KD isn’t being a stick in the mud; I appreciate his engaged, detailed take even if I don’t agree with it.

In his defense, a while ago I made him a Dillinger Eacape Plan mix and he was quite complimentary toward them.

I wasn't meaning to dismiss their rhythm section wholesale. I was really only speaking in regards to this song, which is certainly tight rhythmically but doesn't do anything that feels so far outside the conventions of this music to seem extraordinary.

While it's certainly a peripheral component of my listening at best, I certainly wouldn't say I have no taste for metal or heavy music in general -- I have no idea where this stuff falls on the spectrum of metal fans' tastes but I am a huge fan of old Metallica, Megadeth, Sabbath, etc. Even the music in a lot of this stuff is okay with me, but I get hung up on the voice, the lyrical content, and the general presentation. I think I would be capable of appreciating the technical precision of some of these groups from afar, but where my actual enjoyment of the music is concerned, the technical stuff is so overwhelmingly consumed by the aesthetic stuff (and not just the band's visual presentation, I am talking more about the surface elements of the music) that it just doesn't stand a chance. I have the same issue with Tool.

I was a teenager when a lot of this stuff was popular, in a city that really went all in on it (Mudvayne is from my hometown; they were everywhere growing up). So I have a lot of conflicted personal feelings about it based on where I was when it came out and what I felt like it was trying to say to me. But it's definitely not a matter of not having been exposed to it enough or not having given it its fair shot.

Jeez Ello Sailor, calm down.

jk I don't even know what's going on

I prefer my Nu Metal N*SYNC inspired. Vote for the cute band.

I'm gonna toss in my quick Mudvayne rhythm section defense, Dig is an okay example but on the LD.50 album, most of the songs are in the 5-7 minute range and usually have a lot of sections showcasing those guys.

I don't think I've heard Incubus before this tournament either, and man, they're terrible.

Sounds like you should vote for Mudvayne!!!!

i used to like that Incubus song when i went through my baggy pants phase

so i'll vote for it

Spenno don't do it, all their songs besides this one are about how much they hate Australians, I know because they're from my hometown and are always holding rallies here

Don’t listen to him Spenno it’s not true!!!!!!!

I thought this was an Incubus battle but no...wrong Dig. Incubus wins

There's no way MikeJasonD isn't an alt account now.

Also the Incubus song is okay but not my favorite of theirs, Mudvayne destroys it, way to run with the inferior tune guys.

“Stellar” but I kinda like “Dig” also.

Im finding that I still really like a lot of Incubus songs.

OK, Kevin convinced me: Mudvayne it is.

Son of a bitch!

Like KD, I find the aesthetic and vocals of bands like mudvayne off putting. Take away me having to see those assholes and hear the vocals, and I can totally understand why someone would like the musical parts of the song. One of my best friends was into metal and played (and sang) in a metal band for years and he helped me come to an appreciation of that, but the other shit drives me crazy.

I kinda like what Mudvayne does, alternating between the crazy thrashier stuff like this song and the more post-grunge type stuff like "World So Cold." They kinda bridge together both aspects of this tournament. This particular song has some obvious similarities to Slipknot, but I can also hear some shared descendancy with noise rock like Lightning Bolt or Hella.

Unfortunately for them, they're matched against Incubus, a band whose early albums I am rather fond of. "Stellar" was my gateway into Incubus, and I still have a soft spot for it. I really like spacey bridge, even if it feels a bit on the nose for a song that uses space as a metaphor.

I'm going Incubus, but don't count that as a knock against Mudvayne.