So last night, I was kicking back listening to EXCEL’s The Joke’s On You album, and then it happened! Their song “Tapping into the Emotional Void” started playing, and I said to myself, damn, I know that riff! A memory of Dan’s voice came into my head, telling me that Metallica had ripped them off and used it for their breakout hit “Enter Sandman.” I can’t recall the exact story, but it seems that both bands shared some acquaintances who turned Metallica on to Excel. EXCEL’s song came out at least two years before “Enter Sandman.” They pursed a case against Lars and his cronies, but it never went anywhere. It’s also ironic that Metallica did everything in their power to stop Napster, while all along they had stolen their biggest hit!!! Below is a version of each band’s song – NOW it’s time for you to be the judge, did Metallica rip off EXCEL? The justice in all of this is that with all of their money, the members of Metallica seem like very unhappy people. Metallica: do the right thing, and give EXCEL the props they deserve for writing “Enter Sandman.” In closing, I’d just like to say that I don’t think Cliff would have allowed them to rip off another band the way they did…The Joke’s On You, Metallica!
LISTEN TO EXCEL’S SONG HERE!!!
me
May 9, 2015 at 11:14 am
Sure, the joke is on Metallica. They’ve made millions on that song. I wish I could get a joke like that played on me
Dabs
May 9, 2015 at 10:49 am
Both bands are horrible. I hope they all die of A.I.D.S. from violent sexual assaults.
Anthony Grey
May 9, 2015 at 6:30 am
old news: http://articles.latimes.com/1991-12-16/entertainment/ca-559_1_metallica-song
Ikaros Totinen
May 9, 2015 at 6:14 am
How about stone, Lars is still on defence about that one? Fucking shit eater. Drink beer, fuck metallica.
Karl D'Amico
May 9, 2015 at 12:57 am
I noticed
CVLT Nation
May 9, 2015 at 12:55 am
Since this feature was posted less than 24 hours ago almost all of EXCEL’s music has been taken off of You tube…I wonder why?
Jonas Kjærgaard Pedersen
May 9, 2015 at 6:52 am
??? No? I can still find lots of Excel videos on youtube including tapping into the emotional void https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=letLBUrt7yA
CVLT Nation
May 9, 2015 at 12:09 pm
these videos are not active
Jonas Kjærgaard Pedersen
May 9, 2015 at 12:10 pm
What? Where are they not active? I can hear them all
Karl D'Amico
May 9, 2015 at 12:44 am
This as well
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TKM183XNejY#
Karl D'Amico
May 9, 2015 at 12:44 am
This as well
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TKM183XNejY#
Alex Metzger
May 8, 2015 at 11:24 pm
Metallica kind of had a habit of doing this long before the Black Album. Just sayin’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNOUdQYvXIg
Jeff VVooten
May 8, 2015 at 10:46 pm
Vlookup
Michael Tagliabue
May 8, 2015 at 5:06 pm
I’m wasting my energy typing this post.
Himanshu Thakuria
May 8, 2015 at 4:07 pm
I think metallica ripped off that riff from the opening riff of Toxik’s ‘spontaneous’.
Brian Skala
May 8, 2015 at 3:41 pm
I remember this it was a joke then and was on Excel. Absolutely a joke. Sounded like a desperate plea to get some money as they were struggling as a band then. The two songs are greatness but now the Excel song will always be known as the band laughingly trying to sue the biggest metal band ever. Quite pathetic.
Andrés Rojas A
May 8, 2015 at 2:35 pm
Is not even that similar to be honest
Nathan Lawver
May 8, 2015 at 1:49 pm
Now all videos even tied to this album have been removed
Jay Wilson
May 8, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Of course sme took the excel video down
Damien Carter
May 8, 2015 at 12:54 pm
https://youtu.be/zowid7KAmnM
Damien Carter
May 8, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Still not as bad as “Rainbow Warrior “
Damian Llewellyn
May 8, 2015 at 12:36 pm
If so every Metal band need to pay Sabbath royalties.
Joe James
May 8, 2015 at 12:03 pm
I CAN’T GET THE EXCEL SONG TO PLAY NO MATTER WHERE I GO…ANYONE HAVE A WORKING LINK??
