TAC - Aegaeon - Biomech - Val No.6
Bonus - Reb Beach award (split) - 0.25 bonus points
I still don't know where I sit with this one, thought it would grow more.
I've heard some of these guys later stuff a while back from RJ pimping them and was all very good, just never revisited them. This being their old stuff seems more technical death metal than their later stuff, but I could be wrong. Another style I'm fine with but not necessarily one of my favs of the metal genre. I like them but not a genre that sticks as much as others. The guitar playing here is excellent, like really excellent, exactly what you want out of the genre. To be honest, the song didn't blow me away, even on repeated listens, but something kept it slightly growing on me. Although the guitar playing me made enjoy it more each time. The vocals are fine too, I like them quite a bit, but it's the guitar sections that elevate it. Now, this was never in line for a member award but it was just yesterday that I decided the guitar playing was so cool I had to split the award. That section at 4:00 is brutal and takes it to another level again and picks my ears up. Absolutely fantastic stuff. The solo leading into that section too is great and harmonized so well. The vocal parts kept growing but I think there's just something about the vocal sections that leave me wanting just something else, it's hard to put my finger on. But I am going to dive into these guys. Another reason I split the award was the amazing acoustic outro section, that's a real nice touch. Gives me Iron Maiden Prophecy vibes. It's great how the section is themed around the melodies of the song, that's a nice touch. Some old In Flames vibes too, so it shows the guys chops on the instrument. Also, the reprise at around the 5:00 mark of the section around 3:50 is very classy. I think with more time this would certainly grow even more. This also got the split award because it was some of the most memorable lead playing of the round, which is impressive given the frantic style.
Score - 8.0 + 0.25 = 8.25
ariich - Euphoreon - Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
Yeah, it's safe, but very enjoyable.
This was enjoyable from the start and didn't really let up. I can't say much more again than it being a very safe submission. While it's safe as houses, it didn't have that certain something different to make it stand out from what I already know of the genre, but saying that, each time I listen to it, I just think to myself, 'yeah, this is still fucking cool.' Great sound and style for a debut also. Lots of Wintersun vibes actually as I listen again now. As mentioned I know the second album from Tim which rips and this certainly is on the same level. Great energy, great guitar, epic vocals, not much not to like.
Score - 8.5
Jingle - Silent Skies - Solitude
This is pleasant enough really for what it is.
Bonus - Kip Winger Award - 0.5 points
Tom Englund is one of my fav vocalists and not to mention I love his guitar playing. Although, this project I've had no interest in, not in the mood for this wussy shit. Even on the first listen, I was kind of hesitant, again, a me issue. This HAS to get the Kip Winger award due to it being Tom. If this song was sung by some nobody to me, I'd write it off in 30 seconds. I will say, each listen I gave it, it sucked me in once I surrendered to it. I gotta say, I'm sure with me at the moment, this is certainly a song to help or make me more depressed, but I really really appreciate the sentiment behind sending this Chad, that certainly hasn't gone unnoticed and for that as I said, it made it more comforting each listen. Question is, would I want to listen to a full album of this? Seems like one of those styles where a song here and there is enough but I will check it out. Middle section gave me Far From Heaven vibes too, which I have no complaints about.
Score - 8.25 + 0.5 = 8.75
Indiscipline - Matteo Mancuso - Drop D
Bonus point - Jon Roth award - 0.5 points
Right from the start this had me grooving. This laid back sorta style isn't normally my thing, but there was nothing here to dislike. Andy Timmons, some Satch, Alex Hutchings, some Guthrie at times, lots of influences here. I have no idea who this kid but he is definitely class. Everything he's doing seems melodic and within the scope of what's going on in the music behind him. A lot of what he's doing is pretty simplistic, but the song has that knack of creating an earworm for the brain. It's that moment of the melody where he hits that natural sixth degree really accentuating the Dorian mode and feel of the tune and style. The moment where the backing hits the Eflat chord also is a nice bit of colour again to the tune. He works over that arpeggio nicely too. Love the shift to the end solo where he lets rip, and I like where the Dorian accentuation was in the first half he keeps it flat minor to let rip. That same part straight after where it hits the Eflat again it sounds like he's still ripping over D minor but it's so quick it's hard to tell. Probably D Phyrigan maybe and just swapping the E natural to E flat. I'll look forward to checking out more from him. Again, not my usual style, but I enjoyed this each listen. You'd also think this would get my Reb Beach award but I'm giving it the Jon Roth award, as the backing and tones for the rhythm guitars plus the space around that bass solo in the middle is all class and makes the song even better.
