Did you watch the Mercenary video?

[Harvester]

How many of you went to their official site and watched the video (ok..2 minute preview) of "Seize the Night?"

ROCK

I may end up on stage with them before their set is over.

Glenn H.

 

[Demonspell]

Not yet, but I did download the mp3s...powerful shit indeed...

 

[FataMorgana]

I watched it the other day. Pretty awesome!

Stacy

How many of you went to their official site and watched the video (ok..2 minute preview) of "Seize the Night?"

ROCK

I may end up on stage with them before their set is over.

Glenn H.

 

[Bear]

Holy metal up your ass batman!!! They are going kick all kinds of ass!!!

Bear

NP:Soilwork - Rejection Role<----To bad these guys aren't at PPUSA \m/

 

[ricochet]

Should be an interesting performance.

 

[Geo]

Holy shit, I'm digging Mercenary. I love the heavy stuff!

 

[Charlie E.]

I just watched it. It's really good. I was pretty set on not going to PP4 this year but now I dunno, I'm confused
This band just rocks!

 

[Axeman]

I just watched it. It's really good. I was pretty set on not going to PP4 this year but now I dunno, I'm confused
This band just rocks! !!

And that's exactly the reason to go. Don't be confused bro, ProgPower is all about the new music us deprived Americans have been craving. Glenn brings them, we just *have* to go.

 

[Charlie E.]

And that's exactly the reason to go. Don't be confused bro, ProgPower is all about the new music us deprived Americans have been craving. Glenn brings them, we just *have* to go.

Of course it would be great to see Mercenary, but the only other band I'm somewhat interested in seeing is Nightwish.
I went to PP last year only for Pain of Salvation. Going this year only for Mercenary just might not be worth it to me. It's a money/time/travelling issue as well.

 

[nightwish58]

Not for nothing, but I don't see how this band fits into this festival. Before everyone starts ranting and raving, I understand that Glenn usually throws in some type of wildcard as he did with Devin Townsend last year. However, I downlaoded that video and thought it was terrible! I am a progressive/power metal fan for a reason, and just because this band has been included in this year's prog power will not convert me into a fan. Yes, I gave them a try and downloaded some songs, but they are not progressive metal, and they are not power metal; hence they do absolutely nothing for me. I do not listen to death metal for a reason, and this band seems to be heavy on the cookie monster vocals. It seems to me that some people are replying positively to this post simply because Glenn digs the band. It is okay to have a difference of opinion and voice it.

 

[Daybreaker]

I dont think people are sucking up cos Glenn likes em. Just because he booked em doesnt mean we should all like the act. Ill go out and say that Devin Townsends set last year was the most agonizing hour of my life in which the only highlight was when the guy behind me yelled "YOUR HAIRLINE IS RECEDING!!!" (I dont think he heard though.) I mean I am mainly a Power Metal / Melodic Hard Rock (Bonfire, Pretty Maids) fan and I enjoy some Prog bands as well. I generally have an extreme distaste for death and black metal, ok no generally about it I fucking despise black and death metal but I do in fact love bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom and Dark Tranquillity because they have *gasp* MELODY!!!! and Arch Enemy has some of the best guitar solos this side of Iron Maiden. Trust me it took along time to enjoy the rough vocals I used to always wish Children of Bodom had a singer like Tony Kakko but when it clicked it clicked hard and I am now a fan of Melodic Death Metal. It is just a matter of taste it also took about a year for me to really get into Nightwish now Id say theyre up there in my top ten.

Ben

 

[nightwish58]

Good points Ben; especially about Devin being the most agonizing hour of the festival. Here is my point: If you are a power/progressive metal fan, odds are you don't like bands like Mercenary. I feel having them and similar bands play at this festival is a wasted slot. I understand that this is Glenn's festival and he could dio whatever he wants, but that is one thing I disagree with. With that being said, I am grateful towards Glenn for enabling me to have the opportunity to see such amazing prog/power bands. I would go to this festival if 4 slots were wasted (imo) on obscure acts like Devin and Mercenary (bands that do not fit the genre of what this festival was meant to be). A perfect example is the Brave Words festival. I actually considered going just for Evergrey and Elegy; but that was stretching it since I don't like the other 10 bands.
Bottom line is that if I have to deal with 1 oddball band that doesn't fit in every year, I would be a very happy person. I'm just stating my opinion as to these curveballs!

 

[rhavin2112]

I would go to this festival if 4 slots were wasted (imo) on obscure acts like Devin and Mercenary (bands that do not fit the genre of what this festival was meant to be). A perfect example is the Brave Words festival. I actually considered going just for Evergrey and Elegy; but that was stretching it since I don't like the other 10 bands.
Bottom line is that if I have to deal with 1 oddball band that doesn't fit in every year, I would be a very happy person. I'm just stating my opinion as to these curveballs!

What exactly do you mean by bands that do not fit the genre, and I am curious as to how you think Devin and Mercenary do not fit??

