ariich's DARK TO LIGHT roulette (v8) - Post-roulette updates (ongoing)

[Glasser]

Just working out how extreme to go in this round  will be sending soon.

Edit: sent

I literally just looked for that on a shirt. 

Will probably buy some off their other merch without hearing a single song.

https://pizzadeathband666.bandcamp.com/merch 

[nick_z]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasser – Nospūn
1. Within the Realm of Possibility

First impression: Closer to your first submission but probably even more my thing - proggy yet crunchy and quite a few moments that remind me of a particular favourite band of mine.

Final opinion: In case it wasn’t obvious, the band I was referring to was of course Haken. My word these guys take huge inspiration from Haken, at least in this song. On the very slight downside, I prefer it when bands take an influence and do more to make it their own, whereas most of this really sounds like it could have come from early-mid era Haken especially (although there are hints of their more recent stuff here and there too). But then maybe they do that more on the rest of the album, and either way this seems to be their debut as far as I can tell, and it’s natural to wear influences on your sleeve at the start. Conversely, on the huge plus side, normally when I hear bands influenced by Haken, they seem to miss the things about Haken that I love so much. No so here. It has the things that other bands replicate ok - the tight riffing and rhythmic intricacy that sits somewhere between classic DT and more modern djent stylings, the big backing synths and general huge sound - and it does them all excellently. But crucially, there is a consistent focus on strong melodies and a slightly dark and melancholic edge to those melodies that makes it all so engaging. Even the quirky bits have that dark, theatrical vibe that Haken do so well. The voice acting in the middle is cheesy as hell and I’m not sure I’m that keen, but everything else is so great that I can get past it.

Score: 8.8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glasser! I checked this album out tonight and it's indeed a super-tasty slab of prog metal!

[Glasser]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasser – Nospūn
1. Within the Realm of Possibility

First impression: Closer to your first submission but probably even more my thing - proggy yet crunchy and quite a few moments that remind me of a particular favourite band of mine.

Final opinion: In case it wasn’t obvious, the band I was referring to was of course Haken. My word these guys take huge inspiration from Haken, at least in this song. On the very slight downside, I prefer it when bands take an influence and do more to make it their own, whereas most of this really sounds like it could have come from early-mid era Haken especially (although there are hints of their more recent stuff here and there too). But then maybe they do that more on the rest of the album, and either way this seems to be their debut as far as I can tell, and it’s natural to wear influences on your sleeve at the start. Conversely, on the huge plus side, normally when I hear bands influenced by Haken, they seem to miss the things about Haken that I love so much. No so here. It has the things that other bands replicate ok - the tight riffing and rhythmic intricacy that sits somewhere between classic DT and more modern djent stylings, the big backing synths and general huge sound - and it does them all excellently. But crucially, there is a consistent focus on strong melodies and a slightly dark and melancholic edge to those melodies that makes it all so engaging. Even the quirky bits have that dark, theatrical vibe that Haken do so well. The voice acting in the middle is cheesy as hell and I’m not sure I’m that keen, but everything else is so great that I can get past it.

Score: 8.8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glasser! I checked this album out tonight and it's indeed a super-tasty slab of prog metal!

Nice!! It really is and it gets better with each spin!!!!

[lonestar]

Just working out how extreme to go in this round  will be sending soon.

Edit: sent

I literally just looked for that on a shirt. 

Will probably buy some off their other merch without hearing a single song.

https://pizzadeathband666.bandcamp.com/merch 

That's where I looked lol

[jingle.boy]

Name three songs by them. Go!

[LithoJazzoSphere]

I don't see it as musically upbeat either.     I don't even care about the lyrics, though I can tell they're dark. 

Interesting difference in how we're interpreting things in that case!

EDIT: To briefly explain my own reaction, the song is musically very gentle, all in a major key and with quote simple, pretty melodies. The combination of which I definitely associate with a light and upbeat tone.

That's a little oversimplified though.  Not to get too lost in the music theory weeds, but two of the main chords are major 7th chords, and the vocal melody as well as the guitar riffs and cello accompaniment hammer the 7th degree of the scale a lot, which over the IV chord becomes a tritone, so those are more dissonant intervals than simple major chords, and some of them imply relative minor chords at other spots.  It's part of what makes that song so beautiful for me, that there's so much going on even when it seems more minimalistic.     Plus the heavily downtuned guitar makes it sound darker, the sorrowful cello playing, the funereal pace, the pained vocal delivery, it doesn't feel light and upbeat to me with all of that. 

[wolfking]

Name three songs by them. Go!

Lol.  Can you film your reaction for us please?

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Resent!

[soupytwist]

Sent.

[ariich]

Sorry for not commenting earlier...the doggie hurt herself - she tore her ACL and she's an older lady, so not sure where we go from here, especially since she just had surgery in Jan to remove a big tumor  Between that and work it's been a little nuts....

Aw no, hope she's OK!

Just working out how extreme to go in this round 

Seems you may not have been the only one...

[ariich]

I don't see it as musically upbeat either.     I don't even care about the lyrics, though I can tell they're dark. 

Interesting difference in how we're interpreting things in that case!

EDIT: To briefly explain my own reaction, the song is musically very gentle, all in a major key and with quote simple, pretty melodies. The combination of which I definitely associate with a light and upbeat tone.

That's a little oversimplified though.  Not to get too lost in the music theory weeds, but two of the main chords are major 7th chords, and the vocal melody as well as the guitar riffs and cello accompaniment hammer the 7th degree of the scale a lot, which over the IV chord becomes a tritone, so those are more dissonant intervals than simple major chords, and some of them imply relative minor chords at other spots.  It's part of what makes that song so beautiful for me, that there's so much going on even when it seems more minimalistic.     Plus the heavily downtuned guitar makes it sound darker, the sorrowful cello playing, the funereal pace, the pained vocal delivery, it doesn't feel light and upbeat to me with all of that. 

Hmm there probably is a slight difference in how we interpret the emotional resonance, but I think also you've somewhat misconstrued my comment that it's "slightly more upbeat in tone" than Return as suggesting I think it's upbeat in general, which I definitely don't.

I agree with eveything you've described about how both the music and the delivery make it beautiful and emotional. Where I think we perhaps differ is that those harmonic qualities evoke more of a bittersweet feeling in me than the outright bleak sadness of Return. That itself may be a difference in interpretation, and same for whether that is indeed less depressing.

[Elite]

Disappointing result, slightly. But I can also see why it's not everybody's cup of tea. I personally think Wes' playing is amazing and it's one of my favourite go-to jazz records.


Sent round 4!

[twosuitsluke]

Just working out how extreme to go in this round  will be sending soon.

Edit: sent

I literally just looked for that on a shirt. 

Will probably buy some off their other merch without hearing a single song.

https://pizzadeathband666.bandcamp.com/merch 

You never let me down dude 

I could’ve almost sent the whole album. I almost nearly sent something this round you very well may have sent yourself 

[faizoff]

Sent round 4.

[ReaperKK]

Sent!

[ariich]

Just waiting on one submission and then we can get hangman underway.

This round is definitely the heaviest so far.

[lonestar]

This round is definitely the heaviest so far.

You asked, we deliver...

[Elite]

Just waiting on one submission and then we can get hangman underway.

This round is definitely the heaviest so far.

Pretty sure I'm to blame at least partly.

[Evermind]

Just waiting on one submission and then we can get hangman underway.

This round is definitely the heaviest so far.

Pretty sure I'm to blame at least partly.

I mean it's only fair that heaviness should escalate as the roulette progresses.

[lonestar]

Hey Rich, hold off on listening to the new Gacharic Spin song so I can submit on my EP

[King Postwhore]

Hey Rich, hold off on listening to the new Gacharic Spin song so I can submit on my EP

He had to see it now since you've been advocating it on every social media you can. 

[lonestar]

Hey Rich, hold off on listening to the new Gacharic Spin song so I can submit on my EP

He had to see it now since you've been advocating it on every social media you can. 

I haven't put it on Instagram or tik tok yet, let's not exaggerate it....


It's a really good fucking song though.

[King Postwhore]

It is.  Lisa loved it too. 

[lonestar]

It is.  Lisa loved it too.

She has excellent tastes in music and men.

I'm obviously joking, I'm sure Rich was on the new track right away, and I'm also sure the band falls under a total ban.

[Crow]

D

[Glasser]

It is.  Lisa loved it too.

[twosuitsluke]

It is.  Lisa loved it too.

Is that from Weird Science?

[Glasser]

It is.  Lisa loved it too.

Is that from Weird Science?

Yes, Lisa! 

[lonestar]

It is.  Lisa loved it too.

Is that from Weird Science?

Yup....



Sigh....

[twosuitsluke]

Classic 80s 

[Glasser]

Classic 80s 

Kelly sporting those incredible DSL's. 

[King Postwhore]

Giggity.

[ariich]

I'm obviously joking, I'm sure Rich was on the new track right away, and I'm also sure the band falls under a total ban.

Correct on all counts. While not strictly specified in the rules, I obviously won't be accepting singles I've already heard from upcoming albums by artists I already love. My RYM should give a pretty good indication of whether that applies to any given artist but generally if I've rated all their recent albums and at least some of them are 4 stars or higher, I'll be checking out the new stuff already.

[ariich]

D

Fine then!


??: ___ _____ ____
    1: ___ ________
    2: ________
    3: ___ __ ______
    4: ____ _____

??: ______
    1: ___ _____ __ ___d
    2: ______ __ __
    3: D_______ __ _ D____

??: _____d___
    1: D_____
    2: ______
    3: ____
    4: _____
    5: ___d____ ___

??: ________ ______
    1: ___d _____ ________ __ ___
    2: _______ __ __________ _____
    3: _ ____ ______

??: __________
    1: _____d_ __ _ - ___ __ ____ __ ____ __d ___?
    2: _____d_ __ _ - D___d___ ___
    3: ___ _____’_ D_______
    4: ____d_ _____

??: _____ _____
    1: ___ ________ ___
    2: ___________

??: ______ __ _____
    1: ______ / _________
    2: ___ ______ ____
    3: _____ ____ ____ __ ____

??: _________
    1: __________
    2: ______
    3: ___d
    4: ______

??: ______ ____ ____
    1: _____ D_____/_____ __ ______

??: ____d____
    1: __d__ _____ _____
    2: ______

??: _______
    1: ____
    2: ______

??: D__ _____
    1: ___ __ ___ _____
    2: __________
    3: _dd _______

??: ______
    1: _____
    2: D________
    3: _____
    4: _._._.

??: _________
    1: ______ __ ____ _______
    2: ___ ____
    3: ___d _____
    4: ________

??: D_____d
    1: ______
    2: ____d ____
    3: ____

??: D______
    1: ________ __ ___d
    2: ___ ___ D_____ ___ ____
    3: _____
    4: ________

??: ________ __________
    1: _____ ______
    2: _________ ___d_d
    3: _______d __d___d

??: _______
    1: ____ ____
    2: _________ ____
    3: ____ _____
    4: _____ _____
    5: ___d__ __, _ ____ __ __ ___

??: ______ __ _____
    1: ______ ______
    2: __________ ___: ______
    3: ___ ___d ____ _____ __ ____d _______

??: _________
    1: ________
    2: _____ ___ ____
    3: ___ _____ ____ ______

??: ________
    1: _____d ___ ____
    2: ___ _______ D________
    3: ____ ____d

??: ____
    1: ___________
    2: ________ ___ D_________
    3: ___d____d_ ____d__

??: ____ _ ____ ____
    1: ____d____
    2: D___, D___
    3: ____ _______ ____: __,___

??: ___ ___ __ _______
    1: ____ ___ _____ ____ ___
    2: ___ ____ ______
    3: _____ _______
    4: ___ ______

Guessed letters: D

[lonestar]

I'm obviously joking, I'm sure Rich was on the new track right away, and I'm also sure the band falls under a total ban.

Correct on all counts. While not strictly specified in the rules, I obviously won't be accepting singles I've already heard from upcoming albums by artists I already love. My RYM should give a pretty good indication of whether that applies to any given artist but generally if I've rated all their recent albums and at least some of them are 4 stars or higher, I'll be checking out the new stuff already.

It's so damn good... I think I'm 10 spins in now.