Burnt Reynolds
May 8, 2015 at 10:43 am
Yes they did but excel ripped of pentagram
http://youtu.be/6zuV4uWLUe8
Frank M Grengo
May 8, 2015 at 10:24 am
The riff is similar but not close enough to say they ripped it off. The riff at 2:47-3:00 sounds very similar to the opening riff in Metallica’s Cyanide too! I wonder if metallica did that on purpose.
Satan's Toenail
May 8, 2015 at 10:19 am
Not that similar but if you’re going to nip-pick Excel rip off Rush – YYZ at 2.45.
Rachel Belle Shallanberger
May 8, 2015 at 10:00 am
Big surprise!
Scourgeon Cruz
May 8, 2015 at 9:42 am
Yea they did
John Brown
May 8, 2015 at 9:09 am
It’s because all the metal bands of that era sounded the same so of course they’re going to sound the same. None of them stood out. Other than music to work out to their music is kind of worthless to me.
Hal Wagner
May 8, 2015 at 8:59 am
People should get over how Metallica used to be good and just listen to fucking Hirax if you still give a shit about thrash metal. Loads of bands out their still thrashing it up . and when it comes to metal everyone rips riffs from everyone . it’s the nature of the beast .
Pat Bee
May 8, 2015 at 8:57 am
Well…..yup, thats it. I guess they can fall back on their Napster defense, “OOooopppps!”
Tony Killebrew
May 8, 2015 at 8:54 am
everybody likes to piss on metallica and megadeth, but they all own of have owned something by them lol
Brando Scumpy
May 8, 2015 at 8:42 am
Why is anyone surprised?
Bones Malone
May 8, 2015 at 8:39 am
they’re similar but different from a musical theory standpoint. close enough to say they ripped it? i’d say so
Tony Killebrew
May 8, 2015 at 8:34 am
people want to put megadeth on a higer level than metalica, but they have stole people songs as well. There are riffs that Dave lifted from older Holy Terror discs, that are on hanger 18. Jerry only has a “story” about metallica stealing “where ever i may roam” from him, because he had the concept of the song in a guitar case that got left backstage at a metallica show.
Joseph Magnuson
May 8, 2015 at 8:11 am
CVLT Nation: now reporting Metallica gossip. Hey, it got those clicks and comments, right?
CVLT Nation
May 8, 2015 at 5:05 pm
Hey joseph…i know this is old news to some but many people don’t know what happened…i grew up in venice with excel…this feature was about letting our readers know how metallica ripped off my homies…
CVLT Nation
May 8, 2015 at 5:06 pm
http://www.mp3facebook.com/mp3/Excel+Tapping+Into+The+Emotional+Void
CVLT Nation
May 8, 2015 at 5:06 pm
just listen
Ross Stapf
May 8, 2015 at 8:00 am
I thought Metallica only did cover songs after Cliff died.
Wyatt Burton
May 8, 2015 at 7:51 am
Who didn’t metallica rip off is the real question
Kody Riley
May 8, 2015 at 7:49 am
Another reason to them Selloutica.
Nick Serapheum
May 8, 2015 at 7:29 am
Not the same riff at all IMO. Has same 2 notes in sequence but that is it. That does NOT make them the same;
Henry Quackenbush
May 8, 2015 at 7:19 am
Proud to say never saw them owned a shirt album by them they have always sucked. Excel was more popular with my skater/bmx
Jonathan Karl
May 8, 2015 at 7:11 am
They should sue… Fuck metallica
Hedley Lamarr
May 8, 2015 at 7:07 am
Josh Bottomley
Mark Masching
May 8, 2015 at 7:02 am
Master, master…http://youtu.be/P4sANPkk3ys
And…http://youtu.be/DrgCxp61nvQ
Farron Loathing
May 8, 2015 at 7:02 am
Yup. Man, Excel / Haywire / Headfirst at the Cuntry Club ? That was a fine fucking show.
Timothy D White
May 8, 2015 at 7:01 am
This is so old.
