Nick's Top 50 Thread v. Ending Themes

[Nick]

I'm finding it very difficult to make comments on albums without totally giving away what albums may or may not still be included from a band.

But yes, definitely get this album, and make sure it's the version with the extra tracks.

[wolfking]

Noted.

[jingle.boy]

Not sure I've had a gander with this one yet or not on Grooveshark. Duly noted, and will rectify today if I haven't listened to it yet.

[Zantera]

My dad is a fan of Pendragon, I know he has the latest, one with a unicorn on the front, one with a person on the front (I think) and one called something with "Masquerade", not sure if the last is actually any of the other two.
But I don't think he has the album you listed here, so it might be an album I could get him for his birthday or something. 

[jingle.boy]

This is one of their albums that isn't on Grooveshark!!!

Newman!

[King Postwhore]

43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood


Talking with YtseRush on Wednesday helped me to remember a fun fact about Marillion. They were invited to tour with Rush after the release of this album and had the balls to go on stage, play the entire album, and head off. Fish was keen of saying on tour that the album had two tracks, Side A and Side B, and if it had been put out today you know he would have simply said it was one track. An album made to be an album, the band didn't intend to break it up, even at the cost of playing popular songs from older albums to leagues of Rush fans. I give bands who have time to play other stuff tons of credit when they come out and play an entire new album and stand behind it with some balls, and they definitely deserve double kudos. And they were right to stand by this album, a classic neo-prog package if there ever was one.

Favorite tracks: Heart of Lothian, Kayleigh, Lavender

I am proud to say I got to see them play it in full backing Rush on the PW tour.  Great, great album.

[contest_sanity]

This is one of their albums that isn't on Grooveshark!!!

Newman!

[jingle.boy]

Nah, it's more like this.

[contest_sanity]

Nah, it's more like this.

That was actually the picture I was going to use first, but then my Seinfeld nerd-dom got the best of me, as I was pretty confident he was not actually saying "Newman" at that particular time.  Not that he is even in the one I chose; that would be a "Hello, Newman."  In fact, the only time I for certain remember him saying "Newman!" was at a time when Newman was not there. 

Ok, wow.  Off topic.  Sorry, Nick.  Update moar often.  The natives are restless.

[jingle.boy]

You're probably right on that picture, but the bearing his teeth look is what I wanted.  Here's a few - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_8YxDQYCo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

And yes, more updates before I derail this thread any more.

[Nick]

Going to do at least two more albums tonight.

[Nick]

41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth


Give Bruce Dickinson some major credit, he made awesome use of his time outside of Maiden. I will say that pretty much all of his solo albums are more diverse and interesting than most Maiden albums, and this one in particular rivals the very best Maiden have ever mustered. I think it's no surprise that Bruce's vocals really shine through in his solo work as well. I think Steve might have a problem with how well he can write vocal lines for people, because both Bruce and especially Blaze sound far better vocally outside of Maiden than they do with the band.

Favorite tracks: Darkside of Aquarius, Man of Sorrows, Accident of Birth

Honorable mention: Tesla - Into the Now

[Nick]

The Story So Far:
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

[Mladen]

That's one fine album. 

[Jirpo]

That's one fine album. 

[Dr. DTVT]

I'd mock this pick, but there is obviously nothing to mock, so there will likely be some extra fail on the next one.

[Nick]

I'd like to argue, but most here will claim the next pick has some fail to it.

[jjrock88]

Awesome Bruce album!!

[Nick]

40. Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow


What can I possibly say about this album that hasn't already been beaten to death in the Coheed thread? Firstly I must say that this album is incredibly underrated. So many rank it as the worst or next to worst in the Coheed catalog despite the songwriting on this album perhaps being Coheed's best. I will concede that it does drop off a bit from the end, but it's not much, and it's simply going from super amazing to amazing. The middle of the road tracks on this album pretty much tear to shred anything on the first two albums.

