Music: Blame Yourself or God

55 Comments

1. Wolfe

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 02:16 | Permalink

   Loved it. I’m particularly amazed at how well you handle death metal vocals.

   And I agree with you, metal fits fantasy like a glove, especially the Final Fantasy series, evidenced by the Black Mages band, and several tracks like FFX’s Otherworld, or the death metal Chocobo remix in FFXIII-2 (which I find both awesome and hillarious). Both of which I love.

   Don’t get where this ‘not appropriate’ nonsense comes from. Not to your taste does not translate to inappropriate. Sounds suspiciously like the root thinking which leads to things like claiming the Sorceress’s boobs should be banned because they’re alienating to female audiences and such.

   You do good death metal, Zoltan. I look forward to your next metal composition.

2. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 03:00 | Permalink

   Thanks a lot, Wolfe. Actually, I am not the vocalist. I wrote everything but I got a vocalist, bassist, and mixer to assist me. This song was for a whole album I just finished recording, so I spent a lot of money to make it as professional as I could. The next song that Lusipurr has lined up will involve guitar and percussion and I will be mixing them myself. That will be quite a challenge.

   I can’t believe SiliconNoob wanted more melody than it had. This song has SO MUCH melody! Hahaha.

   The first person to find the part of the lyrics that refers to a totally cheesy and nearly invincible tactic you can do in FF Tactics and explain it in fair detail will receive a free physical copy of the album that contains this song from. I will send it to your house and cover the shipping. A brand new contest on Lusipurr.com that I have implemented without permission! YES!

3. Julian 'SiliconNooB' Taylor

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 03:33 | Permalink

   As I said before, I’m not really a huge DM guy – I only had the chance to listen to your song once through before the podcast [while people were talking over it] – and I did say that I liked it better than much of the genre.

   The stuff that I really like is Be’lakor, the first two records by Insomnium, and ‘With Odin on Our Side’ by Amon Amarth.

   I’m extremely picky, and more of a BM fan, really.

4. Julian 'SiliconNooB' Taylor

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 03:35 | Permalink

   Also, : http://www.wikihow.com/Hold-Back-Tears

5. Wolfe

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 03:42 | Permalink

   Appropriate response:

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Middle_finger_salute.jpg

6. Wolfe

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 04:29 | Permalink

   Zoltan: You succeeded in making a very professional sound. I rather liked the notion of you being the vocalist however, since your tone on the show is so at odds with this. When will the album be available, and where can it be purchased?

   @Julian: I’m not the biggest fan of death metal either, was always more of a thrash/power metal fan. I have a few holdovers from my younger days, however.

7. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 06:10 | Permalink

   Did I sound sad in my post? I’m not sad. I haven’t heard Be’lakor before but I’m a huge Amon Amarth fan. I will concede that Amon Amarth is more melodic than my stuff. But to be fair, I don’t know that I have heard any band as melodic as Amon Amarth. Those guys go over the top with long flowing melodies. I love it.

   Yeah, Wolfe. I did my own death growling for a long while but my throat couldn’t handle it for a lifelong career which kind of sucks since the stuff that imagine is not EXACTLY how the vocalist sounds. But he still did an amazing job. His name is Brandon Strader and he is the authority on death metal vocals in the OCR community so I’m stoked to have been able to get him.

   I’m hoping to have the album out by July 17th but there are a few more obstacles to overcome before the release still. I will probably just sell it on my website (which is currently under a complete reconstruction) but I am thinking of possibly using CD Baby later on. I will definitely keep you updated Wolfe.

8. SiliconNooB

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 06:22 | Permalink

   Amon Amarth really isn’t melodic enough for my tastes, but ‘With Odin on Our Side’ just has some unquantifiable special sauce about it that makes it awesome to my ears. Be’Lakor and Insomnium are way more melodic.

