Best Song Contest- Round 3, Part 3- The Grand Final!

Mariner all the way.
I don't really understand the hype around Hell On Earth, could someone explain please? I mean, it's definitely a great track, but what makes THAT great? There are several better songs from the Maiden catalogue IMHO.
 
I think Hell On Earth is definitely a great song and the best one on Senjutsu but it really pales in comparison to the best epics of the reunion era, such as The Talisman, The Legacy and The Book of Souls.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
Mariner all the way.
I don't really understand the hype around Hell On Earth, could someone explain please? I mean, it's definitely a great track, but what makes THAT great? There are several better songs from the Maiden catalogue IMHO.
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The better songs have all been eliminated already because of the way the game was structured. This isn't really song vs. song across the catalog, it's song vs. song on a per-album basis, then per groups of albums. Ultra-classic albums only got to send one song forward, often against the winner of another ultra-classic album, so lots of amazing songs got eliminated early.

As far as why "Hell On Earth" is so great, a big part of it is the killer vocal melodies, which are really infectious. It also has a unique song structure, and some really epic and memorable moments ("love in anger, life in danger"), and it has this big, bittersweet feel that's perfect as an album closer.

"Rime" is also great, but it spends a lot of its runtime in a very specific groove. The interlude in the middle is cool, as is the massive buildup back into the heavier part, but I've always felt like it's just a little bit bloated and repetitive. It's nitpicking for sure, as these are both 10/10 songs in my book; but you have to make a decision somehow.
 
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Jer said:
The better songs have all been eliminated already because of the way the game was structured. This isn't really song vs. song across the catalog, it's song vs. song on a per-album basis, then per groups of albums. Ultra-classic albums only got to send one song forward, often against the winner of another ultra-classic album, so lots of amazing songs got eliminated early.

As far as why "Hell On Earth" is so great, a big part of it is the killer vocal melodies, which are really infectious. It also has a unique song structure, and some really epic and memorable moments ("love in anger, life in danger"), and it has this big, bittersweet feel that's perfect as an album closer.

"Rime" is also great, but it spends a lot of its runtime in a very specific groove. The interlude in the middle is cool, as is the massive buildup back into the heavier part, but I've always felt like it's just a little bit bloated and repetitive. It's nitpicking for sure, as these are both 10/10 songs in my book; but you have to make a decision somehow.
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Ah okay, thanks for update on that one. I didn't really follow this contest so I misunderstood this final competition it in a way.
 
Melony said:
For me the intro isn't too long and repetitive. After all, it could be divided into 7 different parts.
I rather had to think of the ideas of the opera reform by composer Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck, who wanted a plot-related overture, with motifs that also appear in the following opera, in order to make the audience familiar with them. In this regard, it then also makes sense to play the motifs contained in the overture not only once.
The outro is about floating over into infinity, so the length also makes sense to me.
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The intro is gold, it sets the mood and creates an amazing build-up for the drums and it's not that long. I agree about the purpose of the outro, but it's too long for me. Idk, maybe it's because the chorus is not repeated one more time.
Dick Brucinson said:
I don't really understand the hype around Hell On Earth, could someone explain please? I mean, it's definitely a great track, but what makes THAT great?
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The unique and perfect structure, the flow, the amazing and different melodies (it's pure magic), the memorable chorus, the epic vocal parts and the overall impactful vibe of the song. Steve's talent is shown at his best in this song (even without a repetition of the melodies or chorus 1).
CountryChurchyard said:
but the climax of Mariner is the greatest moment in Maiden history, so it gets my vote.
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The greatest moments in Maiden's history are a lot, but the climax of Rime is one of the top ones for sure.
MindlessPieces said:
That main riff of Rime "doog, duga dug, duga dug" repeats like hundreds of times. It's uninteresting.
I get it, the band wanted to retell the ancient mariner story, so they needed lots and lots of verses. It just made the song itself very lengthy, very repetitive and overtime very uninteresting. That quiet mid section goes on way too long. It is dull and just drags out.
The song isn't musically complex, it's just long.
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Ok, you're not a fan of the calm middle part, but to say the song is just too long is not serious. When a song has a lot of lyrics (like Rime), you should expect a lot of verses. And no, the song is not repetitive. The groove of the song is just perfect.

Edit: it's also perfect imo that the song is without a long intro - big impact right from the start/riff.
 
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Kalata said:
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The unique and perfect structure, the flow, the amazing and different melodies (it's pure magic), the memorable chorus, the epic vocal parts and the overall impactful vibe of the song...
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True, and through that - more through the music itself than the lyrics - it can affect you very deeply and give you a little more hope in a gloomy world. When someone composes music which can do that, it deserves a win like this once in a while. I wouldn't complain.
 
Kalata said:
Ok, you're not a fan of the calm middle part, but to say the song is just too long is not serious. When a song has a lot of lyrics (like Rime), you should expect a lot of verses. And no, the song is not repetitive. The groove of the song is just perfect.
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When I listen to songs, for the most part I don't tend to pay much attention to lyrics. I like long instrumentals, but get bored with length vocal verses. Rime is very repetitive. And i'm not a big fan of that riff. There is no intro, it drops straight into it, and I personally find the riff pretty boring. and then it plays that riff a few more times on verses and then at the end. So a really bad way to start the song off and a really bad way to finish the song up. The middle quiet part is too slow and goes on forever, and stuff around that is't great either, There is no fantastic solo, like Powerslave, or alexander the great or the red and the black. The song has very little interesting bits, and it drags on for over 13 minutes. Not Maiden's best moment. Powerslave album would have been overall stronger without this song. It's the one and only dud on that very strong album.
 
Diesel 11 said:
? Dave and Adrian drop two killer back to back solos on that song AND then do a thrilling dual guitar piece thereafter. One of the band’s greatest moments.
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I don't want to argue about it.
Of course the song has a solo. Most Maiden songs do. Some are spectacular, some are pretty good, some are run of the mill. I don't particularly recall Rime's solo to be a stand out. (I've just listened to the solo now, It's OK, nothing to write home about)

Obviously we have some pretty monumental differences in music taste.
 
The verdict is in, and I’m mostly pleased that my favorite IM song- which is not part of their beloved 80s classics- made it to the top 2 finals.

While I think certain verses of Rime drag on too long and I’m anxious to get to the instrumental parts, overall I find it An impressive prog metal pioneer (although I prefer Phantom by miles).

But whatever songs I or you or anyone else prefers this was a healthy exercise in generating discussion of the music we all love so many thanks to Eli and anyone else who kept the dialogue going.
 
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The poll finally ended with the triumph of ROTAM. Thanks again to everyone for voting/sharing your opinions. Congratulations to Iron Lurker, who was able to make the below stated prediction at the end of round 1:

"Prediction: will ultimately come down to Hallowed vs. Hell On Earth, or maybe Rime..."
 
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