You can expect an update tomorrow. Travelling today.
The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 2, Matches 124-129
- Thread starter LooseCannon
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Poto
Ancient Mariner
Disappointing. You should be more dedicated to this than your travels.
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
If Red Alert was going to lose to any song, I'm atleast glad it was Lay it Down. Lixx is quite an interesting band. Glam metal band from Utah (yes, Utah) that never made it anywhere. I suspect their failings had something to do with their location. They had a sort of preproduction EP that I've never heard before and a lone demo Red Alert. I came across them on a whim in 2019 and fell in love with their sound. Wish they made it big so I couldve gotten to hear more more from them. I love the razor sharp riffs and solos on Red Alert and that bass tone is to die for, it sounds like it should be on punk demo not a glam release. Just cool stuff all around.
Also Slime and Punishment got a bad draw, it is what it is.
Also Slime and Punishment got a bad draw, it is what it is.
Red Alert! Ratt outduels Lixx and Tesla in a Mexican standoff. Epica's sacred ground is claimed by Avantasia's angelic attack. The heathen tribes are betrayed by Ensiferum's treacherous gods. There can be no forgiveness for Municipal Waste, who are cleaned up by Metallica. Devin Townsend just cannot get off against Symphony X (2), who make it a dual win by also extinguishing Nevermore's neon dreams.
Part 1, Round 13, Matches 73-78
Play In Round |
| Trios Match |
| Andy Taylor Division | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N' Roses - Nightrain | vs. | Ratt - Last Call | vs. | Poison - Talk Dirty to Me | ||
Nominators | @Jer | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |||
Links | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Nicko McBrain Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Finger Death Punch - Wash It All Away | vs. | Faith No More - The Real Thing | |
| Youtube 50 | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Nicko McBrain Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life of Agony - This Time | vs. | Helmet - In the Meantime | |
| Rolling Stone 100 | Nominators | Rolling Stone 100 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Paschendale Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma Ray - Gods of Deliverance | vs. | Hammerfall - Templars of Steel | |
| @Shmoolikipod | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Paschendale Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opeth - The Drapery Falls | vs. | Evergrey - A Touch of Blessing | |
| @JudasMyGuide | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
The Ratt song is really good, I admit. A good groove, the singer sounds better than I remember him sounding, it's catchy, the guitarwork is really nice. I don't remember them ever sounding this good, I might actually try out this whole album. The Poison track is much weaker, it sounds like an attempt at old school power pop, but infused with the more obnoxious aspects of the 80s. It's not terrible, I have heard much worse tracks in this game, but nothing to write home about.
But sorry, there is only one obvious winner here. I mean, I know they are controversial, honestly, I couldn't stand them as well for quite some time, but say what you will about Guns 'n' Roses, their sound, attitude or whatever else of their aspects, Nightrain is THE perfect Guns 'N' Roses song. The one song you need even if you don't need the band at all. I remember when I first played Appetite - still quite sceptical towards the band - it was this track that captivated me immediately. The smoothness, the swagger, the stiletto-style production, the unabashed sensationalism, the sleaze and the sticking it up to sobriety - that's truly something. And sorry for all the sibilants, I'm just having fun.
It's also catchy as fuck. This is the epitome of "hard rock" for me. The track I was happy someone nominated, because I didn't think Guns 'N' Roses would be in the game.
Seriously, put away your prejudice - such a nasty habit, I'm being told - and embrace the dirt and also smoke your cigarette with style.
I think this is quite proper
NIGHTRAIN, FUCK YES, BABY!
-----
I voted for Five Finger Death Punch the last time around, in what might seem as a momentary lapse of reason and I'm not quite ready to do so again. This is just too much Pantera worship, but with sterile modernisation on top, I definitely could live without that. In fact, it sounds like this weird, boy-band version of Dimebag & Co.
I mostly like FNM from Angel Dust onwards - the production and the 80s-isms on The Real Thing are bringing the album down a bit and Patton often sounds unbelievably obnoxious, as if he hasn't hit puberty yet, but the title track is appropriately ambitious, switches between various moods, there are some quite memorable and cool riffs and overall it's quite obviously the pinnacle of the record. Again, I kinda wish they did this later, with Patton sounding less like he was 15 and with better sounding production, but well, you get what you get.
Faith No More, no contest.
-----
Life of Agony - whom I never heard of before - have some nice half-doom, half-stoner mood going on, with good crunchy riffs at first, then they switch to this style that reminds me of Soundgarden, but with more 70s production and then back again. I must say this song was quite enjoyable and I'll probably check out the whole album in the foreseeable future.
Helmet, on the other hand, are a band I definitely have heard of, but for some inexplicable reason I have avoided them so far. I really like this. The riffs, the groove, it's all rather addictive and I can even forgive the fact the vocalist isn't really my cup of tea - it's weird, but to me they kinda sound like less stonery and more groove-based version of Conan (?), if that makes sense.
Anyway, both are a pleasant surprise for me, I'll probably go with the lesser known and more colourful Life of Agony, but whichever song progresses further, I'm happy with that.