9. SiliconNooB

   Posted 2013.06.24 at 06:26 | Permalink

   Actually, for that same reason I also really like ‘Satanica’ by Behemoth, despite the fact that it really isn’t overly melodious.

10. Korusi

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 09:09 | Permalink

    Ladies and Gents:

    What if Final Fantasy was remixed by Nathan Explosion

11. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 09:24 | Permalink

    Then a Blitzball field would probably be ideal for recording purposes – though record spheres ams dildos!

12. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 13:25 | Permalink

    With his capacity to reason overcome by a spirit of contrariness, Wolfe writes, “…metal fits fantasy like a glove, especially the Final Fantasy series, evidenced by the Black Mages band,

    No. The Black Mages are a prog rock group, not metal. And often pretty gentle prog. rock, at that.

    …and several tracks like FFX’s Otherworld,

    Easily the worst piece on the soundtrack, hands down.

    …or the death metal Chocobo remix in FFXIII-2…”

    Once again, the worst piece on the soundtrack–and, to boot, one of the worst pieces of music ever composed for a video game, full stop (an admirable accomplishment, that).

    Don’t get where this ‘not appropriate’ nonsense comes from. Not to your taste does not translate to inappropriate. Sounds suspiciously like the root thinking which leads to things like claiming the Sorceress’s boobs should be banned because they’re alienating to female audiences and such.

    Durrrrr~~ what? That is a non sequitur. There is a very long tradition in JRPGs of what sorts of music are generally employed in the soundtracks that are most successful. Swimming against that current, in whole or in part, might well come across as ‘inappropriate’ to the listener in all but the most exceptional circumstances (and, apologies to Zoltan, but his piece is not the most exceptional of circumstances).

    I fail to see how your analogy in any way coincides with that position. Indeed, the opposite would be the case! JRPGs also have a long tradition of ridiculous female character designs. If anything, the position Julian and I adopt would support Sorceress boobs of a most grand and wholly unrealistic circumference and buoyancy.

13. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 13:52 | Permalink

    Got ir. You don’t like it. It doesn’t fit.

    But I disagree. In the interest of civility and that I rather like you lot, I’ll leave it at that.

14. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 13:57 | Permalink

    “Don’t get where this ‘not appropriate’ nonsense comes from. Not to your taste does not translate to inappropriate. Sounds suspiciously like the root thinking which leads to things like claiming the Sorceress’s boobs should be banned because they’re alienating to female audiences and such.

    LOL, I didn’t originally notice this passage when I was scanning Wolf’s banal comments. Zoltan’s song was not appropriate. As Lusipurr points out Zoltan’s song was not appropriate to the original music, and that is correct, but that is not what I meant. What I meant was that Zoltan’s music was not appropriate to Lusipurr.com. This site was established in order to promote the aesthetic persuasions of a Lusipurrian worldview – that is what separates us from IGN.com where every simpleton’s emptyminded reckons hold equal sway.

    I love Metal, I enjoy talking about Metal, but I am cognizant enough to realise where it is not welcome, and so I knocked it the fuck off when it came time to write my articles. I will write about Metal insofar as it effects Video gaming, and no more.

    This is Lusipurr.com, not MetalButthole.com.

15. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:06 | Permalink

    I find it humorous that a musical style is considered appropriate to a website. Let alone one that once used the Mega Man 2 opening in rock style as it’s intro. And really, if the sole purpose of the site is to project one man’s views and condemn those of others (in rather crude fashion I might add), I fail to see why you’d allow a metal remix on the site in the first place. Since it’s here, I don’t see how my enjoyment of it is somehow banal. But then, I’m rapidly learning that the only comments that aren’t greeted with severe response are the ones that are in full agreement.

    [Editor's Note: The MM2 remix was prog. rock, not death metal, and was only used as a placeholder for the first four episodes of TSM whilst selection of the final theme music was completed.]

16. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:12 | Permalink

    Your enjoyment isn’t banal, just your words.

