The songs on the album is totally correct in order. It flows like a moonlit stream. Finnish it with an instrumenal is the right thing to do. "The One" = Masterpiece. It's the best song on the album and for the moment it's cemented in my Top-10 Band-Maid songs ever.
I guessed right! I was sure that Howard-san was talking about "Go Easy".😁 I also thought that "Get to the top" was not a good way to end this album, but that was Sai-chan's order. So be it😏
The songs already released earlier in the year are just Band-Maid awesomesauce! The six new songs are so tightly integrated and complex, it's going to take a Tokyo minute to assimilate. But I already love Forbidden Tale, and especially The One. 😉🤘 btw - We should all wish a "Good Luck" to Band-Maid's new self-run management company: Maidit, Co., LTD! Will they managing other bands, boost Cluppo and Maiko projects, or tour more internationally? Or maybe they will expand their business interest to other sectors of the music biz outside of Band-Maid. I believe Kanami wants to get more into composing, scoring and production. And as for Miku and Saiki, the sky's the limit for what they'll want to do in merch, fashion and art, etc.. Thx, Guys!
Hey Howard,Aaron,Benedict,great convo,I'm loving EN,but I concur with Aaron about feeling a little short changed by half the album being released,,some tracks for over a year,I also feel that Bestie and show them should of been left out,maybe released on an EP,and yes Howard the album should not end with an instrumental track,all in all a solid 8/10 for me,looking forward to experiencing some of the new tracks live in November ,take care gents,
Given the timing of the MAID-IT announcement, I’m assuming that dropping Epic Narratives satisfied a contractual obligation that allows BM to move forward with their own management company. Perhaps KANAMI has been holding back a few gems that we will hear shortly as the band leaps out of the starting gate with strong, surprising new material to kick start their now more lucrative arrangement.
As soon as they announced MADEIT later in the same day as the album release, I said the same. Hence the rather mixed content of collaborations and previous track releases. Seen it many times in the past. Cream's Goodbye comes to mind.
No. Streaming quality is universally agreed to be worse/condensed etc. Once you have heard the difference you will want to download from the CD, unless of course you are not really bothered, which is what it sounds like.
Totally agree I felt deflated at hearing most songs already- but uber happy for the ending tracks not leaked early + the blu ray consert is awesome album review 7/10 for me 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I can understand criticism of the instrumental ending the album but, as for the general criticism of “it doesn’t feel like the order of the songs was given any thought”… how can anyone say that? I’m assuming none of you know the lyrics to all the songs and I think that would be necessary to ascertaining whether the song order makes sense.
It is apparent to me the order of the songs was given a lot of thought. It flows very much like a BM concert. Start off with some bangers followed by mid tempo and slower tempo songs. Finish with some bangers. I think this album might have the best flow of any album they have done. Even the previously released songs sound better in the context of the album.
Very entertaining indeed. It’s interesting how different you can perceive an album. I think Benedikt got the essence of all best - IMHO of course, while I‘m a bit surprised that Neon didn’t felt the excellent flow of this album. And Howard is just maximum annoying when he‘s riding his rant about the instrumental far beyond the sunset - like a stuborn child - someone gives him a lollipop please, if he starts with it again 😊 I‘m pretty sure that if you listen to this album in let’s say a year, you will realize how well it’s constructed and flows from start to finish. And a second lollipop for the annoying mixing evergreen. This album has an excellent mix in this era of compression, I can hear and separate everything clearly and balanced well. Ok, it might be because I have such precious ears everybody is jealous of 😅 but are there no self-help groups for audiosexuals in your country, there are so many of them among us? Shambles, Forbidden tale, the One, toi et moi and Get to the top - and exactly in this position of the album 😊 - are my favorites so far. Show them is the only one I would have left out of this album probably. Ok, I actually enjoyed this discussion a lot, even if I did shake my head constantly 😊 - Thanks- and now I get myself a lollipop too. Peace and until the next one 🖖 and it’s a 9.5, while UW and Unleash are solid 10 - Well I might probably be a fan of this band and their constant evolving sound - guilty as charged, indeed 😊
Am I the only one who thinks this album is one of their best? I see all the negative comments posted...I think that it has plenty of emotion, the vocal melodies seem to have stuck in my mind already. Maybe vocal is the one that conveys the most emotion on this album. If they write something too similar to those from JBI or WD, I can see myself getting slightly bored. Me personally, the only songs that are kind of forgettable are Go Easy (there you go. Have you had a chance to hear instrumental demo version of it? I hated it. It sounded recycled. ) 🤣 and Show Them...and the instrumental. I think it would've sounded great with vocals.
