\m/ 80's metal \m/

Информационно-аналитический форум "80 см пыли" (In Search We Trust) "У нас никто никуда не спешит"
Me For You - http://me-4u.com
It is currently 28 Mar 2024

All times are UTC + 2 hours

Spoiler
Chat - temporary registration for foreign users (please leave your application here)







Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
 
PostPosted: 02 Aug 2012 
Прокъмитолист
User avatar
Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 6950
Lоcаtion: Санктъ-Петербуркъ
Age: 56
Name: Олекъ
Matter Of Taste [1996] Chateau Obscure
self-released [MOT 96 001-2]

Image

Genre: neo-prog / prog metal
Country: Austria
Contents: flac/cue/log/covers
Size: 299 MB

Tracklist:
01. Chateau Obscure
02. Elegy
03. Seek For Birth
04. Soon
05. Nightkiller
06. Meadows Of Fauns
07. Resurrection Song

Playtime: 45:06

Lineup:
Kurt Strohmeier - lead vocals on 1 & 2
Takis Dallas - lead vocals on 3
Joe Vötter - lead vocals on 4, 5 & 7
Franz Wetzelberger - guitars, keyboards, lead vocals on 6
Kurt Schachner - bass
Michael Kirschbaum - drums
******
Alois Kleewein - acoustic guitars
Gerhard Wambrechtshamer - piano
Peter Wageneder - organ
Sabine Schenk - violin
Ingeborg Bacher - cello
Robert Schmidt - keyboard solo on 3
Elisabetta Bice, Andreas Mariasevic, Corry Gass & Brigitte Pollam - backing vocals

Review
Matter Of Taste are an Austrian band begun by guitarist / keyboardist / vocalist Franz Wetzelberger in 1996. "Chateau Obscure" is their first release. Perhaps what is unique or rare in the neo-prog/prog metal realm is that their are four vocalists credited on this release, Kurt Strohmeier (2 tracks), Joe Vötter (3), Takis Dallas and Franz Wetzelberger (1 each); of the vocalists, I think Vötter has the better set of pipes, but none of them have the cringe factor - and you know, for me, vocals can be the make or break factor.

If you were to take any Clive Nolan led project (Shadowland, Arena), mix in a bit of Marillion, a bit of Camel, a bit of Fish-like wordsmithy and you will a pretty general idea of where Matter Of Taste are coming from. Keyboards, not surprisingly, take the lead on the first, title track, with Kurt Strohmeier on vocals, who sounds at turns like Clive Nolan, Paul Wrightson, and James LaBrie (in whisper-like mode). Violin is interspersed throughout, and there is a servicable, if not entirely original guitar solo. But the song is rather pleasant, though a bit sinister. Which is entirely keeping with the theme of the track itself - no one leaves "Chateau Obsure".

The second track in, "Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard" takes a poem by 18th century English poet, Thomas Gray (1716-1771), and sets it to music (giving it a Journey-like intro). Gray's elegy is perhaps the best known work by the reclusive poet, and sections of it may have been written in thought of his recently deceased (at the time) friend Richard West. Familiar with the poem or not, I find that the music is too up for the lyrics - I imagine elegies to be more somber and reverent affairs. It isn't a bad track by any means, and probably works better for those unfamiliar with Gray. I mean, how ominous is a line like "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day?" Of course, we probably associate that with Hemingway (For Whom The Bell Tolls) more than Gray - or, I suppose, Rush. "Soon" takes on a more progressive metal ballad slant, as Joe Vötter takes the vocal lead on this track - those occassional vocal flights into the upper registers. This is, despite its familiar moves, is a really good song.

"Nightkiller" differs from the rest of this disk as it comes across as a more 70-80s metal rocker with quasi-disco vocal harmonies (and guitar) crossed with growly Metallica at the chorus end. I envision some of the more flashy 70s rock bands in their tight satin pants - long tresses shaking in time, almost "cock-rock" I guess, given the chorus of "Nightkiller, nightkiller / Rise to fill her full of love / Nightkiller, nightkiller / Rise to fill her full of love - then let her die." I bet you can see the implications here.

