WTF Is Polyphia?!
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2022
- WTF have I just watched?! I have never heard of Polyphia and so I'm blind reacting to their latest song Neurotica. I don't even know what to make of it or what kind of music this is. Their skill is undeniable! Are you a fan of Polyphia? Help me understand if you can in the comments below!
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#polyphia #polyphiareaction #musicreview - Zábava
I love it when Justin picks up his guitar thinking he will have a go at playing it and then just says never mind.
Welcome to the club Justin ! :)
Polyphia is great for when you want to show your guitars the neglect they are receiving and let you consider if you should just throw them away.
🤣
Yep,,,, ditto,,,LMFAO!!!!
🤣reminds me of those petrucci psycho videos "just stop. put your guitar on ebay"
@@stumpydino custom made strings that can withhold the temperature of the sun 😂
Making us listen to you chew ice was such a power move, I respect it.
What in the world are you talking about lol
@@sins1549 2:02 and following. I thought exactly the same thing, Alex.
My thoughts exactly. Who will stop this madman!
🤣
@@sins1549 you trying to sandbag him by not understanding the comment? maybe don't post until the frontal lobe has had a little bit more time to develop.
The talent of those musicians is astounding. For me personally I prefer more melodic sound. Sometimes one can say alot with just a little.
Perhaps check out their song "Playing God" or their older stuff like "Euphoria"
This track is loaded with melodies if you think beyond "vocals". Melodies, counter-melodies and recurring motifs. Just listen.
Listen to aviator
Exactly!
Less can be more imo. Often over complicated to the detriment of the actual tune..just my opinion
2:58 : THBB10 stands for "Tim Henson Black Beauty 10". Tim calls his signature guitar the "black beauty". So, there you go.
*Gibson:* 😠
@@unbearifiedbear1885 it won't be Gibson unless THEY sue him !
Should be a Bad Boi 😅
@@auntjenifer7774 yeah it won't be Gibson of they did an IP of the names seperately with the guitar shapes. 😂
Yeah he was inspired by those old Les Paul Customs for the color scheme
Just discovered you and it's pretty awesome that you're dressed like you just landed a Cessna full of blow on a homemade runway in the Everglades. Love it.
Have you heard Yvette Young play guitar before? Her band "Covet" is fantastic and her guitar playing and guitar melody choices are really something to behold: czcams.com/video/FTxSXUzc96A/video.html
Incredibly underrated player
I also really like Chon
Thanks for this
another band is Hikes ... Nay Mapalo is an incredible guitar player. Saw them on tour with Covet this past spring and they really blew me away.... Floral is impressive as hell too.
@@Trowa71 Yeah, Mario Camarena is excellent. Covet are excellent as well, and I like also Toe, and Ichika Nito.
you nailed it on the head with “music for musicians”… i often find myself more interesting in the playing and intricacies of it than the song itself because im a musician
And what makes them special is that it's also music for the masses. I'm not a musician and have a hard time getting into bands like Animals as Leaders (they're absolutely nuts, it's a failing on my end not any lack on their end) because I can't notice much less appreciate things like funky time signatures or why two 8 strings were chosen.
It's in turn what makes them such CZcams darlings. I, as a non musician, like listen to talented musicians talk about what Polyphia (and other musicians) are doing and how. They bridge that gap and allow both sides to compliment each other.
This is why I listen to this song so much.
I also am a musician, but I find this kind of stuff boring, masturbatory and extremely self-referential.
For me it’s interesting because I play guitar but it’s something you watch or listen to a few times and think “that’s amazing playing” and then you go about your day and forget about it.
I'd actually say a musician would be far more critical of this band. If you know what they're doing, you can appreciate the difficulty, but then what? We're just not as impressed, and once that's gone you have some pretty soulless noodling. I love math rock, prog, metal, but this band is just a bread sandwich imho. Not hating on those who like them, there's just nothing interesting here for me personally.
"If you oil something it stops it from squeaking. Apart from mice. You can't stop them ones from squeaking."
Dad joke game is on point. Love it 🤣
its like taking a modern pop and trap song and letting the guitars do the talking instead of vocals. they are very much a band you appreciate more if your a musician and their melody and song crafting is phenomenal, they've essentially created a new genre just based on their style of playing
Those guitars be mumbling?
@@turtleneckless frfr
@@turtleneckless I'm dead 💀
melody wise I kind of have to disagree. Theres too much actually and its just so varied and strange that you dont really find any one part that stands out enough to be the essence of that song. Technically its outstanding, but in this song what do you catch yourself repeating all day in your head?
