Here's part 2. Now send for the next round ASAP
Train of GrootDool - Sulphur & StarlightFirst Impression - There are lots of elements that I like here, but the song is doing nothing for me
Theme - how Cygnus ties in with the astronomical theme as does thisThe song starts out just fine, but it doesn't really evolve or develop in to anything. It's just kind of there. There's a good atmosphere, but that doesn't really make up for the uninteresting song writing. The vocals are good too, but again, that isn't enough. You can have all the best musicians in the world, but if you can't write a good song it won't matter (see The Mute Gods). The chorus is also decent, but overall this song just does nothing for me, not technically, not emotionally, nothing.
4/10_________
Blood Incantation - The Giza Power PlantFirst Impression - It's the second coming of Mithras mixed with just a touch of Nile.
Theme - 36 minute album with only 2 short/medium tracks, one semi-epic and one super long track. This is the semi-epic off that album.This song is great! Taking influence from what I would guess to be Mithras and Nile, at least that's what it sounds like to me. This is dripping with atmosphere all wrapped in a neat package. It also reminds me a bit of Artificial Brain, just with a completely different vocal style. I like this vocal style much more, though. There's a lot of cool stuff here. For instance, the reverb on the guitar leads makes the solos sound so cool. The bass is technical, fitting for a Technical Death Metal band, but it also has a great tone. The bass player hasn't gone the route of many these days and gone with that awful fretless bass tone, thankfully. I really want to give this album a listen now.
9.6/10
OG RichActor | Observer - Reuptake
First Impression - This is pretty much what I want to hear in this genre
Theme - these songs are both very emotionally charged and deal with the same subject (depression), but tonally and lyrically they take two different approaches/perspectives. Reuptake may not be overly heavy but it's a very angry song about dealing with one's own depressionThis is Post-Hardcore done right. RYM also has them labeled as Metalcore......ehh, I don't really here that. The vocal style is Post-Hardcore, the guitar riffing style is Post-Hardcore, the leads are Post-Hardcore.......you get my drift. Not much else to say about this. It's just a well executed song of the genre.
8.5/10______
Actor | Observer - In Your WaysFirst Impression - This builds in a very emotional way
Theme - these songs are both very emotionally charged and deal with the same subject (depression), but tonally and lyrically they take two different approaches/perspectives. In Your Ways is a sorrowful look at depression in someone else.This song on the other hand is a whole other thing. The build up is pretty fantastic. The underlying music in the first couple minutes reminds me of the quieter parts on Between the Buried and Me's Alaska album. Now don't get me wrong this song is also a great example of Post-Hardcore done right, just in a completely different way. The build up and ultimate climax is very satisfying. Which ultimately makes this song more appealing than the last one. I mean that ending is just amazing. What a great building of tension in the song to get to that point. Just another reminder of why I love this genre so much.
9.2/10
TomislavThe Smith's - There's a light that never goes outFirst Impression - There might be something here, but at this point I just don't get it
Theme - about hope for eternal love
So I've given this numerous listens and I just don't get it. I have friends that say they love The Smith's, but I start to wonder if they only do because underground music society says they should love them.....I mean they like a ton of other terrible music too, so....
This isn't intrinsically terrible, but it doesn't do anything that makes me want to come back to it or listen to the album. To me this is like a poor man's The Cure.
5/10_________
Buckethead - PadmasanaFirst Impression - This has a circa Saturdays=Youth M83 quality to it
Theme - instrumentalOK, maybe this song is about 3 minutes too long. It really only does one thing, granted it does it well. It has a trance-like quality to it that just kind of surrounds you and makes you feel contented and happy. Unfortunately I think Buckethead dragged it out a bit too long and ultimately it suffers because of that. I still like it, but it's probably not something I will come back to very often. I've heard other stuff by Buckethead and liked it, so I think it's time to do a deep dive. I know he's an extremely prolific artist with something like 300 albums or so....
