ariich’s new album roulette, v. totally mad (The End Again: post-roulette Train)

[Elite]

I'd feign surprise but just based on what you sent me in your roulette I knew this one was ariich-bait 

where does this sudden roulette-optimism come from?

[ariich]

This is starting to be painful and a bit nerve-wrecking

I'd feign surprise but just based on what you sent me in your roulette I knew this one was ariich-bait 

In fairness, what I sent in your roulette was very heavily weighted towards stuff I thought you'd like and, crucially, didn't know already, so it was a pretty limited to pool to choose from. My general tastes are a lot more varied.

But if you're feeling this confident now then I look forward to hearing what else you've got in store!

[Crow]

you've probably also listened to this one more than  k have, I only just got it and have only spun it twice so far

[ariich]

you've probably also listened to this one more than  k have, I only just got it and have only spun it twice so far

In that case yes. I'm managing three listens to each album.

[King Postwhore]

The last 3 Roulettes I've been in, the first few rounds I'm always getting my results last and it's torture for me but I'm starting to think pleasure for the ones running the show.

[ariich]

The last 3 Roulettes I've been in, the first few rounds I'm always getting my results last and it's torture for me but I'm starting to think pleasure for the ones running the show.

*makes mental note to leave Joe right to the end*

[King Postwhore]

*figured*

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Dayum... You really not such a fan of the prog/neo-rock, huh?  That Mystery album is on par with Milliontown, imo.  I always equated Mystery closer to Yes - considering vocalist David Benoit sang and toured for Yes back in '11/'12.

TASTES!

I didn't know that... wow. Yeah, that Mystery album is awesome indeed. Gonna be a tight squeeze to the next round... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQUgUpaRmQ

Should have sent that ^ album instead, what a shame.

I love The Expendables.

[ariich]

Dayum... You really not such a fan of the prog/neo-rock, huh?  That Mystery album is on par with Milliontown, imo.  I always equated Mystery closer to Yes - considering vocalist David Benoit sang and toured for Yes back in '11/'12.

TASTES!

I didn't know that... wow. Yeah, that Mystery album is awesome indeed. Gonna be a tight squeeze to the next round... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQUgUpaRmQ

Should have sent that ^ album instead, what a shame.

I love The Expendables.

That sounds pretty fun.

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Dayum... You really not such a fan of the prog/neo-rock, huh?  That Mystery album is on par with Milliontown, imo.  I always equated Mystery closer to Yes - considering vocalist David Benoit sang and toured for Yes back in '11/'12.

TASTES!

I didn't know that... wow. Yeah, that Mystery album is awesome indeed. Gonna be a tight squeeze to the next round... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQUgUpaRmQ

Should have sent that ^ album instead, what a shame.

I love The Expendables.

That sounds pretty fun.

I might just send you their self titled album if I make it to the next round...

[ariich]

Round One results, 9 of 18
First three results here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52779.msg2463026#msg2463026
Second three results here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52779.msg2463312#msg2463312

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The Bright Light Social Hour – Space Is Still the Place (2015), submitted by Nekov
First impression: Hmm, not sure I'm massively feeling this right now. It's got a nice vibe and a few good tracks especially later on, but overall it's not really grabbing me so far.

Final opinion: This is definitely a bit of a grower, and I found myself enjoying a little more after further listens. I think the album is at its best when creating warm, chilled out vibes, like Ghost Dance, Ouroboros and most of Escape Velocity. Whereas some of the more psychedelic stuff like Slipstream, while perfectly pleasant, doesn't do it for me so much. So a bit hit and miss really. You tapped into my tastes pretty well in the last roulette, but this is less successful I'm afraid.
Score: 7.0

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Cheap Trick – Dream Police (1979), submitted by Stadler
First impression: Enjoyable enough, but not something I can see myself being drawn to much. Feels like everything I'm going to get out of it, I got from the first listen. A couple of very cool songs though.

Final opinion: Yeah this is a fun album, but I was right in my expectation that I wouldn't really get anything from further listens. One thing I do rather enjoy is the way a few of the songs have a really cool section, even when the the main song is otherwise not particularly interesting. Gonna Raise Hell is a great example of this - a couple of awesome sections but the main tune I just find really quite bland. Need Your Love is also a really good song with a nice groove and good build up. But when they go more middle of the road 70s rock, I don't really feel anything. So yeah, enjoyable overall but ultimately too little of it interests me to make enough of an impression.
Score: 6.5

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Katatonia - Dead End Kings (2012), submitted by Lethean
First impression: Pretty much what I expected, which is no bad thing. Great mood and atmosphere, and lots of lovely vocal harmonies.

