Final results! Before posting them, I want to thank everyone again - all of you sent me at least one amazing song that I have already listened to multiple times. You are all awesome.
Shadow Ninja 2.0: The Dillinger Escape Plan - WidowerOk, I've listened to some of their stuff, but I only know their debut, so I let this through. And boy am I glad that I did. This is a side to Dillinger Escape Plan that I never knew existed, and that I never knew I wanted so badly. While they do the complete batshit insanity that I find best exemplified in "43% Burnt" very well, this is a totally different beast, and while I can't really compare the two, this is definitely really cool as well. Some great vocals by Greg here, and I really dig how restrained the music here is, until it finally breaks loose - it reminds of Ki in mood a little, even though the music is nothing alike. Really good build-up here, I have to say, and I enjoy how that is contrasted with the final bit that deliberately skips any kind of buildup, the contrast is really nice that way. Awesome song.
19 points.
senecadawg2: Braveyoung - The Weight of Loss Is WholeMore post-rocky goodness? Don't mind if I do. While I'm not really hearing the Godspeed elements of their sound, this is quite similar to Sigur Ros, though a lot more sombre. I love how the vocals are kind of buried in the mix here, it really works very well with the atmosphere that this song conveys. Also, they're not in Hopelandic, so that's a plus.
Some really good guitar melodies as well. Overall, I really like the stripped down fell of this - great song for when I just want to close my eyes and lose myself in the music. I won't always be in the mood for this, but when I am, this is just perfect.
18 points.
Tyrias: Oceansize - Trail of FireI've heard a lot about this band, but I never checked them out. Now I did, and... I'm not sure I like it? There's lots of things that I like about this - there's some great instrumentation, and I really dig the vocals, but this song just fails to really catch my attention all the same. I enjoy it when I force my attention on it, but when I don't, my mind wanders off and after the song is over, I could tell you that the dude has a cool voice and that there were some guitars on this song, and that's it. I wish I would dig this, because all the elements are there, but it fails to captivate me.
7 points.
mikemangioy: Caligula's Horse - Vanishing RitesYou had some trouble finding stuff I liked initially, but your last few submissions have been very good, and this is no exception. This was the second song that I got this round that felt Ki-esque, and much like the Dillinger song, the restrained tension throughout, only to explode into aggression at the very end worked very well. I also really dug the Floyd-ian solo and the singer's voice was a nice bonus. Amazing song, will definitely check this band out further.
19 points.
kingshmegland: I Mother Earth - God Rocket (Into the Heart of Las Vegas)I've seen you send this band in other roulettes, and they often got a good score. Will the trend continue here? Yes, it will. I really dig the calm intro and how it goes into the more rocking part that still takes its time and is all the more effective because of it. The vocals required a few listens to get used to, but I really like them now, they work very well with the music. All in all, this is a really good track, though I do wish that it were a teensy bit more varied - while the switches from rocking parts to calmer parts are really well done, I do find that the song doesn't quite have the musical ideas to justify its length of nearly seven minutes, even though no individual part is bad - it's just that it starts to run together at the end and feels a little less focused as a result, especially at the very end, which repeats a tad too often. Still a good tune, but it could have been amazing with some trimming.
15 points.
Sacul: JUNIUS - Forgiving the Cleansing MeteorAnd yet more post-rock! That's cool, I like post-rock. Especially when it's done well. Sadly, this isn't. Sure, there's good stuff - I like the guitars, and the drums, while initially weird-sounding, add a great vibe, but all in all, I'm just not really feeling this. Post-rock with vocals is very hit and miss for me anyway, and while seneca's song was a hit, this one is a definite miss, and that's mainly because I feel that the song doesn't really develop enough - it's very monotonous, especially in the vocals, and while that is sort of the point of post-rock, it can be done badly too, and it just falls flat as a result. Again, not a bad song per se, but I was expecting better things after that really cool guitar intro and given the quality of your other submissions, so I can't help but be disappointed. I will give you that the ending was pretty cool, but it's too little and too late.
8 points.
Elite: Moonloop - StrombusHoly shit! I have no idea why, but I was expecting some Floyd-ian ambient-y stuff, so the main riff here definitely surprised me, but it's a good surprise, because it's awesome. I really dig the guitar playing here, it seems like standard death metal riffage at first, but it's actually surprisingly nuanced, and of course you have that awesome contrast with the clean parts. I don't dig the clean vocals quite as much as I do the growls, but the contrast still works splendidly. The guitar soloing is pretty awesome as well, never venturing into the shred-for-the-sake-of-it territory. All in all, this is a really neat tune that surprised me in a very positive manner.
17 points.
Final standings!
Tyrias: 64.5 points
kingshmegland: 65.5 points
Sacul: 67 points
Elite: 67.5 points
mikemangioy: 72.5 points
Shadow Ninja 2.0: 82 points
senecadawg2: 84.5 points
To nobody's surprise, seneca took this one. Congratulations, bro!
Again, thank you all for playing - you all sent some awesome stuff, so don't despair if you ended up near the bottom of the rankings, that's just the way these things go. I still love you all.
Well, that's it. Scorpion out!