Basically, I don't have a problem with reviewing singles or whatever... for some styles it makes sense; remember how important singles were for NWOBHM, for instance? So, I don't think albums only is the way to go. But, for all the numerically-obsessed "I review 20 albums a month" people just remember it should be interesting. Make sure you've got something to say before you put finger to keyboard. Just as long as everyone tries to try then it's fine.

I didn't even think of that. I know there are a few bands that were accepted in recent months with only a single to their name. So with that in mind, as magic Mike stated, if it's virgin it should count.

Yeah, all that matters is that the reviews are good. If everyone picks a few releases they want to hit... then great, but let's not go for "I can type faster than you" stuff.

In all honesty, now that Noktorn and Hells are effectively retired and Ozzy was shamed into oblivion when he did it, allowing singles probably wouldn't make much of a difference as long as people are reasonable. Remember, it's all about improving things, not jacking up numbers. I'm still a bit wary of allowing singles since it's so easy to abuse and all, but whatever, I'll survive if y'all wanna go back to the original rules.

Still, it's worth reminding folk that it's not a numbers game. And there's really no reason that an album review should be of more worth than a single/EP/comp/video one.

ill review 1000 singles just to piss off bastardhead.
So i guess the consensus is to do a classic review challenge. Then we just need to do pick a date and findsomeone good with numbers to organize it all? I dont really know what sean16 did exactly.

I guess how difficult it is to keep track of will depend on if we have another battle royale between MCF and Empy (at least I think it was those two). I imagine a simple spreadsheet would work just fine.

It wasn't just me and Empy - iamntbatman beat both of us, if I remember correctly. I haven't had the time to review for a good year or so, but I always try to make time for the review challenges (and conveniently, my tastes have lately been oriented towards bands with no reviews). I'd be psyched if someone organized a new one.

There was one year I did really well, back when I was new here, but since then I just never get around to it as much. I have a few I could do now though, but I wouldn't really be playing to win.

Sean16 was basically some French wanker, so basically we need to find another French wanker who can count.

I'm not French, but I can count. All that really needs done is someone to keep a tally of how many qualifying reviews each user has submitted.

I don't consider myself a good reviewer, but somebody please tell me why slayer666's reviews are so unbearably long. He writes such colossal walls of text that I'm instantly put off. He seems to have good points to talk about but the length of his reviews are rather annoying.

Every review I remember reading by him is long because they're track-by-track formatted as paragraphs. I recall saying not to do that (not as a warning, but because it would make for mediocre reviews).

He was notified of this a while back and said he would put effort into fixing the formatting. The official rules as far as I have gathered assert that as long as one line break is visible in the browser window at any given time, the 'walls of text' are not too big. Honestly I find that a bit lenient, but his later reviews seem to be better...

EDIT: Metal_Thrasher90 doing Overkill....I cringed at first, but not bad so far. Weird that he has skipped Taking Over up to this point and doesn't reference it in the Under the Influence review though. Also, 98% for Overkills' weakest (by far) pre-I Hear Black record is sort of puzzling. Oh well.

Was wondering when a review for the new Darkspace and Nightbringer would show up... Understandable for Darkspace since nobody can seem to get an actual copy of the album. Pretty good rookie review from CardsOfWar for the Nightbringer album, definitely an awesome album, but it's hard to explain why, it just is. This album sounds closer to what I heard on their 2 songs from the split with Acherontas, fast, intense, chaotic stuff. Their previous album still seems too drawn out and bores me, but luckily this new one rules.

I wondered about writing one for the new Darkspace, but I just wasn't in the right mood to actually write it down. I guess it may come at some point in time (or not) but it's understandable that few would dare to review such a dense album either way.

Thanks. To be honest I had a bit of trouble articulating why it was I liked it so much. I hope that in the final draft I didn't sound too much like a gushing, biased fan...

they were still incredibly boring live.

I love imagining metalheads having random conversations around the world, talking about their favorite albums by their favorite bands, when suddenly tomcat_ha pops his head through a crack in the door and says "pssst... they were boring live" before slipping out of sight.

^Haha I thought that was funny too, Thanks Tomcat!

I've got a review challenge right here...

... How about The Aura's "gangbang crew", as I jokingly named it at the time, go after Earthborn Evolution this time? I can say that I'd very much like to hear (i.e. read) those people's extended honest to God opinions on the band's sophomore effort.

You guys game?

Spoiler alert: I'd just end up doing my Brain Drill joke with it.

Ha ha, fair enough Mike.

Or I could just do one sentence. "Jaco Pastorius's corpse joins The Faceless circa-2008; everybody loses their shit".

Sorry y'all. I like tech death and I like wank and I like prominent bass, but there is a line where it becomes too much, and Beyond Creation cross that line while doing a wheelie on a flaming motorcycle.

Yeah I heard the album, felt like I was listening to the first song when I was 3-4 songs in, it kinda...blows.

Atleast the bass doesn't make me wanna slice my throat anymore.

How about no.

That's OK Mike, I get what you mean. Although in all honesty I don't see you hating the sophomore as much as the debut, call it intuition. I would like to hear your take on it Gunther, I remember your review on the debut was pretty cool to read.


Compared to what, Waking The Cadaver? I guess you weren't around at the time to actually understand the joke I was making back there.

Compared to the debut.

I heard both albums (and thought they were both ok) but since when Blood Oath is considered to be way shitttier than Pinnacle of Bedlam? A 0% for Blood Oath, really?
http://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/S ... ble/327446
http://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/S ... ble/327446

Since I felt like it was that bad, perhaps? I'm just genuinely annoyed by the album, anything wrong with that?

And now you left me confused. The sophomore sucks against the debut, but you prefer the sound of the bass in the sophomore? What?!

Didn't sound half as annoying to me.

I still haven't understood if you actually like the band or not... Maybe try replying with a bit more substance? I mean, one-liners are cool and all, but a bit more depth would avoid a random wall of IM conversation between the two of us on this page.

My apologies. No I don't like the band...at all. From what I've heard (3-4 tracks from both albums) they're a generic techdeath band gone proggy to cover up the holes in their songwriting, it sucks.

I don't really know what else to say, the music itself is fairly basic on the surface, and I can't be arsed to dig deeper, really.

Oh alrighty then!

Dunno if I'd give it 0, but I thought the opinion that Blood Oath was noticeably shitty and too slow and groovy was pretty wide spread. Pinnacle was just ok, but it's a fair step up I feel.

The return of mjollnir! And...he loves something...!

I am still listening to this album! lol This album is that good, though. I bet Perdition666 could back me up on that. He is the resident J power guy here. I have never heard a bad album by these guys but this is just amazing.

Yeah, I like that one a lot. For me, its "just another Galneryus album", which means its at least a 85-90% Yuhki sure makes his presence felt on this one, plus he wrote two of my favorite songs from it ("Enemy to Injustice" and "Secret Love"). For whatever reason, any song where he goes nuts on the Hammond I tend to like a lot as well (eg. Bash Out, Metal Trigger). Some of the basswork on that album was pretty nice too (eg. The Guide).

The trio of "Enemy to Injustice," "The Judgement Day" and "Vetelgyus" is ridiculously good. Even the one song I was initially iffy on, "There's No Escape" infectiously grew on me too. It's a pretty fantastic album (AKA the usual from Galneryus ). I guess the only "flaw" in it for me is that the first half is a bit stronger than the second half, but that's extremely nitpicky.