Anyone feel like some March Metal Madness?

metalprof

Ken Luther
Mar 11, 2005
1,381
2
38
57
Valparaiso, IN
faculty.valpo.edu
The 2008 edition of PM:X2 March Metal Madness will begin soon!

For those of you who don't know what this is, it's a stupid annual voting contest set up to coincide with the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We start with 64 entrants (32 pairings) then by voting whittle it down to 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, and finally our champion. I wanted to make sure to invite my friends from this forum to participate as well! (This is not to be confused with the Metal Madness on the Royal Carnage forum ... I've been doing this other one on the PM:X board for at least 5 years.)

In several past years, the competition was always between bands. Last year, I mixed it up a bit to make it a bracket of 64 vocalists. This year, it's a bracket of 64 metal ALBUMS. I drew up a field of (I hope) famous albums representative of most subgenres (prog, power, death, thrash, black, doom, traditional). The list was put into random order and pairings for the brackets taken in that random order.

The voting will take place on line, via surveymonkey.com. Last year was the first year I used an on-line survey engine and learned that there are doofuses out there who will try to ruin a fun thing by voting multiple times. So this year, I'm asking that if you want to participate in the voting, please send me an e-mail at the address below and provide your e-mail address that I can put on a mailing list. From what I can tell, I can have up to 100 responses to each survey in the free basic version of surveymonkey.com that I signed up for, so the first 100 people to respond get on the list, and I'll use that list to send around links to the survey pages. I don't think 100 people have ever voted in any year, so I don't think this will be a problem.

I hope to compile the mailing list in the next couple of days so that voting in the first round can officially begin this weekend, on selection Sunday! The schedule of the rounds is:

Round of 64: done by 11pm CST Thurs March 20
Round of 32: done by 11pm CST Sun March 23
Round of 16: done by 11pm CST Thurs March 27
Round of 8: done by 11pm CST Sun March 31
Round of 4: done by 11pm CST Fri April 4
Championship Game: done by 11pm CST Mon April 7

Again, please e-mail me if you plan on participating in the voting, links to the survey pages will be given out by e-mail. My e-mail address for this is:

metalprof@verizon.net

Ken
 
BTW, if you are interested in the albums in the brackets, here they are. This is NOT the order they are paired in, so you can't draw any conclusions about album vs. album until you see the brackets later:

Heaven and Hell
Powerslave
Alive II
British Steel
Holy Diver
Gretchen Goes to Nebraska
Blizzard of Ozz
Rainbow Rising
Moving Pictures
Shout At the Devil
Reign in Blood
Slaughter of the Soul
Time Does Not Heal
Fabulous Disaster
The New Order
Forbidden Evil
Abigail
Peace Sells…But Who's Buying
Master of Puppets
Nothingface
Images and Words
Perfect Symmetry
The Divine Wings of Tragedy
Operation: Mindcrime
Holy Land
Into the Electric Castle
Entropia
The Fullness of Time
Streets: A Rock Opera
Control and Resistance
Lateralus
Imaginations From the Other Side
Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2
Land of the Free
In Search of Truth
Burnt Offerings
The Fourth Legacy
Dreaming Neon Black
Wishmaster
Decipher
Ecliptica
Theater of Salvation
Still Life
The Sound of Perseverance
Focus
Theli
Tales From the Thousand Lakes
Unquestionable Presence
Crimson
Heartwork
Deicide
Covenant
Tomb of the Mutilated
Black Metal
To Mega Therion
In the Nightside Eclipse
Don't Break the Oath
Pure Holocaust
Nightfall
Ziltoid the Omniscient
Beyond the Crimson Horizon
Forest of Equilibrium
Turn Loose the Swans
Mandylion
 
No TROUBLE and NO NOVEMBERS DOOM = FAIL!!!!

I would love to see the results from previous years.

Is it safe to say, just like every other competition like this, it comes down to MAIDEN VS PRIEST VS METALLICA VS MEGADETH VS SLAYER VS ICED EARTH VS NEVERMORE VS BLIND GUARDIAN?
 
