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

I don't follow the widespread derision for Korn and nu metal. It's possible to just dislike the style, it doesn't mean it's inferior music.

I don't think such an opinion was expressed anyway. There's nothing more to calling Korn shit than a preference of taste.
 
I mean more widely on this forum. Whenever nu metal gets mentioned there's usually some comment about how bad it is.

I think that's just the metal community in general.

I get what you are alluding to. There was backlash against nu metal in the metal community because it had massive commercial appeal and was thought of as too much of a departure from heavy metal to be considered a "proper" representative of metal.
 
This might actually be better suited for the Music Genres thread but I'll expand on the nu metal thing a bit, because I think it's an intriguing example of a larger tendency I've noticed.

People naturally become protective of things they cherish and this can sometimes result in them interpreting non-threats as threats. This happens all the time when someone alters or puts his/her own twist on a previously existing thing. There's concern that the "original" thing may disappear completely, or that the image of people upholding the "original" thing may be tarnished by the people expanding on it or adding upon it. Sometimes this concern is justified, sometimes it isn't and sometimes the potential impact is major and sometimes it's miniscule. I think when it comes to new musical genres being developed, it almost always isn't justified - because that's the process that enables music to evolve and artistic creativity to be expressed. People synthesize, alter and build on top of previously existing styles.

The backlash against nu metal was an example of this where some people who were into existing styles of metal felt threatened by the massive commercial appeal of nu metal. Its sound included elements that were alien to many of the established metal standards - influences from electronica and hiphop. It wouldn't have become such a major issue had it not found so much commercial success - it just would've become a niche thing. The concern that it would, in some way, "ruin" previously existing styles of metal was always unjustified, that simply does not happen, because the previously existing styles and records in those styles don't become obsolete as long as people there are people familiar and appreciative of them. The concern that it would alter the image of heavy metal was more understandable, because that can happen (Example: The impact of the moral panic surrounding the early 90s Norwegian black metal scene had on the image of heavy metal among the general public ignorant of heavy metal - though even that was attached not to the actual music but the acts of some artists associated with the scene). However, it was never something to become so defensive about - not something to completely dismiss an entire genre of music over, and certainly not something to get so petty about.
 
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AC/DC is better than Korn, Death is better than Soundgarden, Van Halen is better than Accept, and KIMBABIG is gonna win anyway so I’m throwing a pity vote to Evanescence. Pressed for time so I couldn’t do a bigger listen, but I will when the game gets updated again tonight.

I really want to see TSOP go farther. I understand the complaints about the vocal performance and how vocals don’t always seem to match up with the beat, but to me that’s a part of the charm. The music on that album is absolutely incredible. The lyrics are expertly written. Sure the songs all follow a similar formula, but it executes that better than most albums would. And Chuck’s screaming is some of the best in the game. The Control Denied album that succeeded TSOP felt really watered down, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that they got a more typical singer for that project.

Probably still my favorite Death album. Symbolic is really fucking good too though.
 
The Thunder from Down Under destroys Korn. The nu metal titans are not completely gone, however - they have one more album in the game, coming in League 5. I suspect it will also get destroyed.

As predicted, Death becomes the first "minnow" in the GMAC, winning its second straight victory in a fairly close match against Soundgarden. Soundgarden has two more albums in the game - we'll see them next in League 8 with a much stronger entrant.

Megadeth destroys Evanescence without any difficulty, eliminating them from the GMAC completely. Megadeth has several other albums yet to arise, none of which will show up in the Match 3 tree.

And finally Van Halen knocks out Accept. The German rockers aren't done, and have three more albums in the game. But we won't see them again until League 13.

Best of luck to the bands in Matches 5-8! We've got some....interesting entries coming up.
 
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Bewitched - At the Gates of Hell (1999)

How it got here

List entries: Metalstorm 77
League 17 - Match 5vs.
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Deafheaven - New Bermuda (2015)

How it got here

List entries: DigitalDreamDoor 98
Previous Rounds:
League 18: Defeated Gorgoroth - Antichrist 12-11.
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Ophelia - 당신의 환상을 동정하라 (2010)

How it got here

List entries: Metal Kingdom 70
League 17 - Match 6vs.
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Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)

How it got here

List entries: Metal Kingdom 98
Previous Rounds:
League 18: Defeated Heavens Gate - Planet Earth 12-11.
 
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Darkthrone - Under a Funeral Moon (1993)

How it got here

List entries: Digital Dream Door 78
League 17 - Match 7vs.
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Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears (1991)

How it got here

List entries: Metalstorm 96
Previous Rounds:
League 18: Defeated Nevermore - Dreaming Neon Black 14-11.
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RiotFDUnder.jpg

Riot - Fire Down Under (1989)

How it got here

List entries: Metalstorm 73
League 17 - Match 8vs.
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Persefone - Aathma (2017)

How it got here

List entries: Metal Kingdom 96
Previous Rounds:
League 18: Defeated Kvelertak - Meir 14-9.
 
I pre-listened to these, so I’m already good to go.

The Bewitched album is generic, and it has bad vocals. It’s a patchwork of obvious homages to much better bands. That said, the vocals are less unpleasant than those of Deafhaven, and I would find the prospect of listening to the Bewitched album a lot more appealing than listening to Deafhaven again. Winner: Bewitched

This next one is the toughest match-up in this round. The Ophelia album has a lot of nice qualities. Each individual element is well executed, and it has a very pleasant sound. That said, nothing about the album really reached out and grabbed me. In contrast, Children Of Bodom has shitty vocals, but the music itself is memorable and has strong appeal. Once again, I have to surprise myself by voting two rounds in a row for a band with extreme vocals. Winner: Children Of Bodom

This Darkthrone album is a travesty. Shit vocals, shit production, shit songwriting. No contest here. Winner: Ozzy Osbourne

I’d never heard this Riot album before, but it’s a slab of very consistent, well above average hard rock. While I can’t say that it wowed me, I liked their energy and enjoyed listening to every song. The Persefone album has its positives, but I already voted against it in the last round when it was up against a weaker record, so the conclusion here is pretty clear. Winner: Riot
 
Bewitched - At The Gates Of Hell vs Deafheaven - New Bermuda

The latter may be an interesting record but Bewitched was just a lot of fun. It sounded like if Venom and Maiden merged into one band. Lyrics are dumb but it’s just a really nice listen, very fun.

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Ophelia - 당신의 환상을 동정하라 vs Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

This was a tougher one. Ophelia was really really nice and peaceful to listen to. For a bit I was almost thinking of voting for them. That said, I think COB has more returnability to them, and I’ve had the riff to Sixpounder in my head all weekend so I’m going for them.

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Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon vs Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears

I’ve heard some Darkthrone before so I was expecting a lot more than what I got with this. Sorry, this is just shittily produced, poorly written noise and no 90+% score on Metal Archives is gonna tell me otherwise. Ozzy takes this with ease.

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Riot - Fire Down Under vs Persefone - Aathma

Riot is fine, meat and potatoes classic metal. Persefone is way more interesting.
 
I don't follow the widespread derision for Korn and nu metal. It's possible to just dislike the style, it doesn't mean it's inferior music.

I have a pathological hatred for them, that goes beyond their music, so people can bear that in mind when reading any of my comments on them and then take my comments with a pinch of salt if they so wish :lol:

I got into metal around 1991, and the bands that I was into first, Maiden, AC/DC, GNR, Metallica etc. were going through a lean period, (only creatively where Metallica is concerned). I was on board with most mainstream metal developments up to about 1994, Chaos AD. Sepultura, Biohazard, Burn my Eyes era Machine Head, even though it was veering away from what got me hooked on metal in the first place.

Then the first Korn record came out. The music is awful, but the hatred comes from them effectively hammering the final nail into the coffin of what I liked about my music scene, so I have the same level of hatred that grunge fans have for hair metal and vice versa, punk for prog so on and so forth.

Shit like this didn't help at the time, taking the piss on a tribute show to Maiden

Getting Bruce kicked off a tv show because he was "too heavy metal" to be allowed in their company was another thing that raised the hatred stakes.
 
Bewitched - is that a raining blood mixed with hell awaits sample at the start? Wasn't expecting King Diamond style metal to kick in after it! Not awful but clearly second tier stuff.

Deafhaven - opinion already given in the last round

Bewitched with the win.

Ophelia - this does nothing for me. Is the videos just short samples of various songs?

Children of Bodom - opinion given last round

Don't care again, Bodom very lucky in getting weak opposition in these two rounds I think, as I don't like them and any half decent band would get my vote over them but I'd rather listen to them over Ophelia

Darkthrone - they can't be serious with that guitar sound

Ozzy for the win

Riot - keep meaning to check out some stuff from these, I've been aware of them for a while* and the few tracks I heard have been decent. I'll give this whole album a listen later but the track alone is already enough to get the win

Persefone - opinion given last round

Riot with the win.


* I used to see their albums in second hand record stores as a kid and just laugh at the covers:lol:
 
I'll once again go with Deafheaven regarding lack of a better contender since Bewitched's mix of Thrash, Black and Power metal is absolutely meh (if you want to listen to something reaaaaaaaaaally good with similar influences pick Bal Sagoth).
As for the second clash oh my... I'll give it to Ophelia because at least they try to pull something less generic than the by then little more than average COB album (and things were about to get even worst in the following releases).
Then my vote has to go to a Ozzy really uninteresting record. I know Under A funeral Moon was pivotal regarding the genre simply but I simply can't stand all that trve cult stuff. When I think BM I think Bathory, Hellhammer, Emperor, Samael and Enslaved... not this.
Riot has some records I really enjoy but Fire Down Under is an odd choice. That being said Persefone gets my vote once again.
 
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