PolarizeMe

I've been getting into a lot of drone/ambient based music recently and one of the bands (or rather I say individual) that I've really got into is Bass Communion, Steven Wilson's ambient/drone project. Previewed the new album Cenotaph; loved it and ordered it a few a days ago (still on backorder) but then I came across this today and I thought it was amazing...it's so melancholic and sad, but so beautiful it brings me to tears. Definitely made my day, and will have to check out more of Bass Communion, and buy all the remaining available albums out there since they're very limited in print.

QUOTE (Enemy Within 77 @ Dec 3 2011, 01:37 PM) QUOTE (PolarizeMe @ Dec 3 2011, 10:19 AM) If Extreme used to be Metal, now what is it? Shit. Yeah but we can say that about any genre of of music today.

Wow, I forgot to add these other songs that never got an official live release....add The Necromancer, The Fountain of Lamneth (if the rumors of it being played live were true), Red Lenses, Countdown, Chemistry, Ceiling Unlimited, Virtuality, Limbo, etc to that list. There's roughly 30 or so unreleased live songs which is enough for a Different Stages-esque live album. Why not release all of them? That way, us fans don't need to rely on listening to these great live tracks via a boot or soundboard. Not that I think boots or soundboards aren't great, it's just that I would rather have a live album full of unreleased live tracks than another umpteenth reissue of the same albums unless they're 5.1 mixes. There's other stuff they have in their archives such as a complete Permanent Waves era show (this is where the Guitar Hero 5 version of The Spirit of Radio came from) that was supposed to be their 2nd live album but scrapped in favor of working on Moving Pictures instead. There's also a few radio broadcasts that are currently available as boots (St. Louis 1980 and Run Faster) that can possibly be released officially as well. They might not have any unreleased studio songs, but they got a crapload of unreleased live takes.

I for one would love it if Rush were to release their unreleased live material in some sort of live archives album (something like Iron Maiden did once). I'd love to finally hear official live releases of Where's My Thing?, Hemispheres, Kid Gloves, Afterimage, The Body Electric, Grand Designs, Middletown Dreams, and Cold Fire to name a few.

When it's windy it's alright, and when it rains it's alright, but when it's cold, and rainy, I f**king hate it. Edit: Whoops, I meant windy, cold and rainy. Cold by itself is fine too.

If any of you are vinyl collectors, the next two Porcupine Tree vinyl reissues are going to be The Sky Moves Sideways and the Coma Divine live album which will be out in February or March next year. I'm basing this on the KScope flyer that came with Grace for Drowning. Currently, they're saying that it will be a 2LP but I won't believe that cause both these albums are too long that they might be 3 or 4LP editions. It'll be interesting to see if they add more songs on Coma Divine as there are 8 songs that have yet to be released including the full version of Voyage 34, Stars Die, and the holy grail of Steven Wilson's catalog, Cryogenics.

If Extreme used to be Metal, now what is it?

QUOTE (Litehawk @ Dec 3 2011, 03:27 AM)QUOTE (An Enemy Without @ Dec 2 2011, 09:44 PM) Quick question: how do you reconcile this with your manhood? You mean the bravery of choosing to venture outside of the norm and the choice of individuality and willingness to harbor your own opinion against the masses? Feels pretty good That sounds almost exactly like the message behind the story of 2112. Seriously, it's just a freakin' TV show. Honestly, I don't see how males being a fan of this is a huge stain on their manhood or society. It's more acceptable for people to come out gay, lesbian, or bi, but we slam straight man who come out and admit they like/love something that's admittingly outside of the target audience? This is sounding almost like how we treated homosexuality and civil rights years ago. Nowadays we're more accepting of it because society's changed. I just see this movement of the bronies as another change or development that society is going through. For better or for worse, I don't know, but I want to say good. I'm pretty sure 10-20 years, something like this or close to it will pop up again and maybe by then, people won't care as much and accept it for what it is. I'm just an outsider who wasn't even aware this was even happening days ago trying to make a point, and defending older fans of the show because I don't have a problem with it or the fans.

