The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 4, Matches 82-87
- Thread starter LooseCannon
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Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Yep. Andi is a vocalist with a unique voice.
Kiske has a really high voice, maybe like Bruce in the 80's, but the comparison of these two unique vocalists in metal is a bit odd, although I understand the similarities between their voices. Maybe with Rob Halford, especially from the 70's.
I agree.
Me too.
So true.
This.
Confeos
Game time started.
Lovebites, ouch.
This is written before listening to the Helloween song (which I am not familiar with), so I don't know if it's simply the better song, or because people tend to vote for the bigger name. In any case it doesn't matter, as LC has pointed out, each reason is just as valid as the other.
I nominated Lovebites because I consider them my find of the year. I discovered them around January-February, coinciding with the release of their fourth album, Judgement Day. As far as I know they have done very little touring outside their home country of Japan, which may be why they have yet to have a major breakthrough internationally. They play a brand of power metal that I frequently see people compare to Dragonforce, but my honest opinion is that they're much, much better. Their third album, Electric Pentagram (which includes When Destinies Align) has quickly become one of my favourite albums ever; a 12-song masterpiece packed with relentless, melodic riffing; facemelting, well-composed solos; soaring vocals; atomclockwork drumming, and perhaps most importantly, incredibly tight arrangements. To be honest, I could have nominated every single song for the cup, but the solo section in When Destinies Align is just glorious - the guitarists Midori and Miyako take turns shredding like mad(wo)men, ending with some lightning fast harmonies that lead perfectly back into the chorus. Honestly, the only other solo section that has this effect on me is the one in Powerslave!
So anyway, it's obviously turning out to be a very brief appearance for Lovebites in the cup, but I do recommend anyone who liked what they heard check out some of their other songs - I think it's very much worth the while!
I'll check out the rest of the songs and vote later tonight.
This is written before listening to the Helloween song (which I am not familiar with), so I don't know if it's simply the better song, or because people tend to vote for the bigger name. In any case it doesn't matter, as LC has pointed out, each reason is just as valid as the other.
I nominated Lovebites because I consider them my find of the year. I discovered them around January-February, coinciding with the release of their fourth album, Judgement Day. As far as I know they have done very little touring outside their home country of Japan, which may be why they have yet to have a major breakthrough internationally. They play a brand of power metal that I frequently see people compare to Dragonforce, but my honest opinion is that they're much, much better. Their third album, Electric Pentagram (which includes When Destinies Align) has quickly become one of my favourite albums ever; a 12-song masterpiece packed with relentless, melodic riffing; facemelting, well-composed solos; soaring vocals; atomclockwork drumming, and perhaps most importantly, incredibly tight arrangements. To be honest, I could have nominated every single song for the cup, but the solo section in When Destinies Align is just glorious - the guitarists Midori and Miyako take turns shredding like mad(wo)men, ending with some lightning fast harmonies that lead perfectly back into the chorus. Honestly, the only other solo section that has this effect on me is the one in Powerslave!
So anyway, it's obviously turning out to be a very brief appearance for Lovebites in the cup, but I do recommend anyone who liked what they heard check out some of their other songs - I think it's very much worth the while!
I'll check out the rest of the songs and vote later tonight.
If it makes you feel better, I intend to vote for them!
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
It was somewhat close for me too. I honestly think the production hurts them a lot, making them sound way more artificial than necessary. I liked the "meat" of the song.
Shmoolikipod
Stranger to the Light
When Destinies Align is a chunk of bombastic power metal, with some good playing but ultimately derivative. And I'm really not a fan of the vocals, she can sing but half the time it sounds like Japanese. Midnight Sun was in the same ballpark initially, but with the solos and outro it got a lot more dynamic, which is really what's missing from the Lovebites song. Plus, I didn't have to check what language the song is in!
Man, this is hard. I loved World Playground Deceit since the GMAC (and I'm pretty sure Magnus nominated Thorns, ironically), but it just barely escaped the culling for my list. I love the shifting chord riff, but the main thing for me is the transition into the half time middle section, the way the instruments gradually lock into the new groove is super cool to me. And I'm also a big fan of the drum outro. Quintessence however was also really really good. A tad too long, and the vocals don't always do it for me but otherwise it was great and interesting. Going with my own nomination but I'm splitting hairs.
