Climbing the Ranks:#10: home: Fair to Midland – Dance of the ManateeFirst Impressions:Another band I’ve heard of but never really listened to. I thought these guys were like some kind of indie rock thing. And considering the verse they kind of are, actually. That being said there’s a nice groove and a nice amount of atmosphere to this. The really high vocal notes are maybe a bit grating but generally I’m fine with these vocals. Sort of some nu-metal vibes to this too, which, eeehh.
I can’t really say this sounds particularly fresh, and there’s some minor gripes I have with it, but it’s a solid song at the very least.Final Thoughts:I’m actually fairly certain I gave this album a listen at some point, or one of their albums, because going on the band’s RYM I totally recognize that band photo from somewhere or other and these album names sound a bit familiar too. Anyways that’s a minor aside.
This is… a song that exists, definitely. Uhh. The groove of the guitar during the verse is pretty nice. The vocal melodies in the prechorus are nice. The chorus is okay, there’s a decent amount of power to it, but that high note is… it sounds off, somehow. The heavy breakdown in the middle feels to me like they’re trying to sound like Disturbed, which is not a good band to try to sound like, I quite dislike Disturbed. Granted it also sounds way better than Disturbed ever have, it’s tolerable and okay enough, but still.
When I turn this up loud enough I notice that there’s like, a lot of weird stuff going on in the background. There’s this weird dissonant piano line and what sounds like some off-kilter strings that are both really low in the mix and I’m not sure why they’re there at all, honestly. I don’t know what they add to the song though I don’t think they take away anything either. Maybe a little unsettling to have at all, I suppose.
It’s a fairly simple, straightforward song on the whole, a basic verse-chorus structure with a bridge in the middle. The kind of song where all the individual elements have to be great because they get reused so much. And here, they’re… fine. The intro riff is a little meh, but I like the verse and the chorus for what they are. At the same time this just doesn’t stick out in any real way to me. It’s possibly the most flavorless song of the entire round. There’s nothing here that I feel like I couldn’t get done better in some other song that I’ve probably already heard.
6.25/10#9: 425: Bruce Dickinson – Arc of SpaceFirst Impressions:Mmm… this is just coming off as a pretty bog-standard ballad to me. I mean, yeah, Dickinson is a great singer and injects a lot of power into this, but he’s about the only thing making this feel alive. The strings are nice, I suppose. And the acoustic guitar solo, always a fan of that kind of guitar work.
This does come to a fairly satisfying climax, but most of the time it feels like the vocalist is outsinging the music here. And it’s a bit too monotonous front to back. I can like songs like this, and maybe this will grow on me, but it’s a bit… generic.
Final Thoughts:I think what’s most tragic about this song is that, in the context of the album it’s on, it appears to be the quiet closer of a heavier album, and in that context, I bet it works really well. I have no clue, I’ve never heard the album, but it’s definitely a tried-and-tested formula to end an album with a softer ballad like this.
Dickinson is pretty clearly showing that he’s just a generally good singer here, his vocals being the primary focus of the song, and that chorus being quite strong and powerful. The verses are alright too but the first half of the song is pretty clearly just a buildup to the grander second half. I have no real complaints about the vocals on this track, they’re quite good, though I’m sure that’s not surprising.
It’s just… I’m not sure the music can match him, not at any point of the song. The first half of the song is mostly filled with somber acoustic strumming and a solid melodic bassline backing it. And Dickinson is just belting way over the quieter music, his level of intensity is just too far above the restrained rest of the song. There’s just a disconnect for me there. I wouldn’t want the vocals to tone down, though, so I have to call it a failing of the music. The back half adds some layers of strings to sound fuller and more intense, and at the same time Dickinson’s singing gets even more powerful for the choruses, leaving the music trying to play catchup again.
