Retro Albums of the Year 2010's: 2020

[Dave_Manchester]

Very important musical year for me (I was in school and this was right around the time I was starting to really discover music for myself and buy albums. Plus it was the height of Britpop, which was a big deal back then and back there). These are in no order.


Swans - The Great Annihilator
Slash's Snakepit - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
Radiohead - The Bends
Moby - Everything Is Wrong (bought solely for the song that plays at the end of the movie 'Heat')
Steve Vai - Alien Love Secrets
Bob Dylan - MTV Unplugged
Primus - Tales From The Punchbowl
Pink Floyd - Pulse
Paul Weller - Stanley Road
Michael Jackson - HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book 1
Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill
Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith
Garbage - Garbage
Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
Prince - The Gold Experience
Oasis - What's The Story Morning Glory
No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Inifinite Sadness
Marilyn Manson - Smells Like Children
Pulp - Different Class
Madonna - Something To Remember
Meat Loaf - Welcome to the Neighbourhood

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
UFO - Walk on Water

I have Enchant marked as 1993...

1993 is correct for A Blueprint of the World. It was reissued in 1995.

[TAC]

1995 was the year my life was turned upside down. It's literally the half way point of my life right now, and a stark line of demarcation between the two.

This is what I bought in 1995:

Dream Theater-A Change Of Seasons
Anthrax-Stomp 442
Iron Maiden-The X Factor 
Flotsam & Jetsam-Drift
Ozzy Osbourne-Ozzmosis
Van Halen-Balance
AC/DC-Ballbreaker

And transitionally..
Red Hot Chili Pepprs-One Hot Minute
Alanis Morrisette-Jagged Little Pill
Joan Osbourne-Relish



Concerts I saw that year..

1995..2/15..Slayer..The Strand Providence
1995..3/18..Tesla.. The Strand Providence
1995..3/19..Tesla..Avalon Boston
1995..4/9..Page/Plant..Boston Garden
1995..4/17..Slash’s Snakepit.. The Strand Providence
1995..4/30..Van Halen..Providence Civic Center
1995..5/11..Dokken.. The Strand Providence
1995..7/12..Megadeth, Korn, Flotsam & Jetsam.. The Strand Providence
1995..7/16..Queensryche..Great Woods Mansfield MA
1995..8/3..Dream Theater.. The Strand Providence
1995..8/9..Van Halen..Great Woods Mansfield MA
1995..10/23..Page/Plant..Fleet Center Boston
1995..11/25..Anthrax..Avalon Boston
1995..12/6..Red Hot Chili Peppers, Silverchair..Fleet Center Boston

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

OK, not quite a top 100, but a top 75. These were my formative years (91-99) as far as shaping my music tastes. Lots of classic albums that came out in 95 specifically. The top 5 are all 5* albums, no contest.

1. Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side                        (After being on my lists for their first 4 albums, they finally top a yearly list with, what I consider their best album)
2. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons                                         (Great epic song along with some great live covers)
3. Ved Buens Ende..... - Written in Waters                                        (Beautiful, dissonant, unique, timeless)
4. Spock's Beard - The Light                                                            (A hell of a debut album, and to this day, still my favorite Spock's Beard album)
5. Pink Floyd - Pulse                                                                       (This live show changed my life)
6. The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness    (It's not perfect, but it's one of those albums that I got when it was released and had probably the biggest impact on me of any album on this list)
7. Death - Symbolic                                                                        (almost perfectly balancing aggression, technicality, and progginess)
8. Shadow Gallery - Carved In Stone                                               (another album that isn't perfect, but the melodies are so gorgeous and the vocal harmonies are on point)
9. Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways                                    (first PT album I bought after Deadwing; I was blown away by the difference in style and sound and I loved it just as much)
10. Dishwalla - Pet Your Friends                                                       (another album like Mellon Collie that I bought at the time of release that made a huge impact on me. I love JR Richards vocals here)
11. Bone Thugs N Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal                                   (My first hip hop album, bought at the time (still surprised my mom let me buy it), it was also a very unique and influential hip hop album and for good reason)
12. Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight                                                      (One of those Marillion albums that took forever to click, but when it did, fell in love with it)
13. Björk - Post                                                                              (even better, and weirder, than her debut album)
14. Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains                                                  (Perhaps their most diverse album and their darkest)
15. Ulver - Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler                                     (the legacy of Ulver begins here. Not bad for an album written buy an 18 year old kid)
16. Opeth - Orchid                                                                          (the legacy of Opeth begins here)
17. Anekdoten - Nucleus                                                                 (maybe not as good as their previous album, but great nonetheless)
18. Conception - In Your Multitude                                                   (One of those prog metal bands that wasn't given enough credit back in the 90s)
19. Sieges Even - Sophisticated                                                       (Not quite to their final, best, form yet, but a fun album)
20. The Gathering - Mandylion                                                         (the legacy of Anneke van Giersbergen begins here, what a beautiful voice)
21. Blut aus Nord - Ultima Thulée                                                    (not as good as the above Ulver album in the Black Metal arena, I find that Blut aus Nord would go on to do better things. Also not bad for being written and recorded by a 16 year old)
22. The Tea Party - The Edges of Twilight
23. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory                                    (another album bought on release that I loved a lot more as a kid, but still find it to be pretty good)
24. Symphony X - The Damnation Game                                          (the legacies of Michael Romeo and Russell Allen begins here)
25. In the Woods... - HEart of the Ages
26. Scott Walker - Tilt                                                                     (The beginning of the dramatic experimental phase of his career, and IMO his best phase)
27. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free
28. No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom                                                        (another one of those albums that shaped my music tastes from a young age, it would be higher on the list except for a few clunkers)
29. Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
30. Fleurety - Min tid skal komme                                                    (one of the more unique black metal bands out there, at least in 1995)
31. Goodie Mob - Soul Food
32. Sonic Youth - Washing Machine
33. The Roots - Do You Want More?!!!??!                                          (do you like Jazz in your hip hop? I do too!)
34. Summoning - Minus Morgul                                                        (yes, their first album came out earlier in the year, but this is where they truly begin their legacy)
35. Ayreon - The Final Experiment                                                   (not the greatest Ayreon album, by a long shot, but a great start)
36. UFO - Walk On Water
37. Ophthalamia - Via Dolorosa                                                        (very catchy, yet diverse and unique black metal)
38. Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery                                                    (yes Skydancer came out 2 years earlier, but this is the true beginning of the greatest Melodic Death Metal band)
39. My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River
40. Primus - Tales from the Punchbowl                                              (first Primus album I bought and still my favorite)
41. Screaming Headless Torsos - Screaming Headless Torsos              (Jojo Mayer is an absolute beast on the drums)
42. At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul                                            (their best album, but still not quite as good as Dark Tranquillity's offering)
43. Nightingale - The Breathing Shadow                                            (This is where the legacy of Dan Swanö begins for me)
44. Mad Season - Above
45. Faith No More - King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
46. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill                                             (another album of my youth, still as catchy and "fun" as it was back then)
47. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love
48. Fugazi - Red Machine
49. Hum - You'd Prefer an Astronaut
50. Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante
51. Running Wild - Masquerade                                                        (the last good Running Wild album)
52. Sunny Day Real Estate - LP2                                                      (got this album because of the Batman Forever soundtrack, was not disappointed)
53. Skepticism - Stormcrowfleet                                                       (considered one of the greatest Funeral Doom albums of all time (it isn't) and highly influential. Good but not great album)
54. Punky Brüster - Cooked on Phonics                                             (I know this was made, mostly, as a joke, but I still really get a kick out of it. Devin Townsend never ceases to amuse me)
55. The Flower Kings - Back in the World of Adventures
56. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve
57. Absu - The Sun of Tiphareth
58. Unwound - The Future of What
59. Radiohead - The Bends
60. Swans - The Great Annihilator
61. Teramaze - Doxology                                                                 (good debut album, with much better to come)
62. Boards of Canada - Twoism
63. Ozric Tentacles - Become the Other
64. The Verve - A Northern Soul
65. Kyuss - ...And the Circus Leaves Town
66. Clutch - Clutch
67. Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo
68. Lake of Tears - Headstones
69. King Crimson - Thrak
70. Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
71. Primordial - Imrama
72. Strapping Young Lad - Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing                   (More Devy, heavier than the album title suggests)
73. Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters                                                          (The beginning of their legacy, with much better albums to come)
74. Deftones - Adrenaline                                                                 (See above)
75. Bal-Sagoth - A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria                           (see above)
76. Anathema - Pentecost III
77. Echolyn - As the World

[HOF]

1995 is an interesting year (and I had two entries from 1994 misclassified which were actually from 1995). I have a lot of albums from this year, but a bunch of these I only care for 2 or 3 songs. But some good ones still, including probably my favorite album ever.

1. Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
3. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
4. Dokken - Dysfunctional
5. Van Halen - Balance
6. Tears for Fears - Raul and the Kings of Spain
7. Toad the Wet Sprocket - In Light Syrup
8. Collective Soul - Collective Soul
9. Radiohead - The Bends
10. The Flower Kings - Back in the World of Adventures
11. Kevin Gilbert - Thud
12. Spock’s Beard - The Light
13. Alanis Morrissette - Jagged Little Pill
14. Skid Row - Subhuman Race
15. Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo
16. Natalie Merchant - Tiger Lilly
17. Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun
18. King Crimson - THRAK
19. Better Than Ezra - Deluxe
20. Soul Asylum - Let Your Dim Light Shine
21. Mad Season - Above
22. Neil Young - Mirror Ball
23. Gary Hoey - Gary Hoey
24. Extreme - Waiting For The Punchline

[ariich]

1. Queen - Made in Heaven
2. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
3. King Crimson - THRAK
4. Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side
5. Silverchair - Frogstomp
6. Michael Jackson - History
7. Meat Loaf - Welcome to the Neighborhood
8. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
9. Radiohead - The Bends
10. Scott Walker - Tilt
11. Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery
12. Spock's Beard - The Light
13. Green Day - Insomniac
14. No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
15. Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways

Other good albums:
Extreme - Waiting for the Punchline
Faith No More - King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
The Flower Kings - Back in the World of Adventures
Kevin Gilbert - Thud (now in the correct year)
Paradise Lost - Draconian Times
Pink Floyd - Pulse
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

[MirrorMask]

1995 was an awesome  year and many bands put out essential albums.

