The Rating Thread

[len(songs)]

Yes - The Yes Album (1971)

Yours Is No Disgrace: 12/15

Clap: (12/15)

*Starship Trooper*: 15/15

I've Seen All Good People: 13/15

<A Venture>: 10/15

Perpetual Change: 13/15

 

Overall rating: D (Great/Very Good)

And Yes finally arrive, with new guitarist Steve Howe in tow, on the progressive scene. Though Kaye has still not improved (choosing to continue in the Yes/Time and a Word tradition of rather straightforward organ parts) Howe's presence brings a new dimension to their sound, bringing in jazz and country/western influences most prominently displayed on his solo acoustic piece "Clap". "Perpetual Change" features jazzy guitar and organ playing, while I once considered "Starship Trooper" the zenith of Yes's career (no longer however). The first of the "classic run" of Yes albums, and a masterful display of many of the best sides of their first two and next two albums.

Edited December 25, 2014 by len(songs)

[PolarizeMe]

Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down (2001)

 

*Dispossession*: 15/15

Chrome: 14/15

We Must Bury You: 12/15

Teargas: 15/15

I Transpire: 13/15

Tonight's Music: 15/15

Clean Today: 13/15

The Future Of Speech: 14/15

<Passing Bird>: 11/15

Sweet Nurse: 15/15

Don't Tell A Soul: 13/15

 

And on the 10th anniversary edition...

 

Sulfur: 15/15

March 4: 13/15

Help Me Disappear: 13/15

O' How I Enjoy The Light: 12/15

 

Overall score: F (All Time Great)

 

According to their record label Peaceville, this is the greatest album ever released in the label's whole history. Seems fair as this was the band's breakthrough record and equivalent of Opeth's Blackwater Park (both were released in the same year). Definitely got the most replay value of all the Katatonia albums for sure as it's got their most "pop"-ish sound while still being goth/alt rock/metal sound. Only real clunker moment for me in the whole album was the chorus of Passing Bird which contains the line "Too much f***ing emo" which I (and even my sister) thought of as a total fail lyric. Other than that, it's an all time great Katatonia album for me. I do think of this album as being one of my top 3 favorite Katatonia albums (along with Discouraged Ones and Brave Murder Day) and I think the rating I gave for this and Discouraged Ones (which I'll probably redo via an edit or something), reflects that.

[len(songs)]

So Segue, how is your project coming along?

[len(songs)]

*Pink Floyd - Animals (1977)*

<Pigs On The Wing, Part 1>: (10/15)

**Dogs**: 15/15

Pigs (3 Different Ones): 13/15

Sheep: 15/15

<Pigs On The Wing, Part 2>: (10/15)

 

Overall rating: E (Great)

Pink Floyd's greatest album is also one of their least known, at least within the "classic era". Honestly, it's not hard to see why, since it only contains 3 songs (not counting the pleasant, but somewhat insubstantial bookends "Pigs On The Wing"), each one over 10 minutes long, and which are much more aggressive than their better-known cousins on Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here. However, both of these contribute to my extreme enjoyment of the album, as each one fully justifies its length (well, maybe not Pigs, but it still rules) and takes advantage of the extended format. Dogs has taken, for me, the title of "favorite Pink Floyd song", while Sheep is not far behind. Pigs is slightly weaker than the rest, but it's still great, even the break in the middle (which some seem to despise for whatever reason). Overall an easy E, and by far my favorite Pink Floyd album.

Edited December 25, 2014 by len(songs)

[Mr. Not]

Sonata Arctica - Unia (2007)

13/15 In Black and White

13/15 Paid in Full

08/15 For the Sake of Revenge

10/15 It Won't Fade

09/15 Under Your Tree

12/15 Caleb

10/15 The Vice

11/15 My Dream's But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare

11/15 The Harvest

12/15 To Create a Warlike Feel

11/15 The World Forgotten, The Words Forbidden

10/15 Fly With the Black Swan

08/15 <Good Enough is Good Enough for me>

14/15 *They Follow*

 

Median score: 11/15

 

While only longer by their previous works by about 10 minutes, this album still is lengthy and diverse enough to have a feel similar to that of a double album. They lost a lot of fans and listeners over this album, but that doesn't mean Sonata Arctica screwed up in the least, I think it says more about the idiocy of then fan base... They were power metal fan who just wanted more of the same again, and that's actually a mentality I respect and have myself so long as it doesn't interfere by automatically denying new approaches and directions for a band.

