Kamelot Top 50 ***Updated for new album

[TheVoxyn]

I'm going to be in Paris next week for Spring Break (Going with my college) and as luck would have it, Kamelot is playing about 5 minutes from the hotel on March 31st!

So not only do I get to go on a wicked vacation but I get to see Kamelot in a foreign country!

It wasn't sold out yet? I'm seeing them in a few days and it was sold out months ago. The Netherlands does seem to have the highest people/kamelot fans ratio though.

[Quadrochosis]

I'm going to be in Paris next week for Spring Break (Going with my college) and as luck would have it, Kamelot is playing about 5 minutes from the hotel on March 31st!

So not only do I get to go on a wicked vacation but I get to see Kamelot in a foreign country!

It wasn't sold out yet? I'm seeing them in a few days and it was sold out months ago. The Netherlands does seem to have the highest people/kamelot fans ratio though.

Well the tickets were still on sale on the website, but me and my buds are just going to go to the venue a bit early and get tickets from the box office, or if its sold out, through someone selling.

[faemir]

or if its sold out, through someone selling.

Because supporting tickets scalpers is a good thing.

[Quadrochosis]

or if its sold out, through someone selling.

Because supporting tickets scalpers is a good thing.

I don't see how it is a problem. If I buy a CD and then resell it, it is perfectly legal. Also, its legal to sell your tickets online, so it should be legal to sell them on a street. No one is losing money because the guy who first bought the ticket is still supporting the band and whatnot, so it's not a problem.

I also said we were going to try to get them from the box office so I don't see how I'm supporting scalping.

[faemir]

or if its sold out, through someone selling.

Because supporting tickets scalpers is a good thing.

I don't see how it is a problem. If I buy a CD and then resell it, it is perfectly legal. Also, its legal to sell your tickets online, so it should be legal to sell them on a street. No one is losing money because the guy who first bought the ticket is still supporting the band and whatnot, so it's not a problem.

I also said we were going to try to get them from the box office so I don't see how I'm supporting scalping.

Yes but people don't horde Ghost Opera when it hits the stores, because there are a /lot/ of copies. And there is a difference between selling your tickets, and buying extras to sell for more at the venue. Sure, some will be legit, but I'm not going to risk supporting scalping.

[GuineaPig]

New and updated top 50 is here, to the consternation of many!


50. Irea (from Siége Perilous)
49. The Light I Shine On You (from Karma)
48. Blücher (from Ghost Opera)

47. My Train of Thoughts (from Poetry for the Poisoned)

The first of a number of new tracks from Poetry for the Poisoned, "My Train of Thoughts" would be right at home among the dark, introspective songs on Ghost Opera.  The lyrics are brooding and indecipherable; I sincerely hope they have nothing to do with what Khan's experiencing right now, because that combined with the crowd applause/passing train at the beginning would not bode well at all for his future in Kamelot.  Rampant speculation aside, the orchestration on this song is simply phenomenal.  While the guitar chugs, the strings and female vocals rise and fall, creating an incredibly dense tapestry of melodies to go over the repeating guitar.  Seriously, listen to that chorus with a good set of headphones; as Adami noted in the other thread, while the production for the guitar might leave something to be desired, the production on the keyboards and vocals are top-notch.  The guitar interlude is very "Human Stain"-esque in its style and abruptness; this is another of the times I wish Kamelot would experiment with song structures more, as the melodies in this song beg for something greater than a condensed 4 minute tune.  Regardless, very cool track.

46. The Inquisitor (from The Fourth Legacy)

[GuineaPig]

45. Anthem (from Ghost Opera)
44. The Mourning After (from Epica)

43. The Zodiac (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

First, an interesting little thing to point out about this track is the way the intro leads into it.  Some might question the necessity of having a mid-album intro song for a song only slight over 4 minutes itself, but there is a point to it.  As “Dear Editor” trails off, the creepy voice signs off “Yours truly...” just as the strings plummet into the beginning of “The Zodiac.”  Just a clever little trick.  Typically, I like adding interesting little tidbits into my song reviews, but seeing as how I only managed to find one interview (with Thomas) prior to writing these it might not be possible.  However, to make up for it, here’s a two-for-one: according to Thomas, the song was originally about a fictional murder, but after he told Khan about the Zodiac killer (who had never heard of it) they changed the lyrics to fit in with it.  Anyways, on the topic of the actual song, the music has this cool dichotomy where there’s an alternate between clear guitars with eerie melodies, and vicious, dissonant riffs and orchestration, reflecting the twisted mind represented in the lyrics.  Jon Oliva does a great guest spot here; rather than in the past having a dissimilar voice to Khan’s, the similarities only further the mental divide portrayed by every other element of the song.  Damn cool stuff.

