Asia - Alpha is the most popular album right now?
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Topic: Asia - Alpha is the most popular album right now?
Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Subject: Asia - Alpha is the most popular album right now?
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 03:43
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What's the deal with this album, it's the website's most popular album page? Usually new releases pop up there, so this looked strange. And I must say, I haven't heard it, so is it worth listening to, Asia fans?
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Replies:
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:05
Ha, noticed that too and thought I was losing my mind!  I just assumed that maybe there was some super pimped-out reissue of it newly available or something, so renewed interest. (I seem to recall a glitch on the Archives that had Dream Theater's `The Astonishing' showing up on that `most popular album of the last 24 hours' section too, for a couple of years on and off. And while that particular Asia album is nothing too special, it's a fine AOR album with some memorable tunes, and some of the intros to several tracks are really cool. If you need one Asia album, it probably should be that one  EDIT: Disregard the above comment, I thought it was the debut album! The first one is the one to go for if you want the best Asia album of the bunch.
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:06
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There are a couple of wonderful tracks on the album, but the production more than anything else lets it down. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:13
| Interesting, do we know how that is worked out? |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:28
after The Astonishing glitch, I tend to ignore this feature. I thought it's the most visited album page that day, I could be wrong.
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A Crimson Mellotron wrote:Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:46
Alright, thank you. And I though exactly the same thing about the reissue... We'll never know
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:48
I honesty have no idea? Would I make an impact if I open an album page 20 times in an hour? So many questions and almost no answers lol
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:48
What's that glitch? I must've missed it.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:55
I think it was sometimes last year, The Astonishing stayed there for a few days, everyone wondered what was going on, there's even a thread
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 04:59
I see. So, can we call this the crappy albums glitch?
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:03
No. Like I said, (I believe) it's meant to be the most visited album page of the day. To be honest, I've never cared about this feature, does not affect me in any way...
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Posted By: Enchant X
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:06
I like Asia but this isn't their best album , perhaps best album cover though ..I'm unsure why it's the most popular album in the last 24 hrs ... strange isn't it ? 
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:07
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Never heard it, so I'm not qualified to post a comment. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:11
I'd never really noticed the most popular album feature before until you mentioned it, but I'm not sure if Alpha is even the most popular Asia album, never mind the most popular album in the entire progosphere.
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Posted By: FatherChristmas
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:19
I'd say their most popular album is their eponymous debut. They released that, it was great, Alpha was ok, Astra was a bit better and more proggy in my opinion but they started to lose success and broke up in the early '90s. They had a reunion in the '00s, about the same time as KC's projeKts, and released some of there best work in a while - Phoenix is my favourite from that period - but it wasn't up to the debut, and they broke up again. So now, Steve Howe has joined a rubbish Yes tribute band. ------------- "Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence" - Robert Fripp "I am an anti-Christ" - Johnny Rotten |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:25
You forgot or maybe ignore the whole John Payne era who is I dare say underrated. I thought it was so lame and awful how Downes got rid of the Payne collaboration of 14 years once he made up with Wetton and Howe. It was definitely a wtf moment for me.
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 05:57
Only Time Will Tell if Astra is Asia's most popular album, but I'm in agreement with you that their eponymous debut is Asia's most popular album, mainly because it includes this Prog-Rock anthem..... |
Posted By: FatherChristmas
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 06:06
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^That is a great song! But don't forget... ------------- "Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence" - Robert Fripp "I am an anti-Christ" - Johnny Rotten |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 06:10
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^ In the Heat of the Moment, I may have neglected to mention that great song too.
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Posted By: FatherChristmas
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 06:15
^Funny, didn't think you'd like AOR Paul, considering you dislike the direction Genesis went in after Duke. Unless it's just AOP you dislike.  Also, after Heat of the Moment, Youtube gave me this song - arrgh, Youtube knows what I like!! I was going to listen to this song afterwards anyway!!  ------------- "Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence" - Robert Fripp "I am an anti-Christ" - Johnny Rotten |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 06:18
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ok, let's relax now, the new Wobbler is the most popular album in the last 24 hours. No glitch I guess. People seem to have visited an Asia album in the last 24 hours, how dare they, right? How uncool! I think I'm gonna listen to some Asia later.
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Posted By: Argo2112
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 07:55
| ^ Asia was my gateway drug in to prog in a lot of ways. The debut album was huge when I was in high school & eventually it brought me to explore Yes & ELP more so I will always a soft spot for them. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 08:03
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Are you trying to imply Alpha by Asia isn't the greatest album of all time or something? ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 08:19
Definitely not, but it has been circulating since yesterday if I'm not wrong, so I became a bit curious, you know.
