Jaffa's Prog Rock and Metal Roulette - Final Results posted!!!

[wolfking]

Just googled Silent Memorial and realised Mike Anderson is the singer.  Why the hell don't I know about this band?

Chad's song sounds interesting too.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Woah, I'll have to check those two songs out ASAP. I've only heard the green carnation one. Really honored to be in the top 3 in this company, I'll send something tomorrow.

[Jaffa]

  That's cool man, I'm just messing, all is good.  The first song I initially sent was Riverside - Second Life Syndrome, but I was worried that it might not have been epic enough, you offering me to change just sealed the deal.  Knowing my luck it would have beaten Light of Day. 

Alright, I'll check out the Riverside track at some point.  Not right now, though.  I've had my fill of long-form songs for the moment. 

It's funny you mention Change of Seasons, I was listening to Retrospective yesterday, and had kind of the same thought.

That's a strange coincidence.  Nothing about it specifically reminded me of ACoS by the way, I just thought it had a similarly high standard of quality.  Which, like I said - there really aren't many songs at that level for me. 

Seriously, everybody who hasn't listened to Retrospective should do so.  You won't be disappointed.

Actually, that goes for all four of the songs.  If there's any you aren't familiar with, I strongly encourage you to check them out.  They're all amazing.  You guys kicked ass here. 

[wolfking]

The Riverside is only 15 minutes. 

[Jaffa]

Oh, right.  I was thinking it had been 25.  Not sure why. 

[lonestar]

Sent. Finals, here I come!!!!

[jingle.boy]

Will try to send tomorrow night, or Thursday morning, as I'm flying home tomorrow - which will give me time to figure out what to send

Kings... I'll need to PM you, as I don't think you'll find Dimension Act online anywhere (can't remember if they are on Spotify).

Sorry Someone... But this will be an epic fogey roulette showdown. Feel free to send Beardfish or some Steven Wilson shit. It ain't gonna matter.

Kade, you know I luv ya and all, but ...

But it's not the quantity that's boggling my mind, it's the quality. Three excellent songs so far. 

It's not like it's gonna matter. 

Told ya Kade!

BOOM!!

[lonestar]

Yup. It's up to you Chad, even you'll agree what I sent should put me in the finals.



See you there bro...

[jingle.boy]

So, I'm listening to the remaining tracks in my "Jaffa" playlist, and I'm really not sure how I can't send something from my 2013 Album of the Year.

99% sure what I'm sending, but I'll have a listen to this awesome playlist tomorrow anyway.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Sent, this will probably be a hit or miss but what the hell. I'm still happy with this result!

[wolfking]

Kade, you know I luv ya and all, but ...

But it's not the quantity that's boggling my mind, it's the quality. Three excellent songs so far. 

It's not like it's gonna matter. 

Told ya Kade!

BOOM!!

So, I'm listening to the remaining tracks in my "Jaffa" playlist, and I'm really not sure how I can't send something from my 2013 Album of the Year.

99% sure what I'm sending, but I'll have a listen to this awesome playlist tomorrow anyway.

Do it.

[Jaffa]

So, I'm listening to the remaining tracks in my "Jaffa" playlist, and I'm really not sure how I can't send something from my 2013 Album of the Year.

99% sure what I'm sending, but I'll have a listen to this awesome playlist tomorrow anyway.

I still feel honored that you have a Jaffa playlist.     Out of curiosity, how many songs are left on it?

Sent, this will probably be a hit or miss but what the hell. I'm still happy with this result!

It would have been a hit if that band wasn't on the restrictions list.  As it is, I'll have to ask you to pick something else.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  As I said in my PM, it's an understandable mistake; easy to forget that I made some restrictions, since there were so few of them. 

[SomeoneLikeHim]

 

Sent another one...

[Big Hath]

It's funny you mention Change of Seasons, I was listening to Retrospective yesterday, and had kind of the same thought.

a lot of the textures and transitions, especially early on are reminiscent of ACOS.

And I love that little "James Bond" section about 2/3 of the way through!

[jingle.boy]

So, I'm listening to the remaining tracks in my "Jaffa" playlist, and I'm really not sure how I can't send something from my 2013 Album of the Year.

99% sure what I'm sending, but I'll have a listen to this awesome playlist tomorrow anyway.

I still feel honored that you have a Jaffa playlist.     Out of curiosity, how many songs are left on it?

