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ariich’s inclusive roulette (v6) – EPic final results!

Started by ariich, May 01, 2020, 02:46:15 PM

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Should the max number of artists in the EP round be increased from 4 to 5?

Yes that would be much better and Cyril is very attractive.
3 (14.3%)
No that's a terrible idea, Cyril should be stoned.
5 (23.8%)
Whatever.
13 (61.9%)

Total Members Voted: 21

Voting closed: June 08, 2020, 02:08:19 PM

ariich

Well, that was a rollercoaster. :lol I'll check it out tomorrow anyway, might like it more than you!

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

wolfking

I never understood the dislike for Circle Ungenerated from Norther.  It's a cracking album.  Glad you thought so too.

ariich

Well, I did the same thing again, so... here's all of round 6 in one go. :lol


Gorillaz (Buddy - round 6)
I had quite high hopes for this "band" after the songs you sent me, but I think they're ending up a project where I really like a handful of songs from each album but the rest don't interest me much. The ones I gave a good few listens to were Plastic Beach and The Now Now, and both were cool in different ways. I enjoy the variety and guests on PB, while I appreciate the more consistent and coherent vibe on TNN. But despite both have some cracking songs (of the ones you didn't send me, my favourite is probably Fire Flies), a lot of it is just kind of there and I think the fact that I find Albarn's voice quite boring doesn't help (3.5 stars x 2).

Illyria (Cyril & TAC - round 6; Luoto - round 8)
Alright, all three of you sent me songs from Carpathian Summit, so that was my obvious starting point, and man what a great album it is. Definitely one of those cases where getting the full experience is even better than the selections of songs. It's a tad on the long side perhaps, but it has a great intensity and atmosphere throughout, and a surprising amount of variety including post-hardcore/metalcore elements I hadn't picked up on during the roulette (4.5 stars). Their debut is also excellent, with those metalcore elements being a bit more prominent but still a really cool mix of styles and consistent quality (4 stars).

Perihelion Ship (Elite - round 6)
I really liked the songs you sent me from To Paint a Bird of Fire, so I gave it a listen and I feel pretty much exactly the same way about the whole album - strong prog metal with a really nice balance of heavy, technical and melodic (4 stars). Their debut, A Rare Thunderstorm in Spring, is solid too and has all the same elements, but it just doesn't quite all fit together so nicely and I've found myself not being able to get into it as much (3.5 stars).

No-Man (Evermind - round 6)
Ok so before this roulette, I'd listened to one No-Man album and found it decent but quite boring, having rated it 3 stars. You sent me two songs from the album after that which I really liked a lot (All Sweet Things in particular), so I was looking forward to giving the album a listen. And yeah, I do like Schoolyard Ghosts more than Together We're Stranger, but overall it does still feel very backgroundy to me. All Sweet Things is still gorgeous, and the rest of it is really nice too, but I just can't get excited by it (3.5 stars).

Elio e Le Storie Tese (Indi - round 6)
Based on the songs you sent me, I gave a couple of listens to both L'album biango and Figgatta de Blanc. I'm afraid I didn't use translated lyrics, because ultimately that's just not how I lsiten to music, but I did make sure I had a grasp of what each song was about. And they're clearly very witty and funny, but the language barrier is a bit hard to overcome. This was highlighted by the rare song sung in English (She Wants) that cracked me up with how silly it was and made me realise what I was missing with all the other songs. That wouldn't matter much if I loved the music, but again while it's very talented and entertaining, they are ultimately still primarily a comedy act and so it's not slick or punchy enough for my tastes, particularly in the vocal department (3.5 stars x 2).

Burden of Life (Katt - round 6)
Ok so now that I've got to know these guys, I'm not feeling overly convinced that the genre description of melodic death metal is really right. Clearly that's where they started, but their stuff now really is prog/power metal that has some harsh vocals. Being able to take it all in and get my head around it properly I think has helped me appreciate it more (not that I didn't like the songs you sent me plenty). All three albums they have on Spotify are in the same general style, and they're all great (4 stars x 3). I also managed to listen to some of the earlier albums too, and the 2010 EP In the Wake of My Demise is much more squarely in melodic death metal but it's also cracking (4 stars). By contrast, Ashes of Existence I found a lot less interesting (3.5 stars) so I didn't bother trying to seek out their self-titled debut (which may have only been a demo anyway).

Sting (king - round 6)
Ok so obviously I already knew of Sting and knew a few of his songs. As it turns out, from Ten Summoner's Tales it wasn't only Shape of My Heart that I already knew, but also Fields of Gold. Both are such lovely songs, but really the whole album is excellent, just really warm and heartfelt and engaging (4 stars). So I gave some listens to a few albums either side of that one - Nothing Like the Sun, Soul Cages and Mercury Falling - but none of them quite stacked up. They all had some great songs (I'm particularly fond of Englishman in New York, Mad About You and Valparaiso), but the rest was a bit dull and so none of the albums was very exciting overall (3.5 stars x 3).

