Poll

Did you suffer enough in this roulette?

Yes.
2 (33.3%)
Yes.
0 (0%)
Yes.
3 (50%)
Yes.
1 (16.7%)

Total Members Voted: 6

Author Topic: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (Back From the Dead)  (Read 74841 times)

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Offline Sacul

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 LISTENING)
« Reply #525 on: August 21, 2016, 12:22:08 PM »
R

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 LISTENING)
« Reply #526 on: August 21, 2016, 12:24:25 PM »
R for results.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #527 on: August 21, 2016, 03:07:38 PM »
Trudging Through the Valley

#11: home: Adebisi Shank - International Dreambeat

First Impressions:
My impressions from the intro: “what the hell is this”. And then it kicks in for real and I’m like “oh. that’s what this is.” It’s alternating between the heavier bits and the synth-driven quieter bits and I absolutely prefer the heavier bits, by a pretty big margin actually. Though there’s some horn stuff that comes in a bit later that I think is pretty alright at least. It’s… a fun song, which is something I always have to tread lightly around because a lot of the time “fun” music doesn’t really do a lot for me. And I’m not really feeling this one on first listen, but it may grow on me.

Final Thoughts:
Okay, actually, I simply can’t stand the synth-driven bits of this after more relistens. That tone… it’s awful, I legitimately do not understand the appeal of it. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me, I absolutely do not want to listen to it at all. There’s some okay stuff going on behind it at points, sure. Some of the guitar stuff is cool and the horns that come in in the back half of the song are nice, though. That noodly synth fill that transitions the song to louder moments is also nice.

The loud parts of the song are solid, but never really change. It’s the same thing every time melody and rhythms, maybe a slightly changing drum line but it’s not a world of difference. There’s a nice energy to it though and it’s bright and fun. I don’t mind it but it doesn’t have huge appeal for me either.

I just overall can’t really say this song is for me though. About half of it has that annoying synth thing going on throughout it and it maintains a consistent fun, bouncy vibe that is usually not really my thing, and doesn’t quite work for me here. I don’t hate this, there’s about half the song I like and a few moments that are pretty cool, but overall it definitely doesn’t work for me.

5.25/10



#10: Scorpion: The Human Abstract – Faust

First Impressions:
I vaguely remember these guys too, I think I listened to their first album once or twice? This is basically what I expected, somewhere between prog metal and metalcore. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of this style of harsh vocals but it doesn’t sound awful, at least. There’s a good bit of noodly guitar stuff going on here and it’s all fine and melodic but I’m kind of not really feeling the point of a lot of it. But at the same time, without all the lead playing, this song would probably be really boring, the actual metal on display here is not that impressive. It’s a solid song with enough twists and turns to at least be interesting but it’s not that unique and it’s not that exciting, either.

Final Thoughts:
I don’t mean this as an insult or anything but, to me, this sounds like djent if djent replaced the djenty parts with noodly lead melodies. I mean I know that’s a thing some djent already does but these guys, they just don’t do much beyond noodly leads, like, at all. Or at least it certainly feels that way. And there’s certainly a place for noodly leads, but when they’re your entire song, they kind of lose both the “wow that sounds cool” factor and the “wow that’s impressive” factor, which are about the only two reasons why you’d ever use them.

Vocals, hmm. They’re okay. The growls are fairly generic but serviceable, the cleans are a lower-pitched post-hardcore style of thing. Post-hardcore is probably what these guys fit into more than anything else, I guess, somewhere between that and metalcore with guitar leads all over the place for good measure. I can’t really say any band sounds like them, but I can say that they sound like quite a lot of other bands; they’re unique, but nothing they’re doing is particularly unique.

Some of the guitar stuff is just overly simplistic too. I wrote some music like 5-6 years ago that used leads exactly like this. Very basic 0-2-4 sweeps that sound very by-the-numbers. It sounds cool when you first discover in but when you realize how melodically dull it is it just stops having any impact.

And that’s this song as a whole. This song just has no impact for me. I don’t find any of it particularly memorable, I don’t find the melodies moving, I don’t find the riffs crushing. The song doesn’t have a very strong sense of energy to it either, it feels like the song wants to be more energetic than it is but it stays at a lumbering pace the entire way through and just ends up feeling sluggish. The closest thing to anything interesting happening in this song is the carnival bit about 2/3rds through but I’ve heard other bands do carnival bits plenty of times now and even that doesn’t sound very fresh anymore.

I feel like I’m being pretty down on a song that is, for all intents and purposes, “fine”, but it doesn’t strike a chord with me in any real way and doesn’t stick with me at all. Even 5 listens later I can barely remember what any of this sounds like. It’s just running on a “ehh, it’s okay” feeling the whole way through.

6.25/10



#9: Evermind: Within Temptation – Candles

First Impressions:
The video I linked is a live performance because nothing else was on youtube, but the Evermind sent me a link to the album version so it’s all good. Actually really liking that quiet synth blending into the somber atmosphere of the intro. At least I think it’s a synth. It could also be a bass? I have no clue. Actually it’s probably a bass. I like it. Sure takes its time kicking in for real but I don’t mind the atmospheric intro anyways so it’s all good. When did you become such a big fan of the growls anyways. The guitar riffs here are kind of standard basic stuff but they’re effective enough, sure. Piano sounds a bit stiff though. The big “climax at the end of the song” doesn’t strike me as very dissimilar from what they did before either but it’s solid. A solid song.

Final Thoughts:
I’m sitting here listening to this song and finding… I don’t really have much to say about this that I didn’t already in my first impression, I think. Uuhh. The vocals are pretty solid. The female singer sounds nice but doesn’t really have a unique voice either. The choir vocals in the intro create some nice atmosphere. The harsh vocals are passable. Not great, they sound a bit forced, but alright.

The piano that transitions the song from light to heavy is a bit meh. It’s not a very compelling piano line and the tone of it feels a bit stiff. It sounds a bit better when the heavier instrumentation comes in to back it but I still wish it wasn’t given center stage like it seems to be getting. The buildup from light to heavy is otherwise handled pretty well though. The driving guitar riffs help with that a lot.

I guess, what the climax of the song does that they didn’t do earlier; first, bury the piano a bit more, which I approve of, second, add some female vocals going on in the background when she’s not taking the lead, which is nice, and third, the production turned to crap suddenly, it sounds really compressed and muddy which hurts the power a little bit, but it still sounds pretty fine.

I think… I would’ve liked this more without that piano, honestly, it just doesn’t sound good and isn’t doing anything particularly interesting. Even then while it’s a solid song it’s not one that particularly catches my interest either. Quiet bit, loud bit, quiet bit, loud bit. Very basic elements arranged in a way that is lacking a bit of a sense of progression, the last few minutes sort of feel redundant because of how little new they do. But it’s pleasant to listen to, I probably wouldn’t turn it off. Probably wouldn’t come back to it either, though.

It’s a very “there” kind of song. Ehh.

6.75/10



#8: 425: The Flower Kings – Train to Nowhere

First Impressions:
I’ve known about these guys forever but never actually listened to them, I think. That seems to be standard regarding a lot of prog rock bands apparently. They are definitely, absolutely going for Pink Floyd here, that’s pretty obvious. The vocals sound kinda like late-era Roger Waters, the synths and guitar leads evoke the same atmosphere as well. Really digging that melodic bassline when it comes in. This song seems pretty well-mixed, everything is coming through clearly. Yeah, considering this climax they are pretty much wearing their influences on their sleeve, but I don’t really mind, it’s a nice and beautiful climax with enough power behind it to feel satisfying.

Final Thoughts:
Okay, well, for one, the vocalist is definitely no Roger Waters. He sounds like, really old. No offense. I have no clue how old he is, I was too lazy to look it up, but he sounds like he’s in his 50’s or 60’s. Just an observation. It certainly doesn’t sound as smooth or powerful as a younger-sounding voice would be. Beyond that though, the vocals are fine, and they better be since they’re definitely the main selling point of the song.

The rest of the music is just a backdrop for the vocals, but one that accompanies them well and all comes together well. The synths and the strings provide a warm flavor to the track, the bass and drums are restrained but driving, and the piano and guitar leads provide some nice melodic flourishes. The song builds up basically the whole way through and does so slowly enough to feel natural and flowing.

It’s basically just two verses and two choruses with the last chorus being extended, really basic structure, but there’s enough evolution between the two to make it all work well enough. The extra layers of vocals, the wailing guitar leads, and especially the wall of organ and strings on the climax, it creates the power the song needs to end on. And there’s a brief cooldown afterwards to keep it from ending too abruptly, as well.

I don’t really know what else to say here. It’s solid on all fronts. It’s not especially memorable or unique, but it knows what it wants to do and does it well enough that I don’t really mind if it’s nothing too special. Just a pleasant song.

7.25/10



The Bottom Rung

#12: Bolsters: CHVRCHES – Follow You

First Impressions:
I know this album was pretty popular and all last year but seeing as it’s synthpop, yeah, never gave it a listen. Right away I’m finding that I’m not a fan of the electronic percussion here, especially the bass; it’s just such a limp, wooden sound. Never a fan of that kind of sound. Uhh. The vocals are pretty solid and there’s decent atmosphere. It is what it is. It doesn’t really feel like it ever hits any sort of climax, just that it builds to something and then ends. It’s kind of a non-entity of a song for me, to be honest, it doesn’t really stand out amongst the many similar-sounding songs I’ve heard, but it’s pleasant enough to listen to, at the very least.

Final Thoughts:
Someone really needs to explain to me what the appeal of the percussion sound like this song has is. I don’t get it. Why would you intentionally make your percussion sound this awful and lifeless, downright robotic and dry. The bass sounds like someone tapping on a desk really loudly. I know they’re fully capable of picking a better bass sound. I know they’re not limited by their tools here. It’s like that by choice and I just can’t comprehend why. Ehh, whatever though.

About the rest. Ehh, it’s fine. It never really grabbed me in any real way. The vocals are… fine. They don’t really have much presence to them though, or anything that really makes them stand out. They sound fine, and that’s the end of it. Musically it’s okay, aside from the percussion. There’s a lot of bassy and textured synths going on throughout to build a nice atmosphere throughout, but… it never builds to anything. The song does not ever reach any sort of peak and it ends incredibly unceremoniously right before it should’ve kicked into full gear. Even mellow pop songs usually hit some kind of emotional climax, but it’s just not here.

Other things I mildly dislike are that vocal-y sounding synth that pops up in the chorus, can’t say I’m really a huge fan of it. Uhh. Actually, I guess that’s it. Like Azedia two rounds ago there’s not much to this song. Two verses and two choruses. This doesn’t even have the climax that one at least had. It sounds nice but it’s forgettable and basically devoid of any real substance, honestly. I can’t find much about this that appeals to me in any real way.

4.5/10



Pushing For Glory

#5: Tomislav95: Primordial – Empire Falls

First Impressions:
I think I like the vocals, but I’m not so sure they fit in with the style of music here. It sounds like he should be singing over Iron Maiden-style heavy metal, not what this actually is. That is to say; the vocals are pretty powerful but feel detached from the music. I don’t know. On the subject of the music itself… yeah, it’s fine. I might be getting a little burnt out on folky black metal like this, Moonsorrow I did enjoy but it hasn’t really stuck with me at all, just enjoyable music. This isn’t really too dissimilar from Moonsorrow; some cool riffs and a folky undertone throughout while still keeping a distinctly black metal feel. And it’s absolutely fine for what it is, but not particularly unique outside of the vocals.

Final Thoughts:
At the end of the day, the vocals are mostly just… different than the norm. They sound just fine, they’re just different. After getting used to them, they don’t sound that out of place here. There’s an edge to them most of the time that fits in with the black metal aesthetic well enough.

The production on this is pretty solid too. A little muddy as most black metal tends to be but not quality-destroying or anything, it just gives the song a rougher sound that tends to work well. The guitar, drums, and vocals all come through clearly enough.

The music on this is pretty fine, too. The drums do well to keep a driving mood going throughout while still doing enough to remain interesting regardless, lots of small fills and variations. The guitar work varies between some rockin’ riffs and some fairly hypnotic melodies; nothing that’s all too unique for the genre, but just executed well enough to be enjoyable. It’s nothing for me to get especially excited about, but it’s enjoyable on a base level. Like, the same level that people enjoy hard rock and heavy metal, even when a lot of it sounds the same.

I guess that’s me with regards to vaguely folky black metal with a rockin’ edge to it like this has, like Moonsorrow has. I just enjoy it on a pretty basic level, regardless of whether or not it really stands out. There’s just a nice groove to the song that keeps itself going start to finish without ever really needing to stop and take a break, it flows well and passes a lot faster than you’d think it would. I just like it. I don’t love it, I don’t know if I’d seek out an entire album of this, but maybe.

7.75/10

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #528 on: August 21, 2016, 03:10:30 PM »
Running Through the Mountains

#6: Evermind: Blind Guardian – Wheel of Time

First Impressions:
Well, yeah, this pretty quickly takes a turn for the cheesy. But in a cool way? The singer is good, he sells it. The middle-eastern influences in the melodies are pretty obviously apparent. At least I think that’s middle-eastern. I could be completely wrong and look the fool. It’s some kind of folk to me, good enough. It feels like it’s going to stick to doing the same general thing, just in slightly different ways, though. At least, that’s how it sounds thus far. I sort of wish this song would stop to take a breath at some point, it’s just “go go go power and energy and grandness” and it doesn’t want to let up at all. Well, okay, I guess it finally made it there at the 5 minute mark. The percussion is still kind of high energy but I think it works in context, it’s still relatively chill in comparison with the rest of the song. I kind of ran out of things to say after that. This is probably the first song of the roulette that just feels like a bit much, and it’s not even that wacky or weird, or even really that long, just… too much.

Final Thoughts:
This song is a song where about 75% of the song is the climax of the song. There are very few parts of this song that don’t sound like they’re trying to be the biggest, grandest part of the song. This is pretty much why the song exhausted me on first listen. Most of the song is turned up to 11, which leaves very little room for the listener to breathe. Maybe this is just what people who really enjoy power metal like, I have no clue.

I really think the orchestral elements and choir vocals and everything else that makes the song continuously sound like it’s so grand and epic should’ve been used more sparingly. I think it would’ve made the parts with the orchestral bits hit with more punch and power. Because as it stands, with most of the song trying to be “the big epic part”, none of it ends up standing out. I guess the chorus where they sing the title of the song is a bit more noticeable.

The quiet break ends up being my favorite part of the song because it’s more subtle than the rest of the song and really piles on the folk sound strongly. There’s a sense of tension here, and the song actually has something to build to as a result. When the big guitar chords and horns and stuff kick in they actually hold power, it’s actually effective. When they get back to the chorus, it’s after a satisfying build up and it hits harder than before because it’s not surrounded by moments trying to be as huge and powerful as the chorus was.

I’m basically just diagnosing why the song feels fundamentally broken to me here, I guess. It’s a bit trivial because at the end of the day, even with its problems, it still ends up being a generally enjoyable track. I pretty much enjoy the entirety of the last four minutes of the song, and the intro build is pretty cool, I just wish that nearly half the song wasn’t one long chunk of in-your-face metal and orchestra swell and intense energy.

7.5/10



#4: 425: Pure Reason Revolution – Bullits Dominae

First Impressions:
I’ve seen this one thrown around a lot, and I had a song from these guys in my first roulette that was pretty okay, so let’s see how this goes, sure. As this is going on, I’m finding… hmm. I have no clue how to feel about this, actually. There’s a nice 6/8 feel to this and the melodies are alright but not really gripping me. When the song really kicks in about halfway through though I find it a bit more interesting. Much like Goshen’s Remains though this song just doesn’t really grab me in any way, or at least not on first listen, and I just find it… nice, solid, plenty listenable, but kind of forgettable. Maybe it will grow on me though, who knows.

Final Thoughts:
This is definitely a song that basically rides on its vocal melodies and little else. They’re definitely the most interesting thing about this. Both the male and female vocals, though the former seems to get more of the spotlight, doing the verses solo, and most of the prechorus, and both voices on the chorus though the female vocals definitely have a larger presence here. I can definitely say this one grew on me though, those vocal lines are pretty catchy.

The musical background is basically just setting the stage for the vocals, and it’s a job done pretty well. The song has a really good sense of build, starting out plodding and calm, and gradually escalating to an intense and grand finale, and it does it so smoothly that you barely notice it happening.

I didn’t really notice it the first time, too, but there’s a ton of different instruments adding to the mix here. Acoustic and electric guitar, bass, drums, of course. Piano, organ, and strings all playing some moderate role in the track, with the strings really being given a lot of weight during the louder parts of the track especially, pretty essential to the track’s climax. And there is actually a lot going on musically too, but it kind of takes a few listens for all the layers to really peel back. There’s driving guitar lines, upbeat drums, and wailing strings all fighting with the vocals for dominance during the climax, for example. It works well.

Won’t be going out and preaching to the masses that it’s the best song ever or anything, sure, but yeah, this was definitely a satisfying grower and leaves a much better impression with me than Goshen’s Remains. It’s certainly a satisfying listen. Not especially unique, but does what it wants to do and does it well, can’t fault it for that.

8/10



#3: home: Panzerballett - Der Saxdiktator

First Impressions:
I absolutely cannot find this online anywhere so no youtube link, sadly. Oh yeah, this is that jazz-metal thingy isn’t it. I legitimately enjoyed the first 10 seconds of this more than the entirety of the other song you sent. They’re definitely not lying about the saxophone, to be certain. Always appreciate that in my metal. It’s definitely a technical whirlwind but they have enough intelligence to break things up with some more chill moments every now and then. They play up both the metal and jazz elements to a fair degree, though it sort of sounds a bit too clean to really have a ton of power. But I certainly enjoy listening to this, or at least I do on first listen.

Final Thoughts:
I’m finding that my biggest problem with this is that the main motif that keeps popping up throughout the song… isn’t very appeal. It sounds off-rhythm and seasick. Like legitimately, feels like it’s off the beat of the song. It just doesn’t hold much appeal to me, regardless. And considering how much the motif pops up throughout the song I would consider that a bit of a problem.

On a technical level this is definitely a pretty satisfying song, too. The drums and bass both provide a solid and interesting backdrop for the rest of the instruments and they’re both plenty interesting even taken on their own. There’s guitars providing some ominous melodies in the quieter moments and some crunchy riffs during the heavier parts. Some parts of the song also give off a definitely djenty feel too, but not really in a bad way? It’s kind of jagged but it feels like it works because there’s no straight rhythms to keep the jaggedness feeling forced, it just flows.

And of course you have the saxophone and horns and lead guitars and whatever else showing off throughout a lot of this but not just in a “playing solos everywhere” kind of way. There’s a lot of moments of harmonization and texture. Especially in the middle where the lead instruments all chill together and let the rhythm elements take the foreground. It never really feels too showboaty or over the top.

I will say that this song definitely feels like it’s lacking some kind of hook to really draw me in and keep me interested; but this may just be because I’m not a huge fan of the main motif that’s supposed to serve as the hook here. And it can be a bit hard to tell parts of this song apart, it’s just a long string of ideas that never really shift too wildly but  things keep getting done in different enough ways to not bore me either.

It really feels like a case of a song needing more listens to really sink in for me, because I’m not quite sure I’m sold on it yet, but I still do enjoy this a good bit regardless. It definitely has a strong jazz aesthetic going on without just simply sounding like “jazz, but louder”. I’d definitely be interested in checking out more from these guys at the very least.

Except I can’t freaking find any songs on this album online anywhere, so, there’s that :V

8/10



#2: Bolsters: Purity Ring – Begin Again

First Impressions:
Begin Again is a DT song, banned. Really though this sounds even more mainstream pop to me. They could play this on the radio and it wouldn’t really sound that out of place. At the same time, I probably wouldn’t notice it? The main motif feels played out and kind of generic. I get that the focus of this is definitely meant to be the vocals, and yeah, the singer sounds pretty good, but everything else here is just not working for me. The watery and droning bass, the sparse percussion, the blaring synths playing the main melody. The only thing about the music that I like is the piano that creeps in at times. And yeah, the vocals are cool, I just wish they were on a different kind of song. They fit in fine here, sure, but I just don’t have interest in something like this.

Final Thoughts:
Nothing about the production in this song really stands out in any way. The drums are so minimal, they serve their purpose, they build up to the chorus as the rest of the song does, just fine. The droning bass provides a solid melodic backbone but doesn’t do much else. The piano sounds alive enough to have decent power to it but the melodies it’s stuck playing aren’t especially unique. And the synth line behind the chorus is just the same melody that the piano plays right before it.

But goddamn, do I love the singer here. I didn’t, on first listen. Honestly on first listen this was my least favorite track of the entire bunch. But then I listened to it again and realized, oh dang, she’s a great singer. And the vocal melodies on this are fantastic. Like, ridiculously catchy. Especially, especially, on the “I need not one thing more” part of the verse. The slight rhythmic variations there, on top of just how natural and flowing those melodies are. Pop perfection to be honest. The prechorus/chorus is second place here, with the first half of the verses probably being the least compelling melodies by a sliiight margin, but really,

I just adore all the vocals in this song. They pretty much carry this entire song and they do it well enough that I’m not bothered at all by the production. It works, it serves its purpose, but it lets the real star of the show here shine. This song’s basically up this high for the catchiness factor of it, and damn am I glad to hear a decent pop song in 2016 because have you looked at the charts this year, they’re absolutely abysmal. Christ. Totally aware that, yes, this is a 2015 song, but it’s the listening to it in 2016 part that’s important. Anyways. Yes. Good stuff. Surprisingly. Thankfully.

8.25/10




The Lowest Peak

#7: Scorpion: Caladan Brood – A Voice Born of Stone and Dust

First Impressions:
I think I listened to these guys once but all I remember is “folky black metal” and that describes about a dozen bands I’ve listened to so yeah, sure. I think I vaguely remember this one though because the mixing is absolutely awful? The tambourine sound is like the only part of the percussion you can really hear and the vocals seem keen on drowning out a lot of the guitar and bass. This has been rather motionless for several minutes straight at this point as well, past the synth orchestra intro. Okay, it does break for some more strings and a solid plucked melody going on. I don’t know, on first listen this sound both a bit sparse and a bit played out. And the mixing really isn’t helping matters.

Final Thoughts:
Oh god that tambourine. It’s not quite as bad as the Dead Can Dance song from my last roulette and its infernal beeping, but damn has the mixing really done a number on this song’s potential, and the tambourine is like the driving force of the problem. Why is that the only percussion I can hear besides the snare. Why are the buzzsaw tremolo guitars completely buried in the mix. Why are the vocals this loud. I guess you can hear the bass drum at times and the guitar is audible when it’s doing that palm-muted guitar thing, but. There’s a difference between bad audio quality (which is also kind of the case here, but not enough to be distracting) and just downright being mixed wrong, constantly trying to draw the listener’s attention to the wrong things and destroying a lot of the punch the song could have had.

That being said, the hook of this song is actually pretty dang strong. An atmospheric black metal song with a discernable, catchy chorus. Who would’ve thought. The harsh vocals sound raspy, sure, but in a way that works. They sound otherworldly and not just like a person who really needs a glass of water like Agalloch always, -always- sounds to me. They work quite well. The hook is really memorable, despite the vocals not having any melody to them. The guitar melody being drowned out helps too, the same melody as the start of the song and all.

I don’t really mind how blatantly fake the orchestral elements sound because they still serve their purpose just fine. They create a nice wall of texture and play some simple but effective melodies. There’s enough subtlety to the quieter moments and they carry enough emotional weight to be effective. Also, that bit around the 7 minute mark is just fantastic. The guitar chords with the shreddy solo buried under them. Creates a nice big epic feel, even if the guitar solo itself is pretty meaningless and generically shreddy. It works, regardless. And the drums build up a really intense climax at the end of the song too.

Like, really, once you get past the mixing and that goddamn tambourine, this is actually a pretty cool song all around. Everything else works, it just could’ve worked so much better with a little more time put into the production here. I actually poked around to see if it was just a fluke and the video I was sent just had an audio error, and, no, all the versions I could find of this basically just sound like this, so I assume it sounds like this on the album too. Which is a shame, really. I may peek at this album again but if it all has the same mixing issues I’ll probably end up skipping it. Solid song, just a bit frustrating to listen to.

7.25/10



Star in the Sky

#1: Tomislav95: The Antlers – Palace

First Impressions:
Pretty shortly into this and I already like it more than Parade, the music just has more atmosphere to it. This music fits the vocals a lot more, too, especially with that reverb on his voice. This is definitely along the same song as the Goldfrapp song you sent, though a bit slower-paced and more ethereal in sound. The horns are a really nice touch too, they fit right in and give the song a really grand feel. And it builds to a satisfying climax, too. This is definitely hitting all the right points with me for this kind of music; atmospheric and gorgeous and easy to get lost in.

Final Thoughts:
What a freaking gorgeous track this is. Like damn. Right from the moment that piano line comes in, gentle and melancholic and with a great tone to it. And I just really like the horns. It’s really nice to see them used in a way that isn’t just “make this part sound epic”. They have subtlety and real emotive presence, they’re an integral part of the atmosphere here. There’s so many different melodies going on as the song builds up, just creating a really pleasant twinkly soundscape. It’s… very pleasant.

The vocals aren’t really that impressive on their own but they just blend in with the sound of this song so very well. Ethereal and distant, just another layer of melody to add to the mix. They’re plenty pleasant and they escalate as the rest of the song does; a few layers going on in the climax of the song to give them more depth, too. It works well.

I just… don’t think there’s a lot that needs to be said about this. It’s straightforward but complex enough musically, and just, it just sounds so nice. It’s not a huge emotional gutpunch or anything but it’s a well-crafted song that I enjoy quite a lot each time I listen to it.

8.5/10

So, at the end of the day... Bolsters and Scorpion are out. The rest can send me Round 5.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #529 on: August 21, 2016, 03:23:58 PM »
Wow. I'm still in Parama's roulette? It's a miracle!

Totally not voting for myself in the poll though. :lol


This is definitely a song that basically rides on its vocal melodies and little else.

...

The rest of the music is just a backdrop for the vocals, but one that accompanies them well and all comes together well

Lol this is something I personally don't mind at all—a song can completely win me on vocal melodies alone if they're strong strong enough. I understand why not for others, though. Glad you liked both the songs at least somewhat, particularly the PRR.


Okay, well, for one, the vocalist is definitely no Roger Waters. He sounds like, really old. No offense. I have no clue how old he is, I was too lazy to look it up, but he sounds like he’s in his 50’s or 60’s. Just an observation. It certainly doesn’t sound as smooth or powerful as a younger-sounding voice would be. Beyond that though, the vocals are fine, and they better be since they’re definitely the main selling point of the song.

Lol Roine was like 38 when this album was recorded. He's in his late 50s now and still sounds pretty much the same. I guess I get how it sounds like he's old, but I'm pretty sure it's just his vocal style. It's kind of a Bob-Dylan-esque thing, IMO, though certainly not as Bob Dylan as Bob Dylan. I thought it was kind of weird at first but grew to really like it. If you captured my life on hidden camera you'd definitely find me absentmindedly doing my Roine voice.

EDIT: Parama, am I correct in saying that Round 5 (which is listed as "Round 4" in the OP) has a length limit of between 8 and 15 minutes?
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

Offline Crow

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #530 on: August 21, 2016, 03:27:39 PM »
Yeah, I fixed it.

Offline Tomislav95

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #531 on: August 21, 2016, 03:46:53 PM »
Yay, I'm still in! Have no idea what to send though :justjen

On The Antlers: I was seeing their albums Hospice on shit ton of lists on RYM and it was on my wishlist when Seneca sent Palace in Evermind's roulette. I liked the song and been obsessed with them (especially Hospice :hefdaddy) ever since. Familiars (album) is not really that interesting all the way through IMO but there are some great songs, Palace being one of the best.
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #532 on: August 21, 2016, 10:00:32 PM »
I'm kind of disappointed I was eliminated now, mostly because Purity Ring did pretty well. With the CHVRCHES song I thought I was trying to appeal to what I thought you'd like and I went with an unusual choice, because most of the band's music is upbeat stuff which you said doesn't do much for you. But ironically I think I probably would have done better if I'd sent a more typical CHVRCHES song because your biggest complaints about Follow You wouldn't apply. :loser:

I'll see you again in your real roulette then.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #533 on: August 21, 2016, 10:03:32 PM »
i actually thought up a pretty neat concept for my v2.5 but i'm going to keep it under wraps until i actually run it, whenever that is. mid-2017 or so.
also i'm sorry. pop is basically always a risk with me tbh, some songs/artists click with me and others just don't

Offline Bolsters

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #534 on: August 21, 2016, 10:06:22 PM »
Yeah I went with two risks this round because with two songs, I saw it as two opportunities to be eliminated and lost all confidence (not that I had much playing in a Parama roulette to begin with).

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #535 on: August 21, 2016, 10:10:49 PM »
i mean, evermind made it to my top 4 so anything can happen :neverusethis:

Offline 425

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #536 on: August 21, 2016, 10:27:36 PM »
It's kind of magical that I made it to your top 4, tbh.

I think this kind of roulette has something kind of like the thing that happens in some survivors, where a song that isn't really loved, but isn't really hated either, manages to sneak through and end up rating really high.
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #537 on: August 21, 2016, 10:36:44 PM »
Hahaha, wow.

Nice to see the whiskey and cat song won the round too, I really liked it in my roulette.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #538 on: August 21, 2016, 10:39:32 PM »
It's kind of magical that I made it to your top 4, tbh.

I think this kind of roulette has something kind of like the thing that happens in some survivors, where a song that isn't really loved, but isn't really hated either, manages to sneak through and end up rating really high.
well, i mean, you sent what i'd currently call the third best song of the roulette  :lol
but scorp sent the best so yeah. i can see what you mean.
also was that the whiskey and cat song? i forgot about that. nice.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #539 on: August 21, 2016, 11:41:11 PM »
Yeah, that went how I thought it would go tbh, especially after you said that you had heard stuff from both those bands and they didn't make an impression. Oh well. Thanks for having me anyway.
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #540 on: August 22, 2016, 01:24:41 AM »
I'm liking my chances in this roulette :) I have 3 votes and tomislav aswell so technically I'm tied for first right?
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.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #541 on: August 22, 2016, 02:43:17 AM »
I'm liking my chances in this roulette :) I have 3 votes and tomislav aswell so technically I'm tied for first right?
I just voted for myself :loser:
In other news, still didn't find the song to send.
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #542 on: August 22, 2016, 10:11:54 AM »
I mean, I just realized that I've sent Sonata Arctica and Blind Guardian in Parama's elimination-based roulette and I'm still in. That wasn't what I expected when I joined this one.

And since Parama set the minimum length limit for this round to 8 minutes, he just condemned himself to another solid slab of power metal right here.  :lol Sending in a few minutes!
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #543 on: August 22, 2016, 10:28:52 AM »
I voted for myself but I think Evermind will win :corn he's unstoppable right now, providing Parama with power metal and still nailing it :P
Also, sent. I'm not too confident about this song, and this band wasn't big success any time I sent them :-\
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #544 on: August 22, 2016, 11:09:26 AM »
I voted for myself but I think Evermind will win :corn he's unstoppable right now, providing Parama with power metal and still nailing it :P
Also, sent. I'm not too confident about this song, and this band wasn't big success any time I sent them :-\

I'm 99% sure I won't win, but I won't give you any particular reason yet. :biggrin: Also, I voted for you, too!

Sent my favourite power metal song.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline 425

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #545 on: August 22, 2016, 11:13:56 AM »
It's kind of magical that I made it to your top 4, tbh.

I think this kind of roulette has something kind of like the thing that happens in some survivors, where a song that isn't really loved, but isn't really hated either, manages to sneak through and end up rating really high.
well, i mean, you sent what i'd currently call the third best song of the roulette  :lol

True! :lol
And if spirit's a sign,
Then it's only a matter of time

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #546 on: August 22, 2016, 12:23:46 PM »
I'm preparing myself for the worst  :corn

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #547 on: August 22, 2016, 12:41:22 PM »
Definitely a good call. Me too.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #548 on: August 22, 2016, 01:04:49 PM »
I'm rooting for Evermind or 425 to win this, just because their tastes are the furthest away from what I perceive Parama's musical taste to be and that would be hilarious.
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #549 on: August 22, 2016, 01:10:50 PM »
oh and I'm probably not going to do hangmanen this round I have something else in mind, only 4 songs anyways

Offline Train of Naught

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #550 on: August 22, 2016, 01:32:25 PM »
So you're doing hangmanen deluxe then :corn
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.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #551 on: August 22, 2016, 01:41:49 PM »
I'm rooting for Evermind or 425 to win this, just because their tastes are the furthest away from what I perceive Parama's musical taste to be and that would be hilarious.
:emo:
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #552 on: August 22, 2016, 01:42:56 PM »
I hope me and 425 both get to the final round and then I beat him by half a point. :biggrin:
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #553 on: August 22, 2016, 01:44:30 PM »
I'm just rooting for a Train of Naught disciple to win it. And from those 5, 1 of them is the host, 1 of them didn't participate and 2 of them are eliminated. So my vote goes to Tomislav :metal
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 Tomislav95

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #554 on: August 22, 2016, 01:49:35 PM »
I'm just rooting for a Train of Naught disciple to win it. And from those 5, 1 of them is the host, 1 of them didn't participate and 2 of them are eliminated. So my vote goes to Tomislav :metal
You gave me vote because my EP will end up last in you roulette, won't it? :emo: 
...the years just pass like trains
I wave but they don't slow down...

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #555 on: August 22, 2016, 01:50:37 PM »
I'm just rooting for a Train of Naught disciple to win it. And from those 5, 1 of them is the host, 1 of them didn't participate and 2 of them are eliminated. So my vote goes to Tomislav :metal

Who do you consider to be Train of Naught disciples?
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #556 on: August 22, 2016, 01:51:47 PM »
:emo:

I know just as much about the standings as you do

The only thing I have right now is a rough ranking of the songs and a vague idea of flow score, and songs are changing like 1 or 2 spots pretty much every listen at this point, it's really hard.

I'm just rooting for a Train of Naught disciple to win it. And from those 5, 1 of them is the host, 1 of them didn't participate and 2 of them are eliminated. So my vote goes to Tomislav :metal

Who do you consider to be Train of Naught disciples?

You, Bolsters, Tomislav, Parama, Elite
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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #557 on: August 22, 2016, 01:56:07 PM »
Yes, I understand. It looks pretty tough too rank so many songs alone and with whole EPs it's even worse. 
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I wave but they don't slow down...

Offline Tyrias

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #558 on: August 22, 2016, 04:02:49 PM »
Has there actually been a score above 9 so far in this roulette? I haven't been following that closely since I got thrown out, but it seems like no one really managed to get a home-run so far. I'm not really surprised about that, I have a pretty hard time pinning down what Parama will like myself. Still, feels like there is some potential for improvement there :lol (that, or Parama is just really strict).

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Re: Parama's Spontaneous Roulette v1.5 (ROUND 4 RESULTS)
« Reply #559 on: August 22, 2016, 04:17:04 PM »
8.75 is the highest thus far.

9+ has to really click with me and tbh it's a bit hard for that to happen in a roulette format but there are some songs that could score that high here from my first roulette