Best intro tracks to albums?

[Randaran]

I snuck this track into the school lunchtime disco at school and the teachers were going apeshit trying to get into the booth to turn it off, Got my album impounded for a few days but it was worth it.

  Damn, that must have been great! I would have loved to see their reactions. 

Rhapsody have some cool orchestral intros.

Yes, this. I love the combination of "Epicus Furor" and "Emerald Sword" on SoEL.

Also, the BTBAM intros. Mirrors is a beautiful piece that segues perfectly into Obfuscation. And then there is Foam Born.  It starts of soft, slowly adds instruments, is beautiful overall, and then the harsh vox come in. Part B gets even heavier.  One of my all time favorite openings.

[Scorpion]

I really like Clenching the Fists of Dissent as an opener, but I prefer I Am Hell (Sonata in C#) to it. Now that's a fucking badass opener!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJt_Uh2uI9E

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
Have a Nice Life - A Quick One Before the Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut - Deathconsciousness

Two of the first ones that came to my mind.

[Riitasointi]

Both Machine Head tracks seconded!

Nightwish - Taikatalvi
from Imaginaerum


And I know people around here don't tend to like this band, but they're one of my very favorite bands and these are two of their best songs, period, so I'm going to post them anyway:

Coldplay - Don't Panic
from Parachutes

Coldplay - Life in Technicolor
from Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

How did I forget about Taikatalvi?? Such an astounding opener to a very good record.

And no worries mate, I love Coldplay as well! One of my favorite bands for sure

[Xenon]

Anathema - Shroud of False - Alternative 4

Also here's one you probably don't know but I think it's worth a try:
Carajo - Trágico Mundo Caído - Frente a Frente

It's in spanish but I believe it is a great opener.

[Lowdz]

I snuck this track into the school lunchtime disco at school and the teachers were going apeshit trying to get into the booth to turn it off, Got my album impounded for a few days but it was worth it.

  Damn, that must have been great! I would have loved to see their reactions. 

It was worth it. My mates still mention it to this day when we get together.  Also managed to get WASP's Animal played another time. Got a proper bollocking for that! 

[Evermind]

Both Machine Head tracks seconded!

Nightwish - Taikatalvi
from Imaginaerum

How did I forget about Taikatalvi?? Such an astounding opener to a very good record.

I dunno where's the smile "I agree", so I agree.

[seasonsinthesky]

Strapping Young Lad have some awesome 1-2 minute intro tracks that are a perfect way to start the album. Imperial and Dire, most notably.

shit, can't believe i forgot these. my favourite of them is "Velvet Kevorkian," though — there's a society-induced rage across City that is replaced by personal rage on Alien, and it's the societal version i dig the most from Dev.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Both Machine Head tracks seconded!

Nightwish - Taikatalvi
from Imaginaerum

How did I forget about Taikatalvi?? Such an astounding opener to a very good record.

I dunno where's the smile "I agree", so I agree.

[Onno]

Strapping Young Lad have some awesome 1-2 minute intro tracks that are a perfect way to start the album. Imperial and Dire, most notably.

shit, can't believe i forgot these. my favourite of them is "Velvet Kevorkian," though — there's a society-induced rage across City that is replaced by personal rage on Alien, and it's the societal version i dig the most from Dev.

Agreed. Imperial is decent but Velvet Kevorkian is absolutely brilliant. Regarding Devin's opener tracks, I really really really like Truth as well.

[ZKX-2099]

Let It Roll/Hypergeek is another great opening by Devy.

Dude knows how to get things going.

[PuffyPat]

Brand New - Vices - Daisy
Anamanagucci - Endless Fantasy - Endless Fantasy
Modest Mouse - March Into the Sea - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
The Black Keys - Weight of Love - Turn Blue
Maps & Atlases - Old & Gray - Beware and Be Grateful
Beastie Boys - Sure Shot - Ill Communication
Bosnian Rainbows - Eli - Bosnian Rainbows
Death Grips - Get Got - The Money Store
Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting on You) - Singles
Gil Scott-Heron - On Coming from a Broken Home (pt. 1) - I'm New Here
Herbie Hancock - Chameleon - Head Hunters
Portugal. The Man - People Say - The Satanic Satanist
The Reptilian - PAN (sucks) - Low Health
Say Anything - Belt - ...Is a Real Boy
Talking Heads - Burning Down the House - Speaking in Tongues
Them Crooked Vultures - No One Loves Me & Neither Do I - Them Crooked Vultures
Queens of the Stone Age - You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire - Songs for the Deaf
Foo Fighters - Bridge Burning - Wasting Light
The White Stripes - Blue Orchid - Get Behind Me Satan
Wu-Tang Clan - Bring Da Ruckus - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)


That's what I got from scrolling through iTunes.

[puppyonacid]

I really like the opening title track from Ah Via Musicom by Eric Johnson. It's just a soundscape of synths and loud guitar. It builds up the suspense and segues into Cliff of Dover beautifully

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FUjGNKq6CY

Full album, but you only have to listen to the first couple of minutes.

[PixelDream]

Omg yes!

[Fluffy Lothario]

And I know people around here don't tend to like this band, but they're one of my very favorite bands and these are two of their best songs, period, so I'm going to post them anyway:

Coldplay - Don't Panic
from Parachutes

Coldplay - Life in Technicolor
from Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

Politik is potentially my favourite song of theirs, so I'd go with that one.

I'm not as fond of the entire album as most people are, but there are few opening tracks in the world as good as Massive Attack's Angel.

Tool's The Grudge is aight too.

[ariich]

Thank You Scientist - Prelude (that shit gets me pumped up for the second track)

YES! Great choice.

I also second the Haken and BTBAM comments, both bands do really good intro tracks.

And I think some people are (deliberately or otherwise) not getting the thread - it should be intro tracks rather than any opening tracks. Some of the examples are full songs in their own right.

[lonestar]

I Am The Sea/ The Real Me off The Who's Quadrophenia....

I Am The Sea is a simple piece, with hints of the four core themes of the album being introduced, the four sides of the teenage angst that are battling in Jimmy, and The Real Me is the uber violent psychological clashing of those four when they are in discordance. It is musical storytelling at its best... (one could go further into the instrumental Quadrophenia track that follows and say that this is the four aspects of Jimmy in harmony, but I digress).