They are, after all, different bolts being thrown.
GREATEST METAL ALBUM CUP - Winner: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son!
- Thread starter LooseCannon
- Start date
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Why does the match between the two most famous bands in this round have the smallest number of voters?
Yax
Ancient Mariner
Election fraud.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Recount!
Lampwick 43
Barstool Warrior
Fun Fact: As of this round, we are now exactly halfway through the GMAC in terms of league play.
If Hell Is Empty gets more than 2 votes (me and @Perun for sure, maybe @Diesel 11 surprises me too considering he liked the Powerslave cover), I'll consider it a win.. A fucking masterpiece of extreme metal. A soundtrack to the fucking apocalypse. Musical equivalent of drowning in mud and once in a while getting to breathe a bit before getting submerged again. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
While they probably got even heavier after this album, it's still their most balanced and catchiest album. Easy listening. Production is pretty perfect for AN's standards. Drums are programmed yet it's barely noticeable, probably because it's the best fucking drum programming in metal. Irrumator kicks ass on guitar. I doubt anyone goes past this one song but the album is actually quite melodic in parts. There are some quite Maiden-ish guitar melodies/harmonies in parts, and even the solos are quite good. Obviously first thing that will put off people are the vocals but they aren't supposed to be pretty or intelligible or accessible - after all, they don't release the lyrics and the vocals are meant to be more of an instrument, rather than something that drives the album story/lyric wise. Either way, choruses are all super catchy, obviously the ones with clean vocals the most.
The Final Absolution is IMO the most accessible song on the album, with the best chorus so that's why I picked it. However, I think that the centerpiece of the album is the closer Castigation & Betrayal, which is without a doubt the heaviest song in all of metal ever.
Do yourself a favour and listen to it too:
Anyway, while I really do love Ayreon, I'm not much of a fan of The Source, so easy vote there. Other votes: DT over Dio-less Rainbow, Those Once Loyal (2nd best album in this round and Nuclear Assault should've been gone rounds ago), and Sabbat because I never cared for Anthrax.
While they probably got even heavier after this album, it's still their most balanced and catchiest album. Easy listening. Production is pretty perfect for AN's standards. Drums are programmed yet it's barely noticeable, probably because it's the best fucking drum programming in metal. Irrumator kicks ass on guitar. I doubt anyone goes past this one song but the album is actually quite melodic in parts. There are some quite Maiden-ish guitar melodies/harmonies in parts, and even the solos are quite good. Obviously first thing that will put off people are the vocals but they aren't supposed to be pretty or intelligible or accessible - after all, they don't release the lyrics and the vocals are meant to be more of an instrument, rather than something that drives the album story/lyric wise. Either way, choruses are all super catchy, obviously the ones with clean vocals the most.
The Final Absolution is IMO the most accessible song on the album, with the best chorus so that's why I picked it. However, I think that the centerpiece of the album is the closer Castigation & Betrayal, which is without a doubt the heaviest song in all of metal ever.
Do yourself a favour and listen to it too:
Anyway, while I really do love Ayreon, I'm not much of a fan of The Source, so easy vote there. Other votes: DT over Dio-less Rainbow, Those Once Loyal (2nd best album in this round and Nuclear Assault should've been gone rounds ago), and Sabbat because I never cared for Anthrax.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
Hey, I know the album. And I admit it's pretty intiguing, however the full-on blast (which BTW reminds me a lot of Strapping Young Lad's City) is something I appreciate, but not enjoy on a regular basis. It's more of an album that I'm glad that exists, but not necessarily listen to (BTW, if I were to pick a kinda-similar album, I'd probably rather pick Cattle Decapitation's Monolith of Inhumanity - also that haunting, industrial feel, but also more musical ideas that genuinely keep me invested).
The Source was for me an Ayreion album that I actually really enjoyed for once - the previous ones were always kinda lacking something, whereas this one I couldn't get enough and kept it on repeat. So it's more of a matter of personal preference here.
The Source was for me an Ayreion album that I actually really enjoyed for once - the previous ones were always kinda lacking something, whereas this one I couldn't get enough and kept it on repeat. So it's more of a matter of personal preference here.
karljant
Ancient Mariner
That makes two of us... especially when what I consider to be their best album does not last a single round (if it was against a hugely acclaimed album it would be logical... but this?).
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Tell ya what, I’ll spin some of it tonight and see if I like it.
srfc
Ancient Mariner
Dream Theatre - don't have any interest in this sort of stuff
Rainbow - opinion given before
Rainbow by default, even allowing for how bad the paedo lyrics are
Anaal Nathrakh - no interest in this sort of stuff
Ayreon - Ian Anderson impression in the intro, no interest in the rest of it
Ayreon wins by default
Bolt Thrower - Very tidy production for this sort of music, only the vocal is turning me off but even than it's not as awful as it could have been.
Nuclear Assault - opinion given before
I'll throw Bolt Thrower a bone since they surprised me
Anthrax - This is an album I have had since it's been out, and every time I listen to it I enjoy it, but for some inexplicable reason I only do that once in a blue moon so as such I don't know it inside out as much as I should. Only is a fantastic single, and it also featured a kick ass cover of Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song on the b-side, look for that one on youtube.
Sabbat - opinion given before.
Anthrax with the win
Rainbow - opinion given before
Rainbow by default, even allowing for how bad the paedo lyrics are
Anaal Nathrakh - no interest in this sort of stuff
Ayreon - Ian Anderson impression in the intro, no interest in the rest of it
Ayreon wins by default
Bolt Thrower - Very tidy production for this sort of music, only the vocal is turning me off but even than it's not as awful as it could have been.
Nuclear Assault - opinion given before
I'll throw Bolt Thrower a bone since they surprised me
Anthrax - This is an album I have had since it's been out, and every time I listen to it I enjoy it, but for some inexplicable reason I only do that once in a blue moon so as such I don't know it inside out as much as I should. Only is a fantastic single, and it also featured a kick ass cover of Thin Lizzy's Cowboy Song on the b-side, look for that one on youtube.
Sabbat - opinion given before.
Anthrax with the win
srfc
Ancient Mariner
The one surprise from this game for me has not been being exposed to new music (I expected that so it's not a surprise), but being reminded about albums you've forgotten.
I've had AC/DC Live in the car all week after @mckindog posted For Those About to Rock last week and it gave me a hankering for the live version of it, and I have the studio album in mind for the next listen. Also, @Magnus' suggestion of 1916, and @MrKnickerbocker's Sound of White Noise will be the next in line after that, and I reckon it's been years since I played any of those 4 albums.
I've had AC/DC Live in the car all week after @mckindog posted For Those About to Rock last week and it gave me a hankering for the live version of it, and I have the studio album in mind for the next listen. Also, @Magnus' suggestion of 1916, and @MrKnickerbocker's Sound of White Noise will be the next in line after that, and I reckon it's been years since I played any of those 4 albums.
karljant
Ancient Mariner
I´m far from being a fan but if there are Dream Theater albums I enjoy are the ones from the 2000's stretch (namely Six degrees, Train and this one... I also like Images And Words and Awake though). Systematic Chaos features your usual workshop show off stuff but framed in a really enjoyable song oriented way. Plus it does so in various styles: you have the heavier Dark Eternal Night and Constant Motion, the Pink Floydish stillness and drama of Repentance, The Muse like Prophets Of War and the dramatic Ministry Of Lost Souls or the really well composed symphonic Ministry Of Lost Souls. To be fair this album is rock solid with little to none filler... with the exception of the forgettable Forsaken (it does justice to its name especially after the band composed tracks with similar songs that sound much better like Endless Sacrifice or Misunderstood). And for all the prog metal die hard purists the band has a treat in both parts of the opening and closing tracks. So yeah... a really exciting record from a band that normally fails to move me going against an anemic Rainbow album. Easy win for Dream Theater.
As I stated before, The Source is hugely boring and dull compared with way more interesting records penned by its author. Hell Is Empty is an interesting record that mixes a bit of Crust from Extreme Noise Terror, Grind Core from Napalm Death, chaotic metal from SYL and a bit of Dissection Blackened tunes here and there. The deal here is pure fucking adrenaline with some really shinning passages every now and then and the damn thing delivers. Once again this one leaves me no doubts: Anaal Nathrakh.
OH YEAH!!!! BOLT THROWER! Thanks Mr. @Night Prowler for this great nomination (btw great avatar). This my friends is a band that never released a subpar album IMO and became a legend in its own genre. Not only that, these guys managed to release my second favorite album in 2005 (when old school Death Metal was virtually dead) 16 years after my favorite (which I nominated). Man this thing is not only brutal, intense and relentless but it still has an extra pinch of epic flavor and melody like no other of their previous efforts. At First Light is a glorious and unstoppable opener with Karl Willets deep growl unleashing the war cry that serves as the title to the track in a spine chilling fashion. Entrenched is the band's 101 sound at its purest and man does it sounds great! Granite Wall follows the same exquisite path (with its riff resembling a bit Inside The Wire from their previous work) and what can we say about the perfect equilibrium between grinding mid pace brutality and melodic guitars on the title track? Superb. Till the last track the band continues exploring these elements quite nicely but I must mention the mind blowing and epic way this record ends with the power and solemn guitar melodies of When Cannons Fade... wow! It's a pity this was their last album but on the other hand they retired on a hugely high note. For all those who miss the lads check Memoriam's last record (skip the others since they're quite meh!). And while Game Over is a nice album it falls short when compared with the final charge by Bolt Thrower.
Really? REALLY? Sound Of White Noise vs Dreamweaver. Do I have to chose? This is simply not fair. Two really distinct records except in two points: both are metal albums and both are near perfect. Man this is almost painful. SOWN is a hugely underrated Anthrax album (btw it is tied as my favorite from the band with Persistence Of Time and Among The Living). And curiously enough Only is one of my least favorite tracks here (still a really good one). 'Thrax managed to inject lots of 90's groove metal into their Thrash Metal with some punk references in a unique and perfect way on this record. Songs like Potters Field, 1000 Points Of Hate, Sodium Pentothal and especially the two masterpieces that are Invisible and Burst are a testimony for posterity, daring any future band to mix these 3 elements as good as these guys did here. IMO it remains to be seen to this very day. And what about the crushing bounce of Room For One More... the uneasy rhythms of Hy Pro Glo, This Is Not An Exit and the state of the art composition of Packaged Rebelion? To make things even more daring the band is joined by Badalamenti in a rightfuly so David Lynch like trip on Black Lodge... and it works! So I really didn't want to do this since both this and Dreamweaver are absolute masterpieces but while one of these albums is on very top of my rankings on each band's discography the other isn't. So I must be honest with myself and go with Anthrax this time.
As I stated before, The Source is hugely boring and dull compared with way more interesting records penned by its author. Hell Is Empty is an interesting record that mixes a bit of Crust from Extreme Noise Terror, Grind Core from Napalm Death, chaotic metal from SYL and a bit of Dissection Blackened tunes here and there. The deal here is pure fucking adrenaline with some really shinning passages every now and then and the damn thing delivers. Once again this one leaves me no doubts: Anaal Nathrakh.
OH YEAH!!!! BOLT THROWER! Thanks Mr. @Night Prowler for this great nomination (btw great avatar). This my friends is a band that never released a subpar album IMO and became a legend in its own genre. Not only that, these guys managed to release my second favorite album in 2005 (when old school Death Metal was virtually dead) 16 years after my favorite (which I nominated). Man this thing is not only brutal, intense and relentless but it still has an extra pinch of epic flavor and melody like no other of their previous efforts. At First Light is a glorious and unstoppable opener with Karl Willets deep growl unleashing the war cry that serves as the title to the track in a spine chilling fashion. Entrenched is the band's 101 sound at its purest and man does it sounds great! Granite Wall follows the same exquisite path (with its riff resembling a bit Inside The Wire from their previous work) and what can we say about the perfect equilibrium between grinding mid pace brutality and melodic guitars on the title track? Superb. Till the last track the band continues exploring these elements quite nicely but I must mention the mind blowing and epic way this record ends with the power and solemn guitar melodies of When Cannons Fade... wow! It's a pity this was their last album but on the other hand they retired on a hugely high note. For all those who miss the lads check Memoriam's last record (skip the others since they're quite meh!). And while Game Over is a nice album it falls short when compared with the final charge by Bolt Thrower.
Really? REALLY? Sound Of White Noise vs Dreamweaver. Do I have to chose? This is simply not fair. Two really distinct records except in two points: both are metal albums and both are near perfect. Man this is almost painful. SOWN is a hugely underrated Anthrax album (btw it is tied as my favorite from the band with Persistence Of Time and Among The Living). And curiously enough Only is one of my least favorite tracks here (still a really good one). 'Thrax managed to inject lots of 90's groove metal into their Thrash Metal with some punk references in a unique and perfect way on this record. Songs like Potters Field, 1000 Points Of Hate, Sodium Pentothal and especially the two masterpieces that are Invisible and Burst are a testimony for posterity, daring any future band to mix these 3 elements as good as these guys did here. IMO it remains to be seen to this very day. And what about the crushing bounce of Room For One More... the uneasy rhythms of Hy Pro Glo, This Is Not An Exit and the state of the art composition of Packaged Rebelion? To make things even more daring the band is joined by Badalamenti in a rightfuly so David Lynch like trip on Black Lodge... and it works! So I really didn't want to do this since both this and Dreamweaver are absolute masterpieces but while one of these albums is on very top of my rankings on each band's discography the other isn't. So I must be honest with myself and go with Anthrax this time.
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KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
About Forsaken, it was released as a single with a music video and thus can hardly be considered as a filler. If anything, it's the higlight of the album for me. Repentance on the other hand is not only the weakest song in the 12-step suite, it's also one of Dream Theater's weakest songs.
But yeah, it's a great and underrated album overall.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
karljant
Ancient Mariner
I know it was released as a single but so did The Angel And The Gambler, Wasting Love, From Here To Eternity... And while not considering it's as bad as Maiden's examples my devoid of interest of revisiting those songs in the next 200 years is virtually the same
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Yeah, I get your point, it's just that I can't see a song being both a single and a filler, it's kinda contradicting.I know it was released as a single but so did The Angel And The Gambler, Wasting Love, From Here To Eternity... And while not considering it's as bad as Maiden's examples my devoid of interest of revisiting those songs in the next 200 years is virtually the same
karljant
Ancient Mariner
Yup... although it's always on the eye of the beholder (or in this case the eardrum of the listener
).
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Easy round for the most part.
This Dream Theater album has some issues, like trying to sound like a diet synthy version of Justice-era Metallica on “Constant Motion”, or whatever the fuck is going on with “Prophets Of War” — but at the end of the day there’s a lot more musical meat here than there is on the Rainbow album. The Rainbow album has a few great tracks and some great performances, but it’s still about half filler. Sorry, @Poto, but I have to go with @The Dissident ’s nominee here. Winner: Dream Theater
The Anaal Nathrakh album is true to its name, since my ears feel like they’ve been anally nathrakhed after forcing my way through it. There are musical bits with some value here and there, but most of this sounds like hot garbage to my ears. Sorry, @Night Prowler, but @Lampwick 43 ’s choice wins by default. Winner: Ayreon
The music on this Bolt Thrower album is pretty good, but the mumps-ridden vocals are a complete non-starter for me. Sorry, @Dityn DJ James, but @Magnus ’s nominee also wins by default here. Winner: Nuclear Assault
I’ve never liked Anthrax much, and this album did nothing to change my opinion. There are some nice riffs and solos, and “Only” and “Black Lodge” are pretty good; but the songwriting here is fundamentally weak overall, and John Bush’s vocal lines are just boring and don’t connect with me at all. As I recall, I had the same issue with Armored Saint, so I guess this shouldn’t surprise me. While this probably means that @MrKnickerbocker will rage vote against all my future nominees, I’ve gotta keep it real and vote for @Magnus ’s far superior choice in this match. Winner: Sabbat
This Dream Theater album has some issues, like trying to sound like a diet synthy version of Justice-era Metallica on “Constant Motion”, or whatever the fuck is going on with “Prophets Of War” — but at the end of the day there’s a lot more musical meat here than there is on the Rainbow album. The Rainbow album has a few great tracks and some great performances, but it’s still about half filler. Sorry, @Poto, but I have to go with @The Dissident ’s nominee here. Winner: Dream Theater
The Anaal Nathrakh album is true to its name, since my ears feel like they’ve been anally nathrakhed after forcing my way through it. There are musical bits with some value here and there, but most of this sounds like hot garbage to my ears. Sorry, @Night Prowler, but @Lampwick 43 ’s choice wins by default. Winner: Ayreon
The music on this Bolt Thrower album is pretty good, but the mumps-ridden vocals are a complete non-starter for me. Sorry, @Dityn DJ James, but @Magnus ’s nominee also wins by default here. Winner: Nuclear Assault
I’ve never liked Anthrax much, and this album did nothing to change my opinion. There are some nice riffs and solos, and “Only” and “Black Lodge” are pretty good; but the songwriting here is fundamentally weak overall, and John Bush’s vocal lines are just boring and don’t connect with me at all. As I recall, I had the same issue with Armored Saint, so I guess this shouldn’t surprise me. While this probably means that @MrKnickerbocker will rage vote against all my future nominees, I’ve gotta keep it real and vote for @Magnus ’s far superior choice in this match. Winner: Sabbat
Yax
Ancient Mariner
Wow.