-----
Another power metal match, another opportunity do disappoint Kai and his solo project, right? Honestly, I don't know, I admit that I'm quite unfairly quite partial towards Templars of Steel, for being one of the first power metal tracks I have consciously listened to and the nostalgia alone and the insane cathiness of the chorus (as well as my inherent Italian-descended weakness for cheese AND Cheese) would make me want to vote for HammerFall. Especially since it's probably one of the more unjustly maligned power metal bands in the general metal milieu.
However, the breakneck speed and anthemic chorus of Gamma Ray is a sufficiently strong sed contra.
Huh. I've played these songs back to back right now and I'm still not really sure. So I think I'll break the tradition here and wait until tomorrow as regarding this match, as of now I'm still more inclined to vote for (((HammerFall))), but I'll sleep on it and we'll see.
-----
Talk about first songs. The Drapery Falls was the first track off Blackwater Park that truly captivated me. In fact, to this day it is THE song I play to people to let them know what Opeth are about. I could write a lot about this song alone, but let's just say that it's the combination - the wall of sound melody in the intro, the jazzy acoustic guitars with the siren-like guitars wailing in the background, the obvious Wilsonisms in the clean vocal chorus (I'd say that pre- and post-Wilson Opeth might be a bigger change than Old- and New-peth, but that's a hot take so controversial I'm not prepared to argue about it here), the melodic solo, the switch into the darkness and decay in the heavy section... and then back again and some beautiful Mikael cleans and again going to the hauntingly poignant passage repeated from the intro... it is the epitome of Autumn (or Fall), Romanticism, fallen leaves, old buildings, pendulum clock, attics, dust, moors, fogs, grey sky, soft drizzle, smell of burn in the air. Everything all at once. I am very glad that in my Ultimate Tolkien Reading List I have come across The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings right now, because those works also feel inherently autumnal to me, always have (and the films capture it too - just look at all the golden leaves at Parth Galen) and I am very glad that we finally have some Opeth in the game now, on the first of October. And that it is this song, which still hasn't lost the potency of the spell it holds me under.
Oh, and also
*inhales*
!!!DEADLY BADGERS MADE MY WREATH!!!
Next to that, Evergrey really can't compete. I mean, the song isn't really bad, especially if I try to overlook the nu-metal stylisations, there are some nice ideas here and the guitars are probably going to appeal to most Maiden fans. It was also surprisingly catchy. But you mustn't really blame me if I'll go with my nomination here.
OPETH.
-----
The final match is more or less "do you prefer cholera or syphilis", with two of the bands I was hoping never to hear again taking turns annoying me. That said, the Linkin Park song is at least from their first album, so I guess you could give them point for "originality", but then again, they have this weird, cultish following everywhere, including here, whereas Limp Bizkit are these ever-hated (arguably overhated, because they're really not much worse or better than the rest of their peers) punchline, the kicking bag of every "serious metal fan".
You thought you'd make me vote for Linkin Park, didn't you? Well, WRONG. I haven't forgotten Linkin Park winning in the past and voting for Limp Bizkit is the quite appropriate act of trolling against both the "critical consensus" and all the bizarre Linkin Park apologetics I've seen around here. And the groove is probably better, I guess.
But sorry, there is only one obvious winner here. I mean, I know they are controversial, honestly, I couldn't stand them as well for quite some time, but say what you will about Guns 'n' Roses, their sound, attitude or whatever else of their aspects, Nightrain is THE perfect Guns 'N' Roses song. The one song you need even if you don't need the band at all. I remember when I first played Appetite - still quite sceptical towards the band - it was this track that captivated me immediately. The smoothness, the swagger, the stiletto-style production, the unabashed sensationalism, the sleaze and the sticking it up to sobriety - that's truly something. And sorry for all the sibilants, I'm just having fun.
It's also catchy as fuck. This is the epitome of "hard rock" for me. The track I was happy someone nominated, because I didn't think Guns 'N' Roses would be in the game.
Seriously, put away your prejudice - such a nasty habit, I'm being told - and embrace the dirt and also smoke your cigarette with style.
I think this is quite proper
NIGHTRAIN, FUCK YES, BABY!
-----
I voted for Five Finger Death Punch the last time around, in what might seem as a momentary lapse of reason and I'm not quite ready to do so again. This is just too much Pantera worship, but with sterile modernisation on top, I definitely could live without that. In fact, it sounds like this weird, boy-band version of Dimebag & Co.
I mostly like FNM from Angel Dust onwards - the production and the 80s-isms on The Real Thing are bringing the album down a bit and Patton often sounds unbelievably obnoxious, as if he hasn't hit puberty yet, but the title track is appropriately ambitious, switches between various moods, there are some quite memorable and cool riffs and overall it's quite obviously the pinnacle of the record. Again, I kinda wish they did this later, with Patton sounding less like he was 15 and with better sounding production, but well, you get what you get.
Faith No More, no contest.
