Cynic's Re-Traced EP. They completely reinvented and redid 5 songs from their previous album - Traced in Air. It's phenomenal, and I can't wait till the Vancouver show in july. They are playing their classic album Focus in it's entirety, as well as tracks from TiA and Re-Traced. I saw them open for Meshuggah last year and they were a superb live act. Here is a little teaser for the Re-Traced EP. Check it out people...and if you don't know who Cynic are and you think you might like a metal/jazz hybrid that has electronic and acoustic elements mixed in.....then give em a listen. I like TiA more than Focus, but lots of die hard fans consider Focus their masterpiece. (Re-Traced and the teaser are much more layed back and ambient than their two full length albums....they have a side project called Aeon Spoke that is quite poppy and drastically different than their work as Cynic. Aeon Spoke sound like Coldplay with progressive tendencies)

yeah It's pretty fucked up. Shit like that doesnt happen in Canada. Well, until now.

Amon Tobin - The Foley Room

+1 They are a little one dimensional, but that one dimension is completely badass.

Sigur Ros - Hijomalind

^^^^^ Damnit I forgot about Death on my list. Shit, how could I? _the sound of perserverance_ is the most well produced and possibly heaviest metal album recorded to date. Devin's Ziltoid album has grown on me a little, but for the most part I consider it one of his weakest releases. It would have been exponentinally better if he had used Gene Hoglan instead of programmed drums. As far as Devin's works go I'd say _Infinity_ is his best prog-metal record and _City_ (under the name Strapping Young Lad) is his best speed metal/industrial record.

The Dear Hunter - Act I: The Lake South, The River North

hells yeah! So good. I think I may like the Chronic 2001 slightly better. Slicker production and catchier tunes.

If I was to narrow my list down to my five favorite metal bands. Considering longevity, originality, diversity, and re-playability. It would probably be... 1. Ulver genre's covered: Black Metal,Pagan Folk, Ambient,Electronica/Trip-hop,Prog-Rock, Chamber/Classical 2. Opeth genre's covered: Death Metal, Folk, Prog Rock 3. Devin Townsend (I'm counting all of his many side-projects and metal band incarnations) genre's covered: Prog Metal, Ambient, Electronica, Death metal, Speed Metal, Jazz-Metal,Punk 4. Between the Buried and Me genre's covered: Grindcore, Speed Metal, Death Metal, Pop Metal, Emo(ish), Punk 5. Fantomas - Fantomas defys all genres honourable mention: Meshuggah (the only reason they didn't make the list is that they aren't very diverse, but they have made some of the best metal records I have ever heard) *cough*Chaosphere*chough*

I've had Marquee Moon for a while and I think it's quite good but I have never been blown away by it like most of their fans. I know it's considered their best, but should I bother checking out any of the rest of their albums?

I don't know if you will enjoy Diadem as much as TH. It's still ambient black metal, but less ambient than TH and more Black Metal. The more I think about it the harder it is to pick a favorite betweem the two. Depends on what mood I'm in.

you like Wolves in the Throne Room? Wow. Thats awesome. I never thought I would read that band name on this site(or the last one) except when I posted about them. Two Hunters is amazing but Diadem of 12 Stars I enjoy slightly more. my favorite metal bands over the years would be... ULVER opeth Meshuggah Maudlin of the Well kayo dot between the buried and me the devin townsend band Agolloch strapping young lad Ephel Duath mastodon Fantomas Oxbow wolves in the throne room Katatonia In Flames (the early years ONLY) Dream Theater Protest the Hero Iron Maiden Emperor Burzum Dissecction Xasthur Sleep Terror Killswitch Engage im probably forgetting a ton.

when I think of the genre Punk Rock I think of.... (now, some of these are VERY debateable, but I consider them all to embody all things punk rock) The Clash Joe Strummer VU The Stooges REFUSED Rise Against AFI (everything up to The Art of Drowning, then they went pop-punk) Nirvana The Meat Puppets At the Drive In The Fall of Troy Thrice (everything up to The Artist in the Ambulance) Fugazi I'll post more later.

representin' Vancouver!