KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Nah, you already did it with Sole Survivor.
The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 2, Matches 76-81
- Thread starter LooseCannon
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- gmsc
srfc
Ancient Mariner
Armored Saint - Warzone vs. Black Sabbath - Zero the Hero
I discovered this album thanks to the GMAC, Warzone is a great song (again not necessarily the one I would have nominated from the album) and Bush is a great singer, but Zero the Hero has about a couple of the best rifs ever in it and is so intense. Probably doesn't need to be as long as it is though. Zero the Hero
Demolition Hammer - Skull Fracturing Nightmare vs. Kreator - Endorama
When I saw the band name and song title I was dreading this, but it's actually not too bad, bar the awful guitar tone, it's not a million miles away from Slayer/Sepultura/Kreator stuff I listen to, I think I even heard him say Iron Maiden at one point. I never heard that Kreator goes mainstream track before ( I do have Renewal though which isn't a million miles away). I enjoyed it, I've no objections to bands "selling out", a good track is a good track, it's when the track is shit that I have a problem, this one wasn't shit. Endorama
Death - Scavenger of Human Sorrow vs. Cannibal Corpse - They Deserve To Die
Neither track did a hell of a lot for me but the Death one was a few levels better. Scavenger of Human Sorrow
Mastodon - Divinations vs. Dream Theater - The Spirit Carries On
Mastodon was pretty good and they already had the tie won when the DT track started and was like a poorer version of Pink Floyd's The Thin Ice. Unlike the Thin Ice this track never really kicked in, although the solo section was pretty good. Divinations
Holocaust - Death or Glory vs. Holocaust - Heavy Metal Mania (Single Version)
I recognise Death or Glory I think it must be on an NWOBHM compilation I have, great track. I enjoyed Heavy Metal Mania but it's not as good, The Small Hours is better than both of course Death or Glory
Wind Rose - Together We Rise vs. Kamelot - Wander
Never heard of this band before, sound is alright but I can't get where the popularity of this type of metal (Sabaton, Powerwolf I mean) has come from, would have been considered out of date 30 years ago but the kids love it, I guess fashion is cyclical. I was prejudiced enough towards Kamelot with a K with them having the worst and most cliched metal name of all time, but when I saw the picture of your man with angel wings
I remember a Hammerfall video being describe as "painfully uncool" in the GMAC but that picture makes Hammerfall look like the Fonz. The track isn't terrible compared to some of the stuff that's been in the game, but it's not for me. Together We Rise
I discovered this album thanks to the GMAC, Warzone is a great song (again not necessarily the one I would have nominated from the album) and Bush is a great singer, but Zero the Hero has about a couple of the best rifs ever in it and is so intense. Probably doesn't need to be as long as it is though. Zero the Hero
Demolition Hammer - Skull Fracturing Nightmare vs. Kreator - Endorama
When I saw the band name and song title I was dreading this, but it's actually not too bad, bar the awful guitar tone, it's not a million miles away from Slayer/Sepultura/Kreator stuff I listen to, I think I even heard him say Iron Maiden at one point. I never heard that Kreator goes mainstream track before ( I do have Renewal though which isn't a million miles away). I enjoyed it, I've no objections to bands "selling out", a good track is a good track, it's when the track is shit that I have a problem, this one wasn't shit. Endorama
Death - Scavenger of Human Sorrow vs. Cannibal Corpse - They Deserve To Die
Neither track did a hell of a lot for me but the Death one was a few levels better. Scavenger of Human Sorrow
Mastodon - Divinations vs. Dream Theater - The Spirit Carries On
Mastodon was pretty good and they already had the tie won when the DT track started and was like a poorer version of Pink Floyd's The Thin Ice. Unlike the Thin Ice this track never really kicked in, although the solo section was pretty good. Divinations
Holocaust - Death or Glory vs. Holocaust - Heavy Metal Mania (Single Version)
I recognise Death or Glory I think it must be on an NWOBHM compilation I have, great track. I enjoyed Heavy Metal Mania but it's not as good, The Small Hours is better than both of course Death or Glory
Wind Rose - Together We Rise vs. Kamelot - Wander
Never heard of this band before, sound is alright but I can't get where the popularity of this type of metal (Sabaton, Powerwolf I mean) has come from, would have been considered out of date 30 years ago but the kids love it, I guess fashion is cyclical. I was prejudiced enough towards Kamelot with a K with them having the worst and most cliched metal name of all time, but when I saw the picture of your man with angel wings
I remember a Hammerfall video being describe as "painfully uncool" in the GMAC but that picture makes Hammerfall look like the Fonz. The track isn't terrible compared to some of the stuff that's been in the game, but it's not for me. Together We Rise
srfc
Ancient Mariner
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
I am enjoying the colorful ways you all are describing Demolition Hammer’s music. On the internet, it’s hard to convey when I’m trying to be serious vs. when I’m being ironic, but I genuinely do enjoy hearing you guys describe what listening to music like Demolition Hammer is like for you. Everyone is different, and it is obvious to me some of you don’t enjoy it. I can tell in some ways the music annoys some of you while others of you find bits and pieces of it you like. It’s such a different perspective than I have and I like seeing a little peak behind the curtain of someone who doesn’t like the same heavy metal I like, but still has a passion for the genre - very cool!
