The Best of this year off course. Along Fall by Borknagar.

Well, what can I say? I like this one even better than their debut. Perhaps a classic new classic was released this year.
Pondering if this is a 10 or a 9, excellent regardless.

Outstanding album. I liked the first album a lot, but this is definitely a step forward. The songs stand on their own very well, and as one listen it's a pleasure. There was one review site that bashed the final song as the only miss, but I can't agree with that at all. The more I listen, the more I think the closer is surreal.

I'm waiting on the vinyl version to show up and will be happily spinning this for a long time. My fav this year, no doubt.

Iridescent Way... Jon Aldara's vocals carried the whole song. such a good performance

Petition to remove 1-4 options from rating. They're used for voting abuse in 99% of the cases, and there's a specific demographic of users that do just that. If there's really an album that deserves a score lower than 5, these options could be opened for it by a specific request from the community.

Written by MadHatter on 25.11.2024 at 10:58

Petition to remove 1-4 options from rating. They're used for voting abuse in 99% of the cases, and there's a specific demographic of users that do just that. If there's really an album that deserves a score lower than 5, these options could be opened for it by a specific request from the community.

Quite contrary to high ratings as well. You can't strip a structure of the rating system to save your eyes watching something in "red". Let's learn to face the fact that they will be here to get banned.

People who vote 10 for one album and 1 for the other just to see them moving around the top 20 do not, in fact, get banned.

Written by MadHatter on 25.11.2024 at 10:58

Petition to remove 1-4 options from rating. They're used for voting abuse in 99% of the cases, and there's a specific demographic of users that do just that. If there's really an album that deserves a score lower than 5, these options could be opened for it by a specific request from the community.

Might just be the worst suggestion I've ever seen on this website

Written by MadHatter on 25.11.2024 at 10:58

Petition to remove 1-4 options from rating. They're used for voting abuse in 99% of the cases, and there's a specific demographic of users that do just that. If there's really an album that deserves a score lower than 5, these options could be opened for it by a specific request from the community.

But vote abusers also abuse 9s and 10s, which just so happens to be about 87% of your ratings. Hmm...

Written by MadHatter on 25.11.2024 at 10:58

Petition to remove 1-4 options from rating. They're used for voting abuse in 99% of the cases, and there's a specific demographic of users that do just that. If there's really an album that deserves a score lower than 5, these options could be opened for it by a specific request from the community.

I don't disagree with the idea of being critical toward anyone rating 1-4 on something that MOST people find good -- however, if we remove 1-4, how do we tell people that shit albums are shit?

Also... looking at your collection, you're the opposite part of the problem. Is this album REALLY one of the most perfect things you've ever heard? And you want to communicate to others that it is? I only have 11 albums out of my collection of 562 votes that I would die on a hill saying are perfection to me. I try to be pretty objective with my ratings, but I will say most of my 10/10's are very biased -- hence why I've only reserved it for the albums I would say are the best I've ever listened to.

If every album you like is 10/10, what are the albums you REALLY like?

Fortunately, irregardless of vote abusers, I'd say this site tends to be pretty spot on with where albums end up. It's why I continue to come back for nearly 20 years.

Written by MadHatter on 25.11.2024 at 13:39

People who vote 10 for one album and 1 for the other just to see them moving around the top 20 do not, in fact, get banned.

If you find any potential voting abuse, please report it in the Rating abuse thread, and it will be taken care of

Written by iMorphball on 25.11.2024 at 17:06

If every album you like is 10/10, what are the albums you REALLY like?

In my case it's very simple: 10 says "perfect" - and I take it literally; i.e. "perfect as it is", meaning "I wouldn't change anything in it". And there's a lot of records where I wouldn't change anything. But I guess everyone goes by their own framework with the green numbers.
This also means that 10 is not necessarily my absolute favorite albums. There are albums that I cannot give a 10 using this line of reasoning, yet they do resonate with me the most.

Written by Zap on 25.11.2024 at 16:23

But vote abusers also abuse 9s and 10s, which just so happens to be about 87% of your ratings. Hmm...

I'd like to think that it is supposed to be a sign of an exquisite taste? (It's a convoluted self-deprecating joke, don't mind me)

overproduced melodeath isnt my thing, but this isnt too bad. got to finish the whole album which is a good sign. I would highlight the songwriting and clean vocals, probably the more progressive aspects rather than the melodeath.

I don't like his voice it's like someone is pinching his nose shut, and the rest is too sad for me and a bit meh. I don't understand the hype. This is mediocre to my ears as was their previous album. Sorry 😔

I don't know if it's just me but his clean vocal delivery seems similar to Jari's (the Wintersun one ofc). Earth to Sky for example

Without 1-4 ratings how would one reach directly to 8+10..... Let everyone vote according yo their taste. Its not going to do anything with the majority votes.../

Written by 24emd on 25.10.2024 at 13:58

So much improvement over the debut. Songwriting, atmosphere, dynamics, all of it. Really well done to these guys here, great stuff.

That first song especially is fantastic. It's so awesome to see the growth here.

I have seen your voting on the first album. Whats your take on this? Not voting?

Written by metalbrat on 08.12.2024 at 12:01

Written by 24emd on 25.10.2024 at 13:58

So much improvement over the debut. Songwriting, atmosphere, dynamics, all of it. Really well done to these guys here, great stuff.

That first song especially is fantastic. It's so awesome to see the growth here.

I have seen your voting on the first album. Whats your take on this? Not voting?

I think I've listened to it once (not even) since I said that, hardly enough to decide a vote. It won't be below a 7, there is so much to be appreciated here, even if overall it's not amazing to me.

It's definitely in line for more listens, I just haven't had enough spare time.

No doubt its a good album and on repeated listens it doesnt take you to that stage where you get bored. But my problem with them is that the whole album is a continuous journey and even if you miss abtrack in between and listen to the next one, you get the same mood. There is no standout track that you want to repeat

The sound on this album is terrible! It's even worse than the last one. I don't know how you guys can stand to listen to it all the way through, because after just a few minutes I can feel my hearing start to fatigue.

Written by gavdann on 11.12.2024 at 01:09

The sound on this album is terrible! It's even worse than the last one. I don't know how you guys can stand to listen to it all the way through, because after just a few minutes I can feel my hearing start to fatigue.

Thanks for the heads-up. That's exactly how I felt about the last one, so I won't even bother with this one.

Written by Zap on 11.12.2024 at 06:20

Written by gavdann on 11.12.2024 at 01:09

The sound on this album is terrible! It's even worse than the last one. I don't know how you guys can stand to listen to it all the way through, because after just a few minutes I can feel my hearing start to fatigue.

Thanks for the heads-up. That's exactly how I felt about the last one, so I won't even bother with this one.

It might be a really bad Spotify rip, or it might just be brick walled. Probably the latter.

It might also be more bearable through speakers than on headphones, but on headphones I couldn't listen to it.

Zis is soo gud.

Can’t believe this is in the Top 200. It’s a decent album sure but it’s way overrated currently

Outstanding album. Worthy of it's rating in my opinion. It's rare when I hear an album that feels like it's taking me on a journey, and this was one of those. Despite it's length, it remains cohesive and engaging the whole way through. The production is outstanding and benefits from a great pair of headphones. Throughout the album it gives off the sense of epic grandeur that I particularly love, while successfully avoiding becoming pretentious (which can certainly ruin some prog metal albums for me.)

2 albums on Top 200 from 2024, and last one was Amorphis's Queen of Time from 2018. There is still hope for metal even though the big groups from the 80s are all getting retired soon.

Written by datfish on 03.01.2025 at 01:13

The production is outstanding and benefits from a great pair of headphones.

What was your source as I have a quality pair of Bose headphones and it sounds terrible sourced from Spotify.

I know Spotify isn't great, but this LP sounds REALLY bad.

Written by gavdann on 06.01.2025 at 10:36

Written by datfish on 03.01.2025 at 01:13

The production is outstanding and benefits from a great pair of headphones.

What was your source as I have a quality pair of Bose headphones and it sounds terrible sourced from Spotify.

I know Spotify isn't great, but this LP sounds REALLY bad.

TIdal, with a pair of Heavy's headphones does the trick for me.

Written by gavdann on 06.01.2025 at 10:36

What was your source as I have a quality pair of Bose headphones and it sounds terrible sourced from Spotify.

I know Spotify isn't great, but this LP sounds REALLY bad.

Jacob Hansen mixes could be a bit heavy on ears but they are far from terrible. Also DR is 7 which is fine by modern standards.