    I enjoy Zoltan’s Metal too, and plan on buying his record just as soon as it becomes available.

17. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:21 | Permalink

    And yours are inimical. I’ll be purchasing it as well.

18. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:23 | Permalink

    @Wolfe writes, “I’m rapidly learning that the only comments that aren’t greeted with severe response are the ones that are in full agreement.”

    Oh, I like where this is going. Can we make this a policy or something?

19. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:24 | Permalink

    GOOD! :D

20. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 14:40 | Permalink

    Now for the real response.

    Wolfe writes, “Got ir. You don’t like it. It doesn’t fit.”

    This is not the first time that you have 1) ignored the substance, intent, and support for my argument, and then 2) invented your own simplistic and misrepresentational straw-man summary, and finally 3) dismissed that argument as if it were my own.

    That sophistic slight-of-hand doesn’t invalidate my points, nor does it in any way address any of the things I’ve said, however much you may wish it otherwise. Given the circs, I think you well deserve the thumping that SN has been giving you.

    If you are a man of character, and if you are honest with yourself and can set pride to the side, you’ll see that the dodgy response you’ve offered (including the insulting way in which you’ve misrepresented my argument for your own purposes) deserves from me a response that may be more measured than that which you are receiving.

    But I’m a forgiving man. My staff members are paid to be less so.

    If you don’t want to engage with my arguments, say so. I believe “Let’s agree to disagree,” is the general way of signifying that. But pairing that up with a misrepresentation of what I’ve said (solely as an argumentative tactic) will not bring you to that happy end.

21. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 15:00 | Permalink

    To address a general misunderstanding which seems to have risen to the top here, a more general comment seems necessary. To wit, what is Lusipurr.com meant to represent?

    If one looks at the banner at the top of the site, one will see that the site promises to present “The Sundry Opinions of Lusipurr and Friends.” That is to say that any editorial or review which a staff member submits is and ought to be representative of that journalist’s own experiences and opinions.

    However, the aesthetic approach of the site is an area which is solely mine alone to determine. For example, in Kenjujuu’s comic, the broadest range of approach is given, but there are still boundraries within which she must work. She could not, say, draw a Superman comic, or an XKCD comic, or a Garfield comic, and then submit that–even if it was in unison with her own ‘opinion’ such as it is. Such a submission would not be appropriate for the site on aesthetic grounds.

    So, let me be clear in declaring that SiliconNooB’s apprehension–that this piece of music is not suitable for the site on aesthetic grounds–is not far from the mark. But, at the same time, it is early days for Zoltan. He’s only been here a few months, and there is often a learning curve for appreciating something as complex as an aesthetic framework (esp. when one has received very minimal instruction in that regard). Some of our readers don’t seem to grasp the difference between Death Metal and Prog. Rock (though I’m not sure how this distinction can be very elusive). It may well be the case, then, that Zoltan himself isn’t entirely clear on what sorts of things would fit the aesthetic principles of the site, and what sort of things might not.

    When I listened to the piece submitted, I did not find it favourable or pleasant listening. I cannot even evaluate it very clearly against other similar pieces, except to note that the production quality is below what I might expect to hear on a radio station devoted to playing such music. It does not fit the aesthetic theme of the site, then. But, at the same time, I am not going to punish Zoltan for submitting a piece of music which he, in good faith, believed to be both acceptable and desireable.

    If nothing else, this situation has given us an opportunity to talk about the difference between the aesthetic principles which undergird the site and the way in which they differ from the journalistic principles which undergird the site. And, therefore, it has been a positive experience, and is not regrettable in any way.

    And, as a bonus, some of our readers seem to enjoy the submitted piece. So that’s good too.

22. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 15:25 | Permalink

    “ I cannot even evaluate it very clearly against other similar pieces, except to note that the production quality is below what I might expect to hear on a radio station devoted to playing such music.”

    I’d say that the production quality is generally above other music of its kind, and such music probably wouldn’t get played on the radio anyway.

23. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 15:36 | Permalink

    On the contrary, my basic summary was what I took from your admittedly well composed response. But first of all, I’d like to point out that I am not a regular reader, or certainly not a commenter of such sites as IGN. I don’t believe I’ve ever even visited Gamespot, so whatever conversational skills I lack are due entirely to the fact that I am simply not very sociable or articulate. There is no point system in place that I aim to rack up numbers on, nor would it serve any purpose.

    Nowthen.

    “The Black Mages are a prog rock group, not metal. And often pretty gentle prog. rock, at that.”

    They are, in fact classified as a progressive metal band. As to it being gentle, I suspect that’s largely because it’s adapting itself from pieces that aggressive, yet not volatile.

    “Easily the worst piece on the soundtrack, hands down.”

    Tastes are subjective. The root of my dismissive statement is right here, where-in the entire conversation degenerates into ‘because I don’t like it’.

    …or the death metal Chocobo remix in FFXIII-2…”

    Once again, the worst piece on the soundtrack–and, to boot, one of the worst pieces of music ever composed for a video game, full stop (an admirable accomplishment, that).

    Again, a complete dismissal based on personal tastes.

    “Durrrrr~~ what? That is a non sequitur. There is a very long tradition in JRPGs of what sorts of music are generally employed in the soundtracks are most successful. Swimming against that current, in whole or in part, might well come across as ‘inappropriate’ to the listener in all but the most exceptional circumstances (and, apologies to Zoltan, but his piece is not the most exceptional of circumstances).”

    First of all, I believe it must taken into account that until the mid 90s, a musical style like metal wasn’t even possible in gaming compositions as the midi board didn’t lend itself to pleasant compositions that were attempting to emulate the electric guitar. Although the Mother song for Gygas does come to mind, and it was intentionally unpleasant because of those limitations. When disc based brought a greater array of musical options, we -did- begin to hear tracks that introduced new elements. FFVII will largely be remembered for introducing a chorus to a boss battle them. And it wasn’t out of place, because it seemed to compliment the already established dramatic, orchestra elements that were attempted through synths in prior titles. When Otherworld began, set to the destruction of the opening CGI, it didn’t strike me anymore out of sorts than when One Winged Angel played, because songs such as Battle on the Bridge, or even FFVII’s own standard boss battle music had taken a rock/metal approach.

    So no, I don’t consider it swimming against the current at all. Anymore than I would suggesting that the cabana music in the beach resorts are out of touch with the otherwise very post-industrial atmosphere FFVII projected outside of that segement.

    “I fail to see how your analogy in any way coincides with that position. Indeed, the opposite would be the case! JRPGs also have a long tradition of ridiculous female character designs. If anything, the position Julian and I adopt would support Sorceress boobs of a most grand and wholly unrealistic circumference and buoyancy.”

    Here I think I may have been misinterpreted. I’m fully in support of the Sorceress being in line with the tradition of absurd proportions in a game that’s emulating the over-the-topness of 70s fantasy art stylings. In fact, I started reading this site because I stumbled upon the article dealing with the ‘controversy’ surrounding it. In short, this seemed to be the only reasonable discussion on it that didn’t end with the social justice squad marching it to declare everyone a misogynist.

    But anyways. What I was, and am saying is that ‘because it doesn’t fit’ is all the justification one needs to serve as the foundation for censorship. And while I’m certainly not suggesting in any way that there’s some Lusipurian conspiracy to like, ban metal from JRPGs or some nonsense, I am saying that it’s along the same principles.

    You once said that “‘because it’s immoral’ is the cry of every tinpot dictator” in history used to justify banning something. I suppose that comes to mind when I’ve heard you deride Zoltan’s metal compositions in the past shows, which comes down to the simple fact that you don’t enjoy it. Which was pretty much the justification for the attacks on the stylings by the NPRC back in the 80s. So yeah. Foundation of censorship and all that. And just to clarify further, I’m not suggesting you’re wanting to censor anyone. You let the man play his stuff here for chrissakes.