I actually think it’s their best album. The previously released songs are still amazing, and if you are hearing them for the first time while listening to the album, it’ll knock your bloody head off. To me it has the diversity of Conquerer and the punchy heavy slick production of Unseen World. Mix of chaos and beautiful songwriting. The only gripe I have is that they should’ve put Show Them last or completely ditched it because even though it’s a good song, it doesn’t fit with the rest and honestly the production mix is complete trash compared to how great the rest of the album sounds. Magie is ok. I can’t get into the chorus. It’s a bit too cringy with the “dancing to the beat lyrics. The verse, bridge , solo is stellar. They’ve had much better opener’s. Shambles would’ve been better. Stick Magie in the middle. Go easy is really growing on me now. Everything else is the best they’ve ever done imo.
It’s just individual taste, Kevin. I feel exactly the opposite-I love earlier B-M for sure but for me the group hit a new level with Conqueror and have stayed there ever since. Epic Narratives is just unbelievably brilliant to me. I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Pre-conquiror songs have high portion of old-school rock element and slower than many of their recent songs. I can understand some people feel more emotion in more old school rock (with touch of prog) style. It's part of the reason why many the Warning army claims that their songs have more emotions.
Ya nothing sticks in my head, it all sounds the same like hard noise trying to show how hard they can go, but there is no emotion. I'd rather listen to early Maid.
Speak for your yourselves. The majority of us who love the album will absolutely remember that they have a song called "The one" and that it's amazing and every bit the equal to Babymetals' "The One".
As I've said already in comments and on discord, this, to me, is one of their weakest albums. It's extremely badly mixed, poorly arranged in terms of track order, there are too many pre-released songs and very few songs that are actually any good. For an album calling itself Epic Narratives, it ironically doesn't tell a very good story and none of the songs are epic. It just feels like a collection of songs that they have recorded at various times in various studios lumped together. And that's exactly what it is. I've only listened to this album twice, once when I bought it and once on Neon's "Listen Along". I don't see me listening to it again. I'll pick the 4 tracks I like and add them to my playlist and the remaining 10 tracks will never be listened to again unless I'm watching a concert. The tracks I like are Brightest Star, Toi Et Moi, TAMAYA and Get To The Top. I want to love SHOW THEM, but it sounds like absolute garbage and I can't bear to listen to it. I rate the album 4/14. One point for each song I actually enjoy.
"I've only listened to this album twice and...I won't listen to it again." Well that explains everything. It's Band-Maid, one cannot appreciate or understand it on the first or second listen. If you want quick and easy lowest-common-denominator music, this is not the band for you. Every album has had some people bragging that they didn't give it a chance as if that makes them cool when they just sound ridiculous.
@@stevehall5128 I've been with B-M for years. I love this band. That doesn't mean I have to love the album, though. Their recent songs just haven't been as good and the mixing on their studio albums is always bad. I'm a fan, not a simp, and I'll tell it as I see it.
The songs on the album is totally correct in order. It flows like a moonlit stream. Finnish it with an instrumenal is the right thing to do.
"The One" = Masterpiece. It's the best song on the album and for the moment it's cemented in my Top-10 Band-Maid songs ever.
I guessed right! I was sure that Howard-san was talking about "Go Easy".😁
I also thought that "Get to the top" was not a good way to end this album, but that was Sai-chan's order.
