Composer Reacts to First Fragment - In'el (REACTION & ANALYSIS)
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on First Fragment - In'el
ORIGINAL VIDEO // • First Fragment - In'el
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0:00 Intro
00:51 Reaction
19:58 Analysis - A Lot of a Lot
26:49 Analysis - What They Do Well
34:47 Analysis - Awesome Technicality
38:21 Analysis - A Moment To Understand
46:52 Analysis - Lyrical Dive
52:53 Outro
#reaction #firstfragment #techdeath
First Fragment in general and this song in particular exemplify "Sometimes more is also more" for me. Absolutely love the whole thing, wouldn't really want any of it cut. Every minute I'm listening to it I'm constantly also going "Oh shit right the next amazing bit is coming up".
Same, this track could be 30 minutes and I would still love it
I don’t usually listen to long songs so often, but I feel like there isn’t a single dull moment in this song. That slap bass part had me DANCIN
"I forgot they had a vocalist!" Says it all about First Fragment :D
I always propose that to appreciate Death Metal, you really have to stop thinking of vocals as a *melodic* instrument and you have to think of it as more of a lyrical and rhythmic instrument that's there to contribute to the *atmosphere* of the track sonically by well, adding a crapton of more distortion.
And while initially the earlier death metal bands just went by "More distortion = more good" kinda mantra when just adding growling to their songs, First Fragment really ends up on quite a different approach: I don't think that on this entire track there's a long moment where they're just sitting on massive chugging powerchords which is basically *THE* trademark of metal and yet, nobody could confuse it for anything else. Even when all instruments are creating a wall of sound and a flurry of notes, is the vocalist that's basically doing the power chords or that musical function with the growls.
Now this is very common among technical death metals for quite some years now don't get me wrong, but I feel this is brought up even more with First Fragment because they're actually not relying as much on dissonance and non-functional harmony as other tech death bands do and just rely a lot on the vocalist to add distortion to their mix.
@@dimitriid 100% hit it on the nail.
The new benchmark for Tech Death. First Fragement embodies the word Tech.
Check out Archspire latest album is titled Bleed the future they are also Canadian
@@banished13 I've seen them 5 times. I live just outside of Vancouver and while I think they're amazing and one of my favorite bands, (who blow my mind with how tight their live performances are), I don't think they're on the level of First Fragement from a technical standpoint. Cheers.
Although it was "one of us" who did the special selection let's not forget that Mr Tougas himself also requested this track on a comment on your previous First Fragment reaction so there's no refusing that call if you ask me
I totally forgot about that! I'll have to leave a reply to that comment and let him know that the deed has been done.
Also regarding the song the analogy I use when listening to First Fragement and this record in particular is eating dessert like a really sweet triple or cuadruple chocolate cake: It's just overwhelming to taste in the best way possible and you *know* you should eat in moderation but ocassionally, well you indulge a bit and end up feeling the effects of a massive blood sugar spike.
Listening to First Fragment is like saying: "I am not going to have dinner today, I am going to eat as much of the full cuadruple chocolate cake as I can" and once you're committed to it, you can down *A LOT* of cake but you will end up feeling it quite a bit after you're done. Listening to them is something I often don't do in moderation but my head actually feels as if I had just finished a huge essay or a full book in a day except in a bit over an hour instead of several but sometimes, well you just gotta say "Consequences be damned, I am eating a full cuadruple chocolate cake today"
That's the perfect analogy for this. Like walking away from a buffet having only eaten 1 delicious item until it hurt to stand up.
These are some of the most dense technical death metal albums I’ve heard in in a while. I have both of their albums and I still feel like I’m hearing them for the first time every time I listen to them. Off the charts creative material. The first album has a different bass player, just as good. I definitely got my money’s worth of notes per measure getting these albums…ridiculous musicians.
You are spot on there. Vincent Savary was the bassist on Dasein, as well as the guest bass solo in In'El. I haven't stopped listening to it since it was released.
Yeah their subgenre is so sick. It’s like extreme technical neoclassical death metal… or something like that!
7:33 This part feels like the conclusion of the introduction, from here on you are already part of the song and there is no way back. I really like it.
First Fragment hail from Quebec, which is why the lyrics are all in French.
Great vid!
That's the song I want them to play in their next show in in may! I would probably cry of joy. The end of this song gives me chills everytime!!
40:20 What I do like about this is that with repeated listens I notice and comprehend more and more pieces of the song, with the first listen only showing me the First Fragment.
This song is a rollercoaster of emotions. Happiness, Sadness, Excitement, you name it. I freaking love it.
I can really get behind your reaction even as a regular enjoyer of first fragment. This album specifically was much more cosmic, enchanted, and magical feeling than the last one. I feel that this song from the album Glore Eternelle is supposed to tie up the musical ethos of all of the past tracks which resulted in something that may have been a bit much too much for somebody who hasn’t heard the album in its entirety. There’s other tracks though that you might REALLY enjoy such as De Chair et de Haine which is 8 minutes but more complete as a stand alone piece because it follows a more digestible song form rather than the musical epic that is In’el which in my opinion is supposed be musical insanity to properly end Glore Eternelle.