7.5/10
E-lateAlanis Morrisette - UninvitedFirst Impression - I've heard this song before, but not in many years, that voice is haunting
Theme - very emotional song that also holds the other of being one of the best pop songs ever written in my opinionOh boy, this song. I never knew what this song was called. I just remember hearing it when it came out like 20 years ago or so. I've always liked Alanis Morrisette's voice. I know some hate it. This song her vocals are just on another level. It's so haunting and beautiful. The choices in melodies and phrasing is just spot on. When the song picks up her tone changes just a bit and it gives it just a little more edge. The music is also very good too, serving as a vessel for the awesome vocals and lyrical message.
9.7/10__________
Cardiacs - Dirty BoyFirst Impression - This sounds somewhat familiar, although I'm sure I've never heard this before, this is easily the best thing I've heard from this band
Theme - track of epic proportions on a pretty flawless albumSo the first half of this song is surprisingly good. The second half the wheels come completely off the bus, the bus drives off a cliff, and then explodes at the bottom. Still, the best thing I've heard from Cardiacs. Ultimately, though, I don't think Cardiacs is a band for me. I've heard On Land and in the Sea, didn't like it. I heard a few other random songs, didn't like them either. I think the problem with this song is they had no idea when to quit. This song could have ended at the 5 minute mark and it would have received a decent score, however it didn't, so it doesn't. Note to everyone, the third time receiving Cardiacs in my roulettes over the years was not the charm, stop sending them to me.
4.5/10
SlowdlerNoel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - A Simple Game of GeniusFirst Impression - I'm not sure if this works for me
Theme - epic in it's own, small way, a narrow look at the simple, important things in life, namely love.When it comes to Oasis and/or anything related to Noel Gallagher, I'm only really familiar with Oasis' first 2 albums. Both of which I like, but don't love. I mean they were part of the soundtrack to my youth. I've heard bits and pieces of other Oasis albums which never grabbed me. This is a Noel solo project, which I've never heard before. This is much more to my liking than the later period Oasis stuff. It isn't perfect, for one it's a little too long for what it is. Also the mix is slightly weird, the vocals are a little too low. They sound almost muffled or buried, they don't cut through very well. Overall though it's a pretty decent tune and I'd be willing to give the rest of his solo material a listen.
7.8/10__________
Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?First Impression -
Theme - EpicI've heard a few other random songs from this album back in the day, but I don't think I've heard this one. Or if I had I don't remember it. Was there a music video for this song back in the day? No matter. This just goes to further show me that after their second album, Oasis as a band were out of ideas. This song isn't bad, it just doesn't compare to anything on their first 2 albums. Which isn't your fault, I know you tried to send me Champagne Supernova to begin with, which is a 10/10 song. So at least you were on the right track, you just had to settle for a second rate Oasis tune. This one is long like Champagne Supernova, but not nearly as interesting and also way too long for what it is. There's a reason why most pop oriented music doesn't go beyond the 3-4 minute mark, because the basic verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-outro song writing style isn't conducive to longer songs. Not enough happens to warrant the length.
5.7/10
Scores
Romdrums - 17, 16.75, 18.7, 16.5, 16 = 84.95
Cyril - 15.25, 18.25, 16.5, 17, 14 = 81
Train - 18.5, 19, 16.7, 13, 13.6 = 80.8
Kattelox - 17.5, 14.7, 14.2, 18.9, 14 = 79.3
Nekov - 17, 16, 14.8, 14.3, 16.5 = 78.6
Tomislav - 16, 16, 16.5, 16, 12.5 = 77
Elite - 10.5, 16, 17, 18.6, 14.2 = 76.3
Ariich - 16.25, 17.25, 12.5, 12, 17.7 = 75.7
Lethean - 13.5, 16.5, 11, 18.2, 11.6 = 70.8
TAC - 11, 11, 17.2, 16, 14.5 = 69.7
Stadler - 14, 16.3, 14.2, 11, 13.5 = 69