Foolin' and Mr. Brownstone were both catchy, and while Axl has some less good moments the prechorus is better than anything on Foolin'. Sleeping My Day Away wasn't as memorable other than a nice clean solo.
A funny battle between two very different approaches. I kept thinking how controlled Dio's powerful voice is while listening, and how unflamboyant the song is. The Ripper is the complete opposite, theatrical and menacing. The Ripper is more to the point, and also has one of my favorite lyrics + delivery:
I'm sly and I'm shameless
Nocturnal and nameless
Except for "the Ripper"
Or, if you like, "Jack the Knife"
Always stood out for me.
This Love, EASY. Whiplash is one of the most overrated Metallica songs. It's very lively and... so is the rest of KEA. Weak chorus and I don't get the riff change before the solo. This Love has haunting verses, a much more headbanging chorus than the song about headbanging, a breakdown and much, much, much better lead guitars and drums. 12-1? Are you mad??
Both songs very good with kinda annoying vocals. Rust in Peace is more fun. Awesome ending.
Man, this is hard. I loved World Playground Deceit since the GMAC (and I'm pretty sure Magnus nominated Thorns, ironically), but it just barely escaped the culling for my list. I love the shifting chord riff, but the main thing for me is the transition into the half time middle section, the way the instruments gradually lock into the new groove is super cool to me. And I'm also a big fan of the drum outro. Quintessence however was also really really good. A tad too long, and the vocals don't always do it for me but otherwise it was great and interesting. Going with my own nomination but I'm splitting hairs.
Foolin' and Mr. Brownstone were both catchy, and while Axl has some less good moments the prechorus is better than anything on Foolin'. Sleeping My Day Away wasn't as memorable other than a nice clean solo.
A funny battle between two very different approaches. I kept thinking how controlled Dio's powerful voice is while listening, and how unflamboyant the song is. The Ripper is the complete opposite, theatrical and menacing. The Ripper is more to the point, and also has one of my favorite lyrics + delivery:
I'm sly and I'm shameless
Nocturnal and nameless
Except for "the Ripper"
Or, if you like, "Jack the Knife"
Always stood out for me.
This Love, EASY. Whiplash is one of the most overrated Metallica songs. It's very lively and... so is the rest of KEA. Weak chorus and I don't get the riff change before the solo. This Love has haunting verses, a much more headbanging chorus than the song about headbanging, a breakdown and much, much, much better lead guitars and drums. 12-1? Are you mad??
Both songs very good with kinda annoying vocals. Rust in Peace is more fun. Awesome ending.
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
I'm a bit late, but a nice way to ring in the weekend!
Match 19 - Helloween - Midnight Sun
This felt like a pretty balanced matchup to me, but apparently not! Both are the brand of metal I really enjoy. Where both songs were let down were their vocalists, so I voted for Helloween because the song felt like it had a better, more identifiable (some might say cheesier) chorus. I would happily listen to either again.
Match 20 - Thorns - World Playground Deceit
I don't like either song, but I felt like Thorns held my attention span. I was actively trying to zone out of Darkthrone because I couldn't stand the repetition or the vocalist.
Match 21 - Def Leppard - Foolin'
Mr Brownstone is a solid song. Sleeping My Day Away is a really pleasant surprise that I'll definitely listen to again. But Foolin' is one of Leppard's best. Easy choice for me.
Match 22 - Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain
I think The Ripper is a fantastic song - I would rate it over any of the other songs on its album, in fact - but it got an incredibly hard matchup this round.
Match 23 - Pantera - This Love
There's so much more going on in this song. Whiplash isn't bad, but very quickly sounds identical to every other thrash song I've ever heard. This Love has a great contrast between the verses and choruses, with some really cool guitar work going on throughout.
Match 24 - Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Megadeth is probably my favourite thrash band, because I feel like the guitarwork is often a bit more interesting than the other thrash bands I've heard. Testament ran it closer than I expected though; and I especially liked how bassy the song felt. I would listen again.
Match 19 - Helloween - Midnight Sun
This felt like a pretty balanced matchup to me, but apparently not! Both are the brand of metal I really enjoy. Where both songs were let down were their vocalists, so I voted for Helloween because the song felt like it had a better, more identifiable (some might say cheesier) chorus. I would happily listen to either again.
