Here
are some select recommendations you too may find inspirational
or educational,
interesting or entertaining. Many of these involve Promethean
themes, or subjects or aesthetics explored elsewhere on this
site. They were not simply likable to whoever recommended them
nor just esteemed for their own quality but
also
thought
to have some significance. You may also find them significant
to you. (The point here is not ideological "purity" nor artistic
"perfection.")
This
list is growing and evolving, and was last updated February
19,
2005. This
page is a new idea being put into action for fun, learning,
stimulation and to offset the expenses of
this site. Ordering
items through
any
of the Amazon.com links
on this
page
will help to support Promethea,
at no additional cost.
Books:
Narrative. Books: Philosophy. Books:
Reference. Cinema.
Games. Music. Television.
Books:
Narrative (Novels, Stories)
| title |
creator(s) |
comment(s) |
| Animal Farm |
George Orwell |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Anthem |
Ayn
Rand |
recommended
by Sobek |
| Brave New World |
Aldous Huxley |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Empire of the Ants |
Bernard Werber |
recommended
by Phoenix: "An
unusual novel to say the least, and an unusual education
on individualism and collectivism, and life's diversity." |
| Ender's Game |
Orson Scott Card |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| An Enemy
of the State |
F.
Paul Wilson |
recommended
by Sobek |
| Fahrenheit 451 |
Ray Bradbury |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Forge
Of The Elders |
L.
Neil Smith |
recommended
by Sobek |
| The Fountainhead |
Ayn Rand |
recommended
by Phoenix: "I will recommend this over Atlas
Shrugged because
I see far more worth in The
Fountainhead by
now, although depending on you and your needs at the
moment you may
encounter resonance in either. They both have their
points, and their flaws. I don't agree with condemning
these books entirely without exception for their admirable
qualities, out of reaction to their detriments or
to weaknesses of their author, any more
than
I agree with
Rand's
Objectivist
hagiographers.
At least Rand tried to write significant books,
not pointless ones. Just take
Rand's
novels
with
a grain of
salt and preferably
a Nietzsche
chaser."
see
A Personal and Promethean Response
to Objectivism |
| The Iliad |
Homer,
Robert Fitzgerald |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "A prime example of conflict between master
moralists. Good for those who seek some elucidation of that
type." |
| The Illustrated Man |
Ray
Bradbury |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Kabuki:
Circle of Blood |
David Mack |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Kabuki:
Metamorphosis |
David
Mack |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Maus:
A Survivor's Tale |
Art Spiegelman |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Moby Dick |
Herman Melville |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Surely one of the most profound novels
ever written in America. Moby-Dick is marvelous in that it
can be interpreted in a thousand ways — or to speak philosophically:
it is seductive of subjectivism — and moreover, it is a well-written
piece of literature. Fortunately, this book proves to be an
exception to a felicitous observation by Mark Twain: "a
classic is a book that everyone wants to have read but nobody
wants to read". For more on Moby-Dick, see my post (the
7th) at this thread:
http://www.prometheanmovement.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38&PN=1" |
| Nineteen Eighty-Four |
George
Orwell |
recommended
by Phoenix: "My
favorite novel, and maybe the most important one written
so far. This is the most well-crafted dystopia, but also
a very deep philosophical novel with a great deal to
chew on, not simply about oligarchal collectivism or
the spy
state, but about doublethink,
individuality, and the fragility of
human
potential itself."
also
recommended by: Subjectivist |
| No Exit
and Three Other Plays |
Jean-Paul Sartre |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Existential consternation and party disillusionment
in bite-size chunks. Highlight: The Flies, and Dirty Hands." |
| Siddhartha |
Hermann
Hesse |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The Stranger |
Albert Camus |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "A glance into the absurd where a
man is punished for his incommunicability with society.
I often feel that way myself. One reason why I connected
with this work." |
| We |
Yevgeny Zamyatin |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| World
Tales: The Extraordinary Coincidence of Stories Told in
All Times, in All Places |
Idries
Shah et al. |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"Not just stories for children, but folk stories for inquisitive
children and adults of the world - a fine cosmopolitan
taste of the sorts of collected wisdom developed
through
folklore, and how ideas often spread across the planet,
even before
modern inventions. A memorable book from my childhood.