So be it😏
The songs already released earlier in the year are just Band-Maid awesomesauce! The six new songs are so tightly integrated and complex, it's going to take a Tokyo minute to assimilate. But I already love Forbidden Tale, and especially The One. 😉🤘 btw - We should all wish a "Good Luck" to Band-Maid's new self-run management company: Maidit, Co., LTD! Will they managing other bands, boost Cluppo and Maiko projects, or tour more internationally? Or maybe they will expand their business interest to other sectors of the music biz outside of Band-Maid. I believe Kanami wants to get more into composing, scoring and production. And as for Miku and Saiki, the sky's the limit for what they'll want to do in merch, fashion and art, etc.. Thx, Guys!
The wisest of the three of you is Benedict by far.😎Magie and Toi et Moi is the reason which they will come in Europe.😆
Hey Howard,Aaron,Benedict,great convo,I'm loving EN,but I concur with Aaron about feeling a little short changed by half the album being released,,some tracks for over a year,I also feel that Bestie and show them should of been left out,maybe released on an EP,and yes Howard the album should not end with an instrumental track,all in all a solid 8/10 for me,looking forward to experiencing some of the new tracks live in November ,take care gents,
Given the timing of the MAID-IT announcement, I’m assuming that dropping Epic Narratives satisfied a contractual obligation that allows BM to move forward with their own management company. Perhaps KANAMI has been holding back a few gems that we will hear shortly as the band leaps out of the starting gate with strong, surprising new material to kick start their now more lucrative arrangement.
As soon as they announced MADEIT later in the same day as the album release, I said the same. Hence the rather mixed content of collaborations and previous track releases. Seen it many times in the past. Cream's Goodbye comes to mind.
MAIDIT is credited as artist management on the Epic Narratives lyric book. So the change over happened it some point previous.
The album would be under contract by their label, not their management. They are still with the same label (Pony Canyon).
@@brianallan2408 the domain name for MAIDIT was registered on August 1.
I’m in California, so I turn my ears to the West, because geography.
No. Streaming quality is universally agreed to be worse/condensed etc. Once you have heard the difference you will want to download from the CD, unless of course you are not really bothered, which is what it sounds like.
Totally agree I felt deflated at hearing most songs already- but uber happy for the ending tracks not leaked early + the blu ray consert is awesome album review 7/10 for me 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I can understand criticism of the instrumental ending the album but, as for the general criticism of “it doesn’t feel like the order of the songs was given any thought”… how can anyone say that? I’m assuming none of you know the lyrics to all the songs and I think that would be necessary to ascertaining whether the song order makes sense.
It is apparent to me the order of the songs was given a lot of thought. It flows very much like a BM concert. Start off with some bangers followed by mid tempo and slower tempo songs. Finish with some bangers. I think this album might have the best flow of any album they have done. Even the previously released songs sound better in the context of the album.
@@falconsooner Yes I agree. And like mentioned in the video the album itself feels kind of like a story (hence the LOTR reference 😉)
Very entertaining indeed. It’s interesting how different you can perceive an album. I think Benedikt got the essence of all best - IMHO of course, while I‘m a bit surprised that Neon didn’t felt the excellent flow of this album. And Howard is just maximum annoying when he‘s riding his rant about the instrumental far beyond the sunset - like a stuborn child - someone gives him a lollipop please, if he starts with it again 😊
I‘m pretty sure that if you listen to this album in let’s say a year, you will realize how well it’s constructed and flows from start to finish. And a second lollipop for the annoying mixing evergreen. This album has an excellent mix in this era of compression, I can hear and separate everything clearly and balanced well. Ok, it might be because I have such precious ears everybody is jealous of 😅 but are there no self-help groups for audiosexuals in your country, there are so many of them among us? Shambles, Forbidden tale, the One, toi et moi and Get to the top - and exactly in this position of the album 😊 - are my favorites so far. Show them is the only one I would have left out of this album probably. Ok, I actually enjoyed this discussion a lot, even if I did shake my head constantly 😊 - Thanks- and now I get myself a lollipop too. Peace and until the next one 🖖 and it’s a 9.5, while UW and Unleash are solid 10 - Well I might probably be a fan of this band and their constant evolving sound - guilty as charged, indeed 😊
Am I the only one who thinks this album is one of their best? I see all the negative comments posted...I think that it has plenty of emotion, the vocal melodies seem to have stuck in my mind already. Maybe vocal is the one that conveys the most emotion on this album.
