So I've realised I'm getting sick of listening to the same music all the time and need some new artists!

Please recommend me anything along the lines of..female vocalists, death metal, Doom metal, avant-garde, progressive metal/rock,(GOOD) black metal and...experimental/atmospheric etc..

:)


Opeth, The Gathering, Bloodbath, Dreams of Sanity, Opera IX, Theatre of Tragedy, Liv Kristine, The 3rd and the Mortal, Vader, Porcupine Tree, Within Temptation, Virgin Black, Tristania, To-Mera, Sirenia, Sarah Brightman, Ram-Zet, Portishead,Pin-Up Went Down, Pain of Salvation, My Dying Bride

...uno se pone nostálgico y se pone a recordar a esas bandas tan importantes para uno. A lo largo de estos años, entre muchos otros, me han acompañado Dream Theater, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Pain of Salvation, Pink Floyd, The Mars Volta, Cabbage... ¿Cuáles son las tuyas?

Puedes comentarlo en este post recopilatorio...

1. How did you get into 29?
The Beatles
Storia di diffidenza iniziale e di amore sconfinato poi... Quando li conobbi ricordo che li etichettai come "la prima boyband della storia", mai errore fu più grosso =D

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?
Iron Maiden
The Number of the Beast, la mia prima canzone metal :inlove

3. How many albums by 13 do you own?
Afghan Whigs
Possedere è una parola grossa, cmq due Gentleman e Black love

4. What is your favourite song by 5?
R.E.M.
Nightswimming, nessun dubbio

5. What is your favorite song by 15?
Fabrizio De André
Molto difficile da dire, Il testamento di Tito forse

6. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy?
Patti Smith
Because the Night

7. What is your favourite song by 10?
Mogwai
Friend of the Night

8. What is a good memory you have involving 30?
Subsonica
Molto più di uno =)

9. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy?
Marlene Kuntz
Mmm felice non saprei...

10. How many times have you seen 23 live?
The Cure
0 purtroppo e quanto mi piacerebbe rimediare tra poco =(

11. What is the first song you ever heard by 26?
The Gutter Twins
The Stations

12. What is your favourite album by 11?
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
The Swell Season ovviamente =P

13. Who is your favourite member of 1?
Afterhours
Beh Manuel Agnelli chi altri? =D

14. Have you ever seen 14 live?
Ulver
Magari!!!

15. What is a good memory involving 27?
CapaRezza
Nessun particolare ricordo, al momento... Certo che le domande si ripetono eh =D

16. What is your favourite song by 16?
Franco Battiato
Il mantello e la spiga

17. What is your favourite album by 18?
The Doors
The Doors, l'omonimo d'esordio

18. What is your favourite song by 21?
Motel Connection
Troppo lungo il titolo perchè me lo ricordi cmq l'ultima di A+R: questa!

19. What is the first song you ever heard by 25?
Luciano Ligabue
Ti sento

20. What is your favourite album by 2?
The Smashing Pumpkins
La domanda da un milione di euro =D Però a ben pensarci mi trovo quasi sempre a rispondere Adore

21. What is your favourite song by 3?
Bruce Springsteen
The River o Racing in the Street

22. What is your favourite song by 8?
Francesco Guccini
Vorrei

23. How many times have you seen 17 live?
Klimt 1918
Mai, ma mi piacerebbe

24. What is the worst song by 12?
Radiohead
Ci dovrei pensare a fondo ma mi sa che non ce n'è una che skippi...

25. What was the first song you ever heard by 28?
Pain of Salvation
Handful of Nothing

26. What is your favourite album by 7?
Arcade Fire
Rimane Funeral anche se Neon Bible ha recuperato =D

27. What is your favourite song by 24?
Antimatter
Line of Fire

28. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy?
Metallica
Diciamo che non sono esattamente il gruppo da mettere allegria!

29. What is your favourite album by 4?
Opeth
Damnation in lotta con Watershed. La canzone più bella in assoluto sta su Morningrise, però non riesco mai ad ascoltarlo tutto in una volta l'album!!

30. How many albums do you own by 20?
Depeche Mode
Violator, Songs of Faith and Devotion, Music for the Masses

A new season is upon us, in solemnization [and in keeping with everyone else] here are my top ten male and female vocalists.

** means changed.

1. Mikeal Akerfeld [Opeth/Bloodbath]

2. Daniel Gildenlow [Pain of Salvation]

3. Mark Shelton [Manilla Road]

4. Dio [Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio]

5. Warrel Dane [Nevermore]

6. Dave Mustaine [Megadeth]

7. Jus Oborn [Electric Wizard]

8. Bobby Liebling [Pentagram]

9. Magnus Pelander [Witchcraft]

10. Algy Ward [Tank]**


Honourable Mentions [in no order]:
Terry Jones (Pagan Altar), Steven Wilson(Porcupine Tree), Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Michael Scalzi (Slough Fey), King Diamond (Mercyful Fate), Ihsahn (Emperor, Peccatum), Vincent Cavanagh (Anathema), Mariusz Duda (Riverside), Janne Christoffersson (Grand Magus), Karl Willetts (Bolt Thrower), Miland Petrozza (Kreator), Jason McMaster (Watchtower), James Rivera (Helstar), Albert Witchfinder (Reverend Bizarre), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel).

