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Welcome to my top 50 albums of all time! I'll try to update this regularly, every few days or so, but I want to give each and every album a writeup that justifies how I feel about it while also giving them enough time in the spotlight before moving on to another. Expect power metal, more power metal, and a few odd black sheep here and there.
This is my personal little venue to gush ad nauseum about my favorite albums ever made, so I don't expect everyone to read every word of my ramblings. However, if it inspires discussion and strong opinions, I couldn't ask for more. I hope this is entertainment for at least one person out there.
Important Disclaimer: This list was incredibly difficult to organize. To be completely honest, the only rankings that are 100% set in stone are the top 3. Those have never, ever changed. 4-10 are pretty firm, but could shift amongst themselves. 11 through, roughly, 30, are about the same. That is, on any given day, 8 could switch with 30 and I'd still love both of those albums equally. The rest at the bottom are, again, roughly grouped equally, but you never know – again, on any given day, they could switch amongst themselves, or even be placed higher. It's almost impossible to rank so many albums I love so dearly, and even harder when you throw a wild variety of genres into the mix.
Honorable Mentions: At the end of the thread, I'll include my 'Honorable Mentions' list, which includes albums that were all in the running for the top 50, but for whatever reason(s) did not make the cut.
Let's get this show on the road!
#50. Avantasia - Moonglow [2019] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2556189#msg2556189)
#49. Aquaria - Shambala [2007] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2556564#msg2556564)
#48. Tom Waits - Closing Time [1973] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2556983#msg2556983)
#47. Blind Guardian - Beyond the Red Mirror [2015] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2557184#msg2557184)
#46. Arctic Monkeys - AM [2013] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2557521#msg2557521)
#45. Opeth - Damnation [2003] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2557605#msg2557605)
#44. Stratovarius - Infinite [2000] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2557747#msg2557747)
#43. Kamelot - Poetry for the Poisoned [2010] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2557835#msg2557835)
#42. Avantasia - The Metal Opera, Pt. II [2002] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2558060#msg2558060)
#41. Rush - Power Windows [1985] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2558379#msg2558379)
#40. Opeth - Watershed [2008] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2558657#msg2558657)
#39. Avantasia - The Wicked Symphony [2010] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2558843#msg2558843)
#38. Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I [1991] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2559102#msg2559102)
#37. Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion II [1991] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2559294#msg2559294)
#36. Edguy - Rocket Ride [2006] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2559380#msg2559380)
#35. Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory [2000] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2559771#msg2559771)
#34. Stratovarius - Destiny [1998] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2559925#msg2559925)
#33. Sonata Arctica - The Days of Grays [2009] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2560212#msg2560212)
#32. Explosions In The Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place [2003] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2560536#msg2560536)
#31. Ayreon - 01011001 [2008] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2560996#msg2560996)
#30. Cain's Offering - Gather the Faithful [2009] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2561483#msg2561483)
#29. Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret [2004] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2561724#msg2561724)
#28. Asia - Alpha [1983] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2561910#msg2561910)
#27. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times [2007] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2562227#msg2562227)
#26. Sonata Arctica - Unia [2007] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2562437#msg2562437)
#25. Eminem - The Eminem Show [2002] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2562911#msg2562911)
#24. Power Quest - Neverworld [2003] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2563181#msg2563181)
#23. Fairyland - The Fall of an Empire [2006] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2563858#msg2563858)
#22. Stratovarius - Visions [1997] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2564292#msg2564292)
#21. Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night [2004] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2564620#msg2564620)
#20. Enya - Dark Sky Island [2015] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2565130#msg2565130)
#19. Chroma Key - You Go Now [2000] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2565169#msg2565169)
#18. Tycho - Awake [2014] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2565412#msg2565412)
#17. Dream Theater - Images and Words [1992] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2565596#msg2565596)
#16. Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands [1998] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2565731#msg2565731)
#15. Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side [1995] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2566168#msg2566168)
#14. Aquaria - Luxaeterna [2007] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2566773#msg2566773)
#13. Dragonforce - Valley of the Damned [2003] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2567119#msg2567119)
#12. Voyager - Ghost Mile [2017] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2567409#msg2567409)
#11. Power Quest - Magic Never Dies [2005] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2568151#msg2568151)
#10. Rhapsody - Legendary Tales [1997] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2568612#msg2568612)
#9. Edguy - The Savage Poetry [2000] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2569264#msg2569264)
#8. Dragonforce - Sonic Firestorm [2004] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2569802#msg2569802)
#7. Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence [2002] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2570081#msg2570081)
#6. Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain [2006] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2570826#msg2570826)
#5. Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction [1987] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2571055#msg2571055)
#4. Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown [2010] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2571407#msg2571407)
#3. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild [2003] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2572210#msg2572210)
#2. Stratovarius - Episode [1996] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2572638#msg2572638)
#1. Toto - IV [1982] (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2572883#msg2572883)
Honorable Mentions (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=53954.msg2572972#msg2572972)
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50.
AVANTASIA
MOONGLOW
Rock Opera / Theatrical Rock / Power Metal
released February 15th, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records
(https://i.imgur.com/SSD4TnL.jpg)
1. Ghost In The Moon [9:51]
2. Book of Shallows [5:00]
3. Moonglow [3:56]
4. The Raven Child [11:14]
5. Starlight [3:38]
6. Invincible [3:07]
7. Alchemy [7:28]
8. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn [7:20]
9. Lavender [4:30]
10. Requiem for a Dream [6:08]
11. Maniac (Michael Sembello cover) [4:31]
12. Heart (Bonus Track) [3:49]
MOONGLOW is
Tobias Sammet (Vocals / Bass / Keyboards / Piano / Orchestrations)
Sascha Paeth (Guitars / Keyboards / Piano / Orchestrations)
Michael “Miro” Rodenberg (Keyboards / Orchestrations)
FEATURING
Felix Bohnke (Drums)
Ronnie Atkins (Vocals on 2, 5, 8)
Jørn Lande (Vocals on 2, 4, 8)
Eric Martin (Vocals on 8, 11)
Geoff Tate (Vocals on 6, 7, 8)
Michael Kiske (Vocals on 10)
Bob Catley (Vocals on 8, 9)
Candice Night (Vocals on 3)
Hansi Kürsch (Vocals on 2, 4)
Mille Petrozza (Vocals on 2)
WITH
Nadia Birkenstock (Celtic harp)
and
Oliver Hartmann (Additional lead guitars and vocals)
Starting off my top 50 albums of all time is not only the most recent entry of the lot, it is the only 2019 representative on the list. This album was actually a last-minute addition to the list, after being on the fence for a long time. It is hard to gauge one's love for an album after only a few months, even after obsessive spinning, but sometimes there is a gut feeling, deep inside you, telling you how special an album is. “Moonglow” is a special album to me. I believe it represents Avantasia at their best in nearly a decade, and is one of only two Avantasia records to beat out one half of the Metal Opera records for a spot in this list.
Tobias Sammet has long been a favorite musician of mine, who with the right people on his side can seemingly do no wrong. Even my least favorite albums in his prolific career have a few spots of brilliance among the murky haze of questionable songwriting. I have such a passion for his art that the albums I dislike invoke a grudge in me toward the music that borders on reverence, and those albums I love have moments that make the hairs on my arms stand upright, or even bring me to tears.
Moonglow wastes no time getting to business. The opener “Ghost in the Moon” is 10 minutes of Tobias Sammet embracing the biggest and best aspects of Meat Loaf, power metal, and the theatrical arena sound Avantasia has become known for around the world. Relatable and logical lyrics be damned; Tobias sings about the power of dreams and the moon with a passion that manages to make me look past contradictory and silly – but admittedly kickass – lyrics like “tenebrous wicked starbright.” Tobias is a master of writing songs that build tension and momentum into a glorious, infectious chorus, and Ghost in the Moon is the culmination of years of honing his craft. When I reach that epic chorus - “Wake up the night to yell a prayer up to the starlight; veiling boon, ghost in the moon” - I couldn't care less how silly the lyrics sound, because it's such a happy burst of sickly sweet music. My issues with a lot of Avantasia music since its revival in 2007 aren't present on this song, and as such it's the perfect way to start the album.
“Book of Shallows” has one of the few moments of the album I could overlook, the monotonous rough section with Kreator's Mille Petrozza, but that's a petty complaint considering how awesome the rest of the song is. I adore the way the song starts with a four-on-the-floor kick drum beat underneath a catchy lead guitar motif. That's generally the ticket to my heart no matter the genre of music. Hansi Kürsch makes his debut with Avantasia here, and the combination of him, Jørn Lande, and Tobias alternately singing the chorus puts it over the top for me. I especially love the lyrics of the chorus, “Chase your dream / If you don't mind don't be astounded / By the things they make you do for amusement's sake.” A bonus memory that enhances this song is listening to Tobias Sammet live in concert talking about going after your dreams, and fuck what anybody else says. That's what it's all about, and he's living proof that you can do whatever you want if you set your mind to it. That is, usually, power metal at its best, in my opinion. It reinforces positive thoughts, embraces dreams and fantastic thoughts, and encourages self-empowerment. I want to belt this song's hook at the top of my lungs from the top of a mountain. It is damn near a requirement for me to get that feeling out of a power metal song for me to love it.
The album had two lead singles, the title track, “Moonglow,” and “The Raven Child,” an 11-minute number featuring Jørn and Hansi once more. The title track is a nice happy little number, comparisons to Nightwish's Amaranthe notwithstanding (I don't think they are as similar as some people have said, personally). It's nothing groundbreaking, but it fits like a glove alongside songs like Lost In Space and Sleepwalking. “The Raven Child” is actually one of my least favorite songs on the album, mostly because I always think I could just be listening to “The Scarecrow” instead, but Hansi and Jørn undeniably sing their hearts out. Either of those guys could sing the phone book, as the saying goes, and sell tickets.
I am no big fan of Ronnie Atkins, but he is a great performer and I like what he does on Moonglow more than on The Mystery of Time. Even the weaker songs on this album are wonderful, and while “Starlight” might not be my favorite of this bunch, it reeks of positivity. You give me a nice beat, some “whoas” and a happy, catchy chorus, and it's near impossible for me to dislike the song. “Are you gonna guide me, starlight? Guide me, starlight / Are you out there, anywhere at all?” I've found I like this one most when I'm driving down the road. My favorite music gets an emotional response out of me. This song makes me smile and feel happy.
What can I say about Geoff Tate that hasn't already been said for the last thirty years? “Invincible” gives plenty of room for his legendary voice to carry over dark piano chords. It is remarkable how strong his voice is after all these years, after singing such demanding material for so long. “Alchemy” smacks of Tobi taking notes from Nightwish's more recent albums, with a chunky, easy-to-follow guitar riff with strings that safely mimic the riff, allowing Geoff and Tobi to take the spotlight. And it's powerful. Despite my tendency to skip the first minute of the song because of the extended nature of the riff, “Alchemy” is one of my favorite Avantasia songs in years. To me, it's one of many examples of Tobi knowing exactly how to use every guest singer he brings into this band.
I find it funny that one of my very favorite songs on the album, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn,” was not played live when I recently saw Avantasia, despite having all five guest singers on stage. Ronnie, Jørn, Geoff, Eric Martin, and Bob Catley just tear this song up. The bouncy sound and melody that the synth carries the song with at the start is something that has been a point of contention amongst power metal fans, and I'm not quite sure where that sound falls in the minds of Avantasia's audience in the year 2019, but for me, it's lovely. This song has such powerful melodies – that's what it's all about with this group, is it not? - and I'll be damned if I really know what the song is about, but the chorus speaks to me, and when Jørn screams with seemingly all the power in his voice, “Whoa / You dance on the wire to the breeze that carries change tonight” it gives me chills. I deeply lament the unwillingness to embrace such adventurous, powerful melodies in popular rock and metal. This is what it's all about. Is it a little corny? Maybe. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely fucking not! Sing, damn it! SING! The legendary rock singers of the 70s did not create so much wonderful music that the popular rock stars of today need forget how to craft warm and beautiful melodies with their voices.
Bob Catley and Michael Kiske are two of my favorite guests in Avantasia's long history, and my only complaint is that they aren't used more often on this album. “Lavender” is another poppy number not unlike “Starlight” and it's simply amazing that the 71 year-old Bob Catley rocks it so hard on this track. Bless him. Tobi chose to save Ernie for the home stretch of the album, closing the main portion of the album with a beautiful facemelter in “Requiem for a Dream.” I'll always prefer the days when Henjo Richter handled the guitar duties for Avantasia, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't in love with Sascha's choice of lead guitar melody on this song. The Kiske songs have always been true highlights of any Avantasia album and this is no different. It certainly doesn't unseat “Wastelands” in my book, but that's an extraordinarily high bar to match. It does, however, come close.
I love me some pop music, so I have no qualms with the inclusion of “Maniac,” especially when Eric Martin sells it. This could be placed dead center in the album and I would not mind. Of course, I remember when Tobias included a cover of “Rock Me Amadeus” on the last Edguy album, and I enjoyed that, so this was hardly offensive to me. Back when Tobias released the Lost In Space EPs, he included an amazing cover of Ultravox's “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes,” and this goes pretty well with that. I love a good danceable beat in my rock music. Additional note: “Heart” is a bonus track on my edition of the album, and I think it's a great way to close the curtain on this monstrous album. It's inoffensive and does not stand out, but I enjoy it every time it comes out.
This album easily unseats “Ghostlights” as my favorite Avantasia album in many years. Of any album released in 2019, this is by a country mile my favorite, and after a lot of thought believe it deserves at the very least the bottom slot on this list. I feel it rising just from writing out my thoughts on it, but I have listened to the album several times a week since it released, and I just love it more and more each time I hear these songs. Huge production, amazing hooks, an abundance of wonderful melodies, songs that are perfectly written for their guest singers, a dash of pop magic and you get yourself one hell of an album. I adore Moonglow, and I strongly recommend it to any fan of music with good melodies, big hooks, and theatrical, dramatic rock. Avantasia is the gift that keeps on giving – hopefully for many more years.
In Summary: It's big. It's loud. It's catchy. It's unapologetic in its silly lyricism and unbridled joy. Through Moonglow, Tobias Sammet exudes nothing but passion for music and singing and the theatrical aspects of rock and metal. This is a lovely album that makes me happy whenever I hear it, and I can listen to it from start to finish without feeling the need to skip a track. The wide variety of singers and how effectively each is used on their respective tracks is harder than it seems yet Tobi makes it look effortless. I love this album.
Katt's Favorites: Ghost in the Moon, Book of Shallows, Alchemy, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Ghost in the Moon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYvZOe6cmeM)
Alchemy (feat. Geoff Tate) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdopdOypbw8)
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Yay, the 50 Worst Albums list! ;D
Starting off appropriately.
Moonglow is one of your 50 best albums? Seriously? That is new car smell suspicious.
Definitely following and looking forward to this. :)
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If you're taken aback by that, you're going to want to have a medic on standby for later.
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I think 1999 not being represented in this list tells me everything I need to know...
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If you're taken aback by that, you're going to want to have a medic on standby for later.
I already have coverage lined up. :lol
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"except for 2011"
ahh, so no "The Apologist" then :neverusethis:
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...or A Dramatic Turn Of Events.
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Well, yeah. The albums I chose are both better than those, clearly!
@Lethean: There were a lot of potential 1998 and 2000 albums that served as strong possibilities for this list, but there's a noticeable lack of 1999 in my entire music collection. I only think one album from 1999 even crossed my mind as a contender for this list. Odd!
Also, doing this thread taught me how to create in-document hyperlinks in Open Office for a table of contents, so I learned a skill today while caffeine'd up to talk about music! NERD POWER! :lol
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Since 1999 has the best album of all time, I can only assume you were not in your right mind when compiling this list. :P
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I'm almost afraid to ask which a-
Oh. OH.
Sorry folks. These are likely not the albums you're looking for. :)
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Moonglow? :lol I think the only album from 2014 when I did in my original top 50 was The Road of Bones, which is still definitely in my top 50. Moonglow isn't even in the top 3 Avantasia albums for me.
I mean I had Mystery of Time of my list, so I guess I can't exactly complain.
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Well now that's just silly. Mystery of Time is shit! :lol
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Following. But seriously, as I contemplate doing my own list, that write-up is longer than the sum of all the write-ups I'd manage for my entire list. I just don't have that much to say!
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Well now that's just silly. Mystery of Time is shit! :lol
Mystery of Time is the shit! I also had it on #31 I think.
I just noticed you're not a big fan of The Raven Child. How the hell is Moonglow even on your list with that I don't know. :lol
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I will follow for sure but already I'm going to find it difficult to take this seriously seeing Moonglow open the show, sorry mate.
I haven't given it much of a chance but I think it's by far Avantasia's weakest.
I also find it hard to add an album that was released just a few months into a top 50. You have to wait for novelty to really wear off.
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Will be following for the shits and giggles
This is my personal little venue to gush ad nauseum about my favorite albums ever made, so I don't expect everyone to read every word of my ramblings. However, if it inspires discussion and strong opinions, I couldn't ask for more. I hope this is entertainment for at least one person out there.
My inner MTG player smiled while reading that part
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I will follow for sure but already I'm going to find it difficult to take this seriously seeing Moonglow open the show, sorry mate.
Well that's a shame, don't follow then. I laid out why it's on the list. It's MY favorites, not yours. I thought long and hard about this, I'm not here to please anyone but I thought I justified its inclusion well. :)
Y'all are going to be very upset with my picks, I can already tell! Hah. 49 will rankle a few more feathers.
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I know this will be hard to believe but I never checked out Avantasia before.
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I know this will be hard to believe but I never checked out Avantasia before.
I'll be posting YouTube links to 2, maybe 3 songs per album I share. Do you like early Queensryche? Give Alchemy and Ghost in the Moon a shot. Ghost will inform you pretty well as to what the album sounds like. Alchemy is a straight-up rocker with chunky riffs and Geoff sounds lovely.
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I saw Queensryche open for Kiss in 1984 on The Warning tour and had to get their album the next day. I love Queensryche.
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I will follow for sure but already I'm going to find it difficult to take this seriously seeing Moonglow open the show, sorry mate.
I haven't given it much of a chance but I think it's by far Avantasia's weakest.
I also find it hard to add an album that was released just a few months into a top 50. You have to wait for novelty to really wear off.
I disagree with the first comment, think the 2nd one is a bit harsh, but 100% with you on the last one.
It's MY favorites, not yours. I thought long and hard about this, I'm not here to please anyone but I thought I justified its inclusion well. :)
I was going to say something along these lines. Oh, and .... TASTES!!!!
P.S. ... can we get a tl;dr version of your writeups? :biggrin: I love your passion for your favorite music, but if every writeup is going to be that verbose, I'm not sure I'll be reading every entry front-to-back.
As for my thoughts on Moonglow... I love it. It (like Ghostlights) is filled with great highs, but the lows are also just as 'great'. One of the things I love best is the return to form of Tater. Invincible/Alchemy is the highlight for me. Also... Hansi. Hard to believe that I enjoy Hansi's parts on this over Jorn's.
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I can give a TL,DR at the end, yeah. They will mostly all be of similar length except for a few I can't really say anything more about.
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I also agree that it would be hard to put a 2019 album in the top 50, but at the same time, choosing only 50 albums has to be really hard. For me, it would probably be a combination of a few that are more or less set in stone, and others that would be more of a snapshot of what I was into at the time. And taking that into consideration, I can see how a really new album could make it.
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It made the list 'cause it's fokking amazing that's why. :biggrin:
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Wow, tough crowd :lol
The only Avantasia album I own is The Scarecrow and love it. I need to check out a few more of the albums.
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:corn
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Wow, Moonglow in the top 50? I must admit, I bought it a little while ago and have still not gotten around to listening to it, so I'll have to take this as the opportunity to remedy that.
I don't necessarily see a problem with including a recent album. If I did one right now, I think I would have a very good chance of including The Great Adventure. If I wound up not thinking it was so good as I thought a few years down the line, so what? All of these top 50 lists are at least partially based on how a person is feeling at the time they wrote it.
Definitely following, especially since you sent me some of my favorite songs in my v2 and you have a take on power metal that I think I somewhat trust.
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Can't be all bad; Candace Knight sings on it.
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Can't be all good; Tobi Sammet sings on it.
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425, I think you'll enjoy this then. There's a fair amount of amazing power metal in this list. I imagine most people here won't be interested in most of my favorite albums, but on the other hand, I think that's cool because my picks will clearly stand out. I'll throw up a couple songs with each album if you find the time to check out some stuff you maybe don't know already. And give Moonglow a listen. :)
Tomorrow, Album #49 will see us visiting a rainforest. Bring extra bug spray.
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I'll throw up ...
Oh, thank Thor. I'm happy to know it's not just me.
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G n R
Welcome To the Jungle.
Right?
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G n R
Welcome To the Jungle.
Right?
I actually would be surprised if a GnR album didn't show up on this list.
On the subject of putting albums that just came out on a top 50 list, I say go for it. Follow your heart/ears. If it moves you, it moves you.
On the subject of Moonglow specifically, I gave it a once over and decided it wasn't really for me, but that's tastes for you. I'll probably circle back around to it in the future a few times, at least to get a proper ranking on my 2019 top album list. Perhaps it will sit better with me on repeated listens.
Anyways, I'll definitely be following this. And I'll stay out of the peanut gallery. This is YOUR list, your opinion is the one that matters here.
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Following this and hoping this is the first list to feature some awsome Toto records. :metal :metal :metal
That Moonglow record is good, but my favorite is still the Scarecrow.
And to feature a 2019 record is no problem for me, if you feel it's great, then add it. Or are there rules that forbid it? :laugh:
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49.
AQUARIA
SHAMBALA
Symphonic Power Metal
released September 21st, 2007 via Avalon Records*
(https://i.imgur.com/uBAMjQY.jpg)
1. Hope (instrumental) [1:28]
2. Heart of the Gods [4:07]
3. Expedition [5:51]
4. Into the Forest [9:48]
5. Lost [6:59]
6. Iara [5:15]
7. Shambala [5:08]
8. Child of the Universe [7:45]
9. Firewings [5:35]
10. Skies of Amazonia [6:50]
11. Liberty [7:37]
12. Neo (bonus track) [2:43]
SHAMBALA is
Vitor Veiga (Vocals)
Gustavo di Pádua (Guitars)
Roberto Scripillitti (Guitars)
Fernando Giovanetti (Bass)
Alberto Kury (Keyboards / Orchestrations)
Bruno W. Agra (Drums)
FEATURING
Hironobu Kageyama (Vocals on 12)
*this is the Japanese release, which I own
I paid $50 for this album - wait! WAIT! DON’T LEAVE! I have things to say!!
Even I'm surprised I have this coming in at 49. On one hand, I want it higher. It's one of the most beautiful albums in my collection. On the other, I have a lot of albums I love dearly, and this has a few moments that drag it down just enough to land it at 49. It's still one of my most favorite albums ever.
Shambala is a concept album. It seems to draw inspiration from Spanish conquistadors invading the Amazon, but adds a bit of fantasy to the mix. So the story goes: a man named John and his crew arrive on new shores, and as they make their way through the thick of the jungle, John sees strange creatures and a woman so beautiful he is compelled to follow her through the night into the forest, losing the trail and contact with his crew. He becomes one with a forest tribe and goes through a ritual in the river to cleanse his soul and be reborn with the fairy-woman he fell in love with, the river spirit Iara. After an unspecified period of time, the crew comes to attack the tribe; John, reborn and known as the “bird-man” has become a the tribe leader, determined to defend the village from the invading crew. When the battle is over, John finally makes peace and finally feels liberated from his past life.
Aquaria’s second album is a monumental statement. It leans into the sound of Brazilian folk music, equally balanced amongst the heavy metal and symphonic elements, expertly juggled as if by some musical musician within every track on the album. The guitars consistently maintain a chunky heaviness throughout the record, while the drums rumble thunderously with every hit and lend a lot of weight to the music. Layers of strings, pads, piano, horns, bells, woodwinds, and various percussion mingle and dance above the rhythm section, yet still give the lead vocals plenty of room to soar high above it all, assisted by a generous helping of choirs.
It's a corny album, and I love it for that. I'm drawn to albums that have a distinct flavor, you know – lots of elements that when put together form a very unique musical identity for a band, and this album does that. Vitor Veiga's voice is an acquired taste, with a thick accent and the helium-esque falsettos characteristic of numerous Brazilian metal singers. When paired with the adventurous, light, melodic nature of the songs, it's a match made in heaven. At times it seems almost cloying, like at the beginning of the ballad “Iara” or when paired with tinkling bells in “Liberty.” Most metalheads aren't looking for this kind of music, indeed it's hard to recommend this to a fan of 'real metal' at all. But it is power metal nonetheless, however on the fringes of whatever the music world deems 'metal' it may be.
That adventurous nature is really what this music is all about, and there's one of my most favorite musical moments ever on this album. The song “Expedition” contains an instrumental break halfway through that makes me choke up when I hear it. It starts with a simple pan flute melody, then the jungle drums come in. The electric guitar roars in and the melody gets a bit more tantalizing, teasing a big epic swell. Another roar and the groovy beat continues, but the guitar screams into a melodic solo befitting the soundtrack of a true expedition. And as it lingers on the final note, here comes that swell that was teased so perfectly, the rhythm guitars letting a power chord ring loud beneath a striking melody from the pan pipes, invoking the imagery of one standing on a hill overlooking a sun-drenched jungle canopy. It makes the hairs on my arm stand up, it's made me choke up on occasion. That's one of the most amazing feelings music can make someone feel, in my opinion.
It's a gorgeous album full of moments like those, and it demands attention. Every song is a journey, a story in itself, and each is strong enough to stand on its own while also linking together to form a greater story. The songwriting is intelligent, the chord progressions creating the necessary nigh-cinematic drama that is requisite of all truly epic power metal albums. Each instrument is a little ingredient added to this delectable stew, every short guitar lick and keyboard melody a new flavor you taste with every spoonful. There is some LOVELY melodic guitar phrasing that dances with the string and vocal melodies, even the bass gets a couple moments in the spotlight, and the drums are doing just about all they can to keep the metallic heaviness while adding in that jungle flair when necessary.
The song “Firewings” is a tribute to Conan the Barbarian, as its melodic motif comes straight from the “Theology Civilization” track of the film's score by Basil Pouledoris. The bonus track “Neo” has vocals from a singer known for his work on anime music, Hironobu Kageyama, and the lyrics are almost entirely in Japanese. It has no bearing on the Shambala concept, though.
In Summary: The term “Disney metal” gets thrown around a lot with this band and this style of music and I vehemently push back against that pejorative. There's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying heavy metal that embraces other forms of composition and instrumentation. I always think of this album when I think of how to properly write a symphonic metal album that stands out because it does it so damn well. Unlike other bands that boast of orchestrations in their music, these aren't just a few layers of deep horn bellows and string section accents, and it's not a Nightwish copycat, or even a Rhapsody copycat. It stands completely on its own, and in my opinion it towers over almost the entire symphonic metal genre because the band is not afraid of embracing what they're all about. “Skies of Amazonia” is the album's climax and embodies this idea, starting with a full orchestral minute before transforming itself into the one of the most heavy metal songs of the album, while bouncing between an operatic chorus and verses narrating the cruelty of the invaders and the primal defiance of the tribesmen.
There is an unbridled happiness to Aquaria's music, even when it's setting a somber mood, that I have not heard any other metal band come close to matching. The composition skills of Alberto Kury are almost unparalleled in the world of power metal, in my opinion. I recommend this group to every single power metal fan I come across who can tolerate keyboards, and even then I offer up a warning for potential audibly transmitted diabetes to any virgin ears. But it's a pleasant sickness, one that makes you feel warm and hopeful instead of blurring your eyesight. Don't knock it til you try it.
Katt's Favorites: Expedition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egVv_RzcmD8), Into the Forest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZyiahMxnmM), Child of the Universe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__UcAAtUw7o), Skies of Amazonia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS1R9G3ah-I)
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Well, I have heard of them...
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The origins of Firewings! :)
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(self-titled)
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I do urge people to read the summary at the end of the writeups, at least; I refuse to shorten them down otherwise :) And maybe give a song or two a listen if you're feeling adventurous. I would love for everyone to hear that instrumental middle section in "Expedition" that I wrote about so lovingly.
And yeah, this is the album I got the Firewings moniker from. Love everything about that song. Beautiful music.
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That adventurous nature is really what this music is all about, and there's one of my most favorite musical moments ever on this album. The song “Expedition” contains an instrumental break halfway through that makes me choke up when I hear it. It starts with a simple pan flute melody, then the jungle drums come in. The electric guitar roars in and the melody gets a bit more tantalizing, teasing a big epic swell. Another roar and the groovy beat continues, but the guitar screams into a melodic solo befitting the soundtrack of a true expedition. And as it lingers on the final note, here comes that swell that was teased so perfectly, the rhythm guitars letting a power chord ring loud beneath a striking melody from the pan pipes, invoking the imagery of one standing on a hill overlooking a sun-drenched jungle canopy. It makes the hairs on my arm stand up, it's made me choke up on occasion. That's one of the most amazing feelings music can make someone feel, in my opinion.
Excellent write-up! That passage alone makes me want to check this album out.
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Why isn't Firewings listed as a favorite? :)
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Why isn't Firewings listed as a favorite? :)
While I do love Firewings - every song on Shambala actually - the four I picked are more representative of that sweeping, epic atmosphere the album does such a good job of creating. Also because Firewings will put you into a sugar coma if you're unprepared. :) But the strings and vocals reminiscent of Andre Matos just make that song soooo good.
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Never heard of. Listening to now. Like it 3 songs in.
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So the story goes: a man named John and his crew arrive on new shores
So Flaming Row - Mirage: A Portrayal of Figures then.
and as they make their way through the thick of the jungle, John sees strange creatures and a woman so beautiful he is compelled to follow her through the night into the forest, losing the trail and contact with his crew. He becomes one with a forest tribe and goes through a ritual in the river to cleanse his soul and be reborn with the fairy-woman he fell in love with, the river spirit Iara. After an unspecified period of time, the crew comes to attack the tribe; John, reborn and known as the “bird-man” has become a the tribe leader, determined to defend the village from the invading crew. When the battle is over, John finally makes peace and finally feels liberated from his past life.
Okay, maybe not Flaming Row. :lol
I don't know this one and I'll admit, I'm not a in a hurry to check out any new stuff as my plate is pretty full with the roulette albums and right now I'm in full Demons and Wizards mode learning all the songs for the upcoming Monday gig. I may check out the recommended songs tomorrow, although if it's like that one song I've got from you in my roulette, I doubt it'll do it for me. But hey, I know you love Aquaria, so it's all good.
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I do not expect very many people here to enjoy too many of the albums on my list, especially the symphonic metal ones, so even if people hate it, just sampling a song makes me happy. :)
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Yeah, I may click on a few links you included in your post tomorrow while at work.
Now tell me the important thing, is the name John used in the lyrics at all? Does it sound as silly and immersion-breaking as it does on the Flaming Row album?
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(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/OrganicVillainousCatbird-size_restricted.gif)
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Nobody's named in the songs at all other than the lady Iara (the characters' names are otherwise only noted on the lyrics sheet). In fact I didn't really know what the story was until I bought the album. The lyrics came printed on a stylized mini-poster made to look like old parchment, which made me laugh when I saw there was a character named "Bird-Man John." :lol There's also a monster named Gurupira (on the song "Lost"), the Captain of the crew, and the old Tribe Leader. The song "Skies of Amazonia" gives lyrics from the view of the Captain and Crew, the tribesmen, and John, which is pretty neat.
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Well shit, I expected to laugh at something like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrN-LTbFRe0&feature=youtu.be&t=612) :lol
I'll try to check the songs out at least!
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JOHN
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I do not expect very many people here to enjoy too many of the albums on my list, especially the symphonic metal ones, so even if people hate it, just sampling a song makes me happy. :)
I listened to 2 and a half songs. I'll wait for less symphonic power metal albums :lol
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Are they really Spanish explorers in this story? Or is it Portuguese explorers?
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Yeah, Nekov, I don't think this is your cup of tea at all. :lol
Are they really Spanish explorers in this story? Or is it Portuguese explorers?
The booklet never specifies, but the first main song "Heart of the Gods" talks about how they've 'sailed the seven seas' so I imagine they're from a far off land, and I get hints of conquistadors from that since the album ostensibly takes place in a fictional version of the Amazon, but it doesn't specify nationalities, just 'team invader' and 'team indigenous' :P
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I'm gonna go with Portuguese explorers then. They're from Brazil and most of the Amazon is there.
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That's a good take, I agree. :)
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Spinning the album right now (on Lost right now). Enjoying it. May give it a second listen sometime to see if it sticks. Some really nice melodies in there.
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I just listened to it myself, and definitely enjoyed it! Some of the songs in the middle were especially strong, I thought. After also liking the song from this band you sent me in my roulette, I think I'll have to give them some more substantial attention.
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Wow. That makes me really happy because this is one of my absolute favorite bands but it's so hard to recommend, which is why I've sent them in roulettes. I didn't expect anyone to like it. Thanks, ya'll.
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I listened to the first half, and it's plenty good. I'll go back to it, but didn't have the time today to finish it. Some nice guitar solos.
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Michael, don't take offense at my feedack mate. Didn't mean to strike a nerve. Of course I will still follow.
The Aquaria song I think you sent in my roulette was cheesy as fuck but very enjoyable.
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Nah it's all good. Did I send them to you? I really have sent them to everyone apparently. :lol
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We want more cheese!
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Katt's top 50 fondues
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There's a lot of cheese coming, trust me.
For these bottom 10, I've got all the writeups made (and I'm inching my way through the rest daily) - but I've had to let them duke it out. I've had to write multiple writeups for each slot and then read both (or more) of them, duke it out in my mind, and pick which one deserves to be finalized. So the list is constantly in flux down to the moment I start formatting the post, and I've already made a couple small changes. I've noticed everything in the top half is consistent and doesn't change though. This is really fun. Some of them have been off the list, then back on, off again, and back on. Picking just 50 is so hard and all these albums are on the same level to me...
I'll have #48 up tomorrow. Gonna space these out a bit.
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The key is to always have a few more writeups done in advance, like five of them ahead of the one you post. This way you'll never run out of writeups unless you decide to procrastinate which you shouldn't do. :P In fact, I was so afraid to fail upholding the pace of my original 2014 list, that I pre-wrote everything in advance and just logged in on DTF to post the next writeup each day.
If you're just writing stuff from scratch for each post whenever you feel like it, you're either great with self-discipline or you'll get to #45 before abandoning your list.
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I actually have some preliminary thoughts written down on all of them; I had half a dozen done before creating the thread. But generally, my final process is to hear the album again (even though I know all these by heart anyway), then do the final writeup while listening to it one or two additional times, then come back to the writeup the next day and edit it. When it comes to talking about my favorite music I don't need much of a push to do it :)
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That's a fair way to go at it. I mostly did the same for my first list, except I wrote it in Word with that attitude (have a tea after work, do a final listen, add some thoughts), and then when it was all completely ready to cut and paste, created a thread on DTF.
For my second one, I had like 30 or 35 writeups done and I started it, figuring I won't have any problems finishing the rest of the list. Guess what, juggling between that, D&D campaign and work, I've barely finished it in time I set for myself.
Obviously it's different strokes for different folks, and you're doing fine by now, so I'll just stay around to see what cheesy madness ensues with your next updates.
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Yeah if/when I do my top 50 I'm probably gonna queue up 20 writeups before I even start the thread tbh
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It definitely makes sense to have a few already done in advance, because who the hell knows what 'real' life might throw at any of us in a couple of weeks or a month's time.
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I just realized even if I do one every other day, this won't be finished before ProgPower. SO! I will post another one tonight. :lol
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48.
TOM WAITS
CLOSING TIME
Folk / Jazz / Blues
released March 6, 1973 via Asylum Records
(https://i.imgur.com/6gruOrq.jpg)
1. Ol' 55 [3:58]
2. I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You [3:54]
3. Virginia Avenue [3:10]
4. Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards) [3:40]
5. Midnight Lullaby [3:26]
6. Martha [4:30]
7. Rosie [4:03]
8. Lonely [3:12]
9. Ice Cream Man [3:05]
10. Little Trip to Heaven (On the Wings of Your Love) [3:38]
11. Grapefruit Moon [4:50]
12. Closing Time (instrumental) [4:20]
CLOSING TIME is
Tom Waits (Vocals / Piano / Guitar / Harmonium / Harpsichord / Celesta)
Delbert Bennett (Trumpet)
Shep Cooke (Guitar / Backing vocals on 4)
Peter Klimes (Guitar / Pedal steel guitar on 7)
Bill Plummer (Double bass)
John Seiter (Drums / Backing vocals on 1, 7)
WITH
Arni Egilsson (Bass on 12)
Jesse Ehrlich (Cello on 6)
Tony Terran (Trumpet on 12)
(Tomislav95 sent me this in my album roulette. It's my single favorite discovery from both my roulettes. Thanks, Tomislav!)
Longing sadly for something, but knowing or believing it won't ever come back. The Portuguese have a word for that feeling; it's called saudade. I get this vibe in a huge way from this album. It's sophisticated in the manner in which it breaks your heart, but it also picks you up after it stomps your heart into the ground, dusts you off, and says, “Now that wasn't so bad, was it? Life is hard.”
Tom Waits was only 24 years old when this came out, and it baffles me – how could someone so young have such an old soul, with such a poignant outlook on love? What kind of life has this man had for him to conjure such beautiful lamentations on his debut album?
