The Greatest Metal Song Cup - Part II, Round 5, Matches 7-12

[Kalata]

Some thoughts:

All The Fools Sailed Away. The vocals! And for some reason the chorus of this song is really melancholic.

Rebellion In Dreamland, easy. Typical Gamma Ray formula, but it sounds so epic, captivating and perfect. One of Kai's best songs.

Cowboy Song has great solos and melodies, but The Sails Of Charon is one of Scorpions best 70's songs imo. Interesting and better.

The prog matchup. 20 minutes is too much for me, quality ideas or not. Learning To Live is a cool Dream Theater with lots of interesting twists and melodies(!). Really nice and fun. It reminds me of Nightwish.

 

[srfc]

In Flames was quite bad, not a fan of the other stuff I've heard from them but it was a good bit better than this track which was basically Korn Dio

Gamma Ray was standard euro power metal, Voodoo Chile is a masterpiece

Tie of the round, both tracks classics Cowboy Song

Angel of Death wasn't great with the arrangement particularly annoying Estranged

Edge of Sanity not my cup of tea, Mandatory Suicide brilliant

DT aren't great, I could probably take or leave the rest of 2112 after Overture/Syrinx but that part is brilliant

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

Very easy Dio bias.

Gamma Ray win over shreddy blues, despite Hendrix's legacy.

The main riff of The Sails of Charon is just so damn cool and the lead guitar work is awesome. That's sweep-picking in 1977! Such a dark, killer early metal tune. I love Thin Lizzy and Cowboy Song is a classic, but Scorps win here for their mystical and more metallic tune.

Estranged is a big nope for me dawg. Angel of Death is shaky, but it wollops GnR's piano power ballad.

Slayer have plenty of better songs in this game and this one sounds weak as hell (especially vocally). Edge of Sanity are more interesting.

I love Rush. 2112 is a cool song. But, if I'm being honest, the only part of 2112 that I love is less than 2 minutes (Temples of Syrinx). Learning to Live is a top tier Dream Theater song and easily takes this for me.

 

[Kalata]

But, if I'm being honest, the only part of 2112 that I love is less than 2 minutes (Temples of Syrinx).

''Temples Of Syrinx'' is indeed great. It reminds me of early and 80's Priest so much.

 

[LooseCannon]

The fools, and Dio, sailed right past the quiet place. Gamma Ray has launched a rebellion, no voodoo children invited. Speaking of sailing, Scorpions don't allow any cowboys on their boat. Guns N' Roses knows we're estranged from the real song "Angel of Death". Look, I've made a mandatory suicide joke before for Slayer and it's getting old. Dream Theater has really learned to win, though.

---

Part II, Round 5, Matches 7-12
​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 7​	Running Free Division​
Guns N' Roses - Mr. Brownstone	vs.​	Helloween - Midnight Sun​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	@Kalata​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -5	Record​	1-1-0, 2 pts, +3​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 8​	Ed Hunter Division​
Megadeth - Rust in Peace..Polaris	vs.​	Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
1-0-0, 2 pts, +1	Record​	0-2-0, 0 pts, -21​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 9​	Paul Todd Division​
Armored Saint - Book of Blood	vs.​	Children of Bodom - Lake Bodom​
@MrKnickerbocker	Nominators​	@Confeos​
1-0-0, 2 pts, +9	Record​	0-2-0, 0 pts, -34​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 10​	Powerslave Division​
Testament - Disciples of the Watch	vs.​	Scorpions - The Zoo​
Popoff 500	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
1-0-0, 2 pts, +3	Record​	0-2-0, 0 pts, -31​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 11​	Out of the Silent Planet Division​
Unleash the Archers - Abyss	vs.​	W.A.S.P. - Chainsaw Charlie​
@LooseCannon	Nominators​	Popoff 500 @srfc​
0-1-0, 0 pts, -5	Record​	1-0-1, 3 pts, +6​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

Group Stage - Round 5	Match 12​	The Edge of Darkness Division​
Avantasia - The Scarecrow	vs.​	Anthrax - I Am the Law​
@Poto	Nominators​	Popoff 500​
1-0-0, 2 pts, +9	Record​	1-0-1, 3 pts, +7​
Youtube | Spotify | Amazon	Links​	Youtube | Spotify | Amazon​

 

[Kalata]

Midnight Sun, not because it's my nominee. Helloween are miles ahead of Guns! The song is a (Maiden-esque) true gem. So much better. Catchiness, melody, drumming, instrumental section.
Megadeth's Rust In Peace... Polaris is a very solid riff-y thrash, but Rainbow's Man On The Silver Mountain edges it with at least the melodic approach. Although the studio version is so slow, live '77 is better.
Armored Saint, because of the vocals. And Book Of Blood is solid old school metal, the vocal ideas aren't the most interesting (still fine; no chorus?), but the solo is worth it. Effective song.
The Zoo's rhythm is so captivating. Especially with Scorpions' trademark melodic style.
Unleash The Archers' Abyss is good (melodic and memorable power metal), WASP's Chainsaw is a classic metal. Both are quality, but I love Blackie's voice (better too) and the vocal ideas have more character.
Avantasia's The Scarecrow is better and more interesting, easy. It's time for me to vote for them. Quality stuff. Great vocal ideas overall (impactful). The calm middle parts is too long, but add to the dreamy vibe that fits the Dio-esque verses. Anthrax's song is not for me.