If you just want to complain that I rejected it, send a PM. If you want to get it accepted, improve it. I can’t see the review any more, nor the rejection message, but if I remember right then pointing out that you don’t even mention the genre being played was simply the most extreme example of how the description was unclear and/or lacking. For context, I don’t know of the band, but I certainly didn’t learn enough about them from the review to accept it.

Can someone tell me how to improve my review for Avantasia - "The Metal Opera pt II"? It was rejected, and i want to know how to write better acceptable reviews, cause i see i'm not very good at it.

Hey there! Please post your review here, otherwise we can't do much

"I remember this album when i was 13 years old. I heard "Neverland" first then it just played next song "Anywhere". And here starts the fantasy! They're not perfect but they're still amazing! It's something like must have collaboration of whole German power metal scene.

They have really good style of songwriting starting with "The Seven Angels". Obviously not on every track, but still on more than half of the songs. There's no bad song on this albums, they are at most average. I love melodic style of Avantasia on tracks like "No Return", "Anywhere", and of course most epic "The Seven Angels". Also they've shown at "The Final Sacrifice" that as power metal band, they can show the title "power" of this metal.

Instrumentation is good, especially guitar solos, some drum parts on album. But still, for me the best part of album are vocals. Tobias Sammet have it's own characteristic and interesting voice and technique, Vocalist of Virgin Steele actually shows the "power of the spirit" by his agressive screaming. We have also Michael Kiske the vocalist of Helloween on "The Seven Angels" and "No Return"

Lyrics are really good, of course i'm not the fan of Tolkien-like fantasy theme, but i can say that the style(not theme) of writing is really emotional, shows deep sorrow, good example is "Anywhere". Production is good as it was 2000 when recording, it fits well with style of band and mood of album.

The only songs that i didn't liked as much is "The Looking Glass". It's not bad, but it could be better. Overall it's a good album, i recommend it to every fan of German power metal, to Tolkien-fantasy fans and to people who think that metal is only "noise and screams". Great job guys!

Favorite tracks: "The Final Sacrifice", "The Seven Angels", "No Return, "Anywhere", "Neverland""

Hmm...

From my experience, your review probably has two main problems.

First of all, you have too little content. The Metal Opera Pt.II already have 8 pretty detailed reviews here on the Archives, so just telling us ''The Seven Angels'' have ''really good style of songwriting'' is not enough. Give us some details. How is it good? Is it something about the progression? How did it progress then? The problem goes on. You said you like the vocals, and that is perfectly fine. I myself gravitate to keeping my attention on the vocals too when I'm writing about metal operas. But then how is the instrumentation good? You seem to know that you need to cite examples to support your opinions, and that is a good start, so I wouldn't mind knowing which solo you think is good and why it is good. Keep asking yourself these questions when you write down assessments.

Secondly, you should work on your English. Of course, not all of us are native speakers here, but at least pay attention to articles and such... Definitely get some sort of grammar checker.

Then there are some stylistic problems you could tackle after you've solved the problems above. Maybe expand your vocabs and find some other ways to express ''really good''? I recommend reading some of the more experienced writers' take on power metal (just to name my on inspirations: hells_unicorn, Empyreal, Dragonchaser and Larry6990) and get an idea on how you can describe power metal. But steer away from plagiarism. Also, stop seeing your review as a list of components you have to cover. Your transitions between paragraphs look sloppy enough as it is. Though I don't think the moderators will reject your reviews based on that.

Just my two cents. Hope it's helpful.

Yeah, seconding every single word about Lynxie's comment. There's some work to do in both areas (musical description and language), but you're very young (way more than I was when I started), so that's understandable. Confronting yourself with the writings of more seasoned reviewers will already do great for both issues.

Hi there!! Two days ago I came across an amazing work by Isiliel ("Moonbow Genesis"), I loved it and I was thinking about reviewing it. So I wrote a review on Word and I was thinking about posting it here, but I'd appreciate any feedback you guys may have first.

"Japan is a fascinating country known for many things: The history, the superstitions, the culture… But over the last couple of years, the biggest “diamond mine” of this country in the past few years has been its Metal scene. Babymetal certainly put the Japanese heavy metal back on the mainstream track, with bands like Mary’s Blood following suit. However, Isiliel adds the beauty to the heaviness, adding a mystical touch to a healthy blend of folk, power metal, melodic death metal and black metal.

Isiliel is the solo project of Himari Tsukishiro, a Japanese idol known for her contributions to idol groups such as Bakuon Dolls Syndrome and Necronomidol. The name means “Daughter of The Moon” and comes the fictional elvish language called “Quenya” that is found in the otherworldly universe created by the imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien. When you listen to “Moonbow Genesis”, you’re about to realize that you’re not going to take a trip to the moon, but you’re in for a trip nonetheless.

The album as a whole is well-structured, there are no major flaws that we can possibly point out, but there are still a bunch of little details that can help you navigate through this piece of art. To facilitate such comprehension, I’d divide the album in two halves:

The first one, that goes from the opening track (Koumyou Kishi) up until the fourth (Kitoku Enbu);
The second one, that goes from the fifth (Seiha Sougyou) up until the closing track (Genesis).

I could possibly add a third one that would encompass “Kansei Densetsu”, “Sange Ittai” and “Genesis”, but to make it easier for those not familiar with the sound, I think I’ll leave it at two parts.

