OllieS
User

Reviews 19
Approval 86%

Soundoffs 34
News Articles 1
Band Edits + Tags 5
Album Edits 11

Album Ratings 434
Objectivity 73%

Last Active 07-06-22 12:42 am
Joined 04-25-08

Review Comments 2,280

Average Rating: 3.51
Rating Variance: 0.41
Objectivity Score: 73%
(Fairly Balanced)

Chart.

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2022
The Halo Effect Days of the Lost3.5

2021
Kauan Ice Fleet4.0

2020
A Crowd of Rebellion Zealot City4.0
Protest the Hero Palimpsest4.0
Bayaan Suno4.0

2019
Alcest Spiritual Instinct3.5
BABYMETAL Metal Galaxy3.5
Eternal Storm Come the Tide4.0

2018
Maximum the Hormone Korekara no Menkata Cottelee no Hanashi wo Shiyou4.0
Omnium Gatherum The Burning Cold4.0
Dance Gavin Dance Artificial Selection3.5
The Wonder Years Sister Cities2.5
Some good tracks but the production butchers it, so jagged, I really struggled listening to this after a while. It's a shame because 'Pyramids of Salt' is one of the best songs I've heard in a while, but the production just grates on me every time, headphones or speakers. One of the worst drum sounds I've heard in ages, really interferes with my listening.
Hop Along Bark Your Head Off, Dog4.0
Rolo Tomassi Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It4.0
In Vain (NO) Currents3.5

2017
Lorde Melodrama3.5
While She Sleeps You Are We3.0
Basically what's to be expected from poppy music (this being mainstream Metalcore). Extremely catchy but not a lot of depth to it; on repeated listens it's fairly dull in most places. Some quite cringe-worthy lyrics too. ("borders in the land that we roam // we pray for war like it's a ****ing religion // when greed is all we know". I'm politically left-wing but this just sounds embarrassing).rAll that said, the title track is excellent, so big credit to them for that. If you can write a song as good as that then your album is very much worth it. Based on that I'd say the album is a success overall, and its limits are, well, in effect, the limits of its genre.
The Menzingers After the Party4.0

2016
Kero Kero Bonito Bonito Generation2.0
Dance Gavin Dance Mothership4.0
The Hotelier Goodness2.5
Winterhorde Maestro2.5
Vektor Terminal Redux4.0
Grimner Frost Mot Eld4.0

2015
Sunless Rise Unrevealed4.0
Icarus the Owl Pilot Waves3.5
Parkway Drive Ire3.5
The Dear Hunter Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise2.5
Pretty dull music, I don't understand why it gets so much hype -- reminds of that boring Queensryche album in this sense
Iron Maiden The Book of Souls3.5
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster Wires/Dream\Wires4.0
We Lost the Sea Departure Songs4.0
Turnover Peripheral Vision4.0
Dance Gavin Dance Instant Gratification4.0
Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful2.0
Strung Out Transmission.Alpha.Delta4.0
Solefald World Metal. Kosmopolis Sud2.5
Blind Guardian Beyond the Red Mirror3.0

2014
Ne Obliviscaris Citadel4.0
Scar Symmetry The Singularity - Phase I: Neohumanity3.5
Closure in Moscow Pink Lemonade4.0
Trophy Scars Holy Vacants4.0
Harakiri for the Sky Aokigahara4.0
Delain The Human Contradiction3.0
The War On Drugs Lost in the Dream3.5
The Kindred Life in Lucidity3.0
The Hotelier Home, Like NoPlace Is There4.5
Whispered Shogunate Macabre3.0
Icarus the Owl Icarus the Owl3.5
Persuader The Fiction Maze3.5

2013
A Wilhelm Scream Partycrasher3.5
Close Your Eyes Line in the Sand3.5
Protest the Hero Volition4.0
Dance Gavin Dance Acceptance Speech3.5
Lorde Pure Heroine3.5
Illusion Suite Iron Cemetery3.5
Adrenalized Tales From The Last Generation4.0
Bosnian Rainbows Bosnian Rainbows3.0
August Burns Red Rescue & Restore4.0
Orphaned Land All Is One3.5
I the Mighty Satori3.0
Amorphis Circle4.0
The Ocean Pelagial3.5
Ling Tosite Sigure I'mperfect3.0
In Vain (NO) Aenigma4.0
Faun Von den Elben4.0

