Author Topic: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums - Done!  (Read 31011 times)

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Offline Arch Benemy

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Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums - Done!
« on: December 01, 2011, 02:51:46 PM »
Hope you're not sick of these yet!

Hi
For those who don't know, I'm Ben. This is my top 50 albums thread. I've done my best to sort them as accurately as possible, but as I'm sure is the case for many of those doing these lists, only the top 10-15 are set in stone, and the others may fluctuate from day to day, week to week. I've been doing the write-ups for these over the past month or so, so be assured that I won't flunk out halfway through like some who will remain nameless ;). I've also put a fair bit of effort into making them readable and interesting, so I hope they are entertaining. I will admit though that I may have been a bit intoxicated during some of these writing sessions, so should I veer off on a tangent or start indulging in excessive hyperbole, that might be why :lol

A couple more disclaimers (excuses.) I'm definitely more of a 'metal guy,' but there are also rock, prog, hip-hop, pop and a few other genres thrown in, so with any luck there will be something in this list for everybody. I'm also not particularly fond of some of the bands which might be considered forum favourites, so hopefully whilst there will be a few albums which everybody has heard of, and some that a few are familiar with, there should also be more than a couple which nobody recognises. If nothing else, hopefully I can get a bit more exposure for these hidden gems!

Anyway, without further ado:

50. Textures - Polars



Texture’s material has a mature edge which I feel sets them apart from the crowd of bands who label themselves Progressive Metal. This is their first record, and whilst the vocals lack the refinement of their later efforts, it is well paced and has a great flow, feeling very much like an album and not just a collection of songs. From the thrashy opening track ‘Swandive’ to the closing ethereal bliss of ‘Heave’ they manage to be experimental and punchy, but without falling under the ‘djent’ umbrella which some have ridiculously labeled them with. Although very much a metal band, their name is a reflection of their style, and delicately layered vocals and clean guitar lines are interwoven throughout the record. The highlight for me is the title track, a sprawling 20 minute epic which encapsulates every aspect of what makes this band great. Textures are very much a band that focus on song development, with tracks often shifting from idea to idea and building to a barnstorming crescendo before falling away again. This practice of segueing riffs, grooves or breaks together seamlessly elevates the tracks to something greater than the sum of their parts. A thinking man’s metal band, with a thinking man’s metal album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMD4EXPj_YM


49. Evile - Enter the Grave



Thrash is not very far up my personal hierarchy of metal sub-genres, but this album has a sense of fun that I feel is often missing from other bands who make this type of music. The lyrics are both cheesy and awesome throughout, dealing with such hilariously metal subjects as Roman gladiatorial combat, mosh pits and shark attacks, all delivered with a commendably straight face. There’s no doubt that this is not ground-breaking stuff, but what it definitely is is a lot of fun! The instrumentation is sublime throughout with typically energetic thrash drumming, whilst somehow the late, great Mike Alexander manages to keep up on bass. Make no mistake though, this is a guitar album through and through, with lightning fast picking punctuating neck-snappingly heavy riffs and finger-shredding solos. All these ingredients mixed with great songwriting ability makes for a thrash album which stands out from the field and a debut album which cemented Evile’s position as one of the great young English metal bands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=924bRfmiJ20


48. CunninLynguists – Oneirology



I fell in love with this record on first listen. If I had to describe it in a sentence, it would be ‘A hip-hop album for people who don’t like hip-hop.’ The most noticeable feature for me is the mix of the backing tracks. The music is synth and bass heavy and full of reverb, giving a warm, almost 80’s style retro sound (I sometimes imagine that if Devin Townsend produced a hip-hop album it would sound not dissimilar to this.) The vocals too are far from your ‘standard’ hip-hop fare. There are samples and guests musicians throughout, adding atmosphere and depth to song introductions and bridges. The main vocalists have great flow and appreciation for timing, and their words are refreshingly profanity-free, although when they do swear it is to add emphasis to the depth of the lyrics rather than a cheap way of bulking out a phrase or to appear ‘cool.’ Those lyrics are also easily comprehensible, intelligent and moving, dealing with subjects such as drug addiction, the spread of HIV in ghetto communities and racism, although there are a few more light-hearted songs too. The song structures are often unusual; sometimes avoiding choruses, sometimes stopping or changing styles without warning. Definitely an album for fans of trip and hip-hop to check out, and probably a good starting point for those more tentative about the genre.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Stars+Shine+Brightest+In+The+Darkest+Of+Night+Ft+Rick+Warren/3Ul3qR?src=5

« Last Edit: January 02, 2012, 10:39:22 PM by Arch Benemy »

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2011, 03:01:34 PM »
Awesome. I will certainly follow your list as I'm sure I'll get some nice recs from it! :tup

Nice to see CunninLynguist on the list! :heart

Offline MetalManiac666

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2011, 03:24:00 PM »
Will follow.

Offline Ravenheart

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2011, 03:45:33 PM »
I am follow.

Offline Sigz

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2011, 03:47:15 PM »
in b4 Cosmology
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Offline jingle.boy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2011, 04:44:51 PM »
Following. 

Will check out Textures later tonight.
Thrash ... pass (but a cool cover)
3rd one... love the name.  Think I'll get me some of that tonight.  Mrs. Jingle deserves it.
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Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2011, 05:35:12 PM »
Following. 

Will check out Textures later tonight.
Thrash ... pass (but a cool cover)
3rd one... love the name.  Think I'll get me some of that tonight.  Mrs. Jingle deserves it.
If you're going to check out Textures I'd actually recommend their later albums, perhaps their new release Dualism. Polars is a personal favourite, but their newer stuff is a lot better produced, has a better balance of singing and harsh vocals, and is just generally more accessible. Try the song Reaching Home for an example of their more melodic style.

And if the plan with the missus works out, that's actually a pretty good album to put on in the background  :hat

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2011, 06:01:25 PM »
And if the plan with the missus works out, that's actually a pretty good album to put on in the background  :hat

Yup, I agree.

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2011, 02:40:31 PM »
47. A – A vs Monkey Kong



A are a band I loved before I got into metal. Considering they cite their influences as including Rush and van Halen, their material contains few metal or progressive moments; they’re essentially a pop-punk band, with occasional electronic tendencies. This album is just a fun ride from the start, with about an equal ratio of heavy songs to more mellow and relaxed tracks. I love the vocals of Jason Perry, his most English of accents not at all Americanised as he sings, yells and talks over the music. The lyrics are often funny and memorable, and the band are tight and melodic. This is a good time album, designed to put a smile on your face rather than break any musical conventions, and is a great record to throw on when amongst a group of friends with differing tastes in music, as most people should find something to enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx2UagBZaQY


46. Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain



Wow, when I first heard Agalloch I had no idea what to make of them. I had no idea that this genre of music even existed. I still don’t know how they came up with their style, but I’m glad they did as they’ve created some truly great albums. From the opening notes of Limbs the atmospheres and soundscapes they create are spine-tingling and haunting. The vocals, from black metal rasps to gothic baritone, are used sparingly and are often buried in the mix, an effect which, deliberate or not, only adds to the feeling of desolation and mystique which permeates the music Agalloch make. However you want to label them, be it black metal, folk, doom or other, the only tag which really matters is that of ‘excellent music!’ Haha

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Limbs/32peU0?src=5


45. Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will



Mogwai are a comparatively recent addition to my favourite bands, as although I’ve been aware of them for many years it was only with the release of ‘Hardcore…’ that I decided to really look into them. This album seems to be a departure from their usual post-rock style, in that it incorporates a heavy electronic element, but in my opinion this only betters their sound. This is a largely instrumental album of simple yet captivating melodies, perfect for unwinding after a stressful day. The undoubted highlight track for me is Rano Pano which takes one simple melody and builds and builds upon it in a gripping crescendo, but tracks like How to Be A Werewolf and You're Lionel Richie offer similar musical journeys which are always rewarding to make, no matter how many times I've made them before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN3iuBYzBiY

Offline Gadough

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2011, 05:45:47 PM »
I really need to give CunninLynguists a listen....

Nice, as always, to see Agalloch on these lists!
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2011, 05:50:45 PM »
Not THAT familiar with those three bands hmmmmm

Offline WebRaider

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2011, 06:16:39 PM »
I really need to give CunninLynguists a listen....

+1  been hearing good things about them for a while but haven't checked them out yet. I like the tune you linked AB. Definitely liked the production and atmosphere of it.