Most songs are wistful ruminations on love, either through describing old belongings and memories, or what could be seen as a letter to somebody the author loves. It's not hyperbole to say “Martha” is one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. The warm shimmer of the piano is the star of this piece, but it's present throughout the whole album and gives the record a dreamy shimmer. The flow of this album is almost spending a few hours at the bar. You walk in weary and worn down, and you settle in, have a few drinks, smoke a few cigarettes, don't talk to anyone. You dream a brief moment of happier days, but then it's back to reality, and it's closing time. “Closing Time” is a peaceful instrumental that paints the picture of an empty bar early in the morning. It all ends as quietly as it began.
This album makes me feel sad, but good, at the same time. It makes me think about my mistakes in old relationships without feeling bad about them, but rather, it gets me thinking about what could have been, and what never was, and how human it is to feel love and those fleeting moments of poignant regret.
In Summary: Dark, lovely, profound music from a young man. He takes simple subjects and turns each song into a little story. The best ones are the ones that pull the most tears. Tom Waits knows the heartache you're going through, and this album is like getting a long, warm hug from someone whose embrace you could really use right at that moment. Even in the one year I've known this album, it's been a welcome friend. When I play most music, I like to do something else while listening. With Closing Time, I like to dim the lights, pour a drink, and just think about my life. It's like therapy. Although this is #48, the way my tastes are heading, I only see this climbing in the years to come.
Katt's Favorites: Ol' 55 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW3ha5xXR90), I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIl-kClYNFM), Martha (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTa-Lfia3BI), Lonely (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCLVYI14yv8), Grapefruit Moon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05DplyHKxzM)
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It definitely makes sense to have a few already done in advance, because who the hell knows what 'real' life might throw at any of us in a couple of weeks or a month's time.
I have fallen into this trap sadly with mine. I got like 2-3 writeups to close things off my list, but it's like a bunch of jumbled up long thoughts and I do want to refine that, but I just don't have the time (and I don't think anyone really cares about it that much) to feel inspired to refine my thoughts.
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:corn
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:corn
Tim waits?
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:corn
Tim waits?
..for the next album. ;D
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Interesting story about Ole 55. The Eagles recorded the song for 'On the Border' album and according to Glenn Frey, Tom was not too fond of the remake, until he got the check.
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Heard of him... That's all I got.
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:corn
Tim waits?
Ahhh, now I see what you did! :facepalm: :lol
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Still have to check out this album in full, but I really liked what I've heard from it.
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:corn
Tim waits?
:clap:
I''ve only heard two or three Tom Waits songs and they didn't really make me check him out, but then I wasn't really paying attention.
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Late to the party but add me to the ??? for Moonglow, I mean, I really enjoy it but Ghostlights is better :P although tastes and all, does kind of give off a fresh album positive feel though. Nice to include Avantasia anyway, Ghostlights and maybe even Mystery of Time could crack my top 50 if I ever thought about it.
as for the rest of the list...
:corn
Tim waits?
..for the next album. ;D
:lol
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Yeah, I wait with Tim for the next one.
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I regret to inform that 2 of the next 4 might appease the two of you, but even those picks might disappoint you. Tonight/tomorrow. :)
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Interesting story about Ole 55. The Eagles recorded the song for 'On the Border' album and according to Glenn Frey, Tom was not too fond of the remake, until he got the check.
Almost missed this comment. That's cool! I didn't know The Eagles covered this song, in fact I never heard it until I heard Closing Time. I know Tom is super protective of his music, so I'm surprised he allowed another band to play it.
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I think I need to check out that album. Tom Waits never really clicked with me when I've heard him, but I don't know that I've given enough attention to his songwriting.
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I think I need to check out that album. Tom Waits never really clicked with me when I've heard him, but I don't know that I've given enough attention to his songwriting.
His voice sounds nothing like how it does on later albums, there's no gravel in his voice on Closing Time. Although the song Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis sounds similar to stuff here. I think you'd like it, based off that Kris Kristofferson self-titled album you sent me.
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47.
BLIND GUARDIAN
BEYOND THE RED MIRROR
Symphonic Power Metal
released January 30, 2015 via Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/1YG4nI3.jpg)
I. THE CLEANSING OF THE PROMISED LAND
1. The Ninth Wave [9:28]
2. Twilight of the Gods [4:50]
II. THE AWAKENING
3. Prophecies [5:26]
4. At the Edge of Time [6:54]
III. DISTURBANCE IN THE HERE AND NOW
5. Ashes of Eternity [5:39]
IV. THE MIRROR SPEAKS
6. Distant Memories* [5:51]
V. DISTURBANCE IN THE HERE AND NOW (REPRISE)
7. The Holy Grail [5:59]
VI. THE DESCENDING OF THE NINE
8. The Throne [7:54]
VII. THE FALLEN AND THE CHOSEN ONE
9. Sacred Mind [6:22]
10. Miracle Machine [3:03]
VIII. BEYOND THE RED MIRROR
11. Grand Parade [9:28]
BEYOND THE RED MIRROR is
Hansi Kürsch (Vocals)
André Olbrich (Lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars)
Marcus Siepen (Rhythm guitars)
Frederik Ehmke (Drums / Percussion)
FEATURING
Baren Courbois (Bass)
Michael Schuren (Piano)
Mattias Ulmer (Keyboards / Piano)
Thomas Hackmann, William “Billy” King, Olaf Senkbeil (Choirs)
WITH
Hungarian Studio Orchestra Budapest
FILMharmonic Orchestra Prague
Hungarian Studio Choir Budapest
FILMharmonic Choir Prague
Vox Futura Choir Boston
This is a concept album based on a song from Blind Guardian’s 1995 album Imaginations Through The Other Side. This album is basically about a boy who enters a portal to another world and helps put the Old Gods back on a throne or something like that, I don’t know, I never paid attention. It’s really not important. Blind Guardian is a band that can make every song sound like an epic journey even if you don’t know what’s going on. It’s just… yeah, epic.
Blind Guardian hasn’t had very good production in the back half of their catalogue; everything after 1995’s Imaginations has had shoddy production, from the super trebley tinny sound of A Night At The Opera to the muddiness of A Twist In The Myth. But as holds true in the 10 Commandments of Power Metal, there are no bad Blind Guardian albums, only various levels of excellent, and so the tradition carries on with their latest album, 2015’s Beyond the Red Mirror. Also, just to have somewhere to put this, I think this album is an exquisite example of how to incorporate an orchestra into metal music. The songs “At the Edge of Time” and “Grand Parade” do this with flying colors. A lot of bands use an orchestra simply to follow in these guys’ footsteps (among others) yet they just don’t know what they’re doing even with a proper arranger.
The pacing on this album is delightful, and for the first time since Imaginations, has no songs I want to skip when I play it. There’s always been some amount of filler from Nightfall in Middle-Earth through At the Edge of Time. I was even lukewarm on this album when it first came out; songs like “At the Edge of Time” sounded like symphonic filler for the sake of being symphonic, and “Miracle Machine” didn’t sound like a Blind Guardian song at all. “Grand Parade” didn’t feel like it earned its level of grandiosity, with multiple orchestras and choirs contributing to a nine-and-a-half minute spectacle. But over time I’ve warmed up to these tracks and they’re all part of the magic of this album.
Beyond the Red Mirror might not be a grower of an album so much as it rewards repeat listening by revealing bits and pieces that were missed before. The album is overflowing with tasty melodic phrasings and little guitar licks that become more apparent on repeat listenings, harmonized vocal parts that reveal themselves differently if you tweak your equalizer settings or even if you just listen with different headphones and/or on different hardware. It’s a dense album with so much going on at any one moment that one song demands to be heard several times before drawing a fair conclusion. Individual tracks play out like miniature adventures, ebbing and flowing into choruses so triumphant and majestic it makes me feel like I’m part of the action. It makes me think of sprawling fields with snowcapped mountains as their backdrop, dragons and hordes of twisted creatures, warriors and cavalry and all that corny goodness.
Special mention to the glorious vocal lines; Hansi and Andre have concocted some truly commanding vocal parts that tend to sneak up on me on this album. The end of “Prophecies” or “Ashes of Eternity.” The power of repetition and swelling the choirs in “Grand Parade” or his bard-like crooning on “Miracle Machine.” He even gives a taste of some of that 90s Guardian might with screams in “Twilight of the Gods” and “The Holy Grail,” and manages to make softer parts sound ominous and dark like on “The Throne” which is a personal favorite of mine. Hansi is the star of the bonus track “Distant Memories” as well, but unfortunately that song isn’t on every edition of the album. I have it on my copy, but at the same time lack the other bonus song, “Doom.”
In Summary: If this album had come out 10 years ago I wouldn’t have even considered this as one of my top 50 albums of all time. But at this point in my life, I’m tired of hearing the ten thousandth standard heavy/power metal album with everything predictable from the first song, boring fucking riffs, boring untalented singers, bad lyrics, no keyboards, every song sounding the same… This album sounds different. Every song has a unique flavor and distinct elements. It’s musically mature, it shows how power metal bands with real creative potential can make sweeping, epic music. And Blind Guardian makes it look easy, although they pour many, many hours into refining each and every second of their albums. Is Precious Jerusalem better than most songs on Beyond the Red Mirror? Sure, I would agree with that. And I largely prefer speed metal-era Guardian. But Beyond the Red Mirror is altogether more consistent, sounds better, and gets my head banging more than any Blind Guardian album in more than two decades, and for that, it’s earned its place right here at 47.
Katt’s Favorites: Prophecies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-QeUf7rArc), Ashes of Eternity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOVs6_LfE4s), The Holy Grail (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpnV9IXyckQ), The Throne (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uK5J0zTErQ)
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I don't think it would make my list, but I can totally get behind this one. :)
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I don't think it would make my list, but I can totally get behind this one. :)
I've known you for how long and I'm just now discovering you like this album? What?! :lol
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I don't think it would make my list, but I can totally get behind this one. :)
I've known you for how long and I'm just now discovering you like this album? What?! :lol
Where we'll probably disagree is that I like their newer stuff better than the older stuff in general.
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I regret to inform that 2 of the next 4 might appease the two of you, but even those picks might disappoint you. Tonight/tomorrow. :)
Yup, another example of an awesome band but you aren't picking their best album! :biggrin:
This was a very dissapointing album for me because their previous was one of their best. This album just feels like a mess to me. Its not bad but it feels like it's not on point either. There's good moments but the songs just seem bloated and uninteresting. I did warm up to it over time, I initially didn't like it at all, but it doesn't come close to their better albums. Another example where I'd have this band in my top 50 but not this album (Imaginations for sure and maybe even At The Edge of Time.
We did get to see The Holy Grail at Progpower a few years ago though and I saw Prophecies at their NYC show prior to that.
Where we'll probably disagree is that I like their newer stuff better than the older stuff in general.
Same. Imaginations on is what I really like personally although Twist in the Myth was like a stumble for them.
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I don't think it would make my list, but I can totally get behind this one. :)
I've known you for how long and I'm just now discovering you like this album? What?! :lol
Where we'll probably disagree is that I like their newer stuff better than the older stuff in general.
I don't fault anyone for liking the new stuff over the old stuff; while I generally do prefer the first 5 albums, everything after that is still awesome, and some of the best power metal songs of all time are in both eras. And Beyond the Red Mirror is my #2 Guardian album so I totally understand liking the new stuff more. :2metal:
At the Edge of Time is a good album, but unlike Red Mirror, I find its pacing brutally uneven and some songs are just straight-up boring and filler to me, or have an awesome chorus but the rest stinks, like Valkyries. I want to like that album more, but I can't, and it's at the bottom of their discography for me. Wheel of Time, though... oh man. Yeah buddy. cram, your opinion is popular in the power metal community; I get a lot of shit from people for thinking so highly of BTRM and so low of Nightfall and ATEOT. :lol
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I really liked A Twist in the Myth. It was so different from the ones before but I liked that about it, and I thought the songs were really good.
I consider the last two albums on the same level. Neither absolutely blow me away, but both are really enjoyable.
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A twist was my first BG album and I really liked it, until I heard the rest of their catalog and realized this isn't top end BG. Another Stranger Me is a top BG song for me though
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Twist brings the goods with This Will Never End, Skalds and Shadows, Turn the Page, Straight Through the Mirror, Fly, and Another Stranger Me, for sure. The others, I'd be lying if I said I played them even once in the last few years. :lol But it's still a great album, I just reach for most any other album before it. It has a strange vibe, not quite sure how to describe it. Commercial, in a way (not like it's a bad thing), just weird to hear from Guardian.
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Fly is a really good live one too
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I've seen Fly live twice. Top tier Guardian song.
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I discovered BG in the late 2000s, and tried to jump in with their entire discog at once, and (for the most part) it all just blended in together. I didn't absorb them enough to the point that I can off the top of my head differentiate their music, but I do know that BtRM was a very large disappointment. Imaginations, Nightfall, Opera, Twist ... all albums I very much enjoy. Don't think I even bought Edge of Time (oh wait, I did, and it tanked for me) I think I Spotify'd BtRM, and
(https://media.giphy.com/media/fDO2Nk0ImzvvW/giphy.gif)
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Everyone and their fucking mother loves Nightfall. That is one of the most overrated metal albums of all time. It has like 3 good songs and the rest are filler and interludes. I am very passionate about how overrated that thing is. :lol :lol
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:lol Nightfall is solid but not their best to my ears either. Other than the interludes, I'm not sure what's filler though on it.
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Almost as over-rated as Moonglow. :neverusethis:
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Man, okay - you got Nightfall, you got Mirror Mirror, you got Time Stands Still. Maaaybe Into The Storm. The rest is just... okay.
Almost as over-rated as Moonglow. :neverusethis:
You come over to the big kid's slide and say that! :censored
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Blood Tears?!??!?! The Curse of Feanor!?!? When Sorrow Sang?!?!? Man I think those might be the three best songs on the album. The "hits" are not my favorites here.
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You would think because I'm a LOTR geek to the max I'd love those songs. Nope, all boring. I do like The Eldar and learned it on piano, but I never listen to it. I think I liked Curse of Feanor once upon a time. Otherwise it's a big ??? to me.
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HOL UP
Beyond the Red Mirror is a concept album???
How have I literally never known about this before now?
Anyway it's a good album, as you would expect from BG. Not my favorite, but that's only because At the Edge of Time is so amazing
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Blood Tears?!??!?! The Curse of Feanor!?!? When Sorrow Sang?!?!? Man I think those might be the three best songs on the album. The "hits" are not my favorites here.
I *love* Blood Tears. :)
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Wow, by far the worst Blind Guardian album IMO.
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Plenty more unpopular opinions to come!
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I can't say that I pick Red Mirror when I feel like listening to Blind Guardian, and the album seems too long and bloated to me, but I did enjoy them opening with The Ninth Wave when I saw them i 2016.
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Wow, by far the worst Blind Guardian album IMO.
Indeed!
This would probably make my list of 50 most disappointing albums of all time.
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Man. Y'all are wilding right now.
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I'm not familiar enough to distinguish against the others. I probably prefer their first and Imaginations, but I found the rest all pretty comparable. I don't know the material inside and out though.
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Plenty more unpopular opinions to come!
Anything that tops me putting The Astonishing at #1?
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I'm not familiar enough to distinguish against the others.... I don't know the material inside and out though.
I found BG recently and haven't delved in enough to get beyond this point myself.
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Wow, by far the worst Blind Guardian album IMO.
Indeed!
This would probably make my list of 50 most disappointing albums of all time.
I'm in the same camp. Although a few songs have grown on me since then, this is one album I regret buying an artbook for.
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:corn
Never got into Blind Guardian, never really liked Hansi Kürsch as a singer. The last has kind of changed recently because I really like his contributions to Avantasia and Ayreon, so maybe I should give BG another try.
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Everything I heard from them after A Night at the Opera has been underwhelming. I don't think I've given this one it's fair of listens so I will spin it again and see what happens.
Everyone and their fucking mother loves Nightfall. That is one of the most overrated metal albums of all time. It has like 3 good songs and the rest are filler and interludes. I am very passionate about how overrated that thing is. :lol :lol
You better wash your mouth there, and clean our ears while you're at it.
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*picks up megaphone*
Nightfall In Middle-Earth, while a decent album, is easily the weakest album in their entire discography, including The Forgotten Tales.
*reclines in lawn chair, drinks mai tais*
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I basically don't know any of these albums so far (future roulette participants, take note!) but I love that you're not traveling the well-worn path. I know for me, with my favorite bands (well, most of them) I tend to like the more obscure stuff.
Aerosmith: Night In The Ruts/Get Your Wings (as opposed to Toys In The Attic or Rocks)
Kiss: Hotter Than Hell/Rock and Roll Over/Unmasked (as opposed to Destroyer or Revenge)
Yes: Going For The One and Big Penetrator (as opposed to Close To The Edge or 90210)
Maiden: Killers/Powerslave/Seventh Son (as opposed to Number of the Beast)
Stick to your guns, bro.
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Never got into Blind Guardian, never really liked Hansi Kürsch as a singer. The last has kind of changed recently because I really like his contributions to Avantasia and Ayreon, so maybe I should give BG another try.
My friend is the same way. When I was discovering BG I kept saying he would like it, but he kept saying he didn't like Hansi. I even dragged him to my first BG show in 2010 and he enjoyed the night although that didn't convince him to like BG. Then Hansi was on Moonglow and all of the sudden my friend was like "now I understand why you like Hansi" :omg:
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:biggrin:
@Stadler: You're probably not gonna recognize very many if any of the albums on my list, but there are a couple I think you might enjoy checking out. Maybe even the next one!
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Actually began listening to BTRM on my commute back from work and just remembered how much I dislike The Ninth Wave chorus. Such a strong beginning and then the chorus just kills all the excitement.
Twilight and Prophecies are both solid songs, and The Throne is awesome. The rest I can live without. Distant Memories is also alright.
Ready for the next update!
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Next update coming this evening! Something a bit more popular, in every sense of the word. :biggrin: Well maybe not every sense. But I think it'll get some love here. Just maybe not for the other albums it's beating... ah screw it, ya'll aren't gonna agree. :lol
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46.
ARCTIC MONKEYS
AM
Indie Rock
released September 9th, 2013 via Domino
(https://i.imgur.com/AqjNzfK.jpg)
1. Do I Wanna Know? [4:32]
2. R U Mine? [3:20]
3. One for the Road [3:26]
4. Arabella [3:27]
5. I Want It All [3:04]
6. No. 1 Party Anthem [4:03]
7. Mad Sounds [3:35]
8. Fireside [3:01]
9. Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? [2:42]
10. Snap Out of It [3:12]
11. Knee Socks [4:17]
12. I Wanna Be Yours (John Cooper Clarke cover) [3:04]
AM is
Alex Turner (Lead vocals / Lead guitars)
Matt Helders (Drums / Backing vocals)
Jamie Cook (Rhythm guitars)
Nick O’Malley (Bass / Backing vocals)
WITH
James Ford (Keyboards, except 1, 2, 4, 5)
Josh Homme (Backing vocals on 3 and 11)
Pete Thomas (Percussion on 7)
Bill Ryder-Jones (Additional guitar on 8)
This album is just plain cool. It's indie rock, but it's got brilliant riffs. Confident singing backed by poetic lyrics and a heaping dose of swagger. Songwriting and instrumental parts that complement the songs themselves, no indulgent soloing or overblown artistry. Just catchy hooks, catchy rhythms, and killer guitars. I don't think much of Arctic Monkeys prior to this album, and the 2018 follow-up to this record is good but not nearly as good as this, but AM is one of my favorite rock records ever made.
I love everything about this album but the guitar riffs are something special. There are so many great riffs here that this album made me buy my first electric guitar. Not only that, but I learned almost every song on the album, I just never learned the solos. I can't say that about any other album, not one. The bass also has plenty of great lines, and even when the rhythm guitar is doing the most simple stuff, it’s still good music. Tiny, soft licks, a couple staccato notes here and there, just adding to the songs. The drums don’t particularly stand out, but they sound great and have this meaty chunk to them like the guitars do and since they play with the bass a lot, the rhythm section is nice and thick and gives just enough weight to the songs without hogging all the room in the mix.
Alex Turner's voice is another star. He's got such a slick confidence to his voice that adds a dollop of sexiness to each song here. There are some moments that sound inspired by 50s or 60s rock, like “No. 1 Party Anthem” or “Mad Sounds.” Some modern rockers like “R U Mine?” which has one of the coolest vocal melody-lyrics pairings on the record (and took me a long time to figure out how to sing and play at the same time). Calm, more contemplative songs like “Fireside” and the cover of “I Wanna Be Yours.” I’m a big fan of how much his voice adds to the various moods on this album.
And the lyrics. Man. So many I love. Alex Turner’s rhyme schemes and the way he works them into the melodies (or vice versa, whichever his method was) is brilliant. The words come out sounding poetic yet natural, the way they flow seamlessly into each other is so cool to me, sometimes he puts a rhyme in the middle of another rhyme. And really, the record just sounds good. Crank it up, you can hear every instrument clear as a bell. I love the warmth of the highs and the oomph in the low end, without sacrificing the middle. The band has a great sound, AM does an extraordinary job of capturing it. I'll end with one of my favorite lyrics, a verse from the first song:
“So have you got the guts? / Been wondering if your heart’s still open and if so I wanna know what time it shuts / Simmer down and pucker up / I’m sorry to interrupt / It’s just I’m constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you / I don’t know if you feel the same as I do / But we could be together if you wanted to”
In Summary: Most people have heard a song or two from this album, I almost guarantee it. “Do I Wanna Know?” has more than 650 million plays on Spotify, so everyone has an opinion on that one. I think this is a damn good record and it's served as the soundtrack for most of my 20s. I'm not as angry as I used to be when I was a teenager, and this kind of rock resonates deeply with me. This record is both dark and light, but it's sexy, it's confident, it's got reverb and warm beautiful layers of vocals, poetic lyrics, chill atmosphere, and it's gotten me through some bad times. I like working out to this album, driving to this album, cooking to this album, getting high to this album, it fits every occasion for me. Love every second of it.
Katt's Favorites: Do I Wanna Know? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOSxM0rNPM), R U Mine? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngzC_8zqInk), Fireside (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG8yTUeptFU), Snap Out Of It (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_O_T6Aq85E), Knee Socks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7A1mIdiheE), I Wanna Be Yours (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJLQCf4mFP0)
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Just catching up now, Closing Time <3and you're welcome :)
Out of others, I only know Avantasia's latest and really like it.
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45.
OPETH
DAMNATION
Progressive Rock
released April 22nd, 2003 via Koch Records
(https://i.imgur.com/BEnamv7.jpg)
1. Windowpane [7:44]
2. In My Time of Need [5:50]
3. Death Whispered A Lullaby [5:49]
4. Closure [5:16]
5. Hope Leaves [4:30]
6. To Rid the Disease [6:21]
7. Ending Credits [3:40]
8. Weakness [4:09]
DAMNATION is
Mikael Åkerfeldt (Guitars / Vocals)
Martín Méndez (Bass)
Peter Lindgren (Guitars)
Martin Lopez (Drums)
WITH
Steven Wilson (Piano / Mellotron / Fender Rhoades / Backing vocals)
Story time! There's not much to cover here, as it's well known in the prog world...
I got into Opeth through one of my oldest online friends. This was about 2005, so I was 14. Sometime in the afternoon, after school let out, I was talking to him while farting around on the Internet, and we always talked about music. He introduced me to my #3 album of all time on this list, actually. Anyway, he suggested me this album by a band that was really chill. He sent over a tune called Windowpane and I went in blind. It was love at first listen.
This album, man. Holy crap. What an awesome record. I spent a great deal of my childhood and teenage years at my computer desk in the sunporch at my parents' house, with 6 windows lining the room. Would play video games and always have a fresh breeze coming in and I could stare out at the front lawn. This album reminds me of summer, playing World of Warcraft and other MMOs into the night, having this record on repeat over and over and over, especially on the rainy days. One of my favorite moments in music is the way the song opens up and breathes and shimmers at "Summer is miles and miles away" in "In My Time of Need." BEAUTIFUL!
To this day I often play along on my acoustic guitar to “Windowpane,” “In My Time of Need,” and “Death Whispered A Lullaby.” They're so fun to sing, too. I love that there's no anger on this album, just resigned sadness. But Mikael's voice takes some of the bitterness away. I'm so happy modern Opeth has ditched the growls in favor of actual singing. I do believe this album is better than most of Opeth's entire discography. It's very much a 'mood' record. Although songs like “Windowpane” I can listen to whenever, in almost any situation.
A few times a year, my old buddy and I still text each other to clue each other in on music, and we often still talk about Opeth. Opeth is one of the few ways we stay in touch, and I'm really grateful for that.
In Summary: Super chill record from a historically heavy-as-hell band, but this is the side I prefer. It's my #2 favorite Opeth record by just a hair, but it has some of my favorite Opeth songs ever. The guitar tone is fabulous, Mikael's voice is probably the best it's been on any Opeth record to date, the drums and bass sound wonderful, and the synths add a very light but powerful effect all over the record. Captivating melodies, beautiful sounds, exquisite production. A masterpiece.
Katt's Favorites: Windowpane (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSpqLqC7U6g), Death Whispered A Lullaby (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4KijMV_F-o), Hope Leaves (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGPRoszjnWA), To Rid the Disease (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcK-Ar7LBCA)
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Great album, but still in the bottom half of Opeth albums for me. :metal :corn
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I am honestly not familiar with Opeth's discog.
And I have no idea who the Arctic Monkeys are. I heard they ripped off the Cold Gorillas.
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Listen to the first song I linked at the bottom of the AM writeup. You're telling me you've never heard that? You are so unhip!! :lol :lol :lol
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oh hey an album i know :neverusethis:
one of the better opeth albums IMO, which is to say one of the few i've listened to extensively
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Just checked it. WTF is that? :lol
No I have never heard that so I guess I'll have to settle on being unhip. Nothing new here. :lol
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Listen to the first song I linked at the bottom of the AM writeup. You're telling me you've never heard that? You are so unhip!! :lol :lol :lol
Actually I clicked that earlier and never heard the song and was shocked by how many views it had. I am just not in touch at all with most popular music these days. :lol
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I seriously expected people to know that one... :facepalm: At least it's new music to others' ears, hooray!
There's probably maybe like 6 albums that will get any recognition here after that. Including Dream Theater. :lol
The next one is one I am super super passionate about and it sucks coming in at 44 but that's just how stiff the competition is going forward.
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I have to say I never was big on Damnation. Could probably give it more of a chance than I have, but just tonally it feels somewhat offputting to me (which is really true of every pre-GR Opeth album I've listened to).
I'll try to at least give the excerpted songs from Tom Waits, Beyond the Red Mirror and Arctic Monkeys a go this weekend.
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Tried Opeth a while ago. Gave up quickly, not my thing.
Just checked it. WTF is that? :lol
No I have never heard that so I guess I'll have to settle on being unhip. Nothing new here. :lol
Never heard of Arctic Monkeys either, and never heard that song. Turned off after 30 seconds and went to the barkeep at the Unhip Saloon to order myself and TAC two more Manhattans.
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I still highly highly recommend it. It's sold 1.4 million copies in the USA. Very good rock.
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Now that's an album I can get behind. Not my favorite Opeth record but really really good. :metal
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Damnation gets a big yes from me, also had it in my top 50. Probably my favorite Opeth record.
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Damnation is a very nice album.
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Tried Opeth a while ago. Gave up quickly, not my thing.
Just checked it. WTF is that? :lol
No I have never heard that so I guess I'll have to settle on being unhip. Nothing new here. :lol
Never heard of Arctic Monkeys either, and never heard that song. Turned off after 30 seconds and went to the barkeep at the Unhip Saloon to order myself and TAC two more Manhattans.
:lol
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I fucking love Damnation as well :hefdaddy
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Opeth does nothing for me.
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Opeth does nothing for me.
Same, sadly. Saw them open for DT back to back nights in NYC for the prognation tour. Just couldn't get into it. I always think if I go and try again I'd like it, just haven't found a reason to yet.
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I appreciate Opeth, and I've enjoyed some songs here and there, and enjoyed a live performance or two. But they definitely don't reach me like they seem to reach others.
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Actually I was going to see them again, a few years ago I had to sell my ticket last minute because I was really sick for the local sold out concert of Opeth, Gojira, and Devin Townsend Project. I would have gotten to experience Opeth again, but sadly it didn't work out for me and it's one of my most upsetting concerts to have missed
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Most early Opeth stinks tbh
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who put you on the planet
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44.
STRATOVARIUS
INFINITE
Power Metal
released February 28th, 2000 via Nuclear Blast Records
(https://i.imgur.com/6Ge5EvJ.jpg)
1. Hunting High and Low [4:08]
2. Millennium [4:10]
3. Mother Gaia [8:18]
4. Phoenix [6:13]
5. Glory of the World [4:53]
6. A Million Light Years Away [5:20]
7. Freedom [5:03]
8. Infinity [9:22]
9. Celestial Dream [2:30]
INFINITE is
Jens Johansson (Keyboards)
Jari Kainulainen (Bass)
Timo Kotipelto (Lead vocals)
Jörg Michael (Drums)
Timo Tolkki (Guitars / Backing vocals)
WITH
A whole lot of orchestral and choral musicians (https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Stratovarius/Infinite/1241)
Look at that bonkers artwork. It's awesome. I love it.
Disclaimer: It's no secret I love Stratovarius. They are my single favorite metal band of all time - actually, they're my favorite band of any genre. The years 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2003 saw Stratovarius release 6 of the most classic albums in power metal's history. This lineup released 7 studio albums together, and those 5 guys together are the embodiment of the best years in all of power metal. Infinite is the 4th album released under this lineup and the 8th Stratovarius record overall. No, I'm not biased at all...
Stratovarius's songwriting is known for its speed, melodies, Timo Kotipelto's distinct voice, the extreme dexterity of its musicians, and Timo Tolkki's trademark spiritual lyricism, embracing hope and positivity, environmental concerns, and the well-being of the planet. Infinite is no exception. There's a sad anthem for Mother Nature, there are some songs about humanity needing to find a new way to live in the new millennium, there are songs about embracing individuality and inner strength and remaining positive. All that good hippie jazz.
And that's the magic of this album. Timo Tolkki is the Lord Commander of Catchy Power Metal. He took what Helloween first did and perfected it (and he did it before Tobias Sammet hired Michael Kiske to sing his Stratoween-style songs for him!). He chooses simple chords, and he might generally play some of the most boring guitar parts known to metal next to Nightwish and Sonata Arctica in the verses, but his mastery of catchy chord progressions and seemingly endless capability to wring an earworm out of the same half dozen chords every single time is something to be admired.
“Hunting High and Low” and “Phoenix” are two of the greatest power metal songs of all time and I need you to go listen to those if you've made it this far because you obviously have nothing better to do. Jens Johansson's layering of harpsichord with the synth lead is highly influential on me personally and “the” power metal keyboard sound combo, in my opinion. Those keys are VERY important.
Timo Kotipelto's voice isn't for everyone - his accent is thick - but for me, he is the definition of 'great power metal singer.' Timo Kotipelto's high notes are unparalleled in my opinion. When he hits a high note, to me it feels like he's putting every ounce of strength into it, and even when it's super high, there is a strength and weight to it that blows my mind. If I was to boil down a specific section that shows everything I love about power metal, it's any Stratovarius song with double bass drums, fast guitars, and Timo Kotipelto holding a solid Eb5 with no vibrato. Makes me want to open a window and scream “I HAVE THE POWER!!!” at the top of my lungs.
Also Jorg Michael's drums are always recorded so fucking loud and this sound is something a lot of metal bands don't have. MAKE YOUR DRUMS HUGE! The first thirty seconds of “Infinity” really make his drums sound enormous. The man beats the shit out of his drums and I'm here for every second of it.
In Summary: I wish every non-symphonic power metal band with keyboards would strive to be like this album. If they did, the world would be a better place... The sounds on this record helped inspire me to be in a band and write music and become a better keyboardist when I was younger. It's still a special album today. I wish I could play keys like Jens, or sing like Timo, or write songs like Tolkki, or play drums like Jorg. When I hear this album I want to fly away like a bird into the sky. I love everything about this band so much.
Katt's Favorites: Hunting High and Low (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2l8KtdQ7Ek), Millennium (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooB9Ez5P_s4), Phoenix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm3xPbwqUes)
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Hunting High and Low is a fun song. I don't care much for the rest of the album
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:lol That writeup! :rollin
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Me whenever I listen to Stratovarius
(https://i.imgur.com/5TETmy5.gif)
I also might have lied on my initial post. Stratovarius has 5 albums on this list, so does another band. And maybe another. ;)
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Never given this band a solid listen, will do this weekend.
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Alright, now we're fucking talking dude.. This one is a goodie, and it seems we may be on the same page with this band Michael, as there's a few of their others I'd prefer over it also.
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Oh, I've just put Moonglow on for a spin.
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Say back in the early 2000s when I really started exploring new music and artists, Strat was recceomended to me, and I tried their first two. Ended up being wholly unimpressed. Then, in a roulette (2nd I think) someone gave me Unbreakable. :metal. By then , there were too many albums to try and digest, so I just stuck with a couple of the most recent ones, and a Best Of. I'll give this a spin today though. Ironically, I was just listening to Live at Wacken yesterday while doing yard work.
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Wow, what a contrast the last two picks are. :tup Katt.
They both are betrayals of the, so called, metal aesthetic, but in completely different ways.
Deliverance is basically a fusion of Jazz and pretty folk-music that somehow manages to be threatening, disturbing, haunting, unpredictable and, well...metal. I like it!
Infinite ticks all the boxes for metal instrumentation. Distorted guitars, in you face drums, guitars and bass unison riffs for that loud and proud sound, and eunuch vocals. Yet, it comes across as snuggling with puppies while being trapped in a dental office elevator. Super predictable and not very metal. Not my thing.
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Eunuch vocals!! :rollin That's a hilariously accurate description of Infinite. I love it.
Kade, yeah, I could have easily thrown in most of Stratovarius's discography on this list if I'm being perfectly honest, but I had to reel it in a bit to be fair to other bands. Tolkki at his prime was just a monster in the genre.
Chad, their first two are black sheep in the family... Fright Night is easily my least favorite Strato album but it's not necessarily the fault of the album. It was just a completely different band back then. Twilight Time/Stratovarius II however is amazing, I prefer it even over Dreamspace and Fourth Dimension which are highly praised in the Strato fanbase. Nemesis however is an incredible album too.
There's a LOT more power metal in this vein coming.
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So are we going to see Elements on this list? :corn
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So are we going to see Elements on this list? :corn
Tune in tomorrow to find out! And the next day. And the next day. And the next day...
Let's move right along with #43 a bit later and take a break til Tuesday...
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43.
KAMELOT
POETRY FOR THE POISONED
Progressive Power Metal
released September 14th, 2010 via KMG Recordings
(https://i.imgur.com/C9L26EL.jpg)
1. The Great Pandemonium [4:22]
2. If Tomorrow Came [3:55]
3. Dear Editor [1:18]
4. The Zodiac [4:00]
5. Hunter's Season [5:33]
6. House on a Hill [4:15]
7. Necropolis [4:17]
8. My Train of Thoughts [4:07]
9. Seal of Woven Years [5:11]
10. Poetry for the Poisoned, Part I: Incubus [2:56]
11. Poetry for the Poisoned, Part II: So Long [3:23]
12. Poetry for the Poisoned, Part III: All Is Over [1:03]
13. Poetry for the Poisoned, Part IV: Dissection [1:57]
14. Once Upon A Time [3:47]
POETRY FOR THE POISONED is
Roy Khan (Vocals)
Sean Tibbetts (Bass)
Thomas Youngblood (Guitars)
Oliver Palotai (Keyboards)
Casey Grillo (Drums)
FEATURING
Gus G. (Guitars and solo on 5)
Jon Oliva (Vocals on 4)
Sascha Paeth (Additional guitars)
Simone Simons (Vocals on 6, 11, 12)
Bjorn Strid (Vocals on 1)
WITH
Robert Hunecke-Rizzo (Backing vocals)
Simon Oberender (Backing vocals)
Thomas Rettke (Backing vocals)
Amanda Somerville (Backing vocals)
Cloudy Yang (Backing vocals)
Miro (Additional keyboards / Orchestrations)
If Stratovarius's Infinite was a cheerful, summer album, Poetry for the Poisoned is The Long Night of power metal. It hurts me that this album is so deeply maligned and resented by Kamelot fans (and power metal fans at large, really). There are no great happy anthems here, there are no fantastic tales to be told. Just gloom, misery, and cold despair, with a very brief look at daylight at the end. This album isn't just dark, it's like a miasma that chokes you. The tension is oppressive and relentless. But for me, that's what I like – I admire the beauty within the storm.
Some criticize Roy's vocals on this album, but I think they're as good as they ever were up to this point. Some of his best melodies are on this album, specifically “House on a Hill,” “Necropolis,” “Seal of Woven Years,” and “So Long.” The poetry for the poisoned is a palpable anguish made thick by Roy's graceful singing, whether it's a deep whisper or a songbird falsetto. Necropolis in particular has this kickass groove and hook, I wish they pursued more songs like this in recent years.
Guest appearances add some spice to the songwriting as well. Jon Oliva sounds psychotic on “The Zodiac.” That song is almost more similar to a rock song than a metal song, yet Oliva makes it one of the heaviest songs on the album. The guitar solo is awesome, too. Gus G. plays guitars and a solo on “Hunter's Season” which is about and dedicated to Thomas Youngblood's mom, and Simone Simons sound lovely on both “House on a Hill” and “So Long.”