(I have the hardcover
illustrated version.)" |
Books:
Philosophy (Ideology, Theory, Opinion, Advice)
| title |
creator(s) |
comment(s) |
| The
Artist's Way |
Julia
Cameron |
recommended
by Sobek |
| Beyond
Good and Evil |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, Walter Kaufmann |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Daybreak |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, R. J. Hollingdale |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The
Future and Its Enemies |
Virginia
Postrel |
recommended
by Sobek |
| The
Gay Science |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, Walter Kaufmann |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| How
I Found Freedom in an Unfree World |
Harry
Browne |
recommended
by Sobek |
| The
Machinery of Freedom |
David
D. Friedman |
recommended
by Sobek |
| On
the Genealogy of Morals/Ecce Homo |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, Walter Kaufmann |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| The
Portable Nietzsche |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, Walter Kaufmann |
recommended
by Phoenix: "The best single volume of Nietzsche,
this contains Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Twilight of the Idols,
The Antichrist, and selections from other books. The selections
are imperfect, giving short shrift to BG&E in particular,
but the book is still an essential companion for an independent
thinker."
also
recommended by: Subjectivist |
| Prometheus
Rising |
Robert
Anton Wilson |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Quantum
Psychology |
Robert
Anton Wilson |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Revelation
X |
The
SubGenius Foundation |
recommended
by Sobek |
| The
Richest Man in Babylon |
George
S. Clason |
recommended
by Sobek |
| The
Six Pillars Of Self-Esteem |
Nathaniel
Branden |
recommended
by Sobek |
| T.A.Z.:
The Temporary Autonomous Zone |
Hakim
Bey |
recommended
by Sobek, Subjectivist
see Promethean
Autonomous Zone by Sobek
|
| Think
and Grow Rich |
Napoleon
Hill |
recommended
by Sobek |
| Thus
Spoke Zarathustra |
Friedrich
Nietzsche, Walter Kaufmann |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Uncommon
Sense - The State is Out of Date |
Gregory
Sams |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The
Virtue Of Selfishness |
Ayn
Rand, Nathaniel Branden |
recommended
by Sobek |
| Wishcraft |
Barbara
Sher, Annie Gottlieb |
recommended
by Sobek |
Books:
Reference (Education, Information)
| title |
creator(s) |
comment(s) |
| The
Art of War in the Western World |
Archer
Jones |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Strategy and tactics since Sparta, in
one book. Invaluable to anyone who would like to understand
warfare in functional terms." |
| Bury
My Heart at Wounded Knee |
Dee
Brown |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The
Elements of Style (aka Strunk & White) |
William
Strunk Jr., E.B. White |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Highly recommended book of suggestions
for improving one's writing style, mainly by paring away
the unessential. The White is E.B. White, author of Charlotte's
Web and Stuart Little." |
| A
History of Warfare |
John
Keegan |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Best single volume education on world
military history I have read." |
| How
To Make War |
James
F. Dunnigan |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Times
Concise Atlas of World History |
Geoffrey
Barraclough et al. |
recommended
by Phoenix: "valuable and nicely produced general
reference depicting the past in visual formats" |
| The
Usborne Book of World History |
Jenny
Tyler et al. |
recommended
by Phoenix: "This is the book that got me attached
to history, as a child, and sent me on my way to a lifetime
of further reading. It's remarkable in its attempted scope
which no adult book would even attempt, and because it
does not so much dumb things down as summarize them, and
thereby necessarily leave things out. I guarantee the only
readers who will not learn some important things from this
book already have advanced degrees in history. Its illustration
makes it accessible for children, while its sheer breadth
and accuracy (so far as it goes) makes it valuable for
adults who need a simple world history crash course. I
myself still use the book as a reference, for quickly checking
relative dates for example. For children, this book is
a must - and for adults, a quick but competent universal
overview one cannot get from compartmentalized education." |
| What
Every Person Should Know About War |
Chris
Hedges et al. |
recommended
by Phoenix
see The
Effects of War by Phoenix
|
Cinema
| title |
creator(s) |
format(s) |
comment(s) |
| The Adventures of Baron Munchausen |
Terry
Gilliam et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| All Quiet on the Western Front |
Lewis
Milestone et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| American Beauty |
Sam
Mendes et al. |
DVD, VHS |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "A subtext-rich film, which, similar to Fight
Club, debunks many contemporary values and preoccupations,
but unlike Fight Club, aesthetics and spirituality take
central focus here. The movie mainly tries to demonstrate
the beauty of the mundane, and tells of one man's re-discovery
of his former passions after having
caged himself behind the pattern of keeping up appearances
and accepting his life's stagnation." |
| Animal Farm |
John
Stephenson II et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Apocalypse
Now Redux |
Francis
Ford Coppola, John Milius et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Braveheart |
