CT

[open face surgery]

I've seen a few high quality releases from local bands pretty much die on their arse in recent times and I can't help but think that if Metal Ireland was still around things would have been different. I know from my own experience in different bands over the years that a high scoring review and a happening thread can do wonders for getting you up the first step of the ladder.

And then go where? MI did very little for local bands beyond get local attention which equates to more or less nothing anyway.

[Eoin McLove]

I think both observations are true. It was only good for creating a buzz locally, at least in its heyday, but that was a good thing in and of itself. There was a feeling for a few years that the local scene was thriving, at least in terms of activity; the quality could be argued back and forth forever. The past five, or maybe even ten years, it has felt a bit like the activity locally has dried up, or at least it seems as if there has been virtually no new blood entering in to the mix. That may well be my own biased opinion based on the specific type of bands I want to listen to, but you would expect at least some sort of steady trickle of young lads wanting to make their mark on death, black and doom. Maybe that's a separate discussion. The usual argument is that Facebook killed forums but at the same time the general consensus is that the level of discussion there is awful, so it seems like a flawed explanation to me. Another forum I use is always buzzing, which again contradicts the argument. Maybe there's only enough interest for a small number of Metal forms where people from all over the globe gather, as opposed to many small localised ones. Who knows...

[Anton Arcane]

I've seen a few high quality releases from local bands pretty much die on their arse in recent times and I can't help but think that if Metal Ireland was still around things would have been different. I know from my own experience in different bands over the years that a high scoring review and a happening thread can do wonders for getting you up the first step of the ladder.

And then go where? MI did very little for local bands beyond get local attention which equates to more or less nothing anyway.

Where they go after that initial kick-start is up to them but at least they were getting that exposure on Metal Ireland. Now there's nothing. From my own situation with Stereo Nasty, the demo and album reviews on Metal Ireland opened a lot of doors for us.

[Anton Arcane]

I think both observations are true. It was only good for creating a buzz locally, at least in its heyday, but that was a good thing in and of itself. There was a feeling for a few years that the local scene was thriving, at least in terms of activity; the quality could be argued back and forth forever. The past five, or maybe even ten years, it has felt a bit like the activity locally has dried up, or at least it seems as if there has been virtually no new blood entering in to the mix. That may well be my own biased opinion based on the specific type of bands I want to listen to, but you would expect at least some sort of steady trickle of young lads wanting to make their mark on death, black and doom. Maybe that's a separate discussion. The usual argument is that Facebook killed forums but at the same time the general consensus is that the level of discussion there is awful, so it seems like a flawed explanation to me. Another forum I use is always buzzing, which again contradicts the argument. Maybe there's only enough interest for a small number of Metal forms where people from all over the globe gather, as opposed to many small localised ones. Who knows...

It feels like we have a lost generation. All the "new" bands now are the same few auld lads being reshuffled around.

[Eoin McLove]

For the most part,  yep.

[Anton Arcane]

There are a few exceptions of course but not many.

[open face surgery]

I've seen a few high quality releases from local bands pretty much die on their arse in recent times and I can't help but think that if Metal Ireland was still around things would have been different. I know from my own experience in different bands over the years that a high scoring review and a happening thread can do wonders for getting you up the first step of the ladder.

And then go where? MI did very little for local bands beyond get local attention which equates to more or less nothing anyway.

Where they go after that initial kick-start is up to them but at least they were getting that exposure on Metal Ireland. Now there's nothing. From my own situation with Stereo Nasty, the demo and album reviews on Metal Ireland opened a lot of doors for us.

Was there that much talk of ye on MI? I feel like I heard of ye outside of MI but that's a very hazy notion.

[Anton Arcane]

I've seen a few high quality releases from local bands pretty much die on their arse in recent times and I can't help but think that if Metal Ireland was still around things would have been different. I know from my own experience in different bands over the years that a high scoring review and a happening thread can do wonders for getting you up the first step of the ladder.

And then go where? MI did very little for local bands beyond get local attention which equates to more or less nothing anyway.

Where they go after that initial kick-start is up to them but at least they were getting that exposure on Metal Ireland. Now there's nothing. From my own situation with Stereo Nasty, the demo and album reviews on Metal Ireland opened a lot of doors for us.

Was there that much talk of ye on MI? I feel like I heard of ye outside of MI but that's a very hazy notion.

Yeah those early reviews got people talking and that got the ball rolling for us. Our first gigs were a direct result of the demo review.

[Giggles]

Stereo Nasty. Yeah I heard of them though MI, I remember people saying good things. Haven't listened to them in a couple of years, gonna rectify that nai 

[Snare]

I can fully understand the need to step away, bit it was a shame the way everything disappeared overnight and people couldn't make plans to stay in touch after in a new forum location, e.g. people in trades like Gordon who hasn't been heard of since, and people still finding this place years later.

One thing I really do miss is the moderating as this place  turned into a hive of scum and villiany. The rules for signing up are a complete waste as the place is full of dispicable and abusive comments. I know people are grown up's and carry on despite such langers but it's fair off-putting and has driven people away, and no doubt deterred new people browsing.

CT commented previously about being able to see from posts who have issues, but it's also easy to see people who are just complete mongos and unfortunately they can carry on regardless here. It's dealing with that kind of shit on top of everything else in creating content that probably broke CT and led to him walking away. 

[Blackout]

Apart from maybe primordial or waylander, what metal band in the country would fill the likes of an olympia? There truly hasn't been an Irish Band in the last few years who I would call headline material.

[John Kimble]

One thing I really do miss is the moderating as this place  turned into a hive of scum and villiany. The rules for signing up are a complete waste as the place is full of dispicable and abusive comments.

Bit of an OTT comment there lad, yeah there's a few spas here, myself included (at times) but what goes on here is fairly moderate compared to countless other boards. MI suffered from being over moderated at times. Couple of point  to address I suppose, apart from Altar of Plagues (Through the Cracks of the Earth, still my fav AOP release) who got a fairly glowing review and went on to bigger and better things,  I'm not sure MI was as instrumental in giving Irish metal bands their 'big break' as has been credited already.  I thought the manner in which the site was abruptly closed was a bit of a dick move, considering the input of countless others, and the revelation from DME that the bould CT wanted a fair few bob for the site casts his initial claims of integrity in a new light...

[Anton Arcane]

One thing I really do miss is the moderating as this place  turned into a hive of scum and villiany. The rules for signing up are a complete waste as the place is full of dispicable and abusive comments.

Bit of an OTT comment there lad, yeah there's a few spas here, myself included (at times) but what goes on here is fairly moderate compared to countless other boards. MI suffered from being over moderated at times. Couple of point  to address I suppose, apart from Altar of Plagues (Through the Cracks of the Earth, still my fav AOP release) who got a fairly glowing review and went on to bigger and better things,  I'm not sure MI was as instrumental in giving Irish metal bands their 'big break' as has been credited already.  I thought the manner in which the site was abruptly closed was a bit of a dick move, considering the input of countless others, and the revelation from DME that the bould CT wanted a fair few bob for the site casts his initial claims of integrity in a new light...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying MI was handing out tickets to the big time. I'm just saying it was a starting block for bands. It introduced them to the scene and people tended to take notice of good reviews and /or praise from the regulars.

[Cailleach]

CT closing the site abruptly didn't really surprise me given he struck me as someone who, while polite and mannerly, had a big ego about him.

[John Kimble]

That he certainly did...he was consistent in his overvaluation of MI's contribution to the 'scene' overall...after all, it was just a forum effectively, much as we all derived enjoyment from it. Even his parting shot on the closing page, something about vigorously pursuing the copyright...get a grip like! I'd love to see the valuation he put on it, any chance of a disclosure there DME?? It was also apparent towards the end, at least to these eyes, that he had outgrown metal...some overly glowing reviews of very uninspired rock/alternative bands, then going to town on the likes of Zom (great album btw) whom he obviously just didn't 'get'.