@@Chaelsonen you really dont hear the catchy af lead line in the chorus? Its repeated at least twice and i couldnt stop humming it when i first heard it. They also write some of the most singable solos with catchy little melodies between some of the faster more all over the place lines.
I'm not a musician but love stuff like this because it's different and not boring. To me, the musicianship is top notch and amazing. I'm also a fan of Rush.
It's so boring. But I also hate Rush. But even Rush is miles more interesting that this. This is like elevator funk
You should have set off earlier.
Rush sucks
No doubt guys like you just lack the necessary brainpower to enjoy this level of musical complexity.
@@jaegervand2112
It's not about complexity or brainpower or other elitist babble. The music is good and competently produced, it just evokes no emotion in most people.
Video game music, it's like listening to someone tap, slap and shred the Super Mario theme. A band with three bass players, two of which happen to be playing guitar.
You legit have a Matthew McCounaghey vibe going on with your kit on this video. Awesome video, as always.
Whether or not it's your flavor, it's nice to see artists with a real appreciation for musicianship. You can really tell just how much effort each of these guys put into their day-to-day. Great stuff.
I feel it's technically excellent yet completely devoid of any soul. I'm an electronic music fan since the mid 90's so it's not the processing that bothers me. I just don't feel anything but amazement. I don't feel sad or happy, nostalgic or elated. It's cool but empty.
@@TheTransitmtl your brain is preoccupied trying to figure it out, so there’s no room for emotion yet.
Kind of like if you tried to juggle a soccer ball while flipping pancakes and spinning a basketball on your finger. You’re not going to have the processing capacity left for emotions.
@@beanlegume9965 it’s great if you’re anxious ,adhd or just an over thinker, really helps me chill on out
@@TheTransitmtl I completely agree with you for this song. I think some of their other stuff like OD or Playing God is a better representation of the techincal side mixed with emotion, especially as an electronic fan. I've seen a lot of current electronic musicians wanting to collab with them, so I hope the band takes them up on that.
If this had lyrics, they’d go something like this: “All of our agents are currently assisting other callers. Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order it was received.”
or in an elevator
bwahahaaaaa 🤣
It is somewhat mean but hilariously true 😂
Like "Left of the Dial" by The Replacements, nice.
Omg that is fucking hilarious
It's kind of funny, I would say that polyphia is one of the math Rock virtuoso type bands who are outstanding in their lyricism and ability to create hooks that are appealing on a non musicianship level.. like this is so singable, like a pop trap type rap song.. the whole flow of the soloing feels like listening to Ludacris mixed with I don't know what the modern rappers are nowadays, but yeah that
I love watching your videos. Calming, interesting and informative, whilst also introducing me to new music. You’re an absolute joy, Mr Hawkins. 🤘🏻👊🏻 🎸
They’re earlier music is definitely more “rock” sounding. Their album from a couple of years ago sounded like the background music for a rap album. Definitely a unique band.
This is definitely not my kind of music but it's hard not to appreciate their incredible technicality and precision while playing. I enjoy their live videos way more than their music videos, though.
@@wrelensmash Can confirm
Silly things like this are high up there within the scope of Fail Army video collections of people who send their guitar flying when trying to do the Yngwie shoulder-throw.
@@VictitiousStudios wha
@@VictitiousStudios huh?!
This is like the 39th best polyphia song. Can’t wait to see your reaction to their other tracks
“Polyphia”, comes from the word, “Polyphony”, meaning: “music whose texture is defined by the interweaving of several melodic lines” Playing off this definition, as a band, we capitalize on musicianship, and that, musically, each member of the band is a cornerstone of our sound.
Is that a quote? or are you claiming to be a member of the band?
Oh Yawn! Right what to do first? Eat everything or register a name change for my daughter.
The etymology breaks down this way ....Words that descend from the Greek word phōnē are making noise in English. Why? Because phōnē means "sound" or "voice." Cacophony comes from a joining of the Greek prefix kak- (from kakos,meaning "bad") with phōnē, so it essentially means "bad sound." Symphony, a word that indicates harmony or agreement in sound, traces to phōnē and the Greek prefix syn-, which means "together." POLYPHONY refers to a style of musical composition in which two or more independent melodies are juxtaposed in harmony, and it comes from a combination of phōnē and the Greek prefix poly-, meaning "many." And euphony, a word for a pleasing or sweet sound, combines phōnē with eu-, a prefix that means "good."
