If you’ve never tried a melted slice of cheddar cheese on top of a warm slice of apple pie you really should. When my great aunt suggested it to me I was incredulous, but after I tried it I was beyond thoroughly convinced.

Sure thing. There’s a lot to take in, I know. Just keep in mind, as with anything, the more you do it everything will begin to make more and more sense. It’s important to get through the process though. When you’re able to move through synthesis with intentionality it’s like opening up a new world with endless possibilities only bounded by your imagination and the capabilities of the synth you’re using.

This isn’t a bad video for a beginner. It covers a lot of fundamental concepts. He speaks a bit fast, so slow speed by 10% if you’re having trouble following. It’s a long video because it covers so much ground, so be ready for that. I hope it helps in your process!

https://youtu.be/jWorjBDcty4?si=hcXsI0_vOge2gEas

Synthesizers/sound design, music from extreme metal to baroque to pop, learning about anything that interests me (e.g. geography, geopolitics, world history, pop science level physics/astrophysics/paleoanthropology, religions and philosophy), the Godzilla franchise, terrible horror movies, Pathfinder 1E, and a voyeuristic curiosity surrounding conspiracy theories/the paranormal/the occult

Agreed. I was fortunate to have seen them live before Valfar passed. I didn’t know who they were at the time, but they absolutely blew me away. To the point I felt compelled to go shake his hand after their set and let him know how much I had enjoyed it. To this day it’s a top 10 live experience for me.

The forums on the metal archives are still active and a good resource for various different things concerning extreme metal. Bits of news, discussion, and some out of left field recommendations that I don’t find other places.

The image is actually emblematic of why you’re having trouble finding good new music. You’re still just looking at the outside of the haystack. In the modern era it’s incredibly easy to access good new music, but perhaps more difficult to find that music (based upon your tastes). The prevalence of independent music exploded over 20 years ago. At this point, if you’re relying on the vestiges of major labels and popular distribution channels as your tastemakers you’re basically doing it wrong.

The drawback is that you may actually have to put in some time and effort to find new stuff you like, but it’s definitely out there. Probably much more exists than you have time to consider, really. How much time you’re willing to spend searching depends on how important it is to you to find new stuff that you enjoy. Use shortcuts and find a different tastemaker associated with genre’s that you like if you want (e.g. online publications, youtube channels, online forums/communities, playlist where they exist, podcast, etc.) You’ll have to put in some time to find the relevant ones to you, but perhaps not as much time as combing through new stuff on your own.

Lots of us with interests in genres with an extensive underground scene have been sifting through the mud to find gems for decades already, and I still enjoy the process a lot, though many people might think I waste a lot of time. These days that skillset is transferable and almost a requirement to find the good stuff in any and every genre. Unless you are lucky or don’t mind enough that the most commercial stuff is still your jam.

(edit: unless of course this post is more a condemnation of broadly popular tastes in music. I’d have to type more to address that, but I’ll save it. It’s nothing new, and also hinges on subjectivity.)

Summoning is one of those bands where you could ask someone which of their albums is their favorite and regardless of their answer it’s a good choice.

Last I saw it isn’t actually clear whether or not Fadades is parody or legitimate. Very clear in any either case that Fadades is great.

Especially within a genre like black metal where bands will make contra-conventional artistic decisions by way of course as it is, stumbling upon a vibe like this out of honest artistic expression vs. deriving it with a manifest ambiguity where the tongue seems to sprout from the cheek almost hardly matters. However Fadades came to be, it’s a monument to whatever it actually is.

“Upon closer inspection, these appear to be loafers.”

I am envious of this man’s seeming capability to honestly pursue the path of an actual hero. May the endeavor and fortune of he and his support structures only prove cause for that envy to grow.

I’m going to go with Steven Wilson for this. Mostly because he and Mozart have an undeniable talent, many of their fans consider them to be some type of visionary savant, and despite the broad agreement toward that perspective I still find both of their outputs to be broadly incredibly dull.

Godzilla, rather characteristically, stomps any other answer.

Eh, respecting peoples’ bodily autonomy isn’t that difficult. Not doing so causes way more problems in the world so far as I see it.

Still posting beans, are we?

Tristania - World of Glass, and if you like that check out the two albums before it as well.

I think these all merit a mention given what you’re looking for. Whether or not they hit square is up to you.

The Fall (2006) - A bit flat in the story department, but this was clearly a film focused on being a feast for the eyes. It succeeds in that handily.

The Great Yokai War - Ever wondered what would happen if Takashi Miike directed The Never Ending Story? This is something like that.

Tuvalu - Almost like if you smashed the aesthetics of Jean Pierre Jeunet and Guy Maddin together. The dialogue is hyper-minimal, but it you can get on board with the overall approach this film is a gem.

Kinda neat, but pretty janky. Can’t get it to open up in street view.

Just tried using Google Earth to check for any Taco Bell locations to confirm this. How convenient that it wouldn’t let me look anywhere close to Mars. They’re keeping something from us!

What‽

I saw one fly across a road once. It broke my brain until I recognized what it was. Initially I thought it was a leather satchel being blown by the wind like a plastic bag in an updraft. Not exactly a graceful display.