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General => Archive => General Music Archives => Topic started by: Nick on January 27, 2012, 04:47:57 PM
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Okay everybody, I will be starting this off with the first posting soon, but first I figured I'd let everyone know what guidelines I took into account when I made this. I decided that I would do my top 50, but also have 50 honorable mentions, effectively doing an honorable mention with every album I post. I assigned a number to each honorable mention and used a random number generator to decide what order they would be posted in, so they are not in order or anything. It was so tough to narrow down to 50 and I just wanted a way to give a nod to a huge chunk of albums that were left out, and of course there are still many fantastic albums that aren't included.
I decided that no band will have more than 3 mentions total, and no more than 2 mentions within the primary top 50 list. I plan to do an album (with honorable mention) a day on average. though some days I may miss and others I may post several.
Looking forward to having you all fly with me on this adventure soon!
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ITT: Nick does his top 100. ;)
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I decided that I would do my top 50, but also have 50 honorable mentions,
Dear God
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ITT: Nick does his top 100. ;)
:lol
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Top 5:
Moving Pictures, 2112, Images and Words, Scenes From a Memory, some other Rush album (I only know those two)
EDIT: Oh wait, only two per band...hmmm then maybe Powerslave or something.
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I'm not doing the honorable mentions in order, so while there will be 100 albums mentioned, I'll only be ordering and describing 50 of them. :p
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50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
(https://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg157/stormwielder/symphony-x_paradise-lost.jpg)
My one biggest comparison between Symphony X and Dream Theater isn't perhaps what one would expect, but I find that both bands do a heavier sound better than 99% of metal bands out there who make it their complete focus. Some of the heavier tracks on this sound better to my ears than much of what the metal world is producing. Although an apparent lack of keyboards was a bit disturbing at first, the fact is these tracks rock hard, and the songwriting is Symphony X at the top of their game. I also suggest that anyone who hasn't should listen to the 5.1 mix of this album. The keyboards are brought out a lot more in that mix and it makes a great album even better. And of course there is the title track... easily the best song of its type they've ever done, and quite possibly their best ever.
Top Songs: Paradise Lost, Serpent's Kiss, The Walls of Babylon
Honorable Mention: Dominici - O3, a Trilogy - Part Two
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Awesome album...my personal favorite by SX. AND THERES A 5.1 MIX??AEFIOJAOP
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Awful start.
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Dialog options:
Awesome pick man! I love that album! I'll be following this! :tup
Ewwwww, that album sucks man. Not a fan at all. :tdwn
(remain silent)
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We already know Thunder Sword is at the top of your list.
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Yeah but what album?
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Their single is better than any album.
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No EPs allowed.
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Best list ever.
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You started with PL just so I'd go on a rant, right? Please tell me you're trolling me Nick. Please tell me you're trolling me Nick.
You're trolling, right??
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You mad bro?
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:metal
Communion And The Oracle is Symphony X's best song though.
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Paradise Lost is like a shitburger on a menu of hamburgers, cheesburgers, and bacon cheeseburgers.
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:metal
Communion And The Oracle is Symphony X's best song though.
That was my favorite SX song for a long long time.
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
You've certainly turned the tables.
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
You've certainly turned the tables.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk1MANaha9k
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49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
(https://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/1937/cover_3621711102009.jpg)
It's no secret that I love me some Redemption. As far as traditional prog-metal to come out of the 00's they are the premier act without question in my book. Though the last album This Mortal Coil was a minor let-down for me the album that preceded it certainly is not. Snowfall manages to stand out from the crowd while being strongly rooted in prog-metal, a quality I've always applauded Redemption for. The guitar work and song-writing on the album is second to none, and Nick's lyrics for the album certainly caught my attention, even though I typically am not one to pay much attention to that aspect of things. And of course James LaBrie was perfectly utilized for his guest appearance on the album.
Favorite Songs: Love Kills Us All/Life in One Day, Another Day Dies, Black and White World
Honorable Mention: Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
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Another excellent album.
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Another excellent album.
Yep. Love Kills Us All/Life in One Day is one of my favorite songs ever, and rivals Memory as my favorite Redemption song.
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
I wouldn't put much stock in Gadough's opinions, he goes to a school who's two most famous alumni are famous for their lack of brain cells. :biggrin:
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
You've certainly turned the tables.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk1MANaha9k
I see that and raise you this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhSxMgpJL8
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I love Paradise Lost and I love Symphony X. I think it's a great start to the list.
anyone who disagrees = lol
I wouldn't put much stock in Gadough's opinions, he goes to a school who's two most famous alumni are famous for their lack of brain cells. :biggrin:
Plus, see my sig.
SX is great, but PL is only mildly better than their s/t and Damnation Game (imo)
For the most part, I'm very much looking forward to the list. But let's all be honest, it wouldn't be Nick without a fail or two along the way.
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Plus, see my sig.
But let's all be honest, it wouldn't be Nick without a fail or two along the way.
Thanks for for helping me prove my point about Propane Boy :lol
I'd say at least Nick is getting the fail out of the way early, but we all know that won't happen. :biggrin:
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Awesome, Nick's top 50 list, Nick should get this done very, very quickly. :biggrin:
Seriously, awesome start, my fav Reemption album and probably my fav SX album too. Looking forward to the rest.
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Oh man this should be a funny list. I don't forsee many surprises. :biggrin:
SoJD is a decent album though, but TFoT is better IMO.
That reminds me, I should finish my top 50 at some point.
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Drew and Wolf know what is up. :tup
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50 honorable mentions! Is this a joke? Make a decision and move on why don't you! :lol
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Drew and Wolf know what is up. :tup
Hey man, I like your list too.
What about me? What about Raven?
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i only got into Redemption half a year ago by discovering Snowfall (through this forum)...this album DOES rival the heavyweights in "traditional prog metal". (and i too was slightly disappointed by their new one...though i'm wearing the shirt right now).
Paradise Lost can't suck, cuz, you know, it's Symphony X...haters gonna hate. miss out on the awesomeness.
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Well, two fairly allright albums to sart it off, while I DO admit that I was a huge fan of Paradise Lost when it was first released. I never listen to it anymore though, I think I can see the flaws now.
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Plus, see my sig.
But let's all be honest, it wouldn't be Nick without a fail or two along the way.
Thanks for for helping me prove my point about Propane Boy :lol
I'd say at least Nick is getting the fail out of the way early, but we all know that won't happen. :biggrin:
Don't you and Nick have very similar tastes in music? :lol
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Plus, see my sig.
But let's all be honest, it wouldn't be Nick without a fail or two along the way.
Thanks for for helping me prove my point about Propane Boy :lol
I'd say at least Nick is getting the fail out of the way early, but we all know that won't happen. :biggrin:
Don't you and Nick have very similar tastes in music? :lol
Urge to profanely alter quote... rising.
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I don't know how you could possibly turn that into something dirty.
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I don't know what it is but I just can't get into Redemption.
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I don't know how you could possibly turn that into something dirty.
Only takes one word.
Don't you and Nick have very similar tastes in music cock? :lol
I don't hate PL, rating it in SX's entire catalogue is kinda like saying it finished 7th in the Miss America pageant.
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I don't know how you could possibly turn that into something dirty.
Only takes one word.
Don't you and Nick have very similar tastes in music cock? :lol
:tup :lol
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Drew and Wolf know what is up. :tup
Hey man, I like your list too.
What about me? What about Raven?
Jealous much?
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Drew and Wolf know what is up. :tup
Hey man, I like your list too.
What about me? What about Raven?
Jealous much?
NO!
NO!
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Nick and I seem to like a lot of the same bands, but we often differ on which albums and songs we think are their best. I like SyX a lot and plan to see them in March, I just think Paradise Lost is rivals their debut album as their worst, and the song Iconoclast is the only thing keeping that album from being as boring as Paradise Lost.
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Nick and I seem to like a lot of the same bands, but we often differ on which albums and songs we think are their best. I like SyX a lot and plan to see them in March, I just think Paradise Lost is rivals their debut album as their worst, and the song Iconoclast is the only thing keeping that album from being as boring as Paradise Lost.
But, but When All Is Lost!
Iconoclast would be a better album if this was the track list... Whoa, it's like I've done this already:
1. Iconoclast
2. The End of Innocence
3. Dehumanized
4. Bastards of the Machine
5. When All Is Lost
6. Electric Messiah
7. Prometheus (I Am Alive)
8. Light Up The Night
9. Reign in Madness
And Paradise Lost doesn't get much play from me anymore, but it has good songs on it.
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Swallowing.
I mean, um, following...
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
Get use to this pace bro! :lol
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
Get use to this pace bro! :lol
Yeah, this is the first list I'm going to actively follow and am actually interested in. Does Nick have this shit all typed up already and is created suspense or is everyone who does these lists just slow?
I've been contemplating making a "top whatever list". Would anyone follow it? I know I'm known for having such excellent taste. :\
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
Get use to this pace bro! :lol
Yeah, this is the first list I'm going to actively follow and am actually interested in. Does Nick have this shit all typed up already and is created suspense or is everyone who does these lists just slow?
I've been contemplating making a "top whatever list". Would anyone follow it? I know I'm known for having such excellent taste. :\
Go into the top 50 tracker thread and put your name down for a list. From what I know of you Zook, I really like your taste in music, so I'd definitely be interested.
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
Get use to this pace bro! :lol
Yeah, this is the first list I'm going to actively follow and am actually interested in. Does Nick have this shit all typed up already and is created suspense or is everyone who does these lists just slow?
I've been contemplating making a "top whatever list". Would anyone follow it? I know I'm known for having such excellent taste. :\
Go into the top 50 tracker thread and put your name down for a list. From what I know of you Zook, I really like your taste in music, so I'd definitely be interested.
I'm still thinking about. I don't even know what my all time favorite album is yet :lol I never really thought about it. I certainly have a bunch a favorites... Eh, the list is pretty long, I'll put my name down.
How 'bout that Iced Earth survivor I started? I'd like to get that going again someday. Hopefully I don't lose my internet like last time...
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Good start, Nick. I'm not a big Sym X guy, but I really enjoy Paradise Lost.
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Very good start; Paradise Lost is amazing.
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I'll be doing another album or three this afternoon. :)
Hurry up, fool.
Get use to this pace bro! :lol
Yeah, this is the first list I'm going to actively follow and am actually interested in. Does Nick have this shit all typed up already and is created suspense or is everyone who does these lists just slow?
I've been contemplating making a "top whatever list". Would anyone follow it? I know I'm known for having such excellent taste. :\
Go into the top 50 tracker thread and put your name down for a list. From what I know of you Zook, I really like your taste in music, so I'd definitely be interested.
I'm still thinking about. I don't even know what my all time favorite album is yet :lol I never really thought about it. I certainly have a bunch a favorites... Eh, the list is pretty long, I'll put my name down.
How 'bout that Iced Earth survivor I started? I'd like to get that going again someday. Hopefully I don't lose my internet like last time...
Definitely interested in doing the IE survivor again soon. Getting 50 albums is tough, but I think that's the challenge and excitement of it.
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48. Boston - Boston
(https://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/boston(15).jpg)
No classic rock band has come out with a debut as strong as the self-titled juggernaut from Boston. Despite taking their time on their other releases the band has never topped their near perfect starting record. A majority of the tracks are radio staples, and yet all those tracks are fantastic songs, a quality rarely seen on hit heavy records. Lots of amazing melodies, great guitar solos, and an overall fantastic feel good record.
Favorite tracks: Foreplay/Longtime, Peace of Mind, More Than a Feeling.
Honorable Mention: Rush - Permanent Waves
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My girlfriend has a Boston best of, as I never really got into them, but I listened to it the other day and was very, very impressed.
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1 at a time? This will take forever.
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Great picks so far, all of them!
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Boston's S/T just barely didn't make my top 50 cut! It's a fantastic album. Cool stuff so far, man.
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Foreplay/Longtime wins my award for "most fun song to play the drums on" on Rock Band.
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The mix on More Than a Feeling is really really great.
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great debut album.
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47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
(https://images.cryhavok.org/d/7369-1/Evergrey+-+Recreation+Day.jpg)
There isn't much I can say about this album that I can't say about several Evergrey albums. A very strong emotional and melodic performance delivered in a way that only Evergrey does. Powered by Tom Englund's unique voice, at least to this type of music Evergrey have certainly found a way to define themselves within the greater progressive-metal world. I don't think this album has many of Evergrey's top songs, however it may very well be their most consistent.
Favorite songs: Recreation Day, Blinded, As I Lie Here Bleeding
Honorable Mention: Redemption - The Fullness of Time
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^FUCK YES
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^FUCK YES
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Last 2 albums are killers!!
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^FUCK YES
This. Evergrey's finest album.
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I need to get around to listening to Recreation Day besides the title track.
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I need to get around to listening to Recreation Day besides the title track.
Do it. It's absolutely amazing.
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Recreation Day is amazing.
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Glad to see the love for Boston.
Evergrey is next on my list to check out.
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Recreation day is a very nice choice. As for Boston, everybody loves their debut, of course, but I actually prefer Don't look back. Still, a cool start, I'll follow this. :tup
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Really? I always thought Don't Look Back was their worst album, at least until they released Corporate America.
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I dig Evergrey, but I think I prefer "Dead Heart in a Dead World" Still, they're a great band with a very unique vocalist. :metal
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Dead Heart in a Dead World is Nevermore, which if I don't think Nick really cares for.
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46. Amorphis - Am Universum
(https://images.cryhavok.org/d/5893-1/Amorphis+-+Am+Universum.jpg)
Amorphis are like Evergrey in the sense that within their market they might not be revolutionary, but they have carved out a unique edge to their sound that can be easily picked up on by any fan. That sound is certainly present on Am Universum, an album that I find to be their strongest. Sure, I may not enjoy the growling on later albums as much as most (though I do appreciate how Amorphis uses growls more than 95% of bands), but I do think even in the songwriting that this album tops them all.
Favorite tracks: Crimson Wave, Grieve Stricken Heart, The Night is Over
Honorable Mention: The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
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The Story So Far:
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
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I dig Evergrey, but I think I prefer "Dead Heart in a Dead World" Still, they're a great band with a very unique vocalist. :metal
Big fail right here.
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Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Rush - Permanent Waves
Me = shocked Personally, I agree - it just missed my Top 50, but still, I'm shocked.
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Well, remember, only 2 albums from any given artist can make the top 50.
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Is that your rule or is that the general top 50 rule?
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That's his rule. There are no real hard and fast rules for lists other than user defined.
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Yeah, I did it to keep it a lot more interesting. Otherwise there are 3-5 bands who might have 3-5 albums each and that would really cut down on the variety in this thing.
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Variety sma-riety!
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I think like 5 DT albums would be in my top 50. I wouldn't want to limit my list just because it seems like excess if I really do like those albums that much.
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45. Spock's Beard - Octane
(https://spd.fotolog.com/photo/29/49/66/fotologdelruido/1242048848933_f.jpg)
I have to give Spock's Beard a lot of credit of late. As things got tougher and tougher on the band they've managed to recently put out a fantastic album and have found able replacements to carry on after losing their 2nd mainman in their career. But Octane takes us back a few years. Coming off of the heels of a solid Feel Euphoria album, Octane sees Spock's Beard establish themselves once again as a prog-rock leader post-Neal Morse. Some of the shorter tracks on Octane exceed anything or similar length the band was able to accomplish with Neal in the band.
Favorite tracks: She is Everything, Climbing Up That Hill, Surfing Down the Avalanche
Honorable mention: Beardfish - Mammoth
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Octane rules. I always got the sense that V and Snow were the favorites here (both incredible albums) but I actually prefer Octane and Day For Night.
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Snow is easily their most overrated album imo.
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Well, I love concept albums, so it's up there for me. Over-rated or not, it's still a great album.
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Really? I always thought Don't Look Back was their worst album, at least until they released Corporate America.
Don't Look Back is very good.
Nice job, Nick on the Boston selection.
Not sure about Evergrey and I've never heard Spock's Beard..
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Really? I always thought Don't Look Back was their worst album, at least until they released Corporate America.
What's wrong with it? I guess Party and Used to bad news are not that great, but all other tracks are brilliant in my opinion.
And I really like Octane, so it's a pleasant surprise to see it in someone's top 50 list. :tup
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Snow is easily their most overrated album imo.
I agree. In terms of how often to I listen to each SB album, Snow only beats Beware of Darkness. The problem is there is about 1.3 albums worth of material stretched out to make a double album. The highs are high, but the lows are probably SB lows on that album.
Nick failed to mention that the only proper way to own Octane is to get the 2 disc version.
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I sadly do not own the 2-disc version, but it's on my list.
As for Boston, I think Don't Look Back is a strong album, and even features my favorite song, the title track, which in turn features one of my favorite guitar leads of all time.
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Wow! Surprised to see Octane on there. She Is Everything is my favorite SB song!
TAC, you'd really like Evergrey.
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Really? I always thought Don't Look Back was their worst album, at least until they released Corporate America.
What's wrong with it? I guess Party and Used to bad news are not that great, but all other tracks are brilliant in my opinion.
Wrong... nothing, really. I just think Boston and Third Stage are excellent, and Walk On nearly so.
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As for Octane, it would have been one of Spock's Beard's best albums if they had swapped some of the non-suite tracks with some of the bonus disc ones. Really, I find praise for the accompanying tracks surprising, more than half of those are are boring and uninspired. They make listening to the whole album difficult.
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Really? I always thought Don't Look Back was their worst album, at least until they released Corporate America.
Don't Look Back is very good.
Nice job, Nick on the Boston selection.
Not sure about Evergrey and I've never heard Spock's Beard..
Get into Evergrey now!!!
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Did so today. Once again, Nick's tastes appeal to my listening buds. Oh, but first credit goes to Mason for insisting on a listen to Recreation Day.
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Did so today. Once again, Nick's tastes appeal to my listening buds. Oh, but first credit goes to Mason for insisting on a listen to Recreation Day.
Check In Search For Truth next.
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TAC, you'd really like Evergrey.
Get into Evergrey now!!!
I have The Inner Circle. I think I listened to it once and it didn't do anything for me..I'll bust it out again this week. Just brought it up from the basement!
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Did so today. Once again, Nick's tastes appeal to my listening buds. Oh, but first credit goes to Mason for insisting on a listen to Recreation Day.
As others have said, go for Inner Circle and In Search of Truth. Feel free to stop dead in your Evergrey tracks after that.
Monday Morning Apocalypse killed the momentum this band had on the board. It was like a mad exodus of people regularly talking about them when it was released.
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TAC, you'd really like Evergrey.
Get into Evergrey now!!!
I have The Inner Circle. I think I listened to it once and it didn't do anything for me..I'll bust it out again this week. Just brought it up from the basement!
IMO, The Inner Circle is certainly not the best place to start with Evergrey. RD, ISOT and Solitude, Dominance and Tragedy are the best starting points. IMO, MMA is a fantastic record, never understood the hate for it.