The first half is where one gets a taste of the atmosphere, of the folk that brings up the mystical nature of this album. In this first half, the metal elements are well present, but it is the ambience that plays a central role. “Koumyou Kishi” is a fine example of this (with a flawless folk section that serves as an intro to the record) but perhaps I could pick “Kitoku Enbu” as the most prominent example. “Kitoku Enbu” is a track where the sweet, luring notes of the flutes take on the role that would otherwise be assumed by lead guitars, creating a simple yet hypnotizing landscape that resembles the “Evocation” works done by Eluveitie a few years back.

The second half is where the album goes all metal and the roles inverse. The folk remains, but takes a step back to allow the metal to take over and shine. The double bass and the powerful riffs from the guitars are definitely the highlights as Himari also makes a noble and valuable effort to go bilingual on “Seiha Sougyou”:

"A brand new dawn
Shungyou wo mukaeru
We carry on
Haru no ibuki　　Kanjiru
Rising like the sun
Goraikou wo misuete
Our sorrows foregone
Shouri no asa ga akeru”.

This is the part where the musical approach is much more direct and straight to the point, with all the energy of the double bass and powerful riffs I just mentioned translating into shorter song that don’t go much longer than four and a half minutes.

The thing that “Moonbow Genesis” presented to me that I found most amazing is how the first and last track can be so different and yet expose the true nature of the album in a brilliant manner. “Koumyou Kishi” introduces the trip we are about to take with its beautiful intro and “Genesis” summarizes everything we heard over the course of 46 minutes, hinting at what we should expect from Himari going forward. The only thing that didn't stick well with me was how "Kitoku Enbu", while being excellent and very immersive - which I love, was longer than it really needed to be. It has a slow progression and the layers that come throughout make it more powerful. But if it was just a minute shorter it would not lose any of its flair.

In short, this album is the result of what would happen if Babymetal left the fun behind and adopted a more serious method. I am by no means saying Babymetal should change approach – after all, the fun they imprint on their songs is what adds the “kawaii” element to their style of metal. But Himari presents Isiliel as the project that really exemplifies what Japan is all about through Metal: It has the mystery, the mystique, and the sheer force of a millennial nature whose culture is larger than life.
At this point, there’s no use in lying: If you’ve listened to the album already, you’ve felt the will of hopping on a plane and go straight to one of those landscaps where the videoclips were filmed. If you haven’t, then you will feel that same will.

This album is truly a trip. But it is a trip that you never want it to end.

(For fans of: Epica, Eluveitie, Arch Enemy, Frozen Crown, Babymetal and Mary’s Blood)"

AlexLucas, based on a quick reading of your review it's not bad (certainly if it's your first), but a couple of things to think about. One is that the frame of the review takes up more space than the description of the music, and the music needs the most attention; second is that there are some phrases where the English gets a bit odd and may benefit from another read. The only misused word is "inverse" in the paragraph just before you quote the lyrics (it should be "reverse"), but I notice you repeat "last couple of years" in the second sentence of the review too, which should be edited.

By frame you mean context, right? Just to know if I could probably summarize that part a bit more. Thank you for the feedback anyway!!

Yes, mostly it's the context about the band, also the way you go onto Babymetal at the end. You don't have to shorten it, but it might help. Remember that the part about the music is of course the most important.

All right, i just wrote my first review and was wondering if i could get any feedback to expand on the review. it is for Deep Throat (AKA Bomb Disneyland/Everything) and by reading i’m sure you can guess that i don’t like the album.

Deep Throat (AKA Bomb Disneyland/Everything) have always been an industrial band, but on albums like Why Not? it worked out, but this time it didn’t.

Now don’t get me wrong here. I like industrial metal, anything of the sort, but what happened to the metal part? I get that Britain as a country has always had a soft spot for Electronic Music (like most of Europe) but why totally change the formula here?

First of all, every track blends into one with them all pretty much sounding the same, shitty programmed drums that sound bland and unoriginal with boring, tasteless guitar work and the bass? Forget about it, with the drums being mixed the loudest by far. The only thing remotely interesting is the synths which drag all the way throughout all of the songs. They sound fine, but you can tell that this wasn’t the same band at all.

This whole album gives me a headache. Why Not? and Guess What may be classics, but this is 99% industrial and 1% metal. Normally, I’d moan about their albums not being reissued but, I’m glad this is a harder find because maybe people can spare their ears from this utter nonsense.

Real bad note to go out on. Why even release this?

The review is this by the way. Any feedback or suggestions on how I can submit without getting rejected would be appreciated.
“Void. Something that which can’t be understood. Despite being all around us - controlling the universe to its unseeing essence - it is impossible to grasp to any extent on what it might be. Perhaps it doesn’t exist at all. In whatever means the void can manifest itself; the only thing at all comprehensible between humanity and complete total darkness is its will to become apart of whatever it is that’s unknown. With however static the light is; the void is forever there to dispel it to its logical conclusion. No matter how much we yearn to escape it; a part of our inner self begs to be drawn into it completely. For there is no need to struggle, worry, or decay, when it is entirely within ourselves to become apart of the void. Something so awfully decepting, yet enticing… Perhaps this is what Dolorian’s Voidwards aims to reconcile in audio form.

