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Questions about my top 50. I know it changes but... xD

1. What's your favorite song by 15?
蜉蝣 → 私。 Best song from them, really ;)

2. How did you get into 20?
UnsraW → by listening last.fm radio tagged nagoya kei :D (it was free back then TT_TT)

3. Who is your favorite member in 1?
the studs → Daisuke Ochida! And his awesome voice~ <3

4. What’s your favorite lyric bit by 29?
Epica → well... I never consentrer with lyrics from them so far... maybe I should xD

5. Have you ever seen 22 live?
DEATHGAZE → no but I'd really like to~ *u*

6. What's your favorite album from 10?
Gackt → The Sixth Day ~Single Collection~ definitely >D

7. Do you own any merchandise from 3?
雅-miyavi- → unfortunately... except of some posters on the wall... no ;(

8. What is a good memory you have of 7?
BUCK-TICK → Shock of my not-interested-in-Japan friends when I told them they have performed with Marilyn Manson xD they really were suprised^^

9. Is there a member of the same age as you in 2?
the GazettE → no~ xD but I don't mind ;)

10. When did you first get into 8?
Lacrimosa → oww, it was because of GREAT Endorama PV by Kreator... about 3 years ago?

11. Who likes 4 along with you?
Rammstein → ha ha ha~ xD a lot of people~ xD but lot of my friend don't... (is German so odd language? o0 don't get it, my friends...)

12. Which song did you first hear from 16?
Marilyn Manson → yeah, I remember it perfectly... xD I always wanted to check him out and finaly my best friend gave me mp3 player with Tainted Love... love that song~ >D

13. What song made you fall in love with 5?
girugämesh → robust conviction definitely ;)

14. Which song do you not like by 18?
HYDE → all I heard was great ^.^”

15. Why do you like 14's songs?
L'Âme Immortelle → vocalist with beautiful voice and accent, great (but sometimes too electronic xD) music and it's mostly ...auf Deutch? >D (I just love that language in music >D)

16. Where did you first hear 6?
lynch. → like with UnsraW -while listening last.fm radio tagged nagoya kei :D

17. How long was 19 a singer before you liked them?
Versailles → only one year xD

18. Does 13 have a song that gives you a bad memory?
Ruoska → no~! >D only good memories^^

19. When did you get into 17?
Within Temptation → cannot remember xD it was so so long ago~ xD

20. How long have you been into 9?
Nightwish → like with Within Temptation -I began listening them at the same time^^

21. If 11 had a concert 300 miles away, would you drive there to see them?
大鴉 → hell yeah~! Come to Poland~! xD

22. How many CDs do you own of 12?
MALICE MIZER → ehem... ask me when I start working? I live in poor country... T.T (it's not true that we haven't problems with crisis! >D)

23. Does 21 have a song that makes you cry?
meth. → heh, no xD not that kind of music xD if you'd ask for 9... ;)

24. Does 27 have a song that makes you happy?
Tristania → pathetic (in that positive way^^) – yes, but happy? o0

25. Does 23 have a song that makes you smile?
Helloween → hell yeah... it is Mrs. God >D

26. What's the last song you've listened to from 28?
Dir en grey → Cage -cool song >D wow, 4 X 2009? so long ago~? xD

27. Is there a song by 32 that you've listened to more than 30 times?
Nightmare → yeah... xD message : 39 times, DIRTY : 41 times and... the WORLD : 85 times!!! >D

28. What is a song from 50 that you've only listened to once?
D → I'd like to say 'there's no one' >D but I see Firspk...

29. Is there a song you are sick of hearing by 24?
√eight → nooooo~ xD

30. What song got you into 40?
After Forever → Energize Me!!!

31. What is your favorite single by 25?
Moi dix Mois → Dialogue Symphonie I think...

32. If 49 hated you, what would you do?
アリス九號. → well... I don't mind... not listening them anymore >D

33. What would you say if 42 or one of the members from 42 asked you out?
Sadie → well... they're so… ~~~ of course I'd say YES~! *u*

34. Would you care if 41 had a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Therion → don't mind for all band xD

35. Who has the best voice in 46?
摩天楼オペラ → vocalist of course >D

36. Do you think 26 is/are good looking?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart → ha ha ha >D NO! ekhem, should I belive in portrets? if yes, he was ugly~ xD

37. How many times have you listened to your favorite song by 36?
Trail of Tears → Empty Room 74 times! <3

38. How many CDs do you own of 30?
Rin' → oh come on, why you asking that again? T.T none...

39. Is there a song from 38 that makes you mad?
Diablo Swing Orchestra → that music is so relaxing >D

40. Which member from 31 do you want to see go solo? If 31 is
Howard Shore → well, I don't need to hear him singing >D his film music is the best!

