GREATEST METAL ALBUM CUP - Winner: Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son!
- Thread starter LooseCannon
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Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Oh man, Power Windows. For me this is the pinnacle of all the Rush studio albums. Big, reverby, synthy, and so incredibly consistent. Literally every song on here is great or excellent, and the capper “Mystic Rhythms” is just superb. I shared some more detailed thoughts a while back when I ran through the Rush discography again.
I thought I shared this nomination with someone, but I guess not. For a sample song I picked “Territories”, which is of course an excellent song, but it’s also got some of the heavier guitar parts on the album. If you want to listen to some other song, literally pick anything else on the album and you can’t go wrong.
It’s up against Ayreon’s The Source, which I also enjoyed, but come on — this is Rush’s best album, and only a die-hard classic should be able to stand up to this steamroller.
I thought I shared this nomination with someone, but I guess not. For a sample song I picked “Territories”, which is of course an excellent song, but it’s also got some of the heavier guitar parts on the album. If you want to listen to some other song, literally pick anything else on the album and you can’t go wrong.
It’s up against Ayreon’s The Source, which I also enjoyed, but come on — this is Rush’s best album, and only a die-hard classic should be able to stand up to this steamroller.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
If you liked Wanderer On The Edge Of Time, you should try out Tales Of A Future Past from earlier this year. Almost the same lineup, some middle eastern and orchestral elements thrown into the mix, and most of the songs are great.
@karljant would have to speak to the pre-2010 albums.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
At least halfway! It'll take at least one more close call upset for an album I love to make up for it.
Apex is great, but if it came up against Symbol of Salvation there would be zero hesitation on my part to vote for Armored Saint.
srfc
Ancient Mariner
Be'Lakor - intro sounds good, abrupt change ok, not too keen on the boring double bass or the vocals, but otherwise not bad, some good melody. Solo good. Rhythmic riff over the "spoken" word section is a bit shite. Kinda of anti climactic at the end as well
Dream Theatre - Keys melody at the start is lifted from the vocal of The Cranberries Zombie, as are the chords that come in after it. I'm glad I figured out that ear worm straight away as I'm still being tortured by the one in Iced Earth from a few days ago
Be'Lakor with the win
Rush - Bit Marilliony/Peter Gabriely i.e. of it's time, not bad but not something I'll be checking out in a hurry, like I said Marillion scratch that itch for me on the rare occasions I'm in that mood.
Ayreon -
Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves my heart of gold
Rush with the win
Devin Townsend - vocal melody when he's singing is not bad, the rest is preposterous
Bolt Thrower - opinion given before
Bolt Thrower with the win
Atlantean Kodex - video won't play for me, so I listened to the first two tracks on youtube, not bad at all, the guitars on all their stuff have been too loud
Anthrax - opinion given before
Anthrax with the win
Dream Theatre - Keys melody at the start is lifted from the vocal of The Cranberries Zombie, as are the chords that come in after it. I'm glad I figured out that ear worm straight away as I'm still being tortured by the one in Iced Earth from a few days ago
Be'Lakor with the win
Rush - Bit Marilliony/Peter Gabriely i.e. of it's time, not bad but not something I'll be checking out in a hurry, like I said Marillion scratch that itch for me on the rare occasions I'm in that mood.
Ayreon -
Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves my heart of gold Rush with the win
Devin Townsend - vocal melody when he's singing is not bad, the rest is preposterous
Bolt Thrower - opinion given before
Bolt Thrower with the win
Atlantean Kodex - video won't play for me, so I listened to the first two tracks on youtube, not bad at all, the guitars on all their stuff have been too loud
Anthrax - opinion given before
Anthrax with the win
D
Deleted member 7164
Guest
There is nothing average about that chug.
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
The middle part just losses me. I thought it's another song the first time...
Every two days. With 584 matches and roughly 146 sets of 4 matches each, a 2 day sprint is needed to keep the completion timeframe below a year.
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
The feeling when Deconstruction didn't get 100% of the votes. 
karljant
Ancient Mariner
So a brief explanation about my last round:
First match is an exception as I'm sure I need to explain nothing. The outcome of this match was simply laughable, but as someone would say "it is what it is".
Lovedrive shows Scorpions going way too much into comercial waters and that's not my vibe. Definitely Motorhead.
In this Wintersun album it seems like these dudes took a course on how to emulate Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery and early Children Of Boddom and they do it good enough when they don't get too much into those power metal like parts. Decent enough to win me over a boring Iced Earth album
Battles is a disgrace overall. Disney channel kid chorus and shit... what is this? Is this the same band who wrote Jester Race, Whoracle, Reroute To Remain or even Soundtrack? I swear to god I'd give my vote to the crap that is Symphony X if it wasn't for the guitar melodies and pace of The End and Through My Eyes and the ambiance on Wallflower because the rest is so cringe it makes me sick. But that being said it features 3 more decent songs than its adversary so I end up going with the lesser of two evils: In Flames.
Now this round picks:
Be'lakor have their Mello-Death class well studied on this one and even sounding a bit derivative at least these guy's sound is refined, muscular and powerful unlike other countless bands that travel alongside in the same bandwagon. Plus what's not to love about a band with such an inspiring name? Nevertheless (and although I'm not a DT fan) I have a soft spot for Systematic Chaos and I'll give this one to Dream Theater.
Next match seems like a battle under the theme "pick your favorite more boring and dull - yet pretentious- album made by quality musicians". And when presented with this agonizing choice I'll always pick the oldest one. So, Rush.
As you all know I'm a huge Devin fan. Now to all people who had a reaaaaaaaaaally hard time digesting Strapping Young Lad (unlike me who simply love it) this is what I feel about the large majority of tracks on Deconstruction. This album is a twisted conceptual joke on overthinking and complicating things and the music really portraits that. On a side note the synopses regarding the narrative is absolutely hilarious: "It's about a man who is obsessed with finding the true nature of reality. In the process of this journey, he goes to Hell and meets the devil. The devil shows him the secrets of the universe, presenting a cheeseburger to him. However, being a vegetarian, the man cannot eat the cheeseburger, rendering his attempts at working out the true nature of reality pointless". Musically speaking this thing is rich and counts with the contribution of a plethora of all stars of prog metal and there are a handful of songs I really love, especially Juular featuring the great Ihsahn and Sumeria that has the participation of master Masvidal. But overall the record sounds dense as hell, confusing, too much delirious (even to Devin's standards) and an excessive parody of itself and I find it to be by far the most difficult listening experience ever created by mr. Townsend. On the other hand Those Once Loyal is one of Bolt Thrower's finest efforts, so they'll get my vote.
Finally Atlantean Kodex presents us with another cool effort but they don't stand a chance before the powerhouse that is Anthrax's first record with John Bush.
First match is an exception as I'm sure I need to explain nothing. The outcome of this match was simply laughable, but as someone would say "it is what it is".
Lovedrive shows Scorpions going way too much into comercial waters and that's not my vibe. Definitely Motorhead.
In this Wintersun album it seems like these dudes took a course on how to emulate Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery and early Children Of Boddom and they do it good enough when they don't get too much into those power metal like parts. Decent enough to win me over a boring Iced Earth album
Battles is a disgrace overall. Disney channel kid chorus and shit... what is this? Is this the same band who wrote Jester Race, Whoracle, Reroute To Remain or even Soundtrack? I swear to god I'd give my vote to the crap that is Symphony X if it wasn't for the guitar melodies and pace of The End and Through My Eyes and the ambiance on Wallflower because the rest is so cringe it makes me sick. But that being said it features 3 more decent songs than its adversary so I end up going with the lesser of two evils: In Flames.
Now this round picks:
Be'lakor have their Mello-Death class well studied on this one and even sounding a bit derivative at least these guy's sound is refined, muscular and powerful unlike other countless bands that travel alongside in the same bandwagon. Plus what's not to love about a band with such an inspiring name? Nevertheless (and although I'm not a DT fan) I have a soft spot for Systematic Chaos and I'll give this one to Dream Theater.
Next match seems like a battle under the theme "pick your favorite more boring and dull - yet pretentious- album made by quality musicians". And when presented with this agonizing choice I'll always pick the oldest one. So, Rush.
As you all know I'm a huge Devin fan. Now to all people who had a reaaaaaaaaaally hard time digesting Strapping Young Lad (unlike me who simply love it) this is what I feel about the large majority of tracks on Deconstruction. This album is a twisted conceptual joke on overthinking and complicating things and the music really portraits that. On a side note the synopses regarding the narrative is absolutely hilarious: "It's about a man who is obsessed with finding the true nature of reality. In the process of this journey, he goes to Hell and meets the devil. The devil shows him the secrets of the universe, presenting a cheeseburger to him. However, being a vegetarian, the man cannot eat the cheeseburger, rendering his attempts at working out the true nature of reality pointless". Musically speaking this thing is rich and counts with the contribution of a plethora of all stars of prog metal and there are a handful of songs I really love, especially Juular featuring the great Ihsahn and Sumeria that has the participation of master Masvidal. But overall the record sounds dense as hell, confusing, too much delirious (even to Devin's standards) and an excessive parody of itself and I find it to be by far the most difficult listening experience ever created by mr. Townsend. On the other hand Those Once Loyal is one of Bolt Thrower's finest efforts, so they'll get my vote.
Finally Atlantean Kodex presents us with another cool effort but they don't stand a chance before the powerhouse that is Anthrax's first record with John Bush.
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karljant
Ancient Mariner
Yes it is... but why bother?
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karljant
Ancient Mariner
Many others have influence on PL but not as much as the ones I refered. To your point they kinda ripped of A Forest's end in Behind The Grey, though.
karljant
Ancient Mariner
Everything from The Music Of Erich Zann to Kaleidoscope. If you like their early material just check Voivod's Nothingface, The Outer limits and Dimension Hatross. You'll be amazed.
Midnight
The Ever-Present "It"
I like Mystic Rhythms, but when I try to listen to this album, I get bored halfway through The Big Money. Maybe I'm just not a fan of their synth sound. The only synth Rush album where I've listened to more than two songs is Signals.
Now that I think of it, I haven't listened to 70% of Test For Echo... and Vapor Trails... and Snakes And Arrows... and Presto... and Counterparts... wow, I really haven't listened to much Rush at all, have I?
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Don’t worry, this is a treatable disorder. Exposure therapy is most effective. Maybe try starting with “Marathon” and listening through from there?
A lot of people seem to like Signals a lot, but I think it’s overrated. “Subdivisions” is killer and “The Analog Kid” is great, but then it wanders off into merely OK/good territory.
For synthy Rush, Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows are the sweet spots.
Don’t worry about Test For Echo, but the others are all worth your time to some degree, especially Vapor Trails and Presto. I posted my thoughts on the Rush discography a while back.