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General => Archive => General Music Archives => Topic started by: Dark Castle on March 27, 2012, 01:24:36 PM
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Hello everybody, and welcome to my Top 50!
I don't really have much to say, but I hope you enjoy my list, maybe see some albums that peak your interest, and some that you love!
OKAY, HERE WE GO.
50. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve
(https://i41.tinypic.com/6rsmjb.jpg)
To start off my list, Meshuggah comes in at Number 50. I got this album at my local used record store because a lot of people I knew really liked these guys, and I always thought "Shit, I should check them out" but never actually did, so when I saw this on the shelf I picked it up without a second thought, and popped it in on the ride home. I ended up just driving around listening to the entire record. It is a beast of a record. The vocals are visceral, the guitars twisted, and the drumming behemoth. I wish I'd known about these guys earlier, because they're quite a fantastic band, and they helped to open up a path into more music that I now enjoy immensely. This is kind of short, but it's only number 50 and the write ups will hopefully only get better!
Favorite Tracks: Future Breed Machine, Inside What's Within Behind, Vanished
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First! Never really given Meshuggah a chance. Might have to sometime. They're one of those bands that gets mentioned here a lot that I just haven't prioritized the time to investigate.
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Following. Can you compare to the only Meshuggah album I'm familiar with, Ozben?
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Following. Can you compare to the only Meshuggah album I'm familiar with, Ozben?
Funnily enough, I've only heard Destoy Erase Improve in full along with Koloss, although my friends on the road trip to St. Paul yesterday played a lot of Obzen yesterday. From what I paid attention to, it seems to be in the vein of Destroy Erase Improve, but much more visceral, everything is, but it's got a lot more groove, daresay bounciness. I'll have to give it a better listen tonight, as I really liked what I heard. Number 49 should be up within 20 minutes!
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49. The Wretched End - Ominous
(https://i41.tinypic.com/1ya3qw.jpg)
I'm sure a few of you know who Samoth is, was the drummer for the highly regarded Black Metal band Emperor. ANYWAYS, this is his most current project, a Death/Thrash Metal outfit in which he plays guitar. I read about them in an issue of Metal Hammer and was extremely interested, upon reading what they described their sound as, and how fucking Norwegian and evil they looked :lol
So I scoured Youtube for any song, anything to claw at and feast upon, and I found Fleshbomb. Song blew me away, I had goosebumps after listening to it, and immediately knew what I wanted for Christmas. What amazes me about this album is how seamlessly they meld Thrash and Death into a driving force of Radularitude. The guitars are heavy, razor sharp and focused, the vocals remind me of Ihsahn current day, but less of the high end, and don't get me started on the drumming, simply said, it's amazing. If you're a fan of current day Exodus or bands in similar vein I urge you to check The Wretched End out, they even have a new album coming out this year, and I hope it just gets better. Hopefully you'll see like I do, that the album's crushing attacks are amazing.
Favorite Tracks: Of Wolves And Men, Fleshbomb, Numbered Days
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48. Red Fang - Murder The Mountains.
(https://i41.tinypic.com/ifx75y.jpg)
Red Fang, what I would call a grungy/hipster/rock/metal hybrid of a beast roll in at 48 to murder your ears with radularness. I don't remember quite how I discovered them, but rest assured this album is quite a beast. Their guitar tones are thick and fuzzy, which reminds me of grunge, but the music itself isn't down trodden. The drums are energetic, reminiscent of Brann Dailor's style from Mastodon, and the vocals howl, yet keep a singing quality to them rather than just bellowing. The songs flow together, and feel natural instead of disjointed tracks with nothing in common, in short term it's a focused album, intent on delivering great tunes and it definitely pans out on that. Another great thing about this band is their music videos, they're hilarious. These guys seem to be jokesters at heart, and seem like really nice fellows, so it's nice to see my money helping out nice guys instead of cranky, technical wanksters just out of highschool. If you're a fan of Soundgarden, Mastodon, or Baroness, you should check these guys out, because they're proudly continuing the tradition of not giving a damn, drinking a shit ton of beer, and having a good rocking time.
Favorite Tracks: Wires, Throw Up, Number 13, Painted Parade.
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I've never listened to Meshuggah but I should give them a chance, as for the other two, well I haven't heard of them until now.
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This is kind of DTVT v2. I don't know any of these bands :P
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That actually makes me feel good, I was worried you guys might know all these bands x)
There will definitely be some that you all know, but hopefully I can show you guys a lot of new music.
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This is kind of DTVT v2. I don't know any of these bands :P
Meshuggah you must have heard of.
Following.
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47. BLOOD STAIN CHILD - Epsilon
(https://i41.tinypic.com/8wl0rq.jpg)
Lets see, I'm going to let you all know, Decibel the magazine has had a huge role in showing me new bands to love, and this one band was a band I found in the pages of Decibel. They were described as a completely insane, shouldn't work mixture of rave, pop, and melodic death metal that somehow meshed together into something amazing that was from Japan. That alone right there peaked my interest immensely so I sought them out on the youtube. Decibel was right, I'd pulled up the song Stargazer, and was met with Electronic beats, synth, meshed with guitar and a commendable drummer; and placed on top was the adorable vocalist Sophia :D ( Japan somehow spawns the craziest bands, and they're usually awesome like so)
Something that I love about this album is how passionate it is, and how everything just goes together so well. Electronic beats compliment the drumming, and synths aid guitars. Another great thing is that the musicians don't rely on the electronica parts to make the song, they're all fantastic musicians, and they let it show. The guitar solos are heartfelt, and don't get boring when they do show up, the drummer isn't the AC/DC type of drummer who plays the same beat every song, he makes it fit the song. My favorite thing about this band though has to be the vocalist. Her voice is just amazing, and she's incredibly cute so that's a plus heheh. But seriously her voice shines throughout the record, and the growly vocals are placed in just the right places throughout the album. If you liked Devin Townsend's Addicted, you should check this out, I mean stylistically they're not very similar, but this album draws that album to mind.
Favorite Tracks: Sirius VI, Stargazer, Dedicated to Violator.
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And you're worried people will know everything?
Anyway, this sounds interesting, checking it out.
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46. Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh
(https://i39.tinypic.com/33z5qpv.jpg)
OKAY, most of you should know who these guys are at least lol. Gojira is a band from France, and they lay down crushing grooves about nature and shit. Alright, lets get into this one. Like a lot of bands I learn of, I read about them on various sites and magazines and went to check what the buzz was all about, and ran into Vacuity, which is a dismal pit of crushing groove and agonized vocals, something I immediately loved. I probably listened to that song 5 times a day at least, it was engraved in my head, so when I saw the album at Best Buy for a decent price I snatched it from the rack and paid for it. The atmosphere of this album is incredble, it's so heavy, and organic. A lot of the songs have incredibly heavy guitar riffage, so heavy you think it would overbear the other instruments, but that's the great part, it never really does; The drums are phenomenal and I think the only thing that would make this any better would be a more present bass, but that's only a minor problem, as already the songs feel full. Something more on the music is that all the songs have a great groove to them, in that they just flow so well, and although they're not overly technical, Gojira easily write much better songs than a lot of tech metal bands out there, and sound so diverse compared to any other band I could name. I don't think I could name a band similar to Gojira, they're kind of leading their own thing, and they do so very well.
