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Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 7
Rating:
7.5
Wait... How come that album with "9" for originality gets only 7.5 in overall? |
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| Pretty good review, I mostly agree. I found in some parts it was hard to hear drums or guitar, but still a few really good songs/parts |
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 Blizk - 22.10.2012 at 18:10
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 18:03
Wait... How come that album with "9" for originality gets only 7.5 in overall?
Probably because this isn't how it's supposed to be released. This fact is beyond the numeric section of the reviewing system of Metal Storm. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 18:03
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 7
Rating:
7.5
Wait... How come that album with "9" for originality gets only 7.5 in overall?
Maybe because the total picture isn't what he expected it to be? The high ratings for the Performance, Songwritting and Originality don't make an final rating. Something might sound awesome but isn't what the reviewer expected it to be. The last paragraph shows what I mean  |
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| I liked the brutal honesty of this review. I couldn't have written this better myself. Thanks Baz, I agree with your sentiments in this review. The overall reaction to listening to this album is that it although it's emotionally moving with the eastern-influenced orchestration, the music leaves the metal listener eager for Time II where hopefully more guitar riffs reside. |
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Your review is spot on Baz, though I enjoyed Land of Snow and Sorrow a lot too. The album is great but that it leaves you wanting more is its only criticism for me. It's a tough call I guess: Give the fans what they want, new music, and risk them getting upset for wanting to hear more or continue to make them wait another year or so.
Musically though, the melodies have been stuck in my head since I started listening to it. Having already heard The Way of the Fire, together Time I and II should be a pretty epic listen. Overall Time I feels like three tracks to me because the intro and interlude flow into the tracks that follow so well. |
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Sometimes it's hard to hear the drums, guitars and understand what he is singing, like two verses at the same time, two voices at the same time, don't know 
I don't like to think it's an album, sounds more like an ep with only 3 songs  |
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| I agree with the production part, the sound wasn't good, guitar and drum are kinda being messed up, orchestra is too overwhelming. But I'm satisfied with this album, though. 8.5/10 for me |
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| The intro is the most interesting thing on the CD by a long shot. He should have used more Japanese influences, could have made for an interesting album. Better luck next time, Jari. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 18:03
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 7
Rating:
7.5
Wait... How come that album with "9" for originality gets only 7.5 in overall?
The Rating is not an average of the 4 scores above. They are completely separate. The 4 areas are just that, they are areas of criticism. The final Rating is set by the writer not a calculator and is to show their final opinion of how they feel all those parts came together. |
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| Wow, I've never read a review that gave the exact same score as I would and that captures my thoughts almost identically. Nice review, I (obviously) agree completely. |
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| 7.5 is way too low... I am sure if Ensiferum, Brymir, Equilibrium or any other band had released this, they would have been rated much higher. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 19:18
7.5 is way too low... I am sure if Ensiferum, Brymir, Equilibrium or any other band had released this, they would have been rated much higher.
too low. I would say it's even a full point too high. Really nothing special, deep, complex etc. about this album at all. Just a standard symphonic metal album. |
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| Not what I expect...it could be better |
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 19:21
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 19:18
7.5 is way too low... I am sure if Ensiferum, Brymir, Equilibrium or any other band had released this, they would have been rated much higher.
too low. I would say it's even a full point too high. Really nothing special, deep, complex etc. about this album at all. Just a standard symphonic metal album.
I like how bands like Katatonia or Dark tranquillity are highly praised for releasing completely the same thing over and over again... And then we can see the same people bashing Wintersun for "not being original and overally good enough". |
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The review doesn't make sense... All those kind words and then 7.5 because it is "unfinished". The other numbers even supports the confusion behind this.
Have you even had a look at the title of the album? "TIME I" ,-) |
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 BudDa - 22.10.2012 at 19:34
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 19:21
too low. I would say it's even a full point too high. Really nothing special, deep, complex etc. about this album at all. Just a standard symphonic metal album.
