Rate the album you last listened to

[killer_roach]

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)
9.5/10

Easily the best of SW's solo albums, and a solid contender for the best album he's ever released. Dark and melancholy in tone, with excellent counterpoint between rhythmic, jazz-influenced percussion and intricate melodic lines on vocals and guitar, the album invokes comparisons to Van Der Graaf Generator and Larks' Tongues-era King Crimson while still remaining stylistically strong enough to stand on its own.


The Fall Of Every Season - Amends
7.5/10

One-man Norwegian death/doom project that could be compared pretty closely to Amorphis and recent Opeth (in particular Watershed and Ghost Reveries). Sprawling epic compositions and melodic counterpoint serve the project well, but the depth of instrumental ideas at times is more limited than I would like to see from an album that features four songs over eleven minutes in length. Very enjoyable regardless.

[StoneHead37]

Rubber Soul (1966), The Beatles

Just an amazing album, one of my favorite from The Beatles. Songs like Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), I'm Looking Through You and If I Needed Someone are simply immortal.

9.0 out of 10.0

[killer_roach]

Stoned Jesus - Seven Thunders Roar
6.5/10

Capable stoner rock/neo-psych that might be a bit too laid back for its own good, often fitting three minutes of music into ten minutes of song (or, in the case of "I'm The Mountain", six minutes into sixteen). While not enough melodic or textural ideas to really grab the listener, and not pulling off the ambient elements of stoner rock as well as some of their contemporaries, it is, nonetheless, an enjoyable, meandering trip of an album.


Eisenherz - Fluch Der Zeit
5/10

Capable, but ultimately mostly forgettable, Neue Deutsche Harte album that tries incorporating some elements of Goth rock and American-style progressive metal, but mostly just chugs along with a handful of samey-sounding riffs and some reasonably impressive vocals. If you're a Rammstein fan and need something new to listen to, go right ahead (although I'd probably guide you toward something like Megaherz first).


Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance
9/10

Excellent album that some are calling "black'n'roll" (a nod to "death'n'roll" pioneers Gorefest), but might be better described as blackened crust punk. Regardless, the effort is intensely atmospheric while still carrying an almost primal sense of power to it. Pacing is spot-on (even on the epic "Leave No Cross Unturned"), melodic and rhythmic ideas are varied and well-developed, and as a whole results in a strange, but overall compelling, mix.

[Runesmith]

Eisenherz - Fluch Der Zeit
5/10

Capable, but ultimately mostly forgettable, Neue Deutsche Harte album that tries incorporating some elements of Goth rock and American-style progressive metal, but mostly just chugs along with a handful of samey-sounding riffs and some reasonably impressive vocals. If you're a Rammstein fan and need something new to listen to, go right ahead (although I'd probably guide you toward something like Megaherz first).

Love these guys. In a just world Megaherz would be just as famous as Rammstein (if not moreso).

I second the Darkthrone review, too.

[GandWuser]

Fosca - On Earth To Make The Numbers Up (7/10)

Decent indie synth pop, with noticeably Smiths-y lyrics and sound. A bit on the forgettable side, but has a few memorable moments.

[MrFruitLord]

New Youth Lagoon gets an 8/10

[LordFlatus]

Turbonegro: Party Animals (the album with DLC song "Wasted Again" on it)

Just listened to this and was thoroughly impressed. They bill themselves as "deathpunk", but they don't sound like what I would envision that moniker to be. This album sounds to me like a heavily punk influenced hard rock, and I really like it. I like the song Wasted Again and turns out I like this whole album. I give it an "A".

[Obscura13]

Reign in Blood - 100000 out of 10!! haha Best album ever!!

[Logan812]

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime - 8/10

I've been having a concept album marathon. :P

[killer_roach]

Combat Astronomy - Kundalini Apocalypse
6.75/10

Industrial band with a fair bit of djent influence and considerable use of woodwind instrumentation. While a lot of the actual riffing is repetitive (and pretty much ripping Meshuggah off wholesale), the more melodic and atmospheric elements (where the winds come into the mix) are really quite impressive.


Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part Two)
7/10

Stronger than their debut, and taking a somewhat heavier turn, this pop/prog outfit releases the album nobody thought they'd ever finish (after their original equipment was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy). They're still a band in search of direction, but there's potential here amid the drifting.


Spock's Beard - Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep
7.5/10

Although original frontman Neal Morse returned to help write a couple of songs on this album, make no mistake - SB now is in the Ted Leonard era, and are moving away from the late 90's heavy alternative influence that they took on under second lead singer (and original drummer) Nick D'Virgilio toward a slightly proggier AOR sound (think a midway point between Kansas and Journey and you've got the idea) apart from the Morse-written tracks (which sound like the angular, quirky progressive pop that they played 10-15 years ago). While Leonard's vocal chops leave a bit to be desired, and the selection of tracks doesn't completely gel, this is a band that once again seems to be standing on its own feet.