Train of Naught Roulette II v. MURAMASA... MASAMUNE

[425]

uhh, i only have to be slightly outscored by two people to get cut, and one of them is elite, who has a bonus point still to earn 

Of course. For a moment I thought this was your roulette. And even then, what I said makes no sense.

Basically don't pay attention to anything I say for like the next three weeks at least.

[Crow]

are you in a perpetual state of drunkenness for the next three weeks?

[425]

I've been living in my parents' house all summer and will for three more weeks, so from a psychological perspective, yes.

[Tomislav95]

There's 3 people right now I'm 100% sure will make the finals, one of them has sent the best song of the roulette and I seriously doubt it will get topped

I will sleep now omg

Home's This is the time (yes, aawesome song) is still best song of roulette or you got better one in this round? 

[Train of Naught]

Oh no, this is even better! It's not a 10 (yet) but for sure 9.5-9.75 material

Anyway I'll post tidbits somewhere today, maybe in an hour, maybe in 10 hours, but consider it a Train of Naught guarantee. For a change, I'd like to post 12 tidbits, so even all the people I will brutally cut from the roulette will have something to look forward to

[Tomislav95]

Oh no, this is even better! It's not a 10 (yet) but for sure 9.5-9.75 material

I didn't expect you'd like my song that much

[Crow]

if you turn 9.5 upside down, it turns into 5.6

which is the score i'm getting 

[Train of Naught]

Actually it's 2.6 upside down, and that's more accurate for your song anyway so

OK want some tidbits?

I’m not exactly sure how and why but this song has hit me so hard emotionally and it’s the best thing this roulette has offered so far!

This was one of the safest entries of the whole roulette, based on an earlier submission, but it works cause it’s a great song so who cares

Despite liking some of it, I don’t think this genre is for me, based on this song among a few others I recently heard

One part is extremely similar to the chorus of Lonely Island’s “Jack Sparrow“ love it.

I didn’t know this band did metalcore aswell? That’s interesting

I like the ominous vibe throughout but most of this songs riffs and vocal melodies just bore me, probably my least favorite of your submissions so far unfortunately

Can’t help but feel this song is a bit unbalanced, great atmosphere overall ruined by a few moments

Don’t remember this band sounding like this at all, it has some very cool aspects to it but it's a lot to take in

I really wish I’d like this more, it’s a very pretty song but not doing a whole lot for me

This has such an interesting atmosphere, can’t really compare it to anything I listen to but it’s just majestic

Man this gives me chills, I’m not completely sold but this kind of music is starting to intrigue me

In the perfect setting I would probably like this better but something about the vocals I find a bit offputting right now

[Bolsters]

The second one could definitely be in reference to my submission, but I think perhaps not because it's too obvious. 

[Scorpion]

I like the ominous vibe throughout but most of this songs riffs and vocal melodies just bore me, probably my least favorite of your submissions so far unfortunately

I kinda think that this is mine, unfortunately. Ominous describes the song pretty damn well, and - for reasons that are beyond me - people have described the riffs and melodies to be somewhat boring. I hope I'm wrong, and if I'm not, then I hope that it's still enough for me to go through. Fingers crossed.

[Tomislav95]

8/12 could be about my song but I'll pretend this is it

I’m not exactly sure how and why but this song has hit me so hard emotionally and it’s the best thing this roulette has offered so far!

Btw, do I get bonus point for strings and brass?

[Train of Naught]

Yes you do, pretty sure everyone has gotten all three bonus points after this round.

[Tomislav95]

Noice.

[Crow]

6th one is me 
Also the first one is samskeyti

[Crow]

going over them all because I die

1. would be nice but probably not
2. no
3. no
4. I have no clue probably not???
5. no
6. probably tbh
7. maybe
8. no
9. also likely
10. maybe
11. maybe but you already kinda listen to some music like this anyways so
12. no

[Train of Naught]

Interesting guesses so far

[Elite]

#10 or #11 is mine.

