008_ten_of_the_best_%28albums%29 Not been wow’d away by all that much this year. Not that that’s a bad thing. 2008 the year of change, the year of Rat or at least more or less eleven twelfths of it is/has been. 2008 the year of quality over quantity.

Early as ever, I am with these things, but in the age of the internet if you haven’t heard it by mid-November it’s out next year. So…

My Top Ten:

10) A Silver Mt Zion as Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band with 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Bombastic vocal Post-Rock from people that brought us such godliness as God Speed! You Black Emperor. This isn’t on the same level as that, and is more in your face get it straight away stuff than previous outings, so those who like it deep might be a little off put, Efrim’s vocals also could also be a little off putting for some people. I don’t entirely mind all that much to be honest, it has a distinctive flavour and is a good album in it’s own light. A light that will probably remain over shadowed for many by it’s gigantic brothers and sisters.

9) Coldplay with Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
In my Metal loving days of yesteryears Five seconds before I heard this album, I would have berated myself for considering it a good album, after all it is Coldplay. Who have previously never previously produced anything more than a good collection of singles that on there own merits are decent, but played back to back quickly cause high levels of boredom. This however is quite the opposite no real singles as such other than the it’s namesake which I shocked not to have seen in a sporting montage. I don’t I know what I can say to get you to listen to it because they are one of those bands. I suppose when you’re influences are U2 and Radiohead you’re just asking to have some quarters to refuse to listen to you.. But do, it’s a pleasant surprise.

8) Mogwai with The Hawk is Howling
One of my favourite bands, have been for the past two years, since the days I went to college in Manchester and Mr Beast adverts were literally plastered at every visible angle. Nothing really new here, to be honest there probably not that much they can did with regards to changing there sound, but quality wise the maintain their typically high standards. One notable thing is there are no vocals at all. None. No one on the telephone, no sample Iggy Pop chatting on about crap, none guy out of Super Furry Animals. Pick out tracks is Scotland’s Shame and the first single Batcat.

7) Venetian Snares with Detrimentalist
Gentlemen. Usually I’m a bigger fan of the Rossz Csillag Alatt Született type Vsnares albums, and for now that will a far as I’m concerned will remain to be Aaron Funk’s magnum opus. That said this from the word go produces a party in my ears. This album his more Drum’n’Bass and Dub influenced than those previous to it, yet is very typically Vsnares with mad breaks. It’s just that this time it makes you want to dance and party more than ever before.

6) Peter Broderick with Home
Ever since I “discovered” the beauty of this man’s music when he supported Efterklang last year have I claimed his genius, and such a departure from ones usually sound can only come in one of a few categories. Sell out, disaster, or genius. This of course is genius. His usual beautiful ambience and piano melodies are replaced by with acoustic folkiness, and vocal melodies. Comparable to the likes of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, just better than one, almost as the other. Of course it’s hardly shocking he can write/play in a different style to which he often does, after all he is a multi-multi instrumentalist, and one of the greatest musicians I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live.

5) Peter Broderick with Float
Bet you wasn’t expecting that! Yes, he scores two in a row. This album is his signature sound that I have come to love with the European Tour CD and Docile. Peaceful and tranquil, I’d recommend to anyone, and everyone. We can’t go at 100mph all the time, and this album is perfect to relax to.

4) Portishead with Third
This band are relatively new to me, having discovered them pretty due to this album coming out, and the push it was being given. It’s great! I’ve since gone on to grab hold of the two previous studio releases one of which Dummy challenges Mezzanine for greatness. But let’s rant about this album. The music is dark, eerie, and oddly beautiful. Beth’s voice can only be described as hypnotic - amazing - beautiful. This release more or less optimise the theme of the year (quality over quantity) as it is the first release from the band in over 9 or 10 years I believe! The Rip and Machine Gun are particular favourites of mine.

3) Sigur Ros with Með Suð i Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

Not many bands are in the top 20 or my 3 month, 6 month, 12 month, and Overall (4 year) charts… In fact there are only two. Mogwai and Sigur Ros. Oddly enough neither of which at the moment I have seen live. I unfortunately had to yet again pass on Mogwai the other week because of being poor. Sigur Ros however is all fully booked and just waiting to happen in a few weeks… And I can’t wait one little second.. If I closed my eyes right now and suddenly it was time for me to get the coach down to London I’d be one happy boy! Oh, and did I mention they are number one on my overall charts.

What was that waffle all for you might ask, well you don’t get that consistently high on my charts without having a number of great albums, and yes, you’ve guess it. Með Suð i Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust is another great album. In many ways it’s very similar to Takk, in many ways it’s not. The opening track for instance wouldn’t go a miss side by side with an Animal Collective (circa FeelsFeels) track. Yet it soon becomes signature Ros, but the transition is smooth it’s not like one second you’re listening to Animal Collective next Sigur Ros, oh no. It’s Sigur Ros all the way through. In that essence the album is more like one big journy of a track than many different songs. Nevertheless it’s one top notch album.

2) M83 with Saturdays = Youth

Fresh, Retro: I can’t think of two more juxtaposed adjectives, especially when it comes to describing music. However when thinking of how to describe M83’s new outing Saturdays = Youth. They both pop to mind almost instantly. Whereas previous M83 albums sound like an up-to-date reprisal of classic showgaze, Saturdays is the most perfect eighties pop album for the noughties. Everything from the album sleeve to the first and last beat screams “nineteen eighties!” loudly and proudly however what’s inside is so modern it, so much so it’s almost unbelievable. Yet it is believable, M83 make it believable.

1) Bon Iver with For Emma, Forever Ago
Recorded and released in America last year, Bon Iver finally hit these shores and my ears around May of this year. For Emma, Forever Ago is a collection of personal, heart warming modern folk songs. On first listen you think it can’t get much better than this. On second you think the same, or the hundredth and so on you still think the same. That is all until you see Justin and his band live. Oh my. Over shadowed only by the might My Bloody Valentine this year… The show? It’s a show stopper! After seeing that and dare I, dare I say it: this man could be as good as Jeff Buckley. Unfortunately I’ll never have the chance to see the late great Buckley live, but his works are masterful and his voice was all so amazing. Justin’s works are also on an extremely high level and I have never heard a better vocalist live. He packed out the medium size Academy 2 in Manchester earlier this year. If he keeps up this quality I can only see him getting bigger and bigger.

Well that's it for now. Might do a Best of Gigs, Tracks, and EPs/singles as the weeks to 2009 count down.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/06/30/21qdux_inside-out_shirts_are_better_than_boring_ones_%28radioheadmbv_weekend%29 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:14:47 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/06/30/21qdux_inside-out_shirts_are_better_than_boring_ones_%28radioheadmbv_weekend%29 My penultimate weekend in England (for a few month) was golden.

