The VERSUS thread

[Jasonic]

Ok, maybe you have seen threads like this before on other forums.
The purpose of this thread is to pit to "Like Kind" bands, albums, people, etc against each other and see what the masses think!

I will start with a few, and give my answers.
If you so desire, feel free to add some detail to your answer....

MAIDEN VS PRIEST
Probably the biggest debate in metal history!
Both bands rule, but for me, Maiden wins EVERY time.

METALLICA VS MEGADETH
More modern version of the "biggest debate" though probably not even for the right reasons. Anyhow, Metallica for me. While I like a lot of Megadeth's output, nothing can touch Ride or Puppets.

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM
Yep, the 3 biggest and long running German thrash masters!
All rule, though KREATOR if I have to pick one.

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE
The two bands who probably have the biggest influence on Black Metal as we know it today. This one is tough! Love both, but too much filler in Venom's catalog, so the nod goes to King and the boys.

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD
Germany's long running "heavy" power metal phenoms!
All solid and top notch. Grave Digger gets my vote.

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY
Helloween was one of the first bands that I can say I was a "fanboy" of, so they get my vote.

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY
This one will be debated for the ages. Some will claim Rhapsody are too cheesy to be mentioned in the same breath as BG, but so be it. Personally, I have come to love Rhapsody, moreso than BG, so they get my vote.

CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA

 

[rms]

Maiden v. Priest

Maiden, but i haven't given either band a complete listen

Metallica v. MegaDave

Uh, Metallica easily. Not even close in my eyes

Kreator v. Destruction v. Sodom

Kreator is the winner here, Destruction is really good but I dont think Sodom should even be in the same sentence as those 2

Helloween v Gamma Ray

Helloween i've never liked and I dig a few Gamma Ray albums, easily Gamma Ray.

Blind Guardian v. Rhapsody

Rhapsody is fucking amazing and the best in power metal, BG rapes but their only great albums are Imaginations/Follow the Blind/Tales from the Twilight Hall so easily Rhapsody.

And CPF v PPUSA

I'll make my decision in May

 

[Jasonic]

Cool, how bout you guys come up with some other match-ups????

SAINT VITUS VS TROUBLE
The two biggest US doom bands of all time. Sure, there have been other US doom bands before and after, though none of which (including PENTAGRAM) that has influenced more bands than these two. Trouble for me. Better musicians, better and more versatile song writing, etc...

OZZY-ERA SABBATH VS DIO-ERA SABBATH
This one should generate a LOT of discussion, esp around these parts I would think. Ok this is tough, but I will go with Ozzy-era over Dio-era (Though I think Dio-fronted Sabbath created better overall complete full-lengths)

 

[Vegetaman]

MAIDEN VS PRIEST - Maiden

METALLICA VS MEGADETH - Megadeth

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM - Sodom

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE - Mercyful Fate

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD - Grave Digger

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY - Helloween

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY - Blind Guardian

CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA - Powerfest

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

MAIDEN VS PRIEST
Maiden owns!

METALLICA VS MEGADETH
I gotta go with Dave and co on this one.

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM
Kreator, duh.

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE
The King foh sheezy

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD
I gotta go with Rage on this one.

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY
I cant pick. I love them both and to me it is essentially still one band, but with alter egos.

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY
BG wins by a landslide

OZZY-ERA SABBATH VS DIO-ERA SABBATH
Dio wins hands down
CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA
The days I have spent going to PPUSA have been some of the greatest days of my life.

 

[Jasonic]

Solitude Aeturnus VS Candlemass

Hrmm..Is this a fair match up?
Wouldn't SA site CM as a major influence?
Anyhow, I would go with CM on this one.

MARTIN-era Sabbath VS DIO-ERA

Dio, though everyday I become more of a Martin fanboy.
His work is greatly underappreciated.

Wrath of Ragnarok VS The World
Can't be answered until the world hears the bass lines on the new one.

