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

Katatonia - wasn't too terribly exciting, but AC/DC is way more boring + Akerfeldt bias.

This Death album is very unique, and HIM is great poppy metal. Death

Now Demanufacture, I could've nominated it too (I chose another Fear Factory album instead, Obsolete). I learnt about it through comments on a Strapping Young Lad video. Some awesome songs here: Demanufacture, New Breed, Replica, my favourite Zero Signal. You can smell the machinery, but it's not like that Pig Destroyer album. The rhythmic aggression is usually backed up with catchy melodies (like the chorus in Zero Signal).

Some of it however isn't AS great... I like the stuff after Body Hammer but only Pisschrist is on the same level. It's also less varied, for example Self-Bias Resistor and Zero Signal are honestly hard to distinguish. But that's the case for a lot of extreme albums in my opinion, and compared to them Demanufacture is like Starry Night next to White Painting. It wouldn't beat Rust in Peace but KIMB ain't no Rust in Peace.

Lastly, Samael is very awesome and I might listen to them even more, better than Possessed.
 
Katatonia holds off AC/DC and ends this run for the Aussies. AC/DC will be back - with 6 more albums in the game they're one of the more frequently nominated bands.
Death crushes HIM's only album in the game, and up next is Bullet For My Valentine.
Similarly, Fear Factory was routed by Megadave. Fear Factory is back in League 11.
Samael almost manages to tie it up but time runs out and Possessed moves on. That's it for Samael, and next Possessed faces Primordial, in the Battle for Letter P Supremacy.
 
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Danzig - Danzig (1988)

How it got here

List entries: Rolling Stone 23
Maidenfans Nominators: n/a
League 14 - Match 5vs.
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Bewitched - At the Gates of Hell (1999)

How it got here

List entries: Metalstorm 77
Previous Rounds:
League 17: Defeated Deafheaven - New Bermuda 17-7.
League 16: Defeated Sentenced - The Cold White Light 9-8.
League 15: Defeated Aspid - Кровоизлияние 11-7.
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Inhumano - Torturas De Almas Oscuras (2014)

How it got here

List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @Diesel 11
League 14 - Match 6vs.
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Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)

How it got here

List entries: Metal Kingdom 98
Previous Rounds:
League 18: Defeated Heavens Gate - Planet Earth 12-11.
League 17: Defeated Ophelia - 당신의 환상을 동정하라 16-7.
League 16: Defeated Anorexia Nervosa - Drudenhaus 14-3.
League 15: Defeated Bathory - Bathory 11-8.
 
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Nirvana - In Utero (1993)

How it got here

List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @Ariana
League 14 - Match 7vs.
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Spiritual Beggars - Ad Astra (2000)

How it got here

List entries: Metalstorm 68
League 16: Defeated Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears 10-8.
League 15: Defeated Heavens Gate - In Control 9-8.
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Strapping Young Lad - City (1997)

How it got here

List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @karljant
League 15 - Match 8vs.
Dark_tranquility_fiction_album.jpg

Dark Tranquility - Fiction (2007)

How it got here

List entries: DigitalDreamDoor 42
League 16: Defeated Persefone - Aathma 9-8.
 
Inhumano arrive! I have no doubt they’ll lose this round but I love them. The album sounds like everyone is doing their own thing and yet working as a force to be reckoned with at the same time. There’s bass solos galore, some really really great growls, and the drums kick all amounts of ass. Children of Bodom are definitely more accessible as far as death metal goes, but Inhumano kick ass in the best of ways. One of two brutal death metal albums I submitted. The more proficient of the two (although I like the other one better).

And to all listeners... well, good luck. :P
 
Okay, thanks to my vote it's now completely 50/50. With only one other person voting.

It's like me and NP had an absolutely different taste. :D

(but we don't. We both love Mastodon and The Hunter is/used to be? our favourite, at least)

EDIT:
Also, my favourite take on Mother


Like, seriously, how is this not a thing?