Favorite tracks: The Hound (Of Blood and Rank), No World For Tomorrow, Mother Superior

Honorable mention: Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1

[Gadough]

One of my favorite album covers ever. So epic, so powah.

[Dr. DTVT]

As someone who hasn't heard anything from C&C that I liked other than "Welcome Home"...yeah, I'm not liking this.  Then you compound it by making TPE Pt. 1 an honorable mention.

I'd like to honorably mention that your list has earned this in full, and we're only 20% done:



That's 10/10 on the fail scale. 

[wolfking]

Nice work with AOB.  I agree that Bruce and Blaze have always sounded better outside of Maiden.

[skydivingninja]

I love NWFT and still consider it either their second-to-least or least-best album.  I mean, they're all great, but you still fail with the first two album comments.

[Ryzee]

I love NWFT and still consider it either their second-to-least or least-best album.  I mean, they're all great, but you still fail with the first two album comments.

[Nick]

Been extremely busy, going to try and have 3 more up tonight.

[Nick]

39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931


I know a few of you have heard tracks I've played from this album and not cared for them, but I looove this album. I've never seen an album take me to another place like this one does. From 1931 up through World War II the album leaves me feeling like I've actually experienced the time. A mixture of trippy music, well used repetition and sound-bytes from the time just creates an amazing atmosphere throughout the album. I admit that perhaps as individual tracks this album might not seem like much, and much like OSI the vocals are very specifically tuned for the type of album and nothing to write home about, but as an album this is just an amazing experience.

Favorite tracks: Join the Parade, Waiting for the Winter, My Radio Talks to Me

Honorable mention: Queensryche - The Warning

[Dr. DTVT]

oh dear...

[Nick]

38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy


Although I don't see this album talked about negatively a lot, it's probably because I don't see it discussed a lot. Seemingly overlooked by what the band has done since this album is one no fan should forget. While it lacks the star studded song lineup of some other lineups, it also is lacking in duds and remains Kamelot's most consistent album to date. And while the albums since have all had some incredible strengths, to me this is the album where Kamelot really began to roll, and the band has had a tough time topping this one.

Favorite tracks: Nights of Arabia, The Fourth Legacy, A Sailorman's Hymn

Honorable mention:  Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind

[wolfking]

The Fourth Legacy was teh album that got me into Kamelot, and really this sort of meldoic power metal.  This album was amazing, and I still am blown away everytime I hear it, great pick.

[Nekov]

Nick, so far your honorable mentions are better than the albums on your list 

[jingle.boy]

Nick, so far your honorable mentions are better than the albums on your list 

On the whole, I would tend to agree.

[Genowyn]

38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy

Although I don't see this album talked about negatively a lot, it's probably because I don't see it discussed a lot. Seemingly overlooked by what the band has done since this album is one no fan should forget. While it lacks the star studded song lineup of some other lineups, it also is lacking in duds and remains Kamelot's most consistent album to date. And while the albums since have all had some incredible strengths, to me this is the album where Kamelot really began to roll, and the band has had a tough time topping this one.

Favorite tracks: Nights of Arabia, The Fourth Legacy, A Sailorman's Hymn

Honorable mention:  Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind

>Shadow of Uther

[Nick]

37. Genesis - Selling England By the Pound


When it comes to some of the big names of classic prog it seems that every band went through a period of exceptional output. However for me, Genesis failed to live up to Pink Floyd, Yes, and Rush as far as their golden periods are concerned. While I still enjoy the other albums of the time quite a bit only one rates as fantastic in my book and that is Selling England. Cinematic goodness from start to stop this album exemplifies everything that was right about Genesis in the period, and lacks any filler.

Favorite tracks: The Cinema Show, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Dancing With the Moonlit Knight

Honorable mention: Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight

[jingle.boy]

Another entry where I prefer the honorable mention over the actual Top 50.  Both good albums.

[Zydar]

Selling England

One of my all time favourite albums, a Top 10.