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
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Really? I feel like I hear Baba O’Riley and Who Are You far more often. My favorite is Won’t Get Fooled Again.
They're all iconic songs so I'm not sure how you could go anywhere having not heard one of them. :P I agree though. Baba O'Riley is a massive FM radio staple in particular. My Generation maybe doesn't get played on radio stations or in public much but it does seem like a popular needle drop choice in trailers/shows/etc.
 
I had a pretty good Elon Musk joke for if King Gizzard won, but they didn't, so The Who I guess. A pledge of a sorcerer is nothing compared to the power of the sun god as Atlantean Kodex gets promoted. The only thing unconditional is Megadeth's monstrous victory over Prong. The master's apprentices have dug graves for Caligula's Horse as Opeth wins. I guess Marduk forgot the lube as they lose to Vintersorg. You can't waste time woolgathering and expect to stand against the Knightrider of Doom, thus Rhapsody of Fire slays Wilderun.




Part I, Round 37, Matches 217-222


Play In Round
Match 217
Brave New World Division​
Porcupine Tree - Even Less
vs.
Coheed and Cambria - Ten Speed​
@The Dissident
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 218
Brave New World Division​
Dark Moor - Maid of Orleans (Hall of Olden Dreams version)
vs.
Rhapsody of Fire - On the Way to Ainor​
@JudasMyGuide
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 219
Ghost of the Navigator Division​
Angra - Carry On
vs.
Dynazty - The Human Paradox​
@Black Bart
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 220
Ghost of the Navigator Division​
Meshuggah - Broken Cog
vs.
Behemoth - Versvs Christvs​
@Night Prowler
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 221
Ghost of the Navigator Division​
Slayer - Disciple
vs.
Pantera - Fucking Hostile​
@Spambot
Nominators
Popoff 500​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links

Play In Round
Match 222
Hallowed Be Thy Name Division​
Dio - Stand Up and Shout
vs.
Halford - Heart of a Lion​
Popoff 500
Nominators
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon
Links
 
Stupid Dream was my first acquaintance with Mr Porcupine Wilson (barring his guest-starring in Opeth, of course; hot take: Opeth pre- and after- Wilson are as much two different bands as Oldpeth and Newpeth are, methinks) and Even Less was therefore the first thing I heard by PT. And I've mentioned it time and again that it is precisely the style they/he took on this album and the following Lightbulb Sun that's IMHO the most fitting for the group, the proggy Brit-pop incarnation, the Blur on steroids, whatever.

Dream is not as "Brit-poppy" as Lightbulb, it is generally more reminiscent of Floyd and other elder proggers, but the root is already present. Immediately catchy (a rarity for the band, to be honest), but high-concept nonetheless. What if Blur wanted to be Dream Theater, huh?
I know that sounds like a denigration, but it's actually a compliment. I like Even Less just as much as I did all those years ago when I heard it the first time. I like how the second half leaves the song-structure far behind but feels organic and well-connected to the previous part. I like the decidedly un-flashy, but enticing and emotional soloing. I don't like the reciting of the numbers in the end, but that's just a small part.

Now, Coheed and Cambria, that's a name I haven't heard for a long time. I remember liking them quite a bit back in the day of my prog-afficionado high. I like the sound and the guitar harmonies and some of the spidery-synth embellishments of the riff, but honestly it sounds a bit too modern, the vocals, the melodies, the general attitude. In a way it ticks the same boxes as Porcupine Tree have, it also sounds rather radio poppy and I guess its at times almost pop-punk stylings might usually be more endearing to me than the almost clichéd "sad barefoot vegan boy from Kingston", but it is not. I find Even Less to have more of a staying power.

And I believe even the nominator @Mosh will be quite understanding when I say I'll vote for the Porcupine Tree here.

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Ah, another of my tracks. This is the second song by Dark Moor I picked and unlike the other one, this one I thought of (and knew I'd include) immediately - it is genuinely one of my favourite power metal songs ... and not just because my wife has Joan of Arc as one of her Patrons Saint (although Architecture and Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is also one of the oft-spinned records in our household - and that's the one with two singles named after the Maid of Orleans. Coincidence? I think not!)

