Vinyl Records - taking the time to enjoy music

Today is a rare day off work (due to illness etc I have worked 13 out of the last 14 days). I am flippin' tired. I am gonna have a proper rest day today. No chores, no other jobs to do. I am going to sit and relax. I don't do it very often, and on days like today I always choose to dig out the little Record Player that we have.

To be honest, most of the time I prefer the CD format. Its quick and easy to play CDs as opposed to digging out the record player each time, and I can put them on repeat while I do other stuff. They are also usually much cheaper than records.

So why do I actually own some Vinyl?

Well, more for the act of listening to music I guess. CDs will play continuously in the background, whereas for Vinyl I need change turn it over to the other side every 15-20mins. And the fact that it requires more work means I have no option but to sit and listen to the music. And I really enjoy being able to listen to music and appreciate it just for its own sake. CDs often become just background noise, whereas Records demand my full attention.

The other reason I have dug the records out today, is because I received this earthtone9 album last Christmas, and haven't got round to it.

I told you I don't listen to records very often haha

Earthtone9 are one of my all time favourite bands, and this is the 20th anniversary release of their outstanding album arc'tan'gent. It is an absolute joy to listen to, and I have been blasting it out all morning!

I previously wrote a POST about the band, and the following link takes you to a copy of the album on Youtube...

I don't own many albums on Vinyl due to the previous reasons (cost etc), but the ones I do have I have bought for a reason.

For example, Dawn of the Nine by Unleashed is fantastic slab of Swedish Death Metal.

And Winterfylleth are not only one of my fave Black Metal Bands to listen to, but this album The Divination of Antiquity is the first album that got me hooked onto the atmospheric black metal genre.

Most of my records are of newer extreme metal bands, but I have a couple of older releases for sentimental reasons. Both of these releases are albums my Dad has.

He has the originals, my versions are new re-released versions

Fleetwood Mac's Rumours was an immediate success when it was released in the late 70's and is considered by many to be one of the greatest albums of all time.

Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden, is another well known, and well appreciated album. It was the album that first got me hooked onto Hard Rock and later onto Metal

Oh wait the record has finished! Right then I'll finish up here and go put another one on... I think its gonna be Iron Maiden next!