What album are you listening to v.8

[Sacul]

[hefdaddy42]

Various Artists - The Alligator Records Christmas Collection

[Grappler]

While finishing work in my basement:

Powerwolf - Call of the Wild
Powerwolf - Best of the Blessed

Hammerfall - Legacy of Kings reissue
Hammerfall - Hammer of Dawn
Hammerfall - Live Against the World

[hefdaddy42]

Lisa Biales - At Christmas

[hefdaddy42]

David Ian - Vintage Christmas Trio Melody

[Glasser]

Got to hear this one early. Excellent as expected.

[hefdaddy42]

George Gee Swing Orchestra - Winter Wonderland

[nick_z]

More 2023 listening...

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Temple of Angels - Endless Pursuit

Released earlier this year, I came across it a couple of days ago as I was perusing some end-of-year lists online. I've seen it described as dreampop, but more rocking and I don't disagree. Think a mixture of Cocteau Twins, Wish-era The Cure and maybe some All About Eve? It has that real nice, soothing guitar work typical of the genre, and just the right amount of goth-y melancholy.  Very good lead female vocals too.  I can see some DTFers potentially enjoying this (Litho?). Not something I'd want to listen to all the time, but I was in the mood for it now...

Haven't had time to keep up with this thread lately, but as soon as you mentioned the bands my ears perked up, then to get name-dropped a few sentences later.      Guess I need to give this one a go. 

 

Curious to hear your thoughts, if you get to it

Just finished the third song.  Wow, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm always on the hunt for.  The description is spot-on.  Doesn't have the folky or harder rock elements (so far) of All About Eve, but the vocalist is in the Julianne Regan ballpark, a slightly hazier Cocteau Twins haze to everything, but with a bit more of a The Cure drive to the feel.  The guy that pops in later doesn't have the distinctiveness of Robert Smith, but he's fine enough, he could grow on me.  This is gonna skyrocket up my end of the year list if it can keep any semblance of this level of quality throughout the rest of the album. 

[nick_z]

Just finished the third song.  Wow, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm always on the hunt for.  The description is spot-on.  Doesn't have the folky or harder rock elements (so far) of All About Eve, but the vocalist is in the Julianne Regan ballpark, a slightly hazier Cocteau Twins haze to everything, but with a bit more of a The Cure drive to the feel.  The guy that pops in later doesn't have the distinctiveness of Robert Smith, but he's fine enough, he could grow on me.  This is gonna skyrocket up my end of the year list if it can keep any semblance of this level of quality throughout the rest of the album.

Nice  Let's see how the rest goes...my impression is that the middle of the album amps up the melancholy a bit, which is fine by me..

[TAC]

Just finished the third song.  Wow, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm always on the hunt for.  The description is spot-on.  Doesn't have the folky or harder rock elements (so far) of All About Eve, but the vocalist is in the Julianne Regan ballpark, a slightly hazier Cocteau Twins haze to everything, but with a bit more of a The Cure drive to the feel.  The guy that pops in later doesn't have the distinctiveness of Robert Smith, but he's fine enough, he could grow on me.  This is gonna skyrocket up my end of the year list if it can keep any semblance of this level of quality throughout the rest of the album.

Nice  Let's see how the rest goes...my impression is that the middle of the album amps up the melancholy a bit, which is fine by me..

I didn’t get that far.

[nick_z]

Just finished the third song.  Wow, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm always on the hunt for.  The description is spot-on.  Doesn't have the folky or harder rock elements (so far) of All About Eve, but the vocalist is in the Julianne Regan ballpark, a slightly hazier Cocteau Twins haze to everything, but with a bit more of a The Cure drive to the feel.  The guy that pops in later doesn't have the distinctiveness of Robert Smith, but he's fine enough, he could grow on me.  This is gonna skyrocket up my end of the year list if it can keep any semblance of this level of quality throughout the rest of the album.

Nice  Let's see how the rest goes...my impression is that the middle of the album amps up the melancholy a bit, which is fine by me..

