The Weekly Album Suggestion Thread v. One million lights are shining bright

[Crow]

germany was german-influenced

[The Walrus]

I haven't had time to listen to this week's album but I've heard of this artist enough to know this is Katt kryptonite.  I will give it a fair listen when I get home tomorrow though.

[Crow]

You'll hate at least 3 songs, probably more

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Listening through it now because I forgot to earlier.

There are lots of elements that I like, but so far everything feels a bit jumbled and messy a lot of the time and I'm not sure I'm really feeling any coherent songs. The vocals also seem to wibble between pretty good and pretty bad a fair amount.

Absenz is the song I like most so far, absent the harsh vocal section which I don't think works very well.

This definitely feels like a band that I could potentially really like, if the songwriting were tightened up some. Maybe it'll grow on me.

[twosuitsluke]

I relistened.

This album still isn't quite as good as Agnosie or Eskapist but this band still sits at #13 in my top last.fm most listened to bands, so that's something!

[Crow]

Yeah if you think their songwriting feels jumbled on this one then don't listen to their newer albums haha

Personally I like how wild the songs tend to be but they still feel grounded most of the time

[Sacul]

I'll listen to this paramacore later this week 

[The Walrus]

I'll listen to this paramacore later this week 

In other words, tomorrow? 

[Mosh]

To think I almost missed this week. This album is probably the best one so far. A ton of great melodic content on this album and I love the way each song feels like a journey. You always end in a completely different place than where you began. I love music like that. Very rhythmic too in a way that keeps things unpredictable. It's easy for this sort of thing to turn into a mess but everything feels really tightly arranged, despite the zaniness of the music. I also like the way the album starts off energetic before taking things down for a more atmospheric middle third. Unfortunately, the album fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Once the energy level starts to pick back up again, the overall quality of the music takes a hit. I am pretty meh on the last three songs. They don't do justice to the momentum that was being built previously. That being said, I really enjoy everything up to Irrath. Very strong album and I will definitely be checking out more from these guys.

[Sacul]

Listening to this 

Yeah so far the chill middle is the best part

[Evermind]

I still haven't listened to this, but I will tomorrow. Just a crazy week all around.

[bosk1]

Wow, I'm behind.  I need to get caught back up.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Luckily I'm very familiar with every album that's been posted so far, otherwise I'd be way behind too. Super busy with my roulette.  I cant complain though, I've received some killer music so far 

[Evermind]

Luckily I'm very familiar with every album that's been posted so far, otherwise I'd be way behind too. Super busy with my roulette.  I cant complain though, I've received some killer music so far 

I'm reasonably sure you're not familiar with the next one.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

So you are going to throw a wrench in my Roulette listening   

[Sacul]

Forgot to comment, that was a uuhhhh... pretty mixed listen. Some really wonderful parts, mostly the ones involving choirs and ethereal vocals, and most chill sections. The more chaotic moments weren't really my cup of tea. I may revisit.

[Evermind]

Forgot to comment, that was a uuhhhh... pretty mixed listen. Some really wonderful parts, mostly the ones involving choirs and ethereal vocals, and most chill sections. The more chaotic moments weren't really my cup of tea. I may revisit.

I kind of agree with that. The quiet moments were the best.

I'll post the next album in a few hours.

[Podaar]

I listened to this weeks album, but only while at work. I really want to get a chance to sit down give it my full attention because I detected some cool stuff going by in the background. It's not going to happen for a few days though.

[Evermind]

Time to dive into the past with the next album, recommended to you folks by bosk1!

Kick Axe - Vices (1984)

Hard rock, heavy metal
Length: 45:42

1. Heavy Metal Shuffle (3:15)
2. Vices (4:22)
3. Stay on Top (4:06)
4. Dreamin' About You (4:32)
5. Maneater (3:21)
6. On the Road to Rock (4:22)
7. Cause for Alarm (4:38)
8. Alive & Kickin' (3:50)
9. All the Right Moves (4:36)
10. Just Passin' Through (4:48)

George Criston - lead vocals
Larry Gillstrom - lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Raymond Harvey - lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Victor Langen - bass guitar, backing vocals
Brian Gillstrom - drums, backing vocals

You can check this album out via:

Spotify Link
YouTube link
Yandex.Music link

If you don't want to blindly dive into the whole album, check out these songs from the album:

Kick Axe - Vices
Kick Axe - Stay on Top


bosk1: I was driving home yesterday and listening to an album I have not listened to in its entirety for probably 3 decades, it gave me an idea from a thread that is similar to yours, but focuses on overlooked "rare diamonds" from the mid-'70s - mid-'90s or so. In other words, it is sort of a "rock rarities for fogeys" thread.

And just as an FYI, the album that sparked the idea was Vices, by Kick Axe. This band and album were not on a lot of folks' radar.  But it is a pretty solid album, and one that I think a lot of the more "seasoned" members here would like. 

---

For the time being, we decided to keep these in one thread, but if you guys would be interested in separating the older entries from the newer ones, let us know.

