Author Topic: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Here At the End of All Things  (Read 20903 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Let it be known that here, on this day, 425 has issued a challenge.

Offline Tomislav95

  • Posts: 6308
  • Gender: Male
Something tells me we're not getting results today :lol
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline 425

  • Posts: 6910
  • Gender: Male
Oops. :lol
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
I'm just messing with you guys. Results should still be up today. I only woke up a few hours ago, though, so "today" is just getting started for me.

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #39 on: August 06, 2015, 01:56:54 PM »
ROUND 1 RESULTS


Tom Bombadil
Umphrey’s McGee - In The Kitchen

So I’ve heard of this group before, but I never checked them out because I thought their name was awful. Well, their name is still awful, but as it turns out they still make some pretty great music! This is probably the song that grew on me the most during this round. I think there’s a definite prog influence here, but the bluesy and rock aspects seem much closer to the surface.

One of the things that I think is interesting about this piece is how, individually, none of the parts really stand out as spectacular on their own, but they all come together to make a really tight composition. The singer seems to stay in his comfort zone, the guitar and drums never do anything huge, but taken altogether it’s really quite marvelous. I am definitely interested in checking out more of their material!

8.5 points


Nekov
Papadosio - Find Your Cloud

I’m really at a loss to describe this one musically. Like, I have no idea what genre or style this is. :lol   It definitely made me smile, though, and it’s a ton of fun. The instrumentation is all performed extremely well, and I think it’s interesting how relaxing the song manages to be, even though the instruments (the drums in particular) are really tight and fast most of the time. I really like the vocals as well, and I kinda appreciate that they only show up sporadically, letting the instrumentalists carry the piece.

I guess my only real complaint about this one is that it does feel like it goes on a little longer than the ideas in the composition necessarily justify, and it gets a bit repetitive near the end. Still, though, this is a fantastic piece of music, and I’m certainly interested in seeing what other kind of stuff this band does!

8 points


Train of Naught
Rival Sons - Keep On Swinging

Damn son, this is great. I had no idea music like this was still being made. This is just some good ol straight up rock ’n roll. And maybe it’s because the video was filmed in a church, but the whole thing feels like it’s got a bit of gospel influence in the music as well. I guess that might just be the bluesy feel, though, as I think blues and gospel are pretty closely connected.

Anyway, this song is pretty awesome. The singer rocks, the song is well performed, and it’s just a ton of fun to listen to. Have some points, sir.

9 points


Tomislav95
Elliot Smith - Between The Bars

So this is kind of a strange one. Stylistically, this seems like exactly the kind of thing I should be like ALL ABOUT, but for some reason this song doesn’t really do it for me. The playing is nice I suppose, and vocals are certainly fine, but the melodies don’t really do much for me, and overall I just find the song a bit forgettable. I do feel kinda bad about this, since it really seems the kind of thing I should like. Can’t win ‘em all though, I suppose.

6.5 pints


Scorpion
Eminem - Stan

Yeah, this is pretty great. A lot of Eminem’s shtick (based on what little I’ve heard of him) seems to be writing offensive stuff just for its own sake, but he can write some really powerful stuff when he puts his mind to it. The lyrics are fantastic, and I think Eminem does a great job here portraying an obsessive fan. I don’t know how much of this story is based on actual experiences, but regardless, it’s very powerful.

I suppose my only complaint is that the actual “rap” part (like, the rhymes and flow) could be a little stronger. It’s a relatively nitpick, though. This is a very strong track.

9 points


425
Iron Maiden - The Legacy

I don’t know if you know it, but you took a big risk here. :lol  Iron Maiden are one of those bands I’ve just never managed to get into. I like Number of the Beast (the song) and like first four minutes of Rime of the Ancient Mariner, before I get bored and start listening to something else.

So let’s talk about this song. Right from the beginning, I can tell I’m going to like this one more, based on the production. Most other IM stuff I’ve heard has really muddy production, and honestly pretty weak guitar tones. That’s not the case here, though. The acoustic intro is great, and that first riff that comes in is fantastic, and the guitar tone is great as well. Honestly, all-around, instrumentally, this song is quite excellent. Plus I can actually hear the bass, how great is that?

Let’s talk about the vocals. This will probably upset people, but I’ve never thought that much of Bruce Dickinson. He kinda falls into the Geoff Tate camp of “I have no idea why this guy is so highly regarded”. In the acoustic intro, I actually rather like his vocals, but I’m not huge on his performance throughout the rest of the song. Especially on the sections where his voice is sort of multitracked, it really kinda rubs me the wrong way. I mean, I don’t outright dislike his vocals, they just don’t do a whole lot for me.

Overall I don’t think this song is a miss, though. I definitely like it more than any other IM song I’ve heard, and as I said, instrumentally it’s tremendous, and even with my lukewarmness on Bruce as a vocalist, I still end up liking the piece quite a bit.

8 points


Bolsters
HAIM - Falling

This is a good song.

… I guess I should say a bit more about it. :lol  This song seems to have all of the best elements of modern pop music (concise, catchy songs, great vocals, etc.) without any of its common shortcomings (obvious/bad autotuning, poor instrumentation). The singer (singers? It mainly sounds like just one voice to me) is great, the song is really composed and pleasant, and even though the focus isn’t on the instrumental aspect as much, it’s still quite good, and there’s a few points where I heard some really fantastic guitar work, which is pretty cool. I guess my only complaint here is that the song doesn’t seem to have anything to take it from “really good” up to “great”. It seems very safe, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does (in my mind, at least) prevent the song from reaching the upper echelons of greatness.

8.5 points


bl5150
Labyrinth - State of Grace

So oddly enough I have actually heard of this group before. Another band I listen to (Pathfinder, the most over-the-top power metal band ever) had the vocalist guest on one of their albums, and he was pretty awesome. I didn’t really check them out extensively, though.

This song is basically exactly what it purports to be, which is a really good power metal track. All the instrumentation is solid, and the guitar solo in particular is excellent; I like how the guitarist manages to be fast and shreddy, but still fit in some melodic stuff as well. The vocals are quite good, as well. He does occasionally veer into that over-emphasized vibrato that I tend to associate with Italian power metal, and that hurts my appreciation of the song somewhat, but fortunately it doesn’t happen too often. Overall, I really solid submission, with a fantastic guitar solo.

8 points


Sacul
David Maxim Micic - Mbinguni Amina

Personally I’m really surprised by your choice, I would never have expected you to send this artist. :P  The song starts out kind of oddly with some voice samples, and some sort of off-sounding acoustic guitar coming in a bit later. Then a really awesome brass (trumpet?) section comes in, which I really like a lot.

and then

AND MOTHERFUCKING THEN

This fucking vocalist. Holy shit. He is magnificent. He’s like a Russian opera singer or something with a metal grit to his voice.

Unfortunately, this is kind of my problem with the song. The singer is good, like, insanely good, but he only appears for about 30 seconds. Then we get some fairly standard djent riffing, and some other instrumental bits, which aren’t bad, necessarily, but they kind of don’t stand out to me in any way either. This is actually the same feeling I’ve gotten from the Destiny Potato stuff I’ve checked out. Like, there’s some great stuff, but most of the time I feel llike I’m just waiting around through the not-so-interesting stuff for something cool to happen again. There is a very nice guitar solo in this section that I really like, though. Then the vocalist comes back again, but only for a little while, and then the song fades out on a sort of war march, which is pretty cool.

So overall this one is a bit of a mixed bag. If the singer had been on the majority of the track, this would have been 10 points, no question. Unfortunately, there’s just too much of the song that doesn’t really interest me, while I wait for the next awesome moment from the vocalist. Sorry bro, I know you had high hopes for this one. The sections that I liked, though, I really loved, and you are definitely on the right track there.

