Author Topic: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?  (Read 3573 times)

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Online Sacul

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Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« on: September 10, 2016, 06:23:08 PM »
Now that we're into these kinds of threads... artists/bands with at least 3 records.

I'd say Dead Can Dance, The Angelic Process, and maybe Sufjan Stevens and Steven Wilson.

Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2016, 06:37:30 PM »
I can't think of any. Usually with time artists tend to get worse. They either record their best records in the beginning or in the middle of their careers.

Offline Train of Naught

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2016, 06:58:58 PM »
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Slice the Cake - Odyssey to the West
Novembre - URSA
Periphery - Periphery III: Select Difficulty (yeah I said it)

Just goes to show you 2016 is simply the best year for new music. Just came up with these off the top of my head but theres definitely more.
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Offline The King in Crimson

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2016, 08:02:03 PM »
I'm going to go with bands that, for the time being, have an actual 'last' album i.e. they aren't planning on making any others:

Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory And Injury

And that's pretty much it with that definition.  :lol

For last/most recent:
Chelsea Wolfe - The Abyss
Vektor - Terminal Redux
Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase.
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful (most will probably disagree with this, but whatever...)

Anthrax - For All Kings (not sure if this is actually better than Among The Living, Sound of White Noise, or Persistence of Time, but its really close. For All Kings is very surprisingly good)

Offline Mosh

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2016, 08:16:38 PM »
.
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful (most will probably disagree with this, but whatever...)

Yes! EFMB is the first Nightwish album I actually loved rather than just passive enjoyment. Aside from the disaster of a final track, it's a very strong disc.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Abbey Road by the Beatles yet.
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Offline 425

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2016, 12:46:13 AM »
Excluding artists that only have one or two albums, none that I can think of right off the top of my head. Might have said The Dear Hunter, but I guess their new one just came out, so I can't say anything about that yet. Before last year, I would have said Iron Maiden, but alas The Book of Souls did not top The Final Frontier.

Oh! Taylor Swift. 1989 is definitely her best work.

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Offline Bolsters

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2016, 12:49:16 AM »
Oh! Taylor Swift. 1989 is definitely her best work.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2016, 12:53:01 AM »
I'm going to say, off the top of my head:

Carcass - Surgical Steel

Death - The Sound of Perseverance

Two incredible albums. TSoP was actually Death's last ever album. Carcass may release another but for now that's it.

Offline PowerSlave

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2016, 01:14:10 AM »

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Abbey Road by the Beatles yet.

I personally agree with this, but I think that most fans consider Revolver or Sgt. Peppers to be their best.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2016, 01:15:00 AM »
James Blake - The Colour in Anything
Julia Holter - Have You in my Wilderness
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine
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Offline Zantera

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2016, 01:16:06 AM »
Wasn't Let it Be the final Beatles album though? I know Abbey Road was recorded after, but I don't think most people think of it that way, considering Let it Be was released after and became the last one.

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2016, 01:38:16 AM »

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Abbey Road by the Beatles yet.

I personally agree with this, but I think that most fans consider Revolver or Sgt. Peppers to be their best.

For the record I agree with both of you about Abbey Road being their best.

Offline Tomislav95

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2016, 01:45:32 AM »
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Too bad I can't get into it :/

Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal (anyone listening to this band? )
Ghost - Meliora
Goldfrapp - Tales of Us

I don't expect many of you to agree with me on this:
Baroness - Purple
Leprous -  The Congregation
Paradise Lost - The Plague Within
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Offline Zydar

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #13 on: September 11, 2016, 01:48:11 AM »
.
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful (most will probably disagree with this, but whatever...)

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Abbey Road by the Beatles yet.

I will mention it, my favourite album of all time. And yes, Let It Be was released after it, but it was recorded before Abbey Road so I'll go with that :P
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Online twosuitsluke

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2016, 01:55:51 AM »

Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal (anyone listening to this band? )

I don't expect many of you to agree with me on this:
Baroness - Purple

Good shout with Bolt Thrower. I rate a few of their albums roughly the same. I think I may prefer Honour - Valour - Pride more though. Great band either way  :metal

I was toying with Baroness - Purple but I think Yellow & Green is better, by quite a way actually once I thought about it.

The only other two I have at the moment (one of which may also be unpopular):

Gojira - Magma (easily my favourite of theirs)

RX Bandits - Gemini, Her Majesty.

Offline Luoto

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2016, 01:58:57 AM »
Paradise Lost - The Plague Within

Agreed. I also consider the latest Amorphis album to be one of my all-time favourites, and they've been at it for a while too.
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2016, 02:25:59 AM »
Can't really think of any. Most bands with that many albums keeps putting out music well after their peak.
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Offline Bolsters

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2016, 02:35:00 AM »
Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine
Yes.

Offline Tomislav95

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2016, 02:45:30 AM »
Paradise Lost - The Plague Within

Agreed. I also consider the latest Amorphis album to be one of my all-time favourites, and they've been at it for a while too.
Amorphis' new is great but I only know 3 of their albums so I didn't want to list it.
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Offline Mladen

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #19 on: September 11, 2016, 03:31:27 AM »
Nick Drake

Also, Steven Wilson, if you only count his solo career.

Offline Kotowboy

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #20 on: September 11, 2016, 04:07:30 AM »
Metallica  :metal :metal


Nope. not really. But I have seen this kind of comment online before a few times : " Everything Metallica does is 10/10 even their worst album is 10/10 because it's still METALLICA "

Offline wolfking

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #21 on: September 11, 2016, 04:18:24 AM »
Alter Bridge - Fortress obviously
Circle II Circle - Possibly.  Reign of Darkness fights it out with Burden of Truth
Nocturnal Rites - 8th Sin seems to cop a lot of shit, but I think it's their best.
Pyramaze - Only 4 albums but Disciples of the Sun is amazing.
UDO - Decadent IMO is amazing.

Thought I'd be able to come up with a lot more.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #22 on: September 11, 2016, 04:39:57 AM »
Add Silverchair to my list, I prefer their later day experimentation to the classic grunge sound of the early phase.

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #23 on: September 11, 2016, 04:46:38 AM »
I would have said Mastodon until Once More Round The Sun - whilst still great - is not as good as The Hunter for my money - which is at least on par with Crack The Skye.


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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #24 on: September 11, 2016, 04:55:50 AM »
Add Silverchair to my list, I prefer their later day experimentation to the classic grunge sound of the early phase.

You just can't beat Frogstomp and Freak Show IMO.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #25 on: September 11, 2016, 06:12:53 AM »
Wow, this surely is a tougher question than "bands whose debut is the worst"! :lol Only Steven Wilson and Nightingale come to mind - Witherscape too, but they've only got 2 albums out so they probably don't count yet. I've got to give honorable mentions to Amorphis and Riverside though, since their latest albums are pretty close to the top for me.
Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts
Too bad I can't get into it :/
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Offline Super Dude

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #26 on: September 11, 2016, 06:18:31 AM »
Definitely The Beatles. Fair to Midland is debatable as well.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #27 on: September 11, 2016, 07:21:51 AM »
Wasn't Let it Be the final Beatles album though? I know Abbey Road was recorded after, but I don't think most people think of it that way, considering Let it Be was released after and became the last one.

Technically, yes, but Abbey Road is technically the last album they ever recorded.  Let It Be was the last album they released.  But since Abbey Road was their last recorded album, I think it counts.

I might throw this one in the mix as well:

Tears for Fears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (it's neck and neck with Songs from the Big Chair)

Offline Super Dude

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #28 on: September 11, 2016, 08:00:35 AM »
It should also be mentioned that Let It Be really shouldn't count because it technically wasn't supposed to be released. It was a failed studio session that Phil Spektor went back to and mixed for release when the future of the Beatles was in flux (y'know, have to keep pumping out those albums!). It's basically the Beatles equivalent of Jimi Hendrix releasing several albums in the decades after he died.
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Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #29 on: September 11, 2016, 09:07:17 AM »
The Police
Peter Gabriel
Pepe Deluxe
Three
Sculptured
As Tall As Lions
Everything Everything
Typhoon
Timbre
Major Parkinson
Daft Punk
The Contortionist

Only 2 albums:
Jellyfish
Small Leaks Sink Ships
Mutyumu
Giraffe
Kacica
The Family Crest
SikTh
Greg Herriges
Amanda Palmer
Team Me
« Last Edit: September 11, 2016, 09:43:43 AM by SoundscapeMN »

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #30 on: September 11, 2016, 09:42:59 AM »
Dont Sikth have 3 albums ?


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Offline Dave_Manchester

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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #31 on: September 11, 2016, 10:57:22 AM »
In my opinion, Dream Theater. I love almost everthing they've done but The Astonishing is their masterpiece to me.

Other possible contenders would be Cradle of Filth, Anathema, David Gilmour, Roger Waters (taking his last album to be Amused To Death, not 'Ca Ira'), Marilyn Manson, and (contraversial but I love 10,000 Days) Tool.   


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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #32 on: September 11, 2016, 10:59:11 AM »

Other possible contenders would be Cradle of Filth, Anathema, David Gilmour, Roger Waters (taking his last album to be Amused To Death, not 'Ca Ira'), Marilyn Manson, and (contraversial but I love 10,000 Days) Tool.   



I think I prefer On an Island to Rattle That Lock, just slightly. But both albums are so amazing.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #33 on: September 11, 2016, 01:22:08 PM »
Amorphis - Under the Red Cloud
Death - The Sound of Perseverance
Enslaved - In Times

Also, this might change with time because it's still so new, but at the moment, I'd probably say Nick Cave. Skeleton Tree is just so amazingly beautiful in its dark, brooding bleakness, and it's even sadder if you know the circumstances behind it. I'm usually not one to cry when listening to music, but my first listen to Skeleton Tree is the closest that I've ever gotten.
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Re: Bands/artists whose last album is their best?
« Reply #34 on: September 11, 2016, 01:24:11 PM »
Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things
The Ocean - Pelagial

these are the ones i have the best context for saying this at least. and that have more than one or two albums too