The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 2, Matches 94-99
- Thread starter LooseCannon
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Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
What? No it's not. Run of the Mill is on Rocka Rolla.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
"Balls To The Wall" has an OK riff, but Udo sounds terrible, and the verse is all over the place. The pre-chorus almost has some appeal, but those awful backing vocals drag things down, and the chorus is simplistic and boring. The solo is OK, but with way too much noisy wailing. The spoken word interlude is actually better than most of the rest of the song. Yeah, that pretty much sucked. "More Than A Feeling" is a classic for good reason. The vocal lines are great, the gentle acoustic verses shift nicely into a heavier but still warm and inviting chorus, and the melodic guitar lead in the middle is reasonably epic and memorable. Brad Delp hits some amazing high notes here too. Not their very best, but still a great song. No contest here. Winner: Boston - "More Than A Feeling"
"Exciter" has a nice drum intro and some peppy riffage. The vocal lines are generally pretty good and the solos are good. The bridge is a little bizarre, but I think more interesting than weird. The harmonized bit after the second solo is a little unexpected, but enjoyable. The song runs a little longer than it should, and I wouldn't say it's great or anything, but it's pretty good overall. "The March Of The Black Queen" has strong vocal melodies and dynamics. I can't really stand the style of Queen's backing vocals, though. The guitar leads are generally good, though the dual lead parts don't always work here. The song structure is a little too complex for its own good. Checking the clock a little past the three and a half minute mark. The song gets significantly better when the rhythm becomes more driving, but overall this is definitely not my kind of jam. Sorry, @LooseCannon, but I prefer the list nominee here. Winner: Judas Priest - "Exciter"
"Stargazer" has an OK main riff. The vocal lines are good and Dio sounds great. I'm less thrilled with the backing synths. The extended guitar solo is nice, but it's not like it took me on a transformative journey or anything. The repetition is really starting to grate by the final minute of the song. Yeah, this is a good song and all, but it's far from a great one, and I'll never understand the collective circle jerk that ensues when people bring up this song or this album in conversation. "Fear Is The Key" has a nice driving groove with a sweet lead to kick things off. The singer sounds good here and the vocal melodies are strong. The slower-feel bridge is cool. Great solo, and the song slaps throughout. Call me a heretic, but sorry The MoossiderDJiDDotono5Bartienter, I'd honestly rather listen to @srfc's nominee if given the choice. Winner: Grand Magus - "Fear Is The Key"
"The Oath" starts with some nice creepy horror vibes, then gets a bonus point for the pipe organ. Things finally get moving with a pretty great riff that simplifies underneath the verse. King Diamond sounds pretty good for King Diamond here, and I like how he kind of swirls in and out against the high guitar leads. The music constantly changes up in interesting ways, with some nice injections of harmony and challenging rhythms. Cool solos, and I like the little bass fills they throw in there. Great stuff. "Hand Of Doom" is...fine, I guess. The vocal lines are OK, but nothing special. Same for the guitar parts. It turns into a completely different song at the 2 minute mark which is equally mediocre. About the only thing this track has going for it is the moodiness of its softer parts. Sorry, @DJ James, but this is an easy call for the list nominee. Winner: Mercyful Fate - "The Oath"
"Victim Of Changes" has a simple but appealing riff with a nice change-up. The verse melody isn't much to speak of, but the pre-chorus(?) is a little bit better. The aggressively-spoken-word bridge isn't anything to write home about, and the first solo is merely OK. The gentle bridge is much more appealing, and the final solo is good. I don't know, most of this song just treads water and isn't very interesting. "Atrum Regina" does some nice stuff with the guitar melodies and harmonies within the trilly black metal framework. The vocals are laughably awful, of course. Bonus point for including a tasteful bass solo, though. The song really wears out its welcome by the halfway mark, though the outro is better. Well, this is a lot closer than I would have guessed on the way in. Both songs run on too long, and the Dark Funeral track is more musically interesting, but it also has horrible vocals. I think the cardinal sin of the Judas Priest track is that it's even longer, but so much of it is just kind of boring. Sorry @Black Bart, but I'm going to vote against type and go for @Perun's nominee here. Winner: Dark Funeral - "Atrum Regina"
"Highway Star" has a nice driving groove and good vocal lines through the verse, but the pre-chorus sucks and the chorus is just OK. I do love the neoclassical organ break, though. The harmonized guitar interlude doesn't sound very good, but things improve as the melodies start to ascend, and the solo that follows is much better. I really don't like the ascending cut-off choruses at the end. I don't know, as many warm memories as I have of playing this song in Rock Band, it's a very mixed bag overall. "Cat Scratch Fever" is probably slang for whatever STD Ted Nugent got in the 70s that thoroughly slow-cooked his brain over the next 50 years, but as a song it's catchy, has a nice groove, and has self-indulgent but solid solos. It's not great, but it's solidly good, and sorry @DJMayes, but in this case I think that's enough to eke out a win. Winner: Ted Nugent - "Cat Scratch Fever"
"Exciter" has a nice drum intro and some peppy riffage. The vocal lines are generally pretty good and the solos are good. The bridge is a little bizarre, but I think more interesting than weird. The harmonized bit after the second solo is a little unexpected, but enjoyable. The song runs a little longer than it should, and I wouldn't say it's great or anything, but it's pretty good overall. "The March Of The Black Queen" has strong vocal melodies and dynamics. I can't really stand the style of Queen's backing vocals, though. The guitar leads are generally good, though the dual lead parts don't always work here. The song structure is a little too complex for its own good. Checking the clock a little past the three and a half minute mark. The song gets significantly better when the rhythm becomes more driving, but overall this is definitely not my kind of jam. Sorry, @LooseCannon, but I prefer the list nominee here. Winner: Judas Priest - "Exciter"
"Stargazer" has an OK main riff. The vocal lines are good and Dio sounds great. I'm less thrilled with the backing synths. The extended guitar solo is nice, but it's not like it took me on a transformative journey or anything. The repetition is really starting to grate by the final minute of the song. Yeah, this is a good song and all, but it's far from a great one, and I'll never understand the collective circle jerk that ensues when people bring up this song or this album in conversation. "Fear Is The Key" has a nice driving groove with a sweet lead to kick things off. The singer sounds good here and the vocal melodies are strong. The slower-feel bridge is cool. Great solo, and the song slaps throughout. Call me a heretic, but sorry The MoossiderDJiDDotono5Bartienter, I'd honestly rather listen to @srfc's nominee if given the choice. Winner: Grand Magus - "Fear Is The Key"
"The Oath" starts with some nice creepy horror vibes, then gets a bonus point for the pipe organ. Things finally get moving with a pretty great riff that simplifies underneath the verse. King Diamond sounds pretty good for King Diamond here, and I like how he kind of swirls in and out against the high guitar leads. The music constantly changes up in interesting ways, with some nice injections of harmony and challenging rhythms. Cool solos, and I like the little bass fills they throw in there. Great stuff. "Hand Of Doom" is...fine, I guess. The vocal lines are OK, but nothing special. Same for the guitar parts. It turns into a completely different song at the 2 minute mark which is equally mediocre. About the only thing this track has going for it is the moodiness of its softer parts. Sorry, @DJ James, but this is an easy call for the list nominee. Winner: Mercyful Fate - "The Oath"
"Victim Of Changes" has a simple but appealing riff with a nice change-up. The verse melody isn't much to speak of, but the pre-chorus(?) is a little bit better. The aggressively-spoken-word bridge isn't anything to write home about, and the first solo is merely OK. The gentle bridge is much more appealing, and the final solo is good. I don't know, most of this song just treads water and isn't very interesting. "Atrum Regina" does some nice stuff with the guitar melodies and harmonies within the trilly black metal framework. The vocals are laughably awful, of course. Bonus point for including a tasteful bass solo, though. The song really wears out its welcome by the halfway mark, though the outro is better. Well, this is a lot closer than I would have guessed on the way in. Both songs run on too long, and the Dark Funeral track is more musically interesting, but it also has horrible vocals. I think the cardinal sin of the Judas Priest track is that it's even longer, but so much of it is just kind of boring. Sorry @Black Bart, but I'm going to vote against type and go for @Perun's nominee here. Winner: Dark Funeral - "Atrum Regina"
"Highway Star" has a nice driving groove and good vocal lines through the verse, but the pre-chorus sucks and the chorus is just OK. I do love the neoclassical organ break, though. The harmonized guitar interlude doesn't sound very good, but things improve as the melodies start to ascend, and the solo that follows is much better. I really don't like the ascending cut-off choruses at the end. I don't know, as many warm memories as I have of playing this song in Rock Band, it's a very mixed bag overall. "Cat Scratch Fever" is probably slang for whatever STD Ted Nugent got in the 70s that thoroughly slow-cooked his brain over the next 50 years, but as a song it's catchy, has a nice groove, and has self-indulgent but solid solos. It's not great, but it's solidly good, and sorry @DJMayes, but in this case I think that's enough to eke out a win. Winner: Ted Nugent - "Cat Scratch Fever"
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
Yeah, not so much when listened to with truly fresh ears in 2024. Priest has a deep bench of better songs from the 70s, and Dio-era Rainbow has better songs too. Deep Purple has never really moved me, so I’m just going to shrug in their general direction.
Shit, I’d take “Detroit Rock City” over all three of these songs, and I don’t even like Kiss…
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I could maybe agree with you in spirit ("Stargazer" is great but a bit overrated on this forum, "Victim of Changes" is great but not quite perfect), but not when you voted for "Cat Scratch Fever" over "Highway Star" lol. The former is syphilis whining over a guitar and the latter is a pumping, layered banger. The guitar and synth work from Deep Purple alone would put this above Ted Nugent, and I'm quite partial to Ian Gillan's performance here as well.
Magnus
Pica Serdica
He was but that didn't mean the poll wouldn't close in due time.
Accept, Priest, not Dio, Mercyful Fate, Priest again (never thought I'd ever live to see Jer voting for Dark Funeral and me for the other one), don't like Ted Nugent at all but the DP song is gonna get too many votes anyway.
The Sentient
Trooper
Looking at how many members picked Stargazer, and how many of the lists it’s on, it has to be one of the most nominated songs so far. It’s really no surprise it’s sailing through.
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
I would love to be a contrarian but I think Rising is the best 70s album. Stargazer definitely isn't overrated either, although I would take Heep's July Morning over it.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
I’ve generally been in the “vote for the more metal song” when it comes to these classic rock matches, but sorry, More Than A Feeling is just far superior. Balls To the Wall is annoying as hell and a bad AC/DC impersonation.
I’m a fan of Queen’s pompous oddities, but Exciter is just way more fun. I’d kill to hear this song produced like actual metal instead of this dated time capsule, but the song still shines.
Grand Magus’ track is fine. I like it, even. However, the mighty Stargazer has entered the game and Fear Is The Key is certainly not one of the few songs in existence that can compete with it. Bye bye, Magus.
The Oath is super cool and packed with killer riffs from start to finish. Absolute cracker of an instrumental. Too bad about Mickey, though. Before Sabbath started playing, I was pretty convinced that the riffing strength of The Oath had won me over. But hot damn there is such power in Hand of Doom. It’s a perfectly executed song and every minute hits hard. Incredible dynamics. I forgot how amazing it is. I also forgot how much Clutch’s “Spacegrass” reminds me of it.
Victim of Changes, like Stargazer, is an absolute titan. The only flaw is the dated lyrics, but it’s just such a cool tune. Still rooted a lot more in blues rock than the metal they would pioneer, literally on the next track of the same album, but it’s a tour de force. Atrum Regina…is a black metal song.
Ending with another classic rock match and another very clear cut one. Highway Star absolutely slaps from start to finish. And most of all, and this is no small thing, it’s not. Fucking. Ted. Nugent.
I’m a fan of Queen’s pompous oddities, but Exciter is just way more fun. I’d kill to hear this song produced like actual metal instead of this dated time capsule, but the song still shines.
Grand Magus’ track is fine. I like it, even. However, the mighty Stargazer has entered the game and Fear Is The Key is certainly not one of the few songs in existence that can compete with it. Bye bye, Magus.
The Oath is super cool and packed with killer riffs from start to finish. Absolute cracker of an instrumental. Too bad about Mickey, though. Before Sabbath started playing, I was pretty convinced that the riffing strength of The Oath had won me over. But hot damn there is such power in Hand of Doom. It’s a perfectly executed song and every minute hits hard. Incredible dynamics. I forgot how amazing it is. I also forgot how much Clutch’s “Spacegrass” reminds me of it.
Victim of Changes, like Stargazer, is an absolute titan. The only flaw is the dated lyrics, but it’s just such a cool tune. Still rooted a lot more in blues rock than the metal they would pioneer, literally on the next track of the same album, but it’s a tour de force. Atrum Regina…is a black metal song.
Ending with another classic rock match and another very clear cut one. Highway Star absolutely slaps from start to finish. And most of all, and this is no small thing, it’s not. Fucking. Ted. Nugent.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Balls to the Wall is goofy lyrically (I think a lot of it comes down to language barrier really), but it has a great riff and groove. Beyond also being German, I feel Accept and Scorpions had a unique knack for keeping their music sufficiently heavy even when bringing on more commercial elements.
Exciter is one of the heaviest things of its time and, outside of production, holds up against any of Priest’s later material. Early Queen isn’t anything to discount either though.
Stargazer is a known juggernaut. The way Dio brings in fantasy lyrics is probably my favorite example in the 70s. Uriah Heep has good lyrics in this realm but the music doesn’t always match, while Rush is a little too heady. Rainbow’s Stargazer strikes a perfect balance with appropriate heaviness and a simple yet fantastical story that perfectly fits the music. I try not to get too music theory heavy in these posts, but I also think the use of the Phrygian dominant scale is a pretty good example of Metal moving beyond the blues and taking more classical/Eastern European influences that would eventually define the genre. This also won’t be the last example in the game of Blackmore pushing the genre forward in this way, see also Highway Star.
Going with The Oath on a whim, can go either way on that one but Hand of Doom meanders a little too much for me.
Victim of Changes is pretty essential. The main riff is simple, but the variations in song structure turned a simple idea into an early example of Metal’s more progressive tendencies. Songs like these as well as a lot of early Sabbath show that prog rock, hard rock, and heavy metal were all drawing from the same honey pot initially. The Unleashed in the East version really beefs up the energy, I like the faster tempo and more present drums.
Similar to Stargazer, Highway Star does a lot of new stuff that would become genre staple. Normally a song like this would have a bluesy break with a pedestrian guitar solo (see Cat Scratch Fever). Instead we get this amazing neoclassical shred fest. Blackmore is so ahead of his time here and the solo still holds up as a rock guitar benchmark, probably my favorite Blackmore solo on a studio recording (incidentally Stargazer comes close). Of course a song is more than its instrumental and Ian Gillan’s shrieking is a perfect complement to the fast riffing.
Exciter is one of the heaviest things of its time and, outside of production, holds up against any of Priest’s later material. Early Queen isn’t anything to discount either though.
Stargazer is a known juggernaut. The way Dio brings in fantasy lyrics is probably my favorite example in the 70s. Uriah Heep has good lyrics in this realm but the music doesn’t always match, while Rush is a little too heady. Rainbow’s Stargazer strikes a perfect balance with appropriate heaviness and a simple yet fantastical story that perfectly fits the music. I try not to get too music theory heavy in these posts, but I also think the use of the Phrygian dominant scale is a pretty good example of Metal moving beyond the blues and taking more classical/Eastern European influences that would eventually define the genre. This also won’t be the last example in the game of Blackmore pushing the genre forward in this way, see also Highway Star.
Going with The Oath on a whim, can go either way on that one but Hand of Doom meanders a little too much for me.
Victim of Changes is pretty essential. The main riff is simple, but the variations in song structure turned a simple idea into an early example of Metal’s more progressive tendencies. Songs like these as well as a lot of early Sabbath show that prog rock, hard rock, and heavy metal were all drawing from the same honey pot initially. The Unleashed in the East version really beefs up the energy, I like the faster tempo and more present drums.
Similar to Stargazer, Highway Star does a lot of new stuff that would become genre staple. Normally a song like this would have a bluesy break with a pedestrian guitar solo (see Cat Scratch Fever). Instead we get this amazing neoclassical shred fest. Blackmore is so ahead of his time here and the solo still holds up as a rock guitar benchmark, probably my favorite Blackmore solo on a studio recording (incidentally Stargazer comes close). Of course a song is more than its instrumental and Ian Gillan’s shrieking is a perfect complement to the fast riffing.
More Than A Feeling really isn't metal, and Boston's self titled is one of my favourite albums of all time, but what are we doing here? That said, Balls to the Wall isn't great, either. Accept has much better tracks and this one becoming the iconic Accept track leaves me scratching my head. Still, you can see both the thrashy and rock influences, and the stuff that will filter through into power metal. Reluctant but very real vote for Accept here.
Stained Class is my top Priest album, and Exciter is a really good album off that track, but I'm still gonna own-nominee bias and toss Queen a vote here.
Fear is the Key is a really good song, one of the better I've heard of Grand Magus, though I don't pretend to be a connoisseur. It'd win a few of these matchups, but not this one. Stargazer is a true giant. Some songs are giants because they do it first, which Stargazer did. But some songs are giants because they do it best, which...Stargazer also does. Rainbow isn't always a metal band, but this song absolutely is, with some great Blackmore leads and some killer Dio vocals. Monster song, one of the best metal tracks of all time.
Mercyful Fate can sometimes be fun, and The Oath is definitely a fun track. I find my head bobbing along the whole time, really enjoying what it has to offer. Sure, KD can be a little much. I think Mercyful Fate gets lumped in with the early death/black scene too much, because this stuff has the foundations of both that and power metal. What a highly influential band. And it's a good song. Hand of Doom is a lesser Sabbath for me, so a pretty easy vote for Mercyful Fate.
Victim of Changes is almost essential to understanding heavy metal as a concept. It's still got the early blues sound, but a heavy, crunchy riff that rolls on forever. Early Halford is great. Dark Funeral is not my jam. Judas Priest.
Highway Star is very similar to my comment above for Stargazer. Deep Purple isn't always metal, in fact, it rarely is, but Highway Star absolutely is a formative track in metal, and it absolutely fucking whips. Meanwhile Ted Nugent noodles about on his guitar while skipping the draft. I'm fine with skipping the draft but it's the method of his madness that gets me. Deep Purple.
Stained Class is my top Priest album, and Exciter is a really good album off that track, but I'm still gonna own-nominee bias and toss Queen a vote here.
Fear is the Key is a really good song, one of the better I've heard of Grand Magus, though I don't pretend to be a connoisseur. It'd win a few of these matchups, but not this one. Stargazer is a true giant. Some songs are giants because they do it first, which Stargazer did. But some songs are giants because they do it best, which...Stargazer also does. Rainbow isn't always a metal band, but this song absolutely is, with some great Blackmore leads and some killer Dio vocals. Monster song, one of the best metal tracks of all time.
Mercyful Fate can sometimes be fun, and The Oath is definitely a fun track. I find my head bobbing along the whole time, really enjoying what it has to offer. Sure, KD can be a little much. I think Mercyful Fate gets lumped in with the early death/black scene too much, because this stuff has the foundations of both that and power metal. What a highly influential band. And it's a good song. Hand of Doom is a lesser Sabbath for me, so a pretty easy vote for Mercyful Fate.
Victim of Changes is almost essential to understanding heavy metal as a concept. It's still got the early blues sound, but a heavy, crunchy riff that rolls on forever. Early Halford is great. Dark Funeral is not my jam. Judas Priest.
Highway Star is very similar to my comment above for Stargazer. Deep Purple isn't always metal, in fact, it rarely is, but Highway Star absolutely is a formative track in metal, and it absolutely fucking whips. Meanwhile Ted Nugent noodles about on his guitar while skipping the draft. I'm fine with skipping the draft but it's the method of his madness that gets me. Deep Purple.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Very easy round. Big metal classics entered.
Balls To The Wall, no contest. Timeless riff.
Exciter is pure speed metal and I love that.
Stargazer! One of the greatest songs ever.
Hand Of Doom is one of Black Sabbath's songs with the best groove for me.
Victim Of Changes, no contest. Early epic metal song.
Highway Star is a rock/metal classic.
Edit: my favorite metal songs aren't usually from the 70's, but these have stood the test of time!
Balls To The Wall, no contest. Timeless riff.
Exciter is pure speed metal and I love that.
Stargazer! One of the greatest songs ever.
Hand Of Doom is one of Black Sabbath's songs with the best groove for me.
Victim Of Changes, no contest. Early epic metal song.
Highway Star is a rock/metal classic.
Edit: my favorite metal songs aren't usually from the 70's, but these have stood the test of time!
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Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Everything about “More Than a Feeling” is perfect. My partner and I heard it just last night when we were out at dinner and it’s one of those tracks that you can’t help slipping away to every time you hear it. I’m glad it’s getting the love it deserves but at the end of the day, “Balls to the Wall” is also a classic with a killer riff and an iconic chorus and does not deserve to be derided like some of you are doing. Just Accept it, man.
Time to start knocking Queen out one song at a time. “Exciter” is an excellent precursor to speed metal and one of the finest song’s on Priest’s first truly metal record.
There’s a part of me that wants to vote for Grand Magus just to be contrarian but dammit, it is not at all the competition that “Stargazer” would need to get defeated. The song is majestic, powerful, epic in scope. As strong as Dio’s performance is, it’s the rest of the musicians that really always get me, with that cool as hell drum intro, heavy riff, and drawn-out guitar solo. My one issue with this song is probably that Dio’s vocalizations at the end go on a hair too long, but that’s no reason to vote against Rainbow.
“Hand of Doom” is a great song, don’t get me wrong, but Sabbath have plenty of great songs in this game already. Based on musicianship alone, “The Oath” is metal in a completely different league. It’s kind of the epic of Don’t Break the Oath, but what “Satan’s Fall” did in eleven minutes it does in seven and far less disjointedly. This is one of those songs that played a big roll in my formative metal days. I was gripped by the creepy intro an then hooked by the fiery guitar. If you wanted me to describe the flames of Hell musically, I’d point you to Hank Sherman and Michael Denner’s work on this song. It’s so good. Yeah, King Diamond is wailing about like a demented soul, but it just adds to the camp. This is a song about swearing an oath to Satan, might as well make it feel a little tongue-in-cheek. But yeah, there is no way in hell that I can vote against Mercyful Fate here. This song is fantastic.
I would vote against “Victim of Changes” if we had a better extreme metal opponent here. I’m not even necessarily over the moon with the first act of the song; it’s catchy but also plods a little. But by the time it’s evolved through that quieter piece and the music has built up enough to let Halford unleash his pipes like a bazooka, it’s truly transformed into something magical. Judas Priest.
No way in hell am I voting for Ted Nugent over possibly Deep Purple’s best song. If this doesn’t get you pumped then frankly I don’t think you listen to music to enjoy it.
Time to start knocking Queen out one song at a time. “Exciter” is an excellent precursor to speed metal and one of the finest song’s on Priest’s first truly metal record.
There’s a part of me that wants to vote for Grand Magus just to be contrarian but dammit, it is not at all the competition that “Stargazer” would need to get defeated. The song is majestic, powerful, epic in scope. As strong as Dio’s performance is, it’s the rest of the musicians that really always get me, with that cool as hell drum intro, heavy riff, and drawn-out guitar solo. My one issue with this song is probably that Dio’s vocalizations at the end go on a hair too long, but that’s no reason to vote against Rainbow.
“Hand of Doom” is a great song, don’t get me wrong, but Sabbath have plenty of great songs in this game already. Based on musicianship alone, “The Oath” is metal in a completely different league. It’s kind of the epic of Don’t Break the Oath, but what “Satan’s Fall” did in eleven minutes it does in seven and far less disjointedly. This is one of those songs that played a big roll in my formative metal days. I was gripped by the creepy intro an then hooked by the fiery guitar. If you wanted me to describe the flames of Hell musically, I’d point you to Hank Sherman and Michael Denner’s work on this song. It’s so good. Yeah, King Diamond is wailing about like a demented soul, but it just adds to the camp. This is a song about swearing an oath to Satan, might as well make it feel a little tongue-in-cheek. But yeah, there is no way in hell that I can vote against Mercyful Fate here. This song is fantastic.
I would vote against “Victim of Changes” if we had a better extreme metal opponent here. I’m not even necessarily over the moon with the first act of the song; it’s catchy but also plods a little. But by the time it’s evolved through that quieter piece and the music has built up enough to let Halford unleash his pipes like a bazooka, it’s truly transformed into something magical. Judas Priest.
No way in hell am I voting for Ted Nugent over possibly Deep Purple’s best song. If this doesn’t get you pumped then frankly I don’t think you listen to music to enjoy it.
srfc
Ancient Mariner
Accept - Balls to the Wall vs. Boston - More Than a Feeling
I love Balls to the Wall, the main riff is great, but the one that goes unnoticed in the chorus may be even better. It's not in the league of More Than a Feeling, not many songs are. More Than a Feeling
Judas Priest - Exciter vs. Queen - The March of the Black Queen
Not a huge fan of Queen bar their hit singles, tried a few albums but too off the wall for me, this track would fall under the category of off the wall but quite good. Exciter is a track that is great if a little corny, I think there's far better but less appreciated songs on Stained Class, still wins this tie easily. Exciter
Rainbow - Stargazer vs. Grand Magus - Fear is the Key
I've seen a few comments from people saying that they've enjoyed this track more than the usual Grand Magus stuff that's popped up in the game, and for these people I would suggest checking out Iron Will and Hammer of the North which, although I like all the subsequent albums they've released, those two albums are the peak of the band. Obviously, I'm voting for Stargazer though FFS Stargazer
Mercyful Fate - The Oath vs. Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom
I think Don't Break The Oath is a decent album but a step down from Melissa, it doesn't have the memorable tracks, I literally had to press play before I knew which one this was. I'd have nominated A Dangerous Meeting or maybe Desecration of Souls if I was forced to nominate one track from the album. Either one would still probably lose to Hand of Doom though. Hand of Doom
Judas Priest - Victim of Changes vs. Dark Funeral - Atrum Regina
Dark Funeral basically has my standard criticism of the vocals and drums being a deal breaker, Victim of Changes is a strong contender for Priest's best track. Victim of Changes
Deep Purple - Highway Star vs. Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
Cat Scratch Fever has some questionable lyrics but the riff is great and there's some groovy turnarounds in there as well, a tasty solo too. Highway Star leaves it in it's dust though. Highway Star
I love Balls to the Wall, the main riff is great, but the one that goes unnoticed in the chorus may be even better. It's not in the league of More Than a Feeling, not many songs are. More Than a Feeling
Judas Priest - Exciter vs. Queen - The March of the Black Queen
Not a huge fan of Queen bar their hit singles, tried a few albums but too off the wall for me, this track would fall under the category of off the wall but quite good. Exciter is a track that is great if a little corny, I think there's far better but less appreciated songs on Stained Class, still wins this tie easily. Exciter
Rainbow - Stargazer vs. Grand Magus - Fear is the Key
I've seen a few comments from people saying that they've enjoyed this track more than the usual Grand Magus stuff that's popped up in the game, and for these people I would suggest checking out Iron Will and Hammer of the North which, although I like all the subsequent albums they've released, those two albums are the peak of the band. Obviously, I'm voting for Stargazer though FFS Stargazer
Mercyful Fate - The Oath vs. Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom
I think Don't Break The Oath is a decent album but a step down from Melissa, it doesn't have the memorable tracks, I literally had to press play before I knew which one this was. I'd have nominated A Dangerous Meeting or maybe Desecration of Souls if I was forced to nominate one track from the album. Either one would still probably lose to Hand of Doom though. Hand of Doom
Judas Priest - Victim of Changes vs. Dark Funeral - Atrum Regina
Dark Funeral basically has my standard criticism of the vocals and drums being a deal breaker, Victim of Changes is a strong contender for Priest's best track. Victim of Changes
Deep Purple - Highway Star vs. Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
Cat Scratch Fever has some questionable lyrics but the riff is great and there's some groovy turnarounds in there as well, a tasty solo too. Highway Star leaves it in it's dust though. Highway Star
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
While I don’t doubt that some people genuinely enjoy these songs more than everything that’s come out since, I think a lot of people are handicapping them based on historical significance and aren’t actually doing a clear-headed comparison based on the raw musical merits.
Later songs may be standing on the shoulders of these songs, but that doesn’t mean that they’re unable to surpass them. I mean, it’s not like we’re all sitting around listening to Big Joe Turner and talking about how his best songs are untouchable classics that beat all rock songs of today.
“Stargazer” is merely good with some great parts, “Victim Of Changes” is kind of boring, and “Highway Star” can’t really stand up to any reasonably good driving metal song from the 80s or beyond, aside from that neoclassical solo. Take off the rose-colored headphones, people…!