Well, to be fair, I've removed several as rounds/themes have past.  Right now, there are 47 songs on it, but that includes a bunch that others gave you.  You've received such awesome music, I had to create a playlist with the songs I had.  I think I've got about 20 possible submissions to chose from.  Like I said, I'm 99.9% sure I know what's coming your way.

And I need a backup song in case you've checked it out already.   

[jingle.boy]

Just wanted to say, Jaffa, those were four really good and insightful writeups on the songs.   

jingle.boy: Dimension Act – 'Drawing the Lines of Mortal Existence'
Heck, even if you chop it into pieces, the individual tracks are more than capable of standing on their own; the opening track could have been a strong contender in the instrumental round all by itself, with some stellar guitar playing and some jaw-dropping drumming, and those trends continue throughout the suite.  Excellent stuff.

Bingo.  I almost sent Pre-spective in the instrumental round.

Just googled Silent Memorial and realised Mike Anderson is the singer.  Why the hell don't I know about this band?

Um... yeah.  You should be all over that.

Sending PMs in a moment ... to the two Kings, so you can check the suite out.  And this round's submission to Jaffa.

[Jaffa]

Just wanted to say, Jaffa, those were four really good and insightful writeups on the songs.   

Well, thanks!  I appreciate that.  I'm trying my best to make them somewhat interesting. 

[Jaffa]

Just to let you know, I've already listened to all three songs multiple times each (it's a bit easier to do that when the average song length is about eight minutes, as opposed to last round's average song length of thirty-five minutes ), so I should have results ready within the next couple days.  I just need to decide on rankings at this point.  One of the songs is definitively my favorite of the three, but the other two are pretty close for me, so I'm not sure who I'm going to eliminate yet. 

I'll leave it up to each of you to wonder whether or not you're safe.   

[jingle.boy]

One of the songs is definitively my favorite of the three,

[lonestar]

Please let it not be his. There's nothing more obnoxious than a cocky Chad.

[jingle.boy]

[Jaffa]

So if I post results on Monday, you'll suddenly be really nervous about it?

[jingle.boy]

Search your feelings Jaffa. You know them to be true.

[King Postwhore]

Please let it not be his. There's nothing more obnoxious than a cocky Chad.

Sounds like a Canadian drink.

[lonestar]

So if I post results on Monday, you'll suddenly be really nervous about it?

Nah, I'll just ignore the hoser.

[King Postwhore]

So if I post results on Monday, you'll suddenly be really nervous about it?

Nah, I'll just ignore the hoser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f_KJat6_Ys

[jingle.boy]

So if I post results on Monday, you'll suddenly be really nervous about it?

Nah, I'll just ignore the hoser.

No ignorance will be needed on your part.  I won't be posting since I'll be on a boat.

[King Postwhore]

 

[lonestar]

Well played chinsplash.

[Jaffa]

And speaking of DX crotch chops... [Triple H voice]ARE... YOU... READYYYYYY?[/Triple H voice]  [Road Dogg voice]Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages... D-Generation X Jaffa proudly brings to you, it's WWF Tag Team Champions of the wooooorld...[/Road Dogg voice] the results of round nine.

... Okay, so that was preposterously lame of me.  The point is, results time.


SomeoneLikeHim: Riverside – ‘Escalator Shrine’
This song is downright hypnotic.  It is very atmospheric, and it does a great job establishing its atmosphere right off the bat with the acoustic intro.  With a smooth flow and a great rhythm, it sucks you into its world and never lets you go; as soon as the mesmeric main riff kicked in, I was spellbound.  The singer enhances the effect with smooth, dreamy vocals that fit in beautifully with the texture of the music.  The bass plays a pretty important role, too; some of the bass playing is just terrific, and it really holds the song together.  And then you get to the first little instrumental passage, and the song really comes alive.  On first listen, I was actually disappointed when the music slowed back down again, but I’ve come to appreciate the flow the song has as a whole, the way it builds.  It’s very fluid, with ebbs and flows and highs and lows, but it always maintains its ambience and its identity.  Very impressive.  This one doesn’t really have any major standout moments for me, but it’s consistently very good. 

