Author Topic: Katt's Top 50 Albums v. I bless the rains down in Africa [#1]  (Read 66841 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
Re: Katt's Top 50 Albums v. Algalord arise, greater than before [#29]
« Reply #665 on: June 25, 2019, 07:31:56 AM »
Very cool stuff

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
Katt's Top 50 Albums v. Seems like sunlight never felt so good before [#28]
« Reply #666 on: June 25, 2019, 02:13:31 PM »
28.
ASIA
ALPHA

Pop Rock

released July 26th, 1983 via Geffen Records



1. Don’t Cry [3:33]
2. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes [3:13]
3. Never In A Million Years [3:47]
4. My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want) [4:50]
5. The Heat Goes On [4:57]
6. Eye to Eye [3:13]
7. The Last to Know [4:39]
8. True Colors [3:51]
9. Midnight Sun [3:48]
10. Open Your Eyes [6:25]

ALPHA is

John Wetton R.I.P. 2017 (Vocals / Bass)
Geoff Downes (Keyboards)
Steve Howe (Guitars)
Carl Palmer (Drums)

The sound of this album makes me think of comforting imagery, without fail, every time I hear it. A quiet, empty dining room with streams of orange-gold from the late afternoon sun pouring through the blinds. The low winter sun in a cloudless midmorning sky, shining on a fresh layer of untouched snow. A big stereo playing music from the radio by a pool in the summer.

The common theme in those images in sunshine. This album makes me think of sunshine. It’s like a warm embrace, a comforting, sweet record not interested in progressive or heavy metal wankery and letting the music dictate where to go from section to section. No, it’s just a collection of straightforward pop songs, with a couple rockers tossed in for good measure. It’s a quiet record that’s super heavy on the treble and allows the synths and keys to dominate over the guitars, who are mixed so low it’s easy to wonder if there’s a guitarist in the band at all. But the sweetness is cut ever so slightly by John Wetton’s baritone voice, which is a healthy dose of huskiness this fluffy, airy album needs.

Songs like “My Own Time” and “The Last to Know” really invoke the imagery I previously described, and are my two favorite tracks on this album. Right down to individual lines, the lyrics resonate deeply with me and there are instrumental, musical decisions that seem like choices I would make if I were the one writing this kind of music. Of course the rest of the record hits me in this way, too – “Never In A Million Years” and “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” are touching and memorable tunes. The “Asia keyboard sound” – not sure what it is, a combination of synth brass horns and possibly a mellow sawtooth lead? – is infectious in my opinion and it’s used heavily throughout the album along with shimmering bells and synth pads, all sonic textures I will happily devour like the fat kid eating the chocolate cake in Matilda. Hook me up to an IV drip of this all day long, please.

In Summary: This record has the definitive “80s production” sound in my opinion. Heavy treble, quiet mixing, tons of tinny reverb, but it adds a charm to this particular record instead of detracting from the experience. I love a good unabashed pop rock record and hits all the marks in my opinion. It’s just plain good super catchy songwriting with romantic lyrics and a multitude of beautiful synths layered like a decadent cake on top of a sweet ice cream base. “My Own Time” has become one of my most favorite songs ever, a real personal theme song/anthem/whatever you want to call it, and I encourage you to check it out! This album proves talented musicians do not have to make overly complicated, unnecessarily long songs to be make good music. Sometimes, you just need a beat and a melody to make magic. John Payne may have forever fucked up this band but this album is a work of art and I love it love it love it.

Katt’s Favorites: The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want), The Heat Goes On, The Last To Know

Listen to “Alpha” by Asia on Spotify
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
HOLY SHIT!  AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol


Open Your Eyes is my favorite tune from this album.  BTW Mike, I saw them on this tour.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....

Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19

Honestly, I don't know much of Asia at all.  I went to the show because I didn't have anything much else going on, it was local and cheap, and figured I'd go check out Bumblefoot.  Their set was solid, didn't make me want to go buy an album, but it was enjoyable overall. 

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74107
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
HOLY SHIT!  AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol


Wow, you like it that much?
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
 :rollin You lucky bastard. John Wetton died on my birthday in 2017. I'm still very upset I never got to see them live.

@cram - I'm going to watch that, hell yeah :metal: Check out some of the favorites if you're interested, I'm sure the recordings from 83 sound waaaay different from the live show!

