9.8? Really? There is really nothing in your review to indicate that this album is that good. With lines like "Faust has done a good job with the drumming as well. It's nothing too special, mostly generic beats" contradicts a performance, songwriting, and originality being as high as you rated.

Yeah, the review itself is not bad but the rating is too high for what you've expressed.

Written by Dane Train on 15.05.2009 at 22:58

9.8? Really? There is really nothing in your review to indicate that this album is that good. With lines like "Faust has done a good job with the drumming as well. It's nothing too special, mostly generic beats" contradicts a performance, songwriting, and originality being as high as you rated.

black metal is not jazz. even I as a huge black metal fan am forced to admit that drum beats do not vary too much from artist to artist in this genre.
But Ihsahn's riffwork makes up for the shortages in the drumming. I have explained how. And if I'm not mistaken, someone gave 'IX Equilibrium' a 9.9, and offered all of the explanations in a very small and a shallow review. I believe I managed to to describe this album the best I could and the rating is fully justified. Also consider that this album invented symphonic BM and is regarded to be the best BM album ever by a great number metalheads. As for my explanations, I believe that they stand behind this rating.

Written by Smurfophagist on 16.05.2009 at 00:20

Written by Dane Train on 15.05.2009 at 22:58

9.8? Really? There is really nothing in your review to indicate that this album is that good. With lines like "Faust has done a good job with the drumming as well. It's nothing too special, mostly generic beats" contradicts a performance, songwriting, and originality being as high as you rated.

black metal is not jazz. even I as a huge black metal fan am forced to admit that drum beats do not vary too much from artist to artist in this genre.
But Ihsahn's riffwork makes up for the shortages in the drumming. I have explained how. And if I'm not mistaken, someone gave 'IX Equilibrium' a 9.9, and offered all of the explanations in a very small and a shallow review. I believe I managed to to describe this album the best I could and the rating is fully justified. Also consider that this album invented symphonic BM and is regarded to be the best BM album ever by a great number metalheads. As for my explanations, I believe that they stand behind this rating.

Oh, you can stand by your rating all you want, still doesn't make it a sensible rating. Even with your review, it now where near merits that kind of rating. All I am doing is advising you as a reviewer and giving my opinion. I honestly believe that your rating screams fanboy and not much more. The descriptions of the album don't amount to much more than "i like this album" and very little description of why it is supposed to be so good. On top of that, the only slightly negative thing you have to say is about the production, which you give a 9! Sorry but the production on this album is somewhere around a 6 or 7 in my book.

I'd suggest on your next review look to give more examples and explanations and also to point out the weak areas. Every album has them. I don't care how much Master of Puppets of Operation: Mindcrime kick ass, there are areas that could be stronger on them, and your review of this albums should note its weak points as well.

You talk about the riffs on the album as being good, please tell us what makes them so good. What patterns are being used? How about the tuning? Is there some cool modes at work, or is it pretty standard? That sort of thing.

Written by Dane Train on 16.05.2009 at 05:03

Written by Smurfophagist on 16.05.2009 at 00:20

Written by Dane Train on 15.05.2009 at 22:58

9.8? Really? There is really nothing in your review to indicate that this album is that good. With lines like "Faust has done a good job with the drumming as well. It's nothing too special, mostly generic beats" contradicts a performance, songwriting, and originality being as high as you rated.

black metal is not jazz. even I as a huge black metal fan am forced to admit that drum beats do not vary too much from artist to artist in this genre.
But Ihsahn's riffwork makes up for the shortages in the drumming. I have explained how. And if I'm not mistaken, someone gave 'IX Equilibrium' a 9.9, and offered all of the explanations in a very small and a shallow review. I believe I managed to to describe this album the best I could and the rating is fully justified. Also consider that this album invented symphonic BM and is regarded to be the best BM album ever by a great number metalheads. As for my explanations, I believe that they stand behind this rating.

Oh, you can stand by your rating all you want, still doesn't make it a sensible rating. Even with your review, it now where near merits that kind of rating. All I am doing is advising you as a reviewer and giving my opinion. I honestly believe that your rating screams fanboy and not much more. The descriptions of the album don't amount to much more than "i like this album" and very little description of why it is supposed to be so good. On top of that, the only slightly negative thing you have to say is about the production, which you give a 9! Sorry but the production on this album is somewhere around a 6 or 7 in my book.

I'd suggest on your next review look to give more examples and explanations and also to point out the weak areas. Every album has them. I don't care how much Master of Puppets of Operation: Mindcrime kick ass, there are areas that could be stronger on them, and your review of this albums should note its weak points as well.

You talk about the riffs on the album as being good, please tell us what makes them so good. What patterns are being used? How about the tuning? Is there some cool modes at work, or is it pretty standard? That sort of thing.

The production:
by black metal standards it's a 9. by non BM standards it's a 6 or 7. I love black metal and that is why I only review BM albums, and when I write reviews for such albums I rate them according to BM standards.
I already said that the riffs have diminished structures, and send chills up your spine (that can be described as intervals which make the riffs kinda horror-like).
This is probably my fav album and that's why I rated it this high, but I also gave explanations. Call it fanboyism if you want.
P.S.: Don't get me wrong, constructive criticism does not offend me a least bit, quite the contrary.

I think the 10 for production is spot on because his sort of production PERFECTLY FITS this album. It wouldn't fit wankery twiddly Dream Theater music though, would this production be used there I would rate it a 5 but the same applies if the Dream Theater production were to have been used here I would also rate that a 5. There is no such thing as a perfect produtcion across the boards. One band's perfect production is another band's horrid one.

Written by Dane Train on 16.05.2009 at 05:03

Oh, you can stand by your rating all you want, still doesn't make it a sensible rating. Even with your review, it now where near merits that kind of rating. All I am doing is advising you as a reviewer and giving my opinion. I honestly believe that your rating screams fanboy and not much more. The descriptions of the album don't amount to much more than "i like this album" and very little description of why it is supposed to be so good. On top of that, the only slightly negative thing you have to say is about the production, which you give a 9! Sorry but the production on this album is somewhere around a 6 or 7 in my book.

I'd suggest on your next review look to give more examples and explanations and also to point out the weak areas. Every album has them. I don't care how much Master of Puppets of Operation: Mindcrime kick ass, there are areas that could be stronger on them, and your review of this albums should note its weak points as well.

You talk about the riffs on the album as being good, please tell us what makes them so good. What patterns are being used? How about the tuning? Is there some cool modes at work, or is it pretty standard? That sort of thing.

Jeez, what a review etilist. Sometimes you think some riffs are THAT good, and you can't really explain why. Metal is not a perfect science, it depends on taste. If he thinks the album deserves such a high score because of the riffs, then fine. Who cares about the patterns or the tuning? If it sounds good, it sounds good. Plus, not all people are musicians to know the tuning and so on.

Problem is, people keep bitching about overall ratings while it clearly says when you write a review that it describes the overall feel. =/

Great review by the way man, and I love this album from first listen already.

Written by Iron Nostarion on 23.09.2011 at 00:08

Great review by the way man, and I love this album from first listen already.

For sure. The atmosphere the orchestration creates impeccably engulfs the listener.

Problem whit those cover are that they were pioneers ne of 1th, and in those times there was not good BM bands to cover... now we have good bands , just saying
Covers are nothing special

Words can't describe how much I fucking love this album, a black metal classic. the atmosphere in this album just never fails to give me goosebumps, ihsahn's howling vocals, those icy guitars involved with the amazing drumming and bass. what else can I ask for in an album? this has it all!