The "Influence or Coincidence, Inspiration or Plagiarism" Thread
Rex and I have just found one of the funniest coincidences in music history. Listen to that vocal riff from the epic title track of Septicflesh's Communion:
It sounds identical to a minor-key variation of Meow Mix:
Well since I'm here, I'd like to talk about one of the more recent notable cases of alleged metal song plagiarism. Listen to the guitar rhythm during the solo of this Plini song (at 3:28):
And then the guitar rhythm during the solo of this rock/metal version of Doja Cat's "Say So" (at 2:51):
Even though Doja Cat admitted to the plagiarism and apologized for it, I suspect that it's just a coincidence, as I'm not sure she would purposely steal something from a random progressive metal/rock song. What do you all think?
Check out the chorus vocal hooks to these two tracks; the Cool Feet one coming having been released on 14th April 1976, the Scorpions one two years later in April 1978. Too close to be coincidence?
Influence? Coincidence? Likely balancing on the line in between there.
OK, here's one that you'll all want to hear as it would seem to be a pretty blatant example of plagiarism but from a strangely unexpected source. The chorus to Yngwie Malmsteen's 1992 track "All I Want Is Everything" would appear to copy the chorus hooks of Paula Abdul's 1988 megahit "Opposites Attract". Let me know what you think.
There are quite a few references to Cannibal Corpse's 1990 debut album "Eaten Back To Life" to be found on Monstrosity's 1992 "Imperial Doom" record but perhaps none more obvious than this one. Check out the ringing power chord section at 1:06 in "A Skull Full Of Maggots" & compare it with the very similar part that starts at "1:30" in "Final Cremation" with both parts heralding a half-time movement with a similar feel. It's only a short section but I feel that it was clearly borrowed given that there are many other references to Cannibal Corpse's debut scattered across the tracklisting. It just feels so similar & has me doing a double-take every time I hear it.
Do ya reckon a young Iron Maiden might have heard the guitar harmonies at the start of this early Scorpions progressive rock epic while they were still deciding on what they might sound like? Check out the way the bass guitar is used underneath too. Totally Maiden!
Some of the more blatant examples of plagiarism I can recall in recent times come through Aura Noir's 1996 track "The One Who Smite" which blatantly clones both Sodom & Slayer. Check out the opening riff & then compare it to the opening riff from Sodom's "Proselytism Real" from 1986:
Now compare the riff at 1:54 in "The One Who Smite" to the riff at 1:38 in Slayer's "Angel of Death" (also from 1986):
It's been a while since this thread was last active, and I have a couple crazy coincidences to talk about here. Let's start with a couple album cover arts. Take a look below at the cover art for Eternal Tears of Sorrow's 2001 album and the cover art for Taylor Swift's 2010 album. This has got to be a sheer coincidence, because I highly doubt Taylor Swift has ever listened to Finnish symphonic melodeath. Of course, I know that doesn't mean other female pop stars don't listen to metal. It's no secret that Demi Lovato used to listen to metalcore/deathcore before starting her Disney Channel/pop star career.
And here's another coincidence. Listen to the intro riff melody that kicks off this Amorphis classic:
And then the piano melody in this Trail of Tears interlude at 0:40:
Although it can be considered a coincidence, I can totally understand if Amorphis left a profound influential mark in Trail of Tears' sound.
And here's Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell", in which its verses come to my mind when I hear the verses of that Trident song:
Another coincidental cover art comparison. Is there much different between these two? It's an A-like triangle in a dark red background!
And here's another coincidence. Listen to the intro riff melody that kicks off this Amorphis classic:
And then the piano melody in this Trail of Tears interlude at 0:40:
Although it can be considered a coincidence, I can totally understand if Amorphis left a profound influential mark in Trail of Tears' sound.
The melody is reprised at 3:37 of the song that Trail of Tears interlude segues to:
Did Jari Mäenpää take some inspiration from Trail of Tears when making his Wintersun Time albums? Listen to the background keyboard melody in the intro of this Trail of Tears track:
Made more epic in this post-chorus orchestral melody lasting the same amount of time in this Wintersun epic (first time at 3:35):
I can't believe no one, and I mean NO ONE on the internet as far as I know, has pointed out the similarities between the verse melody of Beast in Black's "theme song"...
...And the main melody of the most popular track by epic music production company Two Steps From Hell: