ALC #12: Niratias - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

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Niratias by Chevelle

Available on multiple streaming platforms.

Sounds Like: Alternative Metal with some proggy moments.
Origin: United States

Since PJ is a no show, it's another fill-in unfortunately. Here's what's on the docket this week.

Chevelle’s been an interesting band that’s always been on the edge of popular consensus and true critical acclaim. They are influenced by Deftones and Tool, but they’ve had moments where they’ve aligned closer to post-grunge of the mid-00s ala Breaking Benjamin and others. They had several albums people new to alternative metal in the 00s used as a gateway drug into the genre (Vena Sera, Sci-Fi Crimes) and a few solid radio hits (“The Clincher”, “The Red”), but nothing has really made them that ‘it’ band. With Niratias they come out with probably their most complete album album. Has some spacey moments that reminds me of peak Failure, but they obviously still rely on Deftones and Tool as the foundation of their sonic palette. Probably the least challenging album in ALC so far, but I find it fairly engaging and the 13 tracks of alternative metal never particularly get old.

Last edited by mickilennial on 04/21/2021 17:28; edited 1 time in total

EyeKanFly
Head Bear Master/Galactic Emperor

Age: 33
Location: Gotham

That's gotta be some of the best album artwork I've ever seen. Major Ralph McQuarrie (Star Wars) vibes.

Can't say that the description seems like my cup of tea, but I'll gladly check it out. Never been big on Tool although I've enjoyed other bands who've tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate them.
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mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

EyeKanFly wrote:

That's gotta be some of the best album artwork I've ever seen. Major Ralph McQuarrie (Star Wars) vibes.

Can't say that the description seems like my cup of tea, but I'll gladly check it out. Never been big on Tool although I've enjoyed other bands who've tried (unsuccessfully) to emulate them.

Gonna be honest here. I don't think this album is many people's cup of tea who frequent the forums. But I wanted to do a wild card highlight here.

LedZep

Nice, I've been trying to get into Chevelle and this one's been on the top of my wishlist. Curious to see people's reaction to this. Also have to play the last week's album, somehow forgot about it.
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RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Admittedly I really loved their 2000s singles, but somehow never cared to listen to albums.

Heard this was good, so checked it, and it's solid from A to Z. Great pick Gowi!

kokkinos

The idea of listening to this has me screaming in terror, but I' ll try my best to at least give it a try.

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

kokkinos wrote:

The idea of listening to this has me screaming in terror, but I' ll try my best to at least give it a try.

craola
crayon master

Location: pdx

RoundTheBend wrote:

Admittedly I really loved their 2000s singles, but somehow never cared to listen to albums.

Heard this was good, so checked it, and it's solid from A to Z. Great pick Gowi!

yeah, i went through a brief chevelle phase back in the day, mostly because that's what my friends were into, but i've got fond memories of them nonetheless. i legit enjoyed the red, vitamin r, and send the pain below. my friend bryan and his best mate russel were trying to put together a chevelle mimicry act at some point... don't think anything ever came of that.

so album listening club, i put this record on a bit ago, but to my chagrin, i just couldn't make it through. call it getting old or having a lawn to chase children off of... i managed through the album up to peach before i scurried off into chanson. for what it's worth, this sounds like a pretty good metal record if that's what you're into... i'm just not into the whole metal thing at this point in my life.

*update:

i gave this another spin today, but i went out of my way to put myself in the spirit of it first. relistened to chevelle's earlier work as well as a few of the artists i was into back in the day (tool, dishwalla, the deftones, the bends), and i was quite into it. it's funny that i stopped off at peach last time because my favorite tracks came immediately after it. decided to make a playlist for all that loud alternative and metal stuff that i was head over heels for once upon a time, and i'm going to toss a couple tracks off this record into the playlist, so this whole event has been a great success.

Last edited by craola on 04/27/2021 21:16; edited 1 time in total

Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park

As soon as the needle drops, and I mean immediately, Voivod pops into my head. That is a very good thing. Psyched to check this out.

EyeKanFly
Head Bear Master/Galactic Emperor

Age: 33
Location: Gotham

Went back and listened to this and I quite liked it actually. Maybe it's because I had low expectations, or maybe it's because it didn't sound as much like Tool mimicry as I was expecting, but overall I thought the album was quite solid. Reminded me a bit of Muse who I do really like. I think had I been listening to Chevelle in the early 2000s I would have really liked them then. As this is actually my introduction to the band, I may be inclined to check out some more of them.

And the album artwork actually seemed quite fitting!

Track picks:
2. So Long, Mother Earth
3. Mars Simula
10. Endlessly
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51 Washington, D.C. albums!