Yes, the atmosphere created by Voidwards is indeed undeniable. For it sprawls in whatever way it sees fit. There is no sense of direction, yet somehow, there is complete control in what Dolorian was able to create here. The darkness; so unattainable yet so within reach. Truly, after dozens of listens, I still can’t grasp what this record really is. If you can even properly call it one. For in truth, it feels entirely like a puzzle that can never be solved. No matter how desperately you attempt to solve it, no answer shall linger. The means of which a handful of individuals were so perfectly able to replicate the enigmatic nature of the void… Perhaps it is truly unavoidable; void, sin, coldness, isolation, tragedy, whatever whilst you may call dark - it is in truth that humanity can’t reject such horrors. For what it is, our being is that which it yearns to not be. Darkness. Voidwards knows this, and seeks to form a truce amongst the listener. For someone to truly grow in spirit with light, he must first seek to understand the unforeseeable ways of the void.

Dolorian’s ability to communicate with the listener such esoteric insights cannot be understated. The drums harmonise in perfect sync to the notes being conjured by the guitars. Yet at times, it is utterly dissonant. For only loss and confusion remains. The guitars weep in and out; rejecting the universal laws of musicality, yet still managing to contain a potent sound through each effortless strum of every string. Every instrument displayed on this record is played with absolute harmony despite echoing dissonance. Rather than being planned out, drawn, and composed, each instrument is played sporadically whilst equivocally in contrast with each other. Almost as if each instrument had a mind of its own, yet still perfectly in sync with each other. Like a force that sinks the listener into a never ending abyss that cannot be understood despite his best efforts. Dolorian’s ability to conjure these psychic delusions amongst the listener is immaculate. It’s as if I am staring into my very subconscious as I gaze upon the terrors of my being. Such imagery has, if ever, been evoked in a record before.

The very existence of Voidwards feels like an anomaly in itself. As if I was never supposed to know of its essence. The compositions are complex yet never become overwhelming or detract from the overall sound of the record. The music maintains a state of tranquillity amongst the listener while sounding utterly terrifying. Each note has a sense of purpose within the overarching experience of Voidwards. Not a single beat, melody, verse; anything is misplaced or underdeveloped. Everything that is set within Voidwards is intentional, resolute, and complete. Voidward’s inexplicable nature commonly subverts the listener’s expectations, as is accomplished on the beginning track: Dual - Void - Trident. This track slowly builds into what seemingly would have been an explosive outro, yet the pay off is never there. While this can be frustrating at first, on further listens it only amplifies the record’s mystifying essence, and moulds the record into something far more rewarding as a whole. The album constantly distorts into distinct textures and soundscapes; seemingly unrelated yet flow and contrast organically while remaining consistent to the record’s atmosphere. An atmosphere that never conflicts or falters, but endures. Rather than covering as much sonic ground as possible for the sake of ambition, Dolorian manages to remain focused on its utterly unique and transcendental darkness. A darkness that is so cold, withered, alienating, and absolute. A darkness that can only be grasped from Voidwards.

This album is so effortless in what it is able to accomplish. There is a potent level of restraint within the comprehensive abyss of Voidwards. Yet, like a black hole, such an abyss draws into our very innards of subconscious dissolution that can only be described as infinite. As if tapping into the very depths of the human condition; each repeated listen manages to stay fresh yet gripping as unbeknownst sounds and paralleled concepts are explored to an incomprehensible degree. No record does nor will ever sound like Voidwards. Through this record, Dolorian has mastered the art of understanding the void, as the only way we may evoke the void's all encompassing essence is to become one with it.”

So this looks okay as an intro and/or conclusion, but it lacks the detail to really help readers. You do a pretty good job of pinpointing how this album is similar to and also differs from others in the band's discography, also giving a reasonable description of what the music sounds like. However, we really don't learn that much about the album from the review. By that I mean that I literally don't know a thing about the songs after reading, surely they aren't all the same as one another? Also, some points about the sound and instruments are glossed over very quickly, especially some opinions, which should definitely be explained. For instance, "tasteless guitar work" sounds like a key point which you could go into detail about. At the end, complaining about the genre is always a bit tricky, because we don't know your reasons for preferring industrial metal over pure industrial.

In brief, you can expand, explain, and refine.

I think I saw an earlier message of yours saying this was rejected, but the reason was unclear, right? I can see why it may have been rejected for a few possible reasons.

First, musical description. That's the key part of any review on the website, and this one lacks in musical description. That phrase can mean a lot of things, including: genre, instrumental style, production/sound, songs, structure, specific features (solos, choruses, etc). You don't have to describe all of them, but a reader should be able to understand what the record sounds like from your description. I do not get a very clear picture of Voidwards from your description, since it doesn't really cover any of those areas adequately. However, you do describe the atmosphere and conceptual nature of the album quite a lot, so I sort of understand how I would feel when listening to it, which is definitely suitable to include. I've looked up the band and album, which tells me that this is a difficult review to write, because Voidwards is one of those albums that isn't typically "musical". They are always a pain in the ass to describe, since you have to correct your reader's assumptions that there will be riffs and singing and actual songs. This brings me onto the second point.

The review sounds kind of hollow and pretentious. For an album about the void, okay I can see why you chose that style, but it reads more like a philosophy essay than a review about an album. Unfortunately, this website isn't the place for existential musings, because these reviews are all about musical description. That means that a huge part of your writing strays from the main point, and where you are describing the album's atmosphere you don't always make the required links back to the music to tell the listener what your ponderings were about. Those ideas would work fine as an intro to the review, but you need to sharpen the focus towards the music for the rest of the time, informing directly rather than making the reader guess what you are hinting at. And please, no need to be poetic.

Finally, the grammar and syntax drags this down, making it more difficult to read. I'm not saying that it's unintelligible, but as it already has not-so-focused logic, the odd sentence constructions and slightly misused word choices make it into hard work. On difficult subjects, try to write simply. Writing is no use if no one can benefit from it. I'm sure you don't need me to go through the whole review, but I'll edit the first paragraph to show what I mean:



Grammar/syntax notes: avoid using semi-colons where commas should be; avoid using double prepositions, they are usually wrong or unnecessary (e.g. "that which", "with however"); make sure the subject remains clear throughout each sentence; avoid saying random stuff because it sounds cool.

Sorry man, it's a long critique, but as I said I think it's a tough album to review, especially if it's your first one. Hope this will give you some ideas and help it to become accepted soon.

Thanks for the feedback. I typically like to focus on the symbolism and profound aspects of an album, as the listener can listen to the record and understand how it sounds. The review simply gives a deeper stance on what the record means in a figurative sense. And I agree, the review was fairly pretentious. I attempted to sound smart and provocative - and sure there is a sense of truth to my review - but the ideas presented here don’t align with the typical review format which can turn some readers off. Will edit out some portions of the review; specifically the first half, and focus more on the music this time rather than how I personally interpret the record.

I know this probably sounds very weird, but thanks for how you received the feedback. Some people won't reply and many get a bit arsey (especially because I'm quite critical), but that's a very refreshing response. If you can already see your writing from someone else's point of view, I expect you will be able to make positives changes fairly quickly. Good luck!

Hey!! I was writing a review for Tristania's "Beyond The Veil" and I would appreciate some feedback!! Thank you

"Tristania “Beyond The Veil” review – First the despair, and then the triumph

It’s finally time to admit it: I am committing a major sin when it comes to the gothic side of Metal. I was always a gothic/symphonic metal enjoyer, but at the same time… there was something in the genre that pulled me apart. Was it the excess of symphonic elements? Was it the overdoing of choirs (at least when it comes to this album)? There was always something that attracted me to the symphonic/gothic spectre, but on the other hand… I found those parts to be a little cringe when overused.

But this leads me back to the original point: I am committing a capital sin when it comes to gothic/symphonic metal. To give you some context, gothic metal pioneers Tristania, who defined the baselines of such subgenre (while mixing it with symphonic metal and doom metal tendencies) announced their disbandment a year ago, wrapping up more than a quarter of a century on the road, with seven albums in the meantime. And the reason why I’m commiting such sin is that I only dove into Tristania shortly after they disbanded, when I spent countless hours navigating in the mourningful layers of their genre-defining debut album, “Widow’s Weeds”.

Some may argue – and rightfully so – that Tristania lost their essence in two pivotal points of their 26-year long journey: First, in December 2000, when founding member, guitarist and harsh vocalist Morten Veland left the band to form Sirenia; and then, in February 2007, when soprano vocalist Vibeke Stene (one of the core figures of gothic metal in its prime) called it quits with the band by whose angelic voice she helped put on the map. However, if one listens to “Beyond the Veil”, one is far from imagining that Morten Veland would wrap up four years of his life and a significant part of his career shortly after.

Let’s start with the positives: BtV – let’s address it this way – is Tristania at their highest peak, it’s the consolidation of a mythical journey that didn’t get a proper follow up exactly because the band didn’t know how to cope with Morten’s departure and subsequently replaced him with what were, in my opinion, subpar choices for a position that carried such an important role.

Another interesting idea that permeates the conception of Tristania’s sophomore is the idea expressed in the title of the review, that indicates a slight change in the band’s style. “Widow’s Weeds” was a darker, sorrowful, yet highly poetical experience that could – and still does – delight the hardest ear to please for a little less than an hour. Its black metal riffage combined with Edgar Allan Poe-ish lyricism about the darkest side of love and longing made it an adventure rooted in despair and nostalgia, something that Vibeke Stene’s vocal lines throughout said album expressed perfectly (if you want evidence, listen to “December Elegy”, “My Lost Lenore”, and “Wasteland’s Caress”. You’ll thank me later). Contrary to it, BtV expresses the feeling of triumph, the mightiness of musical majesty, and creates an almost Godlike aura that no one has been able to replicate for the last 24 years.

Now, on to the negatives. This will probably be an unpopular opinion that only I will stand for, as everyone seems to dig the “three vocalists, three different approaches” combo. However, I’m not a fan of it. From the moment I heard Osten Bergoy’s voice for the first time (“Angellore”, from the aforementioned debut) that I felt it was not the best move for the band. It’s not that I don’t like the tone of his voice or the way he sings, I will even admit his voice gives the songs a darker feeling – it’s like you’re walking through the alleys of some abandoned castle in ruins and you hear him talk and realize you probably shouldn’t have gone there, and that is a nice sensation.

However, every time I hear him, I feel like he’s just… useless. The sound of the band doesn’t require him there by any means. Widow’s Weeds did perfectly fine without him, even “Angellore” would, as would do all the albums after this one. Not to mention that what gave Widow’s Weeds that sensation of despair was Vibeke’s vocal lines, that would be reduced in this album with Osten Bergoy taking part in it.

On that same matter, the “choir” aspect of the record is simply overdone. It doesn’t have – if I may put it this way – the right measure. I’m not saying the choir parts should not exist at all, as it would be something that the sound of this album would benefit, more so than its predecessor. But the thing is that it is explored to a point that it distracts the listener from what’s going on in the songs. The first time I listened to BtV I couldn’t almost tell anything about it except for “it has a lot of choirs”, and that’s something that damages the momentum of a record they label as Tristania’s magnum opus.