 

[Jasonic]

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD
I gotta go with Rage on this one.

Care to explain?
Just curious.
Rage is definitely the most versatile.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

MAIDEN VS PRIEST ---- Iron Maiden .... It's got to be Maiden, although Priest is a true heavyweight in their own right.

METALLICA VS MEGADETH ----Megadeth ... I always preferred Megadeth by the slightest of margins. They also are still somewhat viable, while Metallica has fallen off the radar of quality music.

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM ---- Kreator ... not well versed on any of them, but I do like the last few from Kreator, so they win.

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE ---- Mercyful Fate ... I don't really know Venom all that well .. never was interested. As for MF .. King plus great guitar work and lyrical content wins out.

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD ---- Rage .... not a major fan of any of them, but Rage gets the edge because of Smolski, and the fact I like some of Rage's latest albums better than the others.

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY ---- Helloween .... an originator of a genre, and also had a great vocalist in Kiske.

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY ---- Blind Guardian .... never cared for Rhapsody .. way, way cheesy.

CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA ---- Prog Power by a pretty wide margin, although I'v enjoyed the two Powerfest's I've been to. Venue, location, quality of bands ... it favors Prog Power

 

[Vegetaman]

SOLITUDE AETURNUS vs. CANDLEMASS

Holy crap I honestly can't decide... Push on this one.

SAINT VITUS vs. TROUBLE

Saint Vitus, I'd say.

OZZY ERA vs. DIO ERA

Dio era.

DIO ERA vs. TONY MARTIN ERA

Dio era, but Tony Martin sunk his own battleship with Forbidden.

WRATH OF RAGNAROK vs. THE WORLD

Wrath of Ragnarok, obviously.

 

[booB]

MAIDEN VS PRIEST
Maiden. Priest is okay at their best.

METALLICA VS MEGADETH
Tie. Both bands a) have a bunch of old albums that I don't care much about, b) have two mid-period albums that I love, and c) have made shitty records since the mid-to-late 90s. If I have to pick one, I'll pick Megadeth, because Lars is a complete prick. Suing kids? Die.

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM
Kreator, for their versatility.

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE
MF, because I haven't heard much Venom.

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD
Rage, by a huge margin, and once again for their versatility.

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY
Gamma Ray, because only half of Helloween's catalog doesn't suck.

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY
BG. Crapsody is bloody annoying.

CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA
Lineup: CPF. Overall fest experience and atmosphere: PPUSA.

SAINT VITUS VS TROUBLE
Saint Vitus, although I prefer Pentagram over both of them.

OZZY-ERA SABBATH VS DIO-ERA SABBATH
Dio-era, because Ozzy is a whiny drunk.

Solitude Aeturnus VS Candlemass
Solitude, because Candlemass's thrash influence sometimes gets in the way of their doom.

MARTIN-era Sabbath VS DIO-ERA
Martin is a boring Dio-wannabe, hence Dio.

And I'll add a metalcore one... answer if you want:

Shadows Fall vs. Killswitch Engage
The two bands who are mostly responsible for the rise of the metalcore scene... Shadows Fall wins this for me, for better songwriting and more "fun" material in general.

 

[Jasonic]

Shadows Fall vs. Killswitch Engage
The two bands who are mostly responsible for the rise of the metalcore scene... Shadows Fall wins this for me, for better songwriting and more "fun" material in general.

Shadows Fall, easily.

I think the only redeeming quality of KE is their vocalist.
He has good mix of melody and aggression.
Musically, they are an abomination.
As Max Cavalera said recently, "Their live show is gay"
Could not agree more!

 

[Jasonic]

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE
MF, because I haven't heard much Venom.

Wow, I am very surprised by how many of you are unfamiliar with VENOM.
Maybe it's truly an age thing.

To me, they are just as stock and standard as Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer.

They are a great mix of true classic metal, thrash, and NWOBHM.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Dude, both me and booB are 30 somethings .. I think it's just that Venom had nowhere near the profile of the other bands you mentioned. It seems to me that they were truly an undergrond band, and never broke into mainsteam at all.

