This is straight-up not true. I’ve seen people who can just sweep like it was nothing. It’s all about what one works on. I would’ve said the same thing about pinch harmonics you’re saying about sweeps a few years ago, but that sounds laughable and silly, now.
Gila: Cynic is the shit! You heard anything off the new album? I’ve been worried about checking it out.
In further progressive death metal, Gojira are super-rad, and one of the most ridiculous live shows I have ever had the good fortune to see. Atheist is also good for jazz-fusion metal. Mirrorthrone, Sigh, and Wolves in the Throne Room are good to look into if one likes Enslaved, and are lyrically several notches less cliche and comically melodramatic than the majority of black metal. Sleepytime Gorilla Museum are an excellent band, although not so much progressive as experimental.
YES! Cynic are amazing. I saw them live with Meshuggah and it blew my pants off. I had to sit down it was that awesome. The new material is great, but it is not nearly as heavy as the older material. And that’s saying a lot since they weren’t that heavy to begin with. The newer material is like progressive hardrock/metal fusion. There’s some amazing talent in there, but it the death metal element is pretty much gone.
I keep hearing good things about Gojira, but when I first heard them I wasn’t too amazed. They’re playing here in May though so I think I’ll head to that. Sigh and Wolves in the Throne Room are amazing, I’ll be seeing both at Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore in May.
Athiest are pretty killer too, but I heard the new stuff is kind of iffy. Regardless, they are probably one of the heavier jazzy bands back in their day. So good.
The first time I heard them was live, and it biased me heavily towards them. Also, the hardcore punk influence in the vocals, increasingly good (and always super hippie) lyrics, and knowledge of when to contrast soft and hard is what I love about them. Their most recent two albums are standouts by far, although the first two were still some of the best death metal released at the time, I think.
Honestly, it’s all about Elements and Presence, I think.
And, yeah, I cannot imagine acoustic sweeping working.
This is a good point. Also, the whole post black movement (or whatever you’d like to call it) a la Arcturus, Satyricon after Rebel Extravaganza, Mayhem after Grand Declaration, Thorns (you should check them out if you haven’t). Sigh and Enslaved are both great.
I heard that Elements is kind of directionless in terms of songwriting and that the songs are sort of pieced together. I need to hear it myself to really judge it though. Unquestionable Presence is great, and Piece of Time is amazing! Sooooo good.
Wow, I’ve never heard of Thorns before. I’m listening to them on myspace… it’s good stuff! Yeah I can’t forget about Arcturus, those guys were nutbags. Freakin’ black metal carnival, man.
Elements as an album is not that good, as it really isn’t very cohesive at all. Basically all the songs are still good, though, I think. However, none of them are really as good as anything off Presence, so, really, it’s still not as good, just still actually worth listening to.