GREATEST METAL ALBUM CUP - Winner: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son!

Shmoolikipod said:
The Power Trip song really reminded me of Practice What You Preach, did anyone else get that feeling?
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When I first listened to Power Trip I kept hearing a snippet from Metallica here, or a lead from Slayer there, another bit may sound like Nuclear Assault, or as Shmoo said, Testament. It's clear they've done their homework and they are clearly playing in the old school throw-back thrash sandbox. I actually dismissed this album pretty quick the first time I heard it, but when I went back a few months later the familiarity really drew me in. Instead of sounding like wannabes they began to sound like a contender. I have also seen them live twice and the energy of those shows not to mention amount of stage-diving is intense. The entire album is relentless. And that may be the problem with it, there is not a ton of variety or a chance to catch your breath. After three years of touring, they are supposedly in the studio now (where have I heard that before) with a new album due soon. Also, if you like this album, check out the band Red Death. They are a very similar style and I may like them a bit better, not sure why I didn't nominate them. And if you don't like this record, thanks for at least sampling a bit of what I like. And hey, at least there were no blast beats in this one!
 
JudasMyGuide said:
Just a quick question - why is the Primordial video Gods to the Godless, which is from an altogether different album (2000's Spirit the Eath Aflame?)
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GMAC0010 has been resolved - there were two Primordial albums in this round and I grabbed the wrong one.
 
First contest is a good one. There's only one thing that kinda bugs me with Nightmare Logic: although I think it's a really cool album I really don't understand the elevation to masterpiece it got. Really... this is overpraising to say the least. Not that they're a copy among copies of any kind but the formula is sort of used before. That being said that's the only beef I have with these dudes and now let's get to the positive sides. While being far from the most distinct sound in the genre, Power Trip surely do manage to make a somehow their own recipe regarding Hardcore mixed with Thrash (and some Death Metal). And if the mid paced songs like the advance clip Executioner's Tax sound merely ok, it's when the band fastens the metronome and feed the furnace of their freight train to maximum speed with chunks of Slayer, Agnostic Front and Hatebreed mixed with some Obituary that I really enjoy this record. The opening of Soul Sacrifice could be at any Obituary album until it flows into a "hradcoresque" Slayer like display of fury. Firing Squad is also a relentless beast (if you don't headbang to this check your vital signs, please). Waiting Around To Die's beginning sounds a liiiiiiiiitle bit familiar (ehem... Hell Awaits) until it bursts in perfect Thrash/ Hardcore equilibrium ass kicking. Ruination is also cool yet more Agnostic Front influenced and the album closes with another punk take on Slayer and Exodus legacy. To sum it up Nightmare Logic is a really cool album. But so is Brave Murder Day. It's a virtual tie but I'll give it to Katatonia this time just because of the overpraising its adversary gets and also because I'm almost certain Power Trip will go on to the next round (therefore it's a bit of a charity vote for Katatonia). But worry not Whooten... If you paid attention to what I wrote I really like the album and, unless it meets a classic, I most surely can see myself voting for it any day of the week.

Then comes Bullet For My Valentine. And sorry KidInTheDark... this kind of metal bands just seem like packaged musical industry products for mass consumption. It lacks soul, lacks power, lacks originality, lacks risk and the melodies are forgettable. I'm sure you love this record but for me... no, just no. On The Other hand there's Death's last album and I won't repeat myself praising its various qualities.

Didn't knew about these Grand Magus guys and for my surprise look who's on the vocals: none other than former Spiritual Beggar's JB. Listened to the album and overall it sounds ok. Overall the main ingredient here is pure Heavy Metal but Grand Magus show that they can have a few more to it. On Hooves Of Gold is quite good: Heavy Metal with Nordic epic flavor a bit on the vein of Bathory's Blood On Ice. And these dudes show that they can also make a near Thrasher on Dominator and the closing epic The Hammer Will Bite is also a distinct highlight. Nevertheless it seems there's something missing, like Triumph and Power seems like a really well crafted base that deserved way more topping and sometimes it sounds a bit stagnant. Nevertheless cool album, Perun and I really can see why you nominated it. But I find Killing Is My Business more exciting, compelling and influential so yeah... Megadeth.

Finally Seven Churches sure is a classic with some revolutionary and exciting passages. But then there's Primordial. And where there's Primordial one thing's sure: there's uniqueness and quality. And to put it in perspective Where Greater Men Have Fallen barely enters my band's top 3 (headed by the amazing To The Nameless Dead that didn't make it to my list by a thread). And this thing kicks in with full force with the title track: epic, intense, poetic with that extra special ambiance only these guys can produce. From the get go one can notice that Nemtheanga's already great voice seems to get even better for this release. The excellent yet subtle swings between melancholy and heaviness in Babel's Tower follow. This structure would be later be revisited in Born To Night. Come the Flood is typical Primordial while The Seed Of Tyrants is a powerful burst of epic Black Metal that even amidst its chaotic nature bathes us with pomp and musical wit in amounts few other bands can aspire to in such composition. Ghosts Of The Charnel House shows us a more direct and dare I say "Sabathesque" take while in The Alchemist's Head the band seems to mix every single one of their influences and present them isolated along with some experimentation making it one of the most daring moments in the record. The last track is undoubtedly the most melodic and melancholic song of the lot and serves as an excellent closer. To sum it up: once again congrats Perun because this is a superb record by a superb band, period. Therefore yeah... Primordial
 
karljant said:
There's only one thing that kinda bugs me with Nightmare Logic: although I think it's a really cool album I really don't understand the elevation to masterpiece it got.
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Power Trip definitely benefits from some good marketing. I think Riley Gale (their singer) is a great promoter, is a solid frontman, and even better hype man. His worst attribute is probably his voice. I agree with Karljant, if you've heard/read the hype about this band you'll probably be underwhelmed. If this is the first you're hearing of them, you're probably in for a pleasant surprise. They have a ton of potential, but the reason I nominated them is that after three years, I am still excited when I hear any of the songs on this album.
 
srfc said:
Outro reprises the good intro, something Maiden get crucified for?
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No problem with your other critiques, but this is a weird one. Their styles are completely different. Katatonia is death-doom with goth elements, repetition is part of the deal.
 
The Flash said:
No problem with your other critiques, but this is a weird one. Their styles are completely different. Katatonia is death-doom with goth elements, repetition is part of the deal.
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Not really a critique more a light hearted observation from a Maiden fanboy, I like it in this song and in general, and also the same thing with the similar Primordial observation about song lengths.
 
Power Trip kicks ass. This was my #2 metal album of the past decade:

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I still don’t know how Possessed beat Van Halen last round. It’s garbage. I know Seven Churches was a pioneering album for a large metal subgenre, but I don’t like that subgenre very much. Even so, Death is better than BFMV. Grand Magus is cool and there are better Megadeth albums that should go farther in this game, so I will give the nod to the lesser-known band here.
 
Katatonia - Brave Murder Day - I nominated this one as it ranks in my current all-time Top 50. Great album from start to finish. Hadn't heard Power Trip before, they have a killer guitar sound and do a throwback crossover thrash that isn't overproduced like many recent metal albums are. I'll give the album a listen.

Death - The Sound of Perseverance - The run continues for Death. BFMV is terrible with their overproduced sound and autotuned vocals. Just doesn't work for metal. "Flesh and the Power It Holds" annihilates BFMV on its own.

Megadeth - Killing Is My Business...and Business Is Good! - Megadeth gets the luck of the draw again and gets my vote yet again with one of their weaker early albums. The pompous, "triumphant" style of heavy metal rarely does anything for me and this no exception, the guy has a cool voice though.

Possessed - Seven Churches - Primordial sound like they could be good if they fleshed out their songs better and filtered some of the uninspired riffs out. The biggest turn-off is how overproduced the sound is though, metal isn't done justice with pristine production. I don't love Seven Churches, but it gets my vote for its rawness.
 
This Power Trip album has great riffage but bad vocals, and the music is a little too close for comfort to parts of the first couple of Metallica albums, as well as Slayer and some other big thrash bands. Maybe it’s homage, or maybe it’s a lack of originality. The Katatonia album has slightly worse vocals and slightly more interesting music, so it’s pretty close, but I’ll let originality tip the scales in @The Flash ’s favor. Sorry, @Whooten . Winner: Katatonia

Bullet For My Valentine sounds like Blink 182 pretending to be a metal band, and I don’t believe a single one of those coarse screams. There are some nice guitar bits and vocal hooks here and there, but this mostly sounds manufactured to me. This Death album needs a worthy contender for a change, because I can’t believe that I’ve voted for it this many times in a row. Sorry, @KidInTheDark666 . Winner: Death

This Grand Magus album is very...competent. There’s nothing bad about the music and there are a number of nice moments. The vocals are a bit amateurish, but again, not bad. I guess I just don’t hear anything particularly original or compelling here. The Megadeth album is uneven, but its strong parts are fantastic and its weak parts are still mostly decent. And perhaps most importantly, the Megadeth album is memorable. Sorry, @Perun . Winner: Megadeth

This Primordial album is a bit samey and seems to like to get into a single groove and just sit there. The singer also isn’t very good, overly raspy to my ears and often going off key. They’re enjoyable enough in small doses, but nothing I’d get excited about. Thankfully for them, they’re up against an absolute train wreck of an album by Possessed. No contest here, I’m going with @Perun ‘s choice. Winner: Primordial
 
Power Trip - crossover thrash: just nope. Katatonia it is.

Bullet For My Valentine is shit. Death is legendary, and all of you voting for BFMV over it need to leave the hall.

Megadeth over some admittedly solid heavy metal.

Primordial over some generic death metal.
 
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