Score - 8.5 + 0.5 = 9.0
Puppies - Farsot - Thematik:Tod
Bonus - 17 second bonus - 0.5 point
Even though I squirm in my chair listening to this, something keeps drawing me back to it.
So, when I first listened to this, those vocals, especially in the middle made me quite uncomfortable, they are raw and full on. That still hasn't changed each time I listen but it keeps drawing me back in. This is some pretty clean sounding black metal though and reading the translated lyrics, pretty deep and well written, fitting to what's on offer here. The music is certainly the kind of black metal I'd go for, and the production as I said sounds really crisp and clear for the style. Going back to the vocals, such despair, and torment, almost art and that quiet middle section is damn frightnening to me. But, yeah, I keep getting drawn into this one, will delve more into them too I think.
Score - 8.5 + 0.5 = 9.0
Evermind - Hamferd - Evst
Yep, you read what I wrote in my OP for tastes and seem to find something to nail where I'm at currently.
This one was interesting right off the bat and knew it would grow into something and it did. You certainly picked up on the Morne and On Thorns I Lay mention in the OP as this is right up that alley. Get a bit of My Dying Bride sounds in there also. The doomy stuff as I've mentioned can be hit or miss but I loved this. The variation between the verses and the over the top epic clean vocal chorus was excellent. Those vocals really are pretty epic. Both clean and harsh are epic actually. This doesn't feel like it drags either, it just feels right and did I mention epic?! It's funny too, halfway through I was wishing for some guitar melody in the vein of On Thorns I Lay and it fucking delivered, perfect arrangement. Great stuff, will be checking out more.
Score - 9.0
Litho - The Offering - Ultraviolence
This one grew a lot more than I thought it would.
Bonus - Reb Beach award (split) - 0.25 bonus points
First listen to this I wasn't sure at all. Once the main riff kicked in it made me think of Slipknot, Spit it Out or Wait and Bleed or something. Anyway, this kept growing on each listen. The mix of styles here is off the charts where it doesn't really know what it wants to be but it all works really well. The vocalist is an acquired taste but I like him. A bit 'modern' sounding, but that's fine, he has the chops so he gets a pass. The whole thing has a modern metal vibe but it works, kind of like Mercenary or a band like that. The song flies by and you're at the solo in no time. Now, this may be a controversial view giving this half the Reb Beach award but that solo section was fucking excellent. So many things going on here and a lot of Children of Bodom vibes also. So much whammy bar and hormonic acrobatics going on here along with other things. We start with a whammy bar Kerry King style climb up to a soaring natural harmonic with some added whammy pedal effect too. Then a tapping run up then a immediate run down with some whammy bar abuse. An artificial harmonic then some JP like running up with the open string being the pedal point. Finishes the first section with a speedy run up. We shift gears and end up in an insane what sounds like Phrygian dominant licks but that lick at 3:24 is so damn good. We then hit some nice tasty octave work followed with some more tapping. The note choice when he goes up at 3:32 is damn excellent. More whammy bar work, a tapped note while in the middle of the bend then a sweep to finish it off in good measure, holy shit! Then after some more trickery I fucking LOVE that two note trill but eventually some rolling harmonics. How he doesn't hit the rolling harmonics until around 3:45 is class also. Anyway, sorry about all that. So yeah, I've given half the award just for the pure creativity of that section. The riffs and everything about the song is cool too but that solo is making me want to check them out more, for sure.
Score - 8.75 + .025 = 9.0
Stadler - U.K. - In the Dead of Night
This one gets better and better, maybe being so different from most of the rest helps.
Bonus - Rod Morgenstein award - 0.5 points
So, I know Holdsworth quite well but nothing outside a lot of his solo stuff so this was brand new to me and I loved hearing him in this context. I found at first the vocal melodies a bit awkward but I got used to them. The sound itself for 1978 seems a bit ahead of its time. You can certainly hear the Police and synth era Rush here but I'm not a big 70's prog guy so I could be totally off point. Nevertheless I liked everything about this. The bass is pumping, the groove is so good and I loved the self indulgent solo section from Holdsworth. it builds so well and some tasty sounding key changes in there also. He does what he does best but it never goes out of context of the song and still feels like a total piece from start to finish. The bass and drums are a big reason for that. The drummer creates so much space and lets everything breathe yet giving you that sense of urgency with his patterns. I'm cheating here but you get the Rod Morgenstein award even though I'm liking the bass as much as the drums. Although I love that simple odd time fixture behind the solo. The who unit is killer though. Will check out more for sure.
Score - 8.75 + 0.5 = 9.25
Crow - Astolat - Sisyphus
This is still most excellent, some wonderful melodies and atmosphere too
Bonus - Paul Taylor award - 0.5 points.
This was the first submission I received and hence first on the playlist and listened to. I loved this the moment it got going. The buildup is a perfect length into that rolling, groovy riff. The vocals here are excellent. Rough but easy listening to my ears. I get Abbath vibes listening to these vocals. The cleans gives me slight Agalloch vibes too. They aren't great in isolation, but fit here quite perfectly in between the growls. The keyboard work and overall atmosphere also has had a lot put into it to make it what it is. The tones at times between the guitars and keys blend nicely where at times you wonder if it's guitars or keys you're listening to. That simple solo around 4:35 is fabulous, short and breaks things up with loads of melodic hooks. After the spoken section, the keys seem more prominent which really elevates that clean vocal part taking things to another epic level. Then that melody comes back with a tasty little keyboard solo. Those little self indulgent trills at 6:40 is simple but I love that. Wonderful song, looking forward to checking these guys out, as this is definitely right up my alley. Easily gets the Paul Taylor award here.
Score - 9.0 + 0.5 = 9.5
Sacul - Obsidian Kingdom - Last of the Light
Yep, really love the unique interesting structure here.
Now this is epic as fuck and I think the best of the round for me, but it was close with Astolat. This hooked me right away and as I mentioned, nailed the uniqueness and something different I was looking for which I think gave it the slight edge for me. A minute of black metal followed by 3 minutes of a laid back mid section with a trumpet, WTF?! I love it, I love shit like this when done right. Reading about the album now, the song in isolation makes more sense and I'm really looking forward to spinning this whole album. but the vocals are epic and the whole structure here is just so out there and unique it's just beautiful to me. Then when the trumpet comes in, it's glorious, I almost didn't want the metal to come back in but when it does it escalates it again. Everything about this is just awesome, kudos, close to perfect submission.
Score - 9.5
Round 1 and total standings;
twosuitluke - 4.0
Shadow Ninja - 4.0
Reaper - 5.0
romdrums - 5.5
lonestar - 6.0
King - 7.5
Lonk - 7.75
Dr. DTVT - 8.0
TAC - 8.25
ariich - 8.5
jingle - 8.75
Indiscipline - 9.0
Puppies - 9.0
Evermind - 9.0
Litho - 9.0
Stadler - 9.25
Crow - 9.5
Sacul - 9.5
As I mentioned, what I liked was all pretty much up there, but a bigger drop on what I didn't like unfortunately. A lot of 9.0's straight off, but I really enjoyed most of what those songs gave me. Let's see how round 2 can split things.