Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives

Message board

* FAQ    * Register   * Login 



Reply to topic
Author Message Previous topic | Next topic
robotniq
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:08 am
Posts: 372
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2021 1:44 pm 
 

TheBurningOfSodom wrote:
KrigareTjovane wrote:
The way I've been conditioned to write is to use as few comparisons to other bands as possible.

It's an interesting position since I think I'm sometimes overrelying on them, so I find myself at the other end of the spectrum :lol: but yeah, as all things, in medio stat virtus. After all, you just can't get stressed out trying to trace back every band to another everybody knows, so some moderate tips are definitely the way to go, as you already rightly pointed.


I think comparisons with other bands are important.
Firstly it can help people situate a band in relation to other bands (i.e., what came before, what came later). Few bands appear in a vacuum, if any. There is always a wider story to be told.
Secondly (perhaps more importantly), cross-referencing other bands helps people discover stuff. I've discovered lots of bands by reading the cross-comparisons to obscure bands in other people's reviews. In that sense it becomes a qualitative alternative to the site's (under-rated) 'Similar Artists' tab. It is particularly useful when the 'Similar Artists' tab fails. For example, do I think Dr Shrinker fans should check out Media in Morte? Yes, absolutely. Is there any route for fans of one band to discover the other? No, not until the reviewer creates a bridge between them in a review via cross-referencing.

Having said that, cross-references need to be 'earned'. Namedropping random or irrelevant bands is a distraction. Also, references need to make sense in context; there is no point in comparing Obituary to End of Days, but it would be difficult to avoid comparing End of Days to Obituary. This kind of contextual and sequential nous goes beyond mere knowledge of whether one thing sounds like another.

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:44 pm 
 

That was actually a pretty useful explanation of a concept I just wasn't able to describe better. The parallel you made to the similar artists tab is also interesting, especially when you can namedrop bands that aren't among the first in said list, under the eyes of pretty much everyone and so vaguely pointless (unless the two bands sound actually equal so it's inevitable) or aren't there altogether.
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
naverhtrad
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:44 pm
Posts: 68
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 1:36 pm 
 

Apologies if this question (or questions like it) have already been asked before, but I wanted to check in here before I post a new review.

Is it legitimate to critique an album for being political, if the politics are to a certain extent the main point of the album? That is to say, if I was reviewing a RAC or an NSBM release, would it be legitimate to critique it on account of the ideology?

Also, would it be fair to hammer on such an album for being cutesy or cagey or plausibly-deniable 'it's-not-hate-it's-heritage' with the lyrics? Because, to be honest, I think that if you hold a far-right nationalist political stance dearly enough to make music out of it, hiding behind euphemisms and weasel-wording is wussy and deserving of merciless mocking.

Cheers in advance!

Top
 Profile  
Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35139
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 3:08 pm 
 

naverhtrad wrote:
Apologies if this question (or questions like it) have already been asked before, but I wanted to check in here before I post a new review.

Is it legitimate to critique an album for being political, if the politics are to a certain extent the main point of the album? That is to say, if I was reviewing a RAC or an NSBM release, would it be legitimate to critique it on account of the ideology?

Also, would it be fair to hammer on such an album for being cutesy or cagey or plausibly-deniable 'it's-not-hate-it's-heritage' with the lyrics? Because, to be honest, I think that if you hold a far-right nationalist political stance dearly enough to make music out of it, hiding behind euphemisms and weasel-wording is wussy and deserving of merciless mocking.

Cheers in advance!


I got some flak on my Havok review for this, and in retrospect I guess I didn't HAVE to give it a 0% or go as far with the grandstanding with that one, but I didn't like anything about it anyway. I think politics is so charged right now and is involved in almost every aspect of life that you can't really avoid it sometimes.

Ultimately if the band has lyrics that are this political or bigoted or whatever else, then that can be mentioned in the review, that was a choice the artist made and it's fair game.
_________________
Cinema Freaks latest reviews: Black Roses
Fictional Works - if you hated my reviews over the years then pay me back by reviewing my own stuff
Official Website

Top
 Profile  
naverhtrad
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:44 pm
Posts: 68
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 3:44 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
naverhtrad wrote:
Apologies if this question (or questions like it) have already been asked before, but I wanted to check in here before I post a new review.

Is it legitimate to critique an album for being political, if the politics are to a certain extent the main point of the album? That is to say, if I was reviewing a RAC or an NSBM release, would it be legitimate to critique it on account of the ideology?

Also, would it be fair to hammer on such an album for being cutesy or cagey or plausibly-deniable 'it's-not-hate-it's-heritage' with the lyrics? Because, to be honest, I think that if you hold a far-right nationalist political stance dearly enough to make music out of it, hiding behind euphemisms and weasel-wording is wussy and deserving of merciless mocking.

Cheers in advance!


I got some flak on my Havok review for this, and in retrospect I guess I didn't HAVE to give it a 0% or go as far with the grandstanding with that one, but I didn't like anything about it anyway. I think politics is so charged right now and is involved in almost every aspect of life that you can't really avoid it sometimes.

Ultimately if the band has lyrics that are this political or bigoted or whatever else, then that can be mentioned in the review, that was a choice the artist made and it's fair game.


Cool. That pretty much corresponds with my line of thinking here. I guess my overall attitude is: try not to judge the artist based on their personal views. But if the artist makes politics the point of his music, then it's only fair to criticise his music on that basis. (Also, speaking for myself, I found your Havok review fairly on-point.)

Top
 Profile  
robotniq
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:08 am
Posts: 372
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:17 pm 
 

I was thinking about this last week when reviewing Abnegation's only album. Certain bands are basically 'message music', which means that it would be remiss to talk about the music without talking about the ideology. Then there are bands that pivot away from an ideology, but doing so is an interesting phenomenon anyway, so probably warrants discussion.

Top
 Profile  
Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35139
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:29 pm 
 

naverhtrad wrote:
Cool. That pretty much corresponds with my line of thinking here. I guess my overall attitude is: try not to judge the artist based on their personal views. But if the artist makes politics the point of his music, then it's only fair to criticise his music on that basis. (Also, speaking for myself, I found your Havok review fairly on-point.)


Yeah if they aren't putting politics in the music then I probably wouldn't base my opinion around it anyway. Might just not say anything at all in that case. I don't think you can review NSBM honestly from a strictly musical standpoint though without mentioning what it's about - that seems shady as fuck to me. And thanks btw.
_________________
Cinema Freaks latest reviews: Black Roses
Fictional Works - if you hated my reviews over the years then pay me back by reviewing my own stuff
Official Website

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2021 9:50 am 
 

I kind of agree with what you guys say, but any review has got to provide an actual musical commentary as well. You can't just talk about the lyrics for the whole review, and then shoehorn a sentence in about the musical style at the end. Even if you decide your score based mainly on the lyrical and thematic content, you have to give the music its due mention.
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
LongHairIsSoFuckingCool
Edgy Metal Noob Catchphrase Dispenser

Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:22 am
Posts: 547
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 12:44 am 
 

Ok, so, I'm planning on writing my first review. For context purposes I will mention that I intend to review the sole release of the band "Gaycuntation". I'm considering having an opening paragraph explaining how I found this album. Is such a thing unnecessary?

And while I have listened to grindcore before, I haven't heard any cybergrind prior to this listening to this. What considerations should I take when writing this review because of this factor? How do I write about (sub)genres I have just listened to in general?
_________________
recyclage wrote:
When a labeling of music gets stucked in the past, than germans are still nazi

recyclage wrote:
Anyone who writes "The Deftones" isn't trustworthy.

Top
 Profile  
BastardHead
Worse than Stalin

Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 7:53 pm
Posts: 10857
Location: Oswego, Illinois
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 9:20 am 
 

The backstory about how you found the album in question is never truly necessary and very rarely interesting to readers. You're not gonna get a rejection for including it (unless it's the bulk of the review) but I personally wind up skipping every opening paragraph where it's clear that it's just gonna be a story about stumbling across it in a record store or on youtube or something. Unless it's a really unique story or your Favorite Album Ever or something, either just boil it down to one sentence or skip it entirely, imo.