41. What does your favorite song from 48 remind you of?
System of a Down → OMG~! So much memories~ <3 favorite song? Difficult choise... all of them remaind me good old days in second class in high school with my most craziest friend ever >D love you, [J] >D

42. Did you hate 43 at first?
ムック → maybe didn't like... but only first two or three songs if I good remember...

43. Does your best friend also listen to 33?
Maximum the Hormone → yeah... two of friends from my town plus my little brother^^ and friends who like j-music too ;)

44. Do you think your parents would like 37?
Korpiklaani → ha! Maybe some calm songs... if they have such xD

45. Does 47 have a song that makes you want to dance?
Slipknot → heh, definitely not... >D

46. Have you ever seen 34 in person?
Eluveitie → not but I can do a lot to see them!

47. Do you like 44's name?
Enya → Eithne? Wow, beautiful! I'd change with her!!! >D

48. Is there someone in 45 that you want to go out with?
Tarja Turunen → well... xD If I were a man... (or lesbian o0) she'd be definitely in my type *u*

49. Do you know anyone that hates 39?
Xandria → never met such person ^^

50. Have you ever danced to a song from 35?
Oomph! → ekhem... yes? o0 ... >D

1. How did you get into 29? Steve Vai
Many of my friends love his work so I figured I should give him a try. He's great.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? Joe Satriani
Hmm..Super Colossal, I think.

3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? Novembers Doom
The lyrics of the song Swallowed by the Moon is pretty awesome.

4. What is your favorite album by 49? Evergrey
That would have to be The Inner Circle.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? Arch Enemy
None, at the moment.

6. What is your favorite song by 50? Skid Row
Monkey Business. Great band overall.

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? Rotting Christ
Heh, not really.

8. What is your favorite album by 15? Diabolical Masquerade
Death's Design or Nightwork, I'm not sure.

9. What is your favorite song by 5? Megadeth
Wow, um..Holy Wars...The Punishment Due, I guess.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? Draconian
The cover for Forever My Queen, haha.
A pretty gloomy band besides that.

11. What is your favorite album by 40? Got no 40, so I'll pick Rotting Christ again.
Theogonia, no doubt.

12. What is your favorite song by 10? Eric Clapton
Tears In Heaven

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? Death
I remember me and my ex listened to Death sometimes when got together.

14. What is your favorite song by 38? Liquid Tension Experiment
Universal Mind. Great track.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? Nightingale
Steal the Moon is pretty fun.

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? Warrel Dane
Well, I've seen him once performing with Nevermore if that counts.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? Swallow the Sun
No Light, No Hope, I think.

18. What is your favorite album by 11? Meshuggah
obZen or Chaosphere, can't really decide.

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? Nevermore
Jeff Loomis, although Warrel Dane is great too. They're all a bunch of ass kickers, though.

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? Septic Flesh
Unfortunately - no. But I think they're about to book a concert here soon, so I hope to see them in 2010.

21. What is a good memory involving 27? Paradise Lost
Nothing really happened involving them.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? Beyond Twilight
The Path of Darkness.

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? Dragonlord
Until the End, I think.

24. What is your favorite album by 18? Pantera
Vulgar Display of Power, hands down.

25. What is your favorite song by 21? Buckethead
I've seriously got no idea.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? Porcupine Tree
Blackest Eyes, which is great.

27. What is your favorite album by 3? Bloodbath
Nightmares Made Flesh. Yup.

28. What is you favorite song by 2? Opeth
A tough one, but I'll go with Serenity Painted Death.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? Orphaned Land
Norra El Norra (Entering the Ark), hehe.

30. What is your favorite song by 8? Edge of Sanity
Crimson II. Does that count? heh

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? Marty Friedman
Once. Back in 2006, I think.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects
Not really. It's a pretty bizzare project, But I love it.

33. What is your favorite album by 12? Jeff Loomis
Zero Order Phase, which is his only album as a solo artist.

34. What is the worst song by 45? Symphony X
Nothing I can think of. All songs are great.

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? Haggard
All'inizio E La Morte. Simply amazing.

36. What is your favorite album by 48? Aborted
Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture, I guess.

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? The Beatles
Haha.

