If I have to pick a genre to listen to, I'd go with rock/metal most of the time. And what really gets me into a song for the first time listening to it is the mood and the theme of the song. Normally, if you said to me to check some song out because I'll probably like it, it doesn't just happen like that. I don't always get hooked to the song instantly after listening to it. For me, it takes about a month or so (seriously) to sink in. Some songs are just plain awesome the first time hearing it. It really depends on the mood of the person at the time and the mood and theme of the song. Probably because of all the Dir En Grey I listen to, I've learned to appreciate the beauty of dark, weird and/or sorrowful themes. Not to mention, their um...attention-grabbing music videos. It's like you learn these things through music, you know?
Although I play guitar, I'm somewhat of a lyrics enthusiast. Whether it's in English or not, I look into the lyrics. It's good to listen to songs that express things from a certain standpoint. It's like a look inside the protagonist's mind.
With that said, this is gonna be a top 10 list of songs. EPIC songs, mind you. Comes with the explanation of why they are epic. I've also limited the list to one song per band.
10. The Catalyst - Linkin Park
Yeah. A song from the "new Linkin Park". Lyrically, it's not very diverse but the layering of this song is what does the magic. It starts off with just drum beats and synth and with the singing of "God bless us, everyone..." but right where the "...where oceans bleed into the sky" bit ends, another layer of sounds is added, which somehow gives the lyrics a bit more intensity. It's the kind of song that doesn't really stick out at the start but grows on you as you go along.
Also, the part where the lyrics blend together with all the instruments is just awesome. It almost feels like a bunch of protesters shouting to get their message across.
"God save us everyone, will we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns for the sins of our hand, the sins of our tongue, the sins of our father, the sins of our young?"
9. The Beginning - ONE OK ROCK
(Have to thank Miguel for this one. :D)
This is a song made by Japanese band ONE OK ROCK. Despite being a Japanese band, this song has a lot of lyrics in English, which makes it easier to listen to for people who prefer English lyrics. Also, this song is to be used as the theme song for the upcoming live action adaptation of the hit manga and anime "Rurouni Kenshin" (also known as "Samurai X"). Basically, this song has the "never-give-up-because-you-give-me-hope" kind of message. It's a great song, it's inspirational. It's the kind of song you want to listen to when you're down and looking for something to pick yourself up. It also has an awesome guitar part (I wouldn't really say "solo") after the second chorus. Even though they are only a four-piece band, the combination of their instruments in every song is overwhelmingly epic.
"Just tell me why, baby. They might call me crazy for saying I'll fight until there is no more."
8. Mama - My Chemical Romance
Well, this song's theme is really dark, but I like it. This starts with a kind of a circus-theme inspired guitar lick then with lyrics that condemns himself and his mother to damnation. That enough is attention-grabbing for a normal person. From what I can tell, it tells the story of a son who goes to war despite his mother's stand against his decision. He then gets injured but still continues to fight, still against his mother's wishes. The song is a expressed in the viewpoint of the child which gives it the dark themes like apathy of the son towards his mother, and the camaraderie of "brothers" in war, expressed in the final marching chants, which is the most epic part of the song.
"We all carry on, when our brothers-in-arms are gone. So raise your glass high for tomorrow, we die and return to the ashes you call."
7. [F] - Maximum the Hormone
Now, something from the Japanese hyper-energetic dynamos that is Maximum the Hormone! After going from the dark war themes of "Mama" from MCR, we now go to something on a lighter note: Anime. Unfortunately for lovers of the English language, this song barely has any English words and even though it has some, it can be barely heard and recognized (due to the incredibly fast pacing of the lyrics and their "Engrish"). Language barrier aside, the lyrics talk about Frieza, one of the antagonists from the Dragon Ball anime series. You know, like how badass he is with his 530,000 power level and whatnot. For normal people, the whole song is like a long tongue twister, in which I think is just genius. I dare anyone to try and sing along to this. This song gets its epicness from the overall heavy and pounding feel of the song and the great chemistry of the band members.
Oh, here's something for the guitarists: Wanna know the first power chord played in this song? Look at the title.
"Frieza, Frieza, Frieza, we are the ones who cry out in fear."
6. A Mass for the End of Time - Franco
From Japan, back to the good ol' Philippines. Made by the rock supergroup, Franco, this song is a testament to living while the world is on its way to destruction. This song starts off heavy, with the three guitars, bass, and drums dropping at the same time which gets the theme going. This is also one of those songs without a definite chorus. Or maybe one of those songs with multiple choruses. I don't really know which one. One thing I really liked about it was the variation of the lyrics. Every part has different lyrics but at the same time doesn't really make it hard to follow the mood of the whole song. The blending of vocalist/guitarist Franco Reyes and the backup vocals of guitarist Gabby Alipe is amazing here, as with their every song. Overall, one of my favorites from their album. It's a must listen.
"'Cause in the end, love can do anything. We can demand the right to live and say, 'We only want the love in you.'"
5. Save Me - Avenged Sevenfold
When measuring epicness, one may also consider the length of the song. With that said, 11 minutes of Avenged Sevenfold must be something extraordinary. This is the last track from their latest album, "Nightmare", which I think is the best way to end the album. I'm not really sure what to make out of the lyrics but it may be something about being inside a world you are unfamiliar with and have no one but your companion who doesn't seem to be helping in the situation. Alternatively, it could also be about the band's loss of their drummer, The Rev, and asking for help on how to move on from "this vile world". Being an 11-minute song, this song's epicness can start at any point but for me, the epicness begins at the guitar solo and onward. The stanzas after the solo until the last chorus is pretty amazing.
