Plano Skywalker

>>You're so reported to the RIAA, what are you thinking, stealing food from the mouths of the musician's kids! For shame. :'( << Ha! Just for the record, I generally rip my own mp3s based on albums (and compilations!) that I buy. ripping mp3s for your own use is perfectly legal.

cool, I personally think Days of Purgatory and/or Horrow Show are good primers. they both feauture Matt Barlow on vocals. Days of Purgatory is actually a compilation of their earlier stuff but with Matt singing....and sing he does.

well, the energy (double bass drums) and riffs of thrash with clean, powerful, anthem-like songs. I could do without some of the false setto they do but it works well enough.

"Sepultura from Roots on. " I take that to mean clean vocals? cool. Iced Earth is a great band...basically a thrash/power metal hybrid.

possibly, but the forumites here have definitely proven quite knowledgeable on the subject.

Alright, I know a number of us have talked about metal bands of late. Let me explain my motivation--I am compiling a rather large mp3 playlist of nothing but metal. I have: * all the "extreme metal" I need (including death, black and jazz-influenced stuff). * all the Power Metal I need (the Blind Guardians and Judas Priests of the world). I also have some thrash: Metallica, Anthrax, Testament, Metal Church, Megadeth. Thrash is my favorite (although Power Metal runs a close second) and I want to find any gems out there that may pass just under the radar screen. Any suggestions?

I watched "The Ring" for the first time last night.....well, it was definitely right up there with the 6th Sense in terms of a QUALITY scary movie. One of the best films I have ever seen.

Queensryche -- Jet City Woman

maybe I'm taking these bands too seriously. but it would seem to me that consistency of "message" would be desirable.

one of the things that has bothered my about black metal bands like Bathory is the inconsistency of mythos. OK, fine, tell me about Odin and Thor and how they are better than the new religion....but don't turn right around and say "Hail Satan". Odinism is not Satanism. anyway, just a pet peeve of mine.

actually, that particular (brujeria) album that Baley mentioned does have some of their better-written songs....and some that I'll pass on....perhaps I will check them out to some extent.

there is a difference between mentioning such things and *praising* such things.

I have no problem with the lyrics about human trafficking, drug smuggling, immigration issues, race issues, etc. But I can't deal with the necrophilia and "hail SA tan" stuff.

Baley, what is so special about Brujeria? Lyrically, they are just as bankrupt as any black metal band.

I've been listening to "Touched By the Crimson King" by Demons and Wizards, which is a side project between the band leaders of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian. All I can say is OMG, that guy from Blind Guardian can sing like its nobody's business!

the face paint and demon customs are uber lame, no question. I also do not care much for "cookie monster" vocals which both black metal and death metal share. I do, however, like the "thin" guitar sound that bands like Satyricon use.

I'm certainly not in to Black Metal but what about Satyricon and Dragonlord? Based on what I've read, those bands represent some of the very best of black metal. (and Dragonlord just barely qualifies as black metal).

oh, I agree. I was just saying to those who bemoan the lack of "true non-linearity", it ain't going to happen on major, commercial releases with voice acting and FMV sequences. but a good game like Indigo Prophecy should have premium content available. that is one way to keep it interesting...new content in between titles.

I generally use MusicMatch. For the longest time, it was the only shareware MP3 ripper/player of any note out there. I understand that iTunes is also a ripper. I will probably go to that if and when I buy an iPod.

linear game design is here to stay. what we can hope for is it being well-disguised and with options like party members and customizable backstory. also, more games should have premium content upgrades.

the real question, as I see it, is not whether the 360 will remain a viable platform, but, rather, will MS have to destroy the PC gaming market to enshrine the 360 (and future Xbox generations). and that is a very good question. one of complaints we keep hearing from people is that Sony has exclusive titles while Xbox/X360 titles are "PC copies". Well, then the answer is more titles that can only run on the 360. They are already moving in that direction with the Mass Effect trilogy and other games. if the PC gaming market is destroyed, then occidental-style games will migrate to the Xbox-type console first.

I'm going by market share, not profits.

the Xbox should have been a giant failure but it was not because: * they won over the FPS market for kids who couldn't afford PC powerhouses. * very good live support to enable FPS gaming. that is how the console even survived. now that they have a following, titles (other than just FPS) will allow for more survivability. And the trump card will be an Xbox PC that is much more value-priced than the PS3.

I think MMOs have killed the cRPG. Consoles have not. If anything, the KOTOR games show you can have a true RPG experience on console.

ha, I think you know what I mean. for a U.S. company to even attempt to break into a market that had Nintendo, Sega, and Sony as the only real competitors was a huge gamble. And it was more or less successful. now comes the knife fight.