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

[Night Prowler]

Apparently you get heavy garage prog featuring the mediocre Michael Kiske impersonator from the local high school Helloween cover band.

Except Fates Warning recorded three albums with Arch on vocals before Kiske first appeared on a Helloween album...

 

[KidInTheDark666]

Arch is a great vocalist. He does sound a lot like Kiske though.

 

[Jer]

Except Fates Warning recorded three albums with Arch on vocals before Kiske first appeared on a Helloween album...

Then Michael Kiske is an exceptional John Arch impersonator that finally fulfilled Arch's high school garage band aspirations.

 

[Night Prowler]

They sound nothing alike.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

1. This is a tough match, and while Spirit of Radio is flashier, I think Limelight is the better song. Hopefully we'll get more Rush!

2. The Schenker song has some interesting bits, but in many places it's weird and meandering. I'm also not a fan of the vocal melodies. While I Believe in a Thing Called Love isn't the type of song I'd normally enjoy, it's actually kind of fun.

3. I honestly have heard very little from Evanescence, as they popped onto the scene in the early 2000s when I was getting into stuff like Dream Theater, Symphony X, and Rush. I'll say this: the music is quite catchy, but the vocals do not fit at all. However, against the Deftones, Evanescence all the way.

4. Neither of these songs are bad. Space Lord is actually kind of funny, but it's a bit repetitive. I'm not a big System of a Down fan, but I do prefer them to a lot of other similar nu-metalish bands from that time. This song is catchy and has that main motif that sounds like it's from an old video game. Doom maybe? Aerials is my pick.

5. Everything I've heard from Stratovarius sounds like this. Kind of generic (although certainly technically proficient) power metal with zero dynamics and a singer who doesn't have enough depth for my tastes. This band seems popular around here, but I just don't get it. Is this their typical sound, or do they offer a variety of power metalish experiences? Regardless, I can't take Manowar seriously at all. My Eternal Dream it is.

6. Okay, so I will at least be fair and give songs opposing Symphony X songs a listen (in most circumstances). This Fates Warning track has some decent riffs and vocal harmonies, but it jumps around quite a bit. As someone who got into Fates Warning with A Pleasant Shade of Gray and their 2000s material, I greatly prefer that. This lacks both Joey Vera and a singer I like. Meanwhile, Church of the Machine is my second-favorite piece on Twilight in Olympus with its twisting riffs and haunting chorus. Also, as someone mentioned earlier, Russell Allen.

 

[Diesel 11]

Man, what a difficult match. I probably like "Limelight" more, but since it's winning in a big way I'll go for "The Spirit of Radio". Both these songs are amazing. "Spirit" has so many shifting sections all within five minutes and it's truly a beautiful tribute to the heart and commercialism of music. My favorite part of the song? The piano that jumps in at the final repeat of the main riff. Meanwhile, "Limelight" has some of Peart's best lyrics, and I never fail to be emotionally floored when the Shakespeare paraphrase, "All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers, and portrayers," gets sung with a double vocal dub from Geddy. The really brilliant part of the song is Alex's solo, where Neil at first tries to rein himself in and yet the music takes hold of his soul and he can't help but start going off the wall on the drumkit. And then the final chorus is so much more melodic than the first two as it emerges from the instrumental section. When I was younger a lot of the musical stuff went over my head, but the way they managed to make the third chorus feel so much less bombastic and more emotional was something that always stuck out to me. So yeah, both amazing songs and both ones that I adored when I was listening to classic rock radio whenever I had the chance. Again, anyone who flat-out dislikes Rush, IMO, dislikes music lol. And Peart will likely always be the greatest man to ever pick up a drumstick.

Anyway, voting monosodium glutamate in the next round. I wasn't thrilled by either song but MSG's was stronger overall. The Darkness feels like a Britpop band wanting to be rock gods without any of the stuff that makes rock gods interesting.

The chorus to this Evanescence song sounds super familiar to me. I actually went and played their debut thanks to the inclusion of "My Immortal" in this game, and it was awesome. This song is pretty sweet too. Deftones are one of those bands where I love some songs but don't really get into others. "Rocket Skates" doesn't quite click for me. Some of you are overhating them though, they have a respectably unique blend of soothing vocals against heavy music before screams hit the speaker, on the right song it's a real experience. But Amy Lee is better here.

"Space Lord" was actually a lot better than I expected. A little too long but overall pretty strong. Easy vote for System of a Down, though, "Aerials" is one of their best songs. Everything from the bass intro to the dual outro harmony is awesome. Look, @Confeos , when you lose small mind, you free your life.

Stratovarius felt like by-the-numbers power metal and the best parts of the song I could just get out of Nightwish or Symphony X to be honest. I hate to say it, and I hate myself for it, but I actually enjoyed the Manowar song more. To be clear, Eric Adams is a godawful singer and Joey DeMaio is a shittier lyricist, but the music was actually pretty good and I enjoyed the chorus. I don't feel good about myself and I would've been happier to vote Stratovarius, but it is what it is.

