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

The singer for Coheed And Cambria sounds like the bastard child of Geddy Lee and Michael Jackson, but the music is pretty cool, mildly proggy hard rock / metal fare. Meanwhile, Power Trip has cool thrash riffage, but shit vocals and so-so songwriting. Not too thrilled with either album, but in the end I think @mckindog ’s nominee beats out @Whooten ’s. Winner: Coheed And Cambria

This Dream Theater album is very competently executed, interesting prog metal. It didn’t particularly excite me, but I was never bored listening to it either. Meanwhile, Atlantean Kodex is solid but kind of soulless epic melodic metal with some questionable production decisions. Sorry, @Perun, but @Lampwick 43 ’s nominee puts on the better show here. Winner: Dream Theater

Hadn’t heard this Dark Millennium album before, and it’s kind of interesting. The singer actually sounds a lot like Dave Mustaine, but a bit rougher around the edges. The album’s got a broader sonic palette than its competitor, and some sections are brilliant, like the middle of “My Repertory Of Grey”; but overall the songwriting doesn’t consistently impress. This is actually a pretty close matchup with a weaker Megadeth album, but in the end I have to say sorry to @Magnus, because I still prefer Megadeth’s debut. Winner: Megadeth

This Municipal Waste album is surprisingly appealing thrashy punk, with cool riffage and lots of catchy bits. There’s not much variation throughout its many tracks, but the core formula is very solid. Meanwhile the Buckethead album is much more varied, and while it may not pack quite the same kind of punch, it does have more depth and richness to it. Sorry, @phantomoftheicarus — you put up a worthy contender, but in the end I have to go with @Diesel 11 ’s nominee. Winner: Buckethead
 
Jer said:
The singer for Coheed And Cambria sounds like the bastard child of Geddy Lee and Michael Jackson
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Thank you, @Jer . Now I have an image in my head of a halfnaked Geddy lying in that huge bed in Neverland smiling at Michael who enters the bedroom with 2 cocktails while he whispers softly "No need to Rush, my love."
 
MindRuler said:
Thank you, @Jer . Now I have an image in my head of a halfnaked Geddy lying in that huge bed in Neverland smiling at Michael who enters the bedroom with 2 cocktails while he whispers softly "No need to Rush, my love."
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Coming soon: Geddy Lee’s Big, Beautiful Book Of Ass...?
 
Coheed and Cambria have some really nice music on this album, but also quite a bit of material that sounds very MTV/radio friendly, which is how I tend to think of them overall as a band, and mostly avoid them as a result of. Such a mixed bag of a band. Power Trip don't do anything to change my mind about thrash. Going for Coheed and Cambria for some nice moments and instruments that sound really crisp and clear.

Now I'm quite fond of Dream Theater, loved my one opportunity to see them live, even if was a short slot at a festival and they were in the shadow of a not-so-good Metallica. Nice album overall, not their best, and Atlantean Kodex have really won me over with Course of Empire.

Not in the mood for Dark Millennium's experimental and low budget-sounding offering. Megadeth shine in this match.

Similar issue but to a greater extent in the final match. Municipal Waste are (probably intentionally) trashy, Buckethead actually sounds like a proper musician at work.
 
I just can't with this Atlantean Kodex song. I'm talking about People of the Moon here, not the one LC linked. The vocal line in the verse is literally Quest for Fire. They also sound like Dream Theater. And I just can't not hear Agony and Shame at 1:40, when it leads into the chorus with the dramatic pause. Iron Maiden + Dream Theater + Virgin Steele = win. And DoT isn't the greatest DT album if I'm being honest.

As for the other matches:
Coheed and Cambria were surprisingly good. I didn't like Welcome Home that much but this one is very good. I'll go with them

I expected something else from Dark Millennium for some reason, I thought of Dark Tranquility maybe? Interesting album and better than KIMB...ABIG.

Lastly round 4 continues with the curse of not getting good enough albums. It wasn't bad but just a 'meh' from me. Still better than Buckethead.
 
Coheed and Cambria has never been a band I've ever gotten into. However, I am okay with what I am hearing. Gonna go get into this band a little more. However, I think I enjoyed Power Trip a bit more. Aggressive and strong. Vocals not really my pace, and maybe I'm getting a little saturated and starting to see what made the album so well regarded?

Atlantean Kodex beats the fuck out of Dream Theater any day of the week and twice on Tuesdays.

Dark Millennium as I'm tired of Megadeth.

I don't really enjoy Municipal Waste that much. I'd go to a show, probably, but probably leave, you know? Buckethead has a really cool fucking piece of guitar music.
 
Ok... once again in economic mode:

Coheed and Cambria try to pull something midway between Rush and Dream Theater and while coming short they're also quite boring. Nightmare Logic can be also a bit overrated but if it came to chose between these I'd pick up Power Trip any day of the week.

Dream Theater from a long time now entered absolute recycling mode and this album is no different. Yes, it still features some somehow exciting passages but anyone who's familiar with the band's 90's and early 2000's records can pin point which old songs this new ones derive from. So there you go: is this a bad record? No, by any means. Does the band did any effort to bring anything slightly new to the table and therefore move me the slightest? Also no, by any means. Plus I grew a serious allergy to James' vocals from a long time now. My vote goes to a way more focused and exciting record by Atlantean Kodex.

Dark Millennium is a cool act... they sound like a doom take on Voivod's Prog Thrash era with some resemblances of Confessor here and there. and if Diana Read Peace is somehow amateurish and pretentious it's also true it has lots of content, twists and turns and plunges the listener into a daring experience. Megadeth's debut is an angry soon to be legend mean a snakes band blasting straight forward at 1000 Mph. Hey... I may even like KIMBABIG a bit more but since I'm also expecting a deluge of Megadeth albums this time Dark Millennium gets my vote.

Municipal Waste is yet again one of those new millennium wave of early thrash that simply rip off what many bands did back in the mid 80's. Even regarding lyrics (with all the boose and mosh references). Come on guys! Tankard, DRI and many others did this stuff 35 years ago and they have done it 1000 times better. Buckethead on the other hand has a unique sound and this record has some really interesting passages so once again it's an easy pick.
 
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I hope a mediocre Dream Theater album losing to a high quality but comparatively lesser known album helps to fight against the idea that DT is a juggernaut around here that beats anything in its path. Good Dream Theater albums do well, as they should, bad ones don’t.
 
Mosh said:
I hope a mediocre Dream Theater album losing to a high quality but comparatively lesser known album helps to fight against the idea that DT is a juggernaut around here that beats anything in its path. Good Dream Theater albums do well, as they should, bad ones don’t.
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It's not particularly close, either. A nice feather in Atlantean Kodex's hat, if the lead holds.
 
To be fair, that is a paticularly good album from Atlantean Kodex, and highly recommended to anyone around here.
 
Coheed and Cambria is alright, but they're a band that's just never fully clicked with me. Going with Power Trip.

Atlantean Kodex has been one of the better discoveries of the tournament, but they're no Dream Theater. I'm pretty surprised by the results here. Distance over Time is quite a strong album.

Megadeth wins again against another relatively easy opponent.

Municipal Waste was better than I was expecting, but not quite enough to get the vote over a very enjoyable Buckethead album.
 
Mosh said:
I hope a mediocre Dream Theater album losing to a high quality but comparatively lesser known album helps to fight against the idea that DT is a juggernaut around here that beats anything in its path. Good Dream Theater albums do well, as they should, bad ones don’t.
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I must admit, I did not expect this would happen.
 
Power Trip defeats Coheed and Cambria, knocking them out of the tournament. Power Trip's run next goes up against Avenged Sevenfold.
Atlantean Kodex knocks off a lesser album by a titan in defeating Dream Theater. The North Americans return in League 9.
Megadave drives deeper by beating Dark Millennium. They're gone, so it's AC/DC next.
Finally, Buckethead continues his deep run by tossing Municipal Waste into the landfill. He'll face Devin Townsend next.
 
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