Battle of the Bands: Judas Priest vs Iron Maiden

[TheCrimsonSaint]

Do you really need to ask me?

Halford/Dickinson - Bruce easily. Rob has a better range and great screams, but he doesn't know how to use them effectively. I refuse to believe that "Painkiller" is a good vocal song. Halford's screams are best in moderation. Bruce's range is only a tad smaller than Rob's, and his screams are not only better, but more controlled. Also, since blowing out his voice, he can actually sing better. Figure that one out.

Tipton & Downing/Murray, Smith, & Gers - Maiden easily here as well. Murray and Smith perfected what Tipton and Downing forged, and no one does it better than the Maiden duo. Add Gers (sloppy though he can be) into the mix and you've got a freakish triple-lead monster. Murray has the greatest guitar tone I've ever heard, and it compliments Smith's more traditional metal tone perfectly, and they are both complimented by Gers' rather uncontrollable sounding tone. Tipton and Downing both sound very alike, with no way to distinguish between the two very easily. Their riffs were not only less complicated than Maiden's, but they were also less compelling.

Hill/Harris - Not really a contest here. One of metal's greatest (Harris) against the most boring bass player in recent history.

Priest drummers/Burr & McBrain - Maiden wins again. Burr and McBrain are quite simply two of the most technically skilled drummers to grace metal. McBrain being the wack-job amalgam of Keith Moon and Neil Peart, Burr being ridiculously clever with his guitar following fills and blindingly fast rolls. The Priest stable of drummers are average at best. Sure, the tracks from Painkiller are great, but one album of decency cannot stand against the drum onslaught Maiden brings every time they play.

Overall - Iron Maiden quite easily. Better songs, better lyrics, better talent...

[My name is Fez]

XD A whole lot of "MY OPINION IS BETTER THAN URS" in this thread so far.

I haven't heard quite as much Priest as I have Maiden, but from what I've heard I like Maiden just a tid more.

But it's really so marginal that it's insignificant, so I say that if these two bands were to duel, neither would gain an advantage and they would end up destroying the entier planet, only to continue the epic confrontation on like, the moon or something.

[afterstasis]

i definitely prefer judas priest, though i think "somewhere in time" (my favorite maiden album) is a VERY slightly better album than "painkiller" (my favorite priest album).

[MronoC]

I prefer Priest, I like how they manage to switch up their style over the years. Sad Wings of Destiny, Stained Class, Screaming for Vengeance, and Painkiller are all great albums that all sound incredibly different.

[AxlVanHagar]

Maiden easily. As others have already stated I prefer the song writing especially lyrically in Maiden over Priest. Maiden just tended to write about subjects I gave a **** about, history, religion, social commentary etc whereas Priest typically wrote about leather, motorcycles, general rebelliousness etc. I enjoy both bands and own all albums from both but I take Maiden far more seriously than I do Priest. I feel Maiden is a better live band as well.

[Soror_YZBL]

Maiden is wayyyyy too nerdy. Priest for being an amazing rock and roll band.

[franticfish]

Maiden is more consistent for me, I love Judas Priest but Iron Maiden is just more memorable and have a much stronger catalog. Maiden are much better live to, I've seen em a couple of times and my ears are still ringing.

[n4sc4r]

Black Sabbath.

Seriously though, this is almost impossible to decide. I like Judas Priest just a bit more for their consistency. (IMO, a few Iron Maiden albums have been forgettable at best). Also, while Maiden isn't quite so consistent to me, their best albums have been better thn Judas Priest's best albums.

[Ratjar3]

I would go with Maiden. Both are real good bands, but Maiden songs are far more memorable than Priests.

[jeccaneko]

Judas Priest. I blame my stepfather's influence on my metal tastes here. He liked Iron Maiden too, but he liked Judas Priest more. We had Priest songs playing in the house a lot when I was a kid.