17. Semena Mertvykh (3:30)

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Hitecherous
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17. Semena Mertvykh (3:30)

Post by Hitecherous »

Keep the discussion to this track in this specific thread.

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What did you guys think of the closer? To be honest, I don't think its far removed from the loneliness of Farewell Fire. They both have that 'lone synth' vibe to them. Where as FF was more melodic, I find this to be more about drone chord progression which is a recurring characteristic of the album it seems. My only wonder though is if it's Mike or Marc on the synth.
There were drones..
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Post by Quillz »

I can't unhear the television static in this one. Given that it's seemingly exactly the same as the version featured in the promo video, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I guess I felt there was going to be something a little extra, it would build up to something, like most of the other songs on the album.

It's not a bad song by any means, but I think it's arguably the weakest song on the album.
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Post by seanandcandy »

Quillz wrote:I can't unhear the television static in this one.
YEP
*farts*

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Post by Kathleen »

Quillz wrote: It's not a bad song by any means, but I think it's arguably the weakest song on the album.
Eh, BoC album closers have always been more about setting a tone than having them be a stand-out song in their own right.
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Post by Quillz »

Kathleen wrote:
Quillz wrote: It's not a bad song by any means, but I think it's arguably the weakest song on the album.
Eh, BoC album closers have always been more about setting a tone than having them be a stand-out song in their own right.
I'd agree, it's just that the fact that they essentially spoiled the entire song by featuring, seemingly, the entire thing in that promo video just kind of made it a bit of a letdown for me.

And I still almost think it could work as the opening track, it seems to set the mood that way, as well.
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Post by rubot »

i like it, but it feels like an opening song rather than a closing one.

The album seems to go from despair to hope, but ends dark again. In keeping with the John Carpenter vibe though, it reminded me of the final shots of a bunch of his films where you think its resolved - but there's a final twist implying its not over yet.
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Post by seanandcandy »

rubot wrote:i like it, but it feels like an opening song rather than a closing one.
i think most people have that opinion due to the fact it was the first song they heard from the album
is it reminiscent of any other of boc's opening tracks? nope
*farts*

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Post by Quillz »

seanandcandy wrote:
rubot wrote:i like it, but it feels like an opening song rather than a closing one.
i think most people have that opinion due to the fact it was the first song they heard from the album
is it reminiscent of any other of boc's opening tracks? nope
Nope, even if it was the last song I heard on the album, I would still feel that it could work as the opening song.

And just because it's not reminiscent of any of BoC's other opening tracks doesn't mean it couldn't have worked as one. Things change all the time.
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Post by rubot »

Quillz wrote:
seanandcandy wrote:
rubot wrote:i like it, but it feels like an opening song rather than a closing one.
i think most people have that opinion due to the fact it was the first song they heard from the album
is it reminiscent of any other of boc's opening tracks? nope
Nope, even if it was the last song I heard on the album, I would still feel that it could work as the opening song.

And just because it's not reminiscent of any of BoC's other opening tracks doesn't mean it couldn't have worked as one. Things change all the time.
yeah - the song in an of itself just feels like an opener.

Possibly because we heard it first. But it just doesn't feel lika closer. But then again, kind of like a final twist.
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Post by DisgruntledPorcupine »

I don't know, personally I do find it sounds more like a closer. Has a very aftermath-y sort of feel to me.
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Post by FernieCanto »

For me, this song makes a lot of sense as an epilogue. It's not the closer, but what comes after the closer. I can't say I was surprised to hear it -- I mean, it would be silly for them to write a song and use it only on the promo, without releasing it somehow. But I was hoping that it would appear later on, on an EP or something.

And I don't know if anyone else said it, but the Russian title makes the Cold War theme more than obvious. To me, that is.
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Post by sleepysilverdoor »

It's rather weird hearing the track in its proper context on the album. Having it barely crackle above the static in the TH Transmission video, especially given the name of the album itself and the cracked pavement of the cover REALLY gave it the feeling of some sort of disaster, be it environmental or something else.