2012
Wintersun Time I1.5
Seeing these guys live last week really made me realise how appallingly bland and boring this album is. The songwriting has become simple - 'Land of snow and sorrow' is one of the most uneventful songs I've heard, dragged out to a painful 7 minutes (after they played it, I left the gig. This was the first time I've ever left a gig early before -- it was that bad). 'Sons of winter and stars' also has too little going on to justify its length, and is disjointed -- there is no clear progression or direction to it like say, 'Sadness and hate' off the s/t. The climax/chorus at the end, which is only built up to by the knowledge that the song must be over soon, is actually very bland and just relies on sounding big, rather than having any melody or creativity to it. Across the album, the drums are far too quiet in the mix and seem happy to just keep the beat (rather than do something interesting or crazy like in lots of parts of the s/t). The awesome guitar solos of the s/t have practically disappeared. Of course, I don't want just a carbon copy of the s/t; the problem with this 'Time 1' that unlike the s/t, it's not creative or challenging *at all*. It's boring and generic. If this wasn't Wintersun, people would see this as just a generic, boring album.
Darko From Trust To Conformity4.0
Propagandhi Failed States3.0
Ne Obliviscaris Portal of I3.5
There are many good things about 'Portal of I'. It is an example of how to be creative in a genre (extreme rMetal) which is often limited by an excessive focus on riffs and needing to be 'heavy'. Yet it can still provide rthe 'heavy', with excellent harsh vocals and an extremely focussed drum performance. The problem is that the rband hasn't yet harnessed or refined their creativity: many of the songs feel disjointed. There are many rexcellent passages, but these come randomly; indeed, the best parts of the album, the ends of 'Tapestry of rthe Starless Abstract' and 'Forget Not', are where there is a clear direction or journey towards the final, rfantastic passage. The disjointed nature of the songs hurts their flow, making them feel incomplete, even if rthey have excellent parts within. The other issue is the clean vocals aren't good enough to provide the depth rand melody they intend to add, limiting the potential of lots of the album. Add to this an extremely large ralbum length, which makes the album susceptible to being repetitive, and you have many problems which rcannot be overcome, despite the excellent songwriting and genius which this band does genuinely possess. I rlook forward to hearing more from them in the future, when the songwriting is refined.
In Mourning The Weight of Oceans3.0
The Menzingers On the Impossible Past2.5

2011
Nightwish Imaginaerum3.0
Theocracy As the World Bleeds2.5
Opeth Heritage2.5
August Burns Red Leveler3.5
Amorphis The Beginning of Times2.5
Touche Amore Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me3.5
Unexpect Fables of the Sleepless Empire3.5
Amaranthe Amaranthe3.5
Protest the Hero Scurrilous2.0
My initial problem with this album was that it sounded too similar to Fortress. My problem now is that it's worse than Fortress; it's almost like they wrote this before Fortress and then did an improved version, which turned out to be Fortress. The worrying signs on Fortress of the band becoming more technical at the expense of improving songwriting is proven true, as the songs are filled with more arbitrary time changes and lack direction in general. My issue is really how this happened: complex songwriting like what the band try to do successfully has been achieved on albums like Kezia; how did they somehow make their songs have less direction as time went on? Another issue is the abysmal lyrics, which are so poor they don't merit discussion. Also, the over-production which was creeping into Fortress blossoms here; the mix is so bloated I find the album hard to sit through in one sitting. The only positive note to be made is the first two tracks.
Almeida Fantastic Massacre4.0
Imagine if instead of becoming overly technical, atomised and over-produced, Protest the Hero made music after Kezia which built on it; this album would be it. Almeida manage to pull off quality, complex songs at an alarming rate for a debut, and with the fantastic guitar solos, varied songs and atmospheric passages, this deserves a listen.

