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 .
I'm not a huge fan (well, not really a fan at all, but they did some good music as well... and for a band so outwardly stupid, they are rather talented, especially DeMaio and Adams), but my guess would be that we've had the lesser stuff so far (and when they miss, they miss hard) and once there's some of the more classic stuff, the results will be somewhat better. Probably not very much, but somewhat.
However, I'm not too sure about that, since some of the songs with the possible biggest crossover appeal (Fighting the World; Black Wind, Fire and Steel, possibly even Power of Thy Sword) are not in the cup.

However, I'm more or less sure I'm going to vote for Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts, both in the first round and possibly even later. That's a guilty (?) pleasure / black sheep / whatever song if there ever was one.

Manowar doing half-hour retelling of the Illiad with a base solo and two drum solos? There's self-indulgence, there's decadent narcissism and then there's this. And it's actually endearing, somewhat.
I've honestly liked all of the Manowar songs in the cup so far. I never listened to the band due to their ridiculous image, but honestly, the music is fun.
 
"White Pearl, Black Oceans" started off slow, but once it got itself going it was really good and enjoyable. "Saturday Satan" was perfectly fine as well, but I didn't find it nearly as memorable (hilariously bad title aside). Voting for Sonata Arctica.

If we look past the undeniable influence of Blue Cheer's version of "Summertime Blues" on the genre as a whole, it's not exactly that great a performance. We've also had much better UFO songs than "Prince Kajuku" in the game, but it's the better tune in this match nevertheless. UFO.

It seems people tend to habour very strong feelings for Manowar no matter which end of the spectrum they're on; their fanbase is argueably more passionate than Maiden's, while the haters definitely also go all in on their hatred (but then again, their image also makes them an easy target for ridicule). Personally, I enjoy most of their work very much, and I think Eric Adams has one of the best voices in metal. That being said, in contrast to "Thor" from a few rounds back, which is one of the best tracks on Sign of the Hammer, the title track itself never did much for me. "Father Time" is a blistering piece of power metal that sounds a great deal like Helloween, and I really liked it, so I'm gonna vote Stratovarius.

"Perfect Strangers" is a classic song from a classic album, and I have fond memories of it being played at one of the first rock concerts I attended - it was a small Danish festival that somehow managed to get both Status Quo and Deep Purple on the bill. I also like Led Zeppelin a lot, but "Misty Mountain Hop" just can't match its opponent in any way. Deep Purple.

I'm not very familiar with Grave Digger, but I have to admit I enjoyed the hell out of "Lionheart". The music was great, and I didn't mind the singer's voice at all - he kinda sounded like a deeper version of Udo Dirkschneider. "Secret Loser" is another very good tune from a generally underrated Ozzy-album - the guitarwork is absolutely stellar. There's not a lot between these two tracks, I'll admit, but one is currently losing, and the other has the second-worst title in this round, so I'll give it to Grave Digger.

Man, I had forgotten how amazing "White Room" is. I absolutely adore everything about this song, from the 5/4 opening to the driving verses to the sombre chorus to Clapton's great solo. I rate Led Zeppelin higher than Cream in general, but their contribution just can't compare this time either - "When the Levee Breaks" is good, but "White Room" is better. Cream.
 
"Saturday Satan" was perfectly fine as well, but I didn't find it nearly as memorable (hilariously bad title aside).
It's a reference to the phrase "Saturday Satan, Sunday Saint", indicating a person who sins it up on Saturday night then shows up to church on Sunday and plays the part of the pious gentleman. The Powerwolf song is really only addressing the first part.

This phrase goes back at least as far as Ernest Tubb's 1969 country song:
 
It's a reference to the phrase "Saturday Satan, Sunday Saint", indicating a person who sins it up on Saturday night then shows up to church on Sunday and plays the part of the pious gentleman. The Powerwolf song is really only addressing the first part.

This phrase goes back at least as far as Ernest Tubb's 1969 country song:
With the second part added, it makes a lot of sense, and I like the duality of the phrase. On its own, I just think "Saturday Satan" sounds very silly.
 
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Tough first match, both of these songs have their charms although I can't see myself coming back to either. Powerwolf's is certainly a lot catchier, but Sonata Arctica has more interesting music (singer is not great though). Gonna go with them but I won't be mad about either taking this.

