Rate the song above you on the Moh's Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness

5 - Very dirty guitar sound but the stop-start riffing flattens any sense of tension after a while and the groove focus of most of these riffs takes away a lot of bite.

Usurper - Deep in the Forest

edited 19th Oct '14 2:21:10 PM by StillbirthMachine

I'd say it's a 9, bordering on 10 at points. I'm slowly becoming able to discern the different sounds of extreme metal. It used to be all just noise to me.

Black Sabbath - Sabbra Cadabra

Spaced-out middle section + Rick Wakeman on keyboards make this a less conventional Ozzy-era Sabbath song.

edited 19th Oct '14 1:18:59 PM by djbj

Probly a 6, though the keyboard section DOES kinda complicate things a bit, so it may only be a high 5... Classic tune, though- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage are kinda underrated- when people talk about the Ozzy era, it's usually the first three for... reasons.

Velvet Underground - "I Heard Her Call My Name": The graininess of the recording adds a bit to it, I feel. I'll post a Metal tune next time...

3 - Really grainy and surprisingly aggressive for this style although it's pretty much throwing pokes rather than punches.

HAIL - Black Death Metal Warrior

Double / error post, read the one below this. My bad.

edited 20th Oct '14 11:08:49 PM by sharkcrap11

I'd say a 9- surprisingly, it's not insanely fast, but it has a kinda rough production that pushes it up pretty high. Also, his growls sound really good- some Metal bands kinda lose the vocal presence due to them being low in the mix, even with Harsh Vocals. This particular production actually makes 'em pretty audible...

Enslaved - "Loke": Fairly heavy Black Metal, IMO. They got a really harsh guitar sound on this record, and I mean that in a good way.

Enslaved's one of those bands I hear about, but haven't actually devoted much time to. Sounds damn good, soft 9.

Anaal Nathrakh The Final Absolution

They're a great band, IMO. If you like your Metal heavy but experimental, I can't recommend 'em strongly enough...

Probly a low 10, IMO. Or maybe just a really high 9. Tough call... Excellent stuff, either way- Anaal are just one of those bands I like. Also, big fan of some of the creepy-ass background sounds here.

Samael - Rain: Some Industrialized Black Metal, my treat.

I'd say it's a low 9, maybe a hard 8 due to softer bits and the symphonic qualities.

No need to apologize for not posting a song that's "heavy" enough. In fact, just for kicks, here's a song on the low end of the scale.

Bob Seger - Turn the Page

2 - Really vigorous and moving but more atmospheric than it is heavy.

Adversarial - In the Waning of Twilight's Death Ocean

That would be a 10.

The Misfits - - Die Die My Darling

Probly a mid-to-high 7- as a combination of the fast tempo and the lo-fidelity production. Hardcore Punk at it's finest...

Patti Smith - "Pumping My Heart": Believe it or not, she was considered Punk Rock back in the day. Her work's rather popular with me, in case recent posts haven't made it clear...

5. While it doesn't exactly have the sound I immediately associate with punk, between the musical attitude, aesthetic and timing of the release (1976), I can see why it would be considered Punk Rock. I feel like she must have been a pretty big influence on the Pretenders.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Loverman

edited 23rd Oct '14 8:43:16 AM by djbj

I'd say a 4, pushing into a 5 at some points.

The Pixies - Gigantic (1988) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KTQmClWe5N4

I'd say it has just enough distortion/aggression to reach Level 5.

Mercyful Fate - Curse of the Pharaohs

edited 23rd Oct '14 10:49:47 AM by djbj

7.5 - Subersive occult metal. The 70's rock undertones give it a bit of an edge that the usual high flying post-Maiden/Priest stuff doesn't have.

War Master - Pyramid of the Necropolis

Ninjaed between songs, not sure if it counts then.

Solid 4.

Yousei Teikoku, Valkyrja

edited 23rd Oct '14 12:20:05 PM by darkabomination

I guess I'll reply to most recent one. I give it a 3, but I'm not even sure how to classify it. The whole Japanese music scene is like this whole other world that I just don't get.

So if I'm not confused, one of you gave my last song a 7.5 and the other gave it a 4. You two must have pretty different perceptions of the scale.

Mercyful Fate - A Corpse Without Soul This one's a bit more aggressive than the last one, but it also has lower quality production, however that factors in.

I'd say that might go as high as 8, between the speed and the rough production- still classic, though. The Nuns have No Fun EP is fun stuff for sure...

Diamond Head - "Am I Evil?": Here, have some classic NWOBHM stuff. This is one of my favorite Metal song, incidentally...

8 - Yes I am.

Dark Angel - Merciless Death

That's a 9. Makes me think of Slayer, except with dirtier production.

I was actually gonna post that song later. You beat me to it!

Blue Oyster Cult - Astronomy

High 5 or low 6. Classic Proto-Metal / 70s Heavy Metal tune right there. Incidentally, BOC are a favorite of mine...

@ Stillbirth: best response EVER.

Mayhem - "Freezing Moon": Have some classic Black Metal Mayhem- atrocious pun intended... This and "Funeral Fog" are probly my favorites by these guys.

Soft 8. Would be a 7 if the production was better.

Those Poor Bastards, He of Cloven Hoof

Fair warning, bit of a Genre Shift to dark folk.

3 - One of those songs I'd say is more atmospheric than it is particularly weighty.

Oraculum - The Vessel Of Orichalcum

10, most definitely.

Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar Thin Lizzy weren't as hard-edged before they added the twin lead guitars, but Eric Bell still produced some great licks.