I think you're referring to Heartwork in the first bit of your comment. I think you may be right and I've been trying to force it a bit! I'll give it a rest for a bit. On the "riffs just aren't there" I might have been a bit exaggerated. But I've never found the riffs catch my ear as much as the 2 albums prior. Obviously Buried Dreams opens with a monster of a riff, but I find after the first song or two, it all kinda blends together.

On Heartwork being tough to find. I've gone to countless record stores in my country and never found a new copy on the shelves. Earache's distribution in my country is brutal. Thankfully I've since found the label's bandcamp and used that to fill out a lot of back catalogs of my favourites. I know Heartwork's hsd a million pressings, but the CD has been ever-evasive in my time as a CD collector. I've seen a few new copies on vinyl in stores over the years though!

Appreciate the feedback. I don't think Heartwork deserves a super reactionary and hostile 0. I don't hate the album by any stretch. It's an album I've listened to a ton, and it's never gotten an outright negative reaction in my head.

Thanks again!

Sorry my bad yes I was referring to your Heartwork review not Necro.

Next order of business...AnnableFuckinCourts...To Mega Therion, 14 reviews, all are in the 90 to 100% range, except 2 at 80% and then along came fuckin Annable, spouted a load of bullshit about it and then slapped it with 65%. Now here's someone who doesn't get it at fuckin all and has a long and proven track record of that.

Agree with aidane, super enjoyable and detailed reads so far! Always nice to see new faces critiquing with reason and common sense instead of bashing popular stuff right from the start.

I'd be ok with a complete purge of Annable Courts reviews from the site. Terrible taste.

Problem with the To Mega Therion review isn't the score, but the shitty points that Annable tries to make. I mean a poor man's 1985 Slayer?!

Well he's wrong about the score too. That's one of metal's all-timers.

Shit review really, I don't get what he wants from it, a bunch more variety and random shit in there for no reason, or what? The idea that everything has to have some checkmarks checked for variety seems weird and pointless to me. The album just is what it is at some point. Talk about it in a deeper way even if you don't like it.

Ultimately I'm not sure there was much attempt at really understanding the music, seems like a shallow attempt just fired off for no real reason.

My man gave Melissa a 35% calling it "Tepid, hollow, genuinely unconvincing fraud" Dude's beyond redemption.

At some point maybe he should just admit he doesn't really like metal the way most of us do; it's fine, there's plenty of other music out there.

Thanks man! Glad to hear.

I've read the Heartwork one
Simply said: it was clear, it said enough about the album and it gave me enough information about you and your perception. In other words, well done!
I don't need more

Just took a gander at said turd of a review, and I think it's safe to say that Annable is trying to be some weird hybrid of Bitterman and Human666, though lacking the coherent elitist philosophy of the former and the bizarre yet coherent contrarianism of the latter. I think I won't bother reading any more of their dreck, a full day of binge-watching Hallmark Channel would be more fulfilling.

This made me laugh louder than I should have.

I'm glad to see natrix picking up the pace with his mordant spew of reviews the past couple of months, notably those sardonic Slayer ones. It's also amazing to realize he's been around the site for almost as far back as its commencement, when many of today's MA legends weren't even born!

And here we've the record for most full-lengths released by a band since Blowvid:

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Do ... 3540457860

What's also nuts is how each one is three tracks long, but still over at least half an hour; the albums covers are also quite cool.

(Maybe we should check out one finally!)

I´m here to discuss my review because it got rejected by moderator named "Napalm_Satan", who rejected my review because of my opinion on CJ McMahon. I didn´t said anything bad about trans/gay people, and I even said in my review "you´re free to disagree", so if you do so, then good for you, I expressed my opinion in a very good way and I also said I don´t have a problem with a disagreement, just respect for me. And this moderator literally rejected it because he didn´t agree with my opinion and he only discussed the first paragraph of my review. He didn´t give a fuck about the other paragraphs, which were only about music and that angers me the most. And then I´ve found out that he´s gay(good for him). If I have to edit the 1st paragraph just a little bit, then tell me, I don´t have a problem with that at all, but this is a democracy not a communism where "actions, come with consequences". And of course there are people who agree and disagree with me, but I don´t have a problem with that at all cost.

"This album was supposed to be a masterpiece, you know, like Jupiter was supposed to be a star, but it failed, unfortunately. People were telling me stuff like, "Human Target" is really all just a controversy! But when this album is finally released, do you still think? I don't think so. THIS album is controversial. It depicts the incident that happened between CJ and its band when, that morning/evening we all (fans) found out that CJ was unfortunately fired. I don't want to get too political or get too deep into this incident, but he said his own "dark" truth about a mother who was literally harassing her 2-3-year-old child by saying, "You can be both woman and man." And CJ was of course pissed off, so he expressed his own opinion on social media, and many (trans/gay) people started to hate him and mostly the band. And the band didn't want to be remembered with a "bad" name, so they basically fired him, hired a new singer, and re-recorded the whole album with their new vocalist behind CJ's back. And no one cares about CJ being backstabbed by the band, and that's the most sad part about it. You're free to disagree (just don't call me a bigot), if you think Tyler (the new singer) is better than CJ, good for you. But this is an album review, so I won't write about it more, but it still needed the credit it deserved."