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 08:39
------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 08:41
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^Oh crap...I just did. Damn! ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 09:38
| A good album, but not on my top list. I don’t think it really matters if once in a while and old album gets to be the most popular, as long as there are reasons for it. In this case, I don’t know what made it the most popular for a while, but now is no longer there. |
Posted By: dougmcauliffe
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 09:46
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What's more interesting is how that Serge Fiori/Harmonium release from last year always seems to be on the front page. No complaints here, that music is timeless! ------------- The sun has left the sky... ...Now you can close your eyes |
Posted By: Cylli Kat (0fficial)
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:15
Yeah, it was odd that The Astonishing showed up in the MOST POPULAR ALBUM (last 24h) for about two weeks or so, I think it was almost two years after its release. I thought maybe Max had set up some sort of financing deal with Roadrunner Records wherein the site would get revenue for continuing to keep that album in the MOST POPULAR ALBUM spot. Again, it was just a thought. I don't know that this is/was the case. I, like Cristi had thought it may have been the most visited album page over the preceding 24 hours, but that may not be the case. I have checked some of the albums in the MOST POPULAR ALBUM (last 24h), as they were upcoming releases from bands that I was interested in, and I was able to find the release dates. So it's sometimes helpful in that respect. ------------- (Insert Clever Words Here) I'm actually this guy: https://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=17597" rel="nofollow - Cylli Kat |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:23
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I thought that was strange too. Another glitch in the matrix? Who knows. There are some great tracks on that album although the album as a whole is not so great. Yeah, this is progressive pop so the purists will hate on it for sure. My faves: -------------  https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:25
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those three songs are really good, present on an Asia compilation I had at some point.
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:32
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:34
Oh great, an Asia thread.   ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 10:58
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I agree. That's crazy. It should be their first album.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:04
maybe I should start a real Asia thread... ... and then wait for the backlash...
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:20
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:23
don't worry, I would never start a Phil Collins thread. I might start a Genesis one (polls that is), but not Phil...
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Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:30
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Thanks gawd that the most popular album of the day wasn't Astra. I think i'd have to abandon this site if that happened ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:35
still a better album than anything they did after their original line-up reunion in the 2000s.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:37
| I like Astra. I haven't heard all Asia albums but my guess is it's probably their most metallish. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:39
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If it's not a glitch, does the owner use some kind of website analytics tools that will tell you where the traffic came from? Maybe a social media post that linked to Asia - Alpha from somebody who has a lot of followers? That seems hard to imagine, but who knows? ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:47
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this is so funny... any other prog album posted there, everyone is fine... a not so popular album there, everyone is annoyed, wondering or freaking out...
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Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:51
I've just been freaked out because I happened to enter your profile, only to see that you've been thanked 666 times as of now. Oh Lord, save us from Cristi! 
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 11:53
thanks for mentioning this, this is hilarious. I'm gonna check it out.
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Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:28
^ Oh, well, just to get you out of this devilish plot, thank you Cristi!  ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:30
No, just strange because that wouldn't have appeared in that in 1983! The randomness of it is perplexing ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:33
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Regarding Asia, I think, as most of us here apparently, that their self-titled debut is their best. Alpha is not bad, but more slick and AOR and less original than the debut album. And it only got worse afterwards. I never got into the Payne-period of Asia and was also disappointed by the original line-up resurrection album Phoenix (didn't incite me either to listen to the subsequent Omega album, maybe I should give it a try...). ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:35
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Don't know how as The Smile Has Left Your Eyes is its best, which ain't saying much. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:39
Thank you Lord. You've redeemed Cristi's soul and delivered us from evil. 
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Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:47
You're welcome. Wished that everything would be that simple. ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:48
^ You've 2 wishes left. 
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Posted By: Enchant X
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 12:56
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The weird thing is I was listening to Asia debut album just the other day and really enjoyed it as lot it's a great album .. then this happens , I may have contributed to it happening as I love the album cover.
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Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 13:04
I have seen this sort of thing happen before. Who's Next popped up once, and I vaguely remember Kind of Blue. The algorithm apparently only notices albums listed on this site no matter the genre. Old hits can come back to the charts - I read the Fleetwood Mac's Rumours hit the pop chart big time recently. Unless the algorithm is modified, prepare for this to happen again. Personally, I find it interesting.  ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 14:26
I listen to it all the time.....What's wrong with it!!?? -------------   
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 14:33
Nothing wrong with it, it was weird how it was the most popular album on the website (not anymore), as this slot is usually occupied either by new releases or re-releases.