[len(songs)]

I feel like every Friday I should make an index of that week's ratings/reviews. Anyone else think this is a good/bad idea?

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- In A Reverie (Century Media, 1999)

 

1. Circle 13/15

2. Stately Lover 14/15

3. Honeymoon Suite 12/15

4. My Wings 15/15

5. To Myself I Turned 12/15

6. Cold 14/15

7. <Reverie> 10/15

8. Veins Of Glass 15/15

9. *Falling Again* 15/15

 

Overall Rating: E

 

I will go on to do the debut self-titled EP, but I will focus on Lacuna Coil's full length releases for now.

 

In A Reverie is a classic goth-metal album, and it is astonishing just how well the album still stands considering the changes the bands music has faced over the years. Borrowing heavily from the likes of former tourmates The Gathering and Brit-Goth metal legends Paradise Lost, In A Reverie still features the near-perfect Lacuna Coil sound that the hearts of many modern music fans have fallen for.

 

Considering the band had a rushed recording time in the studio, whilst also having to adjust to a new lineup as well as polishing off the songs, Reverie has an almost demo-recording like feel that shows off the core talent of the band. Without the pristine production values of Shallow Life or the tight songwriting of Comalies or Karmacode, the debut has a sprawling, slightly unkempt approach to the music that makes it easy to warm to the band. Cristina Scabbia sounds very impressive, her voice soaring and deeply emotive, crooning hauntingly on Stately Lover one moment and ripping the front off your speakers on the ridiculously explosive My Wings next, all the while displaying a remarkable growth from her work on the previous years EP.

 

Andrea Ferro is on fire with this album as well. His confidence frequently matches Cristina's efforts and his voice adds a sense of otherworldliness to Veins Of Glass, and his fiery roars on My Wings (such a great song) help make the song the addictive LC classic that it is. The use of equal dual male/female vocals really adds depth and soul to the music, and aside from the almost overblown break up...rocker (it is hardly a ballad) Honeymoon Suite, it is nice to hear a metal band use this dynamic in a way that doesn't rely on the rather tiresome beauty and the beast approach many other gothic metal bands use. Cristina Scabbia would probably be able to destroy Andrea anyway. She is ridiculously feisty, and it is obvious from her work here that she does not need to rely on her pretty face to sell a song. She is blessed with a sensual, seductive set of pipes that relies on emotion and spontaneity, something which makes her stand out from her peers. Unlike Amy Lee, Tarja Turunen or Simone Simons, Cristina Scabbia is a self-trained vocalist. Which makes her recording career utterly flabbergasting! She rarely, if ever, performs dully on an album.

 

But the album reaches its peak with the closing number Falling Again. Hauntingly beautiful, this song was first released as Falling on the earlier EP, but here is reworked with a subtle trip-hop feel that complements Cristina's tender vocal lines to perfection. Falling Again is Lacuna Coil's first great ballad, and one of the finest recordings in the entire genre of gothic metal, and ends the album on a very strong note.

 

The best of Lacuna Coil is yet to come, but fans of the band, or nineties gothic metal in general, should definitely give this humble classic a spin.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Segue Myles

[len(songs)]

Hmmm... It would be helpful to add an album rating (just as a concise reference point) but otherwise so far so good :ebert:

[len(songs)]

Rush - Fly By Night (1974)

*Anthem*: 14/15

Best I Can: 10/15

Beneath Between and Behind: 12/15

By-Tor and the Snowdog: 13/15

Fly By Night: 11/15

Making Memories: 8/15

<Rivendell>: 7/15

In The End: 11/15

 

Overall rating: A (Very Good/Good)

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Unleashed Memories (Century Media, 2001)

 

1. Heir Of A Dying Day 14/15

2. *To Live Is To Hide* 15/15

3. Purify 14/15

4. Senzafine 15/15

5. When A Dead Man Walks 12/15

6. 1:19 15/15

7. Cold Heritage 15/15

8. Distant Sun 14/15

9. A Current Obsession 13/15

10. <Wave Of Anguish> 12/15

11. Lost Lullaby (Bonus Track) 14/15

 

Overall Rating: F

 

This is a painful review for me. I love this album immensely but I feel sick just thinking about the fact that I actually picked a song off this album and called it the weakest.

