What are you listening to?

Music, Movies, just about anything that isn't gaming related but is still entertainment goes here.
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Poonoo
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Poonoo » Sun Jan 20, 2019 5:25 am

Kugelfisch wrote:
Sun Jan 20, 2019 1:27 am
Drop C is my favourite tuning for 6-string guitars. It's been slandered a lot because it's mega easy to play supposedly. As if making power cords easier was an argument. It's just super flexible without really sacrificing anything. Who the fuck needs the upper E string to go higher anyway?
The best shit is a 7-string tuned down one across. I really don't know what's not to like.
It's hated also because a lot of shit bands rely on it to sound heavy without writing a heavy riff. Reign in Blood is in Eb tuning, only half a step down and it's heavier than most bands going down to fucking Drop C.

That doesn't mean I hate it, I don't but it should be used only when needed. The Thing That Should Not Be is one of the only songs Metallica in Drop D but it was needed for that song to sound as heavy as it did.

System of a Down use Drop tuning (it's a different type on certain albums) but they need to with only 1 guitarist, the riffs would be either overly complex or be played with one string and sound hollow.
Old Black Man wrote:
Wed Nov 27, 2019 9:11 pm
Also Lupa’s grandmother? Please, we know that hag was alive and well back then. She’s like the dude from Highlander, only a cunt.
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Kugelfisch
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Kugelfisch » Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:34 am

Eb is really nice as well. But drop tunings get lots of shit for little to no reason. Sure, you can use it as a crutch but then again, like I said, who's going to use the E string up to the very neck of the guitar anyway? You're more likely to find the ability to go lower more useful. At least I did.
But strings start to become very, very important at that stage because you'll have them slack with really shit ones or even just plain fuck up your guitar. I swear by Richard Rider pure nickel strings for all really low tunings because they have properly crafted sets just for that tuning so they aren't limp noodles.

I've listened to some SoaD just recently again and I find that they are, today, underrated. Especially their last two albums.
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Kugelfisch
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Kugelfisch » Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:07 am

So why not go for a System of a Down album rundown while I'm at it, right?
System of a Down
Turn of the century stuff that's still pretty alright. Maybe odd for people that were younger than teenagers at that time but very relatable still for those that were in that age back then.
Standouts are Suite-Pee for the odd intro with flageolett tones that are actually easy but seldom stand out that much.
Sugar is a song most people of my generation should know. Still pretty good today, if pretty raw and a child of it's time.
Soil has some really great melodies and licks mixed with downright experimental shit, growls and dissonant parts.
Darts is musically the closest to what they'd soon become with very weird lyrics. Still awesome.

Overall, a very listenable album. It's everything but boring. Heavy, melodic and nonsensical at times with lots of experimentation that, in my opinion, pays off more often than not. Ishtar, motherfucker!

Toxicity
Yeah, what do you want me to say about this album? Fucking awesome 17 years after it's release and there's still nothing like it.
It's likely the height of SoaD hitting the Zeitgeist perfectly while being unique. A bit less experimental stuff, more heavy songs, lyrics very critical of current times politics and a tendency for heavy breackdowns, likely inspired by the then current Hardcore Punk movement.
Notably, Daron Malakian sings more on this album than he did for the previous one, where he was mostly the funny voices guy. That's a trend that's going to come back later.
Notable songs? I honestly can recommend the entire album but if I were to point one out it'd be Chop Suey! just because it's the one SoaD song likely every one of you knows, unless you're 14 or something. That shit ran on repeat on MTV when it was just about to die along with Last Resort by Papa Roach.

Steal this Album!
A very mixed record. The title certainly fits as while it's not shit, it's not worth it's money either.
The first song I really like is number 6 called A.D.D., a moody song with a heavy riff. It has everything a heavy SoaD songs should be at that point, I think.
I-E-A-I-A-I-O is a defining song for this album. The entire album is notably more middle eastern than any of them before. Still, this one is just self-aware enough to have the Knight Rider theme as an interlude.
Highway Song is another standout. It's another good indicator as to where they'd end up at. It's obviously written by Serj, the singer, as it has the harmonic singing and is serious in tone. It's likely the best song of the album. Everything about it is just right.
Roulette is kinda SoaD's equivalent to Slipknot's Vermilion Pt.2 if that makes any sense to you guys. Except that it doesn't have a heavier version. So I guess it's more like Slipknot's Iowa?
Fun fact, my version of Iowa skips because I had a car crash to that song. Mini Cooper. Totalled the little fucker on the Autobahn. Poor guy. I got away unscathed, he didn't.