I thought so too. And add to the fact that this should have come out about 5 years back...7.5 is abit generous |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 19:29
I like how bands like Katatonia or Dark tranquillity are highly praised for releasing completely the same thing over and over again... And then we can see the same people bashing Wintersun for "not being original and overally good enough".
Sorry but Kataonia's last three are very very mindnumbingly boring and you won't see me prasing it just as you won't see me praising Dark Tranquillity's last.
And although Wintersun changed their sound compared to the last album that does not make it good, but then again the debut was also decent;y average at best, just like this one.
And rating something a 6.5 is NOT bashing it.
Even bands that more or less release the same thing year in year could be of such quality that it is okay to do. Change in itself is not always good. And what Wintersun tries to do here has been done by many other bands, but they did it much much better. |
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Written by UnknownCheese on 22.10.2012 at 18:45
The intro is the most interesting thing on the CD by a long shot. He should have used more Japanese influences, could have made for an interesting album. Better luck next time, Jari.
Check out Whispered , they made an entire full length with Japanese influence. http://youtu.be/CLeHUE9DB-U |
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| Great Review. The production is horrible, songs overly complex and album too short. |
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| Totally agree with "feels unfinished alone." , but I guess 7.5 is low for it .. |
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This album is like gazing into a audio cheese-kaleidoscope on LSD; impressive as hell - but the cheese could have been toned down. I also think he could have avoided exploding computers for 8 hears and toned down the cheese by doing all his string arrangements with a small string ensemble and then doing the rest of the orchestration with VSTs.
Anyone else feel like Kai Hahto took more of a back seat on this one? |
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 19:36
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 19:29
I like how bands like Katatonia or Dark tranquillity are highly praised for releasing completely the same thing over and over again... And then we can see the same people bashing Wintersun for "not being original and overally good enough".
Sorry but Kataonia's last three are very very mindnumbingly boring and you won't see me prasing it just as you won't see me praising Dark Tranquillity's last.
And although Wintersun changed their sound compared to the last album that does not make it good, but then again the debut was also decent;y average at best, just like this one.
And rating something a 6.5 is NOT bashing it.
Even bands that more or less release the same thing year in year could be of such quality that it is okay to do. Change in itself is not always good. And what Wintersun tries to do here has been done by many other bands, but they did it much much better.
Don't you want to rate it 2 or 3? Oh my god, I don't know what "proper" metalheads are waiting for today... It's not perfect but when I compare it with 99 % of metal albums it's a definite masterpiece that forms THE FIRST PART OF THE WHOLE THING AS IT IS CLAIMED IN ITS TITLE! It's very complex but within the overal concept, it's modern, it shows the band in a very different light and the album itself is quite original (Whispered don't come even close in terms of real quality!)... |
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| Compared to 99% of all metal albums it is definitely NOT a masterpiece and like I said it totally is NOT complex at all. It is simple layering done here. Somehow people seem to think it is complex because of a bit of orchestration and to be honest quite lame sugary fluffy orchestration. |
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 20:06
Compared to 99% of all metal albums it is definitely NOT a masterpiece and like I said it totally is NOT complex at all. It is simple layering done here. Somehow people seem to think it is complex because of a bit of orchestration and to be honest quite lame sugary fluffy orchestration.
You're honest... Nothing more. Maybe your audio system is not enough to hear every detail within the music. |
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| It seems you are blinded/deafened by your fandom of the band. |
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| I still haven't heard this, but I'm sure I'll end up giving it a 4 or 5. |
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 20:14
It seems you are blinded/deafened by your fandom of the band.
Arguments? I have one - the more complex music you're listening to the better audio system you need to actually hear the whole thing. Rather bad production of this album even rises requirements for imaging and separation.
I hope you haven't tried to listen to it using some crappy mp3 rip from the internet... |
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| Nice review! this album is very good in my opinion, i gave him 9, but that's just me, clearly production is one aspect i like and don't like on this album but in general I liked it, dont consider it masterpiece or anything, im old fan of wintersun but really hate ppl calling everything Jari wrote a masterpiece -.- can't wait for second part sry for lame English |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 20:18
Arguments? I have one - the more complex music you're listening to the better audio system you need to actually hear the whole thing. Rather bad production of this album even rises requirements for imaging and separation.