The 2008 edition of PM:X2 March Metal Madness is on! Remember that if you want to participate in the voting, send me an e-mail at metalprof@verizon.net

This year, we have a competition between 64 albums. The 32 opening contests can be viewed at the bottom of this post, or in much cooler bracket form at

http://faculty.valpo.edu/kluther1/pmtourneygrid08.xls

POST EDITED TO DISPLAY BAND NAMES, although the albums are listed by title only in the bracket.

As the next 3 weeks go by, We'll vote according to (I hope) this schedule:

Round of 64: done by 11pm CST Thurs March 20
Round of 32: done by 11pm CST Sun March 23
Round of 16: done by 11pm CST Thurs March 27
Round of 8: done by 11pm CST Sun March 31
Round of 4: done by 11pm CST Fri April 4
Championship Game: done by 11pm CST Mon April 7

Region 1
---------

Reign in Blood (SLAYER) vs. Tales From the Thousand Lakes (AMORPHIS)
Holy Land (ANGRA) vs. Unquestionable Presence (ATHEIST)
Still Life (OPETH) vs. Dreaming Neon Black (NEVERMORE)
Tomb of the Mutilated (CANNIBAL CORPSE) vs. Burnt Offerings (ICED EARTH)
The New Order (TESTAMENT) vs. Ziltoid the Omniscient (DEVIN TOWNSEND)
Lateralus (TOOL) vs. Moving Pictures (RUSH)
Abigail (KING DIAMOND) vs. In Search of Truth (EVERGREY)
Beyond the Crimson Horizon (SOLITUDE AETURNUS) vs. Land of the Free (GAMMA RAY)

Region 2
--------

Black Metal (VENOM) vs. Turn Loose the Swans (MY DYING BRIDE)
Theater of Salvation (EDGUY) vs. The Divine Wings of Tragedy (SYMPHONY X)
Shout At the Devil (MOTLEY CRUE) vs. Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (KING'S X)
Nothingface (VOIVOD) vs. To Mega Therion (CELTIC FROST)
Heaven and Hell (BLACK SABBATH) vs. Focus (CYNIC)
Holy Diver (DIO) vs. Master of Puppets (ABBA)
Mandylion (NIGHTINGALE) vs. The Sound of Perseverance (DEATH)
Rainbow Rising (RAINBOW) vs. Don't Break the Oath (MERCYFUL FATE)

Region 3
--------

In the Nightside Eclipse (EMPEROR) vs. The Fourth Legacy (KAMELOT)
Fabulous Disaster (EXODUS) vs. Control and Resistance (WATCHTOWER)
Streets: A Rock Opera (SAVATAGE) vs. Imaginations From the Other Side (BLIND GUARDIAN)
Peace Sells…But Who's Buying (MEGADETH) vs. Wishmaster (NIGHTWISH)
British Steel (JUDAS PRIEST) vs. Nightfall (CANDLEMASS)
Covenant (MORBID ANGEL) vs. Operation: Mindcrime (QUEENSRYCHE)
Heartwork (CARCASS) vs. Entropia (PAIN OF SALVATION)
Forbidden Evil (FORBIDDEN) vs. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN)

Region 4
--------

Decipher (AFTER FOREVER) vs. Deicide (DEICIDE)
Forest of Equilibrium (CATHEDRAL) vs. Images and Words (JOHN DENVER)
Slaughter of the Soul (AT THE GATES) vs. Theli (THERION)
Crimson (EDGE OF SANITY) vs. Blizzard of Ozz (OZZY)
Perfect Symmetry (FATES WARNING) vs. Alive II (KISS)
The Fullness of Time (REDEMPTION) vs. Time Does Not Heal (DARK ANGEL)
Into the Electric Castle (AYREON) vs. Ecliptica (SONATA ARCTICA)
Pure Holocaust (IMMORTAL) vs. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2 (HELLOWEEN)
 
Here are the new matchups in the Round of 32 in PM:X2 March Metal Madness.

