Music Banter - View Single Post - The Playlist of Life --- Trollheart's resurrected Journal

Trollheart · 10-30-2015, 07:12 PM

5. Angel of Babylon --- Avantasia

I like a lot of things about this. Babylon is generally taken as a byword for decadence and excess, which generally we angels are (supposed to be) against, being all holy and what have you, and the way the angel in this one is presented is interesting. The body is slim and lithe, like a mortal woman’s, which is the way many of your artists see us, not realising that there are male angels too, hello!

But then the wings, rather than being swanlike or dovelike as in most depictions of my kind are more ragged, sharp and almost batlike. It’s almost like this angel is a hybrid of good and evil, angel and demon, and the dark, midnighty background she’s depicted against, coupled with the idea of the shipwreck and leaning over something which I can’t quite make out makes her almost tilting towards the vampiric. Very different. I like it a lot.

4. Fallen from Grace --- Death Angel

Ah, sweet, as Peter Griffin would say! This band has “angel” in its name too! This one is really weird. Look how dark and moody the cover is, with a real feel of seeing a Renaissance painting maybe on some old castle wall, and what the hell (sorry; I mean what in Heaven -- what's that you say? This is Metal Month? I can say what the fuck I like? Ah, sweet indeed! I might just stick around here for a while!) is that creepy old guy doing with that skull? Why is he laughing? To me, the reaction of the angel can be taken three ways: one, she is shying away from the skull in horror, two, she is beckoning the weird old guy to whisper something in his ear or three, she is leaning towards the skull to touch it. Either way, it’s damn creepy, and the way the angel is mostly in shadow and kept deliberately androgynous …. meh, could be Uriel. Kind of looks like the sort of thing he would do. He knows some weird people too, let me tell you.

3. Angels Cry -- Angra

What I like about this one is that it seems to me that the artist, either wittingly or no, made it look like the angel is holding a bouquet of flowers, and with them down at her waist it gives the unmistakable impression of a bride left at the altar. So I kind of see this as Satan after he Fell, raising his eyes to the unforgiving Heavens , coloured red to depict the Almighty’s displeasure. It’s like he’s looking up into the sky and asking to be forgiven, but like the bride forsaken on her wedding day, he knows he has no chance of that wish ever being granted. Powerful, striking image.

2. As Above, So Below --- Angel Witch

Well how can you not like this one! It’s got the whole gang there, with good ol’ Michael leading the charge as we head down for Judgement Day, Dies Irae, The Big Cahoona, whatever you want to call it, the one we’ve all been waiting for when we angels come down to teach you humans a thing or … um, yeah. Anyway, I like the way the angels are all walking like on a cloud of light and the mortal below represents the fear and terror of humanity as the Big Day arrives. Interesting that the guy running away appears to be a priest, a man of God huh? Also, as an added bonus, I think there’s a guest appearance by Jesus there at the Last Supper. Trust Junior to get in on the action, huh?

Sorry, sorry! Just having some harmless fun, your Saviourship! Didn’t mean any harm. Yes, I realise I’m needed above. I’ll be wrapping up here very short --- ah, right now, indeed, as you say.

1. Heaven and Hell --- Black Sabbath

Yeah, I’ve always liked this one. Angels on downtime huh? Like the Van Halen cover, mixing smoking into the picture is I feel a great idea. Smoking is seen generally as a bad habit, something angels should not indulge in, which is why they --- actually, anyone got a light? Thanks --- try to do it whenever they can. Mind you, these guys look like they’re smoking more than tobacco. If you get my drift. I love the fact that the guy on the left has smaller wings and so is surely seen as inferior, and seems to be asking the big guy in the middle something, like perhaps “What do you like best about God?” Yeah, probably more like “What do you mean, these are your last three? I saw two packs in your coat only yesterday!” Anyway it’s a cool cover and it gets top spot on my little countdown, just another of Black Sabbath’s little jokes at organised religion.

What? Oh yes, sure! Sorry! I’m on my way, honest! I swear, if he asks me to re-catalogue all his Hank Williams CDs by date, popularity and era one more time --- what’s wrong with alphabetical, that’s what I want to know! On my way, Sir! Be there before you know it!

Thanks guys, it’s been a blast! You know what? He has a LOT of Hank Williams records. Can I get a few tabs to go? Keep me awake. I owe ya, brother! You can bet you’ve got a guardian angel watching over you!

Spoiler for Hank:

10-30-2015, 07:12 PM	#3057 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	*5. Angel of Babylon* --- Avantasia** I like a lot of things about this. Babylon is generally taken as a byword for decadence and excess, which generally we angels are (supposed to be) against, being all holy and what have you, and the way the angel in this one is presented is interesting. The body is slim and lithe, like a mortal woman’s, which is the way many of your artists see us, not realising that there are male angels too, hello! But then the wings, rather than being swanlike or dovelike as in most depictions of my kind are more ragged, sharp and almost batlike. It’s almost like this angel is a hybrid of good and evil, angel and demon, and the dark, midnighty background she’s depicted against, coupled with the idea of the shipwreck and leaning over something which I can’t quite make out makes her almost tilting towards the vampiric. Very different. I like it a lot. *4. Fallen from Grace --- Death Angel* Ah, sweet, as Peter Griffin would say! This band has “angel” in its name too! This one is really weird. Look how dark and moody the cover is, with a real feel of seeing a Renaissance painting maybe on some old castle wall, and what the hell (sorry; I mean what in Heaven -- what's that you say? This is Metal Month? I can say what the fuck I like? Ah, sweet indeed! I might just stick around here for a while!) is that creepy old guy doing with that skull? Why is he laughing? To me, the reaction of the angel can be taken three ways: one, she is shying away from the skull in horror, two, she is beckoning the weird old guy to whisper something in his ear or three, she is leaning towards the skull to touch it. Either way, it’s damn creepy, and the way the angel is mostly in shadow and kept deliberately androgynous …. meh, could be Uriel. Kind of looks like the sort of thing he would do. He knows some weird people too, let me tell you. *3. Angels Cry* -- Angra What I like about this one is that it seems to me that the artist, either wittingly or no, made it look like the angel is holding a bouquet of flowers, and with them down at her waist it gives the unmistakable impression of a bride left at the altar. So I kind of see this as Satan after he Fell, raising his eyes to the unforgiving Heavens , coloured red to depict the Almighty’s displeasure. It’s like he’s looking up into the sky and asking to be forgiven, but like the bride forsaken on her wedding day, he knows he has no chance of that wish ever being granted. Powerful, striking image. 2. As Above, So Below --- Angel Witch** Well how can you not like this one! It’s got the whole gang there, with good ol’ Michael leading the charge as we head down for Judgement Day, Dies Irae, The Big Cahoona, whatever you want to call it, the one we’ve all been waiting for when we angels come down to teach you humans a thing or … um, yeah. Anyway, I like the way the angels are all walking like on a cloud of light and the mortal below represents the fear and terror of humanity as the Big Day arrives. Interesting that the guy running away appears to be a priest, a man of God huh? Also, as an added bonus, I think there’s a guest appearance by Jesus there at the Last Supper. Trust Junior to get in on the action, huh? Sorry, sorry! Just having some harmless fun, your Saviourship! Didn’t mean any harm. Yes, I realise I’m needed above. I’ll be wrapping up here very short --- ah, right now, indeed, as you say. *1. Heaven and Hell* --- Black Sabbath** Yeah, I’ve always liked this one. Angels on downtime huh? Like the Van Halen cover, mixing smoking into the picture is I feel a great idea. Smoking is seen generally as a bad habit, something angels should not indulge in, which is why they --- actually, anyone got a light? Thanks --- try to do it whenever they can. Mind you, these guys look like they’re smoking more than tobacco. If you get my drift. I love the fact that the guy on the left has smaller wings and so is surely seen as inferior, and seems to be asking the big guy in the middle something, like perhaps “What do you like best about God?” Yeah, probably more like “What do you mean, these are your last three? I saw two packs in your coat only yesterday!” Anyway it’s a cool cover and it gets top spot on my little countdown, just another of Black Sabbath’s little jokes at organised religion. What? Oh yes, sure! Sorry! I’m on my way, honest! I swear, if he asks me to re-catalogue all his Hank Williams CDs by date, popularity and era one more time --- what’s wrong with alphabetical, that’s what I want to know! On my way, Sir! Be there before you know it! Thanks guys, it’s been a blast! You know what? He has a LOT of Hank Williams records. Can I get a few tabs to go? Keep me awake. I owe ya, brother! You can bet you’ve got a guardian angel watching over you! Spoiler for Hank: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 10-12-2021 at 02:31 PM.