"The Meadows Of Fauns" also bears mention. It begins with an impressive piano intro by Gerhard Wambrechtshamer, and slowly building into a rockier and rockier piece - the best comparison I can make is Rick Wakeman. This is epic, dramatic, big. And ends abruptly. The closer of the album is in some ways rather "cool." Taking a familiar Beethoven piece (familiar, but I can't name it at the moment) as it's basis, Mariasevic has added lyrics and called it "Resurrection Song." From there, we get a sultry rock piece with chugging piano, which becomes a gospel at the end - rather fitting given the rising nature of the composition.

Okay, at the end of the day, when all is said an done and my lit books are put away, what do I think? Despite it's flaws, I really like this album. It's a good debut, I see where they can grow. They have influences but aren't shackled by them. I recommend it.

Progressive World

EAC log
Code:
Exact Audio Copy V1.0 beta 1 from 15. November 2010

EAC extraction logfile from 30. July 2012, 22:40

Matter Of Taste / Chateau Obscure

Used drive  : Optiarc DVD RW AD-7240S   Adapter: 2  ID: 0

Read mode               : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache      : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No

Read offset correction                      : 48
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out          : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks   : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations       : Yes
Used interface                              : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000

Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format      : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo


TOC of the extracted CD

     Track |   Start  |  Length  | Start sector | End sector
    ---------------------------------------------------------
        1  |  0:00.00 |  8:35.27 |         0    |    38651   
        2  |  8:35.27 |  5:28.65 |     38652    |    63316   
        3  | 14:04.17 |  9:43.48 |     63317    |   107089   
        4  | 23:47.65 |  5:59.35 |    107090    |   134049   
        5  | 29:47.25 |  5:01.27 |    134050    |   156651   
        6  | 34:48.52 |  6:14.70 |    156652    |   184771   
        7  | 41:03.47 |  4:03.08 |    184772    |   203004   


Range status and errors

Selected range

     Filename D:\spiralarch\Matter Of Taste - Chateau Obscure.wav

     Peak level 100.0 %
     Extraction speed 0.3 X
     Range quality 100.0 %
     Copy CRC C45B8B89
     Copy OK

No errors occurred


AccurateRip summary

Track  1  not present in database
Track  2  not present in database
Track  3  not present in database
Track  4  not present in database
Track  5  not present in database
Track  6  not present in database
Track  7  not present in database

None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database

End of status report

==== Log checksum 26CA39E6FD5ABF095D97F8A26DAA3712DA16F4D43012BFFA5E96E48FF2905B44 ====

Дебютный альбом австрийских прогрессивщиков оказался не слишком "увесистым"... для релиза на ММТ не подойдет, а здесь наверняка найдутся любители подобного рода музыки. Если кого заинтересует и второй альбом (а он потяжелее, хотя и не менее мелодичен), то дайте знать.

_________________
прокъметол - это музыко, от которово есть прок (ы)


Top
 Profile  
 
 
PostPosted: 03 Aug 2012 
хард н хэвщик (support team)
User avatar
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 16881
Lоcаtion: Н.Новгород
Age: 37
Name: Артем
такс, эмпэтрятинки не нашел в топике :umnik: тогда утяну лося :smile: спасибо, Олег :thanx:


Top
 Profile  
 
 
PostPosted: 03 Aug 2012 
Прокъмитолист
User avatar
Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 6950
Lоcаtion: Санктъ-Петербуркъ
Age: 56
Name: Олекъ
McKagan wrote:
эмпэтрятинки не нашел в топике

лучшая эмпэтрятинка (знаю по собственному опыту) делается собственноручно :oops:

_________________
прокъметол - это музыко, от которово есть прок (ы)


Top
 Profile  
 
 
PostPosted: 05 Aug 2012 
10cm
User avatar
Joined: 03 Aug 2012
Posts: 98
Lоcаtion: Украина Донецк
Age: 64
Name: Владимир
Олег, спасибо большое!!!

_________________
Когда мы все попадем в тюрьму за скачивание музыки, надеюсь нас рассадят по жанрам.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 
PostPosted: 05 Aug 2012 
Хиппей (support team)
User avatar
Joined: 30 Jul 2007
Posts: 130855
Lоcаtion: Киев (Kyiv, UA)
Age: 50
Name: Andrey
Утягиваю тоже :thanx:

_________________


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC + 2 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Яндекс.Метрика
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group