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General => Archive => General Music Archives => Topic started by: kirksnosehair on July 16, 2012, 06:56:57 AM
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So, some of this may surprise you, some may not. Who knows? My tastes are not all that diverse, but some of these choices may surprise some of you, we'll see. I'm guessing some of you young guns may not even know a few of these bands, so maybe you'll find something new to sink your ears into. Obviously, a list like this is an ever-evolving entity, so this is a snapshot in time, but I've been preparing for this list for weeks and have dug through my archives and re-listened to some stuff I haven't heard -literally- in decades, just to try to recapture the essence of those albums and why I thought they were so great at the time. I hope you all enjoy the list.
So, without further delay.........
#50 - Judas Priest - "Stained Class"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/50.jpg)
Tracklist:
01. Exciter
02. White Heat, Red Hot
03. Better by You, Better Than Me
04. Stained Class
05. Invader
06. Saints In Hell
07. Savage
08. Beyond The Realms of Death
09. Heroes End
Every time I listen to this album I am blown away by how clean and crisp the production sounds, which is quite amazing when you consider that it was released in February 1978. Judas Priest were firing on all cylinders at this point in their career. Rob Halford's 4 octave natural voice range was admired by many, including me. I was 14 when this album came out and begged my parents to let me go see them live. It wasn't until a few years later, when they were touring in support of "Point of Entry" that I got to see them, and they were a fantastic live band. Key tracks for me on this album are "Better By You, Better Than Me," "Saints In Hell" and of course, the incredible and moving "Beyond The Realms of Death" which I can listen to over and over again and again. Interesting note - Judas Priest were sued for allegedly putting a subliminal message in the song "Better By You, Better Than Me." That ridiculous law suit was tossed out of court.
#49. Foreigner - Foreigner
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/49.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Feels Like the First Time
02 - Cold as Ice
03 - Starrider
04 - Headknocker
05 - The Damage Is Done
06 - Long, Long Way from Home
07 - Woman Oh Woman
08 - At War with the World
09 - Fool for You Anyway
10 - I Need You
This was the very first album I ever owned. My parents got it for me as a Christmas Present the year it came out (1977) along with my first stereo. I was hooked from my first spin. Many people may not realize that the early albums from this band had some progressive flourishes to them. Songs like "Starrider" and "The Damage is Done" would be at home in any prog fan's library of tunes, I think, and they are among my favorites here. Unbelievably great vocals, both lead and backing. Not exactly known for big-time chops, but these guys really knew how to write some great hooks and catchy melodies and choruses. They've recently been touring with a new vocalist who sounds remarkably similar to original vocalist Lou Gramm, although only one original member remains in the band, they can still pull it off and they sound great live. Check 'em out if you get a chance!
48 - Led Zeppelin - II
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/48.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Whole Lotta Love
02 - What Is and What Should Never Be
03 - The Lemon Song
04 - Thank You
05 - Heartbreaker
06 - Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
07 - Ramble On
08 - Moby Dick
09 - Bring It On Home
What else can I say about this album other than to quote this most profound passage from "The Lemon Song" - "Squeeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg" :P
'nuff said
Next update tomorrow morning, or maybe later on this afternoon if I get a break.
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inb4 The Anabasis at #1. :P
Seriously, though, Beyond the Realms of Death is probably my favourite Judas Priest song ever, though the whole album is very cool, with other highlights being the title track and Exciter for me. I don't own the Foreigner album, but I have most of the tracks in forms of compilations and the like, so... yeah. A very solid record. And Zep... You said it all.
Well, you definitely got me interested, so I'll be following. :tup
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3 fantastic albums. Will be following.
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Good start. Nice, following!
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Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.
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Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.
You haven't listened to Stained Class? Change that nao.
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ahhhh Foreigner......
STARRIDER ...... RIDER ..... RIDERRRRRR... take me to the starrrrrssss ....
Love it :tup[/size]
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Priest :metal
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Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.
You haven't listened to Stained Class? Change that nao.
Maybe
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Okay. :|
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I had all three on 8 track! :D
I lost interest in Foreigner as my tastes got heavier and their music got lighter.
Stained Class is such a great album. I am guilty myself of underrating it.
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Never really did get into Priest, probably should change that.
Led Zep ist great. What is understood need not be discussed.
The funny thing with me and foreigner is, that when I don't listen to them for a longer time I tend to think of them as only mediocre. Then out of the blue I hear a foreigner song (at the radio, at a party etc.) and I immediately feel the need to put on some of their albums. And then I realize how good they were, at least on their first four to five albums. After that I lost track of them.
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I honestly only like Foreigner's first 4 albums, after that I lost interest. To this day, though, that debut album is still my favorite. I hadn't listened to it in years and I gave it a spin last night and really enjoyed it. I forgot how solid it really was.
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Glad you are doing yours before I do mine, might remind me of some I forgot. Starting off with three classics though. :tup
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I'm certainly looking forward to this list! Foreigner is great, I enjoy Judas Priest, and there is no denying Zeppelins massive influence on the current music scene.
Basically, you've come out firing on all cylinders.
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I honestly only like Foreigner's first 4 albums, after that I lost interest.
So what you're telling me, Kirk, is that you don't want to know what love is, and you don't want someone to show you? :omg:
;D
Will be following. I've always loved Starrider.
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heh, I ended up having some more time on my hands after lunch so here we go with the next three:
47. The Edgar Winter Group - "They Only Come Out at Night"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/47.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Hangin' Around
02 - When It Comes
03 - Alta Mira
04 - Free Ride
05 - Undercover Man
06 - Round & Round
07 - Rock 'n' Roll Boogie Woogie Blues
08 - Autumn
09 - We All Had a Real Good Time
10 - Frankenstein
The Edgar Winter Group was one of those bands that came out swinging but it took them until this album, their third, to really make it big. Featuring two powerhouse tracks that were all over FM Rock Radio back in 1972. Produced by Rick Derringer, this album was full of variety from the latin tinged "Alta Mira" to the bluesy funk rock groove of "Rock & Roll Boogie Woogie Blues (co-written by Ronnie Montrose) to the heavy metal/space rock of the classic instrumental "Frankenstein" this 37 minute LP had it all. I got it as a birthday gift in 1978 and even though it was a few years old by then "Free Ride" and "Frankenstein" were still hugely popular. To this day it's one of my favorite rock albums. Key tracks already mentioned here, but also check out "We All Had a Real Good Time."
46. Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble - "Texas Flood"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/46.jpg)
01 - Love Struck Baby
02 - Pride and Joy
03 - Texas Flood
04 - Tell Me
05 - Testify
06 - Rude Mood
07 - Mary Had a Little Lamb
08 - Dirty Pool
09 - I'm Cryin'
10 - Lenny
What's not to like about an ass-kicking blues rock album that was recorded in only three freaking days? It was recorded at Jackson Browne's person studio in LA. THAT's how convinced he was that this Stevie Ray Vaughn dude was the real deal. And we all know he was definitely the real deal. Read his biography, "Life by The Drop" if you really want to know more about this remarkable and gifted player. This guy lived, breathed, ate, slept and existed by the guitar. And his passion for it shines through on this, his debut album. Yeah, some of his later stuff is a bit more polished and slick sounding, but there was just something so honest and raw about this album. Key tracks are "Love Struck Baby" "Pride and Joy" and the totally kick ass cover of Buddy Guy's "Mary Had a Little Lamb" - oh, and that title cut "Texas Flood" ain't bad either.
45. Megadeth - "Peace Sells but Who's Buying"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/45.jpg)
01 - Wake Up Dead
02 - The Conjuring
03 - Peace Sells
04 - Devil's Island
05 - Good Mourning/Black Friday
06 - Bad Omen
07 - I Ain't Superstitious
08 - My Last Words
OK, so a thrash album with a Willie Dixon blues track on it. :eek :lol I remember the first time I heard this album and track 7 came on, I was like WFT? After the pounding riffs and biting social commentary of the preceding 6 tracks, you have to wonder what old Dave was smoking back in those days. Er, actually, we all know what he was smoking don't we? :P This was the first Megadeth album I ever purchased and I listened to it once or twice and put it away kind of nonplussed by it. Then, for some reason, many years later, after having heard several subsequent Megadeth albums, I came back to it and fell in love with it's raw power and almost punk-rock feel. Key tracks are "Wake Up Dead" "Peace Sells" and "Good Mourning/Black Friday" a song about a drummer they threw out of the band. Megadeth would reach greater heights than this, but it demonstrated a huge potential and definitely had some cool hidden gems.
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Huge props to Edgar Winter and SRV. Though I have gotten into neither. :D
The Megadeth is a surprise. Wasn't expecting that one.
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I don't know The Edgar Winter Group, but the other two are frickin stellar albums. :metal
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Hey Scorpion, I'm pretty sure you have heard "Frankenstein" here's a totally smoking live version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEQZTzIYRXs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEQZTzIYRXs)
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Wow, great shit out of the gate! :metal
Not as familiar with Stained Class as I should be, but I will definitely rectify that. Foreigner's debut is the best them IMO - while I agree that their first four albums are good, the debut is the pinnacle IMO. Led Zep II... :metal Edgar Winter :metal
Longer note about Texas Flood - I've been listening to that album since it came out thanks to my Dad, who'd seen SRV many times in the early 80s at Antone's here in Austin before Stevie really broke out large thanks to Bowie's Let's Dance and Texas Flood. SRV and Double Trouble was also my very first concert back in 1986, and I was at one of five shows where the Live Alive album was recorded. Man... just an amazing show, and I remember he ended up playing until about 2am (when the show started at 8pm!). Phenomenal guitar player, no fooling.
And of course... Peace Sells... I had SUCH a love affair with that album it's not even funny. Still do, in a lot of ways.
Anyhows... great start, and I'll be following. :hat
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Talk about spilling the same blood in the same mud. I blew out my dad's $2000 polk audio speakers when I was 17 with Frankenstein. :metal :metal
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"Frankenstein" - It's a fun song to cover, I've made a point of doing it in every band I've ever played in. :hat
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Hmmm... I don't like it that much, tbh. I mean, it was cool that he was switching around between the instruments and all, but it kinda seemed to not really go anywhere, the song. I'll have to have some more listens in the future.
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44. Yes - "Fragile"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/44.jpg)
Tracklist
Side One:
01 - Roundabout
02 - Cans and Brahms (Extracts from Brahms' 4th Symphony in E Minor, Third Movement)
03 - We Have Heaven
04 - South Side of The Sky
Side Two:
01 - Five Per Cent For Nothing
02 - Long Distance Run Around
03 - The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
04 - Mood for a Day
05 - Heart of the Sunrise
Many who have known me for a long time here, and there are a few, know that I am (somewhat famously, depending on who you talk to) not a very huge fan of Yes. With that said, I had to include "Fragile" on the strength of the key tracks alone. Yes were clearly one of the pioneering bands in a genre we all love dearly and without songs like "Roundabout" "South Side of the Sky" "Long Distance Runaround" and "Heart of The Sunrise" I am not sure if many of our favorite artists in this wonderful genre would ever have evolved into what they are today. Props to Jon Anderson here for writing some of the coolest sounding nonsensical lyrics ever (i.e. mountains come out of the sky and they stand there) :lol
43. Black Sabbath - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/43.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
02 - A National Acrobat
03 - Fluff (instrumental)
04 - Sabbra Cadabra
Side Two:
01 - Killing Yourself To Live
I - Killing Yourself to Live
II- You Think That I'm Crazy
III- I Don't Know if I'm Up or Down
02 - Who Are You
02 - Looking For Today
04 - Spiral Architect
Released in December 1973 after a very difficult, long and arduous recording period that saw a ton of substance abuse, changing venues for recording and tons of creative tension in the band, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" features some of the darkest and possibly the most progressive music ever written by the band. After almost an entire month of fruitless recording sessions in Los Angeles, CA, the band moved the sessions to a dungeon in England where guitarist Tony Iommi wrote the main riff of the title track, which set the tone for the entire album. Interesting side note Rick Wakeman was hired as a session player and appears on "Sabbra Cadabra" The title track is killer, but I actually think side two is the better half of this album. Ozzy Osbourne sounds positively evil here. I have long conidered this album to be Black Sabbath's crowning achievement.
42. Kansas - "Leftoverture"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/42.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Carry On Wayward Son
02 - The Wall
03 - What's On My Mind
04 - Miracles Out of Nowhere
05 - Opus Insert
06 - Questions of My Childhood
07 - Cheyenne Anthem
08 - Magnum Opus
To this day I believe "Leftoverture" stands as the crowning achievement in the Kanas catalog. Among the greatest progressive rock bands ever, and one that managed to cross over into mainstream rock radio but always seemed to maintain a progressive style. Easily some of the best composers in modern rock music history, Kerry Livgren, Steve Walsh, Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, Save Hope and Robby Steinhardt managed to create some of the most compelling prog epics that I have heard to this day including one my all time favorite epics the magnificent "Magnum Opus." Kansas also featured some of the greatest multipart vocal harmonies ever created, and who can NOT sing along to the chorus of "Carry On Wayward Son?" While they would release many more albums, none ever seemed to match the consistency or quality of Leftoverture.
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Yes: My favourite Yes album!
Sabbath: Great great album, and Spiral Architect is my favourite Sabbath song :metal
Kansas: I haven't listened that much to this one yet, but what I've heard is great.
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While they'd be in different places, only the Edgar Winter Group wouldn't make my top 50. Nice list so far!
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Great stuff, once again. I've only recently been getting into Yes, but Fragile is pretty good. The other two are masterpieces.
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Wow, great list so far. I'll be following.
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9 for 9
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Hmmm... I don't like it that much, tbh. I mean, it was cool that he was switching around between the instruments and all, but it kinda seemed to not really go anywhere, the song. I'll have to have some more listens in the future.
Well, I guess I have a soft spot for it because I've played it so many times in various cover bands I've hooked up with over the years. It's one of those songs that you can just jam out to for like an hour.. :lol
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Edgar Winter: I only know Frankenstein from that record but that song rocks big time
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Texas Flood is a hell of an album, so much energy, so much power and yet so emotional bluesy. Classic. Actually my guitar teacher put on to SRV when I was around 16 and Mary had a little lamb was in fact the second song that I learned on the guitar, albeit in a stripped down version. So tragic that just when he recovered from his drug and alcohol addiction and recorded another great album (In Step) he died. Also his rendition of Little Wing on The Sky Is Crying even beats the Hendrix version, at least imho.
Megadeth: Totally different beast than SRV but cool nonetheless. Though Peace sells isn't my favorite Megadeth album it still deserves some love. I especially like the rawness and the punkish energy.
Yes: Top album of a top progressive band. Nuff said.
Black Sabbath: While not a die hard Sabbasth fan, this record is definitely a classic.
Kansas: Another classic album from another classic band. Carry On Wayward Son and Magnum Opus alone are reason enough to own and praise this record.
Very good list so far, keep it up :metal :metal :metal
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The Stevie Ray Vaughan, Yes, Sabbath and Kansas albums are all awesome. Great choices there.
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Sabbath: Great great album, and Spiral Architect is my favourite Sabbath song :metal
Spiral Architect would be my #3 Ozzy era song after Megalomania and Into The Void.