Match 20 - Thorns - World Playground Deceit
I don't like either song, but I felt like Thorns held my attention span. I was actively trying to zone out of Darkthrone because I couldn't stand the repetition or the vocalist.
Match 21 - Def Leppard - Foolin'
Mr Brownstone is a solid song. Sleeping My Day Away is a really pleasant surprise that I'll definitely listen to again. But Foolin' is one of Leppard's best. Easy choice for me.
Match 22 - Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain
I think The Ripper is a fantastic song - I would rate it over any of the other songs on its album, in fact - but it got an incredibly hard matchup this round.
Match 23 - Pantera - This Love
There's so much more going on in this song. Whiplash isn't bad, but very quickly sounds identical to every other thrash song I've ever heard. This Love has a great contrast between the verses and choruses, with some really cool guitar work going on throughout.
Match 24 - Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Megadeth is probably my favourite thrash band, because I feel like the guitarwork is often a bit more interesting than the other thrash bands I've heard. Testament ran it closer than I expected though; and I especially liked how bassy the song felt. I would listen again.
Confeos
Game time started.
Lovebites, for reasons posted earlier. "Midnight Sun" is decent, though.
I immediately knew I'd heard the riff in "Quintessence" before - it's basically the same as the song "Noregsgard" by Storm. Both bands feature Fenriz, so go figure - @Magnus, were you aware? The vocals are better in the Thorns track (done by Satyr, if I'm not mistaken), and the music more interesting, but "Quintessence" just has that black metal atmosphere and vibe in spades. Darkthrone it is.
"Foolin'" did nothing but remind me how much I dislike Def Leppard. "Mr. Brownstone" I usually skip when listening to Appetite - it's not a bad song, the rest of the album is just superior. And then we have D-A-D (originally Disneyland After Dark). Kinda cool to see a Danish band appearing on a "greatest"-list. We used to cover "Sleeping My Day Away" in one of my old bands. For nostalgic reasons - D-A-D.
"Man on the Silver Mountain" is simply one of the best songs from one of the best albums of all time - and the fact that Rainbow managed to outdo it later is a testament to the creative powers of Blackmore and Dio. I never got the fuzz about "The Ripper", it's so mediocre. Rainbow all the way.
I find Metallica's debut very uneven and nowhere near the quality of Ride, Puppets, Justice and even the Black Album. "Whiplash" has energy and charm for sure, but it's not stellar. However, it beats the mess that is "This Love" almost by default - holy hell, that chorus is annoying. Metallica.
I'm still new to Testament, and "Practice What You Preach" kicked ass, basically. Solid thrash all the way through, great solo, great vocals. I have nothing particular against "Rust in Peace...Polaris", but this is one of those songs where Dave's vocals are dangerously close to frickin' annoying. I guess that tips the scales in Testament's favor.
I immediately knew I'd heard the riff in "Quintessence" before - it's basically the same as the song "Noregsgard" by Storm. Both bands feature Fenriz, so go figure - @Magnus, were you aware? The vocals are better in the Thorns track (done by Satyr, if I'm not mistaken), and the music more interesting, but "Quintessence" just has that black metal atmosphere and vibe in spades. Darkthrone it is.
"Foolin'" did nothing but remind me how much I dislike Def Leppard. "Mr. Brownstone" I usually skip when listening to Appetite - it's not a bad song, the rest of the album is just superior. And then we have D-A-D (originally Disneyland After Dark). Kinda cool to see a Danish band appearing on a "greatest"-list. We used to cover "Sleeping My Day Away" in one of my old bands. For nostalgic reasons - D-A-D.
"Man on the Silver Mountain" is simply one of the best songs from one of the best albums of all time - and the fact that Rainbow managed to outdo it later is a testament to the creative powers of Blackmore and Dio. I never got the fuzz about "The Ripper", it's so mediocre. Rainbow all the way.
I find Metallica's debut very uneven and nowhere near the quality of Ride, Puppets, Justice and even the Black Album. "Whiplash" has energy and charm for sure, but it's not stellar. However, it beats the mess that is "This Love" almost by default - holy hell, that chorus is annoying. Metallica.
