Round 8 results
TAC - Euphoreon - MirrorsSee, sometimes you can play it safe and know you'll get a safe score, or you can take a punt and hope you get the reward. This was the perfect submission from Tim and right away became my favourite without question. As you know, I love growls but they can still be a bit hit or miss, but everything about this is perfect and is a style I absolutely love. Has a black metal vibe, but also a bit of a Norther/Children of Bodom vibe too. It's a great mix a harsh styles and just the melodies, the atmosphere and everything about it is perfect and I found myself replaying it again and again and again. The lyrics too are so good and this sort of music which has lyrical content about life, death, internal struggles is just brilliant IMO. I love how it's hard to pinpoint a structure, the whole thing is just there and flows but doesn't feel 6 minutes. The chorus type section though ("internal suffering within...") just blows my mind, can't get enough. Well done Tim, I can see why this is your fav album of the year so far.
Style - 9.5
Instrumentation and vox - 9.5
Songwriting and Structure - 9.5
Replay value - 10.0
Would I purchase - 9.5
Score - 9.6jingle.boy - Horizon's Edge - In A MomentWell, I thought I knew my Aussie metal, damn I was wrong. This got me interested right away. I love this guys voice. A bit more of a higher tone than I normally would like but I found his vocals really strong and addictive. Pretty straightforward power metal but very slick, polished and just very good. The pre chorus and chorus are all very catchy and stick in your head. There's not much to say but I really really liked this, a lot and got a lot of extra plays.
Style - 9.5
Instrumentation and vox - 9.5
Songwriting and Structure - 9.0
Replay value - 9.5
Would I purchase - 9.0
Score - 9.3Puppies_On_Acid - Rivers of Nihil - The Silent LifeThis one took some time to grow, but I really enjoyed this one too. Nice strong vocals on this one, and I found the overall mood very dense with a nice atmosphere. The thing I love the most about this is the contrast between the first two or so minutes to the middle section. That middle instrumental section with the lead guitar and sax is just bliss, love it. I have a real soft spot for some sax solos in metal and this one is just so good. Perfect songwriting. Love the use of modes in the solo too, lydian or mixolydian perhaps, I haven't worked it out. Besides this the struture was pretty straightforward and simple, but a very enjoyable song.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 9.0
Songwriting and Structure - 9.0
Replay value - 9.0
Would I purchase - 9.0
Score - 9.0Luoto - Fireproven - The TowerThis song and the Rivers of Nihil kind of went together for me, they both seemed to work and flowed nicely next to each other. I like the more melodic death metal approach of this one with the keyboards and type of vox really enhancing that style. Some really nice melodies in this one and a great feel. I found the vocal melody in the chorus really awkward at first, but I ended up loving it. Felt almost depressed or even desperate in the way it's put across, good stuff, and great to sing along to. Love the quiet middle and then the heaviness coming back in works wonders too. Doesn't feel this long either, good song, love the outro too, big time.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 9.0
Songwriting and Structure - 9.0
Replay value - 9.0
Would I purchase - 9.0
Score - 9.0bl5150 - Collibus - End of the LineWhat is this, Brent sending me female vocals, has he not learnt anything? Luckily Brent knows me very well it seems and this was enjoyable. Her vocals were very strong and were very much in the vein of Magali, so that's a win. Started off nice and easy and mid tempo but had a nice catchy, memorable chorus. After that, it kicks things up a notch and Brent referred it to Symphony X, and I can definitely see that. The contrast between the first half and second half is some good songwriting and sparks your interest again and picks your ears up. Good soloing too, that's always a bonus. Gets to a nice climax and the subtlety of the song going back into the chorus is good then the outro solo tops things off. I liked it enough that I;d check the band out but didn't blow me away as much. But I'm not gonna lie Brent, the 'wrong' song you sent probably would have gotten a 9. The bonus track would have scored the same too so it's all good.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 9.0
Songwriting and Structure - 9.5
Replay value - 8.5
Would I purchase - 8.5
Score - 8.9Bolsters - Sergey Golovin - Bouncing BallThis one also didn't quite get me going right away, but it did grow. Sending instrumental guitarists with chops usually is a good bet. This guy has a real classic Satriani/Vai style to his sound for me. The djent style was a little surprising and worked quite well actually with the lead work. And the different sections throughout the first couple of minutes actually flowed really well. Didn't blow my away by any means, but a very talented guitarist this guy. The solo was class, great feel. Real Vai vibe in there for me along with some others. Solid indeed.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 9.0