Offline jingle.boy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2011, 08:29:48 PM »

If you're going to check out Textures I'd actually recommend their later albums, perhaps their new release Dualism. Polars is a personal favourite, but their newer stuff is a lot better produced, has a better balance of singing and harsh vocals, and is just generally more accessible. Try the song Reaching Home for an example of their more melodic style.

And if the plan with the missus works out, that's actually a pretty good album to put on in the background  :hat

Gave Reaching Home a whirl... good stuff.  I wasn't floored by it, but it was good.  Polars on the other hand... I'm just not a big fan of screamy vocals.
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Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2011, 10:22:33 AM »
Early update today because I'm going out and getting smashed later

44. Born of Osiris - The Discovery



Although only released in March of this year, this album has quickly established itself as a firm favourite. After their excellent first record BOO disappointed with their second, and I was unsure as to what this release would bring. Well I needn’t have worried as this is an album of absolute intensity and fantastically accomplished musicianship for a band so young. This style of music, described by Wikipedia as ‘Progressive Deathcore  :facepalm: will not be to everyone’s liking, but for me this album encapsulates everything I like about technical metal; inhuman drumming, tangled and complex rhythms with inventive and melodic leads, intense but not overbearing vocals, and the tightness of sound that comes from having supremely talented members. Add to this a keyboardist who has genuinely interesting ideas and holds an integral position within the band’s sound and you have a group who stand apart from the crowd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_rVQiywVw0


43. The Agonist – Lullabies for the Dormant Mind



There’s nothing particularly exceptional about The Agonist’s sound; they are talented of course, with decent guitarists and a typically speedy metal drummer (although the drums are triggered to within an inch of their life on ‘Lullabies...’) and vocalist Alyssa White-Gluz is not only a ferocious screamer but also a surprisingly adept clean singer, but there’s something about this metalcore album which I find hugely enjoyable. The songs are fast, exciting and varied; some are heavy to the point of being almost extreme metal, others are catchy and hook-laden, some have progressive arrangements and complex meters, others are straight-ahead rockers. It’s an album I can throw on and know I’ll enjoy from start to finish (aside perhaps from a slightly out of place vocal cover of a movement from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake) and that’s why it gets a spot on my list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jud_SnKTlY


42. Lostprophets - The Fake Sound of Progress



Although Lostprophets are now (in my opinion) rather bland radio-fodder, they started their career as an adventurous, original and exciting metal/punk/electronic hybrid band. To me TFSOP sounds like the lovechild of Incubus and Linkin Park, and whilst that combination sounds like it would be terrible, this actually works! The drums are the driving force on this record, tight, groovy and interesting throughout, and along with the bass provide enough of a foundation to allow the guitar players to use their notes sparingly. The use of samples and turntables don’t feel like gimmicks here as they are played tastefully and add texture to the songs, and in a couple of interludes are allowed to come to the forefront and provide an unusual transition between tracks. A must-listen album for those who dismiss this band based on their more recent offerings.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Awkward/2oFVe9?src=5

Offline Zantera

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2011, 10:33:10 AM »
Mogwai, Agalloch and Cunninlynguists already?
I approve of this thread.

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #15 on: December 03, 2011, 10:38:39 AM »
The Agonist!! :metal

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #16 on: December 03, 2011, 10:57:48 AM »
The Agonist!! :metal
Knew you'd like that one haha. Also I'm surprised you're not very familiar with Agalloch. They're a little different, a bit 'out there.' Would probably be right up your alley.

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #17 on: December 03, 2011, 11:09:38 AM »
The Agonist!! :metal
Knew you'd like that one haha. Also I'm surprised you're not very familiar with Agalloch. They're a little different, a bit 'out there.' Would probably be right up your alley.

Well I have their latest album but I didn't take the time to check them out further yet! :tup

Offline Sigz

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #18 on: December 03, 2011, 12:32:41 PM »
 :metal to all of this (that I know)

AND GORILLE WTF GET THE MANTLE RIGHT FUCKING NOW
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Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2011, 10:13:16 AM »
Oh dear I'm very hungover. Pretty heavy batch, this.