Anyone who voted in Round 1 will receive links for voting via e-mail. If you did not vote in Round 1 and would like to vote in Round 2, drop me a note at metalprof@verizon.net

Voting in Round 2 will be open until 6pm CST on Monday 3/24.

Regions 1/2
------------

Reign in Blood (SLAYER) vs. Holy Land (ANGRA)
Dreaming Neon Black (NEVERMORE) vs. Burnt Offerings (ICED EARTH)
The New Order (TESTAMENT) vs. Moving Pictures (RUSH)
Abigail (KING DIAMOND) vs. Land of the Free (GAMMA RAY)
Black Metal (VENOM) vs. The Divine Wings of Tragedy (SYMPHONY X)
Shout At the Devil (MOTLEY CRUE) vs. To Mega Therion (CELTIC FROST)
Heaven and Hell (BLACK SABBATH) vs. Master of Puppets (ABBA)
The Sound of Perseverance (DEATH) vs. Rainbow Rising (RAINBOW)

Region 3/4
-----------

The Fourth Legacy (KAMELOT) vs. Control and Resistance (WATCHTOWER)
Streets: A Rock Opera (SAVATAGE) vs.vs. Peace Sells…But Who's Buying (MEGADETH)
British Steel (JUDAS PRIEST) vs. Operation: Mindcrime (QUEENSRYCHE)
Entropia (PAIN OF SALVATION) vs. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN)
Decipher (AFTER FOREVER) vs. Images and Words (JOHN DENVER)
Theli (THERION) vs. Blizzard of Ozz (OZZY)
Perfect Symmetry (FATES WARNING) vs. The Fullness of Time (REDEMPTION)
Into the Electric Castle (AYREON) vs. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2 (HELLOWEEN)

************* RESULTS FROM ROUND 1 *************************

Region 1
---------

Not much love for Canniabal Corpse? Surely the cover art was worth something!

Reign in Blood (28) vs. Tales From the Thousand Lakes (9)
Holy Land (25) vs. Unquestionable Presence (11)
Still Life (11) vs. Dreaming Neon Black (24)
Tomb of the Mutilated (1) vs. Burnt Offerings (34)
The New Order (28) vs. Ziltoid the Omniscient (8)
Lateralus (5) vs. Moving Pictures (30)
Abigail (22) vs. In Search of Truth (15)
Beyond the Crimson Horizon (13) vs. Land of the Free (22)

Region 2
--------

Venom squeaks one out. I think Claus is the only person who pointed out my goof of writing that Mandylion was by The Gathering. Which I knew, but for some stupid reason wrote in "Nightingale". That wasn't supposed to be one of the jokes like Abba or Jonh Denver!

Black Metal (15) vs. Turn Loose the Swans (14)
Theater of Salvation (5) vs. The Divine Wings of Tragedy (32)
Shout At the Devil (24) vs. Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (12)
Nothingface (16) vs. To Mega Therion (19)
Heaven and Hell (28) vs. Focus (6)
Holy Diver (13) vs. Master of Puppets (24)
Mandylion (14) vs. The Sound of Perseverance (20)
Rainbow Rising (20) vs. Don't Break the Oath (16)

Region 3
--------

I had to call organizer's prerogative and cast the tiebreaking vote between Streets and Peace Sells; at the end of the voting, they were tied at 18. I always save my own votes until the end in case they're needed.

And poor Morbid Angel.

In the Nightside Eclipse (8) vs. The Fourth Legacy (28)
Fabulous Disaster (11) vs. Control and Resistance (22)
Streets: A Rock Opera (19) vs. Imaginations From the Other Side (18)
Peace Sells…But Who's Buying (31) vs. Wishmaster (6)
British Steel (29) vs. Nightfall (8)
Covenant (0) vs. Operation: Mindcrime (37)
Heartwork (12) vs. Entropia (20)
Forbidden Evil (3) vs. Powerslave (34)

Region 4
--------

Poor Immortal. No love for black metal here. Or much death, either, if Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel's tallies are anything to go by. At least Focus and Sound of Perseverance got some votes. And so did Black Metal (Venom), but that was up against doom, not any power or prog.