Favorite Tracks: Vacuity, Oroborus, Wolf Down The Earth
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Gojira = :metal
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Listening to that Blood Stain Child album right now. Awesome stuff! :metal
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This may be the first top 50 I actually end up following based on our history of musical compatability. Looking forward to many new bands to check out.
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Gojira = :metal
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I saw Red Fang open for Mastodon and wasn't too impressed. :/ Gojira is a pretty cool guy though.
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This may be the first top 50 I actually end up following based on our history of musical compatability. Looking forward to many new bands to check out.
Thanks a lot asshole :biggrin:
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Look kid, I'll still suck yo dick, aight, but you'd better bring some cool tunes like Cynic, Barry Manilow, Spiral Architect, and Ace of Base.
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This is kind of DTVT v2. I don't know any of these bands :P
Meshuggah you must have heard of.
Following.
Yeah, Meshuggah and Gojira I have heard of but never listenend to anything from those bands.
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47. BLOOD STAIN CHILD - Epsilon
Thank you for this, right up my alley.
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47. BLOOD STAIN CHILD - Epsilon
Thank you for this, right up my alley.
Came here to say this. I heard of them a long time ago but wasn't familiar with their sound. Definitely sounds like something I'd like, though.
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Look kid, I'll still suck yo dick, aight, but you'd better bring some cool tunes like Cynic, Barry Manilow, Spiral Architect, and Ace of Base.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=31324.msg1250733#msg1250733 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=31324.msg1250733#msg1250733)
Note that this was before your post.
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45. The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual
(https://i42.tinypic.com/23jjos8.jpg)
This is a band that some people like to say are posers or whatever, but they're pretty dumb IMO if people actually believe that, because these guys have the chops and talent of a fantastic Death Metal band. Ritual came out around October last year, and every time I listen to it, it just gets better and better. A Shrine To Madness has to be one of my favorite album openers ever. It's vicious, and doesn't ever stop to breath, much like the rest of the album. TBDM keep you on your feet, and lay down fast, memorable songs about raping the undead, werewolves and whatever else they fuckin feel like :P This past year they also aquired a new guitarist and bassist who bring a lot more to the table. In previous records, guitar was usually the weakest link, but now it's a driving force, and the bassist is a pretty nice guy live and plays his parts well so yeah heh. Trevor is such a good death metal vocalist it's scary. The way he goes from a deep growl from the pits of hell to a high piercing banshee shriek is incredible, more so by the fact that he never falters live. And one of the best things about this record is Shannon Lucas's drumming. He's willing to be just the support for the rest, or shine through and dazzle. I really hope these guys continue on this path, as Ritual is bound to be a regarded record in Death Metal archives, and they really are amazing musicians.
Favorite Tracks: A Shrine To Madness, Moonlight Equilibrium, Conspiring With The Damned, Den Of The Picquerist
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44. Holy Grail - Crisis In Utopia
(https://i44.tinypic.com/7237lt.jpg)
Have you heard of White Wizzard? Well back when WW's bassist John Leon said "Do things my way or split" Luna and the others split from WW and started Holy Grail, a hybrid of Thrash, Power Metal, and Radularness. Quite a different beast than WW altogether, Holy Grail's Crisis In Utopia is a modern day gem. And it's just their debut. Each song is a top notch blend of thrashy power metal that exudes skill, talent, and bombast. Things start of at blistering speed with My Last Attack, and immediately you notice that there really isn't a weak link in the band. Everyone performs at their best. James-Paul Luna is set to be Metal's next Rob Halford, his range is astounding and the force behind his voice is tremendous. The guitarists go hand in hand and throw out some beautiful melodies and riffage. If you like Judas Priest, Death Angel, and bands along those lines, then I think you'd love Holy Grail. They even have a new album coming out within the next few months, so it will be exciting to see where they go from here!
Favorite Tracks: My Last Attack, The Blackest Night, Hollow Ground
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Gojira and Meshuggah :metal :metal :metal
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I saw Red Fang open for Mastodon and wasn't too impressed. :/ Gojira is a pretty cool guy though.
Really? I was pleasantly surprised when I saw them. As far as strait forward metal goes it was really good.
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Look kid, I'll still suck yo dick, aight, but you'd better bring some cool tunes like Cynic, Barry Manilow, Spiral Architect, and Ace of Base.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=31324.msg1250733#msg1250733 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=31324.msg1250733#msg1250733)
Note that this was before your post.
*Reluctantly readies mouth*
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Radular story bro; following.
EDIT: really liking Red Fang. Got some great riffs.
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43. Indian - Guiltless
(https://i44.tinypic.com/bhg6z7.jpg)
Indian is described as a Black Metal/ Doom Metal band from Chicago, and the title fits very well.
Brutal, relentless, Guiltess is both of those and much more. Indian was a band I found through Decibel, I liked the description, and the artwork, so I checked them out. Work was very unproductive the rest of the day to say the least, and I eagerly awaited getting this album. Immediately this album knocks you down, the vocalist's howls scared the crap out of me the first time I popped the cd in, the guitars are thick in tone monolithic, and the drummer I assume is in an abusive relationship with his drums, as he wails on them unrelentingly. No Grace kicks things off extremely well, and track 2 is a dissonant, depressing affair, and the rest of the album follows suit in depressing, crushing tunes. Going more in depth on the music, the drummer really knows how to keep things interesting, a problem which a lot of Doom Metal drummers have doing, and aside from the instrumental(which is melancholy as well heh) each song is at least four minutes long, the longest track being three seconds over nine minutes, so it's remarkable that they're able to keep things going on and not making you think the song could have ended three minutes ago. For fans of bands such as Cough, Winter, Dark Castle
Favorite Tracks: No Grace, Guiltless, Banality
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Damn, that shit is heavy. Listening to 'No Grace' as I'm typing this.
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I promise after I defend and get some free time I'm going to check out the bands I don't know. I've been getting into more extreme metal the past year so I've been looking forward to your list.
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Glad to hear that! I should round off the 40's by the end of today, so keep tuned! Hopefully Kinghts Of The Old Republic doesn't suck up to much time, that game is such a classic.
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42. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
(https://i40.tinypic.com/2nak7ed.jpg)
By just a hair my favorite Pantera album Cowboys From Hell, barely nudging out Vulgar Display Of Power, places in at 42. This was the second album with Phil Anselmo, and by the time this album was recorded, his underground extreme metal tastes and influences had started to seep into the band. A HUGE step from Power Metal, Cowboys From Hell is an album chock full of classic tracks, and favorites of mine. Phil Anselmo was recruited for his Halford-esque wails, but brought a gruff, tough vocal style to the band, and he employs both all over this album, Halford-esque rising up especially in Cemetery Gates, and Cowboys From Hell employing his growls that I love. Dimebag Darrell had one of the best tones in Metal and it still is one of the best tones ever, and he really dazzles on this album, from album opener Cowboys From Hell to the beautiful playing and solo of The Sleep. His tone was almost indescribable, but it was like a drill, boring into your ear, leaving a permanent reminder of how awesome it was. Vinnie Paul isn't really extraordinary, and I don't really like him as a person, but his drumming is like Lars Ulrich, it gets the job done and works for the band. Something that sets this from the rest of their albums in my opinion is that while it set them in the direction they went onto in the 90's, there's still flashbacks to their glam metal days, but instead of being groanworthy glam, they meld it flawlessly with their new style and the songs just work. I know for a lot, either Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven are considered their best, and while I love them, Cowboys From Hell just has something that the others don't to me.