Now that I think about it, I put this song on the list that I made before, haven't I?
"So much to see tonight, so why'd you close your eyes? Why can't I shut mine?"
4. Blacken the Cursed Sun - Lamb of God
Ok. Lamb of God. Let me just start by saying that this song is an anti-religion themed one. Now just because I put it high on this list DOES NOT mean that I approve and agree of the message of the song. This is a list presenting epic songs and I really try not to let my religious beliefs narrow the options or to be faltered by such songs. This is just to be fair, regardless of whether the themes go against the beliefs of the author or viewer.
Now, this song starts off with a single guitar, then the second, then the drums. After which, everything before the verse just sounds so much like an orchestra. My jaw dropped and I was left smiling/headbanging when I first heard that part. This is what makes Lamb of God songs amazing. They construct a song so well and pull it off consistently every time. Another notable part is the part after the "You're just a breath away..." bit. The guitars ring out the chords, the crash of the cymbals is much more "heavy", to create this powerful aura that convey the following lyrics clearly: "Better to die quick, fighting on your feet than to live forever, begging on your knees." From there, the songs goes into a crowd-enchanting part, ending each line with "Hell No!".
"Blacken the cursed sun. Blacken what's yet to be done. Blacken, because now you know, there is no tomorrow."
3. Heroes of Our Time - DragonForce
If you're familiar with DragonForce, then you probably have an idea of what to expect. Although most of their creations are 7-minute long guitar-madness-driven songs, this one is what I picked to be the most memorable (Because Through the Fire and Flames is pretty overused already and it doesn't have that exact same feel as this one). Like all DragonForce songs, this talks about the "glory", the "freedom", "far away", "rising above", and their other usual choice words but really, the chorus stood out to me. I guess the message of the chorus is what got to me. "We'll all find our sacrifice tomorrow/Our journey on towards a brighter day." Or, "Free for all eternity, we stand. Rise above the universe tonight, star chaser." Especially, the last lines of lyrics. It's become very inspirational and nostalgic to me already. Needless to say, epicness can be found in their inspirational lyrics (albeit repetitive in every song), carried by the fast-paced guitars and pounding drums.
"Our kingdom come, we stand as one, and we will live for always, evermore."
2. Vermilion - Slipknot
The masked men of Iowa released Vermilion as a single from their album, "Vol.3: The Subliminal Verses". Well, the song itself has pretty much no relevance on the title but the song is...wow. The song tackles a common subject everyone is pretty familiar with: unrequited love. With verses sung as if whispered, it creates a somewhat tense atmosphere. It makes you a bit disturbed. Then followed by an "Oh..." which turns into a shout, which feel like it takes a bit of hope and then smash it right to the ground. And with the pre-choruses which seems like the protagonist's dialogue with himself in anger, it creates the right mood for the chorus. While the chorus itself is only one line, it is the key defining line that distinguishes "Vermilion". Hell, it would be the line that would get stuck in your head after listening. Who knew "I won't let this build up inside of me" would make for an amazing chorus? The effect-driven guitar solo was kick-ass, too.
The song's atmosphere is set up by the band while the lyrics is artistically spoken by vocalist Corey Taylor. By Taylor's vocal style in each part, it expresses and captures the despair and anger of the protagonist so well.
"She isn't real. I can't make her real."
And the top spot goes to...
1. Vinushka - Dir En Grey
Well, what can I say? I love this band and how they express things. Despite being Japanese, they have this amazing ability to get through the language barrier and touch the listener's hearts through the emotion they put into it. It's what defines Dir En Grey.
This song right here is the second track of their "Uroboros" album and is one of their longest songs made so far. And let me just say that it is very impressive to see a 9 and a half minute music video nowadays which spans ENTIRELY the song length itself. No useless dialogue, no plot setting, just music. (By the way, the video is English subbed for your viewing pleasure. Just turn on the captions.)
Let's get back to the song. The song is the band's take on World War II and how they feel, as Japanese people, being part of one of the world's most unforgettable wars. Kyo, the lyricist and vocalist, expresses these sentiments in a first-person view effectively. The lyrics in "Vinushka" is poetic and almost doesn't seem to repeat either except for two parts. This is what makes this song so good. With non-repetitive, figuratively-rich lyrics, spot-on guitar and bass teamwork, and the varying drum beats and fills, "Vinushka" is one of Dir En Grey's masterpieces. But what good are the lyrics without the vocalist? Here is where Kyo's divine vocal range comes into play. Listen to the song. Listen to the second chorus of the song. Now try to tell me you can't feel the emotion in the song. I can't really think of anyone else who can do heartfelt singing, reach two octaves higher, scream with emotion, growl like a true metal vocalist, do banshee screams and can still do all that on the following day.
The song structure is pretty different compared to normal songs, it gives you the feeling of being told a story from the band's perspective. At one point, it can be calm and relaxing then the next point, you could be headbanging your head off. Then it repeats itself in that cycle (which is why "Uroboros" is a very fitting title for their album).
I...don't really know what to say anymore. It's just absolutely amazing.
Overall, this song is a MASTERPIECE. A true one. You don't need to be a DEG fan to appreciate this. It's awesome by itself.
"I will live with my work, I scream with this body of flesh that separates heaven and hell
I carve the sins. What will be the proof of my existence if it disappears with the wind?"
And that concludes my first top ten list. What'd you think? :D
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