Iron Maiden

Journal

  • Boredom Questions.

    7 Jan 2010, 17:01 by Danxalic

    1. What are you listening to right now?
    - Deathchain - Deadmeat Disciples

    2. What song makes you sad?
    - Hmm...there's some, but nothing I can remember now.

    3. What is the most annoying song in the world?
    - It must be some of those mainstream shits... something like Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium, something from that shitty Paramore... can't really say one most annoying, but all metalcore, deathcore and mainstream MTV-bands!

    4. Your all time favorite band?
    - Iron Maiden, 2nd favorite and so on change always, but Iron Maiden has stood at the number 1 place for 6 years and will always be there proud.

    5. Your newly discovered band is?
    - Revenge, gotta say this. Fucking awesome extreme chaotic black/death metal! Knew the name for long, but the music didn't work for me until few days ago!

    6. Best female voice?
    - Sabina Classen probably. Or the singer of Astarte. Doro is good too.

    7. Best male voice?
    - Clean/Thrash: Bruce Dickinson, King Diamond, Rob Halford, Sy Keeler, Schmier, Tom Angelripper
    Growl/Shriek/etc: Dagon, Abbath, Joel Grind, Antichrist, Sulphur, Mors Dalors Ra.

    8. Music type you find yourself listening to most?
    - Blackened Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Black Metal and Thrash Metal

    9. What do you listen to, to hype you up?
    - Something crushing thrash like Sadus. Or Nifelheim, or something fast.

    10. What do you listen to, to calm down?
    - Eluveitie's peaceful songs, Moonsorrow's peaceful songs, something slow, epic music.

    11. Last gig/concert you went to?
    - 5th Jan 2010. Ruttofestivaali @ Gloria (Architorture, Thrashgrinder, Scarecrow, Lie In Ruins, Malicious Death)

    12. Band you find yourself listening to the most right now?
    - Inquisition, Running Wild, Blasphemy, Nifelheim.

    13. Most hated band?
    - All metalcore shit (Trivium, BFMV, All That Remains, As I Lay Dying etc.), Deathcore shit (Bring Me The Horizon etc.), Screamo (Attack Attack! etc.), other mainstream shit money-making "bands".

    15. Band that you think the world should love as much as you do?
    - Iron Maiden, the haters of this band should be burnt alive.

    16. Coolest music video?
    - I don't watch much...as rarely good bands make a video. Probably Kreator - Enemy of God, Bathory - One Rode To Asa Bay, or Immortal - Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark), Eluveitie - Omnos.

    17. Music video with the most babe watch?
    - ...I don't watch a lot, and I don't check babes in music videos...

    18. What "do you play/would you play" in the bedroom to spice things up?
    - Wouldn't tell you ;)

    19. Can you play a musical instrument?
    - Not well, I want to learn drums.

    20. Ever been in a mosh pit?
    - Yes

    21. Are you in a band?
    - Not yet =(

    22. If yes, what kind of music does your band play and what is your role in it?
    - If I had one, I'd be the vocalist and we would be playing Blackened Thrash Metal

    23. Ever dated a musician?
    - My girlfriend plays guitar for her own fun, does it count?

    24. If yes, what kind of music did he/she/they play/instrument/band?
    - Well, my girlfriend plays guitar as I said also, but she's not in a band, just for her own fun. She plays songs she likes.

    27. If no, would you consider?
    - -

    28. Do you wish yourself that you were a musician?
    - I'd wish that I could play drums well, some guitar and some bass too. :P

    29. Best chick band you know of?
    - Girlschool or Crucified Barbara.

    30. Best guy band you know of?
    - Well...guy band...almost every band I like has only guys playing, so I guess that counts...NOT a boy band, but a band where every member is male. Iron Maiden!

    31. Last song that you heard on the radio/cd...etc?
    - Well, Onslaught's Fight With The Beast just ended. And I heard it from my computer :P

    32. What do you think of Classical music?
    - Some is beautiful, occultic, and dark. I don't like everything but some.

    33. What do you think of Country music?
    - I don't like.

    34. What do you think of Death metal?
    - It's good. Though nowadays there are too much deathcore bands that claim to be death metal, and death metal is too popular. I like some songs from many old school death metal bands, but the only death metal bands I at the moment like a lot are Necros Christos, Death, Morbid Angel and Nunslaughter. Well, if you count black/death then Blasphemy, Revenge, VON, Archgoat, Beherit, some Teitanblood and Conqueror.

    35. Last BIG band that you saw live?
    - Hmm...does Volbeat count as big? I saw them at Tuska. Shit. Last GOOD big band was Suicidal Tendencies. Well, I don't think they are really so big but... well, day before that... Immortal... it counts as somehow of a big I think... or year ago from that, Slayer, that is big for sure.

    36. Are you a groupie?
    - No

    37. Do you listen to music in foreign languages?
    - In many foreign languages.

    38. What famous musician would you like to fuck!?
    - I'd say none. There are maybe beautiful famous girls, maybe, but I don't want to fuck 'em, I'm happy with my girlfriend.

