Judgement Submissions

So if you don't agree with both requested changes Tymell, your answer should be no.

Like Solstafir's "Berdreyminn", I took a quick run-through of the Mastodon EP Cold Dark Place, and it doesn't sound as "non-metal" as we thought. Much of the band's progressive metal sound is still around there, just not as heavy as the other songs in the two previous albums the songs were cut from, Once More 'Round the Sun & Emperor of Sand. I don't think Mastodon has ever publicly stated whether or not these songs were supposed to be non-metal. I think this is a more similar technique to Epica's The Solace System, taking out a few songs from the previous album and putting them into a different EP, whether they're metal or not.

Now before I propose that Mastodon's "Cold Dark Place" should be placed into The Infinite, I decided to keep up my poll experiment idea (for more info and to vote there as well: https://metal.academy/forum/28/thread/581) for not only members to agree on which opinion sounds accurate to the album's sound but also the Hall of Judgement to gain a little more activity. You can either vote in the thread by adding a number by 1 when you vote (0 -> 1, 1 -> 2, 2 -> 3, etc.), or send me a PM if you want your vote to be anonymous. The first of the 3 opinions to get 5 votes wins the poll. Then depending on which opinion wins, I would ask Ben to put the album into the Hall of Judgement and send a PM to any of the voters who haven't voted in the Hall yet to do so. The opinions are below, with my own vote in one of them as a head-start, so vote away!

Is "Cold Dark Place" like...?

Album 1: Epica - The Solace System (2017)

Putting extra songs from one or two albums' recording sessions into their own EP whether they're metal or not.

If win: Mastodon's "Cold Dark Place" goes to the Hall with the proposal of adding it to the Infinite.

Votes so far: 1

Album 2: The Dillinger Escape Plan - Plagiarism (2006)

Purposely adding only non-metal songs to a one-off EP.

If win: Mastodon's "Cold Dark Place" stays non-metal.

Votes so far: 0

Album 3: Opeth - Damnation (2003)

Just recording a lot of material with some songs in a different softer style, and splitting the material by style.

If win: Depends on which other opinion is in second place. If tied, we wait for one more vote for one of them.

Votes so far: 0

Exactly 10 days ago, Solstafir released their newest album Endless Twilight of Codependent Love. It has been voted in RYM to be a post-/progressive metal release, and that sounds accurate. The heavier elements return in most of the songs, even a couple throwbacks to their earlier black/viking metal era. After their two new albums got added to this site, I took a quick run-through of their previous album Berdreyminn, and surprisingly, it doesn't sound as "non-metal" as we thought. Much of the band's post-metal sound is still around there, just without the extreme elements. The kind of level of metal is close to Between the Buried and Me's Coma Ecliptic, discarding most extreme elements but using them again in their next album. I don't think Solstafir has ever publicly stated whether Berdreyminn is metal or not. And even though I'm not directly referring to any outside sources, those sources about that album include sites like Metal Hammer and Metal Infection, which I'm pretty sure wouldn't accept any truly non-metal releases.

Now before I propose that Solstafir's "Berdreyminn" should be placed into The Infinite, I decided to run a little poll experiment for not only members to agree on which opinion sounds accurate to the album's sound but also the Hall of Judgement to gain a little more activity. You can either vote in the thread by adding a number by 1 when you vote (0 -> 1, 1 -> 2, 2 -> 3, etc.), or send me a PM if you want your vote to be anonymous. The first of the 3 opinions to get 5 votes wins the poll. Then depending on which opinion wins, I would ask Ben to put the album into the Hall of Judgement and send a PM to any of the voters who haven't voted in the Hall yet to do so. The opinions are below, with my own vote in one of them as a head-start, so vote away!

Is "Berdreyminn" like...?

Album 1: Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic (2015)

Toning down most of their extreme elements for a cleaner metal sound just for one album.

If win: Solstafir's "Berdreyminn" goes to the Hall with the proposal of adding it to the Infinite.

Votes so far: 1

Album 2: Blind Guardian - Legacy of the Dark Lands (2019)

Purposely eliminating the metal elements for a softer sound but will return in the next album.

If win: Solstafir's "Berdreyminn" stays non-metal.

Votes so far: 0

Album 3: Bring Me the Horizon - 2015-2019 era

Just naturally sliding away from metal and not returning until they feel like it.

If win: Depends on which other opinion is in second place. If tied, we wait for one more vote for one of them.

Votes so far: 0

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

The Hall has judged this release and a decision has been made. With a result of 14 to 1, Cynic's Focus will be given the Death Metal genre and subsequently added to The Horde.

Thanks Daniel! ...I guess.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

You guys are probably right. Whether or not Kyuss is totally metal has been a heated debate for decades and it's probably best that we don't be a part of that. Ben, if you prefer to keep Kyuss' Welcome to Sky Valley in that Stoner Metal Clan Challenge based on its sound and not its clan, that's fine. Submission cancelled!

But that pointless doo-wop hidden track though, UGH just awful...

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

The release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

Before Underoath became the Christian metalcore band they've been known for, their first two albums "Act of Depression" and "Cries of the Past" have more of a progressive black/death sound mixed with their later Christian metalcore, and that's what many sources (Alternative Press, Jesus Freak Hideout, etc.) describe those albums. Yeah, I believe "Act of Depression" is in way more than just The Revolution. I'm actually kinda torn about what the second clan for "Act of Depression" should be. On the one hand, I think it has some potential in The Horde because of the death metal part of the sound and... Yes, I know that deathcore (in the album's primary genre list in RYM) is more of a metalcore subgenre than death metal, but I honestly think deathcore is as much of a death metal subgenre as metalcore because it still has death metal characteristics (blast beats, down-tuned guitars, tremolo picking, growled vocals, etc.). Anyway, on the other hand, I would like to see this album in The North because of the black metal part of the sound, and it seems fair since "Cries of the Past" is already in The North. With all those reasons, I'm suggesting thinking of whether "Act of Depression" should be in The Horde, The North, or both, then adding it to the Hall with the proposal that the album be in the clan(s) you've chosen while keeping its existing position in The Revolution.

Totally agreed.

Neoclassical goregrind!?! Didn't realize that's a thing...

This release has been added to the Hall of Judgement.

Great! Thanks, Ben.

Although Boris' earlier works certainly deserved metal status, I'm not sure I can say the same for 2005's "Pink" album. There's really only one full metal track included in the ultra-heavy psychedelic doom monster that is "Blackout". There's also a ten minute drone metal section included on the closing track if you pick up the vinyl version but I don't think we can take that into account given that it's not included on the standard release. The most prominent subgenre is noise rock in my opinion while stoner rock also pops up quite often. There are one-off tracks that take a shoegaze or post-rock approach too. I'm suggesting we demote "Pink" to "non-metal" as I don't think I'd be comfortable with it topping the stoner metal charts.

Even though it's noticeably thrashier than Voivod's debut, I still think that "Rrroooaaarrr" sounds much more like Venom, Motorhead & Exciter than Metallica, Slayer or Exodus so it should be retagged as speed metal. Much like "War & Pain", it also offers more than the odd hint at hardcore punk & progressive metal but those elements are not strong enough to warrant a additional tag.

This release has been submitted to the Hall for judgement.

Kayo Dot's debut album "Choirs Of The Eye" is pure post-metal. It's really not all that avant-garde in my opinion. Especially given that the post-metal tag allows for a reasonable amount of experimentation anyway. So I'm proposing that we remove the avant-garde metal tag for reasons of accuracy.

This release has been added to the Hall for judgement.

Messiah's "Hymn To Abramelin" album combines thrash metal with elements of speed metal, black metal, traditional heavy metal & even some doom metal. But there's very little death metal on offer. I don't see that it has any right to be in The Horde so I'd like to see it removed & remain only in The Pit.

This release has been submitted to the Hall for judgement.

The debut studio album from female-fronted German outfit Holy Moses is generally regarded as thrash metal but I disagree. There's really only one song that sounds like your classic thrash sound while the rest vary between speed metal & traditional heavy metal. I propose that the subgenre tag is changed to speed metal & the album is added to The Guardians on top of its existing position in The Pit.

Submitted to the Hall for judgement

"Frizzle Fry" certainly contains its metal moments. But is there enough there to warrant it being labelled as funk metal or alternative metal overall? Or does sit closer to a band like Red Hot Chilli Peppers than it does Tool? Vote "Yes" to have it maintain it's place in The Gateway & "No" to have it included under our "Non-metal" genre classification. 

Submitted.