The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 4, Matches 100-105

[Mosh]

Very easy round. Thanks LC for allowing us to ease back into this with historically obvious choices:

Thin Lizzy over Saxon probably band bias more than anything else, although I've always liked this deeper Lizzy cut. The Saxon isn't terrible, but I think I'm coming to grips with the fact that I think this band is horribly mediocre even by NWOBHM standards. They have some gems in the back half of their career though.

Snowblind is one that could barrel itself deep into the last stage of this game. What a riff!

Burning Times is kinda like Iced Earth's Aces High. Very simple, very immediate, probably has a bit of additional status for opening up an all time classic live album. And, like Aces High, I don't think it's the best representation of this band, the album it's on, or even the live album it's on. Avantasia just isn't my thing. I won't be mad if it squeaks out a win, but Burning Times is probably only beatable by another Iced Earth song of similar caliber.

Death lmao.

Wheel of Time could also be lmao, but Communication Breakdown is a more respectable opponent.

Call of Ktulu LMFAO (no offense Perun)

 

[Kalata]

Thin Lizzy's Don't Believe A Word is a melodic class (early Maiden vibe), but Saxon's 747 (Strangers In The Night) catchy and better for me.
Black Sabbath's Snowblind is nice and typical in a good way (that drumming), Heep's Look At Yourself has nice melodies, evenly matched, but I chose the former because of the riffs.
Short vs long song is tough. Avantasia's Raven Child is impressive, catchy, melodic and with a lot of stuff going on (the structure is typical), but IE's Burning Times is for me an example of a heavier metal done right.
Communication Breakdown is a classic groovy and cool rock and while I'm not a big fan of BG, Wheel Of Time is simply better. Lasts an impression with its great medieval music. Which deserves a praise.
The Call Of Ktulu, no contest. Quality instrumental and music. The vibe is appropriate.

 

[Shmoolikipod]

I like Thin Lizzy more.

Both options are fine, Uriah Heep I guess.

Burning Times is some levels above Raven Child, second best song on Something Wicked (after The Coming Curse).

Nothing wrong with Smells Like Teen Spirit, but come on. Death

I have won again, Lews Zeppelin.

Easy Ktulu. I'm beginning to like Ride On

 

[Diesel 11]

Poto, Kalata, Jer, and Kidinthedark666

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

Lizzy
Sabbath
traitorous dickbag
Death
Hansi
Cthulhu

 

[srfc]

Won't get a listen, so will have to wing it on a couple of these ties.

Strangers in the Night is great but loses marks for the arrangement at the end. Don't Believe a Word is a classic, the 1-2-3 punch of Cowboy Song/Boys are Back/Don't Believe a Word being the best moment on the best ever live album
Don't know the Heap track but would be surprised if I like it more than one of Sabbath's very best
Don't know either but I think I remember the Iced Earth having a decent groove and the cliche's being at a lower than usual level for them
Don't know the Death one, and dislike Nirvana, but all things being equal Smells like Teen Spirit is a great track that I was into when it was out
Don't know Blind Guardian track but most of what I've heard from them is from the bottom of the barrel of euro metal cliches, Communication Breakdown kicks ass
I'm going to give Ride On a charity vote. It's a great cover, making a metal version of a song from a different genre usually goes tits up but they did this one well. Mustaines riff is better in Hanger 18 and Ktulu loses focus at the end

 

[LooseCannon]

Don't believe a word of what Saxon said, because they lost to Thin Lizzy. Black Sabbath has made it so Uriah Heep can't even look at themselves in the snow. It's time to burn the raven child (along with Jon Schaffer's relationships with his fellow traitors since he turned states' evidence on them) as Iced Earth wins. There's no lack of comprehension in understanding a Death victory over Nirvana. The wheel of time has crushed Led Zeppelin for Blind Guardian. Metallica rides on with a near-shutout.

---

Part II, Round 4, Matches 94-99
​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 94​	Paul Cairns Division​
Amon Amarth - The Pursuit of Vikings	vs.​	Dark Millennium - Beyond the Dragon's Eye​
@KiDDo	Nominators​	@Magnus​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 95​	Derek Riggs Division​
Rush - Working Man	vs.​	Manowar - Blood of My Enemies​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 96​	The Legacy Division​
Motörhead - I'm the Doctor	vs.​	Black Sabbath - Hole in the Sky​
@DJ James	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -8	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 97​	Maiden England Division​
Y&T - Mean Streak	vs.​	Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along the Watchtower​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	Popoff 500, Radio EHS 100​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 98​	Rainmaker Division​
Liquid Tension Experiment - Universal Mind	vs.​	Judas Priest - Between the Hammer and the Anvil​
@Stardust	Nominators​	@KidInTheDark666​
0-0-0, 0 pts, -5	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 99​	Bruce Dickinson Division​
Insomnium - Heart Like a Grave	vs.​	Dream Theater - The Test That Stumped Them All​
@Night Prowler	Nominators​	Best Music Art 100​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -7	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Diesel 11]

@Magnus bias.

