It's honestly difficult to stomach more than 15 minutes of this synth-heavy four-chord boredom. When you can skip back and forth randomly during an album and there's no telling whether a new song has started or ended because it is all literally the same and when albums like this are heralded by so many online as "the best atmoblack out there", then I think the genre is rapidly becoming a dumpster, if it hasn't become it already. Then there are comments like "it's a great album to fall asleep to". Is this what atmospheric bm has come to? Being good when it is LITERALLY putting You to SLEEP??? WTF. It's honestly kind of depressing.

Alternatively, maybe I am just getting old and should stop ranting like this.

@Metren, being sick of this genre seems to have affected your rating. Or is it the others praising it?... no way known is this a 4
I'll give a few more listens before rating, but if I can stay awake it will be more than 4

Written by Ball Fondlers on 08.11.2018 at 17:02

@Metren, being sick of this genre seems to have affected your rating. Or is it the others praising it?... no way known is this a 4
I'll give a few more listens before rating, but if I can stay awake it will be more than 4

4 was indeed harsh, I've adjusted my vote to a 5. The songwriting is still worthy of just a 4, but clearly, the Elderwind guys can produce/mix/master and perform more admirably than they can compose a tune, so that's why it's a 5 now.

Also, I am not sick of atmospheric black metal, it is still my favorite genre, with most of my all-time favorite albums (Lurker Of Chalice, MoRT, The Mantle) coming from that genre or being close to it. I am sick of this kind of atmospheric black metal, where the same tired chord progressions, saccharine synth melodies, and endless unimaginative tremolo-picking are used to create the atmosphere, rather than varied riffing and actual quality songwriting.

P.S. I was complaining about the people not complaining out of sheer astonishment at the praise this album has been getting, but that didn't affect my rating at all. I rate albums based on what they offer me, not based on what they do or do not offer other listeners.

Written by Metren on 08.11.2018 at 17:20

Written by Ball Fondlers on 08.11.2018 at 17:02

@Metren, being sick of this genre seems to have affected your rating. Or is it the others praising it?... no way known is this a 4
I'll give a few more listens before rating, but if I can stay awake it will be more than 4

...saccharine synth melodies, and endless unimaginative tremolo-picking....

...you remind me how little I know about music
Thanks for clarifying though and a 5 does look a more realistic score. I still haven't listened to it again yet, but maybe that says something also

Written by Ball Fondlers on 08.11.2018 at 17:35

...you remind me how little I know about music
Thanks for clarifying though and a 5 does look a more realistic score. I still haven't listened to it again yet, but maybe that says something also

It's totally ok to not know anything about guitar techniques and music theory though , I don't think being familiar or even an expert with regard to those affects people's taste much tbh, it certainly doesn't automatically or inherently translate to them having better taste in music. Glad if You like this album or even love it. It just rubs me the wrong way for the reasons I mentioned. Haha, and I freely admit that I am totally unreasonable when it comes to complaining about chord progressions, which is nonetheless something I do all the time

Written by Metren on 29.10.2018 at 21:25

It's honestly difficult to stomach more than 15 minutes of this synth-heavy four-chord boredom. When you can skip back and forth randomly during an album and there's no telling whether a new song has started or ended because it is all literally the same and when albums like this are heralded by so many online as "the best atmoblack out there", then I think the genre is rapidly becoming a dumpster, if it hasn't become it already. Then there are comments like "it's a great album to fall asleep to". Is this what atmospheric bm has come to? Being good when it is LITERALLY putting You to SLEEP??? WTF. It's honestly kind of depressing.

Alternatively, maybe I am just getting old and should stop ranting like this.

Well, I'd rather listen to this than Dreadrealm.. ;-)

Written by Azalin on 14.11.2018 at 11:16

Well, I'd rather listen to this than Dreadrealm.. ;-)

Unless you're actually a member of Elderwind, I see no reason why you should try and make this personal. Heck, even then it doesn't make sense. Constructive criticism should be embraced and learned from, even when that criticism is delivered harshly and especially when the criticisms are aimed only at the musical product, not the people behind it

Written by Azalin on 14.11.2018 at 11:16

Written by Metren on 29.10.2018 at 21:25

It's honestly difficult to stomach more than 15 minutes of this synth-heavy four-chord boredom. When you can skip back and forth randomly during an album and there's no telling whether a new song has started or ended because it is all literally the same and when albums like this are heralded by so many online as "the best atmoblack out there", then I think the genre is rapidly becoming a dumpster, if it hasn't become it already. Then there are comments like "it's a great album to fall asleep to". Is this what atmospheric bm has come to? Being good when it is LITERALLY putting You to SLEEP??? WTF. It's honestly kind of depressing.

Alternatively, maybe I am just getting old and should stop ranting like this.

Well, I'd rather listen to this than Dreadrealm.. ;-)

What makes you think so? Please elaborate.