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Emeritus
Reviews 172
Approval 98%
Soundoffs 200
News Articles 34
Band Edits + Tags 478
Album Edits 1,058
Album Ratings 5906
Objectivity 86%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 21,030
| Update #2/The Long Procession Ranked
Hello once again my fellow Sputpeople. So, if you couldn't tell I've been a bit more active now that I'm back at college and with a lot more free time on my hands. I'm still laughably behind on 2017 and I won't be catching up anytime soon since I have a lot of recs and self-recs to sort through from a variety of years. You can definitely expect to see me back to reviewing current (I might do past stuff, who knows) stuff in 2018, provided there are interesting things to write about. Emotionally, I'm a bit so-so, but that's an improvement in my book. Just to keep the creativity flowing, I'm going to attempt to rank the tracks on my personal favorite album of all time. Hope you enjoy! | | 10 | Amia Venera Landscape
Infinite Sunset of the Sleepless Man
It may seem easy to start with crossing off the ambient interludes, but in the context of the album it's incredibly difficult to do. The fact is, although this is listed as my least favorite cut from the disc, I still love it so much. The mood it sets in its brief run time perfectly sets the stage for an epic finale, slowly building towards an amazingly satisfying conclusion. By itself, however, it simply lacks the depth presented by fellow songs. | | 9 | Glances - Part I
This is placed here for the same reasons as "Infinite...," but the sudden instrumental explosion at the end comes as such a well-executed surprise and gets the listener ready for the beauty of the following track. | | 8 | Glances - Part II
I fucking adore this. The closing moments here, where the instruments all collapse in a big finale alongside a fantastic vocal delivery, are very, very memorable. Why is this song so low then? Because The Long Procession is just that good. Seriously. | | 7 | Ascending
It hurts so much for me to put these tracks so low, but I don't really have a choice. Anyways, this still remains one of the few ambient/drone tracks of a long length that I can enjoy. It's a genre I will never understand or get in to--I've just accepted that as inevitable at this point--but "Ascending" works out nevertheless. The piano takes you on a gradual journey through static and nuanced electronics, eventually taking you to one of those climaxes that Amia Venera seem to be the undisputed masters of. Similar to the other pure-instrumental tunes on The Long Procession, "Ascending" serves as the ideal prelude and intermission for the album, keeping the atmosphere at its peak and maintaining the flow of the release. | | 6 | My Hands Will Burn First
As much as I love "Glances - Part II" and "Ascending," the breakdown that closes this track is the heaviest fucking thing in the universe. The frantic guitarwork throughout this track is a perfect exhibition of AVL's post-hardcore influence, of course, but... that fucking breakdown. Jesus. | | 5 | Nicholas
This is probably the more 'surprising' choice I've made on this list. Yeah, I placed Nicholas right at the middle of the pack. Nicholas, with its intricate, intertwined guitars, crazy tempo changes, and perfectly-executed, atmospheric ending. The Long Procession is just that good. In all seriousness, while the band is in full-force this track and entirely on-point, they manage to be even better at other times. A stunning song, no matter where it's positioned. | | 4 | Marasm
No other word can really describe "Marasm" aside from epic. Sprawling across a 14-minute run time, it meshes AVL's progressive metal tendencies and song-structuring with their post metal aspects into a monumental, heavy adventure that functions as the album's centerpiece. You get so engaged in the soundscape that time seems to just float away, leaving you surprised when you reach the track's end. | | 3 | Empire
Holy fuck, this track. Amia Venera Landscape could not have crafted a better opening number. The band essentially waves a middle finger to introductions and jumps straight into an onslaught of shredding, dissonant guitars, one on top of the other, each doing a different job or adding a unique element. The drummer goes completely insane, matching pace with the song's crazy speed (and the many times it changes tempo). Underneath it all is the bass, adding just the right amount of intrigue to the band's multi-faceted approach. To cap off the performance is the pissed-off, demanding vocal performance that grabs your attention instantly. "Empire" makes your jaw drop to the floor every time, always sounding so new. | | 2 | The Traitors' March
And yet, there are two more songs I ranked AFTER "Empire"? Well, if you know the album well, you know what's left, and you should know just how hard it is to rank the top three. What exactly gives "The Traitors' March" the ultimate edge over the best opener possible? It's the best ending possible. Everything you heard in The Long Procession is wrapped up and brought into the most satisfying conclusion. The final 2 minutes actually make me cry. The guitars and lyrics are just that powerful. I love how it's supposed to be, at the end, "I want to be remembered for," but everything cuts out before the line finishes; you're left with "I want to be remembered"--and then emptiness. These guys know how to end a fucking album. | | 1 | A New Aurora
Unarguably the most melodic track on the entire album, "A New Aurora" continues to reign as the song I love the most off of The Long Procession. How can I talk about this without nerding the fuck out? The layered guitars, guided by the subtle bass and pounding, calculated drums are gorgeous here. It feels like you're on the edge of a rocky shoreline, the waves crashing around you as rain pours down and thunder booms from the sky. The level of songwriting ingenuity on display here, from the absolutely fantastic build-ups ("WHAT OF THE VOW WE HAD? LIAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR" being the obvious highlight) to the masterful interplay between the commanding harsh vocals and mournful, raw cleans is astounding. Despite being 7 minutes--a relatively long song--you end up wishing it would never end and just keep going. I honestly wouldn't mind. | |
MarsKid
09.06.17 | tl;dr Long Procession is sex, I have too much to listen to and will not catch up on 2017, I'm happy and I'm sad
Hello | Papa Universe
09.06.17 | Why don't people around here call each other Sputniks? The word Sputnik literally means 'companion'. | bloc
09.06.17 | College? I thought you were one of the 30 year old users | MarsKid
09.06.17 | Well damn, I'm not that at all lol. I think that's a compliment in a way I guess?
Thanks for stopping by dudes. And I'm gonna usue Sputpeople | Papa Universe
09.06.17 | Well, you're wrong, fellow Sputnik | MarsKid
09.06.17 | Not the first time :( | Papa Universe
09.06.17 | And seeing your adoration of Prog, probably not the last time either. | MarsKid
09.06.17 | Dayum dude, why you hating when I proggin | MarsKid
09.06.17 | The prog hate is reallllll | Papa Universe
09.06.17 | *and deserved |
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