    “But I’m a forgiving man. My staff members are paid to be less so.”

    I didn’t realize they were paid at all. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’re not, judging from what I’ve heard on past shows. And while I can appreciate you wanting to keep the place clear of the sort of people I’ve seen around EGM, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with civility over hostility to a point. In short, when name-calling is a punctuation to disagreement, it immediately transitions from the debate to antagonism.

    “If you don’t want to engage with my arguments, say so. I believe “Let’s agree to disagree,” is the general way of signifying that. Misrepresenting what I’ve said as an argumentative tactic is not going to bring you to that happy end. This isn’t IGN or Gamespot, and throwing a few fallacies at us won’t confound us or score you points.”

    In truth, I don’t like to engage in full on debate. I find that the earnest points in whatever is trying to be communicated is lost in meticulous sentence structuring. And like I’ve said countless times, I’m just not very good at articulating my thoughts. In this conversation however, I felt the simple response was very appropriate to topic at hand, because it was summarized by two people who have opposing tastes in music. To a degree where we can look back at years of a shared musical library and find different meanings in them. Perhaps if I’d just said it that way, it wouldn’t have come off so snidely. I apologize for not making a greater effort.

    And again. I’m not a visitor of IGN or Gamestop. Whatever shortcomings I have are my own, and not the result of internet debating.

24. Mel

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 15:36 | Permalink

    Lusipurr.com… “where the only comments that aren’t greeted with severe response are the ones that are in full agreement.” -Wolfe

    And while I like Lusi’s write up about what this site is all about, I for one found it ABUNDANTLY clear that this is a realm of and mostly for Lusipurr. When others enjoy it it’s mostly a happy coincidence.

    More on topic, I must admit I’m no real DM fan. Maybe I’m just yet to hear some DM I like. Anywho, with this as the case I’m afraid I must award your piece this time with a “Janet Napolitano”. No… no that’s too harsh. I’ll give it a “Ray LaHood”.

25. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 15:42 | Permalink

    “I for one found it ABUNDANTLY clear that this is a realm of and mostly for Lusipurr. When others enjoy it it’s mostly a happy coincidence.”

    I’ll take that to heart, Mel.

26. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:04 | Permalink

    “They are, in fact classified as a progressive metal band. As to it being gentle, I suspect that’s largely because it’s adapting itself from pieces that aggressive, yet not volatile.”

    Black Mages are prog rock – truth fact. Repeating someone else who is wrong does not make you right.

    “Tastes are subjective. The root of my dismissive statement is right here, where-in the entire conversation degenerates into ‘because I don’t like it’.”

    Otherworld is easily the weakest track on the FFX OST- truth fact – even Rob Zombie would laugh at it.

    I dont even know what to say to your other points [they're not particularly pointy]. You might deign ask yourself why someone who loves Metal [me] is so keen to keep it separate from a site which covers video gaming. [Hint]: Because it’s not fucking relevant.

27. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:10 | Permalink

    Repeating someone who is wrong does not, in fact make you right. I’m glad you realized the error of your way.

    Didn’t realize you were such close friends with Rob, Julian. How’s the old boy doing?

    I might be more keen to ask myself why I’m attempting to reason with you, Julian. I’ll make a note to simply not so in the future. Provided I still find you ‘relevant’ enough to bother with.

28. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:14 | Permalink

    SELF DESTRUCT!

    *BOOM*

29. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:20 | Permalink

    @Wolfe:

    They are, in fact classified as a progressive metal band. As to it being gentle, I suspect that’s largely because it’s adapting itself from pieces that aggressive, yet not volatile.

    Regardless of how they classify themselves, they play prog. rock. That isn’t to say they have not done some metal pieces (they did a version of Otherworld, after all). But, there are fewer metal pieces than those of the other, spread across their entire oeuvre.

