Members somata Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hmmmmmm, about half way through and not digging it so far. I can appreciate what he's trying to do with all of the programmed stuff and clean singing, but it seems like too big of a jump, and that he pushed it a bit too far. And there's some pretty heavy Opeth lifting...he even uses "God is dead" in a similar clean sung way as Opeth's "The Devil's Orchard." Wasn't a huge fan of "Akeldema" but think that "Planetary Duality" is a killer record... Maybe it will grow on me, but I keep on thinking that this is essentially what a Michael Keene solo record would sound like, which I guess it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greg apocalypse Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I've listened to it about 3 times now, and I just can't get way into it. What it is for me is all the weird "epic movie soundtrack" parts. Just {censored}in' rock, man! Turn up those guitars and shred. There also isn't as much shreddy parts as I expected. Maybe my anticipation for this album killed it, but I don't know. I don't see myself listening to it very often. That said, it's not a bad record, it's actually pretty good. Quality, and the song writing is decent and all that. Good album, I just kind of wanted to hear something a little different from them. Plus their tone is so "djenty", not sure if I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jnurp Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 i havent heard it yet, but my interest has been completely peaked by all the comments about it. Planetary duality is one of the best albums I have ever heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spawnofthesith Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I've been trying really hard to get into it, but its not working out for me. I {censored}ing love Hymn of Sanity, but other than that, Keene's clean vocals are too prominent and too for me. Which sucks because every song has at least one part I dig, and then it goes and gets ruined. All the guitar solos are {censored}ing fantastic though. I feel bad for the new vocalist honestly, I feel like Keene definitely has faaaar more vocal parts than him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I agree that Planetary Duality is {censored}ing amazing but from what you guys are saying about this new one I might not dig it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greg apocalypse Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I've been trying really hard to get into it, but its not working out for me. I {censored}ing love Hymn of Sanity, but other than that, Keene's clean vocals are too prominent and too for me. Which sucks because every song has at least one part I dig, and then it goes and gets ruined. All the guitar solos are {censored}ing fantastic though. I feel bad for the new vocalist honestly, I feel like Keene definitely has faaaar more vocal parts than him. ohh I didn't even comment on that part - the clean vocal parts are borderline mall-rock. funny story - I have a GMC Jimmy with no top, so when I listen to music, everyone listens to my music. I will not listen to it in that truck because of the mall-rock vocals. I don't want people to think I'm a tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spawnofthesith Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 ohh I didn't even comment on that part - the clean vocal parts are borderline mall-rock. funny story - I have a GMC Jimmy with no top, so when I listen to music, everyone listens to my music. I will not listen to it in that truck because of the mall-rock vocals. I don't want people to think I'm a tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members superflyinmonke Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I love Plantetary Duality and Akeldama, but I haven't had a chance to listen to this one yet. I guess I might not rush to pick it up, but I'll look for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iff Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Haven't heard any of it yet, but what the {censored} - "Careless Whisper" Sexy Sax Man plays a saxophone solo on it. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members somata Posted August 14, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Glad I'm not the only one... There are some great bits in there, but other than "Hymn of Sanity" not really an entire song that I'm into. He's a great player, and the soloing on Planetary Duality fit perfectly, here I feel like there's a bit more meandering wankery. I wonder if part of it is the sequencing of the songs. Starting out with the most pretentious 3 parter first may not be sitting with me... I also feel like it wears it's influences a bit too much on it's sleeve...definitely some Cynic, Opeth, and even some Emperor on the more epic-y parts. I loooooooove all of those bands, but not sure that anyone else needs to do what they do, because they do it so well...lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greg apocalypse Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Glad I'm not the only one...There are some great bits in there, but other than "Hymn of Sanity" not really an entire song that I'm into. He's a great player, and the soloing on Planetary Duality fit perfectly, here I feel like there's a bit more meandering wankery. I wonder if part of it is the sequencing