The profound feeling of standing in the presence of something beyond human comprehension
This song, and album, is what I ALWAYS listen to when I go running.
There's no better feeling getting to the end of this song while you're nearing the end of your run, and you just kick in the afterburners for the last two or three minutes and just smoke yourself.
One of the "problems" I find about this album and Vildhjarta's "Masstaden Under Vatten" is that they're not really appropriate for sitting down and listening to, I appreciate them much more when I'm moving around.
I remember really digging the first track we heard from these guys, and I liked this one just as well. Really need to make them a priority for doing a discog run, especially since they seem to only have the two albums. Just love how they combine technicality and melodicism. You mentioned early on it sounding "soundtracky," and that's because a lot of video game music (early video game music especially) was hugely influenced by classic, melodic metal like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. I grew up on those video game soundtracks so when I eventually discovered Iron Maiden it felt like home to me, and I've loved this kind of music ever since. One thing I will say is that this piece sounds a bit more coherent than the last one, with more connective tissue between its many sections.
As for the bass sounding small, I don't think there's much that could be done without adding a keyboard given that the two guitars are panned right/left, which I generally think is the best thing to do with music this complex as it's the only way to keep every instrument clearly audible when they're all going, but it does have the effect of leaving the "center" emptier than if the guitars were mixed more in the center. Funnily enough, on the subject of "a lot of a lot," more and more these days I find myself attracted to the extremes of either minimalism or maximalism. This definitely falls into the latter, and that's probably why it attracts me more than most prog/tech/melodic DM I hear these days because they have the talent to genuinely overwhelm with everything they're doing.
I don't know if anyone already addressed this but those bass solos towards the beginning are from 2 different bassists. The first and very obviously fretless solo is their current guy Dominic Lapointe, and the second solo right afterwards is from their previous bassist Vincent Savary. Which I believe was done on a 5 string fender jazz. Dominic exclusively plays his custom made 6 string fretless on this one.
As for your point about the awe, reverence, & fear, what you are describing is the philosophical concept of the sublime. It is also the reason I say that metal is a continuation of both classical and folk in a way; one of the main thing about all three genres is that they all have a tendency to, and are very proficient in, expressing the sublime--but they all emphasize different aspects of it. This is a thing that is almost unique to those three genres, as almost every other genre focuses on the opposite concept, which is beauty, or other concepts that are very much different from the sublime; this is why there is so much overlap between the fanbase of metal, of classical, and of folk.
im 39 and listenet metal since 13 years old. Nothing moves me more than this song, and this band. The ending is apotheosis. To me the way the song develops into absolute rise and burst of emotions and on top of that , technicality is beyond anything i ever experienced. Edit: you are right, you can't keep up with all the notes they throw at you; but to me that's the beauty of this genre, you hear this song for the first time, you enjoy it somehow, but most of the enjoyement comes from you knowing you'll be able to relisten hundred times and enjoy it every time even MORE as you learn the notes, until it plateaus, some day. Even then you would still rejoice from a refresh session.
Btw, 12:15, some epic delivery you just commented on top about the bass and i think you missed a very good transition
to be fair, this is the last song of the album and with the whole, it sounds like a "last fight before the end" type of feeling giver.
44:00 that I totally get. This album came out at the same time that Archspire's Bleed The Future came out, and while I immediately absorbsed and understood that one, it took me several relistens for me to actually absorb and understand everything that was happening in First Fragment's, after which came the appreciation, satisfaction and the emotions that you didn't feel upon the first listen. It's just absolutely gargantuan. Not something you can just digest in one go.
I think the dead space you talk about is spot on its really a lack of "rhythm" guitar. It's alot of dueling leads style with the bass flaring in sections.
Soif brulante is my favorite of the album. I have to say as I was watching the live videos of soif brulante before the album came out (they played it for years before eternal glory came out) I thought it'd be a middle of the road song, but it's solo section is just so fucking good. The intro is so fucking good. The whole song is so fucking good, lol.
Everytime I listen to Soif I repeat the intro drop at least 5 times before I can move on, the best riff I've ever heard hands down
Ataraxie is my favourite but Soif is very close. those live videos were amazing
@@sinistermephisto65 I have to say when I saw a video of the vocals it was very disappointing. Idk if it was that video or David in general but it sounded very weird, like he wasn't growling but talking almost.
This band is one of my current favorites. The new The Zenith Passage is my current favorite, and these guys are in second place. I am actually going to see them tonight, and I am so STOKED!
Lol yeah, chiptune death metal guitar tone :D I'm not into 'classical' sound, but this was wild. So emotive and yet playful and fun, sometimes almost tongue-in-cheek. And yes, we're still talking about classical-influenced tech deth, for goodness' sake! Also, those transitions. Damn!
These guys certainly seem to be picking up where Spawn of Possession stopped. I love me some tech death, but sometimes it be too much for it's own good.
The epic part starting at 8:36 in this video reminds me a lot of the chorus for “Dawn of Victory” by Rhapsody. Wouldn’t surprise me if Tougas was inspired by that song, him being so into power metal and all.