Allegaeon (lonestar - round 6)
Ah man, I really liked the two songs you sent me from their latest album so I was really excited to check it out after liking but not loving the album before it. But it was one of the biggest disappointments of the roulette unfortunately. :lol That's not to say it was at all bad, it was still very solid, but apart from the absolutely epic title track which I still think is fantastic, the rest is just too samey and pretty much the same as the previous album (3.5 stars). It's technically fantastic but there's just too much of the same and I honestly find it a slog to reach the title track.

Fjokra (LordCost - round 6)
Just the one EP for these guys, and it's fantastic for all the reasons I loved the songs you sent. A quirky meshing together of different styles and genres but without being too over the top, and with still a strong focus on writing memorable songs (4 stars).

Ensiferum (Luoto - round 6)
I liked the songs you sent me, but they only came from two of their earlier albums and so I didn't really know what to expect from exploring their discography. As it turns out, for my tastes anyway when it comes to folk/power/symphonic metal, these guys have been incredibly consistent despite little shifts in their style. I ended up really giving a good listen to every album (all 8 LPs plus the Dragonheads EP), and honestly I like them all (4 stars x 9). Some more than others, sure, but not by that much - the weaker stuff is still hugely enjoyable and the stronger stuff is never compelling enough to blow me away.

Telefon Tel Aviv (Nekov - round 6)
Dude, I think you were a bit unfortunate with your song choices here. You thought these guys would be up my alley, and it turns out you were absolutely right. I said at the time that I liked the songs you included from Fahrenheit Fair Enough a lot. And it turns out I love the album maybe even more than those songs, just really excellent downtempo electronica, which also applies to their second album Map of What Is Effortless which is is just as good for the same reasons (4 stars x 2). Where I think you were unlucky was in sending songs from Immolate Yourself which just doesn't grab me in the same way - as I said at the time, the slightly off-key effects are something I generally don't enjoy that much and the album uses them too much IMO (3.5 stars). I also checked the latest album now that Eustis is carrying the project on, and it was quite good but a bit ambient for my tastes (also 3.5 stars).

Arena (Puppies - round 6)
I started digging into Arena just after I finished exploring Ensiferum (see above), beginning with The Visitor, and it quickly become apparent that this was another band whose entire discography I needed to work my way through. Just really top-notch neo-prog with stong melodic hooks, a punchy sound and a nice dose of theatricality. The first two albums I've not really been able to get into, they strike me as pretty middle of the road prog really (3 stars for Lions Cage, 3.5 stars for Pride). The only other one that doesn't quite do it for me is The Unquiet Sky - I like how cinematic it is but I just don't find it melodically very interesting. But otherwise, everything else from The Visitor onwards is really excellent (4 stars x 6).

Like Thieves (romdrums - round 6)
I don't have a huge amount to say about these guys - just the two EPs and pretty much exactly what I was expecting from the songs you sent, which is a good thing. I like the aspects that Boge brought with him from The Butterfly Effect, but I also like some of the heavier influences particularly on Autumn's Twilight. All in all, two excellent EPs (4 stars x 2).

Justice (Sacul - round 6)
Alright, so I've totally come around on the debut album that you sent me songs from. You may remember that I loved the dirty electronic sound and style, a cross between Daft Punk and Pendulum, but didn't find the music itself that exciting. And while that's still sort of the case I guess, the album as a whole does actually have some really cool melodic moments too and it's just a really fun, funky album (4 stars). Audio, Video, Disco is really cool too, some different nuances but very similar overall in style and quality (also 4 stars). With Woman, it seems they tried something a bit different and while in theory it should be even more up my street, the songs just don't grab me in the same way (3.5 stars).

Sleeping At Last (Shadow - round 6)
Best score in this roulette, and 2nd best score ever in any of my roulettes, so I had high hopes going in but also a slight apprehension because the Atlas projects you sent me songs from are just huge - a whole bunch of EPs brought together in (so far) two 2-hour collections. I had no need to worry though as there's so much beautiful music across them. If I have one criticism, it is a ton of music and there's not a huge variety of sounds and styles to stop it getting slightly samey. But there is enough variety and nuance to still keep it engaging, and the whole concept and theme of these songs just really speaks to me wonderfully (4.5 stars x 2, or possibly x 11 if we do it by EP :lol). The other stuff since Ryan O'Neal took over as sole member has also been gorgeous if not quite as gripping. The Yearbook collection (similar to one of the Atlas collections) is really lovely if a bit too long, and Astronomy Vol I is shorter and quite beautiful, but feels like it lacks focus at times (4 stars x 2). As for the regular albums they did when they were more of a band, these are more traditional indie rock fare. Keep No Score is excellent (4 stars), but the other two are a little lacking (3.5 stars x 2).

UFO (Stadler - round 6)
I gave some listens to Lights Out, as the album that had by far my favourite song that you sent me (Love to Love). Overall, my feelings towards it are much as they were for your submission - Love to Love is still cracking as is Try Me, clearly the slower, groovier songs hit my tastes well, but the rest all feels a bit run of the mill classic rock to me. Not bad by any means, and I particularly enjoy the guitar work, but not enough to make the album that interesting to me (3.5 stars).

Psychonaut (Train - round 6)
I feel like I could just copy and paste my write-up from round 6 for the songs you sent me and just apply it to the whole album. The music and sound are huge and engaging, and I like the mix of proggy melody and traditional post-metal approaches that makes it feel intense yet accessible. Just a fantastic debut LP (4 stars). I also checked out the EP before it, Ferocious Fellowman, and all the elements are there too but it's not as interesting (3.5 stars).

Lord (wolfking - round 6)
You may remember that during round 6, I wasn't sure about these guys at first because it's all pretty unoriginal, but came round on them because the songs you sent didn't feel too derivative and did a nice job of blending different metal influences together. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these are the key factors in which albums of theirs I like more than others. It's not that I have anything against bands wearing their influences on their sleeves, but sometimes it goes too far. To start with the positive, Set in Stone is cracking and while the influences are obvious, they're used nicely and the album has an enjoyable variety to it (4 stars). Their latest, Fallen Idols, is perhaps a bit more obvious at times, but that's compensated by a huge sound and big anthemic choruses that make it super fun (also 4 stars). In between was Digital Lies, which is a bit like the latest but not as engaging or memorable (3.5 stars). And now to Ascendance, which starts alright but eventually devolves fully into rip-off territory and I honestly just find it really off-putting (3 stars). Through the Fire is the Maiden song (2 Minutes to Midnight), The Calm/Limb from Limb is the Metallica song (Battery), and 220 is the Dragonforce song (oh god, any of them). :lol

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

Buddyhunter1

Yeah, that's pretty much my feelings on Gorillaz as well. Fire Flies is a fantastic song indeed. :heart
Did you listen to their new album that came out last month (the one with Aries)? It's got some good stuff on it for sure.

King Postwhore

Ten Summoner's Tales is absolutely his best album.  Did you try listening to The Dream Of The Blue Turtles?
"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'." - Bon Newhart.

The Walrus

I don't really revisit Perihelion Ship's TPABOF much although it's a good album, but Illyria's Carpathian Summit is one of my favorite records from 2019 and I was just listening to it again a few weeks ago. Extraordinary record!

Makeshift Conqueror remains the only Burden of Life record I've heard, so while I hear the power metal elements on that record, the growls and aggression make me think melodeath with power sprinkled in. But I'll definitely have to check out their other records now that you've beaten me to them  :lol

I caught up with Ensiferum's last 4 albums this summer. I like the self-titled, Iron, and From Afar quite a lot, Victory Songs is iffy, but everything after From Afar just lost me - except Thalassic. The new guy adds so much desperately needed energy and something new to this group. Not sure it's enough to get back into the band but after 3 meh albums Thalassic was a huge breath of fresh air imo.

Sacul

ariich, you should listen to Demon Days if you haven't, it's such an eclectic trip-hop record, pretty different to Gorillaz' latter output.

Nice, I'm glad you enjoyed some Justice :metal
Quote from: Evermind on April 17, 2016, 02:11:10 PM"Zantera / Sacul music"
Quote from: home on December 09, 2017, 07:38:24 AMI want your D if it's still up for grabs

Fancy a print? Need pics for your next album's artwork? Send me a PM!

Nekov

Yeah, that's always a possibility. Song selection is pretty hard sometimes, but I am glad that you are going through all the submissions and finding stuff you like  :)

Evermind

This No-Man album is the only one I listened to and I sent you the best two songs in my opinion. As I said, I was really winging the whole thing. :lol
Quote from: Train of Naught on May 28, 2020, 10:57:25 PMThis first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

ariich

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on November 11, 2020, 06:56:58 AM
Yeah, that's pretty much my feelings on Gorillaz as well. Fire Flies is a fantastic song indeed. :heart
Did you listen to their new album that came out last month (the one with Aries)? It's got some good stuff on it for sure.
I haven't done so yet, but I did like Aries so I'll probably check it out at some point!


Quote from: kingshmegland on November 11, 2020, 06:59:18 AM
Ten Summoner's Tales is absolutely his best album.  Did you try listening to The Dream Of The Blue Turtles?
I didn't, but I'll give it a listen if you think it's worth it based on what I thought of the other albums?