As for reviewing genres you're unfamiliar with, I don't dislike that as much as some of the other regulars around here, but it's always a good idea to be cautious if you plan on doing it. Never hurts to do a little research or listen around for some context first, but as long as you aren't just out of hand shitting on a genre you flatly don't understand and have no desire to learn about, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
_________________
Lair of the Bastard: LATEST REVIEW: In Flames - Foregone
The Outer RIM - Uatism: The dogs bark in street slang
niix wrote:
the reason your grandmother has all those plastic sheets on her furniture is because she is probably a squirter

Top
 Profile  
Ex El Ex El Ex
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 8:53 pm
Posts: 328
Location: Argentina
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:43 pm 
 

I would really appreciate some feedback regarding the three reviews I've written so far. I'm kinda dipping my feet in the water again, and haven't written in this way for a while, so any comments or pointers are welcome.

Link, if needed: https://www.metal-archives.com/users/Ex ... %20El%20Ex
_________________
ironmaidens_666 wrote:
What do Catholics and metalheads have in common?
They both prefer the old Testament.

Top
 Profile  
colin040
Metal freak

Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:00 pm
Posts: 7599
Location: Netherlands
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 2:57 pm 
 

Ex El Ex El Ex wrote:
I would really appreciate some feedback regarding the three reviews I've written so far. I'm kinda dipping my feet in the water again, and haven't written in this way for a while, so any comments or pointers are welcome.

Link, if needed: https://www.metal-archives.com/users/Ex ... %20El%20Ex


I've just finished reading your Samael review and it's really good! This is coming from someone who doesn't like the album (but does like the first two Samael albums).

The only line that had me confused at first (though you do admit that there are exceptions to every rule after) was the following:

Quote:
Black metal is, generally speaking, not this writer's jam. I have never truly managed to connect with the vast majority of what the genre has to offer


I assume that you meant Norwegian black metal with the ''vast majority'', but even that might not be saying too much. Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but it's just a small thing that stood out to me. Otherwise, keep up the good work!

Top
 Profile  
Ex El Ex El Ex
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 8:53 pm
Posts: 328
Location: Argentina
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:06 pm 
 

Thanks Colin! I really dig that album, is weirdly a kind of comfort listen for me :lol:

Yes, I meant traditional Norwegian BM, it was probably a bit much of a generalization on my part.
_________________
ironmaidens_666 wrote:
What do Catholics and metalheads have in common?
They both prefer the old Testament.

Top
 Profile  
thePowermetalLynx
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:57 am
Posts: 140
Location: China
PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:44 am 
 

Can I get some feedback on this review I wrote for Morning Dwell’s latest album? It was rejected bc I had written too little. So some tips on how I should elaborate on points? Thanking in advance

——————— ——————— ——————— ——————— ——————— ——————— ——————— ——————— —
Starting from a Freedom Call fangirl’s point of view,Mornings Dwell’s newest release actually makes a vaguely disturbing listen - this sounds just like Freedom Call pre - Circle of Life era. I’m starting to think if they’d had Chris Bay for the vocals this would make a fair enough Freedom Call substitute.

We always call them European power metal fast and melodic, and that’s precisely what this albums sounds like. First you get The Chosen Champion, a track that just screams Stratovarius with its riffs. And then there is Wandering Man, a soaring anthem following the formula of High Up and Farewell. The rhythm section and the upbeat orchestration just remind me even more of Freedom Call. Especially on Behind the Gate and Book of Damnation. And to be honest, I still think the riff in Change is a Warriors rip-off. Besides, the arrangement of a heavy and chugging bridge before the bright and happy solo sounds rather familiar, doesn’t it? The bands influence from Helloween is still strong at work in the final anthem The Power Will Go On

Barring the vaguely disturbing resemblance, this is most certainly a solid EUPM release. Every tune screams happiness. The chorus are catchy and brainwashing as hell. The group vocals define perfectly the meaning of glory and unity. And the drums raced on with full Ingo Schwichtenberg energy. Bonus points, no soppy power metal ballads, and 37 minutes is the perfect length. If this record gets any longer with this much happiness it would be a drag.

So this may be the closest to a Freedom Call parody I’ve ever heard these days, but I’m content - it’s almost a bit like the continuation of Eternity we never got.

Highlights:
Wandering Man
Change
The Power Will Go On
_________________
Proud cheese-loving Power Metalhead

Old School is the only School

Consistency is a Virtue
Repetition is a Sin


Call me Shirley or Lynxie


Last edited by thePowermetalLynx on Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
 Profile  
AlexViking88
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2016 10:49 pm
Posts: 17
Location: Spain
PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:22 pm 
 

I wrote this review three weeks ago (more or less), it was rejected today, could somebody help me to improve it before trying to put it on queue again?.

Ondskapt has been one of my favorite Swedish black metal legions for a long period of time, their approach to this occult art we call “black metal" has a distinctive watermark (even though the Mayhem and Ofermod influences are clear), they manage to make their own sound out of their inpirations.


“Grimoire Ordo Devus" took me by surprise when it was released, I was very exited when I knew that Ondskapt was putting out brand new material after such a long period of innactivity. When I finally had the oportunity to listen to this album it blew me away from the very first listen.


In “Grimoire Ordo Devus" we find a more refined and mature Ondskapt, with a way more clear production in which every instrument can be enjoyed by the listener. The use of film audios, groovy drumming, wicked guitars, acoustic parts, crushing bass, haunting vocals (harsh and monk-like chants) and tempo changes during the songs deliver a true banquet of obscurity and madness, I see this album as an huge step foward from the band compared to their old material (which was way more primitive and raw).


All we can do now is expecting another brilliant collection of dark hymns from this Swedish maniacs, let's hope, not a decade later again.

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 12:23 am 
 

thePowermetalLynx wrote:
Can I get some feedback on this review I wrote for Morning Dwell’s latest album? It was rejected bc I had written too little. So some tips on how I should elaborate on points? Thanking in advance

Spoiler: show
Starting from a Freedom Call fangirl’s point of view,Mornings Dwell’s newest release actually makes a vaguely disturbing listen - this sounds just like Freedom Call pre - Circle of Life era. I’m starting to think if they’d had Chris Bay for the vocals this would make a fair enough Freedom Call substitute.

We always call them European power metal fast and melodic, and that’s precisely what this albums sounds like. First you get The Chosen Champion, a track that just screams Stratovarius with its riffs. And then there is Wandering Man, a soaring anthem following the formula of High Up and Farewell. The rhythm section and the upbeat orchestration just remind me even more of Freedom Call. Especially on Behind the Gate and Book of Damnation. And to be honest, I still think the riff in Change is a Warriors rip-off. Besides, the arrangement of a heavy and chugging bridge before the bright and happy solo sounds rather familiar, doesn’t it? The bands influence from Helloween is still strong at work in the final anthem The Power Will Go On

Barring the vaguely disturbing resemblance, this is most certainly a solid EUPM release. Every tune screams happiness. The chorus are catchy and brainwashing as hell. The group vocals define perfectly the meaning of glory and unity. And the drums raced on with full Ingo Schwichtenberg energy. Bonus points, no soppy power metal ballads, and 37 minutes is the perfect length. If this record gets any longer with this much happiness it would be a drag.

So this may be the closest to a Freedom Call parody I’ve ever heard these days, but I’m content - it’s almost a bit like the continuation of Eternity we never got.

Highlights:
Wandering Man
Change
The Power Will Go On

For me, it's a pretty good review, but I agree that it's lacking in detail. I've seen your writing before, and you have a really good range of reference in power metal, which you show here by comparing various parts to a lot of bands, even though your main point states that the album is extremely close to Freedom Call.

The way to improve is to re-read your review and add some explaining sentences. Your points tend to be incisive, but not very analytical. That's because you don't say why very often. For example, "First you get The Chosen Champion, a track that just screams Stratovarius with its riffs." What makes it sound like Stratovarius? "And then there is Wandering Man, a soaring anthem following the formula of High Up and Farewell." What is the formula of those songs? Personally, I'm familiar with Stratovarius and have heard a bit of Freedom Call, but for a reader who doesn't know those bands well, you are expecting them to listen to those bands, while you should be describing their features more.