Saturday - It had been so long since I had been to the Apollo, that I had completely forgot how to get to Ardwick... And thus walked it, when I could've easily have got the bus from Tescos in town. But I was off to the My Bloody Valentine's first Manchester gig in a mad ammount of years.. I wasn't even 5 anyway. .. So all was good regardless of the mooch. The first band up Spectrum I probably could enjoyed all of it if I was sat at home, going "woooooow the sustain and release on that last foreeeeeeeeeeeeever" but that was kinda boring live. But they had some stuff that sounded like (to me) OM with guitars. But I dunno... For the main event we was made to wait... and wait for a while... But as the Guinness adverts like to remind you, I don't know why Guinness is minging (speaking of booze when did the "Carling" Apollo stop serving Carling?) good things come to those who wait… and what’s a few minuets when some people there had been waiting like over 15 years.. Anyway I don’t know what to really say about it other than no words can do it real justice… The back drop was amazing, probably the best use of a back drop I’ve ever seen.. Well thought through.. The vocals were lower down in the mix I thought than on record, but maybe that’s because everything else was 50 times louder… And loudness.. LOUDNESS.. Thank the lord of health and safety who put free earplugs at the merch stand.. They didn’t block that much out but I wouldn’t have survived the Holocaust section without them, 20 minuets of pure noise.. I looked behind me to see the reactions on peoples faces and it was 50% glee, 50% hands on ears endurance. My Bloody Valentine were (warning bad pun) a-bloody-amazing!

A pizza, a sleep, some Smash Bros, and a mooch later on and I found myself in a taxi with Pauli and two random old(er) people. Then a massive, massive queue for the tickets… We could hear Bat for Lashes singing songs about not being sure and generally not being that good (I didn’t enjoy her album) but whatever we was about to see Radiohead in the secondary car park for The Theatre of Dreams… Don’t really know what much to say about this either, another good gig. I guess I do some people commentary… There were Noel, Liam, and the rest of Oasis the group of people near us who looked like they should’ve been at an Oasis they started off as a group of about 4 people but seemed to grow and grow through out the night.. There were many wankers who decided hey I like this song let’s push forward.. And there were the drunk men… One who went ape-spair when some push forward wanker knocked my glasses off.. He was a safe guy, just really drunk.. Any Radiohead were very, veery gooooood and played lots of tunes but forgot Street Spirit, not that MBV played every song I wished for but still… However Idioteque was sweet and they could’ve ended it there.

On merch.. Radiohead’s was shite.. Utter, utter, shite.. Was the first thing we looked at and it sucked.. My Bloody Valentine didn’t have much of a selection and most of it was kak.. But there was a shirt with a nice artistic interpretation of the cover from You Made Me Realise.. I got that then found out it was kinda inside-out.. And was like wtf.. I need to see someone wearing the same shirt as me.. If there is the same I’m alright.. Then in BK at like midnight there was a guy who kinda looked like one of the people from Efterklang wearing the same shirt, and it was inside-out kinda.. And I sighed a sigh of relief and then proceeded to eat my burger like a fatty.

Also Radiohead want us to free Tibet from the most powerful economic state in the world, lol like our governments would risk pissing them off.

Conclusion/tl:dr - Good weekend, good music, Radiohead, MBV, new t-shirt.

colour is spelt with a u]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/05/06/gn4_two_thousand_and_eight Tue, 6 May 2008 14:17:41 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/05/06/gn4_two_thousand_and_eight Okay this is for me, because I keep forgetting what came/comes out this year.


A Silver Mt Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons
Agalloch - The White
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Boris - Smile
65daysofstatic - Dance Parties EP
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
Animal Collective - Water Curses EP


Cult of Luna - Eternal Kingdom (June 16)
Venetian Snares - Detrimentalist (June 9)
Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning - TBA (Summer)
Mogwai - TBA (Summer)#
Anathema - Paradigm Shift (Autumn/Winter)*
Anathema - Temporary Peace (Autumn/Winter)*
The Fall of Troy - Phantom on the Horizon (TBA)
The Fall of Troy - TBA "double EP" (TBA)†
Sigur Rós - TBA (TBA)
Glassjaw - TBA (TBA)



*Anathema have retitled pushed back, and changed their new album a million times around. Apparently they've signed to Peaceville for Temporary Peace which will be a semi acoustic album made up of old songs. Paradigm Shift is expected to be very long (two disc maybe) and produced by Steve Wilson.
†guessing they mean like Hvarf/Heim by Sigur Rós.
#Sounds like they might have an EP coming out as well

Top 10 list so far:
10)
9)
8)
7) Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
6) Animal Collective - Water Curses EP
5) Boris - Smile
4) 65daysofstatic - Dance Parties EP
3) M83 - Saturdays = Youth
2) Agalloch - The White
1) A Silver Mt Zion - 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons

Slowly, but surely coming along.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/02/28/gn3_2008_-_what_is_coming_out%3F Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:13:51 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2008/02/28/gn3_2008_-_what_is_coming_out%3F Seriously we've got to March and I've made orders on 3 new (released '08) CDs! Those being:

An EP, The White by Agalloch. A mini-live-album We Lost the Skyline by Porcupine Tree. And final a full length album, 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons by The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band

Although "too expensive to really be ordering when out of work", I'll probably make a pre-order on Smile by Boris within the week.

Now, I know to expect release from Sigur Ros, Glassjaw, 65daysofstatic (Dance Parties EP), Anathema, The Fall of Troy, Brendan Canning, Mogwai, etc.. but it really doesn't seem like much compared to previous years..

Maybe I'm just asking for too much! But if you know any good music coming out this year (that you think I might like) please recommend it me.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/12/29/gn2_2007_-_bang_bang_fizzle Sat, 29 Dec 2007 04:59:05 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/12/29/gn2_2007_-_bang_bang_fizzle The cliché and utter shite year journal that just has to be done… Might, go a bit further than albums this year. Might.

First off I haven’t heard a few albums I expect to be utter gold… That is My Downfall, Parades, Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum and Planet Ice, only really got into Minus the Bear, real recently though.

I’ll start with a cheap and easy top albums in genres and what not...