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44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
(https://images.wikia.com/lyricwiki/images/b/b1/Pain_Of_Salvation_-_Scarsick.jpg)
I can already hear a few people tearing their hair out. Certainly the most underrated and under appreciated of all Pain of Salvation albums, Scarsick certainly sees the band departing a bit from the sound they had crafted over years prior, but they nailed the heavier and more direct approach without any issues. The album isn't perfect and has a few moments I would edit out, but at the end of the day it has more memorable songs than any other Pain of Salvation record. I kinda see this as the Train of Thought of their discography, in that it divided the fan base and that the songs come across really well in a live setting.
Favorite tracks: Disco Queen, America, Spitfall
Honorable mention: Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
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It's a good album, but one of my least favorite PoS albums. Maybe even my least favorite, though it's tied with Road Salt One probably.
Still good.
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Ugh. Terrible album. I stopped caring about what went on with them after it was released.
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Best POS album, well done Nick. :metal
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I sampled the 3 songs listed for POS' Scarsick. They're not for me..
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45. Spock's Beard - Octane
Honorable mention: Beardfish - Mammoth
Having never heard SB..it's OK. Great sounding if unspectacular.
But I sampled some Beardfish, and that really has me intrigued. THAT I will follow up on.
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Beware of Darkness is a top 3 SB album for you? Must be the hockey concussions. It's my least favorite, hands down.
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My two least favorite SB albums are Snow and The Light.
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Scarsick has got its moments. Surprised to see Disco Queen and America up there not stuff like Enter Rain or Scarsick.
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Scarsick is great. I love the ANGER.
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My two least favorite SB albums are Snow and The Light.
Snow is 9th for me, so we're cool there. But The Light is awesome. 4th or 5th
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Scarsick is a pretty cool guy.
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Scarsick is pretty weird and actually the first PoS album I listened to. I didn't like it and never bothered to check out their other stuff, because of that album. Then, some time later I heard 'Handful of Nothing' which had me really intrigued. I still don't like Scarsick though.
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My two least favorite SB albums are Snow and The Light.
The best 2 SB albums....
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like a few have mentioned, Octane would be even better if a couple songs were swapped out in favour of a couple tracks off the bonus disc (game face and broken promise land :hefdaddy).
scarsick just might be my 07 album of the year...now THAT's how you make an awesome album despite, essentially, getting rid of the guitar solo all together (st. anger, i'm looking at you). [though a perfect circle also showed how to get rid of the guitar solo and still deliver the goods a few years earlier].
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Scarsick.
Pain of Salvation.
ugh
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Boston's first three albums are amazing, but the first is just out of this world.
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45. Spock's Beard - Octane
Honorable mention: Beardfish - Mammoth
Having never heard SB..it's OK. Great sounding if unspectacular.
But I sampled some Beardfish, and that really has me intrigued. THAT I will follow up on.
Mammoth is an excellent, excellent album.
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45. Spock's Beard - Octane
Honorable mention: Beardfish - Mammoth
Having never heard SB..it's OK. Great sounding if unspectacular.
But I sampled some Beardfish, and that really has me intrigued. THAT I will follow up on.
Mammoth is an excellent, excellent album.
Yes, it is!
Hopefully do another album or three tonight. :D
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The Nick: he even fails at quoting posts :biggrin:
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:lol But seriously, Nick's posting about Mammoth in the Beardfish thread was what made me check out the album and really enjoy it.
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43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
(https://discotecaxaranga.com/images/MARILLION-MISPLACED%20CHILDHOOD.jpg)
Talking with YtseRush on Wednesday helped me to remember a fun fact about Marillion. They were invited to tour with Rush after the release of this album and had the balls to go on stage, play the entire album, and head off. Fish was keen of saying on tour that the album had two tracks, Side A and Side B, and if it had been put out today you know he would have simply said it was one track. An album made to be an album, the band didn't intend to break it up, even at the cost of playing popular songs from older albums to leagues of Rush fans. I give bands who have time to play other stuff tons of credit when they come out and play an entire new album and stand behind it with some balls, and they definitely deserve double kudos. And they were right to stand by this album, a classic neo-prog package if there ever was one.
Favorite tracks: Heart of Lothian, Kayleigh, Lavender
Honorable mention: Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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:lol But seriously, Nick's posting about Mammoth in the Beardfish thread was what made me check out the album and really enjoy it.
And seriously, Nick hasn't played a Beardfish song that makes me want to buy an album, and I'm such a music whore because it doesn't take much to get me to try...one good song will do it.
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I didn't really care for Mammoth. Cheesy, nostalgic prog at it's absolute worst, IMO.
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:lol But seriously, Nick's posting about Mammoth in the Beardfish thread was what made me check out the album and really enjoy it.
And seriously, Nick hasn't played a Beardfish song that makes me want to buy an album, and I'm such a music whore because it doesn't take much to get me to try...one good song will do it.
Check And the Stone Set "If I Could Speak"
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I saw the "List's End" title and was so excited to see love for Season's End.
Then I remembered how much you fail.
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Check And the Stone Said "If I Could Speak"
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Check And the Stone Said "If I Could Speak"
Great epic from them. Was right up there for best of 2011.
I saw the "List's End" title and was so excited to see love for Season's End.
Then I remembered how much you fail.
Ah, but Season's End doesn't have a ? at the end, should have known. :p
I also really enjoy that album. It's the only H era album I've heard and loved.
I didn't really care for Mammoth. Cheesy, nostalgic prog at it's absolute worst, IMO.
We may not be a match. :p
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Oh no! Nick's quote fail is contagious!
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43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
(https://discotecaxaranga.com/images/MARILLION-MISPLACED%20CHILDHOOD.jpg)
Talking with YtseRush on Wednesday helped me to remember a fun fact about Marillion. They were invited to tour with Rush after the release of this album and had the balls to go on stage, play the entire album, and head off. Fish was keen of saying on tour that the album had two tracks, Side A and Side B, and if it had been put out today you know he would have simply said it was one track. An album made to be an album, the band didn't intend to break it up, even at the cost of playing popular songs from older albums to leagues of Rush fans. I give bands who have time to play other stuff tons of credit when they come out and play an entire new album and stand behind it with some balls, and they definitely deserve double kudos. And they were right to stand by this album, a classic neo-prog package if there ever was one.
Balls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm46ObQdbZw&feature=related
That's my number #1 album. Everyone can go home now.
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I'm actually listening to that album now. Lords Of The Backstage at the moment.
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42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
(https://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/288/cover_3112930112008.jpg)
It warms my heart greatly to see the love Pendragon has been getting as of late. I mean nothing is going to come close to the clusterfuck of an act like The Dear Hunter gets here, but there have been some new faces in the Pendragon thread lately and that's great to see. Pendragon have a stretch of albums that are difficult to rank, as with Rush they went through a golden era of fantastic output for a few years. Thankfully unlike Queensryche they've maintained output that is nearly as good since then. If you've heard the album without the bonus tracks you must do yourself a favor and find a newer version to listen to. Sister Bluebird and Fallen Dreams & Angels make an excellent pair of closing tracks to the expanded version of this album.
Favorite tracks: The Last Man on Earth, Nostradamus (Stargazing), Breaking the Spell.
Honorable mention: Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
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Is that you in the bottom corner, Nick? :lol :lol
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No, that's Harry Potter, the band were really ahead of their time.
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:D Pendragon. Not sure if this album would be my first or second choice but as you said, great album
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Right, this is my next Pendragon album to order. Totally loving this amazing band.
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I'm finding it very difficult to make comments on albums without totally giving away what albums may or may not still be included from a band.
But yes, definitely get this album, and make sure it's the version with the extra tracks.
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Noted.
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Not sure I've had a gander with this one yet or not on Grooveshark. Duly noted, and will rectify today if I haven't listened to it yet.
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My dad is a fan of Pendragon, I know he has the latest, one with a unicorn on the front, one with a person on the front (I think) and one called something with "Masquerade", not sure if the last is actually any of the other two.
But I don't think he has the album you listed here, so it might be an album I could get him for his birthday or something. :)
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:getoffmylawn:
This is one of their albums that isn't on Grooveshark!!!
Newman!
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43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
(https://discotecaxaranga.com/images/MARILLION-MISPLACED%20CHILDHOOD.jpg)
Talking with YtseRush on Wednesday helped me to remember a fun fact about Marillion. They were invited to tour with Rush after the release of this album and had the balls to go on stage, play the entire album, and head off. Fish was keen of saying on tour that the album had two tracks, Side A and Side B, and if it had been put out today you know he would have simply said it was one track. An album made to be an album, the band didn't intend to break it up, even at the cost of playing popular songs from older albums to leagues of Rush fans. I give bands who have time to play other stuff tons of credit when they come out and play an entire new album and stand behind it with some balls, and they definitely deserve double kudos. And they were right to stand by this album, a classic neo-prog package if there ever was one.
Favorite tracks: Heart of Lothian, Kayleigh, Lavender
I am proud to say I got to see them play it in full backing Rush on the PW tour. Great, great album.
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:getoffmylawn:
This is one of their albums that isn't on Grooveshark!!!
Newman!
(https://www.spikednation.com/sites/default/files/emvideo-youtube-BqwdNm52Pzg.jpg)
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Nah, it's more like this.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-7HAIiAK9s/TjpDm7HtuzI/AAAAAAAABdU/I95PEjkRvTA/s1600/hellonewman.jpg)
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Nah, it's more like this.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-7HAIiAK9s/TjpDm7HtuzI/AAAAAAAABdU/I95PEjkRvTA/s1600/hellonewman.jpg)
That was actually the picture I was going to use first, but then my Seinfeld nerd-dom got the best of me, as I was pretty confident he was not actually saying "Newman" at that particular time. Not that he is even in the one I chose; that would be a "Hello, Newman." In fact, the only time I for certain remember him saying "Newman!" was at a time when Newman was not there.
Ok, wow. Off topic. Sorry, Nick. Update moar often. The natives are restless.
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You're probably right on that picture, but the bearing his teeth look is what I wanted. Here's a few - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9_8YxDQYCo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And yes, more updates before I derail this thread any more.
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Going to do at least two more albums tonight.
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41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_S48eP89x2Dg/TC9f5ekzR1I/AAAAAAAACEs/hDY4MVhcPKI/s1600/Bruce+Dickinson+-+1997+-+Accident+Of+Birth(Capa).jpg)
Give Bruce Dickinson some major credit, he made awesome use of his time outside of Maiden. I will say that pretty much all of his solo albums are more diverse and interesting than most Maiden albums, and this one in particular rivals the very best Maiden have ever mustered. I think it's no surprise that Bruce's vocals really shine through in his solo work as well. I think Steve might have a problem with how well he can write vocal lines for people, because both Bruce and especially Blaze sound far better vocally outside of Maiden than they do with the band.
Favorite tracks: Darkside of Aquarius, Man of Sorrows, Accident of Birth
Honorable mention: Tesla - Into the Now
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The Story So Far:
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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That's one fine album. :metal
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That's one fine album. :metal
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I'd mock this pick, but there is obviously nothing to mock, so there will likely be some extra fail on the next one.
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I'd like to argue, but most here will claim the next pick has some fail to it.
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Awesome Bruce album!!
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40. Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow
(https://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/3135/cover_356184122009.jpg)
What can I possibly say about this album that hasn't already been beaten to death in the Coheed thread? Firstly I must say that this album is incredibly underrated. So many rank it as the worst or next to worst in the Coheed catalog despite the songwriting on this album perhaps being Coheed's best. I will concede that it does drop off a bit from the end, but it's not much, and it's simply going from super amazing to amazing. The middle of the road tracks on this album pretty much tear to shred anything on the first two albums.
Favorite tracks: The Hound (Of Blood and Rank), No World For Tomorrow, Mother Superior
Honorable mention: Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
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One of my favorite album covers ever. So epic, so powah.
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As someone who hasn't heard anything from C&C that I liked other than "Welcome Home"...yeah, I'm not liking this. Then you compound it by making TPE Pt. 1 an honorable mention.
I'd like to honorably mention that your list has earned this in full, and we're only 20% done:
:youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail::youfail:
That's 10/10 on the fail scale. :biggrin:
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Nice work with AOB. I agree that Bruce and Blaze have always sounded better outside of Maiden.
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I love NWFT and still consider it either their second-to-least or least-best album. I mean, they're all great, but you still fail with the first two album comments. :P
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I love NWFT and still consider it either their second-to-least or least-best album. I mean, they're all great, but you still fail with the first two album comments. :P
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Been extremely busy, going to try and have 3 more up tonight. :)
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39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
(https://salrocky.cdcomplete.com/cdimages/24311.jpg)
I know a few of you have heard tracks I've played from this album and not cared for them, but I looove this album. I've never seen an album take me to another place like this one does. From 1931 up through World War II the album leaves me feeling like I've actually experienced the time. A mixture of trippy music, well used repetition and sound-bytes from the time just creates an amazing atmosphere throughout the album. I admit that perhaps as individual tracks this album might not seem like much, and much like OSI the vocals are very specifically tuned for the type of album and nothing to write home about, but as an album this is just an amazing experience.
Favorite tracks: Join the Parade, Waiting for the Winter, My Radio Talks to Me
Honorable mention: Queensryche - The Warning
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oh dear...:youfail:
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38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
(https://image.betamonline.com/sdimages/disk13/419490.jpg)
Although I don't see this album talked about negatively a lot, it's probably because I don't see it discussed a lot. Seemingly overlooked by what the band has done since this album is one no fan should forget. While it lacks the star studded song lineup of some other lineups, it also is lacking in duds and remains Kamelot's most consistent album to date. And while the albums since have all had some incredible strengths, to me this is the album where Kamelot really began to roll, and the band has had a tough time topping this one.
Favorite tracks: Nights of Arabia, The Fourth Legacy, A Sailorman's Hymn
Honorable mention: Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
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The Fourth Legacy was teh album that got me into Kamelot, and really this sort of meldoic power metal. This album was amazing, and I still am blown away everytime I hear it, great pick.
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Nick, so far your honorable mentions are better than the albums on your list :P
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Nick, so far your honorable mentions are better than the albums on your list :P
On the whole, I would tend to agree.
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38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
Although I don't see this album talked about negatively a lot, it's probably because I don't see it discussed a lot. Seemingly overlooked by what the band has done since this album is one no fan should forget. While it lacks the star studded song lineup of some other lineups, it also is lacking in duds and remains Kamelot's most consistent album to date. And while the albums since have all had some incredible strengths, to me this is the album where Kamelot really began to roll, and the band has had a tough time topping this one.
Favorite tracks: Nights of Arabia, The Fourth Legacy, A Sailorman's Hymn
Honorable mention: Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
>Shadow of Uther
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37. Genesis - Selling England By the Pound
(https://991.com/newgallery/Genesis-Selling-England-B-179896.jpg)
When it comes to some of the big names of classic prog it seems that every band went through a period of exceptional output. However for me, Genesis failed to live up to Pink Floyd, Yes, and Rush as far as their golden periods are concerned. While I still enjoy the other albums of the time quite a bit only one rates as fantastic in my book and that is Selling England. Cinematic goodness from start to stop this album exemplifies everything that was right about Genesis in the period, and lacks any filler.
Favorite tracks: The Cinema Show, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
Honorable mention: Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
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Another entry where I prefer the honorable mention over the actual Top 50. Both good albums.
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Selling England :heart
One of my all time favourite albums, a Top 10.
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Another entry where I prefer the honorable mention over the actual Top 50. Both good albums.
Hell yeah, Vanden Plas FTW!
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Selling England :heart
One of my all time favourite albums, a Top 10.
You need to sign up for a Top 50 Zydar!
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Selling England :heart
One of my all time favourite albums, a Top 10.
You need to sign up for a Top 50 Zydar!
Not if he's gonna put Genesis in the Top 10! ;D
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Shaddap yo face!
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Shaddap yo face!
Let's make it even worse for TAC. Force him to listen to Phil Collin's solo albums. :biggrin:
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The only thing worse would be to have Winger covering an entire Genesis album! :lol
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Nice to see some Genesis in there. I really like Selling England, although it wouldn't be in my top 50. Nursery cryme, on the other hand, would. :smiley:
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Good choice there Nick
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If you guys want some GREAT Genesis then the album you need to get is We Can't Dance. :biggrin:
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Driving the Last Spike is a great tune though.
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36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_W4BiZDbxhcc/TQ663gN8S3I/AAAAAAAAAb0/OTjNUlaI1kg/s1600/Catch+Without+Arms.jpg)
While I think that El Cielo is a fantastic album, it wasn't till the band was semi-forced into a slightly more commercial approach with Catch Without Arms that they truly hit their stride. The album features some of the band's best song-writing, along with a bunch of very memorable moments. To me it was the rare occasion of an outside influence having a good effect on a band's output. There have been many examples of when this doesn't work, most notable here would be Falling Into Infinity, however there are also plenty of examples of when it does work, and this is one of them. I think a large part of it comes from a band applying their best qualities and a positive attitude to the situation they are in.
Favorite tracks: Bug Eyes, Hung Over on a Tuesday, Catch Without Arms
Honorable mention: Kamelot - The Black Halo
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Once again your thread title change disappoints me. I thought "Posts Without Typing" was a clear reference to the song "Games Without Frontiers" and that Peter Gabriel III aka Melt made it onto your list. Oh well, at least, like the last two times this happened, its a fantastic album anyways. :tup
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My first Dredg album that got me into this band. Great call Nick.
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Catch Without Arms is a spectacular album. :heart
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I've never heard of these guys. Am I missing out?
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Yes. Just don't start with their newest one and you'll be fine.
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I've never heard of these guys. Am I missing out?
Yes big time, El Cielo, Catch Without Arms, The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion are all great starting points.
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I've never heard of these guys. Am I missing out?
Yes big time, El Cielo, Catch Without Arms, The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion are all great starting points.
Yeah, their newest isn't a good indicator of their sound and their first album just isn't as good as the middle three, but those three that Reaper mentioned would all be great to pick up.
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The Story So Far:
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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Thanks for recommendations, I googled them and it looks like something I might enjoy. I'll make sure to check out a song or two on youtube first before I pick up an album.
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I LOVE THAT DREDG ALBUM :heart
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Listening to that Dredg album now. Catchy stuff, I like it.
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35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
(https://www.on-parole.com/shop/24872-28422-thickbox/the-flower-kings-paradox-hotel-2-cd-digi-cd-dcd.jpg)
Prior to their soon ending hiatus, The Flower Kings put out a tremendous amount of material in a short span of time. Keeping pace with the best prog bands of the 70s the big difference was that instead of putting out 40 minute vinyl records, The Flower Kings were releasing music at 80 or 160 minute clips every year. It's no surprise that one of the big complaints about the band was the amount of filler on their albums. While I love the band that is a pretty fair criticism, save one album. Paradox Hotel is killer from start to finish, two full discs of awesome tunes displaying a wide range of The Flower Kings style and ideas. The album lacks any single song to compete with an epic like Stardust We Are, but it more than makes up for that in consistency.
Favorite tracks: Hit Me With a Hit, Life Will Kill You, Minor Giant Steps
Honorable mention: Symphony X - V
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Not only do you fail for putting Iconoclast ahead of V, your hockey team fails too, at least it did tonight when we beat your ass :)
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Not only do you fail for putting Iconoclast ahead of V, your hockey team fails too, at least it did tonight when we beat your ass :)
All most as much as you fail for saying I put Iconoclast ahead of V?
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Not only do you fail for putting Iconoclast ahead of V, your hockey team fails too, at least it did tonight when we beat your ass :)
All most as much as you fail for saying I put Iconoclast ahead of V?
Oh god...it was Paradise Lost. That's even worse than Iconoclast!
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Paradox Hotel is a great album. Your top 50 is slowly going up.
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34. Fates Warning - Parallels
(https://www.mindovermetal.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Fates-Warning-Parallels-600x600.jpg)
Didn't even notice it when making the list, but this was another album whose commercial flaw helped it be as good as it is. Fates Warning had been fantastic up till this point, and this album just took all their awesome sauce and bottled it into neat condensed bottles. It's probably the only Fates Warning album in which every single track is memorable, and they managed to hit that high level of catchiness without sacrificing an ounce of what makes Fates Warning great.
Favorite tracks: The Eleventh Hour, Point of View, Leave the Past Behind
Honorable mention: Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
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Good to see Parallels again in another top 50 list. The album absolutely incredible, I can't imagine how many times I've listened to it.
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Both great albums :tup
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Parallels is a great album. It combines the technicality of Perfect Symmetry with the commercialism of Inside Out. Just a great written album, far more efficiant than the overblown APSOG. I love We Only Say Goodbye and The Eleventh Hour. Great pick after a handful of picks I could not relate to.
I mean, people actualy like that dredge stuff? I checked it out..not for me.
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Parallels is awesome, and an absolute classic essential. Definitely my favorite FW album. I know people who consider this their favorite album of all time.
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I could listen to Parallels over and over without getting tired of it.
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^^^^^ All of this.
I have listened to it countless times, and have never felt like turning it off.
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33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DRYFJWGvo8/Tc6A30AYs4I/AAAAAAAADFU/B011vGXZFI8/s1600/johnpetrucci01.jpg)
Quite simply put, the best instrumental album I own. I hate to spoil it folks, but no LTE, no Derek Sherinian, no Scale the Summit, this is the cream of the crop. I have always been surprised with how much I love this album considered how guitar focused it is. My one complaint has always been that he shows off the guitar more than overall song-writing, but the guitar melodies and parts on this album are just killer. Knowing I was going to be meeting John I didn't look to get his signature on any DT or other album, this was his baby and the one I am so happy to have his ink on. The long awaited and long delayed follow up is in general one of my most anticipated albums right now.
Favorite tracks: Glasgow Kiss, Jaws of Life, Tunnel Vision
Honorable mention: Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
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I never really got into SA, and I'm a guitar instrumental fanboy.
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JPs solo album is great. I can't wait for him to put out a new one with Marco on drums :metal
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I like JP's solo album and maybe 3-4 years ago it would've made a Top 50 list (if I made one), but it doesn't age well IMO.
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I never really got into SA, and I'm a guitar instrumental fanboy.
This, at least I used to be.
JP's solo album is ok, but there are so many better guitar albums out there.
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I'm joining the mob on this one. Its not a bad album, but its not the greatest instrumental album IMO largely because I prefer more balance between the instruments, and in all honesty I probably listen to Tony MacAlpine's Maximum Security more than this album.
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Must admit I hardly ever listen to this. Got a long trip coming up so I may have to bust it out.
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Love that Petrucci record.
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32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4009/4175716335_fe0473f0b4.jpg)
You all had to know it was only a matter of time till a fail of this magnitude hit the list. Sure, there are some bits in Honor Thy Father that I'm not too fond of, but other than that this album absolutely slays from beginning to end. As I eluded to in the first post about Paradise Lost, Dream Theater do metal better than most metal bands. For a long time As I Am was my favorite Dream Theater song, and the solo remains one of the best things Petrucci has ever done. Stream of Consciousness is their best instrumental to date, and at the end of the day this album is just jaw dropping head banging goodness from front to back.
Favorite tracks: In the Name of God, Stream of Consciousness, This Dying Soul
Honorable mention: Demians - Building an Empire
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Wow Nick, you're only allowing 2 Dream Theater albums and the first one is no higher than 32?
I hardly ever listen to Train Of Thought even though it has some great songs. I don't know if it's the sound. Just feels sterile to me. I prefer the Budokan versions. The songs have a lot more breath and depth to them.
Endless Sacrifice is a TAC Top 10 DT song.
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My favourite Dream Theater album. :tup
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I thought trying to format my dissertation and make all the table of contents, table of figures, table of schemes, etc. was pure, unadulterated torture. Then you put ToT down...implying its a top 2 DT album. Now I just want to die. I don't want to live in this world anymore.
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Wow Nick, you're only allowing 2 Dream Theater albums and the first one is no higher than 32?
Thing about them is, if I were allowing more than three albums in the overall top 100 they would like have 7 or 8 albums in here. They have consistently put out fantastic albums, even if they don't have many that rank at the very top.
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Out of curiosity, Nick, if you didn't limit yourself to 2 albums per band, how many different bands would actually be in the top 50? How many bands could actually violate that rule?
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I will give credit where credit is due, a true top 50 with lots of the same bands would get boring, which is why my top 50 will be dedicated to bands that don't need any more knob slobbing. I like that Nick put limits on how many times a band can appear, I just need to rattle his cage when he makes failtastic choices, like the one he just did where his rules imply that ToT is at least a top 2 DT album. What's next Nick, SC?
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I was not complaining about the rule. There's just so much great music out there that I find the rule sort of surprising to be needed.
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I hope this doesn't spoil anything, but at least Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Porcupine Tree and Ayreon would all have at least 3 albums in the top 50. Of those a few might have up to 5 or 6 albums in here.
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:metal Train Of Thought. Which is indeed a top 2 Dream Theater album.
The rest of the list / honourable mentions look good, don't know everything you've listed but I've been following.
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My favourite Dream Theater album. :tup
Train Of Thought. Which is indeed a top 2 Dream Theater album.
(https://img3.lsistatic.com/members/739146/drugs_are_bad_mmkay.jpg)
(https://www.misadventureswithandi.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/brain-on-drugs.jpg)
Any questions?
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My favourite Dream Theater album. :tup
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31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx_zSfggtWY/TYKfL3RX2BI/AAAAAAAAC4E/PFOMcpTegr0/s1600/Pink%2BFloyd%2B-%2B1994%2B-%2BThe%2BDivision%2BBell%2528Capa%2529.jpg)
While the first post-Waters attempt may have been a bit of a dud by Pink Floyd standards, they more than made up for it with 1994's Division Bell. Along with Dark Side of the Moon, this is one of the first 5 or so albums I ever owned. I don't remember who got those for me, but I've had both album since I was 6 or 7 years old, nearly twenty years ago. I can't tell you how many nights I fell asleep with those albums in the background. In particular I can't even begin to say how sonically pleasing this album has always been for me. Between Pink Floyd being my first concert in 1994, and having had this so long the album will always have a place in my heart even higher than the 31st place it is currently ranked. Along with The Final Cut it is probably the most under appreciated album in the Pink Floyd catalog, topping several of the other classic albums. Oh, and on PULSE especially, the lap steel solo is one of the greatest things ever recorded.
Favorite tracks: High Hopes, A Great Day for Freedom, Take it Back
Honorable mention: Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
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Mockery on pause.
PULSE was a fantastic live album.
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Division Bell is indeed fantastic.
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Good choice here. This is a good PF album though I wouldn't put it as top 2 for them. Also, I share DTVTs opinion on TOT
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The Story So Far:
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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My favourite Pink Floyd album. I like your last two. :lol
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Division Bell is indeed fantastic.
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^5 ..... Pink Floyd was my first concert ever on that tour in 94 as well! I was told I'd be ruined from the start and for the most part that is absolutely true (even though I've seen many great concerts). Great album as well. :tup
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The Division Bell is a phenomenal album. Glad to see it on your list.
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A couple of surprising choices there, Train of thought is not one of my favorite DT records, and The Division bell is far from being one of my favorite PF records. But that's what makes lists like this interesting. :smiley:
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Awesome pick with The Division Bell, it's a great PF album.
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Nick, l'm with you on The Final Cut. One of 3 Pink Floyd CDs that I own. Never gave Division Bell a chance.
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Really happy to see so much love for The Division Bell, and even a fair bit for Train of Thought. :D
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30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
(https://www.nickeh.com/images/psycho.jpg)
This is the best grunge album ever made, and nobody knows about it. All this is shocking because it features Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame. People go on and on about Bruce's work, so it amazes me that this amazing two album band never gets any love. This is seriously how grunge could have sounded great, it's all here. It's 90's Seattle scene meets King's X, and it's absolutely phenomenal. Any fan of Maiden is shorting themselves if they've not heard this project. It doesn't sound at all like Maiden, but if you enjoy Smith's guitar work and stellar song-writing them you are going to love this.
Favorite tracks: The Last Chain, With You Again, Welcome to the World
Honorable mention: Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
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That PM album is amazing, love it.
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No man.
Dirt. Alice in Chains. Anyone who said grunge musicians can't play (i.e. Cozmo) should listen to that badass record. :biggrin:
Okay granted I don't know much grunge but I wasn't too impressed with the Psycho Motel album when I listened to it.
And once again I thought your title change meant WYWH was going to be featured, but OF COURSE you fail as usual. :loser:
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PM's first album State of Mind is amazing also.
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39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
(https://salrocky.cdcomplete.com/cdimages/24311.jpg)
I know a few of you have heard tracks I've played from this album and not cared for them, but I looove this album. I've never seen an album take me to another place like this one does. From 1931 up through World War II the album leaves me feeling like I've actually experienced the time. A mixture of trippy music, well used repetition and sound-bytes from the time just creates an amazing atmosphere throughout the album. I admit that perhaps as individual tracks this album might not seem like much, and much like OSI the vocals are very specifically tuned for the type of album and nothing to write home about, but as an album this is just an amazing experience.
Favorite tracks: Join the Parade, Waiting for the Winter, My Radio Talks to Me
Honorable mention: Queensryche - The Warning
You're the only other person I know that has this.
No way close to a Top 500 album for me, but it's a great album.
At least now I know I can request something from here on your radio show......
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33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DRYFJWGvo8/Tc6A30AYs4I/AAAAAAAADFU/B011vGXZFI8/s1600/johnpetrucci01.jpg)
Quite simply put, the best instrumental album I own. I hate to spoil it folks, but no LTE, no Derek Sherinian, no Scale the Summit, this is the cream of the crop. I have always been surprised with how much I love this album considered how guitar focused it is. My one complaint has always been that he shows off the guitar more than overall song-writing, but the guitar melodies and parts on this album are just killer. Knowing I was going to be meeting John I didn't look to get his signature on any DT or other album, this was his baby and the one I am so happy to have his ink on. The long awaited and long delayed follow up is in general one of my most anticipated albums right now.
Favorite tracks: Glasgow Kiss, Jaws of Life, Tunnel Vision
Honorable mention: Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
You clearly need to listen to more instrumental albums....
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33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DRYFJWGvo8/Tc6A30AYs4I/AAAAAAAADFU/B011vGXZFI8/s1600/johnpetrucci01.jpg)
Quite simply put, the best instrumental album I own.
You clearly need to listen to more instrumental albums....
(https://h.images.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/14877391.jpg)
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29. Kansas - Leftoverture
(https://discotecaxaranga.com/images/kansas-left%20overture.jpg)
Part of what is a very strong run of albums, Leftoverture kicks off with the infamous Carry on My Wayward Son, and doesn't stop kicking classic prog-rock ass until it's over with Magnum Opus. When deciding what Kansas albums would go where in this it was a tough choice, as Song For America and Point of Know Return are incredibly strong albums as well. Perhaps one is even higher on the list? In any case, if you want song-oriented prog-rock with fantastic melodies and of course great stringed goodness, then this is the place to go.
Favorite tracks: Miracles Out of Nowhere, Cheyenne Anthem, Carry On My Wayward Son
Honorable mention: Pendragon - The World
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The Psycho Motel albums did not do anything for me...
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The Psycho Motel albums did not do anything for me...
I think CVS sells cures for irregular ear syndrome. :p
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I love Leftoverture, but Carry on My Wayward Son blatantly rips off Journey's I'm Gonna Leave You riff.
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Not sure if I've ever heard it, will have to check it out.
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28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
(https://img13.nnm.ru/8/e/7/c/d/8e7cd9b5125c2756a65e23fe52a59c4f_full.jpg)
Much like Kansas, Enchant are a song-focused brand of prog-rock and they've been bringing all the goods to the table since day 1. I think the truly stand out against a lot of other prog-rock for their shorter attempts at the genre, and while they do have a few great longish songs on the album, it's when you compare their attemp at 5-6 minute songs to those of other prog band that you realize how amazing they are at what they do. This is one of the premier debut albums in all of prog as far as I'm concerned, and it's a shame that despite their semi-uniqueness, initial passion (about 7 albums in 7 years), and great music this album didn't do more to make them take off.
Favorite tracks: Oasis, The Thirst, Open Eyes
Honorable mention: Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica
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Enchant is awesome, and they officially announced their new album. I'm so freaking happy.
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Enchant is awesome, and they officially announced their new album. I'm so freaking happy.
THEY DID?!?! AWESOME!!! And great choice Nick!
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27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
(https://www.vinylsurrender.com/Graphics/AlbumCovers2/Iron%20Maiden%20-%20Somewhere%20In%20Time.jpg)
One of Maiden's more under appreciated albums for sure, I've never understood why this gets overlooked for the average Seventh Son which came after it. It was a big departure from Powerslave which makes it all the more impressive. Perhaps not in style as much in sound, but whatever the case it sounded like a breath of fresh air for the band. The obvious blight of Heaven Can Wait is the only thing holding this album back from being higher on this list, and so help me god if they play it on the forthcoming tour instead of some other tracks from this I will find Steve Harris and strangle him.
Favorite tracks: Stranger in a Strange Land, Sea of Madness, Wasted Years
Honorable mention: Neal Morse – One
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Excellent choice.
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If not for the last two songs Somewhere in Time would be alongside AMOLAD and Powerslave in the "perfect Maiden album (i.e. no bad songs)" category for me. In its current form though, its alongside Brave New World, TNOTB, and Piece of Minds that have a few duds that keep it from being really perfect.
And I agree on SSOASS. IMO the worst of the classic Dickinson albums, though songs like Infinite Dreams, Moonchild, the Clairvoyant, and The Evil that Men Do are all fantastic.
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Somewhere In Time is tied for me with 7Th Son as the best Maiden album. The synthesizers add some nice atmosphere to the sound. Great choice!
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Yeah, I remember reading some reviews that they were using synths. I thought the'd ruin the sound, but they actually made it work.
Great atmosphere on some songs, Stranger, Wasted years, the title track. Didn't care much for some of the longer songs. Plus, you gotta love that cover art.... :hefdaddy
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Enchant? Isn't their singer the frontman of Spock's beard now?
And great to see my #2 album at #27, I also love the little hints you give us with the thread title. ;D
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What a fantastic Maiden album. Great choice Nick.
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Ironicaly, Heaven Can Wait has aged well, it's a song I never cared for. And though I loved this album when it came out, it has not aged well as a whole. Still, Caught Somewhere In Time is my #3 all time Maiden song!
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Great Maiden album and great tour Nick. Bot do I ever have a funny story about going to that show.
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Great Maiden album and great tour Nick. Bot do I ever have a funny story about going to that show.
And you're just going to leave us hanging?
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Sorry, but I like SSOASS better.
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Sorry, but I like SSOASS better.
Same here. Although I really love Somewhere In Time quite a bit. I HATED it when it first came out. I just could not wrap my mind around the fact that Iron Maiden had introduced synths into their sound.
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Really? I hated it because it was a boring rehash of their last three albums, synth or not. They needed to move on.
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26. Yes - The Yes Album
(https://commuterrock.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/yes-the-yes-album.jpg)
When I think about a classic Yes album, my mind, like the minds of most fans goes directly to the band’s 1972 effort Close to the Edge. However I feel that two albums prior to that album the band may have very well recorded something that is quite possibly an equal to the much better known Close to the Edge.
Picking up where Time and a Word left off, The Yes Album represents the solid foundation of the band’s future identity, while flawlessly executing the new styles woven into it. One could chalk this up to simple growth as a band, a maturity of musical ideas, but I think, and plenty of Yes fans would agree that the addition of guitarist Steve Howe probably had something to do with it too.
Howe’s presence is felt early on the record, having several leads in the opening track “Yours is No Disgrace” that now people would simply say are “Howe-like”. He has a beautiful way on the album of bringing the guitar to the center of the music without any amount of heaviness, and without drowning out any of the other instruments. The second song, “The Clap” is simply a live rendition of Howe in London with an acoustic guitar performing a diddy that remains a live staple to this day. The man simply has a beauty and technique to his playing that is simply mesmerizing.
The rest of Yes certainly have their moments on the disc as well. Gentle use of the organ by Tony Kaye and soothing yet soaring vocals by Jon Anderson certainly power “Starship Trooper”, while Chris Squire’s bass lays the fundamental groundwork for the Yes classic “I’ve Seen All Good People”. And of course Bill Bruford manages to add his own spark to things throughout the album.
Although many would say that The Yes Album was simply a stepping stone towards greater things I would certainly argue that the band had already arrived at the first of several masterpieces with the record. The album is prog-rock in its purest form, yet it might be the most accessible album the band ever produced, despite obvious attempts at commercialization in their later years. Whether you are listening to the album intently or in the background it will put a smile on your face, as it manages simply to be enjoyed, and does not require the concentration of Close to the Edge, or especially Tales From Topographic Oceans.
While most consider Close to the Edge THE Yes album, and many proggers consider it to be the brightest star in the entire prog sky, if I ran into somebody and had no clue about their musical taste, and I wanted to show them what Yes was capable of, I would be giving them The Yes Album.
Favorite tracks: Starship Troopers, Yours is No Disgrace, Perpetual Change
Honorable mention: Vanden Plas - The God Thing
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Great Maiden album and great tour Nick. Bot do I ever have a funny story about going to that show.
And you're just going to leave us hanging?
Nope, I just wanted to type it out at home.
I got really plastered at this show and we were behind the sound board on the floor. So our row and the row in front of us got up on the back rest of the chairs to see over the board. One of my buddies was the last to do so and when he did the whole two rows folded shut. I went flying head first into another row in front of me hitting my forehead on the chair, drunk as all hell and passing out for a few. While coming to, my buddies held me up only to see the full stage where Eddie's head is the riser and his hands were lifters for both Adrian Smith and Steve Harris_is on one hand and Dave Murray and Bruce is on the other.
My buddies were trying to hold me up while security comes rushing over and I'm drunk screaming "EDDIE" Throwing the metal sign in drunkinese.
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Also the Yes Album RULES!!
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The Yes Album is my favorite Yes album.
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The Yes Album is one of the greatest Yes albums
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Great selection.
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The Story So Far:
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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Really? I hated it because it was a boring rehash of their last three albums, synth or not. They needed to move on.
And you mean they did with SSOASS? come on, I hated That one when it first came out. Sounded really bland to my ears. The fact that is was a 'conceptalbum' didn't help much.
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Great Maiden album and great tour Nick. Bot do I ever have a funny story about going to that show.
And you're just going to leave us hanging?
Nope, I just wanted to type it out at home.