Favorite Tracks: Cowboys From Hell, Cemetary Gates, The Sleep, Primal Concrete Sledge
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:metal
The best metal album ever
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I might be the only one in this world who thinks The Great Southern Trendkill is Pantera's best album. Everyone I've ever met would say Cowboys or Vulgar Display of Power.
Well, anyway, nice inclusion.
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Probably more of a product of when I was into Pantera, but the only two albums I've ever owned of theirs were Vulgar Display and Far Beyond Driven. Vulgar Display was my pump-up music for football games when I was high school.
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41. Skeletonwitch - Breathing The Fire
(https://i39.tinypic.com/23k8ak4.jpg)
Breathing The Fire is my second favorite Skeletonwitch album, and is there second album (If you don't factor in their first album which was self released) They're a Blackened Thrash group from Ohio, and the vocalist and rhythm guitarist are brothers. These nice boys sound extremely evil however when playing, Chance's vocals are either raspy and throat tearing, or guttural and dark. His vocals are something that makes the group so awesome, as he not only sounds different from other vocalists in the genre but also has such diverse range. Nate(Chance's brother) and Scott link like cyborgs and have an endless array of memorable riffage. Scott's solos are also a highlight, and unlike a lot of musicians who wings there solos, his are calculated and deadly, and stick to your head unlike many who just put together something that doesn't really sound all that good. Where as Beyond The Permafrost had more warm of tones, Breathing The Fire feels icy (kind of ironic right?) like true kvlt Norwegian black metal welded into thrash, and it gives the album a nice originality about it. If you're up for a half hour of blistering speed, evil, Satan, and great blackened thrash, look no further, Skeletonwitch is the band to go to.
Favorite Tracks: Crushed Beyond Dust, Gorge Upon My Soul, Repulsive Salvation
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OK...just checked out a Skeletonwitch song from their new album...
it was fucking awesome. Buying now at Omega Order sale.
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OK...just checked out a Skeletonwitch song from their new album...
it was fucking awesome. Buying now at Omega Order sale.
If you liked that, keep an eye out for it later ;)
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I got the album you listed as well, just for good measure.
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Sorry for not updating over the weekend guys, it was my brothers birthday yesterday and it's been so nice out, I don't want to just sit inside all day, I'll try and get 40. done tonight, no promises though hehe.
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I've been meaning to ask...why does your avatar look like Nick cross-dressing in some Philadelphia Flyers jacket?
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I've been meaning to ask...why does your avatar look like Nick cross-dressing in some Philadelphia Flyers jacket?
Heheh, Lady Gaga ungh.
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40. Overkill - Ironbound
(https://i40.tinypic.com/nozcx4.jpg)
The final entry in the 40's, Overkill is a band who are finally getting their due after a long time in obscurity. In regards to the Big 4, I don't really care for Slayer that much, Megadeth are not a good band, Anthrax has certain albums that I love, and Metallica is a favorite, but a lot of quality bands were tossed aside due to not being in that exclusive 4 band club, Overkill being a big one. Their 15th album Ironbound, is quite a thrasher. I first heard of these guys when looking through my local FYE(RIP) and saw an older album of theirs. It looked interesting so I picked it up and I was hooked. So when Ironbound came out I picked it up as soon as I could. The album absolutely kicks ass, and exudes a display of amazing songwriting and technical display. The tone of the album is imminent, almost depressing. The singer's voice is high pitched, and forceful; something very enjoyable to listen to. The drumming is well fitting for a thrash band and he is beyond capable of handling drums. I think my favorite thing about this record though is the radular guitar playing. The solos are breathtaking, emotionally, all the while being technical displays of prowess. I can't really say much more, but seriously, if you're a lover of thrash, and you find yourself always looking for more, Overkill is a fantastic band to check into and you won't be sorry.
Favorite Tracks: The Green and Black, The Goal Is Your Soul, The Head and Heart
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39.Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive
(https://i43.tinypic.com/2rf4sac.jpg)
This album here, Darkness Come Alive, is from the side project of Converge bassist Nate Newton, Doomriders, in which he is the guitarist and sometimes vocalist. This album is passionate, I can't really say that enough. It really gets your blood boiling at times, only to bring you back down to earth with some well placed transitional tracks, so that each song can get the most out of you. The tone of all the instruments in this record are thick. Something that sets these guys apart from the heavy metal crowd is how unique they sound, I can't think of anyone who really sounds like them, and their songwriting is just phenomenal. Another thing I love about this band and album is the vocals, they're really the heart of the passionate vibe you get from this album. My favorite song, Crooked Path, has it seem like the vocalists are giving it their 200% and it really makes the listening experience that much better, because when the band feels extremely in to what they're playing and musically it's great, that only makes you enjoy the experience that much more. According to Wikipedia they're recording a new album and I for one cannot wait to hear what they have to show us next.
Favorite Tracks: Come Alive, Crooked Path, Jealous God, Blood Avenger
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38. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
(https://i42.tinypic.com/9aa2bs.jpg)
My 5th favorite Mastodon album.......could you believe that? Would someone actually have all of Mastodon's Discography on their Top 50? Maybe, but that's not me, have to diversify, it is my second favorite Mastodon album though, and boy is it amazing. Everything that makes Mastodon Mastodon is present on this record. Brann Dailor's drumming is just the stuff made of drumming gods, his fills are everywhere and yet he's so precise. I believe this is the record where Mastodon started taking a turn into progressive metal, and while some prefer their older albums, their newer ones just continue to get better and better for me. I also believe this is one of their concept albums, but admittedly, I only sort of know Crack The Skye's concept, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying this wonderful album. Another thing about this record is that the riffs are just there, the songs are alive, and everyone syncs in to blow your mind. Along with the last song, Pendulous Skin, where at the end they read a letter from the fan, it just cracks me up. For fans of Baroness, Neurosis, and Red Fang, hopefully you'll see that this record is a slab of great musicianship, and wonderful melding of Sludge and Prog metal.
Favorite Tracks: Sleeping Giant, Colony of Birchmen, Siberian Divide
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Blood Mountain!
Fucking awesome album, for sure. And you even have Siberian Divide in your top tracks list, that makes it even better ;)
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37. Ghost - Opus Eponymous
(https://i.imgur.com/c1wwo.jpg)
One of my most favorite current bands, Ghost are a band from Sweden who crank out the classic metal sound seamlessly all the while praising Satan, for a very fun listen. Until recently, the frontman The Undead Pope had remained anonymous, but for the purposes of this, I'll leave it to you to find out who he is if you're interested :-* Anywho onto the music. If you get Mercyful Fate vibes then you're listening to the right music. The album reeks of 80's classic metal ala Mercyful Fate, but not in a tired, beating the old horse kind of way. They stamp their own personality into the music, and stir in Satanic themes to get the stew cooking. The guitars are simple yet effective tools in this album, and always stay interesting, track 2 Con Clavi Con Dio, after the intro track start off with keyboards that remind me of Scooby Doo, you can see for yourself and see if they do for you, but they do for me. A standout is The Undead Pope's vocal pipes, as they're quite radular. His voice is always clear, and he pronunciates each and every syllable and overall just has a wonderful singing voice. It's not a long album, but each song has it's own personality, and it's a great album to have on in the background, or for a party, as it's just very fun overall. Recommended for fans of Mercyful Fate, In Solitude, and King Diamond
Favorite Tracks: Con Clavi Con Dio, Elizabeth, Death Knell
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I ordered that album from The End. Should be here tomorrow I hope.
