Author Topic: BanksD's Top 50 Albums V. It's over  (Read 24792 times)

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Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #175 on: September 05, 2012, 08:08:31 PM »
Alright moving into the top 5

no turning back now

#5. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)



I'm sure a lot here already know this album, so for the sake of things I'm gonna focus a little more on why this album is so good to me instead of the music first.

I discovered Opeth in late 2010 with Ghost Reveries, and until about March of 2011 I only listened to that album...until a friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Blackwater Park, and on my first listen I was mostly of the opinion "Eh, Ghost Reveries was better cuz it had more clean sections" (yeah I was an idiot back then) but I kept listening to this album, and eventually it grew to become my favorite Opeth album (at that time I had eventually completed most of the discog, and Heritage wasn't out yet). However I didn't exactly know why I liked the album so much, I wasn't really focusing on the music so intently, which, as I would later see, was a gigantic mistake on my part.

Anywho along comes Heritage that September and...well it was a huuuuuuuge let down for me. (I won't share my opinion on that album too much since this write up is about BWP) I was so disappointed that I actually had quite a falling out with Opeth for a few months. It wasn't until earlier this yeah, when I was randomly possessed to listen to the album again, and damn, It was almost like listening to an album I'd never heard before for the first time.

I started to notice a lot more things I liked about the music, the riffs, the dynamic shifts in the songs, and especially the atmosphere, the atmosphere just makes you feel like you're aimlessly wading through a foggy swamp in waist deep swamp water, it's just so dark and oppressive, so overwhelming, almost breath-taking, never have I heard an album that's so Immersible in my life, it was all here before and I'd just never heard it.

The songs also felt more emotive to me, the growls more powerful in contrast to the soft clean vocals, the blistering death metal sections heavier and the slower proggier sections more beautiful.

Just an amazing album, one that I will always hold near to my heart as one of my favorite albums of all time, just a work of art really.

Offline adace

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #176 on: September 05, 2012, 09:01:13 PM »
 :metal  :tup :hefdaddy

Offline senecadawg2

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #177 on: September 05, 2012, 09:05:42 PM »
Not my favorite Opeth album. In fact, it may not even be in my top 4 (Ghost Reveries, Watershed, Still Life, Damnation). However, it is still a GREAT album, and a worthy top 5 pick.
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Offline Scorpion

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #178 on: September 06, 2012, 04:00:44 AM »
Great pick. Even though I know most Opeth albums, this is the only one that I own.
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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #179 on: September 06, 2012, 04:33:56 AM »
My personal #3, so no complaints at all from me.

THE SUN SETS FOREVER OVER BLACKWATER PARK
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Offline wolfking

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #180 on: September 06, 2012, 04:40:42 AM »
Nice pick.
Everyone else, except Wolfking is wrong.

Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #181 on: September 09, 2012, 02:48:47 PM »
Alright guys sorry for the wait but here's the next entry on my list, and be warned it's gonna get a little long...


#4. Varjoina Kuljemme Kouleiden Masssa (English: As Shadows We Walk In The Land of The Dead) (2011)



Moonsorrow is a Folk Metal band that's been around since 1995 (first album was released in 2001 however), and since then they've been making some of the most beautiful and atmospheric music on the planet. When you think folk metal you generally may think of stuff like Ensiferum or Eluviete, who are generally more fast paced and energetic, however Moonsorrow is a little different. They've always made more slow paced music that had more of a march oriented mentality to it.

So after releasing a slew of great albums (only hiccup being 2005's Verisakeet which was only just okay) it was noticeable that their music was becoming a lot darker, and less focused lyrically on classic folk mythology to other things, well for this album they decided to make this album about their own little story, it's not big, and it's not anything particularly original per-say, but it's really well executed.

The album is a journey, through the frozen finnish wasteland, we fallow a group of weary travelers fighting against the relentless winter. The album is 7 tracks long, with 4 true songs and 3 interludes. All of the tracks flow together perfectly to immerse the listener in the music and the journey of the characters. You almost begin to feel the cold around you, almost as if you yourself are being caught in a blizzard in the merciless Finnish winter.