Music is interpretation and there's different interpretation and skill sets. I couldn't ever play like because its not my interpretation and I certainly ain't got the chops. Its just amazing how people can make music and give different stories and flavours. Its fantastic not my thing as I'm a straight down the middle rock n roll chap basic skills but bravo all the way
@@TheMightyYak Not OP but Polyphia fan, that's originally a quote from one of the band members if I remember right! :)
I dont listen to them a ton but i do seriously appreciate them. This is modern fusion: metal/video game/electronic (trap/hiphop). I think its really cool what theyre doing, essentially reacting to electronically made music and finding a way to transpose it to electric guitars. Originally you had jazz guys learning from horns then keyboards etc and now you have them learning what once seemed impossible and playing it on guitar… pretty rad for the instrument but it puts them in this interesting place that their music is so so intricate and complex but its also very palatable and “simple” at its core harmony so a part of your brain definitely latches onto it, just absurd technically. Tim has talked about how he’ll write electronically then figure it out on guitar
no, chiptune/nintendocore is video game music
Well said
@@coryleblancName a single actual video game with an actual chiptune or nintendocore soundtrack, I'll wait.
As someone several years past you, I absolutely love seeing you play the old man.
Catching up and binge watching all your latest videos. Great work Justin. Never heard of these and love finding new artists. Would you consider doing a video on one of the following….. Courteeners, Blossoms or catfish and the bottlemen? Pretty please 🥺
Oh my god. When you flipped up your glasses, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. You are fast becoming a channel / person I look forward to watching whenever a clip is released. I'm late to the party I know. Hell I had never even listened to The Darkness before, as I've almost entirely listened to thrash metal and the like. I love your humor, and your musicality when working out riffs . Rock on Justin. Your doing everything right :D. P.S. With those colored glasses, you could get a role in a Hollywood film as a pawn broker who's a bit dodgy and not to be messed with....specialising in musical instruments and gear. Just thinking out loud :)
They are doing their own thing. There's nothing like these guys and that's very hard to accomplish.
I agree along with Intervals, Chon, Covet and Shrezzers
@@arseymcpherson agree 😂
Unfortunately that doesn't mean it's any good. You can throw rice up in the ceiling and call it a new genre
yer there was but he died in 1993
I saw them play with Vai in Dallas a week ago. Great players no doubt. It's the kind of thing that I appreciate live more than I would listen to on a regular basis. Shredding, regardless of how amazing, gets kind of old after a while.
It's wank
I like the music ..but, it currently seems to lack that 'jam' ability (that i also like).
Which allows you to play well with others.
@Rachel Forshee Na man .. Listen to Obituary or maybe some Megadeth 🤘🏻
@@Fiveash-Art Megadeath are wank
@Rachel Forshee It's not 'brainy' just because it's complicated. Complexity is a completely different concept than 'complicated' .. that's exactly what Polyhia is. You're not intelligent just because you listen to this crappy band. 😂
Justin,
That bit you added on about mice haha!!!
Thank you✨🙏🏼 😄😄
(Never stop the channel)
You have to be one of the most casually funny dudes ever. Thanks for reacting and sharing. Subscribed!
I had the same reaction when I first heard them. I appreciate the technical talent of Polyphia but to me it lacks any kind of soul and feeling. It's like programing all the scales into a computer and hitting the make a song button.
There's a great band called Unprocessed that have a similar (not AS technical as Polyphia) but they offer much more of an injection of feeling that helps through the vocal performance too. If you want to check them out I'd suggest their songs 'Abandoned' and 'Real' which Tim Henson of Polyphia actually featured on.
@@jamiedingwall1819 Wow, this is good.
It reminds me of listening to my friend demonstrate every setting on a line 6 kidney bean for the first month after he bought it
I love watching and listening to them, precisely because I don't get it. I can't decide if they're trying to be modern-pop sounding, or if they're calling back to some older, very non-rock/pop genres, or both. You'll hear a passage of music that you swear you've heard before in a completely different context, like soul jazz or something. But it's presented with this insanely masterful shreddy vibe. I love the confusion it gives me.
Yes and no. Virtuosity gets boring real quickly.
That’s actually Tims’ signature fretboard the tree of death, a spin on Vai’s!
I love after the joke about mice u can see visible shame cross Justin's face as he quietly returns to the music, inspirational
Been waiting for a Polyphia reaction. You’re staying on top of it. Love it.
You should check out Playing God. This is a little heavier on the electronic. Playing God is on nylon guitars.
