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 Post subject: Good lyrics?
PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:50 am 
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Metal Servant
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What bands do you know that are really talented on their writing?

Lately I was rechecking Draconian's lyrics. And along some cheesy stuff they are just brilliant imo.
Theatre of Tragedy's are barely readable to me :rolleyes: but once I took the time and actually translated this hell word by word I found some gems there as well ...


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 6:24 am 
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Ist Krieg

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This was a topic that deserved a reply. Normally I don't care about lyrics (or vocals for that matter) much at all. I think they do matter a bit more in doom metal than black metal though, because traditionally black metal is more of a white noise wall of sound, while in doom it helps if they add something to the atmosphere.

Cathedral and My Dying Bride are two good examples of both sometimes great and sometimes hilariously cheesy or easily parodied lyrics.

From the former: "Alchemist of Sorrow" from Endytime is an example of something goofy and great, a line like "I'm King Midas in Reverse" is too good to forget. And the lyrics to "The Garden" do an evocative job of reminding me of the famed Bosch painting that the song is based on.

From MDB, their lyrics have run the gamut over the years, from creepy (Turn Loose the Swans) to campy goth (The Dark Caress) to self-parody (The Blue Lotus) to story telling resembling a scene from the movie Eyes Wide Shut (Edenbeast), some have also been plain awful (Heroin Chic), but generally speaking they've gotten a bit better with time. The Barghest O'Whitby tells an effective classic horror story, while the title track to A Map of All Our Failures plus Abandoned As Christ has some very good lines.

Not sure if any bands write consistently excellent lyrics, and certainly not the case in my two examples, but I think having enough memorable lines matters most.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:27 am 
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Einherjar

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Pete Steele had a knack for writing excellent lyrics.

Carnivore by Carnivore is an excellent example of Pete's talent for writing hilarious lyrics.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:03 pm 
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Ist Krieg
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I've always found Warning/40 Watt Sun's lyrics simple and touching in a way no other lyricist can touch. Others might be more verbose or clever or eloquent but Patrick Walker's stuff hits home in a big way.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:22 pm 
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Ist Krieg

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noodles wrote:
I've always found Warning/40 Watt Sun's lyrics simple and touching in a way no other lyricist can touch. Others might be more verbose or clever or eloquent but Patrick Walker's stuff hits home in a big way.


Far better than the music, I'll give him that.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 2:16 am 
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Ist Krieg
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i will fight you


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 3:27 am 
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Ist Krieg

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noodles wrote:
i will fight you


To each his own, but wow, really? :lol:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:48 am 
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Einherjar

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good lyrics are no substitute for good musicianship I'm with North on this one.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 4:08 am 
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I live with my parents!
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Mine.

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"The Tigers Of Wrath Are Wiser Than The Horses of Instruction"
-William Blake


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 11:04 pm 
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Metal Servant
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North From Here wrote:
This was a topic that deserved a reply. Normally I don't care about lyrics (or vocals for that matter) much at all. I think they do matter a bit more in doom metal than black metal though, because traditionally black metal is more of a white noise wall of sound, while in doom it helps if they add something to the atmosphere.

Cathedral and My Dying Bride are two good examples of both sometimes great and sometimes hilariously cheesy or easily parodied lyrics.

From the former: "Alchemist of Sorrow" from Endytime is an example of something goofy and great, a line like "I'm King Midas in Reverse" is too good to forget. And the lyrics to "The Garden" do an evocative job of reminding me of the famed Bosch painting that the song is based on.

From MDB, their lyrics have run the gamut over the years, from creepy (Turn Loose the Swans) to campy goth (The Dark Caress) to self-parody (The Blue Lotus) to story telling resembling a scene from the movie Eyes Wide Shut (Edenbeast), some have also been plain awful (Heroin Chic), but generally speaking they've gotten a bit better with time. The Barghest O'Whitby tells an effective classic horror story, while the title track to A Map of All Our Failures plus Abandoned As Christ has some very good lines.

Not sure if any bands write consistently excellent lyrics, and certainly not the case in my two examples, but I think having enough memorable lines matters most.


Though MDB is a senior member of my music folder, it has never been my favorite. So I guess that's why I haven't ever really got into their lyrics (and when I have, it was not that good). Guess now I;ll give it another try.

Thanks.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:49 am 
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Karma Whore
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Didn't Theatre of Tragedy write that song Sluthful for a Hamful vessel or somethin like that?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 4:23 pm 
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Metal Servant
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I tried to get into the lyrics of some of my favorite TOT's songs. Some of them are very good (On Whom The Moon Doth Shine, The Masquerader and Phoenix...) but it's a very frustrating task for me.

This one I didn't even bother.


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