Hi everyone, it seems like the time has come to launch the next edition of our little Virgin Reviews Challenge. I at first had some doubts, not willing to contest with caspian’s own personal contest but as the man himself wrote, in his case “it’s only one review”.

So here are the dates I’m suggesting:

Monday the 18th of May to Sunday the 24th

The magic number will be 361.


I don’t want to make this first post too long; I'll post the detailed rules later. Most of you already know what it’s all about anyway. For the newcomers, just know it’s roughly about writing together as many reviews as possible for albums with no reviews so far. Of course it’s also more than that, a moment where all MA reviewers head altogether towards a common goal as a united, happy, cheerful family

I post the thread in advance so that we can agree on the date, and so that people don’t say they weren’t aware of it. But you know the golden rule, DON’T STOCKPILE PLEASE.

The dates seem fine to me. Count me in.

hopefully I'm not working that whole time. I'm in.

Sounds fantastic!

Dates look good to me. I'll definitely be in for this.

sweet. i'll be keen to get on board as a newcomer this time round. should be fun.

whats this magic number?

look forward to reading the rules etc so i know whats going on....

I'll be in again. These challenges seem to be the only thing that actually motivate me to write any reviews.

Although Noktorn has just reviewed all those Hellveto releases and I was planning on doing a few of them for this challenge.

it's the number of reviews to beat!

361 reviews in (allegedly) one week? thats retarded. noone could do that. i was thinknig i could get like 30-40!!!!!! maybe i could push it and get 50?

no one could write that many!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Magic Number is the number of reviews we have to write TOGETHER. (meaning if 361 reviewers each write a single review it will be fine) Read the following

Regular users can skip this post, nothing new for them here.

Alright. The complete rules (rules is a big word I know):

1. The primary aim of the Virgin Reviews Challenge, as set up by Byrgan in May 2006, is to improve the site’s quality by encouraging people to write reviews for albums with no reviews so far. During one week, MA reviewers submit as many reviews as they want/can for this kind of releases. Of course you can still write reviews for already reviewed releases, but they won’t be taken into account.

2. Every release listed on the main site is valid including singles, videos, boxed sets etc. However please note that SPLIT ALBUMS will always count ONCE regardless of how many bands are playing.

3. Eligible releases have to be virgins on the beginning of the Challenge. However several reviewers may review the same initial virgin. It will count only once, regardless of how many reviewers are involved, but each reviewer will get credited. There’s no bonus for the first one, so don’t need to hurry – focus on quality instead.

4. What brings me to the fourth point, VALUE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. It’s a collective challenge, not an individual one. Mods won’t be more lenient anyway. Everyone is welcomed even if it’s only to write one review.

5. BE VERY CAUTIOUS. Main site time is the one and only reference. The Challenge always begins on a Monday at 00:00:01 and ends up on the following Sunday 23:59:59. Time in your timezone is likely to be different from MA time, even if you’re living in the United States. So again, ensure you’re posting your precious review in the right time. Also keep in mind that Forum time might be slightly different from main site time (?)

6. The total number of reviews written is tallied every day by a French chemist. He’s a busy man (doing a Ph.D, believe it or not), with an inclination for beer and black-haired girls, and easy to piss off, so don’t cry if the total isn’t updated in the right time. He swears he’ll do his best though. After the Challenge has ended up a big list of all the reviews written will be compiled, as a monument to MA reviewers. Another list will sum up how many reviews have been written by every reviewer. Again, being on the top of this latter list won’t make your dick bigger, so value quality over quantity (didn’t I hear an echo here?)

7. As long as I’ll co-organize this challenge there will be nothing to win in the end except the Board’s eternal consideration. Deal with it

come on, at least offer a turd in a box.

I had thought of a picture of my beautiful self, but it's more likely to discourage the challengers than anything else.

Stupid working all week away from a computer, internet and a worthwhile audio system. It really won't matter what date it takes place, I'll only be able to do a couple of days each time no matter what.

rules sound good. i'm in, big time. considering i just lost my entire music collection, however, it couldnt have come at a worse time.

I missed out on the last review challenge due to being homeless for a week so I will definitely participate this time.

Sounds great

Yet another one I won't be able to do. I'm going to be on an east coast tour from the 20th to the 30th.

