Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

wtf?

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

What a peanut.

I didn't mean to be a peanut....

I'm just confused. This whole review comes across so pompous and unnecessarily negative. You called it "one of the most disappointing albums all year". Why?! It's a Sevendust record. What the hell were you expecting? I don't know how anyone with knowledge of Sevendust could feel that way. Sevendust has been making a specific type of music for quite some time now. This is what they do and they do it well.

You don't have to like the band, and you don't have to like the record. But again, what is so disappointing? What were you expecting? You're this down on the record because it sounds too similar. They've made 11 other albums that sound similar (save for maybe their heavier self-titled debut). So that's the limit? 10 albums with a distinct sound, fine. At eleven, you're fed up? C'mon!

Derping hard here.

This album isn't weak because it's more of the same, it's weak because it sounds like a bunch of b-sides with shit tier production. If you disagree that's fine, but you're being a real jackass about it.

nice

Alright then, I'm going to derp some more...

That's your take, which is fine, but it's NOT the reviewer's take. He didn't say the production hurt the quality of the album. In fact, he literally says that the quality of the production "fails to effect [sic] the act's new music at all." He called it a saving grace.

His main criticism, pretty clearly, is that the songs sound recycled. He makes this criticism at least half a dozen times throughout the review, in one way or another. He references "recycling" 3 times in two paragraphs (and later uses the word rehashed). He even compares the album to a crumpled piece of paper, attempting to be flattened and reused (as if he needs to explain to the reader what recycling means). He also says, paradoxically, that the band is regressing into their past (what!?). He even accuses them of plagiarizing themselves.

I've slogged my way through this review several times, and the only other criticism I can find is that the group fails to deliver a socio-politically charged record.... Uh, I actually agree here. Then again, why on Earth would you expect a socio-politically charged album from Sevendust?

Look, I'll admit I'm being a jackass. But I think this review deserves the jackass treatment. What bothers me isn't that I disagree with the review (we all have our own opinions), it's how poorly written and poorly argued it is.

This review has thousands of views. It's the top Google search result for, "Sevendust All I See is War Review", and it reads like a C- paper from an 8th grader. At best.

I honestly don't know if this review annoyed me more as someone who is currently enjoying this album, or as someone who enjoys the written word.

Album Rating: 3.0

separate? interesting. Ever check out Follow?

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

You wanted the reviewers take so here goes. Thanks for leaving this tidy fucking mess for me to sort through after work. : ) Keep in mind that I’ll keep the discussion going as long as it’s in good nature, but you’re being a dick for I don’t know why?? If you’re not being a dick (for I don’t know why) then welcome to the dot com of sputnikmusic!!

This whole review comes across so pompous and unnecessarily negative.

It's a Sevendust record. What the hell were you expecting?

They've made 11 other albums that sound similar...

In fact, he literally says that the quality of the production "fails to effect [sic] the act's new music at all."

He even compares the album to a crumpled piece of paper, attempting to be flattened and reused (as if he needs to explain to the reader what recycling means).

He also says, paradoxically, that the band is regressing into their past (what!?). He even accuses them of plagiarizing themselves.

why on Earth would you expect a socio-politically charged album from Sevendust?

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

What bothers me isn't that I disagree with the review (we all have our own opinions), it's how poorly written and poorly argued it is.

This review has thousands of views. It's the top Google search result for, "Sevendust All I See is War Review",

and it reads like a C- paper from an 8th grader. At best.

I honestly don't know if this review annoyed me more as someone who is currently enjoying this album, or as someone who enjoys the written word.

Hey man. I legitimately appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns. I don't think much will be accomplished from me continuing to whine incessantly, but I do still have questions.

I'm still struggling with your thesis. I get that you were disappointed by the songwriting. I actually believe this is a valid point. I think, overall, Sevendust's songwriting has left something to be desired ever since Seasons. Their songs haven't lyrically resonated with me on their more recent albums (with a few exceptions). Overall though, all I'm really hearing is that you wanted the album to be better. How? I mean sonically, what is missing?

As for the theme of the album. They do make some broader social statements on this one, but if you were expecting lyrical messages in the vein of System, Rage, or APC, then you were setting yourself up for disappointment.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Can't say I agree with the review at all. Absolutely loved it, one of their best since Animosity.

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

"Overall though, all I'm really hearing is that you wanted the album to be better. How? I mean sonically, what is missing?"



Better songwriting. Tbh you kinda answered your own question.

"Better songwriting. Tbh you kinda answered your own question."

