I like music that sounds…
I like my metal to sound dangerous . To me acts like Haken, Wilderun, Soen are mostly boring because they are not dangerous. It's too pretty, too finished and glossy. Many craft, much yawn.
Also: complexity. I find intricate and layered music often more interesting. I can sometimes appreciate the beauty of a “song” but on the whole I don't find that format very interesting. Like in a collage I like it when the seams are visible, when the underlying structure shines through. The constituent parts are showing, which can make it more work to identify the image/idea as a whole. But when it clicks, then it really clicks and I feel more connected with the vision from which the piece was created.
(in response to https://www.angrymetalguy.com/ad-nauseam-imperative-imperceptible-impulse-review/?commentId=e43962cc-1a91-49a1-899c-db9d44b8c02a)