Decipher (22) vs. Deicide (9)
Forest of Equilibrium (3) vs. Images and Words (33)
Slaughter of the Soul (14) vs. Theli (20)
Crimson (8) vs. Blizzard of Ozz (27)
Perfect Symmetry (24) vs. Alive II (11)
The Fullness of Time (26) vs. Time Does Not Heal (7
Into the Electric Castle (18) vs. Ecliptica (16)
Pure Holocaust (0) vs. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2 (35)
 
I think it's terrible regardless of whatever mainstream attention it may have gained.

That album was highly praised as groundbreaking when it came out..
Long before it received mainstream attention..

Sorry bro - I hate to pull the "I am older than you" card on this one but I have to...

You know Metallica as that "sell out" band that you heard used to be good, then discovered the classics.

If you heard this album when it came out, in comparison to all the underground thrash that was out at the time, your opinion would be different.......

Sure, maybe there have been thrash / death albums SINCE that came out that gives it a run for its money...

But if you look @ MOP in context of when it came out and along with its competition at the time, I think it truly deserves its praise.
 
The 2008 edition of PM:X2 March Metal Madness continues!

We are now at the Sweet Sixteen! Results of the Round of 32 are at the bottom of this post, the new pairings are right here.

There is at least one *brutal* matchup in this round.

PM:X2 2008 SWEET SIXTEEN
-----------------------

Reign in Blood vs. Dreaming Neon Black
Moving Pictures vs. Abigail
The Divine Wings of Tragedy vs. Shout At the Devil
Heaven and Hell vs. Rainbow Rising

The Fourth Legacy vs. Peace Sells…But Who's Buying
Operation: Mindcrime vs. Powerslave
Images and Words vs. Blizzard of Ozz
Perfect Symmetry vs. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2

If you prefer your brackets in, well, brackets, see here:

http://faculty.valpo.edu/kluther1/pmtourneygrid08.xls

************* RESULTS FROM ROUND 2 *************************

Looks like there's some love for thrash in this crowd, as King Diamond
exiles Gamma Ray and Megadeth sabotages Savatage. On the other hand,
Black Sabbath makes Metallica roam off.

Regions 1/2
------------

Reign in Blood (25) vs. Holy Land (17)
Dreaming Neon Black (23) vs. Burnt Offerings (17)
The New Order (18) vs. Moving Pictures (24)
Abigail (22) vs. Land of the Free (17)
Black Metal (6) vs. The Divine Wings of Tragedy (36)
Shout At the Devil (25) vs. To Mega Therion (17)
Heaven and Hell (25) vs. Master of Puppets (17)
The Sound of Perseverance (12) vs. Rainbow Rising (29)

Region 3/4
-----------

The Fourth Legacy (26) vs. Control and Resistance (15)
Streets: A Rock Opera (17) vs.vs. Peace Sells…But Who's Buying (25)
British Steel (9) vs. Operation: Mindcrime (33)
Entropia (8) vs. Powerslave (34)
Decipher (4) vs. Images and Words (38)
Theli (11) vs. Blizzard of Ozz (30)
Perfect Symmetry (26) vs. The Fullness of Time (14)
Into the Electric Castle (7) vs. Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt 2 (34)
 
Operation: Mindcrime vs. Powerslave

It KILLED me this round to give the nod to QR, but you can't deny the power of Mindcrime.....

If we were talking NOTB or Seventh Son, then Maiden would have gotten the nod from me.
 
That one was a toughie for me as well. I also had a helluva time with Images and Words vs. Blizzard of Ozz on this one. I ultimately went with Images, but it was not easy. That was my toughest one so far.
 
That one was a toughie for me as well. I also had a helluva time with Images and Words vs. Blizzard of Ozz on this one. I ultimately went with Images, but it was not easy. That was my toughest one so far.

As much as I like I&W, I find it overrated.
I would take Scenes From a Memory over it, just my opinion....

Blizzard is classic 80s metal perfection....
Ozzy's vocals are amazing, in addition to Rhodes amazing performance.
That's an album that you can easily put on and listen to straight through.