41. Devin Townsend – Physicist



Controversy! Most Devin fans would probably say that Physicist is his worst album (aside from his ambient and electronic work) but I’ve never understood why it doesn’t get much love. It’s definitely not as melodic or progressive as his other work, and the mix is muddy, but those factors actually enhance my enjoyment of the album. Combined, they give Physicist a driving, industrial sound at times reminiscent of KMFDM or Fear Factory, and I think it makes for an exciting listen. I like the way Devin often keeps his voice monotonous during the verses before becoming more melodic on the choruses, but most of all I like how he creates such powerful, energetic songs using only a handful of notes or chords. Kingdom for example only uses something like 4 or 5 chords throughout its six minutes, and yet never becomes boring or sterile. Four or five tracks from this album would make it into my top 25 Devy songs, and considering the strength of his discography that is praise indeed.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Kingdom/3hZG1J?src=5


40. Psycroptic – The Scepter of the Ancients



This album is everything I love about death metal presented in a way that suits the sound perfectly. Yes there are lightning fast drums, but they are not triggered to death and sound refreshingly natural. Yes there are blistering guitar riffs and lines, but the gain hasn’t been turned up to 11 and the guitars sound tight and under control. And yes there are harsh vocals, but they are varied, interesting and often unusual. The songs themselves are decidedly progressive in structure, often switching tempo or veering into unexpected territory, but it never feels forced or unnatural. Imagine a combination of Death and Necrophagist; this is that band. For those open to extreme metal I cannot recommend this album enough.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Cruelty+Incarnate/2oZGrt?src=5


39. Trivium - Ascendancy



When this album was first released there was an absolute maelstrom of critical acclaim around the band, so much so that I thought ‘They can’t be that good, surely?’ Well I was wrong, this album is that good. Full of aggression yet catchy and accessible, Ascendancy was ‘metal’ enough to have old-school thrash fans interested, but also ‘core’ enough to attract the younger, more lucrative fanbase. This virtually across-the-board appreciation caused many of those who didn’t ‘get’ the band to actively hate them, but that feeling was unwarranted. In my opinion this is Trivium’s finest record, the perfect blend of head-banging verses and soaring, anthemic choruses throughout, and that the majority of the members were not even into their twenties during recording only adds to the accomplishment.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Declaration/2zQnNa?src=5

Offline Sigz

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #20 on: December 04, 2011, 12:21:23 PM »
Ascendancy  :metal
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Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #21 on: December 04, 2011, 12:45:59 PM »
Lots of things to check out it seems...

Offline WebRaider

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #22 on: December 04, 2011, 12:57:38 PM »
I really like Physicist a lot... I do have issues with the mix on it and usually those type things don't bother me so much.

Offline wolfking

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #23 on: December 04, 2011, 01:29:13 PM »
Everyone else, except Wolfking is wrong.

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #24 on: December 04, 2011, 02:19:14 PM »
Ascendancy  :metal
I'm actually pretty surprised you like that album, wouldn't have figured Trivium as being your cup of tea.

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #25 on: December 05, 2011, 03:02:57 PM »
Moving swiftly along

38. Spastic Ink - Ink Complete



As you’d expect from any project featuring the Jarzombek brothers this instrumental album is technically overwhelming, almost to the point of being exhausting. I think my appreciation for the record was increased because I first heard it in separate chunks, a track here, a track there, before finally getting the album and being able to take it in as a whole. Many of the tracks lack a traditional structure but there are still plenty of hooks, although not in the traditional ‘catchy’ sense, and when there are no hooks there is astonishing technicality to hold the attention. There are slower, more melodic moments too; ‘To Counter and Groove in E Minor’ is one of my favourite instrumental tracks of all time. The fact that one of the tracks syncs up with sections of Bambi only adds to the awesomeness.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/To+Counter+And+Groove+In+E+Minor/2L2OQg?src=5


37. Dethklok - The Dethalbum




OK, so it’s a joke album by a joke band. Doesn’t matter. This album rocks harder during even the slower moments than most ‘real’ bands can when they’re going all out. Yes you will enjoy the tracks more if you’re familiar with the TV series, but even for the uninitiated the riffs and grooves here are more than solid enough to stand alone. Add a hefty dose of humour, some of the most metal song titles ever and fantastic instrumentation throughout and you have a recipe for a great death metal album. Of course it’s death metal by the numbers, but intentionally so, and anyway, when you have songs with titles like ‘Bloodrocuted’ you don’t question, you just headbang.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Thunderhorse/xAs2b?src=5


36. Liquid Tension Experiment – Liquid Tension Experiment 2




Another all instrumental album, and probably one which most of you are already familiar with. I think LTE2 is a step up from LTE1 in every department. The sound is great, the songs are better and the improvisations more concise and less overwhelming. Acid Rain and particularly When the Water Breaks are the standout tracks for me, the latter being the best thing I think LTE ever recorded, but I love listening to this album as a whole and being entranced by how different each song is, whilst still retaining that core LTE sound.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Acid+Rain/NdOk?src=5

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #26 on: December 05, 2011, 03:09:18 PM »
Cool update, that Ink thingie looks interesting...