 

But Wave Of Anguish had to be selected, simply because Lost Lullaby (a bonus track) end the album better, with a more upbeat feel.

 

Unleashed Memories has its share of faults. For all the complaints Presto gets from Rush fans, UM suffers from a thinness of sound that makes Presto sound like the second half of a Vapor Trails double album! And initially, I disliked this album because of it. The vocals as well suffered initially when I played this album, as neither Cristina nor Andrea sound as commanding as they did on the next album Comalies.. But something happened with me that made this album the treasure that it is: depression. Flippin' illness plagues my life, and whilst normally I would try and play upbeat music to save my day, Unleashed Memories perfectly fit the bill. This is the darkest, most melancholy and "gothic" of all Lacuna Coil's albums, but whilst many bands write cliched drivel about "poor poor me" or "I cut myself today", Lacuna Coil instead write abstract, cryptic lyrics that perfectly portray the intended emotions, without specifying in detail what the song is actually about.

 

Ray of light annoying as a cold breath in the eyes, water falls down". This is a line from the fan-favourite, and lyrical enigma, that is 1:19. Explanation on a postcard please! But this entire album captures the sense of hollowness that depression gives, but rather than adding fuel to the fire, this album instead offeer itself as the musical equivalent of a listening ear. "I'm saving all my words only for you, forgive me". Cold Heritage is another beautiful Lacuna Coil ballad, and in my books one of the all time great female vocals. Such a strange song, it at once uplifts as it does entrance, i adore this song a lot.

 

But the real highlight is To Live Is To Hide. Thundering drums, banshee vocals and cryptic lyrics erupt in an orgy of melody and lilting harmonies that cascade around the listener like a downpour of frozen petals. A genuine masterpiece, this is a song that becomes a giant on the stage. I love this song so much, and it was what helped me fall for this record 100%.

 

So, a few slight issues regarding the sound, but over the years (almost ten since my first listen!), Unleashed Memories has revealed its glory to me and it stands as one of my all time favourite albums.

 

Regardless of individual song ratings, production issues or even my ranking of this album amongst the rest of the bands discography, Unleashed Memories scores a perfect ten.

 

Or should that be, fifteen?

Edited December 25, 2014 by Segue Myles

[len(songs)]

Still going strong :) It would help to add an album rating under the track list though (see the other reviews) Edited December 26, 2014 by len(songs)

[Segue Myles]

Not keen on my reviews here, but i am having fun so meh!

[Segue Myles]

Still gong strong :) It would help to add an album rating under the track list though (see the other reviews)

 

done

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Comalies (Century Media, 2002)

 

1. Swamped 15/15

2. Heaven's A Lie 15/15

3. Daylight Dancer 14/15

4. Humane 14/15

5. Self-Deception 12/15

6. Aeon 11/15

7. Tightrope 13/15

8. The Ghost Woman And The Hunter 10/15

9. Unspoken 14/15

10. *Entwined* 15/15

11. <The Prophet Said> 10/15

12. Angel's Punishment 11/15

13. Comalies 13/15

 

Overall Rating: F

 

This is only going to be a short review: I love this album less than it deserves, but more than almost every other album in my collection. There we go.

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Karmacode (Century Media, 2006)

 

1. Fragile 15/15

2. To The Edge 14/15

3. *Our Truth* 15/15

4. Within Me 15/15

5. <Devoted> 13/15

6. You Create 15/15

7. What I See 15/15

8. Fragments Of Faith 15/15

9. Closer 15/15

10. In Visible Light 15/15

11. The Game 14/15

12. Without Fear 15/15

13. Enjoy The Silence 15/15

 

14. Without A Reason (b-side) 15/15

15. Virtual Environment (b-side) 15/15

 

Overall Rating: 10

 

I plan on reviewing this album in detail in my thread. My favourite album of all time.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Segue Myles

[len(songs)]

Hmmm... maybe the digest should be every 4 pages. 10 at a time:

 

01. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King: D (Great/Very Good) by len(songs) [link]