I hope you haven't tried to listen to it using some crappy mp3 rip from the internet...
the point is that the music isn't complex at all.
And tbh my stereo (both cd/mp3/flac etc. player, cassette deck, record player, amplifiers, speakers) is all top end stuff.
What I heard is a lossless dowload of it. The production of the album is quite okay and nt as bad as people make it out to be, |
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Written by BoxCar Willy on 22.10.2012 at 20:17
I still haven't heard this, but I'm sure I'll end up giving it a 4 or 5.
Looking at the bands on your profile It's safe to say you wouldn't be missing out if you didn't listen to this. It's not that good. |
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I don't see the complexity in this at all.
Also I don't see how this got a 9 in originality. Imo this is extremely generic |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 20:02
It's not perfect but when I compare it with 99 % of metal albums it's a definite masterpiece that forms THE FIRST PART OF THE WHOLE THING AS IT IS CLAIMED IN ITS TITLE!
Allright, so it's very complex and a part of something bigger... then why are there so many people rating this album although they have just started listening to it? Complex music needs time (no pun intended) to digest. There's no big problem in rating a "part of something bigger" though.
And maybe it would be good if you just took some deep breaths, count to 10 and drink a glass of water (or whatever you like). When a reviewer doesn't rate your favourite album with a 10, it's not the end of the world. |
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Blizk - 22.10.2012 at 20:45
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Written by Alex Lemon on 22.10.2012 at 20:37
Also I don't see how this got a 9 in originality. Imo this is extremely generic
Definitely not worth a 9 but not extremely generic either. It's a clear progression in sound for Wintersun but the mixing simply doesn't do it justice. |
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Quote:
The point is that the music isn't complex at all.
And tbh my stereo (both cd/mp3/flac etc. player, cassette deck, record player, amplifiers, speakers) is all top end stuff.
What I heard is a lossless dowload of it. The production of the album is quite okay and nt as bad as people make it out to be,
The point is that the music is complex. Maybe you cannot hear it... I don't know your system and listening environment but mine contains neutral amp and DAC of highend quality (proved by measurements) + very good headphones carefully neutralised by EQ + TB Isone for natural perception of the sound.
I hear a very complex FIRST PART of a concept of many elements that keep repeating and connecting among themselves to create a very spectacular audio experience. The production of the album is rather bad than ok, I can hear it clearly when assessing the quality using TB Isone where you can quite objectively estimate how good the production really is.
The overall rating of this album is never going down to your 6.5 or 3 or whatever you would like to rate it... So maybe you're a bit deaf here because the opinion of the majority on MS is clearly more respectful than your opinion itself. But I still like you're honest as you said before. I am as well. |
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Written by Blizk on 22.10.2012 at 20:45
Written by Alex Lemon on 22.10.2012 at 20:37
Also I don't see how this got a 9 in originality. Imo this is extremely generic
Definitely not worth a 9 but not extremely generic either. It's a clear progression in sound for Wintersun but the mixing simply doesn't do it justice.
Ok well extremely generic was an overstatement, but I would give it more of a 6 or a 5 in that department honestly |
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Great review. I do think that sometimes there's too many things and sounds going on at the same time, lyrics supperpose each other and makes it difficult to follow the vocal rythm because of it, but the album itself is very good.
It is, for sure, Part 1 of a duo, when "Time II" comes out and we put each other on play one right after the other, i'm very hopeful this is going to be the masterpiece everyone's been waiting for (including myself) |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 20:47
The point is that the music is complex. Maybe you cannot hear it... I don't know your system and listening environment but mine contains neutral amp and DAC of hightend quality (proved by measurements) + very good headphones carefully neutralized by EQ + TB Isone for natural perception of the sound.
I hear a very complex FIRST PART of a concept of many elements that keep repeating and connecting among themselves to create a very spectacular audio experience. The production of the album is rather bad than ok, I can hear it clearly when assessing the quality using TB Isone where you can quite objectively estimate how good the production really is.