7 points


Standings

Scorpion - 9
Train of Naught - 9
Bolsters - 8.5
Tom Bombadil - 8.5
425 - 8
bl5150 - 8
Nekov - 8
Sacul - 7
Tomislav95 - 6.5


So now it’s time for ROUND TWO.

Which is the same as this round. Send whatever you want! I am anxiously anticipating the listening of these songs.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2015, 02:51:09 PM by Shadow Ninja 2.0 »

Offline 425

  • Posts: 6910
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #40 on: August 06, 2015, 02:07:51 PM »
I kind of suspected I might be taking a risk, given that your banned list seems to be covering a lot of territory right around Maiden without including them... I figured there must be a reason :lol

But an 8? I can work with that; I'll definitely take that! Glad you liked the instrumentation, at least, even if not Brucie. And in Maiden, you can always hear the bass, because Steve Harris is the band leader and probably the most influential bassist in the metal genre.

If you're interested in more of this type of Maiden, look at that album (A Matter of Life and Death) and The Final Frontier. The Talisman on the latter is somewhat similar to The Legacy.

Working on where I'm going next; should send at some point tonight.
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

Offline bl5150

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 9132
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #41 on: August 06, 2015, 02:09:11 PM »

But an 8? I can work with that; I'll definitely take that!

Me too - probably the best mark I have received in a non-fogey roulette  ;D
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au

Offline Train of Naught

  • I sympathize, with a cockroach
  • Posts: 8008
  • Gender: Male
  • .....and a cockroach
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #42 on: August 06, 2015, 02:09:32 PM »
Glad I'm not the only one who likes Rival Sons, would never have discovered them if I didn't randomly bump into that festival stage where they were performing. :neverusethis:
people on this board are actual music fans who developed taste in music and not casual listeners who are following current fashion trends and listening to only current commercial hits.

Offline Train of Naught

  • I sympathize, with a cockroach
  • Posts: 8008
  • Gender: Male
  • .....and a cockroach
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #43 on: August 06, 2015, 02:12:05 PM »
If you're interested in more of this type of Maiden, look at that album (A Matter of Life and Death) and The Final Frontier. The Talisman on the latter is somewhat similar to The Legacy.
This, The Talisman is great and kinda similar indeed, I was surprised that IM released two albums so good this far in their career, but they're honestly up there with some of the older stuff IMO.
people on this board are actual music fans who developed taste in music and not casual listeners who are following current fashion trends and listening to only current commercial hits.

Offline Nekov

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 10715
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #44 on: August 06, 2015, 02:30:48 PM »
 :laugh: I agree with you that the song goes a little longer that it should. You can find a couple of live performances form them on youtube as well as most of the album that song comes from. For more you'd need Spotify....

Will send something when I get home
When Ginobili gets hot, I get hot in my pants. 

Offline Tomislav95

  • Posts: 6308
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #45 on: August 06, 2015, 02:43:43 PM »
I really missed with Elliott Smith there :lol but to be honest I didn't like him at first either, you should try it some time later.
I hope you'll like next one more :)
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline bl5150

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 9132
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #46 on: August 06, 2015, 03:46:32 PM »
Sent Rd 2
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #47 on: August 06, 2015, 03:50:42 PM »
Tomislav I just noticed I gave you pints instead of points. I think I'm gonna leave it that way. :lol

Offline Train of Naught

  • I sympathize, with a cockroach
  • Posts: 8008
  • Gender: Male
  • .....and a cockroach
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #48 on: August 06, 2015, 03:55:41 PM »
Sent, riskier pick this time around.  :yarr
people on this board are actual music fans who developed taste in music and not casual listeners who are following current fashion trends and listening to only current commercial hits.

