Post Reply - Avant-Garde Metal Appreciation Thread

get it

 UMUR wrote:

^I�ve reviewed the album for Prog Archives and I actually
found it rather mediocre. I had a hard time getting through the album
enough times to write a review (Age of Silence).

All but lead vocalist Lars Nedland, who btw is not the lead singer
in Spiral Architect and Twisted Into Form, are also members of Winds.
Another band I have a hard time really appreciating. Skilled musicians,
but most of their stuff fail to captivate me.

Hey UMUR,

You know, I was ready to "prove you wrong"  But by God! You are right and I'm amazed that

Leif Knashaug is NOT the singer of Age of Silence . . . they (both singers) sound Identicle in just

about everyway (though I have only heard AoS on Internet Radio, dont own the album and are

new to me) . . . so far.  I mean listen to these 3 examples:

"Lars Nedland":

"Leif Knashaug":

(Leif was original singer before "�yvind H�geland" but Leif only

appears on Demos).

Leif again:

They sing in the same odd structures, within different musics, I'm amazed!

I have to say I like "Winds" as well. A "Thrashier" Opeth-like sound, but when I first heard them long

ago, I thought the same UMUR. I think thats why I cant be a "Critic" and write about new releases,

my moods change, hearing fluctuates to what I'm "into" at the moment, and sometimes I need to

take an album one "track" at a time to  . . . get it.   I couldnt get into "The Gathering" at 1st when I

bought "How to measure a Planet", then to have "if_then_else" sit on my shelf for 3 years, and

then to re-discover it (long story) and then being a HUGE fan of theirs and "then else" becoming

my fave album in their catalogue (And "Night time Birds") .

This would include MANY bands I did not like at 1st (or Albums), then years later say, "What the

HELL was I thinking?" 

Topos (and whomever else), without getting into an argument, just speaking for myself, the only 

parts I hear that are Avant Garde in Sol Niger are some interludes in the music with the "Spoken 

Word" of Tomas Haak and the "Atmospheric" parts, but those are just little "moods" to coincide

with the lyrical content and music, its not throughout the music like a "Age of Silence" or a Sleepy

Time Gorilla Museum etc. , its not a "constant".
The Jazz/Fusion parts are defintely there (as Fredrik sounds like a Heavy Metal version of Allan

Holdsworth) through enhanced styles of the Guitar and the added Sax, but its much like Ihsahn's

Solo albums do the same (Sax too) but not in an Avant Garde context throughout (just a few left-

turns).

If this were the case,  ALL "Math Metal/Tech-Metal/Progressive Metal" could be rolled into 1 ball.

I think 90% of Progressive Rock and Metal have Jazz/Fusion influences, along with the Classical, 

Blues, World and other sources . . . thats why its in the genre "Progressive", its musical Soup.

Age of Silence I think just teaters over the edge to Avant Garde, because their is a cohesive

melody but just enough "angular/odd-meter" to that melody that in-fact . . . it is Odd.

Sol Niger I believe is 4/4, but like Meshauggah its what they do "within" 4/4, but it has a groove,

it can be odd-timing - take a left-turn, but it goes back to the 4/4, its following a cohesive line, 

until we run into those "Atmospheres" that make it seem Avant Garde (does that make any sense, 

I can go soak my head in a bucket of Pirahnas if you'd like ).

Again, Meshuggah's "Catch 33" is VERY different than all their other albums.

If it were filtered through one description (like here at MMA) it would be simply "Prog Metal" .

But saying to a Genesis Fan, "Hey, I heard you like Progressive Rock, have you heard 

Meshuggah?"  and then you wonder why that friend is slapping you after the 1st  20 seconds of

Future Breed Machine! .

To each their own, I've heard so many different types of Avant Garde Bands and Math/Tech Metal

(Thrash and Death) Bands that I immediately hear the difference, but sometimes it takes some

time to figure out . . . What the hell IS THIS music anyway!???

(Keep in mind, the average "Metal Head" will listen to both kinds of this music and say . . .

THIS HAS NO SOUL! ITS ALL NOISE!!! ).

Thanks for your continued indulgeance in my poop .

Yes Wiki is written by Arm Chair enthusiasts like us, but check them out:

Spiral Architect (not very cohesive):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Architect

Age of Silence:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Silence

Special Defects (Sol Niger Within album):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Niger_Within

Edited by MAVIIIVAM - 25 Aug 2010 at 4:35pm