The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 4, Matches 82-87

What is your favourite song in each match? Vote in all six matchups!

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  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
Evilly, Tool continues to stir the pot. Metallica tolls the bell for Rammstein. Kampfar gets cut down by Judas Priest and will not live after midnight. Megadave wants to remind you that if you talk to strangers, you wake up dead. If Peace Sells then there's no need for your last words. And finally, Ensiferum has managed to leash those freaks, Korn.





Part II, Round 1, Matches 25-30


Group Stage - Round 1
Match 25
Andy Taylor Division​
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It
vs.
Symphony X - Rediscovery, Pt II​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, Radio EHS 100, Youtube 50
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 26
Nicko McBrain Division​
Queensrÿche - Eyes of a Stranger
vs.
Faith No More - The Real Thing​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100
@DJ James, @MindRuler, @Jer, @Black Bart, @LooseCannon
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 27
Paschendale Division​
Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
vs.
Opeth - The Drapery Falls​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, VH1 40
@The Sentient
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 28
Lord of the Flies Division​
Savatage - Gutter Ballet
vs.
Slipknot - Duality​
Popoff 500
@MindRuler, @Poto
Nominators
Youtube 50​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 29
Melvyn Grant Division​
Metallica - Battery
vs.
Van Halen - Jump​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100
Nominators
Popoff 500​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 30
Tony Moore Division​
Judas Priest - Painkiller
vs.
Doctor Smoke - Been Here Forever​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Radio EHS 100, Rate Your Music 100, Best Music Art 100
@Spambot, @Jer, @Stardust, @Black Bart, @____no5, @Wogmidget, @LooseCannon, @KiDDo
Nominators
@Jer
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links
 
Group Stage - Round 1
Match 30
Tony Moore Division​
Judas Priest - Painkiller
vs.
Doctor Smoke - Been Here Forever​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Radio EHS 100, Rate Your Music 100, Best Music Art 100
@Spambot, @Jer, @Stardust, @Black Bart, @____no5, @Wogmidget, @LooseCannon, @KiDDo
Nominators
@Jer​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links
“They about to be Doctor Smoked.”
~My partner just now
 
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Reactions: Jer
We're Not Gonna Take It is a simplistic fist-pumping anthem for disaffected youth. Rediscovery Pt II is a beautiful and complex exploration of the themes of becoming more. I'll take the one for adults and vote Symphony X.

I'm not the biggest fan of Queensrÿche, but is there any doubt that Eyes of a Stranger is their best song? Simultaneously close to standard rock formations but also a peak example of classic metal of the era. Great leads and good Tate vocals that cap off their best album. Faith No More is perfectly acceptable alt metal, with a little nu-metal vibes, but with good vocals. Still, it's overlong and undercomplex and can't hold a candle to Queensrÿche's best offering.

I don't think Rock You Like a Hurricane is the best Scorpions song, but much like the above track, it is a "standard" rock song. I'd say it's much more standard, much more rock, while still being borderline metal. I like it enough but it's never a song I seek out. The Drapery Falls has a massive instrumental opening, big and heavy and nicely layered as it builds. I feel like it never quite hits the level I want, but it's a lot more enjoyable than its opponent. Opeth.

Savatage does rock ballads so well. They might be the best at it, in my opinion, and Gutter Ballet is one of their best ones. Jon Oliva really wails on this track, and the music lives up to the standard. I'm known for not being a fan of Slipknot, and let's just say this track doesn't convince me to change my biases. Savatage.

Tough to argue with Battery here. It's not one of my favourite Metallica songs but it's hard to deny that it's a fast-driving riff-filled beast. I'm no @MrKnickerbocker, I can enjoy Van Halen, especially the top guitar-led tracks, and I like Jump as a poppy fun song, but there's no real contest. Metallica.

My initial reaction is "lmfao Judas Priest" but to be fully fair, Painkiller is a true monster of metal. Amazing riffs that crush you, brutal drumming from Travis, and a perfect Halford performance at the edge of his falsetto that just elevates the whole thing. Been Here Forever is a perfectly fine track, with lots of interesting riffs and a good performance, but I don't think it can hold a candle to one of the favourites to win this whole thing.
 
