So, how about some...
Round 3 first impressions
[wolfking – Brymir] 1. You have a knack for sending me very epic music and this is no exception - cheesier than some but very richly melodic.
[Glasser – Nospūn] 2. Closer to your first submission but probably even more my thing - proggy yet crunchy and quite a few moments that remind me of a particular favourite band of mine.
[Reaper – From Monument To Masses] 3. This mostly sounds pretty standard for the genre, although there are a few nice flourishes here and there.
[Vmadera – Prototype] 4. Not sure if there's any specific aspect of this you thought could be risky - if anything it might be a bit too normal with nothing to really stand out, unless that was the issue?
[romdrums – Jaga Jazzist] 5. For the first few minutes I wondered if you’ve made a rare misstep, but it picks up a lot after that although I do wonder if I’ll end up finding it a bit too “thinky”.
[lonestar – Rolling Quartz] 6. Seems like this might be a happy middle ground between your first two submissions.
[soupy – Fellowship] 7. In sending the polar opposite of your last round, you’ve hit upon some great melodies but possibly a bit too much cheese factor.
[luke – Coheed and Cambria] 8. Don’t know whether it’ll wholly win me over, but this was both poppier and more dramatic than I was expecting and more engaging as a result.
[jingle – Nuclear Power Trio] 9. I’m pretty picky when it comes to instrumental rock but this is eclectic, super melodic and so full of energy and charm that my first listen was an absolute blast.
[Litho – Dejafuse] 10. The melodic approach isn’t that immediate, but I can already see this being a grower because every time I started feeling unsure about it, something exciting came along and cast away any doubts.
[HOF – Dim Gray] 11. You’ve been holding out on me! Rich, emotive, gorgeously arranged and produced - this is probably the best thing you’ve sent me.
[Elite – Wes Montgomery] 12. Exactly what I expected - talented playing and nice energy but perhaps lacking a bit of pizazz.
[faizoff – Van She] 13. Mmm warm vibes and synthy goodness - not mind-blowing maybe but a really nice listen right from the off.
[King – Our Lady Peace] 14. I’ve said before that this genre needs quite a lot of hooks and/or emotion to work - these songs seem to do rather well at both.
[seneca – Emma Ruth Rundle] 15. A little more minimalist than I’d normally go for, but it’s nice stuff and has some great moments.
[Crow – Vylet Pony] 16. I’ve heard all the individual elements of this before but the overall effect still feels really unique and really rather great.
[nick_z – Eneferens] 17. Vocals are a little weak and some of the production isn’t that great, but some of the music is so gorgeous that those things hopefully won’t matter too much.
[TAC – Castleway] 18. The use of strings stops this sounding too generic, and each track seems more interesting than the last.
[Sacul – The Black Queen] 19. This mostly sounds like a slightly modernised take on a popular 80s artist, if perhaps not quite as melodically rich.
[Luoto – Cain's Offering] 20. Sounds pretty much exactly like I would have expected based on the people involved - not sure whether that familiarity is comforting or bordering on generic.
[Stadler – Asia] 21. The overall sound was very unsurprising, but there were some really warm and emotive moments that elevated this over what I might have expected.
[Puppies – Echolyn] 22. This was some nice warm prog - with each song, I wasn’t wowed at the start but was won over by the end.
[Buddy – Blanck Mass] 23. There was some very cool stuff here but the sound is very full and dense, I think it’ll be hard to form a proper opinion before getting in a listen or two on earphones.
[Evermind – Lords of Black] 24. I feel like I’m either going to find this a bit too straightforward or I’m going to love the melodic hooks and big sound, and after one listen I’ve no idea which is more likely.