    —

    Tastes are subjective. The root of my dismissive statement is right here, where-in the entire conversation degenerates into ‘because I don’t like it’.

    But this is not a dismissal based on personal tastes, and I apologise if that is how it comes across. This is a dismissal based on aesthetic judgement. (Beauty is the form of the purposiveness of the object!) Kant is quite right when he points out,

    “With the beautiful it is entirely different. It would be ridiculous if (the precise converse) someone who prided himself on his tastes thought to justify himself thus: “This object (the building we are looking at, the clothing someone is wearing, the poem that is presented for judging) is beautiful for me.” For he must not call it beautiful if it pleases merely him. Many things have charm and agreeableness for him, no one will be bothered about that; but if he pronounces that something is beautiful, then he expects the very same satisfaction of others: he judges not merely for himself, but for everyone, and speaks of beauty as if it were a property of things. Hence he says that the thing is beautiful, and does not count on the agreement of others with his judgment of satisfaction because he has frequently found them to be agreeable with his own, but rather demands it from them. He rebukes them if they judge otherwise, and denies that they have taste, though he nevertheless requires that they ought to have it; and to this extent one cannot say, “Everyone has his special taste.” This would be as much as to say that there is no taste at all, i.e., no aesthetic judgment that could make a rightful claim to the assent of everyone.”

    Kant goes on to point out that “the universality of the satisfaction is reprsented in a judgment of taste only as subjective,” and shows that beauty is not a quality of objects, after all (for more, I urge you to read part one of the third critique). Indeed, it is a universal subjective exercise of judgment only found when people are exercising their judgment correctly (and, I would argue, you are not exercising your judgment correctly). Now, suffice to say, I could sit here today and write several pages on the aesthetic principles from which I proceed, but:

    1) It is unlikely you would understand them, unless you are well read in Kantian dialectic and the Frankfurt school, for
    2) I do not have the time nor the inclination to try and explain Kant’s third critique here–a task which would likely require days, if not weeks, presuming you have the necessary philosophical background to begin with, and
    3) The amount of effort required to (only potentially) satisfy one person on the internet as to the validity of my aesthetic judgment is at a complete imbalance to the benefit I will receive: that is, none at all. I do not care if people on the internet like me, and so I certainly do not care if they disagree with me. In fact, I am only replying to your comment as a demonstration to the-readers-in-general (of which you are one) that I am a reasonable man and that, when I make a serious comment, I am not just running my mouth (a demonstration which has obvious implications for the site as a whole, to which I have a duty).

    —

    But anyways. What I was, and am saying is that ‘because it doesn’t fit’ is all the justification one needs to serve as the foundation for censorship. And while I’m certainly not suggesting in any way that there’s some Lusipurian conspiracy to like, ban metal from JRPGs or some nonsense, I am saying that it’s along the same principles.

    You once said that “‘because it’s immoral’ is the cry of every tinpot dictator” in history used to justify banning something. I suppose that comes to mind when I’ve heard you deride Zoltan’s metal compositions in the past shows, which comes down to the simple fact that you don’t enjoy it. Which was pretty much the justification for the attacks on the stylings by the NPRC back in the 80s. So yeah. Foundation of censorship and all that. And just to clarify further, I’m not suggesting you’re wanting to censor anyone. You let the man play his stuff here for chrissakes.

    I take the strongest possible exception to the soft-headed notion that because something is contrary to the aesthetic principles of the site, and I would prefer it not to be here, that I am therefore advancing a totalitarian cause tantamount to the “foundation of censorship”. You will excuse me if I now say that you have stopped arguing, and have started displaying the profoundest ignorance of what censorship is.

