The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 2, Matches 94-99

[Siddharth]

Looking at the video for Children Of The Sun by Night Stalker, I think it would be really cool if there can be a video as a tribute to Iron Maiden (to a Maiden song, of course) featuring a similar montage of MaidenFans members in it.

 

[Kalata]

My favorite is Last in Line, but I do like Rainbow in the Dark. Oddly, though, Dio always hated it.

Why Ronnie James Dio wanted to destroy "Rainbow In The Dark" song

The reason why Ronnie James Dio wanted to destroy the hit "Rainbow In the Dark" released on Dio's debut album "Holy Diver" in 1983.

rockandrollgarage.com

The song has a Rainbow vibe in a way, so it fits as a tribute to his early years. And in the next album (Sacred Heart), there are similar songs with a less heavy approach. They work great for singles. After 1990, his albums have strong Black Sabbath vibes.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

Appreciate the info. I guess this makes me appreciate regular non-Nazi black metal more, as I take comfort in knowing that the forest-dwelling, face-painted creatures behind every screech and pot bang are… not Nazis.

Thinking that there is a difference between praising Satan and being a Nazi must be on of my favourite cases of utter cognitive dissonance ever. Never mind, move along, move along.

 

[srfc]

Thinking that there is a difference between praising Satan and being a Nazi must be on of my favourite cases of utter cognitive dissonance ever. Never mind, move along, move along.

eh.. Satan isn't real but Nazi's most definitely are.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

eh.. Satan isn't real but Nazi's most definitely are.

Eh... I've had more personal encounters with Satan than with actual Nazis, to be honest (though true, there was this one bloke in school...)


That said, even if he didn't exist, the representation, the archetype, that's the same. Nazis are a sub-type of Satan, as the general representation of evil.

In short, black metal bands are fellating "Evil" to be edgy, the fact that the Nazi ones tend to offense even people here / other tr00 metalheads means that they succeeded even better. They are the edgiest.

 

[Magnus]

As you very well know Judas many black metal bands are neither Satanic nor Nazi.

 

[srfc]

That said, even if he didn't exist, the representation, the archetype, that's the same. Nazis are a sub-type of Satan, as the general representation of evil.

In short, black metal bands are fellating "Evil" to be edgy, the fact that the Nazi ones tend to offense even people here / other tr00 metalheads means that they succeeded even better. They are the edgiest.

Agreed, to a certain extent. I was being a bit facetious in my original post, I certainly don't believe in the existence of Satan, however, I respect others sincere beliefs.

But I think there's likely far more real world consequences of someone listening to a certain band and it being a gateway to Nazism and Far Right ideology than it is a gateway into the occult, purely because there are far more fellow travellers out there taking Nazism seriously than there are people who are seriously Satanists.

 

[TheMercenary]

 

[LooseCannon]

I'll be on a pause for a short bit. I'll try to get an update tonight or tomorrow, but probably won't be able to update after that until Saturday.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

The first match is weirdly tough - I've been slowly growing in appreciating King Diamond whereas I'm getting further and further away from my thrash period, long ago in history as it is anyway. Also, I don't know what is happening to me, but Blitz's vocals are possibly even more annoying to me today than Diamond's. Eye of the Witch actually has a cool groove, solid guitar work, it's surprisingly tolerable and catchy for Diamond. So be it.

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The next match I'm not particularly invested in, I suppose the Nightstalker band does better job in their stoner style than Manowar do in the power metal paradigm, at least for me, so Nightstalker get my vote.

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Don't know, must have woken up wrong this morning, but I feel much more in the mood for the boomer choice of Ozzy than for the "Devin Townsend, but deadly sirious" of Septicflesh.

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Another match I don't particularly care about, sorry, I suppose Theatre of Tragedy are closer to my mood nowadays than Bathory.

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Seriously, you got me voting for Slayer two rounds in a row. Fuck that. But like I said, Reign in Blood is like, two great songs and bonus noise, but the two songs are really, really great. Tigers of Pan Tang are... fine. Fine. Perfectly fine. The finest of fine. The fine you pay.

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Don't know what Mosh was smoking, but it can't be legal. Rainbow in the Dark is amazingly catchy, energetic, classic, Love Bites is the cheesiest thing off Hysteria (and that's saying something, for an album that actually has a song with lyrics like "Pour some sugar on me, in the name of love".

 

[KidInTheDark666]

The first match is weirdly tough - I've been slowly growing in appreciating King Diamond whereas I'm getting further and further away from my thrash period, long ago in history as it is anyway. Also, I don't know what is happening to me, but Blitz's vocals are possibly even more annoying to me today than Diamond's.

I think Bobby is generally pretty great for a thrash vocalist, but yeah, he does indeed sound annoying in Elimination. The song is a classic and probably deserves to win this matchup though.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

For whatever reason I've never been too particularly struck by Dio's solo work, although I do quite like Lock Up the Wolves. I do agree with Knickerbocker in that Heaven and Hell is a pretty perfect album.

I prefer his two ‘80s Sabbath albums and his Rainbow stuff to his solo career, too. His solo staples are immensely fun (especially at karaoke), but I can’t help but feel that they’re musically less interesting. Perhaps because Dio (a singer) wrote them, as opposed to Iommi, Butler, and Blackmore?