Final opinion: Well, you were lucky to find a band that I'd already heard two albums by but had rated them both 4 stars, so you could have felt pretty confident with this submission. As I said, it was pretty much what I expected from the other recent Katatonia albums I've heard, which of course is excellent. Their music is very warm and emotional but somehow dark and brooding and occasionally intense as well. I feel like you got away with it a bit here, but then it's also reminded me to keep checking out more of their music, which I planned to do a while ago and never did, so it's all good.
Score: 8.0

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Ranking so far

1   Parama: Odd Palace - Things To Place On The Moon - 8.5
2= Katt: Toto - IV - 8.0
2= Lethean: Katatonia - Dead End Kings - 8.0
4   Jingle: Evership – Evership - 7.5
5= Evermind: Mystery – The World Is a Game - 7.0
5= Elite: White Walls – Escape Artist - 7.0
5= Nekov: The Bright Light Social Hour – Space Is Still the Place - 7.0
8= Indiscipline: Gentle Giant – Acquiring The Taste - 6.5
8= Stadler: Cheap Trick – Dream Police - 6.5

[Elite]

Dayum... You really not such a fan of the prog/neo-rock, huh?  That Mystery album is on par with Milliontown, imo.  I always equated Mystery closer to Yes - considering vocalist David Benoit sang and toured for Yes back in '11/'12.

TASTES!

I didn't know that... wow. Yeah, that Mystery album is awesome indeed. Gonna be a tight squeeze to the next round... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQUgUpaRmQ

Should have sent that ^ album instead, what a shame.

I love The Expendables.

That sounds pretty fun.

I might just send you their self titled album if I make it to the next round...

Do it! I wrote my entie Master's thesis listening to that stuff :')

[jingle.boy]

1/2 way thru, and I'm right on the cut line.  Still not feeling optimistic - With the bunch that still has to be be revealed, I'm certain we'll see a more 8+ scores than what's already been revealed.

[Nekov]

Well, this was fun while it lasted.....

[Lethean]

Katatonia 

Glad you enjoyed that one!

[twosuitsluke]

I'm definitely feeling more confident than I did before results started coming in. Some of the tidbits that were like "I'm not really feeling this" were about other albums. I was convinced they were about mine so hopefully I'm getting through. Got so much good stuff to send!

[twosuitsluke]

Ok, so after eliminating the tidbits that have already had scores revealed, taking into account that I had to resend (thus sending late) and assuming that the tidbits were posted in the rough order they were submitted, then eliminating tidbits that I don't think could be about mine...

[ariich]

assuming that the tidbits were posted in the rough order they were submitted

This is not a correct assumption.

[TAC]

How many people are getting through?

[Elite]

17

[twosuitsluke]

After much calculating I'm going optimistic and saying #16

[ariich]

17

It's a very solid opening round and I sort of want everything scoring 7 and above to get through but that would end up making this the longest roulette ever.

I'm still deliberating on some scores but there's a reasonable chance I'm going to end up with an awkward break in terms of scores, and I'm not sure what I'll do if that happens...

[Stadler]

There's no place like home!  There's no place like home!  (Last place, out in the first round, that is.)

You're going to round up decimals for the cut line, right?  Like they did in college? 

[jingle.boy]

17

It's a very solid opening round and I sort of want everything scoring 7 and above to get through but that would end up making this the longest roulette ever.

Your point?

[King Postwhore]

The axe is coming.

[Nekov]

17

It's a very solid opening round and I sort of want everything scoring 7 and above to get through but that would end up making this the longest roulette ever.

Your point?

He knows he will have to axe some of the 7 scores and doesn't know how he will chose. Time to start sucking up to him....

[King Postwhore]

Chad sucks at sucking up.

[Evermind]

I can take another tiebreaker, if needed. Won't be too gutted if I don't get a chance to play though, I sent a lot of good stuff last time, need to give other people chance to send you great music too.

[Elite]

17

It's a very solid opening round and I sort of want everything scoring 7 and above to get through but that would end up making this the longest roulette ever.

Your point?

Indeed, the title says 'totally mad'. This is more like 'a little mad, but only if necessary'. Or 'stay up all night!, party wooo' and then going to bed at 1 am.