2010
Amia Venera Landscape The Long Procession3.0
Solefald Norron Livskunst3.5
Talons Hollow Realm4.0
Amorphis Magic & Mayhem3.5
Tides of Man Dreamhouse3.0
Anberlin Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place2.0
Iron Maiden The Final Frontier3.5
Blind Guardian At the Edge of Time4.0
Winterhorde Underwatermoon4.0
There are many good things about 'Underwatermoon'. It is an example of how to be creative in a genre (extreme Metal) which is often limited by an excessive focus on riffs and needing to be 'heavy'. Yet it can still provide the 'heavy', with excellent harsh vocals and an extremely focussed drum performance. The problem is that the band hasn't yet harnessed or refined their creativity: many of the songs feel disjointed (see the title track and 'the Curse of Gypsy'). There are many excellent passages, but these come randomly; indeed, the best parts of the album, in 'Wreckage Ghost' ('I tried to follow her...') and 'Hunting the Human' (the first chorus), are where there is a clear direction or journey towards the climatic passage. The disjointed nature of the songs hurts their flow, making them feel bloated, even if there are excellent parts within them. The other issue is the clean vocals aren't good enough to provide the depth and melody they intend to add, limiting the potential of the parts where they're used; 'And Flames...' is fantastic due to the female vocals - on the others it seems the band is trying so hard to not sound like Power Metal that the clean vocals suffer. Add to this a large album length, which makes the songs susceptible to blending together, and you have many problems which cannot be overcome, despite the excellent songwriting and genius which this band definitely does possess. I look forward to hearing more from them in the future, when the songwriting is refined.
Avenged Sevenfold Nightmare3.5
Kvelertak Kvelertak4.0
Rosetta A Determinism of Morality4.0
Dead Letter Circus This Is The Warning2.5
As I Lay Dying The Powerless Rise3.0
The National High Violet4.0
Circa Survive Blue Sky Noise2.5
Barren Earth Curse of the Red River3.0
Avantasia The Wicked Symphony3.5
Kiuas Lustdriven4.0
Kalmah 12 Gauge3.5
Whispered Thousand Swords4.0
Orphaned Land The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR2.0
In Vain (NO) Mantra3.5
Todtgelichter Angst4.0

2009
A Wilhelm Scream A Wilhelm Scream3.0
Scar Symmetry Dark Matter Dimensions2.5
Savage Circus Of Doom And Death3.5
Baroness Blue Record3.5
HORSE the band Desperate Living3.5
Strung Out Agents of the Underground4.5
What can be said, another excellent release from Strung Out. Yes, the album lacks diversity. Yes, Jason is losing his voice. But these criticisms can be negated simply by looking at Agents Of The Underground in context. Strung Out have reached their pinnacle with their previous album Blackhawks Over Los Angeles - it was the perfect combination of the Punk, Metal and Hardcore that they've explored so passionately their whole career. With those eight albums they've influenced countless other bands (hell, listen to the radio and you'll hear them in Rise Against) and while never becoming close to famous, have become incredibly respected. This leads to the logical conclusion of the the album's title: Strung Out, throughout their career, have established themselves as the Agents of the Underground, those down-to-earth and respected but never in the spotlight. They've achieved their destiny. As such, Agents is practically written just for fun; the band aren't concerning themselves with writing anything new or diverse, they're just playing for the sake of music. And it's damn good.
Cormorant Metazoa3.5
fun. Aim and Ignite4.0
Persefone Shin-Ken3.5
Rx Bandits Mandala3.0
August Burns Red Constellations2.5
Lisa Mitchell Wonder3.5
Alexisonfire Old Crows / Young Cardinals3.0
Nightrage Wearing a Martyr's Crown4.0
The Mars Volta Octahedron3.5
Regina Spektor Far4.0
Amorphis Skyforger3.5
Emery ...In Shallow Seas We Sail3.5
Trail Of Tears Bloodstained Endurance2.5
Minsk With Echoes in the Movement of Stone3.5
Sights and Sounds Monolith4.0
Iron Maiden Flight 666: The Original Soundtrack4.0
Ling Tosite Sigure Just a Moment4.0
Closure in Moscow First Temple4.5
ISIS Wavering Radiant3.0
As Cities Burn Hell or High Water3.5
Silversun Pickups Swoon4.5
Bat For Lashes Two Suns4.0
Mastodon Crack the Skye3.0
Propagandhi Supporting Caste4.0
The Antlers Hospice4.0
Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion2.0
Woe Of Tyrants Kingdom of Might3.5