It's been a pretty hectic week for me with college applications starting to get sent and reviewed by the schools. I'm kinda having one of those states of depression where I'm thinking, "Oh, this school's way out of my league, I won't get in" or "I'm not good enough to get accepted here". Honestly, I think I'm being a bit overdramatic with myself, cause considering that all my friends think I'll get accepted into my first choice which is an art school in NYC. I plan to major in film/video. It's really the only thing I'm good at, the only thing I have a passion/fondness for other than music. My sister currently studies at that school in question, so I guess I'm at an advantage in a way. Statistics shows they accept 3/4 of all applicants, but again, I don't want to get my hopes up because anything can happen. Other than that, I ordered the new Bass Communion album Cenotaph from Steven Wilson's mail order service the other day. Gotta wait for them to get more of the vinyl in stock so it can ship with the CD version to me for Christmas.

QUOTE (priest_of_syrinx @ Dec 2 2011, 09:13 PM) QUOTE (PolarizeMe @ Dec 2 2011, 06:25 PM) I haven't watched the actual show itself I envy you for the joy you are going to experience when you finally do... Isn't the wife of Craig McCracken of Foster's and Powerpuff Girls fame involved with this show? It reminds me so much of his style of cartoons.

QUOTE (Litehawk @ Dec 2 2011, 04:49 PM)http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=playe...&v=QaOq8O0lbxE#! DREAMLINE PMV! That actually matched so well, although I thought Dreamline sounded like it was on ecstasy because of that fast tempo. I feel awkward posting on here cause I haven't watched the actual show itself other than YouTube videos my friends send me which amuses me. I don't understand why so many guys like the show, as I think it's the most fascinating things I've ever witnessed, but I don't have a problem with the show or any of its fans cause I bet it can't be worse than most of the shows that are in the same target demographic.

I think the problem with The Last Airbender was that if you never saw the TV show, you won't get it at all. But who am I to judge because I was a fan of the show yet still got lost and confused with the movie version. Biggest gripe, it took FOREVER for the characters to bend whatever it is they do. That and I think it was an easy target for racial stereotyping which caused even more negative feedback. The Sixth Sense and Signs were good, but other than that, Shyamalan sucks at what he does. I think his movies suck because he has control of everything in his movies which means he'll use all his ideas which are crap to begin with. Get a group together than can help and make your ideas better Shyamalan. He ain't f**cking Orson Welles where he has creative control but manages to make satisfying and enduring films (Citizen Kane anyone?). I wonder how the hell he ain't bankrupt by all the box office bombs he made in his career. His film career should've been dead by now.

QUOTE (RUSHHEAD666 @ Dec 1 2011, 11:11 PM)QUOTE (PolarizeMe @ Dec 1 2011, 09:06 PM) I don't think Japan will ever reunite now that Mick Karn's now gone and that David Sylvian's become more recluse with the world according to his announcement regarding that tour he's doing next year. Honestly, I wouldn't want to see them reunite because Mick Karn's bass is a huge chunk of what made Japan the band they were other than David. I know for me, it'll feel weird and awkward hearing Japan without Mick. Since his father's passing, I don't think Steven has ever been the same. The more I think about it, the more I think he wants to take a break from Porcupine Tree after spending a majority of his musical career focused on it. Whatever musical project outside PT that he wants to work on, I'll gladly give it a try. I just want to believe that the new PT album will be delayed until late next year/2013 just in time for their 20th anniversary as a band since they officially became an actual band in 1993. Excellent post! You know a lot more about Japan than me! Thanks for the info! So much for a reunion!! The funny thing is that I know Japan more than I listen to them. I've listened to a substantial amount of their work but not all of it. Early on their career they were a glam rock band. If you heard their first album and then something like Tin Drum, you'd think their two different bands because David's voice was gnarlier and higher in their glam days. They did reunite in 1991 for one last album, but they were called Rain Tree Crow because David Sylvian refused to call it a Japan album. Everyone except him wanted the Japan moniker and even their label were willing to pay money just to use the name and tour. By all accounts, he's extremely embarrassed when it comes to looking back at his career with Japan. They broke up again because of tensions between the band and David. Rain Tree Crow's another departure from Japan's electronic sound. It was leaning more ambient, ballad, alternative rock. Blackwater is the best track on the record.

