Random metal related thoughts

[The Wretch]

Bejaysus. The new Smashing Pumpkins guitarist is certainly easier on the eye than aul slaphead and his usual crew of poindexters. 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/smashing-pumpkins-kiki-wong-new-guitarist-1235011181/

[Carnage]

Who is she though? I googled her name and the first result was "Youtuber", which curdles the blood.

[The Wretch]

Apparently she was in a band called Vigil Of War, and does guitar covers and gear related stuff on youtube.

[Eoin McLove]

I've seen her shred on YouTube. She makes funny faces while playing which is... entertaining? Kind of like the equivalent of those violinists you see busking who make classical music cool and relevant by wearing a Hawaiian shirt, putting gel in their hair and jigging about and pointing their bow at the audience.

"See, classical music isn't just for squares!"

[Bürggermeister]

John 5 is one of the dullest guitarists on earth, despite being incredibly technically accomplished. Not Polyphia level dull mind you, but every time I hear him play my brain switches of after 30 seconds.

Oh, and the new Motley Crue tune is utter shite. No surprise there.

Agreed. 100% agreed. He's superbly co-ordinated but I can't think of a single song the cunt has played on which I'd ever like to hear again. Musically mediocre, no matter how fast he can widdle.

[Bürggermeister]

Blaze was jipped. You could have any fucking singer you want, Kiske, Halford, Ripper, Dio, Dickinson himself, whoever... nobody could've made the two non-Dickinson 90's albums into something listenable. The songs are fucking terrible. It's a sign of how crucial Smith is to Maiden being tolerable, just how shit the albums without him are. Davey's a cloud drifting happily along and Gers is hardly a strong presence either. Left to his own devices with no-one to raise his bar, Harris does not know the difference between good and shite. Blaze deseved better than Maiden.

[Sworntothecans]

John 5 is one of the dullest guitarists on earth, despite being incredibly technically accomplished. Not Polyphia level dull mind you, but every time I hear him play my brain switches of after 30 seconds.

Oh, and the new Motley Crue tune is utter shite. No surprise there.

Agreed. 100% agreed. He's superbly co-ordinated but I can't think of a single song the cunt has played on which I'd ever like to hear again. Musically mediocre, no matter how fast he can widdle.

Best description of him was "the most yessiest Yes man that ever picked up a guitar who wasn't a member of Yes"

[Bürggermeister]

 

[Trev]

Blaze was jipped. You could have any fucking singer you want, Kiske, Halford, Ripper, Dio, Dickinson himself, whoever... nobody could've made the two non-Dickinson 90's albums into something listenable. The songs are fucking terrible. It's a sign of how crucial Smith is to Maiden being tolerable, just how shit the albums without him are. Davey's a cloud drifting happily along and Gers is hardly a strong presence either. Left to his own devices with no-one to raise his bar, Harris does not know the difference between good and shite. Blaze deseved better than Maiden.

There's quite a few songs I really like from the Blaze era, Man on the Edge, Clansman, Southern Cross, Lord of the Flies...I reckon there's one decent album in there

Blazes solo albums after he left thoughtl pisses over most of the dull, repetitive shite Maiden has been peddling the last 20 years

[The Wretch]

Left to his own devices with no-one to raise his bar, Harris does not know the difference between good and shite. Blaze deseved better than Maiden.

That is true now too, even with Smith and Dickinson involved. They can no longer tell the difference between stretching yourself, and just making overlong tracks. I mean, the repeat-the-same-line/title style choruses, the use of the slow, repetitive semi acoustic picked intro on every song on the second half of 'Senjutsu', it has all become so very predictable and dull.

They are too comfortable, becuase people will buy the albums regardless of quality, and because it's all the lads together with Shirley just hanging out and jamming or whatever.

There are always the seeds of great tunes, but nobody to tell them to edit things and make it more punchy and catchy, pick up the pace a bit more here and there, try something that is just a little different. And when fans do mention maybe wanting some shorter or more anthemic tracks, Steve will talk about prog or something, as if people don't get it, or haven't given things a chance.

But a song is not progressive if it goes nowhere, regardless of running time. I'd be happier if they were more progressive to be honest. Do something properly folky. Stick in some mad time signatures. A few more synths. Make an honest to goodness concept album. Just do something fucking different.

That sort of complacency sets in eventually I guess. Even with Accept. Their first few comeback albums were excellent. And most of what they have done since is solid and enjoyable, but again,  one member is essentially in total charge now, and too comfortable working with Sneap.

But Accept don't quite need the same kick up the hole Harris and the boys do at this stage.

Best description of him was "the most yessiest Yes man that ever picked up a guitar who wasn't a member of Yes"

    

[Cosmic_Equilibrium]

You could have any fucking singer you want, Kiske, Halford, Ripper, Dio, Dickinson himself, whoever... nobody could've made the two non-Dickinson 90's albums into something listenable. The songs are fucking terrible. It's a sign of how crucial Smith is to Maiden being tolerable, just how shit the albums without him are.

Disagree, X Factor has very strong songwriting, and IMO Sign Of The Cross is Maiden's best song.

Also on a related note it's hilarious how many people trash VXI and worship BNW while not realising that several songs on the latter album were actually held over from VXI.

[The Wretch]

IMO Sign Of The Cross is Maiden's best song

Well there is a sentence I've never read before...

I get your point about Brave New World, but the delivery is just better than the Blaze albums. You can tell they put a lot more thought and effort in, they were obviously buoyed by the energy of Bruce and Adrian returning, and the general enthusiasm that created. And let's be honest, Bruce is just a much better singer, and not just in terms of his overall range.   

But I like Blaze generally, and have done since the Wolfsbane days. And I enjoy a lot of the songs he made with Maiden. But those records were definitely flawed, much like the last few albums, where a lot of the tracks become too ponderous and in need of trimming, or when certain musical motifs are far too overused. It's unfair that Blaze takes all of the shit for that during his era though, when Steve was obviously steering the ship. Or that a lot of people now give them a pass for a lot of that stuff, when they crucified them for it during the mid - late 90's.   

I don't really hate any of their albums BTW, I always find something positive in them, but Christ, they make it hard work sometimes.

But I mean, at the end of the day, you couldn't dislike them. And you have to root for them. It's Maiden innit?

[Ducky]

My usual time with Maiden these last may years is...

1. Stick on a classic form the 80s, have a great time.
2. Stick on a post-2000 album, enjoy it, but get frustrated with the noodly bits.
3. Stick on a post-2010, and after five minutes of the piss-weak production and overt noodling, say "fuck it" and stick The Chemical Wedding on instead.

[Giggles]

I've never really been a fan of John 5's image, but I enjoy his solo material. What's not to like about this playing?

[koper]

Polyphia level dull

I wasn't aware of existence of Polyphia
until few weeks ago, when YouTube algorithm started feeding their videos to me for some reason. That's some elevator tunes from the Barbie World. The whole musical concept is so devoid of emotion and any true artistry it's actually incomprehensible to me how does one put so much time and effort into learning instrument and doesn't develop a pinch of good taste by accident.