That's so vague though. I know he thinks the album could have been better lyrically, but that says nothing about the sound of the album. I'm just looking for clarification about what specifically didn't sound as good as he was expecting.

Bottom line, this album sounds like a good modern Sevendust album. I simply don't think the review is fair.

"Bottom line, this album sounds like a good modern Sevendust album. I simply don't think the review is fair."

That's YOUR opinion, you can't just state it as fact. The review is the reviewer's opinion. You can't call it unfair simply because you don't agree. You think the songwriting matches their usual standards, and he doesn't. The specifics don't matter.

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

Bottom line, this album sounds like a good modern Sevendust album. I simply don't think the review is fair."

"That's YOUR opinion, you can't just state it as fact. The review is the reviewer's opinion. You can't call it unfair simply because you don't agree. You think the songwriting matches their usual standards, and he doesn't. The specifics don't matter."

Yes and no. I'm just a stupid internet commenter, so it's expected that I'm merely going to lazily state my opinion. He, on the other hand, wrote up an actual review. I think there's an onus on him to actually give the specifics.

"You don’t get a free pass for being Band A, B, or C"

100% agree! There are plenty of bands who deviate drastically in style or quality from one album to the next. Take the last few albums from The Sword. I wasn't as down on them as most, but given the significant change to their sound, it didn't surprise me that people had negative reactions.

However, that's not the case here. This album is completely in step with what Sevendust has been doing. My point isn't, "this is a Sevendust album, thus it's automatically a decent record." My argument is something more like, "this Sevendust album is consistent in every way with the sound Sevendust has established (the riffs, Morgan's drumming, Lajon's vocals, the melodies, etc etc.), therefore, this album delivered what should have been expected.

I still haven't heard an actual complaint about the way the album sounds. I truly believe that this is just too much of the same for you. Which is fine. If you're truly sick of this same sound from Sevendust, then so be it. You can get bored with a band. It's probably happened to all of us. However, that doesn't make it a "poor" album.

Here's a perfect analogy that's completely true. Honestly, I'm kind of getting bored by Marvel movies. There have been so many of them, and they all sort of follow the same formula. That doesn't mean though, that I would say Infinity War is a "poor" movie. My superhero fatigue is not an indictment of Infinity War, and your Sevendust fatigue is not an indictment of All I See is War.

Finally, I can't help but be reminded of this quote from a critic on the Simpsons. "We see ''John Deere has come out with this year's line of rototillers. Surprise, surprise- they're green! I say it's time to send John Deere a Dear John."

Do you see anyone else complaining about a lack of detail in the review? Even people that strongly disagree with his score have said the review is good. You're the only person that seems to be getting bent out of shape over it. Nobody owes you the review that you seem to think you deserve to be reading. If have such a huge issue with this being the review that people are reading then maybe you need to write your own. Tick all those boxes that you deem oh so important for yourself. Surely it would get lots of attention, since Nocte has such a "tenuous grasp of the English language" I'm sure people would flock to read your majestic review.

"Do you see anyone else complaining about a lack of detail in the review? Even people that strongly disagree with his score have said the review is good. You're the only person that seems to be getting bent out of shape over it. Nobody owes you the review that you seem to think you deserve to be reading. If have such a huge issue with this being the review that people are reading then maybe you need to write your own. Tick all those boxes that you deem oh so important for yourself. Surely it would get lots of attention, since Nocte has such a "tenuous grasp of the English language" I'm sure people would flock to read your majestic review."

By this logic, Nocte shouldn't be criticizing the new Sevendust album unless he can personally write and record better music. You're insinuating that I can't criticize something unless I can personally do it better. That's clearly absurd. I'm not a critic. I'm not a writer. That doesn't mean I can't evaluate a review.

Anyway, we're way off topic now. I'm only coming back here because I'm still waiting for the reviewer to flesh out some of his criticisms of the actual music.

"You're insinuating that I can't criticize something unless I can personally do it better."

That's actually not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that you're asking that the reviewer pander to you and what you want to see in a review and that's fucking stupid. If you want a review to have certain qualities you can do it yourself. I'm not saying you HAVE to be able to do so to critique a review, simply that you should consider doing so instead of crying for something that nobody owes you. It would be a more productive use of your time.

Guess what? I'm not a writer either. But I have written reviews for this site when I found that there was something I wanted to say about an album that I didn't see other people saying. I didn't go into other people's reviews and bitch at them for not covering the topics that I wanted covered.

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

omfg this thread is great