    39. Worst concert moment?
    - Volbeat I think.

    40. Funny Concert moment?
    - Many.

    41. Sad Concert moment?
    - None.

    42. Best local act you can think of?
    - Umm...Beherit or Ensiferum.

    43. If you were a musical instrument what would you be?
    - A crash symbal probably :D

    44. Do you listen to the radio?
    - Nope. Only if it is the only way to hear some even average music.

    45. Do you watch music TV?
    - No, it's nowadays shit.

    46. Do you follow the music charts, like the top 40?
    - Hell no.

    47. Have you met any famous musicians?
    - Umm...one guy of Finntroll, and the bassist of Suicidal Tendencies. Not so sure about others.

    48. Are any of your friends/family etc musicians?
    - One is a drummer, few are guitarists, some are bassists.

    49. Song that best describes your feelings right now?
    - Can't say because I really have a normal bored and tired feeling now.

    50. Song that describes your life?
    - Necros Christos - Black Mass Desecration....no, really I don't know.

    51. Do you know the names of all the band members that you listen to?
    - Most.

    52. Does a musician's physical attractiveness play a role in the music that you listen to?
    - No, if the music sounds good, it's the same if the band members are green hermaphrodites with cocks on their forehead, or hot females.

    53. What famous musician do you want to marry?
    - None. I want to marry my girlfriend.

    53. Favourite movie sound track?
    - Conan The Barbarian is awesome.

    55. Any musician pet hates?
    - Umm...?

    56. What do your parents listen to?
    - My mother listens to a lot kinds of music, I've never seen my father, but my mother listens to old rock...Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, The Who, CCR etc. And heavy metal: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio etc. She also liked the new finnish heavy band Armour. She likes some thrash like some songs from Slayer, some from Kreator, Anthrax, Annihilator, Overkill, etc. She hates death and black metal, mostly because of the vocals.

    57. What are you listening to right NOW?
    - Onslaught - Contract In Blood

    58. Do you wear band etc T-shirts?
    - Everyday with a rare exceptions.

    59. What do you think of people who do?
    - It's good way to show outside you like the band whose shirt you're wearing, and they look cool mostly.

    60. What music sub-culture do you feel like you belong to?
    - I listen almost only metal, so I think everyone would categorize me as Metalhead...I don't like labeling/categorizing myself, but I think I'd fall under the metalhead category.

    61. What song is stuck in your head right now?
    - Nothing finally.

    62. Do you sing in the shower?
    - Rarely

    63. If so, what? If not, why not?
    - Something really beautiful like Inquisition, Immortal, etc.

    64. Would you rather marry a musician or be one yourself?
    - I'd want to be a musician, and have to ability to play all instruments, but I don't care if my girlfriend is a musician or not... I love her, and that's why I want to marry her.

    65. What is in your walkman/discman right now?
    - Nothing

    66. How important is your partners taste in music to you?
    - It doesn't matter. If she would listen to rap, metal or emo, it's the same to me. Maybe because my girlfriend likes metal it is good, because she won't force me to hear shitty music then, but really, the music taste isn't important in a relationship.

    67. Hanson moves in next door to you, do you go introduce yourself, or do you arrange to beat them up?
    - I'd nuke them!

    68. Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll, you dig?
    - Remove the drugs part and it's great. To be more specific, change the rock'n'roll to heavy metal :D

    69. Do you cook to music?
    - Nope.

    70. Do you sing in the toilet?
    - Sometimes :D
  • One little survey

    6 Jan 2010, 13:09 by Porpentina

    What are the four tracks recently added to your library?

    1. Paloma Faith - Stargazer
    2. Melody Gardot - PlayDeep Within The Corners Of My Mind
    3. Lush - Lovelife
    4. W.A.S.P. - PlayThe Horror

    What four artists is Last.fm currently recommending to you?
    1. Obituary
    2. Crazy Lixx
    3. Nile
    4. Big Audio Dynamite

    Have you listened/heard of any of them before?
    I don't think I've listened to any of them. The first three I've heard of but Big Audio Dynamite doesn't ring the bell.

    Last loved track?
    CRASHDÏET - Riot in Everyone

    Last five recently listened tracks?
    1. Amy Macdonald - PlayThis Is The Life
    2. Vanessa Paradis - PlayDivine Idylle
    3. Tori Amos - PlayCornflake Girl
    4. The Ditty Bops - PlayThere's A Girl
    5. Tegan and Sara - Are You Ten Years Ago

    Last song you added to your playlist?
    Tea Leaf Green - PlayTaught To Be Proud

    Last person you left a shout to?
    megadethnatic

    Last person who left you a shout?
    trumanb

    Most frequently used tag?


    Closest event?
    Eternal Tears of Sorrow next Friday.

    How long have you been a member?
    Since March 3rd, 2006.

    How many overall plays do you have?
    101,815

    How many loved tracks?
    1,560

    What are your top 10 overall artists?
    1. Mötley Crüe
    2. Iron Maiden
    3. The Ark
    4. Hanoi Rocks
    5. The Doors
    6. Burzum
    7. Mokoma
    8. Sixx:A.M.
    9. Kotiteollisuus
    10. Björk

    Top 10 artists in the last seven days?
    1. Lady GaGa
    2. Agalloch
    3. W.A.S.P.
    4. Death
    5. Kayo Dot
    6. Florence + The Machine
    7. Sainkho Namtchylak
    8. Carbon/Silicon
    9. Garbage
    10. Fuzzy Duck

    What are your top 10 overall most played songs?
    1. Sixx:A.M. - PlayLife Is Beautiful
    2. Mötley Crüe - PlayGirls, Girls, Girls
    3. Sixx:A.M. - PlayVan Nuys
    4. Mötley Crüe - PlayKickstart My Heart
    5. Mötley Crüe - PlayLive Wire
    6. Sixx:A.M. - PlayGirl With Golden Eyes
    7. Sixx:A.M. - PlayPermission
    8. The Ark - PlayIt Takes A Fool To Remain Sane
    9. The Ark - PlayThe Most Radical Thing To Do
    10. Hanoi Rocks - PlayTragedy

    What are your top 10 most played songs in the last seven days?
    1. Lady GaGa - PlayTelephone
    2. Agalloch - PlayKneel to the Cross
    3. Lady GaGa - Vanity
    4. Lady GaGa - Rock Show
    5. Lady GaGa - PlayAlejandro
    6. Lady GaGa - PlayChristmas Tree
    7. Lady GaGa - PlayBad Romance
    8. Kayo Dot - Marathon
    9. Agalloch - PlayAs Embers Dress the Sky
    10. Kayo Dot - A Pitcher of Summer

    What bands do you find you most have in common with people?
    Many of my friends listen to bands like Kotiteollisuus, Stam1na, Sentenced etc.

    What bands do you find you have least in common with people?
    Well, people I know rarely admit liking mainstream pop.

    What was the last band recommended by Last.fm that you really got into?
    I don't remember, I hardly ever look through my Last.fm recommendations.

    Are you a member of any groups?
    51 groups at the moment.

    Now playing?
    David Bowie - PlayLady Stardust
  • Top 5 metal albums of 2009

    6 Jan 2010, 11:00 by DreadspellEra

    5. Anaal Nathrakh - In The Constellation Of The Black Widow
    Still keeping the intense dial past 11, and still going further and further with their black metal grindcore-y kind of music. Probably the only time where the clean vocals are actually impressive, but the non-cleans and shit are still fucking good.

    4. The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite
    diSEMBOWELMENT + Darkspace = motherfucking atmosphere! You like having a ton of it in your music? This is THE album to look at.

    3. Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
    I know, I know, too much like traditional heavy metal. Fuck you, this is awesome. Definitely brings back that feeling and it manages to stand very well on its own legs. Some damn fine vocals from Dio, suiting the production well. You're lying to yourself if you say you don't like this album even one little bit.

    2. Beherit - Engram
    Just some incredibly impressive black metal. All these years and they still manage to do black metal the way it should be done. Fuck these guys are good.

    1. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
    These guys seriously don't know how to do a bad album. Everything they've ever done is epic and excellent. Best doom metal band ever? Give these guys more credit - one of the best metal bands in existence. This album furthers it. Can't believe it's been a couple of decades or so since they first did Epicus Doomicus Metallicus.


    What to expect in 010 and maybe even later:
    Atheist - TBA
    Black Majesty - In Your Honor
    Blind Guardian - TBA (hopefully a lot better than A Twist In The Myth)
    Dragonland - The Return
    Immolation - Majesty And Decay
    Iron Maiden - TBA
    Sigh - Scenes From Hell
    (possibly) Symphony X - TBA
    Vintersorg - TBA (under speculation tho)
    Wintersun - Time (MAYBE!!)
  • Top 50 Scrobbled Albums

    6 Jan 2010, 06:55 by frehal

    frehal's top albums (overall) 1. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (489)
    2. Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (322)
    3. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs (298)
    4. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time (249)
    5. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin (238)
    6. Coldplay - X And Y (218)
    7. Oceansize - Everyone Into Position (198)
    8. Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (193)
    9. Anna Ternheim - Leaving On A Mayday (190)
    10. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (174)
    11. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (174)
    12. The Stone Roses - The Very Best of the Stone Roses (172)
    13. Tori Amos - American Doll Posse (171)
    14. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World (171)
    15. Iron Maiden - Live After Death (168)
    16. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity (168)
    17. Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism (167)
    18. Within Temptation - Black Symphony (166)
    19. Mew - Frengers (165)
    20. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (150)
    21. In Flames - Come Clarity (149)
    22. In Flames - Reroute to Remain (148)
    23. Mew - No more stories Are told today I'm sorry They washed away No more stories The world is grey I'm tired Let's wash away (139)
    24. Hell Is for Heroes - Transmit Disrupt (138)
    25. Pearl Jam - Binaural (136)
    26. Starsailor - All The Plans (135)
    27. Dark Tranquillity - Fiction (134)
    28. Kashmir - Zitilites (133)
    29. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid (132)
    30. The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music (131)
    31. Doves - Some Cities (130)
    32. Badly Drawn Boy - Born in the U.K. (128)
    33. Sonic Youth - Dirty (128)
    34. Editors - An End Has a Start (127)
    35. Editors - The Back Room (127)
    36. In Flames - A Sense of Purpose (127)
    37. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild (126)
    38. Death Cab for Cutie - The Photo Album (125)
    39. The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight (124)
    40. Grant-Lee Phillips - Nineteeneighties (124)
    41. Coldplay - Viva la Vida (123)
    42. Various Artists - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (122)
    43. Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope (122)
    44. Snow Patrol - Final Straw [Bonus Tracks] (121)
    45. Built to Spill - Keep It Like a Secret (118)
    46. Built to Spill - You in Reverse (116)
    47. Chris Walla - Field Manual (115)
    48. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America (115)
    49. Afghan Whigs - Black love (114)
    50. Nada Surf - Let Go (112)
  • Race to the One Thousand!

