Bands whose debut is their worst album ?

[425]

I've heard A Tout Le Monde. That was ok.

At least listen to Holy Wars... The Punishment Due. I've come to basically agree about his voice, but Holy Wars is worth a listen anyway.



As to the thread:

Nightwish is an obvious answer. Angels Fall First is basically The Nightwish Demo Part 2. I do enjoy it on occasion—it has some good songs like Elvenpath, the title track and Lappi. But there's also some cringe-worthy material on there, like Tuomas's vocals on The Carpenter and the lyrics to Nymphomaniac Fantasia.

I'll also be controversial and say Coldplay. I know that Parachutes is a real favorite for a lot of people, but in my opinion they really developed beyond that point. It's definitely a good album, but I like the style on their other albums better. That being said, this is a band where I think their albums are pretty close in quality. A Head Full of Dreams is the other one that would be at the bottom of my list, but I think I'd put it slightly ahead of the debut.

I'll continue my controversial nature and also say Transatlantic. To be clear, I have no disagreements with the consensus view that All of the Above is one of their best songs, if not their very best song. But Mystery Train is definitely their worst album song, in my opinion, and My New World is their weakest epic. No question it's an enjoyable album, but compared to their other material it's my least favorite. I often listen to just All of the Above and We All Need Some Light and then turn it off.

I'm not sure I have any other answers... with a lot of bands, where I've heard they have a subpar debut, I haven't gotten it yet or don't plan to ever get it or seriously listen to it, really. I imagine I'll never own pay much attention to some of these albums, like The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, On the Sunday of Life, Anathema's Serenades or Kamelot's Eternity. I really only get the known-to-be-subpar albums of my very favorite bands, the ones I just can't get enough of.

[SoundscapeMN]

SMPT:e is awesome and I have never become bored with it like their last 2 records.

The way I see Transatlantic: They had lightning-in-a-bottle with those 1st 2 albums, and when they reconvened after nearly 7 years, the magic did not return (or has yet to).

[KevShmev]

Perhaps Judas Priest with Rocka-Rolla

No way. Rocka Rolla is really good and quite underrated.

But is anything else they did worse?

Yes. 

It's better than most of the Halford records post-Defenders of the Faith, except for maybe Painkiller.  It spanks the shit out of Turbo.

Well I must admit it was more of a question than a statement.  I was a MASSIVE Priest fan growing up, but stopped listening to Priest when Turbo came out, so I really cant answer the question I myself asked.  However, I think that Rocka Rolla was the weakest of all the Priest Albums I heard.  I will take your word for it that there are worse post Defenders and humbly retract my submission.  I beg for your forgiveness.

Haha, it's all good.  I can see why some might not like Rocka Rolla a lot, since it is pretty subdued by their later metal standards, but I think it has a great vibe and no weak spots.

[ChuckSteak]

What about bands that only have one record? Is it their worst and their best at the same time? 

[The King in Crimson]

Amorphis

Far from the Sun is still worse. I even recall one of the band members retrospectively commenting they maybe should've shelved it, and it indeed is the only album of theirs with a track I cannot finish.

I completely missed him saying Amorphis. The Karelian Isthmus is excellent. It's not as good as Tales From the Thousand Lakes or Elegy, but it certainly trumps some of their later work.

I've never really heard Karelian Isthmus in its entirety. I sampled some songs and was very underwhelmed. Maybe I should check it out again?

Far From The Sun is a very mediocre record but it got Day Of Your Beliefs which is a beast of a song 

Don't get me wrong, Karelian Isthmus is not bad, its just pretty standard death metal. Every other Amorphis album, on the other hand, does something a little more interesting. Even Far From The Sun, which is not that good of an album, actually has a couple of pretty good songs.

[Kotowboy]

What about bands that only have one record? Is it their worst and their best at the same time? 

If it's " Kill Em All "

[Sacul]

Sigur Rós, easily.

[twosuitsluke]

I agree about Rush. I could have gone with DT as well, but then TA appeared

I nominate Slipknot. Not that IOWA was light years better by any means but Volume 3 & All Hope Is Gone definitely were.

Are you kidding me?? I thought All Hope is Gone was atrocious!! The self titled was raw power, I love it so much.

[Kotowboy]

All Hope Is Gone is the best sounding, sonically.

Ross Robinson is a total hack.

[twosuitsluke]

All Hope Is Gone is the best sounding, sonically.

Ross Robinson is a total hack.

Possibly, although I haven't got a problem with how their earlier albums sound. But the songs weren't anywhere near as good as their first three albums, in my opinion. Part of the appeal of Slipknot, for me at least, is the pure energy and intimidating nature of their music. Their live performances were about insanity and adrenaline. It wasn't about sounding the best sonically. That's just my take on them but their debut was dangerous when it came out and a kick up the ass to a lot of bands to up their game.

[Kotowboy]

I love how AHIG sounds... Gematria especially.

[twosuitsluke]

I love how AHIG sounds... Gematria especially.

Gematria and All Hope is Gone were the only two songs I really liked. Psychosocial was overplayed and the rest of the songs were very forgettable I felt. I think their last album may have even been worse. Maybe it's just my tastes changing as I get older but I have a feeling it actually isn't that 

[Kotowboy]

Yeah I didn't really like The Gray Chapter.

[twosuitsluke]

Yeah I didn't really like The Gray Chapter.

Ditto, although I've probably only given it like 5 listens max.

[Adami]

I like (most of) The Gray Chapter. A few songs really don't do it for me.

I guess I don't care as much for the wild insane raw energy Slipknot.

[twosuitsluke]

I like (most of) The Gray Chapter. A few songs really don't do it for me.

I guess I don't care as much for the wild insane raw energy Slipknot.

I guess some of my love for those earlier Slipknot albums is a nostalgia thing but that energy was a forced to be reckoned with.

[Zook]

I'm going to argue Dream Theater too. As an album, WDADU blows SC, BCSL and ATtoE out of the water. That's comparing albums. Those 3 albums have songs that are better than every song on WDADU, but as a whole just aren't that good. I like every song on the debut. I can't say that about the other 3.

[BlobVanDam]

As an album, WDADU blows

You should have just stopped there.

[Zook]

As an album, WDADU blows

You should have just stopped there.

That wasn't predictable at all.

[Kotowboy]

As an album, WDADU blows

You should have just stopped there.

That wasn't predictable at all.

Nope.





But it is right.

[Prog Snob]

[?]

Amorphis

Far from the Sun is still worse. I even recall one of the band members retrospectively commenting they maybe should've shelved it, and it indeed is the only album of theirs with a track I cannot finish.

I completely missed him saying Amorphis. The Karelian Isthmus is excellent. It's not as good as Tales From the Thousand Lakes or Elegy, but it certainly trumps some of their later work.

I've never really heard Karelian Isthmus in its entirety. I sampled some songs and was very underwhelmed. Maybe I should check it out again?

Far From The Sun is a very mediocre record but it got Day Of Your Beliefs which is a beast of a song 

Don't get me wrong, Karelian Isthmus is not bad, its just pretty standard death metal. Every other Amorphis album, on the other hand, does something a little more interesting. Even Far From The Sun, which is not that good of an album, actually has a couple of pretty good songs.

I'm not a fan of standard DM either, but Karelian has still got more good songs than the snoozefest that is FFTS.