You’re ability to appreciate even things that don’t strike an emotional string is great. Some other bands in this realm that you may like, especially if you like stranger time signatures is Animals as Leaders, Sithu Aye, Chon, and Periphery. Hope you like it 😁
Agreed!
How did you get an impression that he appreciates and enjoys this?
@@guciowitomski3825 Not sure if he “enjoys it” but he shows appreciation for the technicality of it. Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea but I’m happy to see his covering it. Thanks for asking Witmoski.
So much talent, so little musicality. (Nearly) anyone can learn technique, but it's all of the other intangible, unteachable stuff that makes music interesting (likewise w/ painting, literature, and virtually all creative endeavors). Indeed, "music for musicians," and very possibly only for the musicians in Polyphia.
These takes are insane. These guys jist dont generically shred like some 80's generic metal guitarists lol. Actually check out their music.
man... i have a confession to make... i watched like 4 or 5 of your videos before i realized you were the voice of "the darkness"... "get your hands off of my woman" still has a special place in my heart.. thank you... and also, in the unlikely event that you see this comment on a 5 month old video... i'm somewhat ashamed that i didn't realize who you were at first... and therefore, i would like to extend a sincere apology... necessary or not. Me and my buddies used to try our damnedest to hit your notes... and the "ya cunt" after "get your hands off of my woman, mothafucker" was absolutely epic... not to mention the grooviness of the band as a collective... i can still hear the bassline in my mind after years of not hearing the song... with that being said... i must leave you now... and enjoy your works... but know this... i WILL return and finish this video... come hell, or loose women... i will return.
Outstanding comment. Now, I'm off to listen to this song you speak of. I've only ever heard the, thing called love, song.
I think GYOOMW was the first darkness song I ever heard late one night on MTV or something slightly inebriated. And I thought, how do I not know who this awesome but clearly 80s band are?? 😅 That song kicks ass.
@@rferguson3 = Well, what didya think of it then ?? - (assuming ya DID listen to it ?)
Strong recommendation from me = LISTEN TO 'THE DARKNESS' track, called "BARBARIAN"
Powerful track, great guitar throughout, it tells of the Norsk Invasion of the East Coast of England**
(1,000+ years ago) - In fact the whole album ("Last of Our Kind") is highly recommended
.
Didn't realize it, thanks for your comment xD
@@hawnyfox3411 Yeah, I actually dig it. Not exactly my favorite, but def pretty cool. Now I'm gonna go check out this other one that you recommended. He's def an underrated, badass of a guitarist.
Love your shirt. Just as an aside to the usual lovely musical analysis!
I would recommend listening to more of their stuff. New Levels New Devils is a phenomenal album with some really captivating tracks on it. They seem to be in ultra exprimental mode right now. Which is a joy to fan's familiar with what they are about. But could be quite alienating to new listeners. Their "The Most Hated" EP is a fun thing to check out.
New levels New Devils changed my life.
@@SpacemanXC changed your life !?
Like Pink Floyd ?
@@auntjenifer7774 Funny you say that. Yes, actually. When I first started playing guitar in 1996, I was part of the hardcore/crossover scene. Like most kids, I got bored with all the straight edge mumbo jumbo and mosh pits after a while. So I got into weed and Pink Floyd. My guitar playing took a different direction. Gone were the days of angsty riffs and breakdowns. And in came jazzy chords and psychedelic guitar solos.
Now I'm a grown ass man, and I cant spend all day smoking weed. So my music tastes got very aggressive once again. For the last 12 years I've been really up on all the new prog metal and the thrash metal revival.
Then Polyphia happens. And I realize that I love it. They're doing something people havn't done before. They're using all the technicality of modern prog metal, and combining it with pop/hip hop, while using compressed clean tones. It blew my mind. I still love my thrash metal shreds, and screaming high gain, but the last couple years i've been experimenting with playing clean and using compression instead of gain. I can't play like Tim Henson, but it's a lot of fun using his techniques. The way he hybrid picks has really rubbed off on me. And actually improves the way I play some old Van Halen songs, for example.
So yes. Life changing.
Thanks, different sort of music but good nonetheless!! I loved your subtle change of guitar at end Justin :)
Thanks Rachael!
Hello, from New York! I have been a fan of The Darkness for many years; since 2005-06. Something like that. However, I was unaware of your podcast until now. I have found myself binge watching and now my neck hurts but that's ok. I thoroughly enjoy your content as well as your dry, sarcastic sense of humor. So, Polyphia is a new one for me. I am going to investigate further. I am happy to have found your podcast. I wonder if you read your comments. I chew ice too, incidentally.