Songwriting and Structure - 8.5
Replay value - 8.5
Would I purchase - 8.5
Score - 8.7tomislav95 - Visigoth - Warrior QueenThis started off really strong but was kind of one of those songs that lost it's novelty just slightly. I still really really like it and love the styles. Has a classic feel with some modern touches. Love the harmonies in between the verses. I thought the vocalist lacks a bit of range. He portrays everything well, but is very limited, but still cool to listen too. Very cheesy, but that's completely fine with me. Nothing I haven't heard before but an enjoyable song. The highlight I think for me are those harmonies that come in and out of the verses and other sections, they are done really well and very melodic. I actually think the cheesy part towards the end works really well too. Dunno how much of this band I'd be interested in long term from what I'm sensing but a strong submission.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.5
Songwriting and Structure - 9.0
Replay value - 8.5
Would I purchase - 8.5
Score - 8.7Evermind - Vile Caliber - WillpowerYou doubted this submission a lot Ruslan, and I can sort of see why, but it was pretty decent. Don't know who these guys are, they sound pretty fresh but I thought when it started had a nice groove. The vocalist is pretty meh really but still is fine. The chorus was good, the way he shouts 'will power' is a little cringeworthy, but I thought it was catchy enough to maintain my interest. The solo section was decent too. This is pretty generic and can't see myself really checking these guys out much as we've heard this all before and it lost it's novelty pretty quick, but not the worst submission at all.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.5
Songwriting and Structure - 8.5
Replay value - 8.0
Would I purchase - 8.0
Score - 8.4Parama - Slugdge - The Spectral BurrowsProbably the most straight ahead submission I've had from Parama. Although that's what I thought when it started then those vocals in the verses instantly had that Parama touch hahaha. This was overall solid. Didn't blow me away but nice enough to listen too. The other vocals that this guy does is really quite strong though. The thing I liked though was that change in tempo around that 2:30 mark, that was sweet and pricks the ears. This is tough, there is not much too it overall and probably should score lower but what I've scored it stands.
Style - 8.5
Instrumentation and vox - 8.5
Songwriting and Structure - 8.5
Replay value - 8.0
Would I purchase - 7.5
Score - 8.2lowdz - Snake Eyes Seven - The KillI guess this is just one of those songs that we have heard before, hence the rating. The was pretty good though, nice rocking feel and the vocalist fit the style. The chorus also became quite catchy and enjoyable too. There's not much to say on this one, I guess solid is the word here. I liked the solo too, for some reason I didn't expect much of a solo at first so was surprised. I can't quite put my finger on who this band reminds me of either. Anyway, solid.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.0
Songwriting and Structure - 8.0
Replay value - 8.0
Would I purchase - 8.0
Score - 8.2Big Hath - Barren Earth - The RubyThe second song I've had from this band in this roulette, but I don't mind. Although this one wasn't as good as the first one. I don't know, everything here I should like and while I did find bits pretty enjoyable, it just left me saying 'meh'. I found the chorus a bit off in the melodies fro some reason. The verses are good though, the growls are great, solo is nice, but yeah was decent, just didn't really do it for me, although enjoyable. The points mainly of for those great rolling verses.
Style - 9.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.0
Songwriting and Structure - 7.5
Replay value - 7.5
Would I purchase - 7.5
Score - 7.9Elite - Huntsmen - PyreThis was an interseting one. The intro actually reminded me of Pearl Jam a little even though it's nothing like it. Pretty dense atmosphere here. When the guitars kicked in I had a chuckle at the Sabbath, Luke's Wall rip off there. I found this interseting to listen to, the vocals aren't really for me though, but they weren't a big turn off or anything. I gotta say it didn't feel this long either and was definitely something different. I guess being different, it's just not really what I'm looking for, but it was a pleasant listen.
Style - 8.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.0
Songwriting and Structure - 8.0
Replay value - 7.5
Would I purchase - 7.0
Score - 7.7Stadler - Rainbow - Waiting For A SignI don't understand the point of the band doing one brand new track like this. I didn't find this very enjoyable or though it had some nice things. Ronnie's vocals obviously and Blackmore had some nice noodling, but prettty pointless while not being horrible. Although what the fuck is with the blatant Wishing Well chorus rip off, jeez. Someone needs to give Blackmore his balls back though.