In the words of a random YouTube commenter: sounds like a long lost Doors outtake
 
My personal favorite take on “Mother”:
Brilliant. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the big guy in the Donna Summer footage is actually in Danzig's band.

Incidentally, I never thought I'd see a Steely Dan reference in this game, but there you have it.
 
Well, first of all, that's Gene Hoglan and ladies definitely must love him. Don't they?

Second, I'd just like to stress (for the benefit of everyone) that on the album the sound is even more... out there


Like, Kerrang said the album sounds like "sticking your head into the jet nozzle of a Stealth Bomber" and it sure does.
 
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Already gave my opinion on Bewitched so let's see who's the contender... Well if it isn't Mr. Danzig and his solo debut. Really cool record. When I was younger I really digged this thing. And in all honesty there's some blues infused metal on this record that sounds absolutely sharp. John Christ was one in a million axe man extraordinaire and grooves like Twist Of Cain, Not Of This World, Evil Thing, Soul on Fire or the famous Mother are indeed finely crafted material. Then there's Glen... and despite his somehow cheesy lyrics and buffoonery let's be honest: the man could sing like hell. Classic record, great fun, so Danzig gets my vote.

Also gave my opinion about COB and man... it's time to put this record to rest. Not that Technical Brutal Death Metal is my cup of tea. Inhumano comes a bit in the same pack as bands like Origin or Dying Fetus. Great musicianship although it may become a bit saturating if you're not a particular fan of the genre. Nevertheless there's really wicked parts on these song alone (just check out the onslaught at 2mins 02secs). As for the thematic yeah... it's what you expect from your typical brutal DM band (just to translate some song titles: Torture of Dark Souls, Capital Sins, Aberration, etc..) and if that's your thing ok. So, since I'm sick of a somehow mediocre COB album slipping through the cracks, I'll give my vote to Diesel's Inhumano. Not my cup of tea as I said... pero muy chingón!

In Utero (or I Hate Myself And I Want To Die as Cobain intended to call it) is a weird album. First and foremost I'm not a Nirvana fan but have to admit the balls these guys had with the musical direction they picked especially after a way more accessible record in Nevermind that sold zillions and turned out to be one of the more revered albums in rock history. While sounding like Nirvana, In Utero is quite different. Half of the record is strongly noise rock oriented (taking a lot of notes from the ever present Sonic Youth) and sometimes a bit too much far away from easy listening borders to a phenom such as the Seattle trio. Songs like Scentless Apprentice, Milk It, Very Ape or Radio Friendly are tough as nails riffs that bump into bursts of disharmony and guitar screeches. As for the remainder of the album Nirvana reveal their Beattles worship in All Apologies while the rest is a dirge of absolutely depressive (yet exceptionally well written) tunes and here we can find what I consider to be the best takes from In Utero: Rape Me, Dumb or the absolutely stunning Heart Shaped Box (my favorite track from any Nirvana album). Regardless of its "weirdness" In Utero also became rightfuly a classic of its own showing a band can be daring and succeed big time (even if it is to a lesser extent than its predecessor). But even with that in mind I really can't vote against Ad Astra, an album I consider to be top 10 when it comes to Stoner Metal and am so much fond of. So Spiritual Beggars get my vote.

Dark Tranquillity is my favorite Melodic Death Metal band but (as I said before) Fiction comes in my lower ranks of their catalogue. On the other hand we have City, SYL's infamous Sophomore. First and foremost let's reaffirm the obvious: before releasing this record Devin Townsend was already a fucking phenom and everything featuring this man was a win hands down, either it was a Punk Rock comedy conceptual album, his vocal performance in Steve Vai's Sex and Religion or the also somewhat humorous yet extremely heavy, aggressive and fast SYL debut. But man... during 1997 Dev elevated himself to a way higher level! On one hand this guy wrote the absolutely beautiful, melancholic and introspective Prog Rock Opus that was Ocean Machine. But by now Devin was already showing signs of his bipolar nature... and be sure City is Townsend's Mr. Hyde in a really bad mood. Let's put it simple: recruiting for the first time a stable line up (featuring non other than Gene Hoglan on the drums), Devin picked the debut's mainframe of Industrial Metal played at full speed, refined its edges, cut out the humorous vein and wrote the single most furious, intense and schizophrenic display of metal of the 90's. And don't be fooled: while cuts like Home Nucleonics or Oh My Fucking God are bursts utter brutality and madness played at the speed of light with a plethora of synths adding up to the absolute chaos, there are amazing and really pompous passages in songs like All Hail The New Flesh, Detox or the superb cover of Room 429 coexisting almost impossibly with the barrage of intensity that every single song delivers. To convey melody to such aggressive and dense stuff is something only a handful of people can do IMO. And none of them to the level Devin does it. This album is simply a jaw-on-your-toes experience and easily one of my favorite metal records ever. S Y L !
 
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Danzig is very simplistic, dumb rock. Sort of like Elvis singing for AC/DC. “Mother” is undeniably great, but the other good songs on the album aren’t super exciting, and I’m still not quite sure what it means to have a twist of Cain-o, yeah, inside my brain-o. But, whatever. Bewitched is OK but ultra-derivative, and I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to vote against it, so here it is. Danzig isn’t great, but it’ll do for now. Winner: Danzig

It sounds like the vocalist for Inhumano contracted whatever bizarre form of the mumps the vocalist for Suffocation had, and the music accompanying him is mostly trash. Sorry, @Diesel 11 , but this is a steaming pile to my ears. Children Of Bodom win by default, continuing their very unlikely streak on my ballot. Winner: Children Of Bodom

In Utero has a number of highlights, and nothing particularly bad on it. It’s a perfectly reasonable album in its genre with a few classics. This Spiritual Beggars album is a little more up my alley, even if it’s not as varied as the Nirvana album. I could honestly go either way here, but I think I’d rather listen to Spiritual Beggars all the way through, so I’ll go with them. Sorry, @Ariana . Winner: Spiritual Beggars

This Strapping Young Lad album is interesting. Not always pleasant to listen to, and the vocals are often non-melodic screaming, but at least they’re in the distorted industrial screaming vein, which I find much easier to accept than bro-yelling or glass gargling. The Dark Tranquillity album is pretty good for what it is, but those death vox are really a killer for me, and I think SYL is doing something a little more interesting and daring here. Not thrilled about either choice, but I can finally find some kind of common ground with @karljant here. Winner: Strapping Young Lad
 
Danzig - another album that I'm a fan of, didn't quite make my list but might have if there was 50 nominations, surprised no one else nominated it. AC/DC riffs with Elvis vocals, evil lyrics and a production job that's crystal clear yet still sounds like 4 lads in a rehersal room, what's not to love?

Bewitched - opinion given a few times

Danzig with the win

Inhumano - never heard of these, drummer trying to steal focus is an instant pet hate, vocals another

Children of Bodom - I said it before about these, they are really getting the luck of the draw to get my vote in every round

Children of Bodom with the win

Nirvana - not a fan of Nirvana, I thought Heart Shaped Box was ok when it was out, never realised that Liam Gallagher had a bit of Cobain in his delivery until I heard the track featured in the video. I hated these when they were out but I realise now that I'm older and wiser that they have far more going for them that I gave them credit for, especially compared to a lot of the other bands in the game, but I still wouldn't listen to them by choice.

Spiritual Beggars - opinion given a few times, I checked most of this album and it didn't quite click but it was close enough that I suspect maybe they might have other albums that I might like, I wonder is there anymore in the game?

Spiritual Beggars with the win

Strapping Young Lad - not too disimmilar to inhumano ultimately if a little more accessible, the video seems to be a live version so I checked the album version afterwards, live version was more palatable to me

Dark Tranquility - Ok bar the vocals and blast beats, keys work for a change compared to most of the euro bands in the game so far

Dark Tranquility with the win
 
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