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Listening to this right now, so far it's really good.
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Blood Mountain is pretty awesome.
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Glad to see some love for Ironbound. A true heavy metal classic, the title track is my fav.
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blood mountain = :metal
"megadeth are not a good band" from people exclusively into underground isht = elitist, but kinda understandable.
"megadeth are not a good band" from unenlightened metallica fans = sad but true.
"megadeth are not a good band" from someone with a wide range of metal interests, from genre to genre, from obscure to mainstream = ???
anywayz, have been following. sorry if i sounded like a dick there; was going for serious but comedic.
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blood mountain = :metal
"megadeth are not a good band" from people exclusively into underground isht = elitist, but kinda understandable.
"megadeth are not a good band" from unenlightened metallica fans = sad but true.
"megadeth are not a good band" from someone with a wide range of metal interests, from genre to genre, from obscure to mainstream = ???
anywayz, have been following. sorry if i sounded like a dick there; was going for serious but comedic.
heh it's all good, just with Megadeth, I've always found them to be the weakest out of the Big 4, as Dave's voice really annoys me heheh.
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^ ya, i can understand the vocals issue.
dave's vox are an anomaly...obviously he isnt a good singer (and is dreadful live), yet a lot of people that dont seem to like most heavy metal (mostly b/c of the vox) will make megadave one of the two metal bands they'll listen to and find his vox palatable.
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Of the 26 albums I just got from The Omega Order, I decided to listen to Ghost first. Holy fuck is this awesome, or to use your preferred vernacular, Radular. I really need to go see the Opeth show that these guys are goign to open up for in May in DC.
I'm really digging Ghost, and liked the one Skeletonwitch song I heard. If I end up liking Skeletonwitch and Kvelertak as well, you're going to end up doing some nice damage to my wallet. Hopefully you start listing bands I know :lol
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36. The Mars Volta - Deloused in a Comatorium
(https://i.imgur.com/YorrW.jpg)
Not the first Mars Volta album I've heard, and while I think Noctruniquet will end up overtaking it, for now this is my favorite The Mars Volta album. They're quite different from any other band I've listened to, and they encompass so many sounds, and mesh them together into beautiful, strange, wacky, and forceful compositions. Son et Lumiere/Inertiatic ESP kick things off on the album and is one of my most favorite songs ever. Everything about this album is just airy, and the flow of the album is fantastic, songs meld into each other and things just keep on a rolling. My favorite things about this album is the vocals and guitars. Vocal-wise, vocals can go from soft crooning to full on bravado and the range that they hit is simply amazing, and they continue to stand out from the rest. Guitar-wise, the tone is seems very clean but has this distorted edge to it that retains your ear's attention throughout the record. Simply put, this may not remain my favorite The Mars Volta record of all time, but it will always stand out as an amazing debut, which not many bands normally have, and for that reason, this record makes my list.
Favorite Tracks: Son et Lumiere/Inertiatic ESP, Drunkship of Lanterns, Cicatriz ESP
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35. Black Breath - Sentenced To Life
(https://i.imgur.com/WPfKn.jpg)
This is the only time I break my rule, originally Black Breath's previous record Heavy Breathing was in this spot, and truthfully I've only heard this once, but it's so noticeably apparent that this is an improvement and I enjoyed what I heard more overall. Black Breath are what a lot of elitists call "Entombed-core" in which, they worship at the altar of Entombed and are heavily influenced by them. Now I think that is such a dumb fucking reason to hate a band, and these guys have song writing chops and sound radular, so I just ignore the elitist haters and jam out. So for a true definition, they're a hardcore/crust band from Washington, and satanic I believe, so there's your little bio on them. Funnily enough on this record, they've found similar amps to Entombed and have found pretty much the same tone which is like a buzzsaw, and the riffage is memorable. This is their fastest record yet, which is their second heheh, and it's a ferocious slice of music. The vocals are abrasive and tough, and if you're a fan of harsh vocals, I think you'll like the muffler on this guy, he has a ghoulish howl that often rears it's demonic head. For fans of Entombed, Trap Them, and bands in similar vein, check these guys out for some good ol' heavy tunes.
Favorite Tracks: Feast of the Damned, Endless Corpse, Mother Abyss, The Flame
(There's plenty of images of the album online, but I just got the vinyl, so I thought I'd just post it.
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Killer stuff on here so far. Mastodon :metal and the amazing Deloused album :tup.
I'm a thrash fan and I like some of the older Overkill stuff and have heard great things about the newest release. I hope to check it out soon.
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Killer stuff on here so far. Mastodon :metal and the amazing Deloused album :tup.
I'm a thrash fan and I like some of the older Overkill stuff and have heard great things about the newest release. I hope to check it out soon.
I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, and if you're a thrash fan, I've got a few more thrash albums coming up that I hope you enjoy ;)
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Shit, I just went back and read your writeup about Ghost cause I caught the words 'Mercyful Fate' in there. I have to check into this band, pronto!!
EDIT: Just listened to a couple of songs. I like it, but jeez, talk about wearing your influences on your sleeve.
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That Ghost album is pretty awesome. I don't have a problem with them showing their influences. Yeah, we see them, but to some kid in HS its just music, and when some wise old man comes around to tell them to check out Merciful Fate, they'll be more receptive to it.
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but to some kid in HS its just music
This would be me, I've never listened to Mercyful Fate but that Ghost album was one of the best things I've heard in a while. So I guess I should give them a listen then.
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34. Dawnbringer - Nucleus
(https://i41.tinypic.com/mkbx4z.jpg)
A band that wears it's oldschool influences on it's sleeves and manages to sound completely original, Dawnbringer's album Nucleus comes in at number 34 on this list. A Traditional Heavy Metal band that splashes in subtle other hints of other genres, they're from Chicago, and are about to release their net album, which I hope only further continues the amazing muscianship. Many songs on this album rely more on guitar than vocals, entire minutes devoted to soloing and guitar driven story telling, and vocals are utilized when they're needed. Never does the solo go into noodling and they keep things changing so as to retain interest, you'll go from a warm guitar riff to an icy cold tremolo picking reminiscent of Black Metal, galore with blast beating. If you're a fan of bands such as Cauldron, Iron Maiden, and bands in similar vein, I feel that you will enjoy this album very much.
Favorite Tracks: You Know Me, The Devil, Cataract, Pendulum
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Sounds interesting, and I'm quickly finding a lot of faith in your tastes.