Quote from: The Walrus on November 11, 2020, 07:02:46 AM
Makeshift Conqueror remains the only Burden of Life record I've heard, so while I hear the power metal elements on that record, the growls and aggression make me think melodeath with power sprinkled in. But I'll definitely have to check out their other records now that you've beaten me to them  :lol
I know what you mean, maybe I'm just more used to prog metal that has harsh vocals in, and/or MDM that's mostly or all harsh vocals and which don't tend to have big soaring melodic vocals. Anyway the previous two albums aren't dissimilar in terms of that balance and I liked them a lot, so you may do too. The earlier stuff is more dominated by the death metal vocals.

QuoteI caught up with Ensiferum's last 4 albums this summer. I like the self-titled, Iron, and From Afar quite a lot, Victory Songs is iffy, but everything after From Afar just lost me - except Thalassic. The new guy adds so much desperately needed energy and something new to this group. Not sure it's enough to get back into the band but after 3 meh albums Thalassic was a huge breath of fresh air imo.
in some ways I feel like the cheesy pirate metal style of Thalassic could have put me off, but they pull it off really well and I agree about the new guy, particularly some of his vocals which add a bit of power and even an Amorphis vibe at times which I really dig.


Quote from: Sacul on November 11, 2020, 07:04:59 AM
ariich, you should listen to Demon Days if you haven't, it's such an eclectic trip-hop record, pretty different to Gorillaz' latter output.
I heard it a looooong time ago back when it came out, as Gorillaz was really big in the UK for their first two albums. Might revisit it at some point as I can't remember much about it.


Quote from: Nekov on November 11, 2020, 09:19:05 AM
Yeah, that's always a possibility. Song selection is pretty hard sometimes, but I am glad that you are going through all the submissions and finding stuff you like  :)
Yeah for sure, that's why I wanted to do this exploring as a pretty big project and it's paying off. I'm not checking EVERY submission. It's 100% of the 8.0+ artists, but then for lower scores I'm just focusing on ones where I felt like there was something there I wanted to explore more to get a fuller sense of what an album would be like. Some nice surprises so far from doing that, Telefon being one of the biggest.


Quote from: Evermind on November 11, 2020, 09:19:55 AM
This No-Man album is the only one I listened to and I sent you the best two songs in my opinion. As I said, I was really winging the whole thing. :lol
You did do pretty ludicrously well for winging it, I have to say. :lol

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

Crow

i wasn't super into illyria's debut album myself but tbh i only gave it a listen or two so i dunno :B the balance on the carpathian summit is just a lot more appealing to me

jingle.boy

Quote from: Jamesman42 on September 20, 2024, 12:38:03 PM
Quote from: TAC on September 19, 2024, 05:23:01 PMHow is this even possible? Are we playing or what, people??
So I just checked, and, uh, you are one of the two who haven't sent.
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid on September 20, 2024, 12:46:33 PMTim's roulette police card is hereby revoked!

wolfking

Hmmm...I never picked up on any of those LORD comparisons.

King Postwhore

Rich, that Sting album is jazz based. Check out the lineup. I think it's up your alley more than the other albums.
"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'." - Bon Newhart.

Sacul

Oh I didn't realize you had been sent No-Man, which album was it that you rated 3 stars? I can understand feeling those records a bit as background-ish music, just curious.
Quote from: Evermind on April 17, 2016, 02:11:10 PM"Zantera / Sacul music"
Quote from: home on December 09, 2017, 07:38:24 AMI want your D if it's still up for grabs

Fancy a print? Need pics for your next album's artwork? Send me a PM!

ariich

Quote from: jingle.boy on November 11, 2020, 01:21:34 PM
No Zeppelin??
I'd already heard a few of their albums and the songs you sent didn't change my mind, so there wasn't really anything that made me feel like I wanted to explore any more.


Quote from: kingshmegland on November 11, 2020, 02:12:24 PM
Rich, that Sting album is jazz based. Check out the lineup. I think it's up your alley more than the other albums.
Interesting, maybe I'll give it a listen then.


Quote from: Sacul on November 11, 2020, 02:20:27 PM
Oh I didn't realize you had been sent No-Man, which album was it that you rated 3 stars? I can understand feeling those records a bit as background-ish music, just curious.
Together We're Stranger was the one I'd heard years ago and rated 3 stars. Ruslan sent me songs from Schoolyard Ghosts which I do prefer and have now rated 3.5 stars.

