Heavy Metal World Cup Final: Maiden Vs Sabbath!
The Hammer staff have their say on the Heavy Metal World Cup final!
Who are you rooting for in this all-British affair? Will it be the inventors of heavy metal or (arguably) the biggest metal band in the world today? We couldn’t decide between the two but we thought we’d further your debate so here’s what a few of the Hammer staff had to say about the titanic battle between Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden!
Black Sabbath
Their finest album
Alexander Milas (editor): ‘Sabotage’.
Gill (editor at large): ‘Black Sabbath’.
James Isaacs (art editor): ‘Sabotage’.
Terry Bezer (online editor): ‘Sabotage’.
Dom Lawson (heavy metal legend): ‘Master Of Reality’.
Their greatest riff
Alexander Milas: Symptom Of The Universe from ‘Sabotage’. It’s a summation of heavy metal.
Gill: Iron Man.
James Isaacs: Megalomania from ‘Sabotage’.
Terry Bezer: Sweet Leaf from ‘Master Of Reality’. how many times have you heard other bands rip that off?
Dom Lawson: Black Sabbath. Heavy metal’s true starting point.
Their underrated high-point
Alexander Milas: The new Heaven and Hell record.
Gill: The whole Headless Cross album.
James Isaacs: ‘When Death Calls’ off ‘Headless Cross’.
Terry Bezer: ‘Headless Cross’ from the album ‘Headless Cross’.
Dom Lawson: ‘Dehumanizer’…and ‘The Devil You Know’, which is a Sabbath album really.
Their most recognisable moment: The fret-blazing intro to ‘Paranoid’ and those opening chords to ‘War Pigs’.
Relevancy to today’s metal scene: 10/10
Bands influenced by Sabbath: Every band to ever write a heavy riff.
Highest UK chart position: ‘Paranoid’ reached number 4 in 1970.
Iron Maiden
Their finest album
Alexander Milas: This is like choosing a favourite child so I’m going to cheat and put Live After Death.
Gill: Number of the Beast.
James Isaacs: Powerslave.
Terry Bezer: Powerslave.
Dom Lawson: Powerslave.
Their greatest riff
Alexander Milas: The Trooper.
Gill: Infinite Dreams.
James Isaacs: Sun and Steel.
Terry Bezer: Powerslave.
Dom Lawson: Yup, it’s got to be The Trooper.
Their underrated high-point
Alexander Milas: A Matter of Life And Death.
Gill: Somewhere In Time.
James Isaacs: ‘Paschendale’ from Dance of Death
Terry Bezer: The whole Fear of the Dark album, ‘the Wicker man’ from ‘Brave New World’ and A Matter of Life And Death.
Dom Lawson: A Matter of Life And Death. Closely followed by Somewhere In Time.
Their most recognisable moment: The tub-thumping intro to ‘Run To The Hills’ and that riff that signals The Trooper’s arrival.
Relevancy to today’s metal scene: 10/10
Bands influenced by Maiden: That galloping bass sound that you hear on all of your favourite records? Those lead-guitar lines that you wailed along to either on your guitar or with your air-guitar out? Thank Maiden for all of those.
Highest UK chart position: ‘Bring your Daughter To The Slaughter’ reached number 1 in 1990.
Who will emerge victorious in this ultimate clash of the titans?
Join Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas on BBC 6 Music from 4pm to find out who will emerge victorious in the metal battle to end all metal battles – it’s Maiden vs Sabbath for the Heavy Metal World Cup!!
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SLAYER!!!!
fuck they’re not in it, how was this allowed to happen?
Either way for my money it’s Sabbath just because of that title track (Black Sabbath), still one of the creepiest songs ever written
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – has to be Maiden!!! \m/ UP THE IRONS! \m/
SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH!!!
Maiden, and bring your daughter wasn’t their only number 1,
Seventh Son and Number of the beast were number one albums, the rest are like number 2 or 4
MAIDEN!!!