According to Wikipedia, Kick Axe is a Canadian heavy metal band from Regina, Saskatchewan. Influenced by rambunctious arena rock from the 70s and early 80s, the group is perhaps best known for their 1984 album Vices, praised by publications such as Allmusic for its "down-and-dirty guitar riffs" and notably managing to crack the American market. The band achieved moderate commercial success in the mid-1980s on the strength of the singles "Heavy Metal Shuffle", "On the Road to Rock", "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Rock The World".

Vices is the debut album by Kick Axe. The album was released in 1984 on producer Spencer Proffer's label Pasha Records and distributed by CBS. The album was reissued in 2000 as part of the "Sony Rewind" series.

The album was produced by Spencer Proffer, who was notable for producing Quiet Riot's multi-million selling 1983 album Metal Health. Music videos were produced for the tracks "Heavy Metal Shuffle" and "On the Road to Rock", both of which received moderate airplay on MuchMusic's weekly heavy metal showcase program the Pepsi Power Hour.

The album best Billboard 200 position was #126 reached on 8th September 1984.

[twosuitsluke]

Listening now.

I totally get that if you were around at the time when this music was cutting edge, you'd love this. As it is I can listen to it no problem, and if it was playing in some bar I'd enjoy it even more. The closest thing like this I actually listen to now is Steel Panther 

I went through a stage, back when I first got into metal, and Metallica, of listening to a lot of metal from the 70's & and early 80's eras. I have long since come to the conclusion that the only metal from the 70's I like comes from a select few bands. 80's on the other hand, I mainly just dig 80's thrash and death metal. That's where metal begins to get interesting for me.

This is a fun listen and I'm sure this would be amazing if I'd been a fan of this at the time and forgotten it even existed. As it is, I won't revisit but I sure as hell will check out every album that gets recommend on this thread 

[Nekov]

This album is the answer to WildRanger's latest poll 

[Evermind]

I've listened to this album today. I'm not an expert on this kind of music, and I understand if that's not your cup of tea (not addressing anyone in particular there), but I thought it was a lot of fun. Pretty well-executed rock/metal. Very enjoyable.

[Evermind]

Not a lot of attention to older metal, I see. Well, I really enjoyed it. Anyway, let's move on.

This one is recommended to you guys by Nekov.

North Atlantic Oscillation - Fog Electric (2012)

Post-progressive rock, progressive pop-rock, electronic
Length: 47:40

1. Soft Coda (4:19)
2. Chirality (4:04)
3. Mirador (4:36)
4. Empire Waste (5:45)
5. Savage with Barometer (5:31)
6. Interval (4:03)
7. Expert with Altimeter (5:16)
8. The Receiver (5:56)
9. Downhill (3:54)
10. Theory of Tides (4:16)

Sam Healy - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizer, saxophone, percussion
Ben Martin - drums, percussion, programming
Chris Howard - bass, bass synth, backing vocals

You can check this album out via:

Spotify Link
Yandex.Music link

If you don't want to blindly dive into the whole album, check out these officially released songs from the album:

North Atlantic Oscillation - Savage with Barometer
North Atlantic Oscillation - Chirality
North Atlantic Oscillation - Soft Coda


Nekov: I was saving this to use in a roulette but I don't know if I'll be playing in the right one any time soon so I thought I could let people know about it another way. I'll even send the link to spotify because I'm nice like that  [Evermind's note: he actually did. He's indeed nice like that.]

Not sure how to describe the album. It is a mixture of atmosphere, nice melodies and electronic elements that blend in perfectly. At times it's a bit dreamy, other times it's more intense and proggy.

---

According to Wikipedia, North Atlantic Oscillation are a post-progressive rock and electronica band from Edinburgh, Scotland. They are signed to the Kscope record label and released their debut album Grappling Hooks on 22 March 2010.

The band was initially formed in 2005 by Healy, who had played in several bands previously, and Martin, who had moved from the English Midlands to Edinburgh to study. The duo later expanded to a three piece when they added Bill Walsh to the live line-up. After Walsh left at the end of 2009 he was replaced by Howard, although Walsh still appears on-stage with the band from time to time on guitars and additional keyboards, and has produced several remixes for the band. The band is named after the North Atlantic Oscillation, a fluctuating change in the atmospheric pressure differential that exists between the Icelandic Low and Azores High.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I sent a song from this album in Elites last roulette. Good album!

[Crow]

sounds rad, will try to fit it into my listening today

[twosuitsluke]

I think I have time to squeeze in a listen to this now. Sounds intriguing.

I'll try to get the write up of my album to you tonight Ev 

[Evermind]

I'll try to get the write up of my album to you tonight Ev 

Looking forward to it!

[The Walrus]

Wow this is a good album so far. Will finish it later but there's a lot I love here. Going to visit this throughout the week.

[twosuitsluke]

This was dreamy. I will try and get another listen in this week when I'm not as busy so I can focus on it more.

[Nekov]

 I'm glad you guys are liking it. 

[Crow]

gave it a listen just now and it's pretty nice and pleasant but didn't really resonate with me emotionally. not big on the vocals either.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I fell behind on this thread, but I'm catching up now. Kick Axe is pretty fun, but ultimately not really my style or memorable enough that I'd see myself coming back to it.

I'll start on North Atlantic Oscillation now.

[twosuitsluke]

Is mine getting posted today? 

[Evermind]

Yes indeed, coming right up in a couple of minutes.

[twosuitsluke]