Metal Essentials I: Grandfathers of Metal (1970 - 1975) - FINAL ROUND - Zeppelin vs Sabbath

vote for your FAVORITE song in each pair

  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
Will relisten to Paranoid sometime in the next couple days then will post my thoughts between the two.

Mosh I assume the next round will begin after? As in the 1976-1980 round
 
Tight, but it’s 4-3 in favor of LZ. I probably like Paranoid more as a whole though.
 
For five of the seven matchups, it is really easy for me: War Pigs over Black Dog, Paranoid over Rock and Roll, Stairway over Iron Man, Doom/Rat over Going to California, and Levee over Fairies.

The other two are much closer. I give the edge to Misty Mountain Hop over Electric Funeral, primarily because the latter's chorus is kind of stupid, and also because I'm a dork for Tolkein. But both are great songs. [EDIT after voting and seeing the vote count: VERY surprised that Electric Funeral is running away with this one. It has a cool, heavy riff, but so does MMH, and Bonzo's drumming is outstanding.]

As between Battle of Evermore and Planet Caravan, both are soft interludes on heavy records, both are interesting and have a unique vibe (medieval folk vs. stoner jazz), and both are a couple of minutes too long. It would have been interesting to match Evermore up with Laguna Sunrise instead -- I might have voted for the Sabbath track in that matchup, but I give a slight edge to Evermore over Caravan.
 
The Dissident said:
Will relisten to Paranoid sometime in the next couple days then will post my thoughts between the two.

Mosh I assume the next round will begin after? As in the 1976-1980 round
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Keep an eye out for news on Metal Essentials Episode II (title tbd, suggestions welcome).
 
Mosh said:
Keep an eye out for news on Metal Essentials Episode II (title tbd, suggestions welcome).
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Wonderful i'd be willing to suggest names but I'd need to know specifically what Major albums are being included. Also if you aren't already doing this may I suggest doing a live albums version of this as well. The 76-80 timeframe had some killer and well regarded live albums.
 
Kiss alive was actually considered earlier on for this game but I axed it after other albums were suggested. There are a few I am considering for the next game but it’s really only if that particular live album is commonly heralded as the band’s best work. I’m not going to include Unleashed In the East, for example.

Also the game is going to stop at 1979. 1980 will be in another installment.
 
Mosh said:
Kiss alive was actually considered earlier on for this game but I axed it after other albums were suggested. There are a few I am considering for the next game but it’s really only if that particular live album is commonly heralded as the band’s best work. I’m not going to include Unleashed In the East, for example.

Also the game is going to stop at 1979. 1980 will be in another installment.
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If that's the case I will suggest UFO's Stranger's In The Night and Scorpions Tokyo Tapes, two great live albums from the 70s which are highly revered especially in the former's case.
 
All of that is still up in the air. Some blockbuster years warrant their own games. Imo it’s more about taking a look at important periods of heavy metal.

To that end, I expect that as we move along, the games will also have to focus on certain sub genres of Metal in addition to various eras. For example, the big four of Thrash will probably get its own game.
 
The aunts and uncles of metal?
Are we doing 75 to pre-NWBHM?

If we are talking landmark albums Jailbreak, Sad Wings, Lights Out, Van Halen, Lovedrive, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Let There Be Rock, Toys in the Attic, Ace of Spades, Allied Forces, (I realize the latter two are late but the bands belong in this era.

Less acclaimed personal faves I’d love to see included Spectres, Sin After Sin, or really anything from BOC, Priest and Lizzy.
Or will you be bypassing bands who we’re featured in round 1?
 
These matchups line up quite well. You have the most popish (Rock and Roll vs Paranoid) and the mellow (Caravan/Evermore) and the way overplayed (Stairway/Iron Man) and the cheesiest (Misty/Electric).

I gave it to Sabbath (almost) a sweep. I could have gone either way on the Black Dog/War Pigs and Stairway/Iron Man matchups. In the end I went with War Pigs based on better lyrics and in the battle of over-played songs, I gave the nod to Stairway since its more dynamic.
 
mckindog said:
The aunts and uncles of metal?
Are we doing 75 to pre-NWBHM?

If we are talking landmark albums Jailbreak, Sad Wings, Lights Out, Van Halen, Lovedrive, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Let There Be Rock, Toys in the Attic, Ace of Spades, Allied Forces, (I realize the latter two are late but the bands belong in this era.

Less acclaimed personal faves I’d love to see included Spectres, Sin After Sin, or really anything from BOC, Priest and Lizzy.
Or will you be bypassing bands who we’re featured in round 1?
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75 to 79. I was actually toying with the idea of having NWOBHM be its own game.

Bands who were featured in round 1 still qualify, however I can tell you right now that Sabbath will not be included (neither of the albums released during this time are Essentials). Pretty much all the albums you mentioned are under consideration. I’m leaning toward Strangers as the UFO pick.
 
Mosh said:
Sabbath will not be included (neither of the albums released during this time are Essentials)
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Sabotage?? Probably my favorite Ozzy-era Sabbath album, and the last truly great album that lineup released. I think many would consider it "essential." Basically, if you are a metal fan and don't possess Sabotage, you'd better check your life. I will give it a spin on my way to work today, as a matter of fact!
 
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I’m sorry guys, I meant to say 1976 to 1979, so not Sabotage (it was considered for the last game). I might be willing to make exception for some 75 albums but honestly the field is so large for the other years that it might be better to narrow it down.
 
6-1 win for Sabbath. Sole Zeppelin-vote is for "Going to California".

mckindog said:
The aunts and uncles of metal?
Are we doing 75 to pre-NWBHM?

If we are talking landmark albums Jailbreak, Sad Wings, Lights Out, Van Halen, Lovedrive, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Let There Be Rock, Toys in the Attic, Ace of Spades, Allied Forces, (I realize the latter two are late but the bands belong in this era.

Less acclaimed personal faves I’d love to see included Spectres, Sin After Sin, or really anything from BOC, Priest and Lizzy.
Or will you be bypassing bands who we’re featured in round 1?
Click to expand...

Good choices - I'll throw in Rising and Black Rose, as well.
 
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