The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 4, Matches 34-39
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Detective Beauregard
Leviathan of Doggerland
This may have been the easiest round ever.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
I don't like Dokken very much, but I kinda enjoy this song more, maybe? The Deth one is definitely more idiosyncratic, but I always found it to be a very weird opener and, well, let's just go with underdog here.
On the contrary, My Last Words is an absolutely amazing closer and I actually had it as my ringone some ten years ago (don't look at me, we all were there, weren't we?) That instrumental part and the closing section of the track are fucking amazing.
Ratt... are undeniably a band. Brimming with vocals, guitars and gated drums, as well as utilising a production, this is certainly a collaboration of musicians that can irrefutably be described as existent. Truly one of the bands 80s metal has to offer.
The discrepancy in votes in the next match is brutal and I suspect primarily the anti-extreme bias around here, because Ensiferum are awesome and I wouldn't otherwise expect so many people flocking to Hetfield channeling his inner Louis L'Amour in what is possibly the most rednecky power ballad ever written by metal band. A good song, yes, but I'm not feeling in the mood to hee my haws today, pard'ner.
The next bunch is really tough for me. See, the reason why I don't like V as much as the usual story goes in the Symph X fandom is primarily because of the longer tracks (and the interludes, but whatever) - the shorter songs are among my absolute favourites. But the epics...especially Communion and the Oracle that sounds like a cheap rewrite of the first Accolade (sorry!) and Egypt with the wack vocal stylisations (and the kinda plodding second half), but although Rediscovery 2 is definitely the best of the bunch, maybe because it comes on last, I just never really managed to get into it proper. Dunno, a band I love much more doing their stuff at 70 % capacity or a band that's much more limited (yet kinda underrated, at least around here) doing their shtick the best they can? (because Nightrain is hard rock done absolutely right according to me, fuck AC/DC)
In the end, I'm going reluctantly with Symph X because band bias and because they attempt something more high-brow, but I feel like I'm betraying my own criteria here a bit.
I have heard all the pre-Angel Dust FNM records and I definitely don't intend to revisit them ever again (although I replayed this track at least twice during this cup already), primarily because of Patton - say what you will about his exhibitionism and obnoxiousness, I can stomach that, but especially on The Real Thing he sounds like a horny teenager trying to sound like both Axl and Anthony Kiedis at the same time and I don't need that. No-one in the history of ever has ever needed that.
The Life of Agony vocals also leave something to be desired, but at least they don't grate on me as much, despite the singer trying to sound like a stoned demon. Also, a slightly fuller sound and closer to doom. I still like this track after having heard it for the first time in one of the previous rounds and I guess I'll be the only one to vote for This Time.
As for the last match, yeah, right
On the contrary, My Last Words is an absolutely amazing closer and I actually had it as my ringone some ten years ago (don't look at me, we all were there, weren't we?) That instrumental part and the closing section of the track are fucking amazing.
Ratt... are undeniably a band. Brimming with vocals, guitars and gated drums, as well as utilising a production, this is certainly a collaboration of musicians that can irrefutably be described as existent. Truly one of the bands 80s metal has to offer.
The discrepancy in votes in the next match is brutal and I suspect primarily the anti-extreme bias around here, because Ensiferum are awesome and I wouldn't otherwise expect so many people flocking to Hetfield channeling his inner Louis L'Amour in what is possibly the most rednecky power ballad ever written by metal band. A good song, yes, but I'm not feeling in the mood to hee my haws today, pard'ner.
The next bunch is really tough for me. See, the reason why I don't like V as much as the usual story goes in the Symph X fandom is primarily because of the longer tracks (and the interludes, but whatever) - the shorter songs are among my absolute favourites. But the epics...especially Communion and the Oracle that sounds like a cheap rewrite of the first Accolade (sorry!) and Egypt with the wack vocal stylisations (and the kinda plodding second half), but although Rediscovery 2 is definitely the best of the bunch, maybe because it comes on last, I just never really managed to get into it proper. Dunno, a band I love much more doing their stuff at 70 % capacity or a band that's much more limited (yet kinda underrated, at least around here) doing their shtick the best they can? (because Nightrain is hard rock done absolutely right according to me, fuck AC/DC)
In the end, I'm going reluctantly with Symph X because band bias and because they attempt something more high-brow, but I feel like I'm betraying my own criteria here a bit.
