You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
- killingvector
- Rep: 21
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
killingvector wrote:The booming Sorry riff is reminiscent of Sabbath.
you must have different black sabbath records than i do
I get a strong a Sabbath vibe in that song.
- estrangedpaul
- Rep: 5
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
Apart from IRS, CD and Better there are no riffs on this album. I was expecting a lot more from Finck and Fortus in that regard. Finck wrote better but it was Freese and Tobias who wrote the other two. Scraped, in particular could do with a bangin' riff and although I love Shackler's Revenge a rockin riff wouldn't go amiss.
Even when the riffs on the three songs I mentioned are played, there are always vocals over the top - in fact there are very few instrumental parts in these songs apart from the solos. Axl's ego getting in the way? He seems to think he has to be everywhere on every song even if it means singing "Na na na na"
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
Buckethead & Ron make James & Kirk look like weak asses.
They're in a league of their own. That guitar work on Shackler's, TWAT & IRS still kills me.
With all due respect you are out of your mind.
solos I give u
I am talking Pure riffage.
U mean to tell me Shackler's riffs are better than The End Of The Line?
Lets compare James/Kirk's catalog of riffs to those guys.
Enter Sandman anybody? Master of Puppets, One, Battery, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc
They make the CD riffs look amateurish.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
Lets compare James/Kirk's catalog of riffs
Yeah that's what I was trying to say...in terms of musician ship Buckethead and Bumble are clearly virtuoso players and in the top percentile of guitarists. I'm not questioning that for a second.
However, when you listen to CD, there isn't a ton of different riffs happening. It's mostly supporty guitar parts with the occasional (and very kickass) solo. These songs are driven by the paino, synth and vocal lines IMO.
By contrast Metallica's sound is guitar heavy and most songs are "led" by the drumming and guitar in that band. The average metallica song, especially stuff from the older albums or death magnetic has 3 or 4 differerent guitar riffs just in one song. So in terms of learning it to cover - if pysical ability wasn't an issue - there would be a lot more time involved to learn each of those riffs - then again - in terms of covering a solo - it's harder to cover the average bumble solo than it is kirks. But the shear body of guitar work from metallica over the years is impressive, and while he isn't a shredder like the more virtuoso players, I think James deserves more credit than he gets for playing those parts while singing.
Anyway...love both GNR and Metallica in the end! 
- MrWonderful
- Rep: 2
Re: The lack of guitars/riffs
I think you might be right about the lack of guitar riffs (hooks)...I would also add that there is a lack of bass and drum hooks.
Axl seems to be purposely avoiding the use of memorable hooks on CD. Most of the hooks are based on some kind of synthesizer beat. A few rely on vocals such as Raid and Scraped. Street of Dreams and This I Love use piano based hooks. Madagascar uses an orchestral hook. I actually think the guitar hook in IRS sounds a bit Santanaesque (made that word up).
The lack of memorable hooks is probably why CD sounds so average the first few listens through. I think Axl was trying to develop multilayered songs that built momentum as the songs progressed (Just check out the song credits if you want to see how many different instruments are used on each song). The only way to put emphasis on his additional layers was to leave the hook bland....For Example: This I Love uses a single piano in the intro and as a hook through out. The orchestra is later added to build momentum, and the song really starts climaxing when that beautiful guitar work is added....
I would say each song finishes much stronger than it starts (both musically and vocally)...and I think that is why this album grows on you so much.
I think CD is an ambitious and intelligent masterpiece, and I'm glad Axl isn't afraid to evolve and take chances despite the flack he gets from his diehard AFD fans. Im so annoyed with Metallica...the way they keep trying to recreate the same sound from their glory days. Evolve and move on already.
