Metal Evolution band challenge

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

First Post March 02, 2020 09:10 AM

I found the heavy metal family tree on the web from the Metal Evolution documentary series, and when I saw the bottom 4 metal genres/scenes with no other genres evolving from them, it gave me the idea to start my own unofficial Metal Academy challenge for anyone to try. The Metal Evolution band challenge! I got rid of one the genres/scenes, so here are 3 of them:

The challenge is to review at least one album you consider the best or most metal from each of these 30 bands (10 in each of the 3 genres/scenes). The genre/scene with the highest reviewed ratings would be your winner and the genre you officially have passion for and hope to see it evolve in the future. Even tied genres can be your winners! I'm planning on doing this challenge myself and maybe you can do it too. Enjoy this unofficial challenge and some great metal to explore!

Update - Century Media 1996 extra credit album challenge (based on Century Media coded list):

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

April 17, 2020 08:28 AM

Post #2772

So as some of you might know, I did the Metal Evolution band challenge that I've created myself. But I felt like it was too early to completely end the band challenge since I got rid of the Swedish Extreme Metal part of the challenge, so then I added the last 3 albums from part of the Century Media coding list Ben showed us; two of which were each power metal with a bit of thrash, and the last one being a rap metal album. The two power metal albums are what gives anyone who participated in the Power Metal part of the challenge extra points! Though I would've had the chance of making a better choice of albums from that list. The reason I got rid of the Swedish Extreme Metal part is because I'm in The Guardians now! I've been swapped out of The Horde into The Guardians, and I didn't even have to do the associated clan challenge. So what's next? I'm gonna take a break for a couple weeks to get a bit of rest, and in the second week listen to and rate the rest of the Katatonia and Type O Negative discographies (including the new Katatonia album City Burials) and rate and review the new Trivium album What the Dead Men Say. At the end of the break, I would do a final stat check on the genres I've reviewed in the challenge, just to make absolute sure that I'm all set for this proposal, and in May, begin my Fallen Gothic Metal Clan Challenge strategy. My clan challenge journey is almost at its last leg before earning that 4th clan! But now's my time to rest. You'll see my final stat check two weeks from now. Stay tuned for that!

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

April 30, 2020 04:40 AM

Post #2873

My Metal Evolution band challenge is completely finished! For my stat check, I've included ratings of entire discographies of all the bands I've enjoyed before, past and present, and the one album I've reviewed from each band that I've only listened to just for this challenge and other clan challenges. Then I've divided all the ratings into the average ratings for each genre. So here it is, my Metal Evolution band challenge stat average rating:

Goth metal:

Tiamat - 3.9, Type O Negative - 4.5, Therion (one album) - 4, The Gathering - 4.4, Anathema - 4.5, - Katatonia - 3.5, Theatre of Tragedy - 4.3, Within Temptation - 4, HIM - 4, Lacuna Coil - 4.1

Total rating: 4.1

Power metal:

Blind Guardian - 4.5, Stratovarius - 4.6, Iced Earth (one album plus extra credit album) - 4, Kamelot - 4.5, HammerFall - 4.7, Rhapsody of Fire - 4.7, Nightwish - 4.4, Primal Fear (one album) - 4, Sonata Arctica - 4.5, DragonForce - 4.7

Total rating: 4.4

New wave of American heavy metal:

Shadows Fall - 4.4, Lamb of God - 4.6, God Forbid - 4.2, Darkest Hour - 4.4, Killswitch Engage (one album) - 4, Unearth - 4.1, Chimaira (one album) - 4, The Black Dahlia Murder (one album) - 4.5, As I Lay Dying (one album) - 3.5, Trivium - 4.3

Total rating: 4.2

Extra credit albums (from other bands):

Nevermore - The Politics of Ecstasy - 4.5 , Stuck Mojo - Pigwalk - 2.5

Total extra credit rating: 3.5

So apparently, I like my power metal past slightly more than my Goth Metal and NWOAHM present, which is a little surprising for me. I must've really enjoyed my younger times of power metal, and that's probably a good reason why some of you believe I still have Guardians heart and mind, hence that clan change. However, those stats mean my Goth Metal is at the low end of the band challenge "Olympic podium". But you know what?! I don't care what my band challenge outcome is! I came this far in my clan challenge quest for my 4th clan, and I'm at the last leg of this journey. I can finish this thing! So starting tomorrow, I'm gonna spend the month of May doing my Fallen Clan Challenge strategy; review a couple albums from a band I've already stopped listening to in a challenge, review all albums from a few bands I still enjoy in a challenge, then after taking a break, spend the last week of May doing the Modern Era challenge. It's been an epic ambitious adventure so far as much as Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring (OK that comparison is a bit too much, but you get the point), and it's time for the last part of my clan challenge saga. The Fallen, I'm coming for ya!