I have heard all the pre-Angel Dust FNM records and I definitely don't intend to revisit them ever again (although I replayed this track at least twice during this cup already), primarily because of Patton - say what you will about his exhibitionism and obnoxiousness, I can stomach that, but especially on The Real Thing he sounds like a horny teenager trying to sound like both Axl and Anthony Kiedis at the same time and I don't need that. No-one in the history of ever has ever needed that.
The Life of Agony vocals also leave something to be desired, but at least they don't grate on me as much, despite the singer trying to sound like a stoned demon. Also, a slightly fuller sound and closer to doom. I still like this track after having heard it for the first time in one of the previous rounds and I guess I'll be the only one to vote for This Time.
As for the last match, yeah, right
Slight edge for Mr Scary for me, it's fine, Wake Up Dead is fine.
My Last Words is a really good song, one of the ones I often forget about Megadeth but that I am always reminded of forcefully. Ratt is fine for glam but come on.
The Unforgiven sucks. Not as much as The Unforgiven II or The Unforgiven III, but it's a stinky song from a band already starting to lose its creativity. Ensiferum rocks.
Symphony X of course, although The Grand Design is lower on my personal rankings of X epics, Nightrain is not for me.
FNM by default, and then even though I like In the End (not least due to nostalgia) it's hard to ignore a very, very strong Opeth offering.
My Last Words is a really good song, one of the ones I often forget about Megadeth but that I am always reminded of forcefully. Ratt is fine for glam but come on.
The Unforgiven sucks. Not as much as The Unforgiven II or The Unforgiven III, but it's a stinky song from a band already starting to lose its creativity. Ensiferum rocks.
Symphony X of course, although The Grand Design is lower on my personal rankings of X epics, Nightrain is not for me.
FNM by default, and then even though I like In the End (not least due to nostalgia) it's hard to ignore a very, very strong Opeth offering.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Come on, man, it’s got one of the rare great Hammett solos!
“The Grand Design” is the album opener lol.
Jer
A window to the west, a blazing star above
It’s not that it reprises things too much later on, it’s that it sits in some of the riffs for far too long without much variation.
Votes were removed from 5 matches this round due to a poster's inability to follow the rules. This has changed no outcomes.
Well, poor Mr. Scary, Megadeth made him wake up dead. Meanwhile Megadeth also got some last words from Ratt. Metallica refuses to forgive the gods for their treachery. GNR's nightrain is over as Symphony X rediscovers how to win. Faith No More shows that the real thing is winning. In the end, the drapery fell and Opeth stood tall.
Well, poor Mr. Scary, Megadeth made him wake up dead. Meanwhile Megadeth also got some last words from Ratt. Metallica refuses to forgive the gods for their treachery. GNR's nightrain is over as Symphony X rediscovers how to win. Faith No More shows that the real thing is winning. In the end, the drapery fell and Opeth stood tall.
Part II, Round 4, Matches 28-33
| Group Stage - Round 4 |
| Lord of the Flies Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slipknot - Duality | vs. | Motörhead - Love Me Like a Reptile | |
| Youtube 50 | Nominators | ||
| 0-1-0, 0 pts, -13 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 4 |
| Melvyn Grant Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Halen - Jump | vs. | Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak | |
| Popoff 500 | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| 0-1-0, 0 pts, -17 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 4 |
| Tony Moore Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Smoke - Been Here Forever | vs. | The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary | |
| @Jer | Nominators | Radio EHS 100 | |
| 0-1-0, 0 pts, -25 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 4 |
| The Evil That Men Do Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic Frost - Procreation (of the Wicked) | vs. | Arcturus - Fall of Man | |
| Rolling Stone 100 | Nominators | ||
| 0-1-0, 0 pts, -23 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 4 |
| Dream of Mirrors Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkin Park - Numb | vs. | Rush - Subdivisions | |
| Youtube 50 | Nominators | ||
| 0-1-0, 0 pts, -16 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
If I was only voting for the hookiness of the chorus in Duality, it would easily win. But those talk/rap/yell verses are beyond awful. I don't like this Motorhead song, but it gets a pass here for being inoffensive.