There are only a couple downsides to this album for me. A couple songs take a long time to really get going (“My Train of Thoughts,” “Seal of Woven Years”) and the title track is a mess. “So Long” is a splendid ballad but the other parts are rushed and incoherent, and there's no good reason to split it up into 4 tracks when it's not even 10 minutes long. “Once Upon A Time” is a beautiful classic power metal song to end things out, and although it sounds happy compared to the rest of the album, it's still a dull gray on the color spectrum.
In Summary: One of the most divisive Kamelot albums, and maybe in power metal overall, it's my favorite Kamelot album. I understand what they were going for, and I could listen to a hundred other bands if I want to hear records similar to Karma and Epica. This album has groove. I also dig the production in a big way, the very brief but effective solos, and Roy's voice is at its very best. The title track is a bummer, but the rest of the album is so strong it makes up for it. I wish more people liked this album as much as I do.
Katt's Favorites: Dear Editor/The Zodiac (https://youtu.be/49HcaDBqTwU), Hunter's Season (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJjwMBgDkX8), Necropolis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8pd99KBLjs), Seal of Woven Years (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fbNG3X0O5U)
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Kamelot is in the Top 3 on my "Why don't I listen to this band more?" list.
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Similar to Stratovarious, I just could never get into Kamelot. I don't think I've heard this album, but I'll give it a spin tonight during the game.
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oh geeze, Kamelot's worse album since Siege. A huge disappointment on release day for me listening to this
There are only a couple downsides to this album for me. A couple songs take a long time to really get going (“My Train of Thoughts,” “Seal of Woven Years”) and the title track is a mess. “So Long” is a splendid ballad but the other parts are rushed and incoherent, and there's no good reason to split it up into 4 tracks when it's not even 10 minutes long. “Once Upon A Time” is a beautiful classic power metal song to end things out, and although it sounds happy compared to the rest of the album, it's still a dull gray on the color spectrum.
Pretty much agree with all of that, plus the rest of the album just isn't that good. A few good songs, some good moments and just a bunch of boring and uninspired kamelot tunes.
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That's kind of how I feel about Black Halo tbh. I like this one because it stands out and has a distinctive vibe. Sucks when people say it's bad. It's very good :(
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I'm 100% with you Katt. I really can't quite get the lack of love for PFTP and Ghost Opera. I think both are stellar albums! MUCH better for me than everything pre Black Halo.
oh geeze, Kamelot's worse album since Siege. A huge disappointment on release day for me listening to this
:omg: You are dead to me.... :lol
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I understand why the album is ranked pretty low, but the Poetry for the Poisoned suite and The Great Pandemonium are both great pieces of music.
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I'm 100% with you Katt. I really can't quite get the lack of love for PFTP and Ghost Opera. I think both are stellar albums! MUCH better for me than everything pre Black Halo.
I like you and your opinion on Kamelot. Hell yeah brother. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks exactly that. Ghost Opera is my #2 no doubt.
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I'm 100% with you Katt. I really can't quite get the lack of love for PFTP and Ghost Opera. I think both are stellar albums! MUCH better for me than everything pre Black Halo.
oh geeze, Kamelot's worse album since Siege. A huge disappointment on release day for me listening to this
:omg: You are dead to me.... :lol
:lol got to admit I'm surprised by the love, not really from Kat because he seems to like all the worst albums from good bands but I'm surprised others are also agreeing it's a good album
I do like The Great Pandemonium but I wish they'd drop it from the set now since it's been a staple.
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Worst!! I mean, I'm glad you've forgotten Eternity and Dominion exist, and have forgotten how dull and self derivative the last 3 albums have been, but come on!! :biggrin: :lol
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Very good album. I agree this one gets a bad wrap and IMO is quite underrated.
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Worst!! I mean, I'm glad you've forgotten Eternity and Dominion exist, and have forgotten how dull and self derivative the last 3 albums have been, but come on!! :biggrin: :lol
After getting Kamelot in my first roulette, I've listened to all of their albums. Besides their first 3, Poetry for the Poisoned is my least favorite. It does have a few good songs, but it's fairly weak overall.
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Poetry for the Poisoned is a great album. I actually didn't realize people hated it so much. I do remember reading a negative review of Ghost Opera and thinking to myself how wrong that person was. :P
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I would've said it's their worst since Siege Perilous but The Shadow Theory exists so there's that. Picking this over Karma, Epica and The Black Halo is honestly sacrilege.
(SPOILERS) Next up on Katt's list:
Metallica - St. Anger
Sonata Arctica - Stones Grow Her Name
Helloween - Chameleon
Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
Iron Maiden - Virtual X
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I've got to admit, I've never even tried this album given its poor reputation. I suppose I'll have to remedy that soon.
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I would've said it's their worst since Siege Perilous but The Shadow Theory exists so there's that. Picking this over Karma, Epica and The Black Halo is honestly sacrilege.
(SPOILERS) Next up on Katt's list:
Metallica - St. Anger
Sonata Arctica - Stones Grow Her Name
Helloween - Chameleon
Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
Iron Maiden - Virtual X
Oh no. I forgot about Sonata Arctica. :facepalm:
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OK, I've listened to the first 7 or 8 songs. I can tell already that this is probably the best thing I've heard from them.
It actually sounds original, which cannot be said about everything else I've heard from them. I've considered Kamelot to be one of the most overhyped band going. Honestly they bore me to tears, but this album is actually pretty good.
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I would've said it's their worst since Siege Perilous but The Shadow Theory exists so there's that. Picking this over Karma, Epica and The Black Halo is honestly sacrilege.
(SPOILERS) Next up on Katt's list:
Metallica - St. Anger
Sonata Arctica - Stones Grow Her Name
Helloween - Chameleon
Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
Iron Maiden - Virtual X
Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh. Virtual X is the worst Maiden album by a country mile. Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right? St. Anger is an abomination. Stones is fucking awesome. :biggrin:
Karma and Epica have so much filler it amazes me that people put them on a pedestal. Always has, from the first listen. Never got the hype.
Glad you're enjoying it, TAC!! :)
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Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right?
They most certainly did.
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Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right?
They most certainly did.
The joke
TAC's head
:lol
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I would've said it's their worst since Siege Perilous but The Shadow Theory exists so there's that. Picking this over Karma, Epica and The Black Halo is honestly sacrilege.
(SPOILERS) Next up on Katt's list:
Metallica - St. Anger
Sonata Arctica - Stones Grow Her Name
Helloween - Chameleon
Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
Iron Maiden - Virtual X
Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh. Virtual X is the worst Maiden album by a country mile. Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right? St. Anger is an abomination. Stones is fucking awesome. :biggrin:
So you're saying I've got at least three out of five correct.
Karma and Epica have no filler at all. It's like dark-ish power metal at its finest. I don't know. Given that you like Aquaria and Stratovarius, it's bizarre to me how you enjoy Poetry for the Poisoned more than Karma. :lol I just can't wrap my head around that.
Tastes are funny sometimes.
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There's only 4 worthwhile songs between both of them. Karma, Forever, Farewell, Center of the Universe. Seriously the rest of those albums are booooooring. Poetry at least stirs up some emotion in me. :/
They're just boring and forgettable. Kamelot has a great 3 album run from Halo through Poetry. Outside of that they're way hit and miss. I know I'm in the minority though... bigly.
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There's only 4 worthwhile songs between both of them. Karma, Forever, Farewell, Center of the Universe. Seriously the rest of those albums are booooooring. Poetry at least stirs up some emotion in me. :/
Man, I'm gonna yeet the fuck out of this thread now and come back when the next update is up. :lol
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HAHAHA. Wait til you see some of the albums in the top 20...
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Kamelot has a great 3 album run from Halo through Poetry. Outside of that they're way hit and miss. I know I'm in the minority though... bigly.
I more or less agree with this. Karma is the first time I heard, so I have good feelings about it, but I don't listen to it very often.
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Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right?
They most certainly did.
The 90's sure were a bad decade for Helloween. Pink Bubbles, Chameleon, Metal Jukebox.... :tdwn :tdwn :tdwn
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Oh by the way, a couple months ago I had a quiet reckoning with myself on a VERY longstanding opinion of mine. It's finally changed. Kade is not going to like it. I had to be super double ultra mega sure about this decision, but I'll make note of it when we get there. Which is actually...
... the next update! :jamaritard:
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Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right?
They most certainly did.
The 90's sure were a bad decade for Helloween. Pink Bubbles, Chameleon, Metal Jukebox.... :tdwn :tdwn :tdwn
Pink Bubbles has aged really well, and has a bunch of great tunes.
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:splodetard:
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The Chance
Kids Of the Century
Your Turn
Someone's Crying
All excellent.
The only song I don't really care for is Heavy Metal Hamster which blows.
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:splodetard:
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The Chance
Kids Of the Century
Your Turn
Someone's Crying
All excellent.
The only song I don't really care for is Heavy Metal Hamster which blows.
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:tick:
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My first listen to Kamelot and I really like this Album. I really need to check out some of the other albums.
My first listen to Stratovarius and could not get into this band.
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:tick:
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsomeoffenseintended.files.wordpress.com%2F2014%2F01%2Fteeth-dirty-old-man1.jpg&hash=ffacd4f2f91099b6047dde6eaac6d5ecb23ef602)
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Stratovarius - Visions better be on this list. I like Infinite, but Visions is my favorite. Infinite does some awesome songs though - Hunting High & Low, Phoenix, A Million Light Years Away (I love this one....so very 'not" Stratovarius sounding), and the title track.
Kamelot - Poetry has some cool songs, but by this time, it was just starting to feel a bit of the same. "Oh, here's the song where Simone Simons guests....for the third album in a row. I love The Great Pandemonium though, and Speed from Soilwork is awesome like usual.
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Trust me... there's plenty of Stratolove to come.
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Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh. Virtual X is the worst Maiden album by a country mile. Helloween never released an album called Chameleon, you sure you got that right? St. Anger is an abomination. Stones is fucking awesome. :biggrin:
Virtual XI is a good album and about 100 times better than Fear of the Dark. Also far superior to No Prayer for the Dying and a decent margin better than the wildly overrated Killers.
St. Anger is... not as bad as people say. It has at least 3 good songs.
Figuring that I should pick up some of Katt's slack with some bad takes. :biggrin:
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Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh.
Never got the love either, and gave them a solid listen. The music was good, but the singing.... stop yelling every single word!
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I've never thought of Evergrey's vocals as yelling...
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Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh.
Never got the love either, and gave them a solid listen. The music was good, but the singing.... stop yelling every single word!
WTF?
Amazing band.
Oh by the way, a couple months ago I had a quiet reckoning with myself on a VERY longstanding opinion of mine. It's finally changed. Kade is not going to like it. I had to be super double ultra mega sure about this decision, but I'll make note of it when we get there. Which is actually...
... the next update! :jamaritard:
Fucking bring it!
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I've got to admit, I've never even tried this album given its poor reputation. I suppose I'll have to remedy that soon.
This. Will spin it later today to see what it is I am (or am not) missing.
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Hope you like it, Chad! Story time.
I was supposed to have VIP tickets for Kamelot on the Poetry tour. I was all ready to go, and then at the last minute Roy quits the band. Gutted for a whole year (still have the VIP laminate the promoter sent me, though). Then they announced they were coming back with Fabio Lione. The show was awesome! Meeting the band was awesome! Fabio being horrified at us knowing about his dance music and then talking to him for twenty minutes in the parking lot was REALLY awesome!
What was not awesome was only hearing The Great Pandemonium and Necropolis from this album, and I got gutted out of (possibly) ever meeting Roy Khan or seeing him live. We'll see if that changes if Conception plays here. Oh well.
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The only song I don't really care for is Heavy Metal Hamster which blows.
??
!!
??
WTF?
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Virtual XI is a good album and about 100 times better than Fear of the Dark. Also far superior to No Prayer for the Dying and a decent margin better than the wildly overrated Killers.
This was like watching... the Falcons in the Super Bowl. First quarter? (Virtual XI)? Wow these guys came to play. Second quarter? (FOTD)? Wow, these guys are the real deal. Third quarter? (NPFTD)? Oh, my they are going to beat the f***(**g Patriots! Fourth quarter? (Killers)? HAHAHAHA, Patriots win, Falcons fold like a paper airplane in a wind storm.
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Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh.
Never got the love either, and gave them a solid listen. The music was good, but the singing.... stop yelling every single word!
Yelling? Uh, their singer is fantastic at singing, I don't know most of their music but he sounds awesome on their newest album and I'm not sure he's yelling at all on it.
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Evergrey isn't that good in general tbh.
Never got the love either, and gave them a solid listen. The music was good, but the singing.... stop yelling every single word!
Yelling? Uh, their singer is fantastic at singing, I don't know most of their music but he sounds awesome on their newest album and I'm not sure he's yelling at all on it.
Yeah, I don't think he yells. He just cant sing well :ontome:
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I feel like the outcast who just doesn't "get" a vast majority of the famously popular prog bands. Evergrey is one. I like Recreation Day and SDT when I'm in the mood for them, but sometimes the songs are still too maudlin for my taste. And the two other albums I've heard (ISOT and The Inner Circle) are even more maudlin. And then I heard some stuff from the new album and it's even MORE maudlin. It's the Sour Warheads of prog. Blech. But at my first ProgPower last year everyone was gaga over Evergrey. I dunno, man. Voyager is the cool kind of prog to me :)
But most of my top 50 is also Froot Loop metal so my opinion ain't worth a buck three eighty
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42.
AVANTASIA
THE METAL OPERA, PT. II
Power Metal
released August 22nd, 2002 via AFM Records
(https://i.imgur.com/Tj08lZq.jpg)
1. The Seven Angels [14:17]
2. No Return [4:29]
3. The Looking Glass [4:53]
4. In Quest For [3:54]
5. The Final Sacrifice [5:02]
6. Neverland [5:00]
7. Anywhere [5:29]
8. Chalice of Agony [6:00]
9. Memory [5:44]
10. Into the Unknown [4:29]
THE METAL OPERA, PT. II is
Tobias Sammet (Vocals, as Novice Gabriel Laymann / Keyboards / Orchestrations / Bass on 10)
Henjo Richter (Guitars)
Markus Grosskopf (Bass)
Alex Holzwarth (Drums)
FEATURING
Jens Ludwig (Lead guitars on 5, 9)
Norman Meiritz (Rhythm guitars on 10)
Timo Tolkki (Lead guitars on 1, 10)
Eric Singer (Drums on 10)
Frank Tischer (Piano on 1, 4, 7)
Michael Kiske (Vocals on 1, 2, as Druid Lugaid Vandroy)
David DeFeis (Vocals on 1, 5, as Friar Jakob, the Dominican Monk)
Ralf Zdiarstek (Vocals on 9, as Bailiff Falk von Kronberg)
Sharon den Adel (Vocals on 10, as Anna Held)
Rob Rock (Vocals on 1, 6, as Bishop Johann Adam von Bicken)
Oliver Hartmann (Vocals on 1, as Pope Clemens VIII)
Andre Matos (Vocals on 1, 2, 8, as Elderane, the Elf)
Kai Hansen (Vocals on 1, 8, as Regrin, the Dwarf)
Bob Catley (Vocals on 3, 4, as The Tree of Knowledge)
You can read my thoughts on The Metal Opera, Pt. II here (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=11589.msg2505346#msg2505346) if you feel so inclined. Just a couple final thoughts:
I mentioned earlier that I had a quiet reckoning with myself. I championed The Metal Opera II as Avantasia's best and greatest... but I also mentioned a struggle with another album dethroning it. The Metal Opera, Pt. II has finally been overtaken, and now sits as my #2 Avantasia album by a thin hair. In the end it came down to me not enjoying David DeFeis's performance so much, Andre Matos's performance not being quite as enjoyable to me as on another album, and the relative uniformity of the songwriting.
However, the core lineup of this album is so much more power metal than future Avantasia albums, and the guest list is star studded as well. Henjo Richter will forever have a better guitar tone and guitar parts than Sascha Paeth, I stand behind that. And The Seven Angels is one of the greatest power metal epics ever written. The sound of the choirs and guitars on this album is damn near perfect. Any power metal fan must listen to this. If you claim to be an Avantasia fan and haven't heard this album, revoke that claim until you've heard this.
In Summary: An undisputed classic for the power metal genre, highly influential, showcasing Tobias Sammet at the prime of his youth and full-bore power metal era of his career. One of the earliest albums to incorporate a massive lineup of highly praised and musicians who are influential in their own right. Perfect 2000s power metal production, an abundance of harmonized guitars, and just enough sugar to make your dentist hate you. One of my favorites from the golden age of power metal.
Katt's Favorites: The Seven Angels (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71muyUCpTgs), No Return (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqebhllNMqM), Neverland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q13pXa4SB2I), Chalice of Agony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ7uOY8yTSQ)
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Perhaps it's because I got 'in' to Avantasia via The Wicked Trilogy, but I just find the two TMO albums to be really good, but not exactly wow-worthy. There are some fantastic tunes in there for sure, but overall I still place both of them behind the three Avantasia albums that followed them - yes, even Angel of Babylon (but not by much).
Listened to Infinite and Poetry for the Poisoned. Enjoy'd the latter more than the former, but Infinite was a good listen. I suppose hearing it without the buildup of the run of albums before it (talking about PftP here) allows me to appreciate it for what it is, and not with any pre-conceived notions or expectations. This is one Kamelot album that I haven't actually purchased, so I think I'll add it to my library. Ooohhh... $10, and iTunes is selling a bonus Live at Wacken 2010 disc along with it. Cha-ching :fistpump:
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Perhaps it's because I got 'in' to Avantasia via The Wicked Trilogy, but I just find the two TMO albums to be really good, but not exactly wow-worthy. There are some fantastic tunes in there for sure, but overall I still place both of them behind the three Avantasia albums that followed them - yes, even Angel of Babylon (but not by much).
Yea I didn't get into Avantasia until way later so the first two albums definitely feel different, but also just kind of aren't as good as what came after. Solid albums for sure, just not consistent enough for me to rank them any higher than the bottom of Avantasia's discography.
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I am a staunch defender and advocate of the Golden Years Of Power Metal, which were propelled chiefly in my mind by the likes of (early) Avantasia and Edguy, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, and Blind Guardian, more or less. Back in the day, when there was no Scarecrow, when Avantasia was on indefinite hiatus, man, there was VERY little in the minds of myself and the power metal communities I was in that was on the level of Metal Opera II. It's showing its age now... but damn is it special to me.
Note: Moonglow actually beat out Iced Earth for a position on this list. Sorry, IE. Something Wicked almost made it to #50.
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Yea, I can totally see that. If I had been a fan at that time, those albums would probably be regarded much higher
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I think Part 1 of the Metal Operas is the better of the two. Part 2 is still really good though.
And my favorite Avantasia record is still The Scarecrow.
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I'm also pretty young by this forum's average (no offense :lol) so of course my age surely colors my impression of those years. I was like 12 when I started really digging into power metal. That was 16 years ago! Spent a lot of time growing up with Pt. II. Pt. I rules. If I did a top 100...
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damn, I definitely didn't know what power metal was at 12, I was still just listening to what was on the radio although just starting to find my own path, but yea, those albums that I loved around that age, I still love today and would probably turn some heads if I did a top 50 because they would land somewhere around them (this was mostly punk/ska music for me).
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Listened to Infinite and Poetry for the Poisoned. Enjoy'd the latter more than the former, but Infinite was a good listen. I suppose hearing it without the buildup of the run of albums before it (talking about PftP here) allows me to appreciate it for what it is, and not with any pre-conceived notions or expectations. This is one Kamelot album that I haven't actually purchased, so I think I'll add it to my library. Ooohhh... $10, and iTunes is selling a bonus Live at Wacken 2010 disc along with it. Cha-ching :fistpump:
Yay :biggrin:
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Yea, I can totally see that. If I had been a fan at that time, those albums would probably be regarded much higher
Ditto.
damn, I definitely didn't know what power metal was at 12, I was still just listening to what was on the radio although just starting to find my own path
Ditto. Wasn't until I was 14 that I got myself converted to real music. And I can TOTALLY relate to the fact that music we discovered in our most influential years (ie, teens) still resonates. My Top 50 has albums like Dr. Feelgood, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Appetite for Destruction, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria. Things that aren't exactly in my wheelhouse nowadays, if not for being ingrained in my musical DNA.
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The changing of tastes is inevitabre!!!
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Man, I didn't get into power metal until the mid 2000's. Even then I listened to a limited number of bands (mainly Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Helloween and DragonForce). This is making me want to give some of these other albums a go. I'm familiar with most of the bands here and have listened to albums by Avantasia, Stratovarius and Kamelot, just not any of the actual albums listed.
I'm following along and adding stuff to my Spotify playlists. It may take me a number of months before I get around to some of these but dammit Katt, you've got me curious as to what power metal gems I missed out on!
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At 14 I was listening to dream theater, nowadays I only listen to brutal blackened deathcore grind and think anything less heavy than that isn't real music so I understand
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Man, I didn't get into power metal until the mid 2000's. Even then I listened to a limited number of bands (mainly Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Helloween and DragonForce). This is making me want to give some of these other albums a go. I'm familiar with most of the bands here and have listened to albums by Avantasia, Stratovarius and Kamelot, just not any of the actual albums listed.
I'm following along and adding stuff to my Spotify playlists. It may take me a number of months before I get around to some of these but dammit Katt, you've got me curious as to what power metal gems I missed out on!
This makes me happy! Take your time. :metardica:
Dragonforce absolutely dominated my musical life from 2004 to 2010. I'd say outside of Stratovarius they had the most mammoth impact on my taste. I used to listen to all 3 early albums at least once a day, every day, for months on end. MONTHS.
EDIT: I think I'll start adding Spotify links to the albums from now on, for ease of access.
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Looking forward to seeing my fave (Sonic Firestorm) featured later then.
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I used to listen to all 3 early albums at least once a day, every day,
Which ironically can be achieved by only listening one song.
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Haven't heard that one before!! :neverusethis:
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Ditto. Wasn't until I was 14 that I got myself converted to real music. And I can TOTALLY relate to the fact that music we discovered in our most influential years (ie, teens) still resonates. My Top 50 has albums like Dr. Feelgood, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Appetite for Destruction, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria. Things that aren't exactly in my wheelhouse nowadays, if not for being ingrained in my musical DNA.
To be fair, Whitesnake, Slippery When Wet, and Hysteria are all fantastic albums.
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Hysteria blows.
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Those are all great albums
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Hysteria blows.
:nono:
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It's terrible. I know. It's me. But it might be one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard. We waited so long for that album.
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It's terrible. I know. It's me. But it might be one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard. We waited so long for that album.
I'll admit that it was no where near as good as the albums that preceded it. And there are a few clunkers, but overall it's an enjoyable album.
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I found it so frustrating. Like, what happened to Def Leppard. It's a different band. I'm not saying there aren't some decent tunes on it (there aren't..), The B sides were so much better.
It is just overproduced studio crap.
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So...back to the countdown..
The Metal Opera Part II is a great album. I love The Seven Angels, especially the back and forth between DeFeis and Kiske in the early verses. Might be my favorite Avantasia passage.
Chalice Of Agony!! :metal
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Hysteria blows.
:nono:
Oh don’t worry, I knew that was coming. Nowadays, I’d sooner reach for Pyromania, but Hysteria was the one that had the bigger impact on me. And if not for Love Bites, it would be a 5* album.
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To me, the only "real" Def Leppard song on Hysteria is Gods Of War.
In a vacuum, I like the title track, Love And Affection, and Run Riot. But I hardly consider them Def Leppard songs. At least not the Def Leppard I grew up with.
The studio gadgetry is such a turn off.
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Well, I mean... they only had 9 hands to work with. :lol
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Yeah, how dare a band not write and record the exact same style of album throughout their career. :p
Hysteria was either the first or second CD I bought with my own money for my own stereo I also bought with my own money. I was familiar with the hits from H&D/Pyromania but not as full albums. A couple of the Hysteria singles were out by this time and I loved it. I didn't weigh my love for it in the context of their other albums. It was just a damn fine album from start to finish.
And yeah, Avantasia is a band I've been trying to listen to more of since my own Roulette.
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You guys are excused for buying Hysteria as young lads with your lawn mowing allowance. :lol
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Uh, hello... I delivered newspapers. You know, those pieces of paper that your generation still gets all your news from.
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I delivered papers from September of 1983 to September of 1984. That paper route paid for my first concert, ironically Def Leppard, and so many albums. I think I bough 1 or 2 a week for most of that year.
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Listened to Moonglow again. I give it a 6/10
I'm giving Shambala another listen.
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Great pick. I prefer part 1, but part 2 isn't far behind.
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I found it so frustrating. Like, what happened to Def Leppard. It's a different band. I'm not saying there aren't some decent tunes on it (there aren't..), The B sides were so much better.
It is just overproduced studio crap.
I have a man-crush on TAC right now. High 'n' Dry was - at the time - about the perfect album. Ten songs, no f*****g around, even the ballad had some balls to it. Pyromania was... well... okay, it's good, but there were one or two songs that maybe the chicks liked a little too much. But there was still some balls (we all knew it was Steve Clark holding down the fort!) And then... the arms wheels fell off and everything changed. The first singles here in the States were Animal and Women, and neither one had the urgency or the immediacy of "Let It Go" or "Billy's Got A Gun". And then it got worse: "Hysteria", "Love Bites"... and back then, it wasn't "CDs" or "downloads", it was 7" singles, and I remember being at college and flipping over "Animal" and listening to "I Wanna Be Your Hero" or flipping over "Women" and hearing "Tear It Down" (not the same version as on Adrenalize) then later, the b-side "Ring Of Fire", and thinking "who was the brainiac that left THESE off the record??
I don't think Hysteria "blows", but at the time it was a huge left turn (make that sound of a record needle being pulled off the record right about now) and for a guy that was bigger into Priest, Maiden, Ozzy, Rainbow, Rush... yeah.
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The good songs on Hysteria: Rocket, Animal, Love Bites, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Armageddon It, Hysteria (Animal RULES!)
The good songs on Pyromania: Photograph, Foolin', Rock of Ages
Hysteria wins easily. One of the few 80s albums I grew up with! My mom had both of those on cassette. I remember not liking Leppard as a little kid because they were "too heavy" :rollin No wonder I grew up to like Aquaria. I bet if I was born in the 70s I would've been a diehard Leppard fan. I just DO NOT get what they've been doing since those days, though. Very weird direction they've gone.
Also Tobias Sammet wrote the best Def Leppard song Def Leppard never wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SVLBZyOO4w (I think it's about one of their roadies who loves DL... lol)
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I'm not arguing with you Katt; I've come to really like Hysteria. But at the time it was such a jarring blow. You've got to remember, too, Hysteria came out in August of 1987. Guess what was released LITERALLY just two weeks before?
(And honestly, Leppard recreates that record live about as well as any band can; they get a lot of shit for perhaps... "augmenting" their sound, but I saw them on the Kiss/Def Leppard tour a couple years ago from like the 15th row, and frankly, other than the transition from the intro-tape of "Won't Get Fooled Again" to them playing it live, there was no vocal/guitar/drum funny business (they did pipe in some of the sound effects).
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Oh I'm sure it had people up in a tizzy as badly as when Maiden started using keyboards. The 80s were silly. :lol
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No guess on the concurrent release?
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No guesses needed, brother. Appetite. I have magazine covers of GnR promoting that album's release and also celebrating its 20th anniversary on my walls, because I am a single man who lives in a Heavy Metal Apartment. :)
Got #41 coming up today and I think a lot of people will appreciate this band, but perhaps not this particular pick. I know kingshmegland will enjoy it.
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Haha, I shouldn't have sold you short, my friend. :)
But put that in context. You're a Maiden, Aerosmith, Priest, "High 'n' Dry" fan, and you get that hot molten slab of '80's metal "Appetite" - "Here I am, and you're a rocket queen, aw yeah, I might be a little young but honey I ain't naive!" - then you get "Hysteria" - "It's such a magical mysteria, When you get that feelin', better start believin', 'cause it's a miracle, oh say you will, ooh babe, hysteria when you're near."
Are you friggin' kidding me?
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:lol
Yeah, but weren't Tesla, Poison, Cinderella, etc all big at that time too? All equally cheesy, maybe even more, than Leppard. Obviously I don't I know what the climate was like before I existed, but I get the feeling that DL was going along with the hair metal side of 80s rock rather than trying to be tough guys.
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:lol
Yeah, but weren't Tesla, Poison, Cinderella, etc all big at that time too? All equally cheesy, maybe even more, than Leppard. Obviously I don't I know what the climate was like before I existed, but I get the feeling that DL was going along with the hair metal side of 80s rock rather than trying to be tough guys.
Your last statement is fairly accurate; your first statement is not. Everyone go sucked up into that wave to some extent ... Exhibit A: Kiss / Crazy Nights. Tesla and Cinderella do NOT belong in the same breath as Poison. Cinderella, but moreso Tesla, got incorrectly lumped into the glam/hair-metal genre. The only thing they had in common was long hair.
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Ahh okay. Either way, Tesla still sucks! :lol
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Tesla was awesome. Awesome.
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You sure about that? Honest to goodness sure? :lol
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Ahh okay. Either way, Tesla still sucks! :lol
:youfail:
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
*unironically gushes over ill-loved power metal albums*
:footloose:
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
Challenge accepted. I know what I must do in Joe's FB thread now. :biggrin:
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
Challenge accepted. I know what I must do in Joe's FB thread now. :biggrin:
(https://i.imgur.com/l9W7vJt.jpg)
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The Metal Opera is honestly one that I also haven't checked out, in this case because Evermind told me I probably wouldn't like it. But my tolerance for cheesy power metal has probably increased since he told me that years ago, so I should probably at least give it a look considering how much I like a lot of the later Avantasia stuff.
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
Challenge accepted. I know what I must do in Joe's FB thread now. :biggrin:
(https://i.imgur.com/l9W7vJt.jpg)
Spoiler alert, dude. WTF!!!
(Says Stadler over a still from an episode of a show that's over, and which likely originally aired, what, eight years ago, and he's just starting to watch NOW?) :) :) :)
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
*unironically gushes over ill-loved power metal albums*
:footloose:
I actually agree with most of that, except Cinderella is AWESOME, and Tesla is pretty good (those first two records are really strong, especially the first one. I can remember hanging out with the girl next door to me in college - we had coed floors in certain dorms at Uconn - listening to "Modern Day Cowboy" and "I Wanna Be A Hero" (see the other thread) and... "talking".)
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Sorry Stadler!!
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Tesla sucks, Cinderella sucks, Dokken sucks, Ratt sucks, Warrant sucks...
*unironically gushes over ill-loved power metal albums*
:footloose:
I actually agree with most of that, except Cinderella is AWESOME, and Tesla is pretty good (those first two records are really strong, especially the first one. I can remember hanging out with the girl next door to me in college - we had coed floors in certain dorms at Uconn - listening to "Modern Day Cowboy" and "I Wanna Be A Hero" (see the other thread) and... "talking".)
All those bands were excellent in their day.
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Tesla who I hardly know was pretty awesome a couple months ago when I saw them :metal
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I've always considered Tesla to be a poor man's Aerosmith. And Aerosmith is a terrible band. :corn
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Why are we talking about bad bands when we can be talking about one of the best bands of all time...? #41 coming in hot...
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East of the Wall finally :metal
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41.
RUSH
POWER WINDOWS
Progressive Rock / Pop Rock
released October 14th, 1985 by Anthem Records
(https://i.imgur.com/4xL5Hug.jpg)
1. The Big Money [5:36]
2. Grand Designs [5:07]
3. Manhattan Project [5:09]
4. Marathon [6:11]
5. Territories [6:20]
6. Middletown Dreams [5:19]
7. Emotion Detector [5:11]
8. Mystic Rhythms [5:54]
POWER WINDOWS is
(as if you don't already know...)
Geddy Lee (Lead vocals / Bass / Synthesizers)
Alex Lifeson (Electric and acoustic guitars)
Neil Peart (Drums / Percussion / Electric percussion)
WITH
Andy Richards (Additional keyboards / Synthesizer programming)
Jim Burgess (Synthesizer programming)
Anne Dudley (String arrangement / Conductor)
Andrew Jackman (Conductor / Choir arrangements)
The Choir (The choir)
The best Rush album, naturally.
My Rush journey begins and ends with DTF, and I detailed it in the Rush thread a couple years ago. Since then Rush has become one of my favorite bands, and I've been playing them constantly. When I went through their albums in chronological order, Hemispheres was the first “holy shit” moment, the one that sold me for life on the band. I am not so keen on some of their 70s stuff, but (as expected, given some of the albums that have popped up in the top 50 so far) I really, really like Caress of Steel. I don't like A Farewell to Kings and 2112 much. Hemispheres is where it's at.
This album is just solid songwriting... The last three songs are not quite up to the level of the first 5, but they're still fantastic. The first 5 are just masterpiece after masterpiece. They do such an awesome job building up tension and creating lovely melodies that stick on my brain. There's always something cool going on, and I love all the reverb on this album. Songs like “Manhattan Project” are allowed to breathe during the verses. I love how big those brass-synth pads sound behind Geddy's voice, and how it always picks up for the chorus. I even love the sound of Alex's guitars despite them probably being the least noteworthy thing on the whole album. They service the song, which is wonderful, but there's very little that stands out about them on an individual level.
“Marathon” is probably my single favorite Rush song. Every second of this song rules, and the way they keep adding to the chorus each time it comes around gets me choked up. That chorus is a statement, by god, and it hits me in the heart. I LOVE it, I love the keys, the choirs in the back, how Geddy gets more powerful each time, this is Rush at its best in my opinion. Forget the proggy theatrics and the experiments, I think this is a snapshot of Rush really in the pocket, confident they know what they're doing whether it's the production or the arrangements or getting a transition just right. Also, “Territories” has a monstrous chorus that I wish Rush had more of in their discography. That song is better than it should be, and it's one of the catchiest on the album.
In Summary: What ISN'T good about this album? I know some Rush fans don't think much of it and some outright hate it, but to me this is easily their best album, with Hemispheres behind it. How can people think this isn't the greatest Rush album? HOW?! I love every second of this album and I regret not getting into this band when I was younger. I've spent the last year and a half fawning over this album and I just love it more and more as time goes on. I think it's Rush's strongest album, the most consistent and evenly paced, with some of their best choruses, vocal melodies, and synth parts. Hell, the mixing is just to my liking too. Lots of treble, but enough in the low end to make the bass stand out and give the drums some oomph. Synthy groovy 80s rock madness, that's what this is, and I love it. "Territories" is just amazing from start to finish... omfg dude, that chorus. :hefdaddy
Katt's Favorites: Grand Designs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3sQXHGVuiQ), Manhattan Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6CaKoX5a6o), Marathon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kiz5jyG5j4), Territories (https://youtu.be/Ql0ma5X7-P0)
Listen to "Power Windows" by Rush on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4g5nPCL3oFaJB0402Kedm8?si=ub780N0bQBWOA7YT456l2g)
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:woot:
Now we are talking. Definitely a masterpiece of an album. Although I don't agree with your assessment that the last 3 tracks are the weakest.
If I had to put the tracks in order of best to worst (worst still being an amazing song), it would look something like this.
Marathon
Middletown Dreams
Manhattan Project
Mystic Rhythms
The Big Money
Territories
Grand Designs
Emotion Detector
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:woot:
Now we are talking. Definitely a masterpiece of an album. Although I don't agree with your assessment that the last 3 tracks are the weakest.
If I had to put the tracks in order of best to worst (worst still being an amazing song), it would look something like this.
Marathon
Middletown Dreams
Manhattan Project
Mystic Rhythms
The Big Money
Territories
Grand Designs
Emotion Detector
Can't argue too much about that ranking. :heart for Marathon being up top. I agree that even the "worst" is still amazing. Everything here is awesome. :biggrin:
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I think if you ordered the album based on my rankings from worst to best, it would be one of the greatest buildups of all time on an album.
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Best album on the list so far.
Although - if this is your favorite Rush album, I have to say I'm disappointed that it's the only Rush album on the list. :P
Excellent choice though. :)
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Unfortunately, Hemispheres was just barely edged out of the list. Give it time, though... that one could get here.
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I've always considered Tesla to be a poor man's Aerosmith. And Aerosmith is a terrible band. :corn
I wouldn't call them a poor man's Aerosmith. I mean, I see what you're saying. They are definitely modeled after 70's Aerosmith for sure. But with your statement, it shows that you at least recognize that they are more of a classic rock band than a hair metal band.
Ahh okay. Either way, Tesla still sucks! :lol
K-Lox, I'm kind of surprised on your stance on Tesla, considering how much you apparently love Appetite.
Guys, I'm not sure exactly how much Tesla you guys have experienced.
Bad Ass Tesla Playlist (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XFtjxdb8Q4voFg9T2grMy?si=0YXUcVEgSf6n77TFOU9oSg)
Anyway, I made a 14 song playlist from their first 4 albums.
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41.
RUSH
POWER WINDOWS
Yeah, I don't get it.
-
Guys, I'm not sure exactly how much Tesla you guys have experienced.
Bad Ass Tesla Playlist (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XFtjxdb8Q4voFg9T2grMy?si=0YXUcVEgSf6n77TFOU9oSg)
Anyway, I made a 14 song playlist from their first 4 albums.
I've heard a ton of Tesla. Growing up my dad played their first 3 albums quite a bit. Never did like it, even as a kid.
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Really? How old is your Dad?
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Really? How old is your Dad?
55. I believe i've posted this elsewhere, but my parents listened to all the classic hard rock and metal bands from the 70's and 80's from the time i was a small child. I grew up with all of that.
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Really? How old is your Dad?
55. I believe i've posted this elsewhere, but my parents listened to all the classic hard rock and metal bands from the 70's and 80's from the time i was a small child. I grew up with all of that.
Stadler is your father??
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Really? How old is your Dad?
55. I believe i've posted this elsewhere, but my parents listened to all the classic hard rock and metal bands from the 70's and 80's from the time i was a small child. I grew up with all of that.
Stadler is your father??
As far as I know he isn't :lol
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Are there any bands from that time period that your parents played that you really liked?
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Tesla sounds nothing like Appetite. Tesla sounds like my toilet backing up. :biggrin:
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Are there any bands from that time period that your parents played that you really liked?
Well, there's Def Leppard of course and then Rush is my favorite band of all time thanks to my dad playing Moving Pictures for me when I was around 5 or 6. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Watchtower, Steely Dan, Savatage, Dire Straits, Queensryche, Deep Purple, Supertramp, Yes, Boston, Styx, Chicago, Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Journey, Bad Company, ELP, Van Halen, Crimson Glory, Scorpions, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., and Loverboy were the ones that either my Mom or Dad or both listened to when I was growing up that I remember really enjoying. Still love all those bands.
There were a few that never clicked with me though. Like Nightranger, Tesla, Aerosmith, AC/DC, etc....
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Power Windows sounds like my toilet backing up. :biggrin:
Your's too, huh?
Are there any bands from that time period that your parents played that you really liked?
Well, there's Def Leppard of course and then Rush is my favorite band of all time thanks to my dad playing Moving Pictures for me when I was around 5 or 6. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Watchtower, Steely Dan, Savatage, Dire Straits, Queensryche, Deep Purple, Supertramp, Yes, Boston, Styx, Chicago, Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Journey, Bad Company, ELP, Van Halen, Crimson Glory, Scorpions, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., and Loverboy were the ones that either my Mom or Dad or both listened to when I was growing up that I remember really enjoying. Still love all those bands.
There were a few that never clicked with me though. Like Nightranger, Tesla, Aerosmith, AC/DC, etc....
Well Nightranger blows.
That's a hell of a band list to hear from your parents.
My parents played the Beach Boys, Johnny Mathis, and Barry Manilow! :lol
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Sending out the Bat Signal!
(https://i.imgflip.com/28n5ln.jpg) (https://imgflip.com/i/28n5ln)
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Now you've done it!! :lol
-
Are there any bands from that time period that your parents played that you really liked?
Well, there's Def Leppard of course and then Rush is my favorite band of all time thanks to my dad playing Moving Pictures for me when I was around 5 or 6. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Watchtower, Steely Dan, Savatage, Dire Straits, Queensryche, Deep Purple, Supertramp, Yes, Boston, Styx, Chicago, Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Journey, Bad Company, ELP, Van Halen, Crimson Glory, Scorpions, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., and Loverboy were the ones that either my Mom or Dad or both listened to when I was growing up that I remember really enjoying. Still love all those bands.
There were a few that never clicked with me though. Like Nightranger, Tesla, Aerosmith, AC/DC, etc....
Well Nightranger blows.
That's a hell of a band list to hear from your parents.
My parents played the Beach Boys, Johnny Mathis, and Barry Manilow! :lol
Yeah, I never understood my mom's fascination with Nightranger. But yeah, that is quite a list of awesome bands, now that I look back on it. To be fair, my parents also liked country music back then (still do to some extent, especially my dad) and then really like stuff like Michael Jackson and Prince, and stuff like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
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Your Dad is the same age as my wife.
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41.
RUSH
POWER WINDOWS
Yeah, I don't get it.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/6310/xt5lLy.gif) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnxt5lLyg)
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:rollin :rollin :rollin
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I heartily applaud the selection of Power Windows. I got it pretty recently and haven't had enough listens for it to settle in, but I'm definitely enjoying it. And Grace Under Pressure is a top 3 Rush album for me, so this is definitely an era of Rush that I enjoy.
One thing you sort of mentioned in your writeup that I want to state my take on: I think that Geddy's voice sounds best in this era. It seems to fit this type of music better than the rockier stuff, and he uses it tastefully instead of doing the screeching of the earlier eras.
Something I cannot endorse, though, is Caress of Steel. Bastille Day is great and Lakeside Park is good, and that's it.
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Nice to finally see a good album in this list :lol
Kidding aside, this is a fantastic album. Not sure I would say it's Rush's best, but it certainly is high in my list.
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Fucking love Power Windows. Simply brilliant album.
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Fucking love Power Windows. Simply brilliant album.
They got you too??
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Kinda ambivalent towards Rush, I may check this out but I think I've already done that in the past and wasn't a fan.
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Fucking love Power Windows. Simply brilliant album.
They got you too??
Sucks to suck, TeslAC!! :lol
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:lol
It does.
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How can people think this isn't the greatest Rush album? HOW?!
Because it isn't. Doesn't even crack my top 5. Song-for-song, it's excellent, and has a couple of high moments, but overall, there are better Rush albums.
However, I can totally see this appealing to someone discovering Rush all at once, and after the 'end' of Rush. For your tastes, it completely makes sense.
And yeah, it's your best album on the list so far. ;)
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Power Windows, Hemispheres, and Counterparts are my top 3 Rush albums (not sure after that, although GUP and Permanent Waves are up there). Caress of Steel rocks imo - I really like both of the epics, Lakeside Park is a gem, Bastille Day is nice, and the bald song is just fun. I guess that song, and the length of the other two can be offputting, but I love that album.
The best is yet to come! This is merely 41!
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Power Windows is probably the Rush album I listen to most often, and is definitely in my top 3 with Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves. For me, it sums up everything about the 80's both in terms of the sounds on the record and the lyrical themes. And, it's probably Neil's best drum performance.
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Really? How old is your Dad?
55. I believe i've posted this elsewhere, but my parents listened to all the classic hard rock and metal bands from the 70's and 80's from the time i was a small child. I grew up with all of that.
Stadler is your father??
As far as I know he isn't :lol
It was a long time ago, and I was drunk at the time.
-
Are there any bands from that time period that your parents played that you really liked?
Well, there's Def Leppard of course and then Rush is my favorite band of all time thanks to my dad playing Moving Pictures for me when I was around 5 or 6. Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Watchtower, Steely Dan, Savatage, Dire Straits, Queensryche, Deep Purple, Supertramp, Yes, Boston, Styx, Chicago, Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Journey, Bad Company, ELP, Van Halen, Crimson Glory, Scorpions, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., and Loverboy were the ones that either my Mom or Dad or both listened to when I was growing up that I remember really enjoying. Still love all those bands.
There were a few that never clicked with me though. Like Nightranger, Tesla, Aerosmith, AC/DC, etc....
Nope, not me. That's as firm as a paternity test right there. I still go see Night Ranger whenever they come to town. And there's no Rainbow, Deep Purple or Cinderella on that list.
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Power Windows, Hemispheres, and Counterparts are my top 3 Rush albums (not sure after that, although GUP and Permanent Waves are up there). Caress of Steel rocks imo - I really like both of the epics, Lakeside Park is a gem, Bastille Day is nice, and the bald song is just fun. I guess that song, and the length of the other two can be offputting, but I love that album.
The best is yet to come! This is merely 41!
Stand your ground! Caress isn't as bad as many - including the band - make it out to be. It's certainly better than Grace Under Pressure. What a debacle that is. :)
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There were a few that never clicked with me though. Like Nightranger,
Nope, not me. That's as firm as a paternity test right there.
:lol
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Power Windows, Hemispheres, and Counterparts are my top 3 Rush albums (not sure after that, although GUP and Permanent Waves are up there). Caress of Steel rocks imo - I really like both of the epics, Lakeside Park is a gem, Bastille Day is nice, and the bald song is just fun. I guess that song, and the length of the other two can be offputting, but I love that album.
The best is yet to come! This is merely 41!
Stand your ground! Caress isn't as bad as many - including the band - make it out to be. It's certainly better than Grace Under Pressure. What a debacle that is. :)
I hope you turn around on GUP one day but I get why you don't like it. I think it's really good!
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Sending out the Bat Signal!
(https://i.imgflip.com/28n5ln.jpg) (https://imgflip.com/i/28n5ln)
Amen, brother.
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No, no, you're all mixed up. A Farewell to Kings blows. Not Power Windows. :loser:
EDIT: #40 a bit later. We're starting to get into "deeply meaningful and impactful" territory. Transitioning to that most cheesy layer of sentimentality. #40 is perfectly balanced, as all things should be...
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A Farewell to Kings blows Power Windows away.
Exactly.
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Yeah, as sleeping medication!!
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AFTK is my #4 AOTY, so yeah. Mike's getting a cunt-punch when we ever meet.
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Atlanta 2020. I TRIPLE dog dare ya! :lol
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Atlanta 2020. I TRIPLE dog dare ya! :lol
I quadruple dog dare you
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AFTK is my #4 AOTY, so yeah. Mike's getting a cunt-punch when we ever meet.
And one for me. Hemispheres was always at that spot, but I got the 40th anniversary edition or whatever it is and listened to it on a drive across Florida at 11:30 at night a couple weeks ago, and it was one of the best listening experiences of my entire life. That is one strong album.
The 5.1 version on the box sets is pretty strong too (and Rush 5.1's generally are not good).
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Yeah, disliking A Farewell to Kings is still the strangest thing about Kattelox....
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Welcome to Katt's Top 50 Most Disappointing Albums! Today's pick, "A Farewell To Kings" by Rush. Looking at the tracklist now. Title track? Freaking yawn. Xanadu? The best thing here, not bad, just too long, and not a great chorus (sue me). Closer to the Heart is inoffensive but I am just annoyed by it and sick of hearing it. Cinderella Man and Madrigal are boring. Cygnus is boring as well and too long. :neverusethis:
I know it's very popular and revered by most Rush fans. I just don't see why. It doesn't have much of anything I really love about the band. I want to like it but I can't.
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I don't agree, but, as it's taste, I do see your point with all but the title track. That may be the quintessential Rush track of all time.
Acoustic guitars? Check!
Rocking guitars? Check!
Furious bassline? Check!
Ridiculous drum structure that both carries and elevates the song? Check!
Good vocal? Check!
Lyric that is both epic and personal at the same time? Check!
Structure that sounds simply but is anything but? Check!
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Rush is one of those bands that to me are so much better live than on the studio albums.
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Welcome to Katt's Top 50 Most Disappointing Albums! Today's pick, "A Farewell To Kings" by Rush. Looking at the tracklist now. Title track? Freaking yawn. Xanadu? The best thing here, not bad, just too long, and not a great chorus (sue me). Closer to the Heart is inoffensive but I am just annoyed by it and sick of hearing it. Cinderella Man and Madrigal are boring. Cygnus is boring as well and too long. :neverusethis:
I know it's very popular and revered by most Rush fans. I just don't see why. It doesn't have much of anything I really love about the band. I want to like it but I can't.
It is the low point of the 2112-Moving Pictures run.
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Atlanta 2020. I TRIPLE dog dare ya! :lol
I quadruple dog dare you
Why wait that long? I think jingle needs to come to Atlanta in 2019. :)
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Atlanta 2020. I TRIPLE dog dare ya! :lol
I quadruple dog dare you
Why wait that long? I think jingle needs to come to Atlanta in 2019. :)
Last we spoke about it I believe he was considering to see Pretty Maids, but I'm guessing with the move and all, this year is not happening. But seriously, get your ass down there again Chad :biggrin: I assume you'll be back again too Lethean? (Maybe I knew that from the progpower thread, but I forget).
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Welcome to Katt's Top 50 Most Disappointing Albums! Today's pick, "A Farewell To Kings" by Rush. Looking at the tracklist now. Title track? Freaking yawn. Xanadu? The best thing here, not bad, just too long, and not a great chorus (sue me). Closer to the Heart is inoffensive but I am just annoyed by it and sick of hearing it. Cinderella Man and Madrigal are boring. Cygnus is boring as well and too long. :neverusethis:
I know it's very popular and revered by most Rush fans. I just don't see why. It doesn't have much of anything I really love about the band. I want to like it but I can't.
If only all your writeups were this concise! :neverusethis:
Last we spoke about it I believe he was considering to see Pretty Maids, but I'm guessing with the move and all, this year is not happening. But seriously, get your ass down there again Chad :biggrin: I assume you'll be back again too Lethean? (Maybe I knew that from the progpower thread, but I forget).
The bigger issue was me having aspirations of heading over to NL for Ayreon. That's out now. PPUSA I hadn't (re) thought of - aren't days 3/4 sold out? I haven't been over to the PPUSA forums to see if there are any sellers yet. It's a pretty decent lineup for my tastes. hhmmmm ...
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If my writeups were concise here, I'd just make up for it in someone else's thread, and nobody wants that! :lol Yeah I didn't expect you'd even have 2019 in consideration given your big move and all that. But it would be awesome if you showed up! Tickets for 3 and 4 are sold out but you'd still be able to find some I think, and days 1 and 2 haven't actually been selling that well... I'd check the PPUSA facebook group for sellers too.
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I'm not a big power metal guy, so there hasn't been much for me as for yet. Tom Waits and Arctic Monkeys could be interesting and seriously, people here don't know Arctic Monkeys (OK I believe Tim has never heard of them :biggrin:)?
Power Windows is a mid-tier Rush album for me. Mystic Rhythms is amazing, but there's no other songs on it I'd really love or anything. Don't get the hype.
E: Scratch that. Emotion Detector is pretty great too.
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Yea Chad, PP is definitely doable, I see posts of people offloading Days 3/4 so if you look you will find. Days 1 and 2 don't look like they will sell out.
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40.
OPETH
WATERSHED
Progressive Metal
released May 30th, 2008 by Roadrunner Records
(https://i.imgur.com/GmEdsJB.jpg)
1. Coil [3:07]
2. Heir Apparent [8:51]
3. The Lotus Eater [8:48]
4. Burden [7:42]
5. Porcelain Heart [8:01]
6. Hessian Peel [11:26]
7. Hex Omega [6:59]
WATERSHED is
Mikael Åkerfeldt (Guitars / Vocals)
Fredrik Åkesson (Guitars)
Per Wiberg (Keyboards)
Martín Méndez (Bass)
Martin Axenrot (Drums / Percussion)
WITH
Natalie Lorichs (Vocals on 1)
Lisa Almberg (English horn / Oboe)
Christoffer Wadensten (Flute)
Karin Svensson (Violin)
Andreas Tengberg (Cello)
“Look. Pretty, isn’t it? Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.” – Thanos, Marvel Music Critic
In 2005 my friend introduced me to Opeth and Damnation. Fast forward a few years and several attempts at digging ‘heavy’ Opeth, and Watershed is released. I watched the video for “Porcelain Heart” prior to release and was floored at how good it was. It was different, darker, and better than any Opeth I had heard to this point. The perfect mixture of clean singing and gentle music, and huge distorted guitars and demonic growls, with a dash of woodwind instruments and Mellotron, was unlike anything I’d heard before. “Hessian Peel” is the embodiment of that last point. I wish more Opeth fans liked it, I remember it being trashed when the album first came out. It’s lengthy but such a beautiful song.
I bought the special edition of this album, with bonus tracks. But I never got around to listening to them. In late 2009 I had the album in my car when I had a brutal car wreck and lost almost all the music I had in the car, including that album. I didn’t listen to the bonus tracks until last week when I was writing all of this, and I really like them, but it’s the main 7 songs that do it for me.
I’m not too invested in the lore of the band and the history of its members; all I know is than Martin Axenrot’s drumming is more engaging here than on any other Opeth album, and the guitar licks and passages are more creative and imaginative than on any of their other records, too. There isn’t one song I want to skip, and its macabre nature is enticing in a grotesque sort of way.
In Summary: The perfectly balanced Opeth album. I wish every Opeth sounded like this. I want more of those woodwind arrangements and beautiful clean guitar passages. I don’t miss the growls in Opeth, but when I want to hear them, I’ll put on something from this album because this has Mikael’s best growling, in my opinion. I usually like to play this album all in one go, I think it’s better that way. I like Blackwater Park just fine, but it's not an all-time favorite. In fact other than Damnation, Blackwater, and Watershed, I don't really like much Opeth before they ditched the growls. I LOVE every moment of Watershed, though.
Katt’s Favorites: The Lotus Eater (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhohQNdSt7g), Burden (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF68P5N1RJM), Porcelain Heart (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0cDmm7Cz_k), Hessian Peel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgV-bCxE6ZI)
Listen to "Watershed" by Opeth on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/0fayDgcekIaW0yQtUQ8CDm?si=X3fr4NiRT8Cz9pxbu17naw)
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It's like if Ghost Reveries wasn't as good
Still a good album though for sure
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When this came out, I wasn't even close to liking harsh vocals. But I did like Ghost Reveries. It was kind of a novelty.
I downloaded and put Watershed on my iPod, and I think I barely made it through one listen. I just wasn't ready for another growl infested album.
I should go back and recheck it now.
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Good thing there's barely growls on Watershed!
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Good thing! :lol
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Opeth does nothing for me.
It's like deja vu all over again.
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Opeth does nothing for me.
It's like deja vu all over again.
Same, sadly.
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Opeth does nothing for me.
It's like deja vu all over again.
Same, sadly.
Hemispheres would have been a way better choice... ;)
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I've only been listening to Rush for a year and a half, 2 this fall. Power Windows is great enough to have cemented itself in the top 50 definitely, but Hemispheres had a ton of competition. Maybe over time Hemispheres will fill in a slot if one of these loses its luster, but we'll see. Most of these albums in the top 50 are albums I grew up with, so Hemispheres just cannot compete with a lot of that.
Damnation, Watershed, and Pale Communion are the three Opeth masterpieces in my book. Blackwater is just outside of that title, unfortunately, and everything else is waaaay beneath Blackwater (a handful of good tracks, but not one album I can sit through all the way). I just don't get much of their growl-era material. Watershed came at a pretty pivotal time in my life so it means a lot to me. Hemispheres is a dope record, absolutely, but I don't have that personal connection with it just yet. Needs more shimmering synths maybe... :)
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My favorite Opeth album. Good choice, Katt!
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My favorite Opeth album. Good choice, Katt!
Great minds think alike, Podaar. :hug:
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I've only been listening to Rush for a year and a half, 2 this fall.
You've only been listening to Moonglow for a few months, yet it made the cut! :biggrin: :P
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My favorite Opeth album. Good choice, Katt!
Great minds think alike, Podaar. :hug:
:-*
The opening three song run of Coil, Heir Apparent, The Lotus Eater, is inspired and paralyzing. I can't not listen to it.
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I've only been listening to Rush for a year and a half, 2 this fall.
You've only been listening to Moonglow for a few months, yet it made the cut! :biggrin: :P
Yeah, but I know Avantasia like the back of my hand, and grew up with Tobias Sammet. Much much different circumstances. Tobi is my hero, Rush are not :) It is an odd inclusion, I realize, but holy fuuuuudge monkeys I love Moonglow so so much.
Podaar, I agree, that trio is just spellbinding. I love it.
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Not one of my favs from Opeth but still a very good album.
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It's like if Ghost Reveries wasn't as good
Still a good album though for sure
This.
People who like Watershed, but not Ghost Reveries, are weird :biggrin:
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GR is boring tho. Hours of Wealth is okay. The rest? A resounding ehhh... I am WEIRD and proud :biggrin:
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Last we spoke about it I believe he was considering to see Pretty Maids, but I'm guessing with the move and all, this year is not happening. But seriously, get your ass down there again Chad :biggrin: I assume you'll be back again too Lethean? (Maybe I knew that from the progpower thread, but I forget).
The bigger issue was me having aspirations of heading over to NL for Ayreon. That's out now. PPUSA I hadn't (re) thought of - aren't days 3/4 sold out? I haven't been over to the PPUSA forums to see if there are any sellers yet. It's a pretty decent lineup for my tastes. hhmmmm ...
You should totally do it. :)
Cramx - I will indeed be there. :) I don't believe we've met so we'll have to this time around.
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My favorite Opeth album. Good choice, Katt!
Great minds think alike, Podaar. :hug:
:-*
The opening three song run of Coil, Heir Apparent, The Lotus Eater, is inspired and paralyzing. I can't not listen to it.
That three song run is maybe the best in all of Opeth's discography, sadly (at least for me) Watershed loses a lot of steam after that. Burden is just okay, Porcelain Heart is too long and too uninteresting. Hessian Peel is better but not as good as the first three songs and Hex Omega is simply boring. You can see/hear that Akerfeldt wants to do something different musically, but he hasn't really decided where he wants Opeth to go. Good record, but too uneven for my liking.
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Easily my #2 Opeth album :heart
Ghost Reveries is obviously #1 and I put Watershed being #2 down to it being the first new release after I got into them (which I think is a huge factor in people loving certain albums that aren't 'fan favourites').
But yea, anyone who likes Opeth but not Ghost Reveries is weird. Although I don't think Blackwater Park is all that so what the fuck do I know!
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Although I don't think Blackwater Park is all that so what the fuck do I know!
Apparently nothing ;D
Blackwater Park is the best them
But then that record was my introduction to Opeth and that may play a part in liking it better than anything else.
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I don't think they'll ever top GR for me, but BWP is also great, it only clicked for me a couple of months ago. For me GR is more memorable but BWP has more of those badass Opeth evil breakdowns (especially the title track).. and it is the only Opeth album that has the Bleak chorus (:heart)
Sending out the Bat Signal!
(https://i.imgflip.com/28n5ln.jpg) (https://imgflip.com/i/28n5ln)
Amen, brother.
:rollin
I don't know much about Rush, but I see Marathon is on this album and I got that one in my last roulette, reaaaally not my thing.
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39.
AVANTASIA
THE WICKED SYMPHONY
Symphonic Power Metal
released April 3rd, 2010 by Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/qR9KGZf.jpg)
1. The Wicked Symphony [9:28]
2. Wastelands [4:44]
3. Scales of Justice [5:04]
4. Dying for an Angel [4:32]
5. Blizzard on a Broken Mirror [6:07]
6. Runaway Train [8:42]
7. Crestfallen [4:02]
8. Forever is a Long Time [5:05]
9. Black Wings [4:37]
10. States of Matter [3:57]
11. The Edge [4:12]
THE WICKED SYMPHONY is
Tobias Sammet (Vocals / Bass / Keyboards on 10 / Organ on 8)
Sascha Paeth (Guitars / Keyboards on 4, 5, 7, 9 / Bass on 10)
Michael “Miro” Rodenberg (Keyboards / Orchestrations)
Eric Singer (Drums on 2, 4, 6, 7)
FEATURING
Russell Allen (Vocals on 1, 10)
Felix Bohnke (Drums on 1, 5, 9, 11)
Bob Catley (Vocals on 6)
Oliver Hartmann (Guitars on 2, 7, 8 / Backing vocals)
Alex Holzwarth (Drums on 3, 8, 10)
Michael Kiske (Vocals on 2, 6)
Bruce Kulick (Guitars on 6, 11)
Jørn Lande (Vocals on 1, 6, 7, 8)
Andre Matos (Vocals on 5) R.I.P. 2019
Klaus Meine (Vocals on 4)
Simon Oberender (Organ on 11) R.I.P. 2012
Tim “Ripper” Owens (Vocals on 3)
Ralf Zdiarstek (Vocals on 9)
WITH
Tiffany Kirkland (Backing vocals)
Matthias Kontny (Backing vocals)
Ina Morgan (Backing vocals)
Thomas Rettke (Backing vocals)
Cinzia Rizzo (Backing vocals)
Amanda Somerville (Backing vocals)
Michael Voy (Backing vocals)
Cloudy Yang (Backing vocals)
You can read my extended thoughts on The Wicked Symphony here (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=11589.msg2511329#msg2511329) if you'd like!
THE LAST AVANTASIA ALBUM ON THE LIST! Just look at that beautiful roster of guest musicians, particularly singers. But there’s even three drummers on this album! I’m indifferent towards Eric Singer, but I freaking love Felix Bohnke (Edguy’s drummer as well) and Alex Holzwarth is a power metal drum legend (of Rhapsody fame).
Each song here sounds like it was crafted specifically for its guest vocalist. That gives this album a lot of variety in sound and style. Klaus Meine’s song sounds like a classic rocker with a big 80s chorus. Ripper’s song lets him scream like a banshee in the chorus. Russell Allen gets to hit the high notes without any of that new-era Allen Grit™. Michael Kiske sings on, imo, the best Avantasia Kiske song ever, “Wastelands,” and it sounds like 100% unfiltered classic power metal.
In Summary: “Black Wings,” “The Edge,” and “Dying for an Angel” are songs I have to be in a certain mood to hear, but I like them when I do. The title track is one of my favorite Avantasia epics. “Wastelands,” “Scales of Justice,” “Blizzard on a Broken Mirror,” “Runaway Train,” and “Forever is a Long Time” are all different and beautiful in their own way. This album has variety, groove, energy, a nice range of tempos and dynamics, and extraordinary performances from a crazy list of stars from this side of rock and metal. It’s the perfect evolution from The Scarecrow, and as much as I despise Angel of Babylon, I love The Wicked Symphony that much more. Please listen to this album if you're even slightly intrigued by the guest list, or like a little adventure in your rock-metal hybrid bands. This record isn't entirely metal, it's got a bit of rock to it, and you know what? That's a good thing in my opinion.
Katt’s Favorites: The Wicked Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LssoZSwZXu0), Wastelands (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRmfjBDKCpE), Blizzard on a Broken Mirror (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehltPuix38), Runaway Train (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBQf1sLwrrE)
Listen to "The Wicked Symphony" by Avantasia on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/50eAZuPQNZDzBIGXAQF3xX?si=ua7TLOFrQxO4XfvuJbwelA)
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Huh; you might be winning here, Katt. I'm looking at that guest list, and other than Russell Allen, who does little for me, there are some cool players on there. I'm a big Eric Singer (and Bruce Kulick) fan, so I might give that a try.
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EDIT: So far in my Word document, I've written over 10,000 words and 28 pages. :lol
Huh; you might be winning here, Katt. I'm looking at that guest list, and other than Russell Allen, who does little for me, there are some cool players on there. I'm a big Eric Singer (and Bruce Kulick) fan, so I might give that a try.
YES! I was thinking of you when I was formatting some of that guest list. Klaus and Eric Singer I figured would get your attention. It's not on my favorites list but I'm pretty sure you were sent "Dying for an Angel" in your last roulette? If you heard it, you'd know it. I don't think you'd be into the full-bore power metal sections, but there's some rocking parts you'd probably like and "Forever is a Long Time" is a song I think you'd especially enjoy.
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I'm down with this. Wicked Symphony is Top 3 Avantasia song, and the album is the tits.
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I remember I came home from college late in the morning and had both albums ready to go, so I put on Wicked Symphony and it blew my mind. Went back to class later that day blasting the album down the interstate and holy cow. So damn good. Makes me want to make a 'top 10 Avantasia songs' list. Hmm...
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I need to give The Wicked Symphony a bit more of a chance, but my early impressions were not that positive. My Avantasia preferences are most strongly met by the three most recent releases.
Watershed is an amazing pick. It's my second favorite Opeth album (not second to that one, or to that one, or to that one either... to Heritage, of course). Heir Apparent is my "I'm not huge into growls, but..." song. And Coil is one of those songs that's really distinctive and beautiful. And I will share your praise for Hessian Peel.
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I think Moonglow is a better album :biggrin:
The title track is fantastic though, it's not a bad album at all, but I find their other albums are just better overall. Dying for an Angel is definitely a top Avantasia song too, maybe their best "single" type song
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I prefer The Scarecrow to Wicked Symphony, but it's still a great record. I don't listen to it as often as I should.
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Scarecrow's very close. It just dips a little towards the end for my liking. Can't stand Cry Just A Little or Carry Me Over. I've warmed up to I Don't Believe In Your Love in the last few years though.
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I'm alright with this. After TMO pt. 2 I've almost wrote a joke that you'll probably feature the worst three Avantasia albums on your list: Metal Opera pt. 2, Moonglow and Angel of Babylon. Then I realized I probably like Moonglow more than Ghostlights. Then I became a hundred percent sure you'll feature Ghostlights as their best album and deleted the post. :lol
Love how diverse The Wicked Symphony is. Good favourite picks, too.
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How many more avantasia albums left on the list, Katt? :corn
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Scales Of Justice :metal
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I don't know much about Rush, but I see Marathon is on this album and I got that one in my last roulette, reaaaally not my thing.
Marathon is hands down the best song on Power Windows, so if that's not for you, then the rest of the album definitely isn't.
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How many more avantasia albums left on the list, Katt? :corn
I said it was the last one at the start of the writeup :neverusethis:
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I'm alright with this. After TMO pt. 2 I've almost wrote a joke that you'll probably feature the worst three Avantasia albums on your list: Metal Opera pt. 2, Moonglow and Angel of Babylon. Then I realized I probably like Moonglow more than Ghostlights. Then I became a hundred percent sure you'll feature Ghostlights as their best album and deleted the post. :lol
Love how diverse The Wicked Symphony is. Good favourite picks, too.
Ghostlights has a pretty horrible Dee Snider song, Isle of Evermore, and a section in Storm that ruins the entire middle of the song, so it's out of the running. :)
Angel of Babylon is an abomination IMO. It's barely better than Mystery of Time and that's ONLY because of Stargazers, Your Love Is Evil, the title track and Promised Land. Mostly because of Jorn, tbh. But I CAN'T STAND Angel or Mystery.
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How many more avantasia albums left on the list, Katt? :corn
I said it was the last one at the start of the writeup :neverusethis:
Yeah I guess I'm not too interested in reading writeups about avantasia oops :P
I'm surprised at that tho tbh considering they make up a quarter of the list so far
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Well there's a few bands that repeat a lot but we haven't even seen them yet. I like Edguy more than Avantasia, for example... the list gets pretty predictable real soon, if it isn't already. *shrug* tastes! :biggrin:
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That's a very good Avantasia album.
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Well there's a few bands that repeat a lot but we haven't even seen them yet. I like Edguy more than Avantasia, for example... the list gets pretty predictable real soon, if it isn't already. *shrug* tastes! :biggrin:
I was kind of hoping there wouldn't be any Edguy on the list. Every time I've tried to listen to them I get like 2 songs in to the album and just cant finish it. To me it's very vanilla power metal and I really don't care for Tobias as a vocalist. I like Avantasia more because the guest singers usually make up for his ineptitude in singing.
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Other than the fact that I can get thru a whole album, I’m pretty much the same vis-a-vis Edguy. I enjoy it whenever I spin them, but don’t reach for them very often.
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I can't get over how funny of a band name Edguy is. I'm surprised Avantasia wasn't named like, Bobdude instead
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I can't get over how funny of a band name Edguy is. I'm surprised Avantasia wasn't named like, Bobdude instead
:rollin :rollin :rollin
That's funny.
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I can't get over how funny of a band name Edguy is. I'm surprised Avantasia wasn't named like, Bobdude instead
I think it was a nickname of sorts for one of Tobias' teachers in school or something....
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It was. They just kind of went with it ever since they were in school.
Edguy fucking rules and has some of the most acclaimed power metal albums ever. Not liking Mandrake or Theater of Salvation is like me saying A Farewell to Kings blows... er... okay, carry on. :lol
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I can't get over how funny of a band name Edguy is. I'm surprised Avantasia wasn't named like, Bobdude instead
:rollin :rollin :rollin
That's funny.
Reminds me of.............
(https://img.discogs.com/5mUFO6eKj9xqXKWMLYWIjcu78lM=/fit-in/599x602/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2674954-1356228272-9447.jpeg.jpg)
:)
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:lol
He should've named the album Testosterone!
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:rollin
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WTF :lol
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what about his distant cousin, Girl Lady-Chick
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Or his weird perverted uncle Stadler-Kingshmegland-J Boy
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I've always considered Tesla to be a poor man's Aerosmith. And Aerosmith is a terrible band. :corn
I know this is a few pages old, but I was behind and just saw it and :lol'ed
Also, I also never would have thought Edguy was anything but a emo-band made up of 17 year olds. If they named their band after a teacher, did that guy work with Leonard Skinner*?
*Just looked him up to make sure I got the name right, and found he has his own wikipedia page, complete with quote from the NYTimes: "Arguably the most influential high school gym teacher in American popular culture" Nice cred to add to the resume.
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You jest, but Edguy have some fucking bangers. Seriously good hard rock and metal.
The next 10 entries are Edguy records. Screw y'all. :hug:
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Edguy is alright, but almost each album has some great songs and some meh songs.
I saw them live on Monuments tour where the setlist was pretty much most of their hits and that gig rocked hard. :metal
I'll take Avantasia over Edguy any day though.
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Yeah, more power metal.... :puke:
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Power metal rules when done correctly. (Correctly being the way I like it... obviously!) That's my home turf, musically speaking.
#38 coming in hot.
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38.
GUNS N’ ROSES
USE YOUR ILLUSION I
Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
released September 17th, 1991 by Geffen Records
(https://i.imgur.com/dAF1pOl.jpg)
1. Right Next Door to Hell [3:02]
2. Dust N’ Bones [4:58]
3. Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings cover) [3:04]
4. Don’t Cry (original) [4:44]
5. Perfect Crime [2:23]
6. You Ain’t the First [2:36]
7. Bad Obsession [5:28]
8. Back Off Bitch [5:03]
9. Double Talkin’ Jive [3:23]
10. November Rain [8:57]
11. The Garden [5:22]
12. Garden of Eden [2:41]
13. Don’t Damn Me [5:18]
14. Bad Apples [4:28]
15. Dead Horse [4:17]
16. Coma [10:13]
USE YOUR ILLUSION I is
W. Axl Rose (Lead and backing vocals / Piano / Synthesizer / Acoustic guitar)
Slash (Lead, rhythm, acoustic, slide, classical guitars / Dobro / Bass / Backing vocals)
Izzy Stradlin (Lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars / Backing vocals / Lead vocals on 2, 6, 9)
Duff McKagan (Bass / Backing vocals / Acoustic guitar)
Matt Sorum (Drums / Percussion / Backing vocals)
Dizzy Reed (Keyboards / Backing vocals)
WITH
Alice Cooper (Lead vocals on 11)
Shannon Hoon (Lead vocals on 4 / Backing vocals on 3, 6, 10, 11 /)
Johann Langlie (Programming on 3, 10, 12 / Sound effects on 16)
Bruce Foster (Sound effects on 16)
Michael Monroe (Harmonica, saxophone on 7)
Reba Shaw (Backing vocals on 10)
Stuart Bailey (Backing vocals on 10)
Jon Thautwein (Horn on 3)
Matthew McKagan (Horn on 3)
Rachel West (Horn on 3)
Robert Clark (Horn on 3)
Tim Doyle (Tambourine on 6)
West Arkeen (Acoustic guitar on 11)
Yeah this is another lengthy writeup. I grew up with GnR, damn it, and I will SPEAK! :)
The history of GnR and the recording of the UYI albums is fascinating to me. Matt Sorum gets to shine because there’s so much variety across both records, and Steven Adler only gets credit for the paltry single he played on, “Civil War.” Drugs are bad, mkay? As for that “November Rain” drum fill, it was a conscious decision by Axl to repeat that. “Don’t Cry” and “November Rain” are actually part of a loosely related musical trilogy, and the third part is “Estranged” on Use Your Illusion II. You can hear that same drum fill in “Estranged,” and kinda-sorta hear it in “Don’t Cry.” Good stuff.
The introduction of Dizzy Reed was a point of contention for the guitarists in the band, especially Slash, who didn’t want a pianist joining the fold, but I think Dizzy’s playing adds a very cool old school rock element to the mix that the album benefits from in a big way. “Dust N’ Bones” just wouldn’t sound the same without him. Although “November Rain” is played by Axl, and it’s funny on the UYI concert films when you see Dizzy play a tambourine for half the show, I still love his work in the band on these albums.
Axl’s voice is the best voice in rock and roll and nothing will change my opinion on that; I love how he can croon and sing gently, but in an instant can turn on the rasp and grow seamlessly into a banshee-like roar. Pair that with some emotionally charged, deep lyrics and you got yourself a badass singer. I love everything here and Axl’s a big part of that, but Izzy Stradlin also gets the spotlight for a few songs and he’s always good on those bluesier tracks. Even Alice Cooper gets in on the action and has a killer guest spot on “The Garden.”
“Coma” is one of the finest rock epics I’ve ever heard, and it’s almost mythical status for a lot of GnR fans having only ever been played four times (maybe five? I can’t recall if they played it in the last couple years). It’s a journey. The last few minutes have a relentless energy that builds and builds; Axl’s voice gets stronger and steadily rises while underneath Slash plays a solo that grows and grows until the band explodes in the last couple bars, with the guitar carrying the song home by imitating a flatlining heart monitor. Amazing. A real gem that I think everybody should listen to.
In Summary: One of the best rock albums, from the best rock band on the planet, in my opinion. I love everything about GnR, from the members to the attitude to the most overlooked lyrics. Use Your Illusion I is the angrier half of the two records, but also has some of the band’s most beautiful and most impressive moments. It irrationally bothers me when people slam these albums for not being Appetite, or for somehow not sounding like GnR, which I just don’t understand. It’s 100% rock and roll, but the band is creative enough to throw in all sorts of new elements to make this record stand on its own and not just be another fun hard rock record like Appetite. There’s a darkness bubbling just beneath the surface of this record and would explode not long after its release. I’m not as angry as I was when I was a teenager, but I still hold on to some of that attitude, and this record is still fun as hell to play.
