Search found 28 matches

by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:04 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Instabuy bands?
Replies: 18
Views: 639

Re: Instabuy bands?

Dream Theater Kingcrow (I'm waaaaaaay late to them, but I anticipate their next being great...) Arjen Lucassen's live stuff of his studio stuff. He's on the same wavelength as to what I judge to be his best stuff. Former blind-buys: Neal Morse Band. They went Crosby, Stills, & Nash on their last, so...
by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 7:02 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: What's the next item in this list? (AKA "What should I listen to next?")
Replies: 7
Views: 361

Re: What's the next item in this list? (AKA "What should I listen to next?")

The new Threshold is indeed great. Taken in and of itself? Yep. Taken in the context of their whole discography? No...not so much. This band 'evolves' by changing singers, but that's like smoke and mirrors. Then again, I have a known penchant for bagging on bands that just release disc after disc o...
by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:54 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: PHILOSOPHOBIA / Philosophobia ....
Replies: 7
Views: 436

Re: PHILOSOPHOBIA / Philosophobia ....

I'm not sure I'm getting PoS vibes from the singer - certainly not to the degree that the first Wastefall disc had. Still, I find this one a little slow to start and then it kicks into gear and is 'chef's kiss'.
by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:47 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine - A Documentary Film
Replies: 6
Views: 372

Re: Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine - A Documentary Film

Relatedly/unrelated: I watched a live vid of Emmett playing 'Midsummer's Dream' and thought, 'Huh, that was kinda sloppy.' Watch a few more videos and he's now older and looking back about how he kinda got roped into including a guitar solo piece on every album, and how 'I'm not a great guitarist, b...
by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:42 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Do you guys ever sell any of your old cds that you never plan on listening to again?
Replies: 7
Views: 338

Re: Do you guys ever sell any of your old cds that you never plan on listening to again?

I sold Conception's Flow at one point. Thankfully, it's on Spotify, because boy howdy was parting with that disc a mistake.
by Sparky
Sun Jan 22, 2023 6:40 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: New stuff Friday ...
Replies: 513
Views: 34817

Re: New stuff Friday ...

RIVERSIDE - I.D.Entity When did Riverside begin to sound like A-ha? Ok, half-way kidding here ... although opener "Friend or Foe" has a strong A-ha vibe to it, and Mariusz sounds a lot like Morten Harket. Either way, this is beautiful. I know I've said before that I prefer the under-produced "raw"/...
by Sparky
Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:04 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Favorite discs of 2022 sticky post.......(year end lists).
Replies: 21
Views: 875

Re: Favorite discs of 2022 sticky post.......(year end lists).

6 - Spheric Universe Experience - Talk about returning with a BANG! Another long dormant band, but coming back with all guns blazing back to their original DT inspired prog metal form. Pure textbook material here, but done exceedingly well. Welcome back!!!! I own their first, but I don't really car...
by Sparky
Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:44 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Ice Age
Replies: 17
Views: 993

Re: Ice Age

Dennis DeYoung LIVES!!!!!!!!!
by Sparky
Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:43 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: R.I.P. Chris Rifkin.......
Replies: 11
Views: 466

Re: R.I.P. Chris Rifkin.......

Wow. Pancreatic cancer can die in a fire. My wife (and my kids) suffer from hereditary chronic pancreatitis, which makes them prime candidates for it. My wife is getting scoped next week as part of her yearly screenings. She's also a research nurse in one of the country's premiere endocrinology (pan...
by Sparky
Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:37 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: What happened to the some of the older board posters?
Replies: 16
Views: 618

Re: What happened to the some of the older board posters?

I'm back. Weirdly, I've let the 3 years of working from home (and it will be that going forward) really negatively impact my music listening. I realized a while ago that NOT listening was negatively impacting my mood, and yet I've still been slow to get back in the swing of things. Maybe it's mostly...
by Sparky
Wed May 05, 2021 7:58 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Octavision - Coexist
Replies: 6
Views: 545

Re: Octavision - Coexist

I always say that Sons of Apollo is less than the sum of its parts. I'm not contractually obligated to love everything that Portnoy and Sherinian produce, so I'll take a dispensation here. Although, the dvd of the show in Bulgaria (?) in the Red Rocks-looking place with the highway passing underneat...
by Sparky
Wed May 05, 2021 7:54 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Shadow Gallery appreciation
Replies: 15
Views: 950

Re: Shadow Gallery appreciation

I'll still throw in for Legacy - Neil Kernon's dry mix combined with the instrumental whirlwind at the 2nd half of Cliffhanger Pt. 2? GTFO. If that doesn't pin you against the wall, I don't know what would...

Also, Mike Baker is missed. RIP
by Sparky
Wed May 05, 2021 7:51 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: CAST / Vigesimus ........
Replies: 14
Views: 728

Re: CAST / Vigesimus ........