Mel
Gibson et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "My English friends may object to the historical
inaccuracy of the film, and I don't dispute that the historical
story of William Wallace and the period is complicated
and the movie (necessarily) simplified. But I would suggest
that taking the movie as a fictional story allows one to better
appreciate its
allegorical and other merits. A well-made story
of reluctant heroism and freedom-fighting. An inspiring film
that deserves its popularity." |
| Brazil |
Terry Gilliam et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The
Bridge on the River Kwai |
David
Lean et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "This epic offers much more than tastes of the
suffering and madness of war, such as a superb dramatization
of getting caught up in one's own perspective, a codified
value system,
and in general one's conventional models for understanding
oneself and
one's
surroundings. Overestimation of limited modes of thought
beyond their appropriate bounds (in contrast to the adaptation of meta-intelligence)
is exemplified by the British and Japanese
commanding officers' codes of propriety and honor in this
film." |
| Castaway |
Robert
Zemeckis et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "A film almost without event, Castaway
is a personal film for me. It speaks to me on a spiritual
level, basically providing me with a life-affirming attitude
and a positive outlook on my situation
every time I watch it. This movie puts me in a good mood and
reminds me that even minus all our modern accoutrements — one
might aptly say modern "trappings" — life is
still worth living at the most basic, privational level. A
cynical description
might be: it manages to glorify
subsistence. Similar to a character-study, one might call this
a "situation-study",
as the character himself is almost irrelevant, making this
an archetypical case. Despite the clunky afterthought latter
part of the film,
it is worth viewing." |
| Citizen Kane |
Orson
Welles et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Conan
the Barbarian |
John
Milius et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Hear me out on this one. This may be
the only fantasy-barbarian movie worth watching for more
than cheese factor (the
production quality overall is not to be missed in this
case), and it may not usually occur to you to pay close
attention
to
such a story. But the astute Nietzschean will pick up
on many compelling themes
in the script,
and I can trace a number of Nietzschean, individualist-humanist
and other philosophical and psychological subtexts and
symbolism. All in all a very rich, complex and well-made
movie if
you can open up to it, and consider it in a Promethean
light. Besides,
the DVD includes
probably
drunken (and later sober and informative) commentary
from the director, with
Schwarzenegger's 'contributions' making it the funniest
commentary ever."
also
recommended by: Subjectivist |
| Dances With Wolves |
Kevin
Costner et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Dead Poets Society |
Peter
Weir, Robin Williams et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Dr. Strangelove |
Stanley
Kubrick et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Enemy at the Gates |
Jean-Jacques Annaud et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Fight Club |
David
Fincher et
al. |
DVD, VHS |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Like many great works, one must see beneath
the surface of this film to enjoy it. Fight Club has been
criticized as vulgar, brutal, and thoughtless, or 'Nietzschean'.
But while the Hermit's influence is appreciable here, as
usual his intentions are
generally misconstrued. To me Fight Club represents a portrayal
of the struggle against
the enfeebling of man and the dangers of over-reacting to this,
particularly compensating in a reflexive and undeliberated
aggressive way. The fight clubs were supposed to provide a
delimited rebirth of the agon,
the contest of man vs. man. But somewhere in the process, disgust
at complacency becomes disgust in every case, and a uniform
pseudo-fascism ensues. In a splendid Nietzschean manner, the
climax of the film symbolizes the protagonist's embracing and
subsequent overcoming of his negative appraisal of modernity
and the 'herd', and presents a new beginning from the eradication
of all previous
values." |
| Gallipoli |
Peter
Weir et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Gladiator |
Ridley
Scott et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Grave of the Fireflies |
Isao Takahata et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Akiyuki
Nosaka's loosely-autobiographical story about the experience
of two children in late WWII, reinterpreted fittingly
and adeptly
for the
medium of animation. In fact
this film
makes a
powerful
implicit argument for the potential artistic reach of
animated film, as well as presenting the most insuperable
demolition
of conflations of war and greatness, and somewhat subtler
statements against
collectivist systems and the faith in illusions required
from orthodoxical believers. Perhaps even more devastating
and hopeless than Orwell's 1984 in
showing the inevitable penalty for pursuing independence
and individuality
in a system
of people with no tolerance or taste for it anymore - in
this case, an actual system in Imperial Japan - and no
less profound
philosophically than any written dystopia. The intense
impact on a viewer is something like an emotional decapitation
by shock
of overwhelming and inexorable loss, which makes for a
fairly accurate empathic
summation
of war's effects.
