So serious congratulations to our man, the number one (for today at least),
Train of PainTrain of Naught: EP Title: They're Dropping Bombs in the Schoolyard, Mom
God is an Astronaut - Vetus MemoriaA really nice atmospheric intro to start with. I love the use of piano and all the instrumentation gels together well. It's kind of straight forward but sets the tone for the EP. The piano is certainly the highlight. It also builds to a heavier ending before drifting off, this leads into the next song really well.
Score: 7/10Beardfish - Voluntary SlaverySo some of this is just copy and pasted from home's write up
'This song
it's weird to have this featured in two EPs. I love the pounding drums and heavy guitars. I've heard of these guys before but I expected them to sound a bit more classic prog for some reason. The vocals remind me of another band which I can't place. They bring a good slab of metal to this EP which blends a bit of sludge in for good measure. The riffing is great and the drums feel really huge and are off kilter enough to make it interesting. The reoccuring vocal part obviously sticks in your head, especially as it is also the title of your EP. I can definitely understand why you have chosen this for my EP, I really dig it. The vocals throughout this really work for me, It's pretty infectious to be honest. The climax makes me want to pound my chest in the manliest of ways.' So yeah, I think this song worked in both EPs but it fits slightly better in yours I'd say and the transition into this is great.
Score: 8.5/10Avatar - The Eagle Has LandedThis starts with the heavy riffage that is commonplace up to this point (with this EP). The vocals are quite a weird and hard to make my mind up on. It has that kind of novelty feel to it and the vocal melodies bounce along. Musically it is pretty cool but the rest is a bit of a turn off. It sticks in your head but not necessarily for the right reasons. It's all fine and dandy and works ok with the EP. It's Traincore I guess and kinda similar to some other stuff that you have sent me throughout this roulette.
Score: 7/10Black Peaks - Set in StoneNever heard of these guys before. I'll admit that I sometimes forget this song is even here, until I hear it again. I love the powerful screams in this song, that is a high point and this also keeps with the trend you have built here. It's not the greatest song it has enough that I like about it. The transition into the next song is as seamless as it gets. Really cool stuff here.
Score: 7.5/10Hacride - Strive Ever to MoreAnother heavy song that slides perfectly into this EP. It is kind of nice but a bit forgettable for me. I like the keys that are going on in the background, behind the main meat and potatoes of the song, at certain points. This style of harsh vocal falls into the hardcore style (like Hatebreed or something) at times and they are ok, but nothing particularly special in my book. The cleans are more to my tastes. The chorus is good enough to scream out I suppose. I've seen you and Parama discuss these guys a bit but this hasn't really been enough to make me want to check these guys out any further.
Score: 7.5/10Novembre - Onirica EastThis end is like the extended outro which brings you down after the all out intensity of the EP thus far (whilst still being pretty intense itself). I do actually have an album by these guys (I think it's their debut). This has black metal style vocals (which is a bit risky), as you had mentioned but luckily the music isn't straight up BM. There is some real nice audible bass in this song which rumbles nicely. It does break into more all out black metal, especially with the drumming. This is ok and works well in the context of the EP but I don't find it really that great as it's own song.
Score: 7/10Novembre - Outro - Spirit of the Forest (Tales...Reprise) This ending is quite nice and serves the same purpose as the intro track I guess, but I like the intro track more. The last minute and a half is the best and I like that guitar sound. Nice round off to the EP.
Score: 6.5/10Average Score: 14.5/20Flow: 4/5Total Score: 18.5/25 Grand Roulette Total: 90So there we have it. I really liked your EP dude but I think it started a lot stronger than it ended. It peaks by the second song and dips a little with the Avatar song before coming back up a little with Black Peaks. Hacride left me a little cold and the last two weren't my faves but it won you this thing in the end. This EP definitely has a good flow though and it was definitely part of why you ultimately won. I think home's EP actually had the highest score for the round but this was only by like 0.25. Thanks again for participating Train, you have sent me some really great stuff and I have plenty to check out. If I remember rightly you didn't have the best start to this roulette (although you were still pretty solid) but you brought it home towards the end
I'm interested to see who has the most songs featured on my 'best of roulette' playlist. I might even knock it up later today. I know you have sent me plenty of good shit Train and I know that everyone will have at least one song.
This whole thing has taken longer then I though it would but I'm glad I actually stuck with it. Thanks again to everyone who joined in and played along with my bullshit themed rounds (like the sing-along and wrestler entrance
). I'd like to think that one day I might try another one of these but it won't be for at least a year.