So just as it was in Friday's last regular prog contest in 2021, the rules of the Quarterfinals (aka, The Elimination Round) were a little different. In order to vote, you had to look at the ten remaining albums and rate your Top 4 in order of preference. Your vote was then weighted so that your first choice received 4 points, your second choice received 3 points, etc. etc. The four albums with the highest point totals get to move on to the Semi-Final Round.
I voted right away in this round, because why not? Here was my vote:
1. Il Giardino Onirico - Apofenia
2. Novela - Sanctuary
3. Jono El Grande - Melody of a Muddled Mason
4. SBB - Memento Z Banalnym Tryptykiem
I would have voted for the Steel Mill LP in my #3 spot if it had survived the previous round. But like most of my other picks, it didn't. In fact, the only two albums that I voted for that even made it this far were the Jono El Grande LP and the Axis LP.
When all the smoke had cleared, here was the final point total for the round:
Il Giardino Onirico - Apofenia = 42
Circus - Movin On = 34
SBB - Memento Z Banalnym Tryptykiem = 24
Pekka Pohjola - Visitation = 23
Present - Barbaro = 22
Jono El Grande - Melody Of A Muddled Mason = 17
Mercury Tree = 15
Axis (GR) - Axis = 13
Maquina! = 12
Novela - Sanctuary = 7
In the end, I was shocked that Novela got almost no support at all, and also surprised that after getting off to a decent start, Jono El Grande didn't move on. On he other hand, I wasn't at all stunned that the Il Giardino Onirico album finished in first place.
So we're one step closer to a champion. Keep reading to see how it turns out.
