After 1 week in the mountains, I came back to kufa for what has been so far quite a busy january in terms of paperwork at least =0 , for a change of pace i planned a roots/reggae soundsystem event.
I'll be perfectly honest, reggae isn't really something I listen to a lot, but I want to try and put on things that aren't necessarily well represented in Luxembourg and I think reggae kinda falls into this category.
for a saturday night we had the small room booming with bass and positive vibes =0
a good deal of very happy smiling dancing people even until the small hours of the morning, something very cool to see, and a different kind of crowd from the usual concerts i tend to go for
basically an awesome experience which i think i'll be repeating at some stage during the year ... have something in the pipeline for june, and maybe again in october, so amidst my 'usual' concerts you'll find a generous dose in the form of some serious positive evenings. (there's some wordplay in there somewhere ;0
//
music for the weekend:
Holding onto Hope
.. think as cities burn meets life in your way + newer underoath
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2008 recap albums + Claude's list
Time to start 2009 =0
Here were my favourite albums that i discovered in 2008 , but did not necessarily get released in 2008 ...sounds confusing but basically i remember albums by what year i discovered them =0
In no particular order (artist - album) :
Four Year Strong - Rise or die trying
Lower Definition - The greatest of all lost arts
The Forms - TBD
Kanye West- 808s & Heartbreaks
Hit the Lights - Skip School, Start fights
Misery Signals - Controller
Moving Mountains - Pneuma
The National - Boxer
Meshuggah - Oobzen
This or The Apocalypse - Monuments
Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater
Mock Orange - Captain Love
Damiera - Quiet mouth , Loud hands
Our Last Night - The ghosts among us
saints never surrender - brutus
A skylit drive - wires and the concept of breathing
Veil of Maya - Common man's collapse
If you have time to spare, look the various bands up =0
And now below is a guest spot on my blog by Claude of Retrace my fragments, figured i'd add some other lists/opinions here =)
Take care
Paul
******
**** CLAUDE'S LIST ***
So here we go for another of these best of 2008 reviews. But this is not your Paul writing but Claude from RetraceMyFragments, most of you should know me and might foresee how this review will look like as I am more the Metalhead. I will let you know about my peronal favs of 2008 but also tell you about the albums that didn’t fulfill my expectations. So here we go:
Top 5 of 2008:
1. Metallica – Death Magnetic
Probably one of the most discussed albums of 2008, and well worth to be discussed of. There are many lovers and haters out there concerning Death Magnetic, but I definetly am a fan of that album. I admit not every song is good (Unforgiven III and The Judas Kiss are very boring and I skip them sometimes, Suicide and Redemption is a bit too long, cannot keep up with their other instrumentals but in my eyes could have figured on Load or Reload). But then you have the first six songs that I find really amazing, a proof that this band has not died out nor have their ideas. The opener That was just your Life is a good Metallica song, All Nightmare Long is a really good trash song with great riffs and Cyanide is one hell of a groove machine. If you liked ...And Justice for All then you should check it out, because this band has taken their roots to 2008, not too experimental nor totally old fashioned.
2. Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thundergod
The Vikings have set sail again to conquer the world and this is by far their most violent assault on today’s metal scene. Take your axe and spear, we are heading to war with Thor and Amon Amarth. This is melodic Death Metal at it’s best, there are some serious good war hymns on this album, the riffs hit you right in the face, yet they remain melodic and after hearing a song twice you yell the chorus as loud as you can. The opener and the album’s title track Twilight of the Thundergod is brilliant, heavy riffs, a perfect Viking chorus and a cool solo by COB’s Roope Latvala. When I got the album I was listening to it all the time, and when I put it on these days it still kicks butt. Get this album and your dose of Oden and Thor!
3. A.Armada – Anam Cara
A.Armada are a band consisting of members from Maserati and Cinemechanica. Their first album was definetly more of a mix of these two bands, good but not mind blowing. But this fine piece of Post Rock is far beyond anything in the genre that was released this year and there was some goos stuff that got released this year (Russian Circles, Mogwai and Post Rock gods Red Sparowes). Every note hits your ear in the right moment, the atmosphere created by them is impressive (I had the chance to see them live this year and it was amazing). They do not redefine the genre but with this album they proved how good instrumental music can sound and how good it can make you feel.
4. Disfear – Live The Storm
This band might be well known for their famous singer, who is nobody else than Thomas Lindberg (At The Gates, The Great Deceiver). But this band has nothing in common with his other bands apart his great and brutal voice. This is diryt Rock ‘n’ Roll, Crustcore at it’s best. I saw them live on Graspop and then got the CD, and everytime it’s a kick in your nuts. This band’s music is so straight forward and energetic that you just cannot resist to bang your head, move or body or just fuck random shit up. Get this CD and live the storm!