The gold medal has to be shared:

1. Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side
1. Rage – Black in Mind

Sorry,  can't decide between these two utter masterpieces of german heavy metal, the very best albums of the respective bands and of the entire german scene in general.

Then the podium is filled by:

3. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I

Another timeless masterpiece and a band everyone here should know and love more.


Then filling out in a somehow impossible order the rest of the year:

4. Gamma Ray – Land of the Free
5. Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
6. Savatage - Dead Winter Dead
7. Shadow Gallery - Carved in Stone
8. Rainbow - Stranger in Us All
9. Royal Hunt - Moving Target
10. Iron Maiden – The X Factor

Honorable mentions for:

Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad
Symphony X - The Damnation Game

Oh, and seeing Meat Loaf mentioned, I totally should have put Bat out of Hell II in my 1993 list.

[jingle.boy]

Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
UFO - Walk on Water

I have Enchant marked as 1993...

Right you are.  Not sure how my library tagged it with '95.

1993 is correct for A Blueprint of the World. It was reissued in 1995.

I guess that explains it!

[WardySI]

1995

1. IRON MAIDEN - The X Factor
2. PARADISE LOST - Draconian Times
3. VAN HALEN - Balance
4. WASP - Still Not Black Enough
5. POWDERFINGER - Mr Kneebone
6. SAIGON KICK - Devil In The Details
7. OZZY OSBOURNE - Ozzmosis
8. THE SCREAMING JETS - Screaming Jets
9. DREAM THEATER - A Change Of Seasons
10. EYEWITNESS - Self Titled (Ralph Santolla)


WARRANT - Ultraphobic
SKID ROW - Subhuman Race
EXTREME - Waiting For The Punchline
MONSTER MAGNET - Dopes To Infinity
SAXON - Dogs Of War
ALICE IN CHAINS - AIC
KINGDOM COME - Twilight Cruiser
FAITH NO MORE - King for a Day Fool for a Lifetime

[nick_z]

OK, not quite a top 100, but a top 75. These were my formative years (91-99) as far as shaping my music tastes. Lots of classic albums that came out in 95 specifically. The top 5 are all 5* albums, no contest.

Same here - those were truly formative years for my musical exploration as well. And looking at your yearly lists, there's plenty of overlap 

Some of your picks that I share and haven't seen much of:

7. Death - Symbolic                                                                        (almost perfectly balancing aggression, technicality, and progginess)                           
18. Conception - In Your Multitude                                                   (One of those prog metal bands that wasn't given enough credit back in the 90s)
19. Sieges Even - Sophisticated                                                       (Not quite to their final, best, form yet, but a fun album)
20. The Gathering - Mandylion                                                         (the legacy of Anneke van Giersbergen begins here, what a beautiful voice)
24. Symphony X - The Damnation Game                                          (the legacies of Michael Romeo and Russell Allen begins here)
238. Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery                                                    (yes Skydancer came out 2 years earlier, but this is the true beginning of the greatest Melodic Death Metal band)
39. My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River
43. Nightingale - The Breathing Shadow                                            (This is where the legacy of Dan Swanö begins for me)
46. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve
58. Lake of Tears - Headstones

Sieges Even's album is a lot of fun. For my taste, A Sense of Change is their best - although the Rush worship was strong there The Gathering's Mandylion was lumped in the "gothic metal" scene, but it was obviously much more than that. The Damnation Game might not be among SX's very best, but Edge of Forever is an incredible song (not to mention setting the, um, template for many of their best songs to follow). And that Nightingale debut - so good. I would say Edge of Sanity had already established Dan Swano as a crucial figure in the scene, but The Breathing Shadow is a great representation of his vision. Also very happy to see Lake of Tears' Headstones. It's a good one, and the one most influenced by the gothic-doom sound of those years. Did you hear the album that came out this year? I enjoyed it a fair bit.

[nick_z]

3. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part I

Another timeless masterpiece and a band everyone here should know and love more.

I've got the years for part I and II wrong...Had I in 1994 and II in 1995. Will have to amend.

Can't quite decide which one is better, btw. Part II probably has higher highs, but I think I like part I a bit better. Not that it really matters, since we can happily listen to both 

[MirrorMask]

Yeah, Part I is solid all the way through, Part II is more inconsistent but it has A Symphony of Steele, Prometheus, Emalaith and Victory is Mine. Tough choice 

[dparrott]

1995 was the year for British pop music and I loved it!

Blur - The Great Escape.  Their singles battle with Oasis launched them as megastars in Europe.  Great album, great production and variety.

