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

Bathory - Good atmosphere in the intro, riffs are good afterwards but held back by the lo-fi production, vocals not an issue for me as I hear words and the vibe is in keeping with the rest of the music.

Van Halen - opinion given before

Van Halen with the win

Deep Purple - Just one of the most important albums in the history of metal. Speed King and Child in Time should need no introduction, Hard Lovin Man, Bloodsucker and Into the Fire are other standouts but there isn't a weak song on it.

Pantera - opinion given before

Deep Purple with the win

Helloween - Not a much of a fan of these but they have their moments, not familiar with this record. Silly intro is in keeping with my prejudices against them but the riff that kicks in is way better than expected, singer is weak and the chorus has no hook worth a damn, rest of it is perfectly serviceable.

Saboton - weird groove on this one as well, otherwise just ten a penny power metal, I think the success of these is the most baffling event in the history of Metal. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with them, it's just I can't see anything that differentiates them in anyway from every other power metal euro band.

Helloween with the win

Sepultura - An album from my early days of metal, and one I still own and listen to occasionally, Arise is my go to these days, but Chaos A.D. was the one I was into at the time. It holds up pretty well, although I've grown to dislike Refuse/Resist. The last time I listened to it Amen and The Hunt stood out as tracks that I'd completely forgotten about but where pretty good.

Symphony X - opinion given before

Sepultura with the win
 
@LooseCannon I nominated Walls of Jerico.

Will you follow the vids I recommended?
One of my 8 August 2020 posts in our private message thread.
(Not sure how often this album came on but the title track was not the first vid I selected)
Cheers!
 
Forostar said:
@LooseCannon I nominated Walls of Jerico.

Will you follow the vids I recommended?
One of my 8 August 2020 posts in our private message thread.
(Not sure how often this album came on but the title track was not the first vid I selected)
Cheers!
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You, and @Kalata, according to the list at the beginning of this thread. No idea why the n/a
 
And on the contrary - I approve the choice of the song wholeheartedly! Ride the Sky is among my top metal tracks ever and stuff like this

srfc said:
the chorus has no hook worth a damn
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is just honestly confusing to me. Seriously, what? Are we listening to the same song?

(also, just hear those awesome base runs Grosskopf does, especially in the pre-chorus. Perfection in simplicity, that one)

Also, this is a question that possibly has been already answered with other albums, but which version do we assess here? Because IIRC, pretty much every reissue in the CD era adds the previous EP in the beginning which is cool and I would like it to count as well, but I don't think that disregarding it makes the experience any worse, so it doesn't matter all that much, I'm asking mostly out of curiosity.
 
Forostar said:
@LooseCannon I nominated Walls of Jerico.

Will you follow the vids I recommended?
One of my 8 August 2020 posts in our private message thread.
(Not sure how often this album came on but the title track was not the first vid I selected)
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Let me review my files.

Edit: Yes, it seems I missed the credits for this one, which is why the song list wasn't used. I'll correct them, but I'm too lazy to change the song. If Walls wins I'll revert to your list.

Sorry aboot that, it's a busy game with lots to update and do, and mistakes happen.

Further edit: So when I originally posted, I had screwed up everything below the title and above the next entry. I noticed the video but I was at work at the time, so I very quickly slapped in a video for the album and saved it. Again, apologies.
 
Fair Warning is indeed a great hard rock album by an iconic Rock band. On the other hand there's a record that borderline didn't made it to my 25 best metal records of all time list. To put it simple as much revolutionary The Return and Under The Sign were Blood Fire Death is simply on another level. Starting with one of the most amazing intros in metal's history this masterpiece the flows into what I believe to be the most epic, well crafted and iconic song of a whole genre. A Fine Day To Day is simply put perfection in Black Metal form, while planting the first seeds of what soon would be Viking Metal. And although the beginning of the album is arguably its highest moment, the remainder of the songs are still strong and intense as they can get. The Golden Walls Of Heaven shows clearly how much Slayer influenced Quorthon while Pace Till Death is another relentless discharge of Black Thrash (with a small easter egg from Venom's Teacher Pet). Holocaust and Dies Irae keep the intensity to the maximum showing by now the band were much more crafted while creating dynamics on their sped up onslaughts. For All Those Who Died with its mid tempo bashing is perhaps the most ripped off track ever by Black Metal bands. The album closes in the same note as it opened: the title track is another huge epic tune that shows how much this album took the whole band into another level. So to sum it up: Blood Fire Death is one of Metal's most influential, extreme and daring albums and that alone is more than enough to give my vote to Bathory.