See it and weep, and then think."
also recommended
by: Subjectivist |
| Grand Illusion |
Jean Renoir et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The Great Dictator |
Charles
Chaplin et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"What dictatorial mentalities, whether infamous, famous or
encountered on a daily basis require most basically is
to be taken seriously. Upon this foundation they can erect
a Babel of power sensibility. With an uncommonly insightful
mockery Chaplin denied Hitler this compliment, which
everyone else gave and most everyone still gives him -
whoever calls
him 'evil' rather than pitiful and mundane. We might learn
much from
this
approach today." |
| Kama
Sutra: A Tale of Love |
Mira Nair et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "The
last line offers a hint of the tragic but affirmative spirit
of the film: 'Life
is right in any case. My heart is as open as the sky.'
Don't overlook that this is a film
with a lot to say because it (appropriately) favors visual
storytelling, with beauty and sensuality." |
| Limelight |
Charles Chaplin
et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Metropolis |
Fritz
Lang et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"Now that this silent legend (stupidly stripped by
the studio in the versions previously
seen) has recently been mostly restored to the original
version, the significance
of its
real intentions
can be appreciated
along with its seminal
visual splendor and
influence on
science fiction. Notice that Metropolis is not
the socialist parable of class revolt some have claimed;
the film questions
class struggle itself,
the mad passions
of revolution, as well as the managerial state - not just
the abuses of workers. This metropolis is not a capitalist
society but a collectivist dystopia brought about by scientism
and the class
consciousness
of both rulers and workers." |
| Monsieur Verdoux |
Charles
Chaplin et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Nineteen
Eighty-Four |
Michael
Radford et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix, Subjectivist |
| Paths of Glory |
Stanley Kubrick, Kirk Douglas et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "fine
antiwar film" |
| Photographing Fairies |
Nick Willing et al. |
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Queen Christina |
Rouben Mamoulian, Greta Garbo et al. |
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Ran |
Akira
Kurosawa et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Rob Roy |
Michael
Caton-Jones et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Seven Samurai |
Akira
Kurosawa et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut |
Trey
Parker, Matt Stone et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix: "A
great satire of war, moralism, jingoism and other social
phenomena
which are far more vulgar than the humor of this
very funny film." |
| Starship Troopers |
Paul Verhoeven et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"The supposedly libertarian Heinlein practically enthroned
military power in the original book,
a paean to authoritarian politics managed by the rough
wisdom of the soldier-citizen.
But Verhoeven's (best) movie satirized it
brilliantly and absurdly along with war propaganda. It's
like a WWII propaganda flick of the future, complete with
archetypical, eager, handsome young heroes straight off
recruiting posters, and brazenly manipulative newsreels.
What scared
me
was
how few
people picked up on
this and
instead took
the film straight - distracted by the special effects and
violence perhaps. How, when this movie presents the most
over-the-top satire since Dr.
Strangelove? Is
that how far both dumb literalism and the rote acceptance
of everything this film mocks
have come?" |
| Sunshine |
István
Szabó et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| The Third Man |
Carol
Reed, Orson Welles et
al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Three Kings |
David
O. Russell et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Tucker
- The Man and His Dream |
Francis
Ford Coppola et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Wag the Dog |
Barry Levinson et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| WarGames |
John
Badham et al. |
DVD,
VHS |
recommended
by Phoenix |
Games
| title |
creator(s) |
format(s) |
comment(s) |
| Beyond
Good and Evil |
Michael
Ancel et al. (for UbiSoft) |
Xbox, GameCube,
PS2,
PC |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Crimson Skies |
Jim
Deal et
al. (for FASA/Microsoft) |
Xbox |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Not
just an exhilarating action game and a stunning game technically,
but also a provocative alternate 1930s setting, divided
into fiefs
run by politicians and other criminals (not unlike the world
today really, except more air travel and pulp fiction elements).