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33. Annihilator - Never, Neverland
(https://i.imgur.com/NVJVE.jpg)
This album right here is a thrash classic. This was the record that I discovered Annihilator, after hearing about others talk about them, I put them in the search and Never, Never Land pulled up. The album is just completely full with gems, and there really isn't a weak track on this record. Something cool about Jeff Waters, the only original member(guitarist/sometimes vocalist) is the lyrics. The songs on this album are about things ranging from mental illness, pollution, to the tale of a girl kept hidden from society. Going on, the guitars are probably the best thing about this record, as Jeff Waters is an amazing guitarists and one of my personal favorites, and his leads are memorable, his solos aren't wanky, and his tone is aerodynamic for sexiness. Now that isn't to say everything else is lacking, because that's not the case at all, Jeff Waters always makes sure he has a good lineup, Mike Mangini has even drummed on a few records, my favorite that he drummed on was Set The World On Fire(check it out). Anywho, Annihilator stood out from the thrash pack for me just due to how fresh they sounded, and how they actually set themselves apart from the rest. A lot of other thrash bands were just trying to ape the big 4 just to get a quick 5 minutes of fame, but Annihilator(Jeff Waters) really just did what he wanted to, and because he did, Annihilator has many great albums, and are still going strong, with a more stable line up these days.
Favorite Tracks: Fun Palace, Sixes and Sevens, Never, Never land, Imperiled Eyes
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32. Opeth - Ghost Reveries
(https://i.imgur.com/vPXrA.jpg)
The first Opeth song I ever heard was an edit of The Lotus Eater, off of a Metal Hammer cd compilation and damn, it was on repeat for many days. After that I started picking up Opeth where I could, my first buy being The Candlelight Years with the first three albums, all fantastic, but my favorite would have to be Ghost Reveries. Nudging out Watershed and My Arms, Your Hears by just a tiny bit, Ghost Reveries is an amazing record all around, from the artwork to the music contained inside. Mikeal is one of my favorite vocalists in metal, for the reason that both aspects of his vocals are extraordinary. His growl is powerful, and ferocious, where as his clean vocals are crooning, and calming. Muscianship is something that is never lacking in Opeth, whether you prefer Lopez or Legolas, you're in for a treat with the drumming, bass is just splendid, and guitars are never lacking, with the warm acoustic tones, and the electric raze of their electric guitars. Opeth is also a band I never really compare to other bands because they have such a distinctive sound, you know right away that you're listening to Opeth when they come on, even with Heritage. Now more so onto why I consider Ghost Reveries their best. Along with the descriptions about their musicianship above, Ghost Reveries is just extremely memorable to me, and while their catalog is for the most part, Ghost Reveries just edges out on top. Also it has some of my favorite songs from them, The Grand Conjuration being one of my most favorites, the transitioning in the song gives me goosebumps, plain and simple. So if you haven't given Opeth a chance yet for some crazy reason, and you're okay with growling, Ghost Reveries would be the album to start at, as it's simply radulartastic.
Favorite Tracks: Ghost of Perdition, Reverie/Harlequin Forest, The Grand Conjuration
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YES, Ghost Reveries! Awesome :)
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Best Opeth album.
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No.
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Umm....yes.
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Best Opeth album indeed.
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3rd best Opeth album.
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3rd best Opeth album.
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4th best Opeth album.
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An Opeth album.
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3rd best Opeth album.
Quote Pyramid Activate!
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31. Ihsahn - After
(https://i.imgur.com/a3SAq.jpg)
Ihsahn is a mental genius. After caught my heart when Undercurrents was featured on a Metal Hammer compilation cd and an interview with the bearded Nord. Originally of the highly regarded Black Metal band Emperor, after the split, Ihsahn set down his own path of Black Metal flawlessly mixed with progressive elements. Jørgen Munkeby of Shining, the Industrial Black Metal band from Sweden, provides amazing Saxaphone on the album, and really helps the album transcend into something amazing, even though Ihsahn already provides for great listening. Ihsahn has a raspy howl, and it sometimes when I'm in the right mood gets me all emotional and bullshit. The tracks are have a desolate feel about them, and by that I don't mean it feels empty music wise, but that the songs are melancholic and such. The album has a shine about it, Ihsahn's guitar tone is cold, reminiscent of his Emperor days, but at the same time they feel like they're conveying along with his voice desperation, sadness, and the tone of this album just blows me away. Check this out if you're a fan of Black Metal that's got more to it than kvlt-ness, you'll be rewarded with amazing instrumentation, including amazing sax, and you'll be treated with radular songs.
Favorite Tracks: The Barren Lands, Frozen Lakes On Mars, Undercurrent, On The Shores
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3rd best Opeth album.
Quote Pyramid Activate!
These guys know what's up.
I've been meaning to listen to Ihsahn, good write-up!
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After is fucking awesome. Definitely check it out.
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30. A Life Once Lost - Hunter
(https://i.imgur.com/pXDVE.jpg)
Heavier than a Wailord coming down on you, A Life Once Lost are closing out the 30's and with style. These guys were a relatively unknown metalcore later groove metal band from Philadelphia, and are working releasing a new album, so if you like this, check out their other work and look forward to new music from them. Anyways, on to why I love this album. After coming to my senses and realizing that I love Converge, I started to seek out bands of similar sound but with their own identity. It was a tough choice between this record and Iron Gag, as both are fantastic and Iron Gag has guest appearances from Devin Townsend and Randy Blythe, but Hunter is just a ferocious album, and it takes no prisoners. Right away the album throws you into a maelstrom of anger, and visceral meaty music. The vocals are similar to Converge except that unlike Jacob Bannon, Robert Meadows has some gruff to his voice and he pronunciates. Pacewise they're a slower band, but they do pick up the pace at points, but that's kind of where they differentiate from other bands. When you think of ferocious you usually think fast, ripping music, but these guys specialize in abysmal, djenty tunes that skull fuck you. So if you like bands such as Converge, or Trap Them, check these guys out.
Favorite Tracks: Needleman, Vulture, Salai, Ghosting, With Pitiless Blows
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I think I have this album. I'm sure I picked it up new for like $2. I'll have to have a look at home to make sure I'm not trippin'.
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29. Cephalic Carnage - Misled By Certainty
(https://i39.tinypic.com/33om80n.jpg)
One of the best surprises I've ever heard, and my gateway into grindcore, Cephalic Carnage start off the 20's, and quite classily. Comprised of dudes with a love for the herb, they belt out proggy grindcore that often delves into progressive death metal territory. The album itself is their latest, and with each album they get more and more weird. I got this album shortly after I started reading Decibel Magazine, the cover was extremely badass, and the way the band was described and how they described their writing process intrigued the crap out of me, so I went out and bought the album. It's a wall of noise, but it's layered so fine, that you can pick out every instrument and just focus on it. The most amazing thing about this album is the drumming. Repangaea, a 12 minute colossal track is a swooning beast, saxophone and drumming the show offs. And saying that, everyone else is amazing as well, I love bands that make sure the bassist is heard, and it's quite fun to just listen to him on this record, and the vocalist has a powerful throaty roar, along with a high pitched growl that is peppered throughout the record at all the right places. So if you're a fan of Decapitated, Death, or Napalm Death, check this band out, you won't be sorry.
Favorite Tracks: The Incorrigible Flame, Abraxas of Filth, Raped By an Orb, Ohrwurm, Repangaea
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28. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech
(https://i.imgur.com/ezaoE.jpg)
Ocean Machine:BM is my second favorite Devin Townsend album.
At the point in time where I heard this album, I'd heard all of the Project albums and Ziltoid The Omniscient, so I knew that Devin was incapable of fucking up really. I was going through a tough time that month, in general I just felt like shit, feelings were emerging for an ex, and I still had no new car so I was always stuck where ever I happened to be. So this album was like a "Bro don't worry bro, it's going to be okay bro" kind of album. It's a very ambient album for most of the ride and yet it keeps your attention, and musically feels lonely, but with flashes of optimism, something which I dug immensely. Devin Townsends' voice is something no short of amazing, something I'll go further in depth on when I discuss my favorite album of his ;) and just because it's a very chill record, by no means is the musicianship lacking, in fact, they work well to set up an atmosphere for the album, and it just pulls you in.
