Something heavier...?
Posted by: GaryW on 05 March 2002
Whilst I listen to odd bit of classical, I predominantly listen to Thrash/Death Metal, Punk, etc. Is anyone else out there into this sort of thing or does the cost of Naim equipment tend to preclude people with these tastes (don't flame me, I am a Naim owner!!!
)?On another related note, anyone else feel that a well produced, technically excellent thrash/speed metal album would would highlight a whole different set of pro's and con's in a system than a solo guitarist, female vocalist, etc?
I ask this because at the Bristol show, the majority of music being used for demo's was very easy on the ear. Lot's of Naim label type stuff, classical, bit of jazz. There didn't seem to be any variety. Whilst I could appreciate that the sound itself was often fantastic, there wasn't any attempt to show that the system's capabilities extended into other realms.
Therefore it would be nearly impossible for me to make judgements on what I would like to audition for my next upgrade(s).
I don't think it was just my timing with my visits either, as (where possible) I had a flick through the records and CD's that the manufacturers had brought with them.
Heaviest thing I found all day was the mind-numbingly dull Staind album.
Well, that's my little rant done...
Of the more modern stuff,then for me it has to be Rammstein "Mutter" - Its one big wall of sound that kicks the living daylights out of your sound system ! A few selected tracks later,it feels akin to having consumed a very high dose of caffiene ! Superb for an addrenaline boost !
Regards
Chris
(I was having a chat with my father who is also into heavy metal,but his tastes are of the Brass veriaty 
)
. So in case some people here don't know about them here are some other great acts of recent years. In this case straight-ahead, hard-driving rock and roll -- no metal, grunge, punk, or techno. Guaranteed not to be overproduced. In the interest of preserving the species I've tried to attach links for some of these so you can hop over and hear samples. In case my little links don't work I got these from www.cdnow.com.
Nation of Ulysses: Play Pretty for Baby. After 10 years this album still holds a blowtorch to most anything I've heard since. Looks like the LP is still available for $9. Life can be good.
http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2013076165/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=NATION+OF+ULYSSES/ITEMID=297692
This band had one earlier effort ("13-Point-Program to Destroy America"), which is more punk. Then they fell apart before getting noticed.
Jawbox: Novelty. Similar to early, pre-Nirvana Mudhoney.
http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2013076165/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=JAWBOX/itemid=17328
In 1994 this band moved to a major label, but nonetheless released another good album, For Your Own Special Sweetheart.
Braniac: Hissing Prigs in Static Couture. At times a twisted new-wave band -- they make just the music that that pathetic genre could never imagine.
http://cdnow.com/switch/from=cr-9635397-1/target=buyweb_purchase/itemid=351143
Sunny Day Real Estate: Rising Tide. A Seattle band that somehow made it through the grunge days without evident damage. If you like the Delgados then these guys are worth checking out.
http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2013076165/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=SUNNY+DAY+REAL+ESTATE/ITEMID=1215703
Les Savy Fav: Cat and the Cobra. Get past the shoutiness of the opening tracks and this sets a nice fire.
http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2013076165/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=LES+SAVY+FAV/ITEMID=807885
Their recent Emor: Rome Upside Down also smokes.
Juno: A Future Lived in Past Tense. Although I was initially ambivalent, this is really quite good.
http://cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=2013076165/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=JUNO/ITEMID=1366867.
It's only mid-March and already hot and sticky here in Alabama. Praise Jesus for independent labels and fans on my 135s .
