If Ghost Reveries was Opeth seeding roots for a new path, then Watershed rips them out and completely destroys them. While they do still maintain their own, unique melancholic sound that can be both aggressive and gloomy, they also manage to thread upon new ground and stretch the boundaries you thought was already stretched as far as they could. Mikael Åkerfeldt is certainly a one of a kind song writer and how he manages to come up with all these crazy parts and still making them fit together is beyond me.
Right from the start, you can tell you're experiencing a new Opeth. The first song Coil totally abandons the tried-and-tested formula of a heavy and aggressive album opener and instead displays Mikael Åkerfeldts acoustic skills and his highly developed clean singing voice. If you thought it sounded good before, you're in for a real treat! He sings with a confidence that never really was there before.
But that's not all! About halfway through the track, you'll hear the voice of Nathalie Lorichs, a female guest singer, who's just as skilled as Åkerfeldt.
This first track really sets the tone of what's to come. The only thing to expect out of this album is the unexpected! Blast beats with clean vocals on top? Why not! A guitar slowly being detuned as it plays? Sure! An intro containing a humming Åkerfeldt over some gentle strings? Absolutely! Amidst all this chaos, there's a sense of the very same melancholy from their earlier albums. Make no mistake; this is still very much an Opeth record. But it is the album of a band that’s not afraid to try anything! Bands like that are really rare.
I also have to mention the power ballad Burden - perhaps the track that best displays Mikael Åkerfeldt's clean vocals. It's very reminiscent of Deep Purple, complete with hammond-solo and guitar trading solo's. It's one of the most beautiful things they have ever written, and it may very well be their very best track ever, in my opinion.
Keyboardist Per Wilberg also fits in much better than before, now being an integral part of their sound and just as important to the band's sound as anyone else.
Mikael Åkerfeldt says on the DVD from the special edition version of the album that Watershed to him is like a transition album into something new, but he's not sure exactly what. Take my advice, Mikael, bring back Steven Wilson and you will probably make the very best album ever made by anyone!
Well! My very first Neal Morse album! Called The One, it's the album that first got me into him. This is where I was first exposed to his intricate compositions, his unorthodox arrangements and his blending of different styles. Needless to say, the very first listening through this album was very interesting.
First of all, the very thought of progressive Christian rock music intrigued me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all religious, but I was curious as to what it would sound like. Especially since Neal Morse has such a good reputation.
And it seems like the reputation is well earned. I have no idea how he manages to make 18-minute long songs that doesn’t bore the hell out of me, but it certainly is impressing. What I find amazing is the total mix of different styles. It is symphonic, poppy, heavy, groovy and everything in between. And despite of all this, the music flows really well, with repeating passages or theme’s through different songs.
While Neal Morse’s singing may not be very diverse, it sounds good for what it does. And Neal Morse still manages to find ways to expand upon it. For example, in Author of Confusion there’s a Gentle Giant-like section with vocal overdubs in 7/8 intertwining into each other before finally resolving into a vocal harmony. It’s an amazing moment in the song and it’s worth repeating the song just for this one section.
However, what may be off-putting to some are of course the lyrics. They can be quite preachy at times. As for myself, I just listen to the music and vocal lines, not the actual lyrics. But I can totally understand why some may find this hard to listen to.
This album also contains two ballads, quite similar to each other. However, the song Cradle to the Grave features singing between man and God, something that comes off as quite pretentious. Only a progressive musician would ever attempt to pull off something like this. Again, if you can ignore the lyrics, it’s a nice song.
All in all, a very diverse album. Not so much for the singing as for the compositions themselves. Well-written and though out, but if you can’t stand listening to some singing about God and Jesus, then you’re probably better off listening to Transatlantic or Spock’s Beard, both of which also containing songwriting by Neal Morse.
Wow, it's been a long time since I last updated this blog. Sorry about that - a lot is going on in my life right now, and I haven't had the time!
Anyway, quite recently, I received a copy of John Petrucci's solo album Suspended Animation. I know, it's been a LOOOONG time since it was released, but give me a break! You can't buy it anywhere here in Sweden, you have to order it from the States. I finally did though, and here's my thoughts on the album:
My first feelings when listening to this album is: Wow! We probably all know what a technical genious mr Petrucci can be, but this is a monster release even by his standards! From the very first track Jaws of Life, you're getting treated with insane picking and aggressive riffs from his 7-string guitar. While the actual solo is perhaps getting a little more time than it should, it's hard not to be impressed by the robot-like solos where every note and every vibrato is as perfect as is humanly possible. And although the songs are quite different in feel from one another, this never changes throughout the album.
It's lucky that he manages to squese in some melodies as well. Especially Glasgow Kiss and Lost Without You has unique emotions that somehow manages to come through all the shredding that's going on. Still, it can become bothersome at times. Even though this release was never meant to be anything other than a guitarist album, I find myself missing the keyboard from Dream Theater sometimes. This album would have benefitted from some piano and strings work. But then again, perhaps it would have sounded a little bit too much like Dream Theater then.