Offline sneakyblueberry

  • put me in coach
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4363
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #49 on: August 06, 2015, 03:58:51 PM »
fuck I'm gutted I missed sign up.  Oh well, following for fun :tup

Offline Tomislav95

  • Posts: 6308
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #50 on: August 06, 2015, 04:08:08 PM »
Tomislav I just noticed I gave you pints instead of points. I think I'm gonna leave it that way. :lol
Yeah, I noticed that, too. Wanted to know what happened to other half of the pint :P
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline Sacul

  • Spinettapilled
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 12114
  • Gender: Male
  • ¿De qué sirvió haber cruzado a nado la mar?
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #51 on: August 06, 2015, 04:42:06 PM »
This fucking vocalist. Holy shit. He is magnificent. He’s like a Russian opera singer or something with a metal grit to his voice.
Yeah, knew you'd love his performance  ;D . Huh, kind of thought you'd like the growl-y section at around the 4 mins more and the rest of the song as well, but I guess it can't be helped.

Sending soon.

Offline Nekov

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 10715
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #52 on: August 06, 2015, 07:19:10 PM »
Sent
When Ginobili gets hot, I get hot in my pants. 

Offline Tom Bombadil

  • Posts: 1649
  • Gender: Male
  • We Do Not Sow
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #53 on: August 06, 2015, 08:31:44 PM »
Totally agree with your description. Nothing super special about any individual parts, but the song as a whole is awesome.

Sent Round 2.

Offline Sacul

  • Spinettapilled
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 12114
  • Gender: Male
  • ¿De qué sirvió haber cruzado a nado la mar?
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #54 on: August 06, 2015, 08:55:00 PM »
Sended.

Offline Bolsters

  • Lost Boy
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5487
  • Gender: Male
  • What a hell of a day to embrace disorder

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Handing out Results Like Cheap Cigars
« Reply #56 on: August 06, 2015, 10:42:34 PM »
I kind of suspected I might be taking a risk, given that your banned list seems to be covering a lot of territory right around Maiden without including them... I figured there must be a reason :lol

But an 8? I can work with that; I'll definitely take that! Glad you liked the instrumentation, at least, even if not Brucie. And in Maiden, you can always hear the bass, because Steve Harris is the band leader and probably the most influential bassist in the metal genre.

I will admit, I did not think I this roulette would cause me to enjoy an Iron Maiden song, so good job on that front. :lol  I probably will at least check out A Matter Of Life and Death, even if I'm still not big on Bruce himself.

I really missed with Elliott Smith there :lol but to be honest I didn't like him at first either, you should try it some time later.
I hope you'll like next one more :)

Yeah, it's definitely one I could see growing on me. I'm honestly kind of baffled as to why it didn't click with me, since it really seems like something I should love. Alas.

Tomislav I just noticed I gave you pints instead of points. I think I'm gonna leave it that way. :lol
Yeah, I noticed that, too. Wanted to know what happened to other half of the pint :P

Listening to music is thirsty business. :P

This fucking vocalist. Holy shit. He is magnificent. He’s like a Russian opera singer or something with a metal grit to his voice.
Yeah, knew you'd love his performance  ;D . Huh, kind of thought you'd like the growl-y section at around the 4 mins more and the rest of the song as well, but I guess it can't be helped.

Sending soon.

There definitely were other parts I liked, such as the brass section, and as I said, I really liked the guitar solo. I don't know, I guess the djenty stuff just isn't working for me, and overall I think the song would be a lot more coherent if the vocals played a more prominent role.


Also, to everyone, I have 8 out of 9 songs so far. No rush, since results just went up, but I'll start listening whenever I get the last one, and then we'll probably see those results within a few days. You guys have been really on top of sending stuff quickly so far, so keep that up! That way I'll feel more guilty about procrastinating on results. :P


Offline 425

  • Posts: 6910
  • Gender: Male
I will admit, I did not think I this roulette would cause me to enjoy an Iron Maiden song, so good job on that front. :lol  I probably will at least check out A Matter Of Life and Death, even if I'm still not big on Bruce himself.

Yay! :tup


Also, to everyone, I have 8 out of 9 songs so far. No rush, since results just went up, but I'll start listening whenever I get the last one, and then we'll probably see those results within a few days. You guys have been really on top of sending stuff quickly so far, so keep that up! That way I'll feel more guilty about procrastinating on results. :P

To everyone = To 425 :lol

Sent. I was the late-y late.
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Well, late-y late in this instance is less than 12 hours after the results were posted, so I think you're good. :lol

Anyway, I have all the songs now, but I'll hold off on listening, on account of me being super tired but unable to get to sleep for some fucking reason. I'll start listening tomorrow, which is to say today, after I get some shuteye. Rock on folks. :metal

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Existentially Inscrutable
« Reply #59 on: August 08, 2015, 01:35:54 PM »
Update! Things are progressing well, and I'd tentatively schedule results for Monday night. This round overall I think is even better than the last round, and I have continued to receive some very diverse submissions! There will definitely be 9.5 this round, and possibly even a.... 10. *ghasp*.

Offline Tomislav95

  • Posts: 6308
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Existentially Inscrutable
« Reply #60 on: August 10, 2015, 08:21:40 AM »
Could it be today? Or tomorrow? I don't know your time zone:P
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #61 on: August 10, 2015, 06:28:22 PM »
ROUND TWO RESULTS

425
Taylor Swift - Style

Honestly, you probably could have sent me Shake It Off or Blank Space, I’m pretty sure I haven’t heard either of them. I like this song quite a bit, though, so I wouldn’t lament the decision too much.

Obviously, I’ve heard Taylor Swift before. I didn’t really care for much of her stuff at the time (probably like 4-5 years ago; whichever songs were getting played a lot. Couldn’t tell you what they were now). I definitely like this a lot more than anything else I’ve heard from her, and that could be due to the discarding of the country sound that you mentioned (even though I like some country stuff). Her vocal style in particular I like a lot; on previous songs that I listened to it always seemed like she was kind of straddling the line between singing and just sort of “talking” the lyrics. Here, though, her voice is really good and the melodies are quite pleasant to listen to. I guess I should briefly mention lyrics here.

To be honest, I haven’t been a big fan of Taylor’s lyrics in the past (from the like 2 songs I head :P), and I’m not huge on romantically themed songs in general, but I actually think this song does pretty well. I mean, I’m not like blown away by them, but they don’t bother me, and honestly I wasn’t expecting that. I will say, though, other than Taylor’s voice, the song isn’t super interesting to me, and this reflects in the score a bit. I still like it, but it seems like there could have been a bit more to it.

8 points


Bolsters
Perfume - ナチュラルに恋して

I haven’t had a lot of experience with J-pop. Basically my only contact with it has been incidental, in movies or TV shows. This was probably the hardest song for me to really get my head around, which is kind of interesting. I suppose it has to do with being an entire culture removed from me, to the point where when I first listened to it I wasn’t really sure whether I liked it or not, being weirdly unable to use any prior experience to make a judgment on it.

So let’s talk about the music a bit. The background instrumentation seems to consist mostly of bleeps and bloops from a variety of synthesizers, with some percussion as well, which I think is also synthesized. I’m not exactly an expert on that. Vocally, the song is kind of exactly what I would expect from a J-pop song, at least based on my limited experience with it. It’s a very clean, processed sort of sound (not necessarily a bad thing). As with most of the song, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it at first, but it has grown on me a bit. My main issue with the song seems to be the composition of it. Like, there are some interesting things going on, but they seem to change and move around before I ever really manage to get a grip on them. In the end, it’s an interesting piece, and I do enjoy bits of it, but overall I think it’s not really something I can see myself listening to very often. Sorry man. This is actually the scored I sweated the most, since I can’t totally be sure that it’s not just some sort of culture shock thing that’s turning me off it. Still, can’t win ‘em all, I guess.

6 points


Tom Bombadil
David Bowie - Sound and Vision

I’m sort of passingly familiar with Bowie. I’ve heard one or two songs, which I quite like, but have never taken the time to delve deeply into his catalog.

To the extent that I have any particular expectation for the sound of a David Bowie song, I’d say this one meets it pretty well. It’s got some good, kinda quirky instrumentation (great bass, btw), and some equally quirky vocals from the man himself. In both cases, I rather like the result. The music sounds distinctly 80s (I’m assuming that’s around when this was written?), but not in a bad way, except for those really treble-y synths, which nearly deafened me. Bowie’s vocals are quite good as well; I’ve always enjoyed the character in his voice, and the range of sounds and styles he’s capable of, from the sort of deeper, laid back tone, to the higher, sort of childlike singing (I’m assuming this is still him singing, I’ve heard that kind of thing from him before), to the almost spoken bits contrasting the rest.

My main problem with the song (again, other than those synths) is that the song feels too short! I don’t know that I’ve ever had that problem with a song before, but it really feels like the song stops right around when it really gets going, which detracts from my overall enjoyment of the song.

7.5 points


Sacul
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - A Hymn to the Morning Star (of Natural History)

Yeah, this song is pretty creepy. Which is something I like a lot, incidentally.

The song opens with some low droning and some creepy ambient noise, leading into the entry of the singer. You really seem to have my taste on vocalists down, this guy is fantastic. :lol  He has a magnificently low voice, and he the way he sings the song makes it feel almost like a lullaby, though admittedly an unsettling one. At around the three minute mark, the song goes into a different section, with falsetto vocals and some instrumentation that reminds me a bit of Scott Walker. I’m not a huge fan of this part, honestly, but fortunately the piece moves back into the into “creepy deep voiced lullaby” mode again, and all is well. The ending of the song is very ominous, again reminding me of Scott Walker, fading out with some ambient creaks and groans.

I really enjoyed this song, though oddly it suffers from a similar problem to Tom Bombadil’s submission, in that it feels like the song ends a bit too soon. The entire piece seems to be building up to something, but then there’s no payoff. I think you said this was the opener to an album? It probably works better in that context, I imagine. That issue aside, though, this is a fantastically creepy piece of music that I really like.

8 points


Nekov
Alcest - Les Voyages de L’Âme

I’ve heard a little bit of Alcest before. In fact, I was sent one of their songs in my previous roulette, and I liked it a fair bit. For whatever reason, though, I guess it didn’t resonate very deeply with me and I never got around to investigating further.

This was clearly a mistake.

This is an absolutely beautiful song, from the cascading guitar chords, to the subdued drumming, to the beautifully ethereal vocals. I think the band was at one point largely black metal? I can definitely hear some of that in the drumming, but other than that it seems to have been largely left behind. I want to say what they have here is sort of shoegaze-y, but it seems a bit more involved and faster than most shoegaze I’ve heard. The guitar work is absolutely beautiful, and reminds me quite a bit of Deafheaven’s Sunbather, which is probably the closest comparison I have for this kind of music, though Deafheaven have a much more prominent black metal side.

I mentioned the vocals before, but they’re so amazing I think I should mention them again. This guy has an absolutely incredible voice. He sings in a clean tone, and he doesn’t seem to put a lot of force behind it, but somehow he’s never drowned out or overpowered by the music, even the sections with a lot of other things going on.

This is not only my favorite song sent in this roulette so far, it’s also one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. You shall reap great things for this.

10 points


Train of Naught
Alter Bridge - Blackbird

I am passingly familiar with Alter Bridge, actually I think Scorpion may have sent me this exact song a while back. My memory of that is pretty hazy though, so I figured I would accept the submission, since I can’t really remember anything about the song. :lol

You say some people don’t care for this guy’s voice? I can’t really imagine that, he’s fantastic. He has a really powerful, soaring voice on the chorus, and an emotive, low tone on the verses. He’s far from the only good thing about this song, however. Instrumentally, particularly the guitar, the group is on fire. I especially like how the composition of the song keeps things interesting by changing up every now and then, going through several different sections.

You mentioned the guitar solo, which oddly enough I think is the only part of the song I didn’t love. :lol  It’s not bad, and definitely technically adept, but it doesn’t do a ton for me; my favorite thing about it is how it leads into the final repeat of chorus. The little bit of noodling on the guitar at the very end is pretty cool, too, I almost wish that bit had been extended a bit. :lol

This is a very good song, and I’m always impressed when bands that aren’t strictly prog (and presumably less accustomed to writing long pieces) manage to compose a song like this, that stays interesting all the way through. Have some points.

9.5 points


bl5150
The Night Flight Orchestra - Transatlantic Blues

I’m actually a pretty big fan of Soilwork, but I had never heard of this side project, so I have to thank you for bringing it to my attention. This song seems to have everything I like older prog and rock, but with the added benefit of not-awful production. :lol

I think the first thing I should mention is the vocals. I tend to be a “vocals first” kinda guy anyway (as weird as that is for a Dream Theater fan), and the vocals here stand out particularly. I assume it’s Bjorn doing them? I knew he had a good clean voice, but I never knew he could do anything like this. He actually reminds me a slightly-higher-ranged Dan Swano on this song. The instrumental side of the song is really good as well, it seems pretty clear they’re drawing from a lot of classic prog here, but in a way that’s definitely more “influence” than “derivative”, and they manage to fit in quite a lot of fresh stuff as well, particularly with the heavier, more metal-oriented guitar work, that I don’t think you’d see much of in classic prog.

You said your previous score of 8 was the highest you’d gotten in a non-fogey roulette, but I think you just beat that record. This is an excellent submission.

9 points


Scorpion
Conception - A Million Gods

I guess I should get around to actually buying some Conception albums at some point. Everything I’ve heard from them (which, to be fair, I think is exactly two songs :P) has been fantastic.

This is a really fantastic song. Interestingly, though, on this one I find myself enjoying the instrumental side more than the vocal one. Roy is definitely good here, but he’s a bit less restrained than he was in Kamelot, which I actually think works against him here. But man. Tore Østby. Let’s talk about Tore Østby a little bit. This dude is incredible. Why the hell isn’t he making music these days? I loved him in Ark, and he’s amazing here as well. His riffs are still huge and fantastic, his soloing is great, and he still throws a bit of flamenco in there too, you know, because he fuckin’ can.

Also, the bass is pretty cool. Just realized I haven’t mentioned that. The funny thing about this song is Roy actually ends up being the part I enjoy the least. Like I said, he’s not bad here, but honestly the melodies here aren’t doing a ton for me. The song seems more focused on the instrumental aspect of things anyway, and that’s really where it shines.

8 points :::; )


Tomislav95
Susanne Sandfør - White Foxes

Tomislav, you have redeemed yourself, so much that I may even give you points instead of some amount of liquid this round. :lol

This is one of those artists I’ve heard about forever, but I think this is the first time I’ve heard any of her music. This is also probably the song that grew on me the most this round. Her voice is beautiful, but initially I was pretty leery about the sections where she sings in the higher-range. But by the last few listens, I was loving it. The melodies are gorgeous and the way she belts them out is breathtaking.

I’m actually not sure what to call this kind if music, but I love it quite a bit. Vocally it sounds a bit folk/singersongwriter, but musically it’s got a lot of electronic in it as well. Whatever it is, I think I should seek out more of it!