-----
Life of Agony - whom I never heard of before - have some nice half-doom, half-stoner mood going on, with good crunchy riffs at first, then they switch to this style that reminds me of Soundgarden, but with more 70s production and then back again. I must say this song was quite enjoyable and I'll probably check out the whole album in the foreseeable future.
Helmet, on the other hand, are a band I definitely have heard of, but for some inexplicable reason I have avoided them so far. I really like this. The riffs, the groove, it's all rather addictive and I can even forgive the fact the vocalist isn't really my cup of tea - it's weird, but to me they kinda sound like less stonery and more groove-based version of Conan (?), if that makes sense.
Anyway, both are a pleasant surprise for me, I'll probably go with the lesser known and more colourful Life of Agony, but whichever song progresses further, I'm happy with that.
-----
Another power metal match, another opportunity do disappoint Kai and his solo project, right? Honestly, I don't know, I admit that I'm quite unfairly quite partial towards Templars of Steel, for being one of the first power metal tracks I have consciously listened to and the nostalgia alone and the insane cathiness of the chorus (as well as my inherent Italian-descended weakness for cheese AND Cheese) would make me want to vote for HammerFall. Especially since it's probably one of the more unjustly maligned power metal bands in the general metal milieu.
However, the breakneck speed and anthemic chorus of Gamma Ray is a sufficiently strong sed contra.
Huh. I've played these songs back to back right now and I'm still not really sure. So I think I'll break the tradition here and wait until tomorrow as regarding this match, as of now I'm still more inclined to vote for (((HammerFall))), but I'll sleep on it and we'll see.
-----
Talk about first songs. The Drapery Falls was the first track off Blackwater Park that truly captivated me. In fact, to this day it is THE song I play to people to let them know what Opeth are about. I could write a lot about this song alone, but let's just say that it's the combination - the wall of sound melody in the intro, the jazzy acoustic guitars with the siren-like guitars wailing in the background, the obvious Wilsonisms in the clean vocal chorus (I'd say that pre- and post-Wilson Opeth might be a bigger change than Old- and New-peth, but that's a hot take so controversial I'm not prepared to argue about it here), the melodic solo, the switch into the darkness and decay in the heavy section... and then back again and some beautiful Mikael cleans and again going to the hauntingly poignant passage repeated from the intro... it is the epitome of Autumn (or Fall), Romanticism, fallen leaves, old buildings, pendulum clock, attics, dust, moors, fogs, grey sky, soft drizzle, smell of burn in the air. Everything all at once. I am very glad that in my Ultimate Tolkien Reading List I have come across The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings right now, because those works also feel inherently autumnal to me, always have (and the films capture it too - just look at all the golden leaves at Parth Galen) and I am very glad that we finally have some Opeth in the game now, on the first of October. And that it is this song, which still hasn't lost the potency of the spell it holds me under.
Oh, and also
*inhales*
!!!DEADLY BADGERS MADE MY WREATH!!!
Next to that, Evergrey really can't compete. I mean, the song isn't really bad, especially if I try to overlook the nu-metal stylisations, there are some nice ideas here and the guitars are probably going to appeal to most Maiden fans. It was also surprisingly catchy. But you mustn't really blame me if I'll go with my nomination here.
OPETH.
-----
The final match is more or less "do you prefer cholera or syphilis", with two of the bands I was hoping never to hear again taking turns annoying me. That said, the Linkin Park song is at least from their first album, so I guess you could give them point for "originality", but then again, they have this weird, cultish following everywhere, including here, whereas Limp Bizkit are these ever-hated (arguably overhated, because they're really not much worse or better than the rest of their peers) punchline, the kicking bag of every "serious metal fan".
You thought you'd make me vote for Linkin Park, didn't you? Well, WRONG. I haven't forgotten Linkin Park winning in the past and voting for Limp Bizkit is the quite appropriate act of trolling against both the "critical consensus" and all the bizarre Linkin Park apologetics I've seen around here. And the groove is probably better, I guess.
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Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Easily your best one yet.
MindRuler
Ancient Mariner
Since two of my nominated songs show up in this round, I will channel my inner @JudasMyGuide and will write a tiny little bit more than usual. But trust me: I won´t make it a habit and let the big posts to those who have a talent for it: the Judases, Diesels and Spambots of this world.
So, Round 13. Would it bring bad luck for the superstitious among us?
Axl versus Ratt and Poison in the glamtrio sounds like a deadly combination.
Nightrain isn´t one of my favourites from the debut, although the solo is top notch. You can call me crazy but I hear some 90´s era Megadeth in that Ratt song, especially in the vocals reminded me of Mustaine. No way I could foresee this but I voted for Poison! Every rose has its thorn I guess?
Five Finger Death Punch is a band I never listen to and Wash It All Away is a decent song but it has to face against my own nomination, the title track of the album that knocked Armored Saint´s Symbol Of Salvation out of the GMAC. It is one of their best "epics" (and they named another song on the very same album like that, just like they did more of these titlejokes)
A schoolmate introduced me to them long before I knew Maiden and I was totally in love with Introduce Yourself, Angel Dust and especially The Real Thing.