I want to vote for proper metal songs over non-metal songs, but Manowar have gone and made me vote for Rush.

I generally prefer Sabbath over Motorhead but there are too many Sabbath songs in this game and I'd rather support a song a person nominated.

Y&T is closer to metal than Hendrix is, even though "All Along the Watchtower" is an utter classic.

Judas Motherfucking Priest. Great song.

@Night Prowler bias.

 

[Kalata]

Some thoughts:

Rush's Working Man is a pure classic, what a playing, but it's almost an instrumental. Manowar's Blood Of My Enemies is one of their most effective heavy songs. The chorus is so good.

Holy In The Sky is such a cool 70's Black Sabbath song. Groove metal! Unique vibe, great riff.

Y&T's Mean Streak is classic hard rock. That intro! Catchy and great playing.

Between The Hammer & The Anvil is classic (mid-tempo) Priest. A winner from 1990, underrated from the album, I'd say.

Not a fan of this Dream Theater song.

 

[srfc]

Dark Millennium track is blocked for me, and I can't find another video of it. I searched for my previous comments about it and all I say is that it's decent enough. On that basis I'll have to vote for Amon Amarth, which isn't great but I've got more to go on for that track

Blood of my Enemies is the sort of groove that Manowar are best in, but this track ain't great. Working Man is pretty good and early-Sabbathy

I'm the Doctor is pretty good, but Hole in the Sky is a behemoth

Mean Streak is a nice listen for a track I wasn't familiar with beforehand, I've enjoyed it in every round it's been in, but All Along the Watchtower is unquestionably the best track in the round

Liquid Tension Experiment wasn't the sort of thing I would have any interest it, Between the Hammer and the Anvil is a classic Priest track

Insomnium was pretty good apart from the ludicrous vocals, DT track not great but at least it wasn't a half hour as usual

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

The Pursuit of Vikings is one of the best AA songs and that riff is perfect.

Working Man is not metal. But it is 1000% times better than the best Manowar song.

Motorhead, even though I don't like the song, but mostly because we've had enough Sabbath thank you very much.

Y&T, I guess.

LTE are fun, but Judas Priest easily have the better song here.

I love Dream Theater, but this song doesn't belong here. It's one of the better parts of a larger whole, but I think that larger whole is pretty overrated anyway. Insomnium.

 

[____no5]

The second song from each contest.

 

[Mosh]

The Pursuit of Vikings rips, I just couldn't really get into Dark Millennium unfortunately.

Call it a protest vote, but wimps and poseurs should leave the hall. That includes Rush, sorry.

Hole in the Sky is an absolute classic. Tough break for Motorhead.

Y&T vs Hendrix is a battle between songs that don't really seem to belong in this game, but one song is clearly better than the other. Easy win for Jimi there.

Love LTE, love Universal Mind, but Between the Hammer and the Anvil is such a banger. One of Priest's best.

Luckily, I get to vote for the Rudess/Petrucci/Portnoy teamup in the next round with Test That Stumped Them All. One of DT's most relentlessly heavy tracks with some great riffing. One of the few examples of DT keeping it tight and concise without compromising the signature proggy technicality. Very nice blend.

 

[Shmoolikipod]

Oh snap, forgot about this one. Rush, Hendrix for sure. I love Universal Mind but Between the Hammer and the Anvil is my favourite Priest song. Not voting for an eighth of a song tonight, Insomnium. And I guess you can't go wrong with Motorhead and Amon Amarth.

 

[LooseCannon]

The Vikings of Amon Amarth have been pursued beyond a dragon's eye. Whatever that means. Manowar doesn't work hard enough to beat Rush. Black Sabbath has thrown the doctor through the hole in the sky. You'll need more than a mean streak to beat Jimi Hendrix. It gets really messy when you put a universal mind between the hammer and the anvil. Judas Priest. And finally, Insomnium has stumped them all. Well, just Dream Theater, really.

---

Part II, Round 4, Matches 100-105
​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 100​	The Final Frontier Division​
Dream Theater - In the Presence of Enemies	vs.​	John Zorn - Snakes and Ladders​
@Shmoolikipod	Nominators​	@Mosh​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 101​	Steve Harris Division​
Stratovarius - We Hold the Key	vs.​	Linkin Park - Lying From You​
@JudasMyGuide	Nominators​	@KidInTheDark666​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 102​	Tim Bradstreet Division​
Bad Company - Bad Company	vs.​	Metallica - Orion​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -8	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 103​	Bob Sawyer Division​
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze	vs.​	Dream Theater - Home​
Popoff 500, Radio EHS 100	Nominators​	@The Dissident​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -12	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 104​	Piece of Mind Division​
Symphony X - Smoke and Mirrors	vs.​	Primal Fear - We Walk Without Fear​
@Mosh	Nominators​	@Kalata​
0-0-0, 0 pts, -5	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 4	Match 105​	Coming Home Division​
Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion	vs.​	Queensrÿche - Spreading the Disease​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	@KidInTheDark666​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -7	Record​	0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Mosh]

Prog snobs rise up!