I had to think about Twisted Sister vs Symphony X honestly. I think Rediscovery has a lot of problems. It's the original sketch for the full concept album basically, and that shows in the choppiness of the transitions from part to part, and the song takes a second to get going. That said, when it does get going it's a total blast and contains some of their most exciting moments. The appreciator of a great pop song in me wants to go for Twisted Sister, but the John Williams loving prog snob is going to go for Rediscovery.

I don't really like Faith No More that much, despite being a big appreciator for some of Patton's other projects, so it's a no brainer for Eyes of a Stranger. A contender to take it all anyway IMO.

Scorpions vs Opeth is a similar division for me as TS vs SX, but here Opeth takes it more easily. The Drapery Falls is some of Opeth's finest works and one of their most dynamic songs. An amazing piece of work and one of my personal favorites in this game.

Call me a poseur, but I get more enjoyment out of Duality than Gutter Ballet. It's Slipknot's best song and has a cool hook. Savatage just isn't my thing.

Battery is wild, maybe my favorite Metallica song. You cannot deny that riff.

lol Painkiller.
 
Evilly, Tool continues to stir the pot. Metallica tolls the bell for Rammstein. Kampfar gets cut down by Judas Priest and will not live after midnight. Megadave wants to remind you that if you talk to strangers, you wake up dead. If Peace Sells then there's no need for your last words. And finally, Ensiferum has managed to leash those freaks, Korn.





Part II, Round 1, Matches 25-30


Group Stage - Round 1
Match 25
Andy Taylor Division​
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It
vs.
Symphony X - Rediscovery, Pt II​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, Radio EHS 100, Youtube 50
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 26
Nicko McBrain Division​
Queensrÿche - Eyes of a Stranger
vs.
Faith No More - The Real Thing​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100
@DJ James, @MindRuler, @Jer, @Black Bart, @LooseCannon
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 27
Paschendale Division​
Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
vs.
Opeth - The Drapery Falls​
Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, VH1 40
@The Sentient
Nominators
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 28
Lord of the Flies Division​
Savatage - Gutter Ballet
vs.
Slipknot - Duality​
Popoff 500
@MindRuler, @Poto
Nominators
Youtube 50​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 29
Melvyn Grant Division​
Metallica - Battery
vs.
Van Halen - Jump​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100
Nominators
Popoff 500​
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Group Stage - Round 1
Match 30
Tony Moore Division​
Judas Priest - Painkiller
vs.
Doctor Smoke - Been Here Forever​
Popoff 500, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Radio EHS 100, Rate Your Music 100, Best Music Art 100
@Spambot, @Jer, @Stardust, @Black Bart, @____no5, @Wogmidget, @LooseCannon, @KiDDo
Nominators
@Jer
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0
Record
0-0-0, 0 pts, +0​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links
I gotta go with painkiller. The solo, the riff, and the vocals just make it such an amazing song
 
Easiest. Round. Ever.

Twisted Sister is not my thing. They may have a recognizable classic rock song here, but it can in no way compare to Symphony X - especially a proggy Symphony X epic. This is a top 10 Symphony X song for me; it has a majestic atmosphere without ever coming off as Blind Guardian-level cheesy. When the bass plays the line from the intro about halfway through I'm speechless, especially with the piano and strings adding all that emotion. I also love Russell's evil musical part. This is a great piece of music on its own, but even better as the finale of V.

The second match is the only one in this entire round that I had to debate, simply because I had never heard Faith No More's song before. It's a solid proggy song, but as much as I dislike Tate's voice, Queensryche still have the stronger package here.

I like a lot of what Scorpions do, and this is probably their most recognizable song. It's a good classic rock tune, but just like Twisted Sister vs. Symphony X above, this stands no chance in my book against Opeth. The Drapery Falls is one of those Opeth entry-level (Opeth 101, if you will) songs for me, and once I heard more of their catalogue it went from "love" to simply "like a lot." Still, no contest.

This Savatage song has some Maidenness to it (that outro riff in particular), and of course it's not nu-metal. However, I did listen to Slipknot's offering, and was surprised to hear that it didn't completely suck. I'd take these guys over Korn and Limp Bizkit anyday, and they have those funny masks that I hear the kids just love! The talking/whispering vocals and the yelling are lame, but there's some actual riffage in there, and the clean vocals aren't horrible. I still don't hear nine people on the recording, though. Did the clowns who bang on random shit take this song off?

One of Metallica's best songs against a synth pop song by an artist I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever? Come on. My only complaint about Battery is that Metallica doesn't play that sweet riff at 2:57 live for some dumb reason that I can only assume has to do with the God of Shitty Drumming himself.

