InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "BOOYAKA!"

Rath, the Ghost of the Navigator (navigatorsghost) wrote,
@ 2009-06-09 11:30:00

Current mood:	inquisitive
Current music:	Mono Inc, Planet Shame
Entry tags:	argh bad day, audience participation, eisbrecher, i'd rather be dancing, me, music, self-involved rambling, theories, user-generated content please?

[Music] So that's what Raths like!
Okay, does anyone feel like helping out a Rath? I need music recommendations, because I think I have just noticed an odd quirk in my musical tastes, and I want to see if there is a real pattern here or just an illusory one...

The thing is, W. was kind enough to give me the first Eisbrecher album (and the second one, but I haven't listened to that one as much yet) and I've been devouring it enthusiastically. My favourite tracks are, without question, Willkommen im Nichts and Fanatica. Schwarze Witwe is hanging around third place, tieing for now with Herz Steht Still (which is gorgeous but being left aside for now cos it doesn't fit the topic under discussion).

Now, what's interesting about these three tracks? All of them are quite heavy, quite crunchy, solidly rhythmical, but they have - either in the backing vocals (Schwarze Witwe), the main vocals (Willkommen im Nichts), or both (Fanatica), a bizarrely conspicuous pop influence. The prechorus of Willkommen im Nichts has a brilliant looping, dipping pattern that really does sound like a pop chorus in a horrible, black, spiky, grinning disguise, and the English chorus of Fanatica probably wouldn't sound out of place on a chart single if it weren't backed by distorted synths and being powered from underneath by a vocalist who sounds like he's snarling through a static generator.

Which got me thinking, now, what other bands and songs do I like that feel like this? And the list is interestingly long. Lordi - are a melodic hard rock band with a harsh lead vocal, using a lot of pop and rock lyrical concepts with a dark twist. Devilish Presley - feel like the Fifties like the Fifties never were, twisted sideways by Johnny and Jacqui's sneering snarls and skewed lyrical concepts. Marilyn Manson covering Sweet Dreams. Children of Bodom covering Bed of Nails. Carpathian Forest covering the Cure. Power metal versions of ABBA songs. W.A.S.P. ballads. The list goes on. And as far as I can nail down, the mystic link between them all is the combination of pop/rock melody structures and/or mirrorverse-style twists on mainstream musical ideas, with vocals that are theoretically too harsh for but nevertheless follow the conventions of the melodic structure.

So. Dear flist, do any of you have any songs that sound like they fit this description (any genre from metal to electronica to goth to whatever, guitars not obligatory!) that you think I should hear? Caveat: I still tend to strongly dislike filks, "novelty" covers or pisstakes, some of which would fall into the description above. Some degree of straight face and musical integrity has to be involved, so the band in question has to be doing this style because it's what they want to sound like, rather than because they're looking at the audience going "are we funny yet?" But that aside, I'm sure there must be more Stuff That Sounds Like This, so if anyone has any, please wave it at me? Thank you!

In other news, a) I am going against the trend and actually kind of gutted at what happened to Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules (and I really hope his shoulder and finger heal up quick, best wishes Jeff!), b) I think I have a cold, and c) I need more sleep. >_< How are you guys?

Laters,
Rath

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(Post a new comment)

	sternenstaub 2009-06-09 07:05 am UTC (link)
	"I am going against the trend and actually kind of gutted at what happened to Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules" There's a trend for not being gutted for him?! What the fuck. I didn't even see it, and fuck, the poor boy. :( (Reply to this) (Thread)

navigatorsghost
2009-06-09 08:39 am UTC (link)

I seem to know a lot of people who are all "CM Punk CM Punk yay!" and don't mind that Jeff just got shivved for his belt that he'd taken back off Edge who he has years of history with, in a ladders match of all things... Just, not fair. Not respectful. That was their gimmick and their moment, the two of them, and I hated to see it broken up like that.

And while I'm sure it's all good story and he signed up for it, it's still gutting. :( And the broken finger and the busted shoulder? Well, that's just adding... er, injury to insult, technically speaking. Poor Jeff. :(

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	sternenstaub 2009-06-09 08:43 am UTC (link)
	I adore CM Punk, but fucking Jeff. :( Tiny Jeff. And he only just fucking got that belt. Aaargh. :( Still want to take them home. :/ Would set all other fangirls on fire. :/ I'd look after them right and feed them meat and things. They eat meat, I expect. Except CM Punk who I'd have to feed lots of tofu or something. God I love those guys ._. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

navigatorsghost
2009-06-09 10:09 am UTC (link)

What you need is a Tiny Jeff of your own. About five inches tall and sits on your computer/desk/wherever you are, occasionally performing daredevil stunts for your (and his) amusement and spending the rest of his time painting and playing a little guitar. Also has his own equally Tiny Dog.

Meanwhile, I'll get myself a Tiny Edge, and then they can have matches while we're hanging out together. ^_^

(...this is starting to sound like that time I was speculating on the possibility of there being a Lego WWE videogame, because seriously, a game structure whose basis is "break everything that isn't nailed down and a few things that are" would be PERFECT for a wrestling-themed game, y/y?)

