Round 4 ResultsRound 4 PlaylistElite: The Contortionist – ClairvoyantFirst Impressions:There are melodies, sure, but where are the hooks, man?! The general sound of this is cool but I see myself struggling to really remember anything about it.
Final Thoughts:On the whole, this doesn’t -feel- like it should be the round winner because in many ways it’s weaker than the three songs below it. I still agree with my first impressions – I don’t find much of this memorable, but…
It’s in a weird way where that makes me just want to listen to this one more? This stands out from the crowd by virtue of being the only song here that feels like it has much depth beneath the surface, any real complexity to it, anything that isn’t just immediately obvious.
And while I don’t find it supremely memorable, I do find it enjoyable? I like the melodies they go for, the riffing is pretty solid, I don’t know what kind of chord the one that goes like BWAANNGG is that a lot of metal bands use lots of but I love that kind of chord. The vocals are pleasant although they’re definitely mixed too low. And the general atmosphere of this is nice too, up to including some synthy ambience at the end that I like.
I do remember checking this album out a few times back in 2017 and not really being too into it or remembering much of it and I can see why that would be the case, and maybe in full album form this won’t work so well for me, but for what I do hear here? Well, it’s not mindblowing, but it’s good for what it is all the same.
Score: ariich: The Plot In You – My Old WaysFirst Impressions:For the most part, I really dig the vocals on this. The music, not as sure about, though it definitely feels less important than the vocals anyways.
Final Thoughts:My gut reaction was to go “oh hell yeah more post-hardcore” and like. That’s valid I guess but this is of the “kind of flavorless/generic” variety too, ultimately. Things that stand out negatively: The riffs can get a bit close to djent-y in spots, though the guitar tone isn’t. The lower-pitched -core vocals sound… not good. I’m not so sure about the synths used either.
Everything else… it’s solid! Dude’s a pretty good singer. There’s a generally solid sound to this, the riffs hit hard, I feel A Number of Emotions listening to this (though not especially strong ones), it’s the right length for the style. The lyrics are kind of uninspiring and I was hoping they’d be able to help make this one really click for me but nah I don’t think they’re interesting at all.
It’s overall a pretty solid post-hardcore track. I feel that’s like, the theme of this round. Songs that are really solid examples of their styles but fail to go the extra mile in either execution or intrigue to really stand out. So how I rate them mostly just comes down to how much I like the style, and I like post-hardcore more than grunge and melodic death metal, so… yeah!
Score: Stadler: Psycho Motel – RainFirst Impressions:So the only single thing I could think most of my first listen was “wow, these guys sure do a pretty good Pearl Jam impression!”
Final Thoughts:I say Pearl Jam but it gives me a more generally grungy vibe than anything and Pearl Jam is just the closest comparison I can make, I guess. I am not very knowledgeable in grunge, or grunge-adjacent acts, admittedly. Not a genre I mind either, just one that doesn’t do much for me.
This does have a bit of a hard rock bent to it too but the influence is undeniable, though I don’t think they’re incompatible sounds at all and this overall comes out to being pretty solid and enjoyable. The vocals are solid, the washed-out sound works for the aesthetic they’re going for, that guitar solo is pretty tasty, it doesn’t drag on too long. It all just works.
It’s something I’m going to listen to and go “oh, that right there is -my- song!!” but while it’s on I do like this one more than a decent bit. I really don’t have too much else to add about this one either. Another one where I’m a bit borderline on the score so I’m just gonna be nice again, who cares, it’s fine.
Score: Tomislav95: Kalmah – They Will ReturnFirst Impressions:A classic example of “fun for what it is, but also very generic for what it is”. On first listen I already know what score this is going to get.
Final Thoughts:When I think of melodic death metal usually I just assume “oh, power metal but with growls” and that’s to an extent kind of unfair as there’s plenty of melodeath that goes way heavier than power metal would ever dare.
But this one is definitely, 100% just power metal with growls. It even has the obligatory very specific keyboard patch for the guitar solo that every power metal band seems to use. It’s sort of hard to say much else about it because just by saying that you know what the entire song sounds like.
I will give this credit in that it does have solid riffing and melodic hooks, albeit ones generic enough that despite actually being hooks, I don’t tend to really remember what this song sounds like for very long after it’s over. I hate to overuse “generic” because that often doesn’t feel fair but this really just is… that. Enjoyable to listen to but it’s like the junk food of metal – high energy and very agreeable but mostly empty calories.
Score: Dacul: Future of the Left – Bread, Cheese, Bow, and ArrowFirst Impressions:Oh right THESE guys. I’m sorry but everything about this aesthetic is just… a huge turn-off for me, all of it. I think I turned this album off after the first song when I originally tried listening to it.
Final Thoughts:I’m going to be honest. I only listened to this twice. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to suffer through it more than that. I find everything about this insufferable. The vocals, especially, sound like the worst possible version of Mike Patton and it’s obvious the intent is to be annoying in that way. The main riff also sounds like a bad Faith No More riff too though. This is just really, excrutiatingly awful Faith No More, that’s it. The drums are basically non-existent. The lyrics seem really immature. There’s like. An attempt at mediocre-at-best riffing at the end.
I don’t think I’ve heard a song this bad in one of my roulettes since… uhh… oh, oh no, this genuinely may be the worst song I’ve ever had to suffer through in a roulette, I’m not gonna lie. Only that Slint song is comparable, I think, and I’m not going to go relisten to it to find out which one is worse. So yeah uuhh. Good luck with the bullets, I guess?
Score: Eliminations coming tomorrow! Sleep well, everyone.