Jailbreak is a great song and easily better than anything Van Halen ever released.
I actually love The Cult, but Doctor Smoke's album is one of my favorite finds of the last few years. It's kind of just a perfect combination of everything I like. She Sells Sanctuary is a great classic rock tune, though.
I don't like Arcturus, but the spooky bedroom vampire piano has a lot more going for it than the caveman death metal of Celtic Frost.
Rush over Linkin Park in a heartbeat.
The last one sucks. I do not like it at all. Bad match. Take it back! In reality, neither of these are top tier songs for either Dio or Metallica. I'll give it to Metallica for at least having more musical ideas going on. Dio has plenty of songs about rocking and rolling and this is not one of my favorites.
Jailbreak is a great song and easily better than anything Van Halen ever released.
I actually love The Cult, but Doctor Smoke's album is one of my favorite finds of the last few years. It's kind of just a perfect combination of everything I like. She Sells Sanctuary is a great classic rock tune, though.
I don't like Arcturus, but the spooky bedroom vampire piano has a lot more going for it than the caveman death metal of Celtic Frost.
Rush over Linkin Park in a heartbeat.
The last one sucks. I do not like it at all. Bad match. Take it back! In reality, neither of these are top tier songs for either Dio or Metallica. I'll give it to Metallica for at least having more musical ideas going on. Dio has plenty of songs about rocking and rolling and this is not one of my favorites.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
What the fuck. That's every round so far, innit?
Anyways
After recently watching the video of Jordison filling in for Lars Ulrich live without former notice AND seeing Stewart Copeland praising him out of the blue yesterday, I'm really inclined to throw my vote to Slipknot, especially as I don't particularly like Reptile, among other reasons because of all things in the world the last one I'd want to imagine is Lemmy fucking anyone like a reptile, or, well, anyone at all.
You know what? Yeah, I'll go with the fun, if horribly dated Duality and save the boomer vote for some other time. Hey, Kilmister, twist your own tail, would you be so kind?
Lol, Lizzy, like, a million times that. Lynott's little finger has more talent and charisma than the entirety of Van Halen and I include Gary Cherone, who was there for, like, one album (and a bad one at that).
I was pretty sure the votes would be divided along the lines of the Atlantic, but then I saw Kid voting for Van Halen, although that might be because he's trolling and/or hates me.
Seriously, Van Halen are winning? Oh, sod off, you gits.
Doctor Smoke aren't exactly what I search for in doom metal, though it's kinda hard to put my finger on why exactly. Although I still like the song. The Cult are fucking terrible and She Sells Sanctuary in particular was a blight upon my replays of GTA: Vice City long ago. If I never heard this track again, I'd be a happier man. Fun fact - when I was little, I used to confuse that song with Gary Numan's Cars, don't know why. Now I know what's the difference - that Gary Numan isn't anywhere in a fucking Greatest Metal Song Cup.
Lol, Arcturus. Thousand times Arcturus.
You cheeky bastards, you've actually made me vote for Rush, haven't you? (and 80s Rush at that)
Tullica. I can actually belive someone would nominate that song, the Dio track is really subpar for him.
DJ James
A coma stole my name.
I would to personally thank everyone that has or will vote for Love Me Like a Reptile - it’s my favorite song of all time. Perhaps the quintessential Motörhead song. It’s a little more midpaced than what you would normally expect from Motörhead. I want to highlight Fast Eddie Clark here, I hear a lot of what would become known as crust punk in his guitar on this song. His tone is out of this world, and that opening riff just does magic to my ears.
Every member is on fire on Love Me Like a Reptile. Excellent groove and I love the lyrics.
Every member is on fire on Love Me Like a Reptile. Excellent groove and I love the lyrics.
