Merlin Coryell

UG was Psych/Soc. Planning for Grad school in research within field when I can afford it... Dreamjob would be FT drummer, PT researcher or instructor in psychology. ...That or the first King of the United States.

First note, you might check the upcoming album. ZP is gone! Yes, the new guy is still in the same vocal range, but from what tiny bit Ive heard, he isnt as nasaly about it. As far as their composition copy and paste, its really like that with a majority of non-prog music though. I can see how one gets exhausted from the energy drain it takes to really focus on their tracks. Its as much about the endurance of 180-210bpm for 7 minutes, as it is about musical dynamics. That said, its certainly not for everyone, I just feel its unfair to call them out when most bands have a fairly small dynamic range in their song construction. Ill take an album of DF over 2 songs by Nickleback or Shinedown... once someone convinces me its not the same band in different clothes. I dont think its so much that Herman Li is "overratted" so much that other guitarists are underrated. Li is a master at his art, and deserves that credit. Its sad that many others dont get the same credit, but that doesnt nullify his.

Thank goodness they discovered faster-than-light particles then, they can get to work on that time machine for me!

Located in central Oregon. Up for in person jams, or online only collaboration. Have acoustic and digital kit, with ability to record online or practice via webcam (just havent done it yet). Basic recording software, mostly use Audacity and Guitar Tracks in past, nothing fancy but willing to learn. Years of experience in studio and on stages up to 300 people. Own gear, transportation, and live sound peripherals. Hopefully will be relocating to Seattle, WA area in 2012. Would be happy to start collaboration with anyone there for eventual live practice/performance. Any interested parties can contact me here or at merlincoryell at gmail. Pretty much all types of metal and rock. Language not important to me, so long as you dont use Japanese lyrics to make fun of me... too much.

Current Gear: "Daedalus" custom Ludwig drumkit. Zildjian and Factory Metal Cymbals. Gibraltar and Axis Hardware. Remo heads, ProMark and HipTrix sticks. Dream Gear:[/b] MOAR DRUMS! Octobans, lots more cymbals, perhaps Sonor or Tama if not just custom Keller shells. Would like to expand digital kit to model my acoustic one better. ESP V and EX series, Mana, Sakito, Hitsugi models. Krank or Randall Full Stack! Then the lessons to learn how to actually play guitar...

I like you, lets be friends! Done and done.

Yep, I'm an idiot... Or blind! Mods feel free to remove this thread.

Just wondering how many others here make music in addition to loving it. Tell us about your instrument, style, and point us to anything that gives more info about your playing or has samples. I, myself, am a drummist. Metal, Rock, Blues, and various styles within each. Been playing since '96, learned from my father who also played drums and guitar. Started playing out and about with bands in high school and havent stopped since; though after moving from Houston to Oregon, things have slowed quite a bit. Someday I would love, even if just for a fun sidething, to start a Visual Kei tribute band. Nothing beats being able to just have fun on stage, and its sure better than killing yourself in the studio... oh how I loathe the abysmal pit of recording! Sites, sounds, and pics below. Hope this doesnt count as not selling anything. Sorry there isnt much up that Ive done lately, current recording project keeps hitting snags and they dont want me putting too much out till its done. Pick your preferred method of execution: http://www.facebook.com/merlincoryelldrums ; http://www.reverbnation.com/merlincoryell ; http://www.myspace.com/merlincoryell

Various sites are claiming that there have been North American dist. deals signed that will market the new albums from these bands (hopefully more) to the US. However when I visit the label sites, I can find nothing thus far. Anyone know anything more about this? It would be wonderful to be able to get these for fair market prices, instead of the 3-4x markup that are given to Import CD collections. Anyone for a $18 copy of Savior Never Cry over a $60?! Yes please!

Son, I am dissapoint. Any Chinese or Japanese band that doesnt hit Seattle, WA is losing out. Would love to see Exist Trace. Man, if only I could win the lottery, I would promote the Asian version of Wacken here in the Northwest.