I’ll give metallivca the benefit of the doubt that they indeed came up with that shitty of a riff all by there lonesome. Once they ran out of mustaine material, and quit recycling diamondhead riffs, then enter-sandman us what you wind up with.
Basic math, really.
Frank Callaghan
May 8, 2015 at 6:59 am
the black album sucks either way
Aneeq Zaman
May 8, 2015 at 6:57 am
You will find many songs with inter-similar riffs. If you say “Tapping Into the Emotional Void”, ill say maybe “25 Years (Pantera)” has the main riff similar to Sandman. Shit happens. Bands are inspired by other bands, when you listen to stuff you love, it comes in your playing too and Metallica openly say they have been inspired by a lot of bands and their music shows it. Most of those bands appeared on Garage cover albums.
Zachary Fabre
May 8, 2015 at 6:48 am
I still stand by the fact cliff was the only talented dude to ever be in Metallica.
mrpete987
May 8, 2015 at 6:41 am
I’m not even that big of a Metallica fan, and I don’t agree. That tritone resolving to the 5th isn’t that uncommon in metal music, and it’s not really even used in the same way contextually in these two songs. In Enter Sandman, it’s used as a looping figure repeated three times with a turnatound. In the Excel song, it’s used as part of a two-phase riff segment with a descending line at the end. The melodic idea is similar, yes, but I think it’s hard to suggest Excel “wrote” Enter Sandman.
Jesse Moore
May 8, 2015 at 6:12 am
Welcome to a conversation every skate rat & thrasher kid had 25 years ago.
duane nash
May 8, 2015 at 6:12 am
They are only similar in the most superficial way,,. come on guys you can write better stuff this article belongs on metalsucks.
Justin Frazier
May 8, 2015 at 6:09 am
That being said. Every band has borrowed from someone else. It’s just that some do it more than others and don’t hide it as well.
L'utente Qualunque
May 8, 2015 at 6:07 am
metallica stole most of their riff from diamond head!
Justin Frazier
May 8, 2015 at 6:05 am
If you’ve listened to either song then you can clearly tell that Metallica ripped the riff from Excel to write Enter Sandman. It’s not the first time they were inspired by another bands music and decided to make it theirs. Listen to the opening acoustic part of Fade to Black and then go listen to Pink Floyd’s Goodbye Blue Sky. Hmm…
Syd Williams
May 8, 2015 at 5:59 am
Saw Excel many times in the 80s ..90s. Good band. .enjoyed their stuff very much..along with their bros Suicidal Beowulf and No Mercy….find it odd that some here never heard of them..
Tero Luoma
May 8, 2015 at 5:44 am
I’m pretty sure Niki Minaj stole twinkle twinkle little star
Kyle Tavares
May 8, 2015 at 5:33 am
Jason O James
May 8, 2015 at 7:47 am
Where do I get this shirt? This is the second time I’ve seen it on a different person. I’ve looked all over the net for it. Help.
Pencil Joshua Hatfylld
May 8, 2015 at 11:58 am
Nice mom jorts
Cody Nash Gann
May 8, 2015 at 2:46 pm
Holy Mountain Printing made that shirt. Limited run. Not around anymore.http://holymountainprinting.com/site/
Hal Wagner
May 8, 2015 at 5:31 am
It doesn’t matter both Songs suck . lol
Jamie Jardine
May 8, 2015 at 5:30 am
Metallica fans are pissed.
James Barela
May 8, 2015 at 5:08 am
https://youtu.be/BRfnWJCNf2I
Enter Sandman is a direct rip off of Falling Asleep by Death Angel.
Bobby Grime
May 8, 2015 at 8:43 am
Not at all!
James Barela
May 8, 2015 at 10:06 am
They even do the rockabye baby at the end.
Alan Westerman
May 8, 2015 at 4:56 am
Compare Black Album and later Metallica to Kyuss. They’re “rip off and water down” artists and have been for decades.
Mike Rensmaag
May 8, 2015 at 4:59 am
Did Metallica ripoff Frantic from Kyuss? They should give it back. haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVW-ldMqCF4
Thomas Thorp
May 8, 2015 at 6:14 am
Josh Homme should sue them too
Idene Roozbayani
May 8, 2015 at 4:56 am
Metallica ripped off a spreadsheet. Makes sense.
