Pending album submissions
Raters
What this is
The Gnosis Project has been a rater-driven database of progressive, avant-garde, and experimental music since 2000. This is a rebuilt, live successor to the original GnoSearch tool — anyone with an account can update their own ratings or propose new titles, which an admin reviews before they go live.
The rating scale
Gnosis raters use a 1–15 scale, described by the site as follows:
| 15 | One of the best ever, perfect. We suggest to raters that, at most, the top 1% of all albums receive a 15. While any rating from 12 through 15 can accurately be described with the superlatives "masterpiece" or "classic," only the 15s should appeal to the rater in as profound a manner as possible. |
| 14 | A near perfect classic. In many ways, the difference between 15s and 14s are barely existent; 14s are fantastic albums that either have a very minor flaw or just don't take it to the next level. We suggest to raters that, at most, the top 5% of all albums receive either a 14 or 15. |
| 13 | A classic, but not one of the very best. 13s are exalted grades. They are used for albums that the raters consider a classic or a masterpiece, yet did not make the very peak of the hill. A 13 is still an extremely highly recommended item, one that has few flaws. This rating can also be considered an "in-between" grade between favorites and borderline classics. |
| 12 | A borderline classic. A 12 is an album that one might instantly apply the word "classic" to, but on deeper reflection, one might not be so sure. There may be slight flaws that would have one hesitate on an intensely specific and critical level, yet a 12 is still an album that would have one mesmerized. |
| 11 | Excellent. While not a classic, an album that is very enjoyable and an important part of one's collection. We recommend that raters not give grades higher than 11 on the very first listen. |
| 10 | Very good. An album that, while not great, is definitely worth keeping and is very enjoyable. |
| 9 | Pretty good. While an album better than most, one may or may not keep an album with a rating of 9. |
| 8 | Slightly above average. An album with noticeable flaws, although few permeate the album entirely. Perhaps half the album is superb but the other half is so-so. Or there's a sentimental connection and little else. |
| 7 | Completely mediocre. Neither good nor bad. In the greater scheme of things, an album rated as a 7 has been buried under a pile of much superior titles, and while one is not ready to pan it, the rating implies, that, er can you put something else on? |
| 6 | Slightly below average. Just a tad worse than mediocre. Perhaps some parts are outright annoying or distasteful. |
| 5 | Below average. Maybe not outright "bad", but definitely a poor effort. |
| 4 | Pretty bad. A grade of 4 indicates a strong recommendation to avoid. |
| 3 | Bad. An album that contains a handful of decent moments in an otherwise atrocious outing. |
| 2 | Very bad, but there are worse. Although an incredibly poor effort, not one of the very worst. However, that's not to say that there are any redeeming values. |
| 1 | The worst thing ever. Intolerable. Godawful. A frisbee. A perfect example of something that one loves to hate. |
| 0 | Explicitly rated zero by the rater — distinct from simply not having rated it at all. |