The overall rating of this album is never going down to your 6.5 or 3 or whatever you would like to rate it... So maybe you're a bit deaf here because the opinion of the majority on MS is clearly more respectful than your opinion itself. But I still like you're honest as you said before. I am as well.
I shouldn't have to pay how ever many thousands of dollars/euros on audio equipment to be able to enjoy a $10 album. And, the "complexity" of the music shouldn't be so hidden in the music that I would need that equipment to properly hear it. |
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Written by Alex Lemon on 22.10.2012 at 20:56
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 20:47
The point is that the music is complex. Maybe you cannot hear it... I don't know your system and listening environment but mine contains neutral amp and DAC of hightend quality (proved by measurements) + very good headphones carefully neutralized by EQ + TB Isone for natural perception of the sound.
I hear a very complex FIRST PART of a concept of many elements that keep repeating and connecting among themselves to create a very spectacular audio experience. The production of the album is rather bad than ok, I can hear it clearly when assessing the quality using TB Isone where you can quite objectively estimate how good the production really is.
The overall rating of this album is never going down to your 6.5 or 3 or whatever you would like to rate it... So maybe you're a bit deaf here because the opinion of the majority on MS is clearly more respectful than your opinion itself. But I still like you're honest as you said before. I am as well.
I shouldn't have to pay how ever many thousands of dollars/euros on audio equipment to be able to enjoy a $10 album. And, the "complexity" of the music shouldn't be so hidden in the music that I would need that equipment to properly hear it.
I haven't paid thousands... You don't have to as well. You just have to bear in mind that wearing some crappy headphones for 20 dollars plugged into your iPod is not enough to be able to assess anything.
If you want to be "objective" in this way, you have to treat your room, speakers, headphones to have neutral frequency response and to fit your ears perfectly (in terms of natural perception mainly). You also need a neutral amp suitable for your headphones/speakers and at least good DAC. You also need a good source - lossless is a need, an absolute need. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 21:01
I haven't paid thousands... You don't have to as well. You just have to bear in mind that wearing some crappy headphones for 20 dollars plugged into your iPod is not enough to be able to assess anything.
If you want to be "objective" in this way, you have to treat your room, speakers, headphones to have neutral frequency response and to fit your ears perfectly (in terms of natural perception mainly). You also need neutral amp and at least good DAC. You also need a good source - lossless is a need, an absolute need.
Ah, so I have to know how to create a neutral frequency in my listening enviornment in order to provide a valid opinion on music
Damn, I've been doing it wrong this whole time
I'm not trying to be a dick, but I find that absolutely absurd |
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Written by Alex Lemon on 22.10.2012 at 21:05
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 21:01
I haven't paid thousands... You don't have to as well. You just have to bear in mind that wearing some crappy headphones for 20 dollars plugged into your iPod is not enough to be able to assess anything.
If you want to be "objective" in this way, you have to treat your room, speakers, headphones to have neutral frequency response and to fit your ears perfectly (in terms of natural perception mainly). You also need neutral amp and at least good DAC. You also need a good source - lossless is a need, an absolute need.
Ah, so I have to know how to create a neutral frequency in my listening enviornment in order to provide a valid opinion on music
Damn, I've been doing it wrong this whole time
I'm not trying to be a dick, but I find that absolutely absurd
It's not absurd... It's just how it is. One thing is just to enjoy the music and the other is to start assessing it without having the proper equipment and knowledge to be at least a bit "objective". The first one is absolutely ok, the second is absolutely not. |
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Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.10.2012 at 19:21
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 19:18
7.5 is way too low... I am sure if Ensiferum, Brymir, Equilibrium or any other band had released this, they would have been rated much higher.
too low. I would say it's even a full point too high. Really nothing special, deep, complex etc. about this album at all. Just a standard symphonic metal album.
Exactly my opinion. Though this is an interesting social phenomenon to observe. If enough hype is created around an album, fans will undoubtedly praise it far too much than what it's really worth, and much of this will overflow to the easily manipulated masses.