 

[JudasMyGuide]

I prefer his two ‘80s Sabbath albums and his Rainbow stuff to his solo career, too. His solo staples are immensely fun (especially at karaoke), but I can’t help but feel that they’re musically less interesting. Perhaps because Dio (a singer) wrote them, as opposed to Iommi, Butler, and Blackmore?

Yep, Rainbow (with Dio) >> Rainbath >>>>>>>>>> Dio

 

[Kalata]

although I do quite like Lock Up the Wolves.

LUTW is a solid album with more than half of it great songs, but after that I think his solo discography is less consistent.

I prefer his two ‘80s Sabbath albums and his Rainbow stuff to his solo career, too. His solo staples are immensely fun (especially at karaoke), but I can’t help but feel that they’re musically less interesting. Perhaps because Dio (a singer) wrote them, as opposed to Iommi, Butler, and Blackmore?

Dio's work from 1975 to 1987 is pure gold. I think I can agree with your second statement, although Vivian's work on his first 3 albums is so good.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

Dio's work from 1975 to 1987 is pure gold. I think I can agree with your second statement, although Vivian's work on his first 3 albums is so good.

Oh the playing is excellent, but I meant more in terms of songwriting. You can just kinda tell that his solo stuff is written to have more space for the vocals (and understandably so). The music takes a bit more of a back seat in comparison.

 

[Magnus]

Don't know what Mosh was smoking

I agree with Mosh that Dio's song is ridiculous and so dumb I had to vote for some utter crap against it.
I find it difficult to agree with Mosh about the "serious artist" part though.
Never liked Dio's manner of singing, never will. Sue me.

 

[Jer]

Never liked Dio's manner of singing, never will. Sue me.

 

[LooseCannon]

No time to pun - 10 internet points to whoever comes up with the best pun from this last round. Winners were:

Overkill - Elimination vs. Mercyful Fate - Eye of the Witch
Manowar - Battle Hymn vs. Night Stalker - Children of the Sun
Ozzy Osbourne - Over the Mountain vs. Septicflesh - Dark Art
Bathory - A Fine Day to Die vs. Theatre of Tragedy - Lorelei
Slayer - Raining Blood vs. Tygers of Pan Tang - Gangland
Dio - Rainbow in the Dark vs. Def Leppard - Love Bites

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Part II, Round 1, Matches 73-78​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 73​	Dennis Stratton Division​
System of a Down - Toxicity	vs.​	The Who - My Generation​
VH1 40, Youtube 50 @Spambot, @____no5	Nominators​	Radio EHS 100​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 74​	Can I Play With Madness? Division​
Sepultura - Refuse/Resist	vs.​	Opeth - Master's Apprentices​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, Radio EHS 100, VH1 40	Nominators​	@Mosh​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 75​	Brave New World Division​
Helloween - Halloween	vs.​	Porcupine Tree - Even Less​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100 @Black Bart, @____no5, @Wogmidget, @JudasMyGuide	Nominators​	@The Dissident​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 76​	Ghost of the Navigator Division​
Dream Theater - Metropolis, Part I: The Miracle and the Sleeper	vs.​	Meshuggah - Broken Cog​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100 @DJ James, @LooseCannon	Nominators​	@Night Prowler​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 77​	Hallowed Be Thy Name Division​
Megadeth - Tornado of Souls	vs.​	Iced Earth - Prophecy​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100 @____no5, @Confeos, @Wogmidget	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 1	Match 78​	Wasted Years Division​
Iced Earth - Dante's Inferno	vs.​	Dark Tranquility - Punish My Heaven​
Popoff 500 @____no5, @Confeos	Nominators​	@KiDDo​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Diesel 11]

Overkill - Elimination vs. Mercyful Fate - Eye of the Witch

Overkill may not be eliminated, but they are one step away from receiving such a mercyful fate as King Diamond beats them with witchcraft.

Manowar - Battle Hymn vs. Night Stalker - Children of the Sun

In the “who gives a fuck” matchup, the Children of the Sun clearly need to take singing lessons as Manowar’s hymnal of trve metal is too much for them.

Ozzy Osbourne - Over the Mountain vs. Septicflesh - Dark Art

Ozzy ascends as Septicflesh rots.

Bathory - A Fine Day to Die vs. Theatre of Tragedy - Lorelei

What a Theatre of Tragedy we have witnessed, as Bathory gives Lorelei a Fine Day to Die.

Slayer - Raining Blood vs. Tygers of Pan Tang - Gangland

It’s certainly Raining Blood in Gangland tonight, as Slayer pan-tangs some Tygers.

Dio - Rainbow in the Dark vs. Def Leppard - Love Bites

Mosh is dumb and Dio wins.

Spoiler

I tried.

 

[Kalata]

Easy wins for Helloween (13 minutes of pure magic!) and Dream Theater.

Tornado Of Souls vs Prophecy is a really tough matchup. I like both songs a lot (and one is not 16 minutes...). The former has a better (and classic) solo, while the latter has better verses and its more atmospheric. Great riffs.