A few other points are missing too. You mention that if the album featured Chris Bay, it would sound just like Freedom Call, so obviously this vocalist sounds different but you never say what they sound like. Perhaps in this case, you are comparing too much and describing too little. Also, you could go into more detail about what kind of "happiness" the album features: major-key melodies or optimistic lyrics? I think re-reading the review a couple of times from the perspective of an outsider would help you see where more explanation is missing. Good luck with it!
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2022 5:46 pm 
 

AlexViking88 wrote:
I wrote this review three weeks ago (more or less), it was rejected today, could somebody help me to improve it before trying to put it on queue again?.

Spoiler: show
Ondskapt has been one of my favorite Swedish black metal legions for a long period of time, their approach to this occult art we call “black metal" has a distinctive watermark (even though the Mayhem and Ofermod influences are clear), they manage to make their own sound out of their inpirations.


“Grimoire Ordo Devus" took me by surprise when it was released, I was very exited when I knew that Ondskapt was putting out brand new material after such a long period of innactivity. When I finally had the oportunity to listen to this album it blew me away from the very first listen.


In “Grimoire Ordo Devus" we find a more refined and mature Ondskapt, with a way more clear production in which every instrument can be enjoyed by the listener. The use of film audios, groovy drumming, wicked guitars, acoustic parts, crushing bass, haunting vocals (harsh and monk-like chants) and tempo changes during the songs deliver a true banquet of obscurity and madness, I see this album as an huge step foward from the band compared to their old material (which was way more primitive and raw).


All we can do now is expecting another brilliant collection of dark hymns from this Swedish maniacs, let's hope, not a decade later again.

I'd guess the reason for rejection was the review being too short. I'd say that everything you've written could make up an alright first paragraph, but you definitely need to explain more. Taking advantage of gasmask's last comment, you can surely start out by expanding a bit on where are Ondskapt similar to Mayhem and Ofermod, and (most importantly) where they differ. I'm not well-versed in black metal so I doubt I can be of any help for that, but if you love the band so much, you should be able to express why without any effort.

Similarly, you summed up an hour-long album you liked very much in a single sentence. The reader will be trying to get the idea of what the band is like, and "The use of film audios, groovy drumming, wicked guitars, acoustic parts, crushing bass, haunting vocals (harsh and monk-like chants) and tempo changes during the songs deliver a true banquet of obscurity and madness", as a description, doesn't quite narrow the field for a metal album lol. There's so much more to talk about - favourite songs, moments, leads, etc. - basically all the stuff you mentioned, but backed up with specific examples in where do they appear in the album and why they're so amazing, and you can use this section to insert some other comparisons or capitalize on the two you made at the beginning.

As I always recommend, finally, reading other people's reviews is helpful, and the album you're talking about has already 4 of them so they can be of great inspiration for some aspects you forgot or may add (background information on the band, which is more than 20 years old, the production, etc.). Without copying, of course :lol:

Side note: always important but even more so if you're already struggling with getting your review accepted, take your time to double-check the grammar and fix typos and stuff like that ('excited', 'inactivity', 'opportunity', 'a huge' not 'an', 'clearer' instead of 'more clear'...).
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
thrashmetalfan3425
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:32 am
Posts: 4
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:26 pm 
 

I wrote a review for immolation's latest album and it got rejected. Can you guys give me some feedback on what i can do to get it approved.



It's February 18th 2022. I've been waiting for this album to come out for a little over a month now. I wake up and first thing i do is listen to this album and OH MY GOD IT IS FUCKING AMAZING. Immolation have always been one of the most consistent death metal bands and this album is a perfect example of this. The fact that they are 30 years into their career and have never made an album that is "weak" is an incredible accomplishment.

The album starts out with a clean channel guitar intro with an electric guitar melody over it. This little intro section reminds me of reminds me of the instrumental intro to Dissection's "Storm Of The Light's Bane" (which is definitely not a bad thing). This leads us to one of the many highlights on this masterpiece "An Act Of God". This song is the perfect example of everything an Immolation song does best. Brutal Riffs, Blazing fast drums, Deep Gutturals, and everything essential within the death metal genre.

This album is dark, brooding, brutal, heavy, and most of all FUCKING EVIL SOUNDING. If you are a fan of classic death metal you will love this album. Therefore i give this album a 100% rating.

Album Highlights: An Act Of God, Age of No Light, Noose Of Thorns, Blooded, Apostle
Album Lowlights: ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NONE

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 9:02 am 
 

thrashmetalfan3425 wrote:
I wrote a review for immolation's latest album and it got rejected. Can you guys give me some feedback on what i can do to get it approved.

Spoiler: show
It's February 18th 2022. I've been waiting for this album to come out for a little over a month now. I wake up and first thing i do is listen to this album and OH MY GOD IT IS FUCKING AMAZING. Immolation have always been one of the most consistent death metal bands and this album is a perfect example of this. The fact that they are 30 years into their career and have never made an album that is "weak" is an incredible accomplishment.

The album starts out with a clean channel guitar intro with an electric guitar melody over it. This little intro section reminds me of reminds me of the instrumental intro to Dissection's "Storm Of The Light's Bane" (which is definitely not a bad thing). This leads us to one of the many highlights on this masterpiece "An Act Of God". This song is the perfect example of everything an Immolation song does best. Brutal Riffs, Blazing fast drums, Deep Gutturals, and everything essential within the death metal genre.

This album is dark, brooding, brutal, heavy, and most of all FUCKING EVIL SOUNDING. If you are a fan of classic death metal you will love this album. Therefore i give this album a 100% rating.

Album Highlights: An Act Of God, Age of No Light, Noose Of Thorns, Blooded, Apostle
Album Lowlights: ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NONE

This is a long way off being accepted I guess. There aren't any details or much description, and the hyperbole and capital letters don't help.

I recommend reading a few reviews before you edit this one, so you can see the acceptable standard of description and analysis that the site usually needs. From my perspective, this looks like a promo piece rather than a review, saying roughly what the album could be compared to and choosing a few key words, then saying it's really good. However, I can't tell from your review how this is different to other Immolation albums. Heck, I barely even know what Immolation sound like themselves, except when you mention they play death metal and are brutal. Perhaps you could use your album highlights as examples of what is great about some of the songs here, because currently you just have quite a basic list of opinions.

TLDR; describe and explain more.
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
LongHairIsSoFuckingCool
Edgy Metal Noob Catchphrase Dispenser

Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:22 am
Posts: 547
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 3:53 pm 
 

I have two questions to ask before I can feel comfortable starting writing reviews.

1. What's the correct way to score reviews? I'm used to rating things out of 10 and this percentage system is disorienting because I'm not used to it. What's the difference between 85% and 86%? I don't understand?

2. Is describing voices as sexy or erotic unacceptable?
_________________
recyclage wrote:
When a labeling of music gets stucked in the past, than germans are still nazi

recyclage wrote:
Anyone who writes "The Deftones" isn't trustworthy.

Top
 Profile  
orphy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 06, 2004 11:24 pm
Posts: 414
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 5:06 pm 
 

LongHairIsSoFuckingCool wrote:
I have two questions to ask before I can feel comfortable starting writing reviews.

1. What's the correct way to score reviews? I'm used to rating things out of 10 and this percentage system is disorienting because I'm not used to it. What's the difference between 85% and 86%? I don't understand?

Don't over think it. If you're used to scoring something out of 10, just convert it to a percentage (ie: 8/10 = 80%). I sometimes give things odd scores like 86%, and that usually just comes down to the fact that I've given something else an 85%, but will think that the thing I'm giving 86% is just marginally better.

Quote:
2. Is describing voices as sexy or erotic unacceptable?

I suppose that depends on context. Are you describing every female voice as sexy/erotic? Then that's kind of weird. But if something truly sounds erotic to you, no one's stopping you from describing it as such. Some explanation as to why might be helpful. That being said, I've never described anything like that myself.
_________________
Begrime Exemious "Rotting in the Aftermath" out now on Dark Descent Records

Top
 Profile  
ChildClownOutlet
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:52 pm
Posts: 1575
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2022 7:04 pm 
 

Hello, so I got another review rejected due to namedroppng a lot of songs. What's a good limit to naming songs in reviews? 3-4? Here's my review. Maybe I shouldve gone into more detail.



