Wolfking's Wonderful Winger roulette v.3 - Round 2 album listening commenced

[jingle.boy]

Sounds like I need to have a go at that Manticora album.

It'll be kind of hilarious that Puppies and I recommending it to you didn't quite work, but Kade slagging it does. 

It's not so much I'm not taking your/Chris' recommendation... I just have been pretty slow at getting around to all the albums/bands I want to check out from the roulette.  Manticora was on the list to explore.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

It'll be kind of hilarious that Puppies and I recommending it to you didn't quite work, but Kade slagging it does. 


It's not so much I'm not taking your/Chris' recommendation... I just have been pretty slow at getting around to all the albums/bands I want to check out from the roulette.  Manticora was on the list to explore.

You might like the album, if you don't mind the occasional harsh vocals sprinkled throughout. I'd say it's no more than that Flaming Row album you love.

[wolfking]

Sounds like I need to have a go at that Manticora album.

Don't have too high expectations with the DD debut album (Invisible, The Dead). It’s of the same vein as A World Awakens.

Don't get me wrong, the DD was still a really enjoyable listen.

And yes, I think the Manticora could be right up your alley.

[wolfking]

if what you've heard from wilderun is their more recent output that's probably why, i don't feel particularly strongly about anything they've put out before or after this one album

Maybe that explains why they didn't click in the past.  Although I can't remember what I had heard.  Still, excellent album and keen to try some other stuff regardless.

[wolfking]

Aha, so definitely a bit better result than the first round of exploration.  Ben Ellis certainly sounds like he was heavily inspired by Per's work, though with a somewhat more mechanical style I'd say.  They obviously hit it off working on that track, with Per having Ben join Scar Symmetry for the last album.  They're almost a bit too similar, I had difficulty telling them apart on some solos. 


It'll be kind of hilarious that Puppies and I recommending it to you didn't quite work, but Kade slagging it does. 

Aha, there's an even bigger connection.  Makes total sense.  I'm with you though.  I'm pretty good at telling guitarists apart in most bands but I struggled with that SS album and trying to tell who played what.  I didn't even know Per had recruited another guitarist until I looked through the booklet!

[wolfking]

I agree with everything you said about Autonoesis. That album is probably the best discovery from my last roulette.

I'm looking forward to listening to it again, cracking stuff.

[wolfking]

You might like the album, if you don't mind the occasional harsh vocals sprinkled throughout. I'd say it's no more than that Flaming Row album you love.

With the small amount of harsh vocals, I don't think Chad would find that a problem at all.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Aha, there's an even bigger connection.  Makes total sense.  I'm with you though.  I'm pretty good at telling guitarists apart in most bands but I struggled with that SS album and trying to tell who played what.  I didn't even know Per had recruited another guitarist until I looked through the booklet!

This is why I'm looking forward to seeing how the next SS album goes, because with Stephen Platt now being Per's counterpart, they're still at similar skill levels, but while Per has that more fluid, snakey, Holdsworthian style, Platt's is more precise and a bit neoclassical at times, so that should be a fun contrast.  On the early albums Kjellgren had a more straight-forward hard rock style, which also contrasted well at times, but at others felt like a high schooler trying to play with an NBA MVP. 

[wolfking]

This is why I'm looking forward to seeing how the next SS album goes, because with Stephen Platt now being Per's counterpart, they're still at similar skill levels, but while Per has that more fluid, snakey, Holdsworthian style, Ben's is more precise and a bit neoclassical at times, so that should be a fun contrast.  On the early albums Kjellgren had a more straight-forward hard rock style, which also contrasted well at times, but at others felt like a high schooler trying to play with an NBA MVP.

It was clear Kjellgren's style and technical ability was well below Per's, but I thought the contrast was perfect.  It's something I've missed from the band.  No matter how many times I revisit the latest album, it just doesn't do anything for me, unfortunately.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

For me it's almost purely about the vocals.  Karlsson is a solid enough substitute for the harshes, but Palmqvist's cleans are just so-so, whereas Alvestam was extraordinary.  I kind of wrote their newer material off for well over a decade, only giving cursory listens to the last couple albums.  The last one kind of reeled me back in though and I've finally accepted that he's gone.  "Xenotaph" in particular I consider an incredible track, especially with the video of Per breaking all the arrangement details down. 

[wolfking]

I've watched a couple of Per's livestreams breaking down some solo sections.  Such a musical ear, brilliant.  I haven't checked the Xenotaph one though, will have to.

In terms of the vocals, I agree.  I liked their output up until Singularity 1.  Everything is decent.  Certainly no HU, but passable, but yeah, the vocals just don't live up to Alvestam, especially the cleans.