Metal Reviews

Why aren't they scored?

I think it's an interesting proposition and one that reviewers are free to work with, though standards regarding quality should be established first. Given the fact the production isn't usually on par with albums, I think audibility is easily the most pressing issue regarding demos especially.

Compilations and live albums too should be scored too.

I've got an idea why don't you actually read the review

Indeed. Ideally, I would like to see the site drop numerical scores altogether. Until such radical and dangerous ideas are put into practise, however, let's defend what we have. It's impossible to give an album a set of numbers that will be exactly precise; the very idea is flawed, and the only reason numerical scores exist is to placate skim-readers and thick people. I make no judgement about which group any said poster falls into.

An ideal world would dispose of three things: war, poverty, and scoring systems for reviews of metal albums.

And communist black metal.

Sometimes I do wonder....

I do but I like when it has a score too and I don't see why EPs, demos, compilations and live albums wouldn't be allowed a score, that's just nonsense.

I'd support dropping scores altogether. However if you're going to score one then why not the other?

In the case of demos I guess it's because people instinctively hold them to a lower standard.

Lame. Some demos are downright awesome.

I agree with that and for proof please see this week's Ash Borer review which lies sadly uncommented upon. I mean even if it's "fuck off this is shit" some level of interest registered would be nice.

If it weren't a demo it would have got something like 80 / 100.

Should we care about scores?

I completely disagree about getting rid of scores. Frankly, it's stupid to assume that people just look at the score and ignore the actual review.

i remember asking the same question a long time ago. It seems pretty silly to not score EPs or the like.

Getting rid of scores is also a silly idea.

Why is getting rid of scores silly? I genuinely can't see any argument for keeping them other than that's what people are used to.

This.

Yes.

Some people don't have time to read the blatherings of a reviewer who likes to see himself write. If you get rid of the scores, start writing 300-word reviews. If you don't, then score everything.

You guys seem to think there's some sort of laziness involved when people don't read the reviews. Get over yourself and your love affair with your words. Some people just don't have the fucking time. The score placates no one; it accommodates them. If you guys cared about the right things here, you'd understand that.

And it's not impossible to give a precise score. Talk about thick!