I may be able to write a couple... May 21 to 23 is the maryland deathfest so I won't write anything and since I'll be at my father's place in the US from the 19th to the 30th, I may have less time. Still, I can always write some in advance...

There's definitely some bands who need to have more reviews.

I'm in. I think I need to beat 42.

I'll need to find virgin albums first...I don't think I have many now.

Same. I'm going to make a list of what I have that is a virgin and what order I'll knock them out in.

Considering the massive influx of reviews you've done in the past month or so, I'm going to need some time to catch up.

Any way, I'm in for this one. The number to beat this time is 65, as it has been since the second half of 2006. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it, since it will require me to average 10 reviews a day, but I'm going to try.

I actually have free time during this one so I'll be taking part. I like the idea of inflating my currently rather pathetic review count.

Just write on bands like Heirdrain and you will beat your record in no time.

I'm so excited that I'm already thinking about what I will review! However, this time I chose that the reviews are all gonna be for the Italian metal.

I'll look into them, do they have a site for downloading their material? I'm also planning on doing a couple more Senmuth albums.

I have a few non-reviewed releases by Destruction and Sodom that I was going to hit, I think part of the reason why they weren't reviewed is because they basically suck something awful. Destruction's "The Least Successful Human Cannonball" is actually going to make my Royal Seal of Gayness series.

but how did you find that album??

It's just before the midterms, so sheesh. I'll try my best. My goal is 5 reviews, no more, no less.

This was one of those rare occasions where I cheated and downloaded it. There are a couple of sites that sell the MP3 version of this album at 10 cents a song.

Goddammit! Those dates are absolutely horrible for me. If it goes ahead at that time, there's no way that I'll be able to participate. Don't let that stop you, though, unless there are others who are in favor of and/or not opposed to moving the challenge back a bit.

ah ok, because I knew that this album have never been released...obviously, I won't accuse your for having dowloaded an album!

If I can get a hard copy of an album for a reasonable price, I always purchase it rather than download it because I am a huge fan of album art and having something real to listen to if my computer ever decides to go haywire on me. I've made some exceptions to this rule with various unreleased and obscure releases that I can't find. Another album that I got in MP3 form was Morbid Saint's follow up album, which is pretty close in quality to "Spectrum Of Death".

I'm quite certain that it hasn't been officially released at all, except as additional package of fun attached to the recent Spectrum of Death re-release.

These dates are perfect for me as well, finals and shit will be all done and I can see if I can finally break my record of the past 2 challenges of 10 I think..? I'll have a decent amount of free time.

Either way, I'm looking for a minimum of doubling that. Hopefully though, I'll just have enough virgin material.

Yeah, it hasn't been officially released, which is a crying shame if you ask me. Nonetheless, as far as being an additional package of fun, it's probably the greatest version of such a thing I've ever encountered.

on the second thought it is a bad idea. Why draw attention towards a band that is crap?

Alright it seems so far a majority agrees with the proposed dates. Let's take them for granted then. Sorry for those who won't be able to participate, but given the number of reviewers involved it's never possible to content everyone.

Without mentioning the week after everyone will be busy writing a Bolt Thrower review for caspian


I've some virgins to review myself... will mostly be a matter of time I guess. Stuff from Stille Volk, Subway to Sally, Sünhopfer etc. I've also seen there were some Skyclad EPs and compilations which weren't reviewed yet, so that I'll be able to become "the man who've reviewed the whole Skyclad discography"

I'll be involved in this one much more heavily than the last one. 4 reviews isn't exactly the highest benchmark I could have set last year though...

I'm in. A good way to get my review count up a bit... I'll aim at writing more than 5, which was what I managed last time.

I'm wondering, can i review this "release" : http://metal-archives.com/release.php?id=157923

I have the compilation cd where it is featured and think it could be interesting to review the song, to say if it's worth hunting only for that song. As for the two Venom covers, I don't know about Black Metal, but The seven Gates of Hell could be featured on the 2000 vinyl reissue of Scorn Defeat (which I have) since the ep was to be released in 1996.

Well sure it's reviewable but since it was never release I'm not sure if the mods will accept it. It's an easy "free" review, though I still have plenty of virgins to review and probably more than I can handle for the challenge.