Saturday, April 3, 2010

A Metal Hurricane, Vol. 2 (More of my favorite songs)



Genre: See each song description. (underlined)
Quality: Varied. Can't be helped, sorry.
About: The wait is over. I presen- what, you weren't waiting for a second "A Metal Hurricane"? F*** you then! Anyway, here is a collection of the songs I have been addicted to in the past 3 months or so. I felt compelled to create this today, for some reason. It's an eclectic mix of black metal and rock and pop and whatever else I threw in. In case you're wondering, I'll try any music of any genre once, but I do have standards. Even in Power Metal, my favorite genre, I can't stand listening to bands such as Gamma Ray and Manowar.

TRACK LIST: Run time: 1:15:43
1) Six Magics - Run (2008) This is the best power metal song I've heard in years. It's intense and face-melting as all power metal should be, but there's a political undertone, which I won't spoil. The new female singer for this band is quite simply amazing.

2) Andreas Johnson - Glorious (1999) I was hooked from the moment I heard this song. I want all his albums but they are a little hard to find. It's alternative rock but what makes it really unique is the main riff is done by a symphony orchestra, so it's so powerful and dramatic. This guys vocals are basically an orgasm in sound wave form. When he hits that high note "She", I can't believe it, it's like I died and went to heaven.

3) The Poodles - Pilot of the Storm (2009) The Poodles are melodic metal kings. Each song has a riff that just hooks you, then the chorus kicks in and it's this beautiful melody. It's backed up by great guitar work, simple but effective drumming, and of course the singer. I love vocals that are clean but a tad raw/rough/growling and that's what we have here.

4) Senmuth - Под знаменами Тэтишери (2010) While I have my complaints about how this guy does things (Releases albums at a pace of nearly 1 album per month when he could spend time improving/mastering, completely inconsistent genres), this is in contention for my favorite album of 2010 (see journal linked on right). It's symphonic industrial metal (which I never realized existed before this album), and it is just too epic to be believed. The music is clean sounding, the vocals are really unique, and I don't even know how to describe this in words. It makes me wish I had long straight hair so i could swing it around in circles and headbang.

5) Burzum - Glemselens Elv (2010) If I was forced at gunpoint to listen to only one song on repeat, for the rest of my life, this would be it. It's epic atmospheric raw black metal that sounds like it's coming straight out of some cold frostbitten cave where it's been hiding since like 1990. There are three main layers of sound here: The droning, repeating bass guitar. The rhythm guitar riff. Then the high pitch guitar riff. And then the vocals come in- raw, gritty black vocals. With just so much going on, it's amazing it didn't turn out to be just a "wall of sound." It's just all blended together so perfectly that we have this amazing work of art.

6) Be Persecuted - All End Soon (2009) This is a great depressive suicidal black metal song. It's a driving fast beat, the shrieks are heart-wrenching and the riffs are black. Not sure what more to say, other than you have to hear it to realize how awesome it is. (Apologies for the poor quality. I plan on buying this album and ripping it to v0 and putting it here, when I can spare 20 dollars... I literally can't now, not until I have a job, or you click "Donate" in the top right :D)

7) Silencer - Death - Pierce Me (2001) This song set a new standard for depressive/suicidal/atmospheric black metal. After a 2 minute acoustic intro, you are slammed with a wall of sound and screeching vocals that only someone possessed by the devil himself could pull off. Hence... He went to an institution for about 5 years after this album. But this is a masterpiece of depressive black metal and any fan (or non-fan) should hear it.

8) A-ha - Celice (2005) And now to the pop and rock I promised you. I know everyone knows a-ha as that one-hit wonder "Take on Me" but they really have a lot of varied stuff. This song is really emotional and that's why I like it so much. I couldn't decide which is my favorite song of theirs, it was between this and "Shadowside" so I took this because it's more upbeat and easily likeable. I wish I could see a-ha on their Farewell Tour but I'll be too busy looking for and starting a job. I also really hope this is not a Farewell, as all their releases are great, and arguably are getting progressively better!

9) Abney Park - Airship Pirate (2008) This song is made for me. First, it's a fantasy theme, and it's about drinking and pirates. The genre is impossible to describe, so I think people made up a new genre called "Steampunk." It's an industrial beat, but there's some symphonic parts, and in the background is this really awesome guitar riff you'd expect in metal. The vocals are odd, it's almost like he's talking to someone that's 2 feet away, it's relaxed with not much variance, but it works so well here. That all comes together to create this unique and amazing atmosphere. This whole album ("Lost Horizons") does, so if you like this check it out.

10) Creed - Away in Silence (2009) <<<<<<<<<3#<#<,,<#,,3,<#<#,,3 I usually don't do that, but this song makes me want to. Alternative Rock/Metal. I am a sucker for good ballads, and more importantly, Creed was one of the bands I grew up listening to. My FIRST CD was given to me as a gift, Christmas 2001, and it was the album "Weathered." I played that so much I'm surprised the CD didn't catch on fire. I thought their new album now that they are reunited was a bit underwhelming, but this song in particular gives me that same feeling I got Christmas break 2001. Listening to my first CD on my brand new JVC portable CD player, during a 6 hour car drive to see relatives, and it's raining outside and the rain is trickling down the windows of the car.

11) Freedom Call - Under the Spell of the Moon (2010) Again, great song on somewhat underwhelming album. It's a ballad with a really dark theme and tone... much different from their usual (what I call it.. it's an actual tag on last.fm now) "Happy bunny hopping through the field metal". This is closer to doom metal than anything else, and haunting low vocals.

12) The Wedding - I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (2007) This is alternative/pop/punk rock, but there's something special about this song that I can't really pinpoint. It's based off an irish sounding riff, and the soaring vocals... uh... I think I'm about review'd out for the day, lol.

13) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - So Sad To Say (1990's) I hate Ska in general, but there's something special about this band. It's more straight up rock driven, rather than "Let's be as poppy and gay as possible!". They have really nice and catchy melodies, and utilize counterharmony in the chorus so well. It's like the music echoes what the vocalist just sang. It's just a simple, catchy, happy song. I'm just upset their newest album since they reformed does in fact try to do what I have in quotes up there, rather than their unique rock driven style of ska. But we always have the old awesome stuff to listen to. I almost picked "Some Day I Suppose" but this song is just more beautiful.

14) HIM - I've crossed oceans of wine to find you (2000ish) Speaking of beautiful... I thought this would be a good closer. It's mysterious and kind of ominous/haunting. Yet beautiful. If I had to say a genre, i'd say minimalist rock/metal. This is really a simple song, just an organ and an acoustic guitar. The song is completely driven by Ville Valo's vocals. And they are just perfect. Especially when he goes up high, it's like heaven. I wish he sang like this more. And I cannot believe this song was not on a studio album! It's my favorite song I've ever heard by HIM, granted I've never heard them all, but I've at least heard all the studio albums once.
 
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