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
Also, real shame Wind Rose is losing. I don’t normally like that kinda stuff (the “gimmicky” power metal sound, that is not to diminish what Wind Rose does, they are quite good at what they do), but I was pleasantly surprised by Wind Rose! It’s hard to pigeon hole what my heavy metal listening is comprised of now. It’s majorly a mix of Motörhead, all manners of 80’s hair/glam/AOR, and old school NWOBHM and old school death/thrash. Wind Rose doesn’t fit into any of them yet I was struck by their sound, thanks for the nominee LC
Need a tiebreak between the two Holocaust songs!
The Dissident
Ancient Mariner
If needed you could remove my vote, it was a coin toss.
That's not how tie breaks work! It's kicks - first person to call out a winner gets it!
Zero ain't no hero in the warzone, as Armored Saint stands tall. It sure was a nightmare for Demolition Hammer as they lose to Kreator. Cannibal Corpse deserves to die (I mean, almost in real life, they kinda suck) as Death just mops the floor with them. Mastodon's divinations failed to secure them a victory over Dream Theater's spirit. Some sort of off colour Holocaust joke here. Wander no more, Kamelot prevents the Italian dwarves from rising!
(We actually still need a tiebreak for Holocaust - Death or Glory vs. Holocaust - Heavy Metal Mania, first person to call a winner gets their will done!)
Note: the previous round was the halfway mark of Part I of the GMSC.
(We actually still need a tiebreak for Holocaust - Death or Glory vs. Holocaust - Heavy Metal Mania, first person to call a winner gets their will done!)
Note: the previous round was the halfway mark of Part I of the GMSC.
Part I, Round 32, Matches 187-192
| Play In Round |
| Run to the Hills Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrath - Wide Shut | vs. | Arch/Matheos - Vermillion Moons | |
| @Confeos | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Run to the Hills Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meshuggah - Bleed | vs. | Anaal Nathrakh - Forward! | |
| Rolling Stone 100 | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Run to the Hills Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensryche - Walk in the Shadows | vs. | WASP - The Heretic | |
| Rolling Stone 100 | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| If Eternity Should Fail Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Fortress - Defenders of the Crown | vs. | Manowar - Warriors of the World United | |
| @Wogmidget | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| If Eternity Should Fail Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercyful Fate - Come to the Sabbath | vs. | Mercyful Fate - Curse of the Pharaohs | |
| Popoff 500 | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Oh fuck you. How the hell are you supposed to make me choose between possibly the best Mercyful Fate song and possibly the most fun Mercyful Fate song. When I nominated “Curse of the Pharaohs” it was a knee-jerk decision because it had finally clicked for me and I loved its camp. But “Come to the Sabbath”… man. What a sinister song. I hate this. You’re a sick and twisted man with a sick and twisted algorithm.
Also — “Bleed” had only ONE nomination?? That’s a fucking classic goddamn.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Heavy Metal Mania
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Two of Saxon's best songs against each other is an interesting matchup.
The other interesting matchup is Queensryche's great song Walk In The Shadows against WASP's Lost Child, which is one of their songs with the best instrumental section and vocal parts imo. The great outro solo is a very good idea.
Warriors Of The World United is the Manowar song that even the fans who don't like the band like. One of their best for sure.
The other interesting matchup is Queensryche's great song Walk In The Shadows against WASP's Lost Child, which is one of their songs with the best instrumental section and vocal parts imo. The great outro solo is a very good idea.