I don't think Japan will ever reunite now that Mick Karn's now gone and that David Sylvian's become more recluse with the world according to his announcement regarding that tour he's doing next year. Honestly, I wouldn't want to see them reunite because Mick Karn's bass is a huge chunk of what made Japan the band they were other than David. I know for me, it'll feel weird and awkward hearing Japan without Mick. Since his father's passing, I don't think Steven has ever been the same. The more I think about it, the more I think he wants to take a break from Porcupine Tree after spending a majority of his musical career focused on it. Whatever musical project outside PT that he wants to work on, I'll gladly give it a try. I just want to believe that the new PT album will be delayed until late next year/2013 just in time for their 20th anniversary as a band since they officially became an actual band in 1993.

I never really knew what my mother's music tastes were because she basically listened to what was on the radio. I do know that my dad was a huge 80s pop fanatic, even going far as saying that he thinks the 80s were great music wise. Although he did have a Queen album, a John Lennon album, and a Led Zeppelin album that he gave to me when I got older. I can't exactly pull my finger on what bands he listened to extensively cause when I was young these were mostly playlists he made on CD and it's been years since I've seen him play those playlists, but some of the songs I clearly remembered him playing in heavy rotation were Tainted Love by Soft Cell, Too Shy by Kajagoogoo, Don Quichotte by Magazine 60 and 19 by Paul Hardcastle. I'll never forget the last two songs because I would always ask my dad to play "the 19 song" and the "No, No, No, No, No, No, No Senor song" a lot in my early years and ironically when I tried looking up "19" years later, that was the song title all along, so I was right in naming the song after all these years, hahaha. Nope, obviously my dad's music tastes didn't influence me years later, as I went the opposite end of the music spectrum because I listen to all kinds of rock and metal. Although, the only thing from my Dad's music taste that had any relevance to me years later was Kajagoogoo's bassist Nick Beggs because I saw him live as Steven Wilson's bassist on his solo tour. It wasn't until I looked up the guy when I finally realized he was in the band that did Too Shy. When I found out I was like, "Oh...he was in THAT band? I thought the lead singer sounded like a girl. O___o" Still, I thought that Nick's a great bassist and really impressed me at the SW show. One of my close friends from middle school and my sister had bigger influences on my music taste more than my parents, I'll say.

Best Gigs: Steven Wilson 11/11/2011 Best Buy Theater, New York, NY Rush 4/10/2011 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY Best Albums: 1. Steven Wilson: Grace for Drowning 2. Opeth: Heritage 3. (new entry) Nightwish: Imaginaerum 4. Dream Theater: A Dramatic Turn of Events 5. Foo Fighters: Wasting Light Biggest Surprise: Tie between Nightwish's Imaginaerum, Bass Communion's Cenotaph. The Rush show in MSG is an honorable mention because I was struck at how much the songs were better and more memorable live on this leg of the tour than when I saw them on the first leg. Biggest Disappointment: Me missing the Blackfield show on 5/20/2011 due to a conflict with a personal affair which ended up not happening Best Live Album/DVDs: Rush: Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland Sonata Arctica: Live in Finland Best Songs: 1. Steven Wilson: Postcard 2. Steven Wilson: Raider the Black Dog 3. Steven Wilson: Raider II 4. Opeth: The Devil's Orchard 5. Dream Theater: On The Backs of Angels 6. Foo Fighters: Rope 7. Blackfield: Waving 8. Nightwish: Storytime 9. Rush: Presto (from Time Machine 2011) 10. Bass Communion: Carrion (u)

What about Sepultura? And I'm talking about the days when Max and Igor Cavalera were still in the band. Aren't Arise, Chaos A.D., and Roots considered to be extreme metal masterpieces by fanatics?

