Sabbath win hands down for me every time. I don't see them as heavy metal per se - more like amped pschedelic rock with distortion pedals.
Zep were a bit too portentious and overblown, and Page's guitar never quite had the long range influence that Iommi has, to my mind.
Zep did cut some great records - I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't like Physical Graffitti. But Sabbath had an edge - an ear for a great tune, a sound to die for and a more street level sensibility - and in Geezer Butler a really talented lyricist (the words to Spiral Architect for instance).
Influence wise, Sabbath inspired a million garage bands, their sound is extant to this day. Zep were among the last of the blues rock behemoths.
Also, if Hammer of the Gods has just a micron of truth in it, I wouldn't have cared to have spent much time in the same room as Page and especially Bonham.
That's my tuppence worth.
|