Most important aspect of a Metal song to you (pick ONLY one)

1. vocal prowess
2. quality of riffs
3. quality of drumming
4. quality of bass playing
5. originality
6. quality of lyrics
7. quality of guitar solos
8. production

Choose wisely ......

quality of riffs

Tough question but I guess for me, it pretty much lives and dies by the vocals. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a song start and say "Hey, this sounds pretty good...." then the singer opens his (or her) mouth and it all turns to sheeeeit.

SpectreFate wrote:

quality of riffs

That's where I am too.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Tough question but I guess for me, it pretty much lives and dies by the vocals. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a song start and say "Hey, this sounds pretty good...." then the singer opens his (or her) mouth and it all turns to sheeeeit.

I'm sure you're not alone.

I cannot pick one. It depends on the song, band, etc. It's a culmination of things IMO. A song could have the best riffs known to man, but if the vocals aren't to my liking, then I won't like the song/band. A band could have the best songs in the world, great vocals, riffs, solos, drumming and the production is so crappy it could make the songs unlistenable. To pick only one is sort of impossible IMO.

I'm leaning towards "vocal prowess" as well, but it's virtually impossible for me to base it on one aspect alone.

But if I'm gonna play by the rules, I guess vocals are the most important aspect, because if they're bad, I'm out.

I am not sure I can pick one either, like ULT stated it depends on the band, some bands like Morbid Angel have great riffs etc but David Vincent isn't going to win any awards for quality growling but it fits the music and singer like Rob Halford for example would sound silly IMO singing over those type of riffs.

So many factors going into making a good sing into a great song it is impossible to just pick one.

Vocal prowess.
But of course that alone does not make a good song/band.

SpectreFate wrote:

quality of riffs

THIS

Fat Freddy wrote:

Tough question but I guess for me, it pretty much lives and dies by the vocals. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a song start and say "Hey, this sounds pretty good...." then the singer opens his (or her) mouth and it all turns to sheeeeit.

no wait....THIS!

OK, let's try something else.

Give each a percentage rating, totalling 100%.

Here's mine:

1. vocal prowess 20%
2. quality of riffs 30%
3. quality of drumming 13%
4. quality of bass playing 5%
5. originality 10%
6. quality of lyrics 5%
7. quality of guitar solos 12%
8. production 5%

Temple of Blood wrote:

OK, let's try something else.

Give each a percentage rating, totalling 100%.

THANK YOU!!!

1. vocal prowess 20%
2. quality of riffs 30%
3. quality of drumming 10%
4. quality of bass playing 0%
5. originality 10%
6. quality of lyrics 30%
7. quality of guitar solos 0%
8. production 0%

manny wrote:

I am not sure I can pick one either, like ULT stated it depends on the band, some bands like Morbid Angel have great riffs etc but David Vincent isn't going to win any awards for quality growling but it fits the music and singer like Rob Halford for example would sound silly IMO singing over those type of riffs.

So many factors going into making a good sing into a great song it is impossible to just pick one.

Agree

1. vocal prowess 30%
2. quality of riffs 20%
3. quality of drumming 8%
4. quality of bass playing 8%
5. originality 8%
6. quality of lyrics 10%
7. quality of guitar solos 6%
8. production 10%

I can easily say the riffs matter most for me.

T-Roy wrote:

1. vocal prowess 20%
2. quality of riffs 30%
3. quality of drumming 10%
4. quality of bass playing 0%
5. originality 10%
6. quality of lyrics 30%
7. quality of guitar solos 0%
8. production 0%

Wow, 0% for guitar solos?

So, for example, the solos in MEGADETH or "Sweet Child O Mine" don't enhance the song at all for you?

WELL...yes, they do enhance those songs for me big time.

BUT, I really don't care about solo's. It's not something that has ever made or broke a song/band for me. Is that wrong??

T-Roy listens to them, whatchacall, WOOOOOOARRRRRRRGH bands. Do they even have guitar solos in their songs?

Fat Freddy wrote:

T-Roy listens to them, whatchacall, WOOOOOOARRRRRRRGH bands. Do they even have guitar solos in their songs?

NOT REALLY!!!

Riffs, songwriting, performance.

Temple of Blood wrote:

T-Roy wrote:

1. vocal prowess 20%
2. quality of riffs 30%
3. quality of drumming 10%
4. quality of bass playing 0%
5. originality 10%
6. quality of lyrics 30%
7. quality of guitar solos 0%
8. production 0%

Wow, 0% for guitar solos?

So, for example, the solos in MEGADETH or "Sweet Child O Mine" don't enhance the song at all for you?

Excellent examples IMO the best part of 'Sweet Child..' is the guitar solo.

1. vocal prowess 70%
2. quality of riffs 1%
3. quality of drumming 1%
4. quality of bass playing 1%
5. originality 5%
6. quality of lyrics 5%
7. quality of guitar solos 5%
8. production 12%

And by prowess I don't necessarily mean a singer has to have a technically great voice but he has to at least carry a tune.

Awww, man. I gotta do math? Ugg.
1. vocal prowess 30%
2. quality of riffs 15%
3. quality of drumming 15%
4. quality of bass playing 5%
5. originality 2.5%
6. quality of lyrics 15%
7. quality of guitar solos 15%
8. production 2.5%