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Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: October 23 2020 at 14:51
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^ Ohh I understand, there have been several albums that you go WTF!! Due to a few people clicking on the same album page....It does not take much to do that. Last time I saw The Astonishing it was circling around in my toilet....then it was gone. -------------
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 02:15
actually a very underrated song imo. I saw a live version performed by Noddy's Puncture (ELP and Asia tribute band) about 20 years ago and made a point of thanking the keyboard player after the gig. Wetton's solo version is also very lovely . That and The Heat Goes On are the only decent tracks on the album though. It caused a split in the band which resulted in Wetton leaving, temporarily being replaced by Greg Lake before in the end Wetton returned and Howe left instead. The comeback album Phoenix was a great album. I remember being in a very packed Shepherds Bush Empire when the original line up got back together in the 00's , they played the whole of the debut album ,which is what most people where there for or course.
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Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 07:11
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Agreed on Phoenix. The band did it right on that one. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 07:29
I gave up after Astra. That was enough Asia for me but i might give this one a shot if i ever see it in a discount bin. ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 07:38
| The Payne era always gets overlooked for some reason. Never understood why... |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 08:07
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I'm surprised there's more discussion about Asia than Wobbler right now ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 08:07
Because of the missing original singer/band leader factor... happens quite often.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 08:11
But he is just as good a singer as Wetton and a good songwriter.
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 09:32
Tell this to the people who neglect this era of Asia. (I personally do not care about this band, soo...)
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 09:37
I thought I just did.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 09:38
controversial bands/albums/topics always get more discussion, obviously.
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 09:44
Yes! And thank god (Who?) they do!
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Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 09:50
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Well..I don't own a single Asia album....and proud of it. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: October 24 2020 at 10:02
------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 27 2020 at 02:03
so the new Wobbler has been in the "most popular album (last 24h)" spot for the last 4 days and it's perfectly fine. Not a glitch? A malfunction? No wondering?
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Posted By: Nomadic
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 13:41
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This thread prompted me to look at the Asia Wikipedia page. This caught my eye - "... in 1990... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Thrall" rel="nofollow - Pat Thrall joined Downes, Palmer and Wetton on tour and they performed classic material, including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Crimson" rel="nofollow - King Crimson and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.K._%28band%29" rel="nofollow - U.K. songs." Anyone know what KC and UK songs these might have been? Going down the rabbit hole... Listening to Wetton/Manzanera now. ------------- http://nomadichorizonband.com |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 13:49
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I have a 1990 concert in Moscow that has Starless and Book of Saturday on it. I don't know about UK. I have John Wetton live concerts that have Rendezvous 6:02 and In the Dead of the Night, but those were solo, not Asia. ------------- 
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Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 16:46
You should be ashamed! Asia was the best band ever Sorry it was the heat of the moment that made me type this  ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: grantman
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 17:55
| only 2 songs worth a listen, Don,t Cry and The smile has left your eyes. |
Posted By: siLLy puPPy
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 18:14
I love the entire first side. The Heat Goes On is the best song for me. ------------- https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: October 30 2020 at 18:25
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I think the entire Alpha album is very good. Some songs are better than others but nothing is bad. Even the bonus track from the original cassette tape "daylight" was very good. The one thing about the album though is that it's kind of depressing. Many of the songs are about lost love or a breakup or something and are a bit of a downer lyrically. It's still very good though even though it's in an even more pop oriented direction than the debut(although it didn't do as well).
Favorite songs: Don't cry The smile has left your eyes My own time The heat goes on Eye to Eye The last to know Open Your Eyes |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: October 31 2020 at 12:10
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I saw where someone posted online that they thought Astra was proto prog metal. Does anyone on here agree with that?
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 31 2020 at 12:15
here on PA? I haven't seen that. No, nothing remotely metal in Asia's music. Some melodic hard rock at times.
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Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 05 2020 at 20:10
No, on on a youtube post for one of the songs from that album(I don't remember which one but possibly "too late"). Maybe you should listen to the Astra album. It's definitely metal or metallish at the very least imo. The first two aren't even really hard rock. Just regular rock with mild prog tendencies.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: November 06 2020 at 02:28
I know the Astra album. I don't hear metal in Astra.  |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: November 06 2020 at 20:43
Agree to disagree then.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: November 07 2020 at 02:07
| Astra was the third album right? The only memorable tracks were Voice Of America (about Brian Wilson) and Go (but more for the video which is truly cringeworthy even by 80's standards) . Mandy Meyer replaced Steve Howe and he was also in a heavy metal band called Krokus so that's were the connection is I presume. Its mainly commercial 'pomp rock' perhaps a bit heavier than the first 2 albums. I wouldn't call it 'metal' though. |