Thursday, March 29, 2007

51st post and music

Just realized (as, true to form, I wasn't previously paying attention) I made my 50th post on the new blog. Milestones, woo. Good riddance to the LiveJournal engine on which LJ and its unofficial sister site (and host of my previous blog for those who don't know and actually give half a damn) DeadJournal run. Assuming I don't eventually get off my ass, register a domain name, and host my own blog with WordPress or Movable Type, I'm definitely sticking with Blogger. Customization is a beautiful thing.

Anyway, I've discovered a new hobby: getting music recommendations by Googling for band names with the site:slashdot.org modifier. Dunno why it never occurred to me before to try it, as because Slashdot is one of the Internet's chief bastions of anti-RIAA sentiment, as well as populated by a (generally) more intelligent user base than YouTube, Digg, or (perish the thought) MySpace, it stands to reason that I can:
A. Discover at least partially geek-friendly music based on out-of-the-blue mentions and recommendations;
B. Discover similar acts to bands I already know by typing, for example, "site:slashdot.org nightwish" into a search box and seeing what comes up;
C. Get near-immediate warnings of bands that I would like, but are RIAA-tainted (e.g. Within Temptation who, for the most part, I like but alas cannot purchase due to their RIAA affiliation) due to 85% of slashdotters having their antennae up and listening to the RIAA's every move;
D. I know there was supposed to be a D. My train of thought has left the station. Maybe it'll come to me later.

The ulterior motive behind this post is to publish a shotgun-approach list of bands I've heard mentioned on various Slashdot discussions so that I can reference it later and shamelessly infringe on copyrights, exhibiting the extent of my moral bankruptcy and desire to undermine the American economic system.

Or something.

LIST!
-Poe
-The Gathering
-My Dying Bride
-Sins of Thy Beloved (already have some, need to listen)
-Evanescence (scratch that, RIAA and way too poppy)
-The Gathering
-Ensiferum
-Finntroll
-In Extremo
-Lacrimosa
-Tristania
-Sirenia
-Thyrfing
(begin copypasta-not-the-4chan-kind)
Haggard - a classical death metal band from Germany that has 16 members complete with strings, horns a variety of vocal styles.

uneXpect - kinda like Nightwish meets Cradle of Filth but yet not like that.

Into Eternity - progressive death metal (lots of 3 part harmonies with the growly vocals)

Scarve - progressive death metal
(end copypasta-not-the-4chan-kind)

-Mandragora Scream
-Novembre
-Chalice
-"The Universe Will Provide" by Mike Keneally
-"Psalm 69" by Ministry (apparently extremely heavy)
-"666" by Aphrodite Child (also apparently death-in-a-box)
-Mostly Autumn
-Axxis
-Artefact (think I already have some)
-Um, just read this link and its replies
-Ahymsa (indie band plugged in someone's /. sig)


All of that by searching Slashdot for "nightwish."

Let's try Enter the Haggis.

Nothing.

Okay, fine. Gaelic Storm.

Also nothing. Fine, fine, GS is RIAA signed anyway.

Let's try After Forever.

Also nothing.

Fine, you (win|suck). Better go do some real work now, be back later.