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

Can you believe the first page of this thread ends with @Perun shitting all over Korn and now we're talking about true apex albums? Damn. What a journey.
 
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I hate to vote against Defenders of the Faith because it's probably the best Priest album remaining, but Rust in Peace man... that's one of the ultimate guitar albums. The only thing that could make it better is a slight better production sound and rewriting "Poison Was the Cure", a great title the song doesn't live up to. Everything else is state-of-the-art thrash and it was crucial in my becoming a metal fan. "Hangar 18" was mindblowing, so much happening in that tight five minute package. "Tornado of Souls" has my favorite guitar solo of all time, and the one in "Lucretia" really isn't far behind. It's no wonder the band simplified things after this album; where else were they gonna go?

But in consolation to Defenders I will also not vote for the frankly quite boring British Steel. I also don't care about Sabbath but I have a feeling they'll lose anyway so whatever.
 
Judas Priest v Megadeth - This is a relatively easy one for this end of the competition, the first 4 tracks are some of Priests best, the rest are ok but not on the same level and the sound of the album is dated. Rust in Peace is pretty much flawless.

Megadeth with the win

Black Sabbath v Judas Priest - This one is the opposite of easy. British Steel is one of my favourite Priest albums, definitely top 3, Master of Reality is my 3rd favourite Ozzy era Sabbath album, but highest remaining of my favourite albums from that era. I probably like both albums roughly equally and would be happy for either to progress, I'm going to go with my gut knee jerk reaction on seeing the tie which was for Master of Reality, and I think I can justify it with United being the corniest track on the pair of albums.

Black Sabbath with the win
 
Defenders of the Faith:
the best A side of all albums released in the history of music.

Some Heads is also one of my alltime favourite tracks and I love When the Night Falls a lot as well. The rest fine and at least bearable and fitting.
My favourite eighties Priest album.

Awe. Some. Guitar. Solos.
Cool you saw this live @mckindog !
 
Forostar said:
Defenders of the Faith:
the best A side of all albums released in the history of music.

Some Heads is also one of my alltime favourite tracks and I love When the Night Falls a lot as well. The rest fine and at least bearable and fitting.
My favourite eighties Priest album.
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Though I don't agree to the same severity, I 100% agree that the A side of Defenders is absolutely amazing. That said, it falls off so hard on the second half (especially those last two tracks that are purely worthless). If we were only voting for those first 4 songs, it might come close to beating Rust In Peace for me.
 
Ah well, the last two are less than 4 minutes in total. Preceded by the best ballad of the decade and the razor sharp Some Heads Are Gonna Roooooooooll!
:shred:
 
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Very true, but it leaves such a sour taste in my mouth (re: ears) after such a strong album.

This is a larger conversation, but I think one benefit of the CD was that it forced artists to think about each record as a whole experience rather than a Side A/Side B mentality that ultimately lead to a lot of records with all the good stuff crammed to the front.
 
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MrKnickerbocker said:
This is a larger conversation, but I think one benefit of the CD was that it forced artists to think about each record has a whole experience rather than a Side A/Side B mentality that ultimately lead to a lot of records with all the good stuff crammed to the front.
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I've never thought of it that way before, but you're right. The downside is that more space allows artists to go overkill instead of trimming the fat to make the 40 minute experience the strongest it can be. But I'll take that issue gladly when it means great artists can craft a full experience rather than just good songs.
 
I thought the Side A/Side B experience was about 2 little albums and opening and closing each side with a good track.
Priest often failed with final songs. Strongest album closers for me are: Dissident Aggressor, Reckless, One Shot at Glory & Future of Mankind.
Apart from a few okay to fine ones, most others were among the worst of those albums.
 
Forostar said:
I thought the Side A/Side B experience was about 2 little albums and/or opening and closing each side with a good track.
Priest often failed with strong final songs. Strongest album closers for me are:
Dissident Aggressor, Reckless, One Shot at Glory & Future of Mankind. Apart from a few okay to fine ones, most others were among the worst of those albums.
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Absolutely! Whereas I feel like Iron Maiden have generally done a pretty great job at making complete albums with good closers.

Again, larger discussion, but it lends more credence to the belief that Priest have always been a bit more hollow and obsessed with selling records and following trends than Maiden. Or maybe just they didn’t have management as feisty as Rod.
 
Imo this is the way it goes: a really good record on British Steel, a great album in Master Of Reality, an excellent release on Defenders Of The Faith and a masterpiece on Rust In Peace. So yeah... Master Of Reality and Rust In Peace.
 
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