Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives
https://forum.metal-archives.com/

Review Chronology Dilemma
https://forum.metal-archives.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=123823
Page 1 of 1

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Thu May 02, 2019 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Review Chronology Dilemma

I'm quite the perfectionist when it comes to my reviews, and I want to make sure I chronologically review the bands I listen, and I stumbled upon these two bands and in what order I should review them.

The first one is Origin (tech/brutal death metal). Tomorrow they'll be dropping their new studio/compilation album Abiogenesis - A Coming into Existence. This record features eight old and original tracks from the early 90s, combined with the band's first EP "A Coming Into Existence" which would be the last four tracks. So I'm confused in what I should review the band since this new record, despite its material that is more than 20 years old, is getting released tomorrow. Should I just start reviewing the band from their debut to this upcoming record, or review Abiogenesis - A Coming into Existence entirely first (which skips the first EP as it's already contained in this album), OR in a sense start with the first EP, continue into reviewing all other studio albums and then review Abiogenesis (first eight tracks); treating this as if it's an all-new album, despite the old material?

The second band is Fear Factory. Fear Factory already had a record ready and done before their actual debut, Soul of a New Machine (1992), called Concrete. This record was all ready to go in 1991, but the band wasn't happy with the material and only in 2002 the actual record was released. So I should review this record first, despite being released eleven years after and treat it as if it was actually released in 1991, or start with the debut from 1992 all the way till 2002 and treat that record as if it was like a new record?

Thanks in advance!

Author:  BastardHead [ Thu May 02, 2019 11:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

If you're really, really hung up on making sure you review chronologically, just... review chronologically? Release order is usually pretty important when it comes to watching how a band evolved, and in the case of something like Origin it'd be really interesting to note the contrast between where they started and where they ended up using only the differences between those two renditions of the same songs. Same with Fear Factory, it'd be a neat glimpse backwards if you tackled that delayed album when it actually came out. Almost like an interlude of sorts. Don't overthink it, just do it however you want to do it.

Author:  gasmask_colostomy [ Thu May 02, 2019 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Dude, I think you're making the rules here, so go with your own impression of "chronological". No one is going to criticize you if their idea is different.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri May 03, 2019 1:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

BastardHead wrote:
If you're really, really hung up on making sure you review chronologically, just... review chronologically? Release order is usually pretty important when it comes to watching how a band evolved, and in the case of something like Origin it'd be really interesting to note the contrast between where they started and where they ended up using only the differences between those two renditions of the same songs. Same with Fear Factory, it'd be a neat glimpse backwards if you tackled that delayed album when it actually came out. Almost like an interlude of sorts. Don't overthink it, just do it however you want to do it.


Alright, thanks! Sounds good to me.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri May 03, 2019 1:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

gasmask_colostomy wrote:
Dude, I think you're making the rules here, so go with your own impression of "chronological". No one is going to criticize you if their idea is different.


Appreciate the comment! I should just do it my own way, how I deem "chronological order".

Author:  Sweetie [ Tue May 21, 2019 8:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

This is like "what's the correct Star Wars viewing order" all over again.

Author:  Lord_Of_Diamonds [ Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Wait... aren't you the guy that dumped all those Whitechapel reviews a little while ago? It would make sense that you are asking this question; you seem to be under the impression that you're obligated to review every single album released by a certain band.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri Jun 14, 2019 12:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Lord_Of_Diamonds wrote:
Wait... aren't you the guy that dumped all those Whitechapel reviews a little while ago? It would make sense that you are asking this question; you seem to be under the impression that you're obligated to review every single album released by a certain band.


How do you mean by 'dumped'? I just like to review bands in chronological order and I basically don't want to miss on any material a band has ever released to the public.

Author:  Twisted_Psychology [ Fri Jun 14, 2019 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Gods forbid somebody want to see what all a band has to offer, right?

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Twisted_Psychology wrote:
Gods forbid somebody want to see what all a band has to offer, right?


