Choice Is Yours Vol. 52: Badmotorfinger vs. Holy Mountain
Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger (1991)
Vs.
Sleep – Holy Mountain (1993)
The Game is simple… if only one could exist which would it be? What’s more important… personal relevance, cultural significance, or simply being the better album all other things aside? Choice is yours…
November 10th, 2009 at 11:02 am
This is a hard one (for me anyway). Both albums in very different ways laid down the blueprint and framework for most of today’s Doom, Sludge & Stoner Metal
November 10th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Holy Mountain, bigtime.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Just had a quick recap there, it would have to be Sleep. The groove wins it.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I have to question anyone who chooses Soundgarden over the mighty Sleep.
Sleep by miles and miles.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Patrick: It’s OK dude cool points are no longer deducted from liking Soundgarden. And as much as I like Sleep how in anyway is Sleep mightier than Soundgarden, because they weren’t on regular rotation on MTV?
I know it’d be cooler to say Holy Mountain is better but i’d probably rather hear Badmotorfinger 9 out of 10 times if given the choice between the two.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
If it were Jerusalem, I’d say Sleep, but Holy Mountain is a tough one to compete with Badmotorfinger. The early 90’s was a great time for music. Soundgarden was one of my favorite bands in the early 90’s and I had yet to fully appreciate Holy Mountain until the late 90’s.
Holy Mountain still to this day influences more good bands than Badmotorfinger. To be honest, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains both influenced Creed and that’s a HUGE fail. Meanwhile, Sleep’s members moved onto AMAZING bands like OM and High on Fire. What about Soundgarden?
I’ma say Holy Mountain.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
John: Wait are you seriously going to blame Soundgarden and Alice In Chains for Creed? Firstly, blaming great bands for crappy bands they may have inspired is ridiculous. How many shitty bands did Bowie inspire? Is that any reason to knock him?
Secondly… i think you have your crappy radio/jock rock confused. Creed were inspired (and i use that term loosely) by Pearl Jam. I’ve never heard an iota of Alice In Chains or Soundgarden in any of Creed’s crappy songs that I was forced to endure.
And what about Soundgarden? Members of Sleep went on to form one good band in High on Fire (who aren’t as good as Sleep) and a mostly boring band in Om. Sure Chris Cornell is a douche now, Matt Cameron is in Pearl Jam and who knows what Kim Thayil is doing but Badmotorfinger on the other hand has had a heavy hand in influencing 4 of the best sludge albums of the past 12 months: Meanderthal, Static Tension, Blue Record & Crack the Skye.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
AAAAHHHHHHHH this one’s totally impossible.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Yes Mike, I forgot to include Pearl Jam and realized it after I posted my comment. I would include Soundgarden in the same mix with the rest of the bands from that era – Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam. All from the “flannel grunge”. They ALL produced a similar sound and Sleep’s Holy Mountain FAR surpassed them in originality.
OM’s Pilgrimage is amazing, as is Conference Of The Birds – Sleep’s Vol.1, Holy Mountain and Dopesmoker / Jerusalem BLOW AWAY all of Soundgarden’s work.
I wouldn’t consider Meanderthal and Crack the Skye as good albums either. Both blow. Gimme Floor over Torche any day and Mastadon are a bunch of showboating meatheads who couldn’t produce a compelling or original album if it was shat out on their chests.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
BADMOTORFINGER. Everyone else please shut the fuck up.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Chris Cornell
Vs.
Matt Pike
November 10th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Right, Meanderthal and Crack the Skye blow, but something like YOB’s The Great Cessation is amazing? The Great Cessation was one of the most mediocre albums I’ve heard all year, AND I only listened to it based on your recommendation. SO I blame you for stealing an hour of my life i could have given to a way better album.
Nothing OM has put out is amazing… it’s all bunch post-rock half stepping. Some is good mood pieces, but nothing to freak out over. And speaking of original? Sleep hardly invented what they were doing, they just brought it back into the spotlight in the 90s. Soundgarden and Alice In Chains (I’m not even going to go off on you pointlessly lumping Pearl Jam in with them because they’re also “from Seattle”) at least did something that hadn’t been done prior to them… make radio accessible Metal without neutering it’s ferocity.
John instead of writing 3 paragraphs or posting pics of Matt Pike and Chris Cornell to prove what I’m not sure? Just sum things up by saying “I John Prolly Watson hate anything remotely melodic or that has musical diversity track to track.”
November 10th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Hey John,
While you’re busy using Chris Cornell’s persona as leverage for your argument, don’t forget to mention how wack Black Sabbath is now because Ozzy sure as hell isn’t doing their legacy justice. Oh, nevermind, I just remembered… Black Sabbath isn’t wack! Regardless of Chris Cornell looking like a fake ass Brad Pitt, Soundgarden still recorded several amazing albums.
Also, you just come across as ignorant when you say that Pearl Jam, Soundgarden & Alice in Chains all sound the same.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Right now, Mike Jones and My Pal the Crook sound the same.
“I John Prolly Watson hate anything remotely melodic or that has musical diversity track to track.”
LulZ
I like Neurosis, Tool, NIN, Zeppelin – just to name a few that are melodic and diverse. Just because I didn’t like Soundgarden as much as Sleep doesn’t mean I’m ignorant to good music.
YOB’s album was better than both the Torche and Mastadon – I’m not alone on that either. It got great reviews across the board. Torche is so god-dammed watered down and so nuanced now that they’re not even worth talking about.
We have different preferences in music and we all agree that Chris Cornell’is a douche. Ozzy’s always been crazy and demented. He looks the same as he always did. Cornell? No. Which just proves my point, Chris Cornell is a cock-rocker and he’s always been one. He took whatever was available at the time. Soundgarden’s music was phenomenal, but his voice totally didn’t do it for me. Aside from a few tracks. Kim Thayil is still one of my favorite guitarists though.
Which brings me to my last comment: I think Sleep did more for doom sound (which is where I tend to align, slow and heavy) than Soundgarden (which was more grunge) and I wouldn’t have even put these two albums in same comparison category.
Now if you would have pitted Kyuss against Sleep, that would have been something more relevant to talk about.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
John everyone is talking shit on you in the office.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
This is fun to read. Sleep is cool and not to take anything away from their shit, but aren’t they a Melvins cover band?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I never said you were ignorant to good music. I just said you sounded ignorant for saying that Soundgarden sounds the same as Pearl Jam & Alice in Chains. Those bands don’t sound the same.
In what way is pitting Kyuss against Sleep more relevant to talk about?
Choice is Yours hasn’t always been about choosing between two albums that are similar. This isn’t about what band did more for the doom sound. I could easily fill the void left by Holy Mountain with Dopesmoker, but there isn’t an album (including any of Soundgarden’s other releases) that replaces Badmotorfinger.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
oh, the Torche Split with Boris “Chapter Ahead Being Fake” is good though… should have mentioned that.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
My Pal and Mike Jones, everyone ALWAYS talks shit on me in the office, is that anything new? For fuck’s sake, I have a catagory named after me getting sonned on the Boglin, Prolly’d.
:P
November 10th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I second Jones on this: “I could easily fill the void left by Holy Mountain with Dopesmoker, but there isn’t an album (including any of Soundgarden’s other releases) that replaces Badmotorfinger.”
That’s ultimately the truth right there. As good of an album as Holy Mountain is, there have been more than your fair share of Doom/Stoner bands who have crafted album of the same ilk that can rival it… it’s a fantastic album yet in my eyes totally replicable under the right circumstances with the right talent. I think part of the reason is just how heavily it relies on Sabbath to lay it’s own framework.
Nothing quite sounds like and crosses over the way Badmotorfinger does. The closest thing to it is Louder Than Love, the album that preceded it.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
You guys done jerking each other off over there?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Fucking serious? Holy Mountain any day. Even Kim’s guitar can’t save that band from the fact that Chris Cornell’s singing is comparable to slamming your dick in a window.
Also, when it comes to impact/followers, I’ll take Zoroaster over the steaming pile of retarded known as Mastodon any day. And that’s just in fucking ATL.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Also, since when are these two even in the same fucking category?
November 10th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
This is basically like comparing apples to who gives a fuck.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Jack for the win.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
SSSSSSSSSLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP ALL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I guess Doom can now join Thrash metal in the time honored chest beating tradition of citing any and every decent-to-mediocre bands you can think of as being better than a universally renowned one to establish your scene cred.
Saying Zoroaster is better than Mastodon is like saying Hirax is better than Metallica. We all get it, You’ve earned your scene points with the name drop, but let’s be serious here.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
So I went back and have been listening to Badmotorfinger as unbiased as possible and I can’t get back Cornell’s vocals. Just like always. Sorry, but vocals ruin albums. The music is good, but the cock-rocking pretense and whines “everrrrry word I saiiiiiiiiid is whattt I meaeaeaean”
Just can’t do it.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Fuck Cornell and his ability to actually sing!!! Fuck him to hell! Why can’t he do a Death growl?
Dude are you serious? Cock-rocking pretense? Your complaint is that Cornell can actually sing and hit high notes? I hate to break it to you but Cornell’s vocal styling and that of your idol Maynard are pretty similar.
And seriously you’re still on a “cockrock sucks” phase? What are you 16? If you can’t appreciate the unadulterated good times of hair metal then I don’t know what to say, I’ll just feel sad for you that you can’t ever just drop pretenses. It ain’t nuthin’ but a good time John… that’s all it is, so why hate?
November 10th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Dude, don’t bring Maynard into this. Or Trent.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
My crotch pal. I picked the first two Atlanta bands I could think of to stay in a scene. Notice that there aren’t really many “Sleep as a main influence” doom bands besides High on Fire that are playing a similar circuit/club size to Mastodon that came after Sleep. I’d cite someone like Neurosis, the Melvins, or Weedeater, but none of them are comparable really.
Also, Hirax fucking rules. So does Kill ‘Em All. I’ll drink a beer to either any day.
November 10th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Basically, long and fucking short is, I’d rather spend all day listening to Sleep, Yob, Electric Wizard, and fucking Weedeater than Mastodon, Priestess, or the fucking Sword all day.
On the cock rock tip. The hate on Cornell’s vox doesn’t come from a hate on cock rock in my book. I just can’t deal with that fucking nasal, annoying drawn out thing. If you’re gonna hit the cock rock high notes go for the Bon Scott or something man.
And if I was going for scene points the line woulda been, “Man Sleep were a bunch of fucking pussies. Shoulda threw in the fucking towel after AsbestosDeath maaaaan.”
November 10th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Don’t bring Mike Patton into this either.
November 10th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Sleep. Picturing this conversation over a table with beer is making it way more interesting!
November 10th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
This is tough cause I still like Soundgarden. This is not however their best album- Ultramega OK is. That shit rules so hard. And everyone knows Sleep’s Dopesmoker is their zenith.
But because I’m a drummer I’ll have to pick based on my personal influence and pick Badmotorfinger. The technical shit in “Jesus Christ Pose” alone is enough to win me over. Overall the songs on Holy Mountain rule, but for drumming inspiration, I could just listen to any Sabbath record and get a similar but better effect.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Sleep wins and by the way TOOL LICKS BALLS!!!!!!!!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Man Fuck all y’all, (name drop any band that eventually made it to Southern Lord Records) could annihilate an combination of cock rocking, Chris Cornell whining, dopesmoking, wizard eating, Jodorowsky name stealing band out there.
::jerk-off motion::
November 10th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
anyone that says soundgarden over sleep must die!!!!!!!!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Hirax vox vs Cornell vox? There’s a hole in that argument.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Wow this has to be the funniest bro-dude convo ever.
I told my buddy alex about this post today about how when he was like 13 he was at his grandmas mansion out by the OC. He was really really really into Soundgarden at the time, and he scarfed down a hotdog and yelled out “SOUNDGARDEN IS THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD!” and then did a cannonball into the pool.
So I guess i’m going with soundgarden.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Panini
November 11th, 2009 at 7:35 am
What’s a panini?
November 11th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Not cool.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
“Wow this has to be the funniest bro-dude convo ever.
I told my buddy alex about this post today about how when he was like 13 he was at his grandmas mansion out by the OC. He was really really really into Soundgarden at the time, and he scarfed down a hotdog and yelled out “SOUNDGARDEN IS THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD!” and then did a cannonball into the pool.
So I guess i’m going with soundgarden.”
I respect this decision all of a sudden.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:16 am
I’d have to agree that people are judging Soundgarden with hindsight. They certainly don’t go over as well as Sleep for cred or cool points; Soundgarden were just too big and Chris Cornell made a dick of himself far too many times. But really, Badmotorfinger was the shit. I mean, the rhythm section alone was fucking killer. The bass playing and drumming was fucking out there. And I do think that Cornell during this period did it right. He had quite the pipes, and his lyrics actually seemed deep at this point (uh, until everyone realized he was just yammering on about nothing). Don’t need to go on about Thayil, no additional words needed.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Final word: SLEEP.
Cornell needs to pluck his eyebrows.
January 1st, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Cornell STILL needs to pluck his eyebrows.