Top 13 metal vocalists

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Cheiron

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Jan 11, 2006
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Listing my top 10 metal vocalists. But I have to say that the order is almost meaningless as at this level they are all so damn talented that saying one is better than another is too difficult and can change at any time, mood change, etc. Also guessing that other people's lists will make me want to revise mine as I'm sure I forgot some. Some will probably be shocked that I don't have Allen, Labrie, Adler, Halford, Tate, Mac, Tony Kakko, nor Jorn But ... I only made room for 13.

Top 13 metal vocalists…

1. Mathias Blad - Falconer
2. Roy Khan – Kamelot, Conception
3. Mike Baker – Shadow Gallery
4. Zak Stevens – Savatage, Circle II Circle
5. Jon Oliva – Savatage, Dr. Butcher, Jon Oliva’s Pain
6. Matt Barlow - Iced Earth...
7. Hansi Kursch - Blind Guardian
8. Bruce Dickinson – Iron Maiden (and solo of course)
9. Dio – Rainbow, Dio, Black Sabbath
10. Kjetil Nordhus – Green Carnation
11. Dave Defeis - Virgin Steele
12. Michael Luppi - Vision Divine
13. Tim Aymar – Pharaoh, Control Denied
 
I wouldn't even expect to see LaBrie on a list of the Top 100,000 Metal vocalists.

As for the list, I'd say there are a few unique choices. Blad... Metal's best vocalist? To my ear, he's no better than average. Given that Khan's style is so heavily Tate influenced, it's a bit strange to see him at #2 without Tate on the list. Nordhus I would consider a below average vocalist. Hey, to each their own.

Zod
 
1. the Metal God Rob Halford
2. Ronnie James Dio
3. Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt)
4. Warrell Dane (Sanctuary / Nevermore)
5. Ray Gillen (Badlands)
6. Jeff Scott Soto (too many to mention)
7. Lou Gramm (Foreigner)
8. Fiona Flanagan (Fiona)
9. David King (Fastway, Katmandu)
10. Ripper


off the top of my head.
 
1. Michael Kiske
2. Andre Matos
3. Matt Barlow
4. Hansi Kursch
5. Jorn Lande
6. Roy Khan
7. Midnight
8. Andy Kuntz
9. Geoff Tate
10. Marco Hietala
 
General Zod said:
I wouldn't even expect to see LaBrie on a list of the Top 100,000 Metal vocalists.

As for the list, I'd say there are a few unique choices. Blad... Metal's best vocalist? To my ear, he's no better than average. Given that Khan's style is so heavily Tate influenced, it's a bit strange to see him at #2 without Tate on the list. Nordhus I would consider a below average vocalist. Hey, to each their own.

Zod
Click to expand...

Tate he doesn't have the fullness, strength, nor control of his voice that Khan has. Khan has much greater versatility and warmth. I think that Tate has his strengths, but Khan is an improvement over him and much better trained. I also think that if Tate came out now as a new artist singing as he did of old. people wouldn't care much for him as others do it better. People still would care about the song writing and instrumetal playing. Just my opinion =d

Blad has probably the strongest voice. Maybe you don't like his style. Are you into musicals, or theater in general? Mathias does musicals for his real money. I'd say he's better than anybody else I've seen at any musical. But that's just me. Only pure singers that I put above him are Josh Groban and Bocelli.

Nordhus was a tough selection. I think its mostly his emotion and versatility that gets him that nod from me.
 
Ascension said:
Barlow? Hmm...l guess false gods do exist. Any list without Jorn is a denial of the evident.
Click to expand...

Yes master.

Its not a denial. I like him well enough. He'd probably be #14. And with more listens he'd probably float in my top 10. Its just that besides Ark (honestly I haven't listened to a MAsterplan album... just some songs he was on so can't comment with those), the lyrics keep him back. I don't know.
 
I'm a fan of both Barlow and Lande (that's why both are on my list), but there really is no contest as to which one is better in my eyes.
 
Cheiron said:
Tate he doesn't have the fullness, strength, nor control of his voice that Khan has. Khan has much greater versatility and warmth. I think that Tate has his strengths, but Khan is an improvement over him and much better trained.
Click to expand...
With all due respect, I disagree with every word of what you wrote. In my opinion, there's not a single aspect of singing in which Khan is superior to Tate (in his prime) or even his equal. It's not even close. By the way, you're so horrendously wrong, that I expect you to buy me a beer at ProgPower as an apology.:heh:

Cheiron said:
Blad has probably the strongest voice. Maybe you don't like his style. Are you into musicals, or theater in general? Mathias does musicals for his real money. I'd say he's better than anybody else I've seen at any musical. But that's just me. Only pure singers that I put above him are Josh Groban and Bocelli.
Click to expand...
Personally, I've never been impressed with him. Granted, his style isn't to my liking, but I've never heard him sing something and thought to myself, "Wow... that's amazing." Is there a Falconer song you find particularly impressive, that I could check out?

Cheiron said:
Nordhus was a tough selection. I think its mostly his emotion and versatility that gets him that nod from me.
Click to expand...
How a vocalist resonates with someone is such a personal thing. To me, there's just nothing about him that stands out.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
With all due respect, I disagree with every word of what you wrote. In my opinion, there's not a single aspect of singing in which Khan is superior to Tate (in his prime) or even his equal. It's not even close. By the way, you're so horrendously wrong, that I expect you to buy me a beer at ProgPower as an apology.:heh:

Personally, I've never been impressed with him. Granted, his style isn't to my liking, but I've never heard him sing something and thought to myself, "Wow... that's amazing." Is there a Falconer song you find particularly impressive, that I could check out?

How a vocalist resonates with someone is such a personal thing. To me, there's just nothing about him that stands out.

Zod
Click to expand...


Always using Beer as a scapegoat LOL. I agree that in his prime Tate owned pretty much everyone. While Kahn is now on top of the genre in my book he still never had the range that Tate had circa Warning - RFO era Queensryche.
 
Bear said:
Always using Beer as a scapegoat LOL. I agree that in his prime Tate owned pretty much everyone. While Kahn is now on top of the genre in my book he still never had the range that Tate had circa Warning - RFO era Queensryche.
Click to expand...

Khan also no longer has the range he had in the Conception era.
 
Ronnie James Dio
Rob Halford
Geoff Tate
Bruce Dickinson
David Coverdale
Jon Deverill
Ray Gillen
Klaus Meine
Carl Albert
Jon Oliva
Midnight
Glenn Hughes
Mike Vescera
 
Russell Allen - Symphony X
Jorn Lande - ...
Miljenko Matijevic - Steelheart
Matthias Blad - Falconer
Michael Eriksen - Circus Maximus
Geoff Tate - Queensryche
Phil Anselmo - Pantera (only from Cowboys and the album before)
Jani Lane - Warrant
David Coverdale - Whitesnake
Matt Barlow - Iced Earth

I guess that is only ten...but I can't really think of anymore at the moment...and in no particular order by the way.
 
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