I couldn't get any sleep. So I wrote a review. Work in 5 hours, hooray...

Just updated the stats again. If a mod can post here when the queue is cleared after midnight site-time, I'll do the final run. As of now, with about 3 hours left:

OzzyApu 90, Perplexed_Sjel 84, MaDTransilvanian 55; 575 total reviews from 70 participants.

I also just added this amusing query:

Mixed Feelings

I don't think I can be bothered to write six more ... Peep Show box-set on DVD instead then! Much more fun. Hopefully the record will be smashed, if only just.

Congrats you two! Excellent work, again nearly reaching 100. I simply couldn't compete, especially because I only had an absolute maximum of 60 potential reviews to write, a few of whom were ineligible for technical reasons (one was part of a larger release I reviewed, another was done right before the Challenge and for another (the Samael boxset) I realized I had never listened to the Rebellion/Exodus vinyl.

Rad. dare i say i have seen every episode of that show like 20 times or so. Great stuff.

Cheers MadTranny.

I didn't know it was shown so far abroad. It's pretty obscure outside of the country. America tried to re-make it, but it didn't come over well. Must be the odd way it's told. I love it myself. It's like seeing your own thoughts out on screen through someone else.

God. I'll be glad to have a few days away from the computer. My head is pounding.

Interesting stuff! I'd be on that list for Bone Awl except nothing the only have one full-length. Most things they release are album-length demos or EP's.

I can't get the stats thing to work for some reason

Why, what happens when you go to this link?

says that it took longer than 60 seconds to try load it, and just stops. some kinda server error junk.

Hmm. Seems to be fine at the moment. Give it another try, I guess.

I think I'll be on that list soon enough with my next batch of In Flames reviews.

We did good. Just a warning for next time- assuming this happens when I'm not in Iceland (it might) I intend on dropping everything else I'm doing, pirating like a motherfucker and getting that 100 mark before anyone else does.

Also that Mixed Feelings doesn't have me and Nadja on it? I'm surprised, as I've given ratings ranging from 100 to 10 (even you dropped the ten there's still a 30 somewhere). I guess that was probably an EP though.

Yeah I did a whole lot of searching for obscure demos, and my original goal was just to get those Aion releases out of the way; blogs and especially porn forums. Torrents take too long and soulseek is unreliable for obscure bands, and many people wouldn't think about porn forums but they are actually great hubs for music - I'm serious.

I recommend exbii and realraptalk, just to name a couple. Freeones had something like that but they began frowning on it.

Also, I could have hit 100, as 1 hour real time could have = 5 reviews, especially at this late in the game. However, I just felt extremely burned out and only wanted to beat Perplexed's record. If he ends up beating me in this contest, then I'm going to be super pissed.

Did you submit anymore after your last one that has shown up on the front page?

Edit: I'm so fucking burned out, too. I'm not going to review for over a month. Fuck it. I need a vacation.

I submitted 6 I think. All of them were from the same blog and they all pretty much sucked (one of them was half-decent if I remember). I got them last night after a huge haul and took all morning listening to them.

Looks like we're closed. i finally had a clear day today to get stuff in, but only managed a handful - guess i lost motivation right where it counted!

It's more than likely that you've won this time.

It didn't until I discovered a very obscure software bug a couple minutes ago, and redid the query to work around it. Now the two of you are #2 on the list.

Just submitted my last one, right before the bell. That should be a total of 35 for me, which is short of my count for the last contest. However, I'm fairly sure I did reviews for a lot more bands this time than last (last time I did all of those Bone Awl releases) so I feel pretty good about that.

Anyway, highlights of stuff I reviewed that I really like include that Sanctum/Stormcrow split, the Black Breath album, both Korpse albums but especially the first, Hotbild's I Skuggen av Livet and the Kriegsmaschine full length. There were a number that were pretty good but not fantastic, and I want to do a review for the second Obliteration album as it's really great stuff and blows the first (already good) album out of the water. I might do that in a few days after I take a break from this contest.

I'm on there for Procer Veneficus? Holy shit. I never want to be reminded of that band again!

I've done around the same amount of Nadja reviews as Caspian. In fact, one more might be in the queue. I've also reviewed a hell of a lot from The Gathering.

In both cases your lowest scores were for non-albums, and thus your Nadja spread was 40 and your The Gathering spread was only 20!