[twosuitsluke]

I think possibly #8 for me. I know you said you'd seen this band open for Korn or something years ago so this could work. If not then I hope it's the 'majestic' one 

[Crow]

I am an entity of eternal dread

I may send you an EP anyways even if I get cut tho that's really all I want to do who needs winning

[Train of Naught]

Yeah making an EP for sacul's roulette final was probably the most fun I've had in these, it's a lot more fun to me when you have to put a bit of effort into creating a selection of songs that work together instead of just sending good songs.
On a side note, I might just have the time to finish writeups today, so who knows, maybe today is the last day of the Train roulette for 7 of you, hectic enough?

EDIT: I know what I'll do. I'll start with the writeups that I know are going to be by the bottom placed participants and work my way up, if I can settle on the scores I know who will be eliminated and I'll try to post the bottom 7 participants by the end of the day so that the top 5 know who they are and they can start thinking about their next song(s), if I'm lucky I'll have the top 5 writeups done today aswell but it's more likely to be tomorrow.

[splent]

Just end my misery

[Sacul]

Just end my misery

[Train of Naught]

I have 5 and a half of the 7 write-ups done (yes, I've already established the top 5 by now) but it's really starting to feel like a chore right now, I'll hold off for about an hour and then finish the last one and a half, maybe make dinner inbetween. Expect part 1 of the results in like 2 to 3 hours.

[Crow]

Just end my misery

[Train of Naught]

Round 7 results (part 1)
Hype!! Okay in case anyone missed it, to keep everyone happy I decided to deliver results today, but I wouldn't have time for all the writeups so I decided to get the ones out from the people that sadly didn't make the finals, the bottom 7 participants. So if your song is in here you've unfortunately been eliminated from the competition and this is the last time I'll be rating your song. If not, you can start thinking about your round 8 song (open round), but don't send yet because I have something to announce (round 9) tomorrow, and it may influence your entry.

I ranked the writeups from last to first, the bottom writeup being for the #6 player, the top 5 of the first 7 rounds will be revealed tomorrow as this round closes and the final 3 rounds will kick off, happy reading and of course, nothing personal if you're out! 7 people had to go after this round.




(#12) Splent: M83 – Ok Pal

Something I haven’t really gotten much from you, or anyone else for that matter. Was wondering whether this electro-pop/synthpop kinda music would make its return. Despite liking some of it, I don’t think this musical direction is for me, based on this song among a few others I recently heard. What makes me say that is that despite liking this a fair bit on first listen, the synths are a bit repetitive but they’re not too distracting, and the vocals are pretty neat, it doesn’t look like it has much staying power.

Yeah I’m still kinda the same, not really a fan. I checked out that CHVRCHES album on my vacation, and I think you nailed the song choice for that one, The Mother We Share was easily my favorite and I didn’t connect with any of the songs on that album nearly as much. It just had the perfect chorus, being uplifting, fun and catchy. Neither this M83 song or any of the others in the sorta-same genre have sparked those same feelings with me.

But I did get my enjoyment out of it for sure, it’s just, like I said, that it’s been going on a slow decline as the round went on, and it’s still a fine little song, but not nearly enough to get you through. :/


6.75/10


Don’t know whether you had any expectations in this one, judging by the first roulette and my quick parting in your roulette. But there have been some really solid round for you, definitely going to be looking further into Sonata Arctica and might give CHVRCHES another shot soon aswell. On top of which, Chicago seemed like a really fun band among a few others, so your participation has definitely not gone to waste, cheers!




(tied for #10) Evermind: Stratovarius - Elysium

So between the chill, the atmospheric and the depressing, here we have this 18 minute powermetal monsters waiting for me, I can’t stress how I excited I’ve been to hear this.

And I guess it’s barring the progpower side of the powermetal spectrum, it’s not the kind with fast predictable drum beats and ‘nutgrabbing vocals‘. But rather just some good heavy metal instrumentation with a singer as talented as the average powermetal vocalist, meaning one of the best of its kind that I ever heard. Right as we get in the song with the first chorus-like section (honestly I feel like there’s more than 1 chorus but I guess the length causes that) it sounds extremely similar to the chorus of Lonely Island’s “Jack Sparrow“ I love it.

I seriously do. It’s a great massive explosion of symphonic orchestration and epic soaring vocals and it’s far from the only thing that I like about this song. There’s great solos, cool signature powermetal instrumentals, cheesy lyrics about opening doors and great theme reprisals, which should be a given for songs of this magnitude because who the hell doesn’t love their favorite themes being reprised? For that reason I think the finale, similar to the Nightwish song, is my favorite part of this grand entry.

Seems like the guys from Stratovarius and Helloween could help eachother out greatly. While Helloween is keeping seven keys, the guys from Stratovarius seem to be looking for just one key, why don’t they just make a deal? Eh, there’s probably hundreds of other powermetal bands looking for the same key anyway so that could be the issue.

I wish you would’ve gone with the powermetal route, even if it would’ve perhaps been a bit too much for me at times, could’ve been interesting and I’ll check out the Helloween tune someday anyways, for the heck of it.


8.5/10


Despite some average scores here and there and you being disappointed in my revolutionized superior musical tastes I’ve gotten some awesome songs/bands from you. Some great heavy bands in Anciients and ReVamp, aswell as my personal favorite after the fact (I realize that it doesn’t have the highest score of your songs but right now I feel like it’s my favorite) being the beautiful relaxing Arstidir song. And well you ended off with one of the most powerful epics I’ve heard in a few months at least. I did expect this to not go as smoothly as the first roulette as my tastes have changed quite a bit since, but it wasn’t a wasted effort for sure! Good riddance




(tied for #10) 425: Nightwish – The Poet and the Pendulum

I like how you, compared to other participants, have a more select collection of music you send, but it keeps me entertained nonetheless. I’m familiar with Nightwish of course, I even received them in the v1, from you, but this is something else entirely. I Want My Tears Back was a fairly straightforward female-fronted rocker, and this is a 14-minute grandiose epic.

And like you correctly assumed, the standardly structured parts remind me of Amaranth and it’s pretty good, I like the chorus especially. But it is when the song takes this really dramatic epic turn that I really start to take interest in it. A very proggy epic all around with great symphonic elements and a very theatric feel overall. Like most songs of this magnitude we have the obligatory calm sections, and they’re pretty sweet here. I really dug the harsh vocals too, did not know Nightwish did metalcore so that was pretty unexpected but this was pretty interesting. But the finale takes the cake, I’m a sucker for great endings and this song nails it.

On my last day of listening and I still feel the same about this. There’s something about the overall symphonic metal scene that somehow puts me off. Maybe it’s the overused symphonic synths? Nah, I listen to Xerath so that can’t be it. Maybe the predictable heavy metal riffing? Maybe, but here it’s all awesomely blended together. The vocals are exactly how I like them. She’s not too dominant in the verses even though the vocals are almost isolated, and the chorus is chock-full of great melodies with solid backing vocals (or double-tracked in the studio, don’t know). Everything else I feel like I’ve already pointed out, love the dramatic ending, love the calm section and love the return to pace with the metalcore screams. Overall one of your best songs so far, if not the best, way to make use of the hail mary dude.


8.75 (+ 1.0) = 9.75/10


There goes my roulette champion unfortunately. Sorry I gave you such a hard time here, I think we both realized that you were going through this competition with a slightly restricted band pool than others, and already having participated in the first installation only just over half a year ago doesn’t help in that regard either. Despite all this, you seemed to be in the running for a potential final spot until the end, even though it may have looked like a bigger gap if you looked at the bonus points other people had over you. Anderson/Stolt pretty much killed the opportunity of advancing to the finals I feel, and the Neal Morse Band song got you off to a bit of a weak start aswell, but I’m glad to have had you in this second roulette of mine, mainly having convinced me that I have to get off my lazy ass and get to some of the bands you had already sent me but didn’t realize how good they actually were, like Nightwish and Death Cab For Cutie. Also found good enjoyment in Rush (though I likely won’t obsess over them since I simply am not fond of Geddy), The Flower Kings and Pure Reason Revolution. If you ever decide to host another roulette (probably not anytime soon) I’ll be there!




(#9) Shadow Ninja 2.0: múm – Grasi Vaxin Gong (Green Green Grass of Tunnel)

I didn’t think you would be able to do it but you pumped through all the bonus points in these last rounds.

I’ve seen this name around a couple of times but don’t know where. Icelandic music really seems to have the same relaxing folky vibe most of the time, but not this one. Rather, this sounds more dreamy. The vocals, fortunately, they fit with the music perfectly even though there’s something about them I can’t put my finger on. But I don’t know whether I’m much of a fan of this kind of music. It’s solid enough, and I don’t have a problem listening to it and enjoying myself, but nothing more. Sounds like something I would put on for the same reasons I would with ambient, but apparently I like the ambient I’ve been sent so far better than múm. In the perfect setting I would probably like this better but something about the vocals I find a bit offputting right now. I don’t know what it is precisely but the pitch feels unnaturally peaceful to me or something. It’s still a beautiful little track and I might check out this band eventually because it’s a pretty unique style and an interesting approach, setting themselves apart from all the other scandinavian relax-music.


7.25 (+ 1.0) = 8.25/10


With an interesting mix of scores you managed to send two songs that are well up in my top roulette songs, so I’ve got nothing to complain. A few misses are easily outweighed by two fantastic songs and a few other great and good ones. Will surely be checking out Caladan Brood and Fair To Midland for starters, on top of which some other good entries including Dark Tranquility and múm here. Over both my roulettes you have managed to send a lot of great songs and I appreciated every single one of them, even the oyup I didn't like as much.




(#8) Twosuitsluke: Dimmu Borgir – Progenies of the Great Apocalypse

So this feels like a mindfuck. I know for sure I’ve seen this band live and I had an idea of what they sounded like and in my head it was this satanic blackmetal band. I don’t remember them sounding like this at all, especially with all the symphonic elements and the almost alternative-like vocals in the chorus. But it’s a very cool blend of genres, has very good lead guitars even though they don’t really show them off in the foreground of the music, and this huge movie score vibe. As you can tell by my descriptions it has some cool aspects to it but it’s a LOT to take in.

Yeah you guessed it correctly, the 8th tidbits was yours. After numerous listens I still have a hard time describing whats going on at times but the important thing is I don’t just wipe it off my sleeve, I’m genuinely intrigued by all of it. In the end what matters the most is the journey and how I feel about the song when I’m listening to it, and the journey is goood. I mean, it should be obvious that the hardest part to get into for a blackmetal-rookie like me is those extremely altered harsh vocals in the verse, he almost sounds like an extraterrestrial, or a demon or something. Guess I wasn’t too far off by thinking they made satanic music. This sounds like a song the band has thrown in everything they’re about, with all kinds of elements from different styles they incorporate in their music, like the Octavarium of Dream Theater? (not really a fan of that song, just comparing) Their magnum opus. And it might just be enough to pull you over to the finals.

I gotta say that whichever way this ends up, you should know that it’s a good thing I gave this round the time it needed, one or two listens less and I would still have scratched my head over half the song and probably given it a lackluster 7/10 or something, meaning that it was an interesting tune but I had no real grasp on it.


8.25/10


Filled in the scores and turns out you’re parting the competition coming in at #8, unfortunately. Even for me it was a very tight race to watch but as one of the newcomers you’ve had a very good run if I may say so. Some cool bands that I otherwise would never have found in Chthonic and to some extent Capdown, though I’m not likely to pull through with that. Apart from those, obviously lots of great stuff from bands I just needed a tiny bit of proof from to win me over like Oceans of Slumber, The Fall of Troy and In Flames. And that one band I never tought I would like in this final round to close it off of course, this will all keep me busy for good amounts of time, cheers!




(#7) Home: Sigur Ros – Untitled #3 (Samskeyti)

Seems like a lot of people are going into this last regular round with something laid-back. And my long anticipated re-entry of Sigur Ros finally makes its appearance, and with a song I’ve seen nothing but praise for.

It also looks like some people are guessing that this is my choice for best song of the roulette, which I announced before was in this round, but they’re wrong. I really wish I would like this more, it’s a very pretty song but not doing a whole lot for me. It has the kind of repetitiveness that I don’t mind at all, I like how it builds up to a beautiful not too impactful climax and ends very subtly, but it is the type of thing that really has to ‘click‘ with me to fully appreciate it.

I can see why people love this song and I think this is the one that people have been sending in past roulettes a lot to convince others to check out Sigur Ros too. But during my final listen now I still can’t say it’s above average. First I thought maybe I would’ve enjoyed a song including vocals by this band more, like the one that was sent in my first roulette (I actually forgot the name of it and never checked it out again since). I will probably get on that, but as it is I really wish to get into the band but it feels like an instrumental that I would like more if it was connecting the songs surrounding it in the context of the full album. Still not a bad song by any means, I just think it’s lost potential because it has a really beautiful atmosphere and I can’t help but feel something is missing.


7.25/10


With probably the most back and forth progression of all the participants you managed to slip into the top 5 during the last few rounds and bounce right out at the very end, sadly. In the end it probably came down to the Funky Duck song which is a shame because it’s one of those songs that could’ve turned out really well, or atleast 7/10 worthy if it rubbed me the right way. Anyway, I found a lot of enjoyment in most of your songs, Pink Floyd, Nothing More, Agent Fresco and Slowdive just to name a few. Golden Hair has actually grown out to be one of the songs I tend to go back to the most and is slowly becoming one of my favorites of the roulette. Yeah, you had some of the best calm/relaxing music of anyone here, and still managed to deliver with an alternative/progmetal tune that is currently my #2 of the roulette in This Is The Time (Ballast), so definitely no effort gone to waste here, great performance!




(#6) Sacul: iamthemorning – Monsters

Ah, classic Sacul. In the (potentially) last round of the roulette and still introducing me to genres I never heard before. What the hell is progressive chambermusic? Anyway there’s something about the echoed style of the vocals that really sparks my interest, apart from the vocalist being supertalented there’s just that it-factor or something. This has such an interesting atmosphere, can’t really compare it to anything I listen to but it’s just majestic.

The dramatic intro really drew me in from the first second and continues to on consecutive listens. Despite the standard song structure I’m able to discover new shit about the song on every listen. There’s also the catchiness factor to it in the chorus with that majestic falsetto. The same way that for harsh vocals in the doom/blackmetal scene excel for me when they blend in with the music, this does that too, but it’s something that I don’t see a lot with clean vocals. I get the same sense of emotion from this.


8.5/10


Despite ending in great fashion – and I genuinely thought this would be enough to pull you through to the finals, it was Elite’s final bonus point that just got the edge over you for the 5th spot. Comparing to your performance in the first roulette, I think I liked you better this time around. Since there weren’t as many obvious holes in my banned list I got to see a little less predictable (Porcupine Tree, Destiny Potato, DMM ) side of your music and it offered some great music, mostly in the ‘beautiful‘ and ‘calm‘ sections. I may have just slipped into the finals in your roulette, and that’s probably why it sucks so much to kick you out of here over such a small point deficit. But it is what it is and I’m glad you were a part of this because you showed me a lot of cool stuff. Thanks!

So here's what the standings look like right now without the top 5:

6: Sacul: 49.5 + 8.5 = 58
7: Home: 50.5 + 7.25 = 57.75
8: Twosuitsluke: 49.0 + 8.25 = 57.25
9: Shadow Ninja 2.0: 48.75 + 8.25 = 57.0
10: 425: 46.5 + 9.75 = 56.25
10: Evermind: 47.75 + 8.5 = 56.25
12: Splent: 47.5 + 6.75 = 54.25

I hereby welcome Scorpion, Parama, Elite, Tomislav and Bolsters to the finals! (they're named in completely random order, don't bother guessing )

[Evermind]

If you ever host another roulette, I'm sending you power metal only. Seriously.

Which Helloween tune you're going to check out? Halloween or Keeper of the Seven Keys?

Hey, 425, you don't get a better place than me this time. Last time you were what, first and I was second?

[home]

Wow, almost made it to the finals.  I really enjoyed playing in this roulette! Thanks! Be sure to check out Nothing More's self titled album sometime, I'm sure you'll like it if you like This is the time.

_{Funky Duck should have scored higher though}   

but it is the type of thing that really has to ‘click‘ with me to fully appreciate it.

I can completely understand this! there are quite a number of bands I think I should really be enjoying since they are very popular with fans of bands I really love, but they just don't click somehow.

[Train of Naught]

Which Helloween tune you're going to check out? Halloween or Keeper of the Seven Keys?

Prooobably Keeper of the Seven Keys, something about those long songs make them almost always rewarding even if they don't exactly 'click' with me, and in almost any case I find myself being interested enough to relisten to get more out of the song.

Hey, 425, you don't get a better place than me this time. Last time you were what, first and I was second?

First it was an 8.25/10 for you, meaning you would end right behind 425 by the slimmest margin yet again

there are quite a number of bands I think I should really be enjoying since they are very popular with fans of bands I really love, but they just don't click somehow.

Makes it even more frustrating with the more popular bands yeah, for me with the people I'm around and the guys I talk with on the internet the biggest offender of this is AAL, everyone's jerking off about these guys but to me it's just technical wankery.

[Tomislav95]

So, one of us 5 sent best song of the roulette
It's not like I expect it's my song but I look forward to it

[Evermind]

Which Helloween tune you're going to check out? Halloween or Keeper of the Seven Keys?

Prooobably Keeper of the Seven Keys, something about those long songs make them almost always rewarding even if they don't exactly 'click' with me, and in almost any case I find myself being interested enough to relisten to get more out of the song.

Halloween is 13:20, Keeper is 13:38. Check them both.

[Train of Naught]

Must've found a faulty youtube link then because it said Halloween was only like 5 minutes, but yeah I found it now. Apparently they're on the same album? So I may just check out the entire album for the heck of it, why not.

So, one of us 5 sent best song of the roulette
It's not like I expect it's my song but I look forward to it

Not to scare you but the worst song of the round is also between the 5 of you, and obviously it can't be Elite because he wouldn't be in the finals if that were the case.

I'll fire up a new poll because I can

[Evermind]

Must've found a faulty youtube link then because it said Halloween was only like 5 minutes, but yeah I found it now. Apparently they're on the same album? So I may just check out the entire album for the heck of it, why not.

Not quote, Halloween is on Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. I (released in 1987), and the title track is on Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. II (1988). I've always considered them to be two different albums, but you can treat it as one big double album if you want. Just don't get the power metal overload.

[Tomislav95]

Must've found a faulty youtube link then because it said Halloween was only like 5 minutes, but yeah I found it now. Apparently they're on the same album? So I may just check out the entire album for the heck of it, why not.

So, one of us 5 sent best song of the roulette
It's not like I expect it's my song but I look forward to it

Not to scare you but the worst song of the round is also between the 5 of you, and obviously it can't be Elite because he wouldn't be in the finals if that were the case.

I'll fire up a new poll because I can

https://youtu.be/j5-yKhDd64s
but I am

[Crow]

Wrll, I got at least a 7.75 then

[Crow]

Mathematically only tomislav's can be the worst and him still make the finals btw soooo
the lowest score so far was like a 6.0 i think and everyone left has at least 58 points after this round

either that or train is bsing us