38. What is your favorite song by 36? One Man Army and the Undead Quartet
Make them die slowly

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? Scale The Summit
The Great Plains. Beautiful.

40. What is your favorite album by 7? Deep Purple
I'll go with Machine Head, but I really like In Rock too.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? Dio
Rainbow In The Dark, hehe.

42. What is your favorite album by 41? Katatonia
Brave Murder Day. Love Mikael.

43. What is your favorite song by 24? Dark Tranquillity
Of all I've heard from them, I'll go with The Endless Feed.

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? I got no 46, so I'll pick Ensiferum
Well, nothing really.

45. What is your favorite song by 35? Again, no 35 so I'll pick Wintersun
A hard choice, but I think Death and the Healing takes the pie.

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? Gojira
Nah.

47. What is your favorite album by 4? Hypocrisy
Virus. A masterpiece.

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? Naglfar
Wrath, the vocalist.

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? Therion
Gothic Kabbalah, I think.

50. How many albums do you own by 20? Carcass
None, at the moment.

Katatonia – “Day and Then the Shade”
The Nice – “Azreal Revisited”
Porcupine Tree – “The Blind House”
Star One – “Dawn of a Million Souls (Live)”
It Bites – “Ghosts”
King Crimson – “One More Red Nightmare”
East of the Wall – “Clowning Achievement”
Marillion – “Goodbye To All That/Wave”
The Tangent – “The Company Car”
Therion – “Invocation of Naamah (Live)”
City Of Fire – “hollow land”

I was born in 1992, and if I could choose I wouldn't change it for a second. Sure, I was only four when Therion released Theli, considered one of the earliest symphonic metal albums, and I was only six when Nightwish released Oceanborn in 1998, but I have lived to witness the release of many great albums since the mid-2000's.

This is what I concider the golden age of symphonic metal. Right here, right now. It is a genre that develop well on its own as well as into other genres - Leaves' Eyes blend it perfectly with folk music (Njord of 2009 for example) and Sonata Arctica earlier this fall released The Days of Grays which was the first album that really showed a mixture of power, prog and symphonic metal without one taking the overly control.

A certain cliff in the history of symphonic metal was released only a month ago... Epica's Design Your Universe is the album I will speak of today.

This phenomenal, epic, melodic, bombastic album kicks of with their best instrumental yet, the intro song Samadhi ~ Prelude ~, before entering Resign to Surrender ~ A New Age Dawns - part IV ~. DYU is the first album to continue the A New Age Dawns saga, first started on the 2005 album Consign to Oblivion. The first three parts told of the collapse of the Mayan civilization, and this 2009 release show the next three parts. To me, Resign to Surrender sounds like an amazing intro song, the perfect way to reawaken the saga in. It builds up perfectly, before finishing and leaving the scene for the next song (and the first video for the album), Unleashed. Unleashed is far from the best song of the album, but I understand they used it as a video. It is a real catchy song, and Simone sounds amazing in it. I can't see why it's their most popular on Last.fm, but still a great track.

The fourth song on the album is Martyr of the Free Word, and here I must speak my mind. Why, oh why, couldn't this be the third song? I would much prefer it to be ahead of Unleashed, simply because Unleashed is a bit too grande and bombastic, whilst Martyr is more of a metal song. Resign to Surrender followed by Unleashed just doesn't sound as good as followed by Martyr of the Free Word. This aside, it's a really cool track, one of the more special on the album, with influences from oriental music in the vocal lines. Mark Jansen's grunts right after the chorus really is an amazing part that does the song.

The next song is another more bombastic one - Our Destiny. I'm sad to say this is one of the weaker songs on the album, if I have to choose one. It is a great song, but compared to the rest of the album it's kind of dull. The thing is that it's too long... it's only 6 minutes, not much to Epica standards, but I feel it's a little too much. If it were to be cut down into at least 4:40, 5, it would be much higher in my ratings.

Kingdom of Heaven ~ A New Age Dawns - part V ~ is the fifth chapter of the A New Age Dawns saga, and the longest song on the album at 13:35. It is an awesome track, especially the first eight minutes, but it's still a disappointment to me. Maybe I had too high hopes - before I heard it I saw an interview with Mark Jansen explaining how he had worked on the song for three years, and how he considered it their best by far. To me it's pretty low on the list of top tracks on DYU, after the title track, Martyr of the Free Word, Burn to a Cinder, and Resign to Surrender. As with Our Destiny, maybe this song would be much better if it were to be cut down, maybe with as much as three or four minutes. Another remark is the spoken parts in the second half of the song... I don't mind cheese, in fact I order a triple cheese sandwich listening to Stratovarius and Rhapsody of Fire, but these spoken parts really shift the song from epic to humorous, not a completely reparable damage I'm afraid.