Blue Cheer is getting a lot of slack but I thought this was a perfectly enjoyable song. Typical '60s structure but the guitar is way heavier than a lot of their contemporaries. UFO was also decent and I enjoyed the guitar work but they have better songs in this game.

Wish I could understand what Stratovarius are singing. This song clearly inspired Nightwish ("Crownless") and Sabaton ("Screaming Eagles", possibly more) but I think I prefer what their successors did over the original. Taking about derivatives, Manowar strike back with honestly the strongest song they've had in the game yet. I can definitely hear that Helloween nabbed some of these melodies for "Keeper of the Seven Keys", and funnily enough the chorus actually steals a bit from Iron Maiden's "Twilight Zone". It's an interesting combination, and Eric Adams hits some cool high notes, so to my surprise I'll be voting for the True Purveyors of Heavy Metal (but fuck that album cover).

"Perfect Strangers" is basically Deep Purple's attempt at turning "Kashmir" into a radio song, and it's super good, groovy, got some fun vocal slides and a cool chorus. You can also hear a lot of elements Maiden would start including in their songs after the reunion. "Misty Mountain Hop" is fun, and I used to sleep on this song a little undeservedly, but DP are still getting the vote.

Ozzy has a strong sounding song but it doesn't really go anywhere, chorus is super silly. I was kinda impressed by Grave Digger; those vocals are rough but the music is great and I liked the way they played around with the chorus. Guitars sound crisp as hell. Good stuff.

"White Room" is much stronger overall than "Sunshine of Your Love" from last round, and is an incredibly memorable staple of classic rock radio. Unfortunately it's blown out of the water from the instant John Bonham hits that drum kit. "When the Levee Breaks" was not one of my favorite Zep songs back in the day but it's grown on me substantially of late. A thunderous classic and one of the most iconic cover songs of all time. Easy vote for Led Zeppelin.
 
Match 169 - Sonata Arctica
I've seen people introducing their nominees, so let me do the same. White Pearl, Black Ocean is a song. It starts with an intro and then we have the rest of the song. Lyrics are about white pearl and black ocean. TBH, I have no idea why I nominated this, I've only heard it yesterday and before that was probably 10 years ago. Found it while searching through my Last.fm account. Powerwolf surprised me, but not in positive way. I've heard some of it and this is not how I remember them. Can somebody point me to an album which may be gateway to their other albums? (Oh, and I'm voting Sonata Artica for two reasons; if it loses, I can play victim card while bashing other members nominations, if it wins I'll try to coin term "25. song", you know, song that you don't particularly care but somehow always ends up on your playlist. It can be applied to every other area. Example:
- What's that guy doing here?
- Oh, no reason, he was just 25th song.

Match 170 - UFO
This may be one of those cases where cover is better than the original, I've heard several ones but Rush version is what I'm aiming at. The Blue Cheer original version sounds naked compared to the mighty Canadian trio. UFO wasn't any better but at least it had better production (seriously did nobody gave a fu** in 60s and 70s when they recorded hi-hats and cymbals?!)

Match 171 - Stratovarius
I think I've been exposed to Manowar more in the previous couple of months than I've been throughout my whole life. I'm afraid that at some point a weird click within me with happen and instead of laughing at Manowar I'll start laughing with Manowar. Soon as you know it, Manowar will be playing somewhere and I'll go "Manowar, yeah" and fist pumping the air. I can not let that happen. Even if I had to vote for Stratovarious (whose entry wasn't as cheesy as some other previous entries).

Match 172 - Deep Purple
Although I like Misty Mountain Hop, those verse melody always bugged me. Perfect Stranger I always liked and hearing it live both by Deep Purple and later by Bruce and orchestra only made me appreciate it more (that instrumental part in the middle of the song played by orchestra sounded massive). I bet our "old folks" probably look at this song and album the way as we "younger generations" look at Brave New World and there's probably a DP board where couple of naggers say Perfect Strangers are given much more credit only due to reunion.

Match 173 - Grave Digger
I've mistaken Grave Digger for some other band who covered Fear of the Dark and it sounded way heavier but the main melody was played by violin. It wasn't Grave Digger. But then again, it also isn't Ozzy and he'll have to do something really unique to make me vote for him. Or he needs to be pitted against someone really bad.