The other negative is the lack of solos or some perceptive melody hints. Widow’s Weeds didn’t have guitar solos too, but the absence was compensated by the violin work from Pete Johansen. BtV favoured the opera aspect of things to show us that they could go for the exact opposite of what they have done (and they nailed it on that aspect) but the lack of melody makes any song in that album to be perpetually etched in the listener’s head. The riffs are what we should expect from Morten, however, he too lowered the bar on that subject. They remain powerful and heavy, but at the same time seem uninspired and far too simple, lacking some sense of complexity.

To sum it up, BtV is, like I said, Tristania at its peak, considering that the following years would be a hit and miss journey for them – “World of Glass” was quite good, I personally enjoyed “Ashes” but, after that, it seemed like the band’s real heaviness and gloominess existed aeons ago. However, what they delivered in feeling and aura, they failed to accomplish in tangible things. Overdone choirs, simplistic riffage, no hearable melody… these are aspects that can make or break an album. In this case, they broke BtV. And they turned it into a quite… overhyped effort. However, considering what happened from 2001 onwards, it’s not hard for BtV to stand in a league of its own. But the fact that it didn’t reach the mightiness of Widow’s Weeds is something that will always take time for the fans to grasp."

The review is no doubt acceptable. Based on personal tastes I'd probably suggest taking a second look at the opening, since it maybe takes a bit too much to come to the point you're making (basically, just that you discovered the band kinda 'late' in your life and their career), and a couple sentences need a bit of refinement:


Apart from that it's a solid one, in my opinion, and you shouldn't have major problems with that. Hope this helped!

Hey everyone!! Recently I stumbled upon Trees of Eternity's only album (seemingly far too late, now I'm feeling a little bit ashamed of myself) and I kind of wrote some paragraphs about it. Any feedback to it would be appreciated!! Peace!!

" “Is it possible to cry?”. This is a question with an relatively obvious answer, so allow me to reformulate it a bit, so you can understand what I’m writing about.

Is it possible to cry because you fell in love with a voice that you know you won’t be able to physically hear anymore? Is it possible to cry because you find out about a band, then discover its singer passed away prior to the release of their only album, and then the whole record turns into an amazing debut, but at the same time, an heart-wrenching farewell?

The answer to both the obvious question and the one I reformulated is, undoubtedly, yes. If anything, because that’s what almost happened to me when I listened to “Hour of the Nightingale”, the “debut-farewell” from the short-lived doom metal project Trees of Eternity.

Trees of Eternity is a project of naiveté born out of love. It is a band of innocence rooted in despair. Its origins trace back to 2009, when Finnish guitarist Juha Raivio (Swallow The Sun) and the late South-African singer Aleah Stanbridge were working on what would be “Lights on the Lake”, from Swallow The Sun’s “New Moon” record.

Thus Trees of Eternity began to grow its roots and the plans for a debut were set in motion – with a demo, “Black Ocean”, coming out in 2013. But all the years spent crafting the perfect doom metal effort came at a cost, and Aleah passed away in April 2016 at the young age of 39, being taken away by cancer when the album was pretty much ready to come out. And it did seven months later, almost constituting a self-delivered eulogy delivered by Aleah to her own imminent demise.

When we listen to the record, we understand that it is a typical doom metal offer, filled with nostalgic despair, an almost funereal atmosphere, and down-tempo melancholy. But when we get to know that Aleah passed months prior to it seeing the light of day, we give it a spin again and realize it’s a much more profound work than just a doom metal record.

Listening to “Hour of the Nightingale” is like listening to Aleah, already battling cancer at the time it was recorded, singing her own eulogy and conforming with her faith, knowing that she’s going to pass at any given moment and accepting it with a disturbingly beautiful sense of serenity. Normally, when we battle such disease, we are faced everyday with the death possibility and ask ourselves “why me?”. She didn’t, even though she still asked herself that same question at some point.

To further clarify this statement, take the opener “My Requiem” and “Condemned to Silence” as examples: On the first, she gives her own eulogy to the audience, almost self-proclaiming she’ll be “alive in memory”. However, on the latter, she pleads for someone to save her soul, something that she paradoxically describes as “immortal”, from a “fate worse than death” – perhaps suffering? – while she recognizes she is destined to “implode and fade” – that is, to die and then be forgotten in a couple of months or years, the so called "law of death".

But then, just like every warrior that rebounds from a heavy hit in the heat of battle, she seems to believe she has what it takes to wield the sword and face her battle: “But all I need I bear inside”, she sings with the strongest sense of reaffirmation possible on “Broken Mirror”, in a time where the album is drifting closer to its end. Other possibility that would make all the sense in the world is that "Broken Mirror" was written in Juha's perspective, with the "lie" alluding to her death, to the fact that he doesn't want to believe it that her passing has happened. The double interpretation the song conveys adds a significant layer of power to it.

Then comes “Black Ocean”, that follows “Broken Mirror” perfectly in the sense that Aleah (re)starts believing that it is possible to claim the W in the battle (contrary to what happens in “My Requiem” and “Condemned to Silence”) but starts asking herself questions because she knew she had come that far, it wasn’t easy, and it is only going to get difficult. She entrusts herself to the waters of "deep and endless night", hoping they will give her the strength she needs to fight the remainder of the battle.

Finally, when closer “Gallows Bird” comes, she appears to be, once again, resigned with the possible outcome, only pleading the bird to deliver her from all the chains and regrets of the past so “she may find rest at last”. “Gallows Bird” is also the track that makes the album come full circle, continuing the eulogy that “My Requiem” started:

“As I bear you on board
A circle is formed
Horizon to horizon
Life begins where a journey ends”.

