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I generally despise 'classical' takes on metal songs, the likes of Apocolyptica but this is different. In trying to find words to describe the tones I can only think of Eastern European music, which is interesting when you think that Chuck Schuldiner's surname is Austrian Jewish. Very cool, love it..enjoy


https://youtu.be/faaLYTFL-Uk

Learning, teaching, interested in them, apps, interesting youtube stuff, even English language questions, doesn't matter lash it up here.

I have a question somebody probably can answer. In older forms of English did we ever use a construction similar to the following structure:

'If I were to buy a horse, it would be a brown one' but with using would or should instead of was?

Something that springs to mind immediately is the Pogues song 'If I should fall from grace with god..'

Basically, in Spanish we have what's called the subjunctive which is used quite regularly, and such a hash is made of teaching it that often students take ages to learn it.

I'm almost sure that in Oscar Wilde's writing or in something like Moby Dick we would sentences such as the following.

If I would row the boat to shore..
If I should speak openly..

I'm making a bit of a hash of it but I'd say some of you here would know what I'm getting at

Looking for an itunes type set up where I upload my tunes, would like to be able to add album cover, keep the albums separate instead of long lists. Any recommendations? Using AIMP at the momemt and it's not great.

https://youtu.be/2UGw1lkK_4o

Just read there. Only 50 years old. Unreal musician.

Anyone heard the new album? Any usage? I've been very lax with their recent albums if I'm honest despite them being one of my favourite bands ever.

Listening to Outer Isolation here. The best metal album and band that had come out in years IMO. The album is sublime perfection. It seems like they might be releasing an album soon. Waiting with baited breath. Any other fans?

Apart from youtube which is often ropey in terms of sound quality etc, is there anywhere else I can get my favourite live performances to watch on the smart tv or computer instead of downloading or actually inserting a dvd(god forbid)?

Essentially a spotify for live dvds?

I am rereading the Silmarillion and I got thinking has any author had as much influence over an entire genre of music and its multiple sub-genres as the great JRR Tolkien? Of course metal's greatest influence is the Good Lord and the divil, but Tolkien must be coming in a close second.

From the imagery and Nazgul screams of Black metal to bombastic German power metal, from Doom to Trad all the way back to the originators of the style itself, the Sabbaths and Zeppelins of this world, an academic and staunch Catholic who served at the Somme keeps rearing his head again and again.

Just shooting the shit, but would be interesting to see just how many bands include references to him or owe their names to him, or at least to his works. Gorgoroth, Burzum, Cirith Ungol, the list must be endless.

Any fans and any recommendations for bands that were inspired by him or interesting stories? Any that you felt really captured the essence of his writing in their music?

Just popping this up here. Good little interview with the mighty Commando himself. The channel Drumtalk on youtube chock full of interviews with absolute legends also(not sure if someone recommended here already).

https://youtu.be/szpoHlNO6cg

Just realised Blizzard Beast already recommended it..ah well it's still a gold watch. Absolute legend of a drummer, completely unique, incredible drummer.

We've come a long way since I first saw him on the TV. He gives an amazing speech about the European Union in the video on this page

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0803/1157065-john-hume-dies/

A great man who lived an amazing life. RIP

Do you find yourself dismissing an album or a band because of a review or a commonly held belief with your peers or within the wider listening community?

I'll try to frame this without too much meandering with examples:

Example: Cradle of Filth were a massive band at one stage and suddenly became a dirty word amongst many of the people who had initially vaunted them.

Iron Maiden: No Prayer for the Dying. Widely regarded as a poor follow up to Seventh Son. It was definitely a time and a place issue for this album, but removing yourself from that whole rigmarole and allowing yourself to listen without prejudice, it's actually a really strong album with great performances throughout.

Wasted Years(Maiden song) Bruce says he didn't like it and people latch onto that. As a kid I never distinguished.

Zepellin: The Crunge. Very typical for music journos to do this song down in any retrospective. It just seems like they all sing off the same hymnsheet, and yet if I'd never read a word on the album I'd never even have noticed.

Something that I've encountered again and again over the years as a music listener(and not just in metal).

It annoys my bollox when someone comes out with these types of tropes(I'm not sure if my use of the word trope is correct here: preconceived notions I suppose)..am I the only one?

A couple of years since this bad boy came out and it has absolutely stood the test of time. I remember CT wrote a review of it gushing about it though dismissing the first couple of tunes. I have to say, they are just perfect lazer beam, sci fi, metalized pop songs. Perfect singalong tunes in the vein of their best work on Painkiller, Defenders etc. Things slow down and get deeper towards the middle of the album. Children of The Sun, Rising from Ruins(one of my favourite Priest songs ever), Spectre, Never the Heroes...class class class. I remember there was some hilarity around the lyrics to Flame Thrower, but my god what a fist pounder, air guitar going 90, imagining you still had some hair on your head, jumping around the house to it.

Anyone else still listening to this perfect piece of molten metal? For a band their age to produce it, ad considering everything that was going on with Tipton at the time, it really is a special album.

Alive or Just Breathing is a real favourite for me. I fell away from them after the next album, I suppose there was a lot of style of music aroubd at the time, but Breathing has always stood the test of time.

Anything else in the catalogue worth a gander?

About as perfect as heavy metal gets.

Heaven and Hell:

https://youtu.be/QgC1mkyjjJ8

On the production thread there, South of Heaven came up in the discussion..

I think it terms of imagery, feeling, resonance and power, it has to be one of the greatest album titles ever. I remember getting it on tape as a chiseler and reading the title..'South of Heaven', saying it in a dramatic way, letting it roll around in my head. 'Slayer, South of Heaven'..you almost didn't need to play the tape to be impressed. Later on reading Steinbeck's East of Eden, another title I love, added another dimension to the title, them being from California etc. although I have no clue if they were impacted by that at all.

I remember thinking 'what's south of heaven?' on the drive home in my parents' car and my answer was earth, here, and then when  the music started, jesus...ok so they're saying that this music is the soundtrack to everyday life, to my life, and in many ways it became a soundtrack to my life...mind blown at 15 or whatever age I was haha!

Any other album titles that come to mind, or that capture the essence of everything the music and band are about on that release?

https://youtu.be/RN5De0Mc9WQ

Loving everything about this. Artwork is metaltastic

Some of my favourite albums are buried in a production that shouldn't have worked but just make them sound even better.

While I wouldn't say Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead is awful by any means, it's clear it's a shoestring job and it sounds all the better for it. Actually it adds a mystique and otherworldly/cavernois vibe to the album that just transports me immediately to dimensions unknown..the stars aligned for it.

Some of my favourite ever music by the Misfits or Samhain is tin can alley stuff but I wouldn't change it for the world.

What are your favourite albums that would have the sound engineers out there reaching for the flamethrower?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51457787

Kids these days, not an original idea amongst them..

Hoping ye can answer a question. Got my normal passport book and also a passport card. Just wondering if I'm good to travel just using the card? Will Ryanair suddenly drop a bombshell.on me and say I can't use it or anything?