I recommend pretty much everything Rikard is involved in...
I recommend pretty much everything Rikard is involved in...
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Listened to this today on Progstreaming and it's very good! I placed my pre-order with amazon.ca, as it's only $14.03 for the 2-CD version at the moment. Might as well lock in at that price in case it goes up in the next two weeks.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
*** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***
Please note that the stream at Progstreaming is only for two weeks. But then again - even the usual 6-week-streams receive 85% of their listens within the first two weeks
Here's the direct link for instant pleasure: http://www.progstreaming.com/_wb/pag...%20Comfortzone
I admit to finding their last album a bit too heavy, but this new one is right back on form. The songwriting is outstanding and extremely well executed. It's a long album at around 65 minutes, but there isn't a weak track throughout and the linking 3 part track The One Inside is sensational!
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
*** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***
With "Void" I jumped ship. Let's see what the new one shall brink... Switching sites to Progstreaming!
So I listened to what I thought was the actual album, only to realize after it was over that it was actually the bonus CD
I wondered why some melodies sounded so familiar
Actually, for a bonus it was pretty damn good. Now I'll listen to the actual album, finally, lol!
My friend and I listened to the new album via YouTube on the drive home from Arlington, MA Saturday night. I really liked what I heard. There were a couple sections that were still in that sort of "metal" mode they do, but I really got the sense that mix-wise it was more restrained and/or less ear-bleed inducing than The Void. Those metal sections were nicely integrated into the whole of the album and didn't seem out of place at all. Can't wait to get the CD in my hands and hear it in all it's sonic glory. I really got the sense that they have further matured.
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^ I guess you could order direct from Inside/Out or Burning Shed to be sure you get the digipak?
My copy arrived on the same day as the new King Crimson live album, so I haven't had much chance to listen. My biggest impression so far is that harsh, crunchy sonics of The Void are gone. The production on this one is much warmer. I really enjoy the songs on The Void (and consider "Note" to be one of their strongest songs ever), so the new one will have to really impress to top it.
But there's no reason to be on the fence with this one if you like the band. There aren't that many of us here apparently (which is a shame), but I have no problem recommending it even on the one spin I've given it thus far.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
*** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***
The import and domestic have the same content. Only difference is the Euro version is in a digipak and much more expensive.
I need to give the album more of a listen (surprised by how few comments there are on this thread!) but it sound damn impressive from what I've heard so far.
It's probably coincidence but there is part of one track (early on) where the hook is similar to one of the bits in Dream Theater's Octavarium.
I thought that a lot of people like this band so yes - the number of responses to this is surprising.
I waited with interest this one. Not my fave band, but I like Sleeping in Traffic Pt.2 which for me is their strongest one although the big epic on it is not my fave. There are some other songs on it which are really interesting though.
With this one - I think it's uneven. Some of it is interesting, but there are tracks which are so so. I really liked some of the keyboard parts, thought that some of them had some new sounds which they didn't have before. And that's already a pluss.
I'm not a fan of the soft production, the rhythm section mostly sounds very soft.
The guitars are good and the singing usually is of certain quality on their albums so that's all fine.
And the thing with the soft production - it doesn't have to be metal style edgy, but here it's a bit too soft sometimes.
I still need to sit down and listen to the whole album but it sounds terrific so far
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"
-Frank Zappa
The track "King" could use a bit more bite to it. Kept waiting for the guitars to crunch out.
I like the one tune that sounds like a Queen tune (to early for me to remember all the title).
The long track has some real nice keys on it.
Rikard seems to be lyrically focused (again) on our inability to relate and empathize with other people and how that inhibits feeling, understanding and foments destruction, depression, loneliness. Less anger than on The Void which works with the softer musical style.
I've got the bonus track playing right now.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
I definitely agree about the keys on the long track - I think it was the penultimate song. It had a great first half.
And one of the shorter songs (I think it was 4 min long) had some atmospheric keys in the second half.
These sounds seemed something a bit fresh and new.
It could be that the production works with the overall ideas of the record.
This may be an album that needs repeated listens. I would say that at the very least it's an interesting one.
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