technical skills dont mean shit.

creed had technical skills.

That would be your opinion. I think knowing how to play an insturment well is an important part of being in a band. Is it everything? No. The Beatles taught us that. In the case of Isis, I'm not comparing them to Tool, but I'm saying after hearing their last two releases I would like to hear some technical improvement along with the progression in song writing. Just my opnion.

i'm going to give an example.

pelican were their best when they aimed for mood in their music, i'm talking the fire in our throats will beckon the thaw; then, with city of echoes, they became a better band techniquewise, and boring and derivative as all shit.

talent doesn't mean how well you can play your instrument but rather what would can you make with it; there's tons of bands that are talented and technical and tons more that are talented and non-technical at all. fuck it, i bet glenn branca can't play "smoke on the water" but how many symphonies has he written and performed?