Song of the Moment

[Losfer]

Tarot - Painless

[Dincrest]

Song of the moment for me is a song called "Pound" by Ripped ImPrints.  They're a local NJ band that blend various styles of metal and hardcore.  I personally think they're a great band, and that "Pound" is a great song.  Extremely well composed for a band so young (I think the oldest member is 21.)  They have raw talent, skill, and energy.  I've seen them live twice, and they totally bring it when they play.  

The band's official site is http://www.rippedimprints.com, but the songs can be heard on http://www.myspace.com/rippedimprints or just "Pound" can be heard on http://www.myspace.com/breakthesilencerecords .

Man, so many excellent young (or young-ish) bands emerging from 'Jersey.  Ripped Imprints, Roman Numeral 10, Divinity Destroyed, Huma, Asylum, and so many more...

[MeshGearFox]

I'm just going to say System of a Down - Toxicity, althought it may as well be The Kinks - Do You Remember Walter? or Boards of Canada - Kaini Industries.

[Nemmet]

Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey IX

[Losfer]

Tarot - I Rule

[Nemmet]

Marillion - Beautiful

[Esper_Crusader]

Rebel Meets Rebel - D.O.C & C.F.H

\=/

[Degolas]

John5 - Behind the Nut Love

[Dincrest]

More proggity prog prog prog goodness.  I often wonder how often people actually check out bands and songs based on what people listen to in this thread.  

Anyway, I happened upon this band called Royal Hunt quite by accident, and two of their songs really tickled my fancy.  

The first one is "Seven Days" off their Paper Blood album.  I heard it in RealAudio format on the Magna Carta records website.  http://www.magnacarta.net/releases/rhpaperblood.html

I decided to hop on over to the progarchives website to see if I could hear more and they had the song "River of Pain" off the Paradox album.    http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=1185

Very good stuff.  The latter song is more hooky and less "proggy" but both are such great songs.

[Degolas]

I'll get some stick for this one:

Coldplay - God Put a Smile Upon My Face

I've been singing it, with a couple of friends on guitar. I can't sing for shit, so I do it in kind of a David Bowie/Brian Molko (of Placebo) mix, with falsettoing for the the chorus. It's really fun getting all the way through a song.

Plus, I like quite a few Coldplay songs. They have some really nice melodies, and the lyrics can be pretty damn decent too.

[Losfer]

Royal Hunt!

Dezo, check out Silent Force's Infatuator album, cause Royal Hunt's vocalist sings for them now.  I think you will enjoy.  I mean, I do.  ...Then again, lots of falsettoing on the title track alone.

My song of the moment is Smoke and Mirrors by Symphony X.

[Merkava]

I'll get some stick for this one:

Coldplay - God Put a Smile Upon My Face

I've been singing it, with a couple of friends on guitar. I can't sing for shit, so I do it in kind of a David Bowie/Brian Molko (of Placebo) mix, with falsettoing for the the chorus. It's really fun getting all the way through a song.

Plus, I like quite a few Coldplay songs. They have some really nice melodies, and the lyrics can be pretty damn decent too.

I've always liked their vocal arrangements. I'm not a fan of X&Y, but pre-that is awesome.

Maritime - Calm

This is the band formed by the singer/guitarist and drummer of The Promise Ring and the bassist from The Dismemberment Plan. I'm not familiar with the Promise Ring, but The Plan was ace. Crazy genre bending stuff with great musicianship. Really great stuff.

Maritime is a more straightforward indie-pop band, but really good pop. The guitar has an edge, Axelton still rocks the bass side-by-side with the striking boom-boom drumming, and they got some great melodies. I especially love the lead singer, who has sort of a rasp and lisp that makes him sound a bit different from other singers. It adds a quirkiness and fragility to the sound.

Calm is my favorite song off their new album, "We, the Vehicles" (supposedly much, much better than their debut, which I heard was pretty forgettable). It hits me in the right spot, especially the crecendo near the end and the repeated lyrics "we are powerful despite our injuries." It's a beautiful song.

[Nemmet]

John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess - In the Moment

This album completely blows me away every time I listen to it. Classical piano and guitar at its finest, this is something everyone should hear before they die.

[Sazabirules]

Dark Empire - Northern Sky

This is some kickass dark power metal with the vocalist of Savage Circus and Persuader. I like Jens's singing in this more than Dreamland Manor's and it doesn't sound like he's copying Hansi this time.

[Losfer]

Bruce Dickinson - I'm in a Band with an Italian Drummer