Favorite Tracks: Seventh Wave, Hide Nowhere, Voices In The Fan, Funeral, Bastard
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Out of everything I've heard by Devin, Ocean Machine and Addicted captivated me the most. Good stuff.
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27. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
(https://i.imgur.com/z1Nsw.jpg)
The Dillinger Escape Plan is a band that after learning to love Converge, I found at a later point. For awhile I was just content to listen to the song Farewell Mona Lisa. It's a song that starts of with some twangy, distorted guitars, and then curb stomps you for the next 5 minutes, occasionally poking through to some calm passages, that are quite frankly beautiful. The rest of the album follows much of the same suit, with the calm passages forcing itself into the spotlight on track 6, Widower. It's a song that cradles your mind, providing a nice resting point from the insanity, a piano plays along with a crooning Puciato, slowly as drums come in, and a bass with a tone that gives me tears in the eyes, crescendoing into an amazing finale with a belligerent Puciato and jittery riffage. The rest of the album then jumps right back into the hurricane leaving you breathless by the end. Weinman continues to lead the band with amazing music, and his riffs are some of the most memorable I've ever heard. Really everyone is a highlight in this album, the band shines and shows everyone how to flawlessly mesh crushing riffs and beauty into a monstrous beast that challenges the listener, and provides for an ear-opening experience. For fans of Converge, A Life Once Lost, but also bands that are on the heavier side of progressive such as Periphery, and such bands, you won't be disappointed.
Favorite Tracks: Farewell Mona Lisa, Crystal Mornings, Widower, Chinese Whispers, Parasitic Twins
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26. Converge - Jane Doe
(https://i.imgur.com/m2xsB.jpg)
What many call the epitome of Convege's sound, I tend to agree, it is an that is monumental, not only for metalcore, but for metal as a whole. Decibel Magazine said it was an album that had scene teenagers with their hair all colorful to the most kvlt of black metallers connecting to, and I think that's a pretty good sum of it's reach to listeners. It's a vicious fucker of an album, and even more so than number 27, it is an exercise for the listener, and tough to finish, but it's an album worth the workout. By this point in their discography, Jacob Bannon became harder to understand, which can be a pitfall for some, but for me, he's just sounding angrier, and I find it for the better. A lot of you also may know who Kurt Ballou is, he's the guitarist for Converge, and with every album, he rights amazing riffs and his solos are just incredible, but not so many of you may know that he produces many bands albums these days, and is in quite popular demand. Back to the album anyways, eheh. Most of the songs are short bursts of anger and shake you like you're a helpless baby, where as the title track is a slower paced, crushing song. If you're a fan of bands such as Trap Them, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Integrity, and A Life Once Lost, and you haven't listened to Converge for some odd reason, give them a try, and find out how radular they are.
Favorite Tracks: Fault and Fracture, Hell To Pay, Heaven In Her Arms, Phoenix in Flames, Jane Doe
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Listening to some Ihsahn right now, not bad at all... Also, I'm interested in Gojira, as I have seen lots of positive feedback about them around here. Lists like this have been good for introducing me to more heavy music, which I only just got into in the last few months.
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Jane Doe is a fucking insane album. I hated it so much at first, but all it takes is a listen when you're in a pissed off enough mood and it all comes together in the insane glory it is. Awesome album.
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Jane Doe is a fucking insane album. I hated it so much at first, but all it takes is a listen when you're in a pissed off enough mood and it all comes together in the insane glory it is. Awesome album.
This so much :lol I actually caught them on the Mastodon/Dethklok tour and fucking hated them. But a friend urged me to check them out some more, and I eventually fell in love with them.
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Also, just listening to Jane Doe for the first time. This is SCARY.
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:lol Understandable first impression.
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Seneca, if you do end up enjoying Jane Doe, some other great albums from them are Axe To Fall, and When Forever Comes Crashing C:
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I'm gonna do like LLtWM, and wait until I'm very angry to listen to it all the way through. Just sampling a little as of right now.
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I'm a little bit late but I have to agree with you on how amazing After is. On the Shores is probably one of my favorite songs!
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I'm gonna do like LLtWM, and wait until I'm very angry to listen to it all the way through. Just sampling a little as of right now.
:tup Good luck. Almost everyone who hears it hates it at first, but you just gotta hit the right moment I suppose.
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I'm a little bit late but I have to agree with you on how amazing After is. On the Shores is probably one of my favorite songs!
I really enjoy the sax on this album, as well as everything else. Except, I'm a bit indifferent on the vocals.
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25. Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy
(https://i.imgur.com/9BWnk.jpg)
Sort of a controversial opinion I suppose, The Obsidian Conspiracy shows up at number 25. I found out a lot of people don't consider this to be their better work, but not much of their older work has connected with me like TOC did. I suppose it was the first full album I'd heard from them so it kind of gets an unfair advantage, but I'd heard some of their other stuff before, so I wasn't completely new to them, I'd just had given them a more intense listening yet. I bought this one day during this past summer at my local record store, and drove home jamming it, and completely loved it. The vocals are so operatic and and captivating and were something that made Nevermore different from a lot of other bands. Jeff Loomis is also a mental genius and his guitar riffs, solos and just everything are something amazing to listen to. Each song on the album has it's own tale and I found it fun to read along or just listen to what each song was about, they were very good at writing lyrics. It was sad to see these guys break up due to alcohol issues, and hopefully in the future, when everyone's worked through their problems and have done their own things, hopefully they could join up again, as it sucked to just get into them, and then they just break up.
Favorite Tracks: Termination Proclamation, Emptiness Unobstructed, Without Morals, She Comes In Colors
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I like Nevermore, but TOC isn't top 3 album for them, and lightyears behind This Godless Endevor, IMO
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Dead Heart In a Dead World > This Godless Endeavour > Enemies of Reality > The Obsidian Conspiracy
Sorry bud.
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Easily my least fav Nevermore record.
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i (really) like(d) nevermore. 6.5 years ago, i was touting TGE as the greatest metal album ever; did that for a couple months til in a flesh aquarium came out.
like most others, for me, TOC didnt reach the dizzying heights of TGE.
but unlike what seems to be a large number of the fans, i still liked TOC. a lot.
between the song writing in general, and the number of ballads, the album seems like something of a throw back to the dead heart days.
anywayz, youve put me in the mood. spinning TOC now. :metal
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Option Paralysis and Jane Doe are both phenomenal albums.
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24. Death - Human (2011 Reissue)
(https://i.imgur.com/FUyUK.jpg)
I believe the only time I have a reissue specifically, and only because it just fixes everything wrong with the production of the original, Human, my second favorite Death album comes in at 24. Death are the band that basically pioneered Death Metal, and what inspired so many bands today, whether they're death metal or not, all because of how groundbreaking they were with each album. Starting off as a straight up, gory death metal band, with each album, Chuck's idea's blossomed into more progressive ideas, and Human really burst open the doors for progressive death metal. With a roster including Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert from Cynic this album was chock full of intense complexity that was awe inspiring. Chucks vocals are still one of my most favorites to these days, they are 150% full of passion and are immediately noticeable, no other band has even come close to him, even those trying to imitate. The musicianship of this album like all Death albums is insane, but all the while it's not just a wank fest, the songs are incredibly memorable and stick to your head for days. So if you're in the mood to try out death metal, this is a good album to start, as Chuck is the man behind it practically.