1. Anneke Van Giersbergen[The Gathering]

2. Sebnem Ferah

3. Anja Orthodox[Closterkeller]

4. Girlschool

5. Anette Olzon [Nightwish]

6. Anna Panasz [Naamah]

7. Paulina Maslanka [Delight]

8. Jonna Enckell [The Project Hate/ Siren On]**

9. Dawn Crosby [Detente]

10. Mariana Holmberg [Left Hand Solution]**

Honourable mentions(in no order):

Michelle (Serpentcult), Marta Gabriel (Crystal Viper), Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy), Nera (Darzamat), Johanna DePierre (Amaran), Diana Serra (Aghora), Beatriz Albert (Ebony Ark), Medeah (Artrosis), Gunnhild Sundli (Gaate), Lisa Johansson (Draconian), Lee Aaron, Ann Boleyn (Hellion), Aikawa Nanase, Simone Simons (Epica), Cherie Currie (The Runaways), Nicole Lee (Znowhite), Doro (Warlock).


Opeth, Bloodbath, Pain of Salvation, Manilla Road, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Nevermore, Megadeth, Electric Wizard, Pentagram, Witchcraft, Tank, The Gathering, Closterkeller, Girlschool, Nightwish, Naamah, Delight, Sebnem Ferah, The Project Hate MCMXCIX, Detente, Left Hand Solution

Mikeal Akerfeldt, Daniel Gildenlow, Mark Shelton , Dio, Warrel Dane, Dave Mustaine, Jus Oborn, Bobby Liebling , Magnus Pelander, Algy Ward , Anneke van Giersbergen, Anja Orthodox, Anette Olzon, Anna Panasz, Paulina Maslanka, Jonna Enckell , Dawn Crosby, Mariana Holmberg

Hello everyone,

for those of you who haven't read my previous journal entry, let me explain what is going on here.

Starting from a 25 albums pre-selection, i wanted to get my top 10 all time favorite albums.

The 25 were :

1. Änglagård - Hybris
2. Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
3. Bill Bruford - One of a Kind
4. Can - Future Days
5. Camel - Mirage
6. Camel - Moonmadness
7. Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
8. Dün - Eros
9. Eloy - Ocean
10. Gentle Giant - In A Glass House
11. Gong - You
12. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
13. King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic
14. King Crimson - Red
15. Klaus Schulze - Mirage
16. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
17. Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh
18. Opeth - Still Life
19. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
20. Pink Floyd - Animals
21. Return to Forever - The Romantic Warrior
22. Rush - Hemispheres
23. Rush - Permanent Waves
24. Soft Machine - Third
25. Van der Graaf Generator - Godbluff




Without further suspense, this is was i finally ended up with after three days of intense thinking :


My Top 10 Albums of All Time

1. King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)


2. Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh (1973)


3. Änglagård - Hybris (1992)


4. Pink Floyd - Animals (1977)


5. Camel - Mirage (1974)


6. Soft Machine - Third (1970)


7. Dün - Eros (1981)


8. Klaus Schulze - Mirage (1977)


9. Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy (1977)


10. Opeth - Still Life (1999)



Feel free to comment, as usual.
Thanks !

I made a preselection of 25 albums. In the next few days i'll try to remove 15 of them and sort the rest.

1. Änglagård - Hybris
2. Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
3. Bill Bruford - One of a Kind
4. Can - Future Days
5. Camel - Mirage
6. Camel - Moonmadness
7. Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
8. Dün - Eros
9. Eloy - Ocean
10. Gentle Giant - In A Glass House
11. Gong - You
12. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
13. King Crimson - Larks' Tongues in Aspic
14. King Crimson - Red
15. Klaus Schulze - Mirage
16. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
17. Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh
18. Opeth - Still Life
19. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
20. Pink Floyd - Animals
21. Return to Forever - The Romantic Warrior
22. Rush - Hemispheres
23. Rush - Permanent Waves
24. Soft Machine - Third
25. Van der Graaf Generator - Godbluff

Stay tuned !

Nahemah is one of my favourite bands of recent times. I listen to them regularly, and all 10 tracks from their most recent album fill up my most played songs on last.fm. This is a review that I wrote for Metal Archives, in the hope that maybe more people will listen to this amazing band.