Melodically speaking, there’s not much to say that I haven’t already mentioned. We are dealing with a subgenre that is predominantly heavy, funereal and slow, and nothing really different from those traits will come out of this record. That may perhaps be the only flaw in “Hour of the Nightingale”: The lack of rhythmical diversity, as at the end of the day you may feel like you just listened to a collection of heart-wrenching ballads.

But aside from that, pretty much everything else is on point. The production is excellent and well-thought when it came to the main goal: Give Aleah’s voice the proper spotlight, turning the record into the most fascinating debut and, at the same time, the most beautiful swan-song ever. “Hour of the Nightingale” is an album that suffered a bit when it was released (it had the misfortune of coming out in the same year as Metallica, Megadeth and Gojira releases), but some of the brightest diamonds are those who are not immediately visible on the surface. That’s the case with this record and, sadly, with Aleah Stanbridge.

Godspeed, singing angel. Rest easy."

Hi all, I started writing some reviews recently and was wondering if anyone could provide some positives and negatives? I'm by no means a professional writer and plenty on this site do a lot better than me. I'm moreso just wanting to provide my input and review some albums/bands that lack attention. Maybe I could be a bit more flowery in my vocabulary, or get deeper into influences and comparisons? Think I probably have an issue with run-on sentences sometimes too lol.

Never do this, ever



Yes, do this instead

There's a difference between having a wide vocabulary and abusing a thesaurus. The english language has a ton of variety and if you're a nerd who read the dictionary for fun as a kid then by all means flex those linguistic muscles, but it's usually pretty easy to see when someone is just plugging in synonyms with no regard to context.



But yes truly this is the most important part. Describe the music, prove you know what you're talking about, give us a reason to listen to you.


EDIT: Okay I actually went and read your most recent one (for Ashbringer) and honestly the bones are all good. You touch on everything worth touching on, explain the variety on display, highlight what does and doesn't work and why, all around very solid review. Maybe the leadup talking about their previous work and the context about your initial impressions should proportionally take less time but it's not overbearing so really it's just a nitpick because I'm looking at it with a critical eye. I think any improvements you can make are just going to come naturally as you continue to write and develop your voice.

Thanks for the feedback! I agree that I should focus more on how the album actually sounds, what it's being influenced by and what you should expect a bit more intimately. I pumped out a couple reviews in the queue the past day that I hope touched on those aspects a little more. I don't want my own background & experience to overtake a review, and should start leaving that as more of a brief background or structural component when necessary. Definitely still new to this though and seeing some of my own flaws and bad habits when crafting them, so trying to improve on those things as I go, no matter how many people actually read them.

Also should probably get in the habit of having the album playing the whole time I'm writing it, seeing if a specific moment sticks out to me that I can describe well-enough to a reader who's not yet experiencing it. I think I'm being overly vague at times in my descriptions, but I also don't want to make something too extensive for a reader who's just curious if they want to check something out.

I should caveat my comment above by saying that intentionally seeking 'to be a bit more flowery' is always a bad move, but using the variety of words that best suit the situation is a good one.
There are a whole bunch of reviews on this site which are borderline unreadable due to their over-wordy pretentiousness.



This idea has plenty to recommend it. Interestingly, I only ever do this in the drafting/splurging phase of writing. I never listen to the album when I'm doing the final text (I don't want to get distracted by it because I should know what I want to say by that point).

Using the thesaurus is an art - you've to use your seventh sense to deduct just which word will fit properly. When you read it back to yourself, you'll know!

By the way, quick shout out to Doigt Dormant for his slick steerage towards the Sydney Taylor approved Vandenberg...(I'll have to check out her blog if she's as erudite as he claims).

I had a couple of reviews rejected. My review style is pretty short, and I cover albums which are kind of forgotten or a bit different from the mainstream. Are rejections usually related to albums not being metal enough, or reviews not being enough one thing or too much another? Not that it's very important in the grand scheme of things, but what is the most common way of fixing reviews so they work better?

I'm aiming to write 100 reviews, but I prefer to keep things compact. One issue is having to repeat adjectives. Metal will do metal things, and you have to talk about it. Anyway, hopefully some albums currently without reviews will get them. I usually review things I have the cd or cassette for, but obviously checking out stuff on youtube makes sense too.

Is there any way to encourage younger people to keep metal archives as their music encyclopaedia? otherwise it's just a bunch of gen-xers and millennials in an echo chamber.

Don't think it would be that at all. I reviewed a metalcore and deathcore album this week and they got approved pretty quickly. It's more likely a content issue, so you might have to be more specific or post an example of something that got rejected.

That Tristania album was underrated at the time. it was maybe a bit flowery for its own good, but the drum tones and china cymbal were immense if I recall

Was that your review?

That Tristania album was underrated at the time. it was maybe a bit flowery for its own good, but the drum tones and china cymbal were immense if I recall[/quote]

Was that your review?[/quote]

No, it's just an album I bought at the time, and the main memories were it was quite good, a little effete, but a very nice drum sound.

I'm not sure if I've seen your reviews in the queue myself, but I can guess generally why they might be rejected. First, if the album is on the website, you can review it, whether it's "proper metal" or not. That won't get a review rejected. Usually brief reviews will be rejected because they lack enough detail or because they don't describe the general sound of the album clearly enough. If you would like help with any of the rejected ones, post them in this thread. Someone will give some suggestions sooner or later.