I love the Reunion Live album version of it.
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Huge fan of a number of these bands and most of the albums you've chosen.
So far it's a history of rock lesson :metal
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great selections so far
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Oh, and on an unrelated note:
Longer note about Texas Flood - I've been listening to that album since it came out thanks to my Dad, who'd seen SRV many times in the early 80s at Antone's here in Austin before Stevie really broke out large thanks to Bowie's Let's Dance and Texas Flood. SRV and Double Trouble was also my very first concert back in 1986, and I was at one of five shows where the Live Alive album was recorded. Man... just an amazing show, and I remember he ended up playing until about 2am (when the show started at 8pm!). Phenomenal guitar player, no fooling.
I envy you so much. SRV's my favorite guitarist ever and I never got to see him. :(
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With the exception of Megadeth, this sounds like a list my dad would put together so far, so I've grown up to all this music so far (including Megadeth).
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Oh, and on an unrelated note:
Longer note about Texas Flood - I've been listening to that album since it came out thanks to my Dad, who'd seen SRV many times in the early 80s at Antone's here in Austin before Stevie really broke out large thanks to Bowie's Let's Dance and Texas Flood. SRV and Double Trouble was also my very first concert back in 1986, and I was at one of five shows where the Live Alive album was recorded. Man... just an amazing show, and I remember he ended up playing until about 2am (when the show started at 8pm!). Phenomenal guitar player, no fooling.
I envy you so much. SRV's my favorite guitarist ever and I never got to see him. :(
My brother said the same thing - SRV was never his favorite guitarist (that was reserved for Frank Zappa) but he always had an appreciation for Stevie's style.
There are only two really sad days here in Austin - Stevie's birthday and the anniversary of his death.
I also agree with Kwyjibo's point about Stevie being 6 months clean and sober before the accident that caused his untimely death. I agree that his version of Little Wing is awesome, but in a different way than Jimi's. I love how at one point you can clearly hear Stevie's amp buzzing. I LOVE hearing that in music - makes it so much more raw and fresh.
NOW... to the new additions...
I need to get more familiar with Leftoverture (even though The Wall is one of my favorite Kansas songs ever) and SBS, but Fragile is a stellar choice and a great album.
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Leftoverture ..... another one of my favs ..... love Opus Insert and The Wall. Steve Walsh one of my top favorite vocalists
All hail to KirksNoseHair :hefdaddy
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FRAGILE :heart
Also Leftoverture is great.
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SHIIE MAN you have great taste
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With the exception of Megadeth, this sounds like a list my dad would put together so far, so I've grown up to all this music so far (including Megadeth).
Shit man, the two of you aren't THAT far apart in age.
This is definitely a rock lesson for the kidlets around here. Methinks I'm gonna love this list, and the chatter. I'll be honest (runs to put protective gear on), the only full albums I have from this so far are Zep II and Fragile. The others, I'm only peripherally familiar with. Most of these were well past their prime by the time I started on my rock journey (about '86).
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I'm familiar with all that stuff and dig it all. Except for Foreigner; can't stand those guys. Everything else is jammin. Esp. Peace Sells. That album's my jam. That and the goddamn Lemon Song. Can't genough of that.
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i aint superstitious = fun. love the cover.
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Good list so far, and your making me look like a snail the rate you are going.
Priest
Sabbath
Megadeth
SRV
:metal :metal
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i aint superstitious = fun. love the cover.
I personally can't stand that song. Mustaine sounds worse than he normally does. :lol
Small blot on an otherwise perfect album.
Some great picks so far.
I :tup of the LZ, Sabbath, Yes and Megadeth picks.
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I always seem to change my mind in regards to which is the best Judas Priest album of the 70s. Stained Class is a great choice.
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41. Mercyful Fate - "Into The Unknown"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/41.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Lucifer
02 - The Uninvited Guest
03 - The Ghost of Change
04 - Listen to the Bell
05 - Fifteen Men (And a Bottle of Rum)
06 - Into The Unknown
07 - Under The Spell
08 - Deadtime
09 - Holy Water
10 - Kutulu (The Mad Arab, Part 2)
"Into the Unknown" is Mercyful Fate's fifth studio album, released by Metal Blade records in 1996, it is the most commercially successful Mercyful Fate album ever. Peaking at #31 in the Finnish charts and remaining for two weeks in the top 40 it's the only album by the band that ever appeared on any charts. The album features some of the band's best and most progressive material in their catalog, a direction that King Diamond lead the band in, which has always been a rather large bone of contention and source of infighting. Now I will be the first to admit that band leader and vocalist King Diamond is an acquired taste. There is rarely any middle ground with him. It seems that most folks either love him or hate him. His vocals are certainly unique. His use of falsetto can sometimes be distracting, but if you can make the adjustment the music is well worth it. Some of the best riffing this side of Black Sabbath and the songs grow on you. Key tracks here would be "The Uninvited Guest" "Fifteen Men" "Into The Unknown" and "Kutulu"
40. Triumph - "Allied Forces"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/40.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Fool for Your Love
02 - Magic Power
03 - Air Raid
04 - Allied Forces
05 - Hot Time (In This City Tonight)
06 - Fight The Good Fight
07 - Ordinary Man
08 - Petite Etude
09 - Say Goodbye
Released in 1981, the 5th studio album from Canadian hard rock giants, Triumph, "Allied Forces" propelled them into mega stardom with monstrous FM Rock radio hits in "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" Triumph were now selling out huge arenas around the globe. Lead by virtuoso guitarist and vocalist Rick Emmett, this power trio took the world by storm and would eventually release 10 studio albums with 6 gold and 4 platinum. "Fight The Good Fight" was one of the first songs I ever learned on the guitar and Rick's playing inspired me to learn how to play the modes of the major scale. Key tracks are "Magic Power" "Allied Forces" "Fight The Good Fight" and "Ordinary Man"
39. Savatage - "Poets and Madmen"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/39.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Stay With Me Awhile
02 - There In The Silence
03 - Commissar
04 - I Seek Power
05 - Drive
06 - Morphine Child
07 - The Rumor
08 - Man In The Mirror
09 - Surrender
10 - Awaken
11 - Back To Reason
What can I say about Savatage's final studio album (their 11th overall)? A bittersweet ending to one of the greatest metal bands ever. When researching for this list, I found out something I never knew and that is the fact that this album is a "loose concept" based around the life of a journalist named Kevin Carter. Jon Oliva does all of the vocals here (Zach had left the band on good terms) and Chris Caffery plays most of the guitar solos, which are killer. Savatage certainly has stronger albums in their catalog, but this one hit me on a personal level with tracks like "Morphine Child" and "I Seek Power" connecting with my personal demons. Those would be the key tracks along with "Commissar" and "There In The Silence"
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Quick review of the first dozen:
50. Judas Priest - Stained Class
49. Foreigner - Foreigner
48. Led Zeppelin - II
47. The Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night
46. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
45. Megadeth - Peace Sells but Who's Buying
44. Yes - Fragile
43. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
42. Kansas - Leftoverture
41. Mercyful Fate - Into The Unknown
40. Triumph - Allied Forces
39. Savatage - Poets and Madmen
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Well, this is surely getting a bit repetitive, but great stuff! I really, really like Savatage - do you know Reverence? IIRC, a member of Savatage plays in that band and I've been really digging them lately.
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Unfamiliar with the Mercyful Fate and Savatage albums. Allied Forces might crack my top ten though, as a teen, it was my favorite. Magic Power, I believe, was the song that told me music was something more than just entertainment to me, that it would hold a place dear in my life as a companion, friend, and a shoulder to cry on. Such a great tune.
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Don't know MF
Allied Forces = GEM. It's what Moving Pictures is to Rush (same year too).
Savatage ... you know, I have their discography, but it's hit and miss with me. Nothing wrong with any album, but I've rarely been wow'd by them.
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Frankenstein is definitely an awesome song, and definitely one of the definitive classic rock radio instrumentals (along with Jessica by the Allman Brothers), but I never much cared for the rest of that album. Even Free Ride is just okay to me.
I love Triumph! Not sure any of their albums would break my top 50, but Allied Forces, Thunder Seven, Never Surrender and Just a Game are all killer. :tup :tup
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I love me some 'Tage, and I was about to complain about your choice of albums until I saw your explanation. "Streets" and Dead Winter Dead are my suggested starting points, the former with Jon Oliva on vocals, the latter with Zac Stevens.
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Not really familiar with the Mercyful Fate and Savatage albums, but the Triumph one is ace. :tup
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The Triumph is very good, the Savatage is good but not their best (that would be Streets) and MF I'm not familiar with, though I do quite like KD solo.
Last fm would have us down as musically compatible ;D
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Triumph :tup
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Never really could get into "Streets" too much. Not sure why.
Had a ton of issues at work today, but will do a couple of updates tomorrow, I promise :hat
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Triumph & Savatage = great choices
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Allied Forces, fuck yeah.
I think I see why when you recommend something I like it so. You seem to have most of my music collection already :lol
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Frankenstein is definitely an awesome song, and definitely one of the definitive classic rock radio instrumentals (along with Jessica by the Allman Brothers), but I never much cared for the rest of that album. Even Free Ride is just okay to me.
I love Triumph! Not sure any of their albums would break my top 50, but Allied Forces, Thunder Seven, Never Surrender and Just a Game are all killer. :tup :tup
Thunder 7 is a killer album but I'm with you on it not making my top 50 but it's close.
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Had a ton of issues at work today, but will do a couple of updates tomorrow, I promise :hat
10 albums in 36 hours? I don't think anyone is complaining about your warp speed.
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Somehow had missed this thread before now.... Lots of great selections so far! Damn good stuff :tup
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Mercyful Fate and Triumph are on my endless list of bands that I'd like to check out but time and money prevailed so far.
Savatage on the other hand is great. From Hall Of The Mountain King on they delivered a row of great albums. Don't know if I would rate Poets and Madmen as their best but it's definitely a top record. I actually have a limited edition which contains the short story about the journalist the album is based upon. But it's more a loose concept unlike Dead Winter Dead or Streets. So sad that they finally called it quits.
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Savatage might have been the worst band I have ever seen live! I always thought their vision far outweighed their execution.
Triumph is a classic call, Kirk.
And I'm hit or miss with Merciful Fate. I have to ignore the singer almost completely to enjoy the music.
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38. Dokken - "Tooth and Nail"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/38.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Without Warning
02 - Tooth and Nail
03 - Just Got Lucky
04 - Heartless Heart
05 - Don't Close Your Eyes
06 - When Heaven Comes Down
07 - Into the Fire
08 - Bullets to Spare
09 - Alone Again
10 - Turn on the Action
When this album was released I was in a band that specialized in hard rock and metal covers and we immediately latched on to "Just Got Lucky" "Into The Fire" and "Alone Again." Don Dokken was a phenomenal vocalist and frontman and of course George Lynch became one of the most widely admired guitarists on the scene. I generally always found Dokken to be a little bit uneven and this album is no exception, but it was such a key album in the formation of my musical taste that I just had to include it here. These guys were a great live band too. I had a chance to see them a couple of times in the 80's and they always put on a hell of a show. From what I hear, they are working on a new album.
37. Iron Maiden - "Killers"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/37.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - The Ides of March (instrumental)
02 - Wrathchild
03 - Murders in the Rue Morgue
04 - Another Life
05 - Genghis Khan (instrumental)
06 - Innocent Exile
07 - Killers
08 - Prodigal Son
09 - Purgatory
10 - Drifter
Killers is Iron Maiden's second album. It's their first album with Adrian Smith on guitar and their last album with Paul Di'Anno on vocals who couldn't seem to stop doing coke and drinking and get his shit together, so he was asked to leave. Some interesting notes about this album that I was unaware of before researching for this thread, Killers is the only Iron Maiden album to feature two instrumentals and the entire album was written almost exclusively by Steve Harris. This album doesn't seem to get a lot of love from most Iron Maiden fans, but I have always thought it was a, um, Killer album. I love the dark and almost punk edginess to it and despite Di'Anno's problems, I always dug his vocals. Key tracks here would be "Wrathchild" "Murders in The Rue Morgue" "Killers" and "Prodigal Son"
36. Skid Row - "Skid Row"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/36.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Big Guns
02 - Sweet Little Sister
02 - Can't Stand The Heartache
04 - Piece of Me
05 - 18 and Life
06 - Rattlesnake Shake
07 - Youth Gone Wild
08 - Here I Am
09 - Makin' a Mess
10 - I Remember You
11 - Midnight/Tornado
The first time I heard the song "18 and Life" I was completely blown away by the vocals. Who WAS this dude? Then I heard "I Remember You" and immediately went out and bought the album. Their vocalist, Sabastian Bach is undoubtedly one of the most gifted hard rock vocalists ever, and his vocals on this album are just stunning, escpecially in "I Remember You" Unfortunately, his reputation for being extremely difficult to work with precedes him and I suspect may have even held him and Skid Row back a bit professionally. It's too bad, because I would have liked to have heard more from this band. In any case, Skid Row would go on to make 4 more albums with their second album "Slave To The Grind" often cited as the pinnacle of their creative success. I actually prefer the self-titled debut. The songs just registered with me better. Along with the other two already mentioned, the other key track here would be "Youth Gone Wild"
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Savatage might have been the worst band I have ever seen live! I always thought their vision far outweighed their execution.
Triumph is a classic call, Kirk.
And I'm hit or miss with Merciful Fate. I have to ignore the singer almost completely to enjoy the music.
Never got a chance to see Savatage live, but Triumph was excellent when I saw them live. I understand about King Diamond's vocals in Mercyful Fate. It's definitely an acquired taste thing, no doubt.
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Savatage might have been the worst band I have ever seen live! I always thought their vision far outweighed their execution.
Triumph is a classic call, Kirk.
And I'm hit or miss with Merciful Fate. I have to ignore the singer almost completely to enjoy the music.
Never got a chance to see Savatage live, but Triumph was excellent when I saw them live. I understand about King Diamond's vocals in Mercyful Fate. It's definitely an acquired taste thing, no doubt.
I saw Dio/Megadeth/Savatage at the Providence Civic Center on 12/28/87. The singer had this long purple coat on. He looked like a Nightmare Barny.
I jumped in with two feet on King Diamond and Merciful Fate. The last two KD albums, Puppet Master and GMYS>>P I love. Lot more focused vocals. The high stuff is just terrible. I also have the MF albums but nothing has ever really stuck.
I only saw Triumph once, on the Thunder Seven tour, the night they filmed the video.
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King Diamond has an amazing voice, I loved it from first listen.
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Wow. You seem to bust out one kick-as album after the other, do you? Killers is, while nowhere near my favourite, a great album, Dokken are awesome (though Don Dokken's voice takes a bit to get used to, imo) and Skid Row just plain out rock (though I prefer Slave to the Grind over the debut, because that's bit harder and edgier; plus, it includes Wasted Time :heart).
Yeah, the gist is that I'm very impressed by your list so far. Keep 'em coming! :tup
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I only saw Triumph once, on the Thunder Seven tour, the night they filmed the video.
I was there also. Follow Your Heart as the video.
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Killers is my least fave Maiden album.