    It is not ‘censorship’ to stop an individual who, standing in the town square, spends his day screaming “FUCK FUCK FUCK!” at every person he sees. He is certainly entitled to his views, but he is not entitled to air them in whatever manner he desires. There are legitimate expressions of those views, and illegitimate ones. He can go write FUCK FUCK FUCK on a blog, or find a late night cable channel, or write them in an editorial, or publish them in a tract. Those avenues are available to him. No one is stopping him saying FUCK FUCK FUCK, or saying he has no right to believe FUCK FUCK FUCK–but there are reasonable limits on the times and places in which he can assert his views.

    Likewise, Zoltan has uncountable avenues open to him to write and publish death metal, as do all death metal musicians. I do not like it; I will not listen to it; don’t expect to see it on the site in future. But that is not ‘censorship’. No one here is arguing that such musicians do not have the right to make such music, nor is anyone arguing that people should be prevented hearing it–any argument to that effect is a malicious misrepresentation of the position of this site. However, I have *every* right to determine what is placed on my own website.

    To put this another way: you have every right to bake a pie filled with shit. You do not have the right to force your way into my home and bake that pie in my oven. Or, in a real world analogue, you have every right to be an atheist, and to advocate those views. But you do not have the right to show up at the Catholic Church every Sunday at 0900 and shout down the priest with your views.

    That’s not ‘censorship’, nor is it even the ‘foundation of censorship’. If you cannot see the difference, then I doubt anyone here can help you. Such a disease is incurable.

30. Wolfe

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:27 | Permalink

    “However, I have *every* right to determine what is placed on my own website.”

    You do, and you have.

    I wish you the best sir, I do in fact, find your show enjoyable, and hope you find a broader audience. But I don’t believe I’m the sort of reader you desire in that audience, and I’ll take my leave.

31. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:28 | Permalink

    @Mel:

    I for one found it ABUNDANTLY clear that this is a realm of and mostly for Lusipurr. When others enjoy it it’s mostly a happy coincidence.

    RIGHT AGAIN, MEL!

32. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:31 | Permalink

    Who are you, and what have you done with our Mel?!

33. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 16:36 | Permalink

    @Wolfe: I’m sorry you feel you have to go, but I do not think I can be much more plain and direct than my comment above–or much more equanimous about the way it is phrased (when I said I took the strongest possible exception to your implications, I meant it.)

    If nothing else, I hope it is clear by now that I’m not just sitting in a giant chair from which I wave by the things that please my senses, and forbid those that do not. There actually is judgment in play–serious, weighty, Germanic judgment–and that should be recognised, even if it is seldom on display.

    If you want to actually read the philosophical principles that are the foundation for that, I can recommend Kant’s Third Critique (briefly excerpted above), and also Dialectic of Enlightenment by Horkheimer and Adorno. The latter is easier to read and more specific, but the former is more useful.

    If you do not change your mind once you have calmed down–still a possibility which we are optimistic enough to expect–then you may go knowing that we wish you the very best, regardless of whatever disagreements there may be.

34. Mel

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 17:14 | Permalink

    “serious, weighty, Germanic judgment”, I LOL’d at this on day when I really needed one, thank

    @SN: “Your” Mel, indeed.

35. koboldekobold

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 17:39 | Permalink

    To bring things back towards the original topic at hand (the song, as it were), I can say that musically (the guitar work was fantastic) I rather enjoyed the piece (and loved the title). That being said, I never could get into the cookie monster style death growl, and in my own listening tend to prefer more of the screaming harsh vocals than the growling (often rooted in either hardcore or thrash). Ensiferum (at least starting with their third album/vocalist change) provides a good example of the sort of screamed vocals I enjoy (though they also bring melody with some singing from the other vocalists and folksy instruments/arrangements). I am going to leave the other topic which has mostly dominated this posting alone, other than to say while I wasn’t personally offended in any way by the inclusion of death metal in the podcast, I can certainly see where its aesthetic doesn’t really mesh with what the site has going on here (a point that is independent from an evaluation of the quality/merits of the music).

36. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 20:43 | Permalink

    Ensiferum doesn’t really have ‘screamed’ vocals.

37. koboldekobold

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 21:51 | Permalink

    Perhaps Scream isn’t the right word for it then (what would be a better word to describe them? I honestly am not 100% sure), but starting with Victory Songs and continuing to the present, the not sung vocals are certainly closer to a scream than the deep growling which I find for the most part relatively unpleasant. The vocalist on the first two albums just sounded like he smoked too often and it wrecked his voice, and as such I don’t particularly care for the first two albums too much.

38. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 22:16 | Permalink

    @Kobold: I think SN is just displaying his capability for pedantry today!

    Perhaps ‘shout’ is better than ‘scream’, though I understood what you meant initially.

39. koboldekobold

    Posted 2013.06.24 at 22:27 | Permalink

    @Lusi That makes sense. Backtracking a bit, I noticed a bit of discussion The Black Mages. I am not familiar with them, but I was to a degree raised on 70′s prog, and I wonder if they are a band you like or would recommend to someone who was introduced to music through the likes of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Jethro Tull (to name a couple). The mention caught my interest before the comments took an unexpected shift.

40. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 01:02 | Permalink

    I’d just call them harsh vocals – ‘screamed’ makes them sound like some core band who can’t sing properly.

41. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 01:05 | Permalink

    I can almost guarantee you that if you heard those vox without a microphone they wouldn’t be anywhere close to as loud as a scream.

42. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 01:11 | Permalink

    Well, god damn! I JUST got my own section on the site and my inappropriate Death Metal song makes Wolfe leave the site! That is a sucky opening ceremony. Don’t leave, dude!

    I guess I hadn’t thought about how the sing would fit in with the while Lusipurrean scene. Although, I knew that Lusipurr would not like it, I had assumed that as long as it wasn’t crap, was related to games, and would be something desirable to the audience, that I could write what I wanted. I am happy that Lusipurr decided not to punish me since he didn’t specifically say that death metal was out of the question. So in the future, I’ll stick to less deathy types of metal (when I do metal) that are more reminiscent of Mega Man or The Black Mages.

    Anyway, I’m just glad that we are all in agreement that all readers and staff including Lusipurr are going to buy my death metal album when it comes out.

43. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 01:20 | Permalink

    Stupid auto-correct.

    *how the song would fit in with the whole Lusippurean scene*

44. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 01:36 | Permalink

    XD

45. Ethan 'Ethos' Pipher

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 10:13 | Permalink

    Hey guys, I’m late! What’s going on?

46. Lusipurr

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 14:40 | Permalink

    @Ethos: Zoltan wrote a Death Metal song based on Final Fantasy Tactics. That’s pretty much it!

47. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 16:01 | Permalink

    Yeah. That’s write. I wrote a Death Metal song and NOTHING else happened in here. Uwa ha ha!

48. Mel

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 16:19 | Permalink

    That’s write, Zoltan. You’ve got it absolutely write!

49. koboldekobold

    Posted 2013.06.25 at 22:03 | Permalink

    @mel Well struck.

50. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.26 at 02:43 | Permalink

    *siiiigh* I hate Ipad’s auto-correction sometimes. Thanks for pouring lemon juice in the wound, Mel.

51. SiliconNooB

    Posted 2013.06.26 at 04:54 | Permalink

    Funny, my iPad has no difficulty in using the right spelling.

52. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.26 at 08:02 | Permalink

    Australian ones must be butter.

53. Julian 'SiliconNooB' Taylor

    Posted 2013.06.26 at 11:19 | Permalink

    Ah, you must be using a New Zealand model!

54. Mel

    Posted 2013.06.26 at 15:50 | Permalink

    @Zoltan: What else am I supposed to do with these lemons? Burn someone’s house down?

55. Jahan 'The Legendary Zoltan' Honma

    Posted 2013.06.27 at 00:08 | Permalink

    You could make a statue with them for that lemon art festival they have in France or wherever that kind of art is famous. Hahaha.