I've been lurking forever...I can't log in via my work laptop, and that's mainly what I use to read the board. So, anyway...this is good, although the lyrics as the album goes by become a little too...to the point, I guess. Anyway, does the male singer not sound almost EXACTLY like the singer on the...
by Sparky
Sat Aug 29, 2020 1:01 am
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: New POS tune...
Replies: 28
Views: 3190

Re: New POS tune...

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?????? THIS IS A MASTERPIECE!!!

Edit: Yep
by Sparky
Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:53 am
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Ray Alder solo album
Replies: 22
Views: 4159

Re: Ray Alder solo album

Props to Ray for putting together guys who are thinking a bit outside the box, musically. It was an immediately thumbs up on first listen.
by Sparky
Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:56 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Okay, I'll do it: IQ - Resistance
Replies: 15
Views: 2669

Okay, I'll do it: IQ - Resistance

I've only listened once, and it's a double album just like Road of Bones, so it's A LOT to take in. But it *at least* deserves a thread of its own, rather than being buried in another.
by Sparky
Sat Sep 14, 2019 11:21 am
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Thought on some recent DVD / Bluray shows......
Replies: 11
Views: 1676

Re: Thought on some recent DVD / Bluray shows......

elendil wrote:
Fri Sep 13, 2019 3:03 pm
That Plovdiv venue is also where Anathema filmed _Universal_, another great DVD show.
Am I wrong that the road goes under the venue? Sure looked like it...it was cool.
by Sparky
Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:29 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Thought on some recent DVD / Bluray shows......
Replies: 11
Views: 1676

Re: Thought on some recent DVD / Bluray shows......

Yeah, that Sons of Apollo...funny that you mentioned that the material hits harder live than it does on disc - I 100% agree. These guys are all just total pros, and prior to this band, I wouldn't have known Soto if he ran me over, but he's the real deal. Just a great show all around.
by Sparky
Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:09 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Issun - Dark Green Glow
Replies: 2
Views: 624

Issun - Dark Green Glow

Got a special one here. German band, lite prog-metal, but with some heavy tribal percussion in spots. The singer, believe it or not, has the timbre and range of none other than Ted Leonard. Yeah. This just has winner written all over it. https://issunmusic.bandcamp.com/releases?fbclid=IwAR2OwpkQJVIn...
by Sparky
Wed Aug 21, 2019 7:04 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: New Romeo?
Replies: 11
Views: 2004

Re: New Romeo?

I am in the minority once again with the solo disc in that I really didn't care for it, mostly the vocals. I can't possibly explain why either. I should play it again after a year on the shelf to see if I change my mind. I'd much rather have a SymX disc, but I think those possibilities are remote. ...
by Sparky
Tue Aug 20, 2019 11:19 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: New Romeo?
Replies: 11
Views: 2004

New Romeo?

I listened to War of the Worlds, Pt. 1 again today and it, as always, blew my away. Any word on Pt. 2?!?!?
by Sparky
Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:52 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: New Tool Song
Replies: 8
Views: 1517

Re: New Tool Song

The problem with Tool is that everyone in the band, talented though they are, are kind of a one-trick pony. Maynard always sounds like Maynard. Adam Jones (guitar) has a limited pallet to pull from and that's that, Danny Cary is a great drummer, but he's a pocket player, and their bassist...well, we...
by Sparky
Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:48 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Ivory Tower returns...
Replies: 10
Views: 2731

Re: Ivory Tower returns...

Dunno, have to hear a second tune. Wasn't the problem with the old band that the singer was waaaaaaay too light in the loafers?
by Sparky
Tue Jul 30, 2019 10:40 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Brave - the calm | the storm
Replies: 3
Views: 1447

Re: Brave - the calm | the storm

I am a HUGE fan of the band, and I feel bad for not championing them, but extenuating circumstances, blah, blah. Waist Deep in Dark Waters was brilliant, and I need to give this new one added spins. Thanks for bringing it up!
by Sparky
Mon Dec 10, 2018 7:24 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
Replies: 40
Views: 11850

Re: Dream Theater - "Distance Over Time" Album Teaser

I think the knock on shorter DT tunes in the past is that it's verse, verse, chorus...wank break...chorus...and this is no different. This is tighter than a...very, very...um, tight thing, but haven't we heard this 83 times before? NOTE: I only listened once.
by Sparky
Fri Oct 05, 2018 3:03 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Shattered Skies - Muted Neon
Replies: 12
Views: 4888

Re: Shattered Skies - Muted Neon

I think I'm coming around on 8-string guitars as long as they're used in the context of a melodic song and not used for straight-up chunking. You Will Know My Name is a perfect example of where they don't run roughshod over the song.
by Sparky
Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:42 pm
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: Silent Clash - Inner Lies
Replies: 7
Views: 2573

Re: Silent Clash - Inner Lies

These guys are good. Very good. I love it when a band comes out of nowhere and totally brings it.
by Sparky
Wed Aug 01, 2018 11:33 am
Forum: PM: Core
Topic: The Forgotten Heroes of Prog Metal Thread
Replies: 195
Views: 63840

Re: The Forgotten Heroes of Prog Metal Thread

How about October Thorns never making a proper record? Sigh.