@TAC:  :lol :lol :lol
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74107
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
 :lol

Also I really like 80s music so that includes the production and sound like this has. It's also probably why I really like the sound of Images and Words since it still has a bit of an 80s feeling to the production.

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....

Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19

Wow, he was good on that. Never heard Bumble sing before, but he sold it well especially the last part.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....

Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19

Wow, he was good on that. Never heard Bumble sing before, but he sold it well especially the last part.

I had no idea he was this good of a singer, had to tell him that myself after their set when they did a signing session.

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
HOLY SHIT!  AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol


Wow, you like it that much?

So much Tim.  Like you. 
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline King Puppies and the Acid Guppies

  • AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 11639
  • Gender: Male
  • AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
aka Puppies_On_Acid
My last.fm | My Rate Your Music Page
Quote from: Podaar
King's Photoshop powers are akin to a three year old cutting faces out of photographs with the edge of a dull spoon and pasting them in place with garden shovel full of Gorilla Glue.
Quote from: TAC, definitely not King
Thes sng is are sounds rally nece an I lyke tha sungar

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74107
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
I play the drums. Or used to..
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline bl5150

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 9132
  • Gender: Male
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74107
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Oh yeah. Howe young? :neverusethis:
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
Steve Howe looks older than these gentlemen.  :lol
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline bl5150

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 9132
  • Gender: Male
Steve Howe looks older than these gentlemen.  :lol

That was the point of my comment  :P
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
 :lol

I. Just seconding it man. Lol
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline T-ski

  • Posts: 2915
Bumblefoot is now in Asia?

I am way out of the loop.

Is all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream?

Offline Stadler

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 43016
  • Gender: Male
  • Pointing out the "unfunny" since 2014!
I saw them on this tour.



That's me in the blue shirt and dark pants (and some of you fuckers know that, because that's the shirt I wear to concerts!!)


Now this album I can get behind.  For me, it's higher on the list, but this is one of my favorite records of all time.  I love this from top to bottom (and honorable mention for the b-sides, "Daylight" and "Lying To Yourself")

Offline pg1067

  • Posts: 12440
  • Gender: Male
That is one monstrous guest roster.

If you say so.  I have maybe heard of one of those people.  What the heck is a Wudstik?


28.
ASIA
ALPHA

The two lead singles on Alpha (Don't Cry and The Smile Has Left Your Eyes) were REALLY good (the latter more than the former.  Unfortunately, the band focused more on a pop sound for this album than on the debut album, and the monster riffs that made the debut an absolute classic are mostly absent from Alpha.

There was not a lot that was bigger on MTV than Asia during the summer and second half of 1982.  The cover of the debut was the first music related poster I had on my bedroom wall.  "Asia in Asia" was a massive event in late 1983, but it was spoiled by having to use an unprepared Greg Lake in Wetton's place (turning the band into "Yes, Lake & Palmer").  After that, Asia all but dropped off the metaphorical map.
"There's a bass solo in a song called Metropolis where I do a bass solo."  John Myung

Offline Stadler

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 43016
  • Gender: Male
  • Pointing out the "unfunny" since 2014!
I don't dispute your take at ALL - in '82, Asia was the biggest thing since sliced bread - but FOR ME, who loved (and still loves) Wetton's voice, and is a melody guy, the followup was way underrated.  "The Last To Know" is just a heartbreaking song, and "Midnight Sun" is one of my favorite songs in the Asia catalogue.  I never did listen to Asia for "prog chops"; I had plenty of Yes, Crimson and ELP for that.  I also thought higher of Asia in Asia, though for the same reasons; Greg Lake's voice is just silk, gold, and Vaseline all rolled into one (that's grosser than I intended.  I meant to say "smooth") and even an unprepared Lake is better than John Payne, for example.   

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
pg, the guest list on 01011001 is monstrous even if a few of the names aren't well-known at all. Jørn, Hansi, Floor, Simone, Tom Englund, Jonas, and more are well-known names in the world of modern European rock/metal music. Jørn is basically a rock star and Avantasia has made him that much more renowned. Floor's the frontwoman for the world famous Nightwish, Simone is the lead singer of Epica, Hansi is Blind Guardian's singer and he's a legend in metal. Tom Englund fronts Evergrey, and Jonas fronts Katatonia. If you've only heard of "maybe one" of those people it's more a comment on your awareness of that realm of metal more than anything, 'cause that roster is huge. Check it out!