En Post-Rock:
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Under Giant Trees
Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy
Hvarf/Heim
The Destruction of Small Ideas
Sundown/Sunrise
Given to the Rising

A smallish list, but it’s not exactly the widest genre.. Neurosis and Jesu are included here for my ease as I feel they fit better here than in Metal.. Jesu released about a million CD/12”/[insert music format] in about a million different forms.. Sundown/Sunrise (which I have with my Japanese edition of Conqueror) is by far Justin’s best out put this year.. Though I haven’t listened to any of those hundred million Final mini-release type things, or whatever they were. Sigur Ros still can’t do any wrong in my opinion, and this double EP collection thing.. Though maybe not really for new fans is grand for the already converted. Explosions in the Sky would probably be my pick of the lot.. Though it must be said Efterklang and 65daysofstatic have the live shows to back their records and I’d love to see both again in 08.. Missed múm cos of a hangover. :s Small list but all of a high standard


En Metal:
Ordo Ad Chao
Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here
Sworn to a Great Divide
Fiction
Two Hunters
The Dawn Of...
Ill Innocence
Rise Of The Tyrant
Serpent Saints
Xecutioner's Return
The Novella Reservoir
Supervillain Outcast

This list is bigger but the standard is much lower.. Black Metal still seems a little interesting to my interests, and a few good ole Death Metal and MDM bands still releasing albums I enjoy... Maybe I’m changing slowly or maybe Metal just hit it’s peak (again) in the last few years (not including 07) and needs to lay low for one or two before releasing another bunch of stunners… Please prove me wrong! Seen only 3 bands in support of their new albums… Soilwork, and Dark Tranquillity.. At the same gig! Was a good gig, nice trip to Nottingham, fucking worth it. Cheers to Paroledin54 who made it possible, and drove in the dark, with blinding cunts who don’t know how to work headlights.. And Anaal Nathrakh at Damnation Festival another trip well worth it, even if my Boris shirt is permanently stained after partying hard with ArticFox, Kid_A_01 and their Leeds friends… Also saw Amorphis at Wacken and though I remember their new album sounding good but still haven’t got it for some wrong reason. Gallhammer are kinda new girls to us over here in the west anyway.. The girl (BLACK METAL) band kinda puts people off, but if you get past that and just listen to it as a band then you’ll be fine.. Minus two songs on Ill Innocence where it sounds like a cat or a monkey is losing it’s innocence in the back ground. Novembers Doom is a good pick and for a while was my favourite Metal of this year.. But let’s face it Mayhem as overrated as they may be, won it hands down… Made up for the past decade entirely in my opinion with Ordo Ad Chao. Wacken with Crazy_clown and Humblebesmithe was also a golden moment for Metal this year, great fucking week… Good bands, good beer, good times..


En Rock:
Spirit If...
In Rainbows
Nil Recurring
We Are Him
Blackfield - II
Infinity On High
Manipulator

Rock isn’t really a genre and non of these bands/artists really sound alike but still.. Kevin Drew, head and shoulder above… Everyone, in every genre this year for me, I now a lot of people aren’t too keen on Spirit If…, and maybe wanted something more Broken Social Scene s/t like.. But after it’s third spin it’s good, 5th it’s great… 30th it’s the best of the year.. Shit I’ve ruined a counting down top ten, oh well, won’t do one.. Missed the gig in Manchester for some good awful reason like lack of money or working that day.. Which is possibly the most regrettable thing of the year.. As far as missing gigs go. Radiohead is Radiohead. Are they the best band in the world.. Probably not, but they’re better than most, and In Rainbows was good enough for me to get the sexy but big discbox. The Angels of Light is the first thing I’ve heard of post-Swans Michael Gira but I fucking love it.. It’s catchier than anything Swans did, not as good, but still worth money. The Fall of Troy is a great release recommended to me by Humblebesmithe who I went to the Manchester gig with.. Good shit yo, missed one or two tunes that would’ve turn the gig into something really great though. The Porcupine Tree.. That’s the EP you say… Yep, it’s better than the album. Other than the gig being too expensive for what it was worth, nothing more really to say on that, a compensating EP as good as anything PT released before Fear.. Blacfield is Mr. Steve Wilson again, this time with some more catchy poppy songs, a little like Lightbulb Sun-era PT but more poppish, and of course with help from Steve‘s friend Aviv Geffen, whom other than being an Israeli, I know nothing about. Fall Out Boy are just fun. Saw them at Carling Fest Leeds, nothing special just fun.



En Electronic:
Copia
Foley Room
Shadows of the Sun
Pain remixes the know

First three in this list could easily make it into the top 10 of this year for any genre, and though they are in the same group here they sound nothing alike.. Ulver could be classed more Baroque (Classical) but still uses electronics all over the show, and I imagine that some of the orchestrations may have been programmed rather than play… May be wrong though. Eluvium are playing with EitS but other than that I don’t think I’ll ever hear any of these songs done live.. Especially Ulver, Garm has made it quite clear there is little chance of a show let alone a tour.

En Gigs:
Efterklang
65daysofstatic
777 Glassjaw
All the Festivals
The Fall of Troy

Quality over quantity I think this year. Efterklang were mind blowing and Peter Broderick on his own was not that far away from the standard. People I met their were lovely and it was all good. 7777 was a trip, fucing loved it. 65dos got back stage to!! Thanks to some ole school teachers. Fall of Troy I wrote about up above somewhere, I think. And Wacken, Damnation and Leeds were cool as well.


En Movies:
Atonement
This Is England
Hallam Foe

Seen more but they stand out most. Watched Atonement about 5 times in total, loved it.. Wish I could’ve seen the other two as much.. But we stop showing Hallam Foe pretty much after I first saw it (though I now have a shirt!) and This Is England was at the Odeon.

En Moments:
*FA Cup Final, not the match that was shite, boring and to make things worse the result went the wrong way.. New Wembley isn’t too great either, but the atmosphere before and after the game was out of this world.. Packed into one small segment of the tube, which magically got split in the middle one half untied fans one half Chelsea, the back and fourth banter.. Good times. WE GOT OUR TROPHY BACK!!!*
*Dispersing City fans with chants of Championies, Championies, Ole, Ole Ole, was grand as well.*
*Wacken in general was great.. Other than almost choking to death on the plane, lol*
*777 Glassjaw another trip which was class trip down London, though the fucking Tour De France should stay in France!!*
*Going Leeds for Damnation/visiting ArticFox and Kid_A_01 *
*Teachers from my old high school getting me back stage for 65dos*
*Meeting all those cool people at Enterklang (that I‘ll never talk to again L )*
*Leeds Festival*
*First week of April with all the drinking and seeing people I hadn’t seen in time, and more drinking, and drinking, and throwing up, then drinking*
*Drinking anyway*
*Getting our trophy back*
*The Summer even if it was damp*
*FIFA 2005*
*and many more*


I’d like to say RiP Edith Dunkley (aka Nana Dunk). Thank you for the happiness and good times you brought. And I’ll never forget that That Old Black Magic


Thank you for reading!!
Feel free to comment.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/11/08/gn1_65daysof..___fuck_yes%21%21_%28complete%29 Thu, 8 Nov 2007 00:51:50 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/11/08/gn1_65daysof..___fuck_yes%21%21_%28complete%29 What the fuck can I say?

I got the gig a little early so had a drink in the Kro bar... On my own, cos people were ill, and/or busy and whatever. Got in before the merch even had change! So I went the bar to get a drink, after which I bought a fucking love 65daysofstatic t-shirt. Then I played Quadra-Pop, on my phone for a bit.. Follow get me second highest score, and forgetting
to type my name name (like I did on my way to Leeds/Damnation/ArticFox and kid_a_01's when I scored my highest score.. And what a weekend that was! I saw the first band Palmstruck.. Who were fucking ace... sounding like what a post-rock Radiohead would sound like... In other words worth spending your money ons if not at least listening to.