Offline Elite

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #27 on: December 05, 2011, 03:15:28 PM »
Physicist is awesome, I don't get why it's so looked down upon.

As for the rest, don't know most of it, more to add to my endless growing list of music-I-have-to-check-out.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #28 on: December 06, 2011, 09:55:45 AM »
THAT RABID DISCUSSION! Must be my acerbic wit and captivating intelligence. I guess that makes it time to alienate some more people with another album that nobody knows :lol So next we have

35. Car Bomb – Centralia




I’m pretty sure nobody else on this board will have heard this album, but it is quite an experience. Aside from having the best band name ever they also have one of the most raw, grating and dissonant styles of metal I’ve ever heard. If you like melody, structure and order, this is not the record for you. There are no choruses here, of even verses. Hell, there’s barely even a riff to be found, instead the guitars are used almost as percussion instruments, screeching and grinding through the tracks. There are moments where it sounds to me like the instruments are trying to escape, or that the members have lost control of them. I’ve no idea how they wrote this stuff. But far from making an unlistenable record, Car Bomb’s music is exciting, unpredictable and original, and even with the absolute mayhem present throughout almost every track the playing is always tight and energetic. Whilst Centralia most definitely won’t be to everybody’s taste, I love the absolute battering I get every time I listen to it. Like being repeatedy punched in the face by a beautiful woman.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Pieces+Of+You/46XldR?src=5


34. Muse – Showbiz



Like Physicist this is an album that most fans of the band consider to be their weakest offering, but in fact this is my favourite Muse album. Before I took up guitar I played piano for about 10 years and so have a soft spot for the instrument, and on Showbiz Matt Bellamy uses the keys to create some truly beautiful and haunting moments. It always seemed to me that on later albums the pianos and synths were a bit of an afterthought for Muse, but on this record they share the limelight with the guitars on many of the songs, from the spacey and unusual opener Sunburn to the delicate harmonies of Falling Down, which also features one of my favourite Bellamy vocal performances. The songs with less piano, generally the albums heavier moments, are great too, with Matts trademark tortured vocals soaring over some great guitar/bass interplay and solid and often groovy drumming. And in the middle of the album is Unintended, one of the sweetest little ballads I’ve ever heard. Overlooked by the more hardcore Muse fanbase perhaps, but Showbiz is appreciated by me.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Sunburn/2ug8vD?src=5


33. Between the Buried and Me – Alaska




Heavy yet subtle, brutal yet beautiful, angry yet joyous, Alaska is an album of juxtaposition and contradiction. Much of the fuss about this album surrounds the track ‘Selkies: An Endless Obsession,’ and whilst that track does sum up the BTBAM style in a nutshell, it is not the only such moment on the record. The songs can be jarring and jagged but with always with a fluidity that belies just how intense and technical the tracks are. Songs like All Bodies and Backwards Marathon have some extremely heavy sections but always manage to strike a balance between those parts and the more melodic and mellow moments, and the transitions between them are always perfectly executed. And whilst there are moments of straight-ahead aggression in Croakies and Boatshoes and Roboturner they again are counter-balanced by moments of calm such as Breathe In, Breathe Out and Medicine Wheel. In terms of musicianship this is my favourite performance by Blake on drums, and similarly I think Tommy’s vocals are at their most varied and interesting here, including the pig-squeals! (used ironically, of course.) Overall an album of balance, of extremity being allowed to run free before being pegged back to create an entirely different dynamic, a talent which BTBAM excel at.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Selkies+The+Endless+Obsession/2zh3hR?src=5

Coming soon, No. 32! :caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine::caffeine:

Offline Elite

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #29 on: December 06, 2011, 10:00:04 AM »
Selkies is an awesome song.
The Muse album is definitily decent, while I prefer BH&R.