Unless some releases are not available or sound like shit or piled into a compilation album (which is best-case scenario), then I don't see any issue with that. I think it's fun.

Author:  gasmask_colostomy [ Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Petrus_Steele wrote:
Twisted_Psychology wrote:
Gods forbid somebody want to see what all a band has to offer, right?


Unless some releases are not available or sound like shit or piled into a compilation album (which is best-case scenario), then I don't see any issue with that. I think it's fun.

I think Twisted_P was poking fun at Lord_of_D. He's not developed a reputation for looking very deeply at the context of albums he reviews.

Personally, I'm keen on reviewing everything from a band only if they really mean something special to me. For other bands, it's fun to give them a chance and empty out most of your opinions in one review, but it would be tiresome to review everything. You've obviously got a list of bands that are very important to you and will review all their stuff, so that's cool.

Author:  droneriot [ Fri Jun 28, 2019 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

You skipped Deicide's Legion so all your reviews are now invalid and you should delete them and deactivate your account.

Author:  Napalm_Satan [ Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Eh? Oh, the review was removed for one reason or another.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri Jun 28, 2019 11:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Damn - I'm surprised anyone even likes to keep track...

The review was edited because I forgot to add extra words I wanted to say. Awaiting approval.

Author:  Lord_Of_Diamonds [ Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

We can only hope that you don't try to tackle the Sloth discography.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Lord_Of_Diamonds wrote:
We can only hope that you don't try to tackle the Sloth discography.


If I am... better prepare the asylum for me.

Author:  Tanuki [ Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Petrus_Steele wrote:
Lord_Of_Diamonds wrote:
We can only hope that you don't try to tackle the Sloth discography.


If I am... better prepare the asylum for me.

Kinda reminds me of this. Two guys watching the same film every week for a year, reviewing it over and over until madness takes command.

You didn't get a lot of love in this thread, Petrus, but I'm personally with you on this one. I'm currently torturing myself by reviewing Motorhead's entire discography, which quickly got out of whack thanks to On Parole. So I just said fuck it, and skipped it entirely. Maybe I'll go back for it, maybe I won't, but now it feels weird. I think keeping the chronology of a band's discography in mind is helpful, because it gives you that extra bit of context and insight about the band's shifting mindset in the moment. Like, imagine if you wanted to review every Death album and decided to go Individual Thought Patterns -> Scream Bloody Gore -> Sound of Perserverance -> Human -> Leprosy -> Symbolic -> Spiritual Healing. That'd be just plain weird.

Author:  Petrus_Steele [ Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Review Chronology Dilemma

Tanuki wrote:
Petrus_Steele wrote:
Lord_Of_Diamonds wrote:
We can only hope that you don't try to tackle the Sloth discography.


If I am... better prepare the asylum for me.

Kinda reminds me of this. Two guys watching the same film every week for a year, reviewing it over and over until madness takes command.

You didn't get a lot of love in this thread, Petrus, but I'm personally with you on this one. I'm currently torturing myself by reviewing Motorhead's entire discography, which quickly got out of whack thanks to On Parole. So I just said fuck it, and skipped it entirely. Maybe I'll go back for it, maybe I won't, but now it feels weird. I think keeping the chronology of a band's discography in mind is helpful, because it gives you that extra bit of context and insight about the band's shifting mindset in the moment. Like, imagine if you wanted to review every Death album and decided to go Individual Thought Patterns -> Scream Bloody Gore -> Sound of Perserverance -> Human -> Leprosy -> Symbolic -> Spiritual Healing. That'd be just plain weird.


Nah, it's alright. Most of the comments here are actually reasonable and understandable.

After all those months it was clear that I make the rules for how I determine any release order in proper chronology. We also have to take into account that if something isn't available to be listened or be acquired, then move on. Can't force yourself that bad to write about something which cannot be listened to. Then there are releases which sound too bad to be considered or releases which are not even worth checking.

Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/