5. Meshuggah – Obzen
You are not into Meshuggah, the riffs are not catchy enough, you cannot cope with their mathematics? Well this is your chance to get into one of the most important bands on our planet. This album is far easier to understand than the amazing yet headache producing Catch 33. The album starts off quite trashy, to take you later into the depths of Frederik Thorendahls and Co’s dark abyss. Bleed features the best riff of 2008. But one thing remains the same, they remain as sterile as a labaratory in the Pentagon. No feelings or emotions allowed here. But this album is the best to get into Meshuggah, great piece of music or mathematics, as you like.
///
Now this is my top 5 List but I want to mention some more great releases of 2008: Cradle Of Filth – Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder, Fuck The Facts – Disgorge Mexico, La Fa Connected – A Distant Fortune, Genghis Tron – Board Up The House, Protest The Hero - Fortress, Kingdom Of Sorrow.
Now let’s take a short look at those album that were a bit (or a lot) disappointing for me:
• Gojira – The Way of All Flesh
Back in 2005, From Mars to Sirius was my album of the year, so I was really looking forward to this album and when I finally had it I didn’t get into it at all. Were is the amazing atmosphere from the predecessor? And A Sight to Behold is definetly one of the worst songs ever written in Metal, awful chord and melody progression. Very disappointing.
• Red Sparowes – Aphorisms
Again an album I was looking really forward to and a band I worship for their debut At the Soundless Dawn, the best Post Rock album out there. And now a tiny 3 song EP, and moreover it was only a digital release (maybe I am a bit too old fashioned and not yet into this modern version of distribution). But the songs bored me too, nothing that stuck to my ear. Better listen to their debut again, there you won’t go wrong.
• Ex Inferis – Hidjama
Yes, you read right I dare to criticize Luxembourg’s Deathcore heroes and I even work for these guys as their roadie and they are all very good friends of mine, but still I need to share my opinion with you. It is not a bad album, 7even Days 6ix Kills is a brilliant song so is Blackenend by Daylight, the production kicks ass, the artwork is great, but some of the riffs sound quite similar and the lyrical mass murder theme might have been exploited a bit too much. But now comes my actual point. Comparing this album to Defunctus in Heresi it cannot keep up at all. Though the band clearly says that they are heading for a different musical direction and that they write songs now with a different approach, Arcadia cannot compete with Adonai.
So this is it, my musical 2008 in words, I hope you appreciate, if not, feel free to let me know. And now I wanna thank Paul for letting me do some guestblogging, I’ll buy a tea next time.
Here were my favourite albums that i discovered in 2008 , but did not necessarily get released in 2008 ...sounds confusing but basically i remember albums by what year i discovered them =0
In no particular order (artist - album) :
Four Year Strong - Rise or die trying
Lower Definition - The greatest of all lost arts
The Forms - TBD
Kanye West- 808s & Heartbreaks
Hit the Lights - Skip School, Start fights
Misery Signals - Controller
Moving Mountains - Pneuma
The National - Boxer
Meshuggah - Oobzen
This or The Apocalypse - Monuments
Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater
Mock Orange - Captain Love
Damiera - Quiet mouth , Loud hands
Our Last Night - The ghosts among us
saints never surrender - brutus
A skylit drive - wires and the concept of breathing
Veil of Maya - Common man's collapse
If you have time to spare, look the various bands up =0
And now below is a guest spot on my blog by Claude of Retrace my fragments, figured i'd add some other lists/opinions here =)
Take care
Paul
******
**** CLAUDE'S LIST ***
So here we go for another of these best of 2008 reviews. But this is not your Paul writing but Claude from RetraceMyFragments, most of you should know me and might foresee how this review will look like as I am more the Metalhead. I will let you know about my peronal favs of 2008 but also tell you about the albums that didn’t fulfill my expectations. So here we go:
Top 5 of 2008:
1. Metallica – Death Magnetic
Probably one of the most discussed albums of 2008, and well worth to be discussed of. There are many lovers and haters out there concerning Death Magnetic, but I definetly am a fan of that album. I admit not every song is good (Unforgiven III and The Judas Kiss are very boring and I skip them sometimes, Suicide and Redemption is a bit too long, cannot keep up with their other instrumentals but in my eyes could have figured on Load or Reload). But then you have the first six songs that I find really amazing, a proof that this band has not died out nor have their ideas. The opener That was just your Life is a good Metallica song, All Nightmare Long is a really good trash song with great riffs and Cyanide is one hell of a groove machine. If you liked ...And Justice for All then you should check it out, because this band has taken their roots to 2008, not too experimental nor totally old fashioned.
2. Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thundergod
The Vikings have set sail again to conquer the world and this is by far their most violent assault on today’s metal scene. Take your axe and spear, we are heading to war with Thor and Amon Amarth. This is melodic Death Metal at it’s best, there are some serious good war hymns on this album, the riffs hit you right in the face, yet they remain melodic and after hearing a song twice you yell the chorus as loud as you can. The opener and the album’s title track Twilight of the Thundergod is brilliant, heavy riffs, a perfect Viking chorus and a cool solo by COB’s Roope Latvala. When I got the album I was listening to it all the time, and when I put it on these days it still kicks butt. Get this album and your dose of Oden and Thor!
3. A.Armada – Anam Cara
A.Armada are a band consisting of members from Maserati and Cinemechanica. Their first album was definetly more of a mix of these two bands, good but not mind blowing. But this fine piece of Post Rock is far beyond anything in the genre that was released this year and there was some goos stuff that got released this year (Russian Circles, Mogwai and Post Rock gods Red Sparowes). Every note hits your ear in the right moment, the atmosphere created by them is impressive (I had the chance to see them live this year and it was amazing). They do not redefine the genre but with this album they proved how good instrumental music can sound and how good it can make you feel.
4. Disfear – Live The Storm
This band might be well known for their famous singer, who is nobody else than Thomas Lindberg (At The Gates, The Great Deceiver). But this band has nothing in common with his other bands apart his great and brutal voice. This is diryt Rock ‘n’ Roll, Crustcore at it’s best. I saw them live on Graspop and then got the CD, and everytime it’s a kick in your nuts. This band’s music is so straight forward and energetic that you just cannot resist to bang your head, move or body or just fuck random shit up. Get this CD and live the storm!
5. Meshuggah – Obzen
You are not into Meshuggah, the riffs are not catchy enough, you cannot cope with their mathematics? Well this is your chance to get into one of the most important bands on our planet. This album is far easier to understand than the amazing yet headache producing Catch 33. The album starts off quite trashy, to take you later into the depths of Frederik Thorendahls and Co’s dark abyss. Bleed features the best riff of 2008. But one thing remains the same, they remain as sterile as a labaratory in the Pentagon. No feelings or emotions allowed here. But this album is the best to get into Meshuggah, great piece of music or mathematics, as you like.
///
Now this is my top 5 List but I want to mention some more great releases of 2008: Cradle Of Filth – Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder, Fuck The Facts – Disgorge Mexico, La Fa Connected – A Distant Fortune, Genghis Tron – Board Up The House, Protest The Hero - Fortress, Kingdom Of Sorrow.
Now let’s take a short look at those album that were a bit (or a lot) disappointing for me:
• Gojira – The Way of All Flesh
Back in 2005, From Mars to Sirius was my album of the year, so I was really looking forward to this album and when I finally had it I didn’t get into it at all. Were is the amazing atmosphere from the predecessor? And A Sight to Behold is definetly one of the worst songs ever written in Metal, awful chord and melody progression. Very disappointing.
• Red Sparowes – Aphorisms
Again an album I was looking really forward to and a band I worship for their debut At the Soundless Dawn, the best Post Rock album out there. And now a tiny 3 song EP, and moreover it was only a digital release (maybe I am a bit too old fashioned and not yet into this modern version of distribution). But the songs bored me too, nothing that stuck to my ear. Better listen to their debut again, there you won’t go wrong.
• Ex Inferis – Hidjama
Yes, you read right I dare to criticize Luxembourg’s Deathcore heroes and I even work for these guys as their roadie and they are all very good friends of mine, but still I need to share my opinion with you. It is not a bad album, 7even Days 6ix Kills is a brilliant song so is Blackenend by Daylight, the production kicks ass, the artwork is great, but some of the riffs sound quite similar and the lyrical mass murder theme might have been exploited a bit too much. But now comes my actual point. Comparing this album to Defunctus in Heresi it cannot keep up at all. Though the band clearly says that they are heading for a different musical direction and that they write songs now with a different approach, Arcadia cannot compete with Adonai.
So this is it, my musical 2008 in words, I hope you appreciate, if not, feel free to let me know. And now I wanna thank Paul for letting me do some guestblogging, I’ll buy a tea next time.
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