I really don't know what's worse, being bad or being boring. At least bad can be memorable; Mobid Angel's "Illud Divinum Insanus" was a bad album by all means, but it was oddly memorable. Like a car crash where you can't look away. And then you have something like "Invitation." Altaria never broke any boundaries of power metal; they were straight to the point cheesy flower metal with harmonic keys and melodies. It did have one of my favorite singers in Taage Laiho, who's deep baritone manages to keep you hooked in their later albums. But unfortunately Altaria had to hit a road block. A road block AS SOON as they backed out of the driveway because "Invitation," their first album, is an absolute chore to listen to.

"Unicorn" as disgustingly cliché as it sounds, starts off well enough with a nice riff before Jouni Nikula's gives off a piercing scream. Jouni's voice is a far cry from Taage's rich soaring vocals; he can hit the highs but in all honesty you can get any singer to fill his shoes. There's a nice chorus in the song but this is the template of the album. A nice grab before you get inevitably bored out of your mind because "Unicorn" is a snoozer. Nothing is interesting in this album; it seemed like the band was on autopilot and decided to just plod along without doing anything that makes the listener want to look deeper into their catalog(you should with the albums with Taage.) Even with star studded members of bands such as Sonata Arctica and Nightwish, you can just tell they aren't used to their full potential. Don't get me wrong, there are some decent moments here and there. "Ravenwing" has a nice moment in the intro with the memorizing keys that give off the feeling that the album cover seems to show, "welcome to paradise, enter the gate." It's a decent enough song with it's HEY shouts and a really killer solo. This really should've been at the beginning of the album. "Innocent" is ironically enough my favorite song even if has the same issue with "Unicorn" in that it's stale and boring. I just love it because of that catchy triumphant riff that litters throughout the song that sticks to your mind and just never goes away. I'd also toss in "Wrath of a Warchild," for at least trying to sound somewhat warlike with it's choir and stomping melody. But the rest of the album just makes you want to groan. "Fire and Ice" sounds like what some kind of 80's hair band would play. It's generic, there's no shine and no riff that stands out. "A History of Time to Come" is, god damn it, THE SAME AS "UNICORN." It starts off with the chorus singing the title of the song and lets out a really awesome melodic riff and then nothing else happens. The riff, the bridge, the chorus, boom, we're done, let's go home boys. There's no meat on ANY of these songs.

I really can't give this a really low score because I know the effort is there. Altaria's next two albums are top tier power metal that THIS should've been. It's just a disappointment seeing how these members just don't show how talented they are here. There's no "Crucifix." There's no "Unchain the Rain." It's just an album filled with filler that'll you presumably forget. Stick to their next albums and don't come back to this one.
_________________
I'm Greek. My body produces feta cheese.

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:04 am 
 

ChildClownOutlet wrote:
Hello, so I got another review rejected due to namedroppng a lot of songs. What's a good limit to naming songs in reviews? 3-4? Here's my review. Maybe I shouldve gone into more detail.

Spoiler: show
I really don't know what's worse, being bad or being boring. At least bad can be memorable; Mobid Angel's "Illud Divinum Insanus" was a bad album by all means, but it was oddly memorable. Like a car crash where you can't look away. And then you have something like "Invitation." Altaria never broke any boundaries of power metal; they were straight to the point cheesy flower metal with harmonic keys and melodies. It did have one of my favorite singers in Taage Laiho, who's deep baritone manages to keep you hooked in their later albums. But unfortunately Altaria had to hit a road block. A road block AS SOON as they backed out of the driveway because "Invitation," their first album, is an absolute chore to listen to.

"Unicorn" as disgustingly cliché as it sounds, starts off well enough with a nice riff before Jouni Nikula's gives off a piercing scream. Jouni's voice is a far cry from Taage's rich soaring vocals; he can hit the highs but in all honesty you can get any singer to fill his shoes. There's a nice chorus in the song but this is the template of the album. A nice grab before you get inevitably bored out of your mind because "Unicorn" is a snoozer. Nothing is interesting in this album; it seemed like the band was on autopilot and decided to just plod along without doing anything that makes the listener want to look deeper into their catalog(you should with the albums with Taage.) Even with star studded members of bands such as Sonata Arctica and Nightwish, you can just tell they aren't used to their full potential. Don't get me wrong, there are some decent moments here and there. "Ravenwing" has a nice moment in the intro with the memorizing keys that give off the feeling that the album cover seems to show, "welcome to paradise, enter the gate." It's a decent enough song with it's HEY shouts and a really killer solo. This really should've been at the beginning of the album. "Innocent" is ironically enough my favorite song even if has the same issue with "Unicorn" in that it's stale and boring. I just love it because of that catchy triumphant riff that litters throughout the song that sticks to your mind and just never goes away. I'd also toss in "Wrath of a Warchild," for at least trying to sound somewhat warlike with it's choir and stomping melody. But the rest of the album just makes you want to groan. "Fire and Ice" sounds like what some kind of 80's hair band would play. It's generic, there's no shine and no riff that stands out. "A History of Time to Come" is, god damn it, THE SAME AS "UNICORN." It starts off with the chorus singing the title of the song and lets out a really awesome melodic riff and then nothing else happens. The riff, the bridge, the chorus, boom, we're done, let's go home boys. There's no meat on ANY of these songs.

I really can't give this a really low score because I know the effort is there. Altaria's next two albums are top tier power metal that THIS should've been. It's just a disappointment seeing how these members just don't show how talented they are here. There's no "Crucifix." There's no "Unchain the Rain." It's just an album filled with filler that'll you presumably forget. Stick to their next albums and don't come back to this one.

Yeah, the focus is a bit too specific. The number of songs you mention isn't so much the issue, it's what you say about them. If you had described the overall song template really well, you could pick some parts of other songs that stand out, but you haven't put in the initial detail to do that. Therefore, that long paragraph reads like you are assessing songs one by one, especially because it becomes a list.

Choose your points more carefully and, after that, select songs as examples. The majority of the content can be kept, you just need to find a better way to explain what you mean instead of mentioning songs kind of randomly.
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
ChildClownOutlet
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:52 pm
Posts: 1575
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2022 5:10 pm 
 

gasmask_colostomy wrote:
ChildClownOutlet wrote:
Hello, so I got another review rejected due to namedroppng a lot of songs. What's a good limit to naming songs in reviews? 3-4? Here's my review. Maybe I shouldve gone into more detail.

Spoiler: show
I really don't know what's worse, being bad or being boring. At least bad can be memorable; Mobid Angel's "Illud Divinum Insanus" was a bad album by all means, but it was oddly memorable. Like a car crash where you can't look away. And then you have something like "Invitation." Altaria never broke any boundaries of power metal; they were straight to the point cheesy flower metal with harmonic keys and melodies. It did have one of my favorite singers in Taage Laiho, who's deep baritone manages to keep you hooked in their later albums. But unfortunately Altaria had to hit a road block. A road block AS SOON as they backed out of the driveway because "Invitation," their first album, is an absolute chore to listen to.

"Unicorn" as disgustingly cliché as it sounds, starts off well enough with a nice riff before Jouni Nikula's gives off a piercing scream. Jouni's voice is a far cry from Taage's rich soaring vocals; he can hit the highs but in all honesty you can get any singer to fill his shoes. There's a nice chorus in the song but this is the template of the album. A nice grab before you get inevitably bored out of your mind because "Unicorn" is a snoozer. Nothing is interesting in this album; it seemed like the band was on autopilot and decided to just plod along without doing anything that makes the listener want to look deeper into their catalog(you should with the albums with Taage.) Even with star studded members of bands such as Sonata Arctica and Nightwish, you can just tell they aren't used to their full potential. Don't get me wrong, there are some decent moments here and there. "Ravenwing" has a nice moment in the intro with the memorizing keys that give off the feeling that the album cover seems to show, "welcome to paradise, enter the gate." It's a decent enough song with it's HEY shouts and a really killer solo. This really should've been at the beginning of the album. "Innocent" is ironically enough my favorite song even if has the same issue with "Unicorn" in that it's stale and boring. I just love it because of that catchy triumphant riff that litters throughout the song that sticks to your mind and just never goes away. I'd also toss in "Wrath of a Warchild," for at least trying to sound somewhat warlike with it's choir and stomping melody. But the rest of the album just makes you want to groan. "Fire and Ice" sounds like what some kind of 80's hair band would play. It's generic, there's no shine and no riff that stands out. "A History of Time to Come" is, god damn it, THE SAME AS "UNICORN." It starts off with the chorus singing the title of the song and lets out a really awesome melodic riff and then nothing else happens. The riff, the bridge, the chorus, boom, we're done, let's go home boys. There's no meat on ANY of these songs.

