Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Albums. When both albums in the match have fatal flaws, I have to come up with a way to choose between them, and that may come down to the strength or weakness of certain tracks.
GREATEST METAL ALBUM CUP - Winner: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son!
- Thread starter LooseCannon
- Start date
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
You’re right, there’s just a shitload of fast cut time drumming on that one, which produces a similar effect. Too distracted by all the horrible vocals this round, it all starts to munge together after a while.
Ok, so Squalus is as advertised. It's very interesting, and has a lot of neat doom metal feelings, and I enjoy doom. Vocalist isn't great though, and it hurts the music in places. It's really interesting, and that's all I can say right now. I can absolutely see why this one appeals to some people. Neat shit. Amorphis is Amorphis, but man, I'll vote for Squalus and see if we can't get some more going on.
When I was first getting into metal, I really liked Stratovarius, and looking back on it now about 18 years later, I'm having trouble remembering why. This is fine, I guess. Amorphis is also fine. I dunno. I'll vote for Stratovarius knowing they won't win.
At the Gates vs Opeth...I am tempted to not vote even a little bit, but sure, At the Gates, who gives a fuck.
Motherfucking Bolt Thrower.
When I was first getting into metal, I really liked Stratovarius, and looking back on it now about 18 years later, I'm having trouble remembering why. This is fine, I guess. Amorphis is also fine. I dunno. I'll vote for Stratovarius knowing they won't win.
At the Gates vs Opeth...I am tempted to not vote even a little bit, but sure, At the Gates, who gives a fuck.
Motherfucking Bolt Thrower.
karljant
Ancient Mariner
What record is so dense that it requires 2 basses full of overdrive spreading dissonant undertones while some really interesting orchestrations are being triggered on the background? Well, if you don't know I didn't knew either but now I do. These dudes kinda produce a mesh between Om, Neurosis and early Mastodon with an even more bitter taste and then top it with sparkles of minimalism/ near Lo Fi goodness all to narrate the horrors of the most well know great white in the universe. Sounds crazy doesn't it? And you bet it is. And although it's a hard and dense as nails record to listen to in every given day, although it sounds brutally overwhelming at times, fact is there's a lot to sink your teeth in here (pun intended). The sampled dialogues from the movie are really well placed and work even better when incorporated in the lyrics (especially on Eating Machine In The Pond). Musically speaking, while keeping its melodies and crushing undertones bitter as hell either, this damn thing is really varied and composite in its dynamics. So yeah... really dig this Squalus stuff. Way more than an utterly insipid Amorphis album.
Stratovarius? Errr... nope! Amorphis' best record? Errr... yep!
Ah, reunion records by seminal bands... people always love them even when they're not as good as previous masterpieces. This one's no different but make no mistake: At War With Reality is a good album... really good to tell the truth. Death And The Labyrinth shows the Mollow Death pioneers still have it and one can easily notice by the mastery on balancing crushing riffs and absolutely gorgeous guitar melodies this is the real stuff, not 3rd millennium counterfeit material. The title track only reinforces that feeling and so does The Circular Ruins... this is the At The Gates we all loved and knew that inspired thousands miles away from Sweden to create new sub genres. Heroes And Tombs is much more contained but still headbanging focused (ATG always made public how much they liked Slayer) but then Conspiracy Of The Blind sees the band returning to their blueprint (perhaps a bit to much because this thing sounds like a mash up of Slaughter Of The Soul and Blinded By Fear). Order From Chaos relies a lot on its crescendo and ambiance but ends up sounding really nice. The Book Of Sand is perhaps the most aggressive track here alongside the once again "Slayeresque" Eater Of Gods and Upon Pillars Of Dust combo and they really add some stamina and variety to the record. Head Of The Hydra is another typical (nd astonishing) SOTS era song and the more contemplative Night Eternal (yet heavy as hell) closes the record with some great soloing and the feeling that the metal scene really benefited tons with this reunion materialized in such a stellar release. Really... At War With Reality is so good that if someone tells me it's their best release ever I quite understand (although I don't agree... SOTS will always be SOTS). The same can't be said with Watershed by Opeth so this one goes easily to At The Gates.
Realm Of Motherfucking Chaos... Oh boy! For people to begin to understand what this thing means to me let me tell you about my experience back in 1991. Although some of Thrash Metal's best records were being released by then fact is Death Metal (and Grindcore) was the new emerging force. So I listened to Death, Obituary, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Carcass, Napalm Death, Repulsion and the others alike. And sure... when it comes to heaviness and intensity these newcomers were kinda relegating Thrashers to a sort of "old geezer's music" department to my teenager ears. But there were two records that had that very same effect by then when compared with their Death Metal and Grindcore fellowmen. I'm talking about Terrorizer's World Downfall and Bolt Throwers' Realm Of Chaos. Man... the level of intensity, fury and non measurable weight these two records displayed still amazes me today. Now imagine back in 1991! And these beasts were recorded in 1989, for God's sake... 1989!
But let's focus on ROC. It all begins with the artwork. Later I knew the illustrations were from the tabletop miniature game Warhammer 40k and man they looked terrific. Always been a Sci-Fi maniac (not the Star Wars/ Star Trek kinda thing... more into darker stuff like Alien, Blade Runner and Dune) and that thing really got me hooked* . As for the record it starts with a demonic voice from what I suppose to be a chaos lord narrating the background of the reality in the 41st millenium along the sound of gears working as if the monster machines of hordes of chaos are moving into battle "There's no time for peace... Only eternal war!". And as Karl Willets unleashes his thunderous roar, we're presented with Eternal War as a gigantic grinding downtuned guitar riff that sounds as devastating as addictive. The whole thing then comes to an alt and the guitar announces that things are going to get really fast and brutal in a no time. Now I obviously also prefer the late Martin Kern's drumming. But fact is it wouldn't work out in this record. Andy Whale is kinda sloppy and square? Yup. But this album is not about finesse, it's not about that slow grinding punch that the band built in The IVth Crusade onward (and even already in Warmaster to a certain degree). I really think that although Whale doesn't compromise The IVth Crusade, sure it would be even better than the masterpiece it already is with a better drumer than him behind the kit. But Realm Of Chaos? Nah! This is the fucking warp, this is where chaos rules and chaos needs an absolutely battering drumline when it gets fast. Could it be a little more precise and technical? Sure. But that's not what I'm looking for when I pick Realm Of Chaos from my shelf. And this record is perfect as it is while delivering that chaotic feeling.
Through The Eye Of Terror's monster chug follows and man this is heaaaaaavy (still more in line with the path the band would thread later in their career). Once again the band iterates between fast paced plundering speed and near Death Doom sludge (a trait that is somewhat constant throughout the album). Dark Millenium features a bit more of melody but without losing an inch of strength while All That Remains once again threads the Death Doom territory in some passages, namely the main riff. Lost Souls Domain's overture is absolutely crushing and once the double kick enters (and I could care less how off it sounds) we're thrown into an absolute relentless grinding machine of concrete blasting mid tempo Death Metal. Plaguebearer (the name of Nurgle's - god of filth - lesser deamons) makes justice to its name and really sounds dirty as hell. And then there's World Eater (berzerker chaos marines devotees of Khorne, the god of blood and carnage)and all I have to say is: man... THAT RIFF! And although I would love that this song would keep this pace it must stay true to itss nature and go absultely berzerk because... well... because Khorne wants it (blood for the blood god and all that good stuff). The last two tracks are probably the least good from the lot but nonetheless nothing can tarnish this absolutely unique piece of Death Metal history.
Realm Of Chaos set the bar really high back in the day when it comes to brutality and intensity. So much that the band closed this chapter and started evolving to a slower, more technical and more contained brand of Death Metal on their 3rd album: the also great Warmaster. Fortunately these dudes would never release a single subpar album despite the adjustments made in their blueprint. But there's a certain charm in Realm Of Chaos that lasted to this very day. It never sounds old, never lost intensity it still is what it was back in the late 80's: the heaviest, most corrosive yet brutaly epic dark sci-fi themed extreme metal album ever spawned without talking about guts, satan or any of that shit (that was really in vogue during the late 80's/ early 90's but would sound completely ridiculous few years later). To sum it up: a true classic. And although Riverside has some cool tunes this is a no brainer: BOLT MOTHERFUCKING THROWER!
*Little did I know a decade later I would start collecting and playing the game. Yeah... never was geek during my teens but as I got older I developed a bit the repressed geek in me 8or something like that) and this album's cover sure did help since I started to gather me some miniatures of chaos marines and demons (namely loyal to Tzeentch, the chaos god of manipulation because they looked awesome and Slaanesh, the god of lust and excess because, well, titties). Had some cool games but never made that much games (plus I later discovered Tyranids came out with some great looking figures- Alien like bugs - and sold all my chaos. I still have my Abbadon - the supreme chaos warmaster - somewhere though). Nowadays I still have some Tyranids forgotten in a box somewhere. Sorry for all this geekery, but my point is all this enhanced my love for this record even more. And if the imagery was awesome, the story and lore was simply brutal and it mingled perfectly with the band's imaginarium.
Stratovarius? Errr... nope! Amorphis' best record? Errr... yep!
Ah, reunion records by seminal bands... people always love them even when they're not as good as previous masterpieces. This one's no different but make no mistake: At War With Reality is a good album... really good to tell the truth. Death And The Labyrinth shows the Mollow Death pioneers still have it and one can easily notice by the mastery on balancing crushing riffs and absolutely gorgeous guitar melodies this is the real stuff, not 3rd millennium counterfeit material. The title track only reinforces that feeling and so does The Circular Ruins... this is the At The Gates we all loved and knew that inspired thousands miles away from Sweden to create new sub genres. Heroes And Tombs is much more contained but still headbanging focused (ATG always made public how much they liked Slayer) but then Conspiracy Of The Blind sees the band returning to their blueprint (perhaps a bit to much because this thing sounds like a mash up of Slaughter Of The Soul and Blinded By Fear). Order From Chaos relies a lot on its crescendo and ambiance but ends up sounding really nice. The Book Of Sand is perhaps the most aggressive track here alongside the once again "Slayeresque" Eater Of Gods and Upon Pillars Of Dust combo and they really add some stamina and variety to the record. Head Of The Hydra is another typical (nd astonishing) SOTS era song and the more contemplative Night Eternal (yet heavy as hell) closes the record with some great soloing and the feeling that the metal scene really benefited tons with this reunion materialized in such a stellar release. Really... At War With Reality is so good that if someone tells me it's their best release ever I quite understand (although I don't agree... SOTS will always be SOTS). The same can't be said with Watershed by Opeth so this one goes easily to At The Gates.
Realm Of Motherfucking Chaos... Oh boy! For people to begin to understand what this thing means to me let me tell you about my experience back in 1991. Although some of Thrash Metal's best records were being released by then fact is Death Metal (and Grindcore) was the new emerging force. So I listened to Death, Obituary, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Carcass, Napalm Death, Repulsion and the others alike. And sure... when it comes to heaviness and intensity these newcomers were kinda relegating Thrashers to a sort of "old geezer's music" department to my teenager ears. But there were two records that had that very same effect by then when compared with their Death Metal and Grindcore fellowmen. I'm talking about Terrorizer's World Downfall and Bolt Throwers' Realm Of Chaos. Man... the level of intensity, fury and non measurable weight these two records displayed still amazes me today. Now imagine back in 1991! And these beasts were recorded in 1989, for God's sake... 1989!
But let's focus on ROC. It all begins with the artwork. Later I knew the illustrations were from the tabletop miniature game Warhammer 40k and man they looked terrific. Always been a Sci-Fi maniac (not the Star Wars/ Star Trek kinda thing... more into darker stuff like Alien, Blade Runner and Dune) and that thing really got me hooked* . As for the record it starts with a demonic voice from what I suppose to be a chaos lord narrating the background of the reality in the 41st millenium along the sound of gears working as if the monster machines of hordes of chaos are moving into battle "There's no time for peace... Only eternal war!". And as Karl Willets unleashes his thunderous roar, we're presented with Eternal War as a gigantic grinding downtuned guitar riff that sounds as devastating as addictive. The whole thing then comes to an alt and the guitar announces that things are going to get really fast and brutal in a no time. Now I obviously also prefer the late Martin Kern's drumming. But fact is it wouldn't work out in this record. Andy Whale is kinda sloppy and square? Yup. But this album is not about finesse, it's not about that slow grinding punch that the band built in The IVth Crusade onward (and even already in Warmaster to a certain degree). I really think that although Whale doesn't compromise The IVth Crusade, sure it would be even better than the masterpiece it already is with a better drumer than him behind the kit. But Realm Of Chaos? Nah! This is the fucking warp, this is where chaos rules and chaos needs an absolutely battering drumline when it gets fast. Could it be a little more precise and technical? Sure. But that's not what I'm looking for when I pick Realm Of Chaos from my shelf. And this record is perfect as it is while delivering that chaotic feeling.
Through The Eye Of Terror's monster chug follows and man this is heaaaaaavy (still more in line with the path the band would thread later in their career). Once again the band iterates between fast paced plundering speed and near Death Doom sludge (a trait that is somewhat constant throughout the album). Dark Millenium features a bit more of melody but without losing an inch of strength while All That Remains once again threads the Death Doom territory in some passages, namely the main riff. Lost Souls Domain's overture is absolutely crushing and once the double kick enters (and I could care less how off it sounds) we're thrown into an absolute relentless grinding machine of concrete blasting mid tempo Death Metal. Plaguebearer (the name of Nurgle's - god of filth - lesser deamons) makes justice to its name and really sounds dirty as hell. And then there's World Eater (berzerker chaos marines devotees of Khorne, the god of blood and carnage)and all I have to say is: man... THAT RIFF! And although I would love that this song would keep this pace it must stay true to itss nature and go absultely berzerk because... well... because Khorne wants it (blood for the blood god and all that good stuff). The last two tracks are probably the least good from the lot but nonetheless nothing can tarnish this absolutely unique piece of Death Metal history.
Realm Of Chaos set the bar really high back in the day when it comes to brutality and intensity. So much that the band closed this chapter and started evolving to a slower, more technical and more contained brand of Death Metal on their 3rd album: the also great Warmaster. Fortunately these dudes would never release a single subpar album despite the adjustments made in their blueprint. But there's a certain charm in Realm Of Chaos that lasted to this very day. It never sounds old, never lost intensity it still is what it was back in the late 80's: the heaviest, most corrosive yet brutaly epic dark sci-fi themed extreme metal album ever spawned without talking about guts, satan or any of that shit (that was really in vogue during the late 80's/ early 90's but would sound completely ridiculous few years later). To sum it up: a true classic. And although Riverside has some cool tunes this is a no brainer: BOLT MOTHERFUCKING THROWER!
*Little did I know a decade later I would start collecting and playing the game. Yeah... never was geek during my teens but as I got older I developed a bit the repressed geek in me 8or something like that) and this album's cover sure did help since I started to gather me some miniatures of chaos marines and demons (namely loyal to Tzeentch, the chaos god of manipulation because they looked awesome and Slaanesh, the god of lust and excess because, well, titties). Had some cool games but never made that much games (plus I later discovered Tyranids came out with some great looking figures- Alien like bugs - and sold all my chaos. I still have my Abbadon - the supreme chaos warmaster - somewhere though). Nowadays I still have some Tyranids forgotten in a box somewhere. Sorry for all this geekery, but my point is all this enhanced my love for this record even more. And if the imagery was awesome, the story and lore was simply brutal and it mingled perfectly with the band's imaginarium.
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Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Well, one important difference is that the distorted guitar still holds a musical tone, while in most cases the extreme vocal does not. That renders the growl more like percussion and makes it have more in common with rap vocals than with singing. So for me, on some level every extreme metal song I hear winds up coming off like Limp Bizkit on PCP — except these monsters did it all for the cookie.
The Flash
Dennis Wilcock did 9/11
Extreme vocals are not toneless but monotonous, so it's about the effects you put on that particular tone. I was talking more about the effect of distortion itself, not its combination with the guitar playing. Growls sound like they're coming from a large animal, a beast, which works well in the context of a style that aestheticizes violent aggression like death metal. There's a reason black metal deploys shrieks instead of growls, it sounds aggressive in a tortured, dark sense rather than an animalistic, violent sense. So it's really all about the effect in a particular context.
Lampwick 43
Barstool Warrior
I really dont know what to make of Squalus. But they definitely are unique and different, and at the moment I find them amusing enough to get the vote. I'm not sure how well they'll hold up after repeated listenings, though. Squalus.
Stratovarius was one of the gateway into power metal bands for me, and although I rarely listen to them anymore, I still hold a soft spot for them. Stratovarius.
I'm giving the vote to Opeth here for having much higher highs.
And Riverside is fantastic and deserve to go as far as they possibly can.
Stratovarius was one of the gateway into power metal bands for me, and although I rarely listen to them anymore, I still hold a soft spot for them. Stratovarius.
I'm giving the vote to Opeth here for having much higher highs.
And Riverside is fantastic and deserve to go as far as they possibly can.
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
I really hope Squalus turns the tide here. It's different than everything we've heard so far and has a lot of personality. Amorphis is good for what it is but to be fair, I don't find it "special" at all.
It's got about two hours to find a couple of votes!
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
Wah. It got one, but so did Amorphis. 
Amorphis beats Squalus in a tight battle, with only two votes needed to save the fishes. Next up is Ensiferum.
Amorphis easily fends off a challenge from Stratovarius. The Finns are back in League 4.
Opeth strongly sends At the Gates packing. They're back once more, in League 2.
Riverside makes their evasion roll and is able to avoid damage from Bolt Thrower, who are still active in the Match 11 stream.
Amorphis easily fends off a challenge from Stratovarius. The Finns are back in League 4.
Opeth strongly sends At the Gates packing. They're back once more, in League 2.
Riverside makes their evasion roll and is able to avoid damage from Bolt Thrower, who are still active in the Match 11 stream.
Annihilator - Alice in Hell (1989) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @Perun | |
| League 8 - Match 21 | vs. |
Gojira - L’Enfant Sauvage (2012) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @phantomoftheicarus Previous Rounds: League 13: Defeated Thorns - Thorns 15-8. League 12: Defeated The Business - Hardcore Hooligan 16-4. League 11: Defeated Primus - Frizzle Fry 12-11. League 10: Defeated Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä 16-8. League 9: Defeated Pentagram - Pentagram (Relentless) 13-9. |
Threshold - Legends of the Shires (2017) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @Lampwick 43 | |
| League 8 - Match 22 | vs. |
Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien (1987) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @MrKnickerbocker Previous Rounds: League 10: Defeated Metallica - Death Magnetic 13-12. League 9: Defeated Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse 14-8. |
How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @The Dissident | |
| League 8 - Match 23 | vs. |
Blind Guardian - Tales From the Twilight World (1990) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @Night Prowler Previous Rounds: League 14: Defeated Kamelot - Karma 18-3. League 13: Defeated Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out 16-9. League 12: Defeated Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies 18-8. League 11: Defeated Eis - Galeere 19-4. League 10: Defeated Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak 13-11. League 9: Defeated Fight - War of Words 14-8. |
Guns ‘n’ Roses - Chinese Democracy (2008) How it got here List entries: n/a Maidenfans Nominators: @Night Prowler | |
| League 8 - Match 24 | vs. |
Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989) How it got here List entries: DigitalDreamDoor 75 Previous Rounds: League 17: Defeated Aria - Герой Асфальта 20-5. League 16: Defeated Testament - Practice What You Preach 14(ET)-13. League 15: Defeated Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force - Rising Force 13-11. League 14: Defeated Nevermore - Dead Heart in a Dead World 14-7. League 13: Defeated Motörhead - Orgasmatron 14-10. League 12: Defeated Armored Saint - Symbol of Salvation 13-8. League 11: Defeated Fear Factory - Obsolete 15-8. League 10: Defeated Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake 18-7. League 9: Defeated Tiamat - Clouds 13-9. |
srfc
Ancient Mariner
Annihilator - The only album I have by these is Set the World on Fire, but I am somewhat familiar with this album, I've streamed it a good few times and it's a significant better album which I've been meaning to pick up. Waters guitar playing is too good for his material usually though.
Gojira - opinion given before
Annihilator with the win
Threshold - I like the guitar sound, nice and aggressive but good clarity, and the keys are pretty unobtrusive (a plus point for me), vocalist hasn't got a lot of charisma but is not off putting.
Satriani - opinion given before.
I'm going to throw Threshold a bone here, the track was decent and I feel more in keeping with the game, even though the stuff I'm familiar with off Surfing is better.
Scorpions - What a fuckin' track. Anyone who sees the name Scorpions and thinks of Winds of Change and switches off, I would advise you to give it a chance. I got into these relatively late because of having that mindset. Then I saw them open for Priest on the Angel of Retribution tour and they mopped the floor with them. Plus the 70's era is even better, Uli Roth is a genius.
Blind Guardian - opinion given before
Scorpions with the win
Guns N Roses - I like this record, if you approach it without expecting the next Nightrain and think of it as differnet band altogether, which it is, then it's a good album, and maybe his best vocal performance.
Faith No More - opinion given before
Faith No More with the win
Gojira - opinion given before
Annihilator with the win
Threshold - I like the guitar sound, nice and aggressive but good clarity, and the keys are pretty unobtrusive (a plus point for me), vocalist hasn't got a lot of charisma but is not off putting.
Satriani - opinion given before.
I'm going to throw Threshold a bone here, the track was decent and I feel more in keeping with the game, even though the stuff I'm familiar with off Surfing is better.
Scorpions - What a fuckin' track. Anyone who sees the name Scorpions and thinks of Winds of Change and switches off, I would advise you to give it a chance. I got into these relatively late because of having that mindset. Then I saw them open for Priest on the Angel of Retribution tour and they mopped the floor with them. Plus the 70's era is even better, Uli Roth is a genius.
Blind Guardian - opinion given before
Scorpions with the win
Guns N Roses - I like this record, if you approach it without expecting the next Nightrain and think of it as differnet band altogether, which it is, then it's a good album, and maybe his best vocal performance.
Faith No More - opinion given before
Faith No More with the win
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Annihilator
Threshold
Scorpions
Guns N´Roses - I love this album.
Threshold
Scorpions
Guns N´Roses - I love this album.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Never heard this Annihilator album before, and the music is a great mix of mildly proggy speed/thrash metal with neoclassical elements and surprising bursts of harmony. I was pretty impressed by that part of it, but the vocals are cackly and mediocre, and the lyrics are a bit cringey, so that knocks it down a few pegs. I would probably give it another shot or two on the strength of the music, though. And then we have Gojira, WHO SCREAM THEIR WAY THROUGH EVERY FUCKING SONG BECAUSE THAT’S NOT EVEN MILDLY ANNOYING AND OH MY GOD GOJIRA IS SO FUCKING GREAT I’M SO GLAD THEY’RE IN THIS GAME AND I KEEP HAVING THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF LISTENING TO THEIR MASTERFUL VOCAL SUBTLETIES!!! Sorry, @phantomoftheicarus, but fuck Gojira from both ends and twice on Sunday — I’m obviously going with @Perun ’s choice here. Winner: Annihilator
Based on the title and cover art I was expecting this Threshold album to be a Lord Of The Rings concept album or something, but it’s definitely not that. It’s sort of U.S. style power metal with 70s prog rock undercurrents — I hear elements of early Genesis and Styx in there. And hallelujah, it is so very nice to hear a strong melodic singer again. The music veers a little in the direction of cheese in places, but for the most part it’s really rich, lush, mildly proggy power metal, and I dig it. I will definitely spend more time with this album. I realized while listening to this that I’d actually seen Threshold live at ProgPower USA III almost 20 years ago, and I remember liking their show a lot at the time, but I never followed up and checked out their discography. That’s a mistake I should rectify. (I apparently also saw Devin Townsend at the same show, but don’t remember his set at all. Hmm.) Then we have the Joe Satriani album, which has some brilliant stuff on it, but also follows a pretty predictable formula on most of its tracks. I’d be fine with either of these albums advancing, but sorry, @MrKnickerbocker, I’m going to go with @Lampwick 43 ’s presumed underdog nominee this time. Winner: Threshold
I hadn’t really listened to any 70s Scorpions before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. In Trance sounds like a product of its time, more noodly and soulful than their later work, but with weak production and questionable songwriting. Large parts of this seem to be cobbled together from the styles of other earlier bands, rather than forging its own identity. It’s up against an OK Blind Guardian album with OK songwriting, but at least Tales From The Twilight World forges a unique style for the band and consistently rocks. Sorry, @The Dissident, but I have to go with @Night Prowler ’s choice here. Winner: Blind Guardian
So, Chinese Democracy. Hadn’t heard this before, outside of “Shackler’s Revenge” being in some Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. And perhaps the original sin here was calling it a Guns ‘n Roses album, because it clearly is not. This is Axl Rose going off into the corner to musically masturbate, then releasing his solo album as a GnR album to sell more copies. I give him credit for trying to stretch, incorporating some minor industrial elements and dipping into a broader range of styles, but the end result is kind of a mess. I think “I.R.S.” might be the only song I remember anything from after listening to this. Maybe the best way to sum this up is that Chinese Democracy is to GnR what Risk was to Megadeth. And it pulled a draw against a great album, so let’s call that a double tap. Sorry, @Night Prowler, but your abstract concept can’t hold up to the real thing. Winner: Faith No More
Based on the title and cover art I was expecting this Threshold album to be a Lord Of The Rings concept album or something, but it’s definitely not that. It’s sort of U.S. style power metal with 70s prog rock undercurrents — I hear elements of early Genesis and Styx in there. And hallelujah, it is so very nice to hear a strong melodic singer again. The music veers a little in the direction of cheese in places, but for the most part it’s really rich, lush, mildly proggy power metal, and I dig it. I will definitely spend more time with this album. I realized while listening to this that I’d actually seen Threshold live at ProgPower USA III almost 20 years ago, and I remember liking their show a lot at the time, but I never followed up and checked out their discography. That’s a mistake I should rectify. (I apparently also saw Devin Townsend at the same show, but don’t remember his set at all. Hmm.) Then we have the Joe Satriani album, which has some brilliant stuff on it, but also follows a pretty predictable formula on most of its tracks. I’d be fine with either of these albums advancing, but sorry, @MrKnickerbocker, I’m going to go with @Lampwick 43 ’s presumed underdog nominee this time. Winner: Threshold
I hadn’t really listened to any 70s Scorpions before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. In Trance sounds like a product of its time, more noodly and soulful than their later work, but with weak production and questionable songwriting. Large parts of this seem to be cobbled together from the styles of other earlier bands, rather than forging its own identity. It’s up against an OK Blind Guardian album with OK songwriting, but at least Tales From The Twilight World forges a unique style for the band and consistently rocks. Sorry, @The Dissident, but I have to go with @Night Prowler ’s choice here. Winner: Blind Guardian
So, Chinese Democracy. Hadn’t heard this before, outside of “Shackler’s Revenge” being in some Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. And perhaps the original sin here was calling it a Guns ‘n Roses album, because it clearly is not. This is Axl Rose going off into the corner to musically masturbate, then releasing his solo album as a GnR album to sell more copies. I give him credit for trying to stretch, incorporating some minor industrial elements and dipping into a broader range of styles, but the end result is kind of a mess. I think “I.R.S.” might be the only song I remember anything from after listening to this. Maybe the best way to sum this up is that Chinese Democracy is to GnR what Risk was to Megadeth. And it pulled a draw against a great album, so let’s call that a double tap. Sorry, @Night Prowler, but your abstract concept can’t hold up to the real thing. Winner: Faith No More
Cornfed Hick
Ancient Mariner
Much more interesting round than the last one...
Annihilator shows a Maiden-esque influence, with good production, and Ric Flair on vocals is a nice touch. Lyrics/vocals are kind of silly, but still, this is much more my speed than Gojira.
I have never heard of Threshold. The chosen track has some OK moments, but it’s a little hair-metal-y at times and overproduced. I could probably get on board with the sound, but the songwriting didn’t grab me. Slight edge to Satriani here.
The fantastic title track on In Trance is better than anything on Tales, but Blind Guardian’s album is stronger overall.
Axl Rose’s solo album (it’s G’n’R in name only) didn’t live up to the hype/expectations, but it’s still pretty good, and I like it better than FNM, which has hung around too long.
Annihilator shows a Maiden-esque influence, with good production, and Ric Flair on vocals is a nice touch. Lyrics/vocals are kind of silly, but still, this is much more my speed than Gojira.
I have never heard of Threshold. The chosen track has some OK moments, but it’s a little hair-metal-y at times and overproduced. I could probably get on board with the sound, but the songwriting didn’t grab me. Slight edge to Satriani here.
The fantastic title track on In Trance is better than anything on Tales, but Blind Guardian’s album is stronger overall.
Axl Rose’s solo album (it’s G’n’R in name only) didn’t live up to the hype/expectations, but it’s still pretty good, and I like it better than FNM, which has hung around too long.