Though all songs on this album can be considered equal, as this album is almost impossible to enjoy fully without listening to it in it's duration, the song on this album that has the most impact on me, and as of right now is my single favorite song of all time is track 5 entitled Huuto (English: The Scream).

This 16 minute song is just absolute perfection, and if I were to pick out the song on the album that perfectly sums up the album in one song it's this one. The song isn't fast by any means, but it's intensity comes from it's pure emotion, the vocals of this band may be hard to swallow for some but to me they are absolutely perfect for this band, and this album in particular, as they are a desperate battle cry, befitting of this album's concept.

Also I might as well mention that all the lyrics here are in Finnish, and some would probably be turned off by that, but really, they don't need to be English for the impact of this album and the concept in it to come across with the same level of emotional investment. This band can perfectly convey what the want to with purely the music alone, and that is what about this album that really just blows me away. The music is fairly simplistic, which works in it's favor, it doesn't need to be all over the place and in your face with itself to get it's point across, it simply comes out with nothing fancy and blows the walls down.

Truly an album that resonates with me and one I cannot pick out a single flaw with, and one that i urge you to listen to, as it is one that you will not want to miss on

Offline adace

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #182 on: September 09, 2012, 03:03:50 PM »
Great band, great album  :metal

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #183 on: September 09, 2012, 04:40:02 PM »
? No idea lol

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would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #185 on: September 09, 2012, 05:29:17 PM »
I've heard of the band, but never took the time to listen to their stuff. An interesting pick for sure.
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Offline Jaq

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums v. guarantee none of you have heard this one
« Reply #186 on: September 09, 2012, 06:03:46 PM »
Love Moonsorrow to pieces, one of my favorite bands. This one was a bit of a grower for me compared to their earlier albums, but once it clicked I loved it. Kivenkantaja is one of my favorite metal albums ever.  :metal
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Offline Jirpo

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #187 on: September 10, 2012, 04:10:51 AM »

Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #188 on: September 11, 2012, 05:41:23 PM »
#3. Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets (1998)



So this here may be a bit of a surprise to see so high up on my list, but I'll have you know that this band was actually the first band I ever called "my favorite band" so, and with today being the release date of their newest album release, I think it's appropriate to post this next write up.

I discovered this band with Crash, Under The Table and Dreaming, and oddly enough Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King back in spring 2009, and as soon as I heard the opening chords of the song The Best of Whats Around on Under The Table I was hooked, and I knew that I had made a connection with this band like I'd never made with any band, or any music in general before.

So after jamming to nothing but those albums, I eventually checked out everything esle they had to offer, Busted Stuff/Lillywhite Sessions, Everyday, even that god awful piece of shit Stand Up, I downloaded tons of shows, listened to live albums, bought everything i could...except this album, I mean I'd listened to plenty of live songs off of this album (mostly Rapunzel, Don't Drunk the Water, and The Last Stop), and I had the album on my computer...but I never really listened to the whole thing...until one day...

On that day (some time in early December, 2009) I put the album on my mp3 player for a family trip...and well...wow...It was an experience I don't think I could ever forget.

The music was a lot different than anything I'd really heard from them, the album was just this one big stirring pot of songs that all fall into a different emotional state, be it joy like Stay (Wasting Time), despair (The Dreaming Tree), or just pure hate (Halloween) this song is really an emotional album, a very human album.

It was a lot for me to take in at the young age of 13, and i never really made these connections until much later, but even then the music resonated with me and caused me to feel something, unlike anything I'd ever heard had.

Probably always gonna be one of my all time favorite album, and one I'm proud to own a copy of.

Offline Big Hath

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #189 on: September 11, 2012, 07:26:44 PM »
shocking but solid entry in this list.  I love this album.  Crush is a definite favorite song of mine.

I remember getting BTCS when it was released and it took me through some pretty special times that summer of 1998.  Lots of beach trips that Spring/Summer with college friends at the end of my Junior year.  This album was in constant rotation.
Winger would be better!

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #190 on: September 12, 2012, 08:08:00 AM »
I am not in to the DMB, but certainly a band worthy of much respect.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #191 on: September 12, 2012, 09:56:51 AM »
Damn, that's a weird entry in this list! I've only heard a handful of songs from them, so I can't really comment on the album.
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Offline pain of occupation

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #192 on: September 12, 2012, 10:14:26 PM »
one of these things, it aint like the others,
one of these things just isnt the same...

Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #193 on: September 15, 2012, 09:18:22 PM »
#2. Insmonium - Above The Weeping World (2006)



If you took the dark atmosphere and hard hitting death metal riffs of Opeth, and combined it with the speedy gothenburg era style In Flames, and then sprinkled in some really rough and raw production on top, this album is what you'd get.

I must admit I haven't been listening to this album for long (only since real early this year), but in the many time's since then I've listened to this album it's made an impression on me, and really struck a chord with me emotionally. The lyrics are sorrowful and poetic, while the music is somber and melodic, and the vocals are very harsh and emotional, and above all the instrumental work is tight.

The album opens up with the rain sound effects and soft piano of The Gale, which launches in to a riff that builds and builds until the song comes to a semi-abrupt in. The song is then followed by the one two punch of Mortal Stare, and Drawn To Black. Mortal Stare is pretty typical for this band's style (which is not a bad thing) however Drawn To Black is an emotive journey that really serves as a perfect cross-section of the the things I love about this band, and just so happens to be my favorite song off of this album and the one I'd recommend most, I'd also like to point out how the lyrics of this song are absolutely stunning (even if the chorus is borrowed from a poem)

Change of Heart and At The Gates of Sleep come along and relive a bit of energy after the opening 3 songs, followed by The Killjoy which features a really catchy main melody, one that will definitely become fun to hum along to.

The next track is another favorite of mine, entitled Last Statement, is a bit of a longer song (7 and 1/2 minutes to be exact) but is definitely one for the prog heads, as it goes through a lot of really nice key changes and mood shifts throughout, starting as a nice mid-tempo headbanger with some quieter sections here, transitioning in to a quieter solo section (with an amazing solo btw) before closing with a very powerful ending. Once again the lyrics in this one are very powerful and add a lot to the song

The next song (Devoid of Caring) is another straightforward melodeath bit, which is pretty coexistent with he band and the album's sound, and the last song is the 10 minute "epic" In The Groves of Death, which is almost too beautiful to put into words.

Really an album worth hearing, one for any fan of prog metal who isn't adverse to harsher vocals, and an album I can listen to over and over and over and over again without getting tired



Almost to the #1 folks

Offline Jirpo

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #194 on: September 15, 2012, 10:35:58 PM »
Sounds interesting, ill check it out.

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #195 on: September 16, 2012, 01:54:34 AM »
#1. hrrmm. i'll take Leprous in the pool.

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #196 on: September 16, 2012, 01:58:28 AM »
#1: Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe.

Calling it now (unless it has already been named, I'm too lazy to read the whole thread again :lol)

EDIT: Just listened to the album twice and I quite like it. Good call! :tup
« Last Edit: September 16, 2012, 03:56:32 AM by Scorpion »
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Offline adace

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #197 on: September 16, 2012, 02:25:59 AM »
Insomnium are pretty great even if they sound a bit samey at times. But that's just my opinion of course.