This is the world your roguish hero must navigate to stop
outlandish fascists,
apparently
partly inspired by Fritz Lang's 1919 Die
Spinnen." |
| Halo |
Jason
Jones et
al. (for Bungie/Microsoft) |
Xbox,
PC, Mac |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"A landmark combat title set in the future, for the few
who do not know. I could come up with excuses to play it for
its significance, such
as
fighting
a necessary war of survival against an alien religious
orthodoxy, or
the
compelling recreation of confusion and exhilaration in
realistic violent combat, or the unusually well-crafted
sci-fi storytelling. But really sometimes it's just a
fun visceral break
to battle in first-person (especially with the smart AI
and the grand battles of Halo),
and this is the smartest, classiest and most tacticially
interesting game of that sort I've played. In addition
to reflexes the gameplay requires much tactical decision-making,
at times approaching a puzzle game." |
Skies
of Arcadia (Eternal Arcadia in Japan)
Skies
of Arcadia Legends |
?
et al. (for Overworks/Sega) |
Dreamcast
GameCube |
recommended
by Phoenix: "My
favorite story-based RPG, this classy game has several
Promethean themes in its excellent, surprisingly sophisticated
story.
Unlike
the good/evil, black/white drivel of most RPGs, in this
game even the villain has believable, understandable, even
sympathetic
character
motivation. Skies initially adopts the genre's cute and
trite cliches only to unexpectedly complicate and transcend
them. The kind of game it will always be worth playing
despite technical development." |
Music
"For
me modern day is a tremendously exciting time for music.
Through the dual effects of electronic instrumentation and
synthesis in the last few decades, and a new 20th century experimentation
with retasking objects as
new instruments (such
as industrial 'noise' instrumentation, first promoted
by the
futurists), musicians are now just as free to mutate and design
tone color of sounds as
much
as
their
arrangement.
At the same time,
prosperity and interconnection have allowed decentralization
of the music business, so that more than ever before subcultural
musical
scenes can
support exceptions to mainstream tastes and popular labels,
through independent small labels and the efforts of artists
themselves. We are experiencing a revolutionary time in
the history of music, no less than anything else in life."
- Phoenix
| title |
creator(s) |
comment(s) |
| Alpha Omega |
Project Pitchfork |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Anti EP |
Autechre |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Beyond
the Infinite |
Juno Reactor |
Inscription
inside cover: "IMAGINATION. Use it as a weapon"
recommended
by Phoenix:
"Juno Reactor has served as a favorite mind-opening
musing/writing soundtrack for me, and this is my favorite
JR album.
Especially 'Guardian
Angel'. The related single Samurai is also
quite fine." |
| Black Light, Twilight |
Index |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Blanket
of Fog |
Klinik |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Blood Meridian |
Numb |
recommended
by Phoenix: "The
hardest of cathartically hard electro-industrial, composed
with the usual Don Gordon concinnity. An abrasive and brilliant
assault." |
| Chaosphere |
Meshuggah |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Jazz-inspired rhythms of nigh-arbitrary
determination executed with perfunctory grace meets aggressive
vocals and introspective
lyrics. Meshuggah's songs are challenges which the listener
must overcome in order to understand and fully appreciate them.