I'm not a man searching the glory
I'm just the hand chosen to fight

And it's true that Dark Moor are in general criminally underrated... but also deserve it in a way. See, the first albums with Elisa Martin (one of the least typical female frontwomen I know) are some of the best power metal I know ... and over time they have fallen down incredibly hard, becoming not even a shadow of their former glory, turning into a quite terrible, wretched band.
But that's not what we talk about here.

The melody - and I mean both the guitars in the introduction and the chorus itself - sounds so typical, so obvious, it feels so much like something from the back of your mind I have actually thought about and search for any power metal track this one might be aping, but I couldn't found any - it just sounds like it has always existed.

Also, the guitarwork is again very cool, just like last time.
The whole Hall of Olden Dreams is a must hear for anyone only slightly tolerant to power metal, IMHO; I had trouble picking this one track, I had, like, 4 other choices.

And of course, in the opposite corner is another of my favourite bands, one of the best ever, in fact, doing a great job as well. Oh, yes, sure, I liked both The Dark Secret and Triumph or Agony very much (despite the former having not enough guitar, being sandwiched between two of Turilli's solo outlets and the latter being a tad meandering and way too ballad-heavy, IMHO), The Frozen Tears of Angels still sounded like a return to form ... a return from mere excellence to actual greatness, going back to the level of Power of the Dragonflame. It was heavier and more relentless, immediately catchy and gripping ... and On the Way to Ainor is definitely up to this par. The chorus is immediately memorable, the Turilli is Turilling as if there was no tomorrow (one of my favourite instrumental parts by the band? Dunno, might be, whatever) it's just so... thrilling.

Honestly, even as this is against my own nominee, I'll probably wait and vote for the song that's going to be losing, because both need a lot of love, both should proceed, both are immensely beautiful.

-----

Speaking of power metal greatness, Angra's Carry On is once again the first song I heard by the band and it immediately captivated me - there's something underratedly awesome in even just the prechorus, let alone the chorus itself, once the song gets to it.
I am not the world's greatest fan of Andre Matos - he has that annoying type of head voice that Jon Arch, Kiske and others tend to annoy me with, but he has tons of personality nonetheless and this song is definitely his showcase. The buildup to the final shriek might be cheap in theory, but priceless in practice. (also, the cut off is weird only because it's supposed to be segueing into the next track on the album, don't let it taint your opinion on the track).

That said, the rest of the band are doing their best as well, especially the Bittencourt-Loureiro duo, even though I'm not usually a fan of the "each member in the spotlight" into which the instrumental part seems to devolve.
And I admit the drop with the bass and the fanfaresque keyboards is something I could live about - it is a good shift in the song as such, I like the idea, but the way it sounds is just way too jarring. Still, not enough to lessen my love for the track in any meaningful way.

The Dynazty song is quite okay, although once again the production is way too modern to my liking. And, well, it doesn't reperesent the inspiring, spiritual soar of the human soul Carry On does (and I don't mean merely the lyrics).

Angra, definitely. Also, thanks to @Black Bart for nominating it, I thought it would be a given this track would be included.

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I don't have to worry to offend anyone's feelings in the next match, since both songs were nominated by Night Prowler, so I'd say that Meshuggah have had their better moment here - it's nice to see I'm not the only one who thinks they seem to get better with age - whereas Behemoth, who should in theory be much more to my liking (being blackened death and all) are not vibing here with me at all (though the music video looks like Diablo intro, tbh).
Also, I won't be voting for a song called Versvs Christvs unless I really have to (because of the "v"s, silly! Oh, and also because the "versus Christus" was already done much better by Jerry Goldsmith in the Omen soundtrack :p )

Meshuggah get my vote quite easily.

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I am not a fan of Slayer at their best, even... which their 2001 album decidedly is not. I mean, I hardly liked you lot when you were trying to be brutal thrash, what's all this nu metal fucking around then? The sound, the vocals, the downtuned sound, it just doesn't work and doesn't fit either. It's just way too... shouty. Sounds like Araya broke into the mixing room and made himself the most prominent part of the sound. And that's something he definitely shouldn't be - I mean, I can take a lot of thrashy bark, but his yells just grate on me. Shut up, mate, already.

