ROUND 2 RESULTS
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Puppies
Primordial – To the Nameless Dead (2007)
First impression: The sound is kind of raw, but it’s also absolutely huge. Combined with quite a lovely harmonic approach, this was really immersive right from the start and made a big first impression on me.
Final opinion: From bottom in one round to top in the next! This is wonderful stuff. The tone and style is very consistent throughout, and as a result the album maybe feels a little on the long side for me, but only slightly so it's a very minor issue. Apart from that, it's fantastic. I really love how big and immersive the sound is. And my comment about the harmonic approach related to how sorrowful it is, just beautiful at times, especially in combination with the big heavy aural onslaught. I did struggle a bit to decide between this and the second place album, but I ended up settling on this because although there's no individual element that sounds particularly original or unusual to me, overall it doesn't sound like anything else in my collection.
Rating: 8.5/10
Score: 10 + 1 bonus = 11 points
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Clortho
Bear Ghost – Blasterpiece (2016)
First impression: Energetic and slightly mad. Not enough roulette submissions involve kazoos.
Final opinion: This album is such a blast(erpiece). It's brilliantly entertaining, quirky, funky and slickly-performed. Reminds me quite a lot of Toehider in a number of ways. If anything, it's got more of a swagger and sense of fun than Toehider, and it rocks more consistently. Though what it doesn't have, from what I've gathered, is the same depth of lyrical content. But anyway it's a great album, and I like how as it goes on the songs do get a bit more serious and some of the later songs have a great feel to them. Top notch stuff, and that’s two hits out of two for you. How long can you keep this up?
Rating: 8.5/10
Score: 9.5 + 1 bonus = 10.5 points
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Evermind ft. Lucases
While Heaven Wept – Vast Oceans Lachrymose (2009)
First impression: Also a little cheesy at times but there's lots that I like here, especially instrumentally. Some really gorgeous moments. Not wholly sold on the vocals so far.
Final opinion: So this is a good example of my first impression being fairly inaccurate. Overall it's not that cheesy actually, there are just a handful of moments that stood out to me on first listen (including when the vocals first come in) that probably skewed my initial view. Same with the vocals - there are parts I'm not into and some of the lyrics seem a bit eh, but he's a versatile and quite impressive singer, using a lot of different styles some of which suit him really well (especially his John Arch style stuff in To Wander the Void). What I was spot on about though was the gorgeous moments. Really beautiful harmonies in some of the instrumental sections of the sort you'd find in melodic death metal and which give the album a unique feel. Not mind blowing maybe, but overall it's excellent.
Rating: 8/10
Score: 8.5 + 1 bonus = 9.5 points
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Train ft. Elite
Glass Animals – How To Be A Human Being (2016)
First impression: Warm and groovy. Kinda quirky but also accessible. I like it, though it feels like there might be something a bit lacking.
Final opinion: Took a few listens to decide whether this deserved an 8/10 or not. I can’t put my finger on what it was I felt was lacking, just that as lovely as it is it never quite excites me. But music doesn’t always have to excite me, and now that I’ve gotten to know the album pretty well, it’s a lot of fun and has a really nice groove to it and some great hooks. It occasionally sounds like slightly middle-of-the-road pop, but mostly it’s pretty quirky and experimental. I particularly like the fun use of synths. I’ve liked it more with each listen and I expect that to continue.
Rating: 8/10
Score: 7.5 + 1 bonus = 8.5 points
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Luoto
Pressure Points – False Lights (2015)
First impression: I thought I knew what this was going to be like from the first song but it went in some other directions and had some nice variety. The production doesn't seem to give it the impact it needs, which might hold it back, but it was good still.
Final opinion: Actually it wasn't the whole first song, but the first few minutes that sounded like melodic death metal with some Pink Floyd mixed in. But in fact, while those elements are present throughout, the album as a whole has some quite varied prog. Solid stuff, if a little inconsistent to me. A lot of the production is good, especially in much of the instrumental and guitar solo sections, some of which sound great. But where it lacks punch is the vocals, which are often (though not always, oddly) quite quiet in the mix. The harsh vocals particularly sound a little thin and ineffective, and I think it holds back the album. It does have some great stuff though, especially in the second half - the last few minutes of Dance of Coincidence are a particular standout for me.
Rating: 7.5/10
Score: 7 points
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Cyril
A Novelist – Folie (2019)
First impression: The playing and production are fantastic, but musically a lot of this left me feeling pretty cold. There are some great moments though so it might grow on me more.
Final opinion: It’s a bit hard to articulate why I don’t like this album more, but I think ultimately it comes down to being too inconsistent. There is some really fantastic stuff: some really intense heavy moments, some grand and kind of immersive melodic bits, and just consistently excellent production and playing, particularly the guitarist. There’s also a fair amount of the album that’s solid enough: my first impression of finding it “cold” refers to a lot of this, where the music is sort of melodic but just not very exciting (I’ve found this with some stuff you’ve sent me in the past). And then some is… I don’t think bad is the right word, because it’s not bad at all, but off-putting maybe. In particular, the vocalist seems to only have one way of using harsh vocals, and it works great with some of the heavier music but at other times (like the bluesy prog bits of Tombeau or Acacia Crown) the music contrasts with the aggression in the vocals in a way that just doesn’t work for me.
Rating: 7.5/10
Score: 6.5 points
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Katt
Power Quest – Magic Never Dies (2005)
First impression: This is a little cheesy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Too early to say whether it's enjoyable enough to warrant the cheese factor.
Final opinion: I don’t think I’d say this is cheesier than some other stuff I listen to, but I don’t think I quite find it enjoyable enough to warrant it. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s still really solid and enjoyable power metal. It sounds like the lovechild of early Sonata Arctica and Bon Jovi, though with not quite as much charm as either. Overall I like it plenty, probably on a par with mid-tier Sonata. There are some very catchy tunes, the singer is extremely skilled if perhaps not the most exciting, and the lead guitarist is top-notch. Ultimately though, there’s nothing at all here that I can’t get from other music I listen to, and as a result I don’t find it exciting enough to really want to go back to it.
Rating: 7.5/10
Score: 6 points
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Tomi
mewithoutYou – [Untitled] (2018)
First impression: Hmm, I like the general style and appreciate the variety and experimentation, but on first listen there was almost nothing hooking me in.
Final opinion: Feels like this has a lot of elements that I really like. I dig the overall style of the album with its blend of post-hardcore and more indie rock. I also enjoy how varied it is within that style, bringing in a number of other influences and moving between different tones and ideas. There are a number of places where it reminds me quite a lot of Brand New, though rarely as exciting as their best stuff. I think they do the slower and more somber stuff particularly well (like in Julia and Winter Solstice). But as good as everything is, it never really hits the right spot for me. The melodies and riffs aren’t especially memorable, and there’s never enough emotional impact to hook me in.
Rating: 7/10
Score: 5.5 points
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Seneca
Ben Howard – I Forget Where We Were (2014)
First impression: Nice album, but not sure it’s as interesting as your last submission. The vocals in particular don’t seem very engaging, and very little stood out to me.
Final opinion: Yeah this is nice for sure, very nice, but I’m not fully getting into it after a good few listens. There are some lovely songs - particularly ones like the opener and the title track which have a gentle, slightly bluesy vibe. I think those slower tunes suit his voice quite well too, he sounds really soulful in them. There are enough of those songs for me to enjoy the album pretty well, but the rest I just find a little boring. Pleasant, just not very interesting. And yeah his voice in the more upbeat tunes just doesn’t do it for me at all.
Rating: 7/10
Score: 4.5 points
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Nekov ft. King
Apparat – The Devil's Walk (2011)
First impression: Perfectly pleasant, but didn’t hold my attention at all. Not sure if that's a feature of my mood or the music just not engaging me, so won't pre-judge.
Final opinion: This is the archetypal 7/10 album for me, which is good but in roulette terms tends to be a pretty low score. There are no specific issues or faults with it at all, and I like it a fair bit. It’s extremely competent, well-produced electronica with a nice post-rock vibe and some cool moments (especially in Goodbye, which I genuinely love). Unfortunately, for the most part there’s just nothing that stands out as especially interesting. It’s really lovely background music, but I don’t see myself seeing it as anything more than that.
Rating: 7/10
Score: 4 points
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Scores after Round 2:
1. Clortho = 12.0 + 10.5 = 22.5
2. Train ft. Elite = 9.5 + 8.5 = 18.0
3. Cyril = 9.0 + 6.5 = 15.5
4. Puppies = 4.0 + 11.0 = 15.0
5. Evermind ft. Lucases = 5.0 + 9.5 = 14.5
6= Nekov ft. King = 10.0 + 4.0 = 14.0
6= Luoto = 7.0 + 7.0 = 14.0
8= Seneca = 8.5 + 4.5 = 13.0
8= Tomi = 7.5 + 5.5 = 13.0
10. Katt = 6.5 + 6.0 = 12.5
Topic: ariich’s roulette 5.0 – The End (again (the actual end this time (really))) (Read 57473 times)