This song is very beautiful and sublime; it makes you feel like you are being transported back in time to the very gates of Babylon itself, standing in front of it, looking up and beholding it in all its glory.
I believe music has an Ancient essence, perhaps bestowed on us by aliens, perhaps gods.
It has a musical code, transcending the code of DNA.
Yes, while it's true that music translates into rythms, the whole spirit of music, is transcendant, more than just bodily rythms.
It is a spiritual code, music is alive, certain riffs, certain melodies, have distinct identities, personalities, they are entities all of themselves. This is the magic of music, and why musical breakthroughs, true musical breakthroughs, are so celebrated, because it is like giving birth to a new life form. And this is why the same musical techniques, riffs, styles and identities, are used so over and over again, because they are the same actors, persons, identities, rich in essence, living out in new plays, new features, their fuel, spark, lasting for decades, centuries even.
For those who cannot hear and need to be told, this is the end of the evolution of metal. This is to metal what fusion was to contemporary jazz.
Polyrhythmic 'math' metal as it is sometimes called, is the most compositionally complex form this kind of music can take. It's structural limits are reached here; metal is either simpler than this and therefore outmoded, or only as good as this. But metal can go no further than this. That is what I mean.
Magnus Anderson, that pretentious, fish n' chip eating English prat, had the nerve to introduce me to this song and then tell me it sucked.
Verily, it was here that I learned Andy hath no ears.
Meshuggah is another example (minus the obnoxious vocals). Dancers to a Discordant System for example has ridiculous time signatures.
From now on Know Yoself has a new rule. If you post in the genre of metal, it better be as good as this.
Because of the geometric area created by the mathematical relations between the instrument parts, there is more dimensional space available to be interpreted... this space is filled by the symbolic imagery and metaphor we 'put to' the music. When music generates imagery of 'soundtrack' space in the mind, the music becomes meaningful.. instrumental music I mean. Lyrical music is different; it sets the available space at a minimum.
When an instrumental song like this 'tells a story', this means the song has created a space which you then fill and enrich with semiotic content and meaning... we 'thematize' the sound with dramatic meaning. If the Flight of the Valkaries doesn't make you want to spray the enemy with machine fire from a helicopter as you charge into battle, you got problems.
But by and in itself it is nothing but some various sound waves. The interpretation of its form depends on the geometric area it creates for itself. What you are hearing and interpreting depends on your sensitivity to the subtle complexities of the area.
The most important or primal form of interpretation is through the intuitive recognition of the mathematical characteristics of the music first. The percussive aspects of the music, or the rhythm. When this area is created in an unusual form.. in this case, the complex underlying time signatures.. its area is greatly increased elsewhere.
The extent to which a song like this can be understood is determined by the individuals sensitivity to the subtleties. His/her comprehension of the music uses all the available space, the landscape, 'picks up' on the overall design of the music.. think of a mathematical physicist genius and a dummy sitting in front of an equation on a chalk board.
The dummy sees incomprehensible nonsense.. the genius sees eloquence, beauty and depth.
In the case of music, one cannot explain how this holographic comprehension of sound generates dramatic imagery.. there is nothing that demands a certain sound should cause a certain idea, or emotion or dramatic interpretation of music text. The hard problem of musicness.
Of course, everyone agrees that an F can be a sad chord, or a major chord happy and cheerful.. but why?..the underlying connection and coincidence here is rooted in the mathematical relationships between the notes and the brains receptiveness to that. Perhaps a chords resolution determines how it is 'felt', .. somehow the specific mathematical facts about the arrangement of the particular chord.. here is a whole step with a fifth and a half note... tend to coincide with certain feelings.
A certain characteristic of a certain musical arrangement or 'statement' might not always be recognized by everyone. Mozart was recognizing great musical complexity when he was a kid. Was there some kind of qualia about the music that only Mozart had?
Therein lies the rub. The answer is an affirmative yes and no. While there is nothing more than the objective existence of the notes and sounds in their various relations, the higher subtleties created by the mathematical form of the music makes a larger area or space that can't be experienced by someone who does not recognize these subtleties. Less qualia is available to them.