On the contrary - and I hope that this forum which is somewhat way too much anti-Pantera biased will see the light and the truth - Fucking Hostile is one of the better offerings by Pantera. I realise that it is coming off a rather monotonous record (Display is just variations on the same song, or at least feels that way really much; also the dry production doesn't help, making the songs sound much more samey than they already are), but FH is a breath of fresh air, really - it's fast and aggressive in a completely different way from the rest of the album. It has a very catchy chorus that sounds almost old-school and the way Anselmo overshouts the mic at the end is rather funny. And it segues into the much calmer and sombre This Love on the record. Dunno, I've always liked the track and it is definitely the song I've been replaying the most from this particular album.

Pantera.

-----

Huh, the last match surprised me.

Okay, really, sometimes I feel Halford is the most overrated vocalist in all of metal - I admit his shtick of hiccupy yelps with random belts he was doing in the prime Priest days was quite unique and in a way captivating...and his timbre is unique and recognisable, but is it enough? Compared with Dio who (although I dislike the adoration of him around here) feels like he was born to sing and enchant you with his voice, with his raw, unbridled power.
That said, the song @Perun nominated is definitely much more interesting, melodious and enticing than the generic opener from Holy Diver. Now, against Rainbow in the Dark, the title track, Caught in the Middle... yeah, against those Heart of a Lion probably wouldn't stand a chance. But as it stands, I'm quite happily voting for Halford.
(wait, now that I'm checking it out - is that a Priest song or a Halford song? I haven't heard it before and I haven't gone through Halford's discography and the Google is no help, so...)
 
Wow, The Human Paradox is pretty much an all time top 10 song for me. Carry On is fantastic as well so I understand why people would vote for that one too. Also, On the Way to Ainor is my favorite Rhapsody song. Not the most popular choice but to me it's a masterpiece.
 
horatio-csi.gif
I never got tired of his horribly-written one-liners dropping moments before this song crashed in.
 
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Really? I feel like I hear Baba O’Riley and Who Are You far more often. My favorite is Won’t Get Fooled Again.

Tommy the album used to be my overall best album for many years since I listened it first time to mid nineties. But because my introduction to The Who was within this channel of the first rock opera ever, I was never too impressed from their “normal” songs.

I had a pretty good Elon Musk joke for if King Gizzard won, but they didn't

You can still tell us the joke :(
 
They're all iconic songs so I'm not sure how you could go anywhere having not heard one of them. :p I agree though. Baba O'Riley is a massive FM radio staple in particular. My Generation maybe doesn't get played on radio stations or in public much but it does seem like a popular needle drop choice in trailers/shows/etc.

Think location is the issue here, different hits are bigger in different areas. Don't think many would be naming Who are You in the UK if they were asked to name 5 The Who hits.
 
Another solid song by Dark Moor. I like the vocals and I love the melodies (Steve and Janick will like them for sure) and the chorus. Rhapsody Of Fire's song has a great intro, interesting chorus and the neoclassical solo is just so good. Both songs are very good, but overall I like the former better. Maybe because of the vocals. Thanks for the nomination, @JudasMyGuide

Carry On is one of the Angra songs I like (Helloween vibe) and I've never heard before the band Dynazty. I rarely like newer bands, but this song is so melodic and catchy and memorable. Exactly what I like the most. The chorus is great and the vocals are strong. Nice solos and the Maiden-esque harmony was the icing on the cake. Thanks for the nomination, @KidInTheDark666

Heart Of A Lion should have been a 1988 Priest song. It could have been a hit single. Nice surprise with the nomination, @Perun. At least Rob saw its potential. I like it a lot, chorus, verses, riff - all great. Btw, the calm part is done better in Priest's version. But against a Dio classic, it has little chance. Stand Up And Shout has a classic riff, verses and chorus for Ronnie. Great guitar work too (outro and solo!). The definition of pure classic metal!

The rest of the songs are not for me.
 
wait, now that I'm checking it out - is that a Priest song or a Halford song? I haven't heard it before and I haven't gone through Halford's discography...
Originally, it's a Priest song written during the Turbo era (1986), released in 2004 for their box set. Rob recorded it with his solo band for his 2001 live album (studio recording), along with a shorter version of Prisoner Of Your Eyes (another unused Priest song from 1986). Scott Travis' previous band, Racer X also recorded a cover of the song for their second album in 1987. A solid album.
 
Scott Travis' previous band, Racer X also recorded a cover of the song for their second album in 1987. A solid album.

