You know very well that he can't question god's flawless creation.

I only have two responses to the posts about me, and first one to Hells Unicorn:

Probably shouldn't question someone else's negative reviews until you write one or two of your own.

Unfortunately I don't pen negative reviews (or positive ones for that matter) for the sake of creating some illusion of credibility or proportionality, it would involve a level of intellectual dishonesty that I'm not really keen on. I have taken the time to read many of your negative reviews (hence my criticism), as well as most of the positive ones. Naturally I don't have the monetary issue to deal with, so my opinions are, if nothing else, genuine.

P.S. - Droneriot has this odd fixation with me of late, pay it little mind, it will pass.

I know that man, you just like everything you hear and you're honest about it.

Meh, I can see where Hells is coming from. I've deliberately tried writing some negative reviews recently to even mine out, and it's hard to do. I can only write on albums if said albums inspire me to write, it's hard to keep things even.

I did some counting on HU's profile because I'm sick of arguing the obvious without some numbers on my side:

465 total
23 reviews 59 percent or lower (an "F" grade) (4.94 percent)
168 reviews 60 percent to 89 percent (36.1 percent)
274 reviews 90 percent or higher (58.9 percent)
48 reviews exactly 100 percent (10.3 percent)

For comparison I am considered much too positive of a reviewer by many as well, but I've got:

494 total
87 reviews 59 percent or lower (17.6 percent)
249 reviews 60 to 89 percent (50.4 percent)
158 reviews 90 percent or higher (32 percent)
23 reviews exactly 100 percent (4.65 percent)

Edit: If the percents don't look like they add up correctly remember that 100s are also counted as being over 90 in that tally. Try adding all but the last row in both lists and it should work.

They're 'no longer sell-outs' because they started doing paint-by-numbers prog again? Horseshit. Making compromised music to pay the bills sans-inspiration remains a sin, regardless of what genre one is ostensibly performing in.

I find it really easy to write negative reviews, that's probably not a good thing but there's something about terribly made or over-rated albums that just makes me write without even trying. My Meshuggah and DT reviews were both spawned rather spontaneously in such a method.

..And inspired by Requiem's stats, thought I'd do some as well:

Maybe I made that a little unclear. The reason I like Systematic Chaos is because it's a return to Dream Theater's unique style. They're not trying to sound like Muse or U2 or Tool, they're trying to sound like Dream Theater. And it's heavy without being mallcore like ToT was. And there are some godly riffs on there.

They're not trying to sound like Muse

it's heavy without being mallcore like ToT was.

Virgin Black's guitarist, Samantha Escarbe, is truly amazing on this album. From her lamentful soaring melodies, to her crushing metal riffs on "In Death" and "Domine"… she's got it all.

Actually, I’m not sure if it’s the fault of the production that it sounds like it was recorded in traffic or at the back of a meat packing plant. There’s this obscure cacophony throughout the album’s lifespan much like the intro to “Black Death”, weird muddled nuances that are almost industrial drawl that just cannot be part of the actual songwriting process, like it was recorded live on the side of a freeway in the rain and someone drove by with a radio blaring, perhaps a long boom crane grumbling nearby, thunder, airplanes overhead, perhaps a timber mill just over yonder. Of course there’re varying levels of this stuff from song to song, most noticeable in “Hell’s Whip”, a song that would be quite impressive if it weren’t for the din of a recycling truck collecting this week’s glass in the background.

..And inspired by Requiem's stats, thought I'd do some as well:

224 total
35 reviews 59 percent or lower (15.6 percent)
134 reviews 60 to 89 percent (59.8 percent)
50 reviews 90 percent or higher (22.3 percent)
5 reviews exactly 100 percent (2.23 percent)

..Turns out I'm a much harsher writer then both of them. Not what I expected really.

I did some counting on HU's profile because I'm sick of arguing the obvious without some numbers on my side:

465 total
23 reviews 59 percent or lower (an "F" grade) (4.94 percent)
168 reviews 60 percent to 89 percent (36.1 percent)
274 reviews 90 percent or higher (58.9 percent)
48 reviews exactly 100 percent (10.3 percent)

For comparison I am considered much too positive of a reviewer by many as well, but I've got:

494 total
87 reviews 59 percent or lower (17.6 percent)
249 reviews 60 to 89 percent (50.4 percent)
158 reviews 90 percent or higher (32 percent)
23 reviews exactly 100 percent (4.65 percent)

Edit: If the percents don't look like they add up correctly remember that 100s are also counted as being over 90 in that tally. Try adding all but the last row in both lists and it should work.

For droneriot:
109 total
42 reviews 59 percent or lower (38.5 percent)
30 reviews 60 percent to 89 percent (27.5 percent)
37 reviews 90 percent or higher (34 percent)
5 reviews exactly 100 percent (4.5 percent)

From the opening epic Crimson King, the album begins its journey with a bang, grabbing the listener’s ears forcing you to headbang and listen with the strength similar to that of a high school cheerleader on a nerdy virgin eager to get laid.

Haha, I was trying to think of a comparison that really made sense to me and well, came up with that.

These guys apparently live in the forest which is just about the most kvlt thing since Varg Vikernes discovered the kvlt equation; CHURCH + FIRE = AWESOME

These guys apparently live in the forest which is just about the most kvlt thing since Varg Vikernes discovered the kvlt equation; CHURCH + FIRE = AWESOME

Well it isn't hidden exactly. As soon as 'Breach The Wall' begin you can notice and smell the large Slayerish "influence" like a piece of shit in a pool of water. Yes, this album screams "Slayer!!!!!" hundreds times louder than a casual horror movie's virgin who just saw an ugly killer rips her dog's penis out of the window and splashing it's guts all over.

It's like seeing a man build a house entirely out of waffles: it's cool to watch, and is pretty interesting just because of how obsessive, difficult, and strange a task it is, but in the end it's still a house made of waffles, and no amount of adornment is going to change it.

Perhaps the only replacement singer more infamous than Blaze Bailey in Iron Maiden is Tim Owens in Judas Priest (note the irony in the similarities of both singers former bands, Wolfsbane and Winters Bane respectively).

The fact is that Cannibal Corpse is a great band, and it seems that the metal scene has forgotten that in its frantic clamor towards more 'intellectual' music. Cannibal Corpse is intellectual, but again, feels no need to advertise this fact to the entire world in the way Dream Theater does. Cannibal Corpse reflects the intelligence of early death metal: a band keeping to themselves, quietly plugging away with their music, and feeling no impulse to appear scholarly to anyone but themselves. This is not 'stupid people's music'; it's just unpretentious and suggests a sort of light-hiding bushel for the metal scene. I'd still rather listen to Cannibal Corpse than Arsis or Portal or whatever trendy new death metal band is taking the scene by storm simply by virtue of them not having to storm at all. I respect these guys a lot more than most bands, and I think more people should: while other bands have faltered, Cannibal Corpse has stayed true to their roots and clearly always will.

It's runtime is 41:48, which is pretty unusual for a brutal DM CD