In classical orchestra and symphony the maximum limits of this area are reached. All the possible mathematical forms of music were tried out during that period.. only it didn't rock because they weren't electric and had no amps.
The 'lyrical' age of music is dead. The instrumentalism of music should take back possession of the dramatic form of the music. But this is hard to do, and hard to hear, so its market value is risky. Songs like these will only be well received by a few.. those who rock.
The first question of conscience should be "do I rock?" Everything else follows that question and is only made important after that question is answered.
"Abandon your unmusical ways, Trixie"- FVZ
perpetualburn
Gender : Posts : 955 Join date : 2013-01-03 Location : MA
For those who cannot hear and need to be told, this is the end of the evolution of metal. This is to metal what fusion was to contemporary jazz.
You're getting unhinged Zoot. Here:
_________________ And here we always meet, at the station of our heart / Looking at each other as if we were in a dream /Seeing for the first time different eyes so supreme / That bright flames burst into vision, keeping us apart.
Nope, sorry. That entire album is in 4/4 time. I can't bear to listen to it. That one mundanity alone automatically disqualifies it. That's just more of the overly used tried and true generic melodic forms that characterize like 90 percent of the metal you'll ever hear. Bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest already did them all.
I knew what was coming at every point in that album because of that commercial generic form it is in.
Try Ozric Tentacles and Dream Theater to get an experience of that point in song style that separates a style of metal from all the others in a significant way. The meter and arrangement of the song is fundamental to its level of integrity. Tool is another good example. They are unlike the other metal bands at that moment because they were doing things in 9/8 and 6/8 all the time. That distinguished them from the other generic bands staying true to the formula for 'metal'.
Jarno
Gender : Posts : 2281 Join date : 2015-08-27 Age : 32 Location : Finland
For those who cannot hear and need to be told, this is the end of the evolution of metal. This is to metal what fusion was to contemporary jazz.
Polyrhythmic 'math' metal as it is sometimes called, is the most compositionally complex form this kind of music can take. It's structural limits are reached here; metal is either simpler than this and therefore outmoded, or only as good as this. But metal can go no further than this. That is what I mean.
^The entire song sounds like someone recorded themselves practising scales and chords and put them all together to make a "song". Even if you can play your instrument, you will never learn to write songs, only these ego stroking demos which are only created for you to show off your guitar playing skills. I could spend all day posting music of untalented song writers.
I don't think music can get anymore generic than this. This is like post-modern art, looking at blank wall and saying to yourself "I get this", there is no purpose or meaning.
perpetualburn
Gender : Posts : 955 Join date : 2013-01-03 Location : MA
Nope, sorry. That entire album is in 4/4 time. I can't bear to listen to it. That one mundanity alone automatically disqualifies it. That's just more of the overly used tried and true generic melodic forms that characterize like 90 percent of the metal you'll ever hear. Bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest already did them all.
Disqualifies it for what? Greatness?
If those melodies are generic to you, could you point me to the majestic ones?
Is this "absurd" enough for you?
_________________ And here we always meet, at the station of our heart / Looking at each other as if we were in a dream /Seeing for the first time different eyes so supreme / That bright flames burst into vision, keeping us apart.
Jarno
Gender : Posts : 2281 Join date : 2015-08-27 Age : 32 Location : Finland
These 2 artists (Tony Mcalbine and Jason Becker) also fit into what I just said to Zoot Allures, sorry. Just like Yngwie malmsteen who has played guitar all his life, can't write music, only ego stroking "improvisation". They desperately need to be in the spotlight and center of the attention in every second of the song, their egos demand it, god forbid if somebody doesn't notice that they are good at playing guitar. So the point of these songs are to show off their skills, not tell a story or to create atmosphere, they are the center of their songs, the songs are about worshipping the guitarist...
Just like this.
Lyssa Har Har Harr
Gender : Posts : 8965 Join date : 2012-03-01 Location : The Cockpit