Katt’s Favorites: Dust N’ Bones (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtCILgte10), Back Off Bitch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DQM8hnD9cQ), The Garden (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mOLeHATeLA), Dead Horse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxWiawb6jNI), Coma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biNGPkOVaBE)
Listen to "Use Your Illusion I" by Guns N' Roses on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/0CxPbTRARqKUYighiEY9Sz?si=wDTnOf01SUecWQ2U-Zks5g) except Bad Obsession and The Garden aren't available here for some reason :facepalm:
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A band that I like to listen to sometimes but never really been a fan of.
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I could probably condense Use Your Illusion I and II into one really kickass album. They come off as a totally bloated project that could have used some editing.
As for I, Back off Bitch is such an awesome and underrated song and November Rain deserves all of the praise that it gets - the image of Slash standing on the piano playing the solo at some MTV awards show in the 90's is completely iconic. Live and Let Die is an amazing cover that beefs up the original and gives it so much more power without taking anything away from it.
I prefer Appetite to each of these as a full album, but kudos to Axl for his creative vision.
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Seriously? Dude, you need to listen to more albums if this is in your top 40. UYI I & II were the biggest fucking disappointments of my life. It's got barely one album of good/decent material, and handful of gems, and a ton of outright tripe.
I did see Skid Row/GnR about 2-3 weeks before this album dropped, and the one new GnR song that I vividly remember from that show was .... November Rain. That is my 2nd fave GnR tune, so I'll give it that.
But overall, massive massive disappointment given the circumstances.
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GnR has shaped and molded my musical life arguably more than any other band in the world. UYI is a masterpiece. Maybe YOU need to listen to more albums if this is the "biggest disappointment of your life" 'cause it's a damn good album. Debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts, 18 million copies worldwide, 5.5 million in the USA alone, 7x platinum, and Grammy nominated. Speaks for itself. Come at me bro! :loser:
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So, does that mean they are the reason you like power metal so much? If that's the case then you would have been better without them ;)
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Power metal rules. (Nekov, you share some of the blame, since you're singlehandedly responsible for me liking Bloodbound!)
Actually you can blame Stratovarius, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, and Dragonforce, and to some extent, Dream Theater...
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:lol
Just kidding. I used to listen to a lot of power metal back in the day. I still listen to some Blind Guardian and Angra here and there
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:lol
Just kidding. I used to listen to a lot of power metal back in the day. I still listen to some Blind Guardian and Angra here and there
See, Lethean? Angra IS power metal :biggrin:
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Seriously? Dude, you need to listen to more albums if this is in your top 40. UYI I & II were the biggest fucking disappointments of my life. It's got barely one album of good/decent material, and handful of gems, and a ton of outright tripe.
I did see Skid Row/GnR about 2-3 weeks before this album dropped, and the one new GnR song that I vividly remember from that show was .... November Rain. That is my 2nd fave GnR tune, so I'll give it that.
But overall, massive massive disappointment given the circumstances.
See, I COMPLETELY understand this and where it's coming from... and COMPLETELY disagree.
I remember getting a bootleg tape around the time of Appetite, and it had a couple demos on it. Two were this tune that I presumed was called Cold November Rain or something like that. One was Axl and a piano, one was Axl and guitar. It. Was. AMAZING. I listened to those until the tape broke, and I was constantly amazed that this didn't get to Appetite. And when I heard the album version, I knew exactly why. Not saying one is 'better' than another, but Axl was clearly going for something very different on UYI. At the time, I was really into Queen - Innuendo, the EXCELLENT Innuendo, came out in February of '91 - and to hear UYI, in the fall of '91, I totally got it.
UYI was NOT Appetite part II, or even Son Of Appetite. It was a whole 'nother ball of wax, and I totally got it (and totally agree with this insertion, though II better be 37).
I initially hated the Axl vanity pieces - Back Off Bitch, Get In The Ring - but even those are essential to the over all work. I've come to the conclusion that a single album wouldn't work. It's a work in it's totality. I sometimes will playlist the two (I prefer the more epic stuff; November Rain, The Garden, Coma and on II, Estranged, Civil War, Locomotive) but if you're evaluating the work, I think part of it's sprawl is part of it's statement. There is nothing concise or to the bone abuot the band, the music or the albums.
It was a hell of a tour, too. (Brian May was the opener for the leg I saw).
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Come at me bro! :loser:
Don't mind if I do. Look, I get your perspective, and appreciate how influential this is given how music shapes our life in our earlier years. Like I said, take a look at some of the albums in my original Top 50 list. But citing the sales figures is a comical defense. For starters, Appetite is in the 30M range, so these albums severely underperformed. They were only as successful (financially) as they were because of the anticipation what was next from the band that re-shaped the musical landscape of accessible heavy metal coming from the west coast. At the time, some were thinking they might be releasing what could be the highest grossing rock albums of all-time. For those of us over 40, the anticipation was nothing like anything I had ever seen, or have seen since in music. I mean back then, 4 years between albums was an eternity (let's disregard Lies... a 4 cover / 4 acoustic EP album was done more by the label just to try and hold the fans over until a real album came out, actually fuelling the anticipation that much more) ... and to take that long to follow on the heels of a revolutionary album like Appetite!?!?! Fans were craving ... DYING ... for these albums.
Then we listened to them.
When a band delivers a 14 song, zero dud / no weak link album (3 of which are absolutely iconic, and the other 9 are gems) ... then takes for years to follow up with 30 songs comprised of 2 covers (great covers, btw); 5 maybe 6 gems, and the remaining 22 range from tripe to mediocre? Honestly, because of those albums and that tour, the band irreparably damaged themselves, and became the biggest flameout in metal ever.
It may be a masterpiece *for you* given how/when it came in to your life, but it is anything but a masterpiece in and of itself.
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I mean I was being a little facetious, not trying to use the sales numbers as an open-and-shut case for why it's a masterpiece. It's all subjective. Yes, to me, I think it's a masterpiece. That's why it's in my list. I do believe it's a masterpiece in and of itself, I could've written pages and pages on everything I think is awesome about it but I don't think anyone read the writeup for it anyway :neverusethis: I also believe Chinese Democracy is a masterpiece in and of itself. Tastes... *shrug* I just totally, vehemently disagree with your portrayal of the UYI albums. The only duds I can agree with would be the alternate version of Don't Cry, and My World, the song we don't speak of. Everything else on those albums is gold, Jerry... er, Chad. :) IMO.
And I know it's all in good fun here, so I hope you don't mind if I get critical, but... it sounds like you're using the fact that it didn't meet the astronomical expectations of listeners as a reason for why it's bad, which isn't a fault of the music itself. I get that they were arguably the biggest thing ever back then but I don't think that's fair to slag off the album because it didn't meet expectations. It's ambitious, it's creative, it's adventurous, I would imagine fans of prog rock would admire that more than the raw hard rock of the first album, so the response is kind of disappointing to me. Just because it didn't sell 30 million doesn't mean it still wasn't a major success.
The band didn't burn out just because of those albums and the tour. It's because of who they were as people and musicians and how they were essentially ticking time bombs all jam packed into a bottle together and eventually it all came apart. Add the fame and drugs to it and it's a miracle they even put out the first album.
Also... 14 songs? Appetite has 12.
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MJ... all fair points above. And to that end, I'll actually go and spin them - both - this weekend just to listen to the album for the sake of it. And to be clear, I didn't mean to say it's bad because it didn't meet expectations, I'm saying the opposite - it didn't meet expectations because it's bad. I wanted to love it, so damned much. But it just wasn't good. Now, I'll come back over the weekend and see if it's aged any better, because I honestly can't remember the last time I spun it front to back - easily 20 years at least.
And you're right on the final part. The aftermath of this album and tour were simply symptomatic of the reasons the band flamed out.
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I'll actually go and spin them - both - this weekend just to listen to the album for the sake of it.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! That's what I like to hear. Even if you hate them, give them a fair and open minded listen, without comparing them to Appetite.
I think #37 is going to be the most controversial album on this entire list.
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The Use Your Illusion albums are great!
I actually prefer II to I as my 14 song Illusion United Playlist features 8 II songs and 6 I songs.
I assume we'll talk about Appetite when the time comes, but what makes the Illusion albums special is that they are NOT Appetite Part 2.
Not every song across both albums is great, but there is so many amazing tracks across the two.
Matt Sorum is a fucking beast on these albums. Good call K-Lox giving him a shout out. I love the direction GnR took with this album. They went "next level" in my opinion. Not saying that means it's better than Appetite, but I just feel the playing and writing really showed great maturity, Get In The Ring's lyrics notwithstanding.
With respect to Part I, since it's the one listed, the 6 tracks that make my Illusion United playlist are:
Right Next Door To Hell
Double Talkin' Jive
The Garden
Don't Damn Me
Dead Horse
Coma
I just feel that II has the more epic pieces.
Alice Cooper is awesome on The Garden. Slash's solos are Godly on these albums.
Saw GnR 4 times on the Illusion tour.
It was a hell of a tour, too. (Brian May was the opener for the leg I saw).
That was the last leg. Saw that show at the old Boston Garden (March 16, 1993).
Brian May's band featured not only Neil Murray on bass, but COZY FUCKING POWELL on drums. In Boston, Gary Cherrone came out and they closed with Tie Your Mother Down.
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Spoiler alert: UYI2 is definitely on this list. And I was just listening to it last night, and while I'll talk about it at length when its time comes, I give a big pass to Get In The Ring. Shotgun Blues has the cringier lyrics ("you can suck my ass"), I think, but the charm of Get In The Ring is how absolutely over the top, bonkers, tough guy wrestling intro music it is. "You wanna antagonize me? Antagonize me, motherfucker! Get in the ring, motherfucker!'" And then, normally, I'd find that moment where he laughs to be beyond corny, but Axl sounds like a demon there and somehow manages to pull it off. That song is utterly ridiculous in every way and I like it because it goes full bore with it.
II absolutely has the more epic pieces, though. Except Coma. That's all-time great GnR.
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Oh I just said the lyrics lacked maturity. I didn't say I didn't like them! ;D
Get In The Ring kicks total fucking ass.
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Come at me bro!
The cavalry's arrived...
Both the Use Your Illusions are fantastic albums (slightly prefer part 2 over part 1, but in truth I view it all as one album). I was about 10 or 11 when they were released and I was obsessed with them thoughout the 90s (i.e my youth). There aren't many albums that cover such a wide variety of styles and moods (Estranged runs the entire gamut on its own, and that's just one song).
By the way Katt, the last time I was at the Vatican (how cool does that sound?) I was able to view the Raphael Rooms (they used to be the Pope's personal library and study back when the Medicis and Borgias were running the show) when there was nobody there and snagged a couple of pictures with the image used on these albums. See if you can spot it (the whole fresco is Raphael's School of Athens from 1511, and Gunners used a detail from it for the album cover). I've never tried to upload a photo here before so let's see if this works:
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi63.tinypic.com%2F24mi8m9.jpg&hash=ca755a6d509f394c79a23a66f75e54e2295c52b3)
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.tinypic.com%2F15ea3ut.jpg&hash=6e4df8d2a91b02a0c76cf54ef6cf1be270fe02c6)
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That's cool. I see it.
Planning on going there next summer.
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Dave, that's AWESOME! I found it right away. Way too cool.
I regularly jam Estranged (in its entirety, not just the piano break; pairing the vocal melody with the piano/bass/guitar lines is tricky but worthwhile) on piano. It's one of the most fun things ever and that piano break is just the tops. Beeeeeautiful music.
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The fact you have a consolidated playlist proves my point. Both albums are severely bloated. Do you have a consolidated playlist for VH I and II? Zeppelin I and II? When it comes to independent albums released simultaneously, the only two I can think of off the top of my head are The Universal Migrator albums, and Wicked Symphony/Angel of Babylon. Anyone make a consolidated "album" from those?
Hell, there's even an official release in'98 that consolidates them - so the band/label acknowledges they are filled with filler.
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The fact you have a consolidated playlist proves my point. Both albums are severely bloated. Do you have a consolidated playlist for VH I and II? Zeppelin I and II? When it comes to independent albums released simultaneously, the only two I can think of off the top of my head are The Universal Migrator albums, and Wicked Symphony/Angel of Babylon. Anyone make a consolidated "album" from those?
Hell, there's even an official release in'98 that consolidates them - so the band/label acknowledges they are filled with filler.
Walmart and K-mart (and maybe others, I can't remember) didn't carry the initial unedited version of the album, if I recall correctly. I never bought the compilation so I assume it's edited in order for Walmart to sell it now. The speech from Knockin' On Heaven's Door was also removed, and I'm almost 100% confident it was released as a compilation album in order to get some sales going, which was also the reason the Greatest Hits album was released, because there was no activity in the band during that time, and even Axl didn't approve of the tracklist on the GH... Nothing at all about UYI having filler.
I could make a consolidated album from TWS/Angel easily but Tobi like Axl was confident in his vision for a double release.
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(https://i.giphy.com/media/AMGW8QmLMmZ8I/giphy.gif)
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Hell, there's even an official release in'98 that consolidates them - so the band/label acknowledges they are filled with filler.
That was just a cash grab by the label released 7 years after the albums were first put out, because they thought (correctly) that the band was over and they wanted to bleed a few more cents out of their cash cow. Quite honestly my own 'best 12' songs from those 2 albums would look nothing like the hits package Geffen (the label) lazily threw together.
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The fact you have a consolidated playlist proves my point. Both albums are severely bloated. Do you have a consolidated playlist for VH I and II? Zeppelin I and II? When it comes to independent albums released simultaneously, the only two I can think of off the top of my head are The Universal Migrator albums, and Wicked Symphony/Angel of Babylon. Anyone make a consolidated "album" from those?
Hell, there's even an official release in'98 that consolidates them - so the band/label acknowledges they are filled with filler.
Avantasia is a playlist band for me, except for TMOT.
I like ONE song on LZ I so yes, consolidation please.
So what. The albums have filler. But they have some AMAZING music on them. I mean, of all of the albums on this list (sorry K-Lox0 this is the album you have a problem with?
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No offense taken, I'm 150% aware of how unpopular my takes are, and how unpopular power metal in particular is. This is my favorite albums of all time, not objective in any way. If ya'll came expecting recommendations or albums that would be suited to your tastes, I'm sorry to disappoint! :lol
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No offense taken, I'm 150% aware of how unpopular my takes are, and how unpopular power metal in particular is. This is my favorite albums of all time, not objective in any way. If ya'll came expecting recommendations or albums that would be suited to your tastes, I'm sorry to disappoint! :lol
All good, K-Lox! Don't let J Boy derail this fine thread! :lol
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Katt, I listened to that Stratovarius album this morning, and I really enjoyed it! Looking forward to checking out the ones you put above it, too.
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Katt, I listened to that Stratovarius album this morning, and I really enjoyed it! Looking forward to checking out the ones you put above it, too.
(https://i.imgur.com/HhA1VHj.gif)
That's the last time I'm going to use that GIF for a while, but I couldn't resist. I'm happy you liked it, 425 - if you liked that, I think you're in for a good time with what's to come. You'll have a backlog for sure...
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I fucking can't stand GnR. Carry on, next!
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I fucking can't stand GnR. Carry on, next!
^^This!
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I've never listened to a Guns n Roses album, nor do I intend to :lol
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You're really missing out and I can guarantee there's some stuff on the Illusion albums that would surprise you, in a good way..
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I've never listened to a Guns n Roses album, nor do I intend to :lol
You're really missing out on indescribable pain and suffering.
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(https://i.giphy.com/media/AMGW8QmLMmZ8I/giphy.gif)
Actually I'm 100% with you on the whole UYI thing. Disappointing is an understatement. Granted there are some great songs spread super thin across both albums and there were a couple songs I didn't like on Appetite...
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
You know, it's all in good fun. Even though I only really like a few of the albums you've posted so far, I enjoy seeing other peoples music tastes and reading about what makes these particular albums so enjoyable to you.
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
You know, it's all in good fun. Even though I only really like a few of the albums you've posted so far, I enjoy seeing other peoples music tastes and reading about what makes these particular albums so enjoyable to you.
Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I think the back and forth and difference in opinions is super fun. I'm just legit surprised by the near universal criticism of these particular albums. It's fascinating to me. I'm glad you're having fun :biggrin:
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You're really missing out and I can guarantee there's some stuff on the Illusion albums that would surprise you, in a good way..
I mean I've obviously heard all the hits and they're fine, just not really my jam. I've never been a fan of Axl Rose and stories of his antics have not given me any inclination to give them a shot..
I'm sure there are songs I might really dig but there's just too much good stuff out there I'll love, to waste time on stuff I'll find ok.
I'm on board with all the power metal though :metal
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Luke, I totally get that. I have that mantra myself. I've gone through entire discographies in an effort to find something to appreciate by a band but it's very tedious to do.
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You're really missing out and I can guarantee there's some stuff on the Illusion albums that would surprise you, in a good way..
I mean I've obviously heard all the hits and they're fine, just not really my jam. I've never been a fan of Axl Rose and stories of his antics have not given me any inclination to give them a shot..
I'm sure there are songs I might really dig but there's just too much good stuff out there I'll love, to waste time on stuff I'll find ok.
I'm on board with all the power metal though :metal
Actually kind of exactly how I feel. I know the hits, they are great, but never really had interest in actually listening to them. Maybe my loss, but they are just one of many bands I've heard that I've never sought the need to dig further into. Also on board with power metal of course
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
You know, it's all in good fun. Even though I only really like a few of the albums you've posted so far, I enjoy seeing other peoples music tastes and reading about what makes these particular albums so enjoyable to you.
It is what it's all about, brother.
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I think Gunners are one of those bands who have a song (in their case, Estranged) that you can point out to a newbie and say: If you don't like that, you probably won't like the band, because that song encompasses and sums up every great thing about them. So what I'm getting at is, if anyone here isn't familiar with the band but you want to dip your toe in the water, listen to Estranged. If you don't like that song then the band almost certainly isn't for you (and you should probably give Milhouse his 5 bucks back for your soul before it's too late). If you do like it...move onto stuff like Breakdown, Civil War and Coma.
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
You know, it's all in good fun. Even though I only really like a few of the albums you've posted so far, I enjoy seeing other peoples music tastes and reading about what makes these particular albums so enjoyable to you.
Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I think the back and forth and difference in opinions is super fun. I'm just legit surprised by the near universal criticism of these particular albums. It's fascinating to me. I'm glad you're having fun :biggrin:
^this and this.
You do have Dave, Bill, and Tim on your side. But it's also quite telling that the four of you agree on something. Though, I'm really not sure WHAT it tells us. Something very - VERY - strange I'm sure. :rollin
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Estranged is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Period.
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I should be the one posting that gif now. WTF @ the amount of disrespect on UYI here but y'all like prog. Fucking... really. That's like hating on weed but loving sleeping pills. :lol
You know, it's all in good fun. Even though I only really like a few of the albums you've posted so far, I enjoy seeing other peoples music tastes and reading about what makes these particular albums so enjoyable to you.
Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I think the back and forth and difference in opinions is super fun. I'm just legit surprised by the near universal criticism of these particular albums. It's fascinating to me. I'm glad you're having fun :biggrin:
^this and this.
You do have Dave, Bill, and Tim on your side. But it's also quite telling that the four of you agree on something. Though, I'm really not sure WHAT it tells us. Something very - VERY - strange I'm sure. :rollin
Two words..
Temporary Insanity.
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100% agree with Dave and TAC.
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That must've hurt. :lol
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^^ He said me too dammit.
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:lol
That wasn't the part that hurt though. :lol
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Might as well close the day out with the most predictable next one. Since it's been talked about a little already I'll get 36 up not too long after this.
* * *
37.
GUNS N' ROSES
USE YOUR ILLUSION II
Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
released September 17th, 1991 by Geffen Records
(https://i.imgur.com/bvcxK7g.jpg)
1. Civil War [7:42]
2. 14 Years [4:21]
3. Yesterdays [3:14]
4. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan cover) [5:36]
5. Get in the Ring [5:42]
6. Shotgun Blues [3:23]
7. Breakdown [7:04]
8. Pretty Tied Up (The Perils of Rock n' Roll Decadence) [4:48]
9. Locomotive (Complicity) [8:42]
10. So Fine [4:08]
11. Estranged [9:23]
12. You Could Be Mine [5:43]
13. Don't Cry (Alt. Lyrics) [4:45]
14. My World [1:24]
USE YOUR ILLUSION II is
W. Axl Rose (Lead and backing vocals / Piano / Whistling / Rhythm guitar on 6)
Slash (Lead and acoustic guitars / Banjo / Backing vocals / Rhythm guitar on 7 and 9)
Izzy Stradlin (Guitars / Sitar /Backing vocals / Lead vocals on 2)
Duff McKagan (Bass / Percussion / Lead vocals on 10)
Matt Sorum (Drums / Backing vocals)
Dizzy Reed (Keyboards / Backing vocals)
WITH
Steven Adler (Drums on 1)
Johann Langlie (Drums / Keyboards / Sound effects on 14)
The Waters (Backing vocals on 4)
Howard Teman (Piano on 10)
Shannon Hoon (Lead vocals on 13)
This album comes with some caveats. I do not like to acknowledge My World, because that song is an abomination. I don't like the alternate “Don't Cry” lyrics much. I don't like “So Fine” very much either. Get in the Ring and “Shotgun Blues” are kind of cringey at times, but “Get in the Ring” is so over-the-top that I love it. It's just dumb fun.
This is a beautiful album when it reels it in, and goes full bore when it's angry. I like that. I like Axl's lyrics, which can be poetic and sophisticated (“Estranged,” “Breakdown,” “Civil War”), or furious and heavy metal (“You Could Be Mine”). Most of my favorite Guns N' Roses lyrics are on these songs, as well as “Locomotive” which has a very weird effect on most of Axl's voice.
But what makes this album even better is the piano. Dizzy Reed is featured a lot on Use Your Illusion I, but it's Use Your Illusion II where he shines. He's much more prominent here, being a key player in most of the songs. And those songs never get quite as intense as the ones on UYI1, but they're energetic in a different way. Again, 10, 13, and 14 are tracks I'm not fond of, but the rest of the album is just that damn good. There has always, ever since the first listen, been something very attractive about the generally mellow vibe about most of the songs on this album.
In Summary: As an adult I identify more with Use Your Illusion 2 these days than 1. The piano featuring heavily in the songs is a major factor for me loving it so much, but honestly, growing up with it, I've just always loved the sound of this band and what they're doing here. “Locomotive,” “Estranged,” and “Breakdown” are three of the best Guns N' Roses songs with some of their best lyrics and composition. It's not perfect and I understand why people don't like it, even I have a few complaints, but the rest is so god damned good it's had a pretty big impact on my entire life and I still love it today. The piano, the singing, the imagery, the emotional swells, the solos and bluesy playing... hell yeah.
Katt's Favorites: Yesterdays (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDOPlpH6NZM), Breakdown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M7aSWQ1OVw), Locomotive (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAxwmaCDYcI), Estranged (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpmAY059TTY)
Listen to "Use Your Illusion II" by Guns N' Roses on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/00eiw4KOJZ7eC3NBEpmH4C?si=uhdKkJQxSMaJTEjT7a6lbg) except it doesn't have Yesterdays for some reason...
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Yep, a great album. Civil War, 14 Years, Yesterdays, Breakdown, Locomotive, So Fine, Estranged and You Could Be Mine...superb songs.
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Never was a GnR fan, though I am sure I liked Sweet Child of Mine when it was hot, because at that time, who didn't? The only other song I really liked was Civil War. When I first heard the "What we've got here...." intro, I thought it was an old woman speaking. I didn't know the source. Then when I watched the movie years later, I was all "whoa... that is a man delivering that line!"
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I can't get over how funny of a band name Edguy is. I'm surprised Avantasia wasn't named like, Bobdude instead
:rollin :rollin :rollin
That's funny.
Reminds me of.............
(https://img.discogs.com/5mUFO6eKj9xqXKWMLYWIjcu78lM=/fit-in/599x602/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2674954-1356228272-9447.jpeg.jpg)
:)
I actually had that CD...... :lol
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Is there really an instruction on the sticker to the music store on where to stock this album? And if you couldn't figure to place it on the rock section, are you really qualified to work at a music store?
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Fucking more GnR?! Ugh.....jk.
I'm actually more intrigued about Guy Mann-Dude. Can't wait to check that one out.
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I love You Could Be Mine, Pretty Tied Up, Civil War (overplayed on the radio, mind you), and Get in the Ring. The rest, meh - at least, that's how I felt 27 years ago. We'll see what today's listen for both of them brings.
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Let it be known that even the rest of the band didn't know about My World until the album dropped thanks to Axl so don't really give much attention to that one please... for your sake. :)
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I've never been a big fan of G&R but Civil War is a killer tune. My favorite from them.
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So many great tunes here.
Locomotive
Breakdown (Slash's solo at the end is amazing) I would've loved to have heard that without Axl over it. I'm with Slash on that one)
So Fine (Love Duff's vocals here. So much character)
14 Years (Ditto for Izzy)
..and of course the mighty Estranged.
I totally get being turned off by Axl, or think the imagery of Slash and his top hat might look foolish, but pound for pound, this is some of the best music these ears have heard.
There are songs I skip, or didn't make it to my Illusion United playlist, but I don't think that takes away from these album at all. On most albums you're lucky to get a couple of really good tunes anyway. On these, you get a handful of bona fide phenomenal epic tunes. All songs are not created equal. The high points on these albums more than make up for some of the lesser tracks. And even then, there might be 3, maybe 4 songs across both albums that I don't care for.
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On another note, Duff McKagen's first book "It's So Easy, And Other Lies is absolutely phenomenal. It's easily the best rock star autobiography I've read, and might be one of the all time best books I've ever read across all genres.
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Fucking more GnR?! Ugh.....jk.
I'm actually more intrigued about Guy Mann-Dude. Can't wait to check that one out.
You're the man :biggrin:
Some trivia for ya...........
Ever heard the song Shocker from the movie soundtrack ?? - the band (Dudes of Wrath ) was Paul Stanley, Desmond Child , Guy Mann Dude , Vivian Campbell, Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Lee .
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Absolutely. That's a great song. I had the Shocker soundtrack back in the day.
Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Dangerous Toys..
There were a number of really good soundtracks about that time...
Shocker
Dudes
Last Action Hero
River's Edge (My all time favorite movie!)
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It dawned on me this morning that the UYI albums are my GnR version of what Hysteria is to TAC for Def Leppard. Just wrapped up my listen of UYI I, and will try to tackle II his aft. I'm not going to ruin Fathers Day by starting it off with that.
Thoughts to follow.
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I actually thought of that as well after reading what you posted yesterday. The albums we are so violently against are really the ones that disappointed us the most.
Sometimes, time heals these wounds(looking at you, Signals).
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There are songs I skip, or didn't make it to my Illusion United playlist, but I don't think that takes away from these album at all. On most albums you're lucky to get a couple of really good tunes anyway.
This may be true in the grand scheme of all albums ever... but I guess not on the albums I listen to. :P I'm an album listener though - I sometimes listen on shuffle or make playlists, but the majority of the time when I'm listening to music, it's to an album. And I don't find myself skipping songs much at all; maybe I just don't buy albums where I feel I'd be doing a lot of skipping. So I suppose I could be missing out on great individual songs, but eh - I don't care too much.
I actually have both of these albums but wouldn't have bought them. There are some cool songs, but not enough for me and I don't care for Axl's voice, so that pretty much kills it for me.
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There are songs I skip, or didn't make it to my Illusion United playlist, but I don't think that takes away from these album at all. On most albums you're lucky to get a couple of really good tunes anyway.
This may be true in the grand scheme of all albums ever... but I guess not on the albums I listen to. :P I'm an album listener though - I sometimes listen on shuffle or make playlists, but the majority of the time when I'm listening to music, it's to an album. And I don't find myself skipping songs much at all; maybe I just don't buy albums where I feel I'd be doing a lot of skipping. So I suppose I could be missing out on great individual songs, but eh - I don't care too much.
I hear ya, Lethean. At times I can be album dominant, like if I'm driving, but I can also be song dominant, like if I'm home watching a game or something.
My point wasn't about skipping songs, but stating that like most albums, there's a couple great tunes, a bunch of good ones, and one or two that I may not care for.
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Even my most favorite albums might have a song or two I don't care for, see UYI2. But when I consider the product as a whole, it doesn't have to be 100%, sometimes the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. I don't have a preference myself when it comes to listening to albums in order or not... I just let the mood dictate what I wanna hear.
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36.
EDGUY
ROCKET RIDE
Hard Rock / Power Metal
released January 20th, 2006 via Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/ml87NZE.jpg)
1. Sacrifice [8:03]
2. Rocket Ride [4:49]
3. Wasted Time [5:48]
4. Matrix [4:10]
5. Return to the Tribe [6:07]
6. The Asylum [7:39]
7. Save Me [3:47]
8. Catch of the Century [4:03]
9. Out of Vogue [4:36]
10. Superheroes [3:20]
11. Trinidad [3:29]
12. Fucking with Fire (Hair Force One) [4:22]
ROCKET RIDE is
Tobias Sammet (Vocals)
Jens Ludwig (Lead guitar)
Dirk Sauer (Rhythm guitar)
Tobias Exxel (Bass)
Felix Bohnke (Drums)
WITH
Amanda Somerville (Backing vocals)
Oliver Hartmann (Backing vocals)
Ralf Zdiarstek (Backing vocals)
Thomas Rettke (Backing vocals)
Michael “Miro” Rodenberg (Keyboards / Orchestrations)
Edguy fans will be aghast that Hellfire Club and Mandrake are both not in this list. Honorable mentions though. Very tough decision leaving them out.
Okay, so, everyone has a different tolerance for silliness or humor or fun in their rock and metal. I get it. I think Gloryhammer is the musical equivalent of Warren in There's Something About Mary, but they have their audience. I guess it's people who think Rhapsody is too serious, which is ironic because Rhapsody never dressed up on stage. Their Chicago show sold out, did you know that? What the fuck? Seriously.
Anyway, this album is silly, with that big 80s over-the-top vibe at times (but not quite AOR), and some people think it's a bad album because of it, except there's some solid, catchy, heavy metal and hard rock here, with a healthy dose of pop thrown in. People who say pop contaminates metal or is a blight on the genre are wrong. “Matrix” is fun as hell BECAUSE of the pulsing synth groove and the party anthem-ish chorus. “Return to the Tribe” is an infectious, high speed power metal song with one of the best Edguy choruses ever, but there's a fake guitar solo here; Tobias Sammet is screaming wildly, just distorted and processed to sound like a guitar. Amazing. “Save Me” is a surprisingly sweet pop rock ballad. Very easy listening.
Tobias sounds amazing. Fans of later Avantasia would probably like him on this, I think he sounds much less shouty, and much nicer in the soft moments than in recent years. Felix's drums sound gigantic and Jens's riffs are simple but effective. Great solos and a lovely tone throughout the whole record. Everything gels together so well.
Most of these songs give off this vibe of just having fun. The album closes out with two – in my opinion – very good songs that are fun without being embarrassing, “Trinidad” and “Fucking With Fire.” This is the humor Edguy was good at, but on later albums, especially Age of the Joker, the humor just doesn't work. Here it does. I especially love “Trinidad”'; a guy just loves leaving his girl to party his ass off in Trinidad. Hilarious.
In Summary: Is it as 'epic' as other Edguy albums? No, but it's their most consistently fun, I think, and I tend to reach for this one when I want an album that straddles the lines between hard rock, power metal, AOR, and being a little tongue-in-cheek without going overboard with irony. It has amazing vocals, it's produced like a power metal record so it has that huge sound, and has fun while rocking out. Not nearly as bad as some Edguy fans claim it is, and the next couple of records make it look that much better.
Katt's Favorites: Sacrifice (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITFgC-Q9DxE), Return to the Tribe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yu5t7KwIWE), Out of Vogue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydolL4WV8oU), Trinidad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFFS-C0YFjs)
Listen to "Rocket Ride" by Edguy on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/3ZH8mui4v5SYxni3PhBHaM?si=R0qZHcEtSxKN84lJ28W11Q)
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That album cover......just.......wow... :justshootme:
:mrlol:
:biggrin:
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Sorry if it's been asked already but how the hell is that band name pronounced? Ed Guy? Ed Gway? Edge EE?
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Hmm...
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Ed Guy.
They're better known for their power metal. But I went with the hard rock one..
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(https://imgur.com/7pV35Xq.png)
life has many doors, edguy
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HAHAHA. Holy shit. Amazing. :rollin
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I am fucking on board with Rocket Ride. Edguy were one of my first power metal bands and I fucking love them. For some reason, if I wish to spin some Edguy, this is normally my go to Edguy album. Just great songs, lots of variety, Tobi sounds great and just a great bunch of songs. Love it.
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My Go To Edguy album is The Savage Poetry.
But I'm not a huge fan. I do have Rocket Ride, but honestly couldn't tell much about it. Maybe I'll spin it today to play along to the thread.
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OK, just got through most of this.
Sacrifice is a good tune, as is The Asylum.
Return To The Tribe would be a great Kiske Avantasia tune, but that "voice solo" blows. I've heard that before and thought it sounded ridiculous. I think it undermines a seriously excellent song.
Catch Of The Century is decent as is Out Of Vogue.
Similarly to the ridiculous "voice solo", Trinidad and FWF, as album tracks really undermine a fairly decent album. The album closes on such duds. Had they been tacked on as B Sides, I think they'd be more digestible.
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That voice solo rules. This album captures them having fun while delivering some seriously good music. RR rocks, glad Kade is on board. What's wrong with Trinidad?? :lol
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Nothing wrong with Trinidad, but it's a B side at best. I barely care about Edguy proper, I certainly am not going to be interested in hearing them just fuck around.
The album itself really isn't that bad, but leave the crap off to the side.
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HAHAHA. Holy shit. Amazing. :rollin
I almost just spit out my drink seeing that :rollin
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(https://imgur.com/7pV35Xq.png)
life has many doors, edguy
:hefdaddy :metal
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Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I think the back and forth and difference in opinions is super fun. I'm just legit surprised by the near universal criticism of these particular albums. It's fascinating to me. I'm glad you're having fun :biggrin:
If it makes you feel any better, my disdain for GnR isn't at all limited to the UYI albums. :biggrin:
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I only have Edguy's greatest hits and Hellfire Club. Just listened to Rocket Ride, and there's a few songs I like, but it's a little too light for my tastes.
This thread is generally getting me to listen to albums I've never checked out, so I that's a good thing. :metal
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Yay!
I'm taking my time before I post the next writeup because the next 3 are from my 3 most favorite metal bands in the world. #35... tonight! Featuring special guest, Huge Disappointment From The Audience! :biggrin:
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DT12?
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DT12?
I just vomited in my mouth a little. That album is so bad it hurts to talk about. It's so bad because it's not even that bad, it's just super fucking boring and like the band phoned it in. Like they gave it the MP treatment and wrote it in a week and said yeah that'll do, have some shit for your audio breakfast, a nice big bowl of Shit-Os for your ears. Yuck.
... no, DT12 is not next. :lol
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DT12?
I just vomited in my mouth a little. That album is so bad it hurts to talk about. It's so bad because it's not even that bad, it's just super fucking boring and like the band phoned it in. Like they gave it the MP treatment and wrote it in a week and said yeah that'll do, have some shit for your audio breakfast, a nice big bowl of Shit-Os for your ears. Yuck.
... no, DT12 is not next. :lol
It's in his top 10. :hat
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DT12?
I just vomited in my mouth a little. That album is so bad it hurts to talk about. It's so bad because it's not even that bad, it's just super fucking boring and like the band phoned it in. Like they gave it the MP treatment and wrote it in a week and said yeah that'll do, have some shit for your audio breakfast, a nice big bowl of Shit-Os for your ears. Yuck.
... no, DT12 is not next. :lol
Wow, one thing we agree on
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That album really is a poor effort from a traditionally great band. It's the Test For Echo of Dream Theater. The only thing worse is WDADU.
There are two Dream Theater albums on this list.
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That album really is a poor effort from a traditionally great band. It's the Test For Echo of Dream Theater. The only thing worse is WDADU.
There are two Dream Theater albums on this list.
I'd probably put Systematic Chaos in this place of DT12 personally, but I feel like most of the fan base (clearly not us) would switch DT12 with TA for this scenario
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That album really is a poor effort from a traditionally great band. It's the Test For Echo of Dream Theater. The only thing worse is WDADU.
There are two Dream Theater albums on this list.
I'd probably put Systematic Chaos in this place of DT12 personally, but I feel like most of the fan base (clearly not us) would switch DT12 with TA for this scenario
Oh yeah for sure. I think pretty highly of TA even though I don't revisit it much. Then again I don't listen to much DT these days anyway. The bottom of the barrel for DT for me is Black Clouds, then DT12, then WDADU at the very very bottom.
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Wow, DT12 is brilliant. Thought that paragraph must have been talking about The Astonishing for a moment there.
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Hey good news! DT12 and The Astonishing are my least favorite DT albums so now everyone can be mad at me :metardica:
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35.
