Metal Reviews

It's been a long time since weve had one of these topics....

With 2 new reviewers in place, the Metal CD Ratings site is all set to roll through 2007 with its 2-week update cycle and we’ve had a lot of excellent power metal (and similar styles) arrive to the site lately!
http://www.metalcdratings.com

Here are some of the titles that have recently arrived:
Adiastasia - Life war
Alas Negras - Solo dos monedas
Alkonost - The path we’ve never made
Angra - Aurora consurgens
Aspire - The age of reckoning
Axenstar - The final requiem
Book of Reflections - Chapter ll/Unfold the future
Brocas Helm - Defender of the crown
Celesty - Mortal mind creation
Circle ll Circle - Burden of truth
Claymore (The) - Monument
Cloven Hoof - Eye of the sun
Conquest of Steel - s/t
Crescent Shield - The last of my kind
Crystal Eyes - Dead city dreaming
Crystal Shark - Megaladon
Dark at Dawn - s/t
Demons Seed - Dawn of a new world
Dionysus - Fairytales and reality
Dracko - El mundo de los dioses
Dream Evil - United
Dungeon - The final chapter
Fairyland - The fall of an empire
Falconer - Northwind
Falkirk - Gates of dawn
Feanor - Invencible
Galneryus - Beyond the end of despair
Gutter Sirens - Horror makers
Hammerfall - Threshold
Heavenfalls - Reality in chaos
Highlord - Instant madness
Holy Dragons - Black moon rising
Hunters - Break the rules
Infernal Vengeance - Dual mayhem
Into Eternity - The scattering of ashes
Los Asesinos del Pentagrama - Duenos del universo
Lunatica - The edge of infinity
Martiria - The age of the return
Manticora - The black circus/pt.1
Masterstroke - Apocalypse
Miriada - Illusion of love
Mob Rules - Ethnolution A.D.
Nameless Crime - s/t
Pell, Axel Rudi - Mystica
Pitiful Reign - Toxic choke
Planet Alliance - s/t
Poisonblack - Lust stained despair
Pokolgep - A tulelo
Pulsar - Civilization
Redkey - Rage of fire
Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph or agony
Saidian - Phoenix
Shining Fury - Another life
Silentium - Seducia
Slayer - Christ illusion
Scelerata - Darkness and light
Steel Tormentor - Unleashed
Stormbringer - Don't think ... obey!
Stormy Night - Ball of thunder
Strike, Alexey - Time of the full moon
Syth - Warzone
Tayan Ayik - Yalniz hayal
Triosphere - Onwards
Trivium - The crusade
Twilight (Esp) - Born undivine
Twisted Sister - A twisted Christmas
Tyr - Ragnarok
Vicious Rumors - Warball
Wizards’ Hymn - Hymnal
Wolf - The black flame
Wretch - Reborn
Wuthering Heights - The shadow cabinet



Thanks for the constant support guys!
Clint/Site Manager
http://www.metalcdratings.com



Note: This topic is for the promotion of power metal and the Metal CD Ratings site. Moderators feel free to “moderate” as desired.

love your site man, but sometimes i really get annoyed. Blind Guardian's A night at the opera, 1,5/5?? ehh that's blasphemy, but even more, it's just plain stupidity. keep up the work though, i like most of the reviews

Do you really get sent all those albums? Or do you buy/download? I only ask because you guys do more ratings than reviews, I wouldn't think labels or bands would part with promos just to receive a rating.

This is just a curiosity question, there is no negativity here.

No promos. At least I don't get any promos. Its mostly purchases (I'd imagine), but some of the reviewers review downloaded albums.

Me personally as the manager: I purchase between 10 and 25 CDs a month and then decide what to review and what to just rate/comment. Some of what I purchase is older CDs and they go straight to the alpha-links with just a rating (as opposed to part of an "update" on the main page). Also, a lot what I purchase gets assigned to other reviewers or is already on the site by another reviewer. So although I purchase as many as 25 CDs a month, a lot of those will not be reviewed (or rated/commented) by me personally.
I do get promos, yes, and those are gauranteed a full review (as opposed to just a rating/comment)! Book of Reflections, Highlord and Mob Rules are some of the most recent CDs in which I received a promo.
I've never downloaded a full CD, but I listen to short samples/clips like most metal fans. I mostly avoid downloading because of time and also because I like to have a CD that I can easily take to work, the car, my home office or home stereo.

As for the other reviewers: About 3 purchase their CDs, and the other 4 purchase CDs and also download. I greatly support my reviewers downloading because they can get the album quicker. Plus, I'm sure a lot of the time they purchase the CD later.
Occasionally, I forward promos to other reviewers, but not very often.

Finally, the reason a lot of CDs are only rated/commented is simple... we can't review everything as there is so much metal out there. But providing a rating/comment should at least give fans a general idea of the quality/style.
Believe it or not, the site was never created to be a review site. I ran it myself providing ratings/comments only (update's were monthly) and it wasn't until I decided to write the Power Quest review for fun that the site took off (as keyboardist Steve Williams contacted me shortly after it was published). Then I started writing reviews more regularly and eventually more reviewers (thankfully!!!) joined....

More info than you probably needed, but I appreciate your interest.

Clint

Thanks for the support... yes, there will surely be some ratings you'll disagree with.

Yeah, that was more info than needed! It's all good, though.

Have you checked out lala.com?

Hadn't heard of it, but will head over right away....

Thanks,

Clint

Take a look at this thread:

http://www.metalreviews.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7446

Love the site Clint. Keep up the good work.

Btw, Rad and Trooper are reviewers over there for those who didn't know.

I appreciate your continuing support.



Yep, and they're going to take the site to the next level IMO.

Clint

NP: Aria debut

It looks like my host Angelfire is down (maybe yearly maintenance?), thus the site is currently down. This NEVER happens, so please be patient and pop in later (if you've never visited before and don't have it "book-marked").

Thanks!

Clint

You eediot! You blew my cover! They'll kill us aaaaall!!

I <3 Total Recall.

"Hi, I'm Johnny Cab, please state a destination."
"Anywhere, just drive!"
"Hi, I'm Johnny Cab, please state a destination!"
"ARRRRRRRRGH!"*rips out Johnny Cab and starts driving*

Looks like the MCDR site is back up!!!

Thanks for your patience....

Clint

Thanks a lot, NESS