The Identity Matrix Presents: Listening Log 2017

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:33 PM

Artist: The Ocean

Country of Origin: Germany

Album Title: Pelagial

Genre: Progressive Metal

Year of Release: 2013

Track Listing:

Epipelagic: 7/10
Mesopelagic: Into the Uncanny: 8/10
Bathyalpelagic I: Impasses: 7/10
Bathyalpelagic II: The Wish in Dreams: 8/10
Bathyalpelagic III: Disequillibrated: 9/10
Abyssopelagic I: Boundless Vasts: 8/10
Abyssopelagic II: Signals of Anxiety: 9/10
Hadopelagic I: Omen of the Deep: 8/10
Hadopelagic II: Let Them Believe: 8/10
Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance: 8/10
Benthic: The Origin of Our Wishes: 8/10

Final Score: 8/10

Pros:
Adore the concept and atmosphere, technically proficient, really enjoyed this one

Cons:
May get a little tired in some tracks

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/6R9cHdJ7hljxDDYq2tUCdO

Note: Trollheart I would recommend this for you....

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:38 PM

Artist: The Ruins of Beverast

Country of Origin: Germany

Album Title: Exuvia

Genre: Doom Metal (Atmospheric/Black)

Year of Release: 2017

Track Listing:

Exuvia: 8/10
Surtur Barbaar Maritime: 8/10
Maere (On A Stillbirth´s Tomb): 8/10
The Pythia's Pale Wolves: 7/10
Toward Malakia: 8/10
Takitum Tootem (Trance): 8/10

Final Score: 7.8/10

Pros:
Dig the vocals, Some wonderful atmosphere

Cons:
Inconsistent on a few levels

Spotify Link has two songs removed from the album.
Bandcamp Link: https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/exuvia

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:44 PM

Artist: The Strokes

Country of Origin: United States

Album Title: Is This It

Genre: Indie Rock (Garage Rock)

Year of Release: 2001

Track Listing:

Is This It: 10/10
The Modern Age: 10/10
Soma: 9/10
Barely Legal: 10/10
Someday: 10/10
Alone, Together: 10/10
Last Nite: 10/10
Hard To Explain: 10/10
New York City Cops: 10/10
Trying Your Luck: 9/10
Take It or Leave It: 10/10
When It Started (US Version Track): 8/10

Final Score: 9.8/10

Pros:
Fantastic songwriting, near perfect execution on every level

Cons:
When It started loses me ever so slightly.

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/2k8KgmDp9oHrmu0MIj4XDE

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:47 PM

Artist: The Strokes

Country of Origin: United States

Album Title: Room On Fire

Genre: Indie Rock (Garage Rock)

Year of Release: 2003

Track Listing:

What Ever Happened?: 10/10
Reptilia: 10/10
Automatic Stop: 9/10
12:51: 9/10
You Talk Way Too Much: 9/10
Between Love and Hate: 10/10
Meet Me In the Bathroom: 10/10
Under Control: 9/10
The Way It Is: 9/10
The End Has No End: 10/10
I Can't Win: 9/10

Final Score: 9.5/10

Pros:
Fantastic songwriting, tight instrumentation, basically Is This It part 2

Cons:
Basically Is This It part 2

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/3HFbH1loOUbqCyPsLuHLLh

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:50 PM

Artist: The Strokes

Country of Origin: United States

Album Title: First Impressions of Earth

Genre: Indie Rock (Garage Rock)

Year of Release: 2006

Track Listing:

You Only Live Once: 10/10
Juicebox: 9/10
Heart in a Cage: 10/10
Razorblade: 8/10
On the Other Side: 9/10
Vision of Division: 8/10
Ask Me Anything: 8/10
Electricityscape: 9/10
Killing Lies: 7/10
Fear of Sleep: 7/10
15 Minutes: 5/10
Ize of the World: 8/10
Evening Sun: 7/10
Red Light: 10/10

Final Score: 8.2/10

Pros:
A little more experimentation, Some wonderful melodies

Cons:
Contains their worst song, (15 Minutes)

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/1HQ61my1h3VWp2EBWKlp0n

Mondo Bungle · 05-12-2017, 06:51 PM

The new Ruins of Beverast is good as always but nothing captures the essence like Rain Upon the Impure

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:53 PM

Artist: The Strokes

Country of Origin: United States

Album Title: Angles

Genre: Indie Rock

Year of Release: 2011

Track Listing:

Machu Pichu: 9/10
Under Cover of Darkness: 10/10
Two Kinds of Happiness: 8/10
You're So Right: 7/10
Taken for a Fool: 9/10
Games: 6/10
Call me Back: 6/10
Gratisfaction: 9/10
Metabolism: 8/10
Life is Simple in the Moonlight: 7/10

Final Score: 7.9/10

Pros:
Some excellent songwriting, great instrumentally

Cons:
Vocals are low point on some tracks, some songs are weak on the writing side

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/6Jx4cGhWHewTcfKDJKguBQ

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

The new Ruins of Beverast is good as always but nothing captures the essence like Rain Upon the Impure

This was actually my first album from this group. I enjoyed it... Might go for the other albums at a later date.

The Identity Matrix · 05-12-2017, 06:59 PM

Artist: The Strokes

Country of Origin: United States

Album Title: Comedown Machine

Genre: Indie Rock

Year of Release: 2013

Track Listing:

Tap Out: 8/10
All the Time: 8/10
One Way Trigger: 9/10
Welcome to Japan: 8/10
80s Comedown Machine: 5/10
50/50: 7/10
Slow Animals: 7/10
Partners in Crime: 9/10
Chances: 6/10
Happy Ending: 7/10

Final Score: 7.4/10

Pros:
Some interesting concepts, decent songwriting, still really good melodies, vocals improved

Cons:
Lyrics are really missing the mark for me.

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/4WnkQO4xD9ljQooB3VIxCV

Mondo Bungle · 05-12-2017, 07:00 PM

You oughtta. Also it's one guy, a true metal visionary. His blast beats get pretty ridic