Oasis - Morning Glory - Eh, not as good as their first I think.  It has some great songs but I don't like this softer side to them.  Hey Now runs on too long, and those Swamp Song bits are pointless. 

Radiohead - The Bends is a classic.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

OK, not quite a top 100, but a top 75. These were my formative years (91-99) as far as shaping my music tastes. Lots of classic albums that came out in 95 specifically. The top 5 are all 5* albums, no contest.

Same here - those were truly formative years for my musical exploration as well. And looking at your yearly lists, there's plenty of overlap 

Some of your picks that I share and haven't seen much of:

7. Death - Symbolic                                                                        (almost perfectly balancing aggression, technicality, and progginess)                           
18. Conception - In Your Multitude                                                   (One of those prog metal bands that wasn't given enough credit back in the 90s)
19. Sieges Even - Sophisticated                                                       (Not quite to their final, best, form yet, but a fun album)
20. The Gathering - Mandylion                                                         (the legacy of Anneke van Giersbergen begins here, what a beautiful voice)
24. Symphony X - The Damnation Game                                          (the legacies of Michael Romeo and Russell Allen begins here)
238. Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery                                                    (yes Skydancer came out 2 years earlier, but this is the true beginning of the greatest Melodic Death Metal band)
39. My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River
43. Nightingale - The Breathing Shadow                                            (This is where the legacy of Dan Swanö begins for me)
46. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve
58. Lake of Tears - Headstones

Sieges Even's album is a lot of fun. For my taste, A Sense of Change is their best - although the Rush worship was strong there The Gathering's Mandylion was lumped in the "gothic metal" scene, but it was obviously much more than that. The Damnation Game might not be among SX's very best, but Edge of Forever is an incredible song (not to mention setting the, um, template for many of their best songs to follow). And that Nightingale debut - so good. I would say Edge of Sanity had already established Dan Swano as a crucial figure in the scene, but The Breathing Shadow is a great representation of his vision. Also very happy to see Lake of Tears' Headstones. It's a good one, and the one most influenced by the gothic-doom sound of those years. Did you hear the album that came out this year? I enjoyed it a fair bit.

I haven't heard the new Lake of Tears yet. It's on my to listen list though. Their previous album, Illwill, was kind of lacking.

[WildRanger]

1995:

1. Death - Symbolic
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
3. Faith No More - King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime
4. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
5. Radiohead - The Bends
6. Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
7. Down - NOLA
8. Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
9. Garbage - Garbage
10. Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side

Honorable mentions: No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
Ulver - Bergtatt - Et Eventyr I 5 Capitler
Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery

[SoundscapeMN]

1996

1996 was a year that I was amidst in listening to progressive metal and getting my 1st taste of progressive rock beyond Rush. Although it was odd how '96, '97, '98 I did check out a lot of it, to mixed success. But I guess 1996 maybe was best known for waiting for the next Dream Theater album after being obsessed with them, buying bootlegs and loving their new EP from 1995, despite the departure of Kevin Moore.

King's X and Fates Warning were the other go-to's around that time. Ear Candy came out in May, but it was actually in July or August I 1st checked them out and did enjoy their newest album quite a bit after initially thinking they were a Lenny Kravitz wannabe band.

I went on to see King's X live in 1996 along with Galactic Cowboys, another new band to me. And their new album Machine Fish was a record I enjoyed and have since.

Rush of course released their 1st album in 3 years in Test For Echo, which I can't say was a huge disappointment, but ultimately, seems a bit sad given it was really the 1st new album they released after me being an addicted fan (I suppose 2nd, but when Counterparts came out in 1993, I didn't even know it was coming out, and I was still digesting some of their massive catalog).

But I guess when I was only luke warm about the new Rush album, and my almost impatience waiting for a new Dream Theater album. A couple of things filled that void for me.

1) The Rush tribute album  from Magna Carta Working Man. It had a bunch of musicians I enjoyed including I recall all of the Dream Theater guys aside from Derek Sherinian I think.Plus it was co-produced by Mike Portnoy.

But the likes of Fates Warning, Shadow Gallery, Devin Townsend and some others.

2) Victor, the Alex Lifeson side/solo project, which I later came to learn about the singer being Edwin from I Mother Earth

3) The underground progressive rock and metal scene. "Neoprog" and Power Metal along with labels like Magna Carta and these Import prog and metal companies like Impulse music which I came across selling cds at Record Shows and they were originally based in the Twin Cities, but eventually moved to Roselle, IL.

And it was through Impulse I first heard about Angra, a brazilian band who played incredibly fast and technical, and had this soaring singer named Andre Matos that I absolutely loved. And their album Holy Land I eventually came to love the most.

Another one I read about 1st on the Ytsejam through the Dream Theater fans, and eventually purchased the debut album Behind, from Germany's Superior.

Oddly Andre even later went on to sing on a Superior tune on their next album.

The other records from 1996, Spock's Beard, I Mother Earth, DJ Shadow, Porcupine Tree, Eric Johnson among others actually make 1996 a pretty deep year that also is somewhat top heavy. I mean Holy Land is an all-time classic, but after that there's just a long list of very good records that extend into the 20's or more.