Favorite Tracks: Suicide Machine, Lack of Comprehension, See Through Dreams, Flattening Of Emotions
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23. Foo Fighters Wasting Light
(https://i.imgur.com/YLqrb.jpg)
Dave Grohl, a man who seems to effortlessly make radulartastic music continued this streak with last years Wasting Light. It's the first Foo Fighters album where I loved every single song, every song is at least an 8/10. I took my brother with me to go get this during the past summer vacation. We ended up driving around town listening to the entire album, and around track 7 'Back and Forth' one gnarly storm started brewing, so we finished at home. While I'm normally into Extreme Metal for the most part, a lot of people assume that is all I listen too, when the matter of the fact is I the gambit and listen to almost every genre. The biggest thing that I love about this about this album is Dave Grohl's voice, it's quite simply awesome. Each song has it's own stamp of personality, ranging from heartbreak to doing what you want, and everyone in the band brings their A-game. Another cool thing about this album is that it was recorded on analog in Dave Grohls garage. I know that doesn't really matter much, but I find that a really radular small fact about it, and how each album comes with an inch of the analog tape. So if you're into bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Them Crooked Vultures, you should really check these guys out if you haven't yet for some odd reason.
Favorite Tracks: Rope, White Limo, These Days, Back & Forth, Matter of Time, Walk
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Always liked The Foo Fighters, even though they seem to get some hate.
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Foo Fighters are a good band.
Human is absolutely incredible.
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Can't wait to check these out.
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22. Fuck The Facts - Die Miserable
(https://i.imgur.com/c9wZD.jpg)
Aside from two other bands, this was the best discovery I made last year. It's grindcore with a punk as fuck attitude, and everything about this album is a big fuck you to happiness. I'd read the review for it in Decibel, and while it got a positive review, the reviewer only gave it a 7/10. And a month later I was at the local record store in town and saw it sitting on the shelf, and I thought "eh Fuck it, I don't really see anything I was looking for anyways" and bought it. In my opinion, this album is easily an 8.5, or even 9/10, it's vicious, relentless, and an amazing listen. I'd popped it in and was waiting for the damned album to start when out of nowhere guitars came out of nowhere like a Kansas Twister, and blastbeating roared through like thunder, and to top it all off, the vocalist came in, sounding like a pissed off goddess of misery. The whole album never lets up in its' tone, it's seriously a depressingly miserable album that is so fucking awesome. They're also a fantastic band for when you are pissed off and you just want to give the world the middle finger and tell it to fuck off. I'd recommend for people who are into Converge, Rotten Sound, and Trap Them.
Favorite Tracks: Drift, Cold Hearted, Lifeless, Alone, Die Miserable, 95
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SPECIAL ALBUM - NOT PART OF OFFICIAL TOP 50
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Woods of Ypres - Woods IV The Green Album
Woods of Ypres - Woods 5 Grey Skies and Electric Light
(https://i.imgur.com/Qshq5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/J3gS7.jpg)
A band that I will always hold dear to my heart, they were a large part in what made me come to love Doom Metal and opened my eyes to many other bands. It's quite late on the news, but I found out just now that David Gold, the core member of the group, died this past December in an automobile accident. Much like his last name, David Golds voice was just fantastic, and his growls were powerful. Woods Of Ypres's sound was Melancholic to say the least, and the guitar tones helped you feel it. I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery is easily in the Top 15 songs I've ever heard, go check it out RIGHT NOW if you haven't heard it, it's an incredibly moving piece. I just wanted to say my respects for David Gold, he was an incredibly talented musician, and the fact that he was taken away at just 31 just further shows how bullshit the world we live in is.
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21. Children Of Bodom - Follow The Reaper
(https://i.imgur.com/jWRK1.jpg)
Children Of Bodom was the band that burst open the doors to extreme metal, and they're a special band to me. Every Time I Die was and still should be a staple in my daily jaunt of listening to music, I would listen to it at least 4 times a day. A lot consider this their best album, and while I don't agree, it's what really got me into extreme metal so I figured it should be the one to go on the list. It was sophmore year, and I was in my highschool's theater production of The Wizard of Oz. Every day, before the director would arrive I'd be blasting this album on repeat, sitting in the back. And this past year I finally got to see them live, and they even played a few songs off of Follow The Reaper, and it just brought back the same excited feeling I'd get when listening to it. By brand they're one of Finland's finest Melodic Death Metal bands, and everybody is a wonderful musician. Alexi Laiho's growls are radulartastic, along with his guitar playing. If you're a fan of bands such as At The Gates, and Kalmah, you'll love Children of bodom if you aren't already a fan like I am, and always will be!
Favorite Tracks: Bodom After Midnight, Every Time I Die, Taste of My Scythe, Hate Me!, Kiss My Shadow
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I really hope you have Hatebreeder higher up ;)
While it's not in my top albums, I used to love the shit out of that album some years ago.
That said, Follow The Reaper would probably be my second favourite CoB album.
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I really hope you have Hatebreeder higher up ;)
While it's not in my top albums, I used to love the shit out of that album some years ago.
That said, Follow The Reaper would probably be my second favourite CoB album.
I don't, but it's probably my 3rd favorite :) I've been surprised by the fact that I've been told by many people that they don't like it D:
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20. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
(https://i.imgur.com/YBVLm.jpg)
Black metal is a genre where you have to find that one band that acts as an agent and opens the gates wide open. Enslaved was that band for me, and this album is quite a gem. They flawlessly blend black metal with progressive elements and even alternative elements. Moments of beauty are gracefully woven in with pure agression, such example being "Night Sight" It starts off with clean singing and clean toned guitars, and builds up into a troo black metal song and interchanges throughout the rest of it's duration. I don't really remember for sure how I really found out about these guys, I really just remember seeing a review in Decibel and thinking I should check them out if I ever remembered, next thing I knew a few weeks later they were sitting in the used section at the local record store so I got it. Good car ride home, it was definitely a great car ride home. There's not really much more to say, other than that if you're a fan of well produced, well made black metal, or you're trying to find some how to enjoy the genre, these guys are prime candidates to check out.
Favorite Tracks: Raidho, Axioma, Night Sight, Lightening.
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Follow the Reaper was one of the first albums that got me into extreme metal too. When I heard the title track, I was just floored, what a terrific album. Shame Bodom can't reproduce this sort of quality anymore.
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I have a friend who likes Woods of Ypres, they're from near where I live IIRC. Could never get into them, but I appreciate what they do.
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Not my favorite Enslaved album, but still a great pick :tup
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I really like Enslaved, and I've had some surprising success with them in some of the roulettes. I think I like Vertibrae a little more, but I won't argue with any Enslaved love.