02. King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon: C (Very Good/Great) by len(songs) [link]

03. The Mars Volta - Octahedron: 12/15 (Great) by Mr. Not [link]

04. Rush - Rush: 8 (Good/Mediocre) by len(songs) [link]

05. Isis - Oceanic: 13.5/15 (Near flawless/Great) by PolarizeMe [link]

06. Isis - Panopticon: 14/15 (Near flawless) by PolarizeMe [link]

07. Isis - In The Absence of Truth: 13.7/15 (Near flawless/Great) by PolarizeMe [link]

08. Isis - Wavering Radiant: 14/15 (Near flawless) by PolarizeMe [link]

09. Rush - A Farewell To Kings: D (Great/Very good) by len(songs) [link]

10. Rush - Hemispheres: F (All-time Great) by len(songs) [link]

[Narps]

Not keen on my reviews here, but i am having fun so eat me poo...

...

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Shallow Life (Century Media, 2009)

 

1. Survive 13/15

2. I Won't Tell You 15/15

3. *Not Enough* 15/15

4. I'm Not Afraid 14/15

5. I Like It 14/15

6. <Underdog> 9/15

7. The Pain 9/15

8. Spellbound 14/15

9. Wide Awake 11/15

10. The Maze 10/15

11. Unchained 14/15

12. Shallow Life 13/15

 

13. The Last Goodbye (b-side) 14/15

14. Leaving Alone (b-side) 15/15

15. Oblivion (b-side) 15/15

 

Overall Rating: E

 

My least favourite Lacuna Coil album gets an E rating.

 

I couldn't be without this pop metal gem.

[Segue Myles]

Not keen on my reviews here, but i am having fun so eat me poo...

...

 

Aww Uncle Narpski...you naughty! Lolsies

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Dark Adrenaline (Century Media, 2012)

 

1. Trip The Darkness 15/15

2. Against You 13/15

3. *Kill The Light* 15/15

4. Give Me Something More 14/15

5. Upsidedown 14/15

6. End Of Time 15/15

7. I Don't Believe In Tomorrow 13/15

8. Intoxicated 15/15

9. The Army Inside 15/15

10. <Losing My Religion> 10/15

11. Fire 12/15

12. My Spirit 15/15

 

13. Dark Adrenaline (b-side) 14/15

14. Soul Inmate (b-side) 13/15

 

Overall Rating: F

 

Not the bands best album. But almost.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Segue Myles

[len(songs)]

11. Genesis - Wind & Wuthering: 8 (Good/Mediocre) by len(songs) [link]

12. Katatonia - Discouraged Ones: 13/15 (Great) by PolarizeMe [link

13. Yes - Close To The Edge: 10 (Olympian) by len(songs) [link]

14. Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans: B (Very Good) by len(songs) [link]

15. Yes - Relayer: D (Great/Very Good) by len(songs) [link]

16. Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica: 11/15 (Very good) by Mr. Not [link]

17. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King: 12/15 (Great) by Mr. Not [link]

18. King Crimson - Red: 13/15 (Great) by Mr. Not [link]

19. King Crimson - Red: E (Great) by len(songs) [link]

20. King Crimson - Larks Tongues In Aspic: E (Great) by len(songs) [link]

Edited December 25, 2014 by len(songs)

[Segue Myles]

Lacuna Coil- Broken Crown Halo (Century Media, 2014)

 

1. Nothing Stands In Our Way 14/15

2. Zombies 15/15

3. Hostage To The Light 15/15

4. *Victims* 15/15

5. <Die And Rise> 12/15

6. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name) 15/15

7. Cybersleep 15/15

8. Infection 13/15

9. I Burn In You 13/15

10. In The End I Feel Alive 14/15

11. One Cold Day 15/15

 

Overall Rating: 10

 

Wow. Just wow. Rivalling Karmacode, this is close to topping it (but not quite).

[len(songs)]

That's enough digests for today... doing it on the phone is AWFUL

[len(songs)]

Hmmm... Do you think I should request a move to MOTS? I mean, on one hand it would probably get much more traffic, but on the other hand a lot of that traffic would be spent on arguing about the system or the ratings themselves...

[Segue Myles]

Hmmm... Do you think I should request a move to MOTS? I mean, on one hand it would probably get much more traffic, but on the other hand a lot of that traffic would be spent on arguing about the system or the ratings themselves...

 

Yes.