Well, after getting Forza 2 for what was essentially free at Gamestop (buy 2 get 1 free, friend bought 2 games and gave me Forza), I've been enjoying that so far. The AI and physics are sometimes really irritating though, but it's a fun game with lots of stuff to do. Now time to bid on a good car in the auction house...

Anyway there's a lot of music reviews coming. Because that's basically what I use this blog for: reviewing stuff not related to gaming (or in gaming's case, writing shorts). I think I've bought at least like 15 albums/EPs since I've last updated...let's see how many I can remember...

ALBUM OF THE UPDATE:

(because who knows how long it'll be until I update again?)

Indricothere - Self Titled (2007)

This album is dripping with dissonance and reeks of at least ten different genres, and that's by no means a bad thing. From the pounding yet melodic opener "II" (creative title, isn't it? ) to the epic ending (and easily one of my favorite in the genre) track "III," you'll hear different forms or at least influences of metal from technical death, to thrash, black, drone, and progressive. The tracks are named after roman numerals, going in a scatterbrained order from "II" to "V." V is another pounding track that about halfway through goes into straight blasting similar to black metal, and follows up with a droning outro. Next comes "IV" a brilliant, softer track on the album with highly melodic and a very "floaty" sound that's tough to describe (it's great, that's all you need to know). "I" begins like a black metal song with groove drumming and some harmonics, with a thrash solo for a bridge, but mostly this song serves as a buildup for "III." III opens with a uniquely disonnant sound, much like a lot of the songs on the album, with technical riffing leading up to a breakdown littered with almost robotic guitars. A melodic and at one point synthesizer bridge kicks in leading to the brilliant pounding buildup to the faux ending. This "faux" ending sounds like a dissonant blast of technical riffing and drumming that the whole song had been building up towards, and then when it sounds like it's over, a pounding, fast march beat sets in from the drums. This, accompanied by the subtle keyboards leads up to the real ending which is essentially an ultra heavily distorted, dissonant soundwall similar to the non-dissonant soundwalls created by Sunn O))). It's an absolutely brilliant track and probably one of my favorites in ages. Colin Marston's solo project is a success.

9.25/10

Other featured albums:

Necrophagist - Onset of Putrefaction (1999)

Despite the hate Necrophagist gets (mostly for the newer album "Epitaph;" it's the cool thing to do, kids take note), Onset of Putrefaction remains one of the most famous technical death metal albums of the last 10 years. From the 1:52 minute opener "Foul Body Autopsy," you can instantly tell that Muhammed Suicmez is an incredibly talented musician (he wrote and performed all of the music on this album by himself). Well, to keep it brief, the entire album doesn't relent. It's incredibly technical, fast, and songs like "Culinary Hyperversity" and "Fermented Offal Discharge" are incredible. Some people excuse this album for being "soulless" (although usually that's a criticism directed at Epitaph, and the entire genre of technical metal (death/prog/etc.) for that matter).

Those people are full of ****.

9.0/10

Damnit, I'm writing too much again. I'm never gonna finish at this rate.

Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (2002)

Absolutely brilliant! This is the album that made me love Porcupine Tree, although I actually bought Deadwing first (I got this one shortly afterwards). A concept album with a great story, detailing the love of a serial killer (it's very open to interpretation, but that's generally the plotline most people agree on), this album is a prime display of emotions. "Blackest Eyes" kicks off the album, and the beautiful "Trains" follows. "The Sound of Muzak" is a strong and ever so true criticism of the music industry as a whole, and still manages to fit into the album. After the track ".3," the album shifts to a much darker atmospher, in accordance with the storyline. It's an album that shouldn't be as much described as it should be listened to, and I think I'm going to do that just now.

9.0/10

SHORTS (with random pics thrown in; album pics are below the title; EPs are reviewed as EPs)

Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh (9.25/10; just as good as TFM, and Resurrection for that matter. EAAAAAAATEEEEEEEEEEN!! The last great "headbanger," not windmilling, song is on this album)



Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage (9.25/10; the first album from the traditional death metal swedish supergroup, and it's a great one. Akerfeldt's vocals are the standout of this album)

Bloodbath - Breeding Death EP (8.75/10; what the hell, these guys can't disappoint. Such a consistent group)

Novembre - The Blue (9.0/10; I got Agalloch vibes listening to this stunning doom metal outfit from northern Italy for the first time, and that's a very, very good thing. Clean vocals need some work though)

Vader - This is the War EP (9.0/10; The thrash solos and the ultra quick blasting make this short ride a sweet one as well)

Ikuinen Kaamos - Closure EP (8.75/10; great progressive death metal and EP)

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (8.75/10; I love concept albums! , another fantastic one by psychedelic/progressive rock Porcupine Tree)

Enslaved - Vertebrae (8.5/10; getting more progressive every day, seriously. Hopefully they retain their black metal roots, they seem to be doing so just fine now)

Cynic - Traced in Air (8.5/10; the vocals took awhile to get used to, but this almost cyberpunk-meets-progressive is quite unique and fun to listen to)



Xasthur - Defective Epitaph (8.25/10; Depressive/Suicidal black metal with some of the most intense atmospheres anywhere, but his older stuff is better)

Behold...the Arctopus - Skullgrid (8.25/10; more technical/progressive metal music from Colin Marston, this time with bandmates)



Napalm Death - Time Waits for No Slave (8.25/10; powerful, and shows that the 28 year old band still has a lot left in them)

Disillusion - Gloria (7.75/10; Decent progressive metal, but I'd much rather have Back to Times of Splendor, their other album which from what I own of it is fantastic)

Demilich - Nespithe (7.75/10; why aren't these guys still around? Their vocals need some work, but for early '90s techdeath this is good stuff!)



Wolfbrigade - Comalive (7.25/10; solid crust punk, nothing wrong here, nothing great here either)

Malignant Tumour - Dawn of a New Age (6.25/10; fairly obscure, average quality grindcore from the Czech Republic. Doesn't stand out, but with some work could be fantastic)

Balaclava - Creativity EP (5.0/10; uninspired crust punk/post punk from the Czech Republic, just an EP though and it is tolerable. Some of their LP stuff is much worse from what I've heard )

Well, that's it for now. Just felt like writing another set of music reviews based on what I had bought recently. Hope you enjoyed that list of various albums and my worthless opinions on them (and maybe I found a new band for you to listen to?)!