I didn’t get that far.

I'm not THAT surprised 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I didn’t get that far.

You just love randomly checking out albums that should have absolutely no reason to appeal to you at all.      There's 0 chance you successfully navigate my top 25 year-end song list. 
 

Nice  Let's see how the rest goes...my impression is that the middle of the album amps up the melancholy a bit, which is fine by me..

Weirdly I kind of like their "happier" tracks more at least on first listen.  Could be the way they execute them, or that I've been listening to somewhat less heavier and darker music in general this month.  The other tracks might stand out more after additional listens though.  It's a bit front-loaded, but there's strong material throughout. 

[Bluefish]

[Bluefish]

[Bluefish]

[NoseofNicko]

Sexyy Red - Hood Hottest Princess (Deluxe)

[twosuitsluke]

I just can't help myself
I'm feeling like I'm going out of my head
Uncanny, strange deja vu
But I don't mind
I hope to find the truth

More 2023 listening...

Giving this a second listen now, and it really is very good!

[nick_z]

More 2023 listening...

Giving this a second listen now, and it really is very good!

Agreed. It's thrashy and urgent (even when they are not going super-fast), but it also has cool melodic moments going on.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Ulver - The Assassination of Julius Caeser

[wolfking]

More 2023 listening...

Giving this a second listen now, and it really is very good!

Agreed. It's thrashy and urgent (even when they are not going super-fast), but it also has cool melodic moments going on.

I spun this the other day too.  Was indeed enjoyable.

[TAC]

More 2023 listening...

Giving this a second listen now, and it really is very good!

Agreed. It's thrashy and urgent (even when they are not going super-fast), but it also has cool melodic moments going on.

I spun this the other day too.  Was indeed enjoyable.

Yes it is!

[TAC]

Last couple of days at work...

[LithoJazzoSphere]

No wonder you picked Mythika, it even looks like a Helloween cover.   

[TAC]

No wonder you picked Mythika, it even looks like a Helloween cover.   

It's a great album!!!

[nick_z]

Last couple of days at work...

Another nice batch! XI is a pretty solid Metal Church album, I'd say my favorite of the post-Hanging in the Balance period. Condition Human is good too - maybe the La Torre album where the band tried to branch out a little bit more. And Punching the Sky is such a good Armored Saint record!

Some more 2023 listens for me today:

[TAC]

I was disappointed when I got XI, but it's aged pretty well.

I like The Night Eternal, but the Voyager is a big miss.




Tonight...



A couple of 2023 releases..

Fjordlands-The Elderwoods....I'd say it's generally in the atmospheric black metal vain, but not totally. I enjoyed my listen to it.

Ablaze My Sorrow-The Loss Of All Hope...a four song EP. Harsh and clean, melodic and not! Definitely worth the 16 minute listen though.

[nick_z]

Yeah, I remember I was super excited about Howe's return and the expectations weren't quite met...I still think it's nowhere near Blessing in Disguise/Human Factor/Hanging, but I overall enjoy it...aged well it is a good way to put it.

The Voyager is fantastic, Tim 

Ablaze My Sorrow...I remember them from...the 90s, I think? I didn't realize they were still around...

[wolfking]

I'm a very casual Metal Church fan but I picked up XI when it came out and in isolation as a metal album, I thought it was really enjoyable.

[Bluefish]

[wolfking]

No wonder you picked Mythika, it even looks like a Helloween cover.   

It's a great album!!!

I'll get onto this after A View.

[TAC]

No wonder you picked Mythika, it even looks like a Helloween cover.   

It's a great album!!!

I'll get onto this after A View.

I think you'll like it.

[wolfking]

No wonder you picked Mythika, it even looks like a Helloween cover.   

It's a great album!!!

I'll get onto this after A View.

I think you'll like it.

I'm loading it up now.

Edit: Nice vocals.

[wolfking]

This is nice Tim.  Really easy listening and melodic.

[TAC]

This is nice Tim.  Really easy listening and melodic.

 

Yeah, it's excellent.