Ben

April 30, 2020 06:43 AM

Post #2875

There's an obvious flaw in your system shadowdoom9, and that's your Katatonia score. You've included all of their Alternative Metal albums in that score, none of which you seemed to enjoy. If you only included the gothic / doom metal albums, your average score would have been 4.25.

I don't suppose you included ratings for all the Anathema and The Gathering albums that don't meet the criteria to be included on the site, so it's only fair that you compare apples with apples.

Daniel

April 30, 2020 07:36 AM

Post #2876

Not to mention the fact that only one or two releases in Anathema & Katatonia's entire combined discographies fall into gothic metal territory. It just goes to show how misguided the Metal Evolution series was.

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

April 30, 2020 09:21 AM

Post #2878

You are right, guys! Most of the "Goth Metal" bands in the list above don't really have a lot of releases that are gothic metal, let alone in The Fallen. Also, Therion? Gothic metal?! No way! They're mainly a symphonic metal band (except for their first few death metal albums) and none of their albums are in The Fallen. So here's my new plan... I'm gonna find a band that I like that truly is gothic metal and replace Therion with that band, and review all the albums from that band as both the extended ending of my Metal Evolution band challenge and the beginning of my Fallen Clan Challenge strategy. Then when I do another stat check a few days from now, I'll make sure to only include releases from "Goth Metal" that are in The Fallen and releases from "Power Metal" bands that are in The Guardians. No non-metal releases, nothing from other clans, just albums in clans that fit their respective genre labels. However, I won't change anything about the "New Wave of American Metal" bands because that label refers to a movement of bands in a few different styles and not just one in particular. On the other hand, I'm gonna give myself one more small extra-credit assignment; do a more positive review for another As I Lay Dying album, just so I wouldn't feel bad for leaving that band out of the "at least 4-star average rating club". That album I've reviewed from that band might not have been the best metalcore album I've listened to, but I'm sure there's a bit more enjoyable potential in the band (enjoyable for me anyway). While one part of my band/clan challenge saga is not completely over yet, another part is just beginning...

Daniel

April 30, 2020 12:29 PM

Post #2881

Good luck brave metal warrior. While your path may be filled with peril & danger, may you draw guidance & strength from the united powers of the fallen metal brethren of eons past.

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

April 30, 2020 12:52 PM

Post #2882

Thanks Daniel! Also in case you didn't notice the slightly revised list above, the band I've replaced Therion with is Paradise Lost. Next stat check coming next week!

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

May 06, 2020 11:38 PM

Post #2944

OK, NOW my Metal Evolution band challenge is completely finished! For my stat check this time, I've included ratings of discographies of all the bands I've enjoyed before, past and present, and the one album I've reviewed from each band that I've only listened to just for this challenge and other clan challenges. BUT for the Goth Metal bands, I made sure to only include albums that are actually in The Fallen, and for the Power Metal bands, I made sure to only include albums that are actually in the Guardians. No non-metal releases, no releases from an entirely different clan, just albums in the actual clans that have those respective genres. Then I've divided all the ratings into the average ratings for each genre. I suppose I could've waited another couple weeks so I can review the soon to be released new Paradise Lost album Obsidian, but just now I had a Samuel L. Jackson-like moment in my head thinking "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! I've had it with those g****mn delays extending my motherf***ing band challenge! I just wanna do my final stat check and get it the f*** over with." So yeah, here it is, my (hopefully) final Metal Evolution band challenge stat average rating:

Goth metal:

Tiamat (Clouds/Wildhoney era and after 1998) - 4, Type O Negative (all albums) - 4.5, Paradise Lost (all albums except Host) - 4.2, The Gathering (before 1998 plus compilation of old tracks) - 4.4, Anathema (before 1998 plus compilation of old tracks) - 4.5, - Katatonia (up to 1998) - 4.7, Theatre of Tragedy (all albums except Musique and Assembly) - 4.3, Within Temptation (Enter and The Dance) - 4.3, HIM (Venus Doom) - 4, Lacuna Coil (first three albums and two surrounding EPs) - 4.4

Total rating: 4.3

Power metal:

Blind Guardian (all albums except Legacy of the Dark Lands) - 4.6, Stratovarius - 4.6, Iced Earth (one album plus extra credit album) - 4, Kamelot (all albums except Poetry for the Poisoned) - 4.6, HammerFall - 4.7, Rhapsody of Fire - 4.7, Nightwish (all albums except Imaginaerum the Score) - 4.5, Primal Fear (one album) - 4, Sonata Arctica - 4.5, DragonForce - 4.7

Total rating: 4.5

New wave of American heavy metal:

Shadows Fall - 4.4, Lamb of God - 4.6, God Forbid - 4.2, Darkest Hour - 4.4, Killswitch Engage (one album) - 4, Unearth - 4.1, Chimaira (one album) - 4, The Black Dahlia Murder (one album) - 4.5, As I Lay Dying (one album plus extra credit album) - 4, Trivium - 4.3

Total rating: 4.2

Extra credit albums (from other bands):

Nevermore - The Politics of Ecstasy - 4.5 , Stuck Mojo - Pigwalk - 2.5

Total extra credit rating: 3.5

So apparently, I still like my power metal past slightly more than my Goth Metal and NWOAHM present, which is a little surprising for me. I must've really enjoyed my younger times of power metal, and that's probably a good reason why some of you believe I still have Guardians heart and mind, hence that clan change. However, those stats mean my Goth Metal is actually slightly higher than my New wave of American heavy metal, which is now at the low end of the band challenge "Olympic podium" and is left alone because NWOAHM is a scene full of a few different metal genre and not one in particular. Also it looks like 1998 (the last year before I was born) was quite a big changing year for the gothic metal scene with most of the bands in Goth Metal list either moving out of their brief rock sound back to metal or (temporarily or permanently) quitting metal for a softer rock sound, whether it was that year or the next. It's the rock virus 1998 (ROVID98)! Sorry if anyone thinks that little joke is in bad taste. Anyway, if there isn't anything for you to object in this final stat check, then the Metal Evolution band challenge is completely over, and I'll continue doing my Fallen Clan Challenge strategy throughout the rest of the month of May. But after I complete that clan challenge strategy and gain my 4th clan, my review challenging won't end there. I actually have one more bigger band challenge to more properly test my interests in all metal genres I've enjoyed, past and present. I'll make and post that challenge in June for anyone to try, but I won't starting doing it myself until July because I've worked so hard throughout these first 5 months of 2020 doing all these official and unofficial challenges and I feel taking a break throughout June from reviewing groups of albums. Single-album recommendation reviews would still be OK, though. Now if you'll excuse me, I have one more clan challenge strategy to go through and a clan to lock in. Onward to The Fallen!

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

May 21, 2020 11:40 PM

Post #3054

Update - May 22 extra credit album challenge (based on Ben's Metal Academy May 22 album list):

Yeah, I decided to give myself one more extra credit album review challenge that I'm gonna do after I finish The Fallen Modern Era Metal Challenge and earn my 4th clan. I'll especially review the My Dying Bride albums because ever since I declared My Dying Bride the winner of the DIS vs DAT tournament - The Fallen Edition, I've realized how important it would feel for me to show my opinions about My Dying Bride when I enter The Fallen. I mean, how can a Fallen member who likes even the slightest bit of doom metal/death-doom not even try something from the kings of death-doom!? So at the start of June, I'm gonna review all the My Dying Bride albums, including the two "extra-credit" albums, plus the two "22 May 2009" albums also listed, for both some extra credit reviewing and gaining some Fallen points. The Fallen quest is still going....

Shadowdoom9 (Andi)

June 05, 2020 10:26 AM

Post #3207

I finished my May 22 extra credit album challenge!! Here's my stat check:

My Dying Bride (the two extra credit albums) - 4.5

Mystic Prophecy - Fireangel - 3.5

Neaera - Omnicide: Creation Unleashed - 4

So yeah, that's it with my unofficial Metal Evolution band challenge, 3 months after I created it! Amazing, right?! But in July, I actually have one more bigger band challenge to more properly test my interests in all metal genres I've enjoyed, past and present. I'll make and post that challenge for anyone to try, but I won't start doing it myself until July because of my break throughout the rest of June. Coming tomorrow....