an idear or two, matey.... yarrrrrr...

[Black Winter Day]

i was thinking (surprisingly enough) and you know what i think would raise the kick-ass meter at royal carnage? EXTENDED ALBUM REVIEWS. you heard me right, folks. think about it...

take a "classic" album (bigtime and hella-good, like "crimson", "operation mindcrime", "bergtatt") and go IN-DEPTH. i'm talking song by song examination, lyrics, themes, and everything possible. full examination, people. stuff that no one else has looked into, stuff that only becomes revealed after many listens, lyrical readings, outside research, etc. real thesis-paper kinda stuff, ya know?

i've been working on this sort of thing for "bergtatt". nothing big. okay, i haven't been exactly working on it, but thinking about it. and i've got some ideas. things i've noticed about the lyrics, compositions, etc. i think it would make for a big project that could prove very fruitful.

i know jaykeeley has done some bigtime stuff like this, such as the "death's design" review (although not as far as i would like to go with these). and we only do a few per year... only the really special albums, read me? and nothing mandatory, either. maybe we could do something where 2 would work on the same one... a partner kinda thing (to get more perspective, research, viewpoints, etc.). maybe a different pairing every month. so everyone would work on 4 or so a year (with different partner combos, maybe).

also, i was talking to markgugs and he mentioned something about doing bootleg reviews. another idea with promise (IMO), but i don't know if he has time to do anything now and i know he could explain it better than i could. sounds pretty cool, though.



so what do y'uns think?

 

[Demonspell]

If you feel you can do a thesis-length review of one of your favorite albums, go right ahead...we'll be there to read it and analyze it to death if necessary.

 

[NAD]

I think my Jerry Cantrell review is long enough.

Personally I think brevity is key, but the occasional dissertation would be pretty cool. Probably only apply to concept albums though, no?

 

[Black Winter Day]

likely, but not always

 

[Black Winter Day]

and this thing would be like a "features" deal, not something to be shoved in with the rest of the reviews

 

[JayKeeley]

Well, I do like the fact that we already all go into quite some depth for albums that deserve it. Some 'lesser' albums are quick overviews and straight to the point - see Atrox or Goatsblood. The only issue I could see with really long discussions/dissertations is that the average WEB reader probably doesn't have the attention span. It is a little different when you publish something in hardcopy format, but there's no reason we couldn't make something like this available for download (in pdf format or something like that).

I like the idea of the examples you gave: "Crimson" and "Op Mindcrime" because they're concept albums and have a complete story to tell. That would probably be an interesting read, especially Op Mindcrime because to this day I still can't figure out half the shit that's going on! There are lots of classic concept albums that would fit this criteria...

And maybe I should ask Markgugs about those bootlegs I'm after...

NOTE TO RC STAFF: I think I've always maintained that this is our site collectively. In other words, if you guys want to go out and do things like this (even on an individual basis) then I'm here to support that. Case in point: Josh's Black Sabbath feature. *in Spock's voice* The needs of one outweigh the needs of many.

 

[Black Winter Day]

maybe i will try out the "bergtatt" thing and see how it works... maybe get a better idea of where i visualize this thing going (if anywhere). i don't want to "steal" bergtatt, however, as i know that many of you would be interested in reviewing it as well. anyone want to go into this with me? i know NAD is big on the album, as is erik. as for now, my dad's computer crashed and i won't be able to do any reviews until after new years... just let me know!

 

[NAD]

I'd gladly help out with Bergtatt, but it's your idea and your baby, so I say go for it. Just make sure it gets a 10/10 and nobody gets hurt, right?

 

[JayKeeley]

Chief B will want to work with you on Operation Mindcrime, although I think he already has a full review in the works. Having said that, there isn't any reason why we can't have a 'summary' and an 'in-depth' report on the same album.

 

[Nate The Great]

My attention span is too short for something like that. In fact, I didn't even read this whole thread.

 

[ChiefB]

I can't speak for everyone but the way that I currently write my reviews vary from detailed indepth reviews to brief overviews of the album. For example, my reviews of Evergrey, La Rue, Maiden and Nightfall are all pretty deep and to go any deeper would loose the reader, simply because this is a web format not print format - as JayKeeley mentioned earlier.

I have a full Op Mind Crime and Dream Theatre - Scenes of a Memory already in the works which will be posted as regular reviews. They are deep and similar to the reviews I have already mentioned above.

I personally think that this should not be made into a specific features section because we will eventually run out of steam in providing the material and poor ole JayKeeley will have a slot that this barely full. The other problem with making this a feature is the selling point to the readers. Do we have the audience out there willing to read a huge in-depth analysis of such albums (thesis kind)? And do we as writers have the time to constantly churn out these huge thesis type reviews?

I am happy with my current workload of analysing and writing reviews (some brief while others very indepth) while getting a chance to tackle some albums that have made a huge impact on me from my past posted on our regular reviews section. Plus, the interviews we have been given over the last few months have been superb and I really hope I get to ask more ball breaking questions.

 

[Black Winter Day]

i guess i will just do bergtatt then...

(btw, i'm of the thinking that if someone is really interested in an album, they would have to be a dumbass not to read an analysis of it at least)

 

[ChiefB]

i guess i will just do bergtatt then...

I hope my post has not disuaded you in pursuing something which you think you could be a massive contribution to RC?

 

[JayKeeley]

Even if only one writer wanted to do any kind of 'feature', then they're free to do so. That falls in place with the philosophy of this Zine belonging to the team.

I would think that Chief B should be allowed to do his dream feature on the early years of the Swedish porn industry.

 

[Ayeka]

I personally think that this should not be made into a specific features section because we will eventually run out of steam in providing the material and poor ole JayKeeley will have a slot that this barely full.

Like the Live Reviews section?

Personally, I think this sounds like a facinating idea and if you did it to some albums I was interested in (O, you must surely know them by now ) then I'd definately sit through and read 'em. Hell, I read that Helloween interview in one sitting!

Bootleg reviews, on the other hand...man, you guys got balls if you take that on!