If you got bonus points (BP), they aren't added to your final score until the final round. They'll be tallied separately for now. I've added a single map image in the final results post, so check that and tell me where you'd like to move.
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Making note of the bards and their curious music, Kattilonious the Jester slithered off in the dark of night to alert his master of their diverging paths. As the musicians walked on through verdant fields and dusty roads, they found more opportunities to share their music...
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#11. IndisciplineScipline the Indy of Lagavulin saw what his companions had been working on and decided to try his hand at the friendly competition. He also got piss drunk on wine and cracked wise about everyone's mothers.Uriah Heep - Choices 6.7Okay, hear me out, it's not bad at all, it's not offensive whatsoever, it's just one of those songs that doesn't resonate with me in any way. I'm left cold by the end of this, which is a strange disappointment because The Wizard is one of my favorite classic rock songs ever and I wanted to really like this, too.
John Miles - Music 7.0Well, the first 4 minutes kind of... drag. And that's truly what hurts the score here. The last two minutes however start off jaunty and fun, and quickly swell into something sincere and heartfelt and I love it. I wish I could just chop it off at that point and play those 2 minutes on loop. A touch reminiscent of the glory in 'Anthem' from round 1, but it's only a hill next to a mountain.
Scorpions - Holiday 7.7If it wasn't for how he says 'day' in 'holiday' I would not have known that was Klaus Meine. He sounds great. It's an interesting dip into Scorpion-infested waters, this one - the softness is not offputting but I was expecting something heavier and more fun like their hits, actually. The best way to sum this up is that it has me intrigued in this band because I finally know a song that hasn't been played to death on FM radio. Nothing groundbreaking... but I'll take this over The Zoo any fucking day without question.
Overall: 21.4
Average: 7.13
Movement: 7 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.13Scipline's jokes caused everyone else to leave him alone, and after enjoying some quality alone time, he realized it probably not for the best that he stay there by himself. You may move 7 spaces. Where do you go?
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#10. EvermindEvrys the Talespinner wiped the sweat from his brow - the flames of that evening's fire were raging unusually strong this night. He wondered if some music would bring some relief, instead of simply moving back a few feet.Phantasma - Enter Dreamscape 7.4Good stuff, but it dances close to the edge with a lot of predictable songwriting elements I'm afraid I've heard many times before and so it loses its magic rather fast. Not bad, just perfectly average. And sometimes that's okay - it's just not enough to net you any bonus points for this round, unfortunately.
Orden Ogan - Ravenhead 7.7This is such a fun song, and I swear I would give this a solid 9.0 if it weren't for three things: the production, namely with the vocal mix (they're buried under an avalanche of layers for everything else going on), the singer, who lacks the power I feel this song demands, even in the chorus, and 40 seconds of filler at the end. I know this band has soared in popularity, and I love the chorus to this song, but I wonder if there's a song where the singer really lets loose. There's some great riffing and fun metal here but in this genre you need the vocals to stand out and they're being stifled here.
Teramaze - An Ordinary Dream (Enla Momento) 6.6Unfortunately this is a big gamble that did not pay off. It's a very long song, and I wish it was half the length if I'm telling the truth. Most of what's here I feel is already in my collection, scattered across several artists. When it's fun, it's fun, mainly when there are solos and a lot of musical activity, but the chorus has such a grating melody that I find it hard to objectively appreciate it. There's a grinding halt in the middle, and another that makes the last two minutes kind of an unnecessary tag - the part from 10:00-10:30 is so good and it's just cut off like nothing! It's a quality metal epic in some ways, but I'm not feeling anything from this which sucks because it sounds like I should be resonating with the softer moments. I feel like with a good bit of trimming and a better chorus I would enjoy this much more.
Overall: 21.7
Average: 7.23~
Movement: 7 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.23Evrys fell asleep immediately after spilling his heart out for over 20 straight minutes, and awoke in a daze the next morning. He traveled onward. You may move 7 spaces. Where do you go?
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#9. EliteThe Whore of Roulettes himself carefully balanced a dented goblet on the rocky road and drunkenly sang into the night, not caring who was or was not paying attention.Kaddisfly - via rail (Janvier) 7.4What an utterly strange song. Charming, in a way. The vocals are reminiscent of a few bands but I can't quite pinpoint which ones because I might be completely off base - hints of Thank You Scientist for one, I reckon. There's an odd energy in this track that really comes out when the vocals do that... thing... they do in the back half of the track, they kinda go off the rails and drag the song a bit too much for my liking. I've read about this band a lot on DTF, though... maybe I should check out another song.
Muse - Stockholm Syndrome 8.0The fuzz! So much fuzz! Did this song come out before they got huge or were they already big? The production makes me wonder, because I can't say it's great, but the songwriting tells me they must have been doing this for a while because it's polished and executed well. The vocals were initially grating (so much falsetto) but I warmed up to them on repeated listens, and now they're strangely satisfying to hear. The synths in the chorus are an utter delight and I want to hear them isolated because everything about them is a joy to my ears, I just really wish the guitars weren't so fuzzy and the production was better. Knights of Cydonia it ain't, but it's a damn nice song. I need to hear more Muse, clearly.
Firewind - Into the Fire 8.3You know, I think I've actually heard this - yup, The Premonition, I checked it out when it was released. While this isn't a bad song, I know I've heard better from Firewind. Is that Apollo on vocals? He sounds superb. I do prefer Chitral Somapala, his vocals on Forged By Fire are phenomenal metal vox, but Apollo is holding his own so well on this song it's a wonder he wasn't the lead singer from the very beginning. This one got a little bit better with each listen. Not sure if I'll hear the full album anytime soon, but I know I enjoyed this a lot more than I did 10 years ago.
Overall: 23.7
Average: 7.90
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 7.90Intoxicated from cheap mead and exhilarating sounds, the Whore of Roulettes ran down the road, laughing hysterically. He would be found sprawled out in a bush the next morning, but not before putting a fair distance on his boots. You may move 8 spaces. Where do you go?
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#8. kingshmeglandThe King of the Smeglands, a level 20 Throne Potato, giggled with drunken delight at the prospect of showing off his musical prowess to his fellow journeymen. The King of Bards(?) launched into a suite of brand new material...This Day & Age - More Of A Climb, Less Of A Walk 8.5I could be totally off my rocker here, but the rhythm section in this piece is not unlike what I'd hear in a relatively recent Kings of Leon song. The chorus melody really sticks out to me as something special, and of all the songs this round I think the lyrics to this one are my favorite. Not sure what kind of genre you'd classify this as but whatever it is, this is really good and an unexpected surprise.
A.C.T. - A Truly Gifted Man 8.9One of the only songs to immediately make me pay attention, unabashed in its bouncy nature and uplifting vibes. Catchy and fun and a GREAT synth line I can't get enough of, this is a winner here. I was expecting 80s AOR from the name of the band, but this was something else entirely. So poppy... so totally up my alley. Great song all around, the last couple minutes elevate this song to another level, I never want that section to end. That's how you make a good fun keyboard part.
Echolyn - Past Gravity 6.7Inoffensively average, I'm sorry to report - it does not stand out to me in any big way, but it is enjoyable enough to keep me from checking the time courtesy of the guitar parts. I think a song with a bit more 'oomph' and instrumental complexity would make me drool, though - I did some reading on this band and although this song doesn't do much of anything for me, there's gotta be something in that decently sized catalog I can sink my teeth into. I am making an explicit exception for this band by allowing another song to be sent if you choose to do so.
Overall: 24.1
Average: 8.03
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.03Proud of his new material, but perhaps wanting to do reach new heights, the Throne Potato grabbed his things and set a course to resume his adventure. You may move 8 spaces. Where do you go?
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#7. NekovNekov, the annoying Wizard from the South, felt a twinge of regret at going ahead of his companions, primarily because a band of cutthroats had held him against a tree demanding entertainment or his life. Apparently currency is not in demand in this world. Whoops.Leech - The Man With The Hammer 7.6Follows all the beats of haunting and dreary post-rock with a heavy finish to boot, it just takes a long time to get there. That's not often a complaint I have with post-rock, but after a few minutes it's kind of like, shit or get off the pot, to be blunt. Trim a couple minutes and you've got a song I love. All that said this is a damn good post rock song, and perhaps if I was in the mood - maybe give me some left hand cigarettes and a heavy beer - I'd be jamming this for both me and the neighbors.
Pure Reason Revolution - Bullits Dominae 8.5Chill, but builds the energy at a steady clip - mucho goodo. The vocal cadences and texture do something to me, I really enjoy this and I wonder why this is the first I've heard of this group. They have an interesting sound that's my cup of tea.
Pure Reason Revolution - The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows 8.7This is awesome. Reminds me a little of Steven Wilson the way the vocal melody kinda dances up and down and plays well with the rhythm section, and the synths fill in the spaces nicely. The chill parts don't ruin the flow, and I like the female vocals that come in later. These songs of yours have a tendency, I've noticed, to pick up and end on a heavier note than they began, which seems to work well for the songs you've sent. Good stuff.
Overall: 24.8
Average: 8.27
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.27The cutthroats sheathed their dull and rusty knives, realizing the error of their ways. How could they rob, or even kill, such an artist? "What's art?" one of them asked. The annoying Wizard from the South did verily haul ass to fairer destinations. You may move 8 spaces. Where do you go?
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#6. StadlerJethro of Avalon had bid his fellow bards goodbye long ago, and excitement rushed through his veins as he followed the signs into the heart of the midlands. With the sun high in the sky, he began to sing to himself - and to any fortunate passersby who might hear his melody.The Cult - Edie (Ciao Baby) 8.9Is this considered a classic band in the rock world? I've never listened to them until now, but wow am I digging this. That chorus solidifies it for me, it's just a really good song. Straightforward, no frills ballad turned rock with a strong solo to cap it off. Come teach my little brother what real rock is, please.
Enuff Z'Nuff - Fly High Michelle 7.2This song glistens with the grease of 80s cheese for sure, but I'm not feeling this one too much because it's a bit slow. The other songs have this nice brisk tempo to them. This is just slow enough to avoid being a power ballad but not fast enough to really get me into it. The chorus is stuck on my brain, but I almost wish it wasn't, just because the rest of the song doesn't grip me the same way.
Concrete Blonde - Caroline 8.9Smooth, simple, and catchy. There's a poppiness to this that really works in its favor. I like it even more because the singer reminds me of Florence Welch, the tone of her voice and how she phrases melodies always makes me think of Florence + The Machine. It's got a veil of 80s production over it but in a good way, not the bad, Mick Jagger-David Bowie Dancing In The Streets kind of way.
Overall: 25.0
Average: 8.33~
Movement: 8 spaces
TOTAL SCORE: 8.33Jethro of Avalon wiped a tear from his eye, memories of his youth flooding back as he finished singing songs from his glory days. The road was long yet, and he had many more songs to sing. You may move 8 spaces. Where do you go?
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