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

jingle.boy

Quote from: Jamesman42 on September 20, 2024, 12:38:03 PM
Quote from: TAC on September 19, 2024, 05:23:01 PMHow is this even possible? Are we playing or what, people??
So I just checked, and, uh, you are one of the two who haven't sent.
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid on September 20, 2024, 12:46:33 PMTim's roulette police card is hereby revoked!

wolfking

Quote from: ariich on November 11, 2020, 03:14:10 PM
Quote from: jingle.boy on November 11, 2020, 01:21:34 PM
No Zeppelin??
I'd already heard a few of their albums and the songs you sent didn't change my mind, so there wasn't really anything that made me feel like I wanted to explore any more.

:tup  don't blame you.  ;D

jingle.boy

Quote from: wolfking on November 11, 2020, 07:04:53 PM
Quote from: ariich on November 11, 2020, 03:14:10 PM
Quote from: jingle.boy on November 11, 2020, 01:21:34 PM
No Zeppelin??
I'd already heard a few of their albums and the songs you sent didn't change my mind, so there wasn't really anything that made me feel like I wanted to explore any more.

:tup  don't blame you.  ;D

Quote from: Jamesman42 on September 20, 2024, 12:38:03 PM
Quote from: TAC on September 19, 2024, 05:23:01 PMHow is this even possible? Are we playing or what, people??
So I just checked, and, uh, you are one of the two who haven't sent.
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid on September 20, 2024, 12:46:33 PMTim's roulette police card is hereby revoked!

The Walrus


wolfking


Podaar


Sacul

Quote from: ariich on November 11, 2020, 03:14:10 PM
Quote from: Sacul on November 11, 2020, 02:20:27 PM
Oh I didn't realize you had been sent No-Man, which album was it that you rated 3 stars? I can understand feeling those records a bit as background-ish music, just curious.
Together We're Stranger was the one I'd heard years ago and rated 3 stars. Ruslan sent me songs from Schoolyard Ghosts which I do prefer and have now rated 3.5 stars.
That's fair, I'm personally a big fan of their second album Flowermouth, very lovely and catchy Dream Pop / Trip Hop stuff, very different from those records if you're curious.
Quote from: Evermind on April 17, 2016, 02:11:10 PM"Zantera / Sacul music"
Quote from: home on December 09, 2017, 07:38:24 AMI want your D if it's still up for grabs

Fancy a print? Need pics for your next album's artwork? Send me a PM!

romdrums

Quote from: Sacul on November 12, 2020, 06:58:17 AM
Quote from: ariich on November 11, 2020, 03:14:10 PM
Quote from: Sacul on November 11, 2020, 02:20:27 PM
Oh I didn't realize you had been sent No-Man, which album was it that you rated 3 stars? I can understand feeling those records a bit as background-ish music, just curious.
Together We're Stranger was the one I'd heard years ago and rated 3 stars. Ruslan sent me songs from Schoolyard Ghosts which I do prefer and have now rated 3.5 stars.
That's fair, I'm personally a big fan of their second album Flowermouth, very lovely and catchy Dream Pop / Trip Hop stuff, very different from those records if you're curious.

I'd also recommend Wild Opera.  That one is my favorite of theirs.  If you dig that, I'd also recommend the companion EP Dry Cleaning Ray.  Both are in the more Dream Pop/Trip Hop mindframe of Flowermouth.

Lethean

Quote from: ariich on September 21, 2020, 01:54:50 AM
 
Solefald (Lethean - round 4)
This is one inconsistent band. :lol Thankfully the album you sent songs from, Norrøn livskunst, is amazing (4.5 stars). It's pretty mad (and indeed some of the songs you didn't send are more bonkers than those you did) but also very harmonically rich, and it makes for an exciting listen although it took me a few listens to fully embrace. The other one I really like, which I wasn't too sure about at first, is their latest - World Metal. Kosmopolis Sud. It's not as exciting but it still has enough musical richness to hit my tastes nicely (4 stars). By contrast, the EP that came before it (Kosmopolis Nord) is much weaker with only the short folksy instrumental track doing it for me at all (3 stars). I also went back through the four previous albums (back as far as Pills Against the Ageless Ills) and all those albums are good still, but not as melodically and harmonically interesting as their newest stuff (3.5 stars x 4).


Norrøn Livskunst is my favorite of theirs as well.  I totally agree that they're inconsistent, and maybe they almost have to be to have made something as off the wall yet awesome as Norrøn Livskunst.  So glad you wound up enjoying the album as a whole.  Think I might go listen to it right now.  :)

I also like their newest one a lot, so we're on the same page there.  I remember kind of liking the Kosmopolis Nord EP, but didn't listen to it much for some reason.  I like one of the older ones, In Harmonia Universali, quite a bit too.  The others though are a lot more uneven for me.  I really like Sun I Call from Red for Fire though.

wolfking


jingle.boy

Quote from: Jamesman42 on September 20, 2024, 12:38:03 PM
Quote from: TAC on September 19, 2024, 05:23:01 PMHow is this even possible? Are we playing or what, people??
So I just checked, and, uh, you are one of the two who haven't sent.
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid on September 20, 2024, 12:46:33 PMTim's roulette police card is hereby revoked!

