Metallica Wins Heavy Metal Madness 2012; Led Zeppelin is Runner-Up.

Post #226
The Heavy Metal Madness tournament of 2012 has come to its long-awaited conclusion. It may have been a 1000 mile journey, but it began with a single step, and lots of voting! A field of 68 bands was here at this time last year, and now there is only one metal band left standing: METALLICA!!!

The final poll saw Metallica win first place with 36 votes, Led Zeppelin was runner-up with 31, while System Of A Down (18 votes) and Alice In Chains (10 votes) finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

Along with winning this tournament, Metallica will also take over the blog's 'President' title, coming later this month...

Thank you to all who have voted!

One last song from each band eliminated:
Led Zeppelin-Black Dog

System of a Down-B.Y.O.B.

Alice In Chains-Your Decision

Shop ROCK AMERICA this Holiday Season!

Post #223
As one final reminder, I want to mention that ROCK AMERICA have been an incredible sponsor for the 'Heavy Metal Madness 2012' contest that has been going on throughout 2012. One lucky winner of that contest will receive a $25 gift card to Rock America. In the meantime, they have tons of cool merch for the Heavy Metal music can on your holiday shopping list this year.

Here are just a few samples of what you can find at either of their locations at Gurnee Mills or Woodfield shopping centers in the north Chicago suburbs. I'll use the Final Four of Heavy Metal Madness as examples:

METALLICA

ALICE IN CHAINS

LED ZEPPELIN

SYSTEM OF A DOWN

Heavy Metal Madness: Elite Eight Summary, Part 2

Post #221
On November 19th, the second half of the Elite Eight of Heavy Metal Madness 2012 came to a close, and the FINAL FOUR of this tournament have been determined.

The Classic Rock bracket had predictably come down to Black Sabbath (#1 seed) and Led Zeppelin (#2 seed). It was a very close race throughout the month, and the 2 bands swapped the lead several times. The final vote was 21-19 in favor of Led Zeppelin; a decision truly decided by a single voter's opinion, since Sabbath held the tie-breaker. If one person had changed their mind in favor of Black Sabbath, then they would have advanced instead.

In the Alternative/Grunge/Punk bracket, it was a more surprising Elite Eight showdown: Alice In Chains (#5 seed) vs Soundgarden (#7 seed). However this match was far less of a contest, as AIC dominated their fellow Seattle-ites 28-7. Alice In Chains ties System of a Down for the lowest-seeded band to reach the Final Four.

Once again, your FINAL FOUR are as follows:
METALLICA (#1 seed)
LED ZEPPELIN (#2 seed)
SYSTEM OF A DOWN (#5 seed)
ALICE IN CHAINS (#5 seed)

Will top seeds dominate? Will chance favor the underdogs?!? We will find out by New Year's Eve! Vote for your top 2 of the Final Four. Voting is open until midnight, December 31st. So, cast your votes, share this site with your friends, and campaign one last time for YOUR favorite bands!

Now, the recommended songs for the bands now eliminated:

Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath

Soundgarden-Been Away Too Long

Heavy Metal Madness: Sweet Sixteen Summary, Part 2

Post #214
Last month's set of readers polls saw the elimination of 4 more bands in this year's one-of-a-kind tournament. And 4 other bands got ever closer to the coveted title of 'Best Band of All Time' (at least for this blog). Without you making your opinions known with your votes, this blog would just be me picking my favorites all the time, so THANK YOU!

Before I break down all the details, let me say that last month's results were not without controversy! For the first time in this tournament, I had to invoke the tie-breaker rules I laid out in post #166 last October. In that post I stated that in the event of a tie, if the contest has not reached the Final Four, the band with the higher seed within their bracket advances. For the first time, one of the polls last month ended in a tie: Soundgarden and Foo Fighters both gathered 20 votes. Therefor Soundgarden (#7 seed) advanced over Foo Fighters (#11 seed). My apologies to all the Foo Fighters Fans out there who voted, but rules are rules. Next time, remember to get more of your friends to vote, and maybe we can avoid ties in the future? The last thing I'll say on this issue: Voting in the polls is pretty. Voting in the polls is good. All that the Foos needed was one more vote. This is a call to all my past blog-poll voters- come back, vote again, and spread the word!

Now, for the rest of last month's results:
In the Classic Rock bracket, Black Sabbath beat Kiss 33-8. Led Zeppelin beat AC/DC 28-13.
While in the Alternative/Grunge bracket, Alice In Chains upset Nirvana 22-19, and Soundgarden... well, I already told you how they got past Foo Fighters.

Lastly, my recommended songs for those bands now eliminated:
Kiss-War Machine

AC/DC-Hells Bells

Nirvana-All Apologies

Foo Fighters-This Is a Call

...Until the next tournament update, keep voting, and happy headbanging!

Heavy Metal Madness: Second Round Summary, part 2!

Post #208

Back on July 20th, the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 Tournament officially reached the 'Sweet Sixteen', as 8 more bands were eliminated as the second round polls closed. The results for last month's voting were as follows...