I got really plastered at this show and we were behind the sound board on the floor. So our row and the row in front of us got up on the back rest of the chairs to see over the board. One of my buddies was the last to do so and when he did the whole two rows folded shut. I went flying head first into another row in front of me hitting my forehead on the chair, drunk as all hell and passing out for a few. While coming to, my buddies held me up only to see the full stage where Eddie's head is the riser and his hands were lifters for both Adrian Smith and Steve Harris_is on one hand and Dave Murray and Bruce is on the other.
My buddies were trying to hold me up while security comes rushing over and I'm drunk screaming "EDDIE" Throwing the metal sign in drunkinese.
Nice,King! That was my favorite Maiden tour.
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That Yes album is damn good. :tup
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Not much fail this week. Good pics - the list and honorable mentions.
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25. Queensryche - Rage for Order
(https://991.com/newGallery/Queensryche-Rage-For-Order-314446.jpg)
Rage For Order is the reason Queensryche is classified as progressive metal. The bands first full length release, The Warning, was very well received and an excellent record. However Rage For Order would maintain the quality with the addition of more complex song-writing and arrangements, and a very good use of synthesizers in general, let alone for the mid-80’s. The album features soaring vocals with precise phrasing, interplaying guitar work that shows how deep chemistry between two musicians can go, and a solid rhythmic backbone. To this day the record has only been topped by the band’s masterpiece, Operation: Mindcrime.
Opening with what has become a fan favorite, “Walk in the Shadows”, the album seems to slowly expose you to what Queensryche would become with this record. More experimentation is seen with “I Dream in Infrared”, and finally you are fully submerged in the new sound with “The Whisper”. After only these three songs I am in awe of both the composition and musicianship of the album. There is an early balance between the two that many bands have failed trying for, Queensryche did not. “Gonna Get Close to You”, certainly one of the riskier tracks on the album, and oddly its only single frankly creeps me out. Musically there are many aspects of the song I really enjoy including one of the simpler guitar solos that works very well with the song, but Geoff Tate can only tell me he’s going to get close to me so many times before I’m ready for the next track!
“The Killing Words” shows off how subtle use of the keyboards would be fully utilized to add an extra dimension to the album, and also shows how complex some of the arrangements and composition could get. “Surgical Strike” is a bit of a flash back to The Warning in the best of ways. An interesting drum rhythm under the verses, a catchy chorus, guitar solos that you wish you wrote, and a very short yet remarkably memorable instrumental section make the song one of my favorites. Next, “Neue Regel”, and later “Screaming in Digital” are direct descendants from The Warning’s “NM156”. Much like “Gonna Get Close to You” they feature the heaviest use of synthesizers, and are certainly two of the oddest songs on the album. Definitely both growers, after a few listens I think most will come to appreciate all the subtleties of these songs.
Next we come to my favorite track of the album, “Chemical Youth”. This song exemplifies all the best qualities of the album done in about four minutes, kicking your ass in the process. Although it is one of the heavier songs on the album, it shows off all the progression that Queensryche brought with them on the album. Complex arrangement, unusual drum beat and accent phrasing throughout the verses, awesome riffs and guitar work throughout, and a chorus that makes you want to head-bang uncontrollably. Finally, “London” and “I Will Remember” seem to continue the trend that “Chemical Youth” began. Both continue to showcase the near perfect merging of Queensryche’s early dominance of traditional metal with their more progressive leanings. This merging would be more refined and less obvious on the follow up album, Operation: Mindcrime, and would show its face once more on Promised Land, but after Rage For Order it was never again so precisely achieved.
Although I do consider Mindcrime the better album at the end of the day, Rage For Order certainly deserved credit for bring Queensryche to a level were they would be ready to deal with a monumental concept album. It is also important to note that a title track would be dropped from the final record, and later surface in instrumental form as “Anarchy-X”. After seeing the bands comments on the album and comments from the man himself, I can only thank Neil Kernon, the albums producer and mixer for both this positive evolution of Queensryche, and the merging of the old and the new. It’s no surprised that Neil was credited with additional keyboards on the album, considering from what I’ve seen, as a producer he was open to and was a catalyst for the evolution of Queensryche’s sound in so many ways. Neil also did a fantastic job with the sound of the album. The album was obviously recorded in the 80’s, yet even if I could, I wouldn’t change a thing. The guitars are subtle when they have to be and up front when that’s what the song needs. Everything seems in its place and even if the album sounds “dated”, for lack of a better word, I wouldn’t want the overall sound tampered with at all. This album shows Queensryche at or near their zenith in many different respects, and we are very lucky that they’d stay at the top for several years to come.
Favorite tracks: Chemical Youth (We Are Rebellion), I Dream in Infrared, Walk in the Shadows
Honorable mention: Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
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It's a great album, although I prefer Fragile and CTTE above it.
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Really? I hated it because it was a boring rehash of their last three albums, synth or not. They needed to move on.
And you mean they did with SSOASS? come on, I hated That one when it first came out. Sounded really bland to my ears. The fact that is was a 'conceptalbum' didn't help much.
Seventh Son at least did something more, yes, and is worthwhile because of it. It offers an expansion to their classic sound, but they didn't really move on until X-Factor.
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Couple of good choices there. Rage starts one of the best 4 album runs ever by any band... up there with Rush (AFTK thru to MP) and Floyd (DSotM thru to The Wall).
Mechanical Resonance is a great and under-appreciated album. Now that I think about it, that too started a pretty good 4 album run.
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Couple of good choices there. Rage starts one of the best 4 album runs ever by any band... up there with Rush (AFTK thru to MP) and Floyd (DSotM thru to The Wall).
Mechanical Resonance is a great and under-appreciated album. Now that I think about it, that too started a pretty good 4 album run.
Yes on Tesla :metal
But my 4 album run for QR starts with Warning and ends at Empire.
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As far as I'm concerned they are one of 3 bands with an outstanding 5 album run. Warning>Promised Land, 2112>MP, and Script>Season's End.
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Rage was way ahead of its time. Ididn't understand it at the time.
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As far as I'm concerned they are one of 3 bands with an outstanding 5 album run. Warning>Promised Land, 2112>MP, aTnd Script>Season's End.
Beast thru 7th Son and Kill em All thru The Black Album are also pretty solid runs.
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I heard of a banded called "Dream Theater" that has a nice run from I&W -> 6DoIT :neverusethis:
Nice picks again. I wouldn't have guessed some of these bands like Van Halen, Tesla, and Boston being on your list, so its keeping me on my toes.
Make some more picks I can make fun of please.
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I think the next 3 or 4 will keep me safely from your mockery sadly.
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As far as I'm concerned they are one of 3 bands with an outstanding 5 album run. Warning>Promised Land, 2112>MP, and Script>Season's End.
Coheed with every album they've put out so far :D
DTVT: If FII was just a liiiiiiittle bit better I would have said the same thing you did. Just take out YNM and BMS.
I'm not really a fan of Rage for Order though. Mindcrime and Empire were just so much better from the songwriting front.
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24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
(https://www.recordpal.org/afb/2855/1492313-supertramp-crime-of-the-century.jpg)
Not everyone will agree that Supertramp was, in any typical way, a classic prog band, however I’d say that Crime of the Century was one of the finest progressive releases of the entire 1970’s. While others tend to focus on releases like Red, or Selling England by the Pound, I tend to think that Supertramp produced a record superior to either of those.
The opening track, “School”, shows keyboardist Richard Davies showing very early on that while other keyboardists at the time were experimenting with new technologies and sounds, he was busy simply taking a classic piano song to an entirely new level within a rock song. Likewise, in the next track, “Bloody Well Right” they band documents how to make something mainstream yet respectable, and John Helliwell plays the song out with a magnificent saxophone solo. John continues his exceptional playing through the next track, “Hide in Your Shell”. While the band through these first three tracks have not done anything individually groundbreaking I can’t help but call the song-writing progressive in the sense that it builds on available ideas in a way that is unique to the band. Although the vocals provided by Roger Hodgson and Richard Davies certainly stand out, there is something about the music that specifically stands out as Supertramp.
This is perhaps most apparent on the track “Asylum”. A beautiful and surreal track, “Asylum” documents how well Supertramp can use piano and string arrangements in their music. Although fans have debated whether or not Crime of the Century is a true concept album, buy the start of the classic track “Dreamer”, one could easily begin to believe that it is, simply because of how well all the music seems to flow, how it seems to connect and build.
“Dreamer” and the two tracks that follow continue to exhibit the excellent songwriting that is in abundance on the record, until finally the album comes to an amazing conclusion with the albums self-titled track. Beginning with a beautiful lyrical section the song then features a simple but effective guitar “solo” followed by an amazing album outro that ranks among my favorites of all time, despite its relative simplicity. It’s not hard to conceptualize, it’s not fast paced, it doesn’t require a music degree to understand, but it does capture the emotion of the album perfectly, in a way that I personally see as progressive, even if others do not.
As soon as an album has a few popular singles people seem to have a problem calling it prog. However, despite my insistence that Crime of the Century is a progressive release, what’s truly important is how good the album is. Call it classic rock, pop, or prog, a rose by any other name will still smell sweet, and this album will still be amazing, no matter how you classify it.
Favorite tracks: Crime of the Century, Asylum, School
Honorable mention: Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
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Awesome album and best Supertramp record by far. You know, Paris was the first vinyl record I ever owned. Great band all around. Guess we're gonna hear some Supertramp tonight!!!
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23. Pink Floyd - Animals
(https://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/364/cover_54531715102008.jpg)
I know it might be a stretch to call this album under-appreciated, but I think the description fits. Coming off the heels of an album with several radio classics I don't think Animals has ever gotten the populist flare from casual Floyd fans. On the same note The Wall, easily Pink Floyd's most overrated album followed it up and made both hardcore and casual fans forget that Animals ever happened. The bulk of the album is basically three of Floyd's best songs, beautifully packaged between Pigs on the Wing. Lyrically the album blows The Wall out of the water, and manages to have all the killer (perhaps without highs quite as high as The Wall), but lacks any filler whatsoever.
Favorite tracks: The Middle Songs (Three Different Ones)
Honorable mention: Devin Townsend - Terria
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Brilliant album, my top 5 actually. :tup
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Great album, perhaps my 2nd favourite PF album after DSOTM.
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Animals is a great album. Your list is getting better now Nick :tup
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Animals is a great album. Your list is getting better now Nick :tup
What he said. I just listened to this yesterday on my flight. Damn near perfect prog album.
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Animals is not that great of an album.
Terria is a great album.
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Animals is all right. Nothing wrong with it.
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I don't consider myself a PF fan, but I love Animals. One of 3 PF cds that I have.
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my favorite pink floyd album
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Never in my wildest dreams did I think you would put a Devin Townsend album anywhere in your top 100. Terria is fantastic, I personally have it higher, but like I said I'm surprised you mentioned it at all.
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Although it is an album I rather like, did anyone fall for the bait and think I ranked Hysteria in the top 25?
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I didn't pick up on that until you just mentioned it. Even then, when I think of Hysteria my mind doesn't go to Animal first.
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That's fine and dandy, but I wasn't referencing Hysteria as an album, I was specifically quoting Animal lyrics. :lol
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22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
(https://www.houseofrage.com/music/Album%20Covers/Into%20the%20Electric%20Castle.jpg)
A space opera. Those are the words that adorn the first line of the back of this album. It certainly fits. Anyone who doesn't like sci-fi lyrics can move on, but for those that like them, they will not find any happier experience than with this album. Arjen started using a few bigger names on this album and the cast stars the Scottish Fish, who perfectly executes his role as Highlander. Arjen does a fantastic job making great use of the other vocalists as well, and gave himself the appropriate role of hippie. I think that the first two Ayreon albums are criminally underrated, but that said there is no question that this is the album that made Ayreon into a prog powerhouse.
Favorite tracks: Amazing Flight, Across the Rainbow Bridge, The Castle Hall
Honorable mention: Labyrinth - Freeman
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Very solid album. I prefer Migrator but this is awesome of course.
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Ah...the Flying Dutchman... :biggrin:
Great pick! This one really put him on the map, but those first two were indeed very underrated. Can´t wait to hear his new one.
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My Favorite Ayreon album. Great choice there
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"Across the Rainbow Bridge" is the only song I kind of like from that album. The rest of its not my thing at ALL.
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My 2nd fav Ayreon album, and Rainbow Bridge is my favorite song. Awesome album all around. I love concept albums, I love Arjen's work ... this album is pure bliss. Just listened to it a couple of days ago.
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Everything about this thread is so 2004-dt.net/bb
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My Favorite Ayreon album. Great choice there
This, except I think Ayreon gets old very quickly. They're great to revisit, but I find them tough to listen to on any sort of regular basis.
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Everything about this thread is so 2004-dt.net/bb
No doubt. A lot of bands I love now I first heard about at DT.net between 2004-2005 especially. That really shaped what music I listen to now.
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Yeah, what's wrong with you Nick? You were supposed to grow out of Prog 8 years ago.
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This, except I think Ayreon gets old very quickly. They're great to revisit, but I find them tough to listen to on any sort of regular basis.
This. It's why I consider the Ayreon projects good and not great. Something about the albums just has a low replay quality for me.
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21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
(https://pad.indiemerch.com/i/5/e/5ef5cee374.jpg)
Parallels is my suggested starting point for any potential Fates Warning fan. But while it may be an amazing quick fix, A Pleasant Shade of Grey is the album that sticks over time, a savory treat for any fan of the band. It's certainly not for every fan of the band though. If you had been following the band from a more metal background until that point I can understand some mega-frustration with this album and everything since. But as someone who loves me some metal and some prog this album hits home. I don't even bother trying to distinguish the parts of this album, which is why I won't be listing any favorite tracks. I never put this album in without the aim of hearing it till the end.
Honorable mention: Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
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Actually, that's the album that got me into Fates Warning. Still my favourite.
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I find APSOG overrated and overblown. ;D
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I actually never really got into this one that much. I love basically everything else Fates have done, but I never really got hooked on this one. I need to give it another try.
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This was the first FW album I tried, and left me with an overwhelming sense of 'meh'. Now, that was over 10 years ago, before I was really expanding my musical tastes. Guess I have to give it another go.
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I listen to Parallels and Perfect Symmetry much more than APSoG.
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This was the first FW album I tried, and left me with an overwhelming sense of 'meh'. Now, that was over 10 years ago, before I was really expanding my musical tastes. Guess I have to give it another go.
APSOG will hit you if you give it a few tries.
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Actually, that's the album that got me into Fates Warning. Still my favourite.
This. :metal
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I absolutely adore APSoG and consider it the band's high water mark. :metal
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The reactions here are an awesome micro-sampling out what I've generally seen from FW fans at large. Always seemed like a love/hate album.
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The playing is good and all, but I only really like 3 or 4 "songs" off of it. I just find it a bit self indulgent.
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The Story So Far:
21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
25. Queensrche - Rage for Order
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Devin Townsend – Terria
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Labyrinth – Freeman
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla – Mechanical Resonance
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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Terria out of your top 50 is a disgrace. Animals, on the other hand, makes me happy.
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20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
(https://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/master-of-puppets.jpg)
Far and away the premier Metallica album in my mind. I am not joking when I say I think this 8 track album probably contains 8 of Metallica's 20 best songs. The song-writing is generally a bit more refined than what came before it, but obviously the rawness of Metallica's sound was still intact. As is the case with many Metallica albums the quality of the sound holds the album back a bit, but at least the style of the album plays into the poorer quality more than most. As someone who generally isn't into thrash, this is the major exception for me. I've always loved this album and have always enjoyed Metallica.
Favorite tracks: Master of Puppets, Orion, Battery
Honorable mention: Fish - 13th Star
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Cool pick! But I prefer Justice and Ride the Lightning.
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:metal
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20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
Far and away the premier Metallica album in my mind. I am not joking when I say I think this 8 track album probably contains 8 of Metallica's 20 best songs. The song-writing is generally a bit more refined than what came before it, but obviously the rawness of Metallica's sound was still intact. As is the case with many Metallica albums the quality of the sound holds the album back a bit, but at least the style of the album plays into the poorer quality more than most. As someone who generally isn't into thrash, this is the major exception for me. I've always loved this album and have always enjoyed Metallica.
Very nice write up on this, Nick.
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5 years ago, Puppets would have been in my top 10, without a doubt. Now, it's not even in my top 50 anymore, because I barely listen to Metallica nowadays. I've always like Damage Inc. though, as far as saying I think it's the best song on the album. Like Dyer's Eve, Metallica chose the most aggressive song for last here, and it suits the album. That, and the song is awesome.
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A legendary album, deserving such a spot. :tup
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Everything about this thread is so 2004-dt.net/bb
No doubt. A lot of bands I love now I first heard about at DT.net between 2004-2005 especially. That really shaped what music I listen to now.
That era of dt.net shaped me a helluva lot too. Although I was much more influenced by the sorta stuff that mulletguy/vintageeyes/kbrooks than the general prog stuff that most other people posted at the same time :p
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19. Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tzSsqW7cESU/Tovgx5sUZ-I/AAAAAAAABAc/WtLQ3NuGA8A/s1600/The_Chemical_Wedding.jpg)
Not only is The Chemical Wedding the best solo work from Bruce Dickinson, but it's the best Maiden related work to date. It's quite amazing how silly Bruce was making Maiden look at this point in time. He was writing interesting and dynamic music that showed him to be much more than the voice of Maiden, and meanwhile Steve Harris was writing some of the most boring and uninspired material he possibly could. Let's put it this way; would you rather be rocking out to The Book of Thel, or singing the chorus lines from The Angel and the Gambler for the 6 billionth time in the song?
Favorite tracks: Book of Thel, Trumpets of Jericho, King in Crimson
Honorable mention: Haken - Aquarius
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I'd rather be rocking out to the better songs from the Blaze era. It's always a fair comparison when you take someone's best against someone else's worst.
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I remember first hearing Balls To Picasso and I thought, Holy shit! Bruce is awesome! It took him leaving for ME to really appreciate him. His solo work is outstanding. I prefer Accident At Birth to Chemical Wedding, but it's a small margin. Both are outstanding albums.
Chemical Wedding has a great quality to it. It's metal that is fresh, but not sounding like nu metal.
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I'd rather be rocking out to the better songs from the Blaze era. It's always a fair comparison when you take someone's best against someone else's worst.
Fair enough. But the better songs from TCW are better than the best songs from the Blaze era, and what is really telling is that the worst songs on TCW absolutely slaughter the alright and bad songs from the Blaze era.
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I don't think the Maiden slagging in your description was necessary. Maiden was under pressure and going through a rough patch. Bruce was doing his own thing with no expectations or pressure from anyone, they were both in different situations.
Saying that, This is by far one of the 10 greatest metal albums of all time. I still remember the first time I listened to it, and just being floored. I knew my life was much more positive since finding this brilliant album.
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I love Maiden, but I'm not going to make any excuses for Steve in those years. Bruce bailed at the right time, because he would have never been able to have enough influence to salvage what Harris was doing in those years, and it allowed two amazing albums. Different situations for sure, but it's not like I was comparing completely unrelated artists for no reason. Bruce showed what Maiden *should* have been doing during those years.