Looks like i got 43 done all up - pretty sure thats about the same as what i got last time. would have like to have got 50 or 60, but the late start certainly didn't help my motivation. I commend those of you in the top 3 for your extreme efforts. seriously, i couldn't dream of getting anything near that level. amazing. props to iamntbatman for keeping me on my toes too!

I got 20 and didn't participate on the last 3 days that happened to be non-school days, so I think I can get a VERY decent number for the next contest.

*starts downloading obscure power metal bands*

I'll run one more update on Monday, after somebody confirms that the queue is clear from 6/13, but unless Perplexed_Sjel is playing us with a last secret burst, OzzyApu will get the individual prize (despite submitting 6 single reviews!). 581 total reviews as of my bedtime here...

My last After the Bombs review was submitted about a minute and a half before midnight server time and is the most recently accepted review, so I think whoever was working the queue made a point to clean them out right up until midnight.

Oh damn I had another single? Yikes.

I managed to get only one single in for the challenge. I avoided them the whole time. the first challenge i done i reviewed a few of them (being a NWOBHM fan) which upped my tally a bit, but i do think it's a good rule. Glad i got to review stuff like Siren (been meaning to review that for at least a year), as well as heaps of great USPM demos, and heavy metal rarities like Crossbones.

To be fair, this competition IS about reviewing virgin albums, and a VERY large number of singles are virgins, even in really popular bands like Iron Maiden.

I personally don't like the rules regarding singles, as they're all virgins regardless. It's like saying you can't do sluts because they're too easy.

It's simply a rule created so that users predominantly reviewing full-length albums aren't unfairly overtaken by ones who only (or mostly) do singles, which can be reviewed much more quickly.

Yeah but most of those bands with lots of singles are popular bands - like maiden and Queensryche - like you said. The challenge is more useful to the site if it encourages reviews of obscure bands, or lesser known albums, i think.

Its not like people will stop reviewing obscure albums if the 5 single rule is removed. Also, there aren't any prizes, so who cares if somone decides to only do singles? We are still improving the quality of the site, regardless of what release types we are reviewing.

Unfortunately, I couldn't manage to get any computer access today, and seeing as I'm on Polynesian time right now, the deadline has been reached even though it's only 7 PM here. Well, I managed to scrape out 7 - 4 full lengths, 1 EP, 1 demo, and 1 single. Next time I'll definitely get more done, especially considering how this is my first activity in this contest. Great job to everyone, especially Ozzy and Perplexed.

Oh yeah, and I second Ozzy's recommendation of finding releases on blogs. Google blogsearch is fantastic; I've found nearly every obscure release that I haven't bought simply by searching album title, band, and release year.

But the thing is, if someone's competitive enough to want to get a better score by reviewing a lot of pointless singles, imposing the five single rule isn't going to make them go, "well screw it, then, I'm not participating." Instead, they'll just review stuff that adds more to the site.

I'd just like to include the fact that some of the things I reviewed could only be found in Satan's asshole. They're beyond horrifying - abysmal in every fashion and form of the word. I can't believe I sat through them, let alone reviewed them.

I did it for the Metal Archives.

I'm sure some of you guys also reviewed something that was ghastly, too.

(This has nothing to do with what you guys are currently talking about regarding singles).

Although, do keep in mind that it's not like people aren't seeing that one reviewer is choosing predominantly singles. We will all be able to see (thanks to sisters_of_merciless again) that one reviewer may only be doing singles and can thus judge accordingly.

Being my 3rd challenge, and the 2nd with the singles rule, i gotta say i welcome the rule. i think it encourages slightly more relevant/important releases to be reviewed first.


The worst thing i reviewed was this melodic heavy metal/hard rock band called Kymera from Germany. A couple of passable tracks on it - but yeah, pretty candyass, avoidable stuff. I've only had the album for 3 months or so - it's not worth looking into, even for fans of the softer stuff.

Regardless, I still think the rule should be removed. It works both ways, some people will whore singles while a lot of regulars such as yourselves will keep on reviewing more obscure releases. We get more releases reviewed and, with the help of sister, we can see who won without whoring singles or whatever.

The 5 single rule is going to a good cause, but it is unnecessary in my opinion.

The days of the challenge have now been cleaned. Go ahead, sisters, work you magic.