The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 4, Matches 34-39

[MrKnickerbocker]

@LooseCannon - just a heads up that Disciples of the Watch links to the rerecorded version 2001. I personally think it sounds way better, but I'm sure many purists would be swayed by the original version (which does include a nice intro).

 

[LooseCannon]

@LooseCannon - just a heads up that Disciples of the Watch links to the rerecorded version 2001. I personally think it sounds way better, but I'm sure many purists would be swayed by the original version (which does include a nice intro).

That video doesn't work for me.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

I've lost all faith, hope and enjoyment in any future Iced Earth recordings, but The Coming Curse is a masterwork and easily one of my favorite songs they've ever done. Disciples of the Watch is also one of Testament's best (and that instrumental section is absolutely incredible), so this vote stinks, but Coming Curse means more to me.

Unleash The Archers over every Linkin Park song ever.

Rapid Fire is overrated and there's too much Priest around this game anyway. The Scarecrow is probably Avantasia's best song. I love the Celtic vibes and the chorus is a heavy hitter. Plus, Jørn chewing scenery is almost as good as Russell Allen chewing scenery.

Theocracy has good music, but the keyboard synths are even weaker than 90s Symphony X and the vocalist sounds like he recorded his lower register vocals sitting at his office desk. Considering these weaknesses, it's still a pretty solid tune. The Celtic section in the middle is fun, especially the vocal arrangement (even though, once again, the quality of the vocals is a little weak), and the ludicrous swing into Eastern/atonal tonalities that follow with those wacky guitar parts is endearing. It's not a refined composition, but it's a great ride. I've voted for Thin Lizzy enough and, although Roisin Dubh is certainly a superior song that I will relisten to more, I Am voting for Theocracy.

I would vote for the sounds of all five Symphony X members taking a massive shit into a bucket of broken glass before I'd vote for Pierce The Veil.

Harvester of Sorrow is an all time classic metal song and one of Metallica's best. It's time for Amy Lee to see herself out.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

That video doesn't work for me.

Blame Canada.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

I'm quite okay with the original version of the Testament track, but The Coming Curse is really a beast. I'm still not exactly an IE fan in general (most of their albums so far leave me cold), but when it works, it works, this is a truly epic, aggressive, catchy song. This is a song that hints and nudges me at what other people see in that band.

Hahahaha, no. Archers.

Rapid Fire is one of the songs on Steel that doesn't do much for me, being of the less memorable sort; nothing they Sammett ever did past the first two albums comes close to the power metal perfection I expect from Avantasia, but Scarecrow is a really good song for such a downward slide and definitely gets my vote here.

The next match is really tough, I'd almost be inclined to vote against my nominee here, but I Am goes places and still thrills me after all these years - the multi-vocal part in the middle is impressive, considering the fact that this is their first album as a proper band (the first album was all recorded by Matt Smith alone, the second one as a trio, with Smith still supplying the bulk of the instruments), this is yet impressiver. I suppose it is kinda this underground take on Dream Theater, including the busy part in the second half, but that's a pro for me, not a con.

Like, I realise I repeat myself, but

So, like I said above, I nominated I Am because I think it's an absolutely beautiful song, in fact it's on a somewhat different level even compared to the - rather sublime - As the World Bleeds album and their discography in general.
IF you want to sing about YHWH, "I am that I am", the capo di tutti capi, you should bring your A-game ... and they did. Matt Smith has an admirable range and flexibility in his voice (fun fact: he also recorded the entire first album of the band by himself, though here by As the World Bleeds they were a regular band already) and especially the the multi-part harmony section is genuinely awe-inspiring. The sound is tight, the rhythm section packs a punch, there's nice lead guitar galore, the Celtic prancing, the short Dream Theateresque wankery and although it's multi-part and shifts in tempo, it is masterfully crafted - the changes are all really fluent, the song makes sense, it's ridiculously catchy, it's just...

HAHAHAHAHAHA what the actual fuck. I admit, there's some band bias here (although we got into a somewhat nasty exchange with Loosey because I was criticising this particular album in the album cup - and I still think the Symph X fandom does tend to overrate this one quite a bit, but I've made my peace with that) - but Fallen is literally my favourite shorter Symph X song - the riff, the way Allen builds up to the chorus, it's just *chef's kiss* - whereas Pierce the Veil is literally the only song on Earth that should never have existed. The fact that you wankers didn't eliminate this acoustic representation of a pedophiliac drying machine in the qualifying round is a crime against humanity. Thanks, I have a headache now.


More or less everything I said about My Immortal is still true

Man, besides the fact my wife would probably kill me on the spot if she found out I voted for My Immortal of all things, I still get PTSD from this song since the day it was everywhere and especially on every "I'm so special, running mascara with tears, crying angels" MySpace teenage girl's ringtone.
Which reminds me - have you lot read (or read of) the infamous My Immortal fanfic? Its bile-fascination appeal hasn't been mitigated even with the passing years, really, and
"Hi my name is Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way and I have long ebony black hair (that's how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like Amy Lee (AN: if u don't know who she is get da hell out of here!)."

That said, beyond stating the obvious and overlooking the second life of the song, it's really just a somewhat nice piano ballad that on its own would be pretty inoffensive, but has been overplayed and overused, sucking the subtle charm it once may have had right out of it. For what it's worth, I like Dream Theater's homage Answer Lies Within much more.

Also, nobody will convince me it wasn't Amy Lee in particular (and not, for example, Vanessa Carlton) who was seminal in giving us the likes of Christina fucking Perri, aka the eleventh curse Moses decided not to set loose upon the poor Pharaoh after all, 'cause that'd be too cruel.

and since it is not pitted against Five Finger Fisting Sniff anymore, but fucking Tullica, I go with 'Tullica, man.

 

[Saapanael]

BTW, this Saap's post from one of the last pages of the Greatest Metal Album Cup



still feel poignant in this game, methinks.

That said, we really got better with the personal attacks and the arguments and the meanness in the meantime, mates, this is a much more pleasant game throughout (thankfully I collected everything Opeth there, don't need to revisit the older thread anymore)

Wow, that’s such an old post, but I remember where it came from.
Also, thanks for reminding me of this game, I’ve missed a million rounds but I should get back to it, let off some steam and discover some new music.

 

[Brigantium]

DAMN I meant to vote for Metallica not Evanescence. Can that vote be counted the right way?

 

[Brigantium]

I'm fond of Evanesence, but less so that particular song

 

[JudasMyGuide]

DAMN I meant to vote for Metallica not Evanescence. Can that vote be counted the right way?

No, 'cause Loosey hates us and wants to see us suffer.

 

[LooseCannon]

The rules are specific on this matter.

 

[The Sentient]

DAMN I meant to vote for Metallica not Evanescence. Can that vote be counted the right way?

I was torn on that one, but voted Metallica for you just to restore forum equilibrium.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

1. The Coming Curse is a top tier Iced Earth track. Nothing against Testament but they’re outclassed here. I’m eagerly awaiting Jon Schaffer’s eventual return to the world of music.

2. Can we get rid of Linkin Park already? They have no place in this game, while Unleash the Archers is one of the best “newer” bands out there.

3. The Scarecrow is Avantasia’s crowning achievement, and I would vote for this song over any Priest track.

4. Gotta give it to Theocracy, although I like both songs.

5. As @MrKnickerbocker so eloquently stated, Michael Romeo has had bowel movements that sound better than Pierce the Veil… and Fallen is far from my favorite Symphony X song.

6. Evanescence, much like Linkin Park, needs to go the way of the Quetzalcoatlus northropi. As for Metallica, this was my favorite song of theirs for years, and an absolute brutal stomper.

 

[Kalata]

Iced Earth, by default. The music is strong, great melodies and effective verses (chorus?). Coming Curse feels epic.
LP's Faint is very effective. UTA have better songs imo.
Rapid Fire. One of those cases when I prefer the short song. Classic NWOBH piece. Avantasia's Scarecrow is cool, interesting and class ofc.
Lizzy's Roisin Dubh, the melodies are enough.
Symphony X's Fallen, no contest. Such mystical sounding songs are always interesting.
My Immortal is such a beautiful ballad, but Metallica's riffs in Harvester Of Sorrow are just too good.

 

[LooseCannon]

Votes were removed from 3 matches this round due to a poster's inability to follow the rules. This has changed no outcomes.

Iced Earth's curse came for Testament, for sure. Unleash the Archers has condemned Linkin Park to an abyss (in which they have found a new singer, who apparently loves Danny Masterson and Scientology, this is going to be fun to tangentially follow for a few months). Rapid fire couldn't help Judas Priest put down Avantasia. Maybe Thin Lizzy is a rock legend but Theocracy, uh...am. King for a vote, more like it as Symphony X trounces Pierce the Veil. And good news @Brigantium, your own goal didn't matter, Metallica took the last match in a walk.

---

Part II, Round 4, Matches 16-21
​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 16​	Rime of the Ancient Mariner Division​
AC/DC - Sin City	vs.​	Blind Guardian - Thorn​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	@JudasMyGuide​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -13	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 17​	Fear of the Dark Division​
Arcturus - The Throne of Tragedy	vs.​	Avenged Sevenfold - Afterlife​
@Magnus	Nominators​	@KidInTheDark666​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -11	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 18​	Murders in the Rue Morgue Division​
Death - 1000 Eyes	vs.​	Bon Jovi - Livin' On a Prayer​
@KiDDo	Nominators​	Radio EHS 100​
0-0-1, 1 pts, +0	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 19​	Kevin Shirley Division​
Tool - The Pot	vs.​	Deep Purple - Hush​
Best Music Art 100	Nominators​	Radio EHS 100​
1-0-0, 2 pts, +4	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 20​	Wildest Dreams Division​
Rammstein - Feuer Frei	vs.​	Meshuggah - Future Breed Machine​
Youtube 50	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -18	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 21​	Empire of the Clouds Division​
Kampfar - Rekviem	vs.​	Metallica - Damage Inc​
@Night Prowler	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -10	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Shmoolikipod]

Maybe Thin Lizzy is a rock legend but Theocracy, uh...am.

This is divine confirmation voting for them was the right choice.
Friday radio was on and I thought "wow, this song is so Linkin Park", then bam actual Linkin Park. I haven't looked into the drama but the song is fire!

 

[____no5]

Votes were removed from 3 matches this round due to a poster's inability to follow the rules. This has changed no outcomes.

What rules? Could you tell us that?
It doesn't hurt to reveal without revealing the poster. As a matter of fact it would educate us. I for one, don't remember any rule that would have removal of votes as a consequence.

 

[____no5]

DAMN I meant to vote for Metallica not Evanescence. Can that vote be counted the right way?

Own goals count this was clear from the start and a nice rule to have.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

What rules? Could you tell us that?
It doesn't hurt to reveal without revealing the poster. As a matter of fact it would educate us. I for one, don't remember any rule that would have removal of votes as a consequence.

Loosey has repeated several times in the past that he wishes us to vote in all matches, then removed the votes of someone who actually voted for both songs in a single match (I still have no idea what was that supposed to mean, tbh) and after further repeats and being ignored he set it as a rule and said he would remove such votes. Then he started doing it.

Now, I don't personally agree with such a drastic change of rules in the middle of the cup from what was at first simply a plea; especially with the removal of votes - I think he should therefore go back and remove all "wrong" votes in the past retrospectively - but it is a long term situation that has been clarified repeatedly in the past, so it's really nothing obscure.

(for the record, I also don't like this attitude "I'm not listening to half the songs" - that was already the problem in the albums cup - but forcing to vote for everything leads just to people voting randomly in the matches where they couldn't be bothered to listen to either, which doesn't really help anything, but okay, I guess)

 

[LooseCannon]

Now, I don't personally agree with such a drastic change of rules in the middle of the cup from what was at first simply a plea; especially with the removal of votes - I think he should therefore go back and remove all "wrong" votes in the past retrospectively - but it is a long term situation that has been clarified repeatedly in the past, so it's really nothing obscure.

I would do this if I had a record of who voted where. Otherwise I can only see where the imbalance is but not who participated in it.

 

[Kalata]

Sin City is solid AC/DC, but not one of my favorites. BG's Thorn sounds majestic, which is something one should expect from a power metal song. Effective chorus vocals and great great melodies.
Avenged Sevenfold, by default. And the song is cool, that early 2000's vibe.
Bon Jovi's Livin' On A Prayer. I like the style a lot more and the song is a glam metal classic.
Purple, no doubt. Hush is old school fun.
Metallica's Damage Inc. Again, no doubt. Classic and effective thrash.