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I don't think the Maiden slagging in your description was necessary. Maiden was under pressure and going through a rough patch. Bruce was doing his own thing with no expectations or pressure from anyone, they were both in different situations.
Saying that, This is by far one of the 10 greatest metal albums of all time. I still remember the first time I listened to it, and just being floored. I knew my life was much more positive since finding this brilliant album.
Great description Wolf!
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18. Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
(https://www.chartattack.com/files/imagecache/content_image-680xauto/chart_global/reviews/cd_CAndC-good-apollo-im-burning-star-iv-volume-one-from-fear-through-the-eyes-of-madness.jpg)
Coheed's most complete album, no question. Even the shorter tracks and the lesser talked about tracks are amazing. And it's one thing to have an album with little to no low points, but it's made all the more amazing when it has fantastic highs as this one does. The album goes 6 tracks before even taking a slight lull. After two rawer albums this saw Coheed refining their songs and their sound and the results were astoundingly positive.
Favorite tracks: Apollo II: The Telling Truth, Ten Speed (Of God's Blood & Burial), Apollo I: The Writing Writer
Honorable mention: Threshold - Dead Reckoning
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Your honorable mention is infinately better than anything Coheed could possibly do.
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Your honorable mention is infinately better than anything Coheed could possibly do.
This, x 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000.
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I've never given C&C a go, but I'll pile on anyway. Threshold :frank:
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Dead Reckoning is just such a solid album. Nothing I'd really call filler, just great progressive metal. Still a shame about Mac, but really can't wait for the new album with Damian this year.
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While Dead Reckoning is good, I'll have to agree that Apollo I is better. I just wouldn't put it that high.
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Threshold is like candy. A sweet treat that seems great for a little, but then its gone. Their best thing is their crisp sound, not their music. I put them on when I want to hear that sound, which s certainly appealing, but I never leave with any real sense as to what I just heard. Forgettable.
Live show is produced too well, it almost sounded too much like we were just hearing it right off the albums. I remember leaving early thinking I could just put a cd in to get that experience.
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Let's put it this way; would you rather be rocking out to The Book of Thel, or singing the chorus lines from The Angel and the Gambler for the 6 billionth time in the song?
I'd enjoy listening to The Clansman, Futureal, The Educated fool and Como estais amigos just as much. But still, great album at #19, my favorite Bruce's solo record. :metal
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Threshold is like candy. A sweet treat that seems great for a little, but then its gone. Their best thing is their crisp sound, not their music. I put them on when I want to hear that sound, which s certainly appealing, but I never leave with any real sense as to what I just heard. Forgettable.
Live show is produced too well, it almost sounded too much like we were just hearing it right off the albums. I remember leaving early thinking I could just put a cd in to get that experience.
While I agree that they have a distinct sound and that it makes their entire catalog a little stale, the day I walk out of a concert because the sound is too good... well... let's say I've never come close to that happening.
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...not because it was too good, I was just getting bored and had other I wanted to do. That comment was what I was thinking when I left, not why I left. It was a festival, ProgPower 2007, I probably went to eat or out to talk in the dealers room. Threshold wasn't one of the main bands I was there for, and It's hard to sit through it all. Plus if you don't spend any time out during shows you miss great chances to meet people, I got to chat with Nick van Dyk during a show I wasn't that interested in.
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Derailing the thread: yorost, are you a regular PPE visitor?
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...not because it was too good, I was just getting bored and had other I wanted to do. That comment was what I was thinking when I left, not why I left. It was a festival, ProgPower 2007, I probably went to eat or out to talk in the dealers room. Threshold wasn't one of the main bands I was there for, and It's hard to sit through it all. Plus if you don't spend any time out during shows you miss great chances to meet people, I got to chat with Nick van Dyk during a show I wasn't that interested in.
I assumed it was ProgPower, and that's cool. I didn't realize you weren't that interested in them to begin with.
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I wasn't disinterested in them, I didn't want to miss them completely. I tried to see at least a little of every show. Redemption and After Forever were the two biggest draws for me, though, and Firewind and Raintime were the two best surprises.
Derailing the thread: yorost, are you a regular PPE visitor?
No, I've been to one of the US PorgPowers. Now that my wife and I are starting to make more money I may start going every year.
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I felt the need to pop in here and stick up for Good Apollo vol.1 since it was being dismissed by the prog metal faithful. Fantastic album, one of my faves of all time and Coheed's second best album. Glad to see it on your list Nick! :tup
Haters gonna blah blah blah
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The two Iv's are my favourite Coheed albums. I'm surprised by the negativity towards it, too.
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Your honorable mention is infinately better than anything Coheed could possibly do.
Coheed is better than your favorite band.
Good Apollo I is an amazing piece of work. You've got prog (but not in the traditional sense), pop rock, punk and emo, metal, fantastic emotional lyrics, and 4 fantastic musicians all in one disc. Its also successful in that its one of the few albums that lasts for over an hour that I can enjoy without realizing how long it is. I think IKS is better (just stronger songwriting in general, though GA1's lyrics are stronger) but this is a very very close second. So yeah, one of the few albums on your list so far that I really truly love. :tup
The two Iv's are my favourite Coheed albums. I'm surprised by the negativity towards it, too.
Lots of big prog fans don't like them, especially here.
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Your honorable mention is infinately better than anything Coheed could possibly do.
Coheed is better than your favorite band.
Good Apollo I is an amazing piece of work. You've got prog (but not in the traditional sense), pop rock, punk and emo, metal, fantastic emotional lyrics, and 4 fantastic musicians all in one disc. Its also successful in that its one of the few albums that lasts for over an hour that I can enjoy without realizing how long it is. I think IKS is better (just stronger songwriting in general, though GA1's lyrics are stronger) but this is a very very close second. So yeah, one of the few albums on your list so far that I really truly love. :tup
The two Iv's are my favourite Coheed albums. I'm surprised by the negativity towards it, too.
Lots of big prog fans don't like them, especially here.
Let's disect that for a moment. Why do we think that is? It boggles my mind. And anybody who says it's the vocals that turns them off had better not be a fan of 70s Rush. I watched all of Neverender again over the weekend and I think I've fallen in love all over again. The songwriting, the vocal melodies, the lyrics, the musicianship (dat dual guitar interplay! dose riffs! dat tight rhythym section! I'm glad Josh is back in the mix though...), all the sing-along moments- this band is ridiculous. I think they're becoming my favorite band at this point and I've been listening to them for years. Why all the hate? I just want to understand... :huh:
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I don't like their sound. I thought Welcome Home was cool when I heard it playing Rock Band, checked them out and I found I don't like their sound. I don't think they're rip-offs, I don't think they lack musical talent, and I'm not against multi-album story arcs (I like Rhapsody). They just have a distinctive sound - and yes the singer is a huge part of it - that I don't like.
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I never got into them either. Nothing that I heard really stuck with me or really caught my attention.
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This just gives me an opportunity to use one of my favorite pictures ever...
(https://media.comicvine.com/uploads/10/107243/2172497-haters24.jpg)
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:lol :lol :lol
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17. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory?
(https://img13.nnm.ru/1/9/3/8/6/193867b07b3d1b5505c2bb99b696ef49_full.jpg)
Between a music scene which constantly turns to illegal downloading, and a struggling world economy it is easy to see why a good number of bands are cutting down on their output over the past number of years. There are so many bands which had their last new release in 2006, 2005, 2004, or even earlier. The one place this seems not to be the place is Sweden. Hallmark bands of the country like Opeth, Evergrey, and Pain of Salvation remain as productive as ever, and some of the lesser known acts are even more ambitious. The Flower Kings, Beardfish, The Tangent, and what seems like an endless number of side-projects of the members within those and other Swedish eclectic prog bands keep cranking out albums at an impressive rate.
One such side project is Karmakanic, which is masterminded by The Flower Kings bassist Jonas Reingold. Along with a solid core of players the album features over twenty guest appearances, many of which are very minor, but all of which end up giving the album a little bit of extra spice that makes Who’s the Boss in the Factory stand out amongst its contemporaries. Although the album has some serious overtones, it seems to flow with life, much like the country which seemingly inspires its musicians. Upbeat and inspiring the album kicks off with what is its masterpiece, “Send a Message From the Heart”. The twenty minute song features a majority of the guests and documents very well the overall sound of the album. The main difference the album seems to have from many similar albums is that it tends to drop the somewhat drifty or overly atmospheric parts and replace them with more rockin’ and melodic sections.
Following that, “Let in Hollywood” shows itself to be the only partial let-down of the album. Not a bad song it just seems to be missing something; an incomplete thought. From there on the album amazes. The other two long songs on the album, “Who’s the Boss in the Factory?”, and “Two Blocks From the Edge” leave the listener with incredible melodies and sing-alongs and perfectly segue into the final two beautiful ending tracks of the album.
Between his dozen other commitments you can tell Jonas Reingold really put his time and heart into this album, and any fan of Swedish proggers The Flower Kings should go and buy this album immediately, and anyone looking to see what Swedish eclectic prog is all about would do themselves a favor by starting with this album.
Favorite tracks: Send a Message From the Heart, Who's the Boss in the Factory?, Two Blocks From the Edge
Honorable mention: Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
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I can not get enough of this album. Jonas' tone is second to non and "Send a Message To The Heart" is a masterpiece.
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Fantastic album and also a great honorable mention.
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Listening to Send a Message from the Heart again, I am reminded that this song is one of the biggest teases ever. The first six minutes is so awesome, and then it wanders into no-man's land seemingly for forever, before having a really nice ending. Good song, but could have been soooo much better had it been a lot more cohesive.
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For whatever reason, I've always liked the cover art of that album, even if it doesn't really fit the music that well (it fits the album title and song title well, just not the music).
I'll echo Kev's comment that as good as Send a Message from the Heart is, it would enter God territory if it was a 10 minute song rather than a 20 minute one, taking out that middle part or at least cleaning it up a little.
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Never heard of this band or album, will have to check it out.
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Although they are a lesser known band, there are actually quite a few on here who really love this album, including Dimitrius, Ariich, and Bosk.
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16. Yes - Close to the Edge
(https://www.progarchives.com/progressive_rock_discography_covers/105/cover_433419102008.jpg)
While my love of The Yes Album is strong, there is little denying Close to the Edge's spot in the top 20. It's not often you see such a consensus amongst fans of a band with many good albums on what the best is, but with Yes it's this one. Sure, there are other favorites here or there, but all fans end up saying, start with this one, it's what everyone thinks is the best. And it holds a place in prog-rock circles as an album I've never seen many detractors for. It seems all the Rush classics, Genesis classics, Dark Side, The Wall, etc, all have people who seem to take beef with the amount of attention they get. Close to the Edge seems to be loved by many and disliked by very few, and for good reason. The three tracks of the album are all Yes classics, and in general three of their very best tracks overall.
Favorite tracks (Wonder which three I'll pick...): Close to the Edge, And You and I, Siberian Khatru
Honorable mention: Fates Warning - Disconnected
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That is in my top ten Nick. As a 12 year old getting into Yes after buying Drama, this album is and will be always my favorite Yes album.
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Great pick! Top 20 for sure.
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I love that honorable mention too, Disconnected is a FW gem.
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I'd place Close to the edge slightly higher, it's great to see it in there.
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Great pick!
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#18 is and will be the best album on this list.
Your honorable mention is infinately better than anything Coheed could possibly do.
I think I just fell out of my chair
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Cool to see Disconnected in your honourable mentions - my favourite FW album. :tup
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The Story So Far:
16. Yes - Close to the Edge
17. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory?
18. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 1
19. Bruce Dickinson - Chemical Wedding
20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
25. Queensrche - Rage for Order
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Devin Townsend – Terria
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Fates Warning - Disconnected
Fish - 13th Star
Haken – Aquarius
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Labyrinth – Freeman
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
Rush - Permanent Waves
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla – Mechanical Resonance
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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Looking at the title I was expecting Neil Young to be honest. :lol
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15. Pendragon - The Masquerade Overture
(https://www.on-parole.com/shop/33760-38649-thickbox/pendragon-masquerade-overture-re-release-digi-cd.jpg)
This album contains some of Pendragon's best songs, and as a whole is incredible from beginning to end. It's an album that I think is certainly their best in the long run, but unlike with many bands it is also the album I would recommend to a brand new fan. The melodies on this album are often nothing short of breathtaking, and I once again must suggest anyone who gets this makes sure they get the bonus track version. Although the song isn't bad, it's unfortunate that the ironically named The Pursuit of Excellence is only an average track. Without that minor lull in the middle of the album this would easily be top 10 material.
Favorite tracks: As Good as Gold, Masters of Illusion, Guardian of My Soul
Honorable mention: Beardfish - Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 2
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Love Pendragon - just really discovered them late last year. Haven't listened to them enough to put them in the top echelon of my music, but I'm sure they will one day.
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Got Pure last year and was blown away. I just got into this very album, and it indeed is absolutely amazing. Spectacular record.
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Your last 2 choices are pasterpieces of prog. Way to go Nick
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14. Neal Morse - ?
(https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7074/nealmorsefulllc9.jpg)
Without a doubt this is Neal's masterpiece. There is not a single solo album from Neal I dislike, but there are none I love quite as much as this one. It has the feel of one long continuous piece of orgasm laced music while packing enough shorter musical punches within songs that it ends up being played more than many other albums you'll see ranked higher up. As Kev is fond of saying, the guests on this album were used perfectly and give a whole new dimension to the album. But the main players are on top of their game as well as Portnoy delivers what is perhaps his best solo-Neal performance, and Neal lays down what is possibly the best vocals on any of his solo albums. And that's saying something because his wonderful vocal melodies are half the reason I love him to begin with. The other reason I love him is that as Portnoy has said he is one of the premier song-writer's of our generation, and this album is proof of that ability.
Favorite tracks: The Temple of the Living God, Sweet Elation, In the Fire
Honorable mention: Kansas - Point of Know Return
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Yes!! Finally someone who appreciates this fine album. The honorable mention is also a great album. You're doing great lately Nick
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Just started paying attention to his solo work a month or so ago. Love all of Neal's work. Some of the religious lyrics are a little in your face and TOO recurring, but the music compensates. I dont have a problem with the religious aspect, but I'd probably feel the same with any musical act having any repetitive lyrical theme in throughout their music.
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? is no longer my favorite Neal solo album (Testimony Two overtook it last year), but it is still awesome. :tup :tup
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Some of the religious lyrics are a little in your face and TOO recurring, but the music compensates.
This is why I can't buy these albums. I just can't support it. Its a shame because I love his non-religous work, and I love the music from his solo albums when I've heard it. But as soon as I hear, "JESUS...JESUS..." I just need to turn it off. I know I'm not the only one, and there are people who don't like music that openly questions religion and I completely understand that viewpoint as well.
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13. Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
(https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/images/covers/riverside-second-life-syndrome-20110928184509.jpg)
Riverside is now four albums in, and all have been strong efforts, but I think most fans agree that Second Life Syndrome sticks out amongst the pack. The atmosphere is perfect throughout the album and the strong songs on this album are above and beyond the better tracks from the other two Reality Dream albums. They took a strong and new step with Anno Domini, but I think the sound and style of this album will always stick out as special in fans minds. I don't know of any 3 minute intro tracks that I love as much as After, and it says somthing when a stunning, great, and concise track like Artificial Smile doesn't make my favorites list.
Favorite tracks: Conceiving You, Volte-Face, Second Life Syndrome.
Honorable mention: Iron Maiden - Brave New World
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Again Nick, a great album and a great honorable mention. I just recently got into Riverside but I'm enjoying their music a lot.
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I prefer Rapid Eye Movement and ADHD, but Second Life Syndrome is amazing.
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This is my favourite work from Riverside, it is amazing.
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Got tired of Riverside, but really, a great pick. I've been itching to listen to them again, maybe they'll be fresh once more. ...and if you didn't hate on Blaze so much I'd love your Maiden mention. :lol Brave New World is my second favourite that has Bruce on it.
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You know, I think I was one of the early adopters to Riverside, here. SLS was a day one buy for me. Anyone else remember how we used to get the "Anybody else like Riverside?" threads about once a month?
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Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
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Yeah, I definitely remember that. And I hear what your saying about Brave New World. It used to be my favorite Maiden album, but over time the song-writing did seem to be a bit to repetitive and Blaze-like. In general though I find the material to be faaaaar better than the Blaze era stuff.
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Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
Maybe try Out of Myself, see what got people excited in the first place. Kind of like Redemption, I still like to recommend their first album since that's what got people to take notice. ...maybe I'm just sentimental for the days when a few of us would try to pimp these bands and people here would go, "who?" :lol
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Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
My opinion on your opinion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Isjgc0oX0s&feature=related (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Isjgc0oX0s&feature=related)
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Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
Maybe try Out of Myself, see what got people excited in the first place. Kind of like Redemption, I still like to recommend their first album since that's what got people to take notice. ...maybe I'm just sentimental for the days when a few of us would try to pimp these bands and people here would go, "who?" :lol
Funny... this was the other album I grabbed. I'll give it a whirl too.
Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
My opinion on your opinion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Isjgc0oX0s&feature=related (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Isjgc0oX0s&feature=related)
My retort
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWBUl7oT9sA
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:rollin
I need to watch that movie again.
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Riverside didn't do anything for me when I tried them a couple of years ago, and it was this album. I'll give it another spin to see if I missed something.
Re-listened to both SLS and OoM. They were better than I remembered upon first impression, but still didn't do a lot for me. Guess that's my fail for the day. As I recall, I was giving a few DTF loved bands a shot at the same time - PoS, Riverside, Spock's Beard, S-X and Porcupine Tree. SB and S-X made the cut, PoS kinda, PT and Riverside not so much.
*runs to put flame retardant suit on*
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No running jingle, stick up for yourself! :p I know you know it, but your opinion is as good as any of ours. :lol
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Don't actually say it if you know it, but I'll be posting some teaser bits for the final few...
I only expect one person to know #12.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF12.mp3
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If you really want it to be a teaser you should remove the tags.
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:rollin
Know them. Like them. Haven't listened to enough to recognize them in less than 10 seconds.
Pre-emptively saying good pick.
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Try it now and let me know if it doesn't show.
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I don't see it anymore.
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Cool, thanks for the heads up.
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12. Royal Hunt - Paradox
(https://www.musik-plus.com/image/cache/Royal%20Hunt%20Paradox-500x500.jpg)
I can honestly say I've never seen any fanbase come together on an album as much as Royal Hunt fans do on this one. Every Royal Hunt fan I've ever spoken to considers this their favorite, and I am no exception to that rule. They have put out plenty of strong albums, but this stands above the pack. Andre's writing was a bit more explorative then it ever was before or since, and DC Cooper provides fantastic vocals throughout the album. Every single song is a standout and this is a premier prog-metal album from front to back.
Favorite tracks: River of Pain, Time Will Tell, Tearing Down the World
Honorable mention: Enchant - Juggling 9 or Dropping 10
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I only expect one person to know #12.
That person was me, and I recognized it immediately. #12 is about where I'd have this album too, it was a game changer for me when I first heard it back in the day, when the Y2K bug was scary.
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I have never even heard of that album..
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Change that NAO, and don't come back until you hear D.C. Cooper in your sleep.