I'm still new to Testament, and "Practice What You Preach" kicked ass, basically. Solid thrash all the way through, great solo, great vocals. I have nothing particular against "Rust in Peace...Polaris", but this is one of those songs where Dave's vocals are dangerously close to frickin' annoying. I guess that tips the scales in Testament's favor.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
So, the power metal match. Neither song is something I'd likely return to, but neither were bad. Lovebites are certainly derivative, I barely listen to the genre and even I can tell they're doing the general power metal moves, but they do it in a really fun way. The vocalist is good, but I can barely understand her except for like, single lines. But it's fun music. Helloween's song is more put together, but definitely less fun. Only that instrumental section really cooks, IMO. So I'm going for the fun one, Lovebites it is.
So, the black metal match. Thorns was solid, but didn't really go anywhere for me. "Quintessence" is a classic, love the music, the vocals are hilarious. They kinda make you feel like bullying Culto in high school was justified, weird alpha nonsense lol. Varg's lyrics start interesting but get cringe fast. Ultimately the music is really good, therefore, Darkthrone.
So, the glam match. "Foolin'" is a great song, classic Def Leppard that kinda meshes together their different styles (ballad vs hard rock vs hair metal). "Mr. Brownstone" is classic Appetite Roses, one that grew on me a lot over the years. Short and sweet with a kickin' riff and fantastic lyrics about drug addiction. It's one of those songs that really showcases these guys' chops as songwriters; it's classic rock 'n' roll but modernized for a late '80s scene that's about to be stripped away as grunge starts its rise. And GNR were definitely holding some of the sledgehammers. D-A-D was a really nice surprise too! I wasn't sold on the vocalist, but I love how a simple staccato riff becomes so much more with the addition of a clean guitar, and it's just a fun glam tune. I was kinda going back and forth on this one, but I think I've already underscored how good "Mr. Brownstone" is over the other two, so that's what I'm gonna have to go for. GNR, folks.
So, the proto-metal match. Honestly the toughest match in this whole set. I love the groove in "Man on the Silver Mountain", and it's one of those songs that is just Dio 101. This is what he was made for. And it's super fun to sing, too! He must have had a blast, man. "The Ripper", meanwhile, is one of those Priest songs I never heard all that much, but it's largely because I loved the Mercyful Fate and Iced Earth covers and was just spinning them back in the day. Listening to the original again, I think that Rob is the weakest link here, I think another take or two would have been ideal. His screams are fantastic, of course. The thing is, the music is fantastic. So many layers, and it really is super theatrical, especially compared to Rainbow's song. Ughhhhhhhh. Okay, seeing that Priest is currently losing right now, I'm going Priest, but damn this is close.
So, the hardcore bro-man match. "Whiplash" is fun, but that's about it. You listen to it to bang your head, and then you leave and it doesn't stick with you on any emotional wavelength. "This Love", meanwhile, is a song I never paid much attention to, but goddamn is it good. It lures you in with a quiet, ballad-style approach, but then the chorus comes and it slams into your head like a ton of concrete. This is Pantera being Pantera in the best way possible, and it absolutely destroys Metallica on all fronts.
So, the thrash match. Yeah, this is a no-brainer. "Rust in Peace... Polaris" is a good song, I really enjoy it, but it has three big issues. 1) It's needlessly repetitive at different times. The three verse/pre-chorus/chorus sections back-to-back are too much, and the riffing in the last section goes on a little too long too. 2) Dave sounds like a chipmunk with Covid. Christ, it's bad. 3) Please change the lyrics to "rotten egg stench of death", I keep hearing racial slurs. I do like the structure though! It's a song that starts in one direction, switches gears completely, and then at the end changes course again. That's pretty cool! But I'm going Testament, duh, "Practice What You Preach" is a fucking classic, I love Chuck Billy's delivery, I love the gang vocals, I love how much of a ride the solo section is, and I love the big bass sound! Everyone voting Megadeth is doing it out of bias, and is being controlled by Satan.
So, the black metal match. Thorns was solid, but didn't really go anywhere for me. "Quintessence" is a classic, love the music, the vocals are hilarious. They kinda make you feel like bullying Culto in high school was justified, weird alpha nonsense lol. Varg's lyrics start interesting but get cringe fast. Ultimately the music is really good, therefore, Darkthrone.