2008
Ikuinen Kaamos Closure3.0
La Dispute Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair 3.5
Theocracy Mirror of Souls4.0
Sadly, many Metal bands nowadays seem to lack ambition - not necessarily to do something new, just
something big, something epic, something complex; something ambitious. Theocracy is not one of such
bands. Except a few duller tracks (which limit my rating to a 4), the crazy OTT drums (exactly what is needed
in PM), the blurred choruses and verses, exceptionally melodic vocals and the twenty minute epic, this album
is a model of Power Metal done right. Give it a spin.
Cynic Traced in Air4.0
Traced In Air's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. The album's kernel point of 'the audible recording of air' does lead to impressive layered arrangements, mind-blowing instrumentation and great diversity, but hinders the album's potential to have many things tangible on it, let alone emotion. Still, once you get past all the insane amounts of layers you should find it a very enjoyable album.
Electric Six Flashy3.0
Much like Electric Six's previous album, lots of melody and the general happy atmosphere that made Fire and Switzerland what they were is sacrificed in favour of experimentation, which I guess is a good thing, but lots of it ends up going nowhere. For example, the first 2 minutes 'Graphic Designer' are some of the most straight-out awesome material the band has ever written, but the solo section has this utterly pointless, irritating scratchy section (hard to describe but you'll understand if you hear it), which really makes the song a lot less enjoyable. There are lots of other moments like this throughout, but let's not be too negative; there's still loads of untampered goodness to be found in this, as shown in 'Transatlantic Flight', 'Heavy Woman', 'Making Progress' and the title track. Good album, but check Fire or Switzerland if you want the band at their best.
Copeland You Are My Sunshine4.0
Rise Against Appeal to Reason3.5
I Set My Friends On Fire You Can't Spell Slaughter Without Laughter1.0
This album is terrible, as it contains no depth, originality, emotion, skill, and most importantly, passion for the music at hand. This is what music sounds like like when it's written and made with a computer (plus abhorrent harsh and clean vocals on top), and honestly it's one of the worst things I've ever heard. 'Hxc 2-Step' is actually worse than Brokencyde, if that's possible. Avoid.
Anberlin New Surrender3.5
All That Remains Overcome2.0
The Sound of Animals Fighting The Ocean and the Sun4.0
United Nations United Nations4.0
Into Eternity The Incurable Tragedy1.0
Underoath Lost in the Sound of Separation3.5
The Gaslight Anthem The '59 Sound3.5
Misery Signals Controller4.5
Equilibrium Sagas3.5
Scar Symmetry Holographic Universe4.0
Judas Priest Nostradamus1.0
Opeth Watershed2.5
Okay, I tried for 3 weeks to let this 'grow' on me, but it just didn't. It starts awesomely with Coil and Heir Apparent, then things get a bit weird with The Lotus Eater (that has its good parts but is really messy overall). Then we have Burden, which is nice, but feels like Mikael is just half-assing it songwriting wise. Porcelain Heart follows, which is similar to Burden albeit worse. Luckily Hessian Peel is a good song (although it drags in places), but I soon forget about that when the totally directionless Hex Omega is playing. And oh great, that's the album finished.
The song quality is just weaker on this. It feels like Mikael really half-assed lots of it (Burden, Porcelain, Hex) and the harsh and clean vocals lack the power they usually do. On the positives I did like the new drummer and guitarist (a bit of a different sound). This isn't terrible or anything, it just doesn't leave nearly the impression others did.
Kiuas The New Dark Age4.5
Moonsorrow Tulimyrsky4.0
Kalmah For the Revolution3.0
Mar De Grises Draining The Waterheart4.0
Closure in Moscow The Penance and the Patience3.0
In Flames A Sense of Purpose2.5
Firewind The Premonition3.5
Lydia Illuminate4.0
Draconian Turning Season Within2.0
Norther N3.5
Heaven Shall Burn Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)3.0
Bullet for My Valentine Scream Aim Fire2.5
Protest the Hero Fortress3.5
Better than I previously though. But where are the choruses? Bloodmeat is the best song, for obvious reasons to this reviewer.
The Mars Volta The Bedlam in Goliath4.5
In Mourning Shrouded Divine3.5

