Mankvill's End Of Year List Extravaganza!

[SomewhereInTime72]

Originally Posted by DethMaiden

Whoa, weird picks for the highlights on Hordes of Chaos. The opening one-two punch is definitely the best thing about that album.

I might have to agree. Warcurse is possibly my favorite song on the album for it's sheer awesomeness. The title track just sets you up like "hellz yeaaah" and then that drum intro comes in for Warcurse and you know your ass is in the process of getting kicked to pieces.

edit: Hordes of Chaos is gonna rank way higher than 30 for me. But then again, I think I've only heard about 25 albums that are list-worthy this year anyway...

[mankvill]

It's not a bad album.

[jhdeity]

Originally Posted by DethMaiden

Whoa, weird picks for the highlights on Hordes of Chaos. The opening one-two punch is definitely the best thing about that album.

Totally agtree with that. 3 songs in I was man enough to realize this cd belonged back on my list and top 20 maybe even. There are some cornball lyrics but over half of this album is great stuff.

I heard Daath yesterday and liked it better than some of these others. They're a band I'd like to see live.

I haven't been an Obituary fan since I saw them play with Sadus and Sepultura on the Chaos AD Tour. I just hate boring, plodding along music but I will say their new cd is the best thing I've ever heard from them. When you mix the faster songs in you almost crave the slow shit.

My list is getting ridiculously long but I've heard close to 100 cd's this year too...

[Natrlhi]

Originally Posted by mankvill

27.



Kylesa - Static Tensions
March 17th
Highlights: Scapegoat, Said And Done, Unknown Awareness

This album starts out with a bang. These first couple of songs are heavy, and why I love sludge metal. The lyrics are pretty great throughout as well: "I put my hand to your heart/And let the bullet burn your blood/You seem to me Death incarnate/Raper of life, killer of love". It's impossible to not bang your head to the opening track or, say, "Said And Done" which is absolutely chilling in how good it is.

But then it turns into why I hate sludge metal. Instead of going for balls-out heaviness, it kinda turns into some droning psych-metal thing. Not unlike a heavy version of Pink Floyd (whom they cover!). I guess that's some people's thing, but it's not mine. I want this album to be so, so much higher on my list. I'm sorry Nat.

I'm sorry, too - sorry to learn that you're starting to lose your sense of hearing (and judgment) at such a young age. Pity.



P.S. - Laura Pleasants would like to have a word with you about the song "Only One" (among others), with regard to your highlighted comment above.

[DethMaiden]

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

I'm sorry, too - sorry to learn that you're starting to lose your sense of hearing (and judgment) at such a young age. Pity.

Kylesa would maybe not make my top 50 this year.

[Natrlhi]

Originally Posted by DethMaiden

Kylesa would maybe not make my top 50 this year.

How many times did you actually listen to "Static Tensions"?

[DethMaiden]

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

How many times did you actually listen to "Static Tensions"?

Twice. I know we had this argument with the Giant Squid album too, but if something doesn't grab me and make me wanna give it another chance, there's no reason to keep trying to force myself to like it just because I want to. Blue Record didn't grab me at first, but by the second listen I really liked a few songs and on further listens I found the nuances I had missed. But the point is, it FORCED me to relisten. Kylesa and Giant Squid didn't; I'd only be listening because I wanted to like it to keep my metal cred.

[jhdeity]

After reading these last reviews I want to check out Manic Ritual and Havok just because I love thrash. I can't find Static Tensions for under $15.99 and that ain't happening until I hear some of it 1st. I hope I get to at least hear it to see if it belongs on my list. Kylesa has never really grabbed me but I haven't given them enough listens either.

Listening to Crack The Skye again. Am I the only one who thinks some of the instrumental versions are better than the originals? Must be the weather...

[Natrlhi]

Originally Posted by DethMaiden

Twice. I know we had this argument with the Giant Squid album too, but if something doesn't grab me and make me wanna give it another chance, there's no reason to keep trying to force myself to like it just because I want to. Blue Record didn't grab me at first, but by the second listen I really liked a few songs and on further listens I found the nuances I had missed. But the point is, it FORCED me to relisten. Kylesa and Giant Squid didn't; I'd only be listening because I wanted to like it to keep my metal cred.

Well sure, that's the answer I expected (basically). Where you and I differ is that I went into it expecting it to be just decent, and by the time I was done with the first listen, I was literally grinning from ear to ear and saying out loud (with no one else in the room to hear me, mind you...)..."Got DAMN that's a good fucking album!!!".

So attention was demanded on my part, but quite frankly they had me by the third or fourth song. It was hands-down my best "first listen" of the year - bar none - and obviously it's grown on me shit tons more since then.

Oh well - we can't agree on everything. At least I gots Da Tony in my corner on this one.

P.S. - Giant Squid had to grow for me, but this one didn't.

[Natrlhi]

Originally Posted by jhdeity

After reading these last reviews I want to check out Manic Ritual and Havok just because I love thrash. I can't find Static Tensions for under $15.99 and that ain't happening until I hear some of it 1st. I hope I get to at least hear it to see if it belongs on my list. Kylesa has never really grabbed me but I haven't given them enough listens either.

Listening to Crack The Skye again. Am I the only one who thinks some of the instrumental versions are better than the originals? Must be the weather...

Kylesa's first two albums didn't grab me, either (although I like them more now than I did before). The third album was pretty good. This one is off-the-charts good (at least, I think so). I suggest starting with "Static Tensions" and working your way backward.