The Second band were.. well, I had a cig watched the first half of the football, went to have another cig.. And well that's where it gets interesting!

However I'm tired and have keyboard skills in the morning... And have lessons and work till Saturday... So expect part two on Saturday.. Or early, and find out what is really fucking ace.. Unless you can read, shout boxes, and forum posts then I guess you already know!

[A good few days later]Then after Palmstruck, off I went to watch the the football.. End of the first half got another drink went outside.. And there was my old history teacher Mr.Daxon... Blah, Blah, Who you here to see, "65" oh same.. Blah, Blah, I have a guest pass cos Ed Wolinski, Mr Wolinski is a father of Paul whos in the band.. "So I heard", yeah... His phone rings blah, blah.. Then we go upstairs and watch Youthmovie Soundtrack who were pretty good, the trumpet did make them a little more interesting, and met the Wolinskis.. The teachers by me beer, and when I ask Mr.Daxon what he want he told me to put my money away, and got me more.

During the Cig break, between bands I saw the guitarist of the first band who was safe, gave him a cig.

65 themselves were bloody fantastic. Powerful, dancey, and most importantly full of energy which soared all the way to the back... Retreat! Retreat! was missed, but the smooth flow of the gig, no stopping and useless taking... Just constant tuneage. I heard people say the newer material real comes to life when they are live, and they correct people... As it just wash over you, in you, and makes you move.

Straight after they finished Mr.Daxon gave me his pass... And I went up stairs with the Wolinskis. Then went in too the back stage area met the band talked, had a cig to them for a bit found out what computer programmes they use (Ableton Live for their live shows, Cubase for the writing and studio) and something else I've forgotten, sorry, might have been Sonar. And then a lift home! Was fucking epic, ace, the shiz, the sex, teh whatever word means good to the youth of today...

And remember this even teachers can be safe. Thank you safe teachers.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/08/08/gn0_unholy_wacken_water_-_a_post-wacken_review. Wed, 8 Aug 2007 18:11:39 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/08/08/gn0_unholy_wacken_water_-_a_post-wacken_review.


WACKEN!!!!






A festival so good you have to scream it’s name when you are there!!


Day One (Wednesday - This Flight Tonight)
Setting off from Liam’s house at something like 8am (bst) we almost didn’t even make it beyond the M60!! Fucking crazy driver.. Anyway first flight and everything went smooth... Once we got in Hamburg, after a little debate we decided to go the bus-train-shuttle bus root.. That (of course) didn’t go to plan and ended up the Bus-Metro-Train-Big Shuttle Bus Que.. Fuck it Taxi-Mooch. Anyway, we got one of our tents set up, and then went for a beer and met some Northamptonshire folk (named – Joe (Andy), Tom, Shawn, and Chris) who were pretty safe and whom we met a few times after that night.. And basically drank.

Day Two (Thursday – Drink Beer Watch Hatesphere)
The title pretty much sums up everything from Thursday.. We (again drank) this time Liam get quite leathered after downing a load of mead. Me, and Liam watched Hatesphere and Terry stayed back at the bar and drank.. Hatesphere kept their usual high standards.. it was nice to see them to play such a big audience after watching them in front of so few at gigs like Gojira and Soilwork… It also marked the first time I had ever seen a band 4 times!! A record soon equalled.. Afterwards went back to the bar and all that trve metal.. Pretty sure it was this day we got talking to the German guy who was telling us about who his mum loves Wacken, and how he drinks in for breakfast, dinner and tea at Wacken (lol)! And the skint Swede, who had nothing on him, but snuff.. ..after a little while we returned to our tents.. and got chatting to our neighbours the “Orthodox Black Metaller” Haizum (not everyone in that group was member I think, but still) from Dudley.. A German guy, some guy from Norway, and probably a list of endless other people, who were also all safe. And got us saying “BöSE KIND!!” for the rest of the week.

Day Three (Friday – A Blaze in the Northern Germany)
After over sleeping, I fucked off to Black Dahlia Murder on my own real fucking quick, cos the other two were getting ready like girls on a Friday night.. I was pretty disappointed with this set as I thought the sound was pretty bad.. Which is a real shame for such a great band. After the break I raced back to the tent get fully ready, and brush my teeth double quicktime.. And at first I thought I did well! But then I found out that the lack of Amorphis on stage was because of a fire (of which my friends were pretty near).. So I decide to risk my time and go round the Metal Market again, and get some more shit (see below).. And when I got back Napalm Deathwere just starting.. However no one was allowed through the gates to the stage, although there were people on the other side anyway!! However they did eventually let us through, and then it became fully enjoyable.. However, because of being trapped on the wrong side I felt the show had something taken away from it. It was then after ND that Amorphis hit the stage, and played a good show.. Which Involved quite a few earlier songs I don’t know, but Alone and the Eclipse stuff alone it was well worth watching! Unfortunately because of the fire and stuff my friends ending up missing these two ^^. Later on in the day we kinda watched Turbonegro .. and had a good time to shit like FTW (Fuck The World) and Age of Pamparius.. Next up were Enslaved who we missed the beginning of put were fucking mind blowing anyway, another great set by the Norge Masters! After this other than about half or so of Blind Guardian and Iced Earth from the Beergarten we didn’t really watch anyone else this day. And the day fizzled away nicely.

Day Four (Saturday– Beavis: “Yeah, we're in the bureau of beer and fire, and cigarettes… and maybe some chicks too.”
Final day of muzak... And to start it off Dimension Zero play a nice set that gets a helluva lot more enjoyable towards the end we joined in the football with the bier holders!! After this we chill for a bit, before I go to watch the mighty Type O Negative.. Who though I wasn’t that high up on the list of bands I want to see after some bad rep, for hit and miss shows on the recent European tour.. However I’m more than glad I went to see them.. as it was certainly one of they’re hit shows.. Other than playing The Misinterpretation of Silence and Its Disastrous Consequences twice! :p … The last three songs pretty much were what made me love it so much playing Everyone I Love Is Dead Christian Woman and my favourite track Black No.1.. \m/ … Then I met them two to watch a bit of Moonsorrow however me and tez left after a few songs to watch Immortal who were tight and amazing, the fire breathing thing that Abboth did was cool.. Not comparable to the mighty Emperor last year.. but then again I was stood back for Immortal and I’m also a much bigger Emperor fan.. However still a good show.. Then off to see what we still could of Municipal Waste.. Which was actually quite a lot! And they were fucking frantic.. A brilliant show.. However the security were pricks through the set.. But the whole show was a laugh… I directed this kid backstage and he ran on the stage and did a massive stage dive.. Then it was kinda up to Tezzor and this guy twice the size of him, to protect this kid from the bouncer that was 2 twice the size of the other guy!! The band were fantastic and Liam crowd surfed over right at the end to where we were stood.. In Flames had already started.. And I was in fact singing their songs between MW songs.. But first we went to get the MW shirts that had just been put up at merch for Liam… I was frantically shout and thanks to one safe guy serving we got the very last [MW] shirt they had!! Lucky, it was the one Liam wanted anyway! Then we watched In Flames properly.. Them two at first refusing to enjoy it, especially after Ander seriously not yoking started to talk about Nuclear Blast.. But they couldn’t stop themselves from enjoying and let go half way through Only for the Weak.. The fireworks were a nice classy touch and there is no denying what a good show it was.. It was also the 4th time I had seen these guys as well!! After this we watched Cannibal Corpse, and later Metal Karaoke.. The DJ closed it early which was a bit of a :( as we were only one person away from getting in! But was a great time anyway.