[ariich]

At this stage I'm pretty confident that 7s are all getting eliminated.

I could have kept you all in suspense for longer, but I don't want to be too mean and get your hopes up (what can I say, I'm just a nice guy). Ruslan and Diego, you were my finalists last time and sent me so much good music, so in a way it's a shame the first round hasn't gone your way this time, but then it also means more opportunity for new people so it's all good.

I've managed to get a shit load of listening done yesterday and today, so next batch of results should be up soon.

[Crow]

Corn

[ariich]

Some rather good albums this update...


Round One results, 12 of 18
First three results here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52779.msg2463026#msg2463026
Second three results here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52779.msg2463312#msg2463312
Third three results here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52779.msg2463467#msg2463467

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Rishloo – Living as Ghosts With Buildings as Teeth (2014), submitted by LordCost
First impression: Good variety and some strong melodies, particularly at the start of the album. Can't yet decide how much I like it - will take some more listens I think.

Final opinion: You were correct that this was not one of the Queen mentions. There are definitely some vocal moments that are a bit Freddy Mercury, but the music doesn't remind me of Queen at all. Whereas you mentioned The Mars Volta, and a minute into my first listen that was my thought too. I know you said in your submission that you're not keen on that opening track, but honestly it's one of my favourites. Maybe my favourite actually, it's just really dynamic and exciting and a bit quirky. Landmines is great too, I can see why it tends to go down well in roulettes. I barely remember Eidolon, but I rated it 3 stars years ago so clearly, while it was fine, I didn't love it. So thank you for taking a bit of a risk and introducing me to their more recent music, which is definitely more my thing. Strong melodies all over the album and some cool instrumental work. Would have scored even higher if the second half was as brilliant as the first.
Score: 8.0

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Ghost Brigade – IV - One with the Storm (2014), submitted by Luoto
First impression: I'm really digging this after one listen. A lot. Great atmosphere and energy, and nice punchy production. Definitely making it to round 2.

Final opinion: This album sits really well with me, for exactly the reasons in my first impressions. Interesting that RYM defines them as "atmospheric sludge metal", which is a phrase I hadn't read or heard before but appears to basically mean post-metal with vocals. It's got its post-metal elements for sure, but there's also quite a lot in common with really good melodic death metal bands such as Amorphis and Insomnium. Either way, they had a great blend of heavy and melodic stuff across the album, and all of it has a great nordic atmosphere and tight production that holds it all together very nicely. Shame they're no longer around but I'll check out their earlier work too.
Score: 8.5

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The World Is Quiet Here – Prologue (2018), submitted by Train
First impression: I dig it. This type of music needs solid hooks for me, and I'm not 100% sure from first listen, but there are great moments and more may come out on repeat listens.

Final opinion: I can definitely see the BTBAM similarity you mentioned. Kind of an interesting blend of the theatricality present in Coma/Automata with the schizophrenic heaviness of Alaska/Colors. This sort of technical, intense music does need certain hooks for me, otherwise I tend to find it too much. Thankfully this does enough, both in terms of the occasional strong melodies, but also other sections where the vocals might be heavy but the music is melodic and entertaining enough. Good variety across the album that keeps it exciting, and plenty of strong riffs and solid performances. It's far from perfect, but clearly this band is very new and this is an excellent debut.
Score: 8.0

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Ranking so far

1= Parama: Odd Palace - Things To Place On The Moon - 8.5
1= Luoto: Ghost Brigade – IV - One with the Storm - 8.5
3= Katt: Toto - IV - 8.0
3= Lethean: Katatonia - Dead End Kings - 8.0
3= LordCost: Rishloo – Living as Ghosts With Buildings as Teeth - 8.0
3= Train: The World Is Quiet Here – Prologue - 8.0
7   Jingle: Evership – Evership - 7.5
8= Evermind: Mystery – The World Is a Game - 7.0
8= Elite: White Walls – Escape Artist - 7.0
8= Nekov: The Bright Light Social Hour – Space Is Still the Place - 7.0
11= Indiscipline: Gentle Giant – Acquiring The Taste - 6.5
11= Stadler: Cheap Trick – Dream Police - 6.5

[Crow]

Dang, I wanna listen to The World is Quiet Here now

[King Postwhore]

I see you're holding true about leaving my results last.

[Elite]

Dang, I wanna listen to The World is Quiet Here now

Don't