If they write something too similar to those from JBI or WD, I can see myself getting slightly bored. Me personally, the only songs that are kind of forgettable are Go Easy (there you go. Have you had a chance to hear instrumental demo version of it? I hated it. It sounded recycled. ) 🤣 and Show Them...and the instrumental. I think it would've sounded great with vocals.
You are not the only one. It’s a great album for me.
BAND-MAID - Epic Narratives ... let's nitpick!! 🤣
I actually think it’s their best album. The previously released songs are still amazing, and if you are hearing them for the first time while listening to the album, it’ll knock your bloody head off. To me it has the diversity of Conquerer and the punchy heavy slick production of Unseen World. Mix of chaos and beautiful songwriting.
The only gripe I have is that they should’ve put Show Them last or completely ditched it because even though it’s a good song, it doesn’t fit with the rest and honestly the production mix is complete trash compared to how great the rest of the album sounds.
Magie is ok. I can’t get into the chorus. It’s a bit too cringy with the “dancing to the beat lyrics. The verse, bridge , solo is stellar. They’ve had much better opener’s. Shambles would’ve been better. Stick Magie in the middle.
Go easy is really growing on me now. Everything else is the best they’ve ever done imo.
Pre-conqueror songs make me feel emotions. Joy. Anger. Sadness.
Post-conqueror songs do not.
What is wrong with me?
You're not alone. For me, all their best albums are from early in their career
It’s just individual taste, Kevin. I feel exactly the opposite-I love earlier B-M for sure but for me the group hit a new level with Conqueror and have stayed there ever since. Epic Narratives is just unbelievably brilliant to me. I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
Pre-conquiror songs have high portion of old-school rock element and slower than many of their recent songs. I can understand some people feel more emotion in more old school rock (with touch of prog) style. It's part of the reason why many the Warning army claims that their songs have more emotions.
None of the songs are memorable. No one is gonna mention that Band-Maid has a song with the exact same name as a Babymetal song?
Ya nothing sticks in my head, it all sounds the same like hard noise trying to show how hard they can go, but there is no emotion. I'd rather listen to early Maid.
Speak for your yourselves. The majority of us who love the album will absolutely remember that they have a song called "The one" and that it's amazing and every bit the equal to Babymetals' "The One".
….wait. One song is literally called Memorable😂
As I've said already in comments and on discord, this, to me, is one of their weakest albums. It's extremely badly mixed, poorly arranged in terms of track order, there are too many pre-released songs and very few songs that are actually any good. For an album calling itself Epic Narratives, it ironically doesn't tell a very good story and none of the songs are epic. It just feels like a collection of songs that they have recorded at various times in various studios lumped together. And that's exactly what it is.
I've only listened to this album twice, once when I bought it and once on Neon's "Listen Along". I don't see me listening to it again. I'll pick the 4 tracks I like and add them to my playlist and the remaining 10 tracks will never be listened to again unless I'm watching a concert.
The tracks I like are Brightest Star, Toi Et Moi, TAMAYA and Get To The Top. I want to love SHOW THEM, but it sounds like absolute garbage and I can't bear to listen to it.
I rate the album 4/14. One point for each song I actually enjoy.
I hear you, man. I have had crippling depression since Conqueror released.
"I've only listened to this album twice and...I won't listen to it again."
Well that explains everything. It's Band-Maid, one cannot appreciate or understand it on the first or second listen. If you want quick and easy lowest-common-denominator music, this is not the band for you.
Every album has had some people bragging that they didn't give it a chance as if that makes them cool when they just sound ridiculous.
@@stevehall5128 I've been with B-M for years. I love this band. That doesn't mean I have to love the album, though. Their recent songs just haven't been as good and the mixing on their studio albums is always bad. I'm a fan, not a simp, and I'll tell it as I see it.
@@teuchterloon9130 You can't see squat after just two listens. You seem to be stuck in the past while they've progressed.
@@stevehall5128 Progression doesn't mean improvement. Yes, their musical style has changed... for thee worse.