Progressive

[Jazz]

Haven’t listened to new prog bands in quiet a while. Any releases you guys are waiting for this year?

[tingky]

New Karnivool is supposedly releasing this year. However people were saying the same thing last year... and the year before. If this album gets pushed back again I really don't care anymore... *Sulks in corner*

In other important matters, I've recently got back to listening to Oceansize. My memory is bad but I don't remember Effloresce sounding this heavenly in my last listen (a couple of years). Also noticed it's a much "quieter" album compared to newer records of other bands, but quickly realized the loudness wars have completely overrun contemporary music production. I had to turn the volume up a bit which opened up the album to all its unclipped glory.

Also all hail women who love men who love drugs.

Edit: oh, and also a new Contortionist EP is due this year. Early Grave sounds delicious

[Jelger]

Is Karnivool the new, smaller Tool?

[tingky]

Not really a huge fan of Tool so I don't have the authority to say.

[Jelger]

Just in the sense that they tease an album for ages

[tingky]

In that case...

[Jazz]

Is Karnivool the new, smaller Tool?

Funny that you said that. Early on, they were compared a lot to Tool. Their album Sound Awake was compared to Aenima.

Speaking of Tool, they’re about to release the new album next month. First studio album since 2006. Apparently, the shortest song on the album is 11 minutes long.

As for Karnivool. Really hope their album comes out this year too. For some reason it seems like Asymmetry nearly broke them up.

[tingky]

As for Karnivool. Really hope their album comes out this year too. For some reason it seems like Asymmetry nearly broke them up.

How so? Was producing that record a nightmare for them?

[Jazz]

How so? Was producing that record a nightmare for them?

Not much of a nightmare, but there’s an interview from this year were they said, they had to edit a lot of the songs because they were too long. Also, one of their guitar players made it clear that the band ran out of ideas during the recording sessions for the upcoming album and that is why they are taking too long on this new album.

[tingky]

The new Northlane album "Alien" is impressive. I've been listening to it for days and can't get enough of it. Nolly of Periphery did a pretty good job with mixing it and this album convinced me that he's one of the best rock producers right now.

As for the album itself, it's not so much progressive but more of nu-metal with heavy progressive leanings. I especially like how they utilized electronica to add to the mood of certain songs. I can single out the song "Talking Heads" where there's this segment tinged with droning and foreboding electronica that leads to a Meshuggah-Rational-Gaze sounding breakdown that just hits me in all the right spots. I've posted about Northlane previously and commended their melodic ability especially when coming up with catchy choruses and it's still present in this record. I couldn't recommend this album enough.

I also read that the lyrics were inspired from the singer's own past experiences and the aggressiveness in his vocal delivery really comes across as genuine as a result. You really get a sense that there's a story behind the angst and the instrumentation complements it- as opposed to bands writing riffs for the sake of being technical and add screams over it and call it a day. I haven't read about his specific experiences but judging from the videos of Bloodline and Eclipse you could tell he went through some tough shit in the past.