RHAPSODY
DAWN OF VICTORY
Symphonic Power Metal
released October 30th, 2000 via LMP
(https://i.imgur.com/aRLpPn4.jpg)
1. Lux Triumphans [2:00]
2. Dawn of Victory [4:47]
3. Triumph for My Magic Steel [5:47]
4. The Village of Dwarves [3:52]
5. Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain [4:48]
6. The Bloody Rage of the Titans [6:24]
7. Holy Thunderforce [4:21]
8. Trolls in the Dark [2:33]
9. The Last Winged Unicorn [5:43]
10. The Mighty Ride of the Firelord [9:16]
DAWN OF VICTORY is
Fabio Lione (Vocals)
Luca Turilli (Guitars)
Alessandro Lotta (Bass)
Alex Staropoli (Keyboards / Piano / Harpsichord)
WITH
Thunderforce (Drums)
Manuel Staropoli (Baroque recorder)
Constanze Backes (Baroque female vocals)
Laurence Vanryne (Child's voice on 8)
Maggie Ardorf (Violin)
Helmstedt Kammerchoir (Choir)
Robert Hunecke-Rizzo (Choir vocals)
Thomas Rettke (Choir vocals)
Michael “Miro” Rodenberg (Choir vocals)
Cinzia Rizzo (Choir vocals)
Florinda Klevisser (Choir vocals)
“Mighty warriors from the silver hills march, all led by golden winds. Elves and trolls from holy mystic woods run through the last snow. He's now coming from the middle lands, handling proud his magic sword. Glory, pride, and honor ride with him; burns the flame of north,” chants the massive choir at the start of this album. This is Dawn of Victory, the third of five chapters in Rhapsody's Emerald Sword Saga. Dawn of Victory describes the Warrior of Ice, now in possession of the legendary Emerald Sword and still mourning the loss of the mighty dragon Tharos, and his struggle against the Dark Lord Akron and his high captain Dargor.
No other Rhapsody album sounds quite like this one. It's very sharp. The synth string patches are noticeably fake but enjoyable, and the lead violin adds a distinct quality to these songs that the other albums lack, especially once they start incorporating entire orchestras. The synth lead tone is also a very flat and standard square or sawtooth lead that makes it sound more dated than it actually is. Fabio's accent is very thick here, but I also think it has one of his best vocal performances. He is clean and cuts right through the mix, and sells the sunny, triumphant choruses with aplomb and passion like a great vocalist should. Luca's guitars are loud and his baroque style of playing makes almost every note distinct and crystal clear, focusing on concise and almost mathematical musical phrasings.
This is adventurous metal; it's got choirs and keyboards and horns and woodwinds and timpanis and all the corniness of Lord of the Rings in music form. Lots of enthusiasm in the songwriting for various instruments, like the bagpipe-ish leads and repetitive campfire-like verse structure of “The Village of Dwarves,” or the violin carrying melody over heavy metal in “Triumph for My Magic Steel.” Choirs are used appropriately, both to beef up choruses and also to add a layer of chanting behind the lead vocals to invoke an operatic sound. And it all comes together in the 9 minute epic “The Mighty Ride of the Firelord” which has one of the strongest, most epic “fuck yeah” choruses in all power metal. It also has a riff that calls back to the last record, Symphony of Enchanted Lands, and toward the end the main motif of the album from “Lux Triumphans” reappears, but with different lyrics.
“Dargor...” is another wonderful song that's excellent partially because it's so memorable but also partially because it doesn't have many frills. It gets right to business with a strong riff and strong vocals and is instantly memorable with the super cheerful chorus. “Bloody Rage...” is a ballad that starts soft but builds to a gargantuan hook with choirs descending like a storm onto the swell from the rest of the band. Alex Staropoli's brother Manuel plays a real baroque recorder and has continued to do this since, and that thing is just a delight to listen to, but it's a little on the squeal-y side on this record because it's paired with the violin.
In Summary: This is my 5th – fifth! - favorite Rhapsody album and I love it to death. Please give my favorites a listen. 20 years after this album was being recorded it's still one of the greatest power metal records to date. It fuses together fantasy, adventure, and heavy metal all into one brilliantly composed package. It's a niche band and style, and it's definitely corny as hell, but it's also super fun and creative and that's exactly what music is all about. Also it has Fabio Lione and he's a stud so ya'll put some respecc on it
Katt's Favorites: Dawn of Victory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L_iOnLNt9M), The Village of Dwarves (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqnhEm8KZFU), Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeiDiM7GF8s), The Mighty Ride of the Firelord (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVFSKaKtDwE)
Listen to "Dawn of Victory" by Rhapsody on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/6T6i4ZLAwRHVOxRaQnC5js?si=JLMdP-rPTZCCew5vHeEQAw)
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So are you saying there's 4 MORE Rhapsody albums on this list?
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So are you saying there's 4 MORE Rhapsody albums on this list?
Them and one other band.
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So are you saying there's 4 MORE Rhapsody albums on this list?
Them and one other band.
Rhapsody Of Fire?? :neverusethis:
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Ohhh that's good... brb editing list :neverusethis:
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So are you saying there's 4 MORE Rhapsody albums on this list?
Them and one other band.
Rhapsody Of Fire?? :neverusethis:
And don't forget Luca Turilli's Rhapsody :biggrin:
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:lol! I think Luca's gone off the rails since he left. All this quantum futurism cinematic stuff is just too much. A few songs aren't bad...
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:lol! I think Luca's gone off the rails since he left. All this quantum futurism cinematic stuff is just too much. A few songs aren't bad...
Ascending to Infinity is a good album though.
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It is good. Sometimes it's a bit too much but that cover of Luna is amazing. He lost his mind with Prometheus though.
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He lost his mind with Prometheus though.
I agree with you there.
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Was away for some days so here's my catchup:
Avantasia - Wicked Symphony is great, not as great as the Scarecrow, but great nonetheless. And Scales Of Justice just fuckin' rules. :metal :metal :metal
And GnR: Sure there's some filler on both discs but the rest is just great great great great and great, if you get my meaning. And no, it wouldn't work as a single album because there's more than 70 minutes of good songs on there. And yes, Axl's a prick and an asshole and sometimes (mostly?) immature in a not funny kind of way, but still a great rock frontman. And his voice, when he's changing to that singing chainsaw mode is an aquired taste, but for me it works. And yes, this isn't Appetite part 2 and that's good, because those UYI records as a whole are even better. And the fact that they imploded shortly after has nothing to do with unfulfilled (by some) expectations, they were on self-destruct mode from the beginning. And although I used to hate that attitude (and still do) it was part of the appeal and they couldn't have done those records (and Appetite) if they were in a different mind-set.
Saw GnR live on that tour and they fuckin' ruled, so much pure energy. :metal :metal :metal
Can't comment on Edguy and Rhapsody.
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Never could get into Rhapsody to be honest.
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Yeah, more power metal.... :puke:
I used to like this band a lot. I remember listening to some of these songs quite often. Not anymore though.
I don't think I've ever listened to Edguy, but that cover is all over the place. I actually like it.
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I used to have that Rhapsody album and then sold it at least 10 years ago, if not longer. For a while, I got tired of power metal and I figured that the only Rhapsody disc I'd ever need was the first Symphony of Enchanted Lands. Their albums just tended to blend together and there was just too much coming out at once, from Rhapsody of Fire, Luca Turilli, etc. I stopped wanting to keep track of it all, especially as I was more into thrash and death metal during those years.
Now, I'm swinging back towards enjoying power metal more often, but I have no desire to get any more Rhapsody albums aside from the one disc I have, which I still love.
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It's the Test For Echo of Dream Theater.
HAHAHA, that may be the funniest thing I've read here in weeks. Seriously. (And I don't mean "funny" as in "you're fucking whack", I mean "funny" as in "laugh out loud".) I'm not a fan of "Test For Echo".
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I used to have that Rhapsody album and then sold it at least 10 years ago, if not longer. For a while, I got tired of power metal and I figured that the only Rhapsody disc I'd ever need was the first Symphony of Enchanted Lands. Their albums just tended to blend together and there was just too much coming out at once, from Rhapsody of Fire, Luca Turilli, etc. I stopped wanting to keep track of it all, especially as I was more into thrash and death metal during those years.
Now, I'm swinging back towards enjoying power metal more often, but I have no desire to get any more Rhapsody albums aside from the one disc I have, which I still love.
Symphony is a fantastic album :)
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34.
STRATOVARIUS
DESTINY
Power Metal
released October 5th, 1998 via T&T Records
(https://i.imgur.com/k9IcUO0.jpg)
1. Destiny [10:15]
2. S.O.S. [4:15]
3. No Turning Back [4:22]
4. 4000 Rainy Nights [6:00]
5. Rebel [4:16]
6. Years Go By [5:14]
7. Playing With Fire [4:15]
8. Venus in the Morning [5:35]
9. Anthem of the World [9:31]
10. Cold Winter Nights [5:13]
DESTINY is
Timo Kotipelto (Vocals)
Timo Tolkki (Guitars)
Jari Kainulainen (Bass)
Jens Johansson (Keyboards)
Jörg Michael (Drums)
WITH
Eicca Toppinen (Strings)
Max Savikangas (Strings)
Mr. Unknown (Strings)
Sanna Salmenkallio (Strings)
Cantores Minores (Choir boy)
Very fun fact: Lil Wayne samples two songs from this album on two separate songs. “Anthem of the World” is sampled on “Navigator” and “Destiny” is sampled on “Sacrifice.” I'm just as confused as you are.
Destiny is the fifth album in five years from Stratovarius, and the third with this lineup. The title track has become an iconic power metal epic, “4000 Rainy Nights” might be my #1 favorite power ballad, and “S.O.S.” is one of Stratovarius's best short poppy songs. This is just another remarkable power metal album. The trilogy of Episode, Visions, and Destiny is usually acknowledged by Stratovarius fans as the band's golden years, their absolute best. Hard to argue that. Destiny continues Stratovarius's tradition of lyrical themes concerning the environment, individuality, spirituality, and... destiny.
Not everything is a home run. The ballads on this one aren't that hot, other than the amazing “4000 Rainy Nights.” “Years Go By” and “Venus in the Morning” aren't very noteworthy, and there is this tinny production to the vocals that becomes very noticeable during these songs. Timo's voice still sounds wonderful, but the tinny sound is a little distracting and not as pleasant as the reverb-heavy recording on previous albums. I wish the bonus track "Cold Winter Nights" replaced one of the ballads, preferably "Years Go By," but it's still a good song on its own.
Timo Tolkki and Jens Johansson, musically speaking, are a match made in heaven. Jens keeps up with Timo Tolkki, one of the fastest guitar players on the planet, and makes it look easy. Both have an impressive mastery of both shred and melody. They complement each other so well that every solo trade-off sounds like they understand where the other is heading with a melody and how to answer it in their own way. I love the power in Timo’s voice, it complements the lyrics (and vice versa) so much.
In Summary: I’ve loved this record since I was a kid. “Anthem of the World” was one of the first power metal songs I ever heard and “4000 Rainy Nights” is still one of my most loved songs. This band captured lightning in a bottle not once, not twice, but three, arguably four times in a row with this lineup. Two of the three ballads aren’t all that, but everything else is gold, Jerry. It has epic power metal but also a bit of pop sugar on top of that meaty metal roast which is a delicious pairing for my tastes. If you don’t like harmonized guitars, loads of keyboards, and “whiny” vocals, though, stay far away. Check out the favorites.
Katt's Favorites: Destiny (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ER5---jSk), S.O.S. (music video) (https://youtu.be/082SJUVrOcE), 4000 Rainy Nights (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP6n1kvFENQ), Anthem of the World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs16gYQzcf0)
Listen to "Destiny (2016 Remaster)" on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/5KzKLLxvWr3DjEDpYUtuhZ?si=KOKD_4Y3Qjy4NwYPxekjOg)
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So I listened to 4000 Rainy Nights. This is the sort if song that, if it I'd heard it circa 2004/05 I'd have fallen hard. I have added the album to one of my Spotify playlists. I'm getting quite the power metal haul dude! I'd already added a load of Blind Guardian earlier in the year as I'd never gotten around to listening to them (and they have songs about The Wheel of Time!).
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So I listened to 4000 Rainy Nights. This is the sort if song that, if it I'd heard it circa 2004/05 I'd have fallen hard. I have added the album to one of my Spotify playlists. I'm getting quite the power metal haul dude! I'd already added a load of Blind Guardian earlier in the year as I'd never gotten around to listening to them (and they have songs about The Wheel of Time!).
Yay! :biggrin: I pretty much highly recommend every power metal album from this point forward. Don't rush, take your time. :biggrin: I saw BG play The Wheel of Time live in 2010 and it was incredible.
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I mean it's my favourite book series of all time and I'm on my first re-read since the series finished (probably my 8th or 9th re-read of the early books). Getting seriously pumped about the TV series.
I'll be sure to revive this thread next year, when I actually get to these albums :lol
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I mean it's my favourite book series of all time and I'm on my first re-read since the series finished (probably my 8th or 9th re-read of the early books). Getting seriously pumped about the TV series.
I'll be sure to revive this thread next year, when I actually get to these albums :lol
You and me both, brother. I hope they don't fudge the show. They probably will, unless they throw a budget the size of a mountain at it. But I'm hopeful. There's also this fan film that recently came out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt10nbVSerY) that isn't TOO bad for a low budget fan film. It's way more faithful than that awful pilot that was made just to hold onto rights, anyway.
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Looking forward to hearing more Stratovarius, so I'll try to give this one a go tonight or tomorrow. As for the Rhapsody, my reaction to the one you sent in my roulette was just that it was way too over-the-top cheesy, but I might at least give the selected songs a shot from this one.
Wow, DT12 is brilliant. Thought that paragraph must have been talking about The Astonishing for a moment there.
Huh, and I thought it was talking about Distance Over Time. :-X
(Edit: Looking back at this, it feels a little mean to an album from my favorite band, especially one where the jury is actually still out for me, so I'll just say that this is not exactly my real opinion of that album.)
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If I recall correctly, the one I sent you was the 16 minute epic "The Mystic Prophecy of the Demonknight" - that one is extremely over-the-top and probably more corny than most of their music, so I don't blame you. This one is kind of similar, I mean it's Rhapsody so it's very cheesy, but on this album most of the songs are a lot more straightforward and not as all over the place as Mystic Prophecy is. It's worth checking out at least the title track. I'd say... hm... don't write them off ENTIRELY, maybe, until you see the next one on this list. Give those ones a go and if it's still not doing much for ya, it's probably safe to tap out.
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That is in fact the one you sent me, so it's good to know that that's to one extreme of their sound. I'll let you know what I think.
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I mean it's my favourite book series of all time and I'm on my first re-read since the series finished (probably my 8th or 9th re-read of the early books). Getting seriously pumped about the TV series.
I'll be sure to revive this thread next year, when I actually get to these albums :lol
I'm about to start my first re-read of the series since the series was finished, too, as soon as I have some time. Trying to catch up on 2019 albums though.
As for the TV series, the only thing I'm worried about is how much they mess with the story. I'd prefer they don't change any of the plot lines and just eliminate some of the unnecessary ones to save on time. It's being produced by Amazon, so they are going to have a big budget to work with....
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Good to see Strato getting a good run in here.................in my Top 50 (one album per band) I used Fourth Dimension as it was my first and most influential album by them. I prefer them - and most power metal bands - when they ditch the drumathon and slow down a bit , so many of their albums are just a 3-4 track listen for me. My favourite songs are stuff like Eternity , Kiss of Judas etc....... and the almighty We Hold The Key .......the intro to that song knocked me into the next neighbourhood when I first heard it. :metal
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I just can't get on board with Stratovarius.
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Destiny is awesome. I was just getting into the band when this record was new, so all in a year or two I bought Visions, Episode, Destiny and the live album. Talk about power metal heaven!
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That voice solo rules. This album captures them having fun while delivering some seriously good music. RR rocks, glad Kade is on board. What's wrong with Trinidad?? :lol
Going to have to catch up on this list later, couple of great albums here. Love RR. Nothing wrong with Trinidad. Humour is hard to do in music and they get it right here. Voice solo is cool.
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I'm not sure, but Destiny could be my fav Strato album, it's fucking amazing.
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I have to check these Lil Wayne samples, I didn't know that lol.
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I have to check these Lil Wayne samples, I didn't know that lol.
Navigator Man using Anthem of the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2aFWAbce9o
Sacrifice using Destiny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cb3tBwka-A
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33.
SONATA ARCTICA
THE DAYS OF GRAYS
Progressive Power Metal
released September 18th, 2009 via Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/AaksVkO.jpg)
1. Everything Fades to Gray (instrumental) [3:07]
2. Deathaura [7:59]
3. The Last Amazing Grays [5:40]
4. Flag in the Ground [4:09]
5. Breathing [3:55]
6. Zeroes [4:24]
7. The Dead Skin [6:15]
8. Juliet [5:59]
9. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart [4:33]
10. As If the World Wasn’t Ending [3:49]
11. The Truth Is Out There [5:04]
12. Everything Fades to Gray (full version) [4:30]
13. In the Dark [5:24]*
*bonus track on my physical copy, digipak version
THE DAYS OF GRAYS is
Tony Kakko (Vocals / Additional keyboards)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Elias Viljanen (Guitars)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
WITH
Perttu Kivilaasko (Cello on 1, 6, 11)
Johanna Kurkela (Vocals on 2, 9)
This album released at a pivotal time in my life, a few months after I graduated high school. I picked up a girl on the way to go see Sonata open for Dragonforce, because we were both at an Edguy show a couple weeks before that and realized that on the Edguy message board. I had a bootleg copy of the new Sonata album and played it on the way to Chicago; I bought a real copy of the CD for each of us after the show. Then we dated for 2 years. How cute! *barf*
There are really only two power metal songs on this album. “The Last Amazing Grays” is a modern, sleek take on power metal, half a ballad full of metaphors about wolves and the next generation of people taking over and half a sweeping orchestral romp reminiscent of Nightwish. “Flag in the Ground” is just a rework of an ancient Sonata demo from their earliest days, and it’s okay, but fairly uninspired and generic. They are not the stars of this album because Tony Kakko’s heart stopped being in the speedy power metal game years before this album.
Instead, the real gems of this album are the ones that contain obvious passion from Tony Kakko, the ones full of interesting, dramatic lyrics that tell a story. “Deathaura” is a dark and mighty progressive, symphonic epic about a woman accused of witchcraft and the man who falls in love with her. “Zeroes” is a dirty rocker with some biting sociopolitical commentary and interesting lyrics. “The Dead Skin” is about an irreparably damaged relationship with some stinging words. “Juliet” is the next chapter of the Caleb saga, about a woman and her stalker. The album is bookended by the “Everything Fades to Gray” intro and reprise. From start to finish the album is bleak and depressing, full of songs about love and heartache and all sorts of other negative emotions. Tony Kakko has said he writes a lot of his music from the point of view of other people, but he really digs into their emotions when he writes his lyrics. Rapid-fire verses are augmented with Queen-like layers of harmonized backing vocals and add even more density to an already dense record.
I’m aware of the other bonus tracks, but my version specifically has “In The Dark” – and this is one of my favorite songs ever, not just for Sonata, but in general. I love the cool, nighttime vibe it has, the emphasis on piano, and that gorgeous a capella ending with the name of the song in the lyrics. It has some of my favorite Tony Kakko lyrics and reminds me of a really good time in my life. It’s cornier than the Illinois countryside but it’s true!
In Summary: It’s darkly sweet, and barely power metal, and at times the orchestrations are reminiscent of modern Nightwish. It’s a radical departure from speedy power metal and to me that is only a good thing. There are a thousand bands that sound like old Sonata Arctica, but almost none that sound like Sonata does on this record. Tony Kakko’s lyrics are my favorite thing about this album (he's arguably my favorite lyricist) and a big reason in picking my favorites, but songs like “Deathaura” have some bizarre songwriting choices (the song goes through several drastic mood and meter changes, and early on has the drums and vocals playing two different meters at the same time) which make it interesting to hear many times. Prog fans (and fans of bother darker songwriting and heartwrenching ballads) should listen to this, pure (power) metal fans should approach with caution.
Katt’s Favorites: Deathaura (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Y3OjC-Ryc), Zeroes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Up6u3_iIUA), The Dead Skin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7Oxw8HqLU), No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr8_lI9_htM), In The Dark (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ygey1KRt4I)
Listen to "The Days of Grays" by Sonata Arctica on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/1X21UxpkP1QmhOvvUNHhtp?si=zDirJK1vS_iD1pBfdJ-PBA)
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I never listened to this album, I enjoyed SA's Ecliptica album. And Silence is solid, but a notch below. I then got Unia and was not really into it. I don't mind them changing their sound, but I just didn't find the end result to be very good. I did enjoy the song Caleb though so maybe I should listen to the next chapter, but I kind of just stopped following the band. I was never a huge fan to begin with. I saw them sandwiched between Nightwish and Delain like 3 or 4 years ago, but I remember then just not really being overall impressed with their live show either. COuld just be that I enjoy Nightwish and Delain much more so they compared lesser to me in that moment, but overall just never felt the need to revist them.
As I'm writing this I put on Deathaura and I don't know, it's not doing anyhting for me granted it's only halfway done. I'll see them again this year, sandwiched between Kamelot and Battle Beast and I fear they will once again be the least interesting of the three that night.
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I like Silence and Ecliptica, but they're so obviously written to worship Stratovarius that they're nowhere near my favorites. Each album post- Reckoning Night seems to get more and more divisive amongst their fans.
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As I just finished the song, which did get better, I think the end reasoning for me never really enjoying them more is because of Tony. His singing is not my favorite.
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Man, I've been slowly losing interest in the list because of all the power metal (and I'm a fan of power metal somewhat I guess), but this album is special. This is, for me, a truly the last SA album that was top-notch in quality. It wasn't on my Top 50, I had Unia and Ecliptica instead, but TDOG is probably my favourite SA album nowadays.
I still regret that I missed the tour in support for this album.
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Man, I've been slowly losing interest in the list because of all the power metal (and I'm a fan of power metal somewhat I guess), but this album is special. This is, for me, a truly the last SA album that was top-notch in quality. It wasn't on my Top 50, I had Unia and Ecliptica instead, but TDOG is probably my favourite SA album nowadays.
I still regret that I missed the tour in support for this album.
You and everyone except maybe luke and 425 are gonna lose interest once again pretty fast, unfortunately. :) This album has definitely aged very well. Tony's singing isn't for everyone (see cram's take) but he's one of my favorite singers ever, probably at his best on this album.
EDIT: I just checked... there are 14 albums left to post that aren't power metal. The rest are some variation on power, whether it's speed metal or symphonic metal or some form of Maiden-esque heavy metal. One of those 14 is a special 'half-time' mention I'll make halfway through; it didn't make the list but was the toughest one to cut out of the top 50 because of a couple songs I just don't like, but the rest of the album is SUPER important to me.
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:metal
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:metal
:2metal:
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:3metal: when
Justice for 3-armed metalheads
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:3metal: when
Justice for 3-armed metalheads
The good news is we successfully transplanted a third arm onto his body.
The bad news is he's dead.
(https://i.imgur.com/nxbUbs6.png)
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The Days of Gays more like.
Hate it. Unia was a masterpiece, this was a turd IMO.
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One day I love your takes, Kade, and the next I want to fight you.
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The Days of Gays more like.
:rollin
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Dude.
Katt - I think Zeroes through Juliet is an absolutely Incredible 3 song run. The whole album is great - except maybe Flag in the Ground but it's not bad - but those three are just awesome back to back like that.
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We really still using gay as an insult? Really?
Dude.
Katt - I think Zeroes through Juliet is an absolutely Incredible 3 song run. The whole album is great - except maybe Flag in the Ground but it's not bad - but those three are just awesome back to back like that.
Juliet is my least favorite of that run but it's still so good. Zeroes gets waaaaay too much hate. That song is awesome!!
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Never got into Sonata Arctica.
I did buy the live album with the wolf on it. I thought it was ok. I then bought Unia which I thought blew big fucking chunks.
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Fix yourself. Get some help.
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:metal
:2metal:
:leaveseyes:
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Never got into Sonata Arctica.
I did buy the live album with the wolf on it. I thought it was ok. I then bought Unia which I thought blew big fucking chinks.
(https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/72402136.jpg)
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I then bought Unia which I thought blew big fucking chinks.
:lol guessing you meant chunks? if so, I agree.
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I then bought Unia which I thought blew big fucking chinks.
:lol guessing you meant chunks? if so, I agree.
:rollin :rollin
Yes. CHUNKS!! :lol
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Days of Gays and blowing big fucking chinks ..............I'm done here until Sonata Arctica is out of the way :lol
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I told you the other day Brent. It's been following me around lately. :lol
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Fix yourselves. Get some help.
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Fix yourselves. Get some help.
:lol
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:3metal: when
Justice for 3-armed metalheads
The good news is we successfully transplanted a third arm onto his body.
The bad news is he's dead.
(https://i.imgur.com/nxbUbs6.png)
Troo death metal
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Fix yourselves. Get some help.
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See Lethean knows what's up. Y'all need to replay Unia until you get it. Way more interesting than most of their power metal. MOST. Not all...
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Y'all need to replay Unia until you get it.
I'm 50. I may not be alive when Unia kicks in.
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Following this thread, just haven't had much to say so far.
I love Ecliptica, but I'll admit I only enjoy the occasional song from Sonata Arctica after that. I respect the band for continuing to evolve and progress their sound, but unfortunately it's evolved into a sound I don't really care for. Alas.
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One day I love your takes, Kade, and the next I want to fight you.
Round 1 FIGHT!!!!
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We really still using gay as an insult? Really?
It's just that I could simply remove 1 letter from a 4 letter word cleverly to express how fucking shit I think this album is. :biggrin:
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Attempting to listen to this Sonata Arctica album....I've never actually listened to a full song of theirs, ever. And now I know why. I'm just not a fan of Tony Kakko's voice. Even on the Northern Kings discs, I'd rather hear Marco or JP than Tony.
Oh well.
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Attempting to listen to this Sonata Arctica album....I've never actually listened to a full song of theirs, ever. And now I know why. I'm just not a fan of Tony Kakko's voice. Even on the Northern Kings discs, I'd rather hear Marco or JP than Tony.
Oh well.
Damn, that's a shame. I think his voice is amazing. Marco's type of voice is all right occasionally, some of the songs out there with him singing are bangers (Where the Rainbow Ends, Master of the Pendulum etc. plus his Nightwish stuff). But there are other power metal singers who sound like him - the guy from Dreamtale, and the guy from Excalion - that are super nasally and very hard for me to sit through. Marco always reminds me of those guys.
I tend to like singers with a lot of character, and with that usually (but not always) comes a distinct voice. I guess that's why I don't like a lot of American bands; I dislike the way most American singers sound in metal. Very few have appealed to me (Michael Smith from Cellador, Robb Graves from Lorenguard, Matt Barlow etc.).
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Thinks I'll skip these entries for Strato and SA, and wait until the others come up later / higher up the list.
Revisiting the UYI topic from last week, upon listening to both albums I offer the following:
God Tier - November Rain
Top Shelf - Civil War, You Could Be Mine, Live and Let Die, Bad Obsession, Pretty Tied Up
Good Stuff - Don't Cry (both versions), You Ain't the First, Don't Damn Me, Right Next Door To Hell, Knockin on Heaven's Door, Get in the Ring, Estranged
The rest ranges from 'forgettable' to 'should've never made it past a demo'. Don't Cry would be better if not for the final 20 seconds of whining.
Dawn of Victory ... it made my Top 50. https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29431.msg1141465#msg1141465
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"Locomotive" forgettable? "Breakdown" forgettable? "Coma" forgettable? bruh
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Dawn of Victory ... it made my Top 50. https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29431.msg1141465#msg1141465
The lyrics are so epic on that album.
"Mighty warriors from the silver hills march on led by golden winds"
"Oceans of fire are blasting the throne of the demons"
"I will light your evil kingdom and your heart will burn in flames"
:metardica:
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Dawn of Victory ... it made my Top 50. https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29431.msg1141465#msg1141465
The lyrics are so epic on that album.
"Mighty warriors from the silver hills march on led by golden winds"
"Oceans of fire are blasting the throne of the demons"
"I will light your evil kingdom and your heart will burn in flames"
:metardica:
Those remind me of Steve Terreberry's How to Be Power Metal video and his Power Metal Lyric Generator (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpe8eNdpAiM). :lol
"Galloping triumphantly through snowy moonlit path
Bravely climbing through the snowy wings of mountain plains"
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"Locomotive" forgettable? "Breakdown" forgettable? "Coma" forgettable? bruh
Coma nearly put me in one.
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That's just heresy. Every lyric in those last 2 minutes is gold!
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That's just heresy. Every lyric in those last 2 minutes is like a golden shower!
Fix'd. :biggrin:
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32.
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
THE EARTH IS NOT A COLD DEAD PLACE
Post-Rock
released November 4th, 2003 via Temporary Residence
(https://i.imgur.com/0vgfxaC.jpg)
1. First Breath After Coma [9:33]
2. The Only Moment We Were Alone [10:14]
3. Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean [8:43]
4. Memorial [8:50]
5. Your Hand in Mine [8:17]
THE EARTH IS NOT A COLD DEAD PLACE is
Michael James (Guitars / Bass)
Munaf Rayani (Guitars)
Mark T. Smith (Guitars)
Christopher Hrasky (Drums)
Something different! This could be one of the most emotional albums on the list and it doesn’t contain a single lyric.
In the realm of post-rock, a lot of bands love to take their time and have no problem playing double-digit length tracks for the sake of mood and atmosphere. Looking at you, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, although I love them regardless. Explosions justifies their song lengths. Each track ebbs and flows with elegance, and roars to life when the story it tells reaches a climactic point. And that’s what each song is, a little story in its own, told by three guitars and a drummer. There’s a love for reverb and tremolo picking to create a tidal wave of emotion in the form of a wall of distortion. The songs often layer tremolo picking of higher notes over a rhythm guitar that hammers away at the same note; sometimes a third guitar part will continue picking the gentle motif as all this continues, while the drums crash and roar around it all.
That’s a good description of what the album is. To me, it’s something you just need to hear, you need to experience it - and you need to be patient with it. Not so much as other post rock bands that are in no hurry to get to the finish line, but every track here is over 8 minutes, and like a story, you need to let it roll in its own time. There are strong melodic motifs and a lot of emphasis on bringing out the emotion in the melodies. “The Only Moment We Were Alone” cruises along with a gentle, happy sleigh bell rhythm underneath a beautiful, clean, wintery guitar riff, and towards the end just when you think it’s ending on a quiet note, it comes screaming back with full force, raging briefly before dying out, like a sonic supernova. It’s such a lovely piece of music, it’s my #1 favorite post-rock song.
In Summary: Gorgeous instrumental music. Put on some headphones, relax, and let this music soak in. It’s one of the most beautiful albums I can think of, and I can’t praise it enough. I’ve spent countless late nights driving through the flat countryside out here playing this album and it’s the perfect “alone” music to listen to. It’s a musical friend that I’m always willing to listen to.
Katt’s Favorites: First Breath After Coma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCA689lvfpI), The Only Moment We Were Alone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI2SpRvYjDU), Your Hand In Mine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdiY6kijYHE)
Listen to "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place" by Explosions In The Sky on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4ENmFqXRtBpigsdIhSuNJL?si=nu5xwwpVRAy8WNW1hAQb3Q)
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i've had this one for ages and it's nice but i dunno
explosions in the sky's music has always felt... kinda sterile to me
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Yeah, no thanks. I avoid anything classified as "post-something," as it just never does it for me, and I'm not much of a fan of instrumental music at all.
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the hate continues
I do think it's a shame to write off something without even giving it a shot if you haven't heard any of it but everyone's different
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I do think it's a shame to write off something without even giving it a shot if you haven't heard any of it but everyone's different
I've heard enough "post" anything music to know I don't like it. Kinda like 3 episodes of Barry. ;D
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I at least gave it a try :neverusethis:
It's all good, there'll be another one tomorrow nobody will like, too!
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the hate continues
I do think it's a shame to write off something without even giving it a shot if you haven't heard any of it but everyone's different
I did play one of those youtube links for a few minutes, but knew ahead of time that it wasn't going to be my thing, and I was right. That type of music doesn't move me one bit - one man's trash is another man's treasure.
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Well now that just makes it sound like you went in with preconceived notions. :P It's all good, different strokes.
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Thinks I'll skip these entries for Strato and SA, and wait until the others come up later / higher up the list.
Revisiting the UYI topic from last week, upon listening to both albums I offer the following:
God Tier - November Rain
Top Shelf - Civil War, You Could Be Mine, Live and Let Die, Bad Obsession, Pretty Tied Up
Good Stuff - Don't Cry (both versions), You Ain't the First, Don't Damn Me, Right Next Door To Hell, Knockin on Heaven's Door, Get in the Ring, Estranged
The rest ranges from 'forgettable' to 'should've never made it past a demo'. Don't Cry would be better if not for the final 20 seconds of whining.
Dawn of Victory ... it made my Top 50. https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29431.msg1141465#msg1141465
The Garden didn't slip through? That's a quality song. I am glad you liked Civil War, though; I think that song is criminally underrated.
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I'm not sure what Post-Rock music is and that's why I figured I'll give a listen here, but I listened to a couple songs and wasn't very interested. I could see this just playing in the background and being fine but there's like, just no meat to it for me to ever find myself wanting to put this on to actively listen to while driving. That's just me though, I need more energy in my music.
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Maybe you (who are certain you'll hate it) should just listen to one of the shortest songs? The word "post" is used for a lot of different things and not all of it sounds the same. You might not like it, and that's cool. But maybe you will, or you'll like part of it. Or you still won't like it but i'll give you an idea of something you do like that you could use in Kattelox's next roulette. :P
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Maybe you (who are certain you'll hate it) should just listen to one of the shortest songs? The word "post" is used for a lot of different things and not all of it sounds the same. You might not like it, and that's cool. But maybe you will, or you'll like part of it. Or you still won't like it but i'll give you an idea of something you do like that you could use in Kattelox's next roulette. :P
Was this aimed at me? I don't think I was certain I'll hate it, I think not knowing a thing about it (including the genre) is what made me want to try it out. The third song, Your Hand in Mine, was my favorite of the three (and the shortest although not a short song). But this is just not my cup of tea.
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It's not exactly music you'd put on in the same context you'd listen to any normal rock song. Much like a good prog epic you need to focus on the music and enjoy it in an appropriate environment. Explosions are arguably the most famous post rock group and for good reason imo.
I'm kind of surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for different types of music on a prog forum tbh, or maybe I just do have bad taste in music; there have been more "I don't like this" responses than I admittedly expected even with all the power metal.
But tomorrow there should be an album lots here will appreciate... even though I often still see it slammed
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Maybe you (who are certain you'll hate it) should just listen to one of the shortest songs? The word "post" is used for a lot of different things and not all of it sounds the same. You might not like it, and that's cool. But maybe you will, or you'll like part of it. Or you still won't like it but i'll give you an idea of something you do like that you could use in Kattelox's next roulette. :P
Was this aimed at me? I don't think I was certain I'll hate it, I think not knowing a thing about it (including the genre) is what made me want to try it out. The third song, Your Hand in Mine, was my favorite of the three (and the shortest although not a short song). But this is just not my cup of tea.
No no - your post came in pretty much at the same time I was posting mine :) It's to those who don't like anything with "post" in it. And I don't mean it to be snarky even - just that there's a lot of music with "post" in it, most that I probably haven't heard, but what I have heard sounds different enough that I think it's very possible for people to like certain bands but not others.
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Maybe you (who are certain you'll hate it) should just listen to one of the shortest songs? The word "post" is used for a lot of different things and not all of it sounds the same. You might not like it, and that's cool. But maybe you will, or you'll like part of it. Or you still won't like it but i'll give you an idea of something you do like that you could use in Kattelox's next roulette. :P
It has nothing to do with the length of the song...I am a Dream Theater fan. ;) Cram has it right - it's completely lacking any energy, and I love to listen to energetic music. I listen to Enigma and love that stuff...it's mellow, but still has a groove, is still incredibly catchy and doesn't sound like a lullaby. I'm a riff guy. I want a big, meaty riff that gets stuck in my head and can tap my foot to. Not some musical texture floating around for six minutes without going anywhere.
On a personal note, I can say with reasonable certainty that I'm going to hate anything labeled post-music. Wikipedia has an entry for post-metal and out of the 44 bands listed on that page belonging to the sub-genre, I don't like any of them (including Tool).
It's just not my thing. I listened to some of the music, knew immediately it's not my thing and moved on.
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Post-punk has plenty of cool riffs.
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and pretty much no one does big meaty riffs better than Neurosis which is a post-metal band. Post-metal is probably the heaviest metal subgenre.
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I like some post-metal but neurosis and their soundalikes have basically ruined the genre for me :lol
I feel like they're more sludge metal than post-metal really
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I strongly disagree there's no energy here. This record is all about the emotional swells. I like tons of styles of music, not the same heavy metal vibe or rock grooves all the time. Energy comes in many forms!
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I’m probably gonna give that Explosions in the Sky album a listen later today. Need to listen to more post-rock. The only post-rock I really listen to is GYBE, Sigur Ros and late Swans.
Edit: Oh and late Talk Talk too of course.
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I’m probably gonna give that Explosions in the Sky album a listen later today. Need to listen to more post-rock. The only post-rock I really listen to is GYBE, Sigur Ros and late Swans.
Edit: Oh and late Talk Talk too of course.
See Explosions would fit right in with those groups and yet is nothing like them. God Is An Astronaut is another wonderful post-rock band that's got a lot more keyboard and electronic work; their 2005 album All Is Violent, All Is Bright just barely missed out on making this list, and they have several other amazing records. Post-rock is a wonderfully varied genre.