MindRuler
Patient Mariner
I was wondering @JudasMyGuide why Rush never clicked with you?
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
They did. Old forum posts convict me quite well - when I first started discovering the band, they shot up among my favourite-st-est bands at the moment. I even started a commented discography at first. But then, suddenly, something... unclicked. It's not just Geddy's voice. It's not that their "rocking out" feel just as stiff and rigid and artificial as Queen's does. It's not that I just don't vibe with their songwriting even in the prog period, I always find like there's something... missing there. It's not because I just can't seem to vibe with Peart - I'm probably the only person in the world to whom you can sell a band on drumming alone and who absolutely can't stand Peart, I just find him incredibly boring and stiff, dead inside, sorry (I feel somewhat similar about Cozy Powell, but at least he doesn't have this cult of personality that Peart does). It's not Peart's Objectivism and lyrics in general. It's not the cultish devotion of their NA fans that sometimes almost make it seem like they were'nt exactly the only high-brow act in the America, but, well, the only one that got played on college radio, like, "deep, dude". It's not the general atmosphere and sound - I have a literal physical reaction to the opening lines of Tom Sawyer, the combination of the synthy sounds and Geddy singing those lines in that swagger manner, I just literally shudder with revulsion.
It's all of the above and more.
I admit that beyond my biases, I can enjoy several albums by them. Even nowadays, I really like A Farewell to Kings and Clockwork Angels (duh), besides that I like bits and pieces from 2112 and Hemispheres and I think there's an almost perfect album to be created from the better parts of Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures. I like the debut (Working Man is for me one of the few moments when they rock out and it sounds really good and cool) and to a degree Fly by Night. And last, but not least, yet definitely weirdest, I kinda like Test for Echo (Driven was the first Rush song I've ever heard and I still think it's beautiful) and the following two albums.
And as you see, I can vote for them if the opportunity arises. It's quite possible I will vote for them again and even against better bands than Linkin Park.
If me listening to Rush on repeat for a year would somehow magically erased Taylor Swift's music from existence, I'd do it, for mankind, for the greater good.
Also, I just absolutely don't get the opinion around here about "how they akshooally almost improved in the 80s" - like, every prog act started going synthy/new wavy in the 80s and apart from the Crims (who had Bruford with his ethnic influences and feel, Belew with his shenanigans and overall cool combination of catchiness, chops, quirkiness and charm), it usually either sucked completely (Tull - Under Wraps is one of the worst albums by my favourite band) or sucked mostly (Yes) or was okay but inferior (Gentle Giant) and somehow Rush are supposed to be different. Sorry, I just don't hear it. To me it's somewhere between "okay but inferior" and "sucked mostly". I have absolutely no idea why should I listen to Grace Under Pressure as opposed to... dunno, Depeche Mode. Who have better melodies and about the same amount of pretentiousness ... and are at least somewhat fun, in that guilty pleasure sort of way. Two members here have written their favourite (or at least very-high-rated) album is Power Windows.
EDIT: Oops. It was you
Okay, then.
Subdivisions as well, I would expect something similar to Discipline, but it's just... dunno, Asia instead. But with Geddy Lee insted of Wetton.
Thing is... on paper I should really like the band. And there's lot of stuff that could have worked for me, if it all happened differently. If Peart spent several years touring Africa and played with Fela Kuti (à la Ginger Baker) or spent some time playing in actual jazz bands (I mean, IIRC he actually started learning jazz in the 90s and my enjoyment of his drumming has increased - maybe that's why I like the last 4 albums so much) and if he didn't write the lyrics... and if they had a different vocalist and tweaked some stuff here and there, they might be my Top 5 band. However, as it is, I'm mostly in the #noRush crowd. But, as you see, sine ira et studio.
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We must make difficult decisions to maintain our integrity, I find.
JudasMyGuide
The resident reactionary recalcitrant
However, I kinda feel I should have kept my integrity. You know who are the people who are always Rushing?
Yeah, Russians. 
There are 11 Rushians in this game.
There are 11 Rushians in this game. 