2007
The Ocean Precambrian3.0
The heaviness (big heavy guitars and harsh vocals) doesn't really work (especially with the post-metal-y context of the album) when they use it so much. 'Rhyacian' is the only song that really succeeds at what they're going for. Also, the album is way too long.
Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold3.5
Extremely experimental record, and even if some of the experiments fail, each song is fresh and creative, meaning the album is difficult to get bored of. It seems the album has become trendy to hate, which is a shame, because there are some real gems here, such as 'Almost Easy' and 'Afterlife'. 'Brompton Cocktail' is a fantastic atmospheric song if there ever was one, and 'A Little Piece Of Heaven' is a great multi-faceted song (extended choruses usually don't work, but they pulled it off), even if it takes a while to get used to. Also a shout-out to the Rev's drumming, powerful and creative, a model for most Metal drummers.
Say Anything In Defense of the Genre3.5
A Wilhelm Scream Career Suicide4.5
Rosetta Wake/Lift3.5
After Forever After Forever4.0
Nightwish Dark Passion Play4.0
Arch Enemy Rise of the Tyrant3.5
Between the Buried and Me Colors3.5
Amorphis Silent Waters5.0
Now I'm sure everything positive about this album that can be said has been said, and let me say I totally agree with all the immense praise this gets. From every song being excellent to the vocals which are literally to die for (they used 5, yes 5, backing vocalists for this), this album is just perfect in every way. Okay, there are small gripes like 'Enigma' killing the Metal feel of the album, 'I Of Crimson Blood' having a dragged out intro (at that point) and 'The White Swan' having a weaker chorus than all the other tracks, but those do not hold this back from perfection. I rarely give the 'Classic' rating, but this deserves it 100%.
HORSE the band A Natural Death3.0
Atreyu Lead Sails Paper Anchor3.0
Epica The Divine Conspiracy3.0
Ling Tosite Sigure Inspiration Is Dead3.5
As I Lay Dying An Ocean Between Us4.0
Strung Out Blackhawks Over Los Angeles4.5
Kamelot Ghost Opera3.0
The Pax Cecilia Blessed Are The Bonds3.5
Becoming The Archetype The Physics of Fire3.0
Be'lakor The Frail Tide3.0
Dark Tranquillity Fiction4.0
Wolfchant A Pagan Storm3.0
Chevelle Vena Sera3.5
In Vain (NO) The Latter Rain5.0
Echoes of Eternity The Forgotten Goddess2.0
Anberlin Cities4.5
Tristania Illumination3.0

2006
Killswitch Engage As Daylight Dies3.5
Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me4.0
Sorry guys, I just don't get the whole 'connection' thing with this. 'Degausser' is a great song musically, however.
Solefald Black For Death: An Icelandic Odyssey Part 23.5
ISIS In the Absence of Truth4.0
Winterhorde Nebula3.5
Rx Bandits ...And the Battle Begun3.5
Saosin Saosin3.5
Emilie Autumn Opheliac3.5
The Mars Volta Amputechture3.5
Persefone Core3.5
Blind Guardian A Twist in the Myth4.0
Alexisonfire Crisis4.5
Iron Maiden A Matter of Life and Death3.5
Unexpect In a Flesh Aquarium4.0
Insomnium Above the Weeping World4.0
Unearth III: In the Eyes of Fire3.5
Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain4.0
All That Remains The Fall of Ideals3.0
Rise Against The Sufferer and the Witness4.5
Underoath Define the Great Line3.0
Regina Spektor Begin To Hope2.5
SikTh Death of a Dead Day3.5
Kiuas Reformation3.5
Persuader When Eden Burns3.5
Tool 10,000 Days4.0
Cult of Luna Somewhere Along the Highway3.5
I Am Robot and Proud The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing3.0
Amorphis Eclipse3.0
Savage Circus Dreamland Manor4.0
Daylight Dies Dismantling Devotion5.0
In Flames Come Clarity4.0
DragonForce Inhuman Rampage2.5

