Rating: 97 / 100 “The immaculate and spacious sound production gives every song the audio strength of a titan, and Isidor’s brilliant songwriting exploits the potential to its fullest. 3218 delivers numerous rich and rewarding compositions that tower over the efforts of lesser songwriters.”
Rating: 72 / 100 “Too few distinguishing features occupy the musical landscape to separate the songs, and listeners are given little sense of space or progress as the story unfolds. As the follow-up to one of the finest true heavy metal albums this side of the 1980s, Sanctimonious is a distinctly disappointing outing.”
Rating: 95 / 100 “An assortment of nostalgic effects and melodies form the foundation of a modern musical artifact that is genuinely retro without pandering to generic commercial sensibilities. The song entries are packed with elegant and memorable moments, and they canvas the recording’s running length to create a true synthwave space epic.”
Rating: 47 / 100. “The disappointment of the overall recording is even more stark when held against the brilliance of the opening moments. Mega Drive is a superbly gifted songwriter, but that talent is squandered on half-hearted pieces and nonstarters that fall well short of their obvious potential.”
Rating: 65 / 100. “The most remarkable part of the album is its unfaltering commitment to ’80s underground heavy metal. Those who enjoy tight execution and clean production should skip this one, but fans craving a chunk of unrefined nostalgia mined from the depths of metal history will find a satisfying, if ultimately limited, listening experience.”
A detailed description of the grading scale I use to reach a final rating for an album.
Rating: 88 / 100 “The flawless sound production and detailed technical execution are enhanced by a host of guest artists who create unique and memorable songs, some with stellar vocal performances, and the resulting effort is one of the best the genre has seen.”
Rating: 91 / 100. “The drums frequently mix things up in the middle of verse sections, guitar riffs evolve rapidly, and new elements are selflessly introduced late into a song’s running time to keep things fresh. In short, this is a smart and nuanced recording that rewards careful listening and repeated spins.”