Offline MoraWintersoul

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #198 on: September 16, 2012, 03:31:40 AM »
Yesomnium! :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #199 on: September 16, 2012, 05:55:38 AM »
Holy shit. I don't know a lot of the stuff in your top 50..
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Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #200 on: September 17, 2012, 06:40:29 PM »
#1. Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe (2008)



Well Scorpion you were right, this album, this work of amazingness, this thing that defies my own comprehension of the concept of Subjectivity, is my favorite album of all time. (congratulations you win nothing ;D)

Scar Symmetrty had released two prior albums to this one, the raw and unique debut album Symmetric In Design, and the raw and polished Pitch Black Progress, both albums amazing in their own right however neither of them had really seen the band hit their high mark as that was to come on this album

Believe it or not this list is bookended by the very first metal album I ever listened to (#50. Persuader - Evolution Purgatory) and this album, which was only the second metal album I ever listened to. At first It did nothing much for me, the growls turned me off but Christian Alvestam's cleans were just too beautiful, and the music just too melodic yet brutal for me to pass up just because of one minor other thing I disliked about it. So I stuck to the one song from the album that really got me at the time, which is track 3 Quantumleaper. The song had just such a catchy chorus that I couldn't resist, and some really just phenomenal guitar soloing and riffing.

But after a while I began to listen to the album more and more and I eventually began to see the bigger picture, what about it was so amazing, what would eventually make it to be my favorite album, the melodic yet brutal aspect of the music/vocals all combined with the spacey, sci-fi, floating in deep space surrounded by a beautiful gallery of nebulae without a thought in your mind atmosphere that really came together to form this perfect overall product in this album.

Since September I've listened to this album 500 times at the very least, as it Is one that I've always been able to enjoy whenever I put it on, and in some cases even moved to tears by it.

If this write up seems to be a little rambling and crazy, well that's simply because I love this album so much it's really hard for me to put into words why it amazes me so much.

But anyway, a great album, that anyone and everyone should at least give a try once in your life.



Stay tuned for some honorable mentions in the coming days

Offline Scorpion

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #201 on: September 18, 2012, 01:16:16 AM »
:victorydance: I won nothing! :victorydance:

Seriously, though, great list. Very metal, but that's pretty much what I like, so I had a great time following this list. Thanks for Insomnium, by the way - that album absolutely slays.  :metal
« Last Edit: September 18, 2012, 04:05:04 AM by Scorpion »
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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #202 on: September 18, 2012, 03:14:51 AM »
Scorp, how the hell did you know? I'll check this out and there's a lot more in this list I should check out as well. Thanks for the entire top 50! When you do the honourable mentions, can you post the full list as well? :)
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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #203 on: September 18, 2012, 04:05:46 AM »
I have psychic powers.

He mentioned it somewhere else that it's his favourite album of all time.
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Offline wolfking

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #204 on: September 18, 2012, 04:28:10 AM »
Fucking great number 1, such a fantastic album.
Everyone else, except Wolfking is wrong.

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #205 on: September 18, 2012, 04:49:36 AM »
Wasn't sure where to post this, so I'll post it here.  Here's a song from Christians new solo EP, pretty killer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drUvkXodHAw
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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #206 on: September 18, 2012, 04:58:02 AM »
Saw that today

Fucking amazing  :hefdaddy :hefdaddy

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #207 on: September 18, 2012, 05:04:31 AM »
Good job on the list; lots of metal  :metal.  You lost me abit with the top 10 though.

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #208 on: September 18, 2012, 07:21:54 PM »
Fucking great number 1, such a fantastic album.

Offline BanksD

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Re: BanksD's Top 50 Albums
« Reply #209 on: September 18, 2012, 07:35:00 PM »
I'm glad everyone enjoyed my top 50, and it was good to see that I turned a few people on to some new music with this list.

Now onto some albums I wanted to put on this list but didn't for one reason or another

Be'Lakor - Of Breath And Bone (2012)



I didn't put this one on the list because It only just came out this year, but I will say up front that this album is just plain phenominal, and will probably be in my top 50 when/if i make a new list. Basically this album is a lot like Above The Weeping World, but a lot proggier, and with cleaner production.

Wowaka - Unhappy Refrain (2011)



Outlandishly fun j-rock music, with all the vocals done in the voice AI program Vocaloid (also known as weaboo fodder)

After The Burial - In Dreams (2010)



A nice smoothy of metalcore-djent with some melodeath elements thrown in, all with a really relaxing and dream like atmosphere to boot. If you ever doubted metalcore it's time to give this album a listen.