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I strongly disagree there's no energy here. This record is all about the emotional swells. I like tons of styles of music, not the same heavy metal vibe or rock grooves all the time. Energy comes in many forms!
In the songs you tagged, I could see the "emotional swells" but to me, they weren't very energetic and maybe it's just a different energy I am looking for.
I'm kind of surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for different types of music on a prog forum tbh, or maybe I just do have bad taste in music; there have been more "I don't like this" responses than I admittedly expected even with all the power metal.
I apologize for my often negative attitude in this thread, was mostly just sharing my opinions and thoughts but I know there's been a lot of negativity towards your list and personally I love how you defend it to death, as you should. It's kind of part of why I don't mind saying something negative, you'll come back at me with how I'm wrong and I like it since we are just talking about music where there is no right or wrong, it's just fun. To me, it's amazing how close and yet how far apart we are in music tastes (I'm talking more about prog/power where we like the same bands but different albums) as for the other styles of music, I'm sure if I started listing my favorite bands outside of metal, I'd get similar responses.
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Oh it's all good my dude, I wouldn't want people sugarcoating their opinions on something :biggrin: It definitely gives me an excuse to defend them to the death, 'cause I already know a bunch of these are maligned by their fanbases :lol
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:lol and that's why I love this thread
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Thinks I'll skip these entries for Strato and SA, and wait until the others come up later / higher up the list.
Revisiting the UYI topic from last week, upon listening to both albums I offer the following:
God Tier - November Rain
Top Shelf - Civil War, You Could Be Mine, Live and Let Die, Bad Obsession, Pretty Tied Up
Good Stuff - Don't Cry (both versions), You Ain't the First, Don't Damn Me, Right Next Door To Hell, Knockin on Heaven's Door, Get in the Ring, Estranged
The rest ranges from 'forgettable' to 'should've never made it past a demo'. Don't Cry would be better if not for the final 20 seconds of whining.
Dawn of Victory ... it made my Top 50. https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=29431.msg1141465#msg1141465
The Garden didn't slip through? That's a quality song. I am glad you liked Civil War, though; I think that song is criminally underrated.
Nah, The Garden is still crap - didn't like it 30 years ago, didn't like it last weekend. I've always really liked Civil War - it along with You Could Be Mine got the most radio airtime (the latter aided by the T2 hype-train) upon release - and it's aged really, really well.
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While I prefer Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever and All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, that Explosions album is great!
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While I prefer Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever and All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, that Explosions album is great!
:hug:
Both of those are really good. Truth... suffers from its production, and AOAS... goes a bit too far with the slow ambient crescendos and decrescendos for my tastes, but they're awesome records regardless.
#31 I am struggling with the credits online because I found an error, and this is a massive list of musicians, and I want to do this right god damn it, so I'm waiting to post it until I get home this evening. I hope more people will have something to say about this record, since it should be one that's very familiar to people here. Just perhaps not their favorite, but it's mine by a country mile. Let the guessing begin? :)
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Hmm, just guessing from "massive list of musicians" and "familiar" but "perhaps not their favorite"... maybe Into the Electric Castle?
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Hmm, just guessing from "massive list of musicians" and "familiar" but "perhaps not their favorite"... maybe Into the Electric Castle?
VERY good guess... But no! Stay tuned...
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The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place is one of my favorite albums. I think EITS can be a bit samey in general, so I don't listen to their other stuff all that much, but this album is great.
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31.
AYREON
01011001
Progressive Rock / Progressive Metal
released January 28th, 2008 via InsideOut Music
(https://i.imgur.com/4gPuPBs.jpg)
DISC 1 – Y
1. Age of Shadows [10:47]
2. Comatose [4:26]
3. Liquid Eternity [8:10]
4. Connect the Dots [4:13]
5. Beneath the Waves [8:26]
6. Newborn Race [7:49]
7. Ride the Comet [3:29]
8. Web of Lies [2:50]
DISC 2 – EARTH
9. The Fifth Extinction [10:29]
10. Waking Dreams [6:31]
11. The Truth Is In Here [5:12]
12. Unnatural Selection [7:15]
13. River of Time [4:24]
14. E=MC2 [5:50]
15. The Sixth Extinction [12:18]
01011001 is
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
(Guitars / Bass / Mandolin / Keyboards / Synthesizer / Organ / Backing vocals)
Ed Warby (Drums / Percussion)
FEATURING
Bob Catley (Vocals on 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15)
Tom Englund (Vocals on 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 15)
Anneke van Giersbergen (Vocals on 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 15)
Daniel Gildenlöw (Vocals on 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 15)
Liselotte Hegt (Vocals on 15)
Floor Jansen (Vocals on 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 15)
Hansi Kürsch (Vocals on 1, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 15)
Jørn Lande (Vocals on 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 15)
Steve Lee R.I.P. 2010 (Vocals on 1, 5, 9, 12, 15)
Magali Luyten (Vocals on 3, 7, 15)
Jonas Renkse (Vocals on 1, 10, 12, 15)
Simone Simons (Vocals on 8, 15)
Ty Tabor (Vocals on 4)
Marjan Welman (Vocals on 15)
Wudstik (Vocals on 14, 15)
Phideaux Xavier (Vocals on 8, 15)
WITH
Tomas Bodin (Synthesizer solo on 10)
Joost van den Broek (Synthesizer solo on 15 / Piano on 15)
David Faber (Cello)
Jeroen Goossens (Flute on 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13 / Recorder on 11 / Tin whistle on 13)
Lori Linstruth (Guitar solo on 6)
Ben Mathot (Violin)
Michael Romeo (Guitar solo on 14)
Derek Sherinian (Synthesizer solo on 9)
That is one monstrous guest roster. I got this album right after it came out due to reading hype about Ayreon online, and it was the first time I ever heard Tom Englund, Anneke van Giersbergen, Floor Jansen, Daniel Gildenlöw, Steve Lee, and Jonas Renkse, as well as the smaller names on the list. Bob Catley, Ty Tabor, Hansi, Jørn, and Simone were the only names I was familiar with, and Hansi and Jorn were the biggest reasons I bought the album in the first place, being highly skeptical of and unfamiliar with prog metal at the time.
Ayreon is all about double-disc conceptual scifi prog rock/metal albums. Wikipedia summarizes 01011001 as follows:
“Through technological advancement, 'Forever', a race of aquatic beings living on Planet Y, has found the secret of longevity. They have advanced to the point that they have become completely dependent on machines and are losing their emotions. A passing comet on a collision course with Planet Earth provides the opportunity to revitalize their race; 'Forever' harness the comet to carry their DNA to a new home on Earth. When the comet and Earth collide, the cataclysmic impact exterminates the dinosaurs (the Fifth Extinction), but from the ashes of destruction, humans arise. At first, the experiment with seeded DNA seems successful: through the humans 'Forever' vicariously relive the emotions they experienced before the age of machines. In order to help mankind overcome their physical ailments and mental limitations, 'Forever' speeds up human evolution. But the result is tragic: people develop a similar technological dependency with their emotions waning just like 'Forever' and moral development not keeping pace with their capacity to invent. 'Forever' must find a way to save mankind from its imminent self-destruction… or should they?”
This is the only Ayreon album I can listen to every track on, in a row, without getting bored or skipping tracks. “Connect the Dots” is a fine song and I never understood why it was slammed after this record was released – it’s not as if the album is lacking in lengthy or proggy metal and rock. “Web of Lies” is easily the lowest point of the album and in my opinion the only arguably disappointing track, but thematically it fits and I get why it’s there. It’s really not that bad, but the whole premise is just a little embarrassing.
The vocal guest roster is my favorite of any Ayreon album, and I think every single vocal melody is wonderful here. Every vocalist is distinct, with their own unique talents and deliveries, and they really help make this record so enjoyable for me. Hansi and Jorn especially have some of my favorite moments. Even Daniel Gildenöw and Tom Englund, whose respective bands I just do not like, sound wonderful. The late Steve Lee sounds phenomenal, and this album also has my favorite Anneke melodies out there.
If I had to choose a favorite, I prefer disc 1 to disc 2, but disc 2 has two incredible epics and a sick groovy rocker in “The Truth Is In Here,” so it’s pretty close. I’m deeply fond of “Comatose” for the dark keyboards and electronic drum beat and a lovely duet between Anneke and Jørn. A shorter and more minimalist track on the album but one of my favorites for sure.
Jonas Renkse also has a lot of my favorite vocal lines on the album. His bleak delivery adds such a melancholy vibe to this album and it brings out a lot of the darkness in the story. This album helped introduce me to Katatonia.
In Summary: Arjen is a talented guy, and I love the concept behind his Ayreon universe and how he goes all-in with every album. But this album has just about everything I like and nothing I dislike. Amazing guest vocalist roster, and each of them is used wonderfully. Powerful, unique riffs and beautiful folky moments with the woodwinds and acoustic guitars. Interesting sonic textures that arise from multiple combinations of unique voices. 10+ minute epics with ensemble casts and a massive overarching story. It’s prog as fuck and totally awesome. Way better than The Human Equation and neither of the newer albums come anywhere close to this one in my opinion.
Katt’s Favorites: Age of Shadows (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uozt4N72a5U), Comatose (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw6Og_tbIjU), Newborn Race (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuL27-IB3Iw), The Fifth Extinction (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRP2ylxLSEA), The Truth Is In Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTjeggJg9ss), The Sixth Extinction (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJD5YmVPa-s)
Listen to "01011001" by Ayreon on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/6P3ZseEm8PS3fjMxSZP3f6?si=-GaPPKCDSOeJ7W_1TBp9_A)
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i like this album but i also liked when arjen did it better & shorter with guilt machine
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i like this album but i also liked when arjen did it better & shorter with guilt machine
I own that record. It's so fucking boring I regret buying it, but On This Perfect Day isn't bad
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I really need to get into Ayreon.... that guest list is monstrous.
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I really need to get into Ayreon.... that guest list is monstrous.
So like, most prog nerds will drool over The Human Equation and tell you to listen to that. Which is fine! I think it's horribly overrated but it's clearly a good starting point for Ayreon. But a friend of mine touted that record for years and I just could not get into it, so 01011001 was finally the one that did it for me. THE however has Mikael Akerfeldt, James LaBrie, Devin Townsend, I think Damian Wilson from Threshold... and plenty of others. But me personally, I prefer 01011001 and couldn't recommend it enough to someone who wants to get into Ayreon.
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I really need to get into Ayreon.... that guest list is monstrous.
So like, most prog nerds will drool over The Human Equation and tell you to listen to that. Which is fine! I think it's horribly overrated but it's clearly a good starting point for Ayreon. But a friend of mine touted that record for years and I just could not get into it, so 01011001 was finally the one that did it for me. THE however has Mikael Akerfeldt, James LaBrie, Devin Townsend, I think Damian Wilson from Threshold... and plenty of others. But me personally, I prefer 01011001 and couldn't recommend it enough to someone who wants to get into Ayreon.
So this is kind of sad, I actually have The Theater Equation blu-ray, I've had it for years. I tried watching once, it starts with JLB on a car, sort of very theater like which was a cool setting to see him in, but musically I felt immediately bored. I never came back, but I know this is not representative of them, I mean, I'm not sure I made it past the opening song so how could I judge that? And the new singles I actually did listen to and enjoy. But I never actually gave them a real chance.
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i like this album but i also liked when arjen did it better & shorter with guilt machine
I own that record. It's so fucking boring I regret buying it, but On This Perfect Day isn't bad
...on this perfect day is the album i mean, yes
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i like this album but i also liked when arjen did it better & shorter with guilt machine
I own that record. It's so fucking boring I regret buying it, but On This Perfect Day isn't bad
...on this perfect day is the album i mean, yes
See it's been so long I can't even remember the track names. I meant the first song. Twisted, apparently. It's not bad but way too long.
I really need to get into Ayreon.... that guest list is monstrous.
So like, most prog nerds will drool over The Human Equation and tell you to listen to that. Which is fine! I think it's horribly overrated but it's clearly a good starting point for Ayreon. But a friend of mine touted that record for years and I just could not get into it, so 01011001 was finally the one that did it for me. THE however has Mikael Akerfeldt, James LaBrie, Devin Townsend, I think Damian Wilson from Threshold... and plenty of others. But me personally, I prefer 01011001 and couldn't recommend it enough to someone who wants to get into Ayreon.
So this is kind of sad, I actually have The Theater Equation blu-ray, I've had it for years. I tried watching once, it starts with JLB on a car, sort of very theater like which was a cool setting to see him in, but musically I felt immediately bored. I never came back, but I know this is not representative of them, I mean, I'm not sure I made it past the opening song so how could I judge that? And the new singles I actually did listen to and enjoy. But I never actually gave them a real chance.
I think THE is incredibly boring, personally, so I understand why you felt bored right away.
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:corn
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I see you're back on your schtick of featuring one of the worst albums from an amazing act :lol! 01 is serviceable, but it has as many low moments as it does high moments. I agree the roster is filled with A-list talent, but it's just too much - none of them get a meaningful chance to shine. Even Arjen acknowledged that after the fact Sometimes, less is more. And on this album, more is less.
P.S. Damian Wilson is NOT on The Human Equation - he's on Into the Electric Castle though.
@ Cram... start with this album, then The Source, the Into the Electric Castle, then The Human Equation. Theater Equation is a terrible way to start. If you don't have experience with the studio album, I can totally see how this puts anyone 'off' of Ayreon.
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I see you're back on your schtick of featuring one of the worst albums from an amazing act :lol! 01 is serviceable, but it has as many low moments as it does high moments. I agree the roster is filled with A-list talent, but it's just too much - none of them get a meaningful chance to shine. Even Arjen acknowledged that after the fact Sometimes, less is more. And on this album, more is less.
Bruh. wut. They all get a chance to shine. I've always disagreed with Arjen having regrets about this album because I think it's balanced perfectly well here. Especially on the epics like Fifth and Sixth Extinction where, like I thought I wrote about (might have deleted it), the call-and-response between the vocalists is just *chef's kiss*.
One of the worst albums? GTFO, mofo - this is the ONLY Ayreon album without a lot of filler or several boring tracks and the only one with a 150% solid guest vocalist roster all around. Fight me! :loser:
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I've often just jumped in with a live dvd or cd of a band to introduce myself to them. Many times a setlist is like a best of anyway plus if a band isn't good live, then fuck em I say. So for me starting with a concert video is not that strange, but maybe I just didn't understand the gist of The Theater Equation. I feel like I'll eventually just get the Source though since I liked the singles and go from there. I don't need to start with their "best" because then it's just downhill from there
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This album I didn't really find that good. THE is my go to Ayreon.
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I don't need to start with their "best" because then it's just downhill from there
That's why I suggested you start with this album.
MJ... as much as our tastes align, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this matter. I'm not going to convince you, and you're not going to convince me. I'll just say this on the matter of none of them getting time to shine ... 15 vocalists on 15 songs; 8 vocalists on Age of Shadows alone; some of them only appear on one or two tracks, while seven (Gildenlow, Englund, Lande, Cately, AVG, Floor and Hansi) are featured on six or more tracks, such that they hardly get more than a few lines per song. There's just no balance.
TASTES!!!
@ wolfking :hifive:
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i like this album but i also liked when arjen did it better & shorter with guilt machine
holy shit I've found one other person that agrees with me
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Yeah man, I strongly disagree on this album! :lol But it's all good. I truly do think just about everybody gets their moment in the spotlight, and it's really not even about them each getting an extended time in the spotlight, the magic to me is in how they sing with each other and how their characters answer each other in the lyrics. That's why I don't mind them only getting a few lines - if they work, they work, and to me... they work! :lol I absolutely love that strong musical effect when one person finishes their 2 lines and then Jorn roars in with his. FUCK YEAH!! :2metal:
It's by far Arjen's strongest work, no question, I really wish he'd go all-out like this again. I genuinely believe his regrets on this album are misplaced and have resulted in a couple hamstringed albums since he brought Ayreon back. Double albums need to be as over-the-top as they can in order to justify their length, and I think this one hit the bullseye in that regard. Oh well.
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Ayreon albums ranked
1. 01011001 - king of the electric castle
2. Into the Electric Castle
big gap
3. maybe THE idk
4. everything else
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THE
01011001
ITEC
Dream Sequencer
TToE
Flight of the Migrator
The Source
The Final Experiment
Actual Fantasy
i don't feel like this is a controversial ranking tbh
guilt machine would be about equal with or maybe even slightly above THE, dunno
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I really wish I could understand why people like THE. It's just... so... uneventful... The naming convention of the tracklist really bores me too. I want to like it but I can't, apart from the artwork, which is SOOO good. Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.
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like the forever, you have forgotten emotions
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I really wish I could understand why people like THE. It's just... so... uneventful... The naming convention of the tracklist really bores me too. I want to like it but I can't, apart from the artwork, which is SOOO good. Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.
It's a masterpiece.
What Chad said is right. I was so excited by the list of guest musicians but was letdown. None of them showed what they were capable of. Nothing memorable for me.
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I cannot fathom how someone can praise the boring THE but say there's nothing memorable on 01011001. You and Chad are so broken! :biggrin:
Nah... I know 01011001's a minority favorite... but god it's so so so much better than any of the other Ayreon albums to me. Wish more people viewed it the way I do so I could have someone to share the praise with. Same with Poetry... same with a lot of other albums really... :lol
Who's left? I'm waiting for Evermind to tell me how wrong I am. Then we're complete. :lol
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So like, most prog nerds will drool over The Human Equation and tell you to listen to that. Which is fine! I think it's horribly overrated...
Okay, good enough I guess, I like 01011001 a lot...
I think THE is incredibly boring, personally, so I understand why you felt bored right away.
How about you fuck right off? :biggrin:
I really like 01011001 tbh, I think some of tracks on it are the best Arjen has ever written. You're also the first person I know who likes Connect the Dots.
I'm in the The Human Equation camp. Best album Arjen has ever put out, and maybe—just maybe—the best album ever. Definitely in my Top 3 overall.
Who's left? I'm waiting for Evermind to tell me how wrong I am. Then we're complete. :lol
You're welcome, man.
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AND RIGHT ON CUE!! :rollin
Connect the Dots rules. It's so inoffensive. To this day I do not understand the crap it gets. It's a fun song.
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And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)
Also as a guy who wrote the Ayreon Discography thread (fuck, I should do The Source), it should be kinda expected I'll pop up every once in a while when Ayreon is discussed.
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And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)
And if he comes down, tell him I'll be right here, just staring at the tube - playing his game :corn See! It's fun!
The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end. Haters, get ready!
(https://i.imgur.com/qfkk8Fw.gif)
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The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end.
Oh, you mean the last few are actually part of the list??
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I eat farts.
You don't say! :lol
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And it's finger-licking good
(Finger-licking good)
And if he comes down, tell him I'll be right here, just staring at the tube - playing his game :corn See! It's fun!
The next update is gonna be an honorable mention; I'll do one of these every 5 spots until the end. Haters, get ready!
(https://i.imgur.com/qfkk8Fw.gif)
https://youtu.be/OpWO_byqSr8?t=124
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To be honest, I thought this was held in higher regard than it seems to be (which is why I guessed ItEC instead of it). I kind of thought it was the consensus #2 Ayreon album, which seems not to actually be the case.
Definitely my favorite Ayreon album, even though I'm not wild about Connect the Dots and Web of Lies. The epics are just so good. I sort of see your point about THE, though I like it better than you do (I'd rate it a strong second in the Ayreon discography).
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THE > TTOE > TDS > 01
I know I'm also in the minority though.
The common consensus is I think THE > ITEC > 01. I'm not sure though.
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To be honest, I thought this was held in higher regard than it seems to be (which is why I guessed ItEC instead of it). I kind of thought it was the consensus #2 Ayreon album, which seems not to actually be the case.
Definitely my favorite Ayreon album, even though I'm not wild about Connect the Dots and Web of Lies. The epics are just so good. I sort of see your point about THE, though I like it better than you do (I'd rate it a strong second in the Ayreon discography).
My man! I dig your taste...
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I'll chime in with good news and bad - I think 1001001 SOS is a really good album and have no issues with it being on this list. I'm not the biggest fan of some of the singers on this one, but it has Jonas Renske so that automatically raises it a few levels. ;)
But... The Human Equation is still better. :P
All in all though - I don't really see how anyone can think one album is awesome and the other is boring. They're both good.
I do however, agree with jingle that there might be too many singers on 01, and I also feel that way about The Source - maybe even moreso about The Source. I'd like him to scale back on the number of singers just a little and let the ones who are any given album have some more lines.
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I'd say vocally 01011001 isn't Arjen's best, since I do feel some of the singers get a bit crowded and don't stand out that much, but musically I think it's one of the best albums he's done. I guess I'm also partial to it since it was my first Ayreon album (and one of the first three albums I ever bought).
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My man! I dig your taste...
:tup
Also, this album can't be that weak, vocally, if it gave us Floor Jansen and Jørn Lande duetting.
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Apart from Star One I have always struggled with Arjen's stuff - I can't put my finger on it but there's always something missing. Possibly something to do with my regular struggle with concept albums period - with a very few exceptions I normally feel that the music has been shoe horned into the story whether it fits properly or not. Among my thousands of albums that sit there not listened to , I stumbled upon another of his the other day called Guilt Machine which I presumably picked up because someone was raving about it. Anyone got thoughts on that one?
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I like 01011001, but it's not Ayreon's best
Here's my controversial list:
The Human Equation
Into the Electric Castle
The Source
The Final Experiment
01011001
Universal Migrator (really it's all one album)
The Theory of Everything
Actual Fantasy
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Maybe I should spin a few tracks off it but the best moments don't even approach the worst on 01011001 to me, which is nuts.
You're absolutely right... that is nuts!
Look, 01 has some great highs, but on the flipside, some equally 'great' lows. Add the issues with the quantity and crowded nature of the vocalists, and it's just middle of the pack in the Arjen discog (for me). I think it's pretty clear that THE is the consensus #1; ITEC #2 - just look at the full-album shows that Arjen has (is) put(ting) out. I would've thought the Universal Migrator albums would be 3a/3b, then The Source/01 ??
@ Brent ... I'd classify Guilt Machine is Steampunk Ayreon. It's pretty good, but if *you* struggle with Ayreon, you'll either hate or love Guilt Machine.
@ Ruslan... yes, you do need to finally do a writeup for The Source!
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I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.
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I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.
That's a whole other problem... :biggrin:
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I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.
That's a whole other problem... :biggrin:
Among the many! :lol
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Won't speak as to Ayreon's best, but 01 is easily my favorite, the one I listen to the most and enjoy the most start to finish. Count me in with those who don't "get" THE.
I have honestly not heard a single Ayreon album.
It took me a long time to give Ayreon a spin but I am glad I did, one of my top bands I was introduced to via this forum.
For anyone interested in checking out Ayreon, the 3CD Timeline set is a great "Greatest Hits"-type collection.
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"Greatest Hits" generally translates to "Most Boring".
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it's not like ayreon has actually had any hits ever tho
most ayreon projects are album experiences tho so i wouldn't recommend that collection
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What is the heaviest most ass kicking album by Ayreon, and who are the vocalists?
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flight of the migrator is the heaviest one for sure
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flight of the migrator is the heaviest one for sure
Who are the vocalists?
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing
I've heard of Bruce Dickinson.
I do like Fabio Lione.
Not in love with Sheepers or Allen, and I definitely don't care for Damien Wilson. I'll check it out though.
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"Greatest Hits" generally translates to "Most Boring".
Since when? WTF is this based on? :lol
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Look, 01 has some great highs, but on the flipside, some equally 'great' lows. Add the issues with the quantity and crowded nature of the vocalists, and it's just middle of the pack in the Arjen discog (for me). I think it's pretty clear that THE is the consensus #1; ITEC #2 - just look at the full-album shows that Arjen has (is) put(ting) out. I would've thought the Universal Migrator albums would be 3a/3b, then The Source/01 ??
Yeah the consensus is that THE is the favorite followed by ITEC (which I actually do like a lot, it's my #2), but the prog world also goes gaga for stupid fucking SFAM and Threshold who has - Lethean, look away - made a decades-long career out of the same variation of a half-dozen crappy midtempo mechanical riffs so I doubt the larger community's taste. *takes Denis Leary sized drag of cigarette* :loser: Any excuse to bag on Threshold, I take.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing
I've heard of Bruce Dickinson.
I do like Fabio Lione.
Not in love with Sheepers or Allen, and I definitely don't care for Damien Wilson. I'll check it out though.
You really, really should at least check Into the Black Hole, which is Bruce's song. It's the best song on the album and an absolutely vintage Bruce performance.
Yeah the consensus is that THE is the favorite followed by ITEC (which I actually do like a lot, it's my #2), but the prog world also goes gaga for stupid fucking SFAM and Threshold who has - Lethean, look away - made a decades-long career out of the same variation of a half-dozen crappy midtempo mechanical riffs so I doubt the larger community's taste. *takes Denis Leary sized drag of cigarette* :loser: Any excuse to bag on Threshold, I take.
Since you're bringing up the word "midtempo," I'll go ahead and confess one of my Ayreon takes:
I think one of the things (not the only thing: I don't tend to love Arjen's lyrics) that keeps Ayreon in the "like but don't love" category for me as a band/project is that so many of the songs are in a pretty similar tempo, especially on the longer double albums. Sometimes they slow it down, but they rarely go above mid-tempo. I'd really like to hear those albums broken up with some tracks where they up the BPM just a little bit. To be honest, that's part of why Flight of the Migrator is probably my #3 Ayreon album.
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I call it mid tempo mumbo jumbo.
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"Greatest Hits" generally translates to "Most Boring".
I put it in quotes because it isn't really a "Greatest Hits," but I do feel it is as good a representation of the material as possible in a 3CD set. But you are just being argumentative now :p
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Look, 01 has some great highs, but on the flipside, some equally 'great' lows. Add the issues with the quantity and crowded nature of the vocalists, and it's just middle of the pack in the Arjen discog (for me). I think it's pretty clear that THE is the consensus #1; ITEC #2 - just look at the full-album shows that Arjen has (is) put(ting) out. I would've thought the Universal Migrator albums would be 3a/3b, then The Source/01 ??
Yeah the consensus is that THE is the favorite followed by ITEC (which I actually do like a lot, it's my #2), but the prog world also goes gaga for stupid fucking SFAM and Threshold who has - Lethean, look away - made a decades-long career out of the same variation of a half-dozen crappy midtempo mechanical riffs so I doubt the larger community's taste. *takes Denis Leary sized drag of cigarette* :loser: Any excuse to bag on Threshold, I take.
Aside from there being no reason to bring Threshold into this... That doesn't even make any sense. I would love it if the "prog world" or the "larger community" was crazy about Threshold. Maybe if they were, they would have done at least a small US tour by now. I doubt that the much of the larger community even knows who they are. This forum isn't representative of all prog fans, but I imagine it's the biggest prog metal forum out there or at least one of them. There are lots of bands that get way more attention than Threshold. I'm sure one of those bands that actually are beloved by "the larger community" doesn't appeal to you and would perhaps make a better example.
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I knew that would strike a nerve. I apologize. :lol
When I refer to the larger community I'm not talking about DTF. RYM, progarchives, Facebook, I see tons of love for em. Also, I'm trying to troll Chad a little in good fun. :lol
But I'll admit that was a little harsh, so I'm sorry, again. All meant to be in the spirit of fun trash talk.
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there's no good music at all according to RYM
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I've gotta say, I'm not super in touch with the broader prog community, but I read DTF, occasionally browse Sputnik and RYM, and follow /r/progmetal on reddit and I see very little attention paid to Threshold on any of those places.
As one anecdote, I literally had not heard of Threshold at all before Leth sent them in my roulette, so... really they don't seem to me to be very known at all?
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Yeah Tim, Bruce is fantastic on his song. Check it.
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I cannot fathom how someone can praise the boring THE but say there's nothing memorable on 01011001. You and Chad are so broken! :biggrin:
Nah... I know 01011001's a minority favorite... but god it's so so so much better than any of the other Ayreon albums to me. Wish more people viewed it the way I do so I could have someone to share the praise with. Same with Poetry... same with a lot of other albums really... :lol
Who's left? I'm waiting for Evermind to tell me how wrong I am. Then we're complete. :lol
I agree 100% with this. THE is quite boring. This album on the other hand has some really fun songs. And Hansi :heart
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I've gotta say, I'm not super in touch with the broader prog community, but I read DTF, occasionally browse Sputnik and RYM, and follow /r/progmetal on reddit and I see very little attention paid to Threshold on any of those places.
As one anecdote, I literally had not heard of Threshold at all before Leth sent them in my roulette, so... really they don't seem to me to be very known at all?
...or that good...
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Don't tell me we're going to agree on something, TAC!! :lol
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11110000 is a very good record that has two problems:
It came after the superb Human Equation and it couldn't top that and it doesn't let the singers really shine. Gildenlöw and Catley especially aren't used to their potential.
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I've gotta say, I'm not super in touch with the broader prog community, but I read DTF, occasionally browse Sputnik and RYM, and follow /r/progmetal on reddit and I see very little attention paid to Threshold on any of those places.
As one anecdote, I literally had not heard of Threshold at all before Leth sent them in my roulette, so... really they don't seem to me to be very known at all?
...or that good...
You're becoming the Kotowboy of GMD.
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:lol
I liked (and own) March of Progress and I still haven't heard Legends of the Shires. I think I'll fix this tomorrow.
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I've gotta say, I'm not super in touch with the broader prog community, but I read DTF, occasionally browse Sputnik and RYM, and follow /r/progmetal on reddit and I see very little attention paid to Threshold on any of those places.
As one anecdote, I literally had not heard of Threshold at all before Leth sent them in my roulette, so... really they don't seem to me to be very known at all?
...or that good...
You're becoming the Kotowboy of GMD.
I don’t know what that means.
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I bring another update full of disappointment and a big ol' middle finger to the anti-power metal crowd. I am ready for the hate. Say your worst. :biggrin:
* * *
30.
CAIN'S OFFERING
GATHER THE FAITHFUL
Melodic Power Metal
released August 27th, 2009 via Frontiers Records
(https://i.imgur.com/W8RG08A.jpg)
1. My Queen of Winter [4:15]
2. More Than Friends [5:38]
3. Oceans of Regret [6:21]
4. Gather the Faithful (instrumental) [3:50]
5. Into the Blue [4:25]
6. Dawn of Solace [4:18]
7. Thorn In My Side [4:07]
8. Morpheus in a Masquerade [6:51]
9. Stolen Waters [4:35]
10. Elegantly Broken [2:46]
GATHER THE FAITHFUL is
Timo Kotipelto (Vocals)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitars / Additional keyboards / Programming / Backing and choir vocals)
Jukka Koskinen (Bass)
Jani Hurula (Drums)
Mikko Härkin (Keyboards)
WITH
Petri Aho (Backing and choir vocals)
Antti Railio (Backing and choir vocals)
Janne Hurme (Choir vocals on 2)
I said there were five Stratovarius albums on this list. Psych! This one is like an honorary Stratovarius or Sonata Arctica album; a perfect blend of pop and the special ingredient that made early Sonata Arctica so special – Jani Liimatainen's songwriting. This is a sugary, sickly sweet album – anybody who doesn't like the poppier side of power metal needs to stay far away from this. But for those who are into that sort of thing, or have a deep love of early Sonata Arctica and enjoy Timo Kotipelto's voice, this is a match made in heaven. It's sort of a litmus test of what kind of power metal you like to listen to this record.
It's almost too much at times, honestly - but I say go big or go home. All these other power metal bands try to be corny or pass themselves off as silly, but with Cain's Offering, Jani just leaned into this style hard as a motherfucker and I so appreciate that. I repeat, go big or go home. While early Sonata Arctica and peak Stratovarius had no shortage of catchy melodies and synthesizers, Cain's Offering takes all of that, jacks it up a few notches, and coats every song in a thick layer of lyrical corniness that will test even the biggest fan of “flower metal.” But the record radiates beauty and warmth, like in the ballad “Into the Blue” which shows Timo Kotipelto at one of his best moments in his entire post-Tolkki musical career, and the strings and pads create a soft, comforting sound to really sell the song.
“Morpheus in a Masquerade” is a sprawling melodic epic. I love this song for its many lyrics and how Timo carries the vocal melody. It never stops evolving and changing and building the tension. It's the most adventurous track on the record for sure. “Thorn In My Side” is another gem with a real catchy beat. Everything about this record is catchier than the flu, but this one is downright infectious. The synth patches chosen are light on their own, but they're cranked so high in the mix they add a certain peculiar strength to the songs. But of course that depends on how much you like synths...
And the final track, "Elegantly Broken," is just a delight. A really beautiful ballad. Love the piano.
In Summary: Any metalhead who doesn't like a lot of synths, smooth clean vocals, romantic lyrics, catchy melodies... well, they'll think this is an abomination. This record is for the purest of power metal fans, end of story, nobody else. This record is corny as hell. There's no denying it. But it's gorgeous, and I love gorgeous music. It's unabashedly happy and relishes in layers of poppy synths (I'm pretty sure that's a Microkorg on “Oceans of Regret”). But at the same time, it cranks the speed up to full-bore power metal. Timo Kotipelto's voice is in rare form and Jani's songwriting is a sound for sore ears who were turned off by post-Reckoning Night Sonata Arctica.
Also one of my biggest regrets is seeing Stratovarius right after this album came out and I left this album's booklet in my car and never got Timo Kotipelto to sign it. And Stratovarius hasn't been back for a tour since then. :yeahright
Katt's Favorites: Into the Blue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDlb5Iieycs), Dawn of Solace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u9REoTMOL4), Thorn In My Side (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O5i5krEEp4), Morpheus In A Masquerade (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyNufe-bEas), Elegantly Broken (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZQZezXKVPA)
Listen to "Gather the Faithful" by Cain's Offering on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/6vFeGgNXrx6ycj0NJxZBa4?si=-5kiVaY7TbaTQPnqac4N1Q)
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It's better than Stormcrow, which is an average album at best, but not by much. :mehlin
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It's better than Stormcrow, which is an average album at best, but not by much. :mehlin
When Gather the Faithful came out, I got myself a leaked copy, I think it was in June so it was way in advance, and I obsessed over it for months. It was literally the soundtrack to my '09 summer and it often reminds me of World of Warcraft grinding :lol It still hits the sweet spot. Brings back so many good memories for me, and it's just awesome super catchy high energy power metal. I learned a lot of awesome synth parts from this album too and they're just a delight to play. I love the texture of the record. Stormcrow is hit and miss for me, about half the record is amazing, and the other half is not that good. I think this one is far better, although the classic power metal on Stormcrow is truly amazing.
Like I said, it's for the pure power metal fans... not many other people are gonna like it but it's a highly respected album in the power metal world!
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Never heard of them. Listened to Into the Blue. Thought it was great! Enjoyed Thorn In My Side too.
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Aryeon - I like Star One better, so I have spent very, very little time with Ayreon. I did check out a few records a number of months ago, including this one listed, so I need to spend some time digging into it again.
Cain's Offering - never heard of them, but do love The Dark Element record from a few years ago, plus Timo Kotipelto. Need to give this one a listen too!
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Hmmm had heard of this band but knew nothing of them, unlike the other power metal on your list so I am checking this out now and so far liking it.
Cain's Offering - never heard of them, but do love The Dark Element record from a few years ago, plus Timo Kotipelto. Need to give this one a listen too!
so when I read this was poppy power metal, I thought "oh I like The Dark Element" so now seeing your comment I looked it up, it's the same guitarist and bassist as Cain's Offering, Jani! :lol Maybe the first album you've sold me from the list. :metal
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I was excited for TDE but it disappointed me so much I never got through the whole thing. Perhaps I should try it again but I remember being very let down.
Glad people are checking this one out. It's probably my favorite 2009 record.
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This is a sugary, sickly sweet album – anybody who doesn't like the poppier side of power metal needs to stay far away from this. But for those who are into that sort of thing, or have a deep love of early Sonata Arctica and enjoy Timo Kotipelto's voice, this is a match made in heaven. It's sort of a litmus test of what kind of power metal you like to listen to this record.
Color me intrigued. I have Stormcrow saved on Spotify, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Not sure why I didn't go back and check this one out (Edit... seems I did, but I don't have much of a recollection of it - will spin later and see how it holds up).
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I was excited for TDE but it disappointed me so much I never got through the whole thing. Perhaps I should try it again but I remember being very let down.
Glad people are checking this one out. It's probably my favorite 2009 record.
It's not as power metal as this is, my initial thoughts are TDE are more pop but I definitely hear lots of similarities. Just finished listening to a lot of their music that kept playing on youtube. I'll have to get the album and explore more.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Migrator_Part_2:_Flight_of_the_Migrator#Track_listing
I've heard of Bruce Dickinson.
HAHA, that made me laugh out loud.
I've gotten like three or four Ayreon songs in roulettes, and LOVED every one of them. I went out and bought The Source, and it blew me away. It's a little long - hard to sit through the whole thing - but it's the bomb diddley.
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Really good album this one. Stormcrow was decent but this one is much better.
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:corn
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29.