Again, lol. Painkiller is a top-tier Judas Priest song, and is undoubtedly responsible for inspiring countless Iced Earth material. This is no contest.

special mention again to Ellefson who is pretty good at edging himself
Lol!
 
Don't Talk To Strangers lost? Yeah, ok...

Another easy round.

This Symphony X epic is not that interesting tome. Not everyone can make long songs. I chose the classic rock anthem of Twisted Sister.
Eyes Of A Stranger is one of Queensryche's very best. Faith No More's vocals are not for me.
Rock You Like A Hurricane. No contest. It's hard to compete with the classic melodic and catchy style of Scorpions.
Gutter Ballet is a more interesting and different song by Savatage. I'm not that big fan of the vocals, but the guitar work is on point as always. Btw, this song has the vibe Bruce's Rain On The Graves wanted to achieve.
Battery is not a deep Metallica song, but it works as an energy and opener. I like it, but today I'll choose the fun vibe of Jump.
Painkiller. Need I say more?
 
My relationship with Rediscovery closely parallels the one of Mosh

I think Rediscovery has a lot of problems. It's the original sketch for the full concept album basically, and that shows in the choppiness of the transitions from part to part, and the song takes a second to get going. That said, when it does get going it's a total blast and contains some of their most exciting moments.

i. e. there are songs by Symph X that I like more (and I don't even love the album itself as much as many fans do, but that's okay), but this is still no contest - Symph X are, like, 90 % attuned to my DNA, Twisted Sister are about 60 % at best. Even though the song is good.

Symphony X.

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Kinda similar in the next match - I'm not a fan of Queensryche, bar O:M, but their approach is much closer to the heart. I don't like Tate, but I don't like Patton that much more, to be honest, so Rÿche it is.

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This is really no contest. I even love Scorpions in their 70s era, up to Animal Magnetism at least (but especially with Uli), but the 80s were a sign of decline, you know, the Winds of Changes and Still Loving Yous up to the absolute nadir of the 90s Yous and Is. And Rock You Like a Hurricane is already a part of that decline. It's not a bad song, by any means, but it shows the shift to the "housewife radio rock that's gonna be popular in post-Commie countries". This is already a song that could have been written and performed by anyone, and only Klaus Meine's specific timbre does make the song recognisable as one by Scorpions, honestly.

With Opeth, I'll reference my previous words on the matter

Talk about first songs. The Drapery Falls was the first track off Blackwater Park that truly captivated me. In fact, to this day it is THE song I play to people to let them know what Opeth are about. I could write a lot about this song alone, but let's just say that it's the combination - the wall of sound melody in the intro, the jazzy acoustic guitars with the siren-like guitars wailing in the background, the obvious Wilsonisms in the clean vocal chorus (I'd say that pre- and post-Wilson Opeth might be a bigger change than Old- and New-peth, but that's a hot take so controversial I'm not prepared to argue about it here), the melodic solo, the switch into the darkness and decay in the heavy section... and then back again and some beautiful Mikael cleans and again going to the hauntingly poignant passage repeated from the intro... it is the epitome of Autumn (or Fall), Romanticism, fallen leaves, old buildings, pendulum clock, attics, dust, moors, fogs, grey sky, soft drizzle, smell of burn in the air. Everything all at once. I am very glad that in my Ultimate Tolkien Reading List I have come across The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings right now, because those works also feel inherently autumnal to me, always have (and the films capture it too - just look at all the golden leaves at Parth Galen) and I am very glad that we finally have some Opeth in the game now, on the first of October. And that it is this song, which still hasn't lost the potency of the spell it holds me under.

Oh, and also

*inhales*

!!!DEADLY BADGERS MADE MY WREATH!!!

No contest, even putting aside nominator bias. Opeth. Seriously, mates, come on.

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And once again, I'm not a huge fan of Savatage, but they are much closer to my general preference than Slipknot. What a surprise, huh?

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Battery is one of metal's perfect songs. Really, from the intro to the subtle hooks that are even in the verses, to the breakneck tempo up to the archetypal moshing section, even if I grew to hate Metallica in general, I would still love this track. Especially with how the lyrics play into the theme of the album. You know, being controlled by anger, the idea of "freedom from, freedom for perfection", that's actually very Catholic.

