Seven Songs for Seven Days 3

Threshold - Fighting For Breath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYuiCM1Jl_M

Man! How the hell had I never heard of Threshold before this year? Evidently they've been cranking out studio albums since the mid 90's - if any of them are nearly as solid as "Dead Reckoning," I have an awful lot of listening to do.

The music might be a little formulaic, but it's a tough formula to master. The songs all go something like this: crunchy, slightly discordant verse, harmonized and simple chorus, repeat once, spastic guitar and keyboard solo, fucking insane bridge that blows your mind.

Seriously. That bridge is BANANAS.

I suppose this doesn't really apply to all their songs but certainly Sarah's and my favorite, Slipstream, fits right into it. This one does too...soooo I feel justified enough in calling that a formula.

The Few Against Many - Sot

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

How many bands can one Swede be in? By Christian Älvestam's growth rate, it seems possibly...an uncountably infinite number? (Somewhere, I just caused a math geek to inflict harm upon themselves...)


And how the hell are they all this good? The Few Against Many evokes early In Flames and Moontower. If you know anything about me, you know I love Dan Swanö with all of my body - so the resemblance to Moontower is about the biggest erection-inducer ever.


Ensiferum - From Afar

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

(an actual video for a metal song?! gasp!)

Not really anything diverging from the usual for Ensiferum - but since the usual is so well done, it's perfectly acceptable. Choir-chorus laden songs with surging rhythm and warlike howling? Invoking pagan imagery and orchestral accompaniment galore? Check, check. Really cheesy video basically only featuring a scowling vocalist shaking his fist? Check plus.

Kid Sister - Control

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

My head nearly popped off when this song started. I had no idea what was happening for about 30 seconds. It's spastic, freaky, chock full of an accent that makes her lyrics nearly impossible to deduce, and fucking catchy. Woooooooooo!

J. Cole - Lights Please

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dyPeGDeS3o

It's really hard to pass up this song's simplistic but ear-burrowing beat and lyrics like:

And all that deep shit that I was previously down for
Replaced by freak shit that I am currently down for

There's something very positive and comforting under all the layers there (I'm not referring to that specific lyric) but it takes a couple of listens to confirm that he's just not misogynistic and whiny.


Axel Rudi Pell - Live for the King

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

Axel Rudi Pell is like the king of guilty metal pleasures. I have an acquaintance from Norcal who would definitely term them 'buttrock.' He can't stomach super-cheesy power metal with soaring vocals and dragons and rainbows and chain mail - however, I can.

I don't know if Axel Rudi Pell has ever written a song that isn't just oozy with warm catchy awesome goodness. It's really weird - some songs have a kind of discordant nature, or maybe just the production...that makes it difficult, in a way, to listen to them. Therion kind of comes to mind here.

Not so at all with Axel Rudi Pell. I could listen to this shit all day and my ears would never get tired.

Royal Hunt - The First Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD7XtcC4XT0

Royal Hunt, while definitely still firmly in the cheese camp, is a step more respectable than Axel Rudi Pell. They seem to have some deep-seated problem with religion or God - they seem to be a frequent topic, and rarely in a positive way.

Whereas Axel Rudi Pell is really chill and shit, Royal Hunt is flipping out all over the place with keyboards exploding and belts and guitar solos happening nearly constantly. Or at least this song...it's much more driving, in general. Both methods certainly have their place...which is why they are both in this list!

Okay, that is it for now. I need to buy bananas, lest I blow away in the wind due to my slight figure.