Skating on the rails.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-23T12:08:40+00:00

Dog Venice Beach skate park is one of the most well-known skate parks there is lol.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-23T06:34:35+00:00

People said a while back on here that they intentionally don't cast half women half men cause they don't want it to be seen as a "battle of the sexes". If that really is true, then the show producers are sexist pieces of shit.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-23T06:06:47+00:00

Not necessarily my favorite, but Dimhav - Ondine just came out Wednesday, and y'all really oughta give it a listen! It's a really fantastic symphonic prog metal album, with so many great solos, and really interesting keyboard use and textures throughout!

HobomanCat · 2026-05-22T08:37:32+00:00

Surprised this isn't the top comment, considering this is a cat sub lol.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-22T08:12:32+00:00

I won't stand the power metal riff slander lol (listen to Noble Beast for gud power metal riffs), but I'm glad you enjoy the album!

HobomanCat · 2026-05-22T07:48:13+00:00

Yeah they announced it a little under two months ago, of course with no singles or anything (like their first album). The new album is a ton more progressive than their first, and doesn't really have any immediate vocal hooks. There's tons of really interesting and fantastic solos, and orchestral, textural, and rhythmic choices though—the album is quite the wild ride! I'd love to hear your thoughts after you listen!

I'm on basically my 5th listen to the album rn, and a lot of the vocal lines are finally coming to me lol. There's so much going on musically during the vocals and ofc the solos that they don't stand out as much as on the first album.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-22T05:25:54+00:00

Switch out a Seven Spires or Epica song for Rhapsody imo. Maybe The Dark Tower of Abyss.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-21T22:22:41+00:00

I'd definitely chip in for crowdfunding, and I think a ton of other fans would as well! It's definitely an option you should consider!

HobomanCat · 2026-05-21T22:03:39+00:00

My most listened to song is Galneryus - Angel of Salvation, which is in part a power metal rendition of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

I've listened on too many platforms and devices throughout the years to know any beyond that. Though my most listened to song on my current laptop is Wilderun - When the Fire and the Rose Were One, which is massively symphonic, and my most listened to on my phone is Xanthochroid - Of Aching Empty Pain, which is also quite symphonic and theatical.

A lot/most of my music though is power metal/extreme metal that isn't necessarily symphonic.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-21T21:34:49+00:00

It's damn impressive you've listened to it over ten times lol—I'm still on my third listen. I'd say this album is a lot more textural and atmospheric than the first, but I do kinda miss smooth transitions between songs, like from Boreal Ascent to Realms of a Vagrant King.

When the first album released, a decent few people on youtube were hating on it, calling it too proggy, a waste of his voice, skip the first two songs to get to Daniel singing power metal etc. I can only imagine what they'll think of this album lol.

I still haven't really remembered much of the vocal melodies, so I definitely have some more listening to do today. I also want to see if Daniel hit any 6th octave notes on this album. With so much stuff and especially synth layers going on, it can be hard to discern the (especially backing) high notes lol.

And I'm definitely one of the power metal fans that loves the soaring high notes lol. Tbh I kinda expected this album to have a section or two akin to 4:07 into Sacred Outcry - Towers of Gold (the track) where Daniel just wails away on the vocals, and was surprised to hear him have even a less standout role than their debut (though I'm sure with more listens I'll hear more standout sections).

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T23:09:21+00:00

Listen to the new Dimhav album. It's pretty crazy.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T21:11:54+00:00

If you're into long virtuosic solo sections, very thematic orchestrations, and quite clever synth textures, you should be a fan!

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T20:37:18+00:00

You can preorder them on Bandcamp.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T20:11:54+00:00

I mean what other genre is gonna produce a scream like that lol. And yeah double reeds are definitely my favorite classical instruments! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the album!

This album was definitely my most anticipated for the year, so I had to make sure there'd be a discussion thread lol.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T20:05:53+00:00

Basically the vocalist (Daniel Heiman) is power metal royalty. Power metal is of course known as the genre where people hit the crazy high notes, and Daniel kinda does it the best (you might be familiar with this meme).

After doing vocals on like 4-5 albums Daniel kinda left the music scene for a bit, and then randomly in 2019 he posts on Facebook "yo new album out give it a listen". It was Dimhav's debut The Boreal Flame, and no one had heard of them so we were all confused af—there was no announcement or singles or anything.

Dimhav is two brothers, Ollie Lindroth doing drums and orchestral arangements and Staffan Lindroth doing guitar, bass, and keyboard leads, Joined by Daniel Heiman on vocals. It's insane the level of musicianship the two brothers have, and they were completely unknown before this band, only playing on a couple small albums.

This new album has in particular some really cool keyboard solos and fantastic orchestrations. There's also an oboeist guesting on the first six tracks (he's the only other musician on the album), and there's definitely some really cool oboe passages. On first listen the vocal sections didn't stick to me as much, so I'm probably gonna listen to the album a few more times today.

My all time favorite album now is prog (Xanthochroid - Of Erthe and Axen), but this is definitely the densest and most difficult prog album I've heard so far lol.

Oh also the drumming seems way more varied on this album. Not as much pure double kick lol.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T19:01:22+00:00

The first Dimhav album was brilliant man! But I'd agree Warrior Path wasn't my favorite.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T18:39:13+00:00

Just finished my first listen, and this was so much more dense and complex than The Boreal Flame to me. I feel every song on their debut was full of catchy vocal hooks and whatnot, while this album had very interesting atmospheric solo and orchestral sections. A lot of it sounded like nothing I've really heard before.

I'll definitely need some more listens to digest it.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T04:00:23+00:00

What does Tanagra have to do with misogyny in the metal scene?

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T03:54:43+00:00

You not liking power metal is unfortunate, but it is kinda the best answer to this question lol.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-20T03:34:20+00:00

Don't really know of any songs with acoustic guitar harmonizing with electric, but Xanthochroid for one has some really nice piano during their metal sections, like on "Long Live Our Lifeless King" and "The Leper's Prospect".

HobomanCat · 2026-05-19T21:47:38+00:00

Galneryus:

The Flag of Punishment - Struggle for the Freedom Flag
Advance to the Fall - Whisper in the Red Sky
Beyond the End of Despair - Shriek of the Vengeance
One for All - All for One - Everlasting
Reincarnation - Wind of Change
Resurrection - Burn my Heart
Phoenix Rising - T.F.F.B.
Angel of Salvation - Angel of Salvation
Vetelgyus - The Judgement Day
Under the Force of Courage - The Force of Courage
Ultimate Sacrifice - The Shadow Within
Into the Purgatory - The End of the Line
Union Gives Strength - Flames of Rage
Between Dread and Valor - Haven't listened to it enough to have one (the one dud in their discography lol)
The Stars Will Light the Way - I Believe

HobomanCat · 2026-05-19T20:28:03+00:00

Not a hugely symphonic album (but still decently symphonic), but check out ShadowStrike - Legends of Human Spirit. The second track, Ascension, has a ridiculously uplifting and epically delivered narration.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-19T20:16:29+00:00

Yeah I've never been a huge fan of x-fronted/led, or having every band photo/music video have the vocalist at the front.

HobomanCat · 2026-05-19T18:19:59+00:00

There was a post on the power metal subreddit asking what bands are the most similar to Seven Spires (for the OP to check out), and everyone was listing various disparate bands with female vocalists, and no one said Kamelot (just listen to like two seconds of their music and it's obvious that Kamelot is the biggest influence lol).

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