After an epic song like Kingdom of Heaven, it's often tough to hear another song right away. Many bands solve this problem with either putting an easier rock song right after (Nightwish's The Poet and the Pendulum was followed by Bye Bye Beautiful), or the epic song is the final track on the album. The dilemma here is how there are two epic songs, Kingdom of Heaven as well as the title track, which is put as the final song (a perfect choice, more of that later). So the choice was to have an interlude as the seventh track, entitled The Price of Freedom ~ Interlude ~, a clip of people speaking of the price of freedom being death and orchestral music in the background resembling of many horror pictures from the 1920's.

The interlude leads elegantly into Burn to a Cinder, one of my favorites on the album. It is one of the more melodic songs, going back to the power metal territories of Consign to Oblivion and The Phantom Agony. The song ends with an epic moment leading into deep sorrow ("Why can't I bleed with you?") followed by the album's first ballad, the moving Tides of Time.

To me, both Deconstruct and Semblance of Liberty are pretty standard symph metal songs - no big surprises, catchy choruses, nothing really special except for the speaking part in Semblance of Liberty ("Read... my... lips").

The second ballad of the album is also the weakest song Epica has ever made. I was glad when they announced that Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica would guest feature on the song White Waters, but this doesn't feel like Tony at all. All Tony touches turns to gold, but this is as far from gold as you could get. White Waters is not beautiful, it is boring and weird, and the only thing that saves it is that Semblance of Liberty leading into the final track of the album would be very weird. And the final track is gold.

Design Your Universe ~ A New Age Dawns - part VI ~ is the best song Epica has ever written, and that's final. It is just perfect, from it's epic chorus ("We can't undo what we have done, so show us now what we've become") to its final, heartbreaking, whispering verse that always makes me weep.

This is Epica's best release to date, and I'm really excited if they will ever top it, because let's face it.... this is the latest chapter in the history of awesome music.

Blut aus Nord- The Work Which Transforms God


Gojira- From Mars to Sirius


Jesu- s/t

Enslaved- Ruun


Pelican- The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw


Deathspell Omega- Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice


Wolves in the Throne Room- Diadem of 12 Stars


The Ruins of Beverast- Unlock the Shrine


Therion- Lemuria/Sirius B


Velvet Cacoon- Genevieve


Wintersun- s/t


Sunn O)))- Black One


Lifelover- Erotik


Alcest- Souvenirs d’un autre monde


The Angelic Process- Weighing Souls with Sand


Ulver- Shadows of the Sun


Have a Nice Life- Deathconsciousness


Bohren & der Club of Gore- Black Earth


Interpol- Turn on the Bright Lights


Explosions in the Sky- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place


God Is an Astronaut- All is Violent, All is Bright

Hi hi... browsing randomly on music profiles I saw this "artists I've seen live" entries I couldn't resist to put my own list here, haha!
Not so many as I'd like, but something is something ;)


Artists I've seen live
Blind Guardian + Symphony X (support) @Canyon Club, Dallas, TX - Nov 30, 2002
Haggard @Teatro de los Héroes, Chihuahua, MX - Jan 19, 2003
Therion @Teatro de los Héroes, Chihuahua, MX - Aug 2004
Tierra Santa & support @Pistoleros, Chihuahua, MX - Oct 2004
Nightwish @Circo Volador, Mexico, DF - Dec 12 2004
Monterrey Metal Fest III @Auditorio Coca Cola, Monterrey, MX - Nov 18 2006:
Leaves' Eyes - Deicide - Edguy - U.D.O. - Blind Guardian <3 (there were more bands of course, but I actually attended those xD)
Within Temptation @Estudio Cavaret, Guadalajara, MX - Apr 5 2008
Sarah Brightman @Arena VFG, Guadalajara, MX - Nov 6 2008
(last two have been the ONLY good things happened to me in this stupid city XDDDDDDD)


Artists I HAVE TO SEE BEFORE I DIE lol
Enya (too bad it seems like she doesn't even tour ;_; )
Loreena McKennitt
Emma Shapplin
Lacuna Coil
Sirenia
Orphaned Land
Xandria
Stream of Passion
Dimmu Borgir


Artists I would like to see too!!
Finntroll
Visions of Atlantis
Draconian
Kalafina
Tori Amos
Evanescence
Epica
Rhapsody of Fire
Stratovarius
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Avantasia (will it be another tour?? ;___; )


Artists I would like to see but it will be impossible now:
Queen (Freddie Mercury was the best frontman ;_; )
The Beatles
After Forever
The old Theatre of Tragedy
Tristania in their good times ( Widow's Weeds and Beyond the Veil era...)