2005
Aquaria Luxaeterna3.5
Electric Six Switzerland3.5
Not the most consistent album, but loads of amazing stuff inside. From the perfect intro of 'The Band In Hell' to the opening Piano roll of 'I Buy The Drugs' to the inanely catch chorus of 'Pulling The Plug On The Party', I was thinking this was the best album I'd ever heard. 'Pink Flamingos' and 'I Wish This Song Was Louder' bring in the filler at full force, but 'Slices of You', (which is arguably the best song in the entire Electric 6 discography) saves it. The last 3 tracks are average to bad (despite a great chorus in 'Germans in Mexico'), but the album is certainly worth it for its good stuff. And of course, Electric 6 maintain their natural charm and awesome lyrics.
Arsis A Diamond for Disease3.5
Propagandhi Potemkin City Limits3.5
Gamma Ray Majestic4.0
Solefald Red For Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey Part 13.0
HORSE the band The Mechanical Hand3.5
Coheed and Cambria From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness4.0
Arcturus Sideshow Symphonies2.0
Sonic Syndicate Eden Fire1.5
Scar Symmetry Symmetric in Design4.0
Opeth Ghost Reveries3.5
Protest the Hero Kezia4.0
Silverstein Discovering the Waterfront3.0
A Wilhelm Scream Ruiner3.5
Arch Enemy Doomsday Machine3.5
Scary Kids Scaring Kids The City Sleeps In Flames3.0
Demons and Wizards Touched by the Crimson King4.0
While it has no killer standout track like 'Fiddler On The Green' in the s/t, Demons and Wizards' second offering tops the s/t by its relentless quality and diversity, further proving Hansi and Jon are masters of Power Metal. 'Touched...' sounds scarcely like the s/t (and avoids some of the generic moments, ie 'Blood On My Hands', 'Winter Of Souls'), yet still maintains Jon's killer riffs (title track, 'Loves Tragedy Asunder'), Hansi's exceptional layered vocals ('Seize the Day', 'Wicked Witch') and enough hooks to last you a long time. Although it has one too many slow songs and is a bit bizarre in places ('Terror Train'), the band deserves major credit for recording a brutally heavy cover of Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song'.
dredg Catch Without Arms3.5
Funeral for a Friend Hours3.0
Dream Theater Octavarium3.0
Avenged Sevenfold City of Evil3.5
Why the hell is this as low as 3.4? The answer is simple: haters gonna hate
The Receiving End of Sirens Between the Heart and the Synapse3.0
Kamelot The Black Halo3.5
The Mars Volta Frances the Mute4.0
Electric Six Senor Smoke3.5
The Sound of Animals Fighting Tiger and the Duke3.5
Tristania Ashes3.5
Anberlin Never Take Friendship Personal3.5
Dark Tranquillity Character3.5
Draconian Arcane Rain Fell4.0
Into Eternity Buried in Oblivion2.5
Kiuas The Spirit of Ukko4.5

2004
Strung Out Exile In Oblivion4.0
Within Temptation The Silent Force3.5
Cult of Luna Salvation3.5
ISIS Panopticon5.0
Pain of Salvation Be2.5
Trans-Siberian Orchestra The Lost Christmas Eve3.0
Probably the cheesiest album ever (for better or for worse). Some great tracks (the title track is spectacular), but also tons of filler. Worth a few listens.
The Blood Brothers Crimes3.5
Nightwish Once3.5
Wintersun Wintersun4.0
Arcade Fire Funeral3.0
Mastodon Leviathan3.5
Rise Against Siren Song of the Counter Culture4.0
Say Anything ...Is a Real Boy4.5
Unearth The Oncoming Storm4.0
Underoath They're Only Chasing Safety3.0
Alexisonfire Watch Out!4.0
Killswitch Engage The End of Heartache3.5
Haggard Eppur si muove4.0
The growls in this are as beastly as hell, yet there's constant melodies with the orchestra; Symphonic Death Metal, as an idea, actually executed well. It's a shame the songs keep stopping and starting/the orchestral passages drag on needlessly.
A Wilhelm Scream Mute Print3.5
Norther Death Unlimited2.5
Tarot Suffer Our Pleasures3.0
Orphaned Land Mabool (The Story of the Three Sons...)5.0
Persuader Evolution Purgatory4.0
Circle Takes the Square As the Roots Undo5.0
Disillusion Back to Times of Splendor3.5
Iced Earth The Glorious Burden4.0