Not recommended for those lacking razor-sharp ears for rhythm
and a developed attention-span." |
| Darker |
C-Tec |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Destroy Erase Improve |
Meshuggah |
recommended
by Subjectivist |
| Dismantled |
Dismantled |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Empires |
VNV Nation |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Ronan
Harris never
seemed the most musically creative, but at this time displayed
inspired and inspiring songwriting. Also try Standing/Burning
Empires, the associated
single/remix album, not to mention the superior premix single
Darkangel." |
| Ende Neu |
Einstürzende
Neubauten |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Faith in Motion |
Index |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Focus |
Cynic |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Masterful musicians expressing a Hindu-spiritual
message with gorgeous aplomb. Focus is an album in its own
sphere, in technique and composition." |
| Freeze
Frame Reality |
Haujobb |
recommended
by Phoenix: "My
favorite Haujobb album. Think of some of the best socially-relevant
technological/science fiction absorbed into an album composed
of layered and atmospheric, hard and danceable electronic
sounds with
stream of 'Consciousness' lyrics, yet more accessibly
mood-altering than most sci-fi and with a cold passion
all its own. This album is really among my most valued
and most
enduring favorites. I also heartily recommend Frames,
the remix album." |
| 06:21:03:11 Up Evil |
Front 242 |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Further |
Gridlock |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Gordian Knot |
Gordian Knot |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Gordian Knot inspire deep contemplation
and paint celestial landscapes with their generously-textured
organic tonality and melodies. Excellent background for
creation. This album is also the only one of all my musical
suggestions not to be metal-oriented, although metal is
employed as artistic flavor occasionally." |
| Halo_Gen |
Halogen |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"Among my most
treasured
thoughtful
soundtracks
for
writing. While this side-project of Numb's Don Gordon shows
off the prowess for composing instrumental music he evidenced
in
the many fine instrumental tracks interspersed in Numb
albums, it would be a mistake to think of this as outtakes
from Numb. Halogen is just as dark as Numb but a more ambient,
rhythmically more drum 'n' bass and less hard style, with
soft, spritual melodies. In fact greater intricacy is in
evidence here than is found in most Numb instrumentals.
Halogen is best thought of as
a parallel development which might interest many besides
Numb fans, including those who can't accept Numb's abrasive
lyrics. That said, fans
of Numb will certainly enjoy it." |
| Haus
Der Lüge |
Einstürzende
Neubauten |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Individual
Thought Patterns |
Death |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Chuck Schuldiner's musical expression and
evolution in the form of the band Death has been a cynosure
for me at a pivotal time in my life. While Chuck too often
fell back on accentuating the negative in his evaluations,
his songs are nevertheless stairsteps to a higher attitude,
which can be glimpsed in the tracks 'Symbolic' and 'Perennial
Quest'
(both from the Symbolic album), and 'Bite the
Pain' (from
The Sound of Perseverance), among others. He reminds
me of Christ: plucked from the branch before he was ripened.
Chuck rewards his listeners with a deeply personal effort,
written and performed with his blood. To listen to the
latter-era Death (and his later band, Control Denied) is
to taste
a portion of a soul, laid bare. I remember you, Chuck,
with gratitude. 'From rivers of sorrow, to oceans deep
with
hope...'" |
| The Infidel |
Doubting Thomas |
recommended
by Phoenix:
"Simply put, I consider this disc necessary. To say it's a
side project of Key and Goettel from Skinny Puppy, Download
etc. conveys nothing of its uniqueness in instrumentation
and texture.
From 'Saved', a spiritual jouney starring distorted Joseph
Campbell samples, to the energy of 'Father Don't Cry',
to the dystopian masterpiece 'F862', this classic album's
gems more than make up for its less inspired tracks. Also
get
the single, Father
Don't Cry." |
| Language Of Silence |
Numb |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Of
Numb's later, electro-industrial releases (the early material
being too rock-influenced for me) this is
the one I had to ease
into the most, rather than finding
it
as
catchy
at
first
as Wasted
Sky or as stunning as Blood
Meridian.
It's Numb in a consistent vein, refined more than reinvented
(in contrast to those two, which each sounded unprecedented
when released). But it has its powerful tracks like 'Closer'
and 'Illumination Rounds',
and I ended up loving its subtler
layering and consistent polish
overall.
The
single
Suspended is
also worth getting if you enjoy that track." |
| Last
Train to Lhasa |
Banco
de Gaia |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Music
without borders. Theme
inspired by the invasion and subjugation of Tibetans." |
| Obsolete |
Fear Factory |
recommended
by Subjectivist: "Fear Factory create industrial-esque
music with mechanical accuracy, and combine it with searing,
plaintive lyrics. Obsolete is a nightmarish concept-album which
demands usage of the term 'Orwellian'.
More
appropriate and hence, frightening, as each year passes." |
| Praise
The Fallen |
VNV
Nation |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Sequencer |
Covenant |
recommended
by Phoenix |
| Seven Steps Of Nervousness |
NCC |
recommended
by Phoenix: "Maybe
the
most promising debut of a young electro-industrial band
since legend Skinny Puppy's rough Remission in
1984, and far more profound. Nearly impossible to obtain
| |