So yes: own nomination bias isn't really needed here. Faith No More
The next match can be filed under the category "Couldn´t care any less" or more precisely "Not my cup of darjeeling" so it´s time to flip a coin. Well, Life Of Agony is less annoying to my ears but to be honest I have no interest to find out whoever wins or loses this match.
I have a confession to make.
No, I have 2 actually!
1. I can´t stand Kai Hansen´s voice.
Whatever he did with Ween and Ray, nice stuff but the vocals always were a huge turnoff for me. I really find it hard to listen to the whole song just because of that. Sorry Kai, no hard feelings.
2. In the time Renegade was released I was a huge HammerFall fan. I listened to their three albums every week because I couldn´t get enough of them. I had a Renegade backpatch on my sleeveless denim jacket and wore it proudly. It´s been metal ages since I listened to any of their songs and when hearing this one again my blood runs faster! Let the hammer fall! Renegade
I tried it many times. A few albums, a few songs but between Opeth and me it will never work out. I know alot of people here love them but I don´t hear and feel the appeal in their music. Maybe it´s not the time to fully understand the greatness of this band yet and maybe one day I´ll be an honest man but for now: sorry @JudasMyGuide , don´t take it too personal because I know Opeth is one of your babies.
Speaking of babies: Evergrey is one of mine.
I became a fan since their debut album and still I am one now. My favourite albums are from the past and the song I nominated is my alltime favourite song by them. If you like this, there's alot of beautiful to discover and I´d gladly recommend albums to start with to anyone who´s interested. A Touch Of Blessing is a wonderful song that showcases the songwriting talent of the Swedes.
The nu metal match is a no contest one!
Never liked Fred Durst and his band, it might be subjective but I think they released some really mediocre stuff. Linkin Park had the amazing voice of Chester and In The End is their greatest hit ever.
So, Round 13. Would it bring bad luck for the superstitious among us?
Axl versus Ratt and Poison in the glamtrio sounds like a deadly combination.
Nightrain isn´t one of my favourites from the debut, although the solo is top notch. You can call me crazy but I hear some 90´s era Megadeth in that Ratt song, especially in the vocals reminded me of Mustaine. No way I could foresee this but I voted for Poison! Every rose has its thorn I guess?
Five Finger Death Punch is a band I never listen to and Wash It All Away is a decent song but it has to face against my own nomination, the title track of the album that knocked Armored Saint´s Symbol Of Salvation out of the GMAC. It is one of their best "epics" (and they named another song on the very same album like that, just like they did more of these titlejokes)
A schoolmate introduced me to them long before I knew Maiden and I was totally in love with Introduce Yourself, Angel Dust and especially The Real Thing.
So yes: own nomination bias isn't really needed here. Faith No More
The next match can be filed under the category "Couldn´t care any less" or more precisely "Not my cup of darjeeling" so it´s time to flip a coin. Well, Life Of Agony is less annoying to my ears but to be honest I have no interest to find out whoever wins or loses this match.
I have a confession to make.
No, I have 2 actually!
1. I can´t stand Kai Hansen´s voice.
Whatever he did with Ween and Ray, nice stuff but the vocals always were a huge turnoff for me. I really find it hard to listen to the whole song just because of that. Sorry Kai, no hard feelings.
2. In the time Renegade was released I was a huge HammerFall fan. I listened to their three albums every week because I couldn´t get enough of them. I had a Renegade backpatch on my sleeveless denim jacket and wore it proudly. It´s been metal ages since I listened to any of their songs and when hearing this one again my blood runs faster! Let the hammer fall! Renegade
I tried it many times. A few albums, a few songs but between Opeth and me it will never work out. I know alot of people here love them but I don´t hear and feel the appeal in their music. Maybe it´s not the time to fully understand the greatness of this band yet and maybe one day I´ll be an honest man but for now: sorry @JudasMyGuide , don´t take it too personal because I know Opeth is one of your babies.
Speaking of babies: Evergrey is one of mine.
I became a fan since their debut album and still I am one now. My favourite albums are from the past and the song I nominated is my alltime favourite song by them. If you like this, there's alot of beautiful to discover and I´d gladly recommend albums to start with to anyone who´s interested. A Touch Of Blessing is a wonderful song that showcases the songwriting talent of the Swedes.
The nu metal match is a no contest one!
Never liked Fred Durst and his band, it might be subjective but I think they released some really mediocre stuff. Linkin Park had the amazing voice of Chester and In The End is their greatest hit ever.
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JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
Oh no, not a talent. Impertinence.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Infestation is definitely one of their best overall albums, and totally worth checking out — but “Last Call” is the cream of the crop from that one. It’s a very pure distillation of everything Ratt was about, for all the reasons you mentioned, and for the delicious amount of sleaze in Pearcy’s delivery.
Tough draw against GNR, who folks around here really seem to love for some reason, but a guy can hope…
Nightrain vs. Last Call vs. Talk Dirty To Me - Easy vote for Nightrain even though all 3 songs shouldn't really be in the game, quality and genre-wise.
Wash It All Away vs. The Real Thing - Obviously FNM. FFDP are fucking awful.
This Time vs. In The Meantime - Didn't care much for either song, but the first one had better vocals, so it gets my vote.
Gods Of Deliverance vs. Templars Of Steel - Gods Of Deliverance is a weird choice when it comes to that album, but it's definitely better than HammerFall.
The Drapery Falls vs. A Touch Of Blessing - Opeth, no contest.
In The End vs. Eat You Alive - Linkin Park, no contest. Limp Bizkit is fucking awful.
Wash It All Away vs. The Real Thing - Obviously FNM. FFDP are fucking awful.
This Time vs. In The Meantime - Didn't care much for either song, but the first one had better vocals, so it gets my vote.
Gods Of Deliverance vs. Templars Of Steel - Gods Of Deliverance is a weird choice when it comes to that album, but it's definitely better than HammerFall.
The Drapery Falls vs. A Touch Of Blessing - Opeth, no contest.
In The End vs. Eat You Alive - Linkin Park, no contest. Limp Bizkit is fucking awful.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Nightrain has a nice sleazy riff and a whole lotta cowbell. It’s fun enough and kinda catchy, but as usual, Axl’s Axl-isms are quite annoying. Last Call sounds like a combination of the previous GnR song and Megadeth. It’s decent, if quite fluffy. Nice guitar work, though. Poison sucks. This song is fucking awful.
FFDP return with the isolationist, close-minded bro anthem for red snowflakes that literally no one asked for. “I’m sick of everything and swearing off everyone but can someone else solve this for me, please?” What a bunch of turds. Go lift some sick reps, bros. Faith No More’s entry is constantly entertaining, catchy, groovy and fun. I hold the opinion that Mike Patton’s voice is silly as hell, but he’s damned talented and this song is awesome. I gotta listen to FNM one of these days.
I don’t know what I was expecting out of either song in the third match, but it wasn’t this. What the hell is Life of Agony? Doom metal? Sludge? Idk. It’s actually really cool, even if the singer sounds like a kooky version of The Cult’s Ian Astbury. The shift between the two main sections of the song creates a cool, bizarre dynamic. I really dig this more than I expected to. Same goes for Helmet, which is a bit more shouty and a bit more straightforward. Kinda sounds like old Clutch with less blues. Both of these surprised me, but I’ll go for This Time.
Neither cheese entry is that tasty here. Gods of Deliverance is driving and pummelling but the vocals just don’t work. Nice guitar playing, though. The guitar on Templars of Steel is a bit jankier, but they have a far better grasp on melody than Gamma Ray this time. Guess I’m voting for Hammerfall.
The Drapery Falls is probably my favorite track on Blackwater Park. It encapsulates the vibe of the entire album (and the album cover). Mournful, haunting, heavy as hell, melodic and yearning, spooky and folky…it’s Opeth at their absolute best produced by Steven Wilson at his absolute best. I adore the wailing guitar lead that ushers in the first verse, lulling you into a false sense of security as Mikael sings through a telephone wire over beautifully strummed acoustics - only for a brief dynamic shift to pierce the murky swamp of sorrow. It’s a miracle of songwriting and production that the “ah ah ah” part at about 4:00 doesn’t break the song. It just keeps getting better. Demon Mikael appears and we’re in death metal territory with some deadly badgers! Then we’ve got that madness section right before the 6:00 minute mark that somehow leads into a nice swaying prog section…gosh it’s just so darn beautiful. The double time bits before the incredible acoustic break are so necessary. And speaking of that break: hot damn! The dynamics of the “spiralling to the ground below” section are absolute genius, especially once Stevie joins in on backing harmonies. Finally: we’ve got a big, groovy, ghostly outro! A sublime musical experience. A Touch of Blessing is a solid song in its own right, with powerful melodies, emotional vocals and great guitar work. The arrangement is great, too, but it got a rough draw here. Opeth.
I don’t like Linkin Park, but fuck Limp Bizkit.
FFDP return with the isolationist, close-minded bro anthem for red snowflakes that literally no one asked for. “I’m sick of everything and swearing off everyone but can someone else solve this for me, please?” What a bunch of turds. Go lift some sick reps, bros. Faith No More’s entry is constantly entertaining, catchy, groovy and fun. I hold the opinion that Mike Patton’s voice is silly as hell, but he’s damned talented and this song is awesome. I gotta listen to FNM one of these days.
I don’t know what I was expecting out of either song in the third match, but it wasn’t this. What the hell is Life of Agony? Doom metal? Sludge? Idk. It’s actually really cool, even if the singer sounds like a kooky version of The Cult’s Ian Astbury. The shift between the two main sections of the song creates a cool, bizarre dynamic. I really dig this more than I expected to. Same goes for Helmet, which is a bit more shouty and a bit more straightforward. Kinda sounds like old Clutch with less blues. Both of these surprised me, but I’ll go for This Time.
Neither cheese entry is that tasty here. Gods of Deliverance is driving and pummelling but the vocals just don’t work. Nice guitar playing, though. The guitar on Templars of Steel is a bit jankier, but they have a far better grasp on melody than Gamma Ray this time. Guess I’m voting for Hammerfall.
The Drapery Falls is probably my favorite track on Blackwater Park. It encapsulates the vibe of the entire album (and the album cover). Mournful, haunting, heavy as hell, melodic and yearning, spooky and folky…it’s Opeth at their absolute best produced by Steven Wilson at his absolute best. I adore the wailing guitar lead that ushers in the first verse, lulling you into a false sense of security as Mikael sings through a telephone wire over beautifully strummed acoustics - only for a brief dynamic shift to pierce the murky swamp of sorrow. It’s a miracle of songwriting and production that the “ah ah ah” part at about 4:00 doesn’t break the song. It just keeps getting better. Demon Mikael appears and we’re in death metal territory with some deadly badgers! Then we’ve got that madness section right before the 6:00 minute mark that somehow leads into a nice swaying prog section…gosh it’s just so darn beautiful. The double time bits before the incredible acoustic break are so necessary. And speaking of that break: hot damn! The dynamics of the “spiralling to the ground below” section are absolute genius, especially once Stevie joins in on backing harmonies. Finally: we’ve got a big, groovy, ghostly outro! A sublime musical experience. A Touch of Blessing is a solid song in its own right, with powerful melodies, emotional vocals and great guitar work. The arrangement is great, too, but it got a rough draw here. Opeth.
I don’t like Linkin Park, but fuck Limp Bizkit.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
"Nightrain" has an appealing riff and vocal melody, and a pretty strong chorus. The first solo is pretty lame, but the second one is nice, and the final one in the outro is also good. The verse callback building into the final set of choruses is great, too. The lyrics are dopey and only half-sleazy, but that's GNR for you. All that said, this is a good song overall, and it's one of the few GNR tracks I enjoy, though it's no "Welcome To The Jungle". "Last Call" is Ratt at their peak, with a killer main riff, memorable vocal lines, great momentum, a soaring solo, and delicious sleaze from start to finish. Even the very brief half-spoken interludes work, because they flow right in and out of the song lyrics and help to paint the full debaucherous mental picture. Love this song -- no wonder I nominated it! "Talk Dirty To Me" is simplistic and catchy, if a bit repetitive. It's competent all around, and there's nothing particularly wrong with it, though it never reaches the heights of its two competitors. So, sorry, @The Sentient, your nominee was worthy, but I still prefer my own choice here. Winner: Ratt - "Last Call"
"Wash It All Away" has a suitably creepy opening, but then the Disney version of Phil Anselmo takes over and it all becomes very confusing. The shouty stuff is annoying, but the melodic chorus and bridge feel like they belong in a completely different song. What is this, the Jonas Brothers for white supremacists? I don't get it. There are definitely hooks here, but it all feels so soulless, manufactured, and out of place. No thanks. Meanwhile, "The Real Thing" lives up to its name with some dope-ass atmospherics, great vocal lines, and sweet build-up though the heavier parts of the song. I'm not a fan of the whinier voice Patton often used on this album, but he sounds great on the softer parts, and on the heavier bits where he stays in the baritone range. A great song from a great album. No contest here, I've gotta go with @MindRuler's nominee. Winner: Faith No More - "The Real Thing"
"This Time" does a punk feint before diving into some kind of grunge/doom mash-up, eventually picking up the pace for the chorus. I really don't care for the singer's choices here -- he'd probably sound better if he picked a stylistic lane and stayed in it. The guitar tone is pretty low rent, though the solo is solid. I got bored and started checking the clock about a minute before the end of the song. "In The Meantime" isn't very interesting -- the vocalist mostly just shouts, and the song alternately sits in about three different simplistic grooves, and...that's it. I was disappointed, because I only remembered parts of one Helmet song, and I thought this might be it -- but the one I was thinking of was actually "Unsung". Oops. Well, no one wins in this match-up, but forced to choose, it's a pretty easy call for Life Of Agony. Winner: Life Of Agony - "This Time"
"Gods Of Deliverance" has a cool guitar riff, a cool bass riff, great vocal lines, lots of fire, and a big power metal chorus. Kai Hansen's voice is rough in a few spots, and the two solos before the harmonized section aren't the best, but everything else here is great. The song structure is particularly interesting and has lots of "light and shade", as Adrian would say. A great song from a great album. "Templars Of Steel" has a suitably epic opening, and the vocal melodies are OK, but there's something about the singer that feels...off somehow, and doesn't really sit right with me. Maybe there's a subtle accent that's coming out in a weird way or something. Whatever's going on, the band isn't really selling the song to me -- this just feels like passable Manowar worship, I suppose. Not bad, but not particularly unique or special. Sorry, @Kalata, but this is an easy win for @Shmoolikipod's nominee. Winner: Gamma Ray - "Gods Of Deliverance"
Most high-end Opeth I've heard has had brilliant, masterful music, but with some of the most caustic, awful extreme vocals I've ever heard on top of it. "The Drapery Falls" managed to tease me with wonderful music and great clean vocals for 5 full minutes before pulling the rug out from under me and falling back on bad habits. (And I swear he croaked out the word "wikitards" at one point in there, which is both brilliant and makes no sense at all, so he probably said something else.) Thankfully, I was granted another reprieve on the vocals with about two and a half minutes remaining, but the damage was already done. If any album needs an all-clean-vocal re-release, it's Blackwater Park. "A Touch Of Blessing" has a nice moody opening and an unexpected synth element to the verse. The coarser verse vocals aren't the best, but I like the softer touch on the more soaring parts in between, which also have some nice guitar leads. I'm not totally sold on the high female backing vocals during the chorus, either. The song's pretty good overall, but it's got a fair number of weaknesses IMO. Well, @MindRuler, if your nominee had been a little stronger I probably would have gone your way, but the excellent music and more-limited-than-usual role of extreme vocals in @JudasMyGuide's pick are enough to swing it in his direction instead. Winner: Opeth - "The Drapery Falls"
"In The End" has become a classic for a reason -- great atmosphere, great hooks, and an even split of rap and rock that doesn't alienate most fans of either style. I distinctly remember being in a bar for karaoke night many years ago, listening to one dude singing the song well but rapping it horribly, followed by a dude singing it terribly but rapping it brilliantly. (And I beat both of them by slaying Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead Or Alive", though in fairness I was in Philadelphia at the time, and they're suckers for Bon Jovi and Springsteen...but that's neither here nor there.) "Eat You Alive" has an OK riff and half of a hook in the chorus, but that's about it. The lyrics are really cringe-inducing, especially the "damn, you're so hot!" in the background of the chorus. I mean, WTF? Limp Bizkit just makes me want to break stuff and shove it in Fred Durst's chocolate starfish. Another easy choice here. Winner: Linkin Park - "In The End"
"Wash It All Away" has a suitably creepy opening, but then the Disney version of Phil Anselmo takes over and it all becomes very confusing. The shouty stuff is annoying, but the melodic chorus and bridge feel like they belong in a completely different song. What is this, the Jonas Brothers for white supremacists? I don't get it. There are definitely hooks here, but it all feels so soulless, manufactured, and out of place. No thanks. Meanwhile, "The Real Thing" lives up to its name with some dope-ass atmospherics, great vocal lines, and sweet build-up though the heavier parts of the song. I'm not a fan of the whinier voice Patton often used on this album, but he sounds great on the softer parts, and on the heavier bits where he stays in the baritone range. A great song from a great album. No contest here, I've gotta go with @MindRuler's nominee. Winner: Faith No More - "The Real Thing"
"This Time" does a punk feint before diving into some kind of grunge/doom mash-up, eventually picking up the pace for the chorus. I really don't care for the singer's choices here -- he'd probably sound better if he picked a stylistic lane and stayed in it. The guitar tone is pretty low rent, though the solo is solid. I got bored and started checking the clock about a minute before the end of the song. "In The Meantime" isn't very interesting -- the vocalist mostly just shouts, and the song alternately sits in about three different simplistic grooves, and...that's it. I was disappointed, because I only remembered parts of one Helmet song, and I thought this might be it -- but the one I was thinking of was actually "Unsung". Oops. Well, no one wins in this match-up, but forced to choose, it's a pretty easy call for Life Of Agony. Winner: Life Of Agony - "This Time"
"Gods Of Deliverance" has a cool guitar riff, a cool bass riff, great vocal lines, lots of fire, and a big power metal chorus. Kai Hansen's voice is rough in a few spots, and the two solos before the harmonized section aren't the best, but everything else here is great. The song structure is particularly interesting and has lots of "light and shade", as Adrian would say. A great song from a great album. "Templars Of Steel" has a suitably epic opening, and the vocal melodies are OK, but there's something about the singer that feels...off somehow, and doesn't really sit right with me. Maybe there's a subtle accent that's coming out in a weird way or something. Whatever's going on, the band isn't really selling the song to me -- this just feels like passable Manowar worship, I suppose. Not bad, but not particularly unique or special. Sorry, @Kalata, but this is an easy win for @Shmoolikipod's nominee. Winner: Gamma Ray - "Gods Of Deliverance"
Most high-end Opeth I've heard has had brilliant, masterful music, but with some of the most caustic, awful extreme vocals I've ever heard on top of it. "The Drapery Falls" managed to tease me with wonderful music and great clean vocals for 5 full minutes before pulling the rug out from under me and falling back on bad habits. (And I swear he croaked out the word "wikitards" at one point in there, which is both brilliant and makes no sense at all, so he probably said something else.) Thankfully, I was granted another reprieve on the vocals with about two and a half minutes remaining, but the damage was already done. If any album needs an all-clean-vocal re-release, it's Blackwater Park. "A Touch Of Blessing" has a nice moody opening and an unexpected synth element to the verse. The coarser verse vocals aren't the best, but I like the softer touch on the more soaring parts in between, which also have some nice guitar leads. I'm not totally sold on the high female backing vocals during the chorus, either. The song's pretty good overall, but it's got a fair number of weaknesses IMO. Well, @MindRuler, if your nominee had been a little stronger I probably would have gone your way, but the excellent music and more-limited-than-usual role of extreme vocals in @JudasMyGuide's pick are enough to swing it in his direction instead. Winner: Opeth - "The Drapery Falls"
"In The End" has become a classic for a reason -- great atmosphere, great hooks, and an even split of rap and rock that doesn't alienate most fans of either style. I distinctly remember being in a bar for karaoke night many years ago, listening to one dude singing the song well but rapping it horribly, followed by a dude singing it terribly but rapping it brilliantly. (And I beat both of them by slaying Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead Or Alive", though in fairness I was in Philadelphia at the time, and they're suckers for Bon Jovi and Springsteen...but that's neither here nor there.) "Eat You Alive" has an OK riff and half of a hook in the chorus, but that's about it. The lyrics are really cringe-inducing, especially the "damn, you're so hot!" in the background of the chorus. I mean, WTF? Limp Bizkit just makes me want to break stuff and shove it in Fred Durst's chocolate starfish. Another easy choice here. Winner: Linkin Park - "In The End"
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Opinions and all but I never ever want to hear the title track to that album - one of the most perfect songs ever written, and the only Opeth song that has ever connected with me from beginning to end - with clean vocals. In fact, I would argue that the complete lack of clean vocals is what makes that song so fucking amazing. I'm not really a fan of Mikael's voice when he's not doing harsh vocals, really. They're all right but overhyped. When he's roaring, like in "Blackwater Park", oh my god fucking god.
I know we're talking about two different songs here but man. Our brains do not work the same at all.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
I want to say something about my nominee matchup.
Gamma Ray's song has cool chorus, but it's certainly not one of the best songs on its album. On the other hand, I believe ''Templars Of Steel'' is one of the best ''new'' classic metal songs. That intro, that riff, that awesome memorable and catchy chorus and that melodic solo!!! Early HammerFall is something else.
Gamma Ray's song has cool chorus, but it's certainly not one of the best songs on its album. On the other hand, I believe ''Templars Of Steel'' is one of the best ''new'' classic metal songs. That intro, that riff, that awesome memorable and catchy chorus and that melodic solo!!! Early HammerFall is something else.
Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
1. The GNR song, like much of their stuff, is catchy classic rock. It’s never my go-to, but if it’s playing I’ll most likely enjoy it. On the other hand, glam metal like Ratt and Poison do not appeal to me.
2. FNM, by default.
3. Neither of these are my thing, but the Life of Agony song is a bit more musical.
4. Both of these tunes are great musically, but I like the tightness and fun factor of the Hammerfall song more.
5. The Evergrey song isn’t bad or anything, but it cannot compare to Mikael Åkerfeldt and his merry band of deadly badgers and wikitards. This is one of the first Opeth songs I heard, and a staple on arguably their most cherished observation. The twisting nature of this song, from the heavy yet mournful intro to the quiet verses to the angry riffs to the Russian circus to the beautiful harmonies is classic Opeth.
6. One of these bands is not named Limp Bizkit, and that’s the one I voted for.
2. FNM, by default.
3. Neither of these are my thing, but the Life of Agony song is a bit more musical.
4. Both of these tunes are great musically, but I like the tightness and fun factor of the Hammerfall song more.
5. The Evergrey song isn’t bad or anything, but it cannot compare to Mikael Åkerfeldt and his merry band of deadly badgers and wikitards. This is one of the first Opeth songs I heard, and a staple on arguably their most cherished observation. The twisting nature of this song, from the heavy yet mournful intro to the quiet verses to the angry riffs to the Russian circus to the beautiful harmonies is classic Opeth.
6. One of these bands is not named Limp Bizkit, and that’s the one I voted for.
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
Match 73 - Poison - Talk Dirty To Me
This is just a bop, simple as. I don't know what song the rest of you have been listening to!
Match 74 - I'm abstaining here, as I don't massively like either band and don't have time to give both tracks a proper listen.
Match 75 - Life of Agony - This Time
Match 76 - Abstain
Match 77 - Abstain
Match 78 - Linkin Park - In The End
It's a meme but it's also unironically a banger of a song.
- - - - - -
Apologies for the amount of abstentions this round; work is crazy so I haven't time to listen to all of them and didn't want to weigh in on the matches where I hadn't listened to the songs involved.
This is just a bop, simple as. I don't know what song the rest of you have been listening to!
Match 74 - I'm abstaining here, as I don't massively like either band and don't have time to give both tracks a proper listen.
Match 75 - Life of Agony - This Time
Match 76 - Abstain
Match 77 - Abstain
Match 78 - Linkin Park - In The End
It's a meme but it's also unironically a banger of a song.
- - - - - -
Apologies for the amount of abstentions this round; work is crazy so I haven't time to listen to all of them and didn't want to weigh in on the matches where I hadn't listened to the songs involved.
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
Wrong, it's actually Abstainkiller!