But even on purely musical terms, this probably still remains among my most replayed tracks ever, back from the day I was spinning this track and Ride the Lightning on repeat.

Like I said, Battery is one of metal's perfect songs. Jump... is not.
(the Van Halen popularity is such an American regional idiosyncracy, innit?)

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Heh. I still hate the vocals to Painkiller (I suppose the resident King Diamond fans won't be so pre-emptively inclined), but the rest of the song is so great it is the immediate winner. All due respect to Jer's nominee.
 
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It vs. Symphony X - Rediscovery, Pt II
There's a lot of sneering at Twisted Sister in some of the comments so far in that it's simple, I would argue it's far more difficult to write a hook that resonates across genres than a lot of the material being lauded in this competition We're Not Gonna Take It

Queensrÿche - Eyes of a Stranger vs. Faith No More - The Real Thing

The Real Thing is great, one of my favourite FNM songs, but Eyes of a Stranger is off the charts, working both as a stand alone track as well as the climax of a masterpiece Eyes of a Stranger

Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane vs. Opeth - The Drapery Falls

Rock You Like a Hurricane is more "good fun" than "good", but still more to my tastes than Opeth, or to be fair the deal breaking sections of Opeth material Rock You Like a Hurricane

Savatage - Gutter Ballet vs. Slipknot - Duality

Slipknot isn't as bad as their most recent track but still is basically a competent band operating on the borders of Nu-Metal, Gutter Ballet is the only Savatage album I have, it's a pretty good record, one which I must dig out for the first time in donkey's years, I'd have been nominating When the Crowds are Gone, but still the title track is great too Gutter Ballet

Metallica - Battery vs. Van Halen - Jump

Tough draw for VH, they'd have probably been expecting Jump to get a couple more rounds, but against the opener to one of metal's best albums there's only one outcome. Battery

Judas Priest - Painkiller vs. Doctor Smoke - Been Here Forever

I checked out a bit of Doctor Smoke after @Jer had this track in an earlier round, was good stuff and I must check out more as I was considering making a purchase ( this competition keeps getting in the way of listening to other stuff!). It had a good run though, Painkiller is obviously going to be in the final shake up of this game. It's not necessarily the most artistic song going but is probably the dictionary definition of what Heavy Metal is, there's no influences here from anything other than Heavy Metal Painkiller
 
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Reactions: Jer
"We're Not Gonna Take It" is one of Twisted Sister's two good songs, and it's become an all-timer for good reason. It's got a nice warm midtempo groove, great vocal lines, and pretty timeless lyrics. The pre-chorus mixes things up nicely, and the melodic lead in the middle is simple but effective. Bonus point for the vocal + drum chorus breakdown, of course. Great song. "Rediscovery, Pt. II" has great proggy music throughout, though some of the vocal melodies and phrasing early on aren't the best. I kind of like the Broadway bit near the middle, and the queasy bit later on after the synth solo is also really cool. There's obviously a lot more going on musically in the Symphony X track, but the Twisted Sister track is more focused and consistent. I'd be fine with either one winning this match, but sorry @Stardust, I think the list nominee edges this one out overall. Winner: Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"

"Eyes Of A Stranger" really has it all, from its ominous intro to its atmospheric verses, its soaring pre-chorus and chorus, that piercing melodic riff, those absolutely stellar bridges, a great harmonized solo, and that very clearly signaled beginning of the outro that pulls in all the different sonic callbacks to the rest of the album, wrapping up the story of the record and ultimately leaving things exactly where they began. I'm always left breathless after listening to this one, especially if I've listened to the album all the way through. An absolutely stunning track -- no wonder I nominated it! Meanwhile, "The Real Thing" lives up to its name with some dope-ass atmospherics, great vocal lines, and sweet build-up though the heavier parts of the song. I'm not a fan of the whinier voice Patton often used on this album, but he sounds great on the softer parts, and on the heavier bits where he stays in the baritone range. While this is a great song, congratusorrylations @MindRuler, it can't really withstand the assault from DJ Jerkloondcarter's monster of a nominee. Winner: Queensrÿche - "Eyes Of A Stranger"

"Rock You Like A Hurricane" has a classic anthemic riff, sweet soaring guitar fills, and a great atmospheric verse that builds nicely through the pre-chorus into a giant chorus. Great solo, too. The lyrics are a bit dopey, but they don't really get in the way. Bonus point for the vocal + drum verse breakdown (this sort of thing was overdone a bit in the 80s, but I always liked it). Honestly, this song just barely missed my own nomination list, but I figured it would get multiple nominations anyway, and I was right. Great song. "The Drapery Falls" managed to tease me with wonderful music and great clean vocals for 5 full minutes before pulling the rug out from under me and falling back on bad habits. Thankfully, I was granted another reprieve on the vocals with about two and a half minutes remaining, but the damage was already done. Bonus point for saying something that sounded like "wikitards" in the middle, but sorry @JudasMyGuide, @The Sentient's nominee is a song I can fully enjoy from start to finish, and that outweighs any other considerations. Winner: Scorpions - "Rock You Like A Hurricane"

"Gutter Ballet" is an exercise in self-indulgence. The intro and initial groove are pretty good, but the chorus is flaccid, and I don’t care for Jon Oliva’s vocals — he’s way too raspy on the high end for me. Too much Broadway, and the little guitar interludes aren't anything special. The solo's great, though. A very mixed bag, though I guess it's OK overall. "Duality" starts off like a bad Nine Inch Nails tribute, then gets into odd-rhythm masturbation that thinks it's much more clever than it actually is. The chorus has about half a hook in it. Yeah, no thanks. Congratulations, PintRooter, a weak opponent means your nominee takes this one. Winner: Savatage - "Gutter Ballet"

"Battery" has a beautiful acoustic opening (actually the first thing I ever learned to play on the guitar) that bursts into that huge, epic harmonized sound that typified peak Burton-era Metallica. Great thrashy riffage with nice rhythmic change-ups between the verse and chorus, great guitar fills, and a great interlude. The vocal lines are all strong. The solo starts off a little unfocused, but pulls itself together pretty well in its second half. Great rhythmic outro, too. Excellent stuff. "Jump" is a stone cold classic summer song with a killer synth hook, great vocal melodies, a short and pointed solo, and a sparse chorus that lets the synth do the talking. Gotta love that atmospheric synth interlude, too. Also an excellent song. This is actually a pretty tough call, and I would be fine with either track winning (though the anti-VH crowd here already makes the outcome obvious), but the Metallica track is more musically complex and certainly more metal, and that's enough to take this match. Winner: Metallica - "Battery"

"Painkiller" is an absolutely iconic metal song, brutal and relentless throughout, with searing vocal lines, piercing leads, and an extended solo section that is alternately feely and face-melting without ever letting up on the gas. Those accelerating drum fills throughout the song are a big part of its impact, too. This song was obviously destined for the top tier of this competition, and it's not surprising that I nominated it. "Been Here Forever" has complex exotic riffage, catchy vocal lines, great solos, and wonderfully creepy occult lyrics. I love the song, and I love the excellent album it comes from (Dreamers And The Dead, my #2 album of 2021, do yourself a favor and check it out!), but congratusorrylations me, meet the real me, cos Doctor Smoke got a brutal draw for this match, and Sparkjogkoose___Barnon8's nominee has to take this one. Thankfully we're no longer in the single-elimination rounds. Winner: Judas Priest - "Painkiller"
 
LOLOL Symphony X (ridiculous results so far)
LOLOLOLOLOLOL Opeth (even more ridiculous results so far)
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Metallica (glad this one is going the right way, at least)

Tough draw for Doctor Smoke, as I really like the song and this album is awesome. I'm excited to see where this band goes next. But it simply cannot compete with one of Judas Priest's most iconic songs and one of the best guitar solos. These. ease. thah. pain-keelah!

Despite my general dislike of Tate, Eyes of a Stranger is a great tune. Faith No More are a little too ridiculous here (and in general).

I had never heard Gutter Ballet before, but I love the music. Oliva's voice is occasionally painful, but overall the song is far superior to Slipknot's rapping bullshit.
 
I love "We're Not Gonna Take It". For what it is, I consider it a perfect song - catchy, poppy and most of all good fun. Had "Rediscovery, Pt II" been up against almost any other song, I would have voted for it in a heartbeat, as it is (mostly) awesome, but this is Twisted Sister's biggest moment, and they're definitely gonna take it!

"Eyes of a Stranger" might very well be Queensrÿche's best song. I don't know enough of Faith No More to say whether or not the same applies to "The Real Thing" for them, but it hasn't grown one me at all since the last time. Queensrÿche takes this one.

