Mastodon - Oblivion
This is where post-metal, indie/hipster metal like Isis, and thrash has finally culminated, and I’m so happy that I was there to ride the wave. Prog is back baby, Zepp style.
I could talk about this new album (Crack the Skye) all day, but I won’t. Promise me to listen to this, though. It’s a really rewarding song.
Ayreon - Day Sixteen - Loser off The Human Equation album.
Gthus, I’ll see your organ solo and raise you a didgeridoo.
Ephel Duath - Few Stars, No Refrain and a Cigarette off the Pain Necessary to Know album.
This is a song, well a band actually, that takes a real toll on your listening ability and showcases just how brilliant non-linear music can be in that it alarms and unnerves the listener who’s used to a set structure of repeating choruses and verses; but give it a chance since part of its beauty is in the challenge it presents you and in its eschewing of predicable song structure and embrace of the idea that no riff need to be heard twice.
Dream Theater - Mike Portnoy & Jordan Rudess Duet from the Live at Budokan DVD.
So while, sure, it’s great to come together and collaborate on songs and albums when your band is lacking what’s necessary to really pull off a score, why not simply get a group of people together that are entirely capable of playing the music you want to be creating?
There’s really no example better than Dream Theater. This little improv clip seals that into their legacy. The band members bounce ideas off each other beautifully, playing into each other’s leads and turnarounds and their technical skills leave absolutely nothing beyond their scope. You’ll notice Zappa dancing around on the screen behind them and his sound seeping into what they’re doing and then some blast beats burning through the atmosphere they’ve created.
This band doesn’t need to draw other talent in to fill out their sound. In fact, sometimes the need to get rid of people, often sending the vocalist (James LaBrie) offstage while they delve into instrumental medleys or forming solo groups consisting of the the guitarist and keyboardist or a number of other combinations of the instrumentalists. Anyway, they really drive home the point: if your band isn’t capable of completing its musical projects on its own, maybe you need to be forming a better band.
Ayreon - Day Seventeen: Accident? off of The Human Equation album.
The Ben Fold’s post below this one highlights how well a band’s sound can be complimented and filled when another artist is included in the mix. It’s great to see different musicians coming together to collaborate and it’s a good reminder that no matter how large the music industry is getting, the scene is still fairly tight.
Ayreon is a project that’s the natural progression of that idea. It’s the child of Arjen Anthony Lucassen and to accomplish the rich sound he envisions in his head, he calls on a number of his top-caliber musician friends to bring his scores to life. In this sample song, the first two minutes feature at least three different vocalists voicing three separate characters. Check out the Wikipedia link to get the list of just who worked on what (and revel in the amazing cast that came together for this album): CLICK ME. The picture featured with this post is just the vocal talents added.
Imagine if more albums featured the breadth of talent that this man brought together for this. As you can see, it creates a unique atmosphere filled with to the brim with great musical nuances and talent. Why settle for a half-baked performance when you can get someone to come in any lay it out brilliantly?
It's a music blog if you haven't figured that out yet. We all have different tastes in music, from the gnarly to the sweet, the strums to the beeps and even some Fhqwhgads to keep your scrolls sleek. Each of our posts will relate some how to the post before it, like a game of tag. Hope you guys enjoy!
All music posted is strictly for promotional purposes. If you would like an song removed please contact us at smash.the.rental [at] gmail [dot] com.
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kottur
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gthus