Match 174 - Led Zeppelin
Nothing wrong with Cream and White Room but damn, this is the Led Zeppelin that I adored! Bonham bashing those drums in a hallway, Page's Les Paul wailing, Plant screeching in the mic and Jones also doing something remarkable while still being underrated. Saying something isn't metal in this competition is becoming boring and it will be brought again and again and even I will say it now, but I also have to say this: this monstrous country-blues is 10 times heavier than half of the entries that have already been in this competition.
 
White Pearl, Black Oceans is epic and far exceeded my expectations from SA. Saturday Satan is mostly great. That "Satan! Satan!" is not my cheese. Sonata Arctica

Blue Cheer's singer has something Geddy Lee about him. Enjoyable. Prince Kajuku is probably more memorable.

Well this one is certainly more energetic than Thor song. I was going to say I'm getting tired of Manowar in this game but there's a lot I like here. Father Time does remind me of the best of Gamma Ray... Well I did say there's too much Manowar here. Stratovarius

Perfect Strangers
is extremely good. That is my thought every time I hear it. Zep being Zep cause me headaches.

Lionheart has a different air to most power metal I've heard. The chorus is only the most obvious example, it's in the production as well. Anyways, the song works. Secret Loser is more good Ozzy. Sticking with Grave Digger.

Great playing across the board in White Room. More metal than the previous Cream song too. Finally, a Led Zeppelin song that is both good and doesn't make get up for a glass of water. You can drift off to this one. When the Levee Breaks
 
Powerwolf surprised me, but not in positive way. I've heard some of it and this is not how I remember them. Can somebody point me to an album which may be gateway to their other albums?
"Saturday Satan" is from their second album, Lupus Dei, when they were still a guitar-driven trad metal band with pipe organs. IMO that was their peak. Even Loosey agrees that it's a "great fucking album". Now I'm not entirely sure whether he meant that it was a particularly great album, or if it's a great album to have on in the background while using @Niall Kielt's couch, but either way it's a strong endorsement.

Their next two albums were a combination of rehashing old songs and playing around with different sounds, and were pretty uneven and disappointing as a result.

Beginning with Preachers Of The Night they refocused their sound on a poppier, less guitar-driven power metal approach, and all of the albums that have followed have continued in this direction, leaning slightly poppier with each release. You're probably looking for stuff from their latter era.
 
Yeah, Lupus Dei rocks. It's easily my favourite by them. When I saw Powerwolf they played nothing off that album and it was pretty disappointing.
 
The Sacrament of Sin is easily my favorite, followed by Call of the Wild and Blood of the Saints. Saturday Satan is definitely one of their best early tracks though.
 
Life has accelerated a bit, so I didn't vote in this last round. No ties to break this time so no shenanigans needed. Gonna try to get an update in before I record my podcast in an hour, fingers crossed!
 
Good news @JudasMyGuide! Satan is vanquished! He's no pearl in Sonata Arctica's ocean. It's no longer summertime, but Blue Cheer still has the blues as they're stomped by UFO. Father Time is undefeated in sport and the GMSC as Manowar falls to Stratovarius. Deep Purple's strangers have popped Led Zeppelin's balloon. It's no secret who the loser is in the next matchup, as Ozzy digs Grave Digger's grave. And the levee has broken and washed away all the Cream, as Led Zep takes the last matchup.




Part I, Round 30, Matches 175-180


Play In Round
Match 175
En Vivo Division​
Iggy and the Stooges - Search and Destroy
vs.
KISS - She​
Popoff 500
Nominators
Popoff 500​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 176
En Vivo Division​
Bolt Thrower - Through the Eye of Terror
vs.
Bloodbath - Buried By the Dead​
@DJ James
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 177
En Vivo Division​
Borknagar - Cold Runs the River
vs.
Dan Swano - Add Reality​
@JudasMyGuide
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 178
Phantom of the Opera Division​
Bring Me the Horizon - Throne
vs.
White Zombie - More Human than Human​
Youtube 50
Nominators
Popoff 500​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 179
Phantom of the Opera Division​
Breaking Benjamin - The Diary of Jane
vs.
Avenged Sevenfold - A Little Piece of Heaven​
Youtube 50
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 180
Phantom of the Opera Division​
Alter Bridge - Fortress
vs.
Faith No More - Surprise! You're Dead!​
@The Dissident
Nominators
Popoff 500​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links
 
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