The Walrus

Hey jingle, have you heard the news? You know that Kade doesn't like Zeppelin. It won't take long, just watch and see how the haters hate on them.

wolfking

Quote from: The Walrus on November 15, 2020, 07:10:07 AM
Hey jingle, have you heard the news? You know that Kade doesn't like Zeppelin. It won't take long, just watch and see how the haters hate on them.

I indeed have that influence.

wolfking

Quote from: jingle.boy on November 15, 2020, 06:18:14 AM
Quote from: wolfking on November 15, 2020, 02:38:14 AM
Quote from: Podaar on November 12, 2020, 04:40:48 AM
Quote from: wolfking on November 11, 2020, 07:45:14 PM
Quote from: The Walrus on November 11, 2020, 07:28:27 PM
I'm in the bitch please camp. Wtf!

Can't stand them.

What the actual...? You and Ariich must have big legs.

I find them overrated as fuck and annoying as hell.



This might impact our friendship!!   :lol

:lol  I just never liked Plant's voice.  Just found it grating truthfully.  Page is an average guitarist too.

jingle.boy

Quote from: wolfking on November 15, 2020, 12:47:14 PM
:lol  I just never liked Plant's voice.  Just found it grating truthfully.  Page is an average guitarist too.

Quote from: Jamesman42 on September 20, 2024, 12:38:03 PM
Quote from: TAC on September 19, 2024, 05:23:01 PMHow is this even possible? Are we playing or what, people??
So I just checked, and, uh, you are one of the two who haven't sent.
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid on September 20, 2024, 12:46:33 PMTim's roulette police card is hereby revoked!

King Postwhore

"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'." - Bon Newhart.

ariich

Alrighty, whole-round dump all at once again, woot! Big round this time as well, only one artists I didn't check out this time - Ancestors - for the same reason as Zeppelin last round which is that I've heard other stuff of theirs and I feel I've heard enough to be confident that they don't quite do it for me.


Elder (Buddy - round 7)
Reflections of a Floating World was my obvious starting point, and it was exactly what I expected and hoped for - just more of what you'd sent me really. Great huge sound and crunchy, proggy stoner metal. We discussed during the roulette that the singer is... not very good, but manages to work with the style of the music. I actually found this to be the case on their latest album Omens s well. Both are really enjoyable, cool albums (4 stars x 2). I went back to the previous couple of albums too as they seem to be very popular on RYM, but they were fine but didn't do it for me unfortunately, the music was less interesting and the vocals felt more exposed (3.5 stars x 2).

Sparrows (Cyril - round 7)
This was your only sub-8 score of the roulette, but it was so close that I wanted to check out Failed Gods still. And aaaaah it's just so frustrating how close this is to being great, but I just can't quite get into it. It has some cool stuff in there, some decent melodic moments and some really crunchy bits too. But despite clearly being very emotive music, I don't find myself really feeling anything from it (3.5 stars).

Beyond the Black (Evermind - round 7)
You were a bit hesitant to send me power metal, although I see this as symphonic metal anyway, and either way it's definitely a style of power/symphonic metal that I enjoy. A great sound and some really catchy tunes. You sent me songs from their debut, and that's probably my favourite so far, but the two albums that came after it I'm also digging loads (4 stars x 3). The latest album, Horizons, is also fun I guess, but the hooks aren't as strong and it drags a bit (3.5 stars).

KBB (Indi - round 7)
This kind of instrumental prog is generally prime 7/10 material for me, but they defied expectation by scoring above an 8 in the roulette, and that has extended to the full album. I think what I like is that it's jazzy, but the jazzyness doesn't get in the way of it also being very melodic and catchy, and the album strikes a really nice balance (4 stars). Their later albums aren't available on Spotify, and from what I've read it sounds like they went in a less melodic, more jazzy direction, so I'm not minded to follow up for now, but happy to have discovered this album anyway.

Hemina (jingle - round 7; king - round 8)
Between the two of you, you sent me songs from all four of their albums. :lol I started with the middle two, as they contained my favourite songs from Chad's submission (and dude you really did have a great roulette for prog metal), and loved them both. If anything, I think despite your submissions, I hadn't fully appreciated the range and variety these guys have. Two excellent albums (4 stars x 2). Their debut, by comparison, feels weaker - some good ideas but less slick in their execution. And the latest album is really cool stylistically, but feels comparatively lacking in strong melodies to hold it all together (3.5 stars x 2).

Tycho (Katt - round 7)
While I still find his music a little on the "background music" side, I have to say I'm liking it more and more. As background music goes, it's really lovely, but it's also so warm and well-produced that even with a more focused listen I can still immerse myself in it, despite there not being much going on. Awake, Epoch and Simulcast are my favourites (4 stars x 3). His earlier albums seem to be better rated, but I didn't find as interesting and wasn't such a fan of some of the choice of sounds (3.5 stars x 2). And I quite liked Weather, but the vocal lines weren't that interesting and to be honest I preferred the instrumental versions on Simulcast (also 3.5 stars).

Abel Ganz (king - round 7)
I had no idea these guys had been around since the 80s! I'm glad you sent me something from their newer output though because their style and production is much more my cup of tea. Both the self-titled album you sent me songs from, and the latest one (Honey Bee) are excellent modern melodic prog (4 stars x 2). I still a bit of Moon Safari in the more upbeat moments, which is nice, but these albums also have a big variety of tones and styles that makes them very engaging. The earlier albums I listened to, Dangers of Strangers and Shooting Albatross, were fine but much more run of the mill (3.5 stars x 2).

Green Carnation (Lethean - round 7)
Even though your submission (which scored well) only included one song from Leaves of Yesteryear, that was the one I wanted to listen to first and indeed it is easily my favourite. It has a great sound, a rich and emotive style and some great melodies and performances (4 stars). I also listened to The Quiet Offspring which you included songs from, and those songs (and a couple of others) are indeed excellent but the album as a whole doesn't really grab me which is a shame (3.5 stars).

Ninjaspy (lonestar - round 7)
Ok I checked out both their full albums plus I'd already heard the whole No Kata EP as you included it all in your submission. :lol And I love it all! To be honest I'll just copy and paste my writeup of your submission as it's exactly how I feel about all their stuff: "This music is completely mental. Their bandcamp says "For fans of Gojira, Devin Townsend, Dillinger Escape Plan, System of a Down, Mike Patton, Meshuggah, Rancid, Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Deftones" and that kind of gets it across I suppose. :lol This sort of music is pretty risky for my tastes, but somehow it just works soooooo well, it's just incredibly entertaining and yet there's a level of underlying sincerity to it that somehow seeps through. The riffing is massive at times and has a great groove to it, and there are enough hooks to get me grinning like a loon. :metal"

The Mercury Tree (LordCost - round 7)
I liked the songs you sent me, but I did wonder what I would think of the full album as some of the music is a little on the experimental side and I wasn't sure there would be enough melody for it to work. And, well I do still like it, but perhaps not quite as much as your submission which I think definitely included the best songs. It's good, and there are some great moments, but as I feared, the balance of quirky out-there stuff and more accessible stuff doesn't quite hit my tastes (3.5 stars).

Anthriel (Luoto - round 7)
You only sent me one song so I didn't have a huge amount to go on, but I honestly hadn't appreciated how prog metal these guys are and how their core sound is very "Symphony X-lite" in terms of style. I say "lite" as it's a similar sound but not as over-the-top in terms of either theatricality or technicality. In terms of quality, I really like both albums and I think they're up there with SX's best - solid song-writing, strong performances and some great hooks (4 stars x 2).

Pendragon (Nekov - round 7)
Most of your submission came from The Masquerade Overture, and that was a great shout - it's a really strong neo-prog album with big melodies and a bit of quirky theatrics to it (4 stars). I thought perhaps this might be another Arena like the previous round, but I've explored three other albums and none has stacked up (3.5 stars x 3). Pure, which you also sent me a song from, is a little more in prog metal territory, and I like the heavier style but it's mostly just less melodically interesting to me. I also tried the two albums either side of Masquerade as those are the other highest rated on RYM, but Window of Life I found just a bit dull, and Not of This World had some fantastic moments but also some really nothingy stretches.

Wretched (Puppies - round 7)
The theme of this round definitely seems to be one or two awesome albums but the rest are blah, and here's another one. The album you sent me tracks from, Beyond the Gate, is brilliant technical death metal - very melodic and epic and just really engaging (4 stars). So I was excited to hear more of their stuff, but was pretty disappointed. The debut I just found quite average death metal (3 stars), and their latest album Cannibal is alright, just not that exciting (3.5 stars).

The Panic Division (romdrums - round 7)
I figured I'd start with the albums that my favourite songs from your submission came from, Eternalism and Aero Nautical. Both are good albums, but neither matches up to the best songs from them. Each has one or two great songs (Silver Rings being a particular favourite), but to my tastes anyway the rest all blend in to a mush of enjoyable-but-uninspiring. The general style is fun but fairly straightforward, and so I think I need strong melodic hooks to really grab me, and other than a handful of songs I'm not finding that to be the case (3.5 stars x 2).

