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

More Deafhaven? I've warmed to the style ever so slightly, but I still find it a puzzling mismatch of post punk/goth rock and black metal. Some parts of some of their songs are really quite heavy. It's an odd mixture, my ear can't quite consolidate one aspect of this band's music to the other (and yes, this is coming from a Katatonia fan). Gorgoroth actually have quite similar vocals, but also a lot more direction and continuity, some surprisingly catchy passages, and very solid guitar sound, creating a dark and cataclysmic mood. Antichrist is a consistent album in terms of style, yet with enough variety in riffs and tempo to avoid getting too bogged down.

Heaven's Gate are fun if slightly generic metal. Lots of nice little bits of music and I like their guitar sound. However, I don't enjoy any song in its entirety, which means I'm less likely to vote for the album. Meanwhile, I have major Children of Bodom bias. I love what they do with keyboards, making them so central to their music and even having them getting into duels with lead guitar. Possibly the most accessible and kitsch melodic death metal out there. Bubblegum Death. I don't consider Hate Crew Deathroll their best album (Hatebreeder is by far my favourite), but this album definitely gets my vote here.

I couldn't get into anything on Dreaming Neon Black, although I fully expected to like it a lot more than Ozzy. I get bored very quickly with thrashy metal though, and I didn't particularly enjoy the vocal melodies in the more mellow parts. I'm not a tremendous fan of Ozzy/his voice, but the overall quality of music composition and performance throughout No More Tears wins my vote.

While I like Kverlertak's riffs, I find the semi drowned-out punky vocals get a bit tiring after a while. Pros - solid and consistent; cons - not a lot of variety across the album. Got to be a vote for Persefone here. Nicely crafted proggish metal with lots going on, doesn't ever give up it's mainstream metal credentials. Synth/keyboard/piano-heavy instrumentals for atmosphere, creative and great-sounding guitar, and an earthy deep growl but also ethereal clean vocals in places. While I enjoyed individual tracks, I thought there was still continuity across the album, it's not a collection of songs shoehorned into an album.
 
I liked Persefone quite a bit. First album this game I went out of my way and downloaded. Very similar to Gojira but a bit lighter.
 
Just listened to the Heavens Gate Album for the first time and like it a lot. So my vote goes to that record.

Ozzy is overrated but at least better than Nevermore.

Persefone, easy choice here.
 
Gorgoroth because the songs sound cohesive rather than five guys wearing 5 different influences on their sleeves
Children of Bodom due to their heaviness and I saw them live once
Nevermore because I like Warrell Dane
Kvelertak because they got the guy from Baroness to paint their album cover

I have a feeling an Iron Maiden album is going to win the whole thing. In fact, it's hard to see less than 12 making the final 16 unless a bunch end up in the same group.
 
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Match 1:
The tracks I heard from this Deafhaven album gelled a bit better with me than the first one. Still not a fan though, and to completely honest, I’m not sure I could stomach an entire album of them. It’s not the black metal elements that bothers me, on the contrary – it’s that reverb-y, indie sound.

“Antichrist” is my first taste of Gorgoroth, and there’s not much to say, except some of the riffs were surprisingly catchy. Black metal is still a genre I haven’t ventured far into, only listened to the odd Emperor or Satyricon album. But judging from this pairing, I prefer “classic” black metal as opposed to whatever the hell Deafheaven is doing.

Gorgoroth wins.


Match 2:
Heavens Gate is enjoyable enough, I suppose. I hear elements of different, more know bands, like Helloween and Judas Priest, so I assume they’ve influenced these guys to some extent. Had I discovered them some 10 years ago, I might have been more enthusiastic, but they’re still decent. However…

…Children of Bodom has long been a favourite of mine. Alexi Laiho is one hell of a guitar player. I think many regard “Hate Crew Deathroll” as either the band’s last “good” album, or the beginning of their decline, but I think it’s a great record however you choose to approach it. Like @Brigantium, I won’t rate it as their best (I’ll give that honour to 2000’s "Follow the Reaper").

Anyway, Children of Bodom is the clear winner here, no real contest.


Match 3:
You can definitely call me pro-Warrel Dane, but that’s mainly due to his work with Sanctuary. I haven’t been able to get too much into Nevermore so far, for some reason, but I definitely think I’ll give this album a proper spin later – the tracks I listened to for now were pretty damn good.

As for Ozzy, well… If I may be truly and completely honest, aside from "Blizzard of Ozz", he has never managed to make anything during his solo career that even comes close to his Sabbath days. If it sounds like I’m hating on him, then let me rectify: I do like his voice, and "No More Tears" is a fine album by itself. I just really think he needs Tony Iommi’s riffs, that’s all.

Nevermore wins, by the way.


Match 4:
"Meir" was actually much better than what I expected from a band with such a silly name. I think I’ve mentioned something similar before, but it’s honestly really refreshing when a band’s enthusiasm really shines through in their music. I like it when bands have fun, and Kvelertak are evidently having a great time.

Persefone is another new acquaintance I’m pleased to make. They manage to put together a soundscape with a lot of appealing elements – interesting songwriting, great performances and nice combination of clean and death vocals.

Wow, tough match! Two bands I was unfamiliar with, really giving each other a run for their money. Man, I’d be fine with both of them progressing, but in the end I think my vote goes to Persefone.
 
Well I know how I'm going to vote in 3 of the match ups, but I'm still undecided between Dreaming Neon Black and No More Tears.

Going to listen to both albums in full to see which one will come out on top.
 
Whooten said:
A little surprised no one nominated the Blue Record.
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I myself are more a EPs and first album guy and also think both Blue and Yellow & Green are quite average. It's funny how Baroness' fan base became so divisive about the band's work after Red. But curiously enough I love Purple (my favorite LP by the band).
 
Cornfed Hick said:
:okok: Get on board! Kvelertak are great!
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I gave the whole album a listen, and unfortunately it didn't click, the vid posted in this thread is great, but on the rest of the album the lack of melody in the vocals just becomes a deal breaker for me (it doesn't help that I can't understand the language).
 
Deafheaven. Musically I find them much more interesting than Gorgoroth.

Children of Bodom. Heaven's Gate were a little too boring for my tastes, and I'm really digging the intensity of Children. I can actually see myself listening to them some more in the future if the mood strikes me.

Ozzy. Nevermore's album was more consistent, but No More Tears has much better songs than anything on Black.

Persefone. This one was close, as both had some very enjoyable qualities to them, but I'll go with the prog metal album. If it wasn't for the vocalist, they would be right up my alley.
 
After listening to far more of both Gorgoroth and Deafheaven than I ever intended to, I will go with Deafheaven in this matchup. I just like the sound more, though I'm not happy about it.

Heavens Gate is an easy win for me. I can't do Children of Bodom's vocals. At all.

Ozzy.

Persefone. This is the first band that I'm really digging from the game that I wasn't previously exposed to. Enjoyable record. Kvererelkatlatlakelek is too punk and too bleh for my tastes.
 
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