The DLA "scene": users' own compositions

[Cargést]

Fuck that.  I whore my shit out when I feel like, regardless of its status.  You can't tell me what to do!

[we hope you die]

Chill out dude. I'm not setting anything up for a pat on the back, I'm probing for opinions  of any kind to see if its worth devloping my ideas some more. I haven't dressed up anything to be more than it is, I was just looking for views from people who know what they're talking about, becaue the last thing I want to do is saturate the place with more worthless black metal. If you don't see anything at all there, then please say so. But if you think my very obviously half finished crap has even a shred of potential then I may go away for a while and come back with something that I do consider to be "finished".

If I was looking for a pat on the back for this shit the last place I'd post it would be on anus.

[scourge]

I listened to Valscharuhn - Seven Wonders of the Ancient World followed by Lord Wind - Heralds of Fight. Seven Wonders sets Valscharuhn firmly on the path to greater works ahead.

The first thing missing is the recursive tension and release found with the percussion work in Heralds. That's part of the disbelief-suspension that helps draw the listener into the music. The second thing the next Valscharuhn album could use is more texture contrast between the instruments; perhaps more boldness and a sense of adventure, (or is it a melancholy foreboding?) from the composer, again comparing to Heralds. Fudaldi uses heavy percussion and the electronic choir voices for these, respectively. We don't necessarily need percussion or choir to lend greater contrast to sound.

Last, Seven Wonders and Heralds each at times betray their synthetic electronic nature, reminding us we are no longer Argonaut explorers drawing up on distant shores, but only taking a safe audio photo journal tour from an armchair.

Still, with no content or consistency problems, all that's needed are some composition tricks of the trade and a few technical production details for the next release, which hopefully will be forthcoming from Andrew.

[Nimbostratus]

I really liked Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Certainly, I fully agree with the Scourge about the possible use of dynamic heroism. The best word to describe this album is hieratic. Rigid, solemn, frozen in time, it brings awe, but it could bring moments of resurgent vitality, like saying that Western Tradition is not dead.

But it is a great release, I really liked it.

-------

Also, I'm wondering why most projects by members of this forum are one-man projects. Perhaps an impossibility to find compatible musical companionship? Or the pursuit for a coherent musical concept from a single mind? Has anyone ever thought about the possibility of an on-line cooperation in composition and recording between members of this forum?

[Cargést]

The pursuit for a coherent musical concept from a single mind.

Bingo.

[Blaphbee]

Seven Wonders? Didn't like it as much as I wanted to.

However, I'll get into the reasons why later - gotta split for a few hours.

[Andrew]

I would just like to say that I very much appreciate the responses.  I agree that my music lacks a sense of adventure and can be emotionally monotonous, but for this specific work that was intentional to a certain degree.  I wanted it to feel somewhat lifeless (compared to Heralds of Fight, for instance), as if one were visiting these places as memories and dreams rather than the physical locations when they existed (while Heralds of Fight has the feeling of throwing one right into the middle of an ancient battle).  The obviousness of the synthesizer was also intentional; it's a personal aesthetic choice; I feel it is as necessary for this kind of music as distorted guitars are for black metal.  Also the "hieratic" description is one I appreciate since Gregorian chant is something I listen to a lot and try to emulate in the feeling of the music, which will obviously make it less exciting, but perhaps give it a more spiritual and ancient sound (or at least that was my intention).

I'd love to hear any other thoughts on the album, whether you enjoy it or not.

[Saif al-Malik]

At this time I have no musical compositions, but instead have lyrics or prose which is intended to be unified with music in the future.  The work is obviously influenced by Islam and its mystical element of Sufism.  Allusions to conquest of the enemies both within and without, visions of punishment and mercy, physical conquests of the early Muslims, annihilation of the self, Paradise and Hell.  The text does not seem forceful enough, but in time that may be addressed.

Path to Reckoning
-----
Great hidden subterranean land of despair and pain
Oh, so hungry you are, you beckon us beyond sight
Such prideful lustful humans then come so willingly
Knowing not the vengeance of supreme holy terror

Souls travel into the abyss beyond the burning grave
A desolate foretaste shows the path impatiently waiting
More to come, always and increasing: quickening nears
Foolish, heedless, worse than animals, you go ignorant

Mired in pools of fetid sensuality: lusts never to be quenched
Nights and days to be forgotten and the hearts harden in filth
What wretches can you be to be so callous, cruel, yet gullible?
Nothing is your enemy more than your selves your worship

Your aid will be no respite: to drink the puss of your wounds
Chains of red hot iron scorch, ever knowing a life now wasted
No regrets, no remorse, only your own eternal agony delivered
Angels stoic: holy servants tear, pierce you within and without

Drowning your souls in the forbidden and sealing your fate
Ever increasing devolution beyond the primal states of sins
Your conduct in one surely tarnishes the other … unnoticed
Oh, you will be destroyed in agonies beyond your conception

Oh Malik, oh overseer seraph, deliver that which is deserved!

Prelude to Barzakh
-----
Ripped, torn, stripped away is this paltry reality
The realization, annihilation, is in a clear moment
Physical ignorance, a veil to blind and deceive
Your death will only break your attachments

Perfumed, sensuous, sweet the aromatics of death
Alighting all moments, bestowing complete clarity
Nothingness removing desires in its supremacy
Emptiness will come; you will break, rot, decay

Crystalline realization: fades from black into white
The soul awakens to be tormented by a burning grave
The bonds broken, yet the chains are sealed
Torture eternal as the black fires kiss your flesh

Quenched is your thirst, your hunger sated by dirt
And then your return to the soil from whence you came
Questions: fearsome angels, punishing pillars of light
Alas, a visitation to rend your soul and heart asunder

Decomposition is but a station on the path to return
The mercies untold will be forgone by arrogance
Broken, your soul will writhe in beautiful agonies
With joy, purification through shedding blood, tears

[Iconocloaca]

I know I'm being trollish, but can I get a tl;dr of the shit people posted here?  I want to avoid the pretentious "transcendent tradionalist" nonsense and listen to something crunchy with good song writing.

[Blaphbee]

On to why I didn't like it:

1. It's sloppy. There are very obvious tempo glitches all over this album. When performing something with a fixed tempo but no fixed timekeeper, use a metronome.
2. See Morttis' Født til å Herske for comparative cheese.

I wanted to like this, but it just went nowhere. The songs told no story.

How long have you been playing? What else have you done? I am curious, and not for malicious reasons.

[MLK]

On to why I didn't like it:

1. It's sloppy. There are very obvious tempo glitches all over this album. When performing something with a fixed tempo but no fixed timekeeper, use a metronome.
2. See Morttis' Født til å Herske for comparative cheese.

I wanted to like this, but it just went nowhere. The songs told no story.

My conclusion was the same. It's a nice conceptual idea, but the music lacks depth/content.

my advice would be ditch the two/three chord & short melody approach. make longer melodies a la Lord Wind or early music. invest a bit of time in learning the rudiments of harmony/theory as well and become a bit more proficient on an instrument, that in itself will help the ideas grow more.

I agree that my music lacks a sense of adventure and can be emotionally monotonous, but for this specific work that was intentional to a certain degree

I understand the reasoning behind this, but do you realize this is the almost the same as saying "it's meant to be boring and shit"?
fine, but why would anyone want to listen to it? I know that sounds like I'm being a dick but I've heard that excuse (in various wordings) from people who make a hell of a lot of money out of music - but still cant answer why they think anyone should bother listening to something thats deliberately shit. always consider what the listener is able to take positively out of a work.

[MLK]

I know I'm being trollish, but can I get a tl;dr of the shit people posted here?  I want to avoid the pretentious "transcendent tradionalist" nonsense and listen to something crunchy with good song writing.

the tl;dr is that nothing especially good has come out of this thread yet.

[Iconocloaca]

I know I'm being trollish, but can I get a tl;dr of the shit people posted here?  I want to avoid the pretentious "transcendent tradionalist" nonsense and listen to something crunchy with good song writing.

the tl;dr is that nothing especially good has come out of this thread yet.

Ah, okay, thanks.  I think analytical people like the volk at ANUS usually don't have musical talent

[Conservationist]

I think analytical people like the volk at ANUS usually don't have musical talent

Or more likely:

Most go on to more stable careers than music, and do it as a hobby. The placement of musical talent, drive and timing is a rare thing.

I have hope for the people here. For every one who complains too much, there are others who are constructive and enhancing life. They live on.

[MLK]

Being a musician probably requires an impulsive streak, otherwise one would probably see what a sinkhole for time it is/what a stupid idea for a career path it is and go do something far more sensible. That might answer partly why analytical types don't necessarily turn out to be great musicians.

Then again, getting good at music requires serious diligence and alot of analytically-driven weeding out of ones own crappy ideas. So perhaps i'm talking shite.

anyway. i'm funny about self promotion, but i guess its only fair to share some of my music in this thread now that ive seen fit to criticise other peoples work. Since its a metal forum I'll offer some metal:
www.hiarctow.com/music/beithioch

of the two streamable albums on there:
An Sealgaire is black metal of the Beherit/Sort Vokter sort of fare. Ceo Dearg and Béal Duibheagán are the noteworthy tracks.

Aisling Dhorcha is more Burzum-esque and 'epic'. Probably better too. Athbhreith Lasánta and Dornán Talaimh are most worth a listen.