Megadeth beat Motorhead 25-11,
Judas Priest upset the #2 seed Slayer 21-14,

Nirvana beat Rob Zombie 21-15,
Alice In Chains dominated Lacuna Coil 30-7,

AC/DC beat Queen 23-14,
Led Zeppelin edged out a close match with Ozzy Osbourne 20-17,

Tool came from behind to beat Bullet for My Valentine 23-12,
and System of a Down won a close match with Korn 18-15.

With these results in the bag, it is now on to the Sweet Sixteen! The first half of this round is now open for voting through August 19th. Cast your votes in the right hand column before then. >>>>>>>>

Now let's reflect a moment on the bands who were just eliminated. Here's a recommended song from each of them:

Motorhead-Overkill

Slayer-South of Heaven

Rob Zombie-American Witch

Lacuna Coil-Trip the Darkness

Queen-Bohemian Rhapsody

Ozzy Osbourne-No More Tears

Bullet for My Valentine-Scream, Aim, Fire

Korn-Another Brick in the Wall

Until the next round summary... Happy Headbanging!

Remember to keep voting....

Heavy Metal Madness First Round Summary: Part Four

Post # 198

On May 19th, the last segment of the first round of Heavy Metal Madness came to a close, and once again there were some unexpected upsets, and tight races for these bands to make it to the next round.

For the Metalcore Block:

Tool beat Death by a comfortable margin of 39-11,

Bullet For My Valentine upset Opeth 26-19,

System of a Down narrowly escaped being upset by Amon Amarth, as they clung to a 31-25 lead at the end of voting.

...and Korn had the most convincing upset of the month knocking off the #4 seed, Shadows Fall 34-13.

In the Classic Rock Block:

Queen upset Guns N' Roses 31-18,

AC/DC topped the Scorpions 35-14,

Ozzy bested Van Halen 37-9,

and Led Zeppelin overcame Jimi Hendrix 34-14.

As the early pattern of voting has unfolded, it seems that the magic number for a 'safe' amount of votes to push a band into the next round is 30. In the closest races, the most votes collected by a losing band was 29 (Godsmack). Will this rule-of-thumb hold true for the rest of this tournament? Only time will tell...

With the first round now concluded, the matches are only going to get tougher. Fans will have a harder time deciding who to vote for. Those who's first choice of a Champion is now eliminated have the freedom to vote for another band in their place. At this point, many of your predictions can be thrown out the window. I know several of mine have been defenestrated.

So, now is the time to follow more closely than ever! Already, the second round is underway, and more upsets are brewing, while other favorites dominate. Inevitably, more face-offs will come down to a close decision. Help those bands whom you prefer by sharing this blog with your friends, and call for more fans of heavy metal music to cast their votes, and make their opinion count!

Now, as I have done before, I leave you with some of my favorite suggested tracks from those bands now eliminated from Heavy Metal Madness:
Death-Open Casket
Opeth-The Drapery Falls
Amon Amarth-Fate of Norns
Shadows Fall-Forevermore
Guns N' Roses-Welcome to the Jungle
Scorpions-Alien Nation
Van Halen-Source of Infection
Jimi Hendrix-Manic Depression

HEAVY METAL MADNESS!! (Extended Deadline: 1-15-12)

Post #179

Hello again readers!
This is just a reminder that if you would like to be eligible for prizes in the HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012 contest, please request/submit your completed brackets by January 15th, 2012!

The contest is heating up, with the first 8 matches of the first round underway. Over 50 entries have been collected so far. At least the top 5 entries, at the end, will receive prizes in the mail after the madness is over, and Champion of Heavy Metal bands is crowned. I encourage any of you who may already have entered the contest to spread the word to family and friends this weekend, and try to pull in some more entries.

Another reminder: Don't forget that ROCK AMERICA (music memorabilia retailer), has agreed to sponsor this contest with a $20 gift card. This will be awarded to the top overall bracket prediction in a prize-package. For a sample of the kinds of products they have available, here are some examples, featuring the #2 Seeds from each quadrant of the Heavy Metal Madness Bracket:

SLAYER (#2 seed in the Classic/Thrash Metal bracket)

LED ZEPPELIN (#2 seed in the Classic Rock/Hair Metal bracket)

AVENGED SEVENFOLD (#2 seed in the Hardcore/Death/Power Metal bracket)

PEARL JAM (#2 seed in the Alternative/Grunge/Punk Rock bracket)

Don't forget to vote in this month's matches!  >>>>

Led Zeppelin-IV

Post #134 [Poll Winner: Favorite album from 1971]

1971 was an historic year for rock music. Iconic bands like The Who, Black Sabbath & Led Zeppelin were in their prime, and recording the best music of their careers. Several of the albums that topped the charts for hard-rock music that year, have become recordings of legendry status. Perhaps the most lengendary, the most iconic, and most associated album from 1971 is Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album. Sometimes called 'Zoso', or more often, simply 'Led Zeppelin IV', this album contains several of their best known songs. In particular, the song 'Stairway to Heaven' (which has won a poll on this blog by itself) became such a keystone song for a whole generation. To this day, songs from Led Zeppelin IV are standard plays on any classic rock radio station. The influence that this collection of songs has had on rock and metal music is inmeasurable.
Here is the complete track list for this essential album:

-Black Dog

-Rock And Roll
-The Battle Of Evermore
-Stairway To Heaven
-Misty Mountain Hop
-Four Sticks
-Going to California
-When The Levee Breaks

Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti

Post #99 Poll Winner: What's your favorite Led Zeppelin album ('69-'79)?
Led Zeppelin were one of the defining hard rock bands of the 70's. Rising from the ashes of The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page enlisted lead singer Robert Plant, and the formula for this band was established. They gave rock n' roll the heaviest sound it had known, yet still wrote memorable songs year after year.

