The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 2, Matches 88-93

[srfc]

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Dream Theater - The Spirit Carries On
DT track is pretty bad, sounds like a boy band, and you can just imagine them all standing up off their stools for the high pitched bit before the solo. Again, this shite seems to appear here without any sneering comments, so while I'm loathe to insult something nominated by a member, I feel it's time to strike back for all the classic 70s and 80s bands who are dismissed as not metal, while this Westlife bullshit is championed. Can't see any reason why this is not dismissed just as quickly as some genuine classics were, other than the fact that it was written during the heyday of a few posters. Bohemian Rhapsody

Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod vs. Myrath - Wide Shut
Ministry is pretty bad, it sounds like metal Cotton Eyed Joe, but it's the better track here. Myrath completely passionless Jesus Built My Hotrod

At the Gates - Suicide Nation vs. Manowar - Warriors of the World United
Neither song to my tastes but Manowar is cringe inducing, are they preparing for a battle or listening to metal, can't seem to make up their minds Suicide Nation

Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen vs. Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
I like Alice but don't have much more than a hits album. I'm 18 is good, but has the ridiculous lyric about a teenager getting wrinkles. How Will I Laugh is my own nominee so no guesses which way I'm voting, but I'd be voting that way either way How Will I Laugh Tomorrow

Gamma Ray - Avalon vs. Annihilator - Alison Hell
Avalon was pretty damn good, there was a few of the genre's cliches especially lyrically, but for the most part it sounded like an actual song, a hint of Maiden from the melodies and a bit of the vibe of the Heaven and Hell album. The rhythm in the solo section was lifted from Wrathchild and then Stone Cold Crazy. Alison Hell the better track here. Alison Hell

Guns N' Roses - November Rain vs. Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be
Metallica seem to like patting themselves on the back about how heavy TTTSNB is because it's in a lower tuning, but it isn't. It's the second weakest on, admitedly one of the best ever albums. But I've never liked it. November Rain is a classic, two great solos and stunning outro. Just because Axl is a wanker and they spent some money on the video doesn't mean the track isn't, by far, the clearly better of the two. November Rain

 

[srfc]

Also, the intro to that DT song is a clear rip of Floyd's The Thin Ice.

 

[Jer]

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a classic for good reason, with some very pretty harmonies, memorable melodies, and big swings from a capella to piano ballad to hard rock and back again. Mercury sounds great, the guitar leads are very tasteful, and the song oozes with emotion. Excellent stuff. "The Spirit Carries On" is schmaltzy, and LaBrie sounds like he's putting on half of a British accent at the beginning. The solo's great, though, and makes up about a third of the song. Ew, this part with the backing singers sounds really cheesy, though. Sorry, @DJMayes, but this is a very easy call for the list nominee. Winner: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

"Jesus Built My Hot Rod" was kind of an amusing oddity for its day, but it's really just some rhythmic mumbling on top of a simplistic industrial groove, plus a couple of OK solos, and it runs on way longer than it needs to. "Wide Shut" has some nice technical playing and middle eastern flavor. The singer's a little behind the beat much of the time, and there's something a bit weird about his voice that I'm not thrilled about, though he generally sounds pretty good otherwise. The vocal melodies are mostly solid, as are the solos, though neither is particularly inspiring. I like the proggy song structure and the forwardness of the synths. Good stuff overall, and a straightforward call for @Confeos's nominee here. Winner: Myrath - "Wide Shut"

"Suicide Nation" has a nice funky opening riff with a pleasantly complex melodeath riff following on. The vocals are of the sucky nonmelodic borderline Gollum variety, unfortunately. The cut time drumming that pops up here actually doesn't sound too bad, probably because it's not taken to an absurd tempo and there are enough other drumming patterns in play to keep things interesting. I liked everything about the guitars here, but the vocals are a boat anchor around the song's neck. "Warriors Of The World United" gets the most out of its simplistic beat. The half-sung verses kinda suck, but the chorus works well despite being cheesy as fuck. The soft interlude is also pretty good, albeit equally cheesy. As much as it pains me, I have to say sorry @Spambot, but I think I would rather listen to @Poto's nominee if given the choice. Blame the Muppet tax. Winner: Manowar - "Warriors Of The World United"

"I'm Eighteen" is basic bluesy rock with generally appealing melodies but kind of silly lyrics. Not bad, but nothing particularly special either. "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" is from the later period when Suicidal moved away from pure punk. The singer doesn't have the best melodic delivery, but the vocal and guitar lines are all good, the tonal shifts at the midpoint and near the end are cool, and the solo is great. An easy call for @srfc's nominee. Winner: Suicidal Tendencies - "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow"

"Avalon" has a sweet epic feel from beginning to end, with great vocal lines throughout. Kai's voice is overly rough in a few places, but nothing too distracting. The multi-part solo section with a couple of riff homages rips hard, and the the final chorus section is sublime. Excellent stuff. "Alison Hell" has nice atmosphere, great guitar and bass work, and interesting songwriting, but the vocals pretty much suck. The verse vocals have barely any melody, the chorus is a train wreck, and the bridge, while better, isn't enough to offset the rest. On balance it's a good song that could have been really great with a completely different vocal approach. A very easy call for KalidInTheDarkata333's nominee. Winner: Gamma Ray - "Avalon"

"November Rain" is Axl trying to be Billy Joel, though he's more successful at it on this track than on some of the other gratuitous epics of theirs. The vocal lines are strong, and of course the final 2:15 of the song is the money shot solo/finale that sells the whole thing. A very good song, maybe even great overall. "The Thing That Should Not Be" is an unusually slow and moody number for early Metallica. The riffs are good and the clean guitar and vocal lines make things suitably creepy. There's a little more repetition than necessary, and the solo is a bit unfocused outside of the middle eastern bit, but the atmospheric bits are great. Very good overall. Congratulations @Poto, I think your nominee just edges out its competitor here. Winner: Guns N' Roses - "November Rain"

 

[Confeos]

Queen. Not the biggest fan of neither the band nor "Bohemian Rhapsody", but it is considered one of the greatest songs ever for a reason. And aside from the fantastic solo, I didn't find anything memorable about "The Spirit Carries On".

Myrath. Own nominee bias, and I found Ministry's song quite terrible.

Manowar. There are hints of something great in "Suicide Nation", but it never truly gets there. "Warriors of the World United" has been stuck in my head for a while, and Manowar are always enjoyable.

Suicidal Tendencies. Really, apart from the sub-par vocals, I like just about everything else about "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow". Great tune. "I'm Eighteen" is very good too, but I gotta go with its opponent here.

Gamma Ray. If you look solely at the "good fun"-factor, no band can beat Annihilator. I'm thoroughly entertained by every single song I hear from them. "Alison Hell" does have a bad chorus and somewhat weak vocals though. "Avalon" is very deriative of many earlier Gamma Ray epics, but overall it's gonna be my pick in this match - the closest one this round.

Metallica. "The Thing That Should Not Be" is not my favourite song, and probably the second weakest on Puppets after "Damage Inc.". But "November Rain" is a bit overrated; the only truly phenomenal part is the "Don't you think that you need somebody" outro, and that's not enough to get my vote here.

 

[____no5]

I would like to see Tallica loose to G’n’R

 

[KidInTheDark666]

I would like to see Tallica loose to G’n’R

Yeah, The Thing is actually one of my least favorite songs by them.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

...pretty bad, sounds like a boy band, and you can just imagine them all standing up off their stools for the high pitched bit before the solo. Again, this shite seems to appear here without any sneering comments, so while I'm loathe to insult something nominated by a member, I feel it's time to strike back for all the classic 70s and 80s bands who are dismissed as not metal, while this Westlife bullshit is championed. Can't see any reason why this is not dismissed just as quickly as some genuine classics were, other than the fact that it was written during the heyday of a few posters. Bohemian Rhapsody

Yeah, you're right, honestly, I think the Westlife boyband bullshit sentimental part of Bohemian Rhapsody gets an utterly unfair pass because

- the bloke singing it is dead
- it was indeed written during the heyday of a few posters.

 

[____no5]

Yeah, The Thing is actually one of my least favorite songs by them.

Actually Master of Puppets album is kind of overrated for my taste…

 

[Magnus]

Jesus Built My Hotrod is a joke, right?

It's a love affair.

 

[LooseCannon]

Well, the spirit doesn't carry on when you have some maudlin 19th century hipsters to sing about, eh, Queen? Myrath doesn't give any shits about Jesus OR his hotrod. Warriors of the world, even the suicide nation, unite under Manowar's mighty banner. Alice Cooper will laugh tomorrow about being eighteen. Annihilator has conquered avalon! Egads. And yes, I agree, Maidenfans, GNR is the thing that should not be. Metallica.

---

Part II, Round 2, Matches 70-75​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 70​	Somewhere in Time Division​
King Diamond - Abigail	vs.​	Sentenced - Fields of Blood, Harvester of Hate​
Popoff 500 @DJ James	Nominators​	@Magnus​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 71​	BBC Archives Division​
Tool - Lateralus	vs.​	Motörhead - Killed by Death​
@Spambot, @____no5	Nominators​	Popoff 500, Best Music Art 100​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 72​	Hell on Earth Division​
Mötley Crüe - Shout at the Devil	vs.​	Nightwish - The Siren​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100	Nominators​	@Diesel 11​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 73​	Dennis Stratton Division​
Queensrÿche - I Don't Believe in Love	vs.​	Hell - Blasphemy and the Master​
Popoff 500 @srfc	Nominators​	@srfc​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 74​	Can I Play With Madness? Division​
Celtic Frost - Dethroned Emperor	vs.​	Megadeth - Into the Lungs of Hell (original version)​
Popoff 500 @Magnus	Nominators​	@Jer​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 2	Match 75​	Brave New World Division​
AC/DC - TNT	vs.​	Rhapsody of Fire - Knightrider of Doom (Power of the Dragonflame version)​
Popoff 500, Radio EHS 100	Nominators​	@JudasMyGuide​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Magnus]

Really, really like King Diamond's song. Voting Sentenced.
Tool's song is great. Voting Motörhead, obvioisly.
Hate Nightwish. Voting for them nevertheless.
Hell, of course.
Celtic Frost.
Aussies rule.

 

[Magnus]

Go on guys, ruin the perfection.

 

[DJMayes]

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody vs. Dream Theater - The Spirit Carries On
DT track is pretty bad, sounds like a boy band, and you can just imagine them all standing up off their stools for the high pitched bit before the solo. Again, this shite seems to appear here without any sneering comments, so while I'm loathe to insult something nominated by a member, I feel it's time to strike back for all the classic 70s and 80s bands who are dismissed as not metal, while this Westlife bullshit is championed. Can't see any reason why this is not dismissed just as quickly as some genuine classics were, other than the fact that it was written during the heyday of a few posters. Bohemian Rhapsody

A little late in replying to this but I do feel obligated to point out the irony in you taking this stance in this particular matchup given that:

a) I have not once dismissed a band because it's "not metal";
b) I voted against my own nomination here in favour of the classic band.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

The first battle all comes down to which goofy voice I can take seriously and the answer is neither. I guess I’ll vote for Sentenced because no Mickey.

Lateralus tries to teach us advanced algebra, Killed By Death reminds us that 2+2=4. Tool also take us on a journey, Motörhead sound like they already went on a journey.

Although it has awesome orchestrations and a cool Marko backing vocal, The Siren is one of the weaker tracks on Once. Yet every single second is better than a Motley Crue song.

I Don’t Believe In Love is probably the least annoying Tate is capable of sounding, plus the bass work is cool. Despite having better music, the cartoonish vocals by Hell are enough to make me overlook my anti-Queensryche bias.

Celtic Frost have a couple good riffs buried in their potato recording, but Megadeth are nothing but great riffs and benefit from an instrumental (something Celtic Frost should have considered).

TNT sure is an AC/DC song. Knightrider of Doom is literally clogging my arteries with sticky cheese, but the music is far preferable.

 

[Kalata]

I can't believe Gamma Ray's Avalon lost. One of the best power metal epics. And a textbook example of an epic sounding song. Literally every part is anthemic. Their classic sound in one song.

Some thoughts on this round:

The Siren is an essential Nightwish song. Those melodies! I think Bruce likes it too... (Fingers In The Wounds)...
I Don't Believe In Love is probably Queensryche's best song.
T.N.T. is classic rock and of my favorite AC/DC songs, but Rhapsody Of Fire's Knightrider Of Doom is one of their best songs I've heard. That chorus.

 

[srfc]

A little late in replying to this but I do feel obligated to point out the irony in you taking this stance in this particular matchup given that:

a) I have not once dismissed a band because it's "not metal";
b) I voted against my own nomination here in favour of the classic band.

Apologies @DJMayes , like I said in the post, I didnt want to have a go at anything nominated by a member, for exactly that reason, I didnt want it to appear as an attack on the poster.

It was unfortunate that it was this round that a modern song popped up that was definitely not metal to my ears. My post was intended as a general defence of old school stuff, and the revisionism of what is and isnt metal, not an attack on you, or even that particular DT song

 

[Jer]

"Abigail" has strong guitar work, but some really questionable vocal choices throughout in terms of melody, timbre, and phrasing. I like the out-of-left-field synth lead at the end, though. "Fields Of Blood, Harvester Of Hate" brings the fire early, but soon gets into less interesting but still punchy riffs. The vocals stink, as expected. I like the more prominent role of the bass here, as well as the solo bass interlude, and the songwriting in general is interesting, if a bit unfocused in places. The guitar trilling bits aren't the best, especially when they hit out-of-tune harmonies; though at least they try a few ambitious things with melodic and harmonic interactions. Not a fan of either track, but sorry @Magnus, I think @DJ James's nominee is a little closer to my taste. Winner: King Diamond - "Abigail"

"Lateralus" starts off seeming a bit self-indulgent with its rhythmic play, but over time the lyrics start to reference “finding the rhythm” as those rhythmic structures morph and evolve, creating a pretty amazing hypnotic effect the further down the spiral you go. I began as a skeptic but was a believer by the end. "Killed By Death" is yet another Motörhead song that sounds like pretty much every other Motörhead song -- a simplistic, repetitive, but appealing rock groove with strained vocals and very limited melodies, and decent soloing. In one ear and out the other. A very easy call for Spam__bo55's nominee. Winner: Tool - "Lateralus"

"Shout At The Devil" makes the most of its big, dumb beat with some rhythmically interesting verse vocals, though Vince Neil sometimes sounds like a cat being strangled. The chorus is simple but appealing. The solo's a bit odd and ends too abruptly, but they get a bonus point for the drum + vocal breakdown. "The Siren" has a cool opening lead, but the orchestration sounds silly. I like the middle eastern feel of the verse. The chorus with the male vocals is less effective, but OK. The interludes in the middle are very nice. This perhaps leans a bit too far in the direction of being a soundtrack rather than a song, but it's quite good for what it is. Both songs have some issues, but I'll reward the larger ambitions of @Diesel 11's nominee here. Winner: Nightwish - "The Siren"

"I Don't Believe In Love" is packed with great dynamics, vocal lines, and guitar and bass work throughout. The verse builds beautifully through the pre-chorus into a big, resonant chorus. Great solo with nice harmonies, too. Excellent stuff. "Blasphemy And The Master" has a suitably creepy atmospheric intro. Not really on board with the psychotic spoken word section, but the riffage that follows is pretty interesting. The singer is too over the top in general, but he sounds decent when he reins it in a bit. There are some good vocal melodies in there, but some don't land as well. I like the pipe organ and choral section. The deconstructed solo doesn't really work for me, but the real solo soon afterward is much better. Now I'm checking the clock at the 6 and a half minute mark. I don't know, this song's kind of a mess at times, and not all of it works, but at least it's rarely boring. Unfortunately, it just walked out in front of a full-speed Mack truck. Congratusorrylations, @srfc, but the winner here is clear. Winner: Queensrÿche - "I Don't Believe In Love"

"Dethroned Emperor" has an appealing opening groove that goes through some slower convolutions later on. The vocals are of the coarse and non-melodic variety, but nowhere near as bad as other vocals in this general pocket have been. There was kind of an interesting doomy detour in the middle that seemed to cut itself off abruptly, but the rest of the track just plods without much direction. Not my jam. "Into The Lungs Of Hell" is the song that got me into Megadeth. I was absolutely blown away by this leadoff track with its booming reverb, the epic roller coaster of guitar melodies and notes falling like rain, and the mental picture it created of swirling downward through a maelstrom, ending with that huge explosion that rolled so wonderfully into "Set The World Afire". Excellent stuff. Sorry, @Magnus, but this @Jer guy clearly has superior taste! Winner: Megadeth - "Into The Lungs Of Hell"

"T.N.T." has decent vocal lines and a memorable chorus. The riffs and "ois" aren't the greatest, and the solo's just OK, but this is a pretty good song overall, albeit a simplistic one. "Knightrider Of Doom" has a promising start with pipe organ and a coed choir -- this is the kind of cheese I can fully embrace. I'm less thrilled with the cheesy synths after the guitars kick in, but you've got to love Turilli's soloing. Aw fuck, here comes Fabio Lione -- I think this "Knightrider" would literally sound better with David Hasselhoff singing. God, I can't stand Lione's voice. The lyrics are poorly phrased and cheesy as hell, but the music is strong as always. Unfortunately, @JudasMyGuide, I just can't find my way past Lione's shitshow here. Winner: AC/DC - "T.N.T."

 

[Shmoolikipod]

Abigail is a solid KD song, my opinion on Sentenced hasn't changed. It's interesting and I could enjoy this if I was more invested.

Lateralus made me want to quit and go listen to that album instead. Killed by Death didn't, though it is one of Motörhead's best.

Anything over Shout at the Devil. Even Sunn O))).

I Don't Believe in Love hits hard in the context of the album, but even standalone it's fantastic. Awesome unique riffing and structure in Blasphemy and the Master. Difficult choice.

Okay, I actually enjoyed the instrumental this time. It's pretty great. Is it better than Dethroned Emperor... Honestly have no idea, I'll go with Celtic Frost because they're losing.

Don't care about T.N.T. Knightrider of Doom is great on many fronts and wins handily. Not the best but damn good, yes.

 

[Confeos]

King Diamond. As usual, "Abigail" has great music but terrible vocals. The concept and story is pure, awesome horror, however, and that tips the scales in favour of my countryman - Sentenced doesn't thrill me that much.

Motörhead. I'm not that invested in this match; Tool is just overrated, and Lemmy and his gang has better songs than "Killed By Death", but it wins this one due to its immortal opening line.

Nightwish. By default, since I hate Mötley Crüe. "The Siren" is a great song too.

Queensrÿche. Hell's tune almost comes off as more of a Shakespearean performance than an actual song. I don't know quite how I feel about it, but it's interesting for sure. But "I Don't Believe in Love" remains one of the best Queensrÿche songs I've heard, and it's the clear winner here.

Megadeth. I've yet to be particularly thrilled by Celtic Frost, and "Into the Lungs of Hell" is a very fine instrumental piece.

Rhapsody of Fire. "Knightrider of Doom" has really grown on me since hearing it for the first time in this game, and I'd much rather listen to it again than anything by AC/DC.