    4 Jan 2010, 18:06 by dark_raven_666

    (yup I'm bored)

    It's contest time! Five artists are racing to hit 1000 scrobbles in my charts and join the Legendary Five (NIN, Meta, Slayer, R+ and us).

    The contestants are:

    6. Iron Maiden - 957 plays at the moment
    7. Nobuo Uematsu - 923
    8. Fear Factory - 904
    9. Queens of the Stone Age - 874
    10. Tool - 784

    Who will win? Place your bets!
  • 2009 - Yearly and overall charts

    3 Jan 2010, 22:27 by empii

  • 2009 Month by Month Statistics

    3 Jan 2010, 21:03 by garynotrashcoug

    As I mentioned in my previous journal entry, I have a morbid fascination with my own listening statistics. So let's take a look at some more stats from 2009!


    Monthly Top Artists
    Jan-2009 Cream 16
    Feb-2009 Black Sabbath 66
    Mar-2009 The Doors 78
    Apr-2009 Led Zeppelin 86
    May-2009 Scorpions 52
    Jun-2009 Black Sabbath 82
    Jul-2009 Van Halen 75
    Aug-2009 The Clash 64
    Sep-2009 Misfits 53
    Oct-2009 Megadeth 112
    Nov-2009 Kreator 113
    Dec-2009 Man Is the Bastard 115


    Monthly Top Tracks
    Jan-2009 Thin Lizzy : PlayThe Boys Are Back In Town 3
    Feb-2009 Black Sabbath : PlayDie Young 3
    Mar-2009 Deep Purple : PlayBlack Night 4
    Apr-2009 Judas Priest : PlayDissident Aggressor 3
    May-2009 Judas Priest : PlayThe Sentinel 3
    Jun-2009 Heaven & Hell : Bible Black 5
    Jul-2009 Black Sabbath : PlayDie Young 3
    Aug-2009 Queensrÿche : PlayWalk in the Shadows 3
    Sep-2009 Cradle of Filth : Sweetest Maleficia 3
    Oct-2009 T. Rex : Play20th Century Boy 4
    Nov-2009 Slayer : PlayGhosts of War 5
    Dec-2009 Sore Throat : Wictim Of A Stage Dive 6


    And just for fun, let's close out with my top 50 artists of 2009.

    1 Black Sabbath 358
    2 Van Halen 216
    3 Metallica 181
    4 Judas Priest 178
    5 Megadeth 177
    6 KISS 151
    7 Slayer 148
    8 Danzig 124
    9 Iron Maiden 120
    10 Man Is the Bastard 117
    11 Kreator 113
    12 Rainbow 101
    13 The Clash 100
    14 Dethklok 95
    15 The Doors 90
    16 Led Zeppelin 89
    17 Sepultura 88
    18 Primus 84
    19 Trans-Siberian Orchestra 83
    20 Deep Purple 83
    21 O.L.D. 81
    22 Exodus 80
    23 Carcass 71
    24 Voivod 70
    25 Scorpions 65
    26 Social Distortion 64
    27 Aerosmith 63
    28 Queensrÿche 63
    29 Venom 63
    30 Dark Moor 62
    31 Heaven & Hell 59
    32 The Damned 59
    33 ZZ Top 57
    34 Thin Lizzy 56
    35 Misfits 54
    36 Tool 54
    37 The Cult 52
    38 Anthrax 51
    39 King Diamond 50
    40 Uriah Heep 50
    41 Monster Magnet 50
    42 Overkill 50
    43 Opeth 49
    44 The Sword 48
    45 Bolt Thrower 48
    46 Crossed Out 47
    47 Cradle of Filth 47
    48 The Sisters of Mercy 45
    49 Pink Floyd 42
    50 Rush 42
  • 50 questions about my top 50 artists

    3 Jan 2010, 16:01 by SeriousSpoon

    1. How did you get into 29? Linkin Park
    I don't remember.

    2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Arena
    Witch Hunt

    3. What's your favorite lyric by 31? Foo Fighters
    DOA

    4. How did you get into 49? Serenity
    Saw them live as a support act for Kamelot

    5. How many albums by 13 do you own? Ayreon
    Five.

    6. What is your favorite song by 50? Flight of the Conchords
    Robots (aka Humans are Dead)

    7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? The Alan Parsons Project
    Old And Wise

    8. What is your favorite song by 15? Porcupine Tree
    Trains

    9. What is your favorite song by 5? Tommy Emmanuel
    Lewis & Clark

    10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? OST
    Bella's Lullaby by Carter Burwell from the Twilight Soundtrack.