Mezmerize
The first part of the last album of SoaD. It was originally supposed to be a double album but was eventually split apart. It literally welcomes you with the intro to Soldier Side, which will be the last song of the very last album of SoaD.
Honestly, most songs of this album are great. It's very melodic, features mostly singing from Serj and Daron, has great riffs but notably features Daron singing solo more often than any previous album.
Very notable is Cigaro because it's pretty silly. It famously starts with the lyrics "My cock is much bigger than yours!".
Radio/Video is also great in general and has a polka feel to it during times.
Violent Pornography is a happy and upbeat song about violent pornography. "It's a violent pornography, chocking chicks and sodomy!" Glorious! Just glorious!
Sad Statue is just plain awesome.
Old School Hollywood is mostly making fun about pretentious Hollywood and fairly poppy with samples and synth. Very unusal for SoaD in general but good.
Lost in Hollywood, the song right after that is a very sombre song about a loved one getting abused in Hollywood. Still as relevant as ever. An absolutely fantastic song that keeps building up and doesn't disappoint.

Very melodic, back to experimental stuff but more having found their tone. Daron and Serj are now both equals as singers with Serj very notably often taking the background singing, despite being the sole lead singer but the harmonic singing still very noticeably carries his signature. Overall a very good album.

Hypnotize
We go right in with the aggressive Attack to set the tone. It quickly takes a break to make clear that this still isn't the same SoaD of very old but it gets the tempo running.
Hypnotize is likely another song most of you know. The intro is pure bless to play on guitar. Great song.
Stealing Society is a personal favourite of mine. It's one of the best examples of harmonic singing of the album and it keeps the theme of shitting on Hollywood going. Awesome escalating riffs, awesome lyrics.
Holy Mountains is an epic song. It's got so many parts of what I like about the band stuffed into one song, you'll just have to listen to it yourself.
Lonely Day was a single so you likely know the song. It's good but a bit boring.

Overall, Hypnotize is the weaker album but the great songs on it are mostly the slower ones and despite more songs on the album and less truly great ones. not all are mentioned, like Soldier Side, it makes sense in the context of it being a part of Mezmerize.


Of all the end of 90s, beginning of 2000s bands, I'd say SoaD still hold up very well, with most of them faring way worse. They've always been experimental, different and never afraid of appearing silly while they could both be very serious and just dumb fun at the same time if they wanted to.
The eventually split and neither Scars on Broadway (Daren Malakian's band) nor Serj Takian's stuff are worth listening to. You can take a peek and will quickly discover that they both really needed each other to make great things happen, instead of mediocre stuff.
If you haven't given them a listen in a long time, do so again. They hold up surprisingly well.
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Anthonygroum

What are you listening to

Post by Anthonygroum » Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:47 pm

Eldi I never knew Should I be attempting to capture pre-game for you on tape of some sort? If I was really leet, I'd - hey I wonder if I can run it through the device that transfers my vinyl to digital...

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Old Black Man
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Old Black Man » Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:33 am

The guy from Syndrome of a Down is a terrorist. All of his lyrics are durka durka durka.

What did you think of his solo album Elect the Dead?
I’m getting too old for this shitposting.

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Kugelfisch
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Kugelfisch » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:57 pm

Old Black Man wrote:
Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:33 am
The guy from Syndrome of a Down is a terrorist. All of his lyrics are durka durka durka.

What did you think of his solo album Elect the Dead?
I don't like either of their solo albums. Serj is boring on his own, Daron can't stand on his own for shit either.
It's painfully obvious that especially Daron tried to keep going into the direction of late SoaD but he's too goofy on his own. Riffs are too weak and the writing is notably worse.
Serj seems to be making movie soundtracks exclusively for the last few years. Nothing of interest to me.
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Cannons bray, the mighty quake!
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Kugelfisch
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Re: What are you listening to

Post by Kugelfisch » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:59 pm

Anthonygroum wrote:
Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:47 pm
Eldi I never knew Should I be attempting to capture pre-game for you on tape of some sort? If I was really leet, I'd - hey I wonder if I can run it through the device that transfers my vinyl to digital...
I don't have the slightest clue what you're saying.
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Cannons bray, the mighty quake!
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Guest

Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Guest » Wed Jan 23, 2019 4:08 pm

He's asking if you want the pre-game on cassette tape.

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Kugelfisch
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by Kugelfisch » Wed Jan 23, 2019 4:29 pm

Guest wrote:
Wed Jan 23, 2019 4:08 pm
He's asking if you want the pre-game on cassette tape.
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Cannons bray, the mighty quake!
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AngrySpoonySnob
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Re: What are you listening to?

Post by AngrySpoonySnob » Thu Jan 24, 2019 6:34 pm

been on a red hot chili peppers youtube binge today.

Still great music even though its by satanic faggots (blood sugar sex magic is real and what the illuminati use) and seeing will ferrell drum for them is cool too.
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