I'kll try the other thing out, but from the description I don't think I will like it   :-\
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
Squ
scRa are the resultaten of sound nog bring propey

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #30 on: December 06, 2011, 10:13:04 AM »
Selkies is an awesome song.
The Muse album is definitily decent, while I prefer BH&R.

I'kll try the other thing out, but from the description I don't think I will like it   :-\
yeah that Car Bomb album is definitely one for the extremests. If you're not a fan of bands like The Dillinger Escaoe Plan and Converge then it's probably worth a miss

Offline Gorille85

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #31 on: December 06, 2011, 10:50:24 AM »
Super list so far! :tup Maybe Unexpect will be on the next update?? :D

Offline Zantera

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #32 on: December 06, 2011, 12:20:07 PM »
Alaska!  :tup

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #33 on: December 07, 2011, 02:58:55 AM »
Super list so far! :tup Maybe Unexpect will be on the next update?? :D
I must admit, I've not quite fallen in love with Unexpect yet. I definitely like them quite a lot, but I wouldn't say they've clicked yet.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2011, 11:01:52 AM by Arch Benemy »

Offline Arch Benemy

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Re: Arch Benemy's Top 50 Albums v. No. 32!
« Reply #34 on: December 07, 2011, 11:17:13 AM »
Time for three albums I like slightly more than the last three, including the moment you've all been waiting for, following hot on the heels of No. 33

32. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine



Listening to this album is like being enveloped in a big warm cloud. I find the ‘wall of sound’ production that Devin uses on many of his albums really comforting, the audio equivalent of a hug. This is just an album of great tracks, and ends with what could be my favourite Devin song of all. You could probably describe this record as being Devin’s ‘core’ sound, big, chunky heavy rock songs interspersed with moments of serenity, although the use of hardly any harsh vocals does set it apart from his other pre-DTP material. Seventh Wave is a great opener, building from the slow intro into the absolutely sumptuous chorus and progressing from there, and that sets the tone for the whole record. I could gush about almost all the songs here, but for me the undoubted highlight is The Death of Music. In the right frame of mind this song transcends music and becomes a life-affirming experience. It’s like nothing else he’s ever recorded. I once listened to this song on repeat for about four hours whilst dozing on a plane and had the most amazing lucid dreams, with visions of oceans and cityscapes and driving ranges in the sky. I can only wonder at the frame of mind he was in to write this, or how draining it was to record a vocal performance of this intensity and emotion. The juiciest of cherries on a delicious cake of an album.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/The+Death+Of+Music/3IdqWO?src=5


31. Buckethead – Colma



An album which is quite a departure from Buckethead’s normal sound, Colma is a mellow, subtle and delicate collection of tracks which he wrote for his mother to enjoy when she was ill. Eschewing his usual virtuosity in favour of minimalism, the songs on Colma are nonetheless captivating. I love the way he will often take a single phrase or arpeggio and develop it into a full song; opener Whitewash is a great example of this. There are some albums which you have to be in the right frame of mood for, but I can throw this album on at any time and it will either help me relax after a tough day or inspire me to take a breath and reconstitute my thoughts during a difficult period. I particularly enjoy this record if I am out and about in a busy place, for example shopping. Turning the volume up so that every other sound is blocked out and drifting through the crowds in my own little world gives me a sense of detachment from the stresses of the world that I find incredibly valuable. Colma is sometimes happy, often melancholy, occasionally breath-taking and always beautiful.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/Big+Sur+Moon/2zLABO?src=5


30. Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power



Although I would have been too young to appreciate or even understand this album when it was released, Pantera’s music has a timeless quality which makes the aggression contained as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. A lot of that is simply due to the quality of the material. Dimebag’s riffs are heavier and punchier than anything the ‘djent’ movement can create, and the chemistry and sense of groove he had with his brother Vinnie Paul is something no amount of practice can emulate. Of course ‘Walk’ is the song everybody talks about from this album, and it is a testament to the band that a song comprised of three notes can be considered one of the greatest metal tracks of all time. Aside from the instruments, I really like Phil Anselmo’s vocals. On ‘Fucking Hostile’ I love his ability to scream vocals at 100mph and still have them easily comprehensible, and whilst I think his clean singing on this record is neither as good nor as prevalent as it is on some other Pantera records he still utilises it well. If Colma is a record to wind me down then this is the opposite, the album to pump me up for challenges ahead.

https://grooveshark.com/#/s/This+Love/1Up6wr?src=5