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Tooth and Nail is a killer album. Great melodic rock there.
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While I appreciate the first two maiden albums for me they became relevant when Dickinson joined with Number Of The Beast.
Dokken was great, Tooth and Nail, Under Lock and Key and Back For The Attack were killer records. And George Lynch was on fire back then (and probably still is?). I even liked some of their 90s output (Shadowlife and Dysfunctional) but after that lost track of them. And since the 90s you could hear Don Dokken's voice degenerate rapidly.
18 and Life is such a great song, the reason why I bought the Skid Row record. They were good but what made them great was clearly Bach's voice.
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Killers :metal
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Killers is a great album, but I prefer the debut over it. Actually it's my least favourite of the "classic" period (1980-1988), but it's still a great one.
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3 great albums, there! Tooth and Nail is probably my favorite Dokken album. The cassette release had different cover art for some reason. Killers is definately one of my favorite IM albums. Bruce is a much better singer, but the songs on this album just resonated with me for some reason. And Skid Row became an instant favorite when I saw them open for Bon Jovi on the New Jersey tour. I think I like Slave to the Grind better than the s/t, but it's close.
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Definitely 3 great albums. Skid Row made my top list. Probably my favorite hair/glam album of the late 80s. Bach was a vocal beast. Still pretty damn good to this day as well, but definitely a egomaniac.
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Glad everyone's digging the list so far. Obviously, not every album would be on everyone's list, but it's cool to reminisce about these things.
BRB with the next installment. :hat
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Tooth And Nail and Killers :metal
Skid Row?! :puke: (sorry, JMO :lol )
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35. Thin Lizzy - "Jailbreak"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/35.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side one:
01 - Jailbreak
02 - Angel from the Coast
03 - Running Back
04 - Romeo and the Lonely Girl
05 - Warriors
Side two:
01 - The Boys Are Back in Town
02 - Fight or Fall
03 - Cowboy Song
04 - Emerald
Thin Lizzy were the brainchild of Dublin, Irland drummer Brian Downey and guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott and formed in 1969. They are best known for three songs, "Whiskey In The Jar" (later covered - "whiskey in the jarooooo", by Metallica) "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back In Town" of which the former two tracks appear on this album. To this day, "The Boys Are Back In Town" is a mainstay of FM Classic Rock radio and contains one of the most famous and iconic harmony guitar solos ever written in rock and roll history. Key tracks from this album have already been mentioned, but "Running Back" "Warriors" and "Cowboy Song" are also worth a listen. (here's my band Free Dirt - a rock covers band - doing "The Boys Are Back in Town (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_f0e1aVEI&feature=plcp)" at a sound check for a gig in 1992 - I am the guitar player on the right side of the screen)
34. Foreigner - "Double Vision"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/34.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Hot Blooded
02 - Blue Morning, Blue Day
03 - You're All I Am
04 - Back Where You Belong
05 - Love Has Taken It's Toll
06 - Double Vision
07 - Tramontane
08 - I Have Waited So Long
09 - Lonely Children
10 - Spellbinder
In 1978, on the heels of their extremely successful self-titled debut album, British/Americal rock band Foreigner released their second album, "Double Vision." The 10-track, 38:02 album ended up producing several huge FM Rock Radio hits, including "Hot Blooded" "Blue Morning, Blue Day" and the title track "Double Vision." This album also contains the only instrmental ever released on a studio album by Foreigner, "Tramontane" - other notable tracks are "Love Has Taken its Toll" and "Spellbinder" - this is, in my opinion, Foreigner's best album. They're still together today although with only one original member, Mick Jones. Interesting side note about them - not too many people know that former King Crimson multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_McDonald_(musician))was also a founding member of Foreigner.
33. Def Leppard - "High -n- Dry"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/33.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side one:
01 - Let It Go
02 - Another Hit and Run
03 - High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)
04 - Bringin' On the Heartbreak
05 - Switch 625
Side two:
01 - You Got Me Runnin
02 - Lady Strange
03 - On Through the Night
04 - Mirror, Mirror (Look into My Eyes)
05 - No No No
Originally released in July 1981, "High -n- Dry" is, in my opinion, Def Leppard's masterpiece. Demonstrating an incredible knack for riffs, hooks and melodies, and flexing some serious songwriting chops for a group of very young musicians, this album is packed with gems. Side one is nothing short of brilliant, from the opening riff of "Let It Go" to the closing moments of the powerful instrumental "Switch 625" this album delivers non stop pounding, relentless hard rock that is full of memorable lyrics and killer melodies that will stick with you long after you've put it down. The 4 part vocal harmonies in the arena anthems like "Bringin' On The Hearbreak" also gave us a glimpse into the band's more mainstream/popular future. I'll be the first to admit that they kind of lost me after "Pyromania" but huge respect to the band for sticking with drummer Rick Allen after an unfortunate car accident claimed his left arm on December 31, 1984. And of course, huge props to Rick himself for hanging in there and finding a way to play drums with only one arm.
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Haven't listened to Def Leppard yet, but the other albums are pretty cool. Hot Blooded is one of Foreigner's best songs, imho.
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While the previous lot was a bit light on things I liked-really only Killers, and I do rate that below the debut on my Iron Maiden list- this bunch now, this bunch is GOLD. Even though Jailbreak's a top 20 for me, maybe even top 15. And I love seeing Foreigner get some props; they were the first band I ever got into as a kid, listening to my sister's copies of the debut and Double Vision to death.
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Killers :metal
My favourite IM album.
Love 80s Dokken but UL&K and BFTA beat T&N hands down for me.
The Skid Row is essential for 80 US Metal and Lep's H&D is a great album too.
Love Lizzy but all their albums were patchy. Jailbreak has some awesome songs.
Not a bad batch at all Kirk.
Spent a couple of hours on YT last night listening to Mercyful Fate and King Diamond and have to say I preferred the King solo.
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Jailbreak :metal
I recently got into Def Leppard, and I would rank Pyromania just a notch above High N Dry, but High N Dry is awesome too.
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High n Dry!!!! :metal :metal
You WILL see that in the TAC Top 50 too!
And there will be plenty of Thin Lizzy as well, but not Jailbreak. Still you can't argue with the pick, though!
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Haven't listened to Def Leppard yet, but the other albums are pretty cool. Hot Blooded is one of Foreigner's best songs, imho.
You should really check out High -n- Dry, it's a top-notch hard rock album. Don't let their modern sugary-sweet pop-metal output sway you. High -n- Dry is pretty close to AC/DC's "Black In Black" in terms of songwriting quality and Mutt Lange actually produced it.
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Haven't listened to Def Leppard yet, but the other albums are pretty cool. Hot Blooded is one of Foreigner's best songs, imho.
You should really check out High -n- Dry, it's a top-notch hard rock album. Don't let their modern sugary-sweet pop-metal output sway you. High -n- Dry is pretty close to AC/DC's "Black In Black" in terms of songwriting quality and Mutt Lange actually produced it.
Absolutely. It's one of the 10 most influential albums of my musical life.
Do NOT let what Def Leppard became keep you from this album.
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Great list Kirk! Killers, while not my favorite IM disc, is still an outstanding album. I think the first 4 Dokken albums are pretty much the definition of 80s hair metal. Big fan of them all so tooth and nail is a great choice. Bach is one of my favorite vocalists and Skid Row is super underated IMO. I think the two releases after the debut only showed the potential of where this band could go. Too bad they couldn't continue as is. And Thin Lizzy is one of the best pure rock bands in history.
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32. Styx - "The Grand Illusion"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/32.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - The Grand Illusion
02 - Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
03 - Superstars
04 - Come Sail Away
05 - Miss America
06 - Man In The Wilderness
07 - Castle Walls
08 - The Grand Finale
I rarely use the word "masterpiece" when describing any musical work. I avoid it in an effort to not cheapen it. It should be reserved for truly remarkable work. "The Grand Illusion" is a masterpiece. This 38:59 slice of melodic progressive hard rock was released to world-wide acclaim on July 7, 1977 and was an instant classic. To this day "Fooling Yourself" and "Come Sail Away" are staples on FM Classic Rock radio, but those are the more commercial songs and there are some hidden progressive gems here like "Man In The Wilderness" (which still brings a tear to my eye) and "Castle Walls" that showcase some incredibly gifted songwriting. It is truly a shame that infighting eventually led to the breakup of this remarkable group. This was among the first albums I ever owned as a kid and to this day I still spin it once in a while. Even though the original lineup has either broken up or died, I had a chance to see the new version of Styx with Lawrence Gowan taking the place of Dennis and they are still quite worthy and Lawrence is a fine showman and actually sounds very similar, so if you have a chance to see them, don't miss out, they put on a fantastic live show.
31. Judas Priest - "Sad Wings of Destiny"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/31.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Victim of Changes
02 - The Ripper
03 - Dreamer Deceiver
04 - Deceiver
Side Two:
01 - Prelude
02 - Tyrant
03 - Genocide
04 - Epitaphy
05 - Island of Domination
This is Judas Priest's second album and it features more of guitarist Glenn Tipton's piano playing than any other album they ever released. Released on March 23, 1976, it may also be Judas Priest's most progressive album with tracks like "Victim of Changes" and the related "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Deceiver" tracks making their way into many a live performance in the early years to swirling lights and heavy use of the fog machine. Known as one of the greatest metal vocalists ever, Rob Halford is credited with possessing a 4 octave vocal range which is on display here in its full glory. Interesting side note, the band lost the rights to the recording royalties but eventually obtained copyright ownership of the songs themselves. The cover of the Joan Baez penned "Diamonds and Rust" was orginally recorded for this album but omitted and eventually released on "Sin After Sin" and later on the live album "Unleashed in the East" - widely considered one of the greatest live metal albums of all time.
30. Iron Maiden - "The Number of The Beast"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/30.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Invaders
02 - Children of the Damned
03 - The Prisoner
04 - 22 Acacia Avenue
05 - The Number of the Beast
06 - Run To The Hills
07 - Gangland
08 - Hallowed Be Thy Name
In March of 1982 the British invasion was well under way. Iron Maiden were one of the bands that were leading the charge and "The Number of The Beast" would set the stage for an amazing run of quality albums the likes of which has rarely been seen throughout the history of heavy metal. With their signature galloping riffs and dual harmony guitar attack, this was the first Iron Maiden album to feature writing by guitarist Adrian Smith. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson joined the band and was an immediate smashing success with his signature operatic style and gritty edge he gave Iron Maiden the ability to stretch out in directions they never could have gone with Di'Anno on vocals. Laughably, social conservatives, particularly in America, rained criticism on the album and the band accusing them of "Satanism." To this day, this remains among my favorite Iron Maiden albums and I could probably listen to "Children of the Damned" "The Prisoner" "22 Acacia Avenue" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name" endlessly and never grow tired of hearing them. UP THE IRONS!!
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I never got into Styx, but you'll get a huge :metal from me for the other two albums. Two classics of metal.
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3 stunning albums. I have 3 Styx CDs and The Grand Illusion is definitely one of them.
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Review:
50. Judas Priest - Stained Class
49. Foreigner - Foreigner
48. Led Zeppelin - II
47. The Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night
46. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
45. Megadeth - Peace Sells but Who's Buying
44. Yes - Fragile
43. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
42. Kansas - Leftoverture
41. Mercyful Fate - Into The Unknown
40. Triumph - Allied Forces
39. Savatage - Poets and Madmen
38. Dokken - Tooth and Nail
37. Iron Maiden - Killers
36. Skid Row - Skid Row
35. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
34. Foreigner - Double Vision
33. Def Leppard - High -n- Dry
32. Styx - The Grand Illusion
31. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
30. Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast
Stay tuned for a metric shit-ton of updates tomorrow :metal
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Kirk, a lot more classic heavy metal than I expected. Our lists are quite similar, not in albums, but in flavor.
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The great albums keep coming. The great Styx album. TNOTB is one track (the awful Gangland- DT's version is excellent though) away from awesome, and Sad Wings is a great album. Got that on vinyl picture disc. Sounds like shit I seem to remember, but a great album.
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Those last 3 are just plain awesome.
Kirk, you see the new Blu -Ray of Styx doing the Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight in full? Worth every penny.
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Two more that are in my top 25 at least, and mad respect for High n Dry too. :tup
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The great albums keep coming. The great Styx album. TNOTB is one track (the awful Gangland- DT's version is excellent though) away from awesome, and Sad Wings is a great album. Got that on vinyl picture disc. Sounds like shit I seem to remember, but a great album.
I happen to love Gangland.
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32. Styx - "The Grand Illusion"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/32.jpg)
Miss America is my favorite track on The Grand Illusion, Kirk :biggrin:
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3 stellar albums! Sad Wings of Destiny is one of my favorite Priest albums, so I'd probably rank it AND The Grand Illusion a bit higher. There's also not much more to say about The Number of the Beast except :metal
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Oh yeah, you totally own most of my music collection. Great choices, all three.
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Those last 3 are just plain awesome.
Kirk, you see the new Blu -Ray of Styx doing the Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight in full? Worth every penny.
Better yet, I saw it live, from 10th row center :hefdaddy
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I wanted to so bad. I can't remember why but I had somewhere to go and didn't buy the tickets. JEALOUS!!
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more great picks!!
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I thought I'd be the only one listing a Dokken album but that is such a great release. Very glad to see it listed here!
You have lots of albums I very easily could have listed in my own Top 50.
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I have mixed feelings... I was patiently watching the list unfold wondering when I'd share a common love for an album... And the first match was Def Leppard!!!! Seriously, though, High and Dry is an awesome album!
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So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list. :D ;)
Three more quality albums. Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.
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This list is full of really good shit! :metal
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So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list. :D ;)
Three more quality albums. Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.
I'm kind of noticing that too. :getoffmylawn: :P
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So far, this is the 2nd best Top 50 list. :D ;)
Three more quality albums. Though I already knew it, it's real easy to tell you've got me by 4-5 years based on what had it's impact on you and when.
I'm kind of noticing that too. :getoffmylawn: :P
I'm really glad you liked my list DK! :D :D
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:blush
:-*
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I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.
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I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.
Unlikely. That's the fun of all of this.
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I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.
Nice reference to The Rock! :tup :tup
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Again classic records :tup
And like the rest I would specially recommend Def Lep's High n Dry since this is a real hard rock classic, after Pyromania they turned to hard pop.
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OK, and here we go with another update. I should be able to get in a couple of these updates today, so without further delay......
29. Saxon - "Power and The Glory"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/29.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Power And The Glory
02 - Redline
03 - Warrior
04 - Nightmare
05 - This Town Rocks
06 - Watching The Sky
07 - Midas Touch
08 - The Eagle Has Landed
In 1983, it wasn't just Judas Priest and Iron Maiden who were invading the United States with kick ass metal, Saxon had already been on the metal scene for quite some time having formed in 1976. In the early 80's they became one of the biggest metal acts in Europe and had a moderate amount of success in Japan and the US. While many will cite their 1981 album "Denim and Leather" as their best, I disagree because I think they brought some very cool new ideas to the table with "Power And The Glory." I think part of the new sound can definitely be attributed to new drummer Nigel Glockler whose frenetic beats on songs like the title track and complex polyryhthms on songs like "Nightmare" set this album apart from the rest of the Saxon catalog at the time. And of course, what prog metal fan wouldn't dig a tune about the US landing a man on the moon? The closing track "The Eagle Has Landed" is, to this day, my favorite Saxon song.
