all-time favorite metal song (musically)

Temple of Blood wrote:

TZ75 wrote:This thread has set off my OCD!  


This is it! It doesn’t get any better for me than Randy Rhoads and classic Ozzy. I love this song! 

I sing this one in my cover band but am not really a huge fan.  It's OK.  It's all about how annoyed Ozzy got that Sharon trusted psychics.    

I greatly prefer Believer or the title track over this one.  Or, on other albums "Bark at the Moon" is an all-time classic in my book.

Do you dismiss songs based on the lyrics? I like this song mostly because of the music. Besides Bark at the Moon, it’s one of Ozzy’s faster songs. I like the drum intro and the vocal melody over Randy’s rhythm. Believer is cool, but it’s more plodding and less energetic. Of coarse the title track is amazing with a eerie feeling. Pretty much the whole album rocks!

Temple of Blood wrote:

Airola wrote:There are three songs that for me have the pure essence of what metal is.

Tourniquet: Psycho Surgery
Megadeth: Holy Wars
Judas Priest: Painkiller

And I kinda want to lump in Skid Row's Slave to the Grind too.

Holy Wars is perhaps too overlong and contains too much "mellow" stuff to be the ultimate metal song.

My favorite of all of those is Psycho Surgery. It plays like a buzzsaw in a tornado - it's metal to the core. The main riff is one of my all time favorites, and it also contains one of my all time favorite "riff that plays under the solo" riff, the solo also being fantastic.

The main riff on PS is awesome, all those changes that sound like classical thrash and yet unlike any other neo-classical metal band.  The chorus vocally is just not that great though IMHO, and is out of key.  The rest of the music is really impressive though.  It's hard for me to listen to a song with a bad chorus very often.

"Slave to the Grind", while being heavy for Skid Row, to me musically is only slightly above average.  Not even close to Painkiller IMHO.

I don’t know about out of key… Ted purposely had quirky out of place parts in his songs. Strange or bad vocals never stopped Megadeth, Ace Frehley or Primus. Sometimes weird works!

TZ75 wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Airola wrote:There are three songs that for me have the pure essence of what metal is.

Tourniquet: Psycho Surgery
Megadeth: Holy Wars
Judas Priest: Painkiller

And I kinda want to lump in Skid Row's Slave to the Grind too.

Holy Wars is perhaps too overlong and contains too much "mellow" stuff to be the ultimate metal song.

My favorite of all of those is Psycho Surgery. It plays like a buzzsaw in a tornado - it's metal to the core. The main riff is one of my all time favorites, and it also contains one of my all time favorite "riff that plays under the solo" riff, the solo also being fantastic.

The main riff on PS is awesome, all those changes that sound like classical thrash and yet unlike any other neo-classical metal band.  The chorus vocally is just not that great though IMHO, and is out of key.  The rest of the music is really impressive though.  It's hard for me to listen to a song with a bad chorus very often.

"Slave to the Grind", while being heavy for Skid Row, to me musically is only slightly above average.  Not even close to Painkiller IMHO.

I don’t know about out of key… Ted purposely had quirky out of place parts in his songs. Strange or bad vocals never stopped Megadeth, Ace Frehley or Primus. Sometimes weird works!

I was going to compare this to Megadeth or Vio-lence (i.e. metal singers who are often said to be terrible) ... this chorus is far worse than those bands, and far more annoying.  Neither vocal performance/pattern/melody was really good on this song.  I'm not really talking about singing ability here or saying every singer has to be as good as Pavarotti.  I'm just saying don't bring the song down several notches.  Tourniquet really reminds me of Annihilator at times where the music can be so great but the vocals are just goofy and don't work IMHO.  It's not a question of strangeness.  Snake from Voivod was really different too, or Kenn Nardi from Anacrusis, but they were never awful.  I don't think this is Ted's fault either.

I think vocals really did hold Ace Frehley back frankly.  Primus is, well, just a joke that is worn out by now.  I don't think joke bands have a long lifespan.  The evidence of this now is that they are having to tour as a Rush cover band to get anyone to see them on tour.  It's not because of a lack of talent in that band either.

TQT has great vocals, fits the music well. You are the most critical guy sometimes.

Black Rider wrote:TQT has great vocals, fits the music well. You are the most critical guy sometimes.

I'm speaking about a particular song.  You are speaking in generalities.  You are missing the point.