The other paragraphs are only about music, please respond and I´d like to report the moderator as well for not letting me express my opinion without any swears almost, and I was actually saying there that "you´re free to disagree".

Thank you,
yourmother47

And to this, I´d like to show you what the moderator wrote to me, here you go:

CJ was kicked out for a very good reason. Bro was literally saying, or implying, that he was cool with *burning a mother and child to death* because the mother said to the child 'you can be whatever you want', basically. And ngl, framing that as 'harassment' is... well, stupid and silly - very questionable at least. So is trying to paint this as a reasonable reaction to that, because it's not; it's deranged.

When he caught flak and was thrown out of the band for that, he wasn't 'betrayed', he faced the consequences of his own actions. It's an incredibly disgusting, inexcusable thing to say, lol. Most other open transphobes of prominence even know not to take it THAT far openly, for the sake of optics. This dude is just psychotic, clearly. That he was replying to a Matt Walsh - you know, that quite openly paedophilic sack of shit. Where's your complaints of 'harassing' a child then huh?

Fuck outta here with trying to condone and excuse all that, and fuck CJ. Trans and gay people were right to turn on the guy. I am trans and gay myself, the dude is a sack of shit. Go complain about 'muh betrayal!!!!!11!' somewhere else.

I'll leave you with a quote from the band's statement on the matter, you would do well to take note of it:

'Everyone has their own right to free speech and to seek their truth. They are also free to receive the consequences that come with it.'

I don´t agree with the moderator on a single thing. I still respect her opinion but on the other hand, I tried to express my opinion very openly and without any sort of swearing (even if she said I didn´t do so), but she used many swears in her opinion. I´d like to report this moderator for not only her rejection of my review that wasn´t based on a single "valid" reason, but even for not letting me express my opinion. We live in a democracy, not in a communism where "her quote" does apply: "Actions come with consequences." Judging by her expression, she didn´t live and didn´t experienced single year in a "real" communism system so she shouldn´t firstly judge with "her quote" because I did experienced communism. I´ve already edited my review so not more people get offended but I will still stand for my opinion no matter what. I like to support this site, I like to write reviews so more people will have a bigger knowledge about music and I don´t have a problem when my review si rejected based on valid reasons like (poor formatting, uninteresting things to talk to or try to tell us what is in your opinion good and bad). If you think I´m wrong, then I don´t know what should I do next, I want my review to be here on this site, and when it will be rejected again, then write to me why it was rejected and give me reasons. I don´t want to let some entitled moderator to shit on my head because her opinion is different, I have already said: "you´re free to disagree". When you´re deaf or blind then go see a doctor = problem solved.
Best regards,
yourmother47

LOL, ok boomer

"I don't want to get too political", you wrote in your review, then you followed it up with a long tirade defending extremely violent transphobia. If you actually sincerely don't hate gay and trans people, you would not be trying to justify this, let alone double down on this. "Don't call me a bigot", yes I will actually. Kicking out a band member for being bigoted is not "betrayal", only bigots would think otherwise, period.

As for "democracy" and "communism", this is a private website and we don't owe you shit. Your review will not stand, and I've permanently closed your account as a result as well. Because honestly, even if you weren't defending a bigoted asshole, anyone who invokes "communism" when discussing the right to post on a private website is too stupid to be allowed in. Go away.

Also, that's *she, thank you very much.

Ok, Genx-er here.
Who the hell is C.J. McMahon?

The former vocalist of Thy Art is Murder. He was kicked out of the band for remarks/insinuations that were uh, *extremely* transphobic.

I've to say, reading 'thrall's exciting Rust In Peace review is my reward for writing this long-suffering Steel Witch review for an album which now compels me to grab an electric axe so I can pursue sophomoric mastery of "Lucretia" and "Tornado Of Souls"...I'm also digging reviews by CelestialEmissary and Evil_Biff_Tannen.

What am I reading, man? How can this be a review from 2024?

https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/ ... 666/243542

Big agree, and happy to see he gave Youthanasia a positive nod. Lucretia is so underrated

Absolutely! I'm twitching to get a guitar again now as I'd begun learning Lucretia shortly after moving here, but sadly gave up once I got a ps5 (eventually selling the ole Squier for peanuts last Summer, thinking I could never improve). However, because my eyes are getting messed up due to over playing video games, I need to steer myself back towards musical engagement. Although it's a shame I let my addictions over the years get in the way of pursuing a love of the guitar, I just came back from browsing at the music store and spied a chill violet Kramer I could buy in a couple payments...Also, Youthanasia brings back awesome memories, particularly my old pal Olivier who ate slept and breathed Megadeth back in the day. ("Train of Consequences" and "The Killing Road" sound like perfect tablature fodder for the newly reborn aspirant!)

https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/ ... ll/385642/


... and at the end of the review:

Maybe it would have been even be lower than that, in case he wrote even more there.

I told myself that if I can until go until Wednesday without a cigarette, I'll earmark 300$ towards a decent starter guitar...(too bad frigging Telus ruined any chance of financing).