Every day is a school day with you, young Justin. Being a wizened [relatively] old progster - this truly brushes up against my musical glans...
P - “Polyphia”, comes from the word, “Polyphony”, meaning: “music whose texture is defined by the interweaving of several melodic lines” Playing off this definition, as a band, we capitalize on musicianship, and that, musically, each member of the band is a cornerstone of our sound.
getgetgetgetgotgotgotgot blood rush to ma head
I could've sworn polyphia was a std
Justin should react to "Playing God" but it would be divine overload
NO. Body. Cares.
@@VictitiousStudios yet you cared enough to comment
Looking very Begbie today!
Great insights Justin! Would also love to see your take on the group "Chon", more specifically their track "Story". Think similar guitar-virtuoso similar vibes, however with less processed/electronic elements & more jazz-influenced & raw in the execution/production side of things. Their album "Grow" where the recommended track hails from is a very blissful & calming experience that any musician/guitarist can appreciate.
Story rocks!
Great analysis!
funny thing is, i have SO many friends who don't care about shred at all, and some who don't even listen to metal or rock, yet they love polyphia - it's really peculiar but it definitely doesn't lack soul or any of that, it's special.
Because they use catchy poppy chord progression that "everyone" likes, but changes it up to make it interesting.
Their "New Levels New Devils" album is probably the most well received piece of work and one which i think you'd enjoy much more if you listened too - much closer to modern day rock/metal but keeping the experimental sounds
This whole "devil" stuff is nothing new, and its boring.
Well received ? by who you ? Speak for everyone do you ? lmao
@@nordstrandmusicinternation9518 Well received by critics and thd majority of the prog metal scene
@@matthewhughes5619 don't think I really trust anything "critics" come out with Tbh.
Sounds like a load of robotic diarrhea
Jesus! THE DARKNESS! I didn't realize I recognized you until you mentioned the spaceship set.
Looking very sharp in this video JH 👌🏻😎
8:16 genre-wise I'd probably call it math rock, but with a strong influence from 'djent', a style of metal which has been hugely influential on heavy music over the last 10-15 years (arguably ad nauseam at this point). Djent came out of progressive metalcore bands in the mid-late 2000s who took a lot of inspiration from Meshuggah (essentially the grandfather of the style), but some bands, like Polyphia, haven taken that influence in a more intricate direction drawing more on math rock, jazz and funk. Polyphia also has more of an electronic music production approach which is why it's so clean and tight. I'm not really a fan of their style personally but the production quality is pretty much as impressive as the playing.
I think a key element of djent that separates it from other prog/math rock styles is that there's usually a solid 4/4 groove with a backbeat as opposed to lots of playing with time signatures and tempos. The rhythmic complexity is more in the syncopation and longer polyrhythmic patterns that revolve asymmetrically around that core groove. No one does it like Meshuggah though!
tim hendson has come out to say that a lot of his music is based on appreciation for hip hop and in his new album he has worked with trippie redd
@@smokingdrowdndarkelf976 oh sick, yeah that doesn't surprise me you can definitely hear the trap influence in the production
If you wish to look at polyphia again I would highly recommend their songs G.O.A.T and Playing God. I am a fairly casual fan of polyphia but I really do not like this new song, however those guitars are sexy
I think GOAT would be the appropriate reaction vid
Yup my 9 yr old daughter loves G.O.A.T. great chewen
I listen to polyphia often and all I was thinking is “there are much better songs to react to”.
@@bartonamon Not so sure lol, personally I love Playing God but GOAT gets stale fast
regarding the pickup selection, it definitely sounds single-coil to me so it's in the neck position but sounds split and if you look between the two knobs there's a mini toggle which is probably to split the humbucker coils. Most players in this style use some sort of single-coil sound to get a thinner quacky/slappy sound.
Justin Hawkins has become one of my favourites to watch.
He's a legend. Just a funny dude. Witty. Just great.
I took lessons with clay Gober (the bassist) a couple years ago and he explained that they typically record each individual phrase separately and then learn how to play it later, that’s probably why you don’t hear any string noise
Noise reduction/gating helps too. A bunch of amp sims do this out of the box.
Yeah they literally pencil in midi notes into a DAW and then learn the song that way. It's a pretty mad way of doing things but they really make it work!
pretty sure none of these new wave technical guys (tosin, these guys, etc) use amps at all
Laptop music
@@guitaristssuck8979 why don't you do it then?
