The Metal Observer Forums

I think a good feature would be user comments on each album. Meaning a user could leave his personale comment on and a rating, there could be two buttons below the reviewers name saying "Read User Comments" and "Post Comment". This way you can have the not as important user rating along side the reviewer rating to give the album a complete and full look threw. Also it gives people a chance to say there own personale two cents for each album.

When we had switched to the PHP format, we had discussed, if we should add something like that and we decided against it, because we know of too many sites, which used to have it and closed it down, because of people posting shitloads of crap in them and the administration for the posts took almost more time than the actual administration of the site...

Yes, I guess one always has to look out for the idiots who ruin good features for everyone. Well if there could be a "report bad comments" feature and if you gave someone the job just to check if anyone posted bad maybe it could workout. Well whatever, your reviewers are trustworthy enough. Oh just one question, what credentials must your reviewers have if they are to become a reviewer. How do you know they are actually worthy, do you give them a test or?

hey no offence man... but wouldnt the forum be just as good a place to air those sort of comments hey... i think its probably better to have it that way instead of all over the place

No offence takin bro. Ya your probably right. Just an idea.

<!--QuoteBegin-Sauceofallevils+Jan 5 2006, 09:12 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Sauceofallevils @ Jan 5 2006, 09:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yes, I guess one always has to look out for the idiots who ruin good features for everyone. Well if there could be a "report bad comments" feature and if you gave someone the job just to check if anyone posted bad maybe it could workout. Well whatever, your reviewers are trustworthy enough. Oh just one question, what credentials must your reviewers have if they are to become a reviewer. How do you know they are actually worthy, do you give them a test or? [/quote]
We are pretty strict when it comes down to accepting new reviewers, we need overall at least four trial reviews, two positive and two negative and based on the quality of those we decide, if we'd consider taking them up or not. So people must have a broad knowledge of Metal and, of course, know how to write thought out reviews, with "advanced" grammar, meaning that only short sentences won't cut it, same for adventurous spelling.

They are also given a rules and restrictions (like no downloaded albums) letter they have to read carefully and agree to.

Oh good, thats a good system. Intresting, thanks for the well thuoght out awnsers I really appreciate it.

PS. Keep on writing those amazing reviews!

<!--QuoteBegin-Phantom of Horizon+Jan 7 2006, 10:13 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Phantom of Horizon @ Jan 7 2006, 10:13 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> They are also given a rules and restrictions (like no downloaded albums) letter they have to read carefully and agree to. [/quote]
Just curious here.

How do you know if they have downloaded the album or not?

I know they have to agree to it, but are you just relying on the honor system?

Mostly we do rely on the honor system, but if they do dowload an album we get in trouble with the label anyways so...

Then I guess the reviewers must own alot of albums on a count of how many reviews you have and how many reviewers you have.

A) They have many of the albums they review, but mostly
B) They receive many, many promos through the site, it is incredible to see, how many albums get released every month (200+)!

Wow thats alot! It must be cool for the reviewers to get all thsoe free albums though! That would be incredible to get all that stuff.

Well, as I always tell them, be careful what you wish for, as there is a lot of mediocre to bad stuff among it, which you still have to give the same attention as a really good album. This is one thing that most people do not think about. Additionally only a fraction of the CDs actually arrives with booklet and/or back tray, most of them are just cardboard sleeves with the CD and more and more send out CD-Rs these days.

Some CDs have audio stamps at the beginning and during the songs to avoid people ripping the album and swapping it (which is something I despise anyway (the ripping and swapping I mean)), while others have faded out endings or are split up into 99 tracks (so the first song is like track 1-12 etc.).

There are several "myths" about Metal/music journalism that make it look like the golden goose, but in truth many things are a lot less glorious than most people would think.

Well I do respect the position. It isn't all fun and games, you still have to review tuns of albums with great and accurate reviews with good grammar and diction. But on the up side you get to express your feelings about the albums in question and it gives you a chance to express your opinions on metal to the world. So as it is a difficult job it does infact have upsides. Also it gives you a hobby. Its defiantly no golden goose, but it might be good enough to be a bronze pidgin :laughing1: Oh I am to funny. Well since this discussion has been going good with me asking questions and you replying, is there any functions your debating that might be added? What should we as metal observer fans expect in the future from metal observer?

PS: From a fellow Canadian metal head, you guys rock!