While much of the regular users here on MS will bash a far superior album, they surprisingly tend to flock to Time like it was the masterpiece of our generation. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 20:02
Don't you want to rate it 2 or 3? Oh my god, I don't know what "proper" metalheads are waiting for today... It's not perfect but when I compare it with 99 % of metal albums it's a definite masterpiece that forms THE FIRST PART OF THE WHOLE THING AS IT IS CLAIMED IN ITS TITLE! It's very complex but within the overal concept, it's modern, it shows the band in a very different light and the album itself is quite original (Whispered don't come even close in terms of real quality!)...
I rated it a 7. 7 = good.
And I'm tired of people claiming this is a masterpiece, because it's not. Get over it.
Compare it to 99% of metal? Nice statement you got there. Please tell me how did you listen to every metal album ever made. If you want to defend this almost-average album so desperately at least use valid arguments. |
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Quote:
I rated it a 7. 7 = good.
And I'm tired of people claiming this is a masterpiece, because it's not. Get over it.
Compare it to 99% of metal? Nice statement you got there. Please tell me how did you listen to every metal album ever made. If you want to defend this almost-average album so desperately at least use valid arguments.
"And I'm tired of people claiming this is a masterpiece, because it's not. Get over it." === At least use valid arguments if you want to force me to change my opinion... If not, get over it that I don't agree with you. People on MS don't agree with your rating as well as you can see.
"If you want to defend this almost-average album..." === Nice statement you got there. Please tell me how did you listen to every metal album ever made to know this is "almost-average"? ,-) |
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| Something I forgot to mention above, it's Baz's courage to give that album a review. It does appeal to the masses and a lot of people were expecting this album for a whole lot of years, like me. I do think it's incomplete as well, but I had to note that it must not have been easy to be the one to say "Meh, i'll do it". Congrats on being objective too. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 21:24
"And I'm tired of people claiming this is a masterpiece, because it's not. Get over it." === At least use valid arguments if you want to force me to change my opinion... If not, get over it that I don't agree with you. People on MS don't agree with your rating as well as you can see.
"If you want to defend this almost-average album..." === Nice statement you got there. Please tell me how did you listen to every metal album ever made to know this is "almost-average"? ,-)
Wait, so now I have to have listened to every metal album ever made to call it average?
That's even more absurd than your other statement |
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Written by Alex Lemon on 22.10.2012 at 21:27
Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 21:24
"And I'm tired of people claiming this is a masterpiece, because it's not. Get over it." === At least use valid arguments if you want to force me to change my opinion... If not, get over it that I don't agree with you. People on MS don't agree with your rating as well as you can see.
"If you want to defend this almost-average album..." === Nice statement you got there. Please tell me how did you listen to every metal album ever made to know this is "almost-average"? ,-)
Wait, so now I have to have listened to every metal album ever made to call it average?
That's even more absurd than your other statement
You should... You never know how many excellent (or very bad) albums/bands are there you haven't heard so far.
I would say it's more safe to say Wintersun are among the best than calling them average. There are tons of average to bad bands... But there aren't tons of excellent bands out there. |
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Written by MetalHOE on 22.10.2012 at 21:30
You should... You never know how many excellent (or very bad) albums/bands are there you haven't heard so far.
I would say it's more safe to say Wintersun are among the best than calling them average. There are tons of average to bad bands... But there aren't tons of excellent bands out there.
You're right, there are tons of average to bad bands, and Wintersun are among them |
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Written by Sir Thrashalot on 22.10.2012 at 21:26
Something I forgot to mention above, it's Baz's courage to give that album a review. It does appeal to the masses and a lot of people were expecting this album for a whole lot of years, like me. I do think it's incomplete as well, but I had to note that it must not have been easy to be the one to say "Meh, i'll do it". Congrats on being objective too.
He is not objective at all... You can even look at particular phrases he uses, they are subjective as hell. The review is purely subjective. |
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Quote:
You're right, there are tons of average to bad bands, and Wintersun are among them
Then you're deaf... Sorry to say that. |
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