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19. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
(https://i.imgur.com/Z2ACc.jpg)
I've had a tough time deciding on whether I prefer Crack The Skye or The Hunter. For now though I've stuck with Crack The Skye, as it's such an absolute beast. It may not be as catchy as Blood Mountain or The Hunter, but it makes up in that with songs that are memorable works of art. Mastodon always brings their A game to the table for each record, but with Crack The Skye, it's like they brought their A+ game to the table. Things start off with the song Oblivion, and right away, something new is there, and it's Brann Dailor's voice. To my knowledge this is the first album where he was a vocalist, and he's got a pretty phenomenal voice. Brent and Bill also have gnarly tones for their guitars, I mean they just have that old school motherland Russia tone to them. Every member of this band is a fantastic musician, and each one of them shine throughout the album. The concept of the album is if I remember correctly some guy trying to get to the son and goes through a worm hole, somehow landing in Rasputin's or the Czar at the time of Rasputin's body, and they have to find a way to get that guy back to his body. It's pretty nuts, but it's a beautiful album, and it was the first one of theirs that I got, so it's quite special to me. For fans of Baroness, Neurosis, and men with beards.
Favorite Tracks: Oblivion, Divinations, Quintessence, The Czar: Usurper/Escape/Martyr/Spiral, Ghost of Karelia, Crack The Skye, The Last Baron............... so pretty much every track :laugh:
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CRACK THE SKYE
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Enslaved :metal
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18. Black Tusk - Set The Dial
(https://i.imgur.com/bEMTy.jpg)
Black Tusk show up at 18, a band that have started to emerge in popularity in the past 2 or 3 years. They are a well oiled team of 3 who put out pummeling sludge anthems about Satan, the world ending, and everything unholy. They're also a band I decided to try out because of my John Baizley rule which is: If a band had John Baizley do the artwork for their album, then it's a 95% guarantee that they kick major ass. I'm telling you it hasn't failed me yet. Black Tusk's 3 members handle guitar, bass guitar, and drums individually, but join forces to add a shit load of variety to vocals. The fact that they add these the distinct layers of vocals provide for interesting dynamics, and they've got the tunes to back up any doubts people might have. Set The Dial is their most recent effort from 2011, but it is their strongest effort yet. I mentioned that they're a sludge metal band, and guitar is sludgy as molasses, bass is kind of a counteract to the sludgy tones, and the drummer is reminisent of a brann dailor fan, all the while providing his own flash. A great thing about this band is that after awhile of pummeling songs that work out your ears, they provide a break, with slow, ambient like songs that crescendo leading into another set of pummelation(yes, pummelation) so it's very easy to go through the album in one sitting, and a great one to come back to. So if you're a fan of Mastodon, Baroness, Kylesa and/or Crowbar, you should really check these guys out, it's completely worth your while
Favorite Tracks: Bring Me Darkness, Mass Devotion, Set the Dial to Your Doom, This Time Is Divine, Growing Horns, Crossroads & Thunder
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Crack the Skye as an amazing record.
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17. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse
(https://i.imgur.com/CVqlD.jpg)
To the best of my knowledge, there isn't that many grindcore fans on these forums, so I'm going to assume many of you don't know who Agoraphobic Nosebleed is. Masterminded by Scott Hull, Agorapocalypse takes you on one hell of a ride, through programmed drums that are fucking astounding even if they are programmed, through duo vocals, it's chaotic and you might think holy fuck what just happened after listening to it. Guitars are like buzzsaws, slicing your ears with razor riffage. Richard Johnson and Katherine Katz split off vocal duties, Richards having a more throaty bellow, where as Katz a shriek like howl that makes your balls crawl back up in fear. The record itself is just a great example of what grindcore should be, pissed off, and telling everyone to fuck off, but what separates these guys from many other acts is that they have the quality musicianship to back up their fuck off attitude, where as many new bands or just bands on those shitty obscure label just don't care about how they sound. This isn't going to be the last grindcore record on this list, but these guys set the bar high for other bands, and I think they've only played one live show in their 20 years as a band. Radulartastic.
Favorite Tracks: Dick to Mouth Resuscitation, Hung From The Rising Sun, Trauma Queen, White On White Crime, Druggernaut Jug Fuck, Flamingo Snuff
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Crack the Skye is an excellent album, but I haven't even heard of those latest two. :lol
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16. Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
(https://i.imgur.com/yUlla.jpg)
Well here it is, my one Dream Theater entry, and it's my favorite from them although Six Degrees might overtake in awhile. Anywho back to SFAM, it wasn't the first Dream Theater album I heard, that would be Images And Words, but when my friend put it on during a road trip and we were coming back home and it just blew me away. Everyone is at their A++ game on this album, and with the members of Dream Theater already being amazing, that's saying a lot, considering how talented everyone in Dream Theater already is. I also find it really cool that they did a whole album based off of one song from a past album, and they pull of the story quite well, which is actually quite gripping. I could go on about the music, but if you're on this forum, you should know what they sound like and this album in particular, otherwise well....this is kind of awkward eheh. From Mike Portnoy's bombastic drumming, to Jordan Ruddess's lovely keyboard wizardry to James Labries Soaring voice to John Myungs' tasty bass to John Petrucci's awing guitar, this really showcases their talent, and if you for some reason haven't listened to this yet, go do it right now!
Favorite Tracks: The whole thing, it's not really an album to pick apart tracks.
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Yes. Finally and album I know and love. :tup I would rank it higher though.
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15. System Of A Down - Mezmerize
(https://i.imgur.com/0x7s9.jpg)
Another milestone, we're now at the Top 15! To kick this off I've chosen SoaD's Mezmerize, a truly radular album. What seperated this album from the rest of theirs is just how amazingly strong every song is, there are no weak points on this album. And with Daron adding his vocals much more than past albums, their music is that much more diverse. Along with everything being more layered, the album has a focus to it that I feel the others don't. Everyone sounds on top of their game here, and the songs have so much feeling to them I get swept up in the emotions of the songs. Songs like Radio/Video and Question!
are truly touching. More on the music, is the fact that it's a very diverse album where they tried things I hadn't heard in their other albums, and straight up classic SoaD songs make their way on the album, ensuring their audience they are ditching them for something entirely new. So if you're a fan or looking to start somewhere, this is my favorite album of theirs, and I know you'll enjoy it, if not as much as I did.
Favorite Tracks: B.Y.O.B., Cigaro, Radio/Video, Violent Pornography, Question!, Old School Hollywood
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SFAM :metal :metal
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Can we get a condensed listing of 50-15?
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15. System of a Down - Mesmerize
16. Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
17. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse
18. Black Tusk - Set the Dial
19. Mastodon - Crack the Skye
20. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
21. Children of Bodom - Follow the Reaper
22. Fuck the Facts - Die Miserable
23. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
24. Death - Human (2011 remastered edition)
25. Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy
26. Converge - Jane Doe
27. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
28. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech
29. Cephalic Carnage - Misled by Certainty
30. A Life Once Lost - Hunter
31. Ihsahn - After
32. Opeth - Ghost Reveries
33. Annihilator - Never, Neverland
34. Dawnbringer - Nucleus
35. Black Breath - Sentenced To Life
36. The Mars Volta - De-loused in a Comatorium
37. Ghost - Opus Eponymous
38. Mastodon - Blood Mountain
39. Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive
40. Overkill - Ironbound
41. Skeletonwitch - Breathing the Fire
42. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
43. Indian - Guiltless
44. Holy Grail - Crisis In Utopia
45. The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual
46. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh
47. BLOOD STAIN CHILD - Epsilon
48. Red Fang - Murder The Mountain
49. The Wretched End - Ominous
50. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve