These are the unadjusted rankings
Elite: Caligula's Horse - All is Quiet By the Wall
There is a lot going on with this tune… not always in a good way. Some parts I liked (the acoustic moments, the guitar solo / outro was the best part of the song), but most of this didn’t click at all. The screaming parts of the vocals - the vocals in general. Some of the guitar chords were grating to me - I’m not a musical theory guy (at least, not since I was 11 years old), but I’d classify a lot of what I heard as being in a minor key, or being minor chords? It just didn’t work for these ears. Seneca tried sending these guys in the last roulette, and it didn’t end well for him either.
Ranking: 10Parama: The Hirsch Effekt / Agitation
This was a pleasant surprise - it didn’t totally suck. Are some of the vocals non-English - guess you confirmed that? I really liked the orchestral arrangements in this, but really wasn’t a fan of anything from the guitarist… to whiney and squeaky. That solo melted my ears … and not in a good way - I truly couldn’t wait for it to end. The whole song gave me a bit of an alt-rock vibe, and I was never an alt-rock fan. This was definitely one of the ones that didn’t improve with multiple listens. I just not a fan of the moody, gloomy, depressive style of music.
Ranking: 9Train Of Naught: Soen / Sectarian
This came with a Dan Swano vibe vocally, but I only like that tenor/monotone style so much. This by no means is a bad song, but something has to finish in the bottom. The slow/plodding, melo-whatever style of music is usually a miss, and this 'missed. I probably should like this more than I do, but for my tastes, it’s middle of the road at best - and with so many people in this round finding the strong side of the road, this one ends up down in the bottom three.
Ranking: 9Puppies_on_Acid: The Lord Weird Slough Feg / High Passage / Low Passage
At first, I was digging this - it certainly put the fun in funky. But then I listened to it a few more times. Like Dr. Stein, I really liked the instrumental part, but the vocal sections were just too damned repetitive. Cheesy lyrics didn’t bother me, but the same rhythm/beat over and over and over again eventually got on my nerves.
Ranking: 8Indiscipline: Helloween* / Dr. Stein
It wasn’t Kiske that I didn’t like about this song - his delivery was fine. It was just just a pedestrian and almost boring song - at least during the verses/chorus’s. The instrumental section kicked ass. For my liking, it was a bi-polar song - though it probably fits in the context of the album. I get Halloween is a classic metal band, but this did nothing to change my opinion that this act is over-rated by the DTFs… I’m being facetious of course, but Halloween has just never clicked for me, and Dr. Stein didn’t make me want to give them another go. And what’s with that A Day in the Life chord at the end? Completely out of place.
Ranking: 8Stadler: Wetton/Downes / Under the Sky
This is going to suffer a similar fate to TAC’s submission of
Do I Remember A Life, sent me in a previous roulette, and I feel bad for itI I actually went back to read my writeup for that, and it this submission pretty much mirrors everything I felt about that song back then - absolutely gorgeous song, and “I have no doubt that this will be a grower, get better with every single listen, and could very likely in a year or so be the best song from this round – but for the moment, it isn’t.”
Ranking: 7jjrock88: Fifth Angel* / Time Will Tell
You once said that we both in the same Rock City, just different sides of the track … you’re right, I guess I just moved about 15 years ago - but this one was like visiting my old neighbourhood and remembering everything I liked about those times. Just like many submissions you’ve had for me in my previous 3 roulettes, this was … Solid. It didn’t completely wow me, but there was nothing about this that I didn’t like. Rewind the clock 30 years, and I’d have been all over this like a cougar on a wounded chicken. I’m now really pissed I missed these guys
. Wish I could rate this higher, but don’t despair, this and every song ahead of it is at least a B+ in my normal ranking scheme, which is good enough to keep and get repeat listens.
Ranking: 6Lowdz: Eric Gillette / The Great Unknown
Heavy as fuck, in a good way. Totally not what I was expecting from Eric as a solo act. Damn he has a smooth voice. I could do without the Home/Sacrificed Son rhythm line that reared it’s head at the start of the instrumental section - man that’s used a lot now that I think about it. This started out in the top grouping, but lost a few spots not because I liked it any less, but others improved over the week.
Ranking: 6Bolsters: Choirboys / Run to Paradise
On one of the series of listens, this came on directly after The Hirsch Effekt, and instantly changed my mood from wanting to hang myself to snapping my fingers and enjoying life again
. This was absolutely foot tapping goodness. Based on your note, I can totally see how this is a classic-rock radio staple. Not sure why it/them never resonated around these here parts. This song for you would probably be the same as Loverboy/Turn Me Loose is for me - local artists, lots of radio play, and just a solid tune all-around (any of the fogeys can come at me over that). Would loved to have ranked this higher, but she sits in the middle.
Ranking: 5Lethean: Katatonia* / Old Heart Falls
I definitely hear a Tom England twang in Jonas’ voice - which is a good thing. The keyboards in the background were haunting - in a good way. Normally, I’m not a fan of the doom-and-gloom style but this was pretty decent on first listen, and improved with every subsequent listen - leapfrogging a couple of songs in the process. Now, that may very well piss off a few of the bottom-dwellers, but for some reason, it worked in this case. I don’t know why… them’s tastes for you.
Ranking: 5Kingshmegland: A.C.T. / The Effect
I was worried initially. First round of listening, and I had no idea which song was King’s. I must’ve been distracted, because I should’ve known exactly this was his. Nowadays, I lean more to the
side of music - it seems that most prog-rock outfits just don’t float my boat, but damn this was a very good listen. ProgSnob gave me an A.C.T. song last time around, and it only prompted me to check out one album. This will prompt me to check out more. As the only pure prog-rock song sent this round (I guess Wetton/Downes could be considered prog-rock), this was super enjoyable, but faced some tough competition. That’s what I thought after a couple of listens… but after a few more, you benefited the most from repeat listens to end up in the top half.
Ranking: 4Evermind: Wolverine / Your Favorite War
I'll say it again, this kind of mood/atmosphere that wouldn’t work, but it did, and what a great solo - short as it was. Polar opposite in the tone between this and King’s song, but they teamed up to form a great back-to-back listen, and they get the tie. I love me my ballads, and this as a metal / non-traditional power ballad clicked by the second listen, with the nice gradual build. Like the Katatonia track, it gave a very haunting mood - in the best possible way. Did I mention the solo?
Ranking: 4wolfking: Amorphis* / Amongst Stars
This would be the Jesse “The Body” submission - ‘win if you can; lose if you must, but always cheat’. I admire that
. Based on your writeup signalling Anneke’s participation in this one, I knew within the first 15 seconds which track was yours - no way not to know that voice, just with her opening moans. There isn’t anything he’s lent her voice to that I don’t love - she instantly makes any song better, and it’s a good thing she’s here, because without her, this would would’ve fallen closer to the middle of the pack - Tomi’s voice on his own is in that mid-range that usually doesn’t do much for me… but in this case, it’s a great contrast with AVG. Structure of the song was top notch too - and another case of tasteful and appropriate growls.
Ranking: 3lonestar: Orphaned Land* / The Cave
First impression…. ‘what a middle eastern vibe this has … wait, isn't Orphaned Land is from the middle east? … guess this is lodestar’s’. There is a lot going on with this tune… in a very good way. Orchestra, choirs, female vox, a fucking maniac on the drums, multiple (and excellent) solos, diverse instrumentation, spoken parts, and …. wait for it …. tasteful and appropriate growlies. Take note class, this is how it’s done if you feel the need to send growls. Guess you just had to prove me wrong that acts with ‘doom’ or ‘death’ to describe their genre wouldn’t get a lot of love, eh?
Ranking: 3TAC: Nahtram - The Wolf
There’s a certain je ne sais quoi missing with this song… oh that’s right - GROWLS. You’re a fucker. After the first round of listening, I was wondering which song was yours, then thought “that bastard probably sent the instrumental!”
So many different and diverse parts to this song - nice keyboard intro, heavy as shit, slower/acoustic breakdown, great keyboard and guitar riffs and licks all over the place. Complex writing and talented execution. Nice piece of ass this one was. Just like your old lady
Ranking: 2Kattoelox: Time Requiem / Sin to Sin
It’s really quite fun to see people try to guess their song based on the initial thought. I dunno if you were being super anxious, or trying to use reverse psychology (on yourself), cuz you were so far off it made me giggle. This is right in the jingle wheelhouse - everything about this song clicked. Slow accostic intro, then BAM! (insert Emeril voice there). Perfect prog-metal wankery - showing off their chops, but not in a way that is technical for the sake of being technical. I don’t know Edman from his Yngvie work, but certainly do from Signum Regis. Reminds me of how I feel about bands like Anthriel (7.5... really?
) and Lost In Thought - great prog-metal that is like a mini-me to Symphony-X (Anthriel) and Dream Theater (Lost in Thought).
Ranking: 1And these are the adjusted standings
Kattoelox - 1
TAC - 2
wolfking* - 2
lonestar* - 2
kingshmegland - 4
Evermind - 4
Lethean* - 4
jjrock88** - 4
Bolsters - 5
Lowdz - 6
Indiscipline** - 6
Stadler - 7
Puppies_On_Acid - 8
Train of Naught - 9
Parama - 9
Elite - 10
* - 1 spot improvement
** - 2 spot improvement
Topic: jingle.boy's 4th roulette: That's all she wrote folks - another happy ending (Read 97955 times)