Tourniquet really reminds me of Annihilator at times where the music can be so great but the vocals are just goofy and don't work IMHO.

"at times".  Not all the time.

We're discussing music.  You're trying to make it personal.  Can you focus on the issue at hand without lashing out at me personally?

If this discussion doesn't interest you, then move on, which is what I do with 90% of what is discussed here.

You made a general statement about TQT having goofy vocals comparing them to Annihilator. I don't care, just an observation.

Black Rider wrote:You made a general statement about TQT having goofy vocals comparing them to Annihilator. I don't care, just an observation.

AT TIMES

Read it again.

Which is it? One song or at times?

Hey, no offense intended, I respect your opinion usually, you have experience.

Black Rider wrote:Which is it? One song or at times?

It happens more than once in their discography, so that make it "at times".

I was trying to focus on discussing one song with great music where the vocals bring it down several notches.

I am not speaking about ALL TOURNIQUET VOCALS OVER THEIR ENTIRE RECORDED CAREER and have the ability to deal in nuance.  

Are you still having difficulty understanding?

Wow dude, I said no offense intended. I'll move on.

Black Rider wrote:Wow dude, I said no offense intended. I'll move on.

Uh huh.

I'm sure none of your other several personal swipes at me were the same.  Then you post a laughing emoji at me, you know ... since you and I are so tight we can joke like that.

PM me your name IRL.

Wait? Personal swipes? You bringing up years ago, way to hold a grudge. My name is Brent Johnson, how are you?

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

Temple of Blood wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:Dream Theater War Inside My Head/The Test That Stumped Them All.

I can't really get into post-Kevin Moore Dream Theater aside from a handful of songs:  Raw Dog, A Change of Seasons (co-written by KM), As I Am, The Enemy Inside.  I don't like Jordan Rudess' style or 7 string guitar.  But I am a HUGE fan of the first few albums, even the debut which many dismiss.

Sorry I'm a couple days later, and the threat-thought has moved on from this.

For the most part, I do like Rudess' style, so that changes things for me. I'm also a Portnoy fan (especially his work with Neal Morse) and Petrucci fan.

Dream Theater is really hit or miss for me; most of it, especially the newer albums, seem to be all business and no emotion. I haven't bought an album since the self-titled, and I was mildly disappointed with the ones leading up to it. But the stuff they hit (like TEI) is AWESOME. The beauty of digital music is you can make custom playlists...

I do really like a few of the concept songs, like Six Degrees and Octavarium. I first listened to WIMH/TTTSTA watching Live in Budokan, and it had so much power, emotion, virtuousity and progressiveness.

Deadpool wrote:

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

I just think, "Theocracy has SO MANY great songs. SO MANY. SO VERY MANY!!! Their worst songs are better than many other bands' best songs. I could choose 4 or 5 as my favourite metal song ever. Why, oh why, does yours have to be Mirror of Souls, oh fellow Christian metalhead????"

Sevenoneself wrote:

Deadpool wrote:

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

I just think, "Theocracy has SO MANY great songs. SO MANY. SO VERY MANY!!! Their worst songs are better than many other bands' best songs. I could choose 4 or 5 as my favourite metal song ever. Why, oh why, does yours have to be Mirror of Souls, oh fellow Christian metalhead????"

I mean, "The Gift of Music" is worse than many other metal band's worst songs. But otherwise, their weaker songs are still pretty good. And their best songs are some of the best ever made.

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Deadpool wrote:

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

I just think, "Theocracy has SO MANY great songs. SO MANY. SO VERY MANY!!! Their worst songs are better than many other bands' best songs. I could choose 4 or 5 as my favourite metal song ever. Why, oh why, does yours have to be Mirror of Souls, oh fellow Christian metalhead????"

I mean, "The Gift of Music" is worse than many other metal band's worst songs. But otherwise, their weaker songs are still pretty good. And their best songs are some of the best ever made.

Side note, in all seriousness. It doesn't change our CMR debate of "The Gift of Music", but it does highlight how lyrics can reach into our hearts and affect our emotions.

Sunday morning in adult S.S. class we were talking about the role of music in Christian Worship. One of the moms was trying to explain how the music/melody/lyrics of some songs helps her worship in a way that she couldn't find prayers and words to express properly. So I sent her the words to TFoM, and she completely resonated with it! 

However, I couldn't convert her to metal--she didn't bother listening to it. And a bunch of you would say that's for the better--introducing non-metal lovers with that song could turn them off of metal forever!