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sternenstaub
2009-06-09 10:13 am UTC (link)

I would go actually nuts for a tiny Jeff. :( He is my shameless favourite. He's so tiiiiiny and has paaaaint.

Aaah what wouldn't I give to have a tiny Edge chasing an equally tiny Jeff around the CB2 bookshelves... <3 <3 <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah

LEGO WWE WOULD BE SO BADASS

aaaaah tiny wrestlers aaaah small versions of big things only just the saaaaame aaaaaaaaaaaaah

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	navigatorsghost 2009-06-09 10:26 am UTC (link)
	Well EXACTLY. With a Tiny Matt and a Tiny Christian to provide the two of them with respective support and tagteam partners (I deny this storyline feud between Jeff and Matt entirely, bah!) aaaaah tiny wrestlers aaaah small versions of big things only just the saaaaame aaaaaaaaaaaaah ...I am SO GLAD I am not the only person who understands the appeal of this! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sternenstaub
2009-06-09 10:32 am UTC (link)

"I deny this storyline feud between Jeff and Matt entirely, bah!"

ME TOO. IT IS ENTIRELY TOO HEARTBREAKING :( :( Th-they love each other very much :x

I'd like to put in dibs for a Tiny CM Punk, too, because he'd be well excited about being small. :D He would, though; he'd climb on phones just to stamp on the buttons and things.

I adore small versions of big things that are just the same only smaller. Tiny tea-sets make me entirely too excited for what they are. tiny teacups! aaaaah

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navigatorsghost
2009-06-09 10:45 am UTC (link)

ME TOO. IT IS ENTIRELY TOO HEARTBREAKING :( :( Th-they love each other very much :x

Yes. Yes, they do. Just don't let them read their own fanfic. O_O

And OK, you can have Tiny CM Punk, as long as I can have Tiny Shawn Michaels and Tiny Triple H to cause mayhem for me at work... ^_^ ♥DX♥

Little versions of living things are even better, when they are actually alive too. (Did I tell you Koi occasionally texts miniature creatures to me? Usually band members...)

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	ironlord 2009-06-09 12:58 pm UTC (link)
	I know what you need to do: listen to my ogg-casts! http://www.rickdangerous.co.uk/hammer/ There's three at the moment, and the third one (that's the one I recorded at the beer festival) has rather ropey sound quality, but if you've heard everything over all the nine hours or so you'll get on there, I will eat my own face. (Reply to this)

dougalwuff
2009-06-09 03:38 pm UTC (link)

Have you found the Northern Kings yet?

How serious they are about the music probably varies from song to song and, I expect, from listener to listener, and they might not be quite harsh enough for you. Still, I loved them when I first heard them, and I like to spread the news.

Word of advice though? Avoid their rendition of "I should be so lucky' if you're not looking for a laugh.

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	dragoness-e.livejournal.com 2009-06-09 08:43 pm UTC (link)
	Eh, I'm an old fogie with dinosaurian musical tastes, but I always liked Judas Priest's cover of "Johnny B Good". I like Priest in general, of course. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	navigatorsghost 2009-06-10 04:56 am UTC (link)
	Hehehe... that was actually the first version of that song I knew. grins Priest rule! ^_^ (Reply to this) (Parent)

	calibrata.livejournal.com 2009-06-10 03:29 am UTC (link)
	I may be off here, because I don't know very many of the songs you listed, but have you heard Disturbed's cover of "Shout"? I like it much better than the original now. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	navigatorsghost 2009-06-10 04:56 am UTC (link)
	I haven't, but I can give it a try! Thanks. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	blackmetalbaz 2009-06-13 12:12 pm UTC (link)
	It's fairly horrendous. Dominion did a good version of "Shout" though, on the Peaceville X cimpilation. Actually, pretty much all of that album is fantastic for cover versions. Anathema's version of Bad Religion's "Better Off Dead" is a particular favourite. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	navigatorsghost 2009-06-14 07:05 am UTC (link)
	I remember that compilation! Actually Anathema's version of "Better Off Dead" was the first one I heard, and I loved it - so much so that the original sounds odd to me now... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	vequinox 2009-06-13 05:20 pm UTC (link)
	Hmm, I don't have anything that fits those, but I DO have something you MAY like anyway. May I email? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	navigatorsghost 2009-06-14 07:05 am UTC (link)
	Veqy m'dear, you may always email me anything you like, as long as it isn't going to crash my computer or get me arrested obviously. ♥ glomp Thank you! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	vequinox 2009-06-14 07:07 am UTC (link)
	LOL. But those are the FUN things. ;) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	vequinox 2009-06-14 07:23 am UTC (link)
	Bah. Yahoo kept barfing. So instead, I threw it online (10MB): http://www.vequinox.net/ockluv/Anger.mp3 (Reply to this) (Parent)