    11. What is the worst song by 40? Amy Macdonald
    The Road To Home

    12. What is your favorite song by 10? Bruce Dickinson
    Jerusalem

    13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? Howard Shore
    The Lord of the Rings movies, obviously :)

    14. What is your favorite song by 38? Breaking Benjamin
    Blow My Away, from the Halo 2 Soundtrack.

    15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? Metallica
    Die, Die My Darling (I have NO idea why.)

    16. Is there a song by 25 that makes you sad? Muse
    Not really.

    17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? The Kooks
    Mr. Maker, I think.

    18. What's your favorite lyric by 11? Stephen Lynch
    Oh, they're all great! But if I have to choose one... Halloween.

    19. Who is a favorite member of 1? Opeth
    Mikael Åkerfeldt

    20. Is there a song by 14 that makes you happy? Fiction Plane
    Two Sisters

    21. What is a good memory involving 27? Trans-Siberian Orchestra
    When I was cycling to the train station and there were rain/thunder sounds in the song, and I thought it was actually starting to rain :P

    22. What is your favorite song by 16? Kamelot
    The Mourning After

    23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47?
    I don't have a 47, only two 46s!

    24. What is your favorite album by 18? System of a Down
    Toxicity

    25. What is your favorite song by 21? Targets
    Such A Bore

    26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? Crowded House
    Four Seasons In One Day

    27. What is your favorite album by 3? AFI
    Sing The Sorrow

    28. What is you favorite song by 2? Iron Maiden
    Rime of the Ancient Mariner

    29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? Coheed and Cambria
    Welcome Home

    30. What is you favorite song by 8? Tenacious D
    Beelzeboss

    31. How many times have you seen 17 live? Poets of the Fall
    Never :(

    32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? Uriah Heep
    Easy Livin'

    33. How did you get into 12? Coldplay
    This one time I was at a store buying a CD, and the guy asked me if I wanted a free poster. I figured why not, so I accepted it, and it was a poster for Viva La Vida by Coldplay. I had it up on my wall for a while when I decided I should check out if the album was actually any good, and it was :)

    34. What is the worst song by 45? Kayak
    Undecided

    35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? Flogging Molly
    Black Friday Rule

    36. What is the first song you ever heard by 48? Demians
    The Temple

    37. How many times have you seen 42 live? Shadow Gallery
    Never. And they don't do live shows :(

    38. What is you favorite song by 36? Fleetwood Mac
    Rhiannon

    39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? Pendulum
    Girl in the Fire

    40. What is you favorite album by 7? Snow Patrol
    Eyes Open

    41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? Foo Fighters
    None in particular.

    42. What is your favorite album by 41? Nikolo Kotzev
    Nostradamus

    43. What is your favorite song by 24? Ignite
    Live For Better Days

    44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? The Avett Brothers and Skillet
    TAB: The first time I heard of them when watching The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on Youtube.
    Skillet: None.

    45. What is your favorite song by 35? Lostprophets
    Driveakflasejfalskf

    46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? John Mayer
    Belief

    47. What is your favorite album by 4? Pearl Jam
    Ten

    48. Who is a favorite member of 37? Paramore
    No one.

    49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43?
    Don't have a 43, just two 42s :P

    50. What is your favorite song by 20? Fiction Plane
    Cold Water Symmetry
  • My 2009 in music

    3 Jan 2010, 15:07 by Tranzoo

    Another year is behind us, so I decided to write a little recap about what this year meant to me in terms of development of my music tastes... Here are my 2009 charts, counting scrobbling from Januray to December:

    1) Marilyn Manson

    If someone told me on 1.1. 2008, that out of all the wonderful musicians, Marilyna Manson will leap on a #1, I would never ever believe him, but so it happened. Here is a little background to my relationship with MM: When I was a maybe 13 year old kid, watching MTV religiously, there was this one videoclip that I really, really disliked. It was called PlaymOBSCENE. I thought it was too harsh and the guy singing was looking like a buffoon. From this point on, I never spoke good about MM, always had this prejudice, that came from a judgement of 13 old me…
    But this January, a friend of mine sent me an album called Eat Me, Drink Me…and I was shocked. This was MM nothing like I remembered…there were personal lyrics, there actually were real emotions there…I got really into this album after a while and decided, that maybe the 13 year old kid has grown up and needs to give MM another chance…Golden Age Of Grotesque totally sold me…and I was hooked. Visted MM gig this year, and his new album, The High End of Low, is my favourite release of the year.
    A lot of it has to do with the fact, that in the beginning of the year, I was in terrible state of mind, lot of hatred, self-hatred, confusion and other not so pleasent feelings were present in me quite a bit…which of course was the pefect oportunity for MM to step in…anyway, I am glad I changed my opinion about him, he is a true artist, if you manage to look beyond maybe not so attractive image he projects.