I really can't give this a really low score because I know the effort is there. Altaria's next two albums are top tier power metal that THIS should've been. It's just a disappointment seeing how these members just don't show how talented they are here. There's no "Crucifix." There's no "Unchain the Rain." It's just an album filled with filler that'll you presumably forget. Stick to their next albums and don't come back to this one.

Yeah, the focus is a bit too specific. The number of songs you mention isn't so much the issue, it's what you say about them. If you had described the overall song template really well, you could pick some parts of other songs that stand out, but you haven't put in the initial detail to do that. Therefore, that long paragraph reads like you are assessing songs one by one, especially because it becomes a list.

Choose your points more carefully and, after that, select songs as examples. The majority of the content can be kept, you just need to find a better way to explain what you mean instead of mentioning songs kind of randomly.


Appreciate it, I'm still trying to brainstorm ways to say "this album is dull" without repeating myself(which i failed at probably)
_________________
I'm Greek. My body produces feta cheese.

Top
 Profile  
cystandresist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:11 pm
Posts: 7
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2022 4:43 pm 
 

Hello is this ready for submission? If not what can I do to improve my review

Besides saying this is a great album, judging by the artwork you can tell what you’re going to get. It shows a cadaver on display in a neat clean glass sliced right down the middle. This reflects on the sound of the album. Organized yet barbaric.

The tone and amount of distortion is beefy enough to keep you head banging. There is also no overuse of build up on the riffs. They get to the point and get out. Riffs are catchy enough to be memorable in a genre that is dominated by noise and chaos. When I describe catchy riffs I don’t mean something like the Ramones. I want to describe them more like songs that were written in the vein of death metal established with the heavy influence of grindcore. The intensity is there but it is controlled.

The tempo of the double pedal sound solid like a new engine running and the guitars follow into the pandemonium of blast beats. For example, the songs have this groove to them like they were written and well practiced before they took them to get recorded. If I had a way to contact them I would love to see if there was any other songs recorded that never made it on this album. The blast beats are strong enough to devour concrete. They are solid and calibrated almost like a drum machine but with the quality of a good drummer. When the tempo slows down to the skank beat or polka beat it is aggressive enough to keep you moving without realizing the tempo has declined.

The vocals have a inhuman sound to them just like every other death metal band, primarily low growls. Incantation or Mortician vocals come to mind while describing the vocals. Deep and not too many highs usually one to two at the most for the whole album. Hardly any words I can make out. One thing that was unique was at the end of Bloody Adventures the ends but the vocals stay ringing as the last statement. They managed to sound like there is no emotion. This gives me the impression like if they released gas from a throat of a corpse and that is the sound that came out.

The song vaginal pus(sy) has a great opening riff that follows with a classic double pedal action. Once the sound clip lays down the vibe of the tune the riff comes in and then the double pedal comes in like a engine at a mid tempo. It keeps things crushing then jumps into blast beats. This track was the most enjoyed.

The way the album is laid out on the back gives a old school grindcore vibe. It’s in a solid red color with the track listing on one side neatly typed with the logo on top. To keep the blood flowing they have a photo of a corpse. The way that the photo is placed it just looks like there is no computer photoshop stuff was added it’s just a simple picture.

Some of the sound clips are ok, there is a sixth sense clip that is lame. That could have been left out all together. The first sound clip is great it leaves a lot to the imagination I still can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Plus there is no quotes that you can use for it because it’s just a sound of something closing then a pile of flesh collapsing.

Lot of good songs, the artwork matches the sound of the album. The song titles are great. Nothing too juvenile or scientific so that’s a plus. With the huge variety this genre has to offer, this release is worth listening to more then a 100 times.

Top
 Profile  
Slater922
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:24 pm
Posts: 2338
PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2022 4:56 pm 
 

cystandresist wrote:
Hello is this ready for submission? If not what can I do to improve my review

Spoiler: show
Besides saying this is a great album, judging by the artwork you can tell what you’re going to get. It shows a cadaver on display in a neat clean glass sliced right down the middle. This reflects on the sound of the album. Organized yet barbaric.

The tone and amount of distortion is beefy enough to keep you head banging. There is also no overuse of build up on the riffs. They get to the point and get out. Riffs are catchy enough to be memorable in a genre that is dominated by noise and chaos. When I describe catchy riffs I don’t mean something like the Ramones. I want to describe them more like songs that were written in the vein of death metal established with the heavy influence of grindcore. The intensity is there but it is controlled.

The tempo of the double pedal sound solid like a new engine running and the guitars follow into the pandemonium of blast beats. For example, the songs have this groove to them like they were written and well practiced before they took them to get recorded. If I had a way to contact them I would love to see if there was any other songs recorded that never made it on this album. The blast beats are strong enough to devour concrete. They are solid and calibrated almost like a drum machine but with the quality of a good drummer. When the tempo slows down to the skank beat or polka beat it is aggressive enough to keep you moving without realizing the tempo has declined.

The vocals have a inhuman sound to them just like every other death metal band, primarily low growls. Incantation or Mortician vocals come to mind while describing the vocals. Deep and not too many highs usually one to two at the most for the whole album. Hardly any words I can make out. One thing that was unique was at the end of Bloody Adventures the ends but the vocals stay ringing as the last statement. They managed to sound like there is no emotion. This gives me the impression like if they released gas from a throat of a corpse and that is the sound that came out.

The song vaginal pus(sy) has a great opening riff that follows with a classic double pedal action. Once the sound clip lays down the vibe of the tune the riff comes in and then the double pedal comes in like a engine at a mid tempo. It keeps things crushing then jumps into blast beats. This track was the most enjoyed.

The way the album is laid out on the back gives a old school grindcore vibe. It’s in a solid red color with the track listing on one side neatly typed with the logo on top. To keep the blood flowing they have a photo of a corpse. The way that the photo is placed it just looks like there is no computer photoshop stuff was added it’s just a simple picture.

Some of the sound clips are ok, there is a sixth sense clip that is lame. That could have been left out all together. The first sound clip is great it leaves a lot to the imagination I still can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Plus there is no quotes that you can use for it because it’s just a sound of something closing then a pile of flesh collapsing.

Lot of good songs, the artwork matches the sound of the album. The song titles are great. Nothing too juvenile or scientific so that’s a plus. With the huge variety this genre has to offer, this release is worth listening to more then a 100 times.

First off, what album are you reviewing? Because I had no idea what you're reviewing since your review was very vague in its description and barely cites any examples. Using more examples on your descriptions can help a lot. For example, "There are plenty of stellar guitar solos on this album, like the ones in track 3 and track 7."
_________________
Under a serpent sun... we shall all live as one! - "Under a Serpent Sun" by At The Gates
Check out my reviews

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2022 7:21 am 
 

Your review isn't ready indeed, but isn't that bad either, you just need to go straight into detail more times and describe things more effectively, as it stands it's a bit generic and the fact that, as Slater already pointed out, you didn't even mention the band/album in question doesn't help. Some highlights within songs, or favourite tracks altogether are also recommended, especially if it's an album you liked so much.

Also, you seem to have touched on several aspects of the album, and that can be a double-edged sword. There's room to express a lot of feelings, but you'll need to work on the way to do it. As it stands, it's more of a checklist of topics (The guitars ... *full stop* The drums ... *full stop* etc.) and this does no good to the reader. Try merging more of them into a smaller number of larger paragraphs which flow more naturally, and generally just feel free to experiment a bit on that aspect.