Nils Frahm (Sacul - round 7)
Ok so Frahm seems to have two distinct styles. His electronic stuff doesn't seem to cover that many releases, but it's the side that I find most consistently engaging - the production is wonderful and he has a cool use of different sounds and ideas. Felt is my favourite of these, but All Melody is pretty great too (4 stars x 2). The Juno EP is nice, if a bit ambient for my tastes (3.5 stars). The rest of his output seems to be based around solo piano with the odd ornamentation here and there. Most of it I find a bit minimalist really - I gave a proper good listen to Screws and it was fine but I couldn't really get into it (3.5 stars), and I quickly checked out some others but they sounded similar and I never ended up listening enough to form an opinion. The exception, though, is Wintermusik, which is gorgeous and just full of emotion and a cold, bleak atmosphere (4 stars).

Angels and Airwaves (Shadow - round 7)
I wouldn't say I loved your submission, but I enjoyed it enough to still get an 8/10. So I checked out their first two albums, both of which you sent me songs from. And yeah, overall I'd still say I like but don't love it, and over the course of a full album I think the lack of variety - particularly in the vocal department - gets a little wearing. I've never found DeLonge's vocals or vocal melodies to be very interesting, and here they do get in the way of what could have been pretty engaging music with a more interesting singer! (3.5 stars x 2)

Michael Schenker Group (Stadler - round 7)
You sent me two songs from their debut, including easily my favourite of the ones you sent, so that was my obvious starting point. It's a good album, but Lost Horizons is still the only song I find particularly exciting. It does a great job of Iron Maiden-esque heavy metal and is very enjoyable as a result. I also really like some of the instrumental guitar passages on this album, Schenker's playing is slick and they have a great sense of melody. The rest of the album, unfortunately, just blends together as solid but unremarkable classic rock, which is probably unfair but is ultimately how the music makes me feel (3.5 stars).

Suotana (TAC - round 7)
I was excited to check these guys out, and was not disappointed. Land of the Ending time, especially, benefits from tighter song-writing and stronger production than the first album, but really both are excellent melodic death metal (4 stars x 2). Don't have anything else to say really!

Goldfrapp (Tomi - round 7)
Obviously I started with Tales of Us as that's what you sent me songs from, and I love it. It's such a rich, moody, warm and emotional album based around a really nice idea (4 stars for now, but I can definitely see it climbing higher over time). You'd told me that they change up their style all the time so I figured I'd try out their other two highest rated albums on RYM for my next stop. But I found both, for different reasons, to be nice but a little disappointing (3.5 stars x 2). With their debut Felt Mountain, I love the moody downtempo vibe, but I find it a bit uninteresting melodically. With Seventh Tree, I like how warm and pretty it is, but it feels lacking in any kind of emotional impact. I'm not against checking other albums out, but will wait for specific recommendations.

The Weeknd (Train - round 7)
Much like the selection you sent me, at first I thought After Hours might be a big straightforward and uninteresting, but I was quickly won over. He really did achieve a great mix and balance of styles and influences on this album, and in particular a lot of the synth sounds he uses really lend a huge amount of atmosphere to it which I find pretty unique for R&B/electro-pop (4 stars). I checked the two previous albums as well, and there was plenty to like on them but they're definitely not as rich and engaging as his latest (3.5 stars x 2).

Malpractice (wolfking - round 7)
It's not on Spotify, but I was able to give Triangular a couple of listens as that's the album you sent me songs from. I quite like it, but I do find it slightly lacking. The components of good prog metal are all there - it's intricate, has plenty of nice guitar work, a talented singer, clear production, solid melodies. I just find it all a little sterile. I think either of amazing hooks or really energetic performance and production might have made this more exciting, but with neither it just falls a bit flat for me (3.5 stars).

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

ariich

What's next?!

Right you bastards, you sent me 85 different artists in the EP round, so this is going to take a while to get through. :lol

Obviously I'm not going to check all of them out, but the vast majority I'd like to at least check out one album by. My target is to be finished by the end of the year. And I'll post more regular updates as I'm not waiting to the end to post everything at once this time.

Quote from: Buddyhunter1 on May 10, 2023, 05:59:19 PMAriich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
Quote from: TAC on December 21, 2023, 06:05:15 AMI be am boner inducing.

Sacul

Glad you enjoyed Nils! His output is really interesting, and I also wished he did more of the electronic stuff. I highly recommend you his live album Spaces, it covers a good range of his work and plays some the more minimalist pieces in a very maximalist, intense fashion. It's a brilliant bunch of performances.
Quote from: Evermind on April 17, 2016, 02:11:10 PM"Zantera / Sacul music"
Quote from: home on December 09, 2017, 07:38:24 AMI want your D if it's still up for grabs

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