of the songs. Starting out with the most pretentious 3 parter first may not be sitting with me...I also feel like it wears it's influences a bit too much on it's sleeve...definitely some Cynic, Opeth, and even some Emperor on the more epic-y parts. I loooooooove all of those bands, but not sure that anyone else needs to do what they do, because they do it so well...lol! Nothing wrong with influence, in my mind. That's why we all do it to begin with. For probably 95% of us holding a guitar, striking a drum, or belting out our voice all started from wanting to be like somebody (in some sense). That part, I don't mind. I just don't like the confusion in whether I'm listening to this or starting Lord Of The Rings on those first couple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soilent Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I'm going to go with the contrary and say I dig this album. Is it as good as Planetary Duality? Hell no! But that's also when of my top 5 all time metal albums. It's not great, but it's definitely good and I DO think it has quite a few similar parts to PD. I do like the clean singing, but I'm not a huge fan of the way he sings on this record. To me he's trying to sound very operatic, similar to the way the cleans are on new BTBAM records. I wish he would've taken a more natural approach and make them sound the way they did on the pre- production version of Eidolon Reality. I LOVE that song and LOVE the way the vocals sound, but that harmony on the new version really pissed me off. However, that sax solo on AM III: D rules. [video=youtube;HtNlISxBwSw] Anyway, I'll rate this album as "good" and definitely worth a listen. And as a side note, I'd like to recommend everyone check out The Contortionist's newest album "Intrinsic". To me, Keene should've done his cleans the way The Contortionist did on that album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greg apocalypse Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Yeah, listening to it again right now. Man, the solos are ripping, the playing is flawless. I just don't love all the overly produced sample parts. Those are the parts that turn me off the most, I think. I just picture dudes in the studio kind of daydreaming about the record saying "DUDE, YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE SO SICK? Imagine like.... 50 drums playing... and then a horn section... and a symphony, but like... a symphony of musically diverse skeletons playing music.... THAT's how we need these parts to sound right here." Just turn on the amps, mic up the drums, and rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greg apocalypse Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 Anyway, I'll rate this album as "good" and definitely worth a listen. And as a side note, I'd like to recommend everyone check out The Contortionist's newest album "Intrinsic". To me, Keene should've done his cleans the way The Contortionist did on that album. that one. I think a lot of my friends who dig The Contortionist didn't like Intrinsic as much as I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soilent Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 I just picture dudes in the studio kind of daydreaming about the record saying "DUDE, YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE SO SICK? Imagine like.... 50 drums playing... and then a horn section... and a symphony, but like... a symphony of musically diverse skeletons playing music.... THAT's how we need these parts to sound right here." I think, nay, I guarantee you're 100% spot on with this assessment. Keene has his own studio and records all his own stuff, so I could definitely see what you're saying here. When you're just sitting in the studio for hours, messing with your own music, {censored} just comes flowing out. I've got first hand experience with this because my singer and I in my old band used to produce all our music. He would come up with the DUMBEST {censored} to put in our songs. Electronics, beats, 6 part vocal harmonies, just retarded {censored} that even if we wanted to put it on a song, could never pull of live. (4 piece band, one guitar player) UGH. Anyway, glad I'm not in that band anymore. End mini rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spawnofthesith Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 that one. I think a lot of my friends who dig The Contortionist didn't like Intrinsic as much as I did. That is probably album of the year so far for me. I've been a huge Contortionist fanboy ever since I saw 'em at slaughter survivors last year. Both Intrinsic and Exoplanet are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members superflyinmonke Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 That is probably album of the year so far for me. I've been a huge Contortionist fanboy ever since I saw 'em at slaughter survivors last year. Both Intrinsic and Exoplanet are Will definitely check this out when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soilent Posted August 14, 2012 Members Share Posted August 14, 2012 This may be an almost completely unrelated style of music, but the new Architects album "Daybreaker" is awesome. I figured I'd just throw that out there since everyone in this thread probably digs most of the stuff I dig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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