Metal World Cup

Yup. Finland vs. Poland is tough. Poland is loaded with great black metal like Graveland, Ohtar, Gontyna Kry, Thoth, Furia, Mgla, Dark Fury, Kataxu and Wędrujący Wiatr. However, outside of black metal, I haven't heard much impressive.

Finland, on the other hand, has a lot more variety while maintaining the depth. There's great death metal like Demilich and Demigod, great black metal like early Impaled Nazarene, great power metal like Nightwish and Stratovarius, and the best funeral doom from Skepticism, Shape of Despair and Therogothon. There's also solid second-tier black metal, such as Oranzi Pazuzu, Sargeist, and Satanic Warmaster.
 
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Graveland alone makes Poland better than Czech Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Canada and Ukraine. Fullmoon, Infernum, etc. just cements the fact.
 
canada has more good bands (that i know of) but less i love, so i went with italy. i also used pompey's rationale a bit - italy just have such a weird and distinctive identity in metal, they deserve props for that.
 
Funny that, as far as I know, there is no common meme of the Italian sound, yet they definitely do have their own sound.

Edit: Is there a thread for Italian metal already? It would be interesting to delve into it and try to examine the Italian sound in some way.
 
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Sweden vs. Switzerland
France vs. Greece

Norway vs. Ukraine
Germany vs. Brazil

United Kingdom vs. Czech Republic
Canada vs. Italy

USA vs. Mexico
Finland vs. Poland
 
I had to go with Canada just for the old thrash scene. Razor, Infernäl Mäjesty, Voivod, Slaughter, Obliveon, Exciter, Sacrifice, etc. Italy just can't compete with that imo, even with Mortuary Drape basically being my favourite band for the last few years.
 
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I think Adramelch, Paul Chain, Death SS, Dark Quarterer, Black Hole, The Black, etc. makes it a fairly easy choice. And that is without counting newer bands like Doomsword, Domine, Thunderstorm, etc.
 
oh, yeah, that one was even closer for me actually. i think there's probably more good bands in france but also way more bands i don't care for, was a tight call.
 
Sweden vs. Switzerland
France vs Greece

Norway vs. Ukraine
Germany vs. Brazil

United Kingdom vs. Czech Republic
Canada vs. Italy

USA vs. Mexico
Finland vs. Poland

I know the seeding is based on votes but USA vs Mexico seems unfair in a first round. I'd choose Mexico over a number of other countries there. France vs Greece is a tight race also

Immigrated to Canada
 
I had to go with Canada just for the old thrash scene. Razor, Infernäl Mäjesty, Voivod, Slaughter, Obliveon, Exciter, Sacrifice, etc.

This^ too.

Voivod are easily one of my all time favourites.

Plus there is Thor, Thunder Rider, Voor, Sacred Blade, Overlord, Outbreak (that Nazi-thrash band), Dahmer, Witches Hammer, Bastardator, Inepsy, Iron Dogs, Ice War, Chapel, Fornication, Occult Burial, Funeral Circle, Gatekeeper, Tales Of Medusa, Cromlech, Dark Covenant, Sweet Torment, Gatrekrashor, Barrow Wight, Possessed Steel, Cauchemar, Necroholocaust, Hrom, Ezra Brooks, Messiah Force, Damnation (1980's), Piledriver, Armoros, Dissection (thrash), DBC, Cryptopsy, Sacramentary Abolishment, Weapon, AMSG, Kataklysm, Morbid Decapitation, Putrescence, Gyibaaw.

Yeah, Canada fucking slays.