I was kind of hoping things would be more like the stuff they did with Language Rediscovered. The solo section of Primordial Sound (rediscovered) and the entirety of The Parable (rediscovered) blew me away. There's still cool stuff in this album I was just hoping to see a little more of Robby and Cameron do cool guitar lines, they're two of my favorite players. It's still good just in a different way I guess. I can understand being tired of playing a certain way when you have to tour for years in a row playing the same 10-15 songs all the time.
The Contortionist Megathread
- Thread starter MetalJordan
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
I couldn't have said it better. I love it.
elnyrb10
fly you fools
Really really enjoying the record. The term "heavy" gets thrown around alot in metal, and I think bands hide behind that adjective to add weight to their tracks or album. But for this record, it feels emotionally heavy, and each song has a dramatic mood to it that pulls me in. I didn't expect to like language as much as I did, but i listen to that record at least once a week even now, and I picture doing something similar with this new record
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,498
- Reaction score
- 640
This album is weird. Not weird in a turn off kind of way, but weird that it's unlike anything I've ever heard a band transition to.
The most common naysayers of their current approach just want more "Exoplanet".
My perception of that complaint is this: If you can't grasp and appreciate what they do now musically, there's no way in hell you've grasped what they already accomplished with their previous efforts.
On an anecdotal level, Intrinsic used to infuriate me. I absolutely DESPISED that album; eventually it grew on me, and now it is one of my favorite albums just because how different it is.
The contortionist are on an entirely different level from so many other bands it isn't even funny.
The most common naysayers of their current approach just want more "Exoplanet".
My perception of that complaint is this: If you can't grasp and appreciate what they do now musically, there's no way in hell you've grasped what they already accomplished with their previous efforts.
On an anecdotal level, Intrinsic used to infuriate me. I absolutely DESPISED that album; eventually it grew on me, and now it is one of my favorite albums just because how different it is.
The contortionist are on an entirely different level from so many other bands it isn't even funny.
gunch
digidun digidun wakka wakka skree
Lessard is boring and he was boring in last chance to reason
Kaura
Je suis ketchup
You say weird things...
I'm a simple man. I hear heavy riffs (Exoplanet), I like. I hear this snorefest, I dislike. I'm not going to like and listen to this album just for the sake of appreciating the artist.
Vletrmx
ζ
Oh come on, this is a ridiculous thing to say. These guys are doing what they want with the new album and that's cool, but it's not everyone's cup of tea and it hardly has anything to do with "grasping" it.
TheRileyOBrien
Well-Known Member
I certainly am not looking for more Exoplanet. I didn't really even hope for more Language. I just wanted some good music to listen to. I listen to a ton of less "heavy" prog...that is the least of my concerns. It is just a solid "meh" in my opinion. Luckily there is a lot of other good new stuff right now so I have no shortage of options. I'll still be going to see them in October, I am sure the show will be good.
Last edited:
stevexc
Well-Known Member
I liked it at first but then I got bored.
cip 123
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,947
- Reaction score
- 2,858
If anyone hasn't read what the album (and Language) is about I highly recommend it unless you like to interpret it yourself. It adds a different layer to everything - https://www.revolvermag.com/music/contortionists-michael-lessard-acid-trips-philosophy-new-album
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,498
- Reaction score
- 640
Hey like I said, it's my perception of a complaint. I honestly don't give a crap if someone doesn't like it.
So I just listened to the new album, clairvoyant, absolve and relapse are the only songs I like on there. The rest is kinda meh. Its not bad, but its not what I go to the contortionist to hear, and its not my kind of genre. Its not "muh screams" that I'm missing here, I don't care about that. The riffs are missing, where they go?
Kaura
Je suis ketchup
So it was drugs that made Language (somewhat) awesome? I wonder what they were on when writing Exoplanet. Oh, I know. They were young full of piss and vingegar and wanted to make heavy music unlike this artsy crap.
bulb
Well-Known Member
Tons of awesome bands out there if you wanna hear chugfest 2017, I don't know a single band out there that sounds like Contortionist on Clairvoyant. Very grateful this band writes music the way they do.
anomynous
Well-Known Member
I'm confused at why every post defending the album against criticism is saying "you just more more Exoplanet chugs, you music scrub"
No, we want an album that isn't boring. The album is background music at best.
No, we want an album that isn't boring. The album is background music at best.
Last edited:
TheRileyOBrien
Well-Known Member
Unique does not equal good.
Lets also not pretend you can't pick out some heavy influences from the songs on Clairvoyant. I don't mind when influences come through, heck Misha's Sikth and Meshuggah was hanging out when he started Periphery and that helped spawn a new genre of prog metal. The Contortionist are not doing anything groundbreaking with this album in my opinion.
I stand by my "meh" rating. Not bad by any means but not something I will listen to often.
Lets also not pretend you can't pick out some heavy influences from the songs on Clairvoyant. I don't mind when influences come through, heck Misha's Sikth and Meshuggah was hanging out when he started Periphery and that helped spawn a new genre of prog metal. The Contortionist are not doing anything groundbreaking with this album in my opinion.
I stand by my "meh" rating. Not bad by any means but not something I will listen to often.
cip 123
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,947
- Reaction score
- 2,858
So it was drugs that made Language (somewhat) awesome? I wonder what they were on when writing Exoplanet. Oh, I know. They were young full of piss and vingegar and wanted to make heavy music unlike this artsy crap.
Can't tell if you're just going for a joke but did you even read it? Language and Clairvoyant are about a mothers death and sons struggle with drug abuse. Return to Earth hit harder when I understood that.
Sometimes the rock/metal world can be a little too narrow minded. While everyone has their preferences, we shouldn't be too quick to jump to conclusions. You may have listened to the album now and not be very impressed, but in time who knows, your opinion may change or it may stay the same. I'm sure many of you have listened to albums before and your initial take was that it wasn't very impressive. Later however, you give it some time and it turns into your favorite album. Sometimes the opposite can happen were you love an album right off the bad and later you can't stand it....
Anyway, for me at least, I really like the album simply because prog-metal/djent has become stale with all the chugging and screaming that somehow passes as creativity. Don't get me wrong, some of it is OK, but it's just a bit overbearing at time and its great to hear something fresh that cuts through the noise. The Contortionist has a unique sound and that's not something many bands can claim. In the end, having a unique sound is what might make you successful rather than sounding like everyone else or following fads.
Anyway, for me at least, I really like the album simply because prog-metal/djent has become stale with all the chugging and screaming that somehow passes as creativity. Don't get me wrong, some of it is OK, but it's just a bit overbearing at time and its great to hear something fresh that cuts through the noise. The Contortionist has a unique sound and that's not something many bands can claim. In the end, having a unique sound is what might make you successful rather than sounding like everyone else or following fads.
Last edited:
Ikke
A Dream Cartographer
In my opinion, it sounds like some of the people that are complaining forgot that sometimes musicians write music for themselves and not for their fans or a genre.
It's not progressive/it's not groundbreaking/it's not djenty/it's not riffy = it's not meeting my genre expectations. Which is fine and okke. Ultimately, like Misha said, Riffapocolypse and Chuggfest are a dime a dozen.
I'm glad The Contortionist are doing what they want. Clairvoyant is organic, human, whole, and vivid. Something truly needed in music now and forever.
It's not progressive/it's not groundbreaking/it's not djenty/it's not riffy = it's not meeting my genre expectations. Which is fine and okke. Ultimately, like Misha said, Riffapocolypse and Chuggfest are a dime a dozen.
I'm glad The Contortionist are doing what they want. Clairvoyant is organic, human, whole, and vivid. Something truly needed in music now and forever.
Kaura
Je suis ketchup
Honestly, I hardly ever listen or read the lyrics. It's nice to know what's the meaning behind the lyrics but I listen to this kind of music mostly for the instrumental parts. I agree that if a song has a deep meaning it rises its value but still, in this case the music is so boring that I care even less for the lyrics.
Also, I don't know about other guys but I'm not saying that bands aren't allowed to evolve. I mean, Periphery for example just keeps getting better and better album by album and that keeps my interest in them as a band but sometimes the evolution just doesn't take the direction that you except/want or can be too drastic. Like in this case. Good for everyone who likes the new album. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