1. Angra - Holy Land
2. Superior - Behind
3. Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
4. King's X - Ear Candy
5. I Mother Earth - Scenery and Fish
6. Victor - Victor
7. Galactic Cowboys - Machine Fish
8. DJ Shadow - Entroducing....
9. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
10. Porcupine Tree - Signify
11. Enchant - Wounded
12. Marillion - Made Again
13. The Tea Party - Alhambra [EP]
14. Various Artists - Working Man: A Show of Bands
15. The Flower Kings - Retropolis
16. Super 8 - Super 8
17. Galactic Cowboys - Feel the Rage [EP]
18. Lemur Voice - Insights
19. Jason Falkner - Presents Author Unknown
20. Rush - Test for Echo
21. sElf - The Half-Baked Serenade
22. Orphaned Land - El Norra Alla
23. Screaming Headless Torsos - Live!!
24. Altura - Mercy
25. Visionary - Visionary
26. Yes - Keys 2 Ascension
27. 24-7 Spyz - Heavy Metal Soul by the Pound
28. Fountains of Wayne - Fountains of Wayne
29. George Michael - Older
30. Paula Cole - This Fire
31. dredg - Conscious [EP]
32. The Wondermints - Wonderful World of the Wondermints
33. The Wishing Tree - Carnival of Souls
34. Archive - Londium

Concerts
5/30/96 Styx/Kansas - St.Paul Civic Center St.Paul, MN
8/26/96 King's X/Galactic Cowboys - The Mirage Minneapolis, MN
10/29/96 Rush - Target Center Minneapolis, MN

[ReaperKK]

Woo 1996, here we go:

1. dredg - Conscious - 5/5 - The first demo EP from one of my favorite bands. 4 songs, really heavy with a nu metal flair
2. Tool - Aenima - 4.5/5 - Great album but I think it's aged the worst of the Tool releases
3. Dave Matthews Band - Crash - 4/5 - My first intro to DMB, still love this record to this day
4. Metallica - Load - 4/5
5. Failure - Fantastic Planet - 4/5
6. Ludovico Einaudi - Le Onde - 3.5/5
7. Kiss - MTV Unplugged - 3.5/5 - My dad had this on Laserdisc and I'd watch it all the time. The only decent Kiss album IMO
8. Pantera - Great Southern Trendkill- 3.5/5
9. Tonic - Lemon Parade - 3/5
10. Alive In Chains - MTV Unplugged - 3/5
11. Porcupine Tree - Signify - 3/5
12. Tori Amos - Boys For Pele - 2/5 - If this album was shorter it'd be much better
13. Opeth - Morningrise - 2/5
14. Matchbox 20 - Yourself Or Someone Like You - 2/5 - I really loved this album when I was younger but it's aged poorly, probably due to many songs being played non-stop
15. Nirvana - From The Muddy Banks Of Wishkah - 1/5 - I listened to this album on repeat for hours when I was little but after revisiting it a few years ago I really disliked it.
16. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.... - 1/5

[MirrorMask]

1996.... what an awesome year for the beginning of resurgence of heavy metal. Let's try to make a list:

1. Rage - End of All Days

In an year of masterpieces, Rage finally wins it alone with this absolutely amazing album, one of their very best. A gem of german heavy metal.

2. Helloween - The Time of the Oath

Speaking of german heavy metal, one of the best albums from the pumpkins.

3. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part II

The Marriage saga continues along with legendary songs such as Emalaith and A Symphony of Steele.

And now, an alternate podium, because these three records all deserve an hypothetical "medal":

4. Iced Earth - The Dark Saga (Could have sent it on the podium, really)
5. Grave Digger - Tunes of War (Another amazing album, podium worthy absolutely)
6. Therion - Theli (the beginning of symphonic metal as we know it)

Also great records worth of any top ten:

Angra - Holy Land
Stratovarius - Episode
Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks

And finally some albums not so great but still good:

Metallica - Load
Manowar - Louder Than Hell

And a special mention for Rage - Lingua Mortis, an album that came a few months before Therion's Theli and is one of the very first records, if not THE first, to blend metal and classic music.

[nick_z]

1996

Overall maybe not as stellar in my book as the years immediately preceding it, but some outstanding albums nonetheless

Top 15, fluid ranking:

Amorphis – Elegy (I remember I was a little taken aback at first, after Tales…but, clearly, I have grown to LOVE this record)
Moonspell – Irreligious (they streamlined their sound a bit for this one, but managed to put out a classic for the “gothic-metal” genre)
Angra – Holy Land (their best album for me. Powerful stuff, with beautiful melodies and arrangements)
Novembre – Arte Novecento (the vocals are an acquired taste here, but the mood this album conveys is something else)
Anathema – Eternity (strong Pink Floyd vibes in this “transitional” album for them. Great stuff)
Dave Matthews Band – Crash (probably my favorite DMB album)
Tool – Aenima (Undertow was good, but here is where Tool becomes Tool)
Therion – Theli (This is bombastic, over-the-top Therion at their best. And there’s actual, amazing songs to back it all up)
Katatonia – Brave Murder Day (different from the Katatonia we know today, but a classic in the death-doom genre)
Hypocrisy – Abducted (this is where Peter Tagtgren’s unique brand of death metal truly comes together for the first time. Still my favorite from Hypocrisy)
Skyclad – Irrational Anthems (another brilliant one from Skyclad. The “folk” starts being a little more prevalent here, but still hard-hitting)
Helloween – The Time of the Oath (probably my favorite Deris-era album)
Kip Winger – This Conversation Seems Like a Dream (I know, I know  )
Rush – Test for Echo (this was my first Rush bought as a fan. I like it, don’t love it – admittedly, it shows up in this top list mostly by virtue of being Rush, but I happily listen to it to this day)
Opeth – Morningrise (Opeth would go on to become a different band after this, with Your Arms, Your Hearse…I love what they did afterwards, but I’m very fond of Morningrise. Some fantastic material in here)

EDIT: In Flames - The Jester Race (an absolute classic of melodic death metal)
EDIT #2: Sentenced - Down (Not as special as Amok for me, but a great start to a new era for them)

Honorable mentions:

Alice in Chains – MTV Unplugged
Cemetary – Sundown
CITA – Heat of Emotion
Cradle of Filth – Vempire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein
Crematory – Crematory
Decoryah – Fall-Dark Waters
Deep Purple – Purpendicular
Depressive Age – Electric Scum
Bruce Dickinson – Skunkworks
DJ Shadow – Entroducing…
Enchant – Wounded
Evereve – Seasons
Lisa Germano – Excerpts from a Love Circus
I Mother Earth – Scenery & Fish
Journey – Trial by Fire
Labyrinth – No Limits
Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go
Matchbox 20 – Yourself or Someone Like You
Metallica – Load
The Nefilim – Zoon
Neurosis – Through Silver in Blood
Nevermore – The Politics of Ecstasy
Nightingale – The Closing Chronicles
Porcupine Tree - Signify
Prong – Rude Awakening
Psychotic Waltz – Bleeding
Rage – End of All Days
Sadist – Tribe
Samael – Passage
Scheer – Infliction
Secret Discovery – A Question of Time
Sirrah – Acme
Spock’s Beard – Beware of Darkness
Stratovarius – Episode
Virgin Steele – The Marriage of Heaven and Hell – Part 2
The Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse
Zakk Wylde – Book of Shadows

..and the usual round of lesser known prog(ish) metal:

Altura – Mercy
Leviathan – Riddles, Questions, Poetry and Outrage
Maraya – No Hope for Humanity
Mystere De Notre Dame – S/T
Poverty’s No Crime – The Autumn Years
Power – Justice of Fire
The Quest – Change
Seventhsign – Perpetual Destiny
Soul Cages – Moments
Superior – Behind

[HOF]

1996 is a really fun year. It's much more loaded than I realized. In my mind I always had 1993 and 1994 as the big years in the 90s, but 1996 is right up there with them.

1. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
2. The Flower Kings - Retropolis
3. Kip Winger - Thisconversationseemslikeadream
4. The Blue Nile - Peace at Last
5. Journey - Trial by Fire
6. Rush - Test for Echo
7. King's X- Ear Candy
8. Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
9. Dave Matthews Band - Crash
10. Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites
11. Mr. Big - Hey Man
12. Gin Blossoms - Congratulations... I'm Sorry
13. Pear Jam - No Code
14. Sting - Mercury Falling
15. Enchant - Wounded
16. The Wishing Tree - Carnival of Souls
17. The Wallflowers - Bringing Down the Horse
18. Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music
19. Phil Collins - Dance Into The Light
20. Camel - Harbour of Tears
21. The Verve Pipe - Villains
22. Hootie & The Blowfish - Fairweather Johnson
23. Gary Hoey - Bug Alley

25th anniversary for all of these albums. Time flying by.
 

[nick_z]

..and the usual round of lesser known prog(ish) metal:

Altura – Mercy
Leviathan – Riddles, Questions, Poetry and Outrage
Maraya – No Hope for Humanity
Mystere De Notre Dame – S/T
Poverty’s No Crime – The Autumn Years
Power – Justice of Fire
The Quest – Change
Seventhsign – Perpetual Destiny
Soul Cages – Moments
Spastik Ink – Ink Complete
Superior – Behind

2. Superior - Behind

24. Altura - Mercy

Clearly not "lesser known" by you  Interesting that you have Superior so high in your rankings for the year. Listening to the album as we speak, as I haven't in a long time. Good stuff. "Why" is a fantastic song. I realized I've never heard "Younique". I did however randomly find their third (and last?) album, Ultima Ratio, as a used CD a few years ago. Will have to revisit that too.

As for Altura, I remember it being very inspired by DT. Indeed, I had bought it that year as I was riding the wave of bands sounding that way...have to go back to that one...