Day Five/Six (Sunday/Monday – The Great Cold Distance)
Getting Back from Wacken to the Airport was much easier than I thought it would be.. And we arrived at the airport at about 2pm on Sunday… However our flight wasn’t until Monday morning so we just had to chill and wait… The shouts of Wacken when the lights went down were funny.. And it was nowhere near as bad (mind numbing) as we feared.. After the long wait it was clear sailing from there.. Other than almost choking to death on a travel sweet before the plane had even moved! Hahaha..

Memorable Event Forgetten Day
I can’t remember which day it was but I’d also like to mention those people who shouted “it’s spiderpig!!” to us.. Who were totally not expecting the answer “We know innit it’s the Simpsons”

Bought Shit
Shirts:
Nasum (Blue - Shift)
Hellhammer
Ulver (red - long sleeve -Blood Inside)
Mayhem (red - Deathcrush)
Anaal Nathrakh (red Eschaton)

Zip Hood:
Dark Tranquillity

Bandana:
Mayhem

The white Wacken trucker cap.. again.

Lighters:
Nevermore
Sentenced
Obituary

Cds:
Amorphis - Tuonela
Amorphis - Am Universum
Hellhammer - Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D.
...and Oceans - The Symmetry Of I - The Circle Of O
Enslaved - Monumension
Solefald - Neonism
Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness
diSEMBOWELMENT - Disembowelment
The Third And The Mortal - Project Bluebook: Decade of Endeavour


And a fuck load of Wacken cups!

Hope you enjoyed (if you were there).. See you next year and..



Speiderschwein!!



(I’ll put the photos Liam put on myspace on flickr tomorrow or something)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/07/23/gmz_the_pre-wacken_journal Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:49:54 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/07/23/gmz_the_pre-wacken_journal It's that time of year!! It's time to write which bands I hope to see and crap, I'm going with a few friends (Humblebesmithe and Crazy_clown) this year, so don't take this as definite.. And last year I was all like I'm gonna see Morbid Angel and kinda missed them but saw bands such as Danko Jones, and Korpiklaani that I never heard of before but loved! So Wacken 07 let's take a gander...

Wednesday fly into German and make our way to Wacken, and get set up nicely!

Thursday, not too bothered if I see anyone but if we do I like to see:
Tyr: 20:05 - 20:50 - Headbangers Ballroom (seems like a good idea)
Hatesphere*: 21:55 - 22:40 - Hellfest Stage (seen a million times, but they are just really cool live)

..and go Metal Karaoke/Disco.

Friday:

Black Dahlia Murder*: 11:00 - 11:45 - Party Stage (love 'em)
Amorphis***: 12:00 - 12:45 - True Metal Stage (need I give reason)
Napalm Death***: 12:55 - 13:40 - Black Stage (missed in Manchester as it was on 7 7 7 - I swear I will write a journal for that one day, and they cancelled last year therefore = a must see)
Possessed**: 15:00 - 16:00 - Black Stage (Struggled to find stuff, but want to see on sphere of influence alone)
Sabbat***: 17:40 - 18:25 - Headbangers Ballroom (It's fucking Sabbat)
Enslaved** : 20:00 - 21:00 - Party Stage (fucking love)
Blind Guardian*: 21:15 - 22:45 - True Metal Stage (A Tez favourite, I think I should've listened to 'em a bit more)
Dimmu Borgir: 23:00 - 00:15 - Black Stage (I know, but I wanna fucking Hellhammer drum for real... Given that he is back from injury)
Iced Earth: 00:30 - 01:45 - True Metal Stage (seems like another good idea)
Kampfar*: 01:50 - 02:35 - Headbangers Ballroom (seems like an idea better than the last)

...And of course Metal Karaoke/Disco.

Then on Saturday:

Heaven Shall Burn: 13:55 - 14:40 - Party Stage (I dunno)
Dimension Zero*: 16:00 - 17:00 - Party Stage (Arguable more IF than IF)
Norther*: 18:45 - 19:45 - Party Stage (pretty cool, why not)
Type O Negative*: 20:15 - 21:30 - True Metal Stage (I enjoy their stuff.. However not enough to see them in the Academy two for £20 what a joke!)
Immortal**: 21:45 - 23:00 - Black Stage (Fucking will be ace)
In Flames*: 23:15 - 00:30 - True Metal Stage (love em (TJR-RTR), seen em three times already)
1349***: 00:55 - 01:40 - Headbangers Ballroom (Fucking ace live and at past-midnight!! Should be grand, will it be Laureano or Frost on drums?)
Subway to Sally: 02:00 - 03:00 - True Metal Stage (Just wanna check em out, they seem to play every year or something)

..And again Metal Karaoke/Disco.

Sunday, rest and get out of Wacken into Hamburg.. Then on Monday morning fly back home to sun ole England.

There are some bands like Lacuna Coil, Turbonegro, and Municipal Waste... That I've removed due to clashes but like I said I'm not the only one going so hell knows though I think it is pretty unanimous that we are going Enslaved and missing Lacuna Coil.

Note the more stars next to a band the more I want to see them.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/05/14/gmy_my_top_50_albums_%28with_lil_rants%29 Mon, 14 May 2007 23:00:17 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/05/14/gmy_my_top_50_albums_%28with_lil_rants%29 Haven’t post a journal in what seems like ages so I’m gonna do a useless top 50 list... My Top 50 Albums. This is by no means a set list, in fact I really struggled and thought of albums that I originally didn’t even short list, during writing this out, but is a good and basic out line. Read if you can be arsed if not, just tl;dr simple,

50) Deftones - White Pony (2001)
And we start with the Deftones, this record shaped and defined me pretty much at the time was I was getting into music. It has stood the test of time strong against a lot of other stuff I listened to around 12/13 years old. Though at the time it wasn’t my favourite looking back it surpasses records from the likes of Korn, System of a Down, Orgy, Ill Nino, Drowning Pool, etc…

49) Circulus - Clocks Are Like People (2006)
This came out last year and just need to be included in this list! This is pretty much my introduction into the mad crazy folk world that is out there still waiting for me to explore it. This is what the future sounded/looked like for a couple of cool people who were tripping out in some Cornwall field during the reign of Our Liz the 1st

48) Sigur Rós - ( ) (2002)
Beautiful, and amazing if this record was a girl it’d be the second best girl ever! A true work of genius, with all the songs sung in Vonlenska (make believe to you and me), no song really titles and an ambiguous you really take your own unique piece home with you. Awe-inspiring.