At first I was blown away by the skill of this band. Now I'm over that, what I have left is playful charming music that makes me feel an 'emotion' but I couldn't tell you which one , but not ones I'm familiar with.
Ooooh what a pick! great band, definitely check out their back catalogue Justin!
Stumbled on this channel this morning. I thought “that name sounds familiar, wait that voice, oh wait! The picture on the wall!”
In short I didn’t recognize you dude, and now I’m going to have to listen to The Darkness at work today :p
I’m really surprised at a lot of the comments on this video - although I realize everyone is different and all opinions are valid. The ones I relate to the least are the ones calling their music robotic or that it doesn’t evoke emotion - I often get goosebumps and sometimes even tears when I listen to Polyphia - their music touches my soul.
Edit: I might add I’m a lifelong musician and math nerd who has played multiple instruments and genres of music - that may explain it as others have mentioned
It's like watching a modern big budget hollywood movie, where the CGI and editing are good on a technical level, with some gorgeous set pieces.. but the writing/dialogue, acting, directing etc all come across as unrealistic and manufactured, making it harder to relate to and get immersed.
I get the exact same thing myself.
It reminds me of when I get excited about something in astrophysics and I'll show someone a video about it and they're like, yeah... that's nice.
I used to think it was an intelligence thing, then I tested that out multiple times with highly intelligent people, and they could explain it to me very clearly and precisely, so they got it, but they didn't get IT. We're just built differently I guess.
And yeah musician as well.
Yay! I'd hoped you would give them a look. Thanks.
Polyphia are kind of their own genre at this point... whatever that is.
Wow - that’s a great start to my morning!!
Hell Justin, I couldn't focus on Polyphia when my misophonia kicked in at the 2 minute mark when you crunched on the ice cube!!!
5:34 most relatable thing to happen whilst listening to Polyphia haha
As a guitarist, I was floored when I heard GOAT for the first time and I immediately bought the album ! I don't think I ever listened to it since. I appreciate and I"m in awe of their musicianship but it bores me pretty fast.
Why would you buy the album if you didn’t know if you actually liked it haha
@@syncops834 In order to know whether I liked it or not I had to listen to it first, right ? So I had to bit it. I know, I'm old school.
@@syncops834 You know....support the musicians who put a lot of time into making it?
@@holliswilliams8426 What? You’ve just completely changed the subject. Of course I know that buying a physical copy of an album supports the artist, but I’m asking the person; if they don’t particularly like the band, why would they pay money for the album
Justin. I seen the Darkness play at godiva Festival in 2018. All of you were on fire man
You could have been David Sylvian there with that rides again intro…!!!! X First time I’ve watched one of your videos Justin - You’re like a well bathed fear and loathing in Las Vegas - a right bit of whimsy. Xx
love the take here, totally agree. their playing is exceptional and they are incredibly talented. I just don't really groove with it, it seems emotionless in a way. Robotic like you alluded to.
100% disagree. There's tons of emotion in their work , check out the first guitar break in "Euphoria"
Different strokes different folks :)
Must tell u that your opinion is very unpopular x) and i kinda agree with u aswell
I guess you’re just not ready for it yet but our future AI robot overlords are going to love it!
couldn't agree more. I can appreciate the talent here, but to me it just comes off as people playing scales as fast as possible. I had the same reaction way back in the 80s with Malmsteen. Just not my bag.
I like how he picked up the guitar to jam along... Heard one bar and thought "sod that", even with being an insanely good guitarist as Justin is.
Yeah made me laugh as well. He reminds me of my old guitar teacher. Insanely talented and would say exactly the same haha.
4:19 Well, actually the "tree of death" as Tim calls it
It is 11pm in Hobart, Tasmania right now, and I love Polyphia, but Im going to do some late night gardening and listen to Permission To Land from The start. Cheers Justin. Much Love.
They're amazing musicians, but I tend to get bored with so much technicality. I like the classic progrock better. But without a doubt they're extremely talented musicians.