Okay, look. If Iron Maiden's "The Apparition" sounded anything like Fates Warning's, then I would 100% understand why it's widely considered the worst song of the band's. And yet this one is actually a fan favorite?? Good god. What a clusterfuck of a song. The vocal melodies are utter trash, the singer doesn't know what he's doing, the song waltzes about for a bit in all sorts of directions -- The noise build-up in the beginning of "Church of the Machine" ALONE is better than anything in "The Apparition". And then the chorus hits you like a thunderstrike. Awesome song. I sleep on it too much, just like the whole Twilight in Olympus album, but it kicks ass. Russell has some of his most venomous lines too, and I love the keyboard riff. Also the pre-chorus. Also just about everything, easy easy easy vote for Symphony X.

 

[KidInTheDark666]

5. Everything I've heard from Stratovarius sounds like this. Kind of generic (although certainly technically proficient) power metal with zero dynamics and a singer who doesn't have enough depth for my tastes. This band seems popular around here, but I just don't get it. Is this their typical sound, or do they offer a variety of power metalish experiences? Regardless, I can't take Manowar seriously at all. My Eternal Dream it is.

A lot of my favorite songs of theirs are full-speed ahead-type of rockers, I think their epics would be more suitable for you. Here's a couple of recommendations:

 

[KidInTheDark666]

Stratovarius felt like by-the-numbers power metal and the best parts of the song I could just get out of Nightwish or Symphony X to be honest. I hate to say it, and I hate myself for it, but I actually enjoyed the Manowar song more. To be clear, Eric Adams is a godawful singer and Joey DeMaio is a shittier lyricist, but the music was actually pretty good and I enjoyed the chorus. I don't feel good about myself and I would've been happier to vote Stratovarius, but it is what it is.

Cmon, you have voted against all 7 of my songs so far. This has to be some kind of a scheme, right?

Edit: It's 8 actually. We must be nearing some kind of a record.

 

[Diesel 11]

Cmon, you have voted against all 7 of my songs so far. This has to be some kind of a scheme, right?

Edit: It's 8 actually. We must be nearing some kind of a record.

Wait which songs did I vote against and who did I vote for instead??

 

[KidInTheDark666]

Wait which songs did I vote against and who did I vote for instead??

Restless and Wild against Computer God
King James against Afterlife
Nosferatu against Unbreakable part 2
Return of the Warlord against My Eternal Dream
Book of Blood against Declaration Day
Silurian: Age of Sea Scorpions against Learning to Live
We Will Rise against The Quiet Place
The Pot against Sikiö

 

[Diesel 11]

Restless and Wild against Computer God

I think “Restless and Wild” is a solid classic from Accept, but “Computer God” didn’t do much for me and I didn’t really like Dio’s vocals on it.

King James against Afterlife

Yeah, this was a rough match-up because it was both our nominees against each other. “King James” is probably my favorite Buckethead song so it had to go to him, but “Afterlife” is a truly awesome A7X song and I’m happy with it being promoted. I’ve been singing that chorus a lot since this round came up.

Nosferatu against Unbreakable part 2

Yeah “Unbreakable” just didn’t do much for me while “Nosferatu” was a really surprising banger.

Return of the Warlord against My Eternal Dream

Yeah… honestly I was going to vote Stratovarius right up until the last chorus in “Warlord” where I realized, no, I just genuinely like this song more. One of the better Manowar songs so far. I think I liked that Strat album you got me to listen to more than this track.

Book of Blood against Declaration Day

Yeah “Book of Blood” really took me by surprise because I was sure I’d be voting IE. “Declaration Day” is a great song but I was really intrigued by Armored Saint that round.

Silurian: Age of Sea Scorpions against Learning to Live

I think this was an underdog vote? Both songs were about equal for me and honestly “Learning to Live” has one thing going for it: ever since that round that “woah-oh-oh, Woah-Oh-Oh, WOAH-OH-OHHHHH!” has been trapped in my fucking head. Really good little moment. I don’t remember anything from that Ocean song.

We Will Rise against The Quiet Place

I didn’t hate “The Quiet Place” but “We Will Rise” is fucking incredible poppy melodeath and did not deserve to get snuffed out like that.

The Pot against Sikiö

If it wasn’t up against one of my favorite bands I definitely could’ve seen myself go for Sikiö, it’s not a song I like so much as one I really respect. It’s an interesting approach at heavy music. I’m sure it hits harder if you know Finnish too.

There’s no plot going on lol, some of these have been pretty close! But also you don’t like “Rime” all that much and meanwhile it’s my favorite Maiden song, so I think the issue is just that you and I have vastly different tastes that, when they align, they do so for different reasons.

 

[KidInTheDark666]

I think “Restless and Wild” is a solid classic from Accept, but “Computer God” didn’t do much for me and I didn’t really like Dio’s vocals on it.

Yeah, this was a rough match-up because it was both our nominees against each other. “King James” is probably my favorite Buckethead song so it had to go to him, but “Afterlife” is a truly awesome A7X song and I’m happy with it being promoted. I’ve been singing that chorus a lot since this round came up.

Yeah “Unbreakable” just didn’t do much for me while “Nosferatu” was a really surprising banger.

Yeah… honestly I was going to vote Stratovarius right up until the last chorus in “Warlord” where I realized, no, I just genuinely like this song more. One of the better Manowar songs so far. I think I liked that Strat album you got me to listen to more than this track.

Yeah “Book of Blood” really took me by surprise because I was sure I’d be voting IE. “Declaration Day” is a great song but I was really intrigued by Armored Saint that round.

I think this was an underdog vote? Both songs were about equal for me and honestly “Learning to Live” has one thing going for it: ever since that round that “woah-oh-oh, Woah-Oh-Oh, WOAH-OH-OHHHHH!” has been trapped in my fucking head. Really good little moment. I don’t remember anything from that Ocean song.

I didn’t hate “The Quiet Place” but “We Will Rise” is fucking incredible poppy melodeath and did not deserve to get snuffed out like that.

If it wasn’t up against one of my favorite bands I definitely could’ve seen myself go for Sikiö, it’s not a song I like so much as one I really respect. It’s an interesting approach at heavy music. I’m sure it hits harder if you know Finnish too.

There’s no plot going on lol, some of these have been pretty close! But also you don’t like “Rime” all that much and meanwhile it’s my favorite Maiden song, so I think the issue is just that you and I have vastly different tastes that, when they align, they do so for different reasons.

Yeah it's all good lol, I think I have a couple of nice surprises for you coming up further down the road. I remember pretty well who likes my songs and who doesn't, and for the last few rounds, I've been having that wait really, again? sort of feeling while reading your analysis about my songs haha.

 

[MindRuler]

Then Michael Kiske is an exceptional John Arch impersonator that finally fulfilled Arch's high school garage band aspirations.

Arch is an amazing vocalist! Don´t hear the Kiske resemblance tbh, I always thought he sounded abit like Bruce. Especially on their debut album Night On Bröcken.

 

[Iron Taipei]

It's a little difficult for some reason to vote for a song called ...The Apparition

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

I am eternally confused by the love given to John Arch. He sounds like a C-league parody of every high tenor in trad/power metal thrown in a blender (and not a Ninja or anything, the kind of blender you buy from a garage sale for $1 that has 6 speed buttons but only one of them still works).

 

[srfc]

don't have a lot of time to give the songs I don't know already a fair crack of the whip before the deadline,

Limelight is better than Spirit of Radio
I listened to Schenker, decent enough, I should check more out as he's one of my favourite guitarists and I don't have any MSG, but I'm a big fan of The Darkness, and I Believe in a Thing Called Love is a classic. I don't see it as "parody", more being aware of the ridiculousness of rock and embracing it wholeheartedly.
Evanescence and Deftones got a brief listen, neither for me. Deftones with the win
Ditto this tie, Monster Magnet with the win
Stratovarious got a brief listen, power metal with too much keys, Return of the Warlord is Manowar being as ridiculous as they usually are but falling on the side of being good fun on this track
Fates Warning and Symphony X both got a brief listen, both solid enough and listenable. Don't know what way to vote so as a tie breaker, Fates Warning with the win for not one, but two, Maiden songs being referred to.

 

[LooseCannon]

At the end of the day, I prefer The Spirit of Radio to Limelight, and I'm a little surprised the latter is winning, but hey. It's two of Rush's best songs, and one of them is going to get through.

I found myself really enjoying Lost Horizons. There's a lot of interesting guitar work being done, which, I suppose, makes sense. I find this The Darkness song to be really annoying in a lot of ways. MSG.

I truly dislike the Deftones, and this song doesn't do anything to move me. Meanwhile that first Evanescence album is pretty alright, hey?

Aerials is one of the SOAD songs I don't mind, and I get why it had a place in its time. But for nostalgic purposes, I gotta pick Monster Magnet. That song made it on so many mix tapes when I was a teenager for cruising along in my buddy's old K-Car. Anything that was on the K-Car mix tape list is going to have a distinct advantage.

I really found Return of the Warlord to be Manowar by the numbers. I could hear a few other songs from them within the track, while it did little to distinguish. When I got into metal years ago, Stratovarius was a band I really liked. I don't really listen to them anymore, but this track reminded me of what I saw back then. Stratovarius.

I will pick my own nominee, of course. I didn't mind the Fates Warning song but it's pretty rough in places, and I prefer the polish of Symphony X.

 

[LooseCannon]

As an aside, I can hear the Kiske comparisons for early Arch. I think he grows out of it, and Michael Kiske obviously never did, which, uh, I guess if you like that sound.

 

[LooseCannon]

Oh boy, we could use one more voter to break that tie!

 

[Jer]

Meanwhile that first Evanescence album is pretty alright, hey?

It is, but this track is from the second album...