Ok, I'm gonna go ahead and be "that guy": this belongs on Pitchfork, not Metalstorm. The gates fell long ago though, so looking forward to rating the new Kendrick Lamar album on here.

This is quite a good album, not sure why the person above is complaining, it's definitely "metal sounding" enough to be featured here imo

Written by Neachy on 02.05.2021 at 03:29

Ok, I'm gonna go ahead and be "that guy": this belongs on Pitchfork, not Metalstorm.

So?

Written by RaduP on 08.05.2021 at 19:13

So?

So cut it out

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 15:04

So cut it out

No. Why would I do that?

Written by RaduP on 09.05.2021 at 15:21

No. Why would I do that?

To uphold the integrity of a site that's supposed to be about metal. Or as a personal favor. Or do whatever you want because that's what you're gonna do anyway. It just strikes me as a shame that shit like this gets front page reviewed while great actual metal gets virtually ignored on this site. If I had the ambition I'd fill the gaping void I see on this site in terms of what gets reviewed/hyped by the current staff with people like Joe, Marcel and Che gone. So consider this me bitching impotently into the void.

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

To uphold the integrity of a site that's supposed to be about metal. Or as a personal favor. Or do whatever you want because that's what you're gonna do anyway. It just strikes me as a shame that shit like this gets front page reviewed while great actual metal gets virtually ignored on this site. If I had the ambition I'd fill the gaping void I see on this site in terms of what gets reviewed/hyped by the current staff with people like Joe, Marcel and Che gone. So consider this me bitching impotently into the void.

By all means, be the change you wanna see.

Every time a staff member leaves there's a big void left in terms of what gets covered, whether that's hardcore or underground black metal. Che's absence is the one I feel the most.

I don't see any reason to be puritanical about only covering 100% metal, Metal Storm has never shied away from covering adjacent genres. It would feel really weird asking us to forego that for a stricter adherence for what is metal by your standards.

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

with people like Joe, Marcel and Che gone

Considering Che has regularly championed the inclusion of bands that are, at best, metal-adjacent on the site (particularly Death Grips, but also the likes of Neptunian Maximalism), I doubt he'd consider the inclusion of an album like this to be an affront to the site. I really don't see anything controversial about including The Armed on the website, considering hardcore has long been represented here (making a debut in the MSAs way back in 2010) and their first album is hardcore, whilst this new album is hardcore with a load of other stuff thrown in as well. Maybe if Kendrick Lamar changes his sound to heavily feature blast beats, distorted screams and frenetic guitar work he might make the site one day, but it would require a pretty drastic jump on that front, so that's not likely to happen anytime soon.

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

It just strikes me as a shame that shit like this gets front page reviewed while great actual metal gets virtually ignored on this site. If I had the ambition I'd fill the gaping void I see on this site in terms of what gets reviewed/hyped by the current staff with people like Joe, Marcel and Che gone.

At the moment, there's 5 or 6 of us writing reviews regularly for the site at the moment; considering that this isn't a job and we can only write what we can fit into our spare time, there's only so much that we can cover, which will naturally lean towards our own tastes, considering we don't have much appetite to spend our limited free time only reviewing music that we dislike without compensation. If you'd like the front page to feature more reviews of albums that you like, you'll have more success submitting some reviews of your own than complaining that the existing writing team doesn't prioritize those albums or that we occasionally review an album that's not strictly metal. This year alone I've reviewed post-metal, industrial, blackgaze, alternative, djent, stoner, metalcore, symphonic, prog, avant-garde, tech-death, doom, black and thrash, and I reckon Radu's got a comparable spread - we can't cover every single style and band under the metal umbrella, but we're doing about as well as we can considering we have actual obligations outside of this site, and an occasional review of this album (or Wardruna in my case) ultimately isn't the rate-limiting factor.

The most effective way of covering more styles is to have people contributing whose interests cover a wider spread - waiting for us to review the 'great actual metal' and complaining when we don't is going to be less productive, particularly considering that you would probably hate my reviews of some of the albums that you champion. Plus, it does seem like we do occasionally review things that you like.

You're a valuable contributor to the site who highlights some really interesting releases that others might miss, and based on your writing style in your lists you'd likely do a really good job of promoting some of those albums with reviews if you felt inclined, but I don't really see the basis for claiming that 'great metal' is ignored on the site or that a review for an album like this is the downfall of the site.

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

great actual metal gets virtually ignored on this site.

This is the second person I've seen post something like this in the last few days. I can't even begin to see how you can think great metal gets ignored here.

I've been using this site for like 15 years, and I still discover as much good new metal here now as I ever have, if not more. Having this review here doesn't dilute that in the slightest. I've said it before, but thank you to all the staff for what you put into this place.

Written by LordFezzington on 10.05.2021 at 00:48

second person

the first one was probably me, and I was dead wrong

Written by Neachy on 02.05.2021 at 03:29

Ok, I'm gonna go ahead and be "that guy": this belongs on Pitchfork, not Metalstorm. The gates fell long ago though, so looking forward to rating the new Kendrick Lamar album on here.