"Riffs" are probably the last thing I'd ever talk about when discussing Asia, personally. Asia's all about the keys and vocal melodies and big choruses imo.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline Evermind

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 16235
  • Gender: Male
Don't forget Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation), Anneke van Giersbergen (she's everywhere), Bob Catley (Magnum and Avantasia). It's definitely a monstrous line-up.

Also expect Chad to pop up and mention Magali Luyten any second now.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
The chick from Nightmare, yeah? I honestly didn't know she was on Y until I looked it up.  She's... there, I guess.  :lol
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal.  Which isn't huge in the US.  I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.

Offline pg1067

  • Posts: 12440
  • Gender: Male
I don't dispute your take at ALL - in '82, Asia was the biggest thing since sliced bread - but FOR ME, who loved (and still loves) Wetton's voice, and is a melody guy, the followup was way underrated.  "The Last To Know" is just a heartbreaking song, and "Midnight Sun" is one of my favorite songs in the Asia catalogue.  I never did listen to Asia for "prog chops"; I had plenty of Yes, Crimson and ELP for that.  I also thought higher of Asia in Asia, though for the same reasons; Greg Lake's voice is just silk, gold, and Vaseline all rolled into one (that's grosser than I intended.  I meant to say "smooth") and even an unprepared Lake is better than John Payne, for example.

Other than Don't Cry and TSHLYE, there just wasn't anything on Alpha that grabbed me, but it's been a while.  But the debut has no low points (MAYBE Cutting It Fine), and side 1 is one of those all-time epic sides.

And Greg Lake was great, but I remember him not sounding great at the "Asia in Asia" show (but it's been 35+ years, so it's not exactly fresh in my memory).


pg, the guest list on 01011001 is monstrous even if a few of the names aren't well-known at all. Jørn, Hansi, Floor, Simone, Tom Englund, Jonas, and more are well-known names in the world of modern European rock/metal music. Jørn is basically a rock star and Avantasia has made him that much more renowned. Floor's the frontwoman for the world famous Nightwish, Simone is the lead singer of Epica, Hansi is Blind Guardian's singer and he's a legend in metal. Tom Englund fronts Evergrey, and Jonas fronts Katatonia. If you've only heard of "maybe one" of those people it's more a comment on your awareness of that realm of metal more than anything, 'cause that roster is huge. Check it out!

I "discovered" Simone Simons a few years back because of some "hottest women of metal" list, and she and her red hair are now very much near the top of potential Mrs. PGs if my own marriage ever falls apart.  She's the one I've heard of (and maybe there was one other).  Beyond that, you could have made all of this up, and I wouldn't know the difference.  Wasn't Tom Englund the guy who played Freddy Kruger?  And, while "Hansi" might be a "legend" in a particular niche, the term "legend in metal" is reserved for guys like RJ Dio, Tony Iommi, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, etc.

All that said, maybe I will check it out.


It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal.  Which isn't huge in the US.  I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.

Exactly.
"There's a bass solo in a song called Metropolis where I do a bass solo."  John Myung

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
Yeah, he's no Dio or Halford, but for speed/power metal... you really don't get much bigger than him, and he's in a very respectable place. Maybe Kai Hansen. Really though, you've never even HEARD of Daniel Gildenlow or Anneke van Giersbergen? Definitely give 01011001 a listen then. There is a lot to chew on there and I think you'd find something to really enjoy.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2019, 10:49:10 AM by Kattelox »
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline jingle.boy

  • I'm so ronery; so sad and ronery
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 44566
  • Gender: Male
  • DTF's resident deceased dictator
The chick from Nightmare, yeah? I honestly didn't know she was on Y until I looked it up.  She's... there, I guess.  :lol

She has other credits to her name - Beautiful Sin, Epysode, Flaming Row - before she joined Nightmare.  And she makes Ride the Comet the awesome song it is.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid
Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Offline Evermind

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 16235
  • Gender: Male
It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal.  Which isn't huge in the US.  I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.