28. Tesla - "The Great Radio Controversy"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/28.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Hang Tough
02 - Lady Luck
03 - Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)
04 - Be a Man
05 - Lazy Days, Crazy Nights
06 - Did It for the Money
07 - Yesterdaze Gone
08 - Makin' Magic
09 - The Way It Is
10 - Flight to Nowhere
11 - Love Song
12 - Paradise
13 - Party's Over
In 1989 Tesla released their second studio album on the heels of their very successful debut, "Mechanical Resonance." "The Great Radio Controversy" saw the band maturing and stretching out a bit further with 13 tracks clocking in at just under one hour. The three opening tracks deliver some of the best hard-rock songs of the era, but it gets even better after that. "Did It For The Money" "The Way It Is" "Flight To Nowhere" and the HUGE FM Rock Radio hit "Love Song" are all excellent tracks and this is an album that I could not stop listening to when it first came out and one that I still frequently take for a spin, especially when I'm working out. Tommy Skeoch and Frank Hannon are two of my all time favorite guitarists and Tesla really had a knack for delivering interesting guitar riffs and solos. One of the greatest bands to emerge in the 80's.
27. AC/DC - "Back In Black"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/27.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Hells Bells
02 - Shoot To Thrill
03 - What Do You Do For Money Honey
04 - Given the Dog a Bone
05 - Let Me Put My Love Into You
Side Two:
01 - Back In Black
02 - You Shook Me All Night Long
03 - Have a Drink On Me
04 - Shake a Leg
05 - Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
On February 19, 1980, at the young age of only 33 years old, AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott died as a result of Pulminary Aspiration (choking on vomit) after a night of heavy drinking. AC/DC who had been working on "Back In Black" at the time considered disbanding, but Bon Scott's parents urged them to continue. Enter Brian Johnson as their new vocalist and lyricist. The rest, as they say, is history. "Back and Black" would go on to sell 49 million copies (to date) worldwide and several of the tracks remain staples of classic rock FM Radio, including "Hells Bells" "Back In Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" This is another one of those albums that I listened to over and over as a kid and every guitar player who ever wanted to rock out had to learn a few of these tracks and I was no exception. I have, at one time or another, played every song on this album on guitar and yes, while AC/DC is not very complicated and while they can certainly be a bit repetitive after a while, I definitely can appreciate them for what they are and I think "Back In Black" will probably go down as their crowning achievement.
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Three more crackers there.
P&G is a top 50 for me, same with tesla. Prefer Highway To Hell to BIB personally (though side 1 was the album I lost my virginity to so I may be biased! :blush)
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I'm starting to see that my list will be disappointing to some, but fuck it, it's mine. Total props though Kirk, we definitely spilled the same blood in the same mud.
Your list is YOUR list. I don't think it's possible to produce a "Top 50 Albums" list that is going to be universally loved. We're all (or most of us, at least) here because of Dream Theater so we share a common love for them, but the thing that makes a community like this cool is the diversity in tastes and opinions. For me, that's how I find new stuff. And this forum has certainly been a great source of "New Stuff" for me. And of course, that stuff comes from seeing what other people like, even if I don't love all of it, I still want to hear about it. :)
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Well, this is the first time that I can say that I'm sorta meh with what you posted. I never got into Saxon and Tesla, and AC/DC is cool at times, but no album would ever crack even my Top 100, simply because I can't listen to more than two songs back to back before I get bored.
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Tesla will make my list a few times, most underrated American band ever. Saxon was at the core of a lot of my HS listening, and BiB, well, it's BiB.
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The only one I'm familiar with from this group is Back in Black, which I think is one of the best straight up hard rock albums. :tup
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Back in black is a great rock album
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Back in Black needs no further introduction, a classic is a classic.
And to all those who haven't listened to Tesla: Do this right now!!! Great melodic hard rock band. Everything till their hiatus is brilliant stuff and the newer ones aren't that bad either. Also with Five Man Acoustical Jam they kind of invented the Unplugged Movement before MTV and everyone jumped on the bandwagon.
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26. Mötley Crüe - "Shout At The Devil"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/26.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - In the Beginning
02 - Shout at the Devil
03 - Looks That Kill
04 - Bastard
05 - God Bless the Children of the Beast
06 - Helter Skelter
07 - Red Hot
08 - Too Young to Fall in Love
09 - Knock 'Em Dead, Kid
10 - Ten Seconds to Love
11 - Danger
This is the second album from Mötley Crüe and they would never release anything heavier sounding than this one. Dropping on September 26, 1983 and clocking in a 44:10, "Shout At The Devil" produced huge hits in the title track, "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love." It also had a very well done cover of the Beatles song "Helter Skelter." Indeed, the cover of the album was done as a tribute to The Beatles "Let It Be" record. Although I enjoyed a few tracks from their other albums, this is the only Mötley Crüe album that I ever listened to regularly.
25. Van Halen - "Van Halen"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/25.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Runnin' with the Devil
02 - Eruption" (Instrumenta)
03 - You Really Got Me
04 - Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love
05 - I'm the One
Side Two:
01 - Jamie's Cryin'
02 - Atomic Punk
03 - Feel Your Love Tonight
04 - Little Dreamer
05 - Ice Cream Man
06 - On Fire
In February of 1978 a sea change came to the rock music genre that would, in my opinion, have a profound and permanent impact on how lead electric guitar was both played and perceived in modern rock music. That sea change was Eddie Van Halen. The self-titled debut album featured what was, at the time, an almost unheard of virtuosity on the guitar. Guitar players all over the world and especially in the US were suddenly getting into multi-finger fretboard tapping and whammybar divebombing. The first time I heard "Erpution" I thought it had to have been faked with some kind of studio trickery. Nobody could possibly move their fingers that quickly! This album, in my opinion, is Van Halen's masterpiece. While they would go on to have huge international success, both with David Lee Roth as lead vocalist and later with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, I found the vast majority of their subsequent albums to be extremely uneven. Every track on this debut, however, is killer.
24. The Cars - "The Cars"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/24.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - Good Times Roll
02 - My Best Friend's Girl
03 - Just What I Needed
04 - I'm In Touch With Your World
05 - Don't Cha Stop
Side Two:
01 - You're All I've Got Tonight
02 - Bye Bye Love
03 - Moving In Stereo
04 - All Mixed Up
The Cars came out of nowhere in 1978 with a slightly different take on the traditional rock and roll sound that people were calling "new wave" and it became extremly popular practically overnight. Songs like "Just What I Needed" "My Best Friend's Girl" "Good Times Roll" "Bye Bye Love" and "All Mixed Up" became and remained staples on FM Rock and AOR radio and are still played fairly regularly on classic rock radio to this day. This is another album that spent many, many days spinning away on my record player and I would later play several of these tunes in at least two rock cover bands.
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Some gal I worked with many years ago's oldest daughter was named Tesla. I swear. :rollin :rollin :rollin
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Back in Black, VH1, and Shout at the Devil? I think I'm going to have to save the rest of this list as future album suggestions. :tup
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Well, this is the first time that I can say that I'm sorta meh with what you posted. I never got into Saxon and Tesla, and AC/DC is cool at times, but no album would ever crack even my Top 100, simply because I can't listen to more than two songs back to back before I get bored.
Have you tried this Saxon album Scorp? There is a bit more to it than their earlier ones (though I love them too).
And i'm surprised your not a fan of Tesla, and this album was better than the debut for me. I love the track Makin' Magic.
I was a fan of the Crue from the first album, and loved this one but they went downhill with TOP and GGG. The only other album I like by them is Dr Feelgood, which I'd rate higher than either of the first two.
VH1 is a classic but I never really was much of a fan until Fair Warning, which would be in my top 50. Short albums with lots of filler on each. I'd take Dave's first 3 solo albums over any VH (apart from said FW).
And I've never heard the Cars so can't comment.
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Well, to be fair, it was a long time ago, so maybe I'll enjoy it more nowadays. I'll give both of them a try. :tup
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I seem to remember not being too impressed with the production on The Great Radio Controversy and it was quiet on vinyl. Probably because of it's length. I didn't rate the first couple of tracks either and was initially a bit disappointed in it on first hearing after loving MR so much. Grew to love it though. They were great live too.
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Tell you what, the next time you list an album I don't own, I'll let you know. :lol
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Tell you what, the next time you list an album I don't own, I'll let you know. :lol
I don't own them all currently, but I sure as hell lived them. Still trying to see if Crue makes my list, they're in the grey range.
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Gotta admit - I'm more into the second grouping than the first one (well... except for Back in Black - first cassette I ever bought with my own $$$ back in the day). I daresay that Shout At The Devil is the best Crue album ever - I flat out wore that thing OUT when I discovered it in 1985/1986. Good times.
The Cars' first few albums (before they went full-blown pop) are so criminally underrated. Good stuff.
And Van Halen? Yeah, slam dunk right there.
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23. Boston - "Boston"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/23.jpg)
Tracklist:
Side One:
01 - More Than a Feeling
02 - Peace of Mind
03 - Foreplay/Long Time
Side Two:
01 - Rock and Roll Band
02 - Smokin'
03 - Hitch a Ride
04 - Something About You
05 - Let Me Take You Home Tonight
In July 1976, Epic records released the self-titled debut "Boston" and it was an instant classic, sparking a half-dozen eventual radio hits and selling 17 million+ copies (to date) worldwide. Songs like "More Than a Feeling" "Piece of Mind" and "Foreplay/Long Time" have been rock radio mainstays for almost 40 years now. An interesting piece of trivia is that Tom Sholtz insisted on recording the album in his basement and because that was unheard of at the time, record execs hatched a plan - I will let Wikipedia take it from here:
Scholz was satisfied with the demos to the point that he wanted to finalize them to a real album. Unfortunately, Epic declined. "The material had to be recorded in a 'professional' studio in exactly the same way!" Scholz later wrote. Scholz insisted on doing the re-cuts in his basement. Epic producer John Boylan, who had worked with the Little River Band among many others, made a deal with Scholz. Boylan would have the rest of the makeshift band record some studio arrangements in Los Angeles, to "create a diversion" while Scholz made his multitrack recordings at home.
Most of the instrumentation was performed by Scholz and recorded at his basement studio in Massachusetts. After Scholz recorded the instrumentation the tracks were then transferred from his 12 track tapes to a 24 track machine in a remote recording truck outside his basement studio to make them compatible with standard professional studio equipment. Delp's vocals were then recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood with producer Boylan. The album was then mixed by Scholz, Boylan and Warren Dewey at Westlake Audio in Los Angeles. Drummer Sib Hashian plays on all but "Rock & Roll Band", and only two tracks feature the contributions of Goudreau and Fran Sheehan, "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". This quintet would perform and tour under the name Boston.
22. Guns -n- Roses - "Appetite for Destruction"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/22.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Welcome to the Jungle
02 - It's So Easy
03 - Nightrain
04 - Out ta Get Me
05 - Mr. Brownstone
06 - Paradise City
07 - My Michelle
08 - Think About You
09 - Sweet Child o' Mine
10 - You're Crazy
11 - Anything Goes
12 - Rocket Queen
Released in July 1987 to widespread critical acclaim and accolades from rock and metal fans, Guns -n- Roses featured the hard-hitting Les Paul and Marshall Stack-soaked (and some would say "cleverly sloppy") guitar work of "Slash" and the screatching, scrotum-crushing vocals of W. Axl Rose, but somehow, it all worked to create one hell of a compelling hard rock album. Songs like "Welcome To The Jungle" "Paradise City" "Mr. Brownstone" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" were favorites and an interesting note about the intro to Sweet Child, according to Slash that bouncy riff was a warm up exercise he used to use to get his fingers going before gigs and it eventually became the famous intro to what is likely the most popular song on the album. One of the best debuts ever, to date it's sold over 30 million copies worldwide.
21. Metallica - "Ride The Lightning"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/21.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Fight Fire with Fire
02 - Ride the Lightning
03 - For Whom the Bell Tolls
04 - Fade to Black
05 - Trapped Under Ice
06 - Escape
07 - Creeping Death
08 - The Call of Ktulu (Instrumental)
The last Metallica album to credit former guitarist Dave Mustaine with writing credits, and Metallica's second overall, this was the beginning of a run of albums that are often referred to as Metallica's "golden years." While "Kill 'em All" (their debut) showed promise, "Ride The Lightening" demonstrated muscular riffing, and ass-kicking heavy thrash metal that would define the genre and set the bar for many others who followed. Key tracks here are the title track, "For Whom The Bell Tolls" "Fade To Black" "Creeping Death" and the closing instrumental. This is essential metal for any enthusiast of the genre. (good music, terrible album cover! :lol )
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Three great albums again. :tup
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Interesting that you have Boston and GnR together, arguably the two greatest debut albums ever. I would have had Boston higher myself, and Brad Delp will always be one of the greatest rock voices ever, RIP.
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:tup on Boston's debut and Ride The Lightning
:tdwn on Appetite - never liked GnR, and I've given them plenty of chances
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Boston's tracklist is so good is unbelievable.
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Yeah, that Boston album is amazing. I saw them live just a few years before Brad Delp started having problems vocally and they sounded incredible.
The second album was pretty good (it won't make this list) but I didn't care much for anything after that.
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Kirk you get an A for your effort on this list and the list itself. Saxon, ACDC, Boston, VH, and the Metallica discs are all classic. So Is Shout at the Devil by the Crue; I would say this and the 94 self titled are my favorite from MC. Casual fan of both Tesla and The Cars. But I would say The Cars tune "You're all Ive got Tonight" is one of the coolest songs of the late 70's- early 80's.
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Review time:
50. Judas Priest - Stained Class
49. Foreigner - Foreigner
48. Led Zeppelin - II
47. The Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night
46. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
45. Megadeth - Peace Sells but Who's Buying
44. Yes - Fragile
43. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
42. Kansas - Leftoverture
41. Mercyful Fate - Into The Unknown
40. Triumph - Allied Forces
39. Savatage - Poets and Madmen
38. Dokken - Tooth and Nail
37. Iron Maiden - Killers
36. Skid Row - Skid Row
35. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
34. Foreigner - Double Vision
33. Def Leppard - High -n- Dry
32. Styx - The Grand Illusion
31. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
30. Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast
29. Saxon - The Power and The Glory
28. Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy
27. AC/DC - Back In Black
26. Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil
25. Van Halen - Van Halen
24. The Cars - The Cars
23. Boston - Boston
22. Guns -n- Roses - Appetite for Destruction
21. Metallica - Ride The Lightening
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Ride the lightning :2metal:
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Kirk, I must say that I'm surprised at the lack of prog on your list. I mean Motley Crue? Tesla? Wow. But suffice to say that your list will be in lock step with mine.
I love classic Tesla, but I rate TGRC at the bottom of the original 4, even though it contains Paradise, my fave Tesla song. I used to play Yesterdaze Gone on my metal show in college all the time.
