Why do you post less here than you once did?

Azrael · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:16 am

Azrael wrote:

a single feed, for one thing, is what all those websites seem to have in common. it seems disorganised, but with tags you can find what you want. and daily updates do help more than weekly ones, even if they are less (i.e. one review per day vs 6 or 7 on Mondays). fusing news, review and general metal update feeds would help create more content for publishing each day. ask yourself, how many websites do you check on a regular, weekly basis? again not just a weekly, but a regular weekly basis. i don't check one. but i do check quite a few on a regular, daily basis.

instead of a comment section which strongly highlights the Writer's input over the others, as with our 'rivals', though, i much prefer this system, with each review/news piece carrying a link to a wider forum. because popular as they are, none of those other websites carry even a fraction of this website's sense of community, i feel.

then again, Blabbermouth back in the day carried this blog-ish format and many 'regulars' often talked back and recognised eachother... just the conversations were limited to the topic at hand. but Blabbermouth was one of the very first of its kind.

this website certainly has NCS and AMG beat in terms of the depth of the archive, it's about getting more people in.

by the way, googling 'metal reviews' yields this website at the top of the results, but googling specific album reviews you don't even find MR on the first page. some SEO work is also in order. also, i think it's related to a change in the way you feel about information availability, back in the day just metal reviews were hard to come about (for me), so one would google 'metal reviews', these days there's so much stuff out there that when you google for reviews, it's usually for a specific band/album review.

in terms of pure helpfulness/functionality, on the review page, it would be better to post embed youtube/bandcamp/whatever content than to link it, although i don't know to what extent that's allowed by this website's coding. as a lazy 21st century metal fan, i much prefer that to a new tab/window, which is the MR-imposed alternative.

finally, hate the new layout. who's with me on this? i've been using the old one all this time. you should impose your changes, like Facebook does. either way both layouts look too 'early internet' for me.

EDIT - do you think mandatory registration is also getting in the way? i remember we used to have guest logins, at least for Helheim (not sure about the rest). maybe bring that back, with tougher spam policing, or allow facebook logins or something.

ACTUAL EDIT - quoted instead of editing.

Tompa · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2013 3:40 pm

Some very good pointers, Azrael. I definitely think modernizing the website could do wonders for bringing in new posters. That's a lot of work though.

A single feed updated daily would be a great move and embedding media in reviews would be very helpful.

I personally think having the comments readable right under the review in combination with a quick and easy registration process (or maybe even no registration at all) would entice more people to contribute. Once they're commenting on reviews many will eventually transition into the main forum and start posting here as well. It would probably invite quite a few knuckleheads that'd post negative stuff just to get reactions (like on blabbermouth) but I think it'd definitely be a big boost to the numbers.

And yeah, I too am still using the classic layout.

Metastable To Chaos · **Posted:** Mon Aug 12, 2013 3:54 pm

Definitely haven't lost my passion for metal, though I don't get in on a lot of the discussions because I'm reaaaaally slow when it comes to catching up with the latest stuff. And I've always kind of posted here sporadically.

Also I'd hate to say it but message boards are probably a dying format in general.

North From Here · **Posted:** Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:23 pm

Metastable To Chaos wrote:

Also I'd hate to say it but message boards are probably a dying format in general.

Probably this. Some good suggestions in this thread though.

Thomas · **Posted:** Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:07 pm

Cool thread..

For me it's been about time. Haven't been here much for the past 8 months or so, much of it due to family but also because of school. My attention is constantly needed elsewhere which means that I have very little time to hang around here. I would certainly like it to be otherwise though.

As for metal, the passion has certainly not faded or anything. However, my desire to constantly check out new stuff, or old stuff that I haven't heard for that matter, have. I exclusively listen to old favourites, constantly revisiting bands that I haven't listened to in ages, and get stuck on them for months.

For me these iare phases that come and go, and it's not the first time I'm in one such as this. When I grow tired of the situation, I'm sure I'll be back to prowl the seas of good ol' MR.

Oh and another thing, the forum software and all that is horrible, and I think that actually means something to me. The usability compared with other, modernized message boards is non-existent.

Blade · **Posted:** Wed Aug 14, 2013 9:41 pm

I love metal. I will forever remain a metal head. And I love this site...even though I post the minimum, there's something fascinating about following discussions about the music I love. Over the past ten years there's been so many crazy and interesting discussions...I still miss the Ken and his weird and wonderful diatribes.

If this forum dies I will indeed be very sad. I visit it nearly daily but with the recent decrease in posts visit it less and less. And it's not so much the reviews, although I enjoy them, its more just reading the metal discussions...I have very few metal head buddies...so call me a metal voyeur.

And I also still use the classic format...

And Noodles, don't feel victimized, I also love Opera, and most other classical music...in the words of Sacred Reich..."...there's so much
music for you to choose so don't just be a metal dude it's cool fool."

Karmakosmonaut · **Posted:** Thu Aug 15, 2013 11:04 am

Less interest in metal these days. Practically the only exposure I still get to new bands is when I visit a festival here and there but I do that more for the camping and for the getting away from home than for the music. I still contribute clean vocals to a couple of local metal bands, but no big plans in that regard. And yeah, I try to follow my old favourites but that's getting a bit stale as well.

Then again, I never went along with the "my love for metal will never die for I am a tr00 metal warrior!" shenanigans. I'm listening to stuff like Johnny Cash these days, mostly.

Thy Serpent · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:02 am

huskerc7 wrote:

People turn out to be fucking faggots and quit listening to metal like noodles.

Some good points made in this thread. As for me, I don't post that much like I used to cos I've become a lazy ass. Will try to change that.

Happened to find a link where we can see how the old site looked like. We cannot read the posts, but brings back memories of some of the people who used to post way back.

http://www.metalreviews.com/forum.php4?forum=extreme

Thy Serpent · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:06 am

Thomas wrote:

As for metal, the passion has certainly not faded or anything. However, my desire to constantly check out new stuff, or old stuff that I haven't heard for that matter, have. I exclusively listen to old favourites, constantly revisiting bands that I haven't listened to in ages, and get stuck on them for months.

....and this too.

North From Here · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 1:00 am

Thy Serpent wrote:

Thomas wrote:

As for metal, the passion has certainly not faded or anything. However, my desire to constantly check out new stuff, or old stuff that I haven't heard for that matter, have. I exclusively listen to old favourites, constantly revisiting bands that I haven't listened to in ages, and get stuck on them for months.

....and this too.

Agreed there. I think as a collective we've gotten older, and perhaps (a bit) more conservative in our tastes.

And thanks for the link to the old forum too! I didn't find your name during my cursory glance, who were you? I saw Azrael, Rio, Valefor and myself from the very old days. Plus now retired notorious members from the later forum in Gast(Misha) and Jaden. Did I miss anyone?

Azreal, it looks you said Valefor and I (and Eschaton) 'sounded like f****** Manowar' for trashing Weakling in a post on April 03, 2004. Too bad we can't read anything beyond the thread titles anymore!

SilkCrimsonMoon · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 1:39 am

It is definitely a case with the conservatism towards Metal. All I listen to these days are strictly old favourites. And a vast amount of non-Metal including Psychedelic Trance, Neo-Folk, Ambient/Ritualistic.

Thy Serpent · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:38 am

North From Here wrote:

Agreed there. I think as a collective we've gotten older, and perhaps (a bit) more conservative in our tastes.

And thanks for the link to the old forum too! I didn't find your name during my cursory glance, who were you? I saw Azrael, Rio, Valefor and myself from the very old days. Plus now retired notorious members from the later forum in Gast(Misha) and Jaden. Did I miss anyone?

Azreal, it looks you said Valefor and I (and Eschaton) 'sounded like f****** Manowar' for trashing Weakling in a post on April 03, 2004. Too bad we can't read anything beyond the thread titles anymore!

I used to post as SerpentKing. I would probably laugh at some of my stupid posts and be embarrassed at the same time if we could read the posts made back then. Metallica's St. Anger review I guess had the maximum posts. Not sure, I think it was around 700 or 900.

North From Here · **Posted:** Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:55 am

Thy Serpent wrote:

North From Here wrote:

Agreed there. I think as a collective we've gotten older, and perhaps (a bit) more conservative in our tastes.

And thanks for the link to the old forum too! I didn't find your name during my cursory glance, who were you? I saw Azrael, Rio, Valefor and myself from the very old days. Plus now retired notorious members from the later forum in Gast(Misha) and Jaden. Did I miss anyone?

Azreal, it looks you said Valefor and I (and Eschaton) 'sounded like f****** Manowar' for trashing Weakling in a post on April 03, 2004. Too bad we can't read anything beyond the thread titles anymore!

I used to post as SerpentKing. I would probably laugh at some of my stupid posts and be embarrassed at the same time if we could read the posts made back then. Metallica's St. Anger review I guess had the maximum posts. Not sure, I think it was around 700 or 900.

Yes, even some of the topic headings are hilarious and somewhat embarrassing!

cry of the banshee · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:15 pm

North From Here wrote:

Thy Serpent wrote:

North From Here wrote:

Agreed there. I think as a collective we've gotten older, and perhaps (a bit) more conservative in our tastes.

And thanks for the link to the old forum too! I didn't find your name during my cursory glance, who were you? I saw Azrael, Rio, Valefor and myself from the very old days. Plus now retired notorious members from the later forum in Gast(Misha) and Jaden. Did I miss anyone?

Azreal, it looks you said Valefor and I (and Eschaton) 'sounded like f****** Manowar' for trashing Weakling in a post on April 03, 2004. Too bad we can't read anything beyond the thread titles anymore!

I used to post as SerpentKing. I would probably laugh at some of my stupid posts and be embarrassed at the same time if we could read the posts made back then. Metallica's St. Anger review I guess had the maximum posts. Not sure, I think it was around 700 or 900.

Yes, even some of the topic headings are hilarious and somewhat embarrassing!

Infidels and charlatans leave the hall!

As for why the forum is hanging onto it's last breath: nobody is interesting. I mean, take a look at the thread that has the most traffic (seemingly to me, at least ).
The "how do you feel" thread. The drivel that gets posted there is enough to not only sicken the dogs, it is (most unforgivable) BORING besides.
The site has become too pollyanna-ish, and frankly it is off-putting; why would potential new members perusing the site decide to join based on the actual posting? I know I wouldn't.
This is supposed to be a site dedicated mainly to metal and whatever that encompasses; a little fire, thunder and brimstone wouldn't hurt.
Instead we get updates on the daily minutiea and romantic intrigues (perhaps intrigues isn't the right word, after all :lol:

) of the few that actually post here.
Generally any attempt at discussing anything worthwhile, music related or otherwise, is met with silent apathy.

Plus, todays metal (regarding the actual reviews) in my maybe not so humble opinion, is a sterile shadow of what it once was. Very few bands releasing good material these days. Of course that is strictly a subjective statement, and is subject to disagreement.

I was thinking about starting a thread regarding whether or not justice was served in the Zimmerman case, but I'm not sure the forum in all it's delicate sensibilities could withstand it.

Just my $0.02.

Goat · **Posted:** Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:59 pm

Hey V, hope all's well. Specifically as far as modern metal goes, think July-August is a bit of a sterile patch due to labels holding back the more major releases for after the post-summer lull... there is still good stuff being released, I think you'd appreciate the Manii album I reviewed a few weeks ago (admittedly released months ago) as well as last week's Obelyskkh if you're in a doom mood...

cry of the banshee · **Posted:** Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:47 am

Zadok wrote:

Hey V, hope all's well. Specifically as far as modern metal goes, think July-August is a bit of a sterile patch due to labels holding back the more major releases for after the post-summer lull... there is still good stuff being released, I think you'd appreciate the Manii album I reviewed a few weeks ago (admittedly released months ago) as well as last week's Obelyskkh if you're in a doom mood...

Greetings, Zadok.
All is well, I cant complain, though of course I still do from time to time, haha.

I havent listened to Obelyskkh yet; black metal, right?
It seems the exceptions are the subgenres of black and doom when it comes to the quality of present day material, and the stuff I actually like are the exceptions to those exceptions.

I'll try and give it a spin in the coming days, thanks. My criticism isnt with the job the reviewers are doing, rather the fact that 90% of new stuff these days (of what I've heard, at any rate) seems to lack the conviction of the stuff from the old days, therefore being of no interest to me. There are exceptions of course, mainly within the black metal and doom metal spheres. But even still, the only modern day bands I really care for are the ones that adhere to the old ways. Too much of todays metal just sounds too processed, sterile, soulless and forced, not to mention laden with too much hyperblastbeating. I fucking hate hyperblastbeats.
That or some fucking Che t-shirt wearing neckbeard shit, like so much of the current USBM (the early days of USBM againg being far superior) or Green metal or whatever the hell they are. blecch.

Goat · **Posted:** Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:21 am

Obelyskkh are doom, but yes, doom and black metal seem to be where it's at...

SolarSoul25 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:14 pm **Posts:** 622

I was never a big poster to begin with, thought I have been following the forum for years. I recently took some time to get family and life in general sorted out, and have just now gotten back to a point where I can really enjoy the site again.

Nickelback666 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:12 am

How the hell did I get unIP banned!

RelentlessOblivion · **Posted:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:20 am

back to the topic at hand

I post less here because whenever I pop in to visit all that seems to be happening is comments on album reviews. The lack of frequent activity coupled with an increase of it on my other forum have seen metalreviews fall by the wayside unfortunately.

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Why do you post less here than you once did?

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