Everyone looks for reasons to hate this band, most of the time, I find they are frustrated musicians who are mad about such goofy guys having fun and making it big playing music. I would like for someone to point out bands that dont write repetitively. Unless you change the lineup every song, you are going to have patterns of influence on the style. This is true with any band from any genre. Fact is, DragonForce has made metal accessable to a whole new generation through their pop appeal. That is a HUGE service to the metal genre. They did this without having to sell-out their style and go totally pop just to get mainstream attention. (Lacuna Coil, Disturbed, Apocalyptica, etc...) DragonForce was getting plenty big in the metal world before Guitar Hero, but now that they are famous from that, everyone is out to pick sides as fanboys or trolls. I say its ok to be in the middle and either listen or pass. I for one dig them, and love the workout I get on the kit. If you think their drums are repetitive, you might want to avoid the entire genres of death and black metal with their blastbeats. Better yet, you should likely avoid anything at all that isnt Progressive, as 99% of what I hear on the radio uses 3 to 4 different basic kit patterns. Its all repetitive.

Amon Amarth remains the very pennacle of Viking Metal. Live shows are awesome to watch, and even though they more or less write the same 3 songs over and over, they always find ways to keep it fresh. \m/ Norse Metal all the way.

I take them completely seriously. They are hella-talented dorks; extremely disciplined goobers. Most of the flame wars that errupt over them are from frustrated and jealous musicians who are upset that the band makes it look so easy. I know I want to break Dave Mackintosh's legs sometimes! I think anyone that takes any band "seriously" is unfortunate. Any band that takes themselves seriously is utterly lame. Its entertainment, and its all for show.

Yeah, they lost the founding drummer/producer/2nd writer of over 25 years. In his place in Mike Mangini, a talented, if flamboyant, guy who taught at Berklee for a while. Real trouble is after Portnoy left, the keyboardist took over, hence the heavy synthpop sounds. New album is called Dramatic Turn of Events. Its the first one in a long time I dont plan to get. The 12 Step suite spanned a few albums, giving all the parts to Shattered Fortress. I also loved Nightmare to Remember and Count of Tuscany on that album. But the bonus CD of covers was really a gem too!

We'll have to let him know

Ill keep this short. Old Nightwish = New Nightwish = 8=> Hope Jack Sparrow wannabe on keys gets enough attention now...

Great group of guys, just wish they could escape the poptrap of their work with lamorz from 3 Days Grace and Slipknot. Now this once unheard of group of virtuossos are played about 113 times a day on any kid's ages 12-16 mp3 player. Hey pop culture: They do have more than 3 songs you know? +1 on Flyleaf. Thats what I mean, drop the pop-rock/metal guests and get some talent on there. How about Russell Allen, Roy Khan, Tarja Turunen, or even Alissa White-Gluz? Now we're talking!

What? No love for the Leave's Eyes and Atrocity outfit? Unacceptable. You get 2 for the price of 1. Well, not really, but kinda. Leave's Eyes is pretty straight up symphonic metal, all about Vikings. Classic beauty and the beast setup with Liv Kristine, and Alexander Krull. Live shows are amazing, no matter how small the venue, they bring it! Thorsten Bauer is one of the most understated guitarists on Earth, period. Enter Atrocity, all the same guys, with less of Liv, and more aggression. Death/Prog and 80s covers? YES PLEASE! Their original stuff is entertaining, but its the Werk 80 albums that make them stand out. You havent heard Annie Lennox until youve heard her sung by a 6'3" German man with hair to his knees! Just be warned, you will get hit by his sweaty hair if you are on the stage row, but you also get to collect Thorsten's shredded picks, and get wonderful looks at the corseted Liv!

And who do you think VK bands are inspired by? I see BVB as sort of a mash of modern Glam Rock meets Visual Kei, but through the socially acceptable stylings of American pop rock. They all descend from shock rock and costumes pioneered by KISS and the like. That said, their music is pretty friggin good. And I do think that we in the US need to get back to bands who can have fun with their stagelook again, and stop being so serious and douchey all the time. If I see one more hipster rock/metal act in beanies and plaid shirts, who dont know how to smile, I will need to commit mass murder...

