Mynt Lounge, Werribee Superthread

[Alisaura]

If there's one thing I've learned about the internet over the last... gawd, 15 years, it's that if a thing exsists, it's online. And I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but I don't quite feel ready to find it right now.

 

[Axver]

You can find practically any bizarre mix of metal and other genres if you look hard enough, though the problem is that they are usually on separate tracks. So many "Celtic" or "Oriental" metal albums just have an intro and outro track with a rough colonial approximation of traditional music, and the rest is just straight up metal, be it death or doom or whatever.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

New wave metal plz.

 

[Axver]

New wave metal plz.

Some goth metal really isn't that far off!

 

[LemonMelon]

You can find practically any bizarre mix of metal and other genres if you look hard enough, though the problem is that they are usually on separate tracks. So many "Celtic" or "Oriental" metal albums just have an intro and outro track with a rough colonial approximation of traditional music, and the rest is just straight up metal, be it death or doom or whatever.

Yeah, this is what I was saying. There's a lot of "folk metal" out there with something folky stuck to the intro, and all it does it make me wonder why Battery and One don't earn Metallica a folk metal tag for their intros. Current 93 is the best amalgamation of folk rock and hard rock (not really metal) that I've heard.

Finally heard Ramblewood all the way through. It reminded me why artists never listen to their own albums. Lots of production and sequencing things pissing me off already. Oh well!

 

[Axver]

That's why I really like bands such as Orphaned Land - the folky/traditional components are interwoven throughout their music, not just tacked on. Lots of the Celtic metal bands do a pretty good job too, it's just that rarely tends to be my sort of thing.

Ramblewood will be in my listening tomorrow morning (I think this evening your time?).

 

[The Sad Punk]

I'm drinking a malt drink from Israel. It's like sarsparilla, golden syrup and beer urinated into a bottle.

 

[cobl04]

I sent a message in a bottle to the press
It said, "don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves", "don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves", "don't be ashamed or disgusted with yourselves"
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
I've thumbed through the books on your shelves
Blue eyes...

 

[liamcool]

the circus is the place for me, with clowns and bears and noise
i love the shiny music that descends from overhead
gordon knew the moment when the stars all turned around
"but from that vantage point i frowned"

if life were easy and not so fast
i wouldn't think about the past
a circle of light, where dreams can take flight
in the peacefulness dreaming dreams bring

 

[LemonMelon]

That's why I really like bands such as Orphaned Land - the folky/traditional components are interwoven throughout their music, not just tacked on. Lots of the Celtic metal bands do a pretty good job too, it's just that rarely tends to be my sort of thing.

Ramblewood will be in my listening tomorrow morning (I think this evening your time?).

I've got Mabool on a must-listen list. As I recall, Ashley liked it a great deal.

Maybe Jessie can get in here a little sooner this time and join in.

I'm drinking a malt drink from Israel. It's like sarsparilla, golden syrup and beer urinated into a bottle.

Last night it was absinthe for me. It's like Chuck Norris and Ernest Hemingway took turns urinating into a bottle. Not a fan, really, but I can't deny the astounding powers it seems to afford me. Like being drunk and not being drunk at the same time.

 

[Axver]

Traviud, Reggo, you around? I'll be starting on Ramblewood in a few minutes.

And everybody should listen to Mabool.

 

[Reggo]

I'm here. Not in a position to listen to music, atm.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but don't 99% of cats have the goddamn sense to get out of the way when a human's foot is nearing them?

 

[LemonMelon]

OK, I'm here, Ax, if you're listening.

 

[Axver]

Cool, just starting now.

 

[LemonMelon]

Ha, my dad's listening to it this week too. I've got a friend at the university radio station who can hook me up too, if he likes it. We'll see what happens.

 

[Axver]

I was going to ask if you've been promoting this or anything. Idling feels much shorter than eleven minutes - and like last time, I really enjoy the multi-tracked vocals and guitar work.

Now onto the stuff I don't know!

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm going to try to get something from this on the school radio, probably Wandering Eye or Warm Milk, then get a band together and start playing these...I really imagine these songs coming to life in a live setting. Those first two tracks should sound especially great, as they extend into lengthy jams.

 

[Axver]

I was just about to say, I dug Wandering Eye, it strikes me as single material.

You need to get a band together and tour Melbourne.

 

[Axver]

Love that chiming kind of guitar slightly buried in the mix at the start of Alone With Me.

 

[LemonMelon]

The explosion of sound about 30 seconds into Alone With Me (inspired by See Emily Play's intro) is my favorite moment of the album.

 

[Axver]

Definitely think Alone With Me is the best so far.

I was surprised by how short Funny At Night is! I thought that was going to be a longer song.

 

[Axver]

Really dig the guitar in the title track.

 

[LemonMelon]

Production-wise, Funny At Night is my favorite track. The panning is well done, and I love when the organ comes in with those clattering drums (Kanye West inspired, strange as it sounds).

Ramblewood's title track has my favorite lyrics. Very personal to me, although they are by no means strictly autobiographical; my life isn't all that interesting.

 

[Axver]

I must admit, the one thing I've often struggled to pick is how often your lyrics are personal and how often they're characterisation. Especially since the lyrics I write are usually very personal.

 

[Axver]

Hit The Dawn Running ends the album well. Alone With Me remains my favourite but a good few contenders for second best track - Wandering Eye, Ramblewood, and Hit The Dawn Running are probably the leading contenders in that regard.

Now to work out what to give it on RYM. It's surprisingly hard to rate something when you actually know the person who made it.

 

[LemonMelon]

Cherry Blossom Avenue was a VERY personal record. Not that a lot of the stories were directly personal, but they sprung from real life occurrences. Ramblewood has a great deal more fantasy elements integrated into it, which is appropriate for the impressionistic, slightly off-kilter music. CBA was a pop/rock record and needed more intimacy in the lyrics.

It's always the lyrics I struggle with, but I wrote them first this time, and it made things move along much more quickly. I established the mood with them and then wrote appropriate music.

 

[LemonMelon]

Shit, I'm glad somebody liked Hit The Dawn Running. I was so worried about that one because the album is so dour and then light suddenly floods in at the end. It doesn't differ radically from Wandering Eye, but after Through A Glass, Darkly it felt slightly jarring to me.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, I was wondering how the album was going to end after Through A Glass, Darkly, but it works well as a closer, and you do have a pretty consistent sound that holds everything together even with the change in vibe.

OK, I've been tossing between 3.5 and 4. I reckon it's an improvement on CBA (which I can't help reading as Commonwealth Bank of Australia), so I'll pull finger. Enjoy not only 4/5, but also my 2000th rating.

 

[LemonMelon]

Throw in some genre votes for me as well, if you would. Always looks better with the tags.

I need to add the album to last.fm and music brainz.

 

[Axver]

The strength of Alone With Me in particular was what really pushed me from 3.5 territory into 4. And I just voted for genres, though I'm not sure I agree with indie folk as a primary genre.