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Out of all of the metal bands that I have heard of, Nahemah have to be the only Spanish one. I could easily just browse through Metal Archives to find more, but I don’t want to; it’s just another aspect of Nahemah that makes them unique to me. Who else mixes death metal, post-rock and electronic soundscapes so effortlessly and beautifully? Utilising both clean vocals and somewhat raspy death growls, The Second Philosophy is always changing, never boring and constantly revealing new facets of the band’s sound, proving it to be one of the best albums of 2007.

All of these aspects to the band’s sound are evident in the memorable opener, Siamese. Beginning with an almost laidback beginning, if it weren’t for the uptempo drumming in the background, the listener is eased into the album, before they are attacked by crushing guitars and Pablo Egido’s dominating growls. Synthesisers feature prominently in the bridge of this opening song, and are used throughout as texturing, never overpowering.

In fact, except for the vocals, no instrument is ever overpowering, throughout the album. Everyone gets their chance to shine, except for the bass, be it the melancholic guitar leads in Subterranean Airports, or the precise off-beat snare hits in Nothing, to the organ lead in Today Sunshine Ain’t the Same. Yet these parts aren’t overpowering – they are just brought forward by the rest of the band, to stand out as the ‘something special’ that they are.

As the vocals are so prominent, they do warrant a mention. Pablo Egido handles both clean and death vocals competently, fitting the mood of the song perfectly. Death vocals are used slightly more often than clean singing, but both are used in every song, with the exception of Subterranean Airports and The Speech, both of which only have clean vocals. The band’s black metal roots can be heard in the death vocals, as they do have a rasping quality to them, as is typical of black metal. However, the rasping is almost hidden, and is not very apparent on the first listen.

From what I have said so far, it probably isn’t apparent why I believe Nahemah is so unique. Let me rectify that. Phoenix is an almost instrumental track, with vocals only coming in during the last minute or so. One of the things that makes this track stand out is a saxophone solo, albeit a very dissonant and abrasive one. As well as this, the drumming has been effects-laden, with the snare sounding echoey, sounding almost Ahab-esque. The track Change begins with an instrumental section that wouldn’t sound out of place in a post-rock album, with its meandering guitar lines and jazzy drumming, sounding very calming. It is a veritable calm before the storm, exploding into a head-banging extravaganza, complete with rare (for the band) double bass drumming, before returning to post-rock sound for the outro.

The unique combination of post-rock, electronics, death metal and a keen sense of melody really make this album a wonderful listen. It is not an album that will catch you immediately, as much of it is based on repetition (Nothing only consists of four riffs for its 6 and a half minute run time, Today Sunshine Ain’t the Same has about the same amount of riffs, and Subterranean Airports takes about 2 minutes before the opening guitar line is complete), but beware, it is addicting, and you will continue to return to it. There are a couple of weaker tracks, in particular, Like a Butterfly in a Storm and Killing My Architect, as they just don’t stand out as much as the other tracks, but in the context of the album, this is like saying $9,999,999,990 is not as good as $10,000,000,000 . It may be true, but it doesn’t make much of a difference.
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Nahemah, The Second Philosophy

You may be interested in this album if you listen to some of the following bands.
Opeth, Disillusion, Gojira,Katatonia, Novembre, In Mourning, Septic Flesh, Edge of Sanity, Dark Suns, Scar Symmetry, Devin Townsend, Unexpect, Arcturus, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Ulver

Here's a list of last.fm's recommendations for me. Post if any of the bands are worth checking out, and maybe post a recommended album.

