Metal Reviews

There's no easy way of saying this, so I'll be blunt: giving an album a score is just stupid. Take an example: the lastest album by the experimental band "Green Goggles For Granny". The reviewer talks about the album, instrumentation, lyrics etc, then gives it a score out of 100, say 80. The text of the review is true. The number given as a score is horseshit. Why 80? Why not 79, or 81? Would it make a difference if he did give it either of those instead? No. And I'm sure I'm not alone in finding that certain albums go up or down in my estimation depending on mood, state of health, state of inebriation, how long since I last heard it, etc. So giving an album one score that will stand as a perfect summation of the music it contains is stupid. We only have to look at the reviews on this site. "Why'd you only give it 70? I think it should get more!" Personal opinion, and sure, the user rating system helps to a certain extent, but the problem could be solved by doing away with the scoring system completely. No marks out of five, which is an improvement, but still not enough, nor out of three. A decent review should be able to tell you about an album without having to resort to basic numbers, which is an insult to intelligence, both of the reviewer and the reader. Why need numbers? Why box music, something that is so broad a spectrum, into the claustrophobic confines of those 100 numbers? One man's Slipknot is another man's Emperor, after all. So you don't like this album, you give it 20 when I gave it 80. What does that mean? Nothing. The purpose of a review is to inform, provide an interesting asessment of what the release gives to the listener, not machine-like cage it into a catagory. I take two examples of albums that have recieved high scores from this site:

Death - The Sound Of Perseverance 97/100
Deathspell Omega - Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice 97/100

Which is better? Are they as exactly good as each other? Of course not, so what use is giving them the same score? Would it not be far more sensible just to do away with the scores, and present each as an excellent release from its genre? I'm certain that Ger and Daniel don't hold the albums still at 97, maybe they've gone up, maybe down. So what use are the scores? The reviews should be enough.

Think about it.

Thought about it.... stupidest thing you've ever said.

And why?

We already considered this, quite the while ago. The outcome of the argument was obvious.

It probably won't happen, Zad.

Makes a good discussion, anyway. Why the hell not?

I don't honestly remember.

I was on your side, though.

I think the site would be better off without scores AND Zad's ideas ;)

I like a score because oftentimes I don't have time to completely read a review, so I check the score. I think if anything the scrore could be changed to use 1–10 instead of 1–100, but I don't support getting rid of them all together.

Don't look at the damn scores if it bothers you that much.

It's a fact that people miss the great albums because of scores.

How so?

Because a lot of people think a good album gets a 90 or higher. It actually matters how the music is described rather than how the reviewer likes it.

No. Ratings are too important. They not always indicate what is the truth but they give an overall idea of what the album is like. It is especially helpful when you consider more ratings given from various reviewers...

Keep the damn scores.

Oh, and here's the answer to a question that seems to bug a lot of people: an 81 is better than an 80, but an 80 is better than a 79. see it now?

It's a fact that stupid people miss the great albums because of scores.

I mean, scores are 90% subjective while the review is (tries to be) 100% objective.

Reviewers get the chance to rate as a gift for writing the review, it's like a treat, the fact that you're able to give your opinnion in quality, but it will never be true to everyone, but then again, it's not meant to be that way, it's just a manifestation of the reviewer's taste/view, not a universal truth.

People bothered with scores shouldn ignore them, as simple as that; what's so complicated about it?

Anyway, personaly I enjoy scores.

I agree that if I write a review, that I want to put a score neath it.

http://www.metalreviews.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1969

8)

Zadsters idea losing scores: 60/100

Zadsters idea of having film reviews: 45/100

Zadsters idea of putting MR.com on wikipedia: CLASSIC

:roll:

Yes, I changed my mind.