Guitar Hero hype aside, DragonForce rocks. If you disagree, Im pretty sure that lightning will kill you. It may be cheesy, it may be overdone, and it may never dip below 200bpm. But DF is true to their art, and dont shy away from making fun of themselves. Few bands really show the joy that they have in doing what they do like DragonForce can. Plus, Ive dropped about 25lbs over the past 4 months on a drumming regiment that is about 30% DF, so forget the Jazzercise, time for DragonCise!

This is a great band that you will think is absolutely amazing once you see them live! I cant believe the things they can pull off on stage that seemed to push the limits on the CDs. Vocals and drums are certainly my favorites from these guys. Too bad their drummer is taking over Mangini's teaching duties at Berklee though... Hope that doesnt slow the band down.

Ive been about as big a DT fan as one can be since Octovarium, and have most of their catalog. That said, I have yet to have the opportunity to see them live (though I have a few DVDs), and I cannot stand the new album, far too synth-atmosphere for my liking. I was really getting into their aggressive stuff from Train of Thought up, and do appreciate their epic Prog from 6 Deg back. However BCSL set the bar high on both aspects, and DTOE really sunk that feeling to me, along with being the first album without Portnoy at the co-helm. Dont think I am going to be a fan of Dream Theater 2.0...

I loved Kamelot, their show with Leaves Eyes back in Houston '07 is still the best concert I have ever been to, right on the stage. Got to meet Roy, Casey, and members of Leaves Eyes after the show too! Alas, without Roy on vox, I fear the days of the fabled kingdom of Kamelot may be at an end...

Pssshhhh.... to the Naysayers. Yeah, their sound changed quite a bit, but only as they matured and evolved as a band. Arrangements got tighter, more intricate, and a lot more interesting IMO. Mastodon has become one of my favorite bands to stretch out over a few genres all within an album or two. They rock, pure and simple. Live, they will knock you on your-

Well what I didnt pirate in my college days I scored at a local Import Shop at a mall in Portland. They had a large cache of random JPop and VK stuff, and I wish I had grabbed up more because its almost all gone and they dont plan to restock. I figure it was from a trip there a while back. Scored 1 or 2 Moi dix Mois albums, Im pretty sure I have a Gazette somewhere, X Japan Fan Picks, hide Psyence tour, Kagerou, and Miyavi. I do love Visual Kei style, I would likely marry Hizaki if I could, and got into Mana's stuff, Nightmare, Exist Trace, and other similar artists. But honestly Im fairly green to it all. I cant say I like it all though, the music has to float on its own before the VK stuff can appeal to me. I like Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and pretty much any of the others, so long as they rock. Im huge into Prog and Speed metal. Im pretty much shopping around for all metal that isnt pure death. That said, I cant get into DEG, Cthonic, Sigh, and the like. I do love death vocals when mixed in though, hence I adore Exist Trace, and other bands Eastern and Western that mix up the vox styles. If its something energetic, and especially if I can let loose on the drumkit to it, Im game. For other music I like some of these, but its only the tip of the iceberg to be sure! Dream Theater, Symphony X, DragonForce, Mastadon, Amon Amarth, Dethklok, Concerto Moon (CN), Tang Dynasty(CN), Spring Autumn(CN), Illusion (CN), Seraphim (TWN), Jeff Loomis, Mirage (CN?) Powerglove, and the list goes way, way on... Im also way too into Asian horror and action movies; ever since being introduced to the Ring series back in 2003. Ive got a decent little collection of some of the best from Japan, Korea, and China and hope to expand the collection although Im increasingly happy with how much Netflix is adding. And in what I am seeing is the trend of all things "J", I can offer my blood type and favorite foods. Also, if it matters, I am a cat guy. Thanks for the welcome all, I truly look forward to learning more from all you adorable people.