42. Expedition (from Siége Perilous)
41. Center of the Universe (from Epica)

[GuineaPig]

40. The Human Stain (from Ghost Opera)
39. Love You to Death (from Ghost Opera)
38. Millenium (from Siége Perilous)
37. Up Through the Ashes (from Ghost Opera)
36. The Haunting (from The Black Halo)
35. Soul Society (from The Black Halo
34. Lost & Damned (from Epica)

33. Seal of Woven Years (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

This song features a fantastic build-up in the intro.  The strings, the bells, the keyboard, and the reverb-soaked, background wails of Khan just grow and grow until the guitar enters, whereupon the song becomes a typical mid-tempo Kamelot rocker, even though with greatly improved orchestration.  I covered this subject in-depth in my first go-round of my top 50 Kamelot songs, but one of the things that set Kamelot apart from similar bands is that they don’t rely on thin, poor-sounding synths or keyboards; rather, the songs are provided with an incredibly lush orchestration that elevates them to a level unattainable otherwise.  Similarly to “My Train of Thoughts”, “Seal of Woven Years” features a fantastic chorus backed by a superb piano melody and a wall of guitars and keyboards.  However, the keyboards are not overdone; Kamelot knows well enough to not have everything on 11 the entire way through.  Instead, a great tension and release is built up through the appearance and disappearance of the strings.  They disappear completely for the excellent guitar solo; but as the song returns to the final chorus you can hear them slowly begin to creep back in starting at 4:15.  Great work by all the members on this song.

32. Wander (from Epica)
31. Farewell (from Epica)


Seriously people, discussion please.  Lambast me for my choices.  Bring back old review and make fun of them.  Heckle me for the amount of Ghost Opera (and from the other thread, Poetry for the Poisoned too) on this list.  But the whole idea is to generate discussion about the band and the songs.

[Ben_Jamin]

I really like Ghost Opera. I actually listen to that more than Karma and The Black Halo. My favorite song is a bonus track, Snow.

[Adami]

I really like Ghost Opera. I actually listen to that more than Karma and The Black Halo. My favorite song is a bonus track, Snow.

Isn't Snow on Epica?

[Zook]

Yeah. I think he was just pointing out two seperate things though.

[GuineaPig]

30. Thespian Drama (bonus track from Poetry for the Poisoned))

Kamelot’s first real instrumental in over a decade (“Siége” from Siége Perilous was the last one), “Thespian Drama” is one hell of a ride.  The song was born from the instrumental “jams” the band started incorporating into their sets during the Ghost Opera tour.  So if you go to Youtube, you can actually trace its process from the start of the Ghost Opera tour up until the end of it, and then to its final form on the album.  Interesting to see what little details change in the course of playing it live over a three year period.  Anyways, this song features great performances by all members, specifically Messrs. Youngblood and Palotai who rip it up with phenomenal guitar and keyboard work.  The riffs on this song are absolutely killer, as is the piano interlude at 2:47.  It’s stuff like this that makes me wish Kamelot would incorporate more instrumental work into their songs, because there is no doubt of their chops or knack for writing great riffs.

29. Nothing Ever Dies (from The Black Halo)

28. The Great Pandemonium (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

First thing that struck me when I first heard Poetry for the Poisoned was that it was the first album yet not to have some sort of lead-in.  Even though not every Kamelot album has a dedicated intro track (The Black Halo, Siége Perilous, Eternity) they all feature some sort of build-up to the first song.  Not so with “The Great Pandemonium”; it gets its kicks in quick.  Featuring a guest performance by Björn Strid, “The Great Pandemonium” is at face value quite similar to “March of Mephisto.”  They both feature guest vocalists providing harsh vocals, and are somewhat thematically similar.  However, the two tracks’ similarities do not go any farther than that.  Besides the fact that Strid is far inferior to Shagrath, “March of Mephisto” is a slow boil, whereas “The Great Pandemonium” is more of a quick-paced riff-fest.  There’s a lot of great guitar work courtesy of Mr. Youngblood on this track, specifically the solo which immediately ranks among his best.  The riffs providing the meat on the choruses is also excellent.  All in all a very good opener to the album.