And Saxon's P & G will also be making an appearance on my list as well. It was one of those instances , similar to Back In Black, where a band goes "next level".
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Oh, the prog is coming, bro. I've still got 20 albums to list and the prog will be heavily represented in the final 20 :hat
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Where the hell have I been? What a great list so far. :metal
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This is shaping up to be one of the best top 50's lists IMO.
Must have missed your post on Poets and Madman. Just updated my top 50 with that album too. :metal
Shit, Into the Unknown also, missed that too. Definitely one of MF's best IMO.
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Great list, Kirk. Really enjoying this. Side 2 of The Cars is epiccccccccccc :tup
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Barry... you and I have some musical synergy. NotB, TGRC, Boston, AfD, BiB all made my top 50 too. While I had Crue, Def, and Halen albums on my list, they were different albums.
Don't know Saxon; and Cars .. well, was never a huge fan of them. Again, that 5 year difference makes a difference in some cases - Dr. Feelgood was my Crue album of choice. Came at a time when my dumbass teenage decisions and behaviours were just starting to flourish!
I love how you had Boston/Appetite side by each. Boston being the best selling Rock debut album ever, until Appetitite dethroned it. I think Appetite is still the highest grossing debut album ever.
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Classic album city in this list!!! Love pretty much every selection and if it wasn't on my list it certainly was under consideration.
Mötley Crüe - "Shout At The Devil"; this album is my fav by them and although they had some big hits and some nice songs that followed, Shout is the only album by them that I really still go back to and listen seriously. So I'm definitely with you on this one, it's great.
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Delivering classic after classic, the only ones I'm not familiar with are the Cars and Saxon though I know the occasional song.
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RTL is easily my least favourite of the first four albums, but still good.
And with the inclusion of Appetite, you've basically got a clean sweep of the best hard rock albums of all time along with Back in Black, and VH1. :metal
This has definitely been my favourite top 50 list so far. :tup Definitely following.
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Never really liked the 1st Boston album but love Don't Look Back. It was an album that "appeared" in our house by magic along with Genesis' And Then There Were Three- my mum and dad deny getting it and my siblings were too young to have had anything to do with it. The album just appeared in our stack of albums- a mixture of K-Tell compos and my mum's Manilow and Cliff Richard and my dad's Boxcar Willie and awful Celtic folk crap. It was probably the first guitar album I was exposed to. I loved the cover and the sound. Strange story but true.
G'n'R- Bought Appetite on vinyl a full year before they broke in the UK and loved it. Axl's behaviour over the years has tarnished how I view the band but there's no denying the awesomeness of this album. They never got near matching it. Slas is the most overrated guitarist in the world though. And Axl the worst singer. It works here though. Saw them at Donington and survived the crush that killed 3 people. That was as scared as I've ever been.
Metallica- Apart from the odd song I've never been a fan, but I never really gave them a chance in the day. I was a shred snob and into the LA hairbands and I think and their distain for the music I loved put me off them. I like Death Magnetic though.
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20. Rush - "2112"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/20.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - 2112
I: Overture
II: The Temples of Syrinx
III:Discovery
IV: Presentation
V: Oracle: The Dream
VI: Soliloquy
VII:Grand Finale
02 - A Passage to Bangkok
03 - The Twilight Zone
04 - Lessons
05 - Tears
06 - Something for Nothing
This is the album that turned me on to Rush and one of the few by them that I truly love. This 38:44 slice of progressive rock features the epic "2112" suite that tells the imaginative science
fiction story of the Red Star of the Solar Federation. This album actually inspired me to pick up and learn the guitar when a friend of mine from school invited me over to his house one day, brought me down into his basement, put on this album and played his electric guitar along with it. I wanted to be able to do that too! And a year later, I did! Many Rush fans do not hold this album in as high a regard as I do, but part of the attraction for me now is the nostalgia and the fact that if it were not for this album, I would probably not play guitar today.
19. Megadeth - "Rust in Peace"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/19.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
02 - Hangar 18
03 - Take No Prisoners
04 - Five Magics
05 - Poison Was The Cure
06 - Lucretia
07 - Tornado of Souls
08 - Dawn Patrol
09 - Rust In Peace...Polaris
In 1990 guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza joined Megadeth, creating the band's first stable lineup. As I have mentioned previously during this thread, there are very few albums that I consider masterpieces, but this album is definitely one of them. Every track here is awesome in its own way. Other than track 8, "Dawn Patrol" this album relentlessly thrashes through a host of smoking riffs and incredibly interesting and well crafted guitar solos. Personally, I do not believe that Megadeth ever rose to this level again, although they have come close a few times. Key tracks here are, well, all of them, but my favorites are "Holy Wars" "Hangar 18" "Five Magics" and "Lucretia" This is a must have for any fan of metal and/or thrash.
18. Dream Theater - "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/18.jpg)
Tracklist:
Disc 1:
01 - The Glass Prison
I - Reflection
II - Restoration
III - Revelation
02 - Blind Faith
03 - Misunderstood
04 - The Great Debate
05 - Disappear
Disc 2:
01 - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
I - Overture
II - About To Crash
III - War Inside My Head
IV - The Test That Stumped Them All
V - Goodnight Kiss
VI - Solitary Shell
VII - About To Crash (Reprise)
VIII- Losing Time/Grand Finale
This is the sixth studio album from Dream Theater and was released in January 2002 and is a collossal 96:13 in length. This concept album is comprised of six tracks that all explore different themes of lifetime struggle, including the massive second disc which contains an 8 part epic suite delving into various forms of mental and emotional struggles. I can't say there is a track I don't like although "Disappear" can feel a bit ponderous, it certainly goes well with the concept and is a nice break from the relentless pounding progmetal of the 5 preceding tracks. "The Glass Prison" is the first in the so-called "AA Saga" of songs whose lyrics were penned by Mike Portnoy and document his stuggle and ultimate recovery from alcoholism. Dream Theater's next several albums would contain subsequent songs in the suite, which, sadly may never be played live in its entirety due to Portnoy's departure from the band after the "Black Clouds and Silver Linings" album. Many fans consider "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" to be Dream Theater's most ambitious album to date. My favorite tracks here are "The Glass Prison" "Misunderstood" "The Great Debate" and the first 5 movements of disc 2.
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3 great ones. :tup
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Three awesome ones!
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Yarrrrrr SDOIT. :tup Excellent choice. Definitely an all time top 10 for me (probably #1, but I haven't made a list).
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Now I can really appreciate those 3. Even though I'm not a Megadeth fan I actually like that album.
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Now I can really appreciate those 3. Even though I'm not a Megadeth fan I actually like that album.
It's one of only 4 albums by them that I ever listen to, the other three being Peace Sells, Countdown to Extinction and Risk
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Three awesome ones!
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Still can't say "I don't own this." :lol Your list rocks, dude. :metal
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One of the great things about the 2112 story is that it is also about themselves and their fight with the record company for their artistic freedom.
"We have assumed control."
Damn right they did. :hat :hat :hat
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Two that will be very high on my list,never got into Megadeth though,even though ive seen them three times live.
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One of the great things about the 2112 story is that it is also about themselves and their fight with the record company for their artistic freedom.
"We have assumed control."
Damn right they did. :hat :hat :hat
this album had such an effect on me as a young teenager. Second Rush album I heard after AFTK. Music was never the same again.
Three great albums there.
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3 great albums!
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Three great albums indeed. :tup
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Add three more classics to the list!!!
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Three AMAZING albums.
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17. Iron Maiden - "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/17.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Moonchild
02 - Infinite Dreams
03 - Can I Play With Madness
04 - The Evil That Men Do
05 - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
06 - The Prophecy
07 - The Clairvoyant
08 - Only The Good Die Young
1988's seventh studio album from Iron Maiden is the first album by the band to use keyboards. The previous album had used guitar and bass synths, but this time they went full on with keys and although the results were great by any objective standards, some of the hard-core fanbase were not exactly thrilled by it at the time. I remember being somewhat taken aback by it myself, but I eventually grown to love this album and of course, having placed it at #17 on my all time list of favorite albums, that should be pretty clear. Although the concept was never fully realized and is a bit under developed, the album is still considered by many fans to be the last great "classic" Iron Maiden album. The key tracks here for me are "Infinite Dreams" "The Evil That Men Do" "Seventh Son" and "The Clairvoyant" but I really, really enjoy listening to this entire album. UP THE IRONS!!
16. Spock's Beard - "The Light"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/16.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - The Light
I - The Dream
II - One Man
III - Garden People
IV - Look Straight into the Light
V - The Man in the Mountain
VI - Señor Valasco's Mystic Voodoo Love Dance
VII - The Return of the Horrible Catfish Man
VIII- The Dream
02 - Go the Way You Go
03 - The Water
I - Introduction/The Water
II - When It All Goes to Hell
III - A Thief in the Night
IV - FU/I'm Sorry
V - The Water (Revisited)
VI - Runnin' the Race
VII - Reach for the Sky
04 - On the Edge
In 1995, let's be honest, progressive rock was pretty dead. Yeah, sure, there were a few bands that were still standing, but the whole progrock scene was stale, bland and lifeless. It lacked an inspiring and remarkable talent. Little did we know that Neal Morse would come out of the great nothing and drop this slab of progressive brilliance on the scene! I have to admit that I didn't hear it until quite a few years later (2001, actually) but I was completely floored when I did! It's a shame he never re-recorded these songs because the production on this album holds it back just a bit, but it also contributes in a way to its charm. Neal Morse would prove to become one of the most prolific progressive rock artists in history, releasing many more albums with Spock's Beard and Transatlantic then going on to release a slew of solo albums that are musically incredible, but somewhat lyrically repetitive and weiged down by his religious dogma. Still, there is no denying the underlying genius of this musician and it all started with "The Light."
15. Pain of Salvation - "Remedy Lane"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/15.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Of Two Beginnings
Chapter I:
02 - Ending Theme
03 - Fandango
04 - A Trace of Blood
05 - This Heart of Mine (I Pledge)
Chapter II:
06 - Undertow
07 - Rope Ends
08 - Chain Sling
09 - Dryad of the Woods
Chapter III:
10 - Remedy Lane
11 - Waking Every God
12 - Second Love
13 - Beyond the Pale
They pounded me and pounded me to get this album but the samples I had heard online did nothing for me. But they kept pounding. Then I bought the album and listened once and posted my profound disappointment. After one listen I thought it sucked. After two listens I thought a couple of the tracks were OK. After three listens I thought maybe I had been mistaken, maybe it was pretty decent after all. By the fourth and fifth listen I came to realize that I had discovered another one of those rare masterpieces that you just don't encounter all that frequently. This album made me into a life-long Daniel Gildenlow fan, and although I have literally hated the last few albums he's released (and yes, I've listened to them multiple times!) I still have a very deep respect and admiration for the artist who created the first 4 albums of Pain of Salvation, which I think are the best, with "Rememdy Lane" being the peak of Daniel's creative genius. I won't offer "key tracks" here because this album should be consumed in its entirety to be fully appreciated for what it is: A remarkable progressive metal masterpiece.
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OK, you lost me after Iron Maiden ;D
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Rush is ok, but I never got the hype, tbh. A Farewell to Kings makes my list, but that's about it.
Rust in Peace is fucking awesome, though I prefer CtE by a minimal margin. Still, a great record.
SDOIT is my favourite DT album. Nuff said.
SSoaSS is my favourite Maiden album. See above.
However, both Spock's Beard and PoS bore me. A lot. I've tried again and again to get into them, but I never could. Sorry.
Anyway, it's cool that you're updating at a decent speed. Keep it up!
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I have a feeling that a few of the upcoming entries will be surprising for some of you.
Regarding Rush - I am one of those fans who enjoys a few of their discs from the early years, but I don't like any of their modern output at all.
Regarding Spock's Beard - Ryo Okumoto plays keyboards in my band -nuff said :lol
Regarding Pain of Salvation, their first 4 albums are great, everything after that has been hit or miss, mostly miss for me personally.
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The Light and SSOASS are incredible albums. Great choices
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14. Metal Church - "The Human Factor"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/14.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Human Factor
02 - Date With Poverty
03 - The Final Word
04 - In Mourning
05 - In Harm's Way
06 - In Due Time
07 - Agent Green
08 - Flee from Reality
09 - Betrayed
10 - The Fight Song
If ever an album were released a year to late, Metal Church's "The Human Factor" pretty much defines that description. This album has some of the most poignant and gut-wrenching lyrics and it had a profound impact on me, particular the track that I feel is the centerpiece "In Harm's Way" - a biting commentary on child abuse and the damage it wreaks on the lives of its victims. The previous track "In Mourning" brilliantly covers the topic of how music was often to blame for kids committing suicide (see: Judas Priest) but it rightfully redirects that blame to their shitty parents. Had this album predated the grunge fad, it may have made Metal Church as famous and notable as Metallica had been. If you check out one track from this album, check out "In Harm's Way"
13. Redemption - "The Fullness of Time"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/13.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Threads
02 - Parker's Eyes
02 - Scarred
04 - Sapphire
05 - The Fullness of Time I: Rage
06 - The Fullness of Time II: Despair
07 - The Fullness of Time III: Release
08 - The Fullness of Time IV: Transcendence
This is one of those albums that I could not put down when I first heard it. A friend of mine sent me a mix CD with two tracks from this album on it and I immediately went out and bought the full album. Just an amazing progmetal album from start to finish. Another of those very rare masterpieces. Say what you will about Ray Alder, I know some people don't like his voice, but here he is absolutely on fire, bursting with emotion on tracks like "Sapphire" (the best on the album, imo). Musically, progressive metal doesn't get too much better than this. Nick van Dyk is a phenomenal guitarist and songwriter and these guys would go on to make several more excellent albums, although I do not think they've reached these heights again (yet).
12. Ozzy Osbourne - "Blizzard of Oz"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/12.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - I Don't Know
02 - Crazy Train
03 - Goodbye to Romance
04 - Dee
05 - Suicide Solution
06 - Mr Crowley
07 - No Bone Movies
08 - Revelation (Mother Earth)
09 - Steal Away (The Night)
This was the debut album from Ozzy Osbourne, former Black Sabbath frontman. I was hooked from the first listen. The guitar playing was mesmerizing and engaging and the songs were great. Ozzy was a complete bad ass back then. His career has turned into something of a joke now and a lot of the hatred for his wife has spilled onto him. Regardless, this album spawned at least three major radio hits that are still in regular rotation on FM Rock ratio and it introduced the world to Randy Rhoads who would inspire my guitar playing for decades to come. His tragic death was a loss to us all since he never got to realize his full potential.
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Metal Church.........bought this album the week of its release and it still gets heavy rotation
Love everything about this album
Kurdt wrote some classic riffs on this album and Mike Howes vocals were sung with pure emotion
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Fuck yeah Ozzy and Redemption! Haven't heard Metal Church, but I'll have to check'em out.
And you're right about Randy - his playing with both Ozzy and Quiet Riot is nothing short of excellent. A shame that he died so young.
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OK, that was the last update until Monday. I've got a busy weekend ahead with the gym tomorrow morning followed by two ProTools classes and recording a demo for the album in the afternoon then yard work on Sunday.
Only 11 albums left, though.