It's good to have a big target in mind, but seriously try to make each review count. There's no prize for writing the most reviews. When you look back on them, knowing that you've done a good job and surely helped someone looking for info on the music will be your main reward. You will have to repeat stuff from time to time, but you'll also develop a quicker way to reference various metal tropes. Reading other reviews will also help get a feel for how people do that generally.

the main issue is that there are only so many ways to describe things without using stock words, and for people who speak English secondarily, I don't want to use high level English, well just because it sounds like a political speech, and people only have so much time to slog through a review.

Oh well, it's all just rock music anyway, and doesn't matter that much in the grand scheme.

Please, let me know what to improve on my review, this is my 5th review that was rejected. It is about Lorna Shore - Pain Remains. Thank you.

I have heard many interesting reviews so far about this, and I´m positive that this is overrated and overhated at the same time. I´ve seen here reviews in percentages like 25% or 40%, but don´t get me wrong, those people are saying 100% truth about this "black and white" album. But LS fanboys and fangirls still can´t accept it, because that´s their first "heavy" thing they´ve ever listened to besides Metallica and Limp Bizkit (I don´t have a problem with these bands).

Whatever, just fuck off! We are here for my review, and after you patiently read this one, you´ll have mixed expectations for this album. So first off, is "Pain Remains" actually that good? Yes, I even dare to say it´s great, but nowhere near being awesome or being a masterpiece. The album is heavy enough to nobly surprise old Sepultura fans and elitists that hate "Roots" without a single valid argument. Yea, the thing is heavy, but just in breakdowns, so please don´t be surprised. Okay, back to the question. Yes, I think the album is good; it has nice written riffs that perfectly manage to sound perfect. This thing is a lot more melodic than some "...And I Return Nothingness" or old, but awesome "Immortal". With these riffs, we´re hearing some nice symphony behind all of it, which I really like. You can clearly see that they were pretty much influenced by the symphonic black metal gods "Dimmu Borgir".

Second question, please! Is the songwriting, the whole construction, and the creativity of the album at a good level? Ehh, not really. You know that there is a drummer named Austin Archey; he´s an awesome drummer for blastbeats, but that's all, I think. The drums are mostly just based on "how long can I handle blastbeats and goofy ahh double bass kicks without going to the hospital?" I can´t feel here any emotions, because I think that drums talk emotions the same way vocals do, honor to Dave McGraw from CD. But the drumming of Mr. Archey feels "unnatural and unclean!" They feel as if the drummer was some robot, but at least make the programming process better, like it was real, like Mortician did, because that is a lot better drumming. But the thing that I hate most is that the snare drum has a really abnoxious sound that feels like *twank*. Besides that, I would love to hear more mid-tempo drumming than just blastbeats and *twank* sounds. Songs that are more creative are the Pain Remains trilogy, "Wrath" and "Soulless Existence".

All people are saying that Will Ramos is the best vocalist on Earth. Is it true? Well, that would leave me here for like a few hours, but let´s just cut it in half. The vocals of our beloved Will Ramos are amazing, and that´s like the best thing on the whole album. He has awesome "guttural-like" growls, then some "high" pitched vocals, but the only problem is that he isn´t the best vocalist; for me, it´s easily Travis Ryan from CD (please don´t be triggered by my opinion). He doesn´t have that much vocal range because he sounds almost the same on every song, unlike Travis.

Breakdowns...ehh...there´s nothing to actually say about them. There´s no surprise for you in breakdowns; all of them sound the same, and all of them sound so heavy that you would like to headbang so hard that you will most likely drill "Into The Earth".

Yeah, we are at the finest end of this review, so what can we expect from "Pain Remains"? Dear reader, expect awesome vocals by Will Ramos that have nice guttural growls and high-pitched screams, because that will be the best thing in the end. I definitely recommend you the most underrated song "Trilogy" without any video clip, and those songs are "Soulless Existence", "Apotheosis" and "Wrath". Then, expect fast-ass drumming by talented Austin Archey, who will most likely become your favorite drummer of all time. Do expect nice guitar melodies and a nice symphony behind all of the construction of the songs. "Pain Remains" is an album that will be forever remembered as the most "overrated and overhated album of modern metal"...

Favourite songs: Soulless Existence, Wrath, Pain Remains I, II

Least favourite songs: Welcome Back, O´ Sleeping Dreamer, Into The Earth

So the structure of your review is fine, and you talk about the music nearly enough (more would be better). You sort of describe what the album sounds like, but not in any detail. Most of the time you are just listing things you like and dislike though, without saying what they sound like. We know that there are breakdowns, symphonic parts, blasting, low and high vocals. That still covers a lot of ground, so what makes this different from other albums? Different from other LS albums? This will improve the quality a lot. Here's the absolute worst example that tells the reader nothing at all:


And...so will making it less annoying. You start off with so many assumptions about your reader and LS fans that it's really hard to know where the review actually starts. Sure, you can point out that Pain Remains has had a mixed reception, but no need to bring up irrelevant examples like Sepultura or Metallica. All the exaggeration is tiring too, because you do it with everything: how good/bad the album is, the drummer, the vocals, LS fanboys. Exaggerating so much stops the review from sounding truthful; as you say yourself, it's not all black and white. Besides that, you're speaking to the reader, so please give them a little respect. Telling them they're going to be triggered if you like CD? They came to your review to hear about LS. Hopefully you can think about why these features may be annoying to read and focus more on what the music sounds like and supporting your opinions.

Tuning in just to add that anybody writing 'goofy ahh' in a completely serious way should be institutionalized, but it might also be just me finally completing my transition to a full-fledged boomer.