I've known Nightwish for quite awhile although I'll admit that I've never really listened to them that much other than a song or two when Tarja was still in the band. But today, I took a listen to Imaginaerum after talking to my friend who's a huge fan about the new album. From what I heard, I really enjoyed it, more than I thought I was going to at first. I thought Storytime was really catchy, and I really liked Slow, Love Slow, I Want My Tears Back, and The Crow, The Owl, And The Dove. I do want say that I thought that one of the riffs in I Want My Tears Back sounded something like Iron Maiden's Dance of Death, I don't know if that's just me though. Based on Imaginaerum alone I dig Nightwish a bit more, and I want to try to get into their back catalog because I think I might really get into them after getting to know their stuff better, although my friend told me to avoid Dark Passion Play until later. Any recommendations on which albums I should start off with?

Hmm, I was starting to try getting into extreme metal recently. I think I'll refer to this thread if I want to refer to bands I should try. Obviously, I love Opeth. Children of Bodom, I've know of them, I just haven't really listed to them, but they're from Finland, and knowing my love of Finland and the other Nordic countries in general, I'd probably dig them a lot. Boris I've only known through the Altar album they did with Sunn O))), who are my favorite drone doom metal band at the moment.

QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Nov 20 2011, 08:49 PM) QUOTE (rushgoober @ Nov 20 2011, 08:40 PM) QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Nov 20 2011, 04:20 PM) QUOTE (ColdFireYYZ @ Nov 20 2011, 05:40 PM) QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Nov 20 2011, 05:36 PM) Let's get goobs to listen to this album, c'mon people! Anyone who is a fan of prog rock and/or jazz fusion needs to hear this album. It fits very well with anything Goobs loves, i think. GB&R poked, prodded and cajoled me into listening to 3 songs. Great stuff. I'm sold. Great! What songs? I hope one of those songs were Raider II

Definitely looks like a boot....the cover looks like it was done on Microsoft Paint or Photoshop.

QUOTE (Just an Escape Artist @ Nov 15 2011, 02:23 PM)I think the song sounds great on the cd. however I really liked it how on Rush in Rio it goes straight into the drum solo. I played around with my ipod, creating a playlist for the entire show and moved the song to just in front of the drum solo, where I wanted it to go. I chopped off the last 2 or 3 seconds where Geddy speaks at the end of the song, and now have a nice flow of Leave that Thing Alone right into Moto Perpetuo. I was not a real big fan of Caravan going into the drum solo. No big deal, but that was a pretty cool solution. Now I have a nice long second set! I think this was the best live version of Leave That Thing Alone so far. It won't bother me that much if there's mistakes on this song or the rest of the show. Looking back at previous live albums, I realized that there have been "mistakes" that were actually kept in. On R30, the Tom Sawyer opening synth was accidentally triggered but it didn't cause a trainwreck, it made the song sound cooler actually. Different Stages also had LTTA precede the drum solo. Had Malignant Narcissism made the setlist on this tour, it was bound to be placed before the solo, without question. Besides Caravan, I think Red Sector A during the R30 tour was the other non-instrumental that preceded Neil's solo.

Looking at some of the dates from the previous tours, the Counterparts tour was definitely not the last time they played the same venue two nights in a row. They played two straight sold out nights at Radio City Music Hall, and at Wembey Arena during the R30 tour. They also played two straight nights at the Ahoy in Rotterdam during the S&A tour, which was recorded for S&A Live. Edit: They also had a two nighter in Inglewood, California during the Test for Echo tour.