[ariich]

1. Metallica - Load
2. Ocean Colour Scene - Moseley Shoals
3. Helloween - The Time of the Oath
4. Bad Religion - The Gray Race
5. Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks
6. Amorphis - Elegy
7. Pendragon - The Masquerade Overture
8. dada - El Subliminoso
9. Deep Purple - Purpendicular
10. Porcupine Tree - Signify
11. Ulver - Kveldssanger
12. Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
13. Social Distortion - White Light White Heat White Trash
14. Ayreon - Actual Fantasy
15. Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving

Also good:
Arena - Pride
Asia - Arena
DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....
The Flower Kings - Retropolis
Hooverphonic - A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular
Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
Skyclad - Irrational Anthems
Sting - Mercury Falling

[SoundscapeMN]

..and the usual round of lesser known prog(ish) metal:

Altura – Mercy
Leviathan – Riddles, Questions, Poetry and Outrage
Maraya – No Hope for Humanity
Mystere De Notre Dame – S/T
Poverty’s No Crime – The Autumn Years
Power – Justice of Fire
The Quest – Change
Seventhsign – Perpetual Destiny
Soul Cages – Moments
Spastik Ink – Ink Complete
Superior – Behind

2. Superior - Behind

24. Altura - Mercy

Clearly not "lesser known" by you  Interesting that you have Superior so high in your rankings for the year. Listening to the album as we speak, as I haven't in a long time. Good stuff. "Why" is a fantastic song. I realized I've never heard "Younique". I did however randomly find their third (and last?) album, Ultima Ratio, as a used CD a few years ago. Will have to revisit that too.

As for Altura, I remember it being very inspired by DT. Indeed, I had bought it that year as I was riding the wave of bands sounding that way...have to go back to that one...

I love Superior, actually wrote a long winded topic about them Here many years ago.

"Why" is an incredible song, maybe 1 of the best "Prog Metal" songs ever recorded. And if you enjoy Behind, yes, most definitely seek out Younique. I find it better/their best in fact.

Superior were a really big name among Prog Metal/Dream Theater fans in the late 90's. But you're right, in the grand scheme of history, they are super obscure.

Altura, even more so, but Altura was talked about and promoted by Magna Carta A TON, I had to check them out, and I did/do enjoy that record. Yeah DT and Fates Warning was clearly a big influence.

You also have Seventh Sign's album Perpetual Destiny, which I also own and enjoyed a fair amount back then. A very big Queensryche influence on their sound.

The mid and late 90's saw so many of those types of Dream Theater/Rush influenced Heavy Prog/Prog Metal bands coming out, some better than others I suppose. Soundscape, probably being my favorite still. I checked out and got into a lot of them, but I also know there were a ton more I never heard.

In looking back on it now, while I'm not sure how different so much of the "Prog Metal" is today, for some reason those bands back then did more for me, than the Prog Metal bands today do. I'm really not sure why, but maybe it has to do with the fact I prefer Dream Theater's music from back then a lot more?

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Spastik Ink – Ink Complete

This was released in 1997.

[nick_z]

Spastik Ink – Ink Complete

This was released in 1997.

Will amend 

[nick_z]

Altura, even more so, but Altura was talked about and promoted by Magna Carta A TON, I had to check them out, and I did/do enjoy that record. Yeah DT and Fates Warning was clearly a big influence.

Didn't realize their singer went on to sing for While Heaven Wept (epic/melodic/doom band)...just read about it as I was checking out their line-up...

You also have Seventh Sign's album Perpetual Destiny, which I also own and enjoyed a fair amount back then. A very big Queensryche influence on their sound.

...and a fair bit of Fates Warning too, especially in the vocals...

The mid and late 90's saw so many of those types of Dream Theater/Rush influenced Heavy Prog/Prog Metal bands coming out, some better than others I suppose. Soundscape, probably being my favorite still. I checked out and got into a lot of them, but I also know there were a ton more I never heard.

In looking back on it now, while I'm not sure how different so much of the "Prog Metal" is today, for some reason those bands back then did more for me, than the Prog Metal bands today do. I'm really not sure why, but maybe it has to do with the fact I prefer Dream Theater's music from back then a lot more?

Yeah, I was seeking a lot of these bands myself, as I was hungry for more of that DT sound...I have similar feelings as you do about the scene then and now. Certainly not all of those Prog Metal (capital P) bands that popped out in the 90s were great, but for me it all was still very exciting, as that sound was "new" to me...

