Dave

The only pedal I have at this moment is the DS-1. It's a great pedal, but I tend to tune my guitar to Drop B, and it honestly just doesn't do the job at all. Needless to say, I've been looking into a couple distortion pedals lately... but I don't know what would be best for what I need. I know the HM-2 has a killer, chainsaw tone, but I want something with less fuzz. I've also considered a Verellen Big Spider, as it seems pretty great.

Anyways, what would you guitarists suggest? I need a pedal that can handle downtuned sludge metal, that has a powerful, muddy tone, but also able to have notes sound clear(ish) - not just be a buzz.

Here's an example of the sound I'm going for...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awg99tk6vys

Or this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbSzzmpli4A

Thanks!

I love EPs. They're full of energy, and since they're shorter, tend to be pretty high in quality. Some of my favorites are...

And On And On And On... - Despise You & Agoraphobic Nosebleed

SGNL > 05 - Isis

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues - BTBAM

An Anthology Of Dead Ends - Botch

Ghost - Buried At Sea

Irony Is A Dead Scene - MIke Patton With DEP

Slow Riot For A New Zero Kanada - GY!BE

BQ: Sup?

BQ2: Do you like EPs, or hate them?

I'm digging a lot of hardcore and hardcore influenced music lately, so I thought I'd ask for some suggestions. I love pretty much all metal and punk, so post anything you feel like, as long as it's hardcore, post-hardcore, mathcore, or... hardcore in some way. Thanks =)

I love Refused, Kerouac, Botch (more than any other), Narrows, Dillinger Escape Plan, At The Drive-In, and Minor Threat. I also need to give Converge and Bad Brains more listens.

What gives you the right to label something 'not metal', unless it's punk or post-hardcore (another genre, in other words)? You know when someone asks a question, and the bands they list are like All That Remains or August Burns Red, and people answer 'That's not actually metal.'? F*ck that. And anyone who thinks that is just giving metalheads a bad name.

Now, call Avenged Sevenfold death metal, and you'll hear a thing or two from me. Call them metal? Go ahead, man. They're not 'not metal', and they certainly aren't just rock.

So I have two more questions for you, if you even read this far...

MQ: Favorite band that is the most metal of metal, so much metal, that listening to it gives you Mercury poisoning and turns you into a madhatter?

MQ2: Favorite band most would consider 'not real metal'?

I love when two artists share their styles on an album and create something that sounds like them, but also sounds a little different. It's so cool =)

So, what's your favorite Split Album? I just picked up the Agoraphobic Nosebleed-Despise You Split called 'And On And On...". It's such a crazy album, f*ckin' love it.

BQ: Least favorite?

BQ2: Band you're addicted to right now?

BQ3: How are you?

I've been pretty addicted to grindcore lately, and I've found the best bands are the ones that throw some groove around in their music. I prefer the bands that slow down at times, rather than go full force for three or four songs. I'm not a huge fan of the bands like Cephalic Carnage or Brutal Truth, but geared more towards Napalm Death, Pig Destroyer, and especially Agoraphobic Nosebleed.

Here's an example of what I'm looking for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xCHuOsQRsM

Or even this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5i53m-YgCg

I already know Nasum. Cheers =)

BQ: Do you enjoy grindcore at all?

BQ2: Favorite grind band?

BQ3: Shall I invent a genre called doom-grind? :p

At the moment I'm trying to expand my musical taste just a little bit (to help with guitar, and for fun), and I thought it'd be great to listen to a ton of different albums. I'm really digging the first two Grateful Dead albums, and also early Napalm Death =)

As you can see from those examples, I like pretty different music, so feel free to recommend anything you like - it can be rap, hip-hop, jazz, classic, modern, metal, rock, alternative, progressive, any sub genre, whatever. I would like something with good guitar work, but anything is cool. Thanks! =)

Lately I've been trying to break away from simply just metal and rock, listening to some hip-hop, a lot of punk, good ol' progressive bands, and dabbling with some jazz. But, I just don't know a lot about pre-80s music, other than progressive bands in the 70s, and the big names, like The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, etc.

So, as a fan of all music and soulful guitar, what should I look into first? Any genre is fine, I'm pretty open minded. Thanks a lot =)

... No, not Bolt Thrower. This is Cobalt, a rather unique American black metal band. It's not like Wolves In The Throne Room or Agalloch, either. Think of all that sludgy goodness Mastodon throws around, and then throw in some Darkthrone. Damn.

Pregnant Insect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjwEa560bM

Eater Of Birds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZHuaLSsGLM

MQ: Thoughts?