lonestar: Kingcrow – ‘The Hatch’
Actually, I would say some of the same things about this one as I said about the Riverside song.  This, too, is very atmospheric, with the vocal harmonies establishing a really interesting mood right off the bat, and the music here also has a somewhat hypnotic quality to it.  But while the Riverside song feels a little subdued, this one is a lot more explosive and energetic at times, especially during the chorus and some of the heavier guitar passages.  And speaking of the heavier guitar passages, I have to give the guitar player a lot of credit; he displays a lot of range in this song, from the softer and lighter playing early on in the song to the crunchy riffs and awesome solos that kick in later.  The singer also does a good job adapting his voice as the music progresses.  His voice has a unique style to it, and it works just as well during the soaring chorus as it does during the sort of voices-in-your-head harsh-whispers passage a couple minutes into the song.  No real complaints, here.  At first, some parts of the instrumental passage felt a little out of place to me, but I think they actually fit in pretty well with the somewhat chaotic feeling that underlines the song.  Pretty sweet! 

jingle.boy: Magnus Karlsson – ‘Not My Saviour’
  You and I do seem to be on the same page when it comes to the fast-paced heavy-metal rockers, and this song is no exception.  Pretty fucking awesome.  I feel like it’s a fairly straightforward song, at least by prog standards; the structure is pretty simple, and there’s very little fluff.  It’s concise and lean, taking an aggressive no-nonsense approach that, in my experience, isn’t very common in the genre.  Not that it's simple, because it isn't; there are lots of flourishes here and there that keep things interesting.  But it’s short and sweet and to the point (again, by prog standards).  Driven by pounding drums and superb guitar playing, this one packs a hell of a punch.  Definitely would have been a contender in the adrenaline rush round.  I’m also really impressed with the vocalist.  His voice has a distinct gritty edge to it, but he still sings with a lot of passion and emotion, striking a great balance.  Very powerful vocal performance.   And I know I already mentioned the guitar playing, but I’m going to mention it again, because damn.  The solo in particular is fantastic.  He really rips it up.  This is a song with a lot of high points and no real low ones.  Great stuff all around. 

Round Nine rankings:
1. jingle.boy
2. lonestar
3. SomeoneLikeHim

Yes, well done, Chad, ya cocky bastard.    Not My Saviour definitively won the round, earning jingle.boy a spot in the final round.  Well played, good sir. 

After that, the other two songs were pretty neck and neck for second place.  Both songs are great, but neither really blew me away.  They’re also somewhat similar in ways, in that they’re both very atmospheric pieces of music with distinct moods holding them together.  Bottom line, I had trouble picking a clear favorite between the two.  In order to make a decision, I ended up taking previous rounds into consideration.  When I think about all the songs I’ve received in this entire roulette, Frequency, Triumph of Irreality, and Retrospective are all favorites of mine, and at the end of the day, I just need to see what lonestar has left up his sleeve for the final. 

Sorry, SomeoneLikeHim.  It was a tough call, but you’re eliminated.  I hope you can be satisfied with making it this far, because you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of; you played very well.  You’ve sent me some absolutely wonderful songs yourself, and I’m truly grateful.  I’m so glad you decided to sign up for this!  Thanks so much for participating, and I hope you had fun.

… And then there were two. 

Round Ten: The Final

This is it, folks.  RJ vs. Chad, lonestar vs. jingle.boy, the Chef vs. the Deceased Dictator.  A match-up for the ages.

It comes down to two roulette veterans.  A bit boring of me, I guess, but you’ve both earned your places in the final.  You’ve played very well, and this should make for a pretty epic showdown.  Good luck to both of you. 

No theme for the final round.  I'll go ahead and discontinue the ten minute warning, too.  Just hit me with your best shots, gentlemen. 

[Lucien]

Vegetables vs. Bacon!

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Oh, well. I'm really happy with a place in the top 3 and I was running out of bands anyway.

The reason I haven't competed in other roulettes is because of how limited my music library is so I'm really glad I got the chance here. I had a great time and I wish the best of luck to the two finalists!

[Jaffa]

The reason I haven't competed in other roulettes is because of how limited my music library is so I'm really glad I got the chance here.

Well, regardless of how limited you library might be, you were able to open my eyes to some incredible music, and that's what matters to me.  At the very least, I'll be buying that Moon Safari album as soon as I can find it, and I'll be exploring Porcupine Tree and The Flower Kings more, too.  So I think you did great.  Once again, I'm very glad you decided to choose mine as your first roulette to participate in.  And I'm glad you had fun, too. 

[King Postwhore]

Get the Geritol ready.  It's old fart on old fart crime.

[lonestar]

Yeah, I couldn't have chosen between Riverside and Kingcrow either, very neck and neck songs for me, but hell yeah to being in the finals.



YO!!!!! Belcher!!! I'm coming for you bro!!!!

And you know what I'm sending, so you better dig deep sister!!!!!