So, the glam match. "Foolin'" is a great song, classic Def Leppard that kinda meshes together their different styles (ballad vs hard rock vs hair metal). "Mr. Brownstone" is classic Appetite Roses, one that grew on me a lot over the years. Short and sweet with a kickin' riff and fantastic lyrics about drug addiction. It's one of those songs that really showcases these guys' chops as songwriters; it's classic rock 'n' roll but modernized for a late '80s scene that's about to be stripped away as grunge starts its rise. And GNR were definitely holding some of the sledgehammers. D-A-D was a really nice surprise too! I wasn't sold on the vocalist, but I love how a simple staccato riff becomes so much more with the addition of a clean guitar, and it's just a fun glam tune. I was kinda going back and forth on this one, but I think I've already underscored how good "Mr. Brownstone" is over the other two, so that's what I'm gonna have to go for. GNR, folks.
So, the proto-metal match. Honestly the toughest match in this whole set. I love the groove in "Man on the Silver Mountain", and it's one of those songs that is just Dio 101. This is what he was made for. And it's super fun to sing, too! He must have had a blast, man. "The Ripper", meanwhile, is one of those Priest songs I never heard all that much, but it's largely because I loved the Mercyful Fate and Iced Earth covers and was just spinning them back in the day. Listening to the original again, I think that Rob is the weakest link here, I think another take or two would have been ideal. His screams are fantastic, of course. The thing is, the music is fantastic. So many layers, and it really is super theatrical, especially compared to Rainbow's song. Ughhhhhhhh. Okay, seeing that Priest is currently losing right now, I'm going Priest, but damn this is close.
So, the hardcore bro-man match. "Whiplash" is fun, but that's about it. You listen to it to bang your head, and then you leave and it doesn't stick with you on any emotional wavelength. "This Love", meanwhile, is a song I never paid much attention to, but goddamn is it good. It lures you in with a quiet, ballad-style approach, but then the chorus comes and it slams into your head like a ton of concrete. This is Pantera being Pantera in the best way possible, and it absolutely destroys Metallica on all fronts.
So, the thrash match. Yeah, this is a no-brainer. "Rust in Peace... Polaris" is a good song, I really enjoy it, but it has three big issues. 1) It's needlessly repetitive at different times. The three verse/pre-chorus/chorus sections back-to-back are too much, and the riffing in the last section goes on a little too long too. 2) Dave sounds like a chipmunk with Covid. Christ, it's bad. 3) Please change the lyrics to "rotten egg stench of death", I keep hearing racial slurs. I do like the structure though! It's a song that starts in one direction, switches gears completely, and then at the end changes course again. That's pretty cool! But I'm going Testament, duh, "Practice What You Preach" is a fucking classic, I love Chuck Billy's delivery, I love the gang vocals, I love how much of a ride the solo section is, and I love the big bass sound! Everyone voting Megadeth is doing it out of bias, and is being controlled by Satan.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
One of the weirder consequences of participating in this cup - and probably rather unfortunate in Loosey's eyes, since he hates them with a passion - I haven't put on a GNR album (or song) for 10 years or so, or at least I don't remember doing it. And ever since the last round, I'm on a continual binge. I think I finally got used to Axl's vocals, but that's beside the point - fuck the vocals, the production and sound, the guitarwork, it just scratches this weird hard rock itch I didn't know I had.
I know it's probably ridiculously n00bish and shallow to be enamoured by Slash of all people, but man, he's famous for a reason.
I mean, Al Di Meola might be a coq au vin and Duane Allman may be an excellent, crafted, home-made lasagna and Turilli may be a beef Wellington... but Slash is like this tasty, juicy, perfectly done burger that just goes down like nothing else. Yes, you shouldn't live off burgers. You probably make a fool of yourself if you try to praise burgers in front of your gourmet friends. But when the time is right, a burger is all you need.
(I guess continuing in this line of thinking, Dimebag might be this banger hot dog you need when you're hung over...)
I know it's probably ridiculously n00bish and shallow to be enamoured by Slash of all people, but man, he's famous for a reason.
I mean, Al Di Meola might be a coq au vin and Duane Allman may be an excellent, crafted, home-made lasagna and Turilli may be a beef Wellington... but Slash is like this tasty, juicy, perfectly done burger that just goes down like nothing else. Yes, you shouldn't live off burgers. You probably make a fool of yourself if you try to praise burgers in front of your gourmet friends. But when the time is right, a burger is all you need.