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SSOASS might just be my favorite Maiden disc. Love Blizzard of Ozz, but I think I would pick Diary of a Madman over it.
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You know, I went back and forth over Blizzard and Diary and settled on Blizzard because it was more of a :eek when it came out.
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Aha, a chink in the armour ;D
SSOASS never caught my attention at all. A concept album (apparently- though I wouldn't have known if they didn't tell me) that came around at a similar time to Mindcrime. One had a good intelligent story with recognisable characters, sounding a million dollars with segues between tracks to link the story and one was the Maiden album. The first Maiden album I didn't love.
PoS- I bought this album after seeing them support DT and I couldn't tell you anything about it other than I can't tell you anything about it. Nothing made me want to inject the time with it. Not heard it in a decade.
Ozzy. A good album, certainly, though I prefer Diary and Ultimate Sin. No argument about RR though. He would have been an awesome player and I would have bought everything he would have recorded if he hadn't been taken too soon.
Metal church- not heard much by them but I was anti- Thrash at the time.
Redemption- i like the band and have two albums by them (Snowfall and TMC) but I haven't heard this one. Will get round to it eventually.
Spock's- not my favourite album (that would be V) but I like them.
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Redemption- i like the band and have two albums by them (Snowfall and TMC) but I haven't heard this one. Will get round to it eventually.
I have all of Redemption's albums and I think TFOT is the best one. Snowfall is pretty close, though.
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Metal Church.........bought this album the week of its release and it still gets heavy rotation
Love everything about this album
Kurdt wrote some classic riffs on this album and Mike Howes vocals were sung with pure emotion
I love the three Mike Howe albums. I actually prefer Hangin' In The Balance.
I did NOT expect to see Metal Church here.
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Have to say, I wasn't too keen on this list for a while, but it's definitely been improving hugely over the last few updates, some great albums!
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\m/ to SPock's Beard and Redemption!!! I was hoping to see them on the list. My two favorites of theirs would have to be "V" and "Origins of Ruin." (but the ones you chose are great as well).
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I've never enjoyed Spock's Beard or PoS, although there are definitely some other great albums in there.
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2112, Rust In Peace, SDOIT, Blizzard are all stellar choices! :2metal:
I didn't include Remedy Lane, as I'm just starting to get into earlier PoS - really liking the majority of what I've heard so far, and Rope Ends is a killer song :metal (thanks, _floyd :biggrin: )
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Incredible albums.
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this was the first mention of 2112 in any list
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Last two updates were great. 7th Son was actually my first Maiden CD. such a great album. Can't go wrong with ANY SB (well, self-titled aside). Redemption... can't decide which of the four I like best. I got the first three all at the same time, so I have a bit of trouble distinguishing between them. Love them all. Blizzard ... best Ozzy by far.
POS... still not much of a fan.
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Oh, how did I miss this last batch?
Blizzard is a great album beginning to end, although I'd personally place No More Tears higher. I'm a big Ozzy fan, so I really like most of his albums though, but the Randy Rhoads ones are definite classics. :tup
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"No More Tears" is definitely a great album, too. Just doesn't make my top 50, but would possibly appear in the honorable mentions section on the strength of "Mr. Tinkertrain" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home"
Did you know, Blob, that Lemmy of Motorhead fame was one of the co-writers of that song?
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"No More Tears" is definitely a great album, too. Just doesn't make my top 50, but would possibly appear in the honorable mentions section on the strength of "Mr. Tinkertrain" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home"
Did you know, Blob, that Lemmy of Motorhead fame was one of the co-writers of that song?
Yeah, I knew he had writing credits on the album (I always like to know songwriter credits as much as the performers). Have you heard his version of Hellraiser? :lol
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Yes, I have :lol Not a huge Motorhead fan, though.
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More great selections. SSOASS is probably top 2 for me with Iron Maiden at this point (back and forth with Somewhere in Time) and if you read my write up on my own Top 50 you'd see how highly I regard Ozzy's early solo work... although I cheated and went with a combo of Blizz and Diary live in his RR Tribute album :) .
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That's some great albums in the past days, nice! :)
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11. The Flower Kings - "Flower Power"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/11.jpg)
Tracklist:
Disc One:
01 - Garden Of Dreams
I - Dawn
II - Simple Song
III - Business Vamp
IV - All You Can Save
V - Attack Of The Monster Briefcase
VI - Mr. Hope Goes To Wall Street
VII - Did I Tell You?
VIII - Garden Of Dreams
IX - Don't Let The d'Evil In
X - Love Is The Word
XI - There's No Such Night
XII - The Mean Machine
XIII - Dungeon Of The Deep
XIV - Indian Summer
XV - Sunny Lane
XVI - Gardens Revisited
XVII - Shadowland
XVIII - The Final Deal
Disc Two:
01 - Deaf, Numb & Blind
02 - Stupid Girl
03 - Corruption
04 - Power Of Kindness
05 - Psychedelic Postcard
06 - Hudson River Sirens Call 1998
07 - Magic Pie
08 - Painter
09 - Calling Home
10 - Afterlife
"Flower Power" is a monstrous double album totally 140:40 of music, including the 59:16 long first CD which contains the epic suite of songs called "Garden of Dreams." From the standpoint of The Flower Kings, this release has everything that typifies their music. It's grandiose, bombastic, poppy. silly, weird, psychedelic, trippy and pretty damned cool all rolled into one awesome release. Even though most people cite the first disc as their favorite, I am actually partial to the second disc, which, in my opinion, contains some of the best music The Flower Kings have ever released. Songs like "Deaf, Numb and Blind" "Psychedelic Postcard" and "Magic Pie" are frequently heard blasting from my car.
10. Spock's Beard - "V"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/10.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - At the End of the Day
02 - Revelation
03 - Thoughts (Part II)
04 - All On a Sunday
05 - Goodbye to Yesterday
06 - The Great Nothing
I - From Nowhere
II - One Note
III - Come Up Breathing
IV - Submerged
V - Missed Your Calling
VI - The Great Nothing
"V" is the aptly titled fifth studio album from progressive rock band Spock's Beard. It was the first Spock's Beard album I ever heard and I was hooked from about the first minute. With only 6 tracks, this album features two epics, the opening song "At The End of The Day" clocks in at 16:28 and the massive "The Great Nothing" is close to a half hour long at 27:02 and they are clearly the best tracks here, although "Thoughts (Part II)" is also very interesting. Spock's Beard also included a "single" here in an effort to gain some crossover appeal. The song "All On a Sunday" was promoted as a single and even had a video made for it, but it never really gained any traction anywhere. This album, and in particular, "The Great Nothing" features some of the best vocal harmonies ever recorded by the band with drummer (who later became lead vocalist) Nick D'Virgilio flexing some seriously excellent vocal chops to accompany Neal's emotive and expressive voice. Many fans consider "V" to be Spock's Beard's finest album.
09. Transatlantic - "Bridge Across Forever"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/09.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Duel With The Devil
I - Motherless Children
II - Walk Away
III - Silence Of The Night
IV - You're Not Alone
V - Almost Home
02 - Suite Charlotte Pike
I - If She Runs
II - Mr. Wonderful
III - Lost And Found Pt. 1
IV - Temple Of The Gods
V - Motherless Children/If She Runs (Reprise)
03 - Bridge Across Forever
04 - Stranger In Your Soul
I - Sleeping Wide Awake
II - Hanging In The Balance
III - Lost And Found Pt. 2
IV - Awakening The Stranger
V - Slide
VI - Stranger In Your Soul
Neal Morse teams up with Mike Portnoy (ex Dream Theater), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) and Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and basically gives a clinic on epic songwriting and execution. It's an album that truly requires multiple listens to appreciate the nuances in the songwriting and lyrics. But with each successive listen you are rewarded with "nuggetz." There is really not much more I can say about it. Key Tracks: All of them. Listen, lather, rinse, repeat as necessary. Interesting side note: Prince has co-songwriting credits on the title track, "Bridge Across Forever" Also worth noting, "Suite Charlotte Pike" ends with a fade-out, however, the ending jam is found after "Stranger In Your Soul", which actually ends at 26:04. At 27:24, there is a hidden track; a continuation of the final section of "Suite Charlotte Pike", picking up where it faded out, followed by various sound effects similar to those found at the end of "Duel With The Devil". If you don't own this album, you're weird :P (just kidding, but seriously, you should check it out!)
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V is my favourite SB album :tup
BAF ain't too shabby either.
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3 great albums. BAF made my top 50 too :laugh:
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V is excellent and Bridge Across Forever is my favourite Transatlantic album, great picks! :tup
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V is my 3rd favourite SB album :tup
BAF ain't too shabby either.
Fixed it for me. :smiley:
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V is my favourite SB album :tup
BAF ain't too shabby either.
I second these comments. V is one of my fave prog albums, and I'm no big prog fan.
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Wait, where did the last three tracks on Disc 1 of Flower Power go? ;)
Anyway, that is about where Flower Power would be on my list, too. :tup :tup
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Still haven't discovered The Flower Kings. The other two are pretty damn awesome.
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Never got into TFK and SB, really. They are too... easy-going for me, if that makes any sense.
BAF is my favourite TA album, though, and it also makes my Top 50, though not quite as high.
:tup :tup
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Not into any of the last 3 but they seem like solid respectable choices.
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I really should check out Flower Kings
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08. Iron Maiden - "Somewhere In Time"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/08.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Caught Somewhere in Time
02 - Wasted Years
03 - Sea of Madness
04 - Heaven Can Wait
05 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
06 - Stranger in a Strange Land
07 - Deja-Vu
08 - Alexander the Great
It's interesting that this album comes in at #8 for me all time, because had you asked me when it was released what I thought of it, I would have bent your ear for an hour whining about how Iron Maiden had "ruined" their sound by introducing synths. Hey, what can I say? It was 1986 and I was only 22 years old. :P I would eventually come around to this new element in the Iron Maiden sound and now with the benefit of almost another 30 years of hindsight, I can see just how brilliant of an album this really is. Although many people think this is a concept album, and while there is certainly a common lyrical thread (the subject of "time") running through many of the lyrics, Steve Harris insists that they never set out to write a concept album when they began working on "Somewhere In Time." This is the fist Iron Maiden studio album not to be released one year after the previous one - the band took extra time with this one in an effort to to a better job and not be rushed. Also, this was the beginning of some personal and professional tension in the band especially between lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris. Dickinson brought several completely written acoustic based songs to the table claiming that Iron Maiden needed to do something different or risk stagnation. Those tracks were summarily rejected by the band who instead chose a couple of fully written songs from Adrian Smith "Wasted Years" and "Stranger In a Strange Land" to build the album around - those eventually became the album's two singles. My favorite tracks here are "Deju-Vu" the previously mentioned Adrian Smith-penned tunes and "Alexander The Great"
07. Opeth - "Watershed"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/07.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Coil
02 - Heir Apparent
03 - The Lotus Eater
04 - Burden
05 - Porcelain Heart
06 - Hessian Peel
07 - Hex Omega
Opeth's ninth studio album saw a change in lineup. New drummer Martin Axenrot replaced the highly acclaimed Martin Lopez (whom I still prefer) and brought a tighter, more blast-beat infused style. This album also saw the addition of guitarist Fredrik Åkesson with the departure of longtime guitarist Peter Lindgren. Many Opeth "purists" (whatever that is) have lamented the gradual migration away from coarse (so-called "cookie monster") vocals to a more prevalent use of clean vocals, but I have to be honest in writing here that it is precisely the more dominant use of clean vocals that allows me to rate this album as highly as I do. While the music of the previous album, "Ghost Reveries," is on par with what is offered here, I feel that the vocals hold it back. On Watershed, Mikael Åkerfeldt demonstrates what I believe is a well-balanced approach to clean/harsh vocals which give the harsh vocals so much more authority and power when they are used. But it's the songwriting here that really sets this album above the rest of the Opeth catalog. Unencombered by the traditional "deathmetal" baggage, these songs absolutely soar to heights rarely seen in the genre. Indeed, tracks like "Burden" and "Porcelain Heart" demonstrate a profound maturity and a true progression from the band's earlier, more one-dimensional output. "Watershed" is an apt title for an album that is likely the high-water mark for Opeth and marked a change in direction for the band that would eventually be fully realized in their most recent release, "Heritage."
06. Symphony X - "V:The New Mythology Suite"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/06.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - Prelude
02 - Evolution (The Grand Design)
03 - Fallen
04 - Transcendence (Segue)
05 - Communion and the Oracle
06 - The Bird-Serpent War / Cataclysm
07 - On the Breath of Poseidon (Segue)
08 - Egypt
09 - The Death of Balance / Lacrymosa
10 - Absence of Light
11 - A Fool's Paradise
12 - Rediscovery (Segue)
13 - Rediscovery (Part II): The New Mythology
This is the fifth studio album by progressive metal band Symphony X. It's a concept album that deals with the story of Atlantis, ancient Egyptian mythology and astrology. This is the first Symphony X album with Michael Lepond on bass and the original drummer, Jason Rullo, rejoined the band after having been absent for the previous album "Twilight In Olympus." This is probably the last album by Symphony X that features Russell Allen's soaring melodic vocals as opposed to the kind of guttoral, grunting, snarling stuff he's being doing on Symphony X's more recent albums and especially with his new project with ex Dream Theater drummer, Mike Portnoy, called Adrenaline Mob. This is a crying shame as Allen displays some serious vocal range both in terms of pitch and style on this album. I won't pick out any key tracks here because I believe this is an album that must be consumed in its entirety to be fully appreciated.
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Only 5 albums left, so I will post the last 5 one at a time. :hat
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awesome update! Love those three albums.
edit to say I think Allen sounds great on The Odyssey. It's on Paradise Lost and Iconoclast where I feel like the harsher vocals have emerged.
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Maiden and Symphony X rule
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Excellent choices!
- Somewhere In Time is my 2nd favourite Maiden album after Seventh Son
- V is probably my favourite SymX album
- Watershed is up there with the best of the Opeth albums too
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awesome update! Love those three albums.
edit to say I think Allen sounds great on The Odyssey. It's on Paradise Lost and Iconoclast where I feel like the harsher vocals have emerged.
Yeah, I agree - but if you listen to the shorter tracks on The Odyssey, you can hear the emergence of the harsh vocal style that would become his bread and butter on Paradise Lost and especially on Iconoclast. Still, there are some great tunes on The Odyssey, especially the monstrous title track :metal
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I'm liking this top 10 :)
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Great top 10 so far (Opeth aside).
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Watershed :2metal: (still have to say that I'd rate Ghost Reveries and Blackwater Park higher than Watershed though)
Always liked Somewhere In Time - I guess my 16 year old self should've had a chat with your 22 year old self back then :P
The others, while I'm not very familiar with them (yes, I know, I do HAVE the TA stuff in my music files and have heard both albums but not enough to make a real clear determination of what I actually really do like), seem like solid choices.
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Watershed :2metal: (still have to say that I'd rate Ghost Reveries and Blackwater Park higher than Watershed though)
Always liked Somewhere In Time - I guess my 16 year old self should've had a chat with your 22 year old self back then :P
:lol I don't know what the hell I was thinking in those days, except to say that I was one of those people who resisted the emergence of keyboards in metal. Believe it or not, it was Dream Theater that opened my eyes, then I went back and had a new found appreciation for albums like "Somewhere In Time" and "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" etc.