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Deadpool wrote:

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

I just think, "Theocracy has SO MANY great songs. SO MANY. SO VERY MANY!!! Their worst songs are better than many other bands' best songs. I could choose 4 or 5 as my favourite metal song ever. Why, oh why, does yours have to be Mirror of Souls, oh fellow Christian metalhead????"

I mean, "The Gift of Music" is worse than many other metal band's worst songs. But otherwise, their weaker songs are still pretty good. And their best songs are some of the best ever made.

Side note, in all seriousness. It doesn't change our CMR debate of "The Gift of Music", but it does highlight how lyrics can reach into our hearts and affect our emotions.

Sunday morning in adult S.S. class we were talking about the role of music in Christian Worship. One of the moms was trying to explain how the music/melody/lyrics of some songs helps her worship in a way that she couldn't find prayers and words to express properly. So I sent her the words to TFoM, and she completely resonated with it! 

However, I couldn't convert her to metal--she didn't bother listening to it. And a bunch of you would say that's for the better--introducing non-metal lovers with that song could turn them off of metal forever!

Oh, I like the lyrical idea of the song. Matt Smith is one of my favorite lyricists.

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Deadpool wrote:

Pethead wrote:

You know your pick is Mirror of Souls.

This track was just playing in my car on the way to work today and you know what.....it's a solid contender. 

Man, Theocracy is so underrated by the rest of the planet.

Just all around brilliant stuff IMO.

But hey, Lil Naz X and DJ Khaled make my local radio stations' playlist and will probably be at the Grammys again this year, and the "RnR Hall Of Fame" inducts Green Day, all the while Matt Smith creates some of the most amazing art for the ears in relative obscurity.

Awesome, I guess. 

I just think, "Theocracy has SO MANY great songs. SO MANY. SO VERY MANY!!! Their worst songs are better than many other bands' best songs. I could choose 4 or 5 as my favourite metal song ever. Why, oh why, does yours have to be Mirror of Souls, oh fellow Christian metalhead????"

I mean, "The Gift of Music" is worse than many other metal band's worst songs. But otherwise, their weaker songs are still pretty good. And their best songs are some of the best ever made.

Side note, in all seriousness. It doesn't change our CMR debate of "The Gift of Music", but it does highlight how lyrics can reach into our hearts and affect our emotions.

Sunday morning in adult S.S. class we were talking about the role of music in Christian Worship. One of the moms was trying to explain how the music/melody/lyrics of some songs helps her worship in a way that she couldn't find prayers and words to express properly. So I sent her the words to TFoM, and she completely resonated with it! 

However, I couldn't convert her to metal--she didn't bother listening to it. And a bunch of you would say that's for the better--introducing non-metal lovers with that song could turn them off of metal forever!

Oh, I like the lyrical idea of the song. Matt Smith is one of my favorite lyricists.

Haha, well to answer the question, MOS is way long, goes a thousand different places and sucks me in and I just have a thing for those epic kinds of trappings (Well, in metal anyway).

But also, after just taking a hard listen to TGOM, it's alright for me.
In contrast, if I have a problem with it at all it's actually in the lyrics, which are a bit too syrupy for my tastes.
But I find the bulk of the music to slam pretty hard.
Sure, it takes awhile to get into gear but once it does it delivers I think. 

I don't see any reason why that wouldn't be a great song to utilize for introducing the band to a less metallically--inclined newcomer. It eases you in before tearing the meat off of your bones, which would be a more palatable dish for Homeschool Mom types.
Regardless of the style, I think that the raw musicality of the track is undeniable by even a "Third Day" acolyte. 

Your friend should really sit down with that song. My guess is that she will find an appreciation for it.

^^ you convinced me! I just texted my friend and encouraged her to listen to the song. I'll let you know her reaction if/when she responds.

Sevenoneself wrote:^^ you convinced me! I just texted my friend and encouraged her to listen to the song. I'll let you know her reaction if/when she responds.

Please do! I would be very interested!

You guys are making me want to listen to TGOM to see what this talk is about but I'm scared of what I might hear.

Temple of Blood wrote:You guys are making me want to listen to TGOM to see what this talk is about but I'm scared of what I might hear.

Banish your fears! Have a listen and give us your take!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLbMpiwkDeQ

Watch this be the song that makes ToB a Theocracy fan.