I once said this a while back about when is Wu-Tang Clan going to since, after the likes of Death Grips became the opening of an increasingly bigger hole to fall into. If staffs want to waste their lives reviewing and casually promote boring crap instead of making life-changing decisions, it's on their watch. Try to not worry about that and I mean this sincerely. It doesn't stop these works from being the memorable-in-hype-only lifeless con's that they artistically are.

Written by RaduP on 09.05.2021 at 17:41

By all means, be the change you wanna see.

Every time a staff member leaves there's a big void left in terms of what gets covered, whether that's hardcore or underground black metal. Che's absence is the one I feel the most.

I don't see any reason to be puritanical about only covering 100% metal, Metal Storm has never shied away from covering adjacent genres. It would feel really weird asking us to forego that for a stricter adherence for what is metal by your standards.

That's nice and all but I couldn't even get Adema added on here so? Please. Metal Storm has a preference on what to show for its self-promotion as well as the artists and what rule to stretch. To say it is due to a limit for what can be covered purely would be pulling naive legs I guess. At the same time, there are personalities here that showcase what areas it seems best to fervor each. In your case I do see some of the Che evolution directed with your work.

Written by musclassia on 09.05.2021 at 17:54

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

with people like Joe, Marcel and Che gone

Considering Che has regularly championed the inclusion of bands that are, at best, metal-adjacent on the site (particularly Death Grips, but also the likes of Neptunian Maximalism), I doubt he'd consider the inclusion of an album like this to be an affront to the site. I really don't see anything controversial about including The Armed on the website, considering hardcore has long been represented here (making a debut in the MSAs way back in 2010) and their first album is hardcore, whilst this new album is hardcore with a load of other stuff thrown in as well. Maybe if Kendrick Lamar changes his sound to heavily feature blast beats, distorted screams and frenetic guitar work he might make the site one day, but it would require a pretty drastic jump on that front, so that's not likely to happen anytime soon.

Che's inclusions to mention did actually contain minimum fragments to be metal-adjacent however Joe is the jewel in the crown for introducing many the worlds outside of metal that it became immersed by, as metal-absent. Those three users are the God Cards to Metal Storm where even Joe knew when it was time to step down and it hasn't been quite the same place since.

Written by musclassia on 09.05.2021 at 17:54

The most effective way of covering more styles is to have people contributing whose interests cover a wider spread - waiting for us to review the 'great actual metal' and complaining when we don't is going to be less productive, particularly considering that you would probably hate my reviews of some of the albums that you champion. Plus, it does seem like we do occasionally review things that you like.

You're a valuable contributor to the site who highlights some really interesting releases that others might miss, and based on your writing style in your lists you'd likely do a really good job of promoting some of those albums with reviews if you felt inclined, but I don't really see the basis for claiming that 'great metal' is ignored on the site or that a review for an album like this is the downfall of the site.

This is a heartful response, I can't help but commend you for this effort (with the number of individual reviews adhering towards Neachy specifically), I struggle in grasping how this is not a job when what casually is naturally the majority of plentiful work reviewed are painstakingly unmemorable. I don't see the passion in doing this personally without any compensation outside of exercise. Yet at the same time I'm no great writer so what I put down on comments for a topic on work is really what I get from it.

Written by LordFezzington on 10.05.2021 at 00:48

Written by Neachy on 09.05.2021 at 16:34

great actual metal gets virtually ignored on this site.

This is the second person I've seen post something like this in the last few days. I can't even begin to see how you can think great metal gets ignored here.

I've been using this site for like 15 years, and I still discover as much good new metal here now as I ever have, if not more. Having this review here doesn't dilute that in the slightest. I've said it before, but thank you to all the staff for what you put into this place.

It's safe to say we can both agree for being on here for some time and having lots of important learning that this is a non-argument since the point he was trying to talk about is concerning now, emphasis being great actual metal. These "back in my day arguments" straw out the main meaning of changes when we all value what this website has done for us but it's about where it is going and it's quality for quality of releases has definitely passed its prime to lead that space for desire, I dunno. I gathered that this is too late now and probably counterproductive to revise this topic including my experiences. I tried to reach a middle ground with this and I'm not sure this is a strong conclusion from me.

[EDIT] Shit there was a paragraph I had that was the conclusion but it's gone now. It was to do with dogmatism and how users safeguard to a position that appears herd-like by how you always see the same users liking around the same agendas instead of stepping out of the comfort zone that it becomes a bad joke. If you see likes to certain user's comments chances are likely that those liking are reoccurring for a reason and not for the sake of being "contrary". So ultimately it's that dogmatism standard that prevents learning that I see on both sides.

Written by Alakazam on 30.06.2021 at 22:58

Try to not worry about that and I mean this sincerely.

Pretty much. There are more important things to worry about than the fact that the MS staff sometimes reviews stuff that isn't exactly metal.

Written by Alakazam on 30.06.2021 at 22:58

That's nice and all but I couldn't even get Adema added on here so? Please.

Adema is here already.

Written by RaduP on 01.07.2021 at 00:23

Written by Alakazam on 30.06.2021 at 22:58

That's nice and all but I couldn't even get Adema added on here so? Please.

Adema is here already.

Thank you, I appreciate that much! I couldn't see them besides a piece of ancient news by Joe. Even on the rejected pile at one point. And I don't even have an opinion on them anymore yet it was part of the rounded point I was trying to make.