I love In Rock. To be fair it's my favorite Purple record. Speed King is easily my favorite track by the band and, although it got a bit tiring with time, no one can deny the greatness of Child In Time. The rest of the album also features some absolutely gorgeous tunes (Bloodsucker and Hard Lovin' Man especially) plus the 95 reissue included the criminally left out Black Night which only added more value to an already iconic and terrific record. But I also love Cowboys From Hell as I stated before. So both bands are absolute Rock legends and I really love various of their releases although none of them were ever in my absolute top tier band echelon. Furthermore I think it's a virtual tie between these two fine records . That being said I guess I'll go with the heaviest album (since this is an Heavy Metal game) and give it to Pantera.

So let me get this straight: a Sabaton album going against Walls Of Jericho, simply put one of the band's best records (along with Keeper Pt1) and a style defining near perfect record? LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL. Helloween.

When I nominated Chaos AD I was really torn between it and Arise. IMO the Brazilian band have at least 7 amazing records that rank almost as high as these two (The Mediator, Beneath The Remains, Kairos, Schizophrenia, Dante XXI and Quadra). But I must confess both these records mark the higher point in their career quality wise. Although my first experience was with Beneath The Remains (also one hell of an album) Arise is where the band perfected their Death/ Thrash sound while bringing some new and unique elements: first guitar dissonances, tribal percurssion, along with more heterogenous song writing and attention to detail. But I ended up chosing Chaos AD. And while it's a virtual tie this album's influence on 90's metal sound was immense. Much more focused in groove, with Andreas developing an almost Godflesh meets Ministry guitar sound signature drone, the band still kept some of their Thrash roots mixing it with a tad bit of Hardcore and a lot of traditional percurssion (aka batucada). While alienating some elitists who expected the band to release various versions of Beneath The Remains for the following 3 decades, Chaos AD simply became one of metal's most iconic records ever produced. The songs are slower, simpler but with an obsessive attention on detail. There are some songs that have a overall punk edge: Slave New World and The Hunt (NMA's cover) are the best examples but even thrashier cuts like Clenched Fist, Manifest or Biotech Is Godzilla inherit that hardcore feel to it. But where Chaos AD's essence really lies is in slow stompers like Amen, Propaganda, Nomad or the advance single Territory show what post Death/Thrash Sep is. Their new found sound is like a wrecking ball of groove and heaviness that grinds you bones slowly. Chaos AD also features some cool experiments outside the box.There are also some cool experiments in WWANAO and Kaiowas. Finally I couldn't help but highlight the perfect riot song and my favorite from the band's catalogue: Refuse/ Resist. So, besides loving the damned thing I believe this record helped substantially shaping metal as we know it today. Plus it's an angry bastard. "Do país meu irmão, Sepultura no coração!"
 
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JudasMyGuide said:
Also, this is a question that possibly has been already answered with other albums, but which version do we assess here? Because IIRC, pretty much every reissue in the CD era adds the previous EP in the beginning which is cool and I would like it to count as well, but I don't think that disregarding it makes the experience any worse, so it doesn't matter all that much, I'm asking mostly out of curiosity.
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Yeah... good point! I also bought the reissue and the track listing really got me puzzled. And that's a pity since Ride The Sky is such a beast you cannot replace it as an opener. If it was Judas I would still give it a break (another monster of a track).
 
karljant said:
Yeah... good point! I also bought the reissue and the track listing really got me puzzled. And that's a pity since Ride The Sky is such a beast you cannot replace it as an opener. If it was Judas I would still give it a break (another monster of a track).
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Indeed, and especially the intros - silly as it is, the "Walls of Jericho"/"London Bridge" is kinda acceptable album opener... kinda. But the snoring that opens Starlight... makes you think this is going to be more of a Tankard-style band. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but still...


However, Wiki gives it another cool twist:

"In the late 1980s, due to a manufacturing error, side one of several cassette copies of Walls of Jericho accidentally contained the music of Celtic Frost's To Mega Therion, confusing many first-time Helloween listeners."

The citation for this is missing, but if it were true, it'd be hilarious. :D
 
I've tried A Fine Day to Die a couple of times previously to see what the hype is all about. It was fine. wait This time it really clicked though. Fair Warning is cool I guess but I really wanted Apex to continue. Easy Bathory vote.

I love Child in Time and I was wowed by Speed King. I expected a more generic song a la Highway Star (not that I don't love that one). But the whole keyboard work was very powerful.
But looking at the track listing of Cowboys from Hell... How could I vote for something I don't really know over this? I want to say I know it by heart, because that's what I feel like when I think of the songs. Listened to Domination just to be sure: It still slaps.

Sabaton is hollow and not as fun as they're supposed to be. Ride the Sky just screams vintage, what a chorus that was :O

Could vote for either one of these. The Divine Wings of Tragedy is great, though its biggest flaw is that it isn't as diverse. It's a lot of speedy metal to take in. It's really a song album (I think I already said this when it competed with Necroticism... But it's true!)
Chaos A.D. is pretty awesome groovy thrashy metal. Better than whatever the shitshow called Roots is. I get heavy Demanufacture vibes from this, but it's more diverse and not industrial. Strong stuff. I'm more in the mood for Sepultura right now.
 
JudasMyGuide said:
"In the late 1980s, due to a manufacturing error, side one of several cassette copies of Walls of Jericho accidentally contained the music of Celtic Frost's To Mega Therion, confusing many first-time Helloween listeners."

The citation for this is missing, but if it were true, it'd be hilarious. :D
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Wasn't aware of this LOL.
 
LooseCannon said:
Gojira is slain by Soundgarden.
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tumblr_pqx84uGGja1y53nc5o1_400.gif
 
This Bathory album has the expected terrible production, bad vocals, and subpar soloing, but it also has surprisingly interesting riffage and coherent songwriting, and it still has one foot firmly planted in thrash. This is actually pretty palatable black metal for me, and I probably would have voted for it over a number of other albums in the GMAC, but it drew a very tough draw against Van Halen where it’s simply outclassed. Sorry, @Magnus, but I prefer @Mosh ‘s nominee here. Winner: Van Halen

This Deep Purple album is a little too dad rock for me, but it has its moments, especially in “Hard Lovin’ Man”. Compare that to Pantera’s Overrated As Hell and it’s a straightforward choice for @matic22 ’s nominee. Winner: Deep Purple

The third match is probably the most interesting one of this round, with a seminal but very raw and uneven Helloween album up against a derivative but much more consistent Sabaton album. I can’t say that I love any of these early Helloween songs from start to finish, but many of them have lots of cool parts. Kai’s voice is all over the place, alternatingly good and bad, and sections of some songs are just noisy cacophony (e.g. the beginning of “Guardians”). Meanwhile Sabaton is basically what you’d get if Powerwolf fielded a team at the Special Olympics — but Carolus Rex is the best album of theirs that I’ve heard so far, and once you get past the rolling R’s and silly singing and monomania over on-the-nose lyrics about war, it’s actually pretty enjoyable cheese all the way through. It’s not an “important” album like Walls Of Jericho is, but it’s probably the album I’d rather listen to if forced to choose. Sorry Kolostar, but MidnoosePotodiesenbocker 55’s choice takes this one. Winner: Sabaton

This Sepultura album is pretty OK thrash with boring non-melodic vocals and occasional detours into more tribal sounds, which are cool. But an OK Sepultura album isn’t going to cut it against a very good Symphony X album. Sorry, karljarianant, but @Lampwick 43 ’s nominee is the superior one here. Winner: Symphony X
 
Jer said:
This Deep Purple album is a little too dad rock for me, but it has its moments, especially in “Hard Lovin’ Man”. Compare that to Pantera’s Overrated As Hell and it’s a straightforward choice for @matic22 ’s nominee. Winner: Deep Purple
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I don't particularly have anything against Cowboys From Hell, well, expect for the fact it's about thirty minutes too long. Title track, Primal Concrete Sledge and Domination are some of the greatest metal tracks the 90's had to offer, but unfortunately the album as a whole drags on for farrrrrr too long.
 
LooseCannon said:
Let me review my files.

Edit: Yes, it seems I missed the credits for this one, which is why the song list wasn't used. I'll correct them, but I'm too lazy to change the song. If Walls wins I'll revert to your list.

Sorry aboot that, it's a busy game with lots to update and do, and mistakes happen.

Further edit: So when I originally posted, I had screwed up everything below the title and above the next entry. I noticed the video but I was at work at the time, so I very quickly slapped in a video for the album and saved it. Again, apologies.
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No prob Loosey, it is a huge game and you're doing a fine job and put so much time into this.

I am fine with leaving this vid here in this round. We could use my recommendations for the next rounds, starting with the first vid from that pm.

@JudasMyGuide
I'd certainly make a case to include the Helloween EP and Judas.

The album is from 1985 but I'm focusing on the CD edition program from 1987 and onwards. This is the edition most people know. Due to the enhanced capacity of the CD, the Helloween EP/mini-LP (also from 1985) and the song "Judas" from the Judas EP (from 1986) were added to the track listing. The addition of these songs is the reason why I love this album so much (and I bet many others). I think (and hope) this is pretty much accepted.
 
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Pfft, Bathory Schmatory... EZ vote for VH's Fair Warning.
Second pair is a bit more tricky. I love In Rock, but Cowboys from Hell has a couple of metal hymns and this is GMAC after all, so Pantera.
I don't know why I don't like Sabaton. Wait, let me rephrase it. I don't know why people like Sabaton, so Walls of Jericho it is.
Not voting in the last one. Chaos AD is an awesome album, but I have a feeling Divine Wings of Tragedy deserves more than just one listen to rate it properly. (and I still haven't reached that one)
 
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