Good luck for the submission!
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
cystandresist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:11 pm
Posts: 7
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:49 pm 
 

Thanks for the help, I’ll keep working on it. The album in review is hecatomb of abberition by Patologicum

Top
 Profile  
cystandresist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:11 pm
Posts: 7
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 6:57 pm 
 

I went back and I feel it is a lot better then before. The album I am reviewing is Patologicum “Hecatomb of aberration” do you believe it is ready for que? Thank you for checking it and your feedback.

Besides saying this is a great album, judging by the artwork you can tell what you’re going to get. It shows a cadaver on display in a neat clean glass sliced right down the middle. This reflects on the sound of the album. Organized yet barbaric.

The amount of distortion is meaty enough to keep you head banging while observing the incision of a autopsy created in your mind, if you let the songs take you there. Assuming there is a lot of repetition in forensic procedures. There is no overuse of build up on the riffs, you have seen one autopsy you have seen them all is not the case with this one.

The songs are catchy enough to be memorable in a genre that is dominated by noise and chaos. Tracks like Extremely Deforminded and Rectal Love are good examples of songs clear enough to hear the carnage of a sterilized saw or grind in our matter. The wheel has already been invented and at times we don’t care for something that is new when you have solid songwriting like this.

The tempo of the double pedal sound like a new engine running and the guitars follow into the crash course of blast beats. Not all grindcore bands match this intensity when they are playing or recording their songs but I guarantee it that they vision a audio bloodbath for you to clean up while picking up their endless amount of splits.

A good example of reassurance on this album’s quality is the later releases to the legendary Dead Infection. As a bad habit early releases are the most visited but with regret and desire we also search for later titles of albums out of print.

There is always something grotesque flowing. Could it be blood or recycled formaldehyde? If I had a way to contact them I would love to see if there was any other songs recorded that never made it on this album. The blast beats are strong enough to devour concrete on this album. All the drum tracks are solid and calibrated almost like a drum machine but with the quality of a good drummer. If this album had unpredictable fills and rolls peppered throughout the album from someone like Keith Moon or Dave Lombardo this album would be given a higher score. As a drummer I feel rolls and fills give personality to the songs. What if there was no more sound clips to be added, how are you going to get the blood flow in a maggot infested genre that is now all about shock value through sound clips.

The vocals have a inhuman sound to them just like every other death metal band, primarily low growls. Mortician vocals come to mind. Low and rumbling like a junkyard dog giving warning. Hardly any words I can make out which helps the album, if it had dorky vocals or pig squealing it would be not so any justice and leave a mystery to lyrics. How do you think the corpse sounded like when he was alive?

One thing that I really enjoyed was at the end of Bloody Adventures the vocals stay ringing as the last statement. They managed to sound like there is no emotion. This gives me the impression like if they released gas from a throat of a corpse and that is the sound that came out. The corpse with the mouth open on the County Medical Examiners album scratch and sniff cover comes to mind. If it had a voice it would sound like that last death gasp.

Another song that stands out is Vaginal Pus(sy). The opening riff that follows with a classic double pedal action. Songs that come into mind are Abyss Angel from Mortuary and World of shit by Morbid Angel. The relaxed control of the double pedal on those songs give off that impression of inhuman movement that would probably come from a rattlesnake. This track was the most enjoyed.

The way the album is laid out on the back gives a old school grindcore vibe. It’s in a solid red color with the track listing on one side neatly typed with the logo on top. If this does not ring a bell, please reference to the back of the album to “Enslavement to Obliteration” by Napalm Death. To keep the blood flowing they have a photo of a corpse. The way that the photo is placed it just looks like there is no computer photoshop stuff was added it’s just a simple picture.

Some of the sound clips are ok, there is a sixth sense clip that is lame. That could have been left out all together. The first sound clip is great it leaves a lot to the imagination I still can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Plus there is no quotes that you can use for it because it’s just a sound of something closing then a pile of flesh collapsing.

Lot of good songs, the artwork matches the sound of the album. The song titles are great. Nothing too juvenile or scientific so that’s a plus. With the huge variety this genre has to offer, this release is worth listening to more then 100 times.

Top
 Profile  
cystandresist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:11 pm
Posts: 7
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:31 pm 
 

Here is another review I did, let me know if there is anything I would need to improve before submitting it.

It is for rot “fatality” ep

The artwork and the logo should be enough to get somebody’s attention that is in the search of extreme music. Since the cover is strictly black and white that can open up the imagination that this album is either d-beat, grindcore, or black metal. Since a lot of genres use stark solid covers such as black and white for demos, it leaves a lot of room for guessing. These assumptions are for those who discover this in a shop or merch table.

If the cover has your attention enough to pick it up, turning the record over since it is usually the second instinct we all do shortly after picking up a album to get a closer look. The song titles typed and numbered in black and white with no band photos and the label’s contact information. This still leaves few hints on what to expect if this band is new to the listener.

The first song rumbles in with low fi distortion. A growling war cry to belching commands while the blastbeats follow giving you the idea that this is grindcore. Barney Greenway comes to mind as if he is backing up Agathocles for a set.

The first song finishes to a live audience. My impression is someone picked up this recording off a mixer to a show that probably only had a small handful of people. Glad Rødel records was proactive and got this out as a 7”. The studio recordings that Rot has put out are good but this live recording gives them more justice.

Throughout the songs the singer will say a few comments and then they jump right back into the set. Thankfully they don’t take their time bullshitting between the set. Sounds like they are considerate enough to briefly go through their set so maybe the next band can play if this is from a live recording. No drum machine or sound clips can be found. This recording provides raw energy and presence that makes me want more of these live Rot recordings.

All the songs have the same level of aggression, short, sporadic and violent. Agathocles and Napalm Death come to mind as a comparison. Besides being in the grindcore category the song titles, the split releases and confrontational conflict for lyrics separate them from the other half of grindcore that is just about porn and gore.

The high score is because for a live album the songs are played more aggressively then the original recordings. They don’t show a sign of being tired and they cut to the point when talking between songs. This also was my introduction to the band, so the artwork and logo didn’t come short on the songs. A lot of bands will have great artwork but don’t match the chaos.

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 7:04 pm 
 

Both are a decent start, yes. Both also have kind of a shaky beginning, the autopsy imageries could definitely be better described or shortened/left off altogether, you be the judge. The 'EP front and back cover at the local shop' story also is a bit slow in its unfolding for such a short review (which, for a minor release, is definitely acceptable).

I think the Rot one ends up being decidedly the better of the two. The first one is vastly improved but, at the same time, it also looks like you added way too many details, to the point it feels quite a bit disjointed and misdirected. I'd definitely advise some more reorganization for that, try to regroup topics, e.g. you mention samples at the end of the drums paragraph and again at the end, so you could think of unifying those two. Generally, avoid jumping too often from one topic to another. Also, not every one of them needs its own paragraph. As it stands, some of them are way too short (I didn't really get the early/later release part, also...). Try, again, organising your ideas and concepts better, and aim for less, but longer paragraphs, maybe containing a pair of alike topics (i.e. guitars and drums, vocals and samples, you get the idea) instead of a list of seemingly unrelated stuff. The second one could be fine with some minor changes, instead.

In any case, when you feel confident enough, feel free to skip posting here and directly try submitting them to the queue, to let the mods judge. They surely won't hate you and, in case of refusal, they'll give you a reason, so you'll know what to work on next time you'll try.
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
cystandresist
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:11 pm
Posts: 7
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:47 pm 
 

Thanks I just submitted the Rot review after fixing it up I am going to work on the other and appreciate the help!

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 4:51 pm 
 

Let's hope for the best, then! :-D
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
LongHairIsSoFuckingCool
Edgy Metal Noob Catchphrase Dispenser

Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:22 am
Posts: 547
PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2022 4:17 pm 
 

So a review I wrote was rejected for not describing the music enough. I would like feedback on what I wrote so people can point out parts of the review that can be improved or expanded upon.

91%

The first two albums from Mötley Crüe were influential releases that paved the way for some metal, and lots more poser metal. Metal enjoyers back in the day hated the trend that ensued as more and more bands tried ride the waves of Mötley Crüe. But was the band ever good? Were those first two albums worthless trash that set the stage for more trash? Well, you see my score on-screen, so I guess I'll explain myself...

There is not a single song on this debut album that I would call bad. While at one point it feels like they half wrote a song and then just ran with it, (Come On And Dance) and some songs are definitely more interesting than others, there will always be at least one characteristic that makes any given song not feel like a total waste of time. Mostly the viscerally fun hooks from the lead guitar. courtesy of Mick Mars.

Another thing I loved about this album is that it sure knew how to end. While power ballads are generally seen as apart of the Phil Collins style sappy vapidness that was endemic throughout the 1980s, "On With The Show" feels more sincere and powerful, with all 4 pieces of the band harmonizing together to create an emotional atmosphere. Vince Neil's higher pitch vocals relative to most metal singers actually works best here in communicating the inner emotions expressed by the lyrics. Said lyrics are an interesting far cry to the gynephilia on display in the previous tracks, being semi-autobiographical and tackling the theme of trying to not give up when dealing with a hard knock life. All these things put together make for one of the best ways to end a album that I've ever heard.

So overall this chorus-to-verse take on heavy metal holds up 4 decades later in my heretical opinion.
_________________
recyclage wrote:
When a labeling of music gets stucked in the past, than germans are still nazi

recyclage wrote:
Anyone who writes "The Deftones" isn't trustworthy.

Top
 Profile  
Amyth47
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:05 am
Posts: 1
Location: New Zealand
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:13 pm 
 

This is my first review and it was rejected so I'd appreciate some feedback from experienced review writers. Or any reviews which I can draw inspiration from?

Relatos de angustia by Selbst 100%

Seeing that there are no reviews for this excellent album on Metal-archives I thought I might take the plunge and make it my first review to write on the site considering how excellent and breathtaking the music is.

I love black metal, easily my favourite genre in metal and I'm always on the hunt to find that new album that manages to completely blow me away. Selbst's 'Relatos de angustia' is one such gem. It is perhaps the most relaxing black metal album to unwind to ever in my opinion. I have listened to other bands and albums who are similar but I sincerely think 'Relatos de angustia' is in a league of it's own.

'The Depths Of Selfishness' and 'Silent Soul Throes' are my favourite tracks however the album is immaculate from start to finish and flows beautifully from one track to the next. The production is crisp and is in the vein of the new modern sound of black metal thanks to bands like 'Deathspell Omega' and 'Blut Aus Nord' and reminiscent of the Icelandic scene known for bands such as Svartidauði, Sinmara, Naðra, Almyrkvi, Andavald, Auðn, Zhrine and Wormlust.

Highest recommendation, Let the Pain Run Through....

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 8:21 am 
 

LongHairIsSoFuckingCool wrote:
So a review I wrote was rejected for not describing the music enough. I would like feedback on what I wrote so people can point out parts of the review that can be improved or expanded upon.

91%

The first two albums from Mötley Crüe were influential releases that paved the way for some metal, and lots more poser metal. Metal enjoyers back in the day hated the trend that ensued as more and more bands tried ride the waves of Mötley Crüe. But was the band ever good? Were those first two albums worthless trash that set the stage for more trash? Well, you see my score on-screen, so I guess I'll explain myself...

There is not a single song on this debut album that I would call bad. While at one point it feels like they half wrote a song and then just ran with it, (Come On And Dance) and some songs are definitely more interesting than others, there will always be at least one characteristic that makes any given song not feel like a total waste of time. Mostly the viscerally fun hooks from the lead guitar. courtesy of Mick Mars.

Another thing I loved about this album is that it sure knew how to end. While power ballads are generally seen as apart of the Phil Collins style sappy vapidness that was endemic throughout the 1980s, "On With The Show" feels more sincere and powerful, with all 4 pieces of the band harmonizing together to create an emotional atmosphere. Vince Neil's higher pitch vocals relative to most metal singers actually works best here in communicating the inner emotions expressed by the lyrics. Said lyrics are an interesting far cry to the gynephilia on display in the previous tracks, being semi-autobiographical and tackling the theme of trying to not give up when dealing with a hard knock life. All these things put together make for one of the best ways to end a album that I've ever heard.

So overall this chorus-to-verse take on heavy metal holds up 4 decades later in my heretical opinion.

Short answer: You wrote half a sentence about 'Come On and Dance', then most of your review is about 'On With the Show'. You haven't described the bulk of the album at all, only to say that it has guitar hooks. You don't have to talk about every track, but at least give a basic picture of what we're hearing most of the time.
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:59 am 
 

Amyth47 wrote:
This is my first review and it was rejected so I'd appreciate some feedback from experienced review writers. Or any reviews which I can draw inspiration from?

Relatos de angustia by Selbst 100%
Spoiler: show
Seeing that there are no reviews for this excellent album on Metal-archives I thought I might take the plunge and make it my first review to write on the site considering how excellent and breathtaking the music is.

I love black metal, easily my favourite genre in metal and I'm always on the hunt to find that new album that manages to completely blow me away. Selbst's 'Relatos de angustia' is one such gem. It is perhaps the most relaxing black metal album to unwind to ever in my opinion. I have listened to other bands and albums who are similar but I sincerely think 'Relatos de angustia' is in a league of it's own.

'The Depths Of Selfishness' and 'Silent Soul Throes' are my favourite tracks however the album is immaculate from start to finish and flows beautifully from one track to the next. The production is crisp and is in the vein of the new modern sound of black metal thanks to bands like 'Deathspell Omega' and 'Blut Aus Nord' and reminiscent of the Icelandic scene known for bands such as Svartidauði, Sinmara, Naðra, Almyrkvi, Andavald, Auðn, Zhrine and Wormlust.

Highest recommendation, Let the Pain Run Through....

I'd recommend you read several reviews on the site before re-submitting. The key points for getting accepted are to describe the music (both in general and with relevant examples) and to offer some analysis of why it is good or bad.

Your review probably has the makings of an acceptable one, but it lacks any detail at all and offers too many unsupported (or very subjective) generalizations. I mean, I thought it would be atmospheric black metal from your description, then you started comparing it to Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord. If the reader is surprised by your conclusions, that means you've missed out lots of logical steps. You have most of the "what" parts, now add some "how" and "why".
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
Judas_Devilish
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2022 6:44 am
Posts: 2
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2022 6:26 am 
 

Hi, I got four of my reviews rejected, and I wanted to know if you think they're good, and what can I improve to make them better!! English is not my mother language, so I'd also like to know if translations were actually correct, and well written in english.. thank you so much, I will post 'em in spoilers!! ..

Metallica - Kill 'Em All

Spoiler: show
In 1983, Metallica's first album, Kill 'Em All, was released. The legend has it that the name of the record should have been Metal Up Your Ass, but the managers of the label (Megaforce Records), forced to change it, causing Cliff Burton to exclaim "Fuck them, kill 'em all", finding in fact the new name of the album. Kill 'Em All is an embryonic but brilliant debut album that will change the world heavy metal scene forever, starting from the fact that this album is probably the foundation work of the whole thrash metal sub-genre.

Metallica have not yet reached their classic sound (which as far as I am concerned they will reach in Ride the Lightning), and the lyrics are still immature, however the melting pot of influences that go to build the sound system of this album is something phenomenal. The bluesy origins of rock, and the rock origins of metal, can be felt in the breakneck speed of Kirk Hammett's riffs and solos, and in the hoarse, violent voice of James Hetfield, as well as in the dry and quick drums of Lars Ulrich.

Cliff Burton's bass, finally, is the icing on the cake, Burton allows himself to have a track all to himself (Anesthesia - Pulling Teeth), where he plays a memorable bass solo; the imprint of old bandmate Dave Mustaine, who will be kicked out by the other four before recording the album, and will then go on to form Megadeth, is not as strong as we often hear, except in the famous song The Four Horsemen, which is practically the same as Mechanix, a track that Mustaine will record to claim the authorship of the music, changing the lyrics.