absolutely the same for me, so much technicality gets almost overwhelming and often it sounds very chaotic to me
like it doesn't have any specific concept, just throwing some complex technical stuff onto the pile without much of a thought and calling it a day
having said that, i admire their skill, i just feel like when having such great tools at their disposal, they could make something more interesting than just use all of their cooldowns in first minute of a song
Technicality only goes so far, sometimes stuff like this comes across abit pretentious, I kind of prefer to listen to music not listen to a talent contest
@@nemesis8626 also nowadays you see so much even bedroom players performing so much complex stuff, so there's not even any shock value anymore
it's like "alright dude, you are good at playing guitar, great", like 2 decades ago when i started learning playing guitar, i saw some clips of great guitarists (live performances of musicians like paul gilbert, buckethead, neil zaza, even kirk hammett seemed quite impressive to me back then), thinking like it's almost impossible to play like that, and since i was much into this stuff, i was genuinely impressed
now it's just normal stuff to see, there are probably more skilled guys when it comes to pure accuracy and technicality sitting in their bedrooms and uploading stuff on youtube, than professional musicians actually able to do that stuff
@@voldren ngl it feels like your ignoring the fact that this is essentially a pop song structure with guitar shred on top. Its also been heavily thought of as every aspect melodically and rhythmically intertwines and the way phrases end and conntect to one another is musically genius.
@@voldren Why do you think that is? You realize you can make way more money on CZcams than signing a deal to record company that just takes all the money and gives you a sliver. Can't knock musicians for doing it on their own to actually reap the benefits of the thousands of hours they spend perfecting their craft.
Great band, part of the new wave of “tech metal” or “math rock”. Loads of bands out there although Polyphia, Animals as leaders, Sarah longfield are all top of their game! My personal favorite is Plini! A bit more traditional in style but mega talented musician.
Math rock tends to have intricate and unusual chord progressions and time signatures, while this has the most simple and predictable chord progression and rhythm possible
trap prog rock maybe
I call it glitch rock. In production using a lot of short, wildly different samples to create a new melody is considered glitchy. they're technique is similar as it uses a lot of very short, wildly different guitar techniques. Even the drum pattern could be considered glitchy.
They're Prog Fusion to me, since I've always considered Polyphia to be a Prog band
Plini is also my favorite of the new gen of instrumental guitarists.
Forget about math rock, Justin - your miraculously executed guitar change right at the end - that's proper entertainment!
Just discovered this channel, Justin has a great sense of humor.
He’s very talented,but it’s not for me.For me it’s a case of technical robot playing.Each to their own
I got into Polyphia with their "the most hated" ep. Their follow up album New Levels New Devils was quite something. The best part is it's both catchy and musically complex.
Personally don't think Neurotica or Playing god were as good as the above records, but I'm still excited for the rest of it.
they went downhill after muse imo
@@stephanyampolsky7187 L take
@2:56 I’m pretty sure the “BB” in Tims signature Ibanez THBB10 stands for Black Beauty as he took inspiration from a Gibson LP Custom hence the black body with gold hardware and block inlays
Justin with the shout-out for Planet X seemingly outta nowhere … awesome! Love Planet X. Mind-bending goodness.
Good lord, a Virgil Donati reference by a non drummer. You've impressed me Justin.
He is insane. My dad took me to his show when I was around 8. 🤣I was listening to planet x at that point. Probably the reason I like progressive music
If you want a Polyphia song to react to on a more emotional level, I've always found their song Aviator to have a lot more feeling to it. That or something more recent like GOAT or Playing God. Polyphia are def worth getting into!
No they’re not.
@@AcidicDelusion 😂😂 Touché
Love the channel Justin. It’d be cool to see you react to a song by Plini, maybe I’ll tell you someday or electric sunrise. He combines feel, odd time sigs and technical ability amazingly well.
Found my way here from your recent Band-Maid reaction. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on another Japanese band that often gets the math rock label applied to them. They’re called Sokoninaru. The songs Gou Ni Moyu and Tenohira De Odoru are good places to start.
Sokoninaru is my favorite band and big agree, if he likes Math Rock he needs to check them out.
Hi Justin. Every album the Darkness have released sounds so unique and different to the next. My question is....
Through this channel, have any of the bands featured inspired you musically and given you food for though on song writing and influenced songs you are writing for another album? Every album that has been released I love unconditionally so excited to see what's next 😊.
Hope to pop over to Leeds or Cardiff to see u next year. 🤟
To me they just sound like a very intricate R&B (pop) backing band.
Love your shirt 😍 Had a very similar shirt in 1976 and adored it.
A little late to the party with this, Justin, but have to say that I love, love, LOVE those cool trousers you are sporting in this installment, you stylish devil, you. Nice one!
Also, you mentioned Virgil Donati. Saw him in 2005 with Marco Mendoza, Neal Schon, and Jeff Scott Soto in the US and the UK. He is one of the most amazing drummers I have ever seen/heard.
You’d definitely like the song Wenceslas, by Gnome... they are pretty much the opposite of that polyphia thing. Check them out, they do a little dance in the video too and it’s hilarious. Smashing song
Thanks for the recommendation, that was brilliant
Thats funny as hell.