Anyway, I'll need to listen to the album start to finish a few more times before having a stronger opinion on its release version. Though I will admit...opening the album campaign by releasing the super dark closer on the album seems like an odd choice.
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Post by Quillz »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:It's rather weird hearing the track in its proper context on the album. Having it barely crackle above the static in the TH Transmission video, especially given the name of the album itself and the cracked pavement of the cover REALLY gave it the feeling of some sort of disaster, be it environmental or something else.

Anyway, I'll need to listen to the album start to finish a few more times before having a stronger opinion on its release version. Though I will admit...opening the album campaign by releasing the super dark closer on the album seems like an odd choice.
Especially since the promo video included the ENTIRE track, start to finish, and the album version didn't add or change anything. Hence my earlier comment about me not being able to un-hear the television static over this one.
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Post by sleepysilverdoor »

There's a part of me that wants to just use the staticey version as the album closer since I felt like having those eerie chords drift in over the fuzz made the track work better. Another part of me says that would be sacrilege and that I shouldn't corrupt the album that way.

But aw hell, I'm not that much of a purist.
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Post by Quillz »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:There's a part of me that wants to just use the staticey version as the album closer since I felt like having those eerie chords drift in over the fuzz made the track work better. Another part of me says that would be sacrilege and that I shouldn't corrupt the album that way.

But aw hell, I'm not that much of a purist.
My playlist opens with the promo version and ends with the real version.
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Post by sleepysilverdoor »

Quillz wrote:
sleepysilverdoor wrote:There's a part of me that wants to just use the staticey version as the album closer since I felt like having those eerie chords drift in over the fuzz made the track work better. Another part of me says that would be sacrilege and that I shouldn't corrupt the album that way.

But aw hell, I'm not that much of a purist.
My playlist opens with the promo version and ends with the real version.
Brilliant idea! Haha, maybe I just need to alter the original and mess with a HAM radio, record some random interference, and throw it on top of the album version in a DAW. Too bad the only one I have access to is at work and would probably get me looked at funny if I started tinkering with it just to listen to static.
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Post by egbdf »

DisgruntledPorcupine wrote:I don't know, personally I do find it sounds more like a closer. Has a very aftermath-y sort of feel to me.
I agree with this.

I like the track a lot. The harmony is powerful. You start with the Eb minor, then you move to F# minor, which is about as dark and twisted a chord change you'll ever hear, then momentary, yet still melancholy, relief (hope?) to Ab major, which then falls sadly back to Eb minor, then repeats.

the Eb minor to F# minor motion is reminiscent of Sunshine Recorder and IABPOITC.
The Ab major to Eb minor motion is reminiscent of Dawn Chorus
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Post by machinea »

egbdf wrote:
DisgruntledPorcupine wrote:I don't know, personally I do find it sounds more like a closer. Has a very aftermath-y sort of feel to me.
I agree with this.

I like the track a lot. The harmony is powerful. You start with the Eb minor, then you move to F# minor, which is about as dark and twisted a chord change you'll ever hear, then momentary, yet still melancholy, relief (hope?) to Ab major, which then falls sadly back to Eb minor, then repeats.

the Eb minor to F# minor motion is reminiscent of Sunshine Recorder and IABPOITC.
The Ab major to Eb minor motion is reminiscent of Dawn Chorus
I thought it was a perfect closer. It was a like a cinematic experience for me, I closed my eyes and listening to this album in the dark and let it take me wherever it was going to and man it was a journey. This was like an unsettled ending, nothing wraps up neatly here. I'm left unsettled and yearning for more. Fantastic ending for me.
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Post by Torn n Frayed »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:There's a part of me that wants to just use the staticey version as the album closer since I felt like having those eerie chords drift in over the fuzz made the track work better. Another part of me says that would be sacrilege and that I shouldn't corrupt the album that way.

But aw hell, I'm not that much of a purist.
Yeah, like that one d-head who put those 6 tones over the top of the teaser video...oh wait, that was me!!! Now I can't not hear that as the ending to the album!
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Post by Torn n Frayed »

sleepysilverdoor wrote:Did you post that here? If you did I missed it.
Pm sent.
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