The Metal Thread

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Right!  I am at the House of Blues as I post this.  Red Fang rocked out.  I barely survived The Dillinger Escape Plan.  Mastodon is up next.  More to come.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and World Braker

[lugaru]

That post has a Blair Witch style effect... "and that was Ow_Tiobe_Sb's last post... he did not survive Mastodon".

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Sorry, lou.  I tried to post a review of the concert over Thanksgiving several weeks ago before RL nearly swallowed me whole; however, the forum somehow ate the post that took me an hour to compose (and then I simply did not have the time to recreate it).  I will try to recall the most salient details of the event and record them here for anyone who is interested.

In the meantime, I have been listening to the following rather satisfying local acts:

The Proselyte (Bandcamp Page) - This Boston-based progressive stoner/sludge metal act's recently released Sunshine is a real treat with its southern-tinged harmonised vocals and hard-hitting riffs.

Black Pyramid (Myspace Page) - Progressive, doomy, psychedelic heavy metal from Northampton, MA that tips its hat to Black Sabbath and then motors farther down a bleak and trackless path toward mystical, hopeless subject matter.  Check out their recently released LP, II.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whilred Braker

[lugaru]

Glad to hear from you, I was starting to feel a little guilty about the joke I made.

I need to check those bands out... I've actually been going backwards and listening to a lot of old stuff from when I was in highschool such as Theater of Tragedy or Amorphis.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

O.M.F.G!  O.M.F.G!  Opeth and Mastodon--*huff* *puff*--at the Orpheum Theatre--*huff* *puff*--Boston--*wheeze* *groan*--April 5--*huff* *wheeze*--tickets on sale Feb. 3 @ 10:00 AM! *expire in unrecognisable heap*










I simply must go!

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[lugaru]

Well holly #%%^#.

I've always wanted to see Opeth again, the time I saw them was at Berklee college of music, only doing "clean vocals" songs. Great, but not nearly as rocking as I would have hoped. This will surely make up for it... now to see if I can convince a few friends.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

the time I saw them was at Berklee college of music, only doing "clean vocals" songs. Great, but not nearly as rocking as I would have hoped. This will surely make up for it...

I hope you are not disappointed, lou, especially if the group is touring in support of Heritage, which is certainly not your typical, hard-hitting Opeth album.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

P.S. It looks as if the new tour of North America is intended to support both Heritage and Mastodon's latest album, The Hunter:

Spoiler

P.P.S. The opening act for the tour promises to be good fun: a Swedish, theatrical psyche-death-ic metal act named Ghost.

Spoiler

[ow_tiobe_sb]

WOOT! Just scored a ticket to the show^* in the reserved orchestra section, a mere two thin rows from the stage!









Egads!  I must truly want to go deaf...

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker


^* Tickets went on sale through the Artist Arena website today at 3:00 PM EST.  To purchase these tickets, one must register an account with Artist Arena.

[Kommando]

Only band I really listen to these days is Maximum The Hormone.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Only band I really listen to these days is Maximum The Hormone.

I take it that this band serves up a healthy dose of irony with its music, does it not, Komm?

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Xenolith]

Heritage is my favorite album yet.  I am going to see if I can get a ticket for the Denver show.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Good luck, Xeno!  If anyone is interested in sampling Ghost's music, there is a smattering of it posted to the band's Myspace page.  The theme from Sweden for this tour seems to be clean vocals with a heavier emphasis on traditional progressive rock/70's psychedelic rock sounds (which you won't get from Mastodon very often, unless the band intends to incorporate more tracks from Crack the Skye into the set list than it did for the initial Hunter Tour in late 2011).  What I would really like to see is some interplay between Opeth and Mastodon, e.g., the time Mikael Åkerfeldt sang lead vocals on "Repentance" during Dream Theater's Chaos in Motion Tour (a moment that was captured on the tour DVD).  I could easily see an exchange of vocalists happen on a number of songs from either band, just as easily as I could see Brent Hinds of Mastodon filling in for Mikael or Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth, or vice versa.  'Tis one thing to invite the members of Red Fang and The Dillinger Escape Plan to return to the stage to serve as the choir for Mastodon's final number of the evening, "Creature Lives"--as they did during the Hunter Tour--'tis quite another thing to play a more central role in performing a rendition of another artist's song (and I would prefer to witness the latter).

*crosses fingers*

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[lugaru]

I'll check out ghost and I'm pretty psyched... getting at least 2 tickets later on today but probably 4 since I think I know another couple who wants to go and I can resell them later if that does not work out.

When I saw Opeth at the berklee college of music it was a mostly accoustic show, but they did play "Face of Melinda" (an alltime favorite of mine) and this old man in front of me, started slowly at first, to rock his head back and forth. Me and the metal heads behind him where like "OMG this 80 year old is instinctually headbanging". You could tell he was the sort who has seasons tickets and goes to any and every show, but he was rocking to Opeth.

[lugaru]

Ghost is pretty much a King Diamond cover band, ok... softer, more 70's, maybe trippier... but yeah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjkatWc0XXI

[Xenolith]

The sound like a heavy metal version of the band that sang all of those songs on Scooby Doo Where Are You?   

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Opeth's "Blackwater Park" is Free Song of the Day on Google Play today.  Go get it, if you don't already own it.  You won't regret it.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Deaths Jester]

*burys his head in his hands*  WHy must Tiobe hate me so with this stuff?!?!?!  What?!?!  Does Nocture count as heavy metal or something else??  Never am sure what these bloody sections mean.....

[ow_tiobe_sb]

*burys his head in his hands*  WHy must Tiobe hate me so with this stuff?!?!?!

"Hate" is too strong a word, D.J., when, in truth, I simply cannot stand, the sight, smell, or thought of you.

I am not familiar with "Nocture," so I cannot comment on the band; however, if you meant "Nocturne" (from Dallas, TX), then, yes, I believe they do play a type of (industrial) heavy metal--not my particular cup of tea, mind you, but that is no reason why you couldn't discuss the band in this thread.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[Deaths Jester]

*burys his head in his hands*  WHy must Tiobe hate me so with this stuff?!?!?!

"Hate" is too strong a word, D.J., when, in truth, I simply cannot stand, the sight, smell, or thought of you.

I am not familiar with "Nocture," so I cannot comment on the band; however, if you meant "Nocturne" (from Dallas, TX), then, yes, I believe they do play a type of (industrial) heavy metal--not my particular cup of tea, mind you, but that is no reason why you couldn't discuss the band in this thread.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

Wow...and to think you once were a friend with me against the evil that was Prev..and now I find you're in bed with him!  So heartbreaking and backstabbing!!

I think the band I was mentioning was Nocturne...not sure if ti was the Dallas based group though...will have to do research into the group more...and what type of tea do you prefer?

[Deaths Jester]

Alrighty...after searching...the band I mentioned is the Nocturne from Dallas...didn't know they were so close to me...now what should I speak about them..hmmm..unsure...

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Tonight's the big night: Opeth and Mastodon at the Orpheum Theatre, Boston!  I hope to be able to post telegraphic reviews of the acts as they conclude via my trusty cellular phone.   

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[lugaru]

See you there!

[ow_tiobe_sb]

See you there!

Excellent, lou!  Now you can set the story straight when my reviews stray toward the effusive.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Blackwater Blasteroid

P.S. Just spotted Brann Daillor, Bill Kelliher, Mikael Akerfeldt, and Martin Mendez. 

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Ghost was good theatrical fun, but, egads!, what a nose that vocalist has!

EDIT: I am much less sure about this set list based on my memory; nevertheless, here goes.

Con Clavi Con Dio
Elizabeth
Satan Prayer
Death Knell
Prime Mover
Ritual

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Blackwater Blasteroid

[ow_tiobe_sb]

I will need to be much more detailed later; however, for now, suffice it to say that Mastodon rocked out, playing practically every song on The Hunter.  Let me ask now, what the bloody hell was wrong with the masses of people in the balcony who stayed seated for most of the Mastodon set?  Have they no soul?

EDIT: For now (and because 'tis late), here is a set list that is mostly out of order (and I think I forgot one number).

Black Tongue
Blasteroid
Stargasm
Octopus Has No Friends
All the Heavy Lifting
The Hunter
Crack the Skye
Dry Bone Valley
Thickening
Spectrelight
Curl of the Burl
Bedazzled Fingernails
Blood and Thunder
Creature Lives

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Blackwater Blasteroid

[ow_tiobe_sb]

If I had to criticise Mastodon at all, I would say that the band could benefit from more direct audience interaction.  There was no shortage of that from Mikael Akerfeldt and company.  Golden quotation of the night: "Yes, I know you [Boston] have Aerosmith, but we [Sweden] have ABBA."

(Perhaps Partial) Set List:
The Devil's Orchard
I Feel the Dark
Slither
The Lines in My Hand
Folklore
Windowpane
The Grand Conjuration
Deliverance

More to come...

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Blackwater Blasteroid

[lugaru]

"Yes, thank you, I already had dinner... clam chowder".

I went there for Opeth but they where feeling too painfully mellow (although incredibly accomplished) after that Mastodon set, until the last 3 songs, that was down to the ground headbanging bliss. What side where you on? I was on the right of the mixing booth. I looked around and found my current boss (he is a metal head) but no purple top hats. 

BTW did Opeth do an encore? Normally I would stay but while my friend had a ton of fun, we both had to get up at 6:15 this morning so she was DONE and I kind of was too. I honestly dont trust Boston audiences to generate enough noise and excitement to warrant an encore anyways.

Lastly... gawd... concession prices! We each got a beer, and that required taking out a 15 year bank loan.

[Xenolith]

Sounds like you two had fun.  I'm still on the fence about going to Denver for the show.

[lugaru]

Sounds like you two had fun.  I'm still on the fence about going to Denver for the show.

Yeah, since it was not jimmies out death metal and since the audio production for the show was absolutely perfect, I think anyone could enjoy it. Bring earplugs though, I forgot and suffered for it.

And hopefully Ghost will be playing... I have really low standards for opening acts (I've seen amazing bands headlined by local highschool students) and they where just pure fun.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

"Yes, thank you, I already had dinner... clam chowder".

And the response from the wiseguy next to me (who had opened the volley about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Aerosmith) was, "Say, 'Chowdah!'"

I went there for Opeth but they where feeling too painfully mellow (although incredibly accomplished) after that Mastodon set, until the last 3 songs, that was down to the ground headbanging bliss. What side where you on? I was on the right of the mixing booth. I looked around and found my current boss (he is a metal head) but no purple top hats. 

It seemed to me that many audience members were there for Opeth and not Mastodon (I even saw a fair number of audience members wearing Ghost T-shirts.  ).  This might explain A) why no one but I saluted Mr. Daillor when he made his way out the front doors to find food before the show and B) why many, many audience members sat through the entire show until Opeth took the stage.  I was rather embarrassed by the latter fact, for, clearly, both Ghost and Mastodon were attempting to put on their best show (despite the fact that Brent Hinds was clearly altered--not to mention injured and wearing a large walking cast on his left foot--during the show ).  As for the mellowness, in jest, I actually called out, "Play more Camel!" in between, IIRC, "I Feel the Dark" and "Windowpane," though, thankfully, Mr. Akerfeldt took no notice.     I was in the second row in front of the stage on house left (stage right), situated directly in front of Mr. Hinds (guitar, Mastodon), Fredrik Akesson (guitar, Opeth), and one of those cloaked and hooded guitarists from Ghost.    I actually spent a good while looking about the audience for a genial-looking fellow holding kitchen knives and accompanied by a comely butterfly, though I spotted no such gentlemen in the audience.  'Tis a pity. 

BTW did Opeth do an encore? Normally I would stay but while my friend had a ton of fun, we both had to get up at 6:15 this morning so she was DONE and I kind of was too. I honestly dont trust Boston audiences to generate enough noise and excitement to warrant an encore anyways.

Lastly... gawd... concession prices! We each got a beer, and that required taking out a 15 year bank loan.

I've found that Boston venues are not very hospitable to encores, unless they are built into the timing of the show (which usually must end by 11:00 PM).  Though I, too, did not stay, my guess is that there was no encore, given that the Orpheum was threatening to "cut the power" to the show even before Opeth began playing "Deliverance."  Unless I am in a pub for a show, I generally do not bother with concessions.  At venues such as the Orpheum (or the Wang Center, or The Bank of America Pavilion, etc.), I expect to be ripped off at the stand.  Instead, I typically save my cash for a souvenir tour T-shirt (which I got last night ) and make my way to my seat.

Sounds like you two had fun.  I'm still on the fence about going to Denver for the show.

I definitely got my money's worth!  I've seen Mastodon twice, now, and both shows were spectacular live.  If you're a student of guitar, 'tis worth it just to get a closer, firsthand look at Mr. Hinds's fingering and picking methods, which, I noticed, differ a great deal from Mr. Kelliher's.  Whereas Mr. Kelliher is very exact and changes fingerings in a very rapid, though deliberate and accurate, fashion, Mr. Hinds seems to take a non-traditional, more fluid approach to fingering that makes playing lightning-quick runs on, e.g., "Octopus Has No Friends" look effortless.  If Opeth came to Boston (proper) more frequently, I would make an effort to see them every time.  It just so happens that, whenever I've noticed they are having quasi-local upcoming shows, they have typically been at the Worcester Palladium, which is not a very convenient destination for me.

You won't regret going to the show, if you have the means and the leisure. 

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Blackwater Blasteroid

P.S. I will attempt to post some (blurry, dark) pictures from last night's show later today.