The second chorus does make for a decent climax, but I still feel like it should’ve gone further. Like, at some point, the drums and crunchy guitars should’ve kicked in, and then maybe the music would be able to match the intensity of the vocals, and it would’ve come together for something really powerful and moving. I see the possibility for a really good song here, but what I’m left with is more like, a decent one that misses out on its potential.
I’ll admit that the “acoustic” album or live performance is something I’ve never been much a fan of, either; it’s toning down songs that were meant to be played with more intensity, and in most cases just really takes away the power they have. That’s the same effect I’m feeling here; almost like there was a proper power ballad version of this with the same level of vocal intensity and I’m listening to the acoustic version of that song.
Perhaps I’m fixating on this one thing a lot, because all the elements of this taken separately are pretty good. As I’ve said, the vocals are great, and I really like the inclusion of strings. The two short guitar solos are also very nice, they fit the somber mood of the music well, and I’m never one to complain about a good guitar solo anyways. The rest is musically a bit generic though, just doesn’t stick with me in any way, but most of the rest has vocals over it, so that’s fair enough.
I wish I liked this more than I do, perhaps more here than any other song in this round. Maybe it just hasn’t clicked for me yet, because I definitely do enjoy this song, but it’s a far cry from what I feel it could’ve been, and it’s not particularly unique for what it is, either, just a decent execution of a decent type of song. I think that’s really the biggest issue I have with this, despite my lingering on other things; it’s nothing I haven’t heard before, and I don’t have any personal connection to it, so I don’t find myself getting a ton out of it.
6.25/10#8: LordCost: #8: Symphony X – The Eyes of MedusaFirst Impressions:The intro riff worries me because it sounds exactly like something I’ve heard a dozen times, but that may be because it’s a solid riff structure, so. I think they’re relying a bit too heavily on “palm-muted chuggy riff” here in terms of guitar work. I can barely even tell the verse and the chorus apart on this one, the first time the chorus happened I wasn’t even aware it was supposed to be the chorus until the next verse started. The symphonic break in the middle is cool, but it kind of just happens abruptly.
It’s the only part of the song that particularly stands out, and while I don’t mind the rest, it feels pretty generic and lacking in any sense of dynamics.Final Thoughts:Specifically, the intro riff reminds me of part of This Dying Soul, a song that came out after this one, so it’s not like I’m saying it’s a ripoff or anything, just, y’know, not a fairly uncommon riff sound. I’m also not sure if the riffs are actually all palm muted or if it’s just the really muted guitar tone that’s making them sound that way. I am not a fan of that guitar tone, to say the least. It makes everything sound really muddy and muted.
I think my criticism of “not being able to tell the verse and chorus apart” holds up, because the chorus doesn’t feel particularly bigger or distinct from the verses; but, given several listens of it, I’d say it’s definitely a solid chorus on its own merits. The vocal melodies are certainly interesting. There’s not a ton of power in the instrumentation, though; the muted guitars are all crunch and no punch, and the synthstrings are so buried in the mix that they don’t add any power or atmosphere either. Vocals are good though, certainly.
The obvious highlight of this song is that middle symphonic bit, which is really quite great. The dense strings combined with a mournful guitar lead and the drums providing minimal driving accompaniment, it comes together in a really cool way. I definitely want more of that, and less of the chuggy, fairly generic metal that makes up the rest of the song.
That’s basically it as far as the song goes though, there’s not a ton to talk about here. There’s a short, solid guitar solo in there somewhere, I think, but it’s nothing that special either. I don’t mind this, and I probably wouldn’t turn it off if it was playing, but I’m only particularly interested in one minute of this five-and-a-half minute song, and could probably live without the rest.
6.5/10#7: Scorpion: The Oracle – The SorcererFirst Impressions:Dig the subtle, atmospheric intro for sure. Maybe not so much the harsh vocals on this though. The really raspy style of vocals just isn’t my thing. The production is a bit weird here too, a bit too muddy possibly but then the bass comes through well so I’m not so sure. The one rhythmic riff gets hammered on a bit too much, though it’s pretty solid and groovy otherwise.
Definitely a fan of the quieter parts of this more than the heavier ones, and I think the vocals are the biggest factor in why. Still, this is solid enough overall, though probably not a round-winner. I wanna hear whatever song was starting up at the end there too. Sounded like a cool intro to something else.
Final Thoughts:Black metal vocals, for me, work best as part of the atmosphere. The heavier moments of this song, they don’t really have tons of atmosphere, so there’s no backdrop for the screeching vocals to bleed into, and they’re really raspy even aside from that, which is probably my least favorite style of harsh vocals, aside from maybe metalcore screeches.
The 4-2-4-2-4 riff that a lot of the song is based on is probably not the best base for a song, either. It’s a nice driving rhythm that gets used a lot, and… that’s exactly it, it’s not a particularly fresh musical idea, and while nice in small doses, having good chunks of the song be driven by it means good chunks of the song that don’t particularly stand out.
The moments on this song that are atmospheric, namely the quiet ones, are all quite well done, though. I enjoy the ominous synth intro with the somber vocals, and the really spacey, eerie middle bit with sinister whispering and guitar melodies going on is really quite haunting, I wish it went on for longer. There’s a really intense moment when the song kicks back in after, too, that I quite enjoy, though beyond that the song just repeats ideas from earlier until it hits the segue until the next track.
Looking into this, it seems to be one of those all-the-songs-flow-into-each-other albums, which tends to be something I like a lot, though as a result I’m not really going to consider that last brief bit as part of this song, as cool as it is, because it’s clearly the intro to the next track. On the basis of this song alone, I’m not incredibly enthused about this band, but I like it enough that I’ll probably give the album a spin at some point, for sure.
I feel like I have very little to say about this one, though, it’s just solid in a not particularly unique way; decent riffs, some cool atmospheric breaks, and some raspy vocals that detract a little but not too terribly much. It’s interesting enough and probably the most Parama-targeted song of the entire round, just not really a standout by any means.
7/10#6: Evermind: Phideaux – Gift of the FlameFirst Impressions:The way this starts is a bit strange, but in a good way. The measures of free time transitioning right into a straight beat. Oh man this suddenly turned into funk with the sax, nice. Oh, so it’s not an instrumental. Why is this song so spastic. The wacky funk bass sound kind of feels a bit out of place during parts of this. The vocals on this are fine, but don’t really do much for me either way, they’re just… there. This song just kinda seems to want to do its own thing, and while that’s fine
it makes it a bit hard to ever get into when it shoots off in another direction every ten seconds.Final Thoughts:I really love how this song starts, honestly. The free-time guitar line transitioning into a driving, melancholic beat with some nice guitar lines over it. I kinda wish the song stuck to that vibe instead of veering off into random directions like it seems to enjoy doing, because that was a cool vibe they had going that ends up getting interrupted by funk sax and bass bits that are kinda neat but just feel a bit out of place. The more intense build right before the vocals come in is a nice little bit too.
The bass tone aside, I don’t mind the meat of this song despite it not really being a continuation of the parts of the intro I liked. There’s a fun groove and a lot of life to the song, and it definitely doesn’t get boring. The sax and strings are both always welcome additions and add to the bouncy feel of the song, definitely wouldn’t be as enjoyable a listen without them. That really cheesy funk bass tone is still something I haven’t warmed up to, though, it’s not that prevalent and I’m not too bothered by it, but it is there nonetheless.
Honestly my biggest gripe with this song is more a personal thing, “fun” music like this tends not to hit me as strongly as atmospheric music or powerful, intense music, but there’s still a place for it, certainly. And I do wish the driving, darker feel of the opening bit had taken control of the mood of the song, but. Again, a personal thing. While not my favorite of the bunch, it’s certainly a unique song in its own right, definitely stands out for being one of the most colorful songs in the bunch, and I did always look forward to hearing it come on. So, sorry, but you’re definitely not getting cut that easily.
7/10#5: Sacul: Tim Bowness – Sing to MeFirst Impressions:I get big Steven Wilson vibes off this for some reason. It takes a little bit to get going but it’s nice and pleasant on the way there, at least. Okay, definitely huge Steven Wilson vibes around the four minute mark.
I don’t really think the vocalist has enough power in their voice to really sell the climax of the song, though, sounds a bit weak. I can’t find much to say about this except that I like it, and that it’s the kind of song I expect to be a grower on future listens.
Final Thoughts:I’m not sure this has the same emotional depth or potency as good Steven Wilson ballads. It’s very pretty and there’s a good deal of melancholy, but it’s not trying to destroy me, I don’t feel any agony and I don’t feel my soul dying in any way while listening to this. But I mean, it’s still pleasant in the same ways, at the very least.
I think this takes a bit too long to really get going, there’s not much movement until halfway through when the song really kicks in, but there’s a lot more to it once it does. The chorus gets more powerful, a break for a more somber moment, the incredibly Wilsony la da da bit and a great guitar duet as the song builds up to its climax.
The vocals feel like they let this song down a little though, they are very flat and monotone. There’s exactly the same level of intensity in the quiet opening verses as there are in the climactic last chorus. They’re so unchanging, it almost feels like he just copied and pasted the same chorus bit every time. That’s probably a big reason why the first half fails to grab me as much, the vocals are the primary focus there and they just do nothing for three minutes.
I guess it’s a little unfair to say nothing happens in the first half since really there are a lot of subtle textures and atmospheric things happening, but it’s certainly not enough to keep me interested. And the second half fails to have as much power as it should have due to the vocals letting it down, but musically it’s really nice, for sure. Maybe not the most unique song out there but despite some gripes I still enjoy this on the whole and it’s fairly easy to listen to, it doesn’t feel like it drags and it doesn’t bore me. A pleasant song.
7.25/10#4: Bolsters: Amorphis – From Earth I RoseFirst Impressions:I’m finding it hard to have much to say about this. I like the huge, grand sound the song has. The vocals are pretty solid, and the song doesn’t seem to stagnate anywhere I guess what I’m waiting for is something really ear-catching or interesting to happen, but if the song wants to stay at this level the entire way through, I wouldn’t complain either. The synth/guitar dual solo thing going on is pretty solid, I guess.
It’s hard to really get enthused about this but it’s a solid track front-to-back, just nothing I haven’t heard done before.Final Thoughts:I always get these guys mixed up with Scar Symmetry for some reason, which, I mean, they’re proggy melodeath bands I’ve heard of and never really listened to so I guess it makes sense.
The intro guitar melody is… solid. And there’s some nice heavy instrumentation backing it. I enjoy it. I definitely enjoy it more though when it switches to the 3/4 verse. Something about the guitar line and the drums and rhythm here, it creates a cool sound. The clean vocals aren’t my favorite, a bit too bassy, but they’re fine.
The instrumental section here is pretty nice as well, not really particularly unique, but just, solid. There’s a nice build up to it and a lot of small things going on. Like, I somehow didn’t notice that flute at all the first time, but that’s really cool. The way all the lead instruments come together and are all playing at the same time as it builds, makes for a really grand finale.
The way the song is structured is a bit weird when I stop and think about it though… there’s this heavy intro that’s mostly disconnected from the rest of the song; the guitar melody comes back for a moment later, and most of the growled vocals are here, but... it’s weird in that it seems like the kind of thing they’d eventually return to, but never do. This isn’t really even a complaint, since the intro is probably my least favorite part of the song anyways, just an observation.
While I don’t think I feel really strongly about this song, and it never really hits “great” until near the very end, it’s consistently solid front-to-back and I do enjoy listening to it. I would’ve never pinned this as an album closer, though, which it apparently is, feels far more like an opener to me. Huh.
7.5/10