Warriors Of The World United is the Manowar song that even the fans who don't like the band like. One of their best for sure.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
TheMercenary
Ancient Mariner
My choices in this round.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
"Wide Shut" has some nice technical playing and middle eastern flavor. The singer's a little behind the beat much of the time, and there's something a bit weird about his voice that I'm not thrilled about, though he generally sounds pretty good otherwise. The vocal melodies are mostly solid, as are the solos, though neither is particularly inspiring. I like the proggy song structure and the forwardness of the synths. Good stuff overall. "Vermillion Moons" has consistently interesting guitar work across a range of styles, and Arch sounds better here than he did on the Fates Warning track earlier in the GMSC. (He still sounds like the bastard child of Kiske and LaBrie to me, despite predating them.) Some of the vocal melodies are quite strong, but others are a bit weaker, and there's some bad phrasing in places. The solo's pretty good. I think this song has higher highs and lower lows than its competitor, but overall they're pretty evenly matched and I could probably flip a coin between them. But sorry, @The Dissident, I'm going to break the tie in the direction of the more unique flavor of @Confeos's nominee, though I won't be disappointed if either track wins. Winner: Myrath - "Wide Shut"
"Bleed" is an apropos description of the effect this song had on my eardrums. I can appreciate the technicality of the playing, but the endless non-melodic screaming is extremely grating, and the repetitive mechanical aspects of the rhythm work also take their toll over time. I've never had a migraine headache before, but it seems like this song would be a pretty accurate musical depiction of one. The soft atmospheric interlude was very welcome, and the extended melodic lead afterward was also nice, though the persistent rhythmic throbbing underneath continued to annoy. I just don't understand how someone could look forward to sitting down to listen to this. "Forward!" is from the same band that did everyone's favorite cover of "Powerslave" (
), this time taking the idea of "machine gun riffage" far too literally. The non-melodic screaming here is even more grating than Meshuggah's, though at least the rhythm work leaves a little more room to breathe. Not sure what all the high-pitched vocals in the background are about, but they don't really fit. Well, that was incredibly unpleasant, but @Night Prowler's nominee was marginally less annoying than its competitor overall, and it was less than half as long, so the choice here is clear. Winner: Anaal Nathrakh - "Forward!"
"Walk In The Shadows" is one of the best tracks on Rage For Order, IMO. The vocal lines are great (except for the "live in a dream" part of the chorus), the rhythm work is mostly interesting, the solo is great, and the song structure is great. The rhythm guitars lack a little punch, and that one vocal blemish on the chorus is unfortunate, but otherwise this is a pretty great song. "The Heretic" has a great ominous intro, and I like the epic driving feel of the verse. The chorus doesn't fully pay off, as the phrasing feels a bit lazy, but it's still pretty solid. The bright U2-ish guitar interlude in the middle is unexpected and great, but the vocal bridge is raw and not the best. Half the soloing is really cool, but the other half is kind of "meh". Still a very good song overall. I wouldn't be disappointed if either of these moved on, but sorry @Wogmidget, I think the list nominee is a bit stronger here. Winner: Queensrÿche - "Walk In The Shadows"
"Defenders Of The Crown" has a nice epic groove. The vocal phrasing has some significant issues, and the singer isn't the strongest, though he mostly sounds pretty good. Cool harmonized solo. A pretty good track overall. "Warriors Of The World United" gets the most out of its simplistic beat. The half-sung verses kinda suck, but the chorus works well despite being cheesy as fuck. The soft interlude is also pretty good, albeit equally cheesy. I don't know, the Human Fortress song probably has more musical value, but the Manowar song is way catchier. I could go either way on this, but sorry again @Wogmidget, I think @Poto's nominee is more memorable, and that's enough to take this match. Winner: Manowar - "Warriors Of The World United"
"Come To The Sabbath" has a nice opening vocal melody, though King Diamond sounds a little sadder and whinier than usual out of the gate. The guitar work is consistently interesting, but the vocal lines in the rest of the song are less memorable than the opening section, and the track as a whole feels like a bit of a patchwork. The musical interlude with the "ahhs" near the end is great, though. Lots of good ideas on display here, though there are some weaker parts too, and things don't always come together coherently. "Curse Of The Pharaohs" has cool riffs and sweet fills, but King Diamond is probably the weak link here. Some of the vocal lines are strong, but others drift off or are only half sung. In my mind I can't help but compare it to Metallica's cover in their "Mercyful Fate" medley on Garage, Inc., which shows the potential of the song with better vocals. Still, the original version of the song has enough going for it that it's a pretty easy call for @Diesel 11's nominee here. Winner: Mercyful Fate - "Curse Of The Pharaohs"