    Prediction for 2010: I think Marilyna Manson will be put on a back burner a little bit, I think in my current state of psyche he really is not the type of musician that would emotionally fill me …but ocassionaly I will definitely give him a listen. I predict 20. place for him. In overall charts, he will drop one, maybe two spots, but not more.


    2) Rise Against

    All of my top 10 could be somehow classified as metal, except for one band, and that band is Rise Against. I am not fond of punk rock as a genre really, but those guys somehow speak to me….I love the overlap between political and personal themes in their songs, I love the voice of Tim McIlrath and their gig that I visited this November was the best I have ever been to. I was absolutely totaly and emotionally exhausted and I had to sit on the couch in the club before their set even ended…but it was worth it and I loved every second. I will never forget their performance of Audience of One and other couple memorable moments as well… Plus, Rise against are the best music for any kind of physical exercise -).

    Prediction for 2010: I think they might get into top 5 in overall charts, but in 2010, they will not be in top 10 in the year charts. They are so many new albums coming up from other bands, it just will not happen…but they will get close.


    3) Nightwish

    Nightwish are one of only two bands from last years top 10 that managed to get in it again and there is a big reason why…I kinda wished that they were number one, because: 1) They are a great representative of what was this year really about to me in my emotional and personal development. 2) They are a great representative of my overall music taste. Ad1: This year, to me, will always will be the one where are struggled with feelings of losing innocence and how I lost that child wiew on how the world and relationships operate…Anyone who is somewhat familiar with Nightwish knows that loss of innocence and whole theme of innocence is big part of their lyrics and will understand why I related to them so much…Another thing that helped to get them so high was also the fact that I attended two concerts of them, one in New York and one few months later her eat home and the NY concert was actually the moment that I really began to explore their back catalogue. I still think those fights about Tarja and Anette are pointless, and while it may by true that Tarja is better singer, people should also relize that chemistry in the band is as much important factor for their end product as technical skills of the singer. I like all of their work.

    Prediction for 2010: They will not be in the top 10, but barely. They will be maybe 12th, or something like that. In overall charts, they will get ahead of Marilyna Manson and get to a 3rd. place.


    4) Tiamat

    These guys are weird. Johan Edlund is a freak that oozes charisma and has a very characteristic and memorable voice. One of my favourite voices in music actually. Lyrics deal with some serious topics (Religion is probably the most frequent one) and wide spectrum of genres to be found in their work. I think that makes them so appealing and it also got them to #4…Tiamat has music for every mood. From angry to mellow. They have straight-up pop rock hits in their repertoire, they have doom, they have death, they can do it all. Only thing that I kind of regret is that I could not really enjoy their concert at Masters of Rock festival that much, because I was so tired/drunk. I hope they come again, because I really would like to take it all in with a sober mind one day.

    Prediciton for 2010: I think they will be around 15th place. Ahead of MM, but behind Nightwish. They will barely retain their spot in overall top 10, finishing exactly 10th.


    5) Anathema

    Funny how life goes. There was this girl that was a really, really close friend of mine and she once send to me an Anathema song. I am not sure which one it was, probably Natural Disaster…I listened to it and…Nothing happened. I didnt like it. It didnt resonate with my careless mind…But I remembered the band, because the girl repeatedly stated to me how great they are…Fast Forward two years…Quite, little bit depressive evening at home and I am listetning to last.fm Radio. Violance pops up. And it clicks immediately. At that moment I am beginning to have second thoughts about the band…Then, in January 2009, which was one of the shittiest months of my life emotionally, I decide to give them a real chance. I listen to album Judgment and when Parisienne Moonlight comes up, I just lose it. I know that grown-ups dont cry…But that songs just broke me. The album touched me in a way that no other album touched me before… and I never looked back. In those two years that I didnt hear a thing from them, I became more mature and I have grown to appreciate the awesomeness that their pure, honest, really simple music is. They are the band that I will always defend, more then any other band, because they kinda saved my life. If you like Pink Floyd, and you are going through some sort of big emotional struggle in your life…you will like Anathema. Most honest music I know. They are not higher in the charts, because they are not the kind of music you put on repeat and they are so emotionally intense, you just cant listen to it all the time. But from all the bands in this top 10, I love them the most.

    Prediction for 2010: Well, well…I think the new album coming up might help them get back to back top 10 spot. But it is going to be very, very close.


    6) Sonata Arctica

    The second and final member of last years top 10 to appear in this ladder. Last year they were 2nd and this year they are 6th. The album that put them here was the magnificent The Days of Grays and I dont care what the haters say, to me it is second strongest outting of SA to this day, much better then Unia and much better then their simple old power stuff. Tony has also grown quite a bit as a lyrics writer which is good to see and hear. Their gig here in Prague was also quite neat. I think what makes them so strong to me is their ability to avoid some really dumb clichés of the genre. No dragons, no knigts, no bullshit, just normal topics that normal people can realate to. They are a 2nd band in my charts overall and I think that quite correctly reflects my appretiation of them. Also love the Wolf theme reccuring in their songs -).

    Prediction for 2010: They will keep overall 2nd spot, but for 2010, they will be around 15. place. The lack of new material will not be overcome.


    7) Kamelot

    Kamelot should be higher. Much higher. Only reason they are not is the fact that I got my ears on them too late, I think in November. I think they are a potential top 5 band for me and this late surge of listening put them at #7 in this years charts. Since last December, I wasnt captivated so much by one band. The voice of Khan is really something special and he instantůy became one of my favourite vocalists. Sick range, sick expresiveness. Some people might be put off by his melodramatic manners…but I love them as well -). Plus, the music is catchy, memorable yet not simple. The lyrics are the best I know in this genre (power metal), which is known for having sucky and terrible lyrics., they often deal with serious issues in an inteligent way. I am just happy they picked the Faust story for their concept albums and not some Tolkien bullshit -) I also desperately need to see them live…Unfortunately, they have not Czech Republic on their schedule for next year so far, so that sucks…but other then that, they currently are my new obsession.

    Prediction for 2010: Those guys will get their way in overall top 10 soon. They might get into top 5. I think they will, I predict 4th place. In terms of the year 2010 charts, I dont know exactly how high they will get, with new album coming up…I think #1 could be a realistic guess. Top 5 I think for sure.


    8) Heaven Shall Burn

    Only band in my top 10 that does not use cleanly sung vocals as their main sound. I discovered this band thanks to Masters of Rock festival. Few months prior to this fest I looked at list of the bands and decided to give couple of them a go and HSB grabbed my attention the most. I really dont know which genre they belong to, I dont really care, but their music is full of energy and is great to listen in a angry, bitter mood. Great, inteligent, thought-provoking lyrics…And live, they were awesome. Maybe the best performance at Masters of Rock festival, I enjoyed it from front row and was very happy with it. I am yet to listen to their oldest stuff, so I have some material to get my hands on this year…Overall, Heaven Shall Burn changed my musical taste in that I am no longer so hung up on clean vocals, they were the stepping stone in my way to explore melodeath, altough they are very different to bands from that genre that I like. They are also probably the least melodic band from this top 10…does not make them any less awesome though. Nothing beats PlayEndzeit, when you are really, really, really pissed off.

    Prediction for 2010: 14. place. They will not get into overall top 10.


    9) Edguy

    I think Edguy are doing just fine. I find it funny that so many musical journalists are after Sammet for his narcisissm…I think his narcisissm kind of makes their stuff work, because it really is a simple music, with simple lyrics and it needs a big persona in front to work. When the words „Happy metal“ are used, the first band I imagine is Edguy. There is nothing deep in there, it is a easy listening, but when I want to listen to something more upbeat, they are a way to go and I dont really care what the haters say… They also very good live.

    Prediction for 2010: I think they will be in the 2010 top 10. 9. place or something like that. They will not squeeze into a top 10.


    10) Lordi

    I think Lordi and their simple hard-rock is fun. I understand, that they would not have this much success without their eurovision win and without their monster costumes…but guess what, image is part of a music product and the monster costumes obviously work for them. I do not listen to them as much anymore, I had a huge phase with them in the beginning of the year and I am really not that much into their monster themed lyrics, but I think they are fun to listen to and they do their thing and it works for me, so there you go…

    Prediction for 2010: Around 30. place. Overall, they will drop out of top 10 and get maybe to 15-20. place


    In overall charts, this is what I think will happen: HammerFall will drop out, R.E.M. will drop out, Bruce Dickinson and Tiamat will be a close call. Iron Maiden will keep their lead with a new album and Kamelot will attack top 5, maybe even top 3, with Manson and Sonata arctica in third and second place not having new albums next year.

    Overall, when it comes to genres, this year was the one when I started to listen to melodeath, altough no melodeath band cracked top 10. It was also the year when heavy and power metal lost their total dominance in my charts, with Manson and Rise Against taking the reign this year…but they still remain my favourite genres. It was a year, where the atmospheric and depressive rock of Anathema and Katatonia(11th place this year, close behind Lordi) really began to spoke to my heart. It was a year of excellent gigs, with Rise Against taking the crown for the best one in November. And it was year that made me even a bigger fan of music. Lets hope 2010 continues that trend.
  • 2009: In Review

    3 Jan 2010, 15:03 by Apollyon_

    2009 was a good year, certainly heavy in quantity, but what about quality? I'll note now that the order of items below are opinion and will most likely change. Disappointingly, it appears I listened to exactly 49 albums this year - one short of having a top 50. It should also be noted that some of the albums here I do not rate highly, such as albums #48 and #47, and they appear here to give a complete view of last year in music (for me).