The genre of thrash metal, after Kill 'Em All, will evolve, and will find in the Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax), its main ambassadors, but wanting to say mine it is precisely in this first work of Metallica that this sub-genre has a way of being born.


Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good

Spoiler: show
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, is the debut album by Megadeth, the band formed by Dave Mustaine, after being expelled from Metallica, due to his anarchic and restless character. The group's name is said to derive from an old newspaper article, where Mustaine had read death by atomic bomb being referred to as "mega-death", then turned to Megadeth. Mustaine at that point, recruits his friend David Ellefson on bass, Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson, respectively lead guitar and drums (two jazz-trained musicians), to give life to the debut of his new artistic incarnation, a trouble-produced album.

In fact, history has it that of the $8,000 destined for the creation of the disc, by Combat Records, $4000 will be squandered by the same producer on drugs, only to be recovered by firing the producer, and asking Combat for another $4000, to produce the album on behalf of the band. The figure, however considered low by Mustaine and associates, will be enough in any case to package a work of all respect, which does not let itself be intimidated by the comparison with Kill 'Em All, wanting to compare the work of Mega-Dave with the debut of his former group.

Killing Is My Business, labeled as thrash metal, introduces significant variations to the genre, starting with the fact that Mustaine unleashes an occult and gothic atmosphere from the very first song, which is a novelty compared to Metallica's music. Another difference is that Mustaine, traces the origins of metal, in blues, hard rock, and punk, a thing common to Metallica too, but which he interprets from the point of view of the wild and unrepentant rocker, more like Led Zeppelin than Black Sabbath.

One of the most memorable pieces of the disc is Rattlehead, who also introduces their mascot, which is precisely called that (Vic), and represents a skull with eyes, ears and mouth blocked by metal prostheses. Killing [...], also contains a cover of Nancy Sinatra's “These Boots”, written by Lee Hazlewood, and Mechanix, the twin song of Metallica's The Four Horsemen.


Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla

Spoiler: show
Rocka Rolla, is the first album of Judas Priest, a band that comes to form in Birmingham, in 1969, and is destined to be one of the leading formations of the whole heavy metal movement in general. Main rivals of Black Sabbath (not surprisingly also from the same city, which gave birth to metal), are distinguished from them by a faster sound, in the name of a hard rock that to elaborate the new heavy music star, it will take a while to get going.

Their first album, will be released on September 6, 1974, by Gull Records, and with producer Rodger Bain, the same as the historic first three albums of Black Sabbath. Rocka Rolla, the single extracted from the eponymous album, presents a fresh and powerful group, but not yet aware of its potential, nor completely in focus from the point of view of style. The singer Rob Halford, immediately stands out for the essence and the luciferian colors of his song, fundamentally different from that of Ozzy Osbourne (more serious, and more focused on lyrics), but the music is still derivative compared to that of the Sabbath, except when it imitates that of Led Zeppelin, for which the Priests still struggle to find their own identity.

The fortune of Judas Priest, however, is one step away from this first rehearsal, and can be found in the in-depth study of the themes and sounds already shown in these first ten tracks. Developing their different facets (on the one hand the amused and instinctive rock and roll, on the other a progressive and cerebral hard rock formula), and more specifically with the growth of Halford as an actor capable of entertaining, but also of thrilling the listeners, with profound dramas that he interprets in a more than theatrical way, the Birmingham band will manage to coin a language that has nothing to envy to their masters, finally arriving at the creation of their own personal contribution to heavy metal, with the publication of Sad Wings of Destiny, their second work, in which we can already talk about a greater adherence to the phenomenon of metal as such.


Death - Leprosy

Spoiler: show
Just a year after the debut (Scream Bloody Gore), Chuck Schuldiner recruited Rick Rozz on lead guitar, and Bill Andrews on drums instead of Chris Refert, and was able to evolve his creature, taking it to a next step (in a way similar to what happened to Metallica in the change between Kill 'Em All, and Ride the Lightning). The fact that on Leprosy (this is the name of the new album), you can hear a real band - in the credits also appears Terry Butler on bass, but we are actually talking about a trio - it feels and gives the possibility to the sound of Death to reinforce its own nature, and better sculpt the scores.

The structure of Schuldiner's riffs in their classic form, on Leprosy is already complete. Over time the group will improve, and will go through new phases, but in this record as far as I'm concerned we can already hear what we will actually hear until The Sound of Perseverance, or rather a war machine founded on the invention of an infernal rhythm, which with its arabesque melodies, takes us into the horrifying tale of human miseries and diseases.

From the point of view of the lyrics, in fact, the improvement compared to Scream Bloody Gore, is inherent in the poetic component of sounding universal pain, which is introduced starting precisely from the condition of leprosy, of which the title track deals, and which will remain a trademark of how Evil Chuck's way of writing is fabricated (his parables are almost reminiscent of those of the Gospel, as well as the desert setting of the album's artwork). Pull the Plug (song) is the current masterpiece, which thinks about the theme of euthanasia.


I've listened to metal for almost fifteen years, I'm a musician so don't really care about writing reviews, but it would be nice to see some of them getting published, cause imho I think I gained a lot of knowledge in my trip as a metal listener, and would like to share it with others!! .. \m/ ..


Last edited by Judas_Devilish on Sun May 08, 2022 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
 Profile  
gasmask_colostomy
Metalhead

Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 5:38 am
Posts: 1639
Location: China
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2022 12:04 am 
 

Judas_Devilish wrote:
Hi, I got four of my reviews rejected, and I wanted to know if you think they're good, and what can I improve to make them better!! English is not my mother language, so I'd also like to know if translations were actually correct, and well written in english.. thank you so much, I will post 'em in spoilers!! ..

I've listened to metal for almost fifteen years, I'm a musician so don't really care about writing reviews, but it would be nice to see some of them getting published, cause imho I think I gained a lot of knowledge in my trip as a metal listener, and would like to share it with others!! .. \m/ ..

The biggest problem you will have with these reviews is that all of them are for classic albums with many reviews already written. So they are more likely to be rejected because these brief reviews don't add anything to the information on the site. If you wrote a similar review for an album without any reviews, I think they might be accepted.

You can still make some improvements in a few areas. Although the English is mostly pretty good, I notice you are using "will" (future tense) for events that happened after the album's release but they are obviously past events now. You need to use "would" to show that particular time. Also, you talk about history a lot, but most readers know the history of these albums or can easily check it online. Your review should focus a bit more on the actual music, perhaps choosing a few songs to analyze in detail for each album. Remember, you are not only trying to give a summary of the album and its context, but also trying to evaluate the quality of the music so that readers can judge it without listening. In terms of style, try not to compartmentalize aspects of the album e.g. talking for one sentence about lyrics, one sentence about guitars, etc. Giving a detailed picture is good, just try to express that in a holistic sense.

One other question: are you reviewing Scream Bloody Gore or Leprosy? I'm pretty sure that review is for Leprosy.
_________________
Napero wrote:
the dismal stench of The Chicken Bone Gallows on the Plains of Mediocre Desolation was unleashed upon the unsuspecting world by the unholy rusty lawnmower molester horde that is Satan's Prenuptial Charcuterie from the endless field of tombs that is Butthill, Alabama

Top
 Profile  
TheBurningOfSodom
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:28 am
Posts: 595
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Sat May 07, 2022 11:50 am 
 

I'd also suggest to insert some kind of conclusive statement at the end, a short paragraph or even a sentence can be fine, whereas some of your writings (especially the Death one) end way too abruptly. But the main issue, by a long shot, is that, as gasmask said, it's hard to write about this kind of albums without getting redundant.

P.s. hello, fellow countryman! :-D
_________________
A very promising new reviewer wrote:
Big, juicy, veiny, throbbing hard riffs. Big heavy knuckle dragging, cock swaddling compositions for those in fear of soap/bathing. Listen at your own risk. No signs of intelligent life.

It's the dawn of descending...

Top
 Profile  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic Go to page Previous  1 ... 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 ... 108  Next


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

  Print view
Jump to:  

Back to the Encyclopaedia Metallum


Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group