This album was written after John Petrucci was first asked to do the G3 tour with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and it really shows. Sometimes, I get the feeling that the songs were purposely written to fit in on that tour, and I feel it kind of hurts the songs. Instead of him going his own way, Petrucci very often seems to do what Vai or Satriani would have done. But I have mixed feelings about this, because you also have the very long songs and the odd time signatures that is quite different from the other guy's works.
All in all, this album does what it sets out to do, but it doesn't over-excite you while doing that. I'm guessing only die-hard fans will find this album satisfieing. But then again, that's what I am, so who am I to complain?
Humor is a funny thing. While some people find the thought of John Cleese marching like Hitler dead funny, other people laugh their ass of at a guy getting a foot(ball) kicked into his crouch. However, there are some things that we really can, or at least should, agree is NOT funny.
One of these things is highlighting certain words in the title Greatest Hits so it spells out shit, and having a cover of a bird taking a crap at a submarine boat! I mean really! Who in their right mind would ever qualify that stuff as good, clever humor? My money's on Mike Portnoy...
And it all started so good! I actually really like the title "Dream Theater - Greatest Hit...and 21 other pretty cool songs!" THAT was clever, hinting on the fact that Dream Theater only ever had one real hit. Perhaps it even is a bit of an intriguing title for newcomers. However, what will they think when they realize the cover says shit?
One other interesting thing to notice about this CD is that it also a mix of good and bad ideas. You have to give DT some respect for wanting to make this compilation a treat even for hard-core veterans. I mean, what could you include that fans don't already own? Live tracks? There are a LOT of DT live CD's out there already, not to mention a whole shitload of bootlegs (see some of them in my collection in an earlier blog entry.) So live tracks probably wouldn't be very interesting.
That's why I absolutely LOVE the idea of remixing old classics from Images & Words. I've always been a bit bothered about the kinda stiff production, not to mention that damn triggered snare! Well, Kevin Shirley, who's already worked with DT in the past, not to mention acts like Iron Maiden, is the one responsible for those. However, that doesn't mean the remixes doesn't come with its own share of troubles.
First of all - why turn down the bass? Hasn't low bass guitar in the mix always been a problem with this band's productions? Second of all - why did he turn down the keyboard so badly?! It makes no sense that the guitar is taking all the place even in the unisons!
One other thing a lot of fans has been complaing about is the fact that a lot of the songs are radio edits. My 50 cent on that issue is this: all of us hardcore fans probably already has all of the tracks somewhere else, why is it so bad to get to hear entirely new versions? Plus, it might make it easier to gain new fans. So I say why not...
One thing I DON't like thought (saved the worst for last) is the song list! Why in the name of God would you include tracks like Endless Sacrifice, I Walk Beside You and Through Her Eyes instead of classic DT hits that better represent DT, like Metropolis, Learning To Live, Scarred, etc.
Well, this compilation certainly has its up and downs. But I am, of course, going to get this eventually. The remixes, not to mention To Live Forever in an official release, is to cool to pass up! One thing that kinda bugs me though...didn't Portnoy himself said in the audio documentary for 5 Years in a LIVEtime that he thought it was good that none of their videos after Pull Me Under became a hit because the songs never really represented DT? So why all the ballad love for this release?
Anyway, enough of my rant...for now...
Pain of Salvation is quite well-known in progressive metal band circles as an underground band. Which is quite weird, considering that progressive music in itself already is underground, making PoS a respected but WAY under-appreciated band! Whatever that means...
What I'm trying to say here is this: this is a band with few, but very hardcore, fans. Very few people out there can stand a band that incorporates jazz, disco, industrial, gospel and a whole lot of other styles into their music. But underneath that pretencious surface, you have a very personal band, who likes to experiment just as much as they love to make fun of themselves.
Then along came BE, a very ambitious project signed by mr Gildenlöw himself. Apparently, it's based on a concept revolving around this head since 1996. Which makes you think just how much of his time is spent thinking to himself. I can totally picture Gildenlöw being like dr John Dorian from american TV-show Scrubs, getting lost in his own fantasies. Which is what some people say that BE is: a Gildenlöw fantasy that no one understands but him.
But what those people fail to realize is the power and emotion that Gildenlöw tries so hard to project into his songs, and in most cases succed in. Not only with very diverse and dynamic arrangements, but most importanly with his own voice. The power to really step into whatever role he wants is quite unique, making every song a new experience. This is most evident in the two songs Dea Pecuniae and Iter Impius. They both feature the same character in the story, yet they are totally different from one another, while still sharing some characteristics. It's like reading a book and finding out about a new side of a character you thought you knew well. A singer who's able to do this is a God-gifted singer!