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I don't really want to say that Rush and Styx got me used to the idea of keyboards mixed with rock, but I think that's what did it for me. Plus, the music on Somewhere In Time is just so killer because they took the time (haha) to really devote to making that record and it definitely shows.
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Hmm. Never liked CSIT. Love the cover, love 3 tracks (Alexander, Deja Vu, Wasted Years) and thought the rest was complete dross. Time hasn't changed my mind either. The first awful IM album for me, but plenty followed.
I don't do Opeth. Let's leave it at that. ;D
SX V- better. AA decent album, my first SX album actually. I just find they lack vocal melody alot of the time. Everything else is excellent and I'm not knocking Sir Russell as a singer, the guy is a powerhouse. Give me the Allen/Lande album, Avantasia or Star One over SX.
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Maiden and Symphony X rule
The man knows what he's talkin about. Love 'em both. Two albums titled V in the top 10. Nice!
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SiT is great, though I prefer both SSoaSS, PS and AMOLAD over it. Still a quality record, with one of the best album closers ever.
Watershed is good as well, though I prefer BWP.
And V... what can I say, it's a great album, but I prefer The Odyssey, because I think there are to many small snippety pieces between the actual songs, which somewhat disrupt the flow. That said, A Fool's Paradise is one of my favourite SX tunes :metal :metal
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05. Queensryche - "Operation: Mindcrime"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/05.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - I Remember Now
02 - Anarchy-X
03 - Revolution Calling
04 - Operation: Mindcrime
05 - Speak
06 - Spreading The Disease
07 - The Mission
08 - Suite Sister Mary
09 - The Needle Lies
10 - Electric Requiem
11 - Breaking The Silence
12 - I Don't Believe In Love
13 - Waiting for 22
14 - My Empty Room
15 - Eyes of a Stranger
In May of 1988 Queensryche released what many would later consider to be their masterpiece, "Operation: Mindcrime" - a highly ambitious socio-political concept album that follows the long and winding story of a man who becomes disillusioned with society and reluctantly becomes involved with a revolutionary group as an assassin. The album features 59:14 of some of the most compelling and engaging progressive metal ever created, along with a vocal performance by lead vocalist Geoff Tate that is nothing short of magical. To say that I have listened to this album in its entirety at least 1000 times since its release is probably an understatement as I still listen to it today, almost 25 years after its debut. As a concept album, I recommend listening to the entire thing, but if you are unfamiliar with this album and want to check out a few tracks, "Suite Sister Mary" "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Eyes of a Stranger" are all great, but it cannot be stressed enough that you really need to hear all of this as one thing. [size=78%] [/size]
4 albums left, any guesses? :biggrin:
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Somewhere in time :metal
Controversial opinion: Operation Mindcrime is one of the most overrated albums in the history of music.
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Wrong thread :P
:lol
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No arguments there kirks. Well, maybe it could be higher... A classic. May well feature in my top 50...
Suite Sister Mary is such a great piece of music. Love the atmosphere, the character voices, the CHOIR...
And the heavy breathing in the middle of The Needle Lies.
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04. Fates Warning - "No Exit"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/04.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - No Exit
02 - Anarchy Divine
03 - Silent Cries
04 - In a Word
05 - Shades of Heavenly Death
06 - The Ivory Gates of Dreams
I - Innocence
II - Cold Daze
III - Daylight Dreamers
IV - Quietus
V - Ivory Tower
VI - Whispers On The Wind
VII - Acquiescence
VIII- Retrospect
Around 1989 or so I was asking a friend of mine if he knew any bands that had music in a similar style to Iron Maiden and he started rattling off some band names and Fates Warning was one of them. He said it was metal, it was progressive, heavy guitars, etc. So on a whim I went on down to the record store (remember those?) and after looking at a few of the available Fates Warning albums I settled on "No Exit" because I was intrigued by the 8 part closing track titles on the cassette. This was really my first forray into this kind of prog. I hadn't really been exposed to odd time signatures and at first it kind of put me off and I put the album down for a while somewhat disappointed. Then I was on a subway train on the way home from work one night and the only tape I had to put in my Sony Walkman (remember those?) was this one, so I ended up listening to it 4 times in a row while they fixed the train. On the third listen, it clicked. And I was hooked. Fates Warning haven't released too many other albums that I like as much as this one. Side note: Great music, terrible album cover! :lol
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O:M is fantastic. In fact, I think I'm gonna listen to it right now.
EDIT: Damn, you're fast, I missed that update. No Exit is a great album, the only one from FW that I've got. I've only had it for a short time, but I'm digging it a lot.
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I never got into FW at all. I got A Pleasant Shade Of Grey as a free download from some music site years ago and never liked it. It seemed a bit too "serious" to me. Not heard this album. Just don't think they're for me.
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I'm expecting another Rush, a Dream Theater and something else.
Nice updates!
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I'll do the final three tomorrow :hat
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I can't see SMPTe not making your top 50, so I figure that almost has to be up there.
Images and Words will probably be number 1.
And the other will be one of Neal Morse's worship CDs. :P :biggrin: :lol
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I can't see SMPTe not making your top 50, so I figure that almost has to be up there.
It's a great album, no doubt, but you will not be seeing any more Transatlantic on this list.
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That surprises me.
Both I&W and Scenes will probably be up there, then.
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Images and Words will probably be number 1.
I bet that as well.
Also The Number Of The Beast?
Did not expect No Exit that is for sure!
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Images and Words will probably be number 1.
I bet that as well.
Also The Number Of The Beast?
Did not expect No Exit that is for sure!
Er... (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=33151.msg1347040#msg1347040) :P
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I am pretty sure that at least one of my top 3 picks will be at least somewhat surprising to some of you. Maybe not to Lonestar or Obscure, though ;)
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Adrenaline Mob HAS to be there. If not, I'm leaving the forum.
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I fear it is gonna be something gross like Shadow Gallery or Pagan's Mind. :eek :lol
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Once again, I'm calling Back from Being Gone as #1. :P
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Side note: Great music, terrible album cover! :lol
that cover always makes me think of the early first-person shooters, especially Wolfenstein 3D.
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I only just realised your avatar moves. The hell :lol
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I only just realised your avatar moves. The hell :lol
everybody's moves. You just have to stare at them long enough to see it.
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O:M is a classic, end of story. Great pick in No Exit too.
Lowdz, A Pleasant Shade of Grey isn't a good place to start with FW. Try Parallels, Inside Out and Perfect Symentry and then tell me what you think.
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Not much of a fan of No Exit, but great to see Fates Warning making an appearance here anyway!
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I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for following. I really appreciate it. :)
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
I&W.
And for my third guess... gonna go something 70s. Maybe The Wall?
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I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for following. I really appreciate it. :)
You better thank me for basically taking my list and using it as your own! ;D
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
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Anabasis is going to be #1, lol ;)
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Anabasis is going to be #1, lol ;)
Called it way before you, dude.
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
I'll lay a virtual c-note on it.
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Anabasis is going to be #1, lol ;)
Called it way before you, dude.
props to you, Dude ;D
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I am pretty sure that at least one of my top 3 picks will be at least somewhat surprising to some of you. Maybe not to Lonestar or Obscure, though ;)
If it's what I'm thinking, it made my top ten too.
Edit:ninja hoser
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I am pretty sure that at least one of my top 3 picks will be at least somewhat surprising to some of you. Maybe not to Lonestar or Obscure, though ;)
If it's what I'm thinking, it made my top ten too.
Edit:ninja hoser
Take of eh!
Love the new sig! :laugh:
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Operation Mindcrime is wonderful.
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i consider myself a Fates Warning fan, but ive yet to delve into No Exit. i did buy it last year, however, so i'll have to spin it some time.
lots of other strong picks, too. enjoying the list. :corn
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This list has taken a huge awesomness turn! Diggin the Spocks, the Transatlantic, the Fates, the Queensryche.
If I had to guess I'd say Scenes From a Memory is still coming up. Sorry if someone has already guessed that... My off the wall guess that is more of a joke than a guess will be Damn Yankees s/t. Damn good album!
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
Uh...Barry is the one who started that thread and got everyone else on board either directly or indirectly. If it is left off it's probably because it really is hard to put an album in proper perspective after only 6 months.
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
Uh...Barry is the one who started that thread and got everyone else on board either directly or indirectly. If it is left off it's probably because it really is hard to put an album in proper perspective after only 6 months.
Oh - I didn't know that. Sorry.
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I'll say it again, this list is incredible.
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Somewhere in time is my favorite Maiden album, Mindcrime is my favorite Queensryche album and V is really good as well. :smiley:
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Around 1989 or so I was asking a friend of mine if he knew any bands that had music in a similar style to Iron Maiden and he started rattling off some band names and Fates Warning was one of them. He said it was metal, it was progressive, heavy guitars, etc. So on a whim I went on down to the record store (remember those?
I had a similar experience, asking a friend. This was during the Arch days, I just couldn't connect with his voice. I started with No Exit as well when I heard they had a new singer. I remember Kerranngg! had a floppy 45 of Anarchy Divine on one of their mag covers.
When Somewhere In Time came out, I loved it. I loved the new direction, as at the time, I really didn't care for Powerslave. Oddly, Powerslave has aged great, but SiT, not so much. Still the title track is my #3 Maiden song.
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03. Beyond The Bridge - "The Old Man & The Spirit"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/03.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - The Call
02 - The Apparition
03 - Triumph of Irreality
04 - The Spring of It All
05 - World of Wonders
06 - The Primal Demand
07 - Doorway To Salvation
08 - The Struggle
09 - The Difference is Human
10 - Where The Earth and Sky Meet
11 - All A Man Can Do
This album took seven years to make and is the debut album from this group. Beyond The Bridge is the brainchild of guitarist Peter Degenfeld-Schonburg and keyboardist Christopher Tarnow. Vocalists Herbie Langhans and Dilenya Mar convey a mesmerizing story with incredible passion, power and emotion. In the conceptual piece, the male voice sings the part of The Old Man, who has experienced the full depth of human sensations in his lifetime and Mar plays The Spirit, the embodiment of wisdom unknowable by man. Mar's character lacks the ability to feel and Langhans's character lacks the ability to rise above human sensations. A deal is offered by the spirit for an exchange and an incredible journey into the full scope of human emotion -and beyond- ensues. The vocal performances here are absolutely breathtaking in their execution. Every eomtion is conveyed with tremendous acuity. The instrumentation is nothing short of spectacular and the songs flow seamlessly together while somehow managing to stand as individual tracks as well. Yes, this is a masterpiece. A rare 5 star album. This album moved me deeply and in a way that very few albums can.
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Nice, I'll have to check it out. Never heard of it.
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Well, as DTVT has predicted, I was wrong. :)
Fucking great album though, make sure to check it out Zydar. Especially the way that male and female vocals are used is nothing short of amazing.
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I still have not checked out Beyond The Bridge.
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
Uh...Barry is the one who started that thread and got everyone else on board either directly or indirectly. If it is left off it's probably because it really is hard to put an album in proper perspective after only 6 months.
The only reason it's not #1 on my list is because I need more time with it.
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I only just recently heard it for the first time. Great pick! :tup
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it's an awesome album
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
I'll lay a virtual c-note on it.
DTVT???
Fantastic album. It will be making my next top 50 list fo sho!
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Can't remember if Old Man has made it yet. Don't think so.
Are you sure that that'll make an appearance? Barry doesn't seem to be that big on the recent prog stuff.
I'll lay a virtual c-note on it.
DTVT???
He pointed out that Barry had started the thread and gotten everyone into them.
You're correct as well, jingle, of course. As always. :)
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02. Kamelot - "The Black Halo"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/02.jpg)
Tracklist:
01 - March of Mephisto
02 - When the Lights are Down
03 - The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)
04 - Soul Society
05 - Interlude I: Dei Gratia
06 - Abandoned
07 - This Pain
08 - Moonlight
09 - Interlude II: Un Assassinio Molto Silenzioso
10 - The Black Halo
11 - Nothing Ever Dies
12 - Memento Mori
13 - Interlude III: Midnight - Twelve Tolls for a New Day
14 - Serenade
In 2004 I came across Kamelot when a friend of mine sent me a mix CD of selected tracks from a few various bands that he thought I might enjoy. He sent me "Center of The Universe" from their 2003 album "Epica" which is actually part one of two wiht the second part being "The Black Halo." Of course, at the time, no one knew this. So, on the strength of that track I went out and purchased "Epica" and quickly devoured that one and Kamelot's entire back catalog. If you back through their earlier discs, it is actually quite remarkable how much this band improved with each successive release, peaking, in my opinion, with "The Black Halo" which is stunning. This was the pinnacle of Roy Khan's career as a vocalist and his decline was precipitous and quite noticable on the band's most recent release, "Poetry for The Poisoned" Anyway, "The Black Halo" is an extremely well-executed slice of Symphonic Power Metal and is a concept album loosely based on Goethe's Faust. My favorite tracks are "March of Mephisto" "The Haunting" "Abandoned" "Moonlight" and "Momento Mori" This band should be a no-brainer for fans of the power metal genre, very few come close to this quality with the exception, perhaps, of Serenity.
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Old Man is a brilliant album. I am constantly floored by it's many layers in the story, how the spirit may come across as benevolent but is actually a trapped soul, looking to decieve the old man for her own freedom.(keep listening, it's there)I have yet to listen to it and not discover another layer to it.
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I just listened to this yesterday (at the extreme persistence of obscure). Very nice album. I'll be coming back to it.
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I just listened to this yesterday (at the extreme persistence of obscure). Very nice album. I'll be coming back to it.
Do you mean Kamelot or Beyond The Bridge?
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I just listened to this yesterday (at the extreme persistence of obscure). Very nice album. I'll be coming back to it.
Do you mean Kamelot or Beyond The Bridge?
Kamelot.
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If you like "The Black Halo," then "Epica" should be on your short list since they are related albums and very close to the same quality.
Earlier albums are decent but don't quite rise to this level.
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I also HIGHLY recommend the band "Serenity" if you dig Kamelot
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Beyond The Bridge is very good. A bit too new for me to be a classic yet. It's quality though.
Kamelot. I loved Siege Perilous and Karma but the later albums seemed a bit too "serious" for me, and a bit samey. Not sure what the problem has been tbh, I just haven't connected with them in the same way as SP and Karma. The live dvd though was stunning.
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I have still not been able to latch onto Kamelot. A surprising pick here for sure.
I have Serenity's Fallen Sanctuary and it is a great album. Don't have anything else by them though.
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The Beyond the Bridge album is amazing, nice pick! One of my latest good discoveries (thanks to all the people hyping it on these forums, you know who you are! :tup )
I still haven't heard The Black Halo (or anything by Kamelot for that matter), but references to Epica and Serenity make me happy. I guess I should check it out soon.
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So, anyway, before I reveal the #1 album, here are some honorable mentions, in alphabetical order:
A.C.T - "Last Epic"
I always loved this band, but never really latched on to any of their other releases besides this one, which I consider to be their best.