Britt

 

[Jasonic]

Wow, no love for VENOM???
That's cool.
I guess it surprises me how more people commit ball gravy over BATHORY than VENOM.
Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Jasonic]

WRATH OF RAGNAROK VS HYPERCANE VS ASHEN WINDS

Couldn't find a venue big enough to hold all the egos involved.

 

[Jasonic]

I like BOYS way more than GIRLS

Yeah, we know.

 

[rms]

God let's not talk about Bathory please

 

[Jasonic]

It seems to me that they were truly an undergrond band, and never broke into mainsteam at all.

Well, true, but what does that have to do with whether folks would be familiar with them or not?

Also, they headlined one of the first ever underground metal package fests in the US (Ultimate Revenge, w/Slayer and Exodus).

No big deal. As I said, to me they are a stock metal band, which I guess I assumed most were familiar with their catalog.

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Care to explain?
Just curious.
Rage is definitely the most versatile.

Well I Running Wild seems to have some good albums, but some of the ones I have picked up all the songs blended together.

Grave Digger I like quite a bit, but overall diversity and the overall "power" in Rage is what makes love them more than others particularly

 

[eppst1]

IRON MAIDEN VS. JUDAS PRIEST

Even thought I am a JP fan, this is no contest - Iron Maiden.

METALLICA VS. MEGADETH

This is an easy one for me: Megadeth! I only like the first few Metallica CD's (up to AJFA) and there is only 1 Megadeth CD I don't like (Risk). I've always been a Megadeth fan and probably always will be.

KREATOR VS DESTRUCTION VS SODOM

Kreator here. I do like Destruction and Sodom but when I think of German thrash - I think of Kreator.

VENOM VS MERCYFUL FATE

I am familiar with Venom, I just don't think they can hold a candle to Mercyful Fate.

RAGE VS GRAVE DIGGER VS RUNNING WILD

This is the first tough one. I do like Running Wild, but are no where near as good as Rage or Grave Digger. Now, having said that, I can not pick a favorite between Rage and Grave Digger. I'm a huge fan of both the bands and equally like both their catalogs. Gonna have to call this a draw between R and GD. Heck, I went to Europe so I could see them both at the same festival.

HELLOWEEN VS GAMMA RAY

Another tough one, big fan of both bands. I like Gamma Ray after Kai took over vocals, but I'm luke warm on Helloween CD's between KOTSK2 and Better Than Raw. I think I will have to call this one a draw also.

BLIND GUARDIAN VS RHAPSODY

No contest - Blind Guardian.

CHICAGO POWERFEST VS PROG POWER USA

I like them both.

SAINT VITUS VS TROUBLE

Not familiar with Saint Vitus's material - so I will have to say Trouble.

OZZY-ERA SABBATH VS DIO-ERA SABBATH

I used to be a big fan of Ozzy Sabbath until Dio clicked for me one day (seeing him open for Maiden) and ever since then, I will always pick Dio over Ozzy.

SOLITUDE AETURNUS VS CANDLEMASS

Candlemass, but not by much.

MARTIN-era Sabbath VS DIO-ERA

Dio

SHADOWS FALL VS. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

Not a big fan of either, but would have to pick SF.

Now how about a couple more?

TESTAMENT VS. EXODUS VS. OVERKILL

First the easy one - Exodus is in 3rd place. I am a fan, but really only like a couple CD's (Bonded, Pleasures, Disaster, and Tempo). I can't think Testament can touch Overkill's first 5 discs, but the last few Overkill discs have been so-so. On the other hand, not many thrash bands can touch the last couple Testament discs. So I guess I would have to say Testament would win over Overkill, but by only the slightest margin.

DARK TRANQUILLITY VS. IN FLAMES

In Flames got me into the whole melodic death metal scene, but are they really worth much after Clayman? There is no contest now - Dark Tranquillity!