They were versatile in their songcraft as well, mixing acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, and a variety of song styles over the course of their career. Perhaps no album of theirs captured as much of their versatility as Physical Graffiti did. It was their only double-length studio album. That in itself is testament to their prolific creativity. However, the volume of material included on this release does not subtract from the listening experience. Rather, it makes for the most all-encompasing album from one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti contains many well known classic songs, like the epic 'Kashmir' and the up-tempo 'Trampled Under Foot', but it is probably treasured as much for several of its unreleased songs as for those big hits. Songs like 'The Rover' capture their well-known, heavy-riff, blues-inspired rock; while others like 'In The Light' showcase the best elements of their psychadelic rock sound. As you listen, each song sounds clearly different from the previous. You can't help but respect Led Zeppelin, as they not only make each song work, but make it memorable and lure you to crave more...


My top picks from this epic masterpiece:
-The Rover
-Houses of the Holy
-Trampled Under Foot
-Kashmir
-In The Light
-Ten Years Gone
-Boogie With Stu

Epic Rock Songs of the 70's!

Post #20 (Poll Winner: Fovorite Epic Rock Song from the 70's)
In 1965, Bob Dylan released "Like a Rolling Stone" as a single. It was a #2 billboard hit, and the first song longer than 6 minutes to reach that level of the top 40 chart. It was a true turning point for rock music. It broke down the door for recording artists, and made the record industry realize that song length really wasn't as big a deal as previously believed. Long songs became more common over the next few years, and by the time the 70's were in full swing, it seemed almost every big-name rock band had an 'epic' rock-song hit.

The most memorable of these long rock songs has to be Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". I've talked with some people from my parents' generation about this song, and without fail, they say how it dominated the airwaves seemingly forever. The song has permanently attached itself to the early 70's era, and is one of the most intricate, and expertly crafted hard-rock songs of all-time.

It's a cultural phenomenon within itself. Remember the scene from the movie Wayne's World, where the guitar-shop owner stopped Wayne from playing the opening notes of "Stairway" because a sign in the store declared: "No Stairway to Heaven"? Don't forget my mentioning the compilation CD, "Stairways to Heaven" from my previous Led Zep post: a collection of different interpretations of the classic song.

I'll leave you with this quote that closes the song:
"And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll."

Led Zeppelin

Post #12 (Poll Winner: Favorite 70's Band)
"Lords of Rock, Led Zeppelin! Grace us with your Mighty Love!"

You may recall the above quote from Jack Black's "Pitch to Led Zeppelin" begging for permission to use "The Immigrant Song" in the movie School of Rock. (You can find it in the extras on the DVD!) This statement really puts Zeppelin in an appropriate perspective: they are Legend, they are Icons, they have no equal, they are One of a Kind. I know I claim that KISS is my all time favorite, but few bands command the level of respect that Led Zeppelin do.

A great many musical artists have paid this respect through recording their own interpretations of their music. Some examples include: Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin, Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zeppelin, Great White-Great Zeppelin, Dread Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin inna reggae style!), and Stairways to Heaven to name a few.

Their music practically defined the 70's. You cannot converse about the influences of modern hard rock music without mentioning them. Without them, without their music, the world would be a different place. Can you imagine if you had never heard of the song Stairway to Heaven?

With a Led Zeppelin reunion currently in the works, the legend they already have can only grow. I'll probably miss out on a chance to see them live because of how limited this opportunity may be and how astronomical the cost of their shows are sure to be, but I'll be 1st in line to buy a new album from them should they pursue this reunion that far.

I have had the opportunity to see a world-renown Zeppelin tribute band: Zoso (check out their website: http://www.zosoontour.net/). The show they did was incredible. They look like Led Zeppelin, they sound like Led Zeppelin, they even played Stairway! I'm glad to have seen their tribute show, and would see them again if I get another chance.

For now I'll leave you with a list of some of my personal favorites from Zeppelin. These songs are mostly from their 1st 4 albums, which I regard as their "Golden Era". They are also the same as my own "Best of Led Zeppelin" mix CD!
-Black Dog
-Good Times, Bad Times
-Rock & Roll
-Immigrant Song
-Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You
-Heartbreaker
-Going to California
-Misty Mountain Hop
-That's the Way
-Whole Lotta Love
-Kashmir
-When the Levee Breaks
-D'yer Mak'er
-Gallows Pole
-Stairway to Heaven

Some websites of interest:
http://www.dreadzeppelin.com/
http://www.ledzeppelin.com/