27. Mourning Star (from Ghost Opera)
26. Karma (from Karma)

[Adami]

Yeah. I think he was just pointing out two seperate things though.

Oh ok. I actually love Snow. One of my favorites off of Epica.

[MykeHavoc]

Cool additions. Interesting to see so much of the album make it in, actually.
I still haven't quite placed the record yet. It actually makes me like Ghost Opera even more.

[GuineaPig]

25. III Ways to Epica (from Epica)
24. This Pain (from The Black Halo)
23. The Fourth Legacy (from The Fourth Legacy)

22. House on a Hill (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

Considering what I’ve said previously on the subject of Kamelot ballads, I’m sort of at a loss for what to say here.  I mean, I guess it’s sort of a Kamelot ballad by numbers; you’ve got Khan, you’ve got Simone, you’ve got melancholic subject matter... but it’s just done so damn well you can’t really complain.  I’m not really sure what the lyrics mean, but they’re fantastic as always.  I think that this album definitely has the most cryptic lyrics of any Kamelot album; perhaps with the exception of Siége Perilous.  Very few lyrics jump are clear in their meaning; I guess in the future my song rankings may change depending on how I come to interpret them.  Anyways, Khan and Simone are brilliant, and Youngblood provides two great solos, one electric, one classical.  Solid stuff, and will hopefully be a very good live number.

21. Temples of Gold (from Karma)

[GuineaPig]

20. March of Mephisto (from The Black Halo)
19. Epilogue (bonus track from The Black Halo
18. Silent Goddess (from The Fourth Legacy)
17. Moonlight (from The Black Halo)
16. Silence of the Darkness (from Ghost Opera)

15. Hunter’s Season (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

This song is conflicting to me.  On one hand, it has one of the best choruses, best verses, and best lyrics of all Kamelot songs.  On the other hand, it has a horrifically mood-killing wankfest of a solo courtesy of guest guitarist Gus G.  In the end, it gets slot #15, which, although among prestigious company, is a solid 10+ slots lower than it could have been.

There are a lot of things I love about this song.  I love that the intro doesn’t feel it has to be all power metally (which it could’ve easily been) by overdoing the double bass.  I love the syncopation in the verses.  I love Khan’s vocal performance.  This song has a number of great things that work really well together; it’s another case of lyrics/music feeding off each other.  The orchestration on this song is absolutely phenomenal; one of my favourite arrangements in all of Kamelot’s discography, and that’s saying a lot.  Of course, even though the vast majority of the song works together wonderfully, the guitar solo is so distractingly awful it absolutely kills the momentum of the song.  Kamelot typically utilizes tasteful, and failing that (re: “Descent of the Archangel”), good guest performances, but this is just scraping the bottom of the barrel.  It kills a song that manages to perfectly capture a mood.  Seeing as how I don’t know anything more about the composition of the song, I can’t comment on it any more deeply (I don’t know, for example, if the same, jarring, backing riff would’ve been there if there had been no guest performer) but I’d go as far to say as this is the single worst Kamelot moment since their first two albums (beating even those cursed post-chorus melodies on “The Shadow of Uther”).  It’s a shame it happened to occur on an otherwise phenomenal song.

14. On the Coldest Winter Night (from Epica)
13. Elizabeth (from Karma)
12. Ghost Opera (from Ghost Opera)
11. The Black Halo (from The Black Halo)

[Arcaeus]

Hm. The solo never bothered me; in fact, I quite like it, and I'm usually first on the scene to bitch about wanky, mood-killing solos. Maybe I don't notice it because they don't murder emotion with technicality as often as, say, Dream Theater, so my mind let it slide. Regardless, great song, and one of my favorites from Poetry

[GuineaPig]

10. When the Lights Are Down (from The Black Halo)
9. Rule the World (from Ghost Opera)
8. A Feast for the Vain (from Epica)