Style - 7.0
Instrumentation and vox - 8.5
Songwriting and Structure - 7.0
Replay value - 6.0
Would I purchase - 6.0
Score - 6.9Lethean - Tesseract - JunoYeah, I've seen this band name and maybe heard some older stuff I think, but I don't remember this sort of style, but could be wrong. This isn't for me. I didn't like the modern feel throughout and found the guys vocals pretty ordinary and whiny. The chorus was alright though, but reminds me heavily of some old Staind, Break the Cycle era. Not the worst thing I've heard, but a miss.
Style - 7.0
Instrumentation and vox - 6.0
Songwriting and Structure - 7.0
Replay value - 6.5
Would I purchase - 6.0
Score - 6.5Kattoelox - Giraffes? Giraffes! - At the Turf Field Behind my Parents HouseWhat the fuck is this? And what the fuck made you send this to me? There really is nothing in this I found enjoyable. I found it boring, monotone and quite frankly just don't understand it. maybe that's it, maybe it's really really good, but I just don't understand it. Do you have to be on drugs to make this kind of music? Or do I have to be on drugs to listen to this type of music? How did this get released? From the start to finish did someone not say to them, "Hey guys, what the fuck is this, fuck off with this crap already, this isn't good, and anyone that says it is is lying to you and wants to see you make a dick of youselves, this is shit." So many questions with this....
Sorry to be a dick mate, hahaha, nah, this was a miss.
Style - 4.0
Instrumentation and vox - 4.0
Songwriting and Structure - 4.0
Replay value - 4.0
Would I purchase - 4.0
Score - 4.0bl5150 - 9.1 + 9.4 + 9.0 + 9.3 + 8.9 + 9.2 + 9.0 + 8.9
jingle.boy - 8.9 + 8.7 + 8.0 + 9.2 + 8.8 + 9.2 + 7.0 + 9.3
Luoto - 8.8 + 8.7 + 8.6 + 6.0 + 9.0 + 7.0 + 7.8 + 9.0
TAC - 8.6 + 9.5 + 9.0 + 8.4 + 9.0 + 8.8 + 8.6 + 9.6
Big Hath - 8.5 + 9.5 + 8.6 + 8.4 + 9.4 + 9.0 + 9.1 + 7.9
Evermind - 8.5 + 8.0 + 9.1 + 9.0 + 9.2 + 8.6 + 7.8 + 8.4
Kattoelox - 8.4 + 7.5 + 8.8 + 7.1 + 0.0 + 8.8 + 8.7 + 4.0
Bolsters - 7.9 + 9.4 +7.7 + 8.9 + 8.6 + 8.5 + 8.8 + 8.7
Parama - 7.6 + 6.8 + 7.7 + 7.0 + 7.8 + 9.7 + 6.0 + 8.2
Tomislav95 - 7.4 + 8.4 + 8.5 + 8.4 + 8.0 + 7.8 + 8.4 + 8.7
Elite - 7.3 + 6.8 + 8.3 + 9.0 + 7.3 + 7.0 + 6.8 + 7.7
lowdz - 6.9 + 8.6 + 8.5 + 8.8 + 9.2 + 9.0 + 8.8 + 8.2
Puppies_On_Acid - 6.0 + 7.9 + 7.0 + 9.0 + 8.8 + 6.3 + 9.0 + 9.0
Lethean - 5.8 + 6.0 + 9.2 + 7.7 + 4.8 + 8.7 + 6.4 + 6.5
Stadler - 4.6 + 8.1 + 7.9 + 5.0 + 4.5 + 7.2 + 8.2 + 6.9
bl5150 - 72.8
TAC - 71.5
Big Hath - 70.4
jingle.boy - 69.1
Evermind - 68.6
Bolsters - 68.5
lowdz - 68.0
Tomislav95 - 65.6
Luoto - 64.9
Puppies_on_Acid - 63.1
Parama - 60.8
Elite - 60.2
Lethean - 55.1
Kattoelox - 53.3
Stadler - 52.8
The final round has come!!