Yes, "Rock You Like a Hurricane" is probably way overplayed, but it does exactly what it says on the tin - it fuckin' rocks. And as for Opeth, well... I've learned so far that if I'm gonna like a song of theirs, it has to grab me fairly early. Otherwise it just becomes a chore to listen to. "The Drapey Falls" is certainly not the worst I've heard, but nothing stands out either. I'm voting Scorpions, and I'm not even sorry.

I can't remember if I've heard "Gutter Ballet" before (the title sounds familiar), but it wasn't what I expected - in a good way. I was preparing myself for some half-assed ballad, but it actually has a lot of depth, lot of substance and some great riffing and melodies. Even the vocals are quite decent. Meanwhile, Slipknot still suck. Savatage.

"Battery" is THE quintessential, classic Metallica opener of the 80's. It has already received a lot of praise, rightfully so, and I can't say much except that I fully agree with all of it. So even if I also love "Jump" very much, I still have to go with Metallica.

"Been Here Forever" is still a great tune, with a very Mastodon-like feel, and I'm absolutely certain it's gonna win its share of matchups in the weeks and months to come. But against "Painkiller", very few songs stand a chance, and there can be no victor here but Judas Priest.
 
Easiest round so far.

Twisted Sister would lose to any Symphony X song, even if it came from the debut. (Only exception is “Burn in Hell” which actually cooks.)

“The Real Thing” has its moments but Queensrÿche completely annihilate it here with one of the best album closers of all time.

Probably the toughest match is Scorps vs Opeth, but ultimately “The Drapery Falls” still has the shortcomings I’m not keen about with Opeth while “Rock You Like a Hurricane” remains a fiery song even after all these years. Scorpions deservedly with a top 10 metal riff contender.

“Gutter Ballet” is really strong but the chorus in “Duality” really sticks with you. Slipknot, surprisingly.

As much as I like “Jump”, Metallica are on another level here.

Painkiller, duh.
 
Match 25 - Symphony X
First of all, here's a huge middle finger to European Spotify whom I've been paying to only look at the cover of The New Mythology Suite (they only have last two Symphony X album, while Deezer has only first two. Odd choices). Second, if it was "I Wanna Rock" I might even vote for it. Twisted Sister never did it for me. Furthermore, pulling opinions out of my ass - TS never struck me as an "alternative" band, as in alternative to popular music. It's like, alternative music for people who don't want to be alternative. Imagine a 12-year old kid from wealthy family and he's going through his rebelious phase so his parents buy him a poster of Dee Snider holding a plastic brain. The kid doesn't have any feelings towards it, but he's an obedient well-manner kid, so his going to listen to his parents and respect his parents' decision. 30 years later, the kid is a successful lawyer or fund manager or something and is probably dabbling in associations who mostly oppress other people's opinions and lifestyles. But, once or twice a year, he buys wine or beer of coffee or whatever Dee Snider is probably making, just so he can prove to himself he's not prude with stick in his ass.

Match 26 - Queensryche
Second of all, here's a huge middle finger to Bruce Dickinson. Listening to "Eyes of the Stranger" I remembered that Bruce interview where he sad how devastated he felt when he heard "Operation: Mindcrime" because he thought "Seventh Son" could've been something like that. And now he had the opportunity, but decided to ditch it, again, halfway through. I should also listen to Queensryche more. They haven't clicked so far, but I've heard the potential. This Faith No More song isn't epic. I mean, I know it's not "Epic" but it also isn't epic. If you have an 8-minute album title track, it should be standing out. This one isn't.

Match 27 - Opeth
Third of all, I've been listening to Blackwater Park recently and I must admit that I'm amazed by the level of musicianships that is coming from bunch of guys who can't even grow a proper mustache. Also, although Opeth seems losing, there are a lot of wild cards in that division, wouldn't be surprised if it comes down to votes differential.

Match 28 - Savatage
I've wrote my thoughts about this Slipknot culinary masterpiece (and already voted for it). On the other hand, I don't think I ever heard this Savatage song and I must admit I found it OK. Not as good as putting fingers into my pies, but still getting a vote.

Match 29 - Metallica
Metallica sell-out can be traced to their earlier days and this song is evident that the band sold out before it even sold in. I mean, making songs about long-lasting batteries who are here to stay. How much did Duracell payed you Lars?! Still better than its opponent.
I like Jump as a poppy poopy fun song,
FTFY

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