THE CRUSADE OF EPICS: Results -> A Change Of Seasons wins!

Not the best song on Crack the Skye, but definitely Mastodon.
And Lateralus.

Considering The Ocean (Collective) I realised those two-three albums are the only thing I like so far from them.
Those early ones are a bit too much for my taste and the last two singles they've put put lean more into "electronic" area. Not that it's a bad thing, but I liked direction they went with Phanerozoic albums.
 
Their latest album, Hushed & Grim is much closer to Crack The Skye than anything they've come up with in between. You should check it out.
I’ll check it out. Also thank you for The Ocean links! I liked the first two songs quite a bit. The following two? Less so. The fifth one was solid.
 
Honestly, it was impossible to choose in the first pair so I just went with The Last Baron as I was the one who nominated it :p Second pair was an easy vote for Primordial.
 
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Results of Round 76:
Helloween - Halloween
Primordial - Last Call

Mastodon - The Last Baron
Tool - Lateralus


Caligula's Horse - Graves (Nominated by @Lampwick 43)
vs.
Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) (Nominated by @The Dissident)

Dream Theater - In The Name Of God (Nominated by @KidInTheDark666)
vs.
Moonsorrow - Kuolleiden Maa (Nominated by @Perun)
 
Easy round.

Despite some twee bits, the Caligula's Horse song is consistently challenging and epic without ever becoming masturbatory. While the Meat Loaf track has some nice melodies and (overly) theatrical appeal, it's just been musically checkmated here. Sorry, @The Dissident, but @Lampwick 43's nominee takes this one. Winner: Caligula's Horse

This Dream Theater track gets a bit masturbatory in places, but it's consistently interesting and well written. The Moonsorrow track has pretty strong songwriting for its genre, but the terrible vocals and potbanging drums drag it down like a boat anchor. Sorry, @Perun, but I have to go with @KidInTheDark666's nominee here. Winner: Dream Theater
 
Every once in a while I get the feeling that I'll stumble upon a black metal song that will get me interested in exploring the genre. Well, Kuolleiden Maa... isn't that song. The first few minutes are great because there's no vocals, but the remaining 14 aren't really my thing. There's riffs in here, but like almost everything that I've heard in the genre, they're robbed of their punchiness by being subjected to wall-of-sound production. The first hint of melody we get isn't until nearly 11 minutes in, and it comes in the form of a guitar solo that I wish would have started at the 2 minute mark and been 10 minutes longer. Much like the first two minutes, the last two are stellar due solely to the lack of vocals whatsoever (even though it is comprised of nothing more than an iceberg-paced riff and wind sounds). Apparently this song's title translates to "Land of the Dead," which is exactly what it sounds like, to the band's credit. Also, these guys are described as folk/pagan metal, but this is black metal, right?

In the Name of God is one of my favorite Dream Theater tracks from one of my favorite Dream Theater albums. From the heavy Metallica-but-with-good-drumming riffage to the soaring chorus to the swordfight-in-a-sandstorm instrumental section, this song has it all. Highlights for me as a bassist are the simple but effective groove that forms the building block for the haunting post-chorus verses (the quiet ones of which include some of LaBrie's creepiest and least-annoying vocals ever) and Myung's all-too-brief funk-a-thon underneath the keyboard solo at 9:22. Also, how can I forget the classic massive-drum-fill-into-EDM-keyboard-break-into-heavy-riff part? Some more supreme bass work closes out the song in the outro-chorus, where a minor key rendition of the American Civil War anthem "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is played in the background. Chills. This song truly has everything, and my mind was blown upon first hearing it. This is one of Dream Theater's most massive epics, and my obvious winner here.

The link to the Meat Loaf song isn't working, but I've heard it many times before. This is the full version, which is obviously much stronger than the condensed radio edit that most people are accustomed to hearing. It's a good song, but it's still like 4 minutes too long.

This Caligula's Horse song is quite the adventure. Having Dream Theater in this round is fitting, because the main guitar melody here reminds me very much of Petrucci. The vocal interlude about halfway through is out of left field, but in a good way. Just when I was thinking that the song is nice and epic and kind of psychedelically flowery but it needs some punchiness did 11:06 arrive with punchiness in tow! I don't think the song is perfect, and to my dismay I noticed no distinct bass parts, but I like the vibe of these guys and will check more of their stuff out. This is easily my pick over the bloated Meat Loaf classic.
 
So that Caligula's Horse song really grew on me and I listened to it a lot today. But mostly because of that amazing passage in the last 2 minutes with the sax riff. Wish it appeared earlier in the song as it slays the rest of the song. So surprisingly, it gets my vote over Meat Loaf.

In the 2nd pair, an overrated DT song vs. a solid black metal song with a much better atmosphere. Easy vote for Moonsorrow.
 
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Results of Round 77:
Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
Moonsorrow - Kuolleiden Maa

Caligula's Horse - Graves
Dream Theater - In The Name Of God


Judas Priest - Lochness (Nominated by @Saapanael)
vs.
Symphony X - The Accolade (Nominated by @MrKnickerbocker)

Dream Theater - A Change Of Seasons (Nominated by @The Dissident, @Collin)
vs.
Enslaved - Hiindsiight (Nominated by @Night Prowler)
 
ACOS is obviously one of the best songs ever and The Accolade is easily my favorite Symphony X song. Lochness is horrendously boring and one of the weakest post-Ripper Priest songs. Enslaved I just generally don't care about.
 
So, this sucks because I actually love Lochness, but holy living clusterfuck is it a piece of actual trash compared to The Accolade. Symphony X have one of the all time bests here.

Same goes for A Change of Seasons, which is simply a perfect epic.
 
Agreed, this is another easy one.

"Lochness" squawks and plods through half its runtime, laden with bad lyrics and copious musical fat that needs trimming. It has a strong second half, though. "The Accolade" is generally overrated and uses some really cheesy synth tones; but it's much better written, and there's more musical content in the first 3 minutes of this song than in the entirety of the Priest track, which is significantly longer. Sorry, @Saapanael, but @MrKnickerbocker's nominee takes this one easily. Winner: Symphony X

"A Change Of Seasons" is great all around -- every part is a winner, and it's all put together well as a coherent song. The vocals and instrumental parts are equally memorable and every instrument has a chance to shine. This has got to be one of the top contenders to win the whole game. Meanwhile, "Hiindsiight" has a number of nice brighter prog rock moments, but the terrible vocals and out of place doom metal detours completely drag it down as a song. Sorry, @Night Prowler, but The Collissident's nominee just took a page out of Arturas Zuokas's playbook:
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Winner: Dream Theater
 
I gave Lochness a pity vote; I do really love the song, but Accolade is better. But Lochness is also great. As for the 2nd pairing, I find ACOS overrated and too long, while Hiindsiight is probably Enslaved's best song.
 
I gave Lochness a pity vote; I do really love the song, but Accolade is better. But Lochness is also great. As for the 2nd pairing, I find ACOS overrated and too long, while Hiindsiight is probably Enslaved's best song.
Damn right it’s overrated. It’s “baby’s first prog epic”.
 
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