Oh, I knew I fucking must have heard it somewhere already - I am acquainted with Racer X because of Paul Gilbert, so it must have been there. Anyway, with Halford it sounds better.

Weird genealogy, it's a good song, should have been released on Turbo already. A good discovery, thanks, @Perun .

P. S.

Prisoner Of Your Eyes (another unused Priest song from 1986)

I know that one, that's another outtake that's genuinely awesome, what were they thinking back then? :D
 
Anyway, with Halford it sounds better.

Weird genealogy, it's a good song, should have been released on Turbo already.
I agree.
I know that one, that's another outtake that's genuinely awesome, what were they thinking back then? :D
Indeed. Awesome guitar riffs and melodies. Songs like Heart Of A Lion, Prisoner Of Your Eyes, Thunder Road, All Fired Up are all strong enough to be album songs. There are still 3 unreleased songs from the 1986 sessions - Under The Gun, Fighting For Your Love and My Design. I hope one day we could hear them. Iirc, the original 1986 double album called Twin Turbos should have had 18 songs, while they wrote 22 songs for the project!!!

Other bonus songs of theirs that should have been on albums are imo: Living Bad Dreams (although I don't like the chorus, but the music is strong) and Tears Of Blood. The new album will also have for sure.


Btw, can you recommend me some Dark Moor songs?
 
Think location is the issue here, different hits are bigger in different areas. Don't think many would be naming Who are You in the UK if they were asked to name 5 The Who hits.
Oh yes, but I was replying as an American to someone who also lives in America. I absolutely believe that there is a pretty big regional variation in Who hits between the US and UK. I assume some of their mod era material that isn’t very well known here is a much bigger deal there for example, Kids Are Alright, Pictures of Lily, I Can See For Miles, etc.
 
Oh yes, but I was replying as an American to someone who also lives in America. I absolutely believe that there is a pretty big regional variation in Who hits between the US and UK. I assume some of their mod era material that isn’t very well known here is a much bigger deal there for example, Kids Are Alright, Pictures of Lily, I Can See For Miles, etc.

Honestly - I was labouring under the delusion that - them being one of the "big" bands - most "active rock listeners" (you know, the people who actually move in rock/metal circles, buy records and so on) would know most of their discography, just like with... dunno, Beatles, Kinks, the Stones, Bob Dylan. Zeppelin. Floyd. I do find it weird this is not true.

(Maybe it's because my previous/first community was Only Solitaire? Dunno).
 
Honestly - I was labouring under the delusion that - them being one of the "big" bands - most "active rock listeners" (you know, the people who actually move in rock/metal circles, buy records and so on) would know most of their discography, just like with... dunno, Beatles, Kinks, the Stones, Bob Dylan. Zeppelin. Floyd. I do find it weird this is not true.
I’m a pretty active listener and no spring chicken, but from your list I could only say I know most of the discography of the Beatles and Zeppelin. I’m obviously aware of a number of Stones, Dylan, and Floyd songs, but I’ve never dived into their discographies because I didn’t like them enough to bother. Same with The Who.

I’ve noticed that with rock music it’s very rare for me to really be grabbed by anything that came out before about 1976 unless it’s truly exceptional. It’s some combination of the production, guitar tech, and songwriting approach that makes most of that early stuff feel flat and tired to me, with a few significant exceptions.
 
Honestly - I was labouring under the delusion that - them being one of the "big" bands - most "active rock listeners" (you know, the people who actually move in rock/metal circles, buy records and so on) would know most of their discography, just like with... dunno, Beatles, Kinks, the Stones, Bob Dylan. Zeppelin. Floyd. I do find it weird this is not true.

(Maybe it's because my previous/first community was Only Solitaire? Dunno).
I'm a huge rock fan but do not happen to be a fan of the 3/5 bands/artists above so I am not super familiar with them.
 
Oh yes, but I was replying as an American to someone who also lives in America. I absolutely believe that there is a pretty big regional variation in Who hits between the US and UK. I assume some of their mod era material that isn’t very well known here is a much bigger deal there for example, Kids Are Alright, Pictures of Lily, I Can See For Miles, etc.

I wasn't having a pop there, just pointing out it's logical that some may see My Generation as their biggest hit, while others would have other candidates. The same thing was pointed out to me when I was incredulous about Wasting Love's listening count on streaming services and some South American fans explained it was a bit of a hit in South America.
 
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