" If I can stay alive today
I'll kill them all and say We are alive "
@Grimmlord Blakk yes they are! a breath of fresh air i’d say
Let’s hope Justin sees this thread 😊
id call it like Groove Prog at this point, the style of music that is.
Hi Justin! I'm a 30 year old hard rock guitarist and I love your channel and The Darkness. Would you consider doing a video on the solo career of John Sykes? I feel that your audience would benefit from such a discussion.
This is the sleezy kind of look I hope to pull off when I'm older, big fan
I can appreciate the talent, but to me it sounds like a robot playing a guitar. Not for me but glad to have heard them, great vid Sir Justin! :)
You'd be surprised with their fan base. It certainly isn't made up of just musicians. For me, their "The Most Hated" EP really stands out as an ideal mix of musicality and pip sensibility.
Thank you for helping me understand more about music culture. Much appreciated
Looking good Justin , the shirt and hair are great!💫💫💫💫
Welcome to the club, Justin! Have discovered Polyphia about a year ago, and they are amazing. Even if you do not like their music per se, one has to admit that Tim Henson is definitely pushing the boundaries of guitar playing. Unique sounds, unparalleled style. And the band's technical proficiency is otherworldly.
Ya Scottie is just there strumming along, not creating music with Tim for years ????
@@Gixsir Of course wasn't meant like that, and you know it. Have huge respect for all, yet Tim is the most present and, as it seems, the mastermind.
As a long time fan of both you and Polyphia, I would heavily recommend going back to some of their earlier albums if you want some of their more accessible stuff.
I love polyphia and find their leads super catchy, I was humming this song constantly last year. The bass and drums are killer too they sound like modern trap (a genre I love) and are so damn groovy.
Love the channel and your insights Justin, fab stuff indeed, not to mention that outfit ❤
I enjoy Polyphia when it passes me by, but i haven’t ever sat and listened to them purposefully. It’s impressive, but i just don’t really feel much beyond that listening to it… 🤷♂️
It’s funny you mention oiling the strings- Greasing the strings was common practice amongst early session players in the ‘50s, to achieve a cleaner sound on early country and rock n roll recordings!
I think the “emotional value” actually comes from how genuinely mental Scottie and Tim’s virtuosity is. As you said I think it’s very much music for musicians but I do believe that anyone can access the emotional value when you actually grasp how difficult and technical Polyphia’s arrangements are. If that is too much then simply marvel in how talented every single member is. Another instrumental band I recommend is the prog-metal band Animals as Leaders.
yeah no
That’s interesting that you recommend Animals as Leaders after I commented about how I don’t get how people don’t get Polyphia. I want to like AAL, and I’ve really tried - but I don’t “get” their music, although I certainly am impressed with and respect their talent and proficiency.
Is that how you rationalize it, let me guess you’d be starstuck if you ever seen yngvie malmsteen eh 😂😂
Self indulgent fad that ain’t timeless, analogous to the “80’s” sound
Marveling in how talented they are doesnt have a fraction of listenability, or enjoyment of a really catchy simple rhythm that provokes an emotional feeling in listeners. Im also a musician and its certainly interesting and impressive, but i cant say this is very inspirational music, because it feels as souless as calculus, especially with everything sounding programmed.
Of the 2 songs I've heard off the upcoming album, I much prefer "Playing God" to this. I really like the production and arrangement of their music. Working with younger hip-hop producers has really worked out well for them IMO, and it's a big part of what makes their music seem new and fresh. I think it also helps widen their appeal, cos it's very technical, yet somewhat approachable as well. I know people who like Polyphia songs such as "G.O.A.T." who would never listen to Planet X, who Justin mentioned, cos they find that kind of music too far "out there".
I preferred Playing God over Neurotica as well. But now they are at an even tie for me. I've dissected Neurotica so many times now with each listen and parts of it are just so damn good 👍
Your point about it being like square Planet X was spot on. Polyphia inhabit the Djent scene but have made their thing as of late doing so but sticking to 4/4 and primarily more traditionally tuned guitars with an emphasis on super smooth pop style production and writing techniques that involve experimenting with other genres and then translating those ideas onto guitar (if you check out Tim Henson's youtube clips of him writing it will make much more sense). They say more about how production is it's own creative medium these days than they do about a percieved trend towards 'industry sanitisation', so shouldn't be too worried that they spell the end of guitar based music in it's purer forms in the mainstream just yet.
Polyphia comes from the word Polyphony meaning musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice