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

I clearly missed something with all the Pink Floyd chatter. Where did that come from? They’re...not...possibly...in this game? Right??

to the voting:
Gamma Ray over Pretty Maids. Don’t love Helloween, but the Gamma Ray track I liked better. Pretty Maids sounds like Rainbow when they tried to go commercial (Bent Out of Shape era). Meh.
Amorphis would be good but for the Cookie Monster vocals. I like the riffs. Rhapsody is too cheesy. But I don’t like voting for death growls.
Angra over one of Sabbath’s weaker efforts. Tyr sounds like the outtake/discarded tracks from the Headless Cross sessions.
I voted for one death metal album here, not gonna vote for a second. Savatage gets my uninspired vote.
 
Three @Forostar nominated albums, three @Forostar victories.

Gamma Ray ends the GMAC appearance of Pretty Maids, who got a nice little chunk of exposure at Maidenfans. Gamma Ray will face In Flames next.
Amorphis wins over Rhapsody. That's it for the Italian band, and next up for Amorphis is Negura Bunget.
Black Sabbath doesn't win quite as strongly, but holds on over Angra. That's it for the Brazilians, and the next challenge for Sabbath is Nirvana.
Savatage bats away a challenge from Omnium Gatherum's only album in the game. They'll be up against Alter Bridge next time.
 
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Thorns - Thorns (2001)

How it got here
List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @Magnus
League 14 - Match 21vs.
KyussBluesfortheRedSun.jpg

Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun (1992)

How it got here
List entries: Rolling Stone 41
League 15: Defeated Obituary - Cause of Death 12-10.
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Diabolical Masquerade - Nightwork (1998)

How it got here
List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @Saapanael
League 14 - Match 22vs.
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Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I (1995)

How it got here
List entries: Metalstorm 80
Previous Rounds:
League 17: Defeated HammerFall - Legacy of Kings 14-10.
League 16: Defeated Kalmah - 12 Gauge 15-11.
League 15: Defeated Virgin Steele - Invictus 11-8.
 
Blind_guardian_tales.jpg

Blind Guardian - Tales From the Twilight World (1990)

How it got here
List entries: n/a
Maidenfans Nominators: @Night Prowler
League 14 - Match 23vs.
Kamelot_karma.jpg

Kamelot - Karma (2001)

How it got here
List entries: Metal Kingdom 67
League 16: Defeated White Zombie - La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One 16-9.
League 15: Defeated W.A.S.P - The Last Command 11-10.
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Dead_Heart_in_a_Dead_World_album_cover.jpg

Nevermore - Dead Heart in a Dead World (2000)

How it got here
List entries: Metalstorm 19
Maidenfans Nominators: n/a
League 15 - Match 24vs.
The_Real_Thing_album_cover.jpg

Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989)

How it got here
List entries: DigitalDreamDoor 75
Previous Rounds:
League 17: Defeated Aria - Герой Асфальта 20-5.
League 16: Defeated Testament - Practice What You Preach 14(ET)-13.
League 15: Defeated Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force - Rising Force 13-11.
 
Just to be fair, I played Thornz, but no, Kyuss! Yeah, baby! I might not be a fan of Homme after he started Queens, but Kyuss are beyond awesome.

Despite the fact they break the black metal paradigm enough, Diabolical Masquerade would probably not be among my favourite bands, Swanö's reputation nonetheless. However, when put against Virgin Steele, I can't but pick the more intriguing of the bands, which they surely are. I might be a huge fan of Dad rock, but I'm certainly not a fan of Dad metal. DM

I love, love, love Blind Guardian, but I love Kamelot even more. The choice is tough, 'cause both bands are excellent and unique in the power metal paradigm, but in the end it was about the choice of the album. Tales is an awesome album, but Karma is one of the metal albums I'd be willing to put on even if I was absolutely not in the mood for metal. So Kamelot it is.

The fourth... I'm not a huge fan of either of the bands, also, neither of the given albums is among the best of the given band, IMHO. In the end I picked Nevermore, cause Dead Heart is probably less overrated than The Real Thing and the latter will probably win, so I'm giving my support to the underdog.
 
Thorns and Kyuss aren´t really my cup of tea but I´d rather drink the latter.

Second battle is easy: Virgin Steele!

Now the 3d one is a tough one... Both bands are operating in my comfort zone and both truly great records. Blind Guardian with the win.

Nevermore should be right up my alley but strangely enough I never couldn´t get into them. Faith No More and this album in particular is flawless so an easy vote again.
 
This Thorns album is interesting — avant-garde industrial black metal without the usual shrieky or Gollumy black metal vocals. I don’t know that I like it, but it at least consistently holds my interest. Meanwhile the Kyuss album is serviceable stoner rock, but nothing to get excited about. Not a big fan of either one, but I think Thorns made a more compelling artistic statement here. Chalk one up for @Magnus . Winner: Thorns

Speaking of Gollumy vocals, unfortunately that’s what we get with the Diabolical Masquerade album. A lot of the musical ideas here are good, but some of the synth use is super cheesy, and those vocals really don’t work for me at all. The Virgin Steele album is way more appealing to me. Sorry, @Saapanael . Winner: Virgin Steele

This Blind Guardian album is pretty raw by their more recent standards, and I’m not the biggest fan of their songwriting style in general, but there’s still a lot to like here. There’s a passion and earnestness to their songs that I appreciate. I like other albums of theirs more, but this one is still solid. Kamelot, on the other hard, doesn’t sound earnest at all. Their power metal is slickly produced, but has a hollow, manufactured feel to it that I don’t really care for. I’ll give the nod to @Night Prowler ’s pick here. Winner: Blind Guardian

This Nevermore album has some nice lead guitar work, but the vocals are so-so and the downtuned angry frat boy rhythm guitar sound isn’t to my taste. Meanwhile, the Faith No More album is pretty consistently great. Easy choice here. Winner: Faith No More
 
Thorns. Wow these riffs are mighty interesting. Also on other tracks. "Eerie riff structures" I'm reading on wikipedia. I'll advise people to listen to the complete track and then note the riffing @ 2:34 and onwards. Yeah!The Kyuss track does not appeal much to me. Sort of slow build-up and not the most impressive music ever (basically a dull piece with stupid vocal).

While I nominated the imo better The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II album, part I is also fine. This particular song has a beautiful guitar solo.
While I appreciate appearances of nineties black metal in this game (kudos to Saap!), I'll still vote for the Virgin Steele record. Virgin Steele put a lot of ingredients in their music. Clearly, it is bombastic, but there's subtlety and catchy hooks at the same time as well. It's quite impressive how accessible their music is when you realize what they do. They make epic metal full of melodic and symphonic influences, while still retaining a certain directness and without making their music overcomplicated.

This Blind Guardian album beats this Kamelot album for me. I like the previous Kamelot album (The Fourth Legacy) a lot more and that one would be harder to beat.

Although not always enjoying complete tracks of this band, I'll take this Faith No More over its opponent. Not overwhelmed but I like the changes and rhythms in this song and the way the instruments interact. Creative, original band.
 
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Thorns - surprisingly clear production for this type of music, if more bands had production like this, instead of phoney lo-fi, I might be more inclined to check this stuff out, drums while very busy are actually listening to what is happening in the song and trying to compliment it rather than dominate. Needs some hooks to get my full attention

Kyuss - checked out maybe the first 4 tracks after their last round, not bad but not a whole lot of variety and I got bored by that stage

Thorns with the win

Diabolical Masquerade - drums a major turn off as the melody is quite nice, nice guitar tone when the riff kicks in, vocals contribute nothing, this is quite close to something I could listen to, nice arrangement but it has 3 deal breakers for me, "look at me! look at me!" drumming, bad vocals, corny keys part

Virgin Steele - opinion given before, not a huge fan of the stuff I heard from these but what's featured off this record is not bad

Virgin Steele with the win

Blind Guardian - a bit more edge than the usual power metal that has featured, drumming spoils it

Kamelot - this stuff has nothing for me

Blind Guardian with the win

Nevermore - change for the verse is atrocious, guitar sound is ok, melody break not bad, vocal competent but lacking a bit of soul and feeling

Faith No More - opinion given several times, best track on the album featuring this time

Faith No More with the win
 
Forostar said:
Cross Purposes is a good album. And Dehumanizer as well, I realized rather late!
Click to expand...
Those two have their moments... but also a lot of fillers. I prefer the Eternal Idol/ Headless Cross/ Tyr run. But hey! they are still better than Never Say Die, Seventh Star or Born Again. Hell those three albums only spawned one absolutely crushing song (Zero The Hero, of course) and a alright tune in Never Say Die... all the rest is absolute filler at best and utter crap at worst. At least Dehumanizer and Cross still have some songs each (TV Crimes, I, After All, I Witness, Virtual Death and Crown Of Thorns) while the remainder of the material is subpar to Sabbath's standards.
 
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"A few weeks later I was driving in my car, listening to radio station Live 105 here in San Francisco, when a song came on unlike any I had ever heard before. The attitude, the aloofness, and the not-giving-a-fuck vibes were pouring out of the speakers, and by the time the first verse/bridge/chorus cycle was done, I was convinced that whatever I was listening to had to be that band that I had read about in Select a few weeks back. And sure enough I was right. It was Oasis and the Supersonic single. Thus began a long and very rewarding relationship with a sound, an approach and a way of looking at the world that has had a huge impact on me and helped shape who I am today … for whatever that’s worth. "

- Lars Ulrich, allegedly

Damn, I wish I nominated Definitely Maybe. Whatever you think of the Gallaghers, it would be at least somewhat less ridiculous as a "greatest metal album" than Wish You Were Here. Sorry, but you know it's true.
 
First clash is between two really uncanny albums. Thorns is the result of the evolution of the one man project by Snorre Ruch. Industrial Black Metal is the flavor here and quite well done. Not too familiar with the band and knew them through the amazing Thorns Vs Emperor split. As for the self titled album it counts with the aid of some known names from the Norwegian BM scene and, while being enjoyable and well composed it's a bit too Emperor like and way less daring than the aforementioned split. So yeah... nice record from a good composer but for the reasons I already mentioned I'll go with Kyuss on this one.

Clash two and comes Diabolical Masquerade, another all star project this time featuring Nystrom from Katatonia and Bloodbaath and none other than Mr. Dan Swano. The game here is Symphonic Black Metal. And with both these musicians involved musical quality is immediately assured. Nevertheless there's something there that turns me off, that lacks punch. I really can't tell but no matter how well written and executed the whole thing is it never clicked with me and I really don't know why. So, although many of Virgin Steele's songs also not being quite my type of thing, I'll still reiterate my vote on them.

Third one it's pretty simple: when it comes to Power Metal Blind Guardian is the real and original thing. The other dudes are the complete opposite. Easy vote.

Finally the second Nevermore album entering the contest and man... Dead Heart is a weird record. IMO it marked a kind of downward trajectory to the band that released albums like the magnificent self titled or Dreaming Neon Black. Curiously enough the following album (Enemies Of Reality) is my favorite by the band and kind of a return to the older sound but it was a fluke. Back to Dead World it starts really great with Narcosynthesis, a dense and powerful tune with some riffs borrowed from Sepultura's Andreas Kisser but still firmly rooted on Nevermore's sound. Then things start to get strange. The majority of tracks have a heavier Dream Theater circa Train Of Thought feel to it ... especially when it comes to Loomis' guitar (yes I know it came out after... but I could also point out songs as Lie or The Mirror as examples). Not that those are bad songs but for a band that had such a typical sound it is quite a shame. We Disintegrate, Inside Four Walls or The River Dragon are great examples of this shift. On the other hand songs like Believe In Nothing, Evolution 169 or The Heart Collector are odd softer takes that surely miss something. I'll go as far as saying that If I heard this record back then without Warrel's distinct vocals I would struggle to guess this was a Nevermore album. On the other hand The Real Thing is a classic and no filler album so I'll surely go with Faith No More.
 
I found Thorns unaffecting, which probably wasn’t what they were going for. I liked the groovy heaviness of the Kyuss jam. Easy win Kyuss.
 
Diabolical masquerade had a cool mad funhouse vibe, with some nice melodies and rhythms and a clean classic metal sound.

Virgin Steel had a curiously late-‘80s sound and song structure. Loved the solo and the cool atmosphere, which nimbly walked the cheese overkill line. Got a real late-era Triumph vibe, which works for me.

I liked both of these offerings and wish I had time to give the rest of the album a listen, because I see elements that could lead me either way. But I am generally more amenable to ‘80s gloss than growls, so Virgin Steel gets my vote.
 
Blind Guardian has always been a band that I’ve needed to give a better shot. They have all the elements that usually annoy me about power metal, but they do it so well. Better chops, better musical dynamics, more authentic production and understanding of their source material.

Kamelot treads the same medieval forests, but they got there in Audi’s, not riding Shadowfax. They’re better than a lot of their ilk, but Blind Guardian is the real thing. They‘ve got dirt between their toes.
 
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