Midnight
The Ever-Present "It"
I really want to vote for Duality here - it's one of my favorite nu metal songs. The chorus is wonderful, blending a good melody with a fistful of grit, and the staccato main riff is prime material for me to headbang to. But I love Love Me Like a Reptile too much to not vote for it. The guitar is constant, worming its way into my ear. The snap-rattle-roll of the drums keeps the song rocking from side to side as it's propelled forward. The outro pops into my head and stays there for hours. I love this song, and I'm voting for it in this round over another fun choice.
Jailbreak is fine Thin Lizzy. I like the funkier songs on that album more (and Emerald - I'm not going to ignore Emerald). Jump is a ray of sunshine in this dark and vicious metal cup. It may not be metal, but neither is its opposition, and I can vote for any reason I want.
Been Here Forever by Doctor Smoke was fun! I didn't expect their vocalist to sound like he did. The loud bass and forward-moving triplet riffs were nice. But then I heard the intro to She Sells Sanctuary, and I began to move my vote. What an intro! I misheard the chorus as "the world turns to sound", and I believed it. It's bright and bursty and makes trails of color explode around my speakers.
The Celtic Frost song was mediocre. Dissonant bends, a sluggish tempo, and no real hooks or interesting rhythms to speak of. Arcturus's Fall of Man was more interesting.
Subdivisions is a way better song than Numb. The synths, the melodies, the drumming (my god, the drumming). I love how the bass and guitar intertwine to greet the chorus. Neil Peart's drum patterns are wonderful, and they change with every verse. Hearing my friends play this live at a jam session is one of my favorite memories from my college's music club. I was going to vote for Numb because I liked it / it was metal / I wanted to be contrarian, but goddamn it, Subdivisions is too good for me to ignore.
Dio's song is straightforward metallic rock and roll, and goddamn if that wasn't what I needed! I like the main riff and how this song seems to fly over its rhythm section. This song must have gone crazy live. Meanwhile, Frayed Ends of Sanity has a lot of interesting riffs and melodies. The riff 4 minutes in is really good, and it leads into a cool solo too. The King of Rock and Roll, while just a (great) rock/metal song, is loads of fun. The Frayed Ends of Sanity, while sounding special, isn't as fun. I'll let my heart decide and throw The King of Rock and Roll a bone in this matchup.
Jailbreak is fine Thin Lizzy. I like the funkier songs on that album more (and Emerald - I'm not going to ignore Emerald). Jump is a ray of sunshine in this dark and vicious metal cup. It may not be metal, but neither is its opposition, and I can vote for any reason I want.
Been Here Forever by Doctor Smoke was fun! I didn't expect their vocalist to sound like he did. The loud bass and forward-moving triplet riffs were nice. But then I heard the intro to She Sells Sanctuary, and I began to move my vote. What an intro! I misheard the chorus as "the world turns to sound", and I believed it. It's bright and bursty and makes trails of color explode around my speakers.
The Celtic Frost song was mediocre. Dissonant bends, a sluggish tempo, and no real hooks or interesting rhythms to speak of. Arcturus's Fall of Man was more interesting.
Subdivisions is a way better song than Numb. The synths, the melodies, the drumming (my god, the drumming). I love how the bass and guitar intertwine to greet the chorus. Neil Peart's drum patterns are wonderful, and they change with every verse. Hearing my friends play this live at a jam session is one of my favorite memories from my college's music club. I was going to vote for Numb because I liked it / it was metal / I wanted to be contrarian, but goddamn it, Subdivisions is too good for me to ignore.
Dio's song is straightforward metallic rock and roll, and goddamn if that wasn't what I needed! I like the main riff and how this song seems to fly over its rhythm section. This song must have gone crazy live. Meanwhile, Frayed Ends of Sanity has a lot of interesting riffs and melodies. The riff 4 minutes in is really good, and it leads into a cool solo too. The King of Rock and Roll, while just a (great) rock/metal song, is loads of fun. The Frayed Ends of Sanity, while sounding special, isn't as fun. I'll let my heart decide and throw The King of Rock and Roll a bone in this matchup.