Why would fasletto not count? It always counted for me when my voice teacher(s) determined my range.
Falsetto counts? That's awesome. That means I can hit most of the high notes from Ripper Owens, but I always played it down because it was falsetto. Everyone tells me I should sing but I prefer playing guitar. I have one of those "chameleon" voices that can quickly adjust to different styles, pitches, etc. At least that's how I always thought of it. Then again, I know jack shit about singing...just advice I had heard from teachers and other famous singers. Metallica to Pantera to Iron Maiden to Alice in Chains to Iced Earth to other favorites. It's not like a copy, but the inflection is very similar. I never understood the big deal. Sing from your diaphragm, don't use your throat. Pretty simple if you ask me. I dunno...it just comes naturally. Never could do brutal death...not that that is singing anyway. I sang my ass off in Metal Camp when Nevermore played This Godless Endeavor. I'm surprised Warrel didn't hear me,
.
Off the subject a second...have any of you ever spoken with Warrel? Does he not have the coolest voice, period? It's very clear, deep, and well-spoken. He's got big, booming laughs and creates a presence just speaking, without singing. There's definitely a link between speaking and singing.
Dickinson. No one has vibrato (PRONOUNCED VEE BRAH TOE, NOT VAI BRAH TOE, PORCO DIO!!!!!) like Dickinson. He fucking SHAKES his voice like a rug...it's amazing. Ok, he's 50-something and can't hit all the notes...that's a given. I personally think Maiden should tune down a step or even a step and a half. Maiden in D flat would be fucking awesome. I think Dickinson's Chemical Wedding album was in D and he was fucking ace. That's my favorite piece of music by Bruce Dickinson.
Sebastian Bach. Just a really good rock n roll voice. He just kicks ass.
Geoff Tate. When he speaks he sounds like a particle physicist explaining his latest theory. A very strange, but smooth and beautiful voice. "The Mission" says it all.
But as far as overall ability (at least at one time), my favorite vocalist of all time would have to be Chris Cornell. Fuckin' Jesus Christ Pose, Outshined, Like Suicide, etc. The perfect hard rock/heavy metal sound. Of course, maybe a lot of it was Pro-Tooled, I dunno. Never heard anything about that though. Some of you guys from Seattle who saw Soundgarden in the formative years, *cough* Warrel *cough* wanna enlighten me? I know he's kinda lost some of it now, but was it legit back in the day?