This could be THE most annoying rig rundown, ever

[Whizzinby]

I love watching these guys.

They pause a little too much in their videos but watching them over the years go from no knowledge of rock music, to massive fans of Opeth and Gojira has been awesome.

Their channel and Brad & Lex (minimal pause and chatter) are great excuses to listen to old music again, and it’s always cool to see someone hear an awesome song for the first time, when you can’t imagine a world outside our bubble where someone hasn’t listened to it before.

 

[metropolis_4]

Thought of this thread when I saw the Lost in Vegas reaction to their song. @9:30 ish they pretty much nail it, and they aren’t musicians. (Give props to Vai) NSFW

Totally agree with him.

I tried spending an hour or so listening through a bunch of Polyphia stuff yesterday and the biggest complaint I had was that they never settle into a groove and ride it.

They'll hit these awesome deep grooves, and then the next measure they break the groove for no reason. You don't even have time to get into it. There's no feel, and it seems like there's no point to it other than to try to be "different"

I really started to hate their drummer...

 

[DrewJD82]

Feels like I've got jizz on my face.

Experience has shown me it depends on how it got there that matters more than it actually being there.

 

[Baba]

Thought of this thread when I saw the Lost in Vegas reaction to their song. @9:30 ish they pretty much nail it, and they aren’t musicians. (Give props to Vai) NSFW

I love watching these guys.

new rabbit hole status accepted

 

[DrewJD82]

They pause a little too much in their videos but watching them over the years go from no knowledge of rock music, to massive fans of Opeth and Gojira has been awesome.

Their channel and Brad & Lex (minimal pause and chatter) are great excuses to listen to old music again, and it’s always cool to see someone hear an awesome song for the first time, when you can’t imagine a world outside our bubble where someone hasn’t listened to it before.

Fully agreed, I came across them a couple years back when they were starting out. I always got the idea they were a little more knowledgeable than they let onto and I think I've heard the dude with glasses* say he's a studio engineer/producer before. There's aspects of songs they comment on that are a bit more insightful than an average listener. I love it the most when something clicks for them and gives them stankface because it's often the same stuff that gives metal heads stankface and lets you know they're really getting it and not trying to make the best dumbest video thumbnail with their jaws dropped.

What's been especially cool is bands responding to them, realizing how much promotion they're getting from them. Dream Theater hooked them up with a bunch of merch and I think a box set or something, Mastodon has hooked them up, I think they went and saw Devin Townsend....I'm probably mixing all that up, but it's damn cool.

And a prime example of that exposure is with Devin Townsend, the EMG "Kingdom" video is at 5.9 million views, the "Deadhead" Live At Royal Albert Hall is at 7.9 million views, both videos were popular in the reaction video crowd and FAR surpass anything else he's got on YouTube. He said he can't watch them at all though, in general he can't think of himself from the audience perspective at all because it freaks him out.

 

[Lysander]

Doug Helvering recently uploaded a really good analysis video of Ego Death. He notes is a very simple song in structure, with the same four chord progresson playing over and over, in different sections. He actually nails it in about 20 seconds of listening.



There's nothing wrong with that, of course (oceans of incredible music were written this way), but i think that's the reason my ears tend to find Polyphia not very appealing in general. Steve Vai's section is in fact the only moment the song breaks its regular structure.

 

[Fireproof]

Steve Vai’s part was the only redeeming quality to the song for me. He’s amazing and I would be disappointed if he weren’t the bright spot. But even that isn’t enough to warrant repeated listens. For me. YMMV.

 

[Baba]

Totally agree with him.

I tried spending an hour or so listening through a bunch of Polyphia stuff yesterday and the biggest complaint I had was that they never settle into a groove and ride it.

They'll hit these awesome deep grooves, and then the next measure they break the groove for no reason. You don't even have time to get into it. There's no feel, and it seems like there's no point to it other than to try to be "different"

I really started to hate their drummer...

Doug Helvering recently uploaded a really good analysis video of Ego Death. He notes is a very simple song in structure, with the same four chord progresson playing over and over, in different sections. He actually nails it in about 20 seconds of listening.



There's nothing wrong with that, of course (oceans of incredible music were written this way), but i think that's the reason my ears tend to find Polyphia not very appealing in general. Steve Vai's section is in fact the only moment the song breaks its regular structure.

Actually, and ironically, I don't think THAT is what peoples' "problem" with Polyphia is, I think it's what metropolis_4 stated above, which is pretty much the opposite of what you are saying.

I actually agree with you Lysander, and maybe this is a product of their later work, but no matter how many times they drop the beat, glitch, or flex, or no matter how fast or complicated they play over top of the "song", their "songs" seem to always have an underlying recurring or repeating melody/rhythm/theme to them, which is what I like the most.

I actually think it's interesting that they CAN put all that icing on top of the cake, but underneath, the cake still holds, and it's just a simple cake. At that point, to me, it's not just playing for playing's sake, they wrote the songs that way, and obviously they have a sense of rhythm/melody/structure.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Actually, and ironically, I don't think THAT is what peoples' "problem" with Polyphia is, I think it's what metropolis_4 stated above, which is pretty much the opposite of what you are saying.

I actually agree with you Lysander, and maybe this is a product of their later work, but no matter how many times they drop the beat, glitch, or flex, or no matter how fast or complicated they play over top of the "song", their "songs" seem to always have an underlying recurring or repeating melody/rhythm/theme to them, which is what I like the most.

I actually think it's interesting that they CAN put all that icing on top of the cake, but underneath, the cake still holds, and it's just a simple cake. At that point, to me, it's not just playing for playing's sake, they wrote the songs that way, and obviously they have a sense of rhythm/melody/structure.

The cake is actually fine-ish. Other than the dumb drum sounds. I wish the icing was a different flavor

 

[Piing]

Boomer bends forever!!



Listening that after Ego Death is consoling like having your soul returning to your body after it has been lost in a nightmare labyrinth.

It is a purifying exorcism

 

[la szum]

Ego Death when it is really just Ego Glorification.

Real "Ego Death" would never inspire anyone to pose on a rooftop about it.

 

[Lysander]

Another "composer reacts" video on Ego Death.

 

[Orvillain]

Ego Death when it is really just Ego Glorification.

Real "Ego Death" would never inspire anyone to pose on a rooftop about it.

Ego Wank.

 

[la szum]

 

[la szum]

Egos are getting pummeled up in here.