2003
Dream Theater Train of Thought4.0
Funeral for a Friend Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation3.5
Coheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 33.5
Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism4.0
HORSE the band R. Borlax4.0
Thursday War All the Time4.0
Iron Maiden Dance of Death3.5
Avenged Sevenfold Waking the Fallen3.0
Arch Enemy Anthems of Rebellion3.0
Edge of Sanity Crimson II3.5
SikTh The Trees Are Dead and Dried Out, Wait for Something Wild2.5
Kalmah Swampsong4.0
The Mars Volta De-Loused in the Comatorium4.0
Saosin Translating the Name4.0
Electric Six Fire3.5
Hot Cross Cryonics4.0
Moonsorrow Kivenkantaja3.0
Anberlin Blueprints for the Black Market3.0
Motion City Soundtrack I Am the Movie3.0
Opeth Damnation3.5
Rise Against Revolutions per Minute4.0
Solefald In Harmonia Universali3.5
AFI Sing the Sorrow3.5
Sonata Arctica Winterheart's Guild3.5
Lost Horizon A Flame to the Ground Beneath4.0
Overrated but still excellent. You have to get used to how the songs stop kinda stop and start often, which is fine in a band like Haggard but when these guys are often playing things that are fast and intense, it feels a bit odd that they will stop for a bit then carry on. Apart from that, and some really bad/weird parts (the terrible solo at the end of 'Cry of a restless soul' and the part at the end of 'Again will the fire burn'), the songwriting is generally on point.r
DragonForce Valley of the Damned3.0
Machine Men Scars and Wounds3.5
Theocracy Theocracy3.5

2002
Porcupine Tree In Absentia3.5
Shadows Fall The Art of Balance3.5
Trail Of Tears A New Dimension Of Might3.0
Glassjaw Worship and Tribute3.5
Dark Tranquillity Damage Done4.0
Sirenia At Sixes And Sevens3.0
It is a grave shame for Metal and music in general that Morten left Tristania (to form this sucky band). This is
because the songs on 'Widow's Weeds' and 'Beyond the Veil', most of which incredible, were collectively
written. Without each other, Morten and Tristania's subsequent efforts were both subpar to the sum of their
collective songwriters (and continued to get worse). While this is the best Sirenia album, Morten's songwriting
is only as good as he can do himself: extremely solid and rhythmic, but lacking the interesting aspects and
melodies (which the keyboardist mostly contributed) making the work in Tristania so magical. As such,
songwriting wise, this album is basically a boring version of Tristania. The instrumental work doesn't merit
much discussion, while the female vocals sound weak (definitely not the (most of the time) powerful soprano
needed for this style of Gothic Metal). The male vocals are very good, and there are a few catchy moments,
however, the record remains merely above average and not anything special.
Norther Dreams of Endless War4.0
Against Me! Reinventing Axl Rose4.0
Kalmah They Will Return4.0
Strung Out An American Paradox3.5
dredg El Cielo4.0
Blind Guardian A Night at the Opera5.0
Pain of Salvation Remedy Lane4.0
HammerFall Crimson Thunder3.5
Rocket From The Tombs The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs3.5
Agalloch The Mantle4.0

2001
Tristania World of Glass3.5
Solefald Pills Against The Ageless Ills2.5
Gamma Ray No World Order3.5
Sigh Imaginary Sonicscape4.0
Kamelot Karma3.5
Tool Lateralus4.0
Arch Enemy Wages of Sin2.5
Opeth Blackwater Park4.5
Propagandhi Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes3.5
Ensiferum Ensiferum3.5
Iced Earth Horror Show3.0

2000
Kalmah Swamplord3.5
Avantasia The Metal Opera3.0
Garden of Shadows Oracle Moon3.5
In Flames Clayman4.0
Persuader The Hunter3.0
Iron Maiden Brave New World4.5
Children of Bodom Follow the Reaper4.0
Haggard Awaking the Centuries3.5
Demons and Wizards Demons & Wizards4.5
Nightwish Wishmaster2.5

1999
Opeth Still Life4.0
Tristania Beyond the Veil4.5
In Flames Colony3.5
Arch Enemy Burning Bridges4.0
Children of Bodom Hatebreeder2.0
Godspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada4.0
Rage Against the Machine The Battle of Los Angeles3.5
Sonata Arctica Ecliptica3.5
Immortal At the Heart of Winter3.5
Our Lady Peace Happiness...3.5
Solefald Neonism4.0
Agalloch Pale Folklore4.5