47) Profane - The Day We Scorched the Sky (2006 – reissued 2007)
Debut full length for the Manc five piece proves that Manchester not only can do Metal as well, but can do a fucking good job at it! There sound can be placed somewhere between Metal and Post-Hardcore with strong Jazz influences. If I was you (assuming you don’t own it) I’d preorder the reissue now!

46) Isis - Oceanic (2002)
Post-Rock meets Metal, a love affair that is quite popular with many nowadays, including me... Most would agree that this album has a lot to thank for that. Coming on more than any possible could’ve imagined after Celestial, this is a true classic for which I am thankful for.

45) Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos (2002)
Heavy, and melodic! Soilwork went from your average Melodic Death Metal band to a Classic mdm band with this release. Their finest hour. This record is pure energy and excitement from start to finish. With Devin Townsend adding his production touch, not much could really go wrong, and nothing did at all… Great stuff.


44) Cult of Luna - The Beyond (2003)
Bombastic! Before Cult of Luna started becoming more serene they released this crushing album! Which drags you in, and burns you out, before leaving you with a sample of a speech by Noam Chomsky. This record is nothing but phat!


43) Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics... (1996)
“You're all the same, the lot of you, with your long hair and faggot clothes. Drugs, sex, every sort of filth. And you hate the police, don't you? You make it easy”[heavy phat, stoned out riff]. Everything about this album is what you want it to be, Stoner Metal that (sounds like it) is being played by people who have just smoked an ounce and not touch any fucking speed or sniff. Fucking A. Get it now, and yes it is better than the might Dopethrone!

42) Sepultura - Arise (1991)
My First Sepultura album in this list. Arise is part of the classic 3 albums they released. Heavy riffing and head banging guaranteed, was a doorway to extreme Metal I happily walked through.

41) Sentenced - Down (1996)
This is ace. If I really become “woe is I” and want to top myself, then before I do I will listen to this album. Love, fear, regret, and Iron Maiden meets Metallica, that’s what this is to me.

40) Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance (2002)
Metalcore, Mdm, whatever. This album is a tune. Shadows Fall just couldn’t do wrong at this point. Drums – A, Guitar – A. What more would you want out of what to me is just a full on Metal record. The Pink Floyd cover at the end works well after the mighty A Fire In Babylon as well. And this version of Stepping Outside the Circle is superior.

39) Glassjaw - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence (2000)
WHO YOU FUCKING NOW!!! If I ever call you a whore this album pretty describes what I mean about you... But don’t worry at the end of the album “I have you where I want you” and have... “My chance to tell you I love you, but I've waited too long, now the record's over”. This record is nothing but raw energy and emotion. Daryl and the guys really do put all of their heart in this record.

38) Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children (1998)
Thanks to Paul for this one! This is great stuff. So great I’ve even tried to rip it off a few times, but off course failed, because this is god... and I am human. Imo best beats in town!

37) The Dillinger Escape Plan - Calculating Infinity (1999)
Maybe I have been a little unfair to tDEP in this list. No Miss Machine and even the mighty Irony is a Dead Scene haven’t been included... The latter mainly because there isn’t enough tracks there to full munch into. However back to this record. This record could almost make Maths or two hours worth of music theory lessons fun! Just to try and work out all the intriguing little ins and outs... Or maybe it’s better that some things are left just great, and unexplained.

36) Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse (1994)
Black Metals finest moment. Heavy, epic, scary (well kinda)... This record pretty much sums up what I consider Back Metal, and what I want from it. And though yeah Filosofem, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, A Blaze in the Northern Sky, and (Emperor’s own) Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk are all really fucking strong BM albums, in my humble opinion this one stands alone as the greatest.

35) Mogwai - Young Team (1997)
When people think of Scotland “Celtic/Rangers”, the accent, red hair and Battered Mars Bar are usually the first thing they say. Well Mogwai should be include in that list! And Young Team just proves exactly why! A prime example of fine, fine Post-Rock, an album that set the bar high seven years ago, and is scarily even touched by those aiming to jump above it.

34) The Zutons - Tired of Hanging Around (2006)
What is it with scourers and music? I don’t know but, this is a fucking classic “pop” album for me. I love it to bits! Perfect soundtrack to either I’m gonna go out and get drunk in a few minuets, or soundtrack to the “perfect” (if there was such a thing) hangover… Defiantly worth paying for.

33) Entombed - Clandestine (1991)
Most albums aren’t actually underrated, more not heard of by enough people. However most (respectable) Death Metal fans have heard of Entombed. Yet for some reason why this album imo always they always get unduly overlooked. Sure since DCLXVI: To Ride Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth it’s not all been too good for the Swedes, but everything before that point, and very much this album is fucking ace! Recorded in the now famed (in dm terms) Sunlight Studios this album brings DM it one of it’s most enjoyable forms before it becomes mdm or grindcore :p

32) In the Woods... - Strange In Stereo (1999)
Strange indeed. This is a unique and pretty hard to explain album by a band who are pretty much the same. Last none live, no compilation album by the Norwegians (for me – anyway) is their Magnum Opus. Taking metal to a corner where it has never been before or since (though I haven’t heard Drawn yet, and bnrmetal pages said that late itw is the nearest comparison). Shame it is a little forgotten and hard to get hold of.

31) Spiritual Beggars - Mantra III (1998)
Wine and weed... And Mike Amott on guitar. This record is just ace. Nothing more nothing less.

30) In Flames - Reroute to Remain (2002)
Some IF fans, passionately hate this record and see it as the beginning of the end. Imo they are wrong. This record is great, however it is let down by the mix. There are many times when a simply beautiful melody is too low in the mix. However it is In Flames most diverse and daring record to date, and that should not e over looked.

29) Neurosis - The Eye of Every Storm (2004)
This record has touch my soul. There was a point in my life when this record was my blood. I really don’t know what to say about this album, it’s just fucking fantastic, end.

28) My Dying Bride - Turn Loose the Swans (1993)
Doomdeaths finest hour. This album is exactly what you’d expect for an album that was recorded between As Flowers Wither and The Angel and the Dark River… As it has the best thing about both, and more greatness on top of it, true fan-fucking-tastic.