    49. Lamb of God - Wrath
    48. Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
    47. Daath - The Concealers
    46. Obscura - Cosmogenesis
    45. Blindead - impulse
    44. Vomitory - Carnage Euphoria
    43. Absu - Absu
    42. Samael - Above
    41. Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
    40. Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way
    39. Slayer - World Painted Blood
    38. God Dethroned - Passiondale
    37. Altar of Plagues - White Tomb
    36. Kylesa - Static Tensions
    35. The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
    34. Ahab - The Divinity of Oceans
    33. 1349 - Revelations of the Black Flame
    32. My Dying Bride - For The Lies I Sire
    31. Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest
    30. Shining - IV: Klagopsalmer
    29. Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
    28. Ulcerate - Everything is Fire
    27. Nadja - Numbness
    26. Ephel Duath - Through My Dog's Eyes
    25. Lifelover - Dekadens
    24. November's Doom - Into Night's Requiem Infernal
    23. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue with the Stars
    22. A Storm of Light - Forgive Us Our Trespasses
    21. Sunn O))) - Monoliths and dimensions
    20. Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
    19. Nadja - When I See The Sun Always Shines On TV
    18. Gnaw Their Tongues - all the dread magnificence of perversity
    17. Khanate - Clean Hands Go Foul
    16. Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder
    15. Swallow the Sun - New Moon
    14. Pelican - What We All Come To Need
    13. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
    12. Fen - The Malediction Fields
    11. OM - God Is Good

    10. Cobalt - Gin
    For any album, this is outstandingly composed. It's a very varied album, but one with strong black metal roots, which show mainly in the drums and vocals. It's hard to place a name of Cobalt's sound - a popular description on their shoutbox is 'Black metal Tool. Challenging music - and very worth picking up.

    9. I Shalt Become - The Pendle Witch Trials
    Criminally under-rated. To sum it up - it's very, very good depressive/atmospheric black metal from the UK. The album has no pretensions, just ample amounts of great black metal. Well worth finding, it has all the hallmarks of becoming a real gem.

    8. Isis - Wavering Radiant
    One of the earliest releases of 2009, and it set the right tone. It's a really great album, gives an excellent atmosphere and the vocals are very well done. My only comment is that the songs become slightly boring as the album wears on. Still, one of their best.

    7. Baroness - Blue Record
    The follow up to Red Album, this album serves as a showcase for Baroness's talent. The songs ooze with life, and the album carries a vein of vitality throughout that gives it a unique flow. The music is heavy, but not overly so - it forms a perfect back drop for John Baizley's grating vocals. There are some genuine moments of brilliance... Jake Leg!

    6. The Axis of Perdition - Urfe
    Where to start. It's a huge album - two discs (The Grief of The Unclean and The Great Unwashed). The content is mainly ambient soundscape, with spoken word from Leslie Simpson throughout. Very briefly, the album chronicles a man, lost in what seems to be a hellish, urban nightmare. This man runs, aware of demons at the edge of his reality. He relives memories of a hospital, or at least some sort of twisted experiment. What is the meaning? It is unclear - perhaps the demonic city was a dream, a side effect of the man's medical experiments. Maybe the city is a metaphor for the decay of our urban society. Who is Pylon? What is this 'axis'? Take from it what you will, maybe it's just a good story. This will disturb you. Ambitious certainly, but utterly excellent, hauntingly so. When you're out, we're in.

    5. Jesu - Opiate Sun
    More of an EP than an album, but as before, much of Justin's best music is hidden away on four-track releases. This effort has received flack for it's melodic, shoegaze like approach. Maybe people can't get over the Heartache EP just yet. Fuck them. This is genius. Can't wait for another full length.

    4. Anaal Nathrakh -
    Anaal Nathrakh have been a band of change recently - of their music, and their fans' opinions. ITCOTBW is an amalgamation of the sheer brutality of The Codex Necro era with the more structured songs and choruses of more recent albums. This album may fuck with your ears, but rest assured - you'll hum along too.


    3. Candlemass - Death Magnetic Doom
    Unbelievable effort - the songs are devastatingly simple, but hit you with the force of a tonne weight. Actually, this would get on the list simply for PlayThe Bleeding Baroness, but it's full of really iconic doom songs. If you're new to Candlemass or doom - look no further.


    2. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
    An album that has appeared, and has won many lists and polls this year, and it will come second here. I wasn't a fan of Mastodon before this year, and the sheer craft and ambition of this album swayed me. Great riffs, great vocals, and great songs.



    1. Katatonia - Night Is The New Day
    Perhaps I'm biased; this year was the year that Katatonia really grew on me, and that they released a new album this year only added to it. It is with an air of predictability for myself that I give Night Is The New Day the top spot, but it is an incredible album. Full of melodies, highs and lows, gloom and renewal. It's a less polished, but much more emotional Katatonia album. To quote a magazine feature on this album - 'Lets hope they never cheer up'.

    So, overall a good year. Some great new bands, and some old masters returning in style. I still have a few albums to obtain, such as Moss 'Tomb of The Blind Drugged' etc. Lets see...

    Best EP: Jesu - Opiate Sun
    Biggest disappointment: Shining - IV: Klagopsalmer
    Worst album: Lamb of God - Wraith
    Over-hyped: Absu - Absu

    Now, I'll leave you with the best song of 2009.


    A belated happy new year to all.


    DarkthroneDeathspell OmegaMetallicaMegadethTriviumCarcassIron MaidenOpethSanctitySatyriconStonesourStone SourTestamentVenomAnthraxDevilDriverXasthurMossMardukDarkspaceAgallochElectric WizardBlack SabbathDark TranquillityPanic CellDownGodfleshLeviathanDeicideMorbid AngelCarpathian ForestEarthFear FactorySlipknotCoilPainDivine HeresyHead Control SystemMeshuggahThornsCynic