(It's a trade-off, the only way I can budget in the guitar is if I cut out the morbid expense which is tobacco).

My first choice, without a doubt, is for the Jackson JS22 Dinky, but it's hard to find, out of stock everywhere...

https://www.long-mcquade.com/124614/Gui ... -Black.htm

It looks killer, at a price that can't be beat; I might actually just order it at the store.

Glad to hear it! Working on a few reviews right now. Working on a review of Trouble's Psalm 9 right now. I do a radio show where I do album reviews on-air periodically, so that usually gives me an idea of what to review next.

Awesome choice! Right now, I'm re-listening to an old stoner rock classic, and will surely transpose the experience in written form, soon enough.

Anyone else get weird vibes IJzerklompje's Spheres review?
More than a third of the whole review, (the first two paragraphs) is about sonic the hedgehog and kelly shafer smoking weed.
Definitely a love it or hate it album but it doesn't remind me of Sonic bonus levels personally

https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/ ... je/1995961

Yeah, good point actually. I think the review does meet the criteria as far as describing it goes but those two tangents in the introduction there really do the review no favours; whatever point is trying to be made there is clearly lost. Rejected, with a note about writing a better, more on-topic introduction.

The whole idea behind the pompous introduction was to provide the review, which contains quite controversial opinions delivered through amateurish point of view, a safer landing by making it more tongue-in-cheek than it really is. I saw plenty of older reviews out there with various foul metaphors and weird structuring so I automatically assumed mine was appropriate as well. However I kind of agree your point there, and I will submit more restrained and serious review some time later.

Naah I understand that; going on small tangents or making metaphors is fine... as long as it's in service of a point. It's not even that the structure is too odd or because of the foulness of the content, it is just because it didn't seem to add much to the points being made and took up a bunch of space in the review. There are definitely reviews that spend a lot of time on metaphors like that, but then it all circles around to the point in a way that made the whole journey actually seem necessary, and I'm not sure that was pulled off there.

Honestly, don't be afraid to just come out with an opinion even if it's an unpopular one that might not land with a lot of people; as long as it's well-reasoned there really is no issue there. And don't feel a need to be too I guess 'out there' or overcomplicate things - you can build up a distinct style with novel aspects over time, with practice and experience.

Also as an aside - whilst looking at existing reviews for examples of what flies is fine and encouraged, do be wary of drawing from a lot of much older reviews (from idk, the '00s, say) - our standards for what is acceptable generally have changed since then, and because of this there are doubtless reviews on the site today that would not be acceptable/are borderline.

lol sort of disappointed I didn't get a chance to see this

Thrilled to see UncleAsh return to the fore with his ear-opening Mean Mistreater review (having originally endeared me with his far flung Bedemon spiel from '07, years before I even set foot in the MA door). Fans of Savage Master and Hitter, you know what to do! I'm also intrigued by Heartbeast's Moon Wizard_Sirens review, and fondly reminded of Arch Enemy's golden age via that spot-on Burning Bridges spew.

Oh, quick question for gas: do you think the following is the same cool Widow band we dig from North Carolina? I'm mystified and would like to know!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CefC5_K ... yM&index=1

Definitely didn't mean to get the spheres review removed! Lol just thought it was discussion worthy
Don't disagree with the witching metal review per se but 0% is pretty harsh imo

Although I mostly agree with 'thrall's Cryptic Writings spiel, I've to say "Vortex" makes for excellent guitar tablature fodder for the aspiring shredder...

Me double checking to see whether autothrall had already reviewed Risk before or if he just straight up noped out of it. He already reviewed it in 2011 but the latter would’ve been really funny.

Then again, isn't it weird it's taken him this long to review a Megadeth album other than Risk, 13 and ZuperCollider (3 turnips alongside No World Hero), considering his towering numbers? Better late than never though, and he's doing a great job!

Not sure why but the video is unavailable. However, rather excellently, I was listening to "Nightlife" this morning

Oh, maybe it's because China isn't fond of the ole tube, eh? But yeah, I owe Widow a proper return, as so far, I've only heard snippets outside of Carved Into Stone. That "other" Widow though, I'm not sure; the logo and album art hints at the North Carolinians, but I need to listen further to make the connection, if any. (There really is no indication whatsoever, and it could just be some random Widow-er.) From what I've heard so far though, it reminds me of an old school proto rock/metal act in the vein of Pagan Altar and Pentagram. Imagine! A brand new killer Widow!

Sadly, I can't locate any Amulet tablature online, but I did spot some Night Demon - namely, for Full Speed Ahead and Welcome To The Night. Maybe in time, my ears will warm up enough to the point I can take a potshot at killer tunes such "Evil Cathedral" and "Dawn Rider", for example...Alternately, I'm having a blast unwinding JP's "White Heat, Red Hot" right now - I'll learn a bunch of Stained Class rhythm, but the wild, bird call leads will have to wait, as they're just nuts!

Also, chairs to TexanCycoThrasher's for steering me back to Sacred Blade, which I'd slotted on the ole mp3 player a while ago.