27) Jeff Buckley - Grace (1994)
This album is beautiful. Jeff was literally a god amongst men. And although I do prefer the live records of some songs such as the Eternal Life on Mystery White Boy, it is this album the only Jeff got to fully see through which defines his greatness. Don’t let that put you off Sketches For My Beloved Sweetheart The Drunk as the first disc of that is almost as great as this! Lilac Wine Jeff is the best there is imo, I know he would say otherwise, but that’s just his modesty.

26) Napalm Death - From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988)
Although they were still far from stable as far as band members comes at this point, at least one line up saw it all the way through the record this time! This takes the work from Scum, sticks it in a (better) studio and improves on it. Fast, harsh and brutal es menú del día.


25) Devin Townsend - Accelerated Evolution (2003)
The first Devin release to up under the dtb moniker. And the second great thing he’s ever released. Basically the way it goes with Dev stuff is you’ve gotta listen to it to believe it... So go on what are you waiting for?

24) Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute (2002)
The second Glassjaw album, the second to be in this list! Daryl broke his edge, and I think you can tell form this record… Tell that something else is taking away all that pent up anger and stress. However that allows a more melodic and dynamic Glassjaw to come through with this record! If they made shouting “whore” was made cool with “Everything...” then loudly trying to sing (though Daryl does it perfectly, it’s me who can’t sing – trying to replicate it) “pink rose” was made cool by this record. Very neat indeed.

23) Manic Street Preachers - This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (1998)
You were listening to Spice Girls. Well I was listening to MSP! Hahaha, and they wonder why I fucked up now! The impact this record has had on me is just unthinkable! And though it isn’t a regular in my CD player anymore, it still gets a helluva lot a play, especially for a CD I first got almost 10 years ago! I could go on about howI remember re-writing the lyrics for handwriting practice in primary, and all sorts but I won’t! Just let you know that this record even when I was so young… Is the shit!

22) The Haunted - Made Me Do It (2000)
At The Gates were great, weren’t they? In fact they were/are better than the Haunted. However there is one thing the Haunted do have on them... This record! With Marco in tow The brothers move back towards a bit more DM style of ATG than what is generally the thrashier Peter era stuff. This album is great. I prefer the lower grunt vocals with the Haunted and the melodies are rhythms are nothing less than top notch.

21) Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)
Downbeat. You’re out in some shitty club in some awful town (this is a far cry from the City of London or Manchester), you’ve just lost your mate who has presumably fucked of to do a line. You are surrounded by strangers, a little itzy bit.. shitfaced, and it wasn’t really a good week to begin with. This is the record that may describe what you are seeing, hearing and feeling. This is fucking sick.

20) Celtic Frost - Into the Pandemonium (1987)
Apparently I can’t fully appreciate this because I wasn’t born when it was released and therefore I cannot full comprehend it’s significance, or so the Metal press would have you think. Fuck off! It wouldn’t matter if I was born in 1999 this record is timeless! And that’s the is to it, a classic slap of metal, the best from it’s time (yes including Metallica, Slayer, etc) best from it’s time. Only one more thing to say really “I Won’t Dance”!

19) Ulver - Perdition City (2000)
Wtf. These guys were BM? *listens to The Madrigal Of Night*. Well thank god they changed! Because this album is bloody fantastic. Electronic Ulver are amazing and this imo is their best work to date, with the Teachings in Silence EPs. Everything from Jazz, Metal, Trip-Hop, Ambient has been incorporated to make this bloody masterpiece. Fucking A.

18) Sepultura - Beneath the Remains (1989)
The second of three Sepultura records. This being the heaviest one. A really cool death/thrash mix. Everything Arise is ^^ and more!

17) Head Automatica - Decadence (2004)
“Discotech faggots” (a reference maybe only one person will full understand) if that’s what it takes to like this record: then that is what I am! Fucking amazing record, if there is more stuff like this some needs to inform me quick, and if there is a club in Manchester that plays that stuff (and stuff off here) someone needs to get me down then now! In three words Dance, love, tune.

16) Thursday - War All the Time (2003)
Don’t you give me that look. Have you even listened to this record from start to finish... Twice! This my friends is fucking brilliant, I will never understand the stick they get. The lyrics are a true work of genius and the music is just fantastic. Post-Hardcore, or whatever you want to call it with your scenesterness (that’s aimed at those whiny little sXe kids that moan about the Used not being Screamo when of course they’re not! At least when the Kvlt Me74l 3ll7 go on sometimes they can be funny) I don’t care, just bare tunage.

15) Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World (2000)
Loomis, and Dane (and the others) are fucking amazing! Fucking Brilliant live and on record. However this, this is their Magnum Opus by far. Stealing lyrics from Simon and Garfunkel for one tune… Which somehow fits in perfectly (unfortunately it isnt Mrs. Robinson, but The Sound of Silence. However onto the rest of the album, what makes this album is Loomis unique guitar playing, perfectly accompanied by Dane vocals. A mix of Power, Thrash, and Progressive Metal that is you should own!

14) Dark Tranquillity - Projector (1999)
Other than Skydancer Dark Tranquillity are constantly strong and persistent though out their career. However it is Projector that stands head and shoulders above all the other. This album features more clean vocals than all the other DT records this albums just fantastic. And is only a little short of being the best mdm album ever!

13) Carcass - Necroticism - Descanting The Insalubrious (1992)
More complex and more Death Metal than their previous records this album propelled Carcass into the frontline even further. At this point I’d say they were the leaders of Death Metal. This record is just fantastic. Perfect use of samples. A kick arse drum intro, nice melodies when they work, and just a bloody good record.

12) Jesu - Jesu (2005)
From one record by one ex-Napalm Death guitarist to another by yet another ex-ND guitarist, but this couldn’t be further from ND if Justin Broadrick tired... Okay I lie. But this shoegazing slow sludgy slab of Post-Metal is the best thing Justin has ever done, let alone the best thing since Godflesh’s Selfless. This record walks a perfect line between frailty, beauty & emotion and desolate, heavy, and crushing. If you’ve not heard it yet you’re two years two slow! Wake up!

11) Khoma - The Second Wave (2006)
This is my favourite album from last year. This falls somewhere between Radiohead (how I’ve just noticed are unfairly missing from this list! Here is my props to Kid A and Ok Computer) and Isis.. Not surprising considering the “core” consists of two Cult of Luna member. But it sounds like neither. The vocals have also lead to (fair) comparisons Muse. However at the same time they sound like none of these artists. They are truly something unique. But as I read in a review by Q (I think) they my struggle for fans as they are too heavy for your average Radiohead fan, but too light for your average Metal fan. But hopefully as time passes more of you will hear and understand the beauty of this record.


------------------------------------------------------------------


10) Sigur Rós - Takk... (2005)
Now the last two records have incorporate beauty... But this record is the very definition of beauty as far as I’m concerned. Sonic soundscapes and pure emotion make this record. There is not a thing like it. This is the most beautiful thing in the world, not your wife, not your child... This, this album! No more words can even begin tell you about it, because it is beyond words!

9) Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream (1999)
The first and last PT album in list, again that seems a little unfair, but getting every album ever and condensing it into 50 just too hard really. This album is fantastic, the high point for Steve Wilson. Less psychedelic than Signify and less poppy than Lightbulb Sun. This album is just fantastic.

8) Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
This is where Dream Theater is at! This record is by far their best, and that is saying something!! The concept is cool the music is perfect everything just fits. From the first seconds of Regression all the way to Finally Free this album keeps you listening! And with every new spin you will notice another new detail whether it is with the music, or with the story, or even both! The album just has so much in it! Amazing!

7) Strapping Young Lad - City (1997)
Now sometimes I think I over look this album sometimes I think I give it maybe a bit too much credit I can never really decide... But what I do know is that regardless of whether I do or don’t give it enough credit, it is a bloody tune. Showcasing Devin’s more insane and heavier half this is something really special something that can only be done once!

6) Spiritual Beggars - Ad Astra (2000)
The second Baggars album on this list. It was the last with Spice and is clear winner when it comes to being the best Beggars album. Pretty much what Mantra III was but twice as good! Simple as. Also the highest ranking album to feature Mike Amott.

5) Anathema - Alternative 4 (1998)
Another band that could’ve had three or four albums in this list. However A4 is undoubtedly their best. Dash of Prog, a hint of Doom. And probably that Scouse touch I was going on about before. This is completely void of the Death Metal influences of their early Doomdeath days, but is full of tune.

4) In Flames - Colony (1999)
The very best mdm ever made! Colony is everything you’d want from a mdm record. That’s all I need and have to say.

3) Cult of Luna - Salvation (2004)
They obviously listened to Isis' recent (recent at the time) steps before making this record, as they take a down a very similar path. This record contrasts the beauty of Sigur with the anger of earlier Cult of Luna album. A must have indeed.

2) Sepultura - Chaos A.D. (1993)
The final Sepultura record. Not much more to say about them really. This album moves away from the death stylings, and into a more Groove Metal area. Classic

1) Fear Factory - Demanufacture (1995)
We save the best till last. Fear Factory’s Demanufacture! Sonic, crushing, and simply amazing! I’ve pretty much Covered it already! And after writing up 8 pages in Word I think I’ll leave it at that... The best. Goodnight.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/04/15/gmx_a_look_at_my_rolling_charts Sun, 15 Apr 2007 13:51:38 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/mat35/journal/2007/04/15/gmx_a_look_at_my_rolling_charts At least, hurray... After a few months the rolling charts have updated!! So I’m gonna go on about them for a bit… let’s start with *drum roll* my year chart!
1) Anathema 411
2) Katatonia 372
3) Sigur Rós 318
4) Porcupine Tree 315
5) Mogwai 303
5) Solefald 303
7) Ulver 295
8) In the Woods... 284
9) Radiohead 283
10) My Dying Bride 263
11) Celtic Frost 256
12) Enslaved 253
13) Napalm Death 251
14) Jeff Buckley 238
15) Black Sabbath 232
16) Amorphis 229
17) 65daysofstatic 212
18) Sentenced 210
19) The Zutons 209
20) Emperor 199
21) Incubus 171
22) Danko Jones 169
23) Boards of Canada 168
24) Arcturus 167
25) Borknagar 166

A few things shock, surprise and stand out here... And a few don’t. Wasn’t expecting Anathema to be top, but then when I though about it, yeah they cleary are there. Alternative 4 and all thereafter is just bare tunage. Then Katatonia in 2nd place?! I only just noticed recently they had been creeping up, and now they get a stellar position on my year charts. Sigur I always knew were gonna be so high Takk... and () are just pure masterpieces. Porcupine Tree come as no surprise either I literally love everything from Signify to Deadwing (have got/heard Fear of a Blanket yet – well I did live, and I have two prerelease songs but not enough to judge) and everything before it I really like as well, so not a surprise at all. Mogwai aren’t much of a surprise either, Rock Action, Young Team, and Mr. Beast are all amazing tune filled CDs, still need to give cody a proper listen though. Same goes for Solefald, Ulver and In The Woods..., all have many amazing tune filled CD, the latter half of Ulver’s work is what’s taking my interest most not really listen to the BM stuff. Radiohead are probably the biggest surprise here, I knew I listened to Ok, and Kid A quite a bit but I didn’t realise I’ve been listening to them that much! Finally in the top ten of the year My Dying Bride, who don’t come as a surprise as Turn Lose The Swans era is just masterful, other works are amazing, and they released the mighty Line of Deathless Kings last year.

After that everthing is as I would have expected it to be. Danko maybe I thought would’ve been a bit higher. And Borknagar seem to have got in with my only real attention going to the wonderful Origin, and Epic, but I must’ve listen some of the others more than I thought as well for them to get that high. Personally I thought ...and Oceans or Theatre of Tragedy would have made it in to the top 25 but they just, just missed out.

6 Month:
1) Solefald 303
2) Ulver 294
3) 65daysofstatic 212
4) In the Woods... 204
5) Katatonia 194
6) Mogwai 175
7) Anathema 171
8) Borknagar 166
9) ...and Oceans 165
10) Arcturus 162
11) Theatre of Tragedy 161
12) Sentenced 150
12) Jeff Buckley 150
14) Paradise Lost 135
15) Incubus 134
15) Delerium 134
17) Anaal Nathrakh 129
18) Amorphis 127
18) Age of Silence 127
20) Celtic Frost 121
21) Danko Jones 110
22) Napalm Death 108
23) Blackfield 107
24) MF DOOM 103
24) The 3rd and the Mortal 103

No real surprise here, other than Borknagar but as they’ve got the same listen hear as yearly just look ^^ to see blah, blah, bla... A mild surprise in MF Doom, but that’s only because I enjoy DangerDoom... But then again I did pretty much listen through all the special herbs in on sitting! 3rd and the Mortal are fantastic but hard to find, so until more because widely available (in which case they’d probably sky rocket up my charts) I can’t see them getting any higher any time soon.

3 month:
1) Theatre of Tragedy 161
2) 65daysofstatic 141
2) Katatonia 141
4) Blackfield 107
5) MF DOOM 103
6) Sentenced 101
7) Dødheimsgard 98
8) Ulver 93
9) Explosions in the Sky 89
10) Celtic Frost 85
10) Boards of Canada 85
12) Carcass 79
13) DANGERDOOM 74
14) Ephel Duath 72
15) Danko Jones 71
15) Zimmer's Hole 71

The charts are becoming much of a muchness now, so I’ll just do the top 15 (which is actually 16!) this time. And even less surprise here, maybe I just forgot what I was listen to a year ago or something, these chart are pretty much the main bands I’ve been listen to since Christmas.

If you didn’t just tl:dr this then well done, I’ve wasted 5 minuets of your life, hope you enjoyed it.]]>