Andrea Petrosinelli
May 8, 2015 at 4:52 am
If by “rip off”, you mean compose a somewhat derived, pop-rock radio friendly dumbed down version with horrible lyrics… Then yes.
Matt Urchick
May 8, 2015 at 4:51 am
People carry on about how Metallica sucks, but pay so much attention to them…as if everyone is obligated to have an informed opinion on them…
Samir Beuse
May 8, 2015 at 4:29 am
They also ripped off this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3k4HcvCOS4
Mike Rensmaag
May 8, 2015 at 4:28 am
And Excel ripped of Rush’s YYZ @ 2:46 of their song, Tapping Into the Emotional Void. lol
https://youtu.be/_mR0tzt9XaM?t=8s
Mike Rensmaag
May 8, 2015 at 4:55 am
Then, 8:40 Meshuggah’s I sounds similar to 0:08 of Rush’s YYZ. haha
https://youtu.be/YmpUNQYwxBg?t=8m40s
Mark Masching
May 8, 2015 at 7:07 am
Would we have ever had Voivod if Rush didn’t exist?
Hassan Amin
May 8, 2015 at 3:50 am
Got in pretty late on this news, lads.
Nilanjan Mukherjee
May 8, 2015 at 3:49 am
YES. Metallica petty much ripped off numerous bands from England
Emily V. Scott
May 8, 2015 at 3:30 am
MEGADETH > Metallica
Arnold Piet
May 8, 2015 at 3:23 am
Oh woop di fucking doo we found similar songs.
And just because we had fine articles in the past, we are now going to fuck up our hard build reputation with utter shitty articles.
You could have made something fun out of it with so much more bands.
Do what you are fucking payed to do! INVESTIGATE!
I mean. the example you chose.. finding 1 song with E – A# combinations isnt that hard to find. Take some pride in your work damnit!
-Now, please… Go fuck yourselves.
Filip Adriaens
May 8, 2015 at 2:50 am
wow newsflash! never heard of Diamond Head??
Brute Reynolds
May 8, 2015 at 2:48 am
Every retard should sue Lars for ripping them off.
Alfred Natcho
May 8, 2015 at 2:47 am
still good to hear it! either way…
Gary Edgar
May 8, 2015 at 2:41 am
And Sabbath should sue everyone . Plaease , weak & old article .
Bryon Swafford
May 8, 2015 at 2:34 am
WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Dustin Hicks
May 8, 2015 at 2:30 am
does anyone proofread these “articles”?
Colin Gardner
May 8, 2015 at 2:27 am
R.L. Stein should sue for the use of Slappy The Dummy without his permission.
Mark Owen
May 8, 2015 at 2:24 am
Beers
Matt Harvey
May 8, 2015 at 2:21 am
Who? Nobody cares about this Excel band, did they steal their name from Microsoft? So, someone used the same notes in a riff. Fuck, call the cops.
Stéphane Raymond
May 8, 2015 at 2:34 am
go to school of music Matt Who? !!!
Jorge Luis Jones
May 8, 2015 at 6:04 am
Posser detected
Gary Rosas
May 8, 2015 at 3:13 pm
I care. I love Excel!
Brit Peacock
May 8, 2015 at 2:16 am
No Sean, the joke’s on you for repeatedly getting the Metallica song title wrong
Brit Peacock
May 8, 2015 at 2:37 am
(They’ve corrected it now but it did read “Enter the Sandman”)
Marc Renokid
May 8, 2015 at 2:08 am
that’s some really old news… it has been known for a very long time…
Cromlek Fernandez
May 8, 2015 at 2:05 am
bathory also
Μιχαήλ Ανδρέας
May 8, 2015 at 2:04 am
thats weird, it sounds nothing like ride the lightning….
Joseph MacTàmhais
May 8, 2015 at 2:04 am
Who cares, gateway trash anyway.
Saul Chavez
May 8, 2015 at 2:03 am
in that case Sabbath could sue everyone
Joseph Guzman
May 8, 2015 at 2:02 am
Que que?!