That's all for now!!
Currently I'm not planning to attend any concerts in a long time... I don't have the money and my priorities are other for the moment. xD

I've had a long list of artists I need to listen to or need to listen to more of sometime for some time now and felt I should put it up on Last.fm incase anyone is willing to suggest me tracks or albums for the listed artists. Forgive me if any of the artist have been placed under the wrong genres. Most of these artist are there for me to refer to sometime in the future whenever I'm wanting to listen to more of a certain genre.

black metal

1349
Abaddon Incarnate
Agatus
Bal-Sagoth
Belphegor
Blut aus Nord
Dark Funeral
Darkthrone
Dragonlord
Graveworm
Hellhammer
Immortal
Leviathan
Mercyful Fate
Negurã Bunget
Primordial
Rotting Christ
Summoning
Ulver
Vintersorg

death metal (including melodic death metal)

Atheist
Dark Tranquillity
Gojira
Kalmah
Mael Mordha
Necrophagist
Norther
Obituary
Vader

doom metal

Aarni
Accept Death
Bongzilla
Buried at Sea
Burning Witch
Cathedral
Cirith Ungol
Daylight Dies
Doomsword
Grand Magus
Grief
HeavyLord
High on Fire
Hooded Menace
Iron Monkey
Lazarus Blackstar
Mammatus
My Dying Bride
Neurosis
OM
Pentagram
Place of Skulls
Reverend Bizarre
Rwake
Saint Vitus
Solitude Aeturnus
Spirit Caravan
The Hidden Hand
Trouble
Ufomammut
Umbra Nihil
Void of Silence
Warning
Weedeater
Yearning

folk metal

Alkonost
Bucovina
Cruachan
Equilibrium
Odroerir
Scald
Skyclad
Svartby
Waylander

traditional metal/hard rock/misc.

Angel Witch
Anvil
Armored Saint
Battlelore
Blue Öyster Cult
Brocas Helm
Budgie
Def Leppard
Dokken
Grim Reaper
Hawkwind
Iron Butterfly
King Diamond
Nevermore
Omen
Samson
Scorpions
Satan
Thin Lizzy

industrial metal

KMFDM
Ministry
Mnemic

power metal

3 Inches of Blood
Axenstar
Brainstorm
Circle II Circle
Dark Moor
Dragonland
Dream Evil
Firewind
Freedom Call
Heavenly
Jag Panzer
Kamelot
Machine Men
Magica
Majesty
Pagan's Mind
Power Quest
Primal Fear
Pyramaze
Rage
Skylark
Stormwarrior
X JAPAN

progressive metal

Age of Nemesis
Ayreon
Blotted Science
Communic
Dysrhythmia
Evergrey
Gordian Knot
James LaBrie
John Petrucci
King's X
Pain of Salvation
Planet X
Platypus
Psychotic Waltz
Spastic Ink
Threshold
Vanden Plas
Zero Hour

progressive rock

Genesis
Jethro Tull
Spock's Beard
Tool

speed metal

Animetal
Exciter

symphonic metal

Epica
Haggard
Therion
Trans-Siberian Orchestra

thrash metal

Annihilator
Destruction
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Evile
Exhorder
Testament

All recommendations are appreciated.

My newest article for MetalSucks.net. I write about the controversial genre post-black metal. I contend that the style exists and originates with the Celtic Frost album Into the Pandemonium.

Read and comment here:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/11/19/tiberian-vocalizations-arthur-von-nagel-on-post-black-metal-and-being-a-shameless-metal-nerd/

Bands cited in the article:
Mayhem
Bathory
Burzum
Darkthrone
Celtic Frost
Emperor
Venom
Enslaved
Ulver
Immortal
Wall of Voodoo
Sigh
Therion
Cradle of Filth
In the Woods...
Green Carnation
Pink Floyd
Fleurety
Opeth
Cormorant
Winds
Arcturus
Ved Buens Ende
Slint
Aura Noir
Virus
Dødheimsgard
...and Oceans
Spinal Tap
Solefald
Borknagar
Age of Silence
Asmegin
Carpathian Forest
Sturmgeist
Blut aus Nord