Also, the honorable mention is awesome as well. ***full disclosure: I'm the biggest Enchant fanboy on this forum, and maybe anywhere. My opinion is very biased.
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I've only really gotten into Royal Hunts later stuff. Mark Boals introduced me to the band, but I love DC Cooper too, loved him in Silent Force. I only have Paper Blood, Eyewitness and Paradox 2 which are all excellent. I'll get this one next. I'm interested in the latest one too with DC Cooper back on vocals.
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Change that NAO, and don't come back until you hear D.C. Cooper in your sleep.
Also, the honorable mention is awesome as well. ***full disclosure: I'm the biggest Enchant fanboy on this forum, and maybe anywhere. My opinion is very biased.
I thought you were the biggest Henning Pauly fanboi. You must choose. There can only be one.
Love ALL (and I mean all 11 albums) of Royal Hunt, but they're still a little too 'new' to me for me to be able to distinguish between albums. Don't know Enchant well enough... they are on the radar though.
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You even love Eyewitness?
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You even love Eyewitness?
Not even Royal Hunt likes Eyewitness.
I claim both since I'm the only one who loves both, but Enchant > Henning everyday of the week.
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You even love Eyewitness?
Not even Royal Hunt likes Eyewitness.
Pretty much. It does have one of their very best songs, but aside from that it's quite meh.
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I thought it was decent, so if this is their weakest, I definitely have to check their older stuff.
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You even love Eyewitness?
Yeah, I did. Now, I've only given their albums (at most) a couple of listens. Look, when you listen to 11 albums within a couple of months, and have no history or pre-disposition to any album, I've got completely open ears. Now, I couldn't identify anything from that album, but on the list of everything new I'm trying out, I did make note that Eyewitness was one I liked.
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Despite this being incredibly short I expect someone will pick up on it.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF11.mp3
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So Nick, is it Ok if we post what we think that snipet is? Cause I'm pretty sure about that one
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I'd prefer it be something like, "I think that's the _th track off an album, and if that's your pick the album is excellent!" Be vague so other people can still guess.
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Was I vague enough? :tard
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Was I vague enough? :tard
Sharp as a sledgehammer.
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Was I vague enough? :tard
What are you talking about?
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Was I vague enough? :tard
What are you talking about?
You Flick!
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Ok, I think that's the second song of the album.
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Ok, I think that's the second song of the album.
Then I'd say you are on the right track, well done.
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11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
(https://991.com/NewGallery/Porcupine-Tree-In-Absentia-439572.jpg)
This album would be in the top 10 if only it had some flow ;). I first heard this album in 2004 after the band was getting major push at then DT.net. I didn't really care for the album at the time except for tracks 1, 2, and 4. I really wasn't into prog in general yet and so I kinda dismissed the album. Years past and I checked out another album or two, but never really got into them. Fast forward to 2007. JustJen got me to go with to my first Porcupine Tree show and that's when I became a huge fan. I went back to this album, having then been fully into prog and absolutely loved it. The tracks I mentioned are still my favorites, but I love the rest to death as well now. Although not done by Steven Wilson, the 5.1 mix of this album is absolutely stellar as well. It's funny that an album I once dismissed is now signed by the band and is one of my most prized pieces in my collection because of that.
Favorite tracks: The Sound of Muzak, Trains, Blackest Eyes
Honorable mention: Secret Sphere - Heart and Anger
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In Absentia is pretty good, but I don't think it's as amazing as I used to think when I discovered the band.
I sorta loose interest in the second half, while there are good songs there (like .3, Heartattack and Collapse), the rest feels kinda meh to me. Gravity Eyelids and Trains are the only songs on the album that would rank in among my top30 PT-songs.
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The three songs you mentioned are my favorites on the album as well. :metal
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I really wasn't into prog in general yet
I can't imagine a Nick that isn't into prog. I think you're lying to us.
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Another great choice Nick. Trains :heart
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Not the tracks I'd choose as top tracks and slightly too low on the list, but good choice nonetheless ;)
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Well, I'm not big into Porcupine Tree, but when I hear albums like Signify I can hear the appeal. ...when I hear albums like In Absentia I just wonder why it gets so much praise. Of all their stuff, the most popular period seems to be when they sounded the most generic.
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Well, I'm not big into Porcupine Tree, but when I hear albums like Signify I can hear the appeal. ...when I hear albums like In Absentia I just wonder why it gets so much praise. Of all their stuff, the most popular period seems to be when they sounded the most generic.
Odd, because I feel the opposite. The early stuff generally doesn't interest me, whereas In Absentia and later albums I like (contrary to popular belief, I don't hate this band). Nick even got the best songs right, with Trains being one of the best songs ever by any band. I wouldn't have the album this high, but I don't really have a problem with this ranking.
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But Trains is just a stupid radio pop song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I really wasn't into prog in general yet
I can't imagine a Nick that isn't into prog. I think you're lying to us.
I got into Rush in September of 2003, and was getting into Dream Theater by the end of the year and through 2004, but it wasn't until the end of 2004 and 2005 that I really started getting into a lot of stuff.
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But Trains is just a stupid radio pop song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not as deep as a long progressive song, it's just simple and sell-out.
:biggrin:
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This discussion lacks any flow. Go listen to OtSoL and come back and maybe then it'll have some flow.
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DON'T YOU HATE ON THAT POOR SUNDAY SOUL!!! It's the best thing that ever happened EVAR.
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This discussion lacks any flow. Go listen to OtSoL and come back and maybe then it'll have some flow.
At least OTSOL has flow, unlike In Absentia. :mehlin
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It's what sent me on my long journey into P-Tree in 2002.
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I don't exactly drool over Porcupine Tree, but Trains is one of the best songs ever.
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What are Flick's opinions on Heartattack in a Layby, .3, and Lips of Ashes?
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What are Flick's opinions on Heartattack in a Layby, .3, and Lips of Ashes?
More importantly; the song which gave this thread it's name: 'The Creator Has A Mastertape', one of the best songs on this album.
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What are Flick's opinions on Heartattack in a Layby, .3, and Lips of Ashes?
Of those three I prefer .3, and Lips of Ashes is one of my lesser liked tracks from the album, if not my least favorite. Heartattack is fantastic, but middle of the pack on the album due to there being so much other awesomeness.
What are Flick's opinions on Heartattack in a Layby, .3, and Lips of Ashes?
More importantly; the song which gave this thread it's name: 'The Creator Has A Mastertape', one of the best songs on this album.
Aside from the 3 I mentioned either this or Strip the Soul is my next favorite. Creator is very overlooked I think and it's just a fantastic track.
Sampler #10 - www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF10.mp3
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Going back to your honorable mention, I only have Scent of A Human Desire from Secret Sphere and it's excellent. I should check out this one from them.
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What are Flick's opinions on Heartattack in a Layby, .3, and Lips of Ashes?
More importantly; the song which gave this thread it's name: 'The Creator Has A Mastertape', one of the best songs on this album.
Prolly my favorite on the album, but there's no doubt that it sticks out a bit compared to the other songs.
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In Absentia is pretty good, but I don't think it's as amazing as I used to think when I discovered the band.
*sneeep*
I completely agree. IMO, Stupid Dream blows IA out of the water. Buttttt... IA has Strip The Soul... gah...
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Creator is very overlooked I think and it's just a fantastic track.
Awesome song, very underrated. :metal
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My favorite part of Strip the Soul is when the audio clip of the guy on the phone (Fred West, I'm guessing) says "We'd love to see you" and then the guitar comes crashing in. It's so evil.
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My favorite part of Strip the Soul is when the audio clip of the guy on the phone (Fred West, I'm guessing) says "We'd love to see you" and then the guitar comes crashing in. It's so evil.
While that's good, the acoustic riff in the middle where it's JUST that and Gavin gets me every single damn time. :metal
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Sampler #10 - www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF10.mp3
I think I recognize it, but can't put my fingers on who.
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Sampler #10 - www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF10.mp3
I think I recognize it, but can't put my fingers on who.
I know it's NOT this so I'll say it, but it sounds like Michael Kiske's The Calling. It's his track with Adrian Smith (and Kai Hansen).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4itd9WxcGw&feature=related
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I know what it is. Nick, you know I have your back in the inevitable shitstorm. That's probably as much of a hint as actually posting the band/album.
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Well, then I'll just post it now.
10. Justin Bieber - My World
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_j4qvtr0qiKs/TItw_vyetNI/AAAAAAAAAIE/U8YMMB0v-o8/s1600/Justin-Bieber-My-World.jpg)
:neverusethis:
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Going back to your honorable mention, I only have Scent of A Human Desire from Secret Sphere and it's excellent. I should check out this one from them.
A Time Nevercome is one of my favourite power metal albums. Heart & Anger just never did anything for me, though, much weaker than Scent and Time..
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:metardica:
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10. Shadow Gallery - Room V
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9vdPGRnGggY/ScLRzBQV38I/AAAAAAAADNk/OsVrqmTN7mc/s1600/Shadow+Gallery+-+Room+V+(2005).jpg)
This is one of the albums that really started me into traditional prog-metal, and has remained a strong favorite ever since. Easily Shadow Gallery's best sounding album up to that point, and I think they outdid themselves with the songs as well. From a ballad to the heavy Andromeda Strain the band showed right out of the gates that this would be an album to remember. Some of Baker's vocal melodies on this album are incredible, and of course the backing choir from the rest of the band is in top notch form. And of course the album provides one of my favorite innuendos ever.
(https://www.nickeh.com/images/thunder.jpg)
Favorite tracks: Andromeda Strain, The Archer of Ben Salem, Room V
Honorable mention: Avantasia – The Wicked Symphony
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The Story So Far:
11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
12. Royal Hunt - Paradox
13. Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
14. Neal Morse - ?
15. Pendragon - The Masquarade Overture
16. Yes - Close to the Edge
17. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory?
18. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 1
19. Bruce Dickinson - Chemical Wedding
20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
25. Queensrche - Rage for Order
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 2
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Devin Townsend – Terria
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Enchant – Juggling 9 or Dropping 10
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Fates Warning - Disconnected
Fish - 13th Star
Haken – Aquarius
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Kansas - Point of Know Return
Labyrinth – Freeman
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
Rush - Permanent Waves
Secret Sphere - Heart and Anger
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla – Mechanical Resonance
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
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And hell, might as well give the sample for 9 right away as I know only Mason will know this one.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF09.mp3
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I love Room V. First Shadow Gallery I bought. Had a bit of Queensryche flavor to it and sucked me right in.
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Room V is a very good album. Those that have not heard it should check it out.
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LOVE Room V. My first and favorite SG. Anyone slagging them is missing out on a great band with great music.
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LOVE Room V. My first and favorite SG. Anyone slagging them is missing out on a great band with great music.
Wasn't going to comment about Room V, to avoid being a downer, but come on. We rip on Shadow Gallery because we've listened to them and disagree with your opinion. We haven't missed out simply because you love them.
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LOVE Room V. My first and favorite SG. Anyone slagging them is missing out on a great band with great music.
Wasn't going to comment about Room V, to avoid being a downer, but come on. We rip on Shadow Gallery because we've listened to them and disagree with your opinion. We haven't missed out simply because you love them.
Fair enough, and as I certainly demonstrated with my stance on PT, everyone is entitled to their opinion. My opinion is that people slagging them (ergo, don't like them) are missing out.
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Leave Ergo out of this.
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(https://www.nickeh.com/images/thunder.jpg)
Whoa, I made this like 5 years ago...
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LOVE Room V. My first and favorite SG. Anyone slagging them is missing out on a great band with great music.
Wasn't going to comment about Room V, to avoid being a downer, but come on. We rip on Shadow Gallery because we've listened to them and disagree with your opinion. We haven't missed out simply because you love them.
Fair enough, and as I certainly demonstrated with my stance on PT, everyone is entitled to their opinion. My opinion is that people slagging them (ergo, don't like them) are missing out.
That's just it, though. I am not missing out, I have heard Room V many times. Wasting more time with it just means I miss out on other music I love.
Maybe we just disagree on word choice, but I interpret your statement the missing out part, as being derogatory towards others' opinions. I dislike Shadow Gallery, not that you or others like them. I hope anyone finds music they like, not just music others think they should like.
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Maybe we just disagree on word choice, but I interpret your statement the missing out part, as being derogatory towards others' opinions. I dislike Shadow Gallery, not that you or others like them. I hope anyone finds music they like, not just music others think they should like.
Definitely not how I meant to come across. Everyone's entitled to like or dislike what and whoever they want. I was just intending to show my appreciation of SG, and don't understand what's not to like about them. Kinda like DTVT's comment to me about 'fixing' my opinion of Riverside.
No harm intended
Now, where is the next teaser clip Nick?
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9. Time Machine - Eternity Ends
(https://image.maniadb.com/images/album/331/331627_1_f.jpg)
In a list of obscure and great albums this would be the most obscure and the greatest. I'm 99% certain DTVT is the only other person here who has heard it, and that's because I made him buy it last week. Time Machine is an Italian prog-metal act that has a somewhat unique sound helped by the fact that they take on a different vocalist with every album. And while they have two other albums I really enjoy this one stands out as a masterpiece. I think one final chorus on one of the tracks is twice as long as it should be, and that is the only complaint I've ever come up with. The songs are dynamic and feature lots of cool flourishes of sections and pieces you might not expect, and I love the vocalist on this particular album, Nick Forterezza, who sadly has never seemed to do anything else of note.
Favorite tracks: Behind the Cross, Sphynx (The Witness), Eternity Ends
Honorable mention: Vision Divine - Stream of Conciousness
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Not famliliar with Time Machine..will check out, but Vision Divine's Stream Of Consciousness is outstanding!
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Never heard of Time Machine. I will check them out Nick!
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I'm not familiar with these two entries in your top 10 so far. But I'm sure some great albums will show up. :smiley:
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A rather easy one I think.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF08.mp3
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Nick, your link says .jpg...
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Derp. Thanks.
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Yeah...that one is pretty obvious. Shouldn't take anyone 20 days to figure it out. ;D
BTW, I figured out what the other song was that I thought your PT clip was from. Check the begining of "See No Evil" from Enchant's Tug of War album.
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867-5309 ;D
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Yeah...that one is pretty obvious. Shouldn't take anyone 20 days to figure it out. ;D
BTW, I figured out what the other song was that I thought your PT clip was from. Check the begining of "See No Evil" from Enchant's Tug of War album.
Yeah, I could see it throwing you off, but I will tell you that there shall be no more Enchant in this list.
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I wasn't expecting it, it's just where my mind went to immediately based on that one note.
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8. Ayreon - The Human Equation
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MWFEPqnR2Xo/TZDXGqNkbuI/AAAAAAAAAQU/lggVRN_9s4c/s1600/albumcoverfrontcustomrs5.jpg)
As with most concept albums one can not simply approach The Human Equation song by song. The album is a sprawling two disc journey taken along with a man in a coma struggling with his emotions to come back into consciousness. The man is voiced by James LaBrie, while composer and primary instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen voices his best friend, and the wife, and nine emotions are voiced by a talented and diverse cast of singers. The album would stand alone musically, or with almost any of the singular vocalists, but it is the amazing way in which Arjen throws everything together that makes the album truly special.
The album begins with a soft track, medical machines heard in the background to signal the state of the man as Arjen, playing best friend opens the dialog wondering about the state of the man. Although he said he was originally intending someone else for the part, listening back I can’t imagine anyone except Arjen playing the role of best friend, sure, he is not an overly talented singer, and he surrounds himself with the absolute best, but there is a special character and emotion found within Arjen that makes his roles special nearly all the time. For the second half of the song we are treated to the then unknown Marcela Bovio. Arjen sent out a call for unknown talent to appear on his next record, and out of a myriad of tapes sent in to what might as well be Dutch Rock Opera Idol, Arjen pulled out what was truly a diamond in the rough. Hailing from Mexico Marcela’s voice is as close to an angel as I can imagine. Soft and beautiful yet strong when required she outshines any female who attempts her style.
Through the second and third tracks we are further introduced to the varied and talented group of singers that are showcased on the album. The songs feature some of the heavier material on the album, music always accenting the emotion and singers of the time. Fear and Rage are introduced, voiced by Mikael Akerfeldt and Devin Townsend respectively, and they give performances to be remembered. The strong emotion of the album and their parts within truly justify and make all the better the growling seen throughout the album. Never overdone they simply display their parts as best they can. On the other hand several parts of the album feature softer sections, often with thick warm synthesizes more reminiscent of long gone progressive rock giants than of a band putting out albums in the new millennium.
“Hope” points out one of the albums strongest points. The song shows how Arjen perfectly crafts the music to fit the mood and lyrics of the piece. “Love” is another example with the music reminiscent of the type of dance where the man and his wife met. And a review of Ayreon is never complete without comments on how well Arjen uses the vocalists on his album. Each person seems perfectly suited and yet molded for their role, as Arjen once again shows his knack to always bring out the best in any singer. James LaBrie is seen using a low, deep and emotional side of his voice which is so often overlooked in Dream Theater these days. The beauty of Irene Jansen and Heather Findlay is so very apparent, and singers like Devin Graves and Magnus Ekwall are used to the extent of their particular niche.
Also appearing on the album are many unusual instruments including the violin, cello, and even a didgeridoo. That in itself is not all that amazing, what is however is how well Arjen uses each in his music, incorporating perfectly every instrument (or instrumentalist) he can get his hands on. The album also features one of my favorite closing tracks of all time. “Confrontation” sums up the theme of the album while the music powers forward ever faster and more intense until James LaBrie lets out one final shriek which leaves your heart pounding and wishing there was more.
Although the album features so many wonderful individual talents and songs, what it is as a whole truly makes it shine. From the concept to the music to the interplay of voices the album comes together as a masterpiece, only helped by Arjen’s beautiful engineering and mixing work. From the heavy to the atmospheric this album covers everything with beauty and precision, and it stands out as Arjen’s crowning achievement to date.
The album is available as a 2CD regular release, 2CD/1DVD special edition, and a very special limited edition that has the album shaped like a book. With the DVD in one cover, the 2CD’s in the other cover, and an extended booklet in book type binding in between it is the nicest packaging for a multi-disk set that I’ve ever seen. The DVD contains a very nice and lengthy documentary on the album, a brief explanation on the concept, a video for Love, and a few other small goodies.
Favorite tracks: Day Twenty: Confrontation, Day Two: Isolation, Day Three: Pain
Honorable mention: Threshold - Hypothetical
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Human Equation is my fav Ayreon album, it's brilliant.
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Okay Nick this isn't funny anymore. I'm starting to think that Thundersword isn't actually on your list.
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Dude, it's a countdown.
Of course he didn't get to it yet.
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Exactly. I can't post a top 5 album any earlier, that wouldn't make sense.
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I think The Human Equation is overrated but still a pretty good album
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+ a million for Shadow Gallery and The Human Equation.
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Not sure if anyone will get this...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF07.mp3
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A sound clip of nothing? I think I agree, it'll be pretty tough for someone to guess this one.
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A sound clip of nothing? I think I agree, it'll be pretty tough for someone to guess this one.
Did you press play? Seems like a pretty obvious hint to me.
