This was difficult for me, because.... I'm not really a big metallica fan, & both bands utilized elements of the Metallica sound I don't care for. I've heard both bands before, but I've only listened to CoC's punk stuff (animosity rules), & some Iced Earth because no one will shut up about that band.

Iced Earth seem to accomplish their goal of being... umm.... something. The vocals are unique & I guess he's trying to tell a story or something. The production is pretty flat, which sucks because there are all those acoustic parts. There are some good riffs..... but I don't think I liked an entire song on this album, even if most songs had their moments.

CoC..... if this is metallica influenced, it's black album or something. Holy ****ing chug-chug-chugga riffs. Just.... ugh. So much worse than animosity.

Dark Saga - 3
Blind - 2

As far as I know only myself and Batlord go on about this band.

Glad to see that you're another one who loves my album choices. I'm sure you'll enjoy the next round as well.

So Iced Earth scrape thru 3-2. Next up they face Trivium and The Crusade, I don't much care for a lot of these metalcore bands but I think this is a really great album that sets out to sound like Metallica and does the job really well.

Iced Earth The Dark Saga 1996
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0N8m3-TkDY...0/darksaga.jpg

Versus

Trivium The Crusade 2006

http://www.soundstagedirect.com/medi...he_crusade.jpg

I'm going with The Crusade. It was the first Trivium album I heard, and one of my favorite albums that I listened to non-stop a few years ago. They played a few songs off that album when I saw them live last year opening for DT.

Trivium - 1
Iced Earth - 0

lemme get that Trivium first

ok, heard it

Iced Earth - the riffs are great and so are the power ballads, the main problem I have with is the over-bombastic vocals which sound strained, furthermore, never liked the Spawn comics

Trivium - this is really good, the riffs are almost "martial" and militaristic, but I do have a major problem with the often generic solos, but I guess this is a new-found love of mine

The Crusade - 2
Dark Saga - 0

The Trivium album, is probably the most Metallica sounding album of the whole bunch and a great album from end to end, sure the riffs are generic but who cares when they're this good. Its also a great album becuase it does sound from the 00's rather than sounding like an 80s or 90s Metallica sounding album BUT The Dark Saga holds a special place with me and for that reason gets my vote.

The Crusade -2
The Dark Saga -1

The problem I have with The Crusade are the vocals. Great guitarist, and the riffs get my interest, but when singer opens his mouth, I tune out. He's not really a great screamer, nor is he a great singer. He's kinda a, meh. Dark Saga, isn't IE's best album, but I'm going to go with it again.

The Crusade -2
The Dark Saga -2

Trivium are godawful.

^^^ is that some sort of idiotic joke?

The Crusade - 2
The Dark Saga - 3

Did Iced Earth actually use some Macfarlane / Spawn artwork on an album cover? Oh wait why am I surprised? Comic book metal.
Both of these bands are absolutely terrible. I've listened to both of them but I can't subject myself to everything they put out, are you kidding me?

If you'll count my opinion then I give IE a negative 1 and Trivium negative 2.

Feel free to disregard my votes as a hate crime but if my opinion counts for anything the tally is

The Dark Saga: 2
The Crusade: 0

Thanks for that illustration. Now I'm thinking to myself...isn't most metal over-the-top and larger than life like a comic book? Either that or a horror show. If possible, I'd like to add +2 to Dark Saga, for bringing metal to it's obvious conclusion.

The Dark Saga: 4
The Crusade: 0