Clutch - Haven't heard of them, but stoner rock seems cool.
Fu Manchu - See: Clutch
Testament - I really like thrash, so I don't see why not.
Sodom - Y?
Gov't Mule - Dunno, not really big on jam bands.
Blues Traveler - Who?
Screaming Trees - I really like Nearly Lost You, so, sure.
Dinosaur Jr. - I may sound like an idiot for saying this, but... who?
Blackfield - Hmm, if Steven Wilson's in it...
Pain of Salvation - I have Remedy Lane already, but I haven't taken the time to listen to it.
Overkill - Sure, why not.
Mark Lanegan - Why should I, if I'm hardly familiar with the Screaming Trees?
King Diamond - I heard him sing on the Probot album and it was all right.
Monster Magnet - See: Clutch, Fu Manchu
Destruction - Yeah, sure. I think I need more thrash.
Mercyful Fate - I heard many good things about them. Might be worth looking into.
High on Fire - See: Clutch, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet
UFO - I heard they were one of Metallica's influences, along with Thin Lizzy, Diamond Head and money.
Bathory - I dunno, I don't think I really like black metal.
Manowar - I dunno, I don't think I really like power metal.
OM - I've never even heard Sleep. I think I'll listen to Sleep first, then check these guys out.
Obituary - If these guys are anywhere as good as Death or Atheist, I might check them out.
Earth - Haven't heard of these guys, other than the fact that the frontman bought Kurt Cobain's shotgun for him.
George Thorogood - I may have heard him on classic rock radio.
Celtic Frost - Maybe.
Stiff Little Fingers - Never heard of them.
Sunn O))) - I do)))n't kno)))w, what do))) yo)))u guys think?
Talking Heads - I like Psycho Killer, so, sure.
Heart - Barracuda, Magic Man and Crazy On You are cool songs, I guess.
Riverside - Never heard of them.
The Jam - I heard a little bit of their stuff before. I guess I'll check them out.
Nazareth - I like their cover of Love Hurts.
Therapy? - Maybe?
The Pretenders - I heard a bit of their stuff. Not bad.
Fates Warning - Never heard of them.
Grand Funk Railroad - Homer Simpson's favourite band.
Simon & Garfunkel - I like Mrs. Robinson and Sound of Silence, so I guess I might check them out.
Sleep - See: Clutch, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet, High On Fire
Halford - A metal god.
Joan Baez - Don't know much about her, other than the fact that she married Bob Dylan.
Butthole Surfers - I hope the music doesn't suck as much as their name.
At the Drive-In - Hey, it's the guys from the Mars Volta!
Minutemen - They sound neat, but Double Nickels on the Dime is so huge, it's kind of intimidating.
Boredoms - Never heard of them.
Napalm Death - YOU SUFFER, BUT WHY?!
L7 - They sound pretty cool.
Warren Zevon - RIP, man. No one, no matter what they've done, could deserve being sampled by Kid Rock. :(
My Bloody Valentine - I hope they don't suck as much as Bullet for My Valentine. Otherwise...
Arch Enemy - I've heard many things about this band (mostly bad), but the idea of a female singer in a death metal band is terrifying and slightly intriguing.
The Damned - I've heard New Rose, and that's a pretty good song, so I guess I should check them out.
The Jesus Lizard - Never heard of them other than the fact that they did a split with Nirvana.
Hüsker Dü - Judging by the umlauts in their name, they must be a stereotypical 80s metal band, amirite?
Wipers - Who?
Mission of Burma - Who?
Flipper - Who?
Shellac - wtf is math rock
Supertramp - Sorry, that annoying Gym Class Heroes song prevents me from enjoying Breakfast in America.
Samhain - I'm familiar with both Misfits and Danzig, so why not?
S.O.D. - Not very familiar with crossover thrash.
Sebadoh - Who?
Possessed - I need more old school death metal and Bay Area thrash, so this band is two birds with one stone.
Richard Hell and the Voivods - Who?
Witchcraft - Heard before. Pretty good.
Swans - I like cheerful relaxing music. Would you recommend them?
Dark Tranquillity - I don't know too much about melodic death metal, but these guys seem like a good start.
In Flames - Like Dark Tranquility, but I've heard a lot of band things about their newer material.
John Frusciante - I like the Chili Peppers, so sure, I guess I'll look into it.
Cult of Luna - I don't know what "post-metal" is, but it sounds intriguing.
The Ocean - See: Cult of Luna
Baroness See: Cult of Luna, The Ocean
Gang of Four - That's a band I hear a lot about, but know nothing of.
Marillon - I heard their new album is like In Rainbows or Ghosts I-IV so I might get it.
Cathedral - I've always been interested in doom, so I might check them out.
13th Floor Elevators - Who?
Big Star - Who?
Spock's Beard - See: Butthole Surfers.
Ryan Adams - Why not? Summer of '69 is a pretty cool song. /sarcasm

Bands I Have Already Checked Out:
Pain of Salvation - Pretty good. Sounds like a heavier Dream Theater or a lighter Opeth. Whatever.
Samhain - It comes as no surprise that I like these guys, seeing as I'm a fan of both the Misfits and Danzig.
Sleep - They're all right. Sounds a bit too much like Black Sabbath for my liking, but still good.
Mercyful Fate - Quite good. The dueling guitars and dramatic vocals remind me of Judas Priest.
My Bloody Valentine - From what I heard, quite interesting and textured. Like Smashing Pumpkins but with better vocals.
Dinosaur Jr. - Cool band. The guitars are noisy and sonic youthful.
Screaming Trees - Very good. They remind me of a lot of Seattle grunge bands without being derivative.
High On Fire - Not as cool as I'd expect them to be. Cool riffs, but not that impressive. I'll give them some time to grow on me.
Husker Du - Very impressive. I hear a lot of energy and creativity in their songs.
At the Drive-In - Pretty good. Surprisingly has little in common with the Mars Volta.

I'll cut it off there, because:
1. I've spammed enough
2. I'm tired of typing

Please tell me what you think of these artists and which ones you would personally recommend.