Not trying to sound a judgemental ass here (yet :biggrin: ), but I'm genuinely curious: if any of you guys have heard 01011001 and know it well are among that amount of metal head americans to whom a lot of those names don't ring a bell, can you create a guest-list (with the singers' vocal melodies on the album in mind) that would've been "monstrous" for you? No big names like James Hetfield or Rob Halford, of course.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal.  Which isn't huge in the US.  I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.

Not trying to sound a judgemental ass here (yet :biggrin: ), but I'm genuinely curious: if any of you guys have heard 01011001 and know it well are among that amount of metal head americans to whom a lot of those names don't ring a bell, can you create a guest-list (with the singers' vocal melodies on the album in mind) that would've been "monstrous" for you? No big names like James Hetfield or Rob Halford, of course.

Not sure if you were just quoting me or asking me, but I'm a fan of this music so I know the names.  But in the US, this metal isn't that popular.  What is, Slipknot, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, Disturbed essentially all the big bands that are also popular in Europe, but are American. 

I always look at this way.  In Europe you have those huge metal festivals with lots of awesome bands including the ones I listed above.  In the US, the metal festivals look like this:





My point is, you don't see any of the power/symphonic/prog metal bands from Europe playing these shows in the US.  But all that more standard metal is popular here.

I don't have a list personally to answer your question because my list would be similar to what you see on that Ayreon album for my personal choices.  Im just defending others who may not know those names because those names mean nothing in the US to the average metal head.

Offline Evermind

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 16235
  • Gender: Male
I was mostly quoting you but I'm interested to hear anyone's opinion on the matter!

Okay, those pics are actually pretty eye-opening for me. I mean it kinda makes sense for the festivals though (and for why ProgPower is almost revered among the fans of the genre), what about headline tours with openers though? I know Nightwish does US tours regularly, and so does Evergrey (on a much smaller scale). In fact I assumed Nightwish were so big they're pretty much well-known everywhere by now.

Actually Cram, I have a question exactly for you then, since you go to the gigs a lot: how large of an average crowd a headlining show (no matter who's opening) by each main band of 01011001 singers cast would gather? I mean I realize it depends on state and all, but I'm mostly curious which are more popular and which aren't, because this is fascinating.

Edit: and Katt I guess you and anyone can jump on that last one as well. :)
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline The Walrus

  • goo goo g'joob
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 17221
  • PSA: Stairway to Heaven is in 4/4
Nightwish, Kamelot, BG... yeah, a few are successful here. Edit: Gloryhammer and Sabaton are huge too
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
"I don't worry about nothing, no, 'cause worrying's a waste of my time"

Offline jingle.boy

  • I'm so ronery; so sad and ronery
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 44566
  • Gender: Male
  • DTF's resident deceased dictator
<sorry to derail MJ>

Here's what we have locally here coming up in a couple of weeks.



As for the 01011001 lineup, and their bands on tour... most wouldn't get a few hundred in the Toronto area.  Montreal they might do better.  Last tour, Nightwish played an 1800-seat theater.  Last time I saw Evergrey, it was to about 300 people, tops.  Kamelot and Nightwish a few years back ... saw them to about 600-800 people.  Avantasia was about 800 people, hence the reason Tobi didn't even come back to Toronto.

Welp.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid
Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Offline cramx3

  • Chillest of the chill
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 34212
  • Gender: Male
Actually Cram, I have a question exactly for you then, since you go to the gigs a lot: how large of an average crowd a headlining show (no matter who's opening) by each main band of 01011001 singers cast would gather? I mean I realize it depends on state and all, but I'm mostly curious which are more popular and which aren't, because this is fascinating.

Let me think from my experience..

Hansi, Simone, and Floor are fairly known here, they are apart of bands that do consistent headline tours to ~1-2k capacity venues.  Nightwish by far the biggest of those three bands having sold out a lot of shows locally here and they've brought good bands with them before (Delain, Sabaton) that might have helped but their last show was just them and it almost sold out the 2k venue.  Epica has been getting bigger because they toured here every year for awhile and Blind Guardian are just like old school metal in a way, they've got a lot of history hence their draw.

The rest.... oof I don't know.  I know Evergrey is doing a tour this September, maybe to 500 capacity venue or less, I've never heard of the local venue they are playing.  Jorn I don't think could book a gig here.  Anneke is touring this fall as the opener for Delain and Amorphis by herself, but I don't think VUUR has much of a market to tour here.