BQ: Any similar bands? All I can think of is Leviathan and Yob.

BQ2: How are you doing this fine day?

BQ3: Favorite element?

I have a Fender Gemini II, it's older than me, and I love it. It plays beautifully, and so far it's the best acoustic I've had the chance of using. My one complaint is that the body is massive. It's seems to be more or less made for the Hulk (which is good, because it can take a beating). My right arm tends to damn near fall asleep when I'm playing it, so I want something just a little more comfortable.

So my question is, what's a good acoustic guitar that's body has smaller size (I was thinking the medium size range, I don't feel great playing those tiny ones)? I was looking at Seagulls, LaPatries, and other Fenders, but any specific recommendations would be great. Thanks all :)

Price range I'm hoping for is $300-800

What, in your honest but not so humble opinion, is the greatest guitar solo you have heard this week? Can be any genre you like, any style, as long as you think it's the best from these past few days.

Mine goes to Dechristianize - Vital Remains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlh9V54NNdQ

If you want to skip the fantastically epic intro and the death metal bits, the solo I'm talking about is at 4:18 and onwards. Sweeps, sweeps, everywhere! Cheers :)

BQ: Most surprising musical discovery this week?

BQ2: Most underrated soloist in your opinion?

BQ3: Would you like a hug from this guy? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7ZQPOJJ3ZQE/S6sQcAnSQnI/...

I lied, it's not that great. But I had to get your attention somehow! Keep in mind I didn't say best, haha. But here's this extremely cool black metal band, from Spain I believe, that have some raw, tribal, evils going on. Enjoy...

NAAKHUM

Standard Black Metal Track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhL2WxF4928

Didgeridoo infused epic tribal beat with a hint of kvlt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC5fnMsUnS8

MQ: So, your thoughts?

BQ: Craziest black metal you know?

BQ2: Favorite black metal band?

I've been on a post-rock kick lately, due to Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, listening to lots of bands. This is a list of what I know, pretty much...

Russian Circles

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Pelican

Red Sparowes (love them!)

Explosions In The Sky

Followed By Ghosts

This Will Destroy You

Gifts From Enola

If These Trees Could Talk

Sigur Ros

Mogwai

There's a ton more, but those are more or less the great ones. Do you have any great post-rock up your sleeve?

You know, that one song you have stuck in your head, that one line, where the band utters something awesome. Take that and spin a grand little tale, but make sure to at least tell us the name of the song and the band =) It can't be that hard, lots of lyrics tell stories already!

The Grand Inquisitor II: Roots And Locusts - The Ocean (saw this song live, now I'm obsessed with the band... again.)

"I too, lived on, roots and locusts." *ahem*

July 19th, 1858

The island has little food, and from what I can tell, little animal life. I've run out of rations from the boat, and empty rum bottles line the beach like corpses. My tent at least, made from the tattered sail, provides some safety from the wildlife. The predators, however, worry me less than the problem of food. Lately I've wandered in the jungle and tried to eat plants, and I saw a strange beast nibbling on the roots of a tree. I too did this. I too, lived on roots and locusts.

So, uh... I was bored. Hopefully you all are, too, and you write us a story! =)

There's, like, this huge amount of feedback and distortion, and, like, all this fuzz. It's the same sound I hear when I have to sleep by my fridge, which is right above my heater. And it goes on for a super long time, and it's just, like, the same, like, noise over and over again. And you can hear the guitar but it doesn't sound like a guitar, and you can hear the bass, but it doesn't sound like a bass. And there's this scratchy voice, too. It's so creepy, oh my Gosh.

Which song is this by them?

Mine would be Dopesmoker by Sleep, clocking in at 63 minutes =D

BQ: How you doin'?

Everyone was asking lyric related questions, and I, being an attention seeking wh*re, wrote some to be included. Here they are :D

Exit 54

Your time's run out, dripping down.

Take your leave, from this city.

Rain falls on, hurry up,

Or you will drown.

You can make it, just don't look down.

A new dawn begins, the sun shines in.

Don't turn around, just start to run.

Watch the sky, move into dark.

The eclipse will come.

Don't look down, just jump off.

Another chance, don't waste this one.

You can make it, just don't hold on.

BQ: Do you write lyrics?

BQ2: Does thought come to you on the sofa or on the toilet?

BQ3: Now playing?

Now, I enjoy melodeath, but I'm thinking just straight up death metal for this one. The ones I can think of are...

Grave

Entombed

At The Gates

Dismember

Does anyone know of any other kickass bands? Preferably with more gutteral vocals, or at least without Van Drunen >.> I love the guitar tone on the albums though :D