"Power And The Glory" has strong guitar work across the board, but the vocal melodies aren't the best, and the vocals themselves are uneven. The instrumental parts of the bridge are great, as is the solo. The main riff seems like an obvious influence on Adrian's "2 Minutes To Midnight" riff, too. A good song overall. "Princess Of The Night" also has strong guitar work with less inspiring vocals. The verse melody is pretty good, but the chorus is kinda "meh". There's also a really awkward transition back into the chorus in the middle of the song. Pretty good solos, though. These songs are pretty comparable in quality, but I think I'm feeling the first one a little more than the second. Winner: Saxon - "Power And The Glory"
"Bleed" is an apropos description of the effect this song had on my eardrums. I can appreciate the technicality of the playing, but the endless non-melodic screaming is extremely grating, and the repetitive mechanical aspects of the rhythm work also take their toll over time. I've never had a migraine headache before, but it seems like this song would be a pretty accurate musical depiction of one. The soft atmospheric interlude was very welcome, and the extended melodic lead afterward was also nice, though the persistent rhythmic throbbing underneath continued to annoy. I just don't understand how someone could look forward to sitting down to listen to this. "Forward!" is from the same band that did everyone's favorite cover of "Powerslave" (
), this time taking the idea of "machine gun riffage" far too literally. The non-melodic screaming here is even more grating than Meshuggah's, though at least the rhythm work leaves a little more room to breathe. Not sure what all the high-pitched vocals in the background are about, but they don't really fit. Well, that was incredibly unpleasant, but @Night Prowler's nominee was marginally less annoying than its competitor overall, and it was less than half as long, so the choice here is clear. Winner: Anaal Nathrakh - "Forward!""Walk In The Shadows" is one of the best tracks on Rage For Order, IMO. The vocal lines are great (except for the "live in a dream" part of the chorus), the rhythm work is mostly interesting, the solo is great, and the song structure is great. The rhythm guitars lack a little punch, and that one vocal blemish on the chorus is unfortunate, but otherwise this is a pretty great song. "The Heretic" has a great ominous intro, and I like the epic driving feel of the verse. The chorus doesn't fully pay off, as the phrasing feels a bit lazy, but it's still pretty solid. The bright U2-ish guitar interlude in the middle is unexpected and great, but the vocal bridge is raw and not the best. Half the soloing is really cool, but the other half is kind of "meh". Still a very good song overall. I wouldn't be disappointed if either of these moved on, but sorry @Wogmidget, I think the list nominee is a bit stronger here. Winner: Queensrÿche - "Walk In The Shadows"
"Defenders Of The Crown" has a nice epic groove. The vocal phrasing has some significant issues, and the singer isn't the strongest, though he mostly sounds pretty good. Cool harmonized solo. A pretty good track overall. "Warriors Of The World United" gets the most out of its simplistic beat. The half-sung verses kinda suck, but the chorus works well despite being cheesy as fuck. The soft interlude is also pretty good, albeit equally cheesy. I don't know, the Human Fortress song probably has more musical value, but the Manowar song is way catchier. I could go either way on this, but sorry again @Wogmidget, I think @Poto's nominee is more memorable, and that's enough to take this match. Winner: Manowar - "Warriors Of The World United"
"Come To The Sabbath" has a nice opening vocal melody, though King Diamond sounds a little sadder and whinier than usual out of the gate. The guitar work is consistently interesting, but the vocal lines in the rest of the song are less memorable than the opening section, and the track as a whole feels like a bit of a patchwork. The musical interlude with the "ahhs" near the end is great, though. Lots of good ideas on display here, though there are some weaker parts too, and things don't always come together coherently. "Curse Of The Pharaohs" has cool riffs and sweet fills, but King Diamond is probably the weak link here. Some of the vocal lines are strong, but others drift off or are only half sung. In my mind I can't help but compare it to Metallica's cover in their "Mercyful Fate" medley on Garage, Inc., which shows the potential of the song with better vocals. Still, the original version of the song has enough going for it that it's a pretty easy call for @Diesel 11's nominee here. Winner: Mercyful Fate - "Curse Of The Pharaohs"
"Power And The Glory" has strong guitar work across the board, but the vocal melodies aren't the best, and the vocals themselves are uneven. The instrumental parts of the bridge are great, as is the solo. The main riff seems like an obvious influence on Adrian's "2 Minutes To Midnight" riff, too. A good song overall. "Princess Of The Night" also has strong guitar work with less inspiring vocals. The verse melody is pretty good, but the chorus is kinda "meh". There's also a really awkward transition back into the chorus in the middle of the song. Pretty good solos, though. These songs are pretty comparable in quality, but I think I'm feeling the first one a little more than the second. Winner: Saxon - "Power And The Glory"
I wanna get back into this game soon - I’ve had a lot going on the last couple months, but I did need to pop in to say something. And I say this as probably the biggest Dream Theater fan on this forum.
How the fuck did The Spirit Carries On beat Diviniations in a metal song matchup? WTF
How the fuck did The Spirit Carries On beat Diviniations in a metal song matchup? WTF