(I guess continuing in this line of thinking, Dimebag might be this banger hot dog you need when you're hung over...)
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Look, I don’t know much about how a guitar is played, but Slash just always oozes rizz. He has a cool style of playing. Nothing noobish or shallow to be amazed by a guy playing guitar, no matter if it’s simple or complex, dry or swimming in studio magic. If something clicks for you, then that’s amazing and worth being enamored by.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
Yeah, I was exaggerating, somewhat. You know, my Mum loved Slash. The girls in high school loved Slash. He's like this emanation of swagger. People who don't listen to rock at all know him. He's too cool to like. That's what I meant. Tongue in cheek, of course
To paraphrase the man himself, he's British and black, how much more cred can you get in rock, really?
Although I didn't really love Lovebites, there's just something about this Helloween song that left me cold. My vote doesn't matter here, but I'll probably give Lovebites some more listens.
Neither song is my speed but I did find myself enjoying the groove of Quintessence, whereas Thorns I found to be more a collection of noise. Darkthrone.
I picked D-A-D because "Sleeping My Day Away" has been stuck in my head for like two months since looking it up to listen to what type of music it was.
Rainbow because 1) Dio and 2) I don't like the Ripper that much, it doesn't work for me.
Pantera over a lesser Metallica song, and a lesser Megadeth song over Testament.
Neither song is my speed but I did find myself enjoying the groove of Quintessence, whereas Thorns I found to be more a collection of noise. Darkthrone.
I picked D-A-D because "Sleeping My Day Away" has been stuck in my head for like two months since looking it up to listen to what type of music it was.
Rainbow because 1) Dio and 2) I don't like the Ripper that much, it doesn't work for me.
Pantera over a lesser Metallica song, and a lesser Megadeth song over Testament.
Lovebites is bitten by Helloween. Thorns overthrows Darkthrone in the round's closest match. Guns N' Roses shoots down Def Leppard (for the second time in a row) and D-A-D. Rainbow shines brighter than Judas Priest. Metallica lashes Pantera, while Megadeth rusts out Testament.
Part 1, Round 5, Matches 25-30
| Play In Round |
| Paul Todd Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dethklok - I Tamper With the Evidence at the Murder Site of Odin | vs. | Children of Bodom - Lake Bodom | |
| @Spambot | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Paul Todd Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthrax - In My World | vs. | Anthrax - Indians | |
| Popoff 500 | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Paul Todd Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iced Earth - Declaration Day | vs. | Armored Saint - Book of Blood | |
| @KidInTheDark666 | Nominators | ||
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Powerslave Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne - Flying High Again | vs. | Scorpions - The Zoo | |
| Popoff 500 | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Play In Round |
| Powerslave Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iced Earth - The Coming Curse | vs. | Queensrÿche - Roads to Madness | |
| Popoff 500 | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
Last edited:
DJMayes
Ancient Mariner
I'm shocked by the Def Leppard result, to be honest. Anyway, moving on...
Match 25 - Dethklok - I Tamper with the Evidence at the Murder Site of Odin
This was a strange round. I'm not keen on the harsh vocals of either, but I really enjoyed the instrumental parts of both. Fairly close here, but I really loved the guitar tone in the Dethklok song so I'm going with that.
Match 26 - Anthrax - Indians
I thought the vocals in this were better. Not going to overthink it.
Match 27 - Armored Saint - Book of Blood
Big fan of this one; hadn't heard it before. The Iced Earth song isn't bad but just lacks that extra something.
Match 28 - Scorpions - The Zoo
Utterly fantastic song.
Match 29 - Iced Earth - The Coming Curse
I felt this song was a bit longer than I had patience for (same for the QR song, to be honest) but I loved the intro and the section around 6 minutes.
Match 30 - Testament - Disciples of the Witch
Neither of these songs are my genre of choice. I was intrigued by the intro to the Sepultura song and enjoyed the solo a lot, but enjoyed a larger part of the Testament song.
Match 25 - Dethklok - I Tamper with the Evidence at the Murder Site of Odin
This was a strange round. I'm not keen on the harsh vocals of either, but I really enjoyed the instrumental parts of both. Fairly close here, but I really loved the guitar tone in the Dethklok song so I'm going with that.
