Crow's Overdue Roulette v8 - FINAL RESULTS!!!

[Buddyhunter1]

keeping up with relistens (i did check this out when it first released!) here's what can really only be described as "modern prog rock if we increased the tempo" like more than the slight poppy and jazzy leanings of this that's how this feels to me. the end result is 50 minutes of music crammed into only 32, which can be a bit overwhelming but the tunes themselves are generally pretty fun! not sure any matched up to The One I Know and i kinda wish this was at least a track or two longer but i def will at least be returning to it

I've been listening to this too and yeah I wish it were longer but it's good.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

At least the artwork is pretty cool. 

[Buddyhunter1]

At least the artwork is pretty cool.

NAYSAYER

[LithoJazzoSphere]

At least the artwork is pretty cool.

NAYSAYER

Talk to Sacul, he ranked it 15th.    It had enough cool parts for me to beat out three other songs.  If I'd ranked it a spot higher, it would have had to leapfrog A7X, which would have further annoyed Luke.   

[ariich]

Moron Police are far too fun for Litho.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Just the wrong kind of fun.   

[Sacul]

Yeah I wasn't really into the song Crow picked at all

[Buddyhunter1]

Sacul not being into it is completely unsurprising, but Litho should know better.

[King Postwhore]

It was so manic but full of melody when I first heard it.

I was like, "What the hell did I just listen to?"

[Crow]

listening to this album in full didn't really tell me anything i couldn't already guess about this band from the 20 minutes of the 35 minute album i'd already heard, which  i mean, yeah, it's BTBAM-y prog metal but it's pretty cool in what it is! i'm at least gonna give it a second spin but idk if this is something i need to buy or listen to all that much more, but it is definitely good, so. wish it were a bit longer, i guess?

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Another cool cover. 

[Crow]

(KANGA - You and I Will Never Die)

preeeetty much an extension of what Untie looked like, the dark, industrial-ish synthpop/wave sound. preeeetty much the whole way through, too, which makes the tunes kinda blend together a little bit? another listen or two might make 'em stand out and the sound's cool enough that i'd wanna give it another spin anyways but like with untie the hooks don't really pop leaving it a pleasant listen that may or may not make an impact with me

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

listening to this album in full didn't really tell me anything i couldn't already guess about this band from the 20 minutes of the 35 minute album i'd already heard, which  i mean, yeah, it's BTBAM-y prog metal but it's pretty cool in what it is! i'm at least gonna give it a second spin but idk if this is something i need to buy or listen to all that much more, but it is definitely good, so. wish it were a bit longer, i guess?

Fortunately there is a sequel album which is just as good. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/others-by-no-one/book-ii-where-stories-come-from/

[LithoJazzoSphere]

(KANGA - You and I Will Never Die)

preeeetty much an extension of what Untie looked like, the dark, industrial-ish synthpop/wave sound. preeeetty much the whole way through, too, which makes the tunes kinda blend together a little bit? another listen or two might make 'em stand out and the sound's cool enough that i'd wanna give it another spin anyways but like with untie the hooks don't really pop leaving it a pleasant listen that may or may not make an impact with me

Yeah, it's overall kind of a specific sound and niche that's not really trying for a huge amount of variety, but finding anything comparable with a darker edge but similar smoother vocal style is quite difficult.  There's more focus on subtlety and atmosphere, so it might take a few more plays to hit than generic club bangers would, although they do seem like they stood out to me quicker than for you. 

[Crow]

(Chapel of Disease - ...And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye)

this album is basically... the first song six times  which like, it's a cool sound and it's not rlly the album's fault that this isn't exactly a sound i need in excess - it's obviously a little, uhh, uncomplicated - you want old school death metal with sick guitars? here it is. here it is! it all sounds quite good and i enjoyed listening to it but i'm not sure it's something i can see myself returning to, just, not quite up my alley. best enjoyed in small doses, it seems

[Buddyhunter1]

The album's sameyness is what holds it back from being truly amazing yeah, but it's hard to complain when there's six songs and all six of them are great. And I think the last two are different enough - 1.000 Different Paths takes out basically all the metal elements and is just a nice slow-paced rock song, and the closer has some almost blackened death metal passages towards the end that are considerably heavier than anything before it.

[Crow]

(Parannoul & Asian Glow - Paraglow)

again a very short one, with the song i know taking up half the split  the rest of the tunes are like, the middling parts of Wheel (as in, tempo/intensity-wise) but the sound as a whole is pretty cool & i could def go for some more of it. probably will end up checking out the two artists involved separately, splits especially are just a hard sell for me, especially at this short length  but this IS really good so

just quickly peeking at the two i'm getting the sense asian glow is the one i'd be more interested in, yeah 

[Crow]

atm i have twelve albums left on my list so i'm workin' my way through these 

you may have noticed it looking at the tracking post but uhh. there are no albums from round 4 on my list. no wonder i needed a break after that one, god  not doing that type of round ever again ig

[Buddyhunter1]

(Parannoul & Asian Glow - Paraglow)

again a very short one, with the song i know taking up half the split  the rest of the tunes are like, the middling parts of Wheel (as in, tempo/intensity-wise) but the sound as a whole is pretty cool & i could def go for some more of it. probably will end up checking out the two artists involved separately, splits especially are just a hard sell for me, especially at this short length  but this IS really good so

The Light Side Of The Eyes, though

I haven't heard much else from Asian Glow that has impressed me, but the two most recent Parannoul albums are definitely worth checking out like I said. Him and Asian Glow also have another split (Downfall Of The Neon Youth) which is longer, has a third artist in there, and the artists are split across the songs instead of collaborating on the same ones. It's... alright but very inconsistent imo and the third artist (sonhos toman conta) just isn't my thing.