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DARK SIDE OF THE MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111
:neverusethis:
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Yeeeees The Human Equation! What a great album. :heart
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A sound clip of nothing? I think I agree, it'll be pretty tough for someone to guess this one.
Did you press play? Seems like a pretty obvious hint to me.
It plays for about 2 seconds with nothing. :dunno:
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A sound clip of nothing? I think I agree, it'll be pretty tough for someone to guess this one.
Did you press play? Seems like a pretty obvious hint to me.
It plays for about 2 seconds with nothing. :dunno:
I suggest turning your speakers on. :lol
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The tick sound means it's clearly Metallica's St. Anger album :neverusethis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TovqogviVU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TovqogviVU)
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I suggest turning your speakers on. :lol
Seriously don't hear anything, oh well.
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Man Nick, how is anybody on "This" forum going to get that hint?!
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T.H.E. was #2 on my list, so no complaints here. An absolute masterpiece. Perfect album from my favorite musical mind. This was my first Ayreon/Arjen album, and man oh man introduced me to so much music - not just from Arjen himself, but all the bands/projects of the artists that have been on his albums.
I'm taking a deep breath and relaxing in anticipation of the next review.
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Man Nick, how is anybody on "This" forum going to get that hint?!
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7. Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_C5nYeovI8BU/TMsP8SLoNMI/AAAAAAAACYk/WtEAQjnmGyg/s1600/Dream+Theater+-+Metropolis+Pt.+2+(Scenes+From+A+Memory)+-+Front.jpg)
Scenes From a Memory was a do or die album for Dream Theater, and boy did they ever deliver. Without a doubt it is the most complete album the band has done to date. While they might not pack the punch of some of the longer or heavier tracks, even the softer moments on the album do not even come close to anything that could be considered a lull. After Regression's intro the album kicks into gear with the band's 2nd best instrumental, Overture 1928. From there the album continues with fantastic track after fantastic track, and it doesn't stop until Portnoy lets loose during Finally Free in a great finish. As far as semi-practical albums I'd love to see performed live in their entirety this is probably #1 on that list.
Favorite tracks: Beyond This Life, Finally Free, Strange Deja Vu
Honorable mention: Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
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Great Album..Great pick!
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Not sure if anyone will get this...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF07.mp3
Regression?
-
Not sure if anyone will get this...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF07.mp3
Regression?
Yup, a single tick.
-
Not sure if anyone will get this...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF07.mp3
Regression?
Yup, a single tick.
I guessed that before seeing your number 7 pick too.
-
Not sure if anyone will get this...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF07.mp3
Regression?
Yup, a single tick.
I guessed that before seeing your number 7 pick too.
Nice, but can you get this?
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF06.mp3
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Not a clue.
-
SFAM should be higher in your list, at least top 5
-
SFAM should be higher in your list, at least top 5
Here's my actual music collection, not including any Rush, Dream Theater, vinyl, or anything I've only heard digitally. I think being top 10 really isn't being that shabby. :p
(https://www.nickeh.com/images/top10.jpg)
-
What is that Operation Live crime box in the top left corner?
-
It's a box set containing the VHS, CD, and an extended booklet.
-
I'm...hoping...to...see...some...Dog...Fashion...Disco...in...the...mix
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It's a box set containing the VHS, CD, and an extended booklet.
That's beautiful.
-
It's a box set containing the VHS, CD, and an extended booklet.
I have that one too, as well as the DVD.
-
How many CD's does that black thing hold? After I move, I'm going to get some massive jobber to hold all my CD's.
For whatever reason I don't listen to SFAM much any more. I guess I would probably have it 4th or 5th just among DT albums, and sliding - so according to the rules of Nick's list it wouldn't even make HM. It could be worse though, he could have put some utter drek there.
-
Great pick!
-
That's a fine collection of musics you have thar.
-
SFAM should be higher in your list, at least top 5
Here's my actual music collection, not including any Rush, Dream Theater, vinyl, or anything I've only heard digitally. I think being top 10 really isn't being that shabby. :p
*snip*
Showoff....
-
How many CD's does that black thing hold? After I move, I'm going to get some massive jobber to hold all my CD's.
I got it long enough ago that I really don't remember the quoted number on the box.
But assuming this is the same or similar: https://www.amazon.com/Atlantic-38435617-Oskar/dp/B002UOPRPC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1331555538&sr=8-9
1080 would be the total on that shelf.
-
I would put Scenes one spot higher. :smiley:
-
I'm going to post #6 when I get home in about 5 hours, anybody able to pick up on the snippet before then?
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Great pick with SFAM. It's my #2 DT album after Images. I don't know where I would rank it overall though.
-
SFAM is where it all began with my DT fandom. Man, that first spin, lying on a couch....it was a trip.... :hefdaddy
-
I'm going to post #6 when I get home in about 5 hours, anybody able to pick up on the snippet before then?
Porcupine Tree, but I can't find the right song..
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I'm going to post #6 when I get home in about 5 hours, anybody able to pick up on the snippet before then?
Porcupine Tree, but I can't find the right song..
Well, you're not supposed to name the band if you know it, but since you did I might as well just reveal now.
6. Porcupine Tree - On the Sunday of Life
(https://img15.nnm.ru/9/0/d/e/2/73d8a75d34774d9e76c964b0e79.jpg)
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I'm going to post #6 when I get home in about 5 hours, anybody able to pick up on the snippet before then?
Porcupine Tree, but I can't find the right song..
Well, you're not supposed to name the band if you know it, but since you did I might as well just reveal now.
Oh, shit. :lol
What did I do wrong?
Good pick though :tup
-
Oh, dayuum. Awesome!
-
Odd Porcupine Tree album to put that high, do not agree. Except for Radioactive Toy I just just can't see the greatness of this one.
-
Odd Porcupine Tree album to put that high, do not agree. Except for Radioactive Toy I just just can't see the greatness of this one.
Exactly how I feel, hence why this was a joke. :lol
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6. Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
(https://moole.ru/uploads/posts/2009-06/1246201208_porcupine-tree-deadwing-2005.jpg)
Any album is off to a good start when it contains a band's best song, and separately its best ballad as well. The album features an amazing contrast between soft and heavy between both songs, and within the epic Arriving Somewhere. Lazarus is sandwiched between Shallow and Halo, and Mellotron Scratch is followed by Open Car. All of this helps demonstrate Wilson's versatility and excellence, as not a single song mentioned so far is anything less then amazing. And outside of the middle section of Anesthetize the band has never better executed the heavier end of their song as in songs such as Deadwing, Shallow, Halo, Arriving Somewhere, and Open Car.
Favorite tracks: Arriving Somewhere, Lazarus, Shallow
Honorable mention: Dredg - The Parot, the Pariah, the Delusion
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I hate you, Nicholas!!!!!!! You've ruined my dream. For a moment, you were my closest, warmest, most loving friend. And now that's all gone.
ALL GONE. Nice pick, I guess. Lazarus is the worst PT song though. I accept and welcome your flaming rods and take them into my gullet with my jaw agape, teeth glittering in the moonlit night. OH, WOE IS ME. BOATS AND HOS.
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^ You're insane. Lazarus is beautiful.
-
Solid picks with three of the worse songs on the album. :biggrin:
Honestly I think Deadwing is slightly overrated in PT's catalogue, but it's still a great album. I have very fond memories of hearing it the first times, and the title-track always brings me back to that time period.
-
Damn you. :rollin
-
I get that some people enjoy OtSoL more than I do, but I reaaaaaally have trouble seeing it in anyone's top 10 list. Hell, it doesn't even make my list of top 10 Porcupine Tree albums. :lol
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Love the pick Nick. Can't say enough about Deadwing.
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Deadwing :heart :heart
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Great to see my favorite Porcupine tree album in there. It's weird that you didn't mention The Start of something beautiful, which is my favorite on the album. But every single song on that album is at least really good, the one I like the least would actually be the title track.
-
Great record and even better trolling :P
-
Good pick!
-
If you happen to love this song as much as I do you might be able to pull this one out...
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF05.mp3
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Couldn't hear a thing.
-
It's a very soft sound, so I would turn the speakers up a good bit, I did test it to make sure it's working.
-
Me thinks I might figure it out one of these days
-
I'm gonna take a total stab at this, and think it might be something from *cough*
-
J.B knows how this shit is done. One of you was correct. :)
-
I think this is the first time that album from that band has seen some love on a Top 50. Pretty high ranking.
-
This is the Story So Far:
6. Porpupine Tree - Deadwing
7. Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
8. Ayreon - The Human Equation
9. Time Machine - Eternity Ends
10. Shadow Gallery - Room V
11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
12. Royal Hunt - Paradox
13. Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
14. Neal Morse - ?
15. Pendragon - The Masquarade Overture
16. Yes - Close to the Edge
17. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory?
18. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 1
19. Bruce Dickinson - Chemical Wedding
20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
25. Queensrche - Rage for Order
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Avantasia – The Wicked Symphony
Beardfish - Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 2
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Devin Townsend – Terria
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Dredg - The Parot, the Pariah, the Delusion
Enchant – Juggling 9 or Dropping 10
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Fates Warning - Disconnected
Fish - 13th Star
Haken – Aquarius
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Kansas - Point of Know Return
Labyrinth – Freeman
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
Rush - Permanent Waves
Secret Sphere - Heart and Anger
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla – Mechanical Resonance
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Threshold - Hypothetical
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Vision Divine - Stream of Consciousness
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2nd best top 50 so far ;)
-
Shit, obviously can't be Floyd so I can't believe I'm right. Don't ask me what album or song, I have no idea. Sorry Nick about the spoiler.
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Must be the same sound sample if it wasn't my guess.
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I'm not entirely sure if sound samples were available in the days of Meddle.
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I'm starting to really love the Deadwing title track. I love that rhythmic blippity-bloop electronic thing that keeps cropping up in the song. I especially love it during the heavy section following the first 'rap' verse...I just wish it was more prominent in the mix. It's kind of overwhelmed by the distorted guitars and cymbal crashes.
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Ah too bad it wasn't Meddle. That is a near perfect album.
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5. Marillion - Clutching at Straws
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Album_cover_marillion_clutching_at_straws.jpg)
Several months before co-hosting a radio show I tried to write my first musical review, but that project ended in complete defeat as I attempted to review an album with which I had such a musical and emotional connection, and I could not find a way to put my thoughts to words properly. However, a few months later I broke the review ice with Dominici’s third album, and now fifteen reviews later I am returning to try and do justice to one of the absolute masterpieces of progressive-rock, Clutching at Straws.
Much like its predecessor, Misplaced Childhood, Clutching at Straws should not be viewed as a series of tracks. It should in my opinion, be viewed as an emotional rollercoaster which rivals any other album ever made. Furthermore, I believe the album is best broken down into three distinct sections.
The first section goes from the mystic opening of “Hotel Hobbies”, to the sobering ending of “Just for the Record”. Lyrically the first five tracks on the album begin to tell a somewhat cohesive story of the butt ends of fame, heartache, and drugs. Musically the album shows Marillion at their strongest. Their neo-progressive style having been refined over their previous three albums matured into a flowing, naturally progressing style that provides the perfect soundscapes to go behind the story. Add to that some of Steve Rothery’s best leads and solos and a vocal delivery from Fish that is as unique, powerful, and emotional as possible, and you have an incredible start to this record.
The second section of the record contains the next two tracks, “White Russian” and “Incommunicado”, and provides a strange emotional release before the albums conclusion. “White Russian” is perhaps the strongest standalone track on the album and is as emotionally charged as the rest of the record, but takes a turn off the topics of the rest of the album. Next, “Incommunicado” provides a musical and lyrical uplift that prevents Clutching at Straws from being a completely depressing and dark album. I’ve always wondered about the inclusion of these two tracks on the album. Certainly two of the stronger standalone tracks, but many claim, and are reasonable in saying that it breaks from the rest of the album. However, I believe with their decision to include them they included them in the right place, in the right order, with “White Russian” lyrically distracting the listener from the tones of the album and then “Incommunicado” providing a brief reprieve from all aspects of the album. Because the second section is wedged right in the middle, the third section of the album is strong enough to bring everything from the first section back into play without ever getting the feeling that you got sidetracked for a moment.
“Torch Song” kicks off the third and final section of the album, bringing back into focus the importance that alcohol played lyrically throughout the first section of the album. Once again the listener is treated to one of the most emotional performances a singer could put forth as Fish pours his heart and soul into the album. This trend continues through the somewhat anthemic “Slainte Mhath” and the touching ballad “Sugar Mice”. Finally, the album concludes with the single greatest closer I have ever encountered. I say closer because it implies more than simply being the last track on an album. “The Last Straw” is an emotional and musical whirlwind, perfectly summing up the emotion and the feel of the album in a few minutes. To me, that song represents the finest moment in Marillion’s career. Strong by itself, the song becomes magical at the end of Clutching at Straws, and leaves me in awe every time I listen to it.
Drummer Ian Mosley recalls that, “The tracks offer subtle as well as obvious references to excessive antics. Antics and abuses that ultimately (if not intentionally), forced the band to regroup, retreat and recognize the need for reformation.” Although musical differences are certainly part of the reason Fish left Marillion during the writing of Marillion’s 5th album, one can also simply look at the words Fish left to us in Clutching at Straws to gain a deeper understanding of what would happen. A man, and a band burnt out on fame and alcohol would record their masterpiece around those themes before they would have a “reformation” that would show both Marillion and Fish never again reaching the levels of success that they had achieved together.
“And if you ever come across us don’t give us your sympathy
You can buy us a drink and just shake our hands
And you’ll recognize by the reflection in our eyes that deep down inside we’re all one and the same.”
-Fish in ‘The Last Straw’-
Favorite tracks: The Last Straw, White Russian, Incommunicado
Honorable mention: Dream Theater - Images and Words
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Not a Marillion fan but I love me some Incommunicado.
And how come TOT made your top 50 and I&W didn't? :youfail:
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My guess would be that it's because ToT is the better album. :p
-
:tup
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^ You're insane. Lazarus is beautiful.
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Great choice. H era lovers will hate, but this is my favorite Marillion album as well.
And how come TOT made your top 50 and I&W didn't? :youfail:
Because for every time Nick gets something right, he must get something terribly, terribly wrong.
-
This should be a major softball for everyone.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF04.mp3
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CAS is a very cool album. After seeing Marillion play with Rush and doing all of Misplaced Childhood, I went bonkers and went to their back catalog and when CAS came out, I wore that cassette and album down.
-
This should be a major softball for everyone.
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF04.mp3
Wow... I'm very surprised that you ranked this ahead of SFAM (as I did). Top 10 album for me - assuming I'm right on who's making the call. Dr. X
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I'm not. Album #4 is better IMO as well, even if it is 11 years older than SFAM (and no; age has nothing to do with it, it's just my way of showing without telling).
-
Hello?
-
I'm not. Album #4 is better IMO as well, even if it is 11 years older than SFAM (and no; age has nothing to do with it, it's just my way of showing without telling).
It's like a master/apprentice, or teacher/student comparison IMO.
-
Hello?
Da-dunt-da-duuuuuuuuhhh...............
-
Hello?
Da-dunt-da-duuuuuuuuhhh...............
Click.
-
Hello?
Da-dunt-da-duuuuuuuuhhh...............
Click.
Da-dunt-da-duuuuuuuuhhh
-
WTF is going on?
-
4. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fg7ranNveY4/TSjxLtjKtQI/AAAAAAAAAdE/2rvkrvI3woA/s1600/queensryche%252520-operation%252520mind%252520crime.jpg)
Quite simply the best metal album ever made. One of the albums that helped pry me from prog and into more metal, this album will always hold a great place in my heart. Held in high regard as it is it's tough to find too much to say about it, but I will say that seeing it live is the single greatest hour-ish set I've ever seen. I own this on CD, casette, vinyl, as part as a french import CD two pack with the EP, and live in a livecrime box set (pictured earlier) and in Mindcrime at the Moore. It is easily one of my most played discs (hell, it might even be the album I've played the most), and I still love hearing it each and every time. Everything was firing right for Queensryche on this album, and the result is stunning.
Favorite tracks: Suite Sister Mary, Breaking the Silence, I Don't Believe in Love
Honorable mention: Evergrey - Solitude Dominance Tragedy
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I discovered Mindcrime about 15 years ago, and I have never gotten tired of listening to it. This album is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end, and it deserves to be this high on everyone's list.
Props to your mention of SDT from Evergrey. Killer record, and top 3 Evergrey material.
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About as close to perfection as an album can get. Without a doubt QR at their best. boy do I ever regret not getting the chance to see this tour. I only discovered them just after it wrapped up. But, the VHS got plenty of plays!
-
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF03.mp3
-
No idea on that one. Hint?
-
O:M blew me away instantly. Definitely worthy for Nick's top 50?
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2 out 3 chance it's Rush. It's probably something I have, but it's not ringing a bell.
-
Without hearing the sample, and assuming it's Rush, I'ma guessin' A Farewell To Kings or Hemispheres.
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I know what that sample is, but I won't tell this time.
-
Amazing pick!
-
OPERATION MIIINDCRIIIIIME
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About as close to perfection as an album can get. Without a doubt QR at their best. boy do I ever regret not getting the chance to see this tour. I only discovered them just after it wrapped up. But, the VHS got plenty of plays!
Didn't they spend most of this tour as an opener? I know they didn't play up here as a headliner. We had to wait until the Empire tour to hear this in its entirety.
A perfect album? As close as you can get!!
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This and Empire are as close to perfection as you can get. Love the pick Nick.
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This and Empire are as close to perfection as you can get. Love the pick Nick.
Empire? Really?
-
Yes. Unlike most who though QR was selling out, I loved the album.
Sort of like the Metallica Black album.
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Its good but not as good as anything before it :)
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Yes. Unlike most who though QR was selling out, I loved the album.
Sort of like the Metallica Black album.
I agree with all of this. I love both Empire and the Black Album.
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Nice to see Mindcrime. :tup
-
OPERATION MIIINDCRIIIIIME
We're an underground revolution working overtime!
I know what that sample is, but I won't tell this time.
Sweet. I think once I reveal it a few people are going to know right away what it's from.
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I've listened to this album several times but can't find what's so special about it.
-
I think once I reveal it a few people are going to know right away what it's from.
Let it out, drama llama king!
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Everyone's entitled to their own special fail. Mine is obviously lack of love for PT and Riverside.
I've listened to this album several times but can't find what's so special about it.
This would be yours.
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:lol
I like the time signature changes and the song structures in general but the overall sound is just too meh.
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3. Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SUD5urzswPk/S83LWvHRaiI/AAAAAAAAAWU/kFETuL27ZXE/s1600/Transatlantic+-+Bridge+Across+Forever.jpg)
I think this album will stand the test of time as the greatest example of potential fulfilled of all time. The styles of Neal Morse and Roine Stolt in particular merge together on this album in an amazing way, while Pete and Portnoy end up being perfect compliments to both of them. Duel With the Devil is in a dead heat with another song as my favorite of all time, and Stranger isn't far behind. Often overshadowed by the longer pieces I think it's worth noting how absolutely beautiful the title track is as well. To me Transatlantic is the ultimate happy music. When I hear the musical melodies and the fantastically executed vocal parts a smile sweeps across my face every single time. I had a chance to meet Roine a few years back and had him sign a bunch of stuff, but forgot my Bridge Across Forever booklet. Meeting him again has now become a life goal of mine as the rest of the band (including Daniel Gildenlow since he's played the songs enough) have since signed it.