Cattle Decapitation was and will always be vicious enough to make this good music! And now I present to all of you the great follow-up named "Anthropocene Extinction" that is welcoming us in a world where people are the sea animals being eaten alive by plastic bullshit, which East is still throwing to the sea and ocean in this age, like they don´t care.

So, what was the CD´s point in making this album? Well, they always managed to write music and lyrics, which are based on mostly us (people); how we f**k with Earth, how we treat animals (I'm a meat eater), and other things, and this album is no different. Anthropocene is again about people being killed by plastic they threw in the sea and ocean.
On the artwork, we can see a man and a woman behind him who ended up with the same fate as I mentioned before. The artwork itself has a nice blue/green-like touch with color and a cold, tragedic, and depressive atmosphere, which makes for a good view of the album.

But whatever, let´s talk about the music and emotions in this album! So, in the beginning, we have a nice intro where we hear the sound of sea waves. Later, the album starts with a song (one of the best ones) named "Manufactured Extinct," in which one a lullaby-like melody of guitars and slowdowned drums begins the song and ends with one of the best choruses in the history of metal.

I always liked about Cattle the fact that they managed to have many written riffs in just one song because they only last like 10 seconds (haha), but they appear at least twice on the song. I´ve seen a lot of hate towards the riffs, but for me personally, I don´t see anything wrong with riffs lasting so short because I like them!

In short, many people will like almost all the songs on the album as they age (in my case), but they will still have problem with one song named "Apex Blasphemy". Well, it isn´t necessarily a bad song; it has an awesome construction, but it´s not enough melodic, lacks a little heaviness, and the biggest problem is that it is barely enjoyable, but you can easily get rid of that just by pressing the button "skip", WARNING: IT DOESN´T WORK FOR VINYLS! But I can assure you that the song will one time age well; no need to be worried, dude!

Dave McGraw has once again "blastbeated" almost all of the drummers on Earth because he knows how to do them, but most importantly, he knows how to fu**ing diversify the drums! There´s always a section with blastbeats that´s long enough to amputate your hands, but he will easily do it and then put in some nice, melodic, and slowdowned drums. The best song to personally introduce you to this drumming is, I think, "Plagueborne".

I won´t talk about bass and vocals, because you can´t go wrong with Travis´s vocal screams and growls or Derek´s basswork, because all of it is outstanding.

Well, we have finally made it to the end, and I just want to thank CD for another stunning piece of music. "Anthropocene Extinction" is the best album made by CD and definitely one of the best in metal history. If you are going through a hard time, this album is right here for you. Anthropocene has melodic guitars, drums talking emotions, vocals full of emotional meanings, and a nice ending song "Pacific Grim", in which there's a high percentage of crying because of the anger, sadness, and emotions full of depression...

Favourite tracks: Manufactured Extinct, Clandestine Ways, Not Suitable For Life, Pacific Grim

Least favourite track: Apex Blasphemy

Short comments.

Better than the Lorna Shore one. Still not very specific. Examples below:


Why do you like them?


I'm a reader, I don't know what they sound like.


So it's not melodic but also not heavy? Also, I don't understand why it's not enjoyable.

In general, you focus a bit better on the actual music, although the introduction is still kind of pointless. The main thing I would change is to stop talking about one element at a time. First, cover art, now riffs, then drums, etc. Give us a big point, like why "this album is here for you through hard times," and explain it with examples.

Hi, I made a review on Pestilence album "Consuming Impulse" but my review is rejected and their reply why it was rejected is as the following:

The musical description is too brief or lacking altogether, and it doesn't give the reader a very detailed idea of what the album sounds like. You should ideally be describing the album to someone who doesn't know anything about it. Please note that saying something is 'great' alone does not suffice, without adequate description. Maybe take a look at some already accepted reviews to get some inspiration for that. Comparisons with other bands, if necessary, might be helpful as well.

And here is my review:
Now this is Death Metal!

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp While the debut album was heavily on the Thrash Metal side, this sophomore album is pure Death Metal. Considering that the most iconic albums of the genre was made in 1988-1990, this album is one of the contenders to be among those albums both production and sound-wise.

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The overall sound is great , the vocals are great, both rhytym and lead guitars are great, the drummer does his job although there is nothing special there. The only flaw with the sound is the bass guitar; it does nothing more than doubling the guitars. But it is no mystery when you know that they had no bass guitarist for the recording and the bass lines were played by Mameli. If they had a real bassist neverminda great one, the outcome would have been much better. It would have probably elevated the whole texture of the sound just like Thesseling did onSpheres.

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp The lyrics are also great, they are very insightful and quite mature with the exception of the first track.

<b>Highlights:</b> The Trauma, Out of the Body

<b>The average album score:</b> 75,90

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@EmrahUncu"><i><b> Check out my YouTube page!</b> </i></a>


How can I make this review acceptable by the admin I really don't know.

Well, the first thing is to read the comment sent by the admin. The musical description is very short, take a look at other reviews for the album to see that it's common for people to write 500 words or more. However, the important thing is that a reader of your review can understand what the music is like without listening to the album. So you can write about the genre, instruments, playing style, development between albums, comparisons to other bands, different songs, particular moments that stand out, weaker and stronger tracks, production, etc. You don't have to do all of these things, but a good review will have most of them.

Also, the end of your review is kind of like a list. The score is already included in the title, so you don't need to write it again. For the highlights, it's better to write these in a paragraph and give reasons why you think they are the best tracks. Don't put a link to your YouTube in the review, you can put it on your site profile if you like.