So what does BE bring to the table that is PoS that wasn't already there? Well, first off, you have the orchestra, dubbed The Orchestra Of Eternity. Luckily, they don't sound as cheesy as their name might suggest. The way the orchestra is used, and the rest of the band for that matter, is quite unique. They all serve their purpose throughout the whole CD. They're not just there for dubbing the guitars and making strange melodies behind riffs that don't need them in the first place (Metallica, I'm looking at you...). All music was written with the instruments in mind, exploiting their strengths and never being overused. You have this instrumental piano-ballad, where strings and piano make up most of the layers, you have this Broadway-like musical act, complete with tongue-in-cheek dialog, and you have headbanging, metal sections reminiscent of older material. If an instrument doesn't sound good in a particular song, it's not used, as simple as that. And with the diversity of the material on this CD, every instrument is used somewhere!
Another thing about this CD is the grand concept. I'm not gonna go into details about it, it's been done to death by other reviewers (yes, most of them seems to get their facts wrong, but still...) All I will say is this: it's a LOT more open to your own interpretation than before and it's a LOT less personal than before. Wheter that's a good thing or not is up to you, but remember this: PoS has never been about standing still in the same place. You can't expect a TPE every time they release something new, that's not the kind of band they are. It's the never-ending progression and desire to experiment, constantly redefining what the word progressive really means, that makes this band what they is. And I hope to God they never change that!
Well, to start this blog of, I thought I would brag a little:
My whole Dream Theater collection, not including T-shirts! (For a whole list of the content, see the end of this blog.) I've been a fan of this band for a couple of years now. It all started with Images & Words, this milestone of progressive metal. But I found it weird at first! I liked the first song, Pull Me Under, but couldn't quite get into the others. So I put the CD away, and continued with my Iron Maiden music.
A few years later, I rediscovered the CD and gave it another chance. And man, I have never looked at music the same way since! They opened up a whole new world of exciting music for me. And after buying Scenes From A Memory, I was sold! This was THE band for me, by which I would judge everything after. (Just as I had done with Michael Jackson, Kiss and Iron Maiden before it.)
Although Dream Theater has had their highs and lows, for me they have always been a great band, NEVER releasing a bad record. I now own all their studio records and most of their live albums (and all their DVD's), but for me, that's not enough! So I started to collect bootlegs as well. Dream Theater's live shows are kinda special. What they like to do a lot, is to mess around with the set lists and include covers and improvisations, and add totally new sections to old songs! This makes each live performance quite unique. In some shows, there's even a lot of humour involved. (For example, the infamous Canadian rap! Priceless!)
I will probably talk more about Dream Theater in the future, and about my view on them, but I feel this is enough for now.
Stay freaky...I mean proggy! (Props for whoever get the reference...)
List of Dream Theater material owned by me:
CD's:
When Dream And Day Unite (vinyl)
Majesty Demos (official bootleg)
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Classics Live (bootleg)
The Dance of Eternity (bootleg)
Live in New York (official bootleg, same as the above)
Live at the Marquee
Awake Demos (official bootleg)
Awake
A Change of Seasons
Live in Tokyo (official bootleg)
Live in Denver (official bootleg)
Falling Into Infinity
Once in a LIVEtime
Scenes From A Memory
Beyond Reality (bootleg)
Live Scenes From New York
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
En Directo (bootleg)
Octavarium
Dark Side of the Moon (official bootleg)
Made in Japan (official bootleg)
Systematic Chaos
DVD's:
Live in Tokyo/Once in a LIVEtime
Live Scenes from New York
When Dream And Day Re-unite (official bootleg)
Live at Budokan
Gigantour
Dark Side of the Moon (official bootleg)
All Acess (official bootleg)
Score
Well, looks like I finally did it. I've always wanted to do a prog blog, doing mini reviews of CD's and talk about my very favorite subject: music. This blog will be dedicated mostly to my favorite kind of music: prog! (Duh...) But I expect to not only dive into other kinds of music, but also other kinds of subjects entirely. What that will be, I don't know yet.
Funny, I thought that this day would be dedicated to recovering from last nights drinking contest! Instead, here I am starting up this project! I also spent a couple of hours fiddling with Guitar Rig 3 - a guitar amplification software. Just plug the guitar into your computer and start up the program, and you have a WHOLE lot of amplifiers and effects ready at your disposal. I downloaded a HUGE amount of ready presets, only to found out it was too much for the program to handle! So I'm slowly making my way through the presets, removing the ones I don't like and keeping the ones with potential. The preset called Xtreme Metal (or something like that) is really awesome! It's something like that I'm looking for. It's a LOT of gain and sustain there! It's a piece of cake doing long legato runs!
Right now, I'm listening to Opeth's Damnation, a damn fine album, if I may say so. It feels so unique in it's execution. So calm, so moody, so sad and depressing. Mikael Åkerfeldt's voice is really touching, not to mention his guitar work. A highly recommended album for anyone. Perhaps I'll make a proper review of it later.
Well, that's it for now. Keep on progging!