Sabbath hates being called a Metal Band, so why are they considered? Metal started with Judas Priest, its a crime that they aren’t in the finals. Also, Metallica has outsold both Maiden and Sabbath combined, and dare I say influenced more music in general (not only metal) in a shorter amount of time.
With this said Maiden is my favorite band of all time, hope they take it!
Sabbath. ALWAYS Sabbath
since slayer is out i suppose its Sabbath FTW
I do love Maiden but it HAS TO BE Sabbath! No question!
Sabbath being the inventors of metal doesn’t make them the greatest metal band of all time (but there incredible none the less) its impossible to really say one is better than the other especially when it comes to influence because both bands are looked up to and inspired everyone who ever played in a metal band since. Maiden are by far the superior band today but back 20 years ago its impossible to say ones better than the other. Personally i vote Maiden through consistency and ability to put on the greatest show on earth and shove metal up your ass album after album.
UP THE IRONS!!!!! \m/ ^_^ \m/
MAIDEN! MAIDEN! MAIDEN!
Yep, pretty much what Bauld said there. Sabbath are historically more important, they invented heavy metal, but Maiden are better, they’re quite simply the best metal band ever.
SAAAAABBAAAAAAATH
Iron Maiden, no contest.
This is one tough decision…. i’d go with Maiden, because they didn’t have one album that sucked, while Sabbath had a few lesser known albums that were painful to listen to.
I wouldn’t be dissapointed at all if Sabbath won, though.
Maiden, no doubt about it
my money is on Maiden…
\up the fuckin irons/
Its got to be Maiden…. They’re the best and most consistent band around… Black Sabbath’s past their prime and some of their albums really suck. Plus Maiden and their fans (forget the whole metal genre) are a culture in its own way.
Maiden, for not really having ANY albums that sucked.
And for being the best band in the world
SABBATH!
If maiden wins ill never buy a metal hammer again! (same if SABBATH wins)
Black sabbath All the way
erm arnt they both english hmmmm hardly a world cup! its more like a battel of the bands and surely should there be some sort of actull play off?
BLACK SABBATH!! SABBATH!!!
Sabbath all the way
Iron Maiden are borin n are SHIT live
Every single metal band in the world today has been influenced by iron maiden. Black sabbath started metal, but ultimately Iron Maiden have had a bigger impact and are a much better band than sabbath
fear of the dark was number one aswell
Sabbath,Tony Iommi,without this guy there will be no metal right now and we people will have to listen to another crappy style of music,before someone have discovered this one,or will never be discovered,so stop the madness,maiden is good but Sabbath are the masters.
BLACK SABBATH ALL THE WAY.
Iron Maiden is great but even they had some shit albums. Black Sabbath Influenced every Metal band that followed them (Including Maiden) and they continue to Record and Play today!!!
MAIDEN!!!!
because they havent really released anything worth avoiding completely, love sabbath but maiden are better
\m/UP THE IRONS \m/
IRON MAIDEN!!!!
Has to be Maiden. Not that BS is BS as there would be no Maiden without them. And no Metalica without Maiden-(Lars own words) I wonder why no Priest or Led Zep for that matter but if it is simply between Maiden and Sabbath it’s tough. Bruce influenced by Ian Gilan not Ozzie. Ozzie has his own sound that is unique but starts to grate after a while.I can listen to Bruce all day- I can’t say that about anyone else.
Vocally DIO is a better singer. Ozzie is better at dragging his pet shoe around and could drink them all under the table. And been told what to do by his wife- She made him after all. He’s been lucky.
Iommi is my fav guitar player though. Nicko better drummer and Harris better bass player.
If you don’t play anything other than your skin flute you should admit you don’t know. Remember justice is judgement by your ‘peers’
MAIDEN all the way no compition!!!
iron fucking maiden, the complex melodies mixed with galloping bass and drum lines, shit other bands try to keep up, SABBATH can JOHN won’t let it happen sooooooooooup the irons!!