1998
The Offspring Americana4.0
Death The Sound of Perseverance4.0
Iced Earth Something Wicked This Way Comes3.5
Blind Guardian Nightfall in Middle-Earth3.5
Tristania Widow's Weeds4.5
Dan Swano Moontower4.0
Nightwish Oceanborn3.5
The Sins of Thy Beloved Lake of Sorrow3.0

1997
Haggard And Thou Shalt Trust the Seer3.5
Godspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞4.0
Ulver Nattens Madrigal3.5
The Offspring Ixnay on the Hombre3.5
October Tide Rain Without End3.0
Solefald The Linear Scaffold4.5

1996
Saturnus Paradise Belongs to You3.5
Tool Ænima3.0
Theatre Of Tragedy Velvet Darkness They Fear3.0
Amorphis Elegy3.5
Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire3.5
Ulver Kveldssanger3.5

1995
Dark Tranquillity The Gallery4.0
Anti-Flag Die For the Government3.0
Nightfall Athenian Echoes3.0
Mixing Melodeath and Black Metal doesn't work, as this album demonstrates. This is because the catchiness, heaviness and general feel of Melodeath cannot work alongside drony, sparse Black Metal atmospheres. The track least influenced by Black Metal is hence the best: 'Isthar (Celebrate Your Beauty)' feels exciting and intense, and has a nasty guitar solo. Sadly the rest of the album, with its preoccupation with Black Metal-y atmosphere, just drones and meanders on without anything to grab the listener.
Gamma Ray Land of the Free4.0
Blind Guardian Imaginations from the Other Side5.0
Ulver Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler3.5
My Dying Bride The Angel and the Dark River3.5

1994
Megadeth Youthanasia2.5
Tiamat Wildhoney3.0
Edge of Sanity Purgatory Afterglow3.5
Amorphis Tales from the Thousand Lakes4.0
Live Throwing Copper3.5

1993
Carcass Heartwork2.5

1992
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine4.5
Dream Theater Images and Words3.5
Blind Guardian Somewhere Far Beyond4.5
Faith No More Angel Dust3.5

1991
Dan Reed Network The Heat4.5
Amazing album. It's perhaps a bit too long and some tracks aren't necessary, but most of it is incredibly catchy funky Rock which is super easy to listen to and enjoy. Don't let my 'funky Rock' tag fool you however; this album is incredibly diverse, with Hip-Hop, Pop, Country and Gospel all worked in smoothly. The band themselves are stellar: the vocals are delivered perfectly, the lyrics slay, the rhythm section is amazing (especially the drumming) and the keyboard and guitars create some great melodies. I first heard it about 10 years ago, and 'Blame It On The Moon' and the title track still to this day remain as some of my favourite songs. Highly recommended, even though barely anyone has heard of this band.

1990
Blind Guardian Tales from the Twilight World3.5
Judas Priest Painkiller4.0

1989
Aerosmith Pump3.5
Faith No More The Real Thing4.0
Skid Row Skid Row3.5

1988
Living Colour Vivid3.5
Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime2.5
The only song here that felt like it had some real energy to it was the opener ('Revolution Calling'), but
it's still basically 80s rock and not much else. It's fun, but nothing really special. Same with the rest of
the album. The vocals are kinda monotone / never really varied, and the lyrics/story is nothing special
(I actually thought it was kinda cheesy in places, couldn't really see anything profound about it). Given
all the high reviews of this, I thought there must be something I'm missing...I played it to some friends
(who have good taste), and they thought the exact same - it's just dull 80s rock. Out of all the high-
rated albums on Sputnik, this one I just cannot for the life of me understand how it's so highly rated. I
have no idea what others are hearing.
Iron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh Son4.0

1987
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction4.5

1986
Slayer Reign in Blood2.0
Peter Gabriel So4.5
Metallica Master of Puppets2.0

1985
Kate Bush Hounds of Love4.0

1984
Iron Maiden Powerslave4.0
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A.3.0
Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith3.5

1983
Dio Holy Diver3.5
Iron Maiden Piece of Mind4.5

1982
Kate Bush The Dreaming3.5
Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance3.5
Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast4.0

1980
Judas Priest British Steel2.0

1978
Judas Priest Stained Class3.5

1975
Jethro Tull Minstrel in the Gallery4.0

1974
Deep Purple Burn4.0

1972
Deep Purple Made in Japan4.0
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