It was inspired by Mournful Congregation, an Australian funeral doom band. I haven't listened to Rhapsody but I do love Power Metal.
@@PhilTougas oh, that’s cool! Another band I have to check out. Thank you for writing this album, it’s seriously a masterpiece and should be revered as such 🙏🏻
01:04 - 02:10 Jason Becker?!
I believe the song worked as 'movements'. Lol, Chiptune... Made me wonder if they played this song at a slower speed and then sped it up? Very impressive regardless.
Pretty sure the vocalist has to fill in all the downtime with line dancing 🤔
What else are they supposed to do :)
yea I get the hype behind first fragment but I just can't get into them. Idk I guess when I listen to Extreme metal I tend to prefer the music to be intense and "ugly" instead of happy and "flamboyant". I would say I'd probably enjoy this band a lot more if they took away or use less growls and had a more theatrical style vocalist (like wilderun's vocalist) to accompany the music better.
Funny enough I'm surprised you enjoyed the Passacaglia I sent you. The passacaglia was longer then this track and it there was only one instrument used during the entire piece.
Did you hear their first album? The music is much, much more dark and aggressive, what do you think of the growls in there? For example the songs emergence and voracite.
@william johansson I heard the first album many years back right after listening to Equipoise's album and I just felt like they were a lesser version of Equipoise. I personally think the vocals are the weakest aspect of first fragment because I feel like he doesn't utilize much expression, tone, range, or clarity, nor does it feel like an asset to music. Atleast with Equipoise the vocalist sounds like an alien from outer space and the music kind of fits that theme.
Personally, I tend to listen to more avant garde "tech" bands like Ad Nauseam or Ulcerate as opposed to bands like First fragment, obscura, or archspire. Idk something about the music sounding like a band being thrust inside a EF 5 tornado gives me the goosebumps and a slight adrenaline rush.
Idk most "tech death" bands to me is the musical equivalent of a marvel or a fast and furious movie. Lots of spectacle, high production, action, funny moments, crowd pleasing "gimmicks" but no real sense of danger, a sense of connection to the characters, a memorable plot, or anything that makes me want to comeback for more.
react to umineko ost
As someone who almost always prefers music with vocals, I was very torn with this record, this is a very rare case where clean vocals or no vocals at all would do the music all the good, the growls are fairly mediocre and they really don't do the instrumental justice given how complex and layered it is, especially since there is very little variation to the vocals too, it also sounds weird in the mix, almost as if someone did a fan cover to an instrumental piece.
Still, the instrumental is worth despite little imperfections, I just wish the vocals did a little more to really bring it all together, I could see it go from good to one of my favourite albums of all time.
what no
@@8o86 it's just my opinion, it doesn't mean anything, I still love the music and wish the band all the best.
I'm sorry but the vocals are amazing on this album, listened to some tracks instrumentals only and I felt serious dead space in the sound
Benjamin Carper has made this, as many other albums, instrumental.
Всё это конечно хорошо, братья и сёстры, но если этот человек до сих пор не познал KALISIA - CYBION, то я не знаю зачем он ведёт этот канал. Никаких шуток, кроме той, что произошла только что.
Вероятно, это самое впечатляющее произведение в относительно тяжёлой музыке. При этом и одно из наименее известных. Скажу честно - после того, как получилось въехать в этот альбом (что потребовало десятков прослушиваний) после его обнаружения, мне так и не довелось обнаружить ничего более впечатляющего. Есть вещи, что приблизились, либо смогли впечатлить почти так же. Но они не встали в один ряд с этим творением. CYBION - это что-то, что очень близко подобралось к вершине композиторского мастерства вообще. Одновременно доступный и одновременно неприступный.
Очень бы хотелось увидеть реакцию на это. И да, логически это одна неразрывная композиция.
ua-cam.com/video/x0f_N6nTpmA/v-deo.html
I tend to skip this song. Some parts are absolutely amazing but it feels like a slog most times
lol you did end up doing it :D
great video! I've personally obsessed over this track and album enough for now, so I'll just recommend something else: Ancient Gods Genesis by Dark Matter Secret. Incredibly good and creative instrumental prog death metal band, 8 minute track with a lot of songwriting dynamics. I'm not that educated in classical music yet, but it's almost like a Sonata form with themes in 3 different keys lol. that guy is also really into fusion jazz which is really interesting.
btw, chronostratigraphy is a real thing :P also, it's a concept album connected to the previous album, the first track off their previous album is called Serment de Tsion. tbh I don't have a grasp on it entirely, mainly because my french is bad, but apparently the vocalist is writing a book on the concept. this album is basically about a guy who is forced to live in a painted world and he wants to escape through the portal in the sky (as seen on the album artwork) to achieve eternal glory, but every time he reaches the portal, he dies and is reincarnated (which is why the album also ends in the same way as it begins). the fadeout of in'el keeps repeating the last verse (he is reincarnated again to achieve eternal glory) while becoming more and more intense until fading out, it hits pretty hard emotionally it's great. Basically it seems to be story about cycles of rebirth and futility/pushing on anyway, which I really connect with. also, the imagery it conjures up in my head is amazing.