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Alright 1996. Not as amazing or as consistent as 1995, but has some amazing albums nonetheless. I'll keep this to a top 50 here. You can see my entire list here

1. Type O Negative - October Rust             (this should come as no surprise to anyone that knows me. One of the greatest Doomy/Gothic Metal albums of all time)
2. Tool - Ænima                                       (2nd best Tool album)
3. Pendragon - The Masquerade Overture  (My introduction to Pendragon and still my favorite)
4. Opeth - Morningrise                             (A huge step up from Orchid and still not even close to a good as they would eventually become. Still excellent!)
5. Neurosis - Through Silver and Blood      (The pinnacle of Neurosis, although they would come close on some later albums)
6. Weezer - Pinkerton                               (a massive change of pace from their first album and yet, still excellent)
7. Devil Doll - Dies Irae                            (avant-garde rock opera full of suspense and sprinklings of just about everything music has to offer)
8. Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged           (One upping Nirvana one last time)
9. Rush - Test for Echo                             (The second Rush album I bought on release (the first being Roll the Bones (somehow missed Counterparts on release)), at the time I liked it more, but it has slightly faded over time. Still love it though)
10. Porcupine Tree - Signify                      (This album took a long time for me to get into, but it was worth the effort)
11. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age
12. The 3rd and the Mortal - Painting on Glass
13. Burzum - Filosofem
14. Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die
15. Dave Matthews Band - Crash
16. Psychotic Waltz - Bleeding
17. Katatonia - Brave Murder Day
18. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....
19. Sacramentum - Far Away From the Sun
20. Tori Amos - Boys for Pele
21. Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorism Tactics
22. Harvey Milk - Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men
23. Motorpsycho - Blissard
24. Falkenbach - ...En Their Medh Riki Fara...
25. Helloween - The Time of the Oath
26. Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
27. The Cranberries - To the Faithful Departed
28. Amorphis - Elegy
29. Unwound - Repetition
30. Outkast - ATliens
31. Modest Mouse - This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About
32. Edge of Sanity - Crimson
33. Weird Al Yankovic - Bad Hair Day
34. Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving
35. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
36. Superior - Behind
37. Astral Projection - Trust in Trance
38. Änglagård - Buried Alive
39. Ulver - Kveldssanger
40. Empyrium - A Wintersunset...
41. Bal-Sagoth - Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule
42. The Chasm - From the Lost Years...
43. Steve Vai -Fire Garden
44. Angra - Holy Land
45. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
46. Nevermore - The Politics of Ecstasy
47. Stratovarius - Episode
48. Novembre - Arte Novecento
49. The Tea Party - Alhambra
50. Boards of Canada - Hi Scores

[TAC]

8. Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged           (One upping Nirvana one last time)

No way. I bought the AiC one and thought it was awful. The Nirvana one is amazing.

[ReaperKK]

I thought that AiC unplugged could be hit or miss, some songs like "Down In A Hole" were amazing and better the original but others like "Angry Chair" are a miss.

[TAC]

I bought Facelift when it came out, but I never followed up with them. 1995-1996 was a strange time in my life and I thought I'd give their Unplugged an chance. It just didn't work for me. Something about the Nirvana one clicked with me, but I just couldn't get with the vibe on the AiC.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

8. Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged           (One upping Nirvana one last time)

No way. I bought the AiC one and thought it was awful. The Nirvana one is amazing.

The Nirvana one is good, which is why it was on my list, but I think the AiC unplugged is better

[WardySI]

1996 was quite an important year in music personally and am often  drawn back to these albums to this very day. Also tend to lump XFactor and couple other local records in with these as they were still somewhat fresh at the time and proved themselves to be reliable company during a challenging year 

1. SOUNDGARDEN Down On The Upside

2. POWDERFINGER Double Allergic

3. BRUCE DICKINSON SKUNKWORKS

4. TOOL Aenima

5. HORSEHEAD Onism

While Down On The Upside was a departure from the Loud Love Soundgarden, less Badmotorfinger's metal and less of the Superunknown finesse, DOTU was however a stunning collection of songs and was lyrically on par with anything Cornell or the band had penned before and IMO proved as essential a Soundgarden album as any!

Other mentions...
TONIC Lemon Parade
MR BIG Hey Man
RATM Evil Empire
METALLICA Load
DRAIN (STH) Horror Wrestling

[Dave_Manchester]

1. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle (in my top 10 albums of all time)

2. Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
3. Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind
4. Cradle of Filth - Dusk and Her Embrace
5. Mark Knopfler - Golden Heart

6. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads
7. Metallica - Load
8. Ween - 12 Golden Country Greats
9. R.E.M - New Adventures in HI-Fi
10. Tool - Aenima


The rest in no order...

Tori Amos - Boys for Pele
Deep Purple - Purpendicular
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself
Ocean Colour Scene - Moseley Shoals
Dave Matthews Band - Crash
Ash - 1977
Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
Republica - Republica
Steve Vai - Fire Garden
Cradle of Filth - V Empire
Prince - Emancipation
Richard Wright - Broken China
The Spice Girls - Spice

[HOF]

1. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle (in my top 10 albums of all time)

Listened to it again tonight. It is truly magnificent.

[Dave_Manchester]

1. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle (in my top 10 albums of all time)

Listened to it again tonight. It is truly magnificent.

It's a unique masterpiece. Ah Via Musicom gets all the plaudits but Venus Isle is where I feel he reached the apex of his talent. The song Venus Isle (that run in the solo at the end), Lonely In The Night (the single greatest guitar solo ever in my opinion), When The Sun Meets The Sky, Pavilion, the short but brilliant Venus Reprise...a total masterpiece of an album (and full of personal tragedy - his girlfriend at the time he was recording it was raped and murdered, and Song For Lynette is for her).