Ah fuck it, I'll start now. It will give me an excuse to procrastinate on other work I should be doing.
I'm going to draw this out though, and post results in segments of 4. Here goes the first…
Zantera Jane's Addiction- Three Days
This here was the longest song I received this round. I'll admit I was a bit apprehensive going in, as I've never really liked any Jane's Addiciton that I have heard. Thus, it was a very pleasant surprise when I realized that this was significantly better than what I'd heard before. Firstly, you are absolutely right: this song is a journey. And the best part is that you can sense it right away in the use of spoken word. Oh and you're also right about the base line, I enjoyed that a great amount. The guitar solo/s are also fantastic. However, I unfortunately feel that the song a little too long, and maybe a little tiresome at times. I'm also not that big a fan of the vocals, for whatever reason. Some moments stand out, and connect with me, but most of the delivery feels somewhat average. Overall though, this is a solid send. You are rewarded with 6 points.
lonestar Alek Darson- The Rind
This was, at the very least, one of the more interesting submissions this round. Musically it's a whole lot of fun, and the vocals are quite something. I'm hearing a lot of Daniel Gildenlöw, as well as an almost unnoticeable trace of Devin Townsend. I don't know if that's what he was going for, but I think it works very very well. My one complaint on this song is that at times the transitions are a little jarring. It's entertaining, there's no doubt about that, I'm just not sure I always get the jumps. A good example would be at just under 3 minutes. It basically goes from 0 to 60 in .5 seconds before stopping again 20 seconds later, and it gives me a little bit of whiplash. Still, a very fun piece of music. You are rewarded with 6.5 points.
Dark Castle Circle Takes the Square- Enter By the Narrow Gates
While lonestar's was one of the most interesting submissions, this one might have been the single most interesting submission. I felt that I was in for something special when the opening chants kicked in, although I wasn't entirely sure what it would sound like. Then it hit me… "Bring forth the light", and my immediate reaction was welp, I'm not sure this is going to end well for Dark Castle. I'm thankful to say that I was wrong, because this song grew on me more than any others this round. It's got great atmosphere, great dynamics (I absolutely love it when nearly everything drops out but the alternating male female spoken word, intermixed with the screams). I will say however, I'm not a big fan of most of the vocal sections immediately after that bit, and before Farewell Persephone. Also, this isn't music I think I'll find myself listening to most of the times. It's very mood specific, and thus a lot of times doesn't deliver the full impact. Maybe that's my fault, and not theirs, but it still affects my opinion on the song. Overall, a good start. I reward you with 6.5 points.
Shadow Ninja 2.0 The Ocean- Into the Uncanny
Upon first listen, this was my favorite of all the songs. However, it didn't age with me as well as I had hoped. It was very good in the beginning, and it's still very good. Anyhow, when the vocals made their first appearance I was immediately infected with an enormous smile. And when the first roar appeared, I was knocked off my feet. I have to say though, his harsh vocals are kind of ugly imo. I suppose that they achieve their purpose, and I enjoy them most of the time, but they're not aesthetically satisfying. Regardless, the changing dynamics throughout this song feel effortless, and the song doesn't meander unnecessarily. It's got a point, and it gets me there pretty quickly. Good song. I reward you with 7 points.
So far:
Shadow Ninja 7
Dark Castle 6.5
lonestar 6.5
Zantera 6