7. Poetry for the Poisoned (from Poetry for the Poisoned))

In line with my review for “Hunter’s Season”, “Poetry for the Poisoned” is another Kamelot song I feel is a couple of changes away from being a classic.  The second longest song in Kamelot’s discography, it fails to achieve all it could not because it is too long (a problem that most bands towards the progressive spectrum of music struggle with), but rather that it’s too short.  Too many great ideas seems like a good criticism to have, and I suppose it sort of is.  The sheer number of amazing moments, riffs, and fragments of songs packed in slightly over 9 minutes is nothing short of mind-boggling.  It’s sort of overwhelming really; there’s not much room to breath for any of them, especially after “Pt:I Incubus”.  In fact, the 25 second voice-over explanation in that song seems exorbitantly wasteful in a song that could’ve used every extra second.

Compared to it’s two counter-parts in “Elizabeth” and “Memento Mori”, “Poetry for the Poisoned” is not similar in structure to either.  “Elizabeth” was very much three individual songs packaged as one, whereas “Memento Mori” expands in a measured, grandiose pace that is the exact opposite of the frenetic one pursued in “Poetry for the Poisoned.”  The elements of a top 3 Kamelot song a most definitely here; especially in “Pt. II: So Long”, which utilizes fantastic vocal performances from Khan, Simone, and Amanda Somerville in what is undoubtedly the highlight of the album.  There are a number of excellent solos (something in which Youngblood’s improvement can be measured each album), and the orchestration is top notch.

All in all, the great moments on this song simply outweigh any other problems.  More songs like this in the future would be greatly appreciated; Kamelot’s progressive tendencies are never explored as fully as I would like, and each and every rare morsel is mouth-watering.  Wonderful stuff.

6. Abandoned (from The Black Halo)
5. The Edge of Paradise (from Epica)
4. Serenade (from The Black Halo)
3. Descent of the Archangel (from Epica)
2. Lunar Sanctum (from The Fourth Legacy)
1. Memento Mori (from The Black Halo)

Well, that's that for this incarnation of this list.  I can't see it being updated again until 2013. 

Anyways: thoughts? Criticisms? Discussion?

[MykeHavoc]

No Karma songs in the top ten is a bummer. I'll have to take a stab at a list sometime soon...issue is I don't have their first record. I don't really want to go through the effort of getting it either, since I dislike the second and third album for the most part.

Oh, and March of Mephisto at number 20? Thumbs down.

[GuineaPig]

Karma doesn't deserve a top 10 spot.

Also, you don't need to bother with their first album.  There is nothing to redeem it.  Not a single song would show up on your list.

[Kosmo]

I've never really understood what makes March of Mephisto so incredible..Granted it's a good song, but The Black Halo has so much more to offer. (The album not the song)

[MykeHavoc]

It's one of their few songs that go with a dirge instead of the the up tempo gallops. It's evil, it's dark, it's epic. It's the song that sealed the deal for me.

[soundgarden]

Wow GuineaPig, we both like this band a lot but we are completely opposite when it comes to their songs.

Flip your list and that would be similar to mine.  Momento Mori wouldn't be nowhere close to the top 10.

Anywhoo, thanks for sharing

[wolfking]

26. Karma (from Karma)

WAAAYYYY too low.

[GuineaPig]

26. Karma (from Karma)

WAAAYYYY too low.

Nope.  "Karma", while excellent, is just very typical power metal.  It does not earn any higher spot.

[MykeHavoc]

Sure, but every other song off the album is fucking phenomenal. There isn't a weak track. I love Karma. Close second behind Black Halo.

[Zook]

The Light I Shine On You is pretty weak.

[GuineaPig]

The Light I Shine On You is pretty weak.

I like it, but as I commented on my review of it, it suffers (as does the rest of Karma) for just being too generic.  Karma is divided into three types of songs: ballads, mid-tempo power metal, and fast power metal.  It's just too bland for me to rank amongst the best Kamelot albums.

[In The Wake Of Poseidon]

Karma is better then Epica. Even if Karma is generic power metal, it still manages to be more interesting then Epica.

[MykeHavoc]

Sadly, I agree. I'm not sure what it is, but Epica really doesn't capture me nearly as much as it seems to for some. By no means a bad record, but it suffers from a lack of...I don't even know what to say...flow? It just kinda drags at times. It doesn't quite have the peaks and valleys that Black Halo does.

[wolfking]

Epica >>>>>>> All other Kamelot albums.