Also does anyone know what the hell this cover art is supposed to be? It's been months and I still have no idea.

[Buddyhunter1]

just quickly peeking at the two i'm getting the sense asian glow is the one i'd be more interested in, yeah 

I dunno, if you want more stuff that sounds like the last couple minutes of Wheel, that's much closer to Parannoul from what I've heard.

[Crow]

i'll cover all my bases and check out both then  looks like they both have albums out this year anywho

[ariich]

Also does anyone know what the hell this cover art is supposed to be? It's been months and I still have no idea.

Looks like a close-up of a couple of small items (possibly stones or pebbles) in a high-pile rug.

[twosuitsluke]

Wondering if there’s any chance you’ll check out an album I submitted? 

[Crow]

ignoring that i already did (alexisonfire) civilians is on my list, so

[Crow]

Hmm yeah this was a longshot for me to begin with but while there's some initial intrigue it, kinda gets lost in a sea of short, less interesting tracks after its opening run and I kinda ran out of patience  it's a long album of a sound that's not quite my thing, it happens. not bad but nnnah

[twosuitsluke]

ignoring that i already did (alexisonfire) civilians is on my list, so

Fair point   

[Crow]

i really wanna pin down the problem with modern prog metal 'cause like. it can't just be the djentification of the riffs right? that's here in small doses but it's not that prevalent either. i think it's more just. there's no real ambition to this? no real risks taken, no new ground broken, not even really much that identifies it as prog tbh it's more just alt metal with longer and slightly more complex songs. the riffs don't stand out, the hooks aren't really all that inspiring... kingcrow dude is no daniel gildenlow and that was the main reason why i liked that song, so.

like is this bad? no, it's perfectly serviceable. i did not quite make it to the end (stopped when i got to the song i know so there's like ten minutes of the album i haven't heard) i am just. wholly uninterested shrug

[Sacul]

Hmm yeah this was a longshot for me to begin with but while there's some initial intrigue it, kinda gets lost in a sea of short, less interesting tracks after its opening run and I kinda ran out of patience  it's a long album of a sound that's not quite my thing, it happens. not bad but nnnah

heresy

[LithoJazzoSphere]

i really wanna pin down the problem with modern prog metal 'cause like. it can't just be the djentification of the riffs right? that's here in small doses but it's not that prevalent either. i think it's more just. there's no real ambition to this? no real risks taken, no new ground broken

I think your problem here is looking to an established subgenre for innovation, that's basically an oxymoron.  People get hung up on "progressive" as an adjective when it's just an indicator for certain types of sounds and structures at this point.  Most truly new and innovative music isn't going to really fit into an existing genre. 

[Crow]

while that's broadly true, prog is a subset of genres known specifically for innovation and risk-taking, so i think it's more than reasonable to expect at least a little flavor or personality or, like, any semblance of an idea that isn't just recycling the same thing everyone else is doing outta the genre

really tho the big problem is that the kingcrow album just isn't very. interesting

[twosuitsluke]

Most truly new and innovative music isn't going to really fit into an existing genre.

Are you talking about vomit-core? I think you’re talking about vomit-core.

keeping up with relistens (i did check this out when it first released!) here's what can really only be described as "modern prog rock if we increased the tempo" like more than the slight poppy and jazzy leanings of this that's how this feels to me. the end result is 50 minutes of music crammed into only 32, which can be a bit overwhelming but the tunes themselves are generally pretty fun! not sure any matched up to The One I Know and i kinda wish this was at least a track or two longer but i def will at least be returning to it

Just spun this for the first time in a while. I’m hardly a huge fan of the band, but I do love this record. It’s got such a great vibe to it. None of the other Moron Police albums/EPs measure up to this. I spun the new Toehider EP a couple of times in the last 24 hours and they have a couple of moments where they kinda give off the same vibe as this record.

[Crow]

this reminds me a LOT of TDH's Act IV, that blend of indie rock and power pop with a ton of theatrical flair and even traces of 70's/80's hard rock thrown into the mix for good measure. except this album came out first i don't think the vocals are as good as casey's but there's some pretty fun songs here and it keeps itself pretty interesting across its relatively trim runtime (something TDH doesn't do, so). i liked it, dunno if i'll love it but i at least liked it enough to warrant another spin

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

while that's broadly true, prog is a subset of genres known specifically for innovation and risk-taking, so i think it's more than reasonable to expect at least a little flavor or personality or, like, any semblance of an idea that isn't just recycling the same thing everyone else is doing outta the genre

really tho the big problem is that the kingcrow album just isn't very. interesting

Fortunately there are still progressive bands out there that are willing to try new things and innovate on the established sound.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

while that's broadly true, prog is a subset of genres known specifically for innovation and risk-taking, so i think it's more than reasonable to expect at least a little flavor or personality or, like, any semblance of an idea that isn't just recycling the same thing everyone else is doing outta the genre

really tho the big problem is that the kingcrow album just isn't very. interesting

Well, they started as being innovative relative to the rock and metal of the time, but that breakthrough gets codified into a set of tropes that everyone else piles onto and turns into a normal music subgenre.  Same thing as any other new subgenre, most just don't have the more pretentious "progressive" tag as part of them. 

But I received the same song plus two others in my roulette, and that was easily the standout (it helps that I used to be a bigger fan of Pain of Salvation).  The others were fine but felt more like Porcupine Tree-lite. 

[Crow]

yeah, like, this is a cute lil pop album. light 'n' fluffy and not really too deep (or too diverse) and it's not really the type of pop i go for at album length but my day was not made worse for having heard it! not rlly much else to say