 

[nightwish58]

It's simple, when I think of progressive metal, I think of Dream Theater and bands in that vein. When I think of power metal, I think of bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, etc... You can't be seriously asking me why those bands do not fit this genre. I think it is quite obvious. This is Prog/Power; it can't be any more explicit than that. Thrash, Death, Goth, Hardcore, Punk, etc.. shit is known as the Jack Koshick ShitFest. I'm sure no one says to themselves, wow, there is a prog power festival; I wonder if Devin Townsend or Mercenary is playing.
If you want to try and make the argument that these bands do fit, then all you are doing is trying to strecth the meaning of power, progressive metal. For that matter, you can feasibly try and group any type of music or band into the progressive, power metal category. When I hear cookie monster vocals, and growling, I'm sorry, but I'm turned off, and last time I checked, that was categorized as death metal. I don't care how techinical it is and how many time signature changes there are, and how melodic it is, etc... It is death metal, and this is not prog death 4.0, it is prog power 4.0.

 

[rhavin2112]

It's simple, when I think of progressive metal, I think of Dream Theater and bands in that vein. When I think of power metal, I think of bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, etc... You can't be seriously asking me why those bands do not fit this genre. I think it is quite obvious. This is Prog/Power; it can't be any more explicit than that. Thrash, Death, Goth, Hardcore, Punk, etc.. shit is known as the Jack Koshick ShitFest. I'm sure no one says to themselves, wow, there is a prog power festival; I wonder if Devin Townsend or Mercenary is playing.
If you want to try and make the argument that these bands do fit, then all you are doing is trying to strecth the meaning of power, progressive metal. For that matter, you can feasibly try and group any type of music or band into the progressive, power metal category. When I hear cookie monster vocals, and growling, I'm sorry, but I'm turned off, and last time I checked, that was categorized as death metal. I don't care how techinical it is and how many time signature changes there are, and how melodic it is, etc... It is death metal, and this is not prog death 4.0, it is prog power 4.0.

Well, conisdering the addition of Mercenary this year (i.e. Death Vox) as well as Devin's appearance last year it would seem the creator and organizer of the festival disagrees with you.....

 

[Jim LotFP]

Well, conisdering the addition of Mercenary this year (i.e. Death Vox) as well as Devin's appearance last year it would seem the creator and organizer of the festival disagrees with you.....

... and the Opeth attempt last year...

 

[J.]

If you want to try and make the argument that these bands do fit, then all you are doing is trying to strecth the meaning of power, progressive metal. For that matter, you can feasibly try and group any type of music or band into the progressive, power metal category. When I hear cookie monster vocals, and growling, I'm sorry, but I'm turned off, and last time I checked, that was categorized as death metal. I don't care how techinical it is and how many time signature changes there are, and how melodic it is, etc... It is death metal, and this is not prog death 4.0, it is prog power 4.0.

Since when is a band categorized into a certain genre simply based on the vocals they use?

Last time I checked Wolverine used death vocals. I guess they must suck.

I guess Dan Swano's 'Moontower' isn't progressive at all, nor is Sigh's 'Imaginary Sonicscape'. Since the vocals are "cookie cutter", they must be pure death metal.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Since the vocals are "cookie cutter"

You mean 'cookie monster'.

 

[Creeps]

BAH!!

Bring on MERCENARY !! Never heard of them before this and I'm REALLY looking forward to them!!!

I listened to some Devin stuff last year when the lineup was posted... needless to say, I went shopping during that set. Wasn't my thing.. sorry Dev.

Of course.. I like almost all types of metal, so having Mercenary or any other 'wildcard' act on the bill won't upset me. If I like them.. I will watch.. if I don't.. I will spend.

 

[Jim LotFP]

It's simple, when I think of progressive metal, I think of Dream Theater and bands in that vein. When I think of power metal, I think of bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, etc... You can't be seriously asking me why those bands do not fit this genre. I think it is quite obvious. This is Prog/Power; it can't be any more explicit than that. Thrash, Death, Goth, Hardcore, Punk, etc.. shit is known as the Jack Koshick ShitFest. I'm sure no one says to themselves, wow, there is a prog power festival; I wonder if Devin Townsend or Mercenary is playing.
If you want to try and make the argument that these bands do fit, then all you are doing is trying to strecth the meaning of power, progressive metal. For that matter, you can feasibly try and group any type of music or band into the progressive, power metal category. When I hear cookie monster vocals, and growling, I'm sorry, but I'm turned off, and last time I checked, that was categorized as death metal. I don't care how techinical it is and how many time signature changes there are, and how melodic it is, etc... It is death metal, and this is not prog death 4.0, it is prog power 4.0.

It's really very simple.

When bands sound like Dream Theater or Helloween, I can hang out in the lobby and rest. I'd actually like to see a ProgPower with neither of these bands' influences there...

When bands don't sound like Helloween and Dream Theater, you can hang out in the lobby and rest. Less crowded vendor tables. Little alcoves to sit down for awhile.

Not a problem.