Andromeda - "II=I"
One of the most underrated progmetal outfits out there.
Crossroad - "Apple Pie"
Kind of a Spock's Beard clone that, as far as I know, has never made another album. This one suffers from slightly weak production values and extremely heavily accented vocals, but it's still got some great prog on it.
Astra - "From Within"
There are a couple of bands out there with the name Astra. This is the progmetal version and they're pretty killer, but as far as I know they only have this one release.
Ayreon - "Into The Electric Castle"
Alright, yeah, it's incredibly cheesy, but the music is worth the heavy dose of Gouda
Avantasia - "The Metal Opera I and II"
More cheesy goodness here. The melodies and songs are what work best here, but also the variety of vocalists in the rock opera style is pretty cool as well.
Benedictum - "Uncreation"
A female fronted metal band with a vocalist who sounds more like Ronnie James Dio than Ronnie James Dio does. Avoid the new album, it sounds like a 75lb bag of wombat ass, but this one is absolutely killer.
Twilight - "Section X"
Great progmetal for fans of.....progmetal :P
Circus Maximus - "Isolate"
Still their best album, although I do enjoy all three of their efforts very much. "Isolate" stands above the others, though.
DeeExpus - "King of Number 33"
Some pretty cool progmetal here, big on melody, not overly crazy on the chops but definitely very, very good players.
Din Within - "Awaken The Man"
Trust me on this one. For fans of symphonic prog with great melodies and songwriting.
Dream Theater - (Tie) Images & Words / Metropolis Part II: Scenes From a Memory
Both brilliant albums that needed to be added to this honorable mention list.
Effloresce - "Coma Ghosts"
Kick-ass female fronted metal in the style of bands like Opeth. Don't let the "female fronted" dissuade you, this band deserves your attention.
Flaming Row - "Elinoire"
The only thing holding this one back is the convoluted concept. Otherwise, it's very, very similar to Beyond The Bridge, and that's a good thing!
Hourglass - "Oblivious To The Obvious"
Excellent and very eclectic progmetal for fans of Dream Theater style music.
Kaipa - "Keyholder"
You like prog? You like melody? You like classic keyboards? Male and female vocals? Epic songs?
Karmakanic - "Wheel of Life"
Great progressive rock from Jonas Reingold's (bassist for The Flower Kings) band. Smoking keyboard playing here and the songs are great.
Liquid Tension Experiment - "II"
The first album is pretty damned good too
Magic Pie - "The Suffering Joy"
You really need this album from this group of veteran Norwegian proggers. High-quality progrock here.
Myrath - "Hope"
Young prog-metal group from Tunisia, this is their debut and still their best album, IMO
Presto Ballet - "The Lost Art of Time Travel"
They've got a bunch of albums that are all excellent. Pick one. I like this one, but they're all great. Keyboard-driven symphonic prog, featuring a former member of Metal Church
Pyramid Theorem - S/T
Keep your eyes on these guys. Killer, killer chops for days. Dream Theater fans should gobble this right up.
Section A - "The Seventh Sign"
Excellent progmetal with a really, really outstanding vocalist.
Serenity - "Death and Legacy"
Really, really well-crafted symphonic power metal in a similar style/sound to Kamelot and certainly worthy of investigation.
Shadow Gallery - "Room V"
Their finest album, I think - for fans of Dream Theater
Silent Memorial - "Retrospective"
Another really good progmetal band, featuring the vocalist from Cloudscape.
Silent Voices - "Building Up The Apathy"
Not particularly crazy about the vocals with this band, but the music is stunning - progmetal leaning in a bit of a heavier/darker direction
Tomorrow's Eve - "Tales From Serpentia"
Dark, heavy, melodic progressive metal with clean vocals
Vanden Plas - "Seraphic Clockwork"
Their most mature work to date.
#1 album coming next
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A.C.T, Ayreon, Avantasia, Circus Maximus, and Myrath are all wonderful!
Great list, and now for number 1...
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Good recommendations, Kirk!
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Quite a few gems in your HM list. I'd have different choices than some of the albums you call out, but great stuff anyway.
My only beef ... there is NOTHING holding back Elinoire. :angry:
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:lol OK, man, it's cool bro :-*
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OK, so here we have reached the final album in my current "Top 50 Albums of All Time" list.
I have enjoyed doing this list and I would like to thank all of you who participated and all of you lurkers who took the time to read it, even if you did not post here.
So, a little bit about why I am choosing this album as my #1 album......this is an album that, if I look back on everything objectively and think about how obsessed I was with the music in my life, and how many times I've been to see my favorite bands, the band that did this album is BY FAR, my favorite band of all time.
I've seen them live at least 8 or 9 times (I've lost count!)
So.....
Without further delay.........
I give you..................................
KirksNoseHair's #1 album of all time...........
(https://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=https://www.shirtaday.com/pastShirts/20080311_rickRollBig.jpg&sa=X&ei=-_AOUNjJBaK56wHlzIGwBA&ved=0CAkQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNEMBkcNZJeU_mRPUd04SgMqs1RE2w)
:rollin
Just kidding :lol
My #1 album of all time is.......................
Coming up in my next post :hat
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Should've gone with the actual album cover,
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/Wheneveryouneed.jpg)
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I bet it's Omerta.
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01. Iron Maiden - "Powerslave"
(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/pics/01.jpg)
Tracklist
01 - Aces High
02 - 2 Minutes to Midnight
03 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
04 - Flash of the Blade
05 - The Duellists
06 - Back in the Village
07 - Powerslave
08 - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Iron Maiden released "Powerslave" in 1984 after their huge "World Piece Tour" ended in December of 1983. I didn't think it was possible for Iron Maiden to top "Number of the Beast" or "Piece of Mind" which were both really brilliant albums, but I was utterly and completely blown away by "Powerslave" and probably listened to it every single day for the first year after it came out. This was the last "pure" Iron Maiden album. What I mean by that is, it was the last album of theirs to be straight up guitars, bass guitar and drums. After this one, they would introduce synths and eventually keyboads, which are not a bad thing per se, but it just gives this album a sort of "end of an era" feel to it. This one is packed with that signature galloping style and dual harmony guitar attack. It also features the longest song to date "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" @ 13:42. The world tour in support of this album featured one of the most elaborate and grand stage sets of any heavy metal band in history and Iron Maiden played at the first ever "Rock In Rio" event to an estimated 300,000 audience members. That was also the tour that produced the famed "Scream for me Long Beach!" line on the "Live After Death" live album release. UP THE IRONS!!!
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Fucking great album, and a great list!
Thanks for sharing it with us, Barry. :metal :metal
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:2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal:
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:birch:
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(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/Portals/0/images/smilies/headbanger.gif)
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I went back and added Dream Theater - "Images and Words" to the honorable mentions list. I thought it was best to leave it off until I posted the top album.
I'm sneaky like that :P
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:2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal:
HELL YEAH, POWERSLAVE!!!!! :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal: :2metal:
I love me some Maiden, but Powerslave is my favorite Maiden album hands down. Excellent choice!
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Excellent album. Best song (Rime) and best scream in the Iron Maiden catalog.
Great list Barry. Thoroughly enjoyed following it.
BTW, in case anyone else wants do it, you should check out ariich's 'Rick-roll' (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=23120.msg906321#msg906321). That's how it's done ladies and gentlemen.
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Nice finish, Powerslave truly is great. :tup
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IM (debut), NotB, PoM, AMoLaD > Powerslave, SiT, SSoaSS :biggrin:
Thanks for sharing, I don't normally follow these but am glad I did on this one I've been meaning to get more in to Kamelot, as I have liked what little I have heard. Nice to see Presto Ballet. They were a great opener for DT back on one of their club shows.
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Iron Maiden is a great way to finish this list off! I enjoyed following!
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So, anyway, just to have the entire list on one place, here's the whole thing:
50. Judas Priest - Stained Class
49. Foreigner - Foreigner
48. Led Zeppelin - II
47. The Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night
46. Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
45. Megadeth - Peace Sells but Who's Buying
44. Yes - Fragile
43. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
42. Kansas - Leftoverture
41. Mercyful Fate - Into The Unknown
40. Triumph - Allied Forces
39. Savatage - Poets and Madmen
38. Dokken - Tooth and Nail
37. Iron Maiden - Killers
36. Skid Row - Skid Row
35. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
34. Foreigner - Double Vision
33. Def Leppard - High -n- Dry
32. Styx - The Grand Illusion
31. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
30. Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast
29. Saxon - The Power and The Glory
28. Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy
27. AC/DC - Back In Black
26. Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil
25. Van Halen - Van Halen
24. The Cars - The Cars
23. Boston - Boston
22. Guns -n- Roses - Appetite for Destruction
21. Metallica - Ride The Lightening
20. Rush - 2112
19. Megadeth - Rust in Peace
18. Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
17. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
16. Spock's Beard - The Light
15. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
14. Metal Church - The Human Factor
13. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
12. Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Oz
11. The Flower Kings - Flower Power
10. Spock's Beard - V
09. Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
08. Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
07. Opeth - Watershed
06. Symphony X - V:The New Mythology Suite
05. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
04. Fates Warning - No Exit
03. Beyond The Bridge - The Old Man & The Spirit
02. Kamelot - The Black Halo
01. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
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Excellent album. Best song (Rime) and best scream in the Iron Maiden catalog.
Great list Barry. Thoroughly enjoyed following it.
BTW, in case anyone else wants do it, you should check out ariich's 'Rick-roll' (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=23120.msg906321#msg906321). That's how it's done ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you sir :)
And you are correct, that was a top notch troll there :rollin
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IM (debut), NotB, PoM, AMoLaD > Powerslave, SiT, SSoaSS :biggrin:
Thanks for sharing, I don't normally follow these but am glad I did on this one I've been meaning to get more in to Kamelot, as I have liked what little I have heard. Nice to see Presto Ballet. They were a great opener for DT back on one of their club shows.
I go back and forth with Iron Maiden on what album I think is their best, usually a toss-up between NotB and Powerslave.......but putting these albums into historical perspective helped. I listened to Powerslave more often, played more of the songs in bands, etc. Such a great band. Remarkable that they can still attract 14,000 people to a concert at this stage in their careers.
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Wow, Powerslave. Didn't see that one coming at all. It's a middle of the pack Maiden album for me. I actualy didn't care for it when it came out and almost blew off the tour! :omg:
I must say that The Duellists is a hidden gem. Love the long instrumental break.
Great list and lots in common with mine minus the prog. Lots of classic metal surprises.
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Like I mentioned earlier, if I look back on my music consumption in a historical perspective, I spent about 30 years or so listening to rock and metal and have really only gotten into progressive rock and metal in the last 10 years or so. I thought I should approach the list from that perspective - considering ALL of my musical enjoyment since I was a kid.
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Solid album, and one of the best concert tours ever. No one will ever match the World Slavery tour in scope and size, just fucking epic.
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Solid album, and one of the best concert tours ever. No one will ever match the World Slavery tour in scope and size, just fucking epic.
They were really at the top of their game then too. Not that they aren't good now, but Bruce's voice is a shadow of what it was then. Musically, they're still in top form, though.
I hope for their next album that they write some songs that are in lower keys so Bruce can comfortably sing them live, sort of how Dream Theater did with ADTOE
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That was when I was at the peak of my rebellious metal kid days too, scraggly hair, pimples, and the three quarter sleeve concert shirt. Oh the memories.....
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I was definitely more familiar with your list than anyone else's. I probably should give Kamelot another chance, I have "Karma", thought it was OK but decided I would be better off looking at other bands. V, Bridge Across Forever, Mindcrime, and Powerslave would all be contenders for my top 10 as well, and lots of other great picks. I've been relistening to my Ozzy lately because of this list. Sometimes I forget my metal roots.
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I was definitely more familiar with your list than anyone else's. I probably should give Kamelot another chance, I have "Karma", thought it was OK but decided I would be better off looking at other bands. V, Bridge Across Forever, Mindcrime, and Powerslave would all be contenders for my top 10 as well, and lots of other great picks. I've been relistening to my Ozzy lately because of this list. Sometimes I forget my metal roots.
"Karma" is decent, but I think "Epica" and "The Black Halo" are their best. They started going downhill with "Ghost Opera" That was when Roy Khan started having panic attacks and then "Poetry For The Poisoned" is worse. Their earlier material is hit/miss
The ones I actually listen to, I like in this order:
04. Karma
03. The Fourth Legacy
02. Epica
01. The Black Halo
^these two stand head and shoulders above the rest of the catalog, imho
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Great job with the list and a great #1 pick.
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Didn't see that coming but it is a great album, no question.
I enjoyed the list, agreed with a whole load of it and own a fair proportion of it.
Cheers Kirks.
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Powerslave is awesome!
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so much for my prediction thinking Anabasis would be #1, lol.
Great list Barry, I really enjoyed following this. :metal
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Thank you very much to all of you who actively participated in this thread and to everyone who read it. I had a lot of fun doing the list and talking with you guys (and gals!) about my picks. :)
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As Iron Maiden was my favorite band in my rebellious, teen youth metal days, I'm pleased to see Powerslave top the list. I've always maintained that Maiden's 82-86 run (I'm a bit more ambivalent than most about Seventh Son) might just be the best run of metal albums ever, and Powerslave was the band at their best. Great list, but the main problem I have with it is about half of it would be on MY top 50, so I'd be kind of redundant :lol
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Holy shit, I didn't expect that at all. Powerslave is my second favourite Maiden album, so it's a fine closer, but still.. I don't know, I was expecting Images & Words at #1, but it might be my own preference was taking over :P
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Nice finisher. :tup
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I really enjoy Powerslave but I have struggled to place it among the top Maiden albums for myself. It's clearly a really, really good album but at best I could place it third or fourth. Lots of people prefer it though and I can see how/why; especially given the perspective you've given. Still great #1 and very nice list! :tup
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Wow, hadn't heard of Beyond the Bridge before, checked it on Youtube.... sounds amazing have ordered, great stuff, thanks...
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Wow, hadn't heard of Beyond the Bridge before, checked it on Youtube.... sounds amazing have ordered, great stuff, thanks...
I have to ask... what is with your username?
welcome to DTF
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One of my favourite albums, Duke by Genesis, From memory it was already in use on another forum from years ago so added 1 to it...
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(https://www.kirksnosehair.com/Portals/0/images/smilies/headbanger.gif)
i love powerslave
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Barry, I finally got around checking out your 50 list and enjoyed it a lot… Your honourable mentions made a very happy girl too… Beyond Twilight - "Section X" would definitely make it to my 50…. Fantastic album… and Kelly Sundown is my 2nd all time fave vocalist…. I bitch a lot about him to Chad and RJ and post a lot from his albums on my FB group.. I think he is definitely one of the best singers of our time. His range is inhuman and what really drives me crazy is his emotional control. His voice shifts into different guises to match the emotions and layers of thought he expresses. I don’t know whether you guys are familiar with his other stuff but I urge y’all to check out Epysode and Darkology if you haven’t already yet…
/Crazy fangirl-y behaviour
Also great to see some love for Section A and Tomorrow's Eve :tup
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Nice, glad you liked it :heart
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:heart