Favorite tracks: Duel With the Devil, Stranger in Your Soul, Suite Charlotte Pike
Honorable mention: Firewind - Between Heaven and Hell
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Nice, I have actually only heard one or two Transatlantic songs but after seing them everywhere and this high on your list I will look into them some more.
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Don't return to the forums until you listen to this album.
Inb4 Rush and Rush
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I don't know why people are assuming that. It could very well be that I only have 1 Rush album in my top 100.
-
And it could very well be that I'm a Black Jewish Republican.
-
And I'm hung like a shetland pony.
So Nick, what do you have against the title track? Couldn't just put that one in there too? Great album, much better than it's predecessor.
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Nothing, but I've listed 3 tracks for every album, so I listed my top 3 for this as well.
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All of them, all of them, all of them would've been more appropriate then.
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Great album right there.
And what DTVT and Zander said about the top 2
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Rush aren't really that great, GAWD.
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Lets assume you didn't have your rules. How many Rush albums would be above BAF?
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meh, a Rush top 2.
-
Lets assume you didn't have your rules. How many Rush albums would be above BAF?
In the hypothetical scenario that my top 2 are both Rush albums, even without the rules I don't think any other Rush albums would make the top 10, but Permanent Waves and possibly one other would be in the top 20.
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I'm still guessing Rush also.
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inb4 fake #2
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(https://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQp-PBW4wETtM0ztQwATko1VobQbzlC3qZYy1QHgsyHC_xTDblQmuvKAIeSeA)
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Inb4 Rush and Rush
inb4 it's Caress of Steel and Vapour Trails.
Moving Pictures and A Farewell To Kings both made my top 10.
Rush aren't really that great, GAWD.
You're right. But you think they are.
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Moving Pictures and Power Windows. Yeah, you read it first here.
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I think King could be on to something there.
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www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF02.mp3
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Nope. I'm wrong!
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Nope. I'm wrong!
Still, we are right about the band, and I believe this sound clip is from one of the greatest instrumental tracks of all time. Nick??
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Nope. I'm wrong!
Still, we are right about the band, and I believe this sound clip is from one of the greatest instrumental tracks of all time. Nick??
It's quite possible. ;)
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Well I didn't want to give it away but since you did it's Prince, Diamonds & Pearls.
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WTF?
-
WTF?
:lol ;)
-
Moving Pictures and Power Windows. Yeah, you read it first here.
And you were wrong here first.
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Aww yeah, Bridge Across Forever is my all-time favorite album. :tup
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Predictions:
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeoplane over the Sea
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
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2. Rush - Hemispheres
(https://www.nickeh.com/images/hemi.jpg)
I know, you're all shocked. For all the love that the song 2112 gets, I actually think that the title track here is the better of the two. The song is like a 17 minute high topped off with a beautiful minute to breathe before the fantastic opening of Circumstances kicks in and Rush fully engage world domination mode once more. An often overlooked track, along with Entre Nous, on the Snakes and Arrows tour it was one of the best setlist decisions Rush has made in the last decade. The Trees has managed to become a radio staple, far removed from what one typically hears on rock radio, and I think it easily surpasses most other Rush hits. And finally we come to La Villa... I'm not even going to try and decide whether it beats the often compared YYZ because I think they are two very different animals, but I will say it's one hell of a way to finish off an album. For an instrumental track to build as it does is breathtaking, and it closes an album of four amazing tracks.
Favorite tracks: Hemispheres, La Villa Strangiato, Circumstances
Honorable mention: Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part Two: Levittown
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Booyaa!! Got the sample correct.
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The suspense is so thick you can cut it with practically anything you want.
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Quiet you. :p
www.nickeh.com/samples/DTF01.mp3
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The band starts with R, and the song starts with X.
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Uhhh....
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Concetro in True Minor. I've only heard it once and I'd recognize the sound of James LaBrie's horrible Italian accent anywhere. :P
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Why did you censor the Hemispheres cover? :lol
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The band starts with R, and the song starts with X.
Moving Pictures. I don't even listen to Rush and I know the sound of a horrible synth. :P
These contradict each other. Also, as a service to my fellow DTF members, I have put everything that is a horrible, horrible fail in red.
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Both really good albums, especially Bridge across forever. :tup
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I think Hemispheres is a solid & good album, but not one of Rush's best albums.
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:omg: I never expected Rush here....
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H, there are several fails to address, and I'll get to them in time. But let me start by saying you fail because I had asked people not to mention names so people could make their own private guesses at the snippets, so thanks for screwing that up.
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Somethings wrong with my copy, it's missing that smiley face. How much is it worth?
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Hemispheres is a great album. After Moving Pictures, it's probably my second fave Rush album.
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Why does this Flick guy keep posting his list? We all know Nick would have some horrible fail at the top of his list.
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Why does this Flick guy keep posting his list? We all know Nick would have some horrible fail at the top of his list.
I think it's helpful. I'll probably steal that when I do my list.
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Why does this Flick guy keep posting his list? We all know Nick would have some horrible fail at the top of his list.
I think it's helpful. I'll probably steal that when I do my list.
???
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Moving Pictures. I don't even listen to Rush and I know the sound of a horrible synth. :P
Reported. :biggrin:
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Censored I don't even listen to Rush and I know the sound of a horrible synth. :P
:youfail:
Why does this Flick guy keep posting his list? We all know Nick would have some horrible fail at the top of his list.
If H is right then I don't see any failure. That album much deserves a first spot.
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I was just thinking regarding Hemispheres. I know I'm pretty critical when it comes to Rush, and to me, they've never done anything after Moving Pictures that made me go "Holy shit, that was awesome!". I am not sure if I would even have Rush in my Top 10 bands based on their entire career, but like Samsara cites "original era Queensryche" I would say that 75-81 Rush would be Top 5 for me, with Hemispheres leading the way.
What turns me on to Dream Theater is that they are really an extension of late 70's Rush. In fact when I got into DT with I&W, I always said that this is the music Rush should be making. I mean compare I&W with Roll The Bones, which came out about the same time. It's like Rush wasn't even the same band anymore.
To me, the music Rush was making in the late 70's a la Hemispheres is some of the coolest music I've ever heard and they were one of my first favorite bands. While they've lost me over the years, it was Dream Theater that picked up where Rush left off...er...where Rush quit.
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Can we also compare Systematic Chaos to the far superior Snakes and Arrows (which isn't even one of Rush's best albums)? :biggrin:
Also, Roll the Bones was Rush's 14th studio album, and 13th with Lee/Lifeson/Peart. What other band kept the same members for that many albums and saw the 13th one be that good?
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Can we also compare Systematic Chaos to the far superior Snakes and Arrows (which isn't even one of Rush's best albums)? :biggrin:
Also, Roll the Bones was Rush's 14th studio album, and 13th with the Lee/Lifeson/Peart. What other band kept the same members for that many albums and saw the 13th one be that good?
Rush gets points for longevity, but to me, and I can only speak for me, their musical direction they took in the 80's and 90's was not the one that I would've chosen. I have followed them, bought albums, seen tours, and still "like" them, but other than their longevity and this late in their career approachability, musically, they did lose me.
But that's me.
Yeah, I guess you could compare one moment in time.
I think all I was saying is that I used to find their music awe inspiring, and that all ended the moment I heard New World Man. And every album released since then, I read the same shit. "This is our best album since Moving Pictures". Really?
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I can understand why the direction they took in the 80s might have driven people away, but if nothing else you have to give them credit for trying all kinds of different things and never resting on their laurels. I love in Beyond the Lighted Stage when Neil Peart said something along the lines (cannot remember it word for word) of, "That would never work in Rush: those words have never been uttered about this band." Gotta love that. You can't say the same thing about Dream Theater. ;)
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Yeah, I can understand and respect it. Same for Metallica.
I mean I still like them, but over time they went from a favorite band to just another band.
Neil also had a great line in I think it was the Classic Album DVD, where he says, "I didn't want to be famous, I just wanted to be good." I Love that line!
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I was just thinking regarding Hemispheres. I know I'm pretty critical when it comes to Rush, and to me, they've never done anything after Moving Pictures that made me go "Holy shit, that was awesome!". I am not sure if I would even have Rush in my Top 10 bands based on their entire career, but like Samsara cites "original era Queensryche" I would say that 75-81 Rush would be Top 5 for me, with Hemispheres leading the way.
What turns me on to Dream Theater is that they are really an extension of late 70's Rush. In fact when I got into DT with I&W, I always said that this is the music Rush should be making. I mean compare I&W with Roll The Bones, which came out about the same time. It's like Rush wasn't even the same band anymore.
To me, the music Rush was making in the late 70's a la Hemispheres is some of the coolest music I've ever heard and they were one of my first favorite bands. While they've lost me over the years, it was Dream Theater that picked up where Rush left off...er...where Rush quit.
To me Snakes & Arrows was the best album by Rush, then again I only really listened to Rush a few years ago. There are so many great songs here and there but damn Snakes & Arrows is just solid awesome.
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Hemispheres is probably my favorite Rush album.
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One of the advantages of discovering Rush in the late 90s is that I think I tend to see the natural progression and I can enjoy the synth era as much as the pre-synth era. It's actually the post synth era where I think they've been weakest.
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H, there are several fails to address, and I'll get to them in time. But let me start by saying you fail because I had asked people not to mention names so people could make their own private guesses at the snippets, so thanks for screwing that up.
Sorry, I missed where you said that. I haven't been following the thread that religiously. Fortunately it seems like not everyone saw the comment.
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Now we can address how you had an Orion moment and completely missed the album. :p
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One of the advantages of discovering Rush in the late 90s is that I think I tend to see the natural progression and I can enjoy the synth era as much as the pre-synth era. It's actually the post synth era where I think they've been weakest.
Yeah, I agree about the post synth era. I actually have a great 80's compilation CD that I made from Signals to Hold Your Fire.
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Now we can address how you had an Orion moment and completely missed the album. :p
In fairness, what with their bunches of notes and boringly complex prog, all Rush albums do sound the same.
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Now we can address how you had an Orion moment and completely missed the album. :p
In fairness, what with their bunches of notes and boringly complex prog, all Rush albums do sound the same.
Yeah! :lol
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Now we can address how you had an Orion moment and completely missed the album. :p
In fairness, what with their bunches of notes and boringly complex prog, all Rush albums do sound the same.
Yeah! :lol
I know and I can't stand Geddy Lee's vocals. Especially on tracks like YYZ.
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:lol
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1. Rush - A Farewell to Kings
(https://imgsrv1.pxdrive.com/pics/norm/109129.jpg)
As I've mentioned in the Rush thread and in top 5 albums threads or whatever many times, this should come as little surprise to anyone. The album ranges from amazing songs that get the credit they deserve to amazing songs that don't get the credit they deserve. While I could talk about my all time favorite song, (along with Duel With the Devil) Xanadu, or the cult favorite Cygnus X-1, I'd rather spend time talking about tracks like Cinderella Man. This track gets almost no love and is insanely good. The lyrics are fun and easy to follow and tell an interesting story while the band rocks out to what is likely a top 15 song musically. Likewise the opening and title track deserves far more attention than tracks like The Camera Eye or Jacob's Ladder (even though both are excellent songs). And finally there is Madrigal. I understand why this one isn't talked about much, but it is a downright gorgeous track, and I can't imagine the album without it. And as with The Trees, Closer to the Heart is near the top of Rush's radio hits. For those who still download and burn music I must suggest for you one of the best ideas of all time. When I was getting into Rush I had Rush in Rio, a compilation (both that I bought), and a few albums I took from my dad's collection. A friend burned me a bunch of the other stuff, including this album and Hemispheres which will actually fit on the same disc. That my friends is the greatest 80 minutes you will ever capture on a single disc. As a random fun fact, this is the only album I own on 8-track.
Favorite tracks: Xanadu, Cinderella Man, A Farewell to Kings
Honorable mention: Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
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And I'd like to thank everyone who followed this and commented and discussed these albums, it was really fun to do!
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And I'd like to thank everyone who followed this and commented and discussed these albums, it was really fun to do!
Nick, you're certifiably insane, I'm not even sure I've got a Rush album in my top 30!
Although, if I don't I should probably have MY head examined too!
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So you're telling me Thundersword didn't even get an honorable mention?
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Guess I was wrong about Concerto in True Minor.
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Excellent choice Nick! AFTK is my #2 favourite Rush album and Xanadu is perhaps my favourite Rush song (or at least Top 3).
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That's my favourite Rush album too! Congratulations :biggrin:
Thanks for you top 50, it was fun to follow.
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Good album, not one of Rush's best though IMO.
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An OK album, but far from being one of my favorites.
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That's a great Rush album but not #1 material. Also, Wish You Were Here should have been in the list and not the honorable mentions...
Even though your list is full of things I can't understand (fails) you have a great taste in music :tup
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Great pick! Probably in my top 50 :)
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Really enjoyed this list Nick. :tup
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Really enjoyed this list Nick. :tup
.....even though I've never heard half of it! :lol
Actually I was more familiar with this list than most of the Top 50 lists around here!
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Guess I was wrong about Concerto in True Minor.
Wasn't that my troll #1? :lol
EDIT: Just went to check, and yep: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=23120.msg906321#msg906321 :D
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Change that NAO, and don't come back until you hear D.C. Cooper in your sleep.
I did. I bought the album second hand and I'm amazed. The CD has had a lot of plays the last week. Thank you!
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Guess I was wrong about Concerto in True Minor.
Wasn't that my troll #1? :lol
EDIT: Just went to check, and yep: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=23120.msg906321#msg906321 :D
Yeah, that was a brilliant troll!
Great pick Flick. It's funny how similar our tastes are (THE, O:M and AFTK in both our top 10s), and then so different (I'm not a fan of PT or Riverside).
Like I said, 2nd best top 50 done so far ;). Great write ups too
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Like I said, 2nd best top 50 done so far ;). Great write ups too
Who was the the best?
EDIT:
Nevermind, I see that you did one. I will have to check out.
Double Edit: Slade!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ending Themes
1. Rush - A Farewell to Kings
2. Rush - Hemispheres
3. Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
4. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
5. Marillion - Clutching at Straws
6. Porpupine Tree - Deadwing
7. Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
8. Ayreon - The Human Equation
9. Time Machine - Eternity Ends
10. Shadow Gallery - Room V
11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
12. Royal Hunt - Paradox
13. Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
14. Neal Morse - ?
15. Pendragon - The Masquarade Overture
16. Yes - Close to the Edge
17. Karmakanic - Who's the Boss in the Factory?
18. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 1
19. Bruce Dickinson - Chemical Wedding
20. Metallica - Master of Puppets
21. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey
22. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
25. Queensrche - Rage for Order
26. Yes - The Yes Album
27. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
28. Enchant - A Blueprint of the World
29. Kansas - Leftoverture
30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Avantasia – The Wicked Symphony
Ayreon - The Final Experiment
Beardfish - Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 2
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Devin Townsend – Terria
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Dream Theater - Images and Words
Dredg - The Parot, the Pariah, the Delusion
Enchant – Juggling 9 or Dropping 10
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Fates Warning - Disconnected
Firewind - Between Heaven and Hell
Fish - 13th Star
Haken – Aquarius
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Kansas - Point of Know Return
Labyrinth – Freeman
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Neal Morse – One
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Pendragon - The World
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part Two: Levittown
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
Rush - Permanent Waves
Secret Sphere - Heart and Anger
Shadow Gallery – Tyranny
Sonata Arctica – Ecliptica
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla – Mechanical Resonance
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Threshold - Hypothetical
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Vanden Plas - The God Thing
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Vision Divine - Stream of Consciousness
I apparently mentioned Evergrey's SDT album twice, so to finalize the list I'm giving Ayreon's The Final Experiment an honorable mention as well. Thanks again everyone!
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I was afraid Hemispheres would be the highest-rated Rush album on the list. Fortunately, you put my second or third favorite at the top instead. Well done on that front.
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It's been really interesting following your list, Nick. Many albums I already know and love, and some new ones I checked out (Pendragon comes to mind).
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Nick, I forgot your love of AFTK. Great list. I enjoyed reading it.
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I've heard 24 albums from your top 50, which is pretty cool. It was an interesting list overall, Nick. :tup
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It's an interesting list for being almost entirely prog. It sometimes feels like you're only picking from either my favourite albums from artists or my least favourites.
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It sometimes feels like you're only picking from either my favourite albums from artists or my least favourites.
I have the same issue with Nick. We like many of the same bands, but when it comes to favorite songs or albums we often differ. So even though I have the two most recent Pendragon albums, I won't be surprised if I end up liking those two more than the ones on his list.
I have 33 of the albums on the list, about 4 others I've been meaning to get, and then there is the stuff I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole (C&C). I'm still trying to figure out on what planet ToT is better than half the DT catalog, let alone top 2; but hey, that's Nick.
I like to think Nick thinks of fail as an investment; it's good to diversify his fail so he always has some fail to sent out.
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I've got 24 of the albums, and probably a half dozen more if you include what's favourite'd on my Grooveshark page.
Lots new to check out at some point in time after my Roulette. I'm trying to go cold turkey on new bands until then.
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I own 16 of those on real copies and know about 25 of them. Quite alright, if I say so.
And, thanks again for Royal Hunt ;)
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Pretty cool list Nick! Looks like I have about 38 of those albums, counting the honorable mentions. Top 5 are all very solid, though you should probably switch out Mindcrime with Good Apollo 1 :P
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I own 30 albums from your top 50.
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Alright fellas we got ourselves a pissing contest here! Everybody unzip and whip 'em out!
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:lol
I am pretty sure no one will top DTVT as far as number of albums owned on the list.
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I've only listened to 24 of those :lol
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Good Job!! Anyone who has O:M in their top ten is alright in my books. Nice to see two Fates Warning albums as well.
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I own 29 albums from Nick's top 50 and 30 from his honorable mentions.
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From the honorably mentioned, 20 owned, 6 more favourite'd on Grooveshark.
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Ending Themes
3. Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
4. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
5. Marillion - Clutching at Straws
6. Porpupine Tree - Deadwing
7. Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
23. Pink Floyd - Animals
24. Supertramp - Crime of the Century
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Nick, I share your love for all these albums. Your taste is awesome. I'll definitely check out the albums on your list that I haven't heard. :tup
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I am 30 out of 50 also.
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Guys, I win, I'm 50 for 50! :D
:neverusethis:
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:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
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Quick count puts me at 29 of Nick's Top 50 and 21 honorable mentions which oddly enough totals 50.
There's about five or six I still need to get and the rest hold little to no interest.
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While I'm a casual Rush fan, both Hemispheres and A Farewell to Kings are both really solid albums. Good choices. :)
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Gross, A Farewell to Kings. I'd rather listen to Adrenaline Mob.
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Understandable considering reliable sources* have it that Omerta is the best metal album in years.
*MP's Twitter Account
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I just read every post in this thread. Excellent list Nick.
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Nice, good to see you back DoC
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Nice, good to see you back DoC
Thanks man. Trying to catch up on a lot of stuff that I missed.