Not Exactly a Qualified Reviewer

[Shevy]

Nah, keep it open. Somebody else might like to jump in on the debate.

[toddhascrabs]

You've waitied for it. and now it has come. For those of you who have read my concert reviews (the ONE of you) you know how just plain insulting I can be. However, this time I'm going to try something different and defend my opinion with soemthing that hasen't been used by me in a while. Actual intelligent thought (althought I might slip up here and there ).


Well, let me start off by saying this. Are you upset about all of my In Flames reviews? Hell, I liked Rerute to Remain. But that's just me. Anyway, what I'm saying is that although In Flames is a very good band (and the singer even made fun of me when I thought he was the guy from Chimaira when I was drunk at the Worcester Palladium and only had one contact left from the other one being punched out in THEIR PIT). But, to go from the influences of a metal great such as Iron Maiden to ripping off KoRn is just sad. Hobo-fucking-clown sad. and you can't tell me it didn't happen. If you sat down with a guitar, you could tell immdiatly. Speaking of which, the transition from complex song structures to simple stuff happened right around when they lost their two guitarist and one of them went to the drums. Call me crazy but that to me signified the change of In Flames. Why? becuase different people have different styles. Shit, I can tell IMMEDIATLY in a Cannibal Corpse song which two guitarists were playing (Owen (former member), O'brian, or Barrett (former member) AND I can tell who wrote the damn song. But I digress... The point is that there was definatly a transition in their music. For better for worse who knows (I think for worse from a musical standpoint but the vocalist got better. He was annoying in their previous stuff). For your firend who now loves In Flames. Which Album did you play? Something along the lines of Whoricle or did you play Soundtrack to Your Escape. In my eyes they are two COMPLETLY different styles. Almost two differnet bands (hence the music magazines thought In Flames sold out by creating more friendly listenable music. I disagree with them in terms of sold out but it's definatly different.). As for you insuting me and doubting my credibility, you might be right. I'm just a 25 year old with a college degree who aparantly got through school sleeping with histeachers and drinking acessive amounts of alcohol with the others. and I don't know shit about music. I guess 9 years of piano and 8 years of guitar have taught me nothing about scales, modes, tranitions, tunings, timings, etc etc etc. Does all this make me qualified to review a CD. No. Does this mean that I might know something about music... a little. In Flames changed their scales, their tunings, thier timings, and their music got so much simpler to play. I personally think In Flames is a good band. and nice guys. But, they are capable of so much more than ripping off a keyboard sound from KoRn. Hence Sountrack is aweful.

Now, as for the violins. I have no antagonistic behavior towards violins (oh I used to play one of those too), but a violin, keyboards, random sounds... you name it should not be a FOCAL point if it's to be used as BACKGROUND. Chimaira had a problem with that on their first release from Roadrunner. Their DJ made sounds that took away from the guitar riffs. On their next album they corrected that. If it's an addative, that's it. Cool to have. Not something to be used to rape your attention away and make it a focal point.

and then.... more was said but I got bored trying to keep up. So, there is my defense.

[Shevy]

Cool. I'm sold.

Anyway Splitter, I just want to finish up with the backlog of reviews at the moment, try to land an interview I've been thinking about in the back of my head, and then I'm going to create that Live Show section.

[toddhascrabs]

it's cool. I'm like 4 shows behind as well. I think I'm still on the Dio/Anthrax concert. AND YOU KNOW HOW LONG AGO THAT WAS....
But, I dont' ahve to go to another concert until march 5th so that should give me enough time to get off my fat ass and start pounding out some reviews (more In Flames cause it's in such high demand and everyone clearly thinks that I am indeed THE MOST QUALIFIED to do so...).

[toddhascrabs]

I just realized that when reading the "list" of songs that this guy chose his friends to liten to "Quiet Place, Cloud Connected, Metaphor, Trigger, Whoracle, and Only for the Weak" almost all of those songs are In Flames hits. More than half of them are music videos played on MTV that I have copies of. Not only that. Most of those songs are sing alongs. Now, how many sing along songs do In Flames have on their previous albums? The answer is very little. Based on your musical selection of songs chosen to "represent" the band. I can clearly see now why you would hate my reviews. I can play your selection of songs to any of my friends and they will like it. I could play your music selection at work and have people like it. However,In Flames didn't start out as a sing along band and I don't think they should be a sing along band. and I think that the song choice you made was a poor repesentation of what the band is about

[Tulkamir]

Well, first off, you ought to talk more like that in your reviews. Obviously from what you've said I was in the wrong with a bit of it. However, it still does not change that you implied that In Flames was a band which would have never used violins in their early days but suddenly decided to when the changed or sold out or whatnot. Violins were used from their first album.

As to the rest... you do seem to know your shit.

(Oh, and as for those songs, when your trying to get someone into metal you shouldn't give them the hard stuff off the bat IMO. Give them some of the stuff that everyone does like, their hits with the music video's and whatnot. Then when they start liking that metal they may be more willing to look into the hardstuff. Atleast that's been what happens in my experience.).

Anyways, I can't say much to the rest, I don't play music. However, I really don't see In Flames newer music as anywhere near enough to Korn or Iron Maiden to be considered rip-offs. But then, I'm not educated in music. I could care less about the technical stuff, so long as it sounds good.

(Oh, and I do agree with you that the Guitar has been going a little bit downhill since the band members changed there, and that the vocals have gotten much much better. Though the guitars haven't gotten too much worse IMO).

[1:(]

Well, first of all I'd like to say I'm glad you've begun to rationalize your opinions. Stick around and stay a while and chat nicely with us.

Tulkamir said:

Anyways, I can't say much to the rest, I don't play music. However, I really don't see In Flames newer music as anywhere near enough to Korn or Iron Maiden to be considered rip-offs. But then, I'm not educated in music. I could care less about the technical stuff, so long as it sounds good.

I would recommend playing music. As someone who's been playing guitar for three years, it's helped me to get more into the music I listen to because you can play along with it. Just as long as you keep the same approach you have now about the "not caring if it's technical, just as long as it sounds good" thing. A lot of people learn to play music and then decide they can only listen to music that has a lot of talent. Nobody can listen to that complex stuff all the time. I think even the most knowledgeable people in theory need some simple stuff now and then that they can just get into. I listen to my fair share of simple stuff and it's good to just absorb the energy. When I want to analyze stuff, I listen to technical hardcore. If by being uneducated, you also meant in terms of bands you know, don't worry. We'd all be glad to give you recommendations too. Shevy and Scoots have told me about many a band(and they've done the same for each other...I haven't been of too much help though, but I try).

[Shevy]

Hey Tulk, I'd definitely recommend learning an instrument...even if it's a harmonica or something. I've been playing an instrument in one form or another since the third grade, and it's certainly a great creative outlet.

[toddhascrabs]

Tulkamir an instrument is an awesome way to learn about music. That's why I love Cannibal Corpse. To most people it sounds like complete noise. but, to see them play it live (and very well) and to sit down and try to play it, it just opens up a entirely new understanding. Oh don't get me wrong. I listen to stuff that can be played with one hand on guitar (Fear Factory, Bury Your Dead, Throwdown, etc etc etc). I got into In Flames like I did Cannibal Corpse. For their techincal abilities. Now, for them to be borrowing Iron Maiden riffs is not a bad thing. Iron Maiden has a technical music style. but, yeah I felt there is a drop in the guitar playing like you did. But, I just cant let it pass. Hence the "old fan" "New fan" thing. I liked them for their technical ability. But, I also like their new stuff. However, I can see how someone expecting Tecnical, got something else, and how someone who has never heard of them before would love Reroute to Remain (becasue it's a lot less harsh to listen to). Maybe that was validation. Maybe not. But, I will concede that the violin was a low blow on my part.

[Tulkamir]

Yea, it'd be great to be able to learn an instrument. I've acctually really been wanting to, but I have two major problems, my musical abilities are strictly limited to listening. I have absolutly no talent in the area. :S And time, I'm thinking it's gotta take a lot of time to learn an instrument, and I don't have much of that.

And yea, I wouldn't mind sticking around. Despite my bad start here, you do seem to be a good bunch. You may end up seeing more of me here, depending on if I have the time for a forum.

As for technical abilities, I suppose I could see that. Though I still dunno, I listen to what appeals to my ear really. Not to mention a lot of bands like canibal corpse, talented as they are, don't appeal to me because they (in my experience with them, which was shut the song off after a minute) just try to go fast, hard, etc... but don't really seem to care about the acctual musical quality they make. Not to mention I can't stand singers like their's most of the time.

Anyways, yea, I see where you were going with the reviews. Just a few of the finer points that bug me.

Oh, and Lamp, recommendations are ALWAYS welcome.

[dangerzone]

I STILL THINK TULK IS GAY.

[Shevy]

Tulkamir said:

Yea, it'd be great to be able to learn an instrument. I've acctually really been wanting to, but I have two major problems, my musical abilities are strictly limited to listening. I have absolutly no talent in the area. :S And time, I'm thinking it's gotta take a lot of time to learn an instrument, and I don't have much of that.

What is it about playing an instrument do you figure you have no talent in? Timing? Coordination? Just plain tone def?

Just as a suggestion, have you ever tried playing a bass guitar? It's a really fun instrument to play with a very small learning curve. Take a couple half-hour lessons, buy a couple books, and take it from there. Even if you can only spare about 15 minutes every other day to sit down and practice some scales or play along with some simple music I'd say it would be well worth it.

On top of that, and I'm sure our resident guitar players would kick my ass for saying so (Skin Splitter, Uncle Meat, and Lamp), I think the ceiling for learning is higher for a bass than a regular guitar.

[1:(]

Hell if I care about that comment Shev. I took guitar lessons for a while and I just started blowing them off until my guitar teacher kicked me out of lessons. I still don't regret to this day. I have no trouble writing stuff I like, so it doesn't bother me at all. I own a bass as well. It is indeed a cool instrument. I have some knowledge of drums too, from air drumming and playing other peoples sets.

And Tulk...it may be hard for me to recommend you stuff if you don't like that is goes too fast and hard, because if you've looked at what I've reviewed, fast and hard is what I like a lot. Speedy music gets me charged.

[sc00ts]

i think learning bass on your own may be harder than guitar. i mean, you can always play a song JUST on guitar and it will sound like something. solo bass is kinda eh unless you are cliff burton. i think if you actually have a band or something to play with, bass is supposed to be REAL easy to learn, but solo, not so much. i dunno, i sold mine. i'd like to find a real cheap guitar to bash around on.

[Shevy]

I would suggest bass mainly because it's very simple to learn a rhythm on and play along to some records with. Should one find more time on their hands to learn more about the bass, there is a ton of different stuff one can do with it.

If you were to buy a bass because you want to be a one man band, then I would recommend just going with a regular guitar.

[sc00ts]

i didn't mean actually playing solo as a goal, i meant trying to learn by playing solo is tough.

[1:(]

Playing the instrument to me was always physically harder because it has a much longer scale, bigger strings, and you traditionally don't use a pick. I use a pick sometimes. My bass only has a 30" scale too(as opposed to the standard 34"), so I like it.

[Thundertard]

My favorite instrument is the brokenassaphone. Let me play you a little song...

TOOT TOOT TOOT TOOT BBRREEAAKK!

Oh no! I have broken another ass with my brokenassaphone! Ho ho ho! Bring not your asses into the room when I play, for your ass will become broke!

[Tulkamir]

Well... for my lack of talent, I have absolutly no rhythm. And yea... acctually a bass guitar would be cool to learn... hmmm, so would a normal one.

Lamp... I think that was taken wrong. I love fast and hard stuff, but not the way some bands do it. I'm not sure it's really a fair judgement on Canibal Corpse, mainly because after about 1 minute of listening to em I had to turn the song off, just couldn't take it, but it may have gotten better. But they and other bands seem to just go hard and fast, and ignore the part of the song where they should be playing in harmony and building off of each others playing, creating good melodies, etc... It just tends to sound a bit chaotic and without any sense of appeasing order to me. That's the kind of stuff I don't like. And I don't like blantant screaming or yelling in the singing. There should be more to than vocals than that. I mean, you wouldn't play one chord on a guitar, so why would you use your voice in one mundane manner?

And it seems there's a bit of debate on which has the easier learning curve if practicing alone... so I've got a question. Once one is learned is the other fairly easy, or are they very different to play?

Oh, and danger, that's fine. I still think you need to find your caps lock key and possibly age a few years(mentally if nothing else) before it really matters what you think.

[1:(]

Tulkamir said:

And I don't like blantant screaming or yelling in the singing. There should be more to than vocals than that. I mean, you wouldn't play one chord on a guitar, so why would you use your voice in one mundane manner?

Alright, then here's my advice. Don't listen to anything I've reviewed. You won't like it. I HATE when bands sing. It makes the music cheesy. I'd rather listen to a band that was trying to destroy music than one that tried to take it to seriously. Sounding good is overrated.