9 points


STANDINGS

Train of Naught - 18.5
Nekov - 18
bl5150 - 17
Scorpion - 17
425 - 16
Tom Bombadil - 16
Tomislav - 15.5
Sacul - 15
Bolsters - 14.5


Ok so that’s round two. Now let’s do ROUND 3! I think we’re keeping a pretty good pace on this roulette, guys, so let’s keep that up! I’m thinking we’ll definitely have 7 rounds, unless things really slow down due to me being an idiot or something. Let’s rock! :metal
« Last Edit: August 10, 2015, 08:02:31 PM by Shadow Ninja 2.0 »

Offline Scorpion

  • Unreal Heir
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9908
  • Gender: Male
  • Ragnarök around the Clöck!
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #62 on: August 10, 2015, 06:34:25 PM »
I should stop sending you music outside of roulettes; after having sent it, I immediately discarded AB from my list.

Also yay! 8 points.

Surprise.
scorpion is my favorite deathcore lobster
Hey, the length is fine :azn: Thanks!

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #63 on: August 10, 2015, 06:40:31 PM »
Hey man, I gave you a 9 last time!

8 does seem to be kind of my "song I like but have some reservations about" score, and I suppose a lot of songs fall into that category. I believe in you, though. You can do it.

I AM SO, SO PROUD OF YOU.

Offline 425

  • Posts: 6910
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #64 on: August 10, 2015, 06:45:09 PM »
Shooting for the exact middle of the standings... :P

I'll take another 8. Glad you liked the song, at least more than you were expecting to. That's twice now that I've surprised you by making you like an artist that you haven't liked. Not sure that'll be an ongoing trend, but it's something.

I'm going to take a little time to figure out what I'm sending next. I know the artist, but I'm deciding between a couple of different songs. I'll definitely have it in no later than tomorrow.

Check out Blank Space, though, if you have a minute. It's probably more up your alley, just from what I suppose your alley might be, but I didn't send it because it's everywhere, like every time I'm in a store it's playing over the PA. Lyrically it's kind of a love song, but more her playing off the image that has been created of her in the media of her being a crazy girl who goes through a ton of boyfriends.

Also, good choice, Tomislav! Just got into Susanne Sundfør from my own roulette, she's amazing. :tup
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

Offline Crow

  • Holy Guide of the 4/10
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 26732
  • Gender: Female
  • tdjghjjkhliòujoàupougjyufkuyrkuyt
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #65 on: August 10, 2015, 07:41:57 PM »
blank space is definitely the best taylor swift song i've heard, primarily because it sounds like a slightly more energetic lorde song, but the lyrics are great too

Offline Tom Bombadil

  • Posts: 1649
  • Gender: Male
  • We Do Not Sow
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #66 on: August 10, 2015, 08:09:52 PM »
Sent round 3.

Edit: Wow, yeah that Alcest song was amazing.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2015, 08:24:26 PM by Tom Bombadil »

Offline Sacul

  • Spinettapilled
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 12114
  • Gender: Male
  • ¿De qué sirvió haber cruzado a nado la mar?
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #67 on: August 10, 2015, 08:42:02 PM »
Yeah, that song is just the opener to a really fucked up and scary album. But I'm sure you'll love it  ;D .

Sending soon.

Edit: Sented.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2015, 09:26:17 PM by Sacul »

Offline Nekov

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 10715
  • Gender: Male
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #68 on: August 10, 2015, 09:32:57 PM »
 :D I'm glad you like it that much. If you ever get the chance to see them live don't even hesitate, it's an amazing experience

Will send something tomorrow since I have set up a pretty high standard and need some time to figure out what will go after that one  :lol
When Ginobili gets hot, I get hot in my pants. 

Offline Shadow Ninja 2.0

  • Heir Transparent
  • Posts: 7663
  • Gender: Male
  • Transcribing Existence Rivets
Re: Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Results Inviolably Deduced Via Tons of Math
« Reply #69 on: August 10, 2015, 09:43:47 PM »
Check out Blank Space, though, if you have a minute.

I did! It's actually quite a good song. Lyrically I think it's not my thing though. Gimme dragons or spaceships any day. :lol  I don't have to like the lyrics to like a song, though.

Sent round 3.

Edit: Wow, yeah that Alcest song was amazing.

Shadow Ninja's Roulette v. Listening to Alcest