Jingle.boy's Top 50v2 - Stick a fork in this .... It's done!

[jingle.boy]

Well, I let no update Wednesday slide since that is wpapu day.  Thursday was the second consecutive time you went at least 2 days between updates

Last two updates:

Posted by: jingle.boy
« on: January 21, 2013, 10:25:07 AM »

Posted by: jingle.boy
« on: January 22, 2013, 11:23:34 PM »

I would've updated Wednesday morning, but I appeased your impatience by posting Tuesday night.  Sit tight grasshopper.  I'm on a con call until 5pm.  Update will come this evening.

Don't have a

[Dr. DTVT]

No one else is bitching because noone else cares like I do

[jingle.boy]

No one else is bitching because noone else cares like I do

:semihomo:

[jingle.boy]

28) Stream of Passion – Embrace the Storm (2005)


Tracks to Try... Out in the Real World, Calliopeia, Wherever You Are
Anyone who knows me, or followed my original Top 50, knows I’m a massive Arjen Lucassen fanboi, and that The Human Equation is my #2 album all-time.  So, coming out of Marcela Bovio’s brilliant work as “Wife” in THE, Arjen created Stream of Passion to have an outlet for more conventional progressive band/album (seems like an oxy-moron to me, but whatever).  While a little more simplistic in the writing, there are still some unmistakable passages that are obviously outputs of Arjen (Calliopeia for instance).  Progressive, but accessible - almost commercial – the music is filled with the great musical compositions and nuances one would expect from Arjen’s writing, but it is Bovio’s voice that is truly on display here.  With a full album to showcase her chops, Arjen gives her all the right tools for this to be one hell of a debut album.  With his intention to only be around for the launch, it was enough of a success to propel them as a full fledge band, and they’ve had two subsequent releases – which stand very well on their own without Arjen’s contributions or influence.

27) Seventh Wonder – Mercy Falls (2010)


Tracks to try... The Black Parade, Welcome to Mercy Falls, Hide and Seek
When I ran my roulette last spring, I challenged my participants to also beat a random recommendation from last.fm.  Round 1 gave me The Angelmaker by Seventh Wonder – a 5-piece prog-metal act from Sweden.  I liked it plenty, but on the whole thought they were a Symphony-X copycat.  I tried the rest of the album, and it was good enough to expand my exploration to Mercy Falls, their 3rd studio release.  SCHWING!  Fucking-A!!  While the concept isn’t anything too deep or super intriguing, it is interesting enough to keep paying attention to the nuances – even if it steals an idea or two from other great albums.  And despite the fact the spoken parts are horrible (b_f said “shaky”... I say they’re downright awful), the music, themes, and lyrics more than compensate.  After the introductory setup track, There and Back starts the journey to – and from – Mercy Falls.  Seventh Wonder pulls off this album quite well, with very smooth vocals - Tommy Karevik is definitely the highlight of this album, powerful and graceful, with a great range.  He’s got LaBrie and Allen-like tones and talent.  Add in creative guitar riffs, runs and solos from a typical prog-metal guitar sound, more than the usual amount of keyboard contributions, but with diverse sounds and melodies, great instrumentals, nice unison movements... you’ve got the recipe for a great album with all the things that we love here at DTF.

P.S... Doc, The Black Parade was my first recommended track even before your mention of it earlier this week.

Related Honorable Mention – The Great Escape.  2010’s follow up is 12 tracks of awesome in a 7 track album.  The self-titled track is a whopping 30 minute masterpiece.

[Orthogonal]

Oh yeah baby, Mercy Falls is awesome. Personally, I haven't heard an album make an impact like that since Scenes From a Memory. Spoken dialogue sections aside, it is a pure joy to listen too. Great Escape is also fantastic, I don't know quite know how to explain it but I think GE has better songs, but Mercy Falls is a better album, I guess the concept is what pulls it ahead.

[Big Hath]

I don't know quite know how to explain it but I think GE has better songs, but Mercy Falls is a better album, I guess the concept is what pulls it ahead.

yeah, I can see that.  Both are great no matter how you slice it.

[Dr. DTVT]

If I hadn't talked to jingle Wednesday night and saw the headline "Passion and Mercy", I would have thought this:



and



and my only complaint would have been that Pendragon is better than Altura.

[Unlegit]

Seventh Wonder 

[Lowdz]

Mercy Falls is a great album. I am a big fan of SW.

Arjen just doesn't do it for me though- I've tried- I've got several albums of his- but I only really like Star One's 1st and the live dvd that came after.

[MoraWintersoul]

Mercy Falls and Tommy Karevik > coffee, chocolate and a warm blanket.

[Scorpion]

Mercy Falls >= sex.

[MoraWintersoul]

Mercy Fall >= sex.

[Elite]

MERCY FALLS :

Someday I should compile all my Mercy Falls adoration posts into a single post for the hell of it.

[Orthogonal]

Mercy Fall >= sex.

You all should get out more 

[Zydar]

Great album

[MoraWintersoul]

Mercy Fall >= sex.

You all should get out more 

Who needs getting out if you can't listen to prog when you're out?

[jingle.boy]

Love seeing the love for Mercy Falls

I don't know quite know how to explain it but I think GE has better songs, but Mercy Falls is a better album, I guess the concept is what pulls it ahead.

MF is definitely a case where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Mercy Falls >= sex.

At 17, you're definitely doing it wrong then.

[Scorpion]

Mercy Falls >= sex.

At 17, you're definitely doing it wrong then.

Geez why does no one understand hyperbole anymore

[jingle.boy]

Mercy Falls >= sex.

At 17, you're definitely doing it wrong then.

Geez why does no one understand hyperbole anymore

because we don't have :hyperbole:

[King Postwhore]

Mercy Falls >= sex.

At 17, you're definitely doing it wrong then.

Geez why does no one understand hyperbole anymore

Because when we we 17 sex wasn't as good as it is today.

But have music and sex at the same time........  My chocolate got in her peanut butter.

[The King in Crimson]

But have music and sex at the same time........  My chocolate got in her peanut butter.

Unless the music is, say, Cannibal Corpse, then you might end up in prison.

[King Postwhore]

It all depends on what the girl wants.

[Scorpion]

It all depends on what the girl wants.

Trust me, that defense doesn't hold up in court.

[Orthogonal]

[Lowdz]

Unless Chad's next post is Mr Big's Lean Into It...

[The King in Crimson]

Sometimes you just gotta let that train take you somewhere...

[Scorpion]

You're waiting for a train. You think you know where it's going to take you, but you don't know for sure. But it doesn't matter. How can it not matter where the train will take you?

[King Postwhore]

It all depends on what the girl wants.

Trust me, that defense doesn't hold up in court.

Again you let the girl decide what she wants silly.  And yes DERAIL!!!!

[jingle.boy]

I'm gonna be out most of the rest of the day, so before Doc has a seizure, let's pass the tipping point.

26) Pagan’s Mind – Celestial Entrance (2002)


Tracks to try ...  The Prophecy of Pleiades, Exploring Life (Back To The Magic Of Childhood, Part 2), Through Osiris' Eyes
Can’t remember how I specifically decided to check these guys out.  I remember that YtseBitsy gave them to Doc in his first roulette, so that might have been it, or his love of Heavenly Ecstasy.  I also think Zook is a fan and has talked them up.  Either way, there was enough talk – and is par for the course around here, the opinions were varied – but enough of a general appreciation to warrant some investigation.  And damn glad I did.  Celestial Entrance is the 2nd release from this Norweigian quintet (side note... seriously, why are all the great prog-metal bands out of Europe?!?!? I guess that old comic strip about European’s worshiping metal bands like Gods, and North American’s ‘not-getting-it’ is true).  Parallels can easily be seen and drawn of Circus Maximus and Seventh Wonder... 5 peice band, excellent musically, interesting (if unspectacular) compositionally, and a very grand and flamboyant voice leading the way.  Some here at DTF may hate the ‘copy’ that The Prophecy of Pleiades is (understandably), but when you look at it as a nod, a tip of the feathered cap, an ode to their influences ... it’s a really good track.  Certainly not as good as it’s master, but it’s a good track none-the-less.  And if you want to chastise them for “copying” our prog-metal hero’s, have a listen to the last minute or so of Exploring Life (specifically at 11:33 of this clip), and I defy you to convince yourself that DT didn’t “borrow” that riff in Breaking All Illusions.

25) Mind’s Eye – A Gentleman’s Hurricane (2007)


Tracks to try ... Feed My Revolver, Seven Days, Red Winter Sirens
I don’t know where she finds these bands... these guys don’t even have a Wikipedia page!  Nem got mad when I gave her the worst score in the final round of my roulette.  So she turns around and introduces me to this gem.  Surprise, a prog-metal concept album from a European act (and it won’t be the last of that kind of album on this list).  Again, like Mercy Falls, it’s a good enough concept to keep one interested, but not entirely original, clearly poaching from a concept classic (assassin trying to break free from his controller, seeking salvation).  Hard to believe that this is the 6th release from Mind’s Eye – Johan Niemann (bass and guitars), Daniel Flores (drums and keys), and Andreas Novak (vocals).  Both Nieman and Flores are also part of Tears of Anger.  Novak provides some great screams and wail’s, then counters with passion and elegance in the softer moments; Niemann lays down incredible riffs with a hard and raw sound; Flores provides a hint of symphony and keyboards throughout, but rarely in the foreground; then the two combine for a rhythm section that bears down on your soul.  Pandora’s Musical Box is an absolute monster of prog craziness, while on the flipside, Ashes to Ashes could be a commercially successful hit, but what the hell does commercial success matter to this genre, amirite?

[obscure]

  

[Orthogonal]

Tried to get into Pagan's Mind, but they didn't click. However, that was years ago and my tastes have evolved since then, I might give them another shot.

Mind's Eye - A Gentleman's Hurricane on the other hand, that is a true gem. One of my surprise discoveries last year. I don't remember how they got on my radar and most of their material is difficult to acquire, but it is worth the hunt. Everyone should at least check them out.

[Dr. DTVT]

I was curious how many progressive bands were named "Mind (or Mind's) _________", because there sure seems to be a lot of them.  According to progarchives, we have:


MIND
MIND FURNITURE
MIND GALLERY
MIND GATE
MIND KEY
MIND OVER FOUR
MIND PORTAL
MIND SKY
MIND SPLIT EFFECT
MIND'S EYE

and I'll throw in MINDMAZE, since their debut album is being released in about two weeks or so.

[obscure]

Hahahah I said exactly the same thing to Chad a week ago..

here is my Mind case:

Mind's Eye
Mind Key
Mindfields   
Mindflow   
Mindflowers   
Mindfold Express   
Mindframe   
Mindfreak   
Mindly Rotten   
Mindpath   
Mindscape   
Mindscape   
Mindshift   
Mindsink   
Mindsplit   
Mindstorm   
Mindwarp Chamber   
Mindwork
Mindmaze

[Big Hath]

hey jingle, in the second one you linked to the album artwork instead of a song.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Haha I remember the first time I listened to Prophecy of Pleiades. I almost burst out laughing at how blatantly LTL-influenced it was.