Match 26 - Anthrax - Indians
I thought the vocals in this were better. Not going to overthink it.
Match 27 - Armored Saint - Book of Blood
Big fan of this one; hadn't heard it before. The Iced Earth song isn't bad but just lacks that extra something.
Match 28 - Scorpions - The Zoo
Utterly fantastic song.
Match 29 - Iced Earth - The Coming Curse
I felt this song was a bit longer than I had patience for (same for the QR song, to be honest) but I loved the intro and the section around 6 minutes.
Match 30 - Testament - Disciples of the Witch
Neither of these songs are my genre of choice. I was intrigued by the intro to the Sepultura song and enjoyed the solo a lot, but enjoyed a larger part of the Testament song.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Playlist! Including the Queensryche song. Might be a regional thing?
Jer
'Til Tomorrow
"I Tamper With The Evidence At The Murder Site Of Odin" has for the most part a serviceable groove with not-good vocals, but the instrumental sections are all genuinely enjoyable and the song is constructed well. "Lake Bodom" has a nice driving groove with lots of cool neoclassical flourishes and an interesting song structure, but the vocals are terrible. In the end I think the better music outweighs the worse vocals, so sorry, @Spambot, but I have to go with @Confeos's nominee here. Winner: Children Of Bodom - "Lake Bodom"
For the Anthrax-off, "In My World" has an OK punkish rhythm, uneven but mostly decent vocals, and pretty dumb lyrics. The melodic lines and the solo aren't very memorable either. "Indians" begins with a little more promise, but quickly starts to suffer from the same set of problems, and it has a pretty terrible chorus. The interlude and solo sections are a little better, but not by much. I never really cared for Anthrax, and never understood why they were often spoken of in the same breath as Metallica and Megadeth, and these songs just reinforced that impression. I don't like either track, but forced to choose I'll go with the marginally more memorable one. Winner: Anthrax - "In My World"
"Declaration Day" takes on a much darker subtext given Jon Schaffer's bear spray nonsense on January 6th, but there are some memorable guitar and vocal melodies here, Ripper sounds better than usual, and the songwriting is unusually coherent for an Iseditionist Earth track. I can't say it's a great song, but it's certainly a good one. "Book Of Blood" has an unusual-feeling main riff -- a bit unfocused, maybe? Bush sounds great, though, and the extended solo is very tasty. The atmospheric bridge is nice too. It seems like the Armored Saint track has higher highs than its competitor, but also lower lows (those verses are a bit of a mess). I could probably flip a coin here, but in fairness I feel like ties should break against the seditionist. Sorry, @KidInTheDark666, but @MrKnickerbocker's nominee ekes this one out on patriotic grounds. Winner: Armored Saint - "Book Of Blood"
"Flying High Again" is full of catchy melodic vocal lines, but dopey lyrics. The rhythm guitar is nothing special, but the solo is great. A solidly good song overall. "The Zoo" has an iconic sound with its laid-back verse rhythm, soaring chorus, and atmospheric talk box guitar that eventually fades into the sounds of the city. I'm actually shocked that this only had one list nomination and no MaidenFans nominations since it's a really great song (and Bruce Dickinson's cover from the Chemical Wedding era isn't too shabby either!). No contest here. Winner: Scorpions - "The Zoo"
"The Coming Curse" has a solid but overlong piano intro that cuts sloppily into the meat of the song. The thrashy riffage is good, as are the solo and first interlude, but I am not a fan of Barlow, even though he sounds a little better than usual here. The bridge sounds like a poor man's "Seventh Son", and while the songwriting isn't quite as patchworky as a typical Iseditionist Earth epic, it's not as coherent as it ought to be. The male and female church vocals don't blend into the music at all (unlike countless examples of other metal bands doing it well), and the extended outro just winds up feeling bizarre. "Roads To Madness" plods for its first minute, but is pretty solid through the verse before it starts to come apart in the pre-chorus with the weird major key backing choral vocals, and then the chorus which manages to die on the vine every time. The first solo is OK, as is the atmospheric interlude, and the semi-proggy driving section toward the end has some fire; but otherwise this song is a bit of a mess. Not thrilled with either track, but the choice here is pretty clear. Winner: Iseditionist Earth - "The Coming Curse"
"Disciples Of The Watch" ("Witch" is a typo in the round summary) has solid riffage, but Chuck Billy descends into the quasi-melodic-and-not-quite-on-the-note style of Tom Araya here, which I don't care for. Very good solo, but the vocal parts are utterly forgettable. "Beneath The Remains" has a nice clean intro, then a very awkward transition into mindless pummeling riffage. The vocals are non-melodic and not good, but nowhere near as bad as an extreme vocalist. There's some better riffage interspersed here and there, but the songwriting on the whole is a discombobulated mess. I don't like either song, but I'll go for the more coherent one with better guitar work. Winner: Testament - "Disciples Of The Watch"
For the Anthrax-off, "In My World" has an OK punkish rhythm, uneven but mostly decent vocals, and pretty dumb lyrics. The melodic lines and the solo aren't very memorable either. "Indians" begins with a little more promise, but quickly starts to suffer from the same set of problems, and it has a pretty terrible chorus. The interlude and solo sections are a little better, but not by much. I never really cared for Anthrax, and never understood why they were often spoken of in the same breath as Metallica and Megadeth, and these songs just reinforced that impression. I don't like either track, but forced to choose I'll go with the marginally more memorable one. Winner: Anthrax - "In My World"
"Declaration Day" takes on a much darker subtext given Jon Schaffer's bear spray nonsense on January 6th, but there are some memorable guitar and vocal melodies here, Ripper sounds better than usual, and the songwriting is unusually coherent for an Iseditionist Earth track. I can't say it's a great song, but it's certainly a good one. "Book Of Blood" has an unusual-feeling main riff -- a bit unfocused, maybe? Bush sounds great, though, and the extended solo is very tasty. The atmospheric bridge is nice too. It seems like the Armored Saint track has higher highs than its competitor, but also lower lows (those verses are a bit of a mess). I could probably flip a coin here, but in fairness I feel like ties should break against the seditionist. Sorry, @KidInTheDark666, but @MrKnickerbocker's nominee ekes this one out on patriotic grounds. Winner: Armored Saint - "Book Of Blood"
"Flying High Again" is full of catchy melodic vocal lines, but dopey lyrics. The rhythm guitar is nothing special, but the solo is great. A solidly good song overall. "The Zoo" has an iconic sound with its laid-back verse rhythm, soaring chorus, and atmospheric talk box guitar that eventually fades into the sounds of the city. I'm actually shocked that this only had one list nomination and no MaidenFans nominations since it's a really great song (and Bruce Dickinson's cover from the Chemical Wedding era isn't too shabby either!). No contest here. Winner: Scorpions - "The Zoo"
"The Coming Curse" has a solid but overlong piano intro that cuts sloppily into the meat of the song. The thrashy riffage is good, as are the solo and first interlude, but I am not a fan of Barlow, even though he sounds a little better than usual here. The bridge sounds like a poor man's "Seventh Son", and while the songwriting isn't quite as patchworky as a typical Iseditionist Earth epic, it's not as coherent as it ought to be. The male and female church vocals don't blend into the music at all (unlike countless examples of other metal bands doing it well), and the extended outro just winds up feeling bizarre. "Roads To Madness" plods for its first minute, but is pretty solid through the verse before it starts to come apart in the pre-chorus with the weird major key backing choral vocals, and then the chorus which manages to die on the vine every time. The first solo is OK, as is the atmospheric interlude, and the semi-proggy driving section toward the end has some fire; but otherwise this song is a bit of a mess. Not thrilled with either track, but the choice here is pretty clear. Winner: Iseditionist Earth - "The Coming Curse"
"Disciples Of The Watch" ("Witch" is a typo in the round summary) has solid riffage, but Chuck Billy descends into the quasi-melodic-and-not-quite-on-the-note style of Tom Araya here, which I don't care for. Very good solo, but the vocal parts are utterly forgettable. "Beneath The Remains" has a nice clean intro, then a very awkward transition into mindless pummeling riffage. The vocals are non-melodic and not good, but nowhere near as bad as an extreme vocalist. There's some better riffage interspersed here and there, but the songwriting on the whole is a discombobulated mess. I don't like either song, but I'll go for the more coherent one with better guitar work. Winner: Testament - "Disciples Of The Watch"