RHAPSODY
SYMPHONY OF ENCHANTED LANDS II:
THE DARK SECRET
Symphonic Power Metal
released September 27th, 2004 via Steamhammer
(https://i.imgur.com/D7pqv0v.jpg)
1. The Dark Secret (The Ancient Prophecy / Ira Divina) [4:12]
2. Unholy Warcry [5:53]
3. Never Forgotten Heroes [5:33]
4. Elgard's Green Valleys [2:19]
5. The Magic of the Wizard's Dream [4:30]
6. Erian's Mystical Rhymes (The White Dragon's Order) [10:32]
7. The Last Angels' Call [4:37]
8. Dragonland's Rivers [3:44]
9. Sacred Power of Raging Winds [10:07]
10. Guardiani del destino [5:51]
11. Shadows of Death [8:13]
12. Nightfall on the Grey Mountains [7:20]
SYMPHONY OF ENCHANTED LANDS II: THE DARK SECRET is
Fabio Lione (Vocals)
Luca Turilli (Lead guitars)
Patrice Guers (Bass)
Alex Holzwarth (Drums)
Alex Staropoli (Keyboards)
FEATURING
Dominique Leurquin (Rhythm guitars)
Sir Christopher Lee R.I.P. 2015 (Narration, as The Wizard King)
The Brno Academy Choir
The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra
WITH
Toby Eddington (Narration, as Iras Algor)
Manuel Staropoli (Baroque recorder)
Johannes Monno (Classical guitars)
Thomas Rettke (Choirs)
Gerit Göbel (Choirs)
Miro Rodenberg (Choirs)
Robert Hunecke-Rizzo (Choirs)
Olaf Hayer (Choirs)
Cinzia Rizzo (Choirs)
Stefan Horz (Harpsichord)
Søren Leupold (Lute)
Paulina van Laarhoven (Viola)
Bridget Fogle (Soprano vocals / Choirs)
Previn Moore (Choirs)
"It was a good time for all creatures of the earth, but fate decreed that the dark prophecy of a demon knight could bring a tragic end to this peace, scarring their lives forever. Shortly before his defeat in the last of the primordial wars between the heavens and hells, the evil son of the Hell God Kron, known as Nekron, withdrew to his lair in the underworld. There, sensing his impending death he inscribed a testament of pure evil in seven black books. One by one six of these books were discovered through out the ages, however the seventh, last and most terrible of all contained the secret of his resurrection. He commanded seven immortal demons to carry out his dark plan – but they were turned into stone by the angels of the crystal realms. And so his dreams slept with them until a time came when the forces of evil would usurp the earth. Nekron would rule in the unholy name of cosmic chaos, and this time he would reign supreme.”
Go big or go home! Things this album has going for it: some of the best singing and range of Fabio Lione's entire career (“Erian's Mystical Rhymes” and “Guardiani del destino”), two of the best power metal guitar solos (“Unholy Warcry” and “Sacred Power of Raging Winds”), one of the best guitar-keyboard metal duels ever (“Shadows of Death”). This album's had a tremendous impact in the world of symphonic metal and although countless bands have tried to replicate the epic orchestrations and emulate the sounds of this album, very few have actually come close to doing that.
Symphony of Enchanted Lands II is the first chapter of Rhapsody's Dark Secret Saga. This stuff is awesome, man. The booklet contains a whole timeline, pages and pages of story. This album tells the story of a band of heroes in quest of a magical ancient tome which reveals the secrets to resurrecting the ancient dark lord Nekron, who would rule the world in blood and chaos for eternity. By the end of the journey, their fellowship (!) has formed, and they reach the edge of the freezing underworld of Dar-Kunor, which contains the ancient seventh black book. Sir Christopher Lee offers both narration (“Ira Divina”) and operatic singing (“The Magic of the Wizard's Dream”) as The Wizard King, as well.
It's arguably Rhapsody's heaviest album, because the orchestra adds such a terrific amount of power to the songs. “Erian's Mystical Rhymes” is mixed perfectly where the heavy metal band chugs clearly along, including the keyboards, yet the orchestra has enough room to breathe. The horns swell and crash like thunder, and the choirs cry like angels. Fabio's got enough range and power in his voice to sell his role as the commander of this sonic army, even getting into character as Dargor in “Sacred Power of Raging Winds” as he talks to his demon father Vankar during a blizzard in the mountains.
Classical music and power metal are a match made in heaven on this album. I adore the amount of choirs, flutes and recorders, and strings in action at any given moment. Love flutes? “Guardiani del destino,” “Elgard's Green Valleys,” “The Magic of the Wizard's Dream,” and “Sacred Power of Raging Winds” have you covered. “Sacred Power” actually has an amazing instrumental section containing a neoclassical guitar solo and a direct reference to a Vivaldi flute concerto played by a baroque recorder. Love huge brass swells and accents? “Shadows of Death,” “Unholy Warcry,” “Erian's Mystical Rhymes” are what you want. And good vocal parts? Can't pick a bad track on the record.
In Summary: This record is dope as fuck and you should listen to it because it's got some of the best orchestrations and musical variety I've ever heard on a metal record. I also think the Dark Secret Saga is just really epic especially after reading all the booklets. From a production standard this record sounds phenomenal, easily the best sounding Rhapsody album with some of their all-time best moments between keys, guitars, and vocals. Lots of bands utilizing an orchestra in their studio work owe a great deal to this record.
ALSO a massive shoutout to the incredible, late Sir Christopher Lee. He loved Rhapsody, and did so much narration from this record onward that they were able to use scrapped dialogue for a posthumous appearance on the latest Rhapsody record. He released 2 symphonic metal albums at the very end of his life, which is metal as fuck. R.I.P.
Katt's Favorites: The Dark Secret / Unholy Warcry ft. Sir Christopher Lee (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSlOoLXZLkM), The Magic of the Wizard's Dream ft. Sir Christopher Lee (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-ODIuOWMuA), Sacred Power of Raging Winds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM6hL78so9c), Guardiani del destino (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n8ai7o5DEY), Shadows of Death (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4ur9aE7KAI)
Listen to “Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret” by Rhapsody on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/1Z4u7LoTBGMMnuXh5MXHSE?si=s_tQBxVUTkmS_B3abU7sAA)
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Now THIS is a fantastic Power Metal album :metal
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Ok, I'm actually going to dive into this today! I need to actually sample some of these power metal albums and this sounds like a great place to start! I love metal accompanied by an orchestra so feeling confident about this one :metal
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Sampling it so far and its pretty solid. Maybe a bit over the top with everything, but I can tell what you mean by the orchestrations and how well it's used. That's definitely really cool and Fabio sounds really good here.
That's another solid discovery for me :metal
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hmmm this sounds similar :lol
https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383 (https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383)
to
https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305 (https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305)
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hmmm this sounds similar :lol
https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383 (https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383)
to
https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305 (https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305)
That's the Vivaldi flute concerto that I mentioned in the writeup. I wasn't aware Nightwish used it too. Cool!!
Here's the original Vivaldi piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFfz2wyMvwE#t=2m38s
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I'm jamming this Rhapsody now....I still think I only need the first Symphony of Enchanted Lands, but this album is definitely equal to it. I like the heavier sounding guitars, but Rhapsody just gets too samey sounding for me from album to album.
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hmmm this sounds similar :lol
https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383 (https://youtu.be/DM6hL78so9c?t=383)
to
https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305 (https://youtu.be/oFff4GkOskM?t=305)
That's the Vivaldi flute concerto that I mentioned in the writeup. I wasn't aware Nightwish used it too. Cool!!
Here's the original Vivaldi piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFfz2wyMvwE#t=2m38s
Yea, I love this :metal I didn't make that connection from your write up, but knew it was from someone else when Nightwish did it.
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I'm jamming this Rhapsody now....I still think I only need the first Symphony of Enchanted Lands, but this album is definitely equal to it. I like the heavier sounding guitars, but Rhapsody just gets too samey sounding for me from album to album.
I obviously strongly diagree with that last part but I'm glad you're digging this! :2metal: The Symphony albums are fucking bangers.
Cram, there's other classical references within Rhapsody too! "The Wizard's Last Rhymes" is based off of Dvorak's New World Symphony, there's a Chopin prelude tucked away within a solo on the song "Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse," and the album From Chaos To Eternity has two tracks based off Beethoven's sonata no. 1 in F minor. And more! :)
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Very cool stuff
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28.
ASIA
ALPHA
Pop Rock
released July 26th, 1983 via Geffen Records
(https://i.imgur.com/kXHwf4c.jpg)
1. Don’t Cry [3:33]
2. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes [3:13]
3. Never In A Million Years [3:47]
4. My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want) [4:50]
5. The Heat Goes On [4:57]
6. Eye to Eye [3:13]
7. The Last to Know [4:39]
8. True Colors [3:51]
9. Midnight Sun [3:48]
10. Open Your Eyes [6:25]
ALPHA is
John Wetton R.I.P. 2017 (Vocals / Bass)
Geoff Downes (Keyboards)
Steve Howe (Guitars)
Carl Palmer (Drums)
The sound of this album makes me think of comforting imagery, without fail, every time I hear it. A quiet, empty dining room with streams of orange-gold from the late afternoon sun pouring through the blinds. The low winter sun in a cloudless midmorning sky, shining on a fresh layer of untouched snow. A big stereo playing music from the radio by a pool in the summer.
The common theme in those images in sunshine. This album makes me think of sunshine. It’s like a warm embrace, a comforting, sweet record not interested in progressive or heavy metal wankery and letting the music dictate where to go from section to section. No, it’s just a collection of straightforward pop songs, with a couple rockers tossed in for good measure. It’s a quiet record that’s super heavy on the treble and allows the synths and keys to dominate over the guitars, who are mixed so low it’s easy to wonder if there’s a guitarist in the band at all. But the sweetness is cut ever so slightly by John Wetton’s baritone voice, which is a healthy dose of huskiness this fluffy, airy album needs.
Songs like “My Own Time” and “The Last to Know” really invoke the imagery I previously described, and are my two favorite tracks on this album. Right down to individual lines, the lyrics resonate deeply with me and there are instrumental, musical decisions that seem like choices I would make if I were the one writing this kind of music. Of course the rest of the record hits me in this way, too – “Never In A Million Years” and “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” are touching and memorable tunes. The “Asia keyboard sound” – not sure what it is, a combination of synth brass horns and possibly a mellow sawtooth lead? – is infectious in my opinion and it’s used heavily throughout the album along with shimmering bells and synth pads, all sonic textures I will happily devour like the fat kid eating the chocolate cake in Matilda. Hook me up to an IV drip of this all day long, please.
In Summary: This record has the definitive “80s production” sound in my opinion. Heavy treble, quiet mixing, tons of tinny reverb, but it adds a charm to this particular record instead of detracting from the experience. I love a good unabashed pop rock record and hits all the marks in my opinion. It’s just plain good super catchy songwriting with romantic lyrics and a multitude of beautiful synths layered like a decadent cake on top of a sweet ice cream base. “My Own Time” has become one of my most favorite songs ever, a real personal theme song/anthem/whatever you want to call it, and I encourage you to check it out! This album proves talented musicians do not have to make overly complicated, unnecessarily long songs to be make good music. Sometimes, you just need a beat and a melody to make magic. John Payne may have forever fucked up this band but this album is a work of art and I love it love it love it.
Katt’s Favorites: The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGqRo5obpaQ), My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztiBVlzLCKw), The Heat Goes On (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbw3HA3lMMU), The Last To Know (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czUfxdzYLTE)
Listen to “Alpha” by Asia on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/0MdsnpmztQLrbUDzXZeT8v?si=krfNobj2RyqBZIyxWC1fgA)
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HOLY SHIT! AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol
Open Your Eyes is my favorite tune from this album. BTW Mike, I saw them on this tour.
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You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....
Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShflbTMzSOo)
Honestly, I don't know much of Asia at all. I went to the show because I didn't have anything much else going on, it was local and cheap, and figured I'd go check out Bumblefoot. Their set was solid, didn't make me want to go buy an album, but it was enjoyable overall.
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HOLY SHIT! AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol
Wow, you like it that much?
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:rollin You lucky bastard. John Wetton died on my birthday in 2017. I'm still very upset I never got to see them live.
@cram - I'm going to watch that, hell yeah :metal: Check out some of the favorites if you're interested, I'm sure the recordings from 83 sound waaaay different from the live show!
@TAC: :lol :lol :lol
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I saw them on this tour.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/16/article-2325404-19C95E7E000005DC-733_634x414.jpg)
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:lol
Also I really like 80s music so that includes the production and sound like this has. It's also probably why I really like the sound of Images and Words since it still has a bit of an 80s feeling to the production.
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You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....
Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShflbTMzSOo)
Wow, he was good on that. Never heard Bumble sing before, but he sold it well especially the last part.
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You might be of interest of one of my latest concert videos then....
Asia - The Smile Has Left Your Eyes LIVE @ PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel NJ 6/16/19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShflbTMzSOo)
Wow, he was good on that. Never heard Bumble sing before, but he sold it well especially the last part.
I had no idea he was this good of a singer, had to tell him that myself after their set when they did a signing session.
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HOLY SHIT! AN ALBUM I'VE HEAD AND OWNED! :lol
Wow, you like it that much?
So much Tim. Like you.
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I saw them on this tour.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/16/article-2325404-19C95E7E000005DC-733_634x414.jpg)
TAC, is that you on bass?
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I play the drums. Or used to..
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I saw them on this tour.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/16/article-2325404-19C95E7E000005DC-733_634x414.jpg)
Steve Howe's looking young !
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Oh yeah. Howe young? :neverusethis:
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Steve Howe looks older than these gentlemen. :lol
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Steve Howe looks older than these gentlemen. :lol
That was the point of my comment :P
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:lol
I. Just seconding it man. Lol
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Bumblefoot is now in Asia?
I am way out of the loop.
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I saw them on this tour.
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/05/16/article-2325404-19C95E7E000005DC-733_634x414.jpg)
That's me in the blue shirt and dark pants (and some of you fuckers know that, because that's the shirt I wear to concerts!!)
Now this album I can get behind. For me, it's higher on the list, but this is one of my favorite records of all time. I love this from top to bottom (and honorable mention for the b-sides, "Daylight" and "Lying To Yourself")
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That is one monstrous guest roster.
If you say so. I have maybe heard of one of those people. What the heck is a Wudstik?
28.
ASIA
ALPHA
The two lead singles on Alpha (Don't Cry and The Smile Has Left Your Eyes) were REALLY good (the latter more than the former. Unfortunately, the band focused more on a pop sound for this album than on the debut album, and the monster riffs that made the debut an absolute classic are mostly absent from Alpha.
There was not a lot that was bigger on MTV than Asia during the summer and second half of 1982. The cover of the debut was the first music related poster I had on my bedroom wall. "Asia in Asia" was a massive event in late 1983, but it was spoiled by having to use an unprepared Greg Lake in Wetton's place (turning the band into "Yes, Lake & Palmer"). After that, Asia all but dropped off the metaphorical map.
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I don't dispute your take at ALL - in '82, Asia was the biggest thing since sliced bread - but FOR ME, who loved (and still loves) Wetton's voice, and is a melody guy, the followup was way underrated. "The Last To Know" is just a heartbreaking song, and "Midnight Sun" is one of my favorite songs in the Asia catalogue. I never did listen to Asia for "prog chops"; I had plenty of Yes, Crimson and ELP for that. I also thought higher of Asia in Asia, though for the same reasons; Greg Lake's voice is just silk, gold, and Vaseline all rolled into one (that's grosser than I intended. I meant to say "smooth") and even an unprepared Lake is better than John Payne, for example.
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pg, the guest list on 01011001 is monstrous even if a few of the names aren't well-known at all. Jørn, Hansi, Floor, Simone, Tom Englund, Jonas, and more are well-known names in the world of modern European rock/metal music. Jørn is basically a rock star and Avantasia has made him that much more renowned. Floor's the frontwoman for the world famous Nightwish, Simone is the lead singer of Epica, Hansi is Blind Guardian's singer and he's a legend in metal. Tom Englund fronts Evergrey, and Jonas fronts Katatonia. If you've only heard of "maybe one" of those people it's more a comment on your awareness of that realm of metal more than anything, 'cause that roster is huge. Check it out!
"Riffs" are probably the last thing I'd ever talk about when discussing Asia, personally. Asia's all about the keys and vocal melodies and big choruses imo.
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Don't forget Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation), Anneke van Giersbergen (she's everywhere), Bob Catley (Magnum and Avantasia). It's definitely a monstrous line-up.
Also expect Chad to pop up and mention Magali Luyten any second now.
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The chick from Nightmare, yeah? I honestly didn't know she was on Y until I looked it up. She's... there, I guess. :lol
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It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal. Which isn't huge in the US. I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.
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I don't dispute your take at ALL - in '82, Asia was the biggest thing since sliced bread - but FOR ME, who loved (and still loves) Wetton's voice, and is a melody guy, the followup was way underrated. "The Last To Know" is just a heartbreaking song, and "Midnight Sun" is one of my favorite songs in the Asia catalogue. I never did listen to Asia for "prog chops"; I had plenty of Yes, Crimson and ELP for that. I also thought higher of Asia in Asia, though for the same reasons; Greg Lake's voice is just silk, gold, and Vaseline all rolled into one (that's grosser than I intended. I meant to say "smooth") and even an unprepared Lake is better than John Payne, for example.
Other than Don't Cry and TSHLYE, there just wasn't anything on Alpha that grabbed me, but it's been a while. But the debut has no low points (MAYBE Cutting It Fine), and side 1 is one of those all-time epic sides.
And Greg Lake was great, but I remember him not sounding great at the "Asia in Asia" show (but it's been 35+ years, so it's not exactly fresh in my memory).
pg, the guest list on 01011001 is monstrous even if a few of the names aren't well-known at all. Jørn, Hansi, Floor, Simone, Tom Englund, Jonas, and more are well-known names in the world of modern European rock/metal music. Jørn is basically a rock star and Avantasia has made him that much more renowned. Floor's the frontwoman for the world famous Nightwish, Simone is the lead singer of Epica, Hansi is Blind Guardian's singer and he's a legend in metal. Tom Englund fronts Evergrey, and Jonas fronts Katatonia. If you've only heard of "maybe one" of those people it's more a comment on your awareness of that realm of metal more than anything, 'cause that roster is huge. Check it out!
I "discovered" Simone Simons a few years back because of some "hottest women of metal" list, and she and her red hair are now very much near the top of potential Mrs. PGs if my own marriage ever falls apart. She's the one I've heard of (and maybe there was one other). Beyond that, you could have made all of this up, and I wouldn't know the difference. Wasn't Tom Englund the guy who played Freddy Kruger? And, while "Hansi" might be a "legend" in a particular niche, the term "legend in metal" is reserved for guys like RJ Dio, Tony Iommi, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, etc.
All that said, maybe I will check it out.
It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal. Which isn't huge in the US. I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.
Exactly.
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Yeah, he's no Dio or Halford, but for speed/power metal... you really don't get much bigger than him, and he's in a very respectable place. Maybe Kai Hansen. Really though, you've never even HEARD of Daniel Gildenlow or Anneke van Giersbergen? Definitely give 01011001 a listen then. There is a lot to chew on there and I think you'd find something to really enjoy.
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The chick from Nightmare, yeah? I honestly didn't know she was on Y until I looked it up. She's... there, I guess. :lol
She has other credits to her name - Beautiful Sin, Epysode, Flaming Row - before she joined Nightmare. And she makes Ride the Comet the awesome song it is.
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It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal. Which isn't huge in the US. I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.
Not trying to sound a judgemental ass here (yet :biggrin: ), but I'm genuinely curious: if any of you guys have heard 01011001 and know it well are among that amount of metal head americans to whom a lot of those names don't ring a bell, can you create a guest-list (with the singers' vocal melodies on the album in mind) that would've been "monstrous" for you? No big names like James Hetfield or Rob Halford, of course.
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It's only a monster line up if you like this genre of metal. Which isn't huge in the US. I'd bet a very large amount of metal head americans wouldn't know those names because they are all European.
Not trying to sound a judgemental ass here (yet :biggrin: ), but I'm genuinely curious: if any of you guys have heard 01011001 and know it well are among that amount of metal head americans to whom a lot of those names don't ring a bell, can you create a guest-list (with the singers' vocal melodies on the album in mind) that would've been "monstrous" for you? No big names like James Hetfield or Rob Halford, of course.
Not sure if you were just quoting me or asking me, but I'm a fan of this music so I know the names. But in the US, this metal isn't that popular. What is, Slipknot, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, Disturbed essentially all the big bands that are also popular in Europe, but are American.
I always look at this way. In Europe you have those huge metal festivals with lots of awesome bands including the ones I listed above. In the US, the metal festivals look like this:
(https://rocklahoma.com/img/admat_4.10.19.jpg)
(https://welcometorockvillefestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/wtr19-official-admat-UPDATE-1.jpg)
My point is, you don't see any of the power/symphonic/prog metal bands from Europe playing these shows in the US. But all that more standard metal is popular here.
I don't have a list personally to answer your question because my list would be similar to what you see on that Ayreon album for my personal choices. Im just defending others who may not know those names because those names mean nothing in the US to the average metal head.
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I was mostly quoting you but I'm interested to hear anyone's opinion on the matter!
Okay, those pics are actually pretty eye-opening for me. I mean it kinda makes sense for the festivals though (and for why ProgPower is almost revered among the fans of the genre), what about headline tours with openers though? I know Nightwish does US tours regularly, and so does Evergrey (on a much smaller scale). In fact I assumed Nightwish were so big they're pretty much well-known everywhere by now.
Actually Cram, I have a question exactly for you then, since you go to the gigs a lot: how large of an average crowd a headlining show (no matter who's opening) by each main band of 01011001 singers cast would gather? I mean I realize it depends on state and all, but I'm mostly curious which are more popular and which aren't, because this is fascinating.
Edit: and Katt I guess you and anyone can jump on that last one as well. :)
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Nightwish, Kamelot, BG... yeah, a few are successful here. Edit: Gloryhammer and Sabaton are huge too
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<sorry to derail MJ>
Here's what we have locally here coming up in a couple of weeks.
(https://roxodus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/poster-uai-516x670.jpg)
As for the 01011001 lineup, and their bands on tour... most wouldn't get a few hundred in the Toronto area. Montreal they might do better. Last tour, Nightwish played an 1800-seat theater. Last time I saw Evergrey, it was to about 300 people, tops. Kamelot and Nightwish a few years back ... saw them to about 600-800 people. Avantasia was about 800 people, hence the reason Tobi didn't even come back to Toronto.
Welp.
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Actually Cram, I have a question exactly for you then, since you go to the gigs a lot: how large of an average crowd a headlining show (no matter who's opening) by each main band of 01011001 singers cast would gather? I mean I realize it depends on state and all, but I'm mostly curious which are more popular and which aren't, because this is fascinating.
Let me think from my experience..
Hansi, Simone, and Floor are fairly known here, they are apart of bands that do consistent headline tours to ~1-2k capacity venues. Nightwish by far the biggest of those three bands having sold out a lot of shows locally here and they've brought good bands with them before (Delain, Sabaton) that might have helped but their last show was just them and it almost sold out the 2k venue. Epica has been getting bigger because they toured here every year for awhile and Blind Guardian are just like old school metal in a way, they've got a lot of history hence their draw.
The rest.... oof I don't know. I know Evergrey is doing a tour this September, maybe to 500 capacity venue or less, I've never heard of the local venue they are playing. Jorn I don't think could book a gig here. Anneke is touring this fall as the opener for Delain and Amorphis by herself, but I don't think VUUR has much of a market to tour here.
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Nightwish, Kamelot, BG... yeah, a few are successful here. Edit: Gloryhammer and Sabaton are huge too
Gloryhammer are starting to get a lot bigger.
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You have no idea what I'd do to see a Jorn solo concert. Things like that make me wish I was born in Europe.
Gloryhammer is definitely getting a lot bigger much to my chagrin
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Regarding the festivals, I think the biggest one we have this summer in Russia is this one:
(https://allfest.ru/sites/default/files/styles/afisha_750/public/2019-03/big_gun_4.jpg?itok=yFBRKUOp)
Bands like Gloryhammer (or in our case Powerwolf) and Sabaton are huge as hell here too.
As for the 01011001 lineup, and their bands on tour... most wouldn't get a few hundred in the Toronto area. Montreal they might do better. Last tour, Nightwish played an 1800-seat theater. Last time I saw Evergrey, it was to about 300 people, tops. Kamelot and Nightwish a few years back ... saw them to about 600-800 people. Avantasia was about 800 people, hence the reason Tobi didn't even come back to Toronto.
I'd actually say that's more people than Evergrey drew in Germany, although it was in a little town so I guess everyone just went to see their gigs in Dusseldorf or Munich or wherever.
Once again, this is quite fascinating to read.
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Not trying to sound a judgemental ass here (yet :biggrin: ), but I'm genuinely curious: if any of you guys have heard 01011001 and know it well are among that amount of metal head americans to whom a lot of those names don't ring a bell, can you create a guest-list (with the singers' vocal melodies on the album in mind) that would've been "monstrous" for you? No big names like James Hetfield or Rob Halford, of course.
If I can't include "big names," then no, I cannot create a guest list that I would characterize as "monstrous," so this strikes me as a bit of an odd question.
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Really though, you've never even HEARD of Daniel Gildenlow or Anneke van Giersbergen?
Definitely no as to the second person. Gildenlow I vaguely recognized and just confirmed that he was one of the guys who did a guest spot on DT's Repentance. I have no idea who he is otherwise (and the list of guests on Repentance is far more "monstrous" to me than the list on the Areon album).
But yes, I'll give it a listen.
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I was about to answer the previous post but read the follow-up and yeah, I'll refrain here just to not escalate this further. Bring on the next update!
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I figured in the context of a Dream Theater forum, a list of bonified prog veterans would be considered such, but I'll refrain from using the word monstrous in the future I guess. :lol :lol
I'll share the next update shortly but I'm afraid nobody here will like it so I might do a double update this evening
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Regardless of what anyone thinks, that is a monstrous guest list. Show me another act that has a guest list like that, Avantasia maybe, and there's a lot of overlapping between the two, but you americans wouldn't know most of those guests either. ;)
Of course it's all in a certain genre, so if you don't really listen to that genre, you can't recognize the "monstrousness".
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You have no idea what I'd do to see a Jorn solo concert. Things like that make me wish I was born in Europe.
Gloryhammer is definitely getting a lot bigger much to my chagrin
Gloryhammer are pretty much everything I dislike about power metal rolled into one cheesy roulade.
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(https://rocklahoma.com/img/admat_4.10.19.jpg)
If anyone would know, it's the promoter, but Ace Frehley - legendary guitar player from Kiss and RnRHoF member - is below "Palaye Royale" and "Avatar"? What's he playing, at noon thirty??
Lame-o.
(https://welcometorockvillefestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/wtr19-official-admat-UPDATE-1.jpg)
So my hobby is collecting CDs, and sort of my "minor" hobby is collecting soundtracks with non-album songs. I rip the CD to iTunes and put the songs from the bands I like (and have other records from) in with the artist. For those bands that I don't care for or don't have other albums from, are in a separate folder. So I have a separate folder with bands like Seether and Chevelle and Hatebreed and Shinedown and Sevendust... and they just seem so same-y. Not bad, per se, but nothing that jumps out and grabs.
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You have no idea what I'd do to see a Jorn solo concert. Things like that make me wish I was born in Europe.
Gloryhammer is definitely getting a lot bigger much to my chagrin
Gloryhammer are pretty much everything I dislike about power metal rolled into one cheesy roulade.
I like this take. Except you wouldn't believe how tired I am of explaining to people who are shocked that I hate Gloryhammer, that I love Rhapsody so much. :lol :lol
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27.
KINGS OF LEON
BECAUSE OF THE TIMES
Indie / Alternative / Garage Rock / dude idk
released April 2nd, 2007 via RCA Records
(https://i.imgur.com/bfK6I1G.jpg)
1. Knocked Up [7:10]
2. Charmer [2:56]
3. On Call [3:21]
4. McFearless [3:09]
5. Black Thumbnail [4:00]
6. My Party [4:10]
7. True Love Way [4:02]
8. Ragoo [3:00]
9. Fans [3:35]
10. The Runner [4:16]
11. Trunk [3:57]
12. Camaro [3:09]
13. Arizona [4:50]
BECAUSE OF THE TIMES is
Caleb Followill (Guitar / Lead vocals)
Matthew Followill (Guitar / Backing vocals)
Jared Followill (Bass / Backing vocals)
Nathan Followill (Drums / Backing vocals)
Caleb, Jared, and Nathan are brothers (Matthew their cousin), born and raised in Oklahoma before the band eventually formed in Nashville. This album is kind of the start of a transition from their indie/southern rock roots to a more polished commercial (some would say “pop”) rock sound. But this record is adventurous while still remaining true to their early sound, with a little bit of stylistic variation thrown in for good measure.
The album is bookended by two of their bets songs, “Knocked Up” and “Arizona” – the former being a song about a couple expecting a baby, and the latter about an Arizona whorehouse. In between there’s everything from a quirky indie rocker (“Charmer”) to more mellow poppy rock songs (“Ragoo,” “True Love Way,” “Fans”). Some of the more interesting stuff comes toward the end – “Trunk” has a strange vibe, for example, and “The Runner” is a quirky song with a folksy melody. It’s almost like you start drinking at the start of the album, have some merry fun times in the middle, and start to get the spins by the end before crashing in a bed crying over a girl you haven’t gotten over yet by listening to Arizona’s sweet bass line slowly fade away.
Speaking of the bass, the bass gets a lot of love on this album. It is easily heard on most songs and is usually playing something fun if not all that complex. But it always adds that little bit of zest to the music whether it’s simple (“On Call”) or active (“Arizona”).
Caleb’s voice is a major reason why I love Kings of Leon so much and on all their albums he sings a variety of ways but on Because of the Times he really stands out as a star performer. Not unlike Tom Waits, I love a lot of their sad songs most of all, because they sound like a guy who’s maybe had a couple too many and he’s just putting it all out there. But there’s also moments where it’s measured and restrained, like in “Knocked Up” where they let the beat just carry on and slowly bring the rest of the band back into the mix.
In Summary: Eh. I don’t think anyone here will like this music, but I love it, so check out the favorites if you want. I just think it’s good rock with a sound I really like, with a unique and interesting vibe. "Knocked Up" and "Arizona" are two of my favorite KoL songs ever so I highly recommend at least listening to those two if nothing else.
Katt’s Favorites: Knocked Up (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mzklb9nkXM), On Call (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3Pz-QMGGDg), Ragoo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsvK40NVwI0), Trunk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd9P5-buhiE), Arizona (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQprqMdUdPU)
Listen to “Because of the Times” by Kings of Leon on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/5CiZOqd3iF6p2PsqBjljat?si=rSHXbOJhRNmbkyTsE5RNWQ)
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If anyone would know, it's the promoter, but Ace Frehley - legendary guitar player from Kiss and RnRHoF member - is below "Palaye Royale" and "Avatar"? What's he playing, at noon thirty??
Lame-o.
I can tell you that Avatar has earned that right. Having seen them play recently. I don't think they are your music, but they put on a bigger and better show than Ace for sure and likely have a bigger fan base of younger people.
I figured in the context of a Dream Theater forum, a list of bonified prog veterans would be considered such, but I'll refrain from using the word monstrous in the future I guess. :lol :lol
Well I do think that list was monstrous but within the context of power metal world and if you consider in general, that's still a huge guest list to compare to any band.
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I figured in the context of a Dream Theater forum, a list of bonified prog veterans would be considered such, but I'll refrain from using the word monstrous in the future I guess. :lol :lol
Well I do think that list was monstrous but within the context of power metal world and if you consider in general, that's still a huge guest list to compare to any band.
Yeah, what I'd ask those who say it is not monstrous is: How well does this compete against other guest lists, whatever the genre?
I mean, it's not like there are a bunch of albums out there featuring, like, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, James Hetfield and Tony Iommi. So when you say that this guest list is not monstrous, what exactly are you comparing it to? Are you comparing it to an imaginary album that doesn't exist?
This album has a startlingly large percentage of the big name singers in a particular genre. That's about as good as a guest list gets, unless there are a whole bunch of albums with guest appearances by multiple worldwide superstars that have somehow just evaded my notice?
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Yea, if you look at it that way, it makes sense because the other genres of metal don't do these crazy big collaborations (that I know of at least)
It's actually a huge reason why I like the genre as it seems everyone is friends with each other and work together.
My ex-gf mentioned to me one time "how are all your bands connected like this?" it's just the genre I guess and maybe because it's more niche it makes it more close
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Yeah, what I'd ask those who say it is not monstrous is: How well does this compete against other guest lists, whatever the genre?
I mean, it's not like there are a bunch of albums out there featuring, like, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, James Hetfield and Tony Iommi. So when you say that this guest list is not monstrous, what exactly are you comparing it to? Are you comparing it to an imaginary album that doesn't exist?
I wasn't comparing anything to anything. The album in question featured a large number of people. If that's how you define "monstrous," there you go, but that's not how I'd define it. It has a large number of people who are apparently a big deal within a particular sub-sub-genre of metal, and I can buy into the notion that, within that context, it's "monstrous." If, however, you want me to buy into the notion that it's "monstrous" without any qualifier, then I need bigger names, and the fact that such a thing has never occurred doesn't have squat to do with it.
27.
KINGS OF LEON
BECAUSE OF THE TIMES
Indie / Alternative / Garage Rock / dude idk
I really want to get more into the dude idk genre! :lol
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They get praise because of their vocal abilities and/or distinct voices. All the singers on that album are great! The dude idk genre is taking off.
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Yeah, what I'd ask those who say it is not monstrous is: How well does this compete against other guest lists, whatever the genre?
I mean, it's not like there are a bunch of albums out there featuring, like, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, James Hetfield and Tony Iommi. So when you say that this guest list is not monstrous, what exactly are you comparing it to? Are you comparing it to an imaginary album that doesn't exist?
I wasn't comparing anything to anything. The album in question featured a large number of people. If that's how you define "monstrous," there you go, but that's not how I'd define it. It has a large number of people who are apparently a big deal within a particular sub-sub-genre of metal, and I can buy into the notion that, within that context, it's "monstrous." If, however, you want me to buy into the notion that it's "monstrous" without any qualifier, then I need bigger names, and the fact that such a thing has never occurred doesn't have squat to do with it.
OK this part stood out to me. Basically because most of the people involved with the Ayreon albums are all big names within Prog Metal and Power Metal, hardly "sub sub genres of metal."
Then again I understand some people find a few bands within a genre and don't dig any further in to it. I think this is pretty common with people around my parents age (my parents are definitely like this), who grew up between the late 60's and early 80's and listen to all the bands from that era and don't care to discover new stuff. Now, before anyone starts getting all defensive, I'm not saying everyone in that age group is like this. It just seems more common in that age group than say those of us born in the 80's or early 90's.
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On paper, Kings of Leon should be right in my wheelhouse, but for whatever reason, I listen and it does little for me.
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On paper, Kings of Leon should be right in my wheelhouse, but for whatever reason, I listen and it does little for me.
This is pretty much how I feel about the band. They have a couple songs that I enjoy somewhat, but other than that, nothing.... :-\
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I was right, nobody cares about Kings of Leon. Discussion about Ayreon just plowed right through it :lol Next album sometime today...
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I was right, nobody cares about Kings of Leon. Discussion about Ayreon just plowed right through it :lol
That's how monstrous that list of guests is!
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I was right, nobody cares about Kings of Leon.
I've heard of them but never heard them so I can't comment.
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I was right, nobody cares about Kings of Leon.
I've heard of them but never heard them so I can't comment.
Same, just listening to the linked songs now and this is not my cup of tea. I didn't know much about them, but I thought I'd enjoy them more than I am. But now I recognize the voice and realize I have heard them before, Sex on Fire. I do like how a rock band is popular but maybe this is really how I feel:
On paper, Kings of Leon should be right in my wheelhouse, but for whatever reason, I listen and it does little for me.
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Well ya'll are gonna see them again for sure. :neverusethis:
This next one... I'm just gonna drop it here and let ya'll discuss it cause I know I think my takes on this band are in the minority (SHOCK AND AWE!!).
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26.
SONATA ARCTICA
UNIA
Progressive Metal
released May 25th, 2007 via Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/Rc5Gpqr.jpg)
1. In Black and White [5:04]
2. Paid in Full [4:24]
3. For the Sake of Revenge [3:23]
4. It Won’t Fade [5:59]
5. Under Your Tree [5:14]
6. Caleb [6:17]
7. The Vice [4:09]
8. My Dream’s But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare [6:13]
9. The Harvest [4:19]
10. The Worlds Forgotten, the Words Forbidden [2:57]
11. Fly with the Black Swan [5:08]
12. Good Enough is Good Enough [5:32]
UNIA is
Tony Kakko (Vocals / Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitars)
Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
WITH
Tuomas Airola (Cello / Conductor on 12)
Elar Kuiv (Violin on 12)
Anna-Leena Kangas (Viola on 12)
Oskari Hannula (Strings on 12)
Tarja Vanhala (Choir conductor)
Celestina Choir (Choirs)
Peter Engberg (Acoustic guitars / Bouzouki / Chromaharp / Kavaquinho / Q-chord)
Milla V (Spoken words on 6)
Kati Niemelä (Violin / Viola on 12)
Michael “Starbuck” Majalahti (Additional vocals on 1, 6 / English consultant)
First, screw Sonata Arctica’s first two albums. They're good, but Sonata Arctica did not live and die with cookie cutter power metal no matter how catchy the choruses were. The Ninth Hour was the first (and so far only) album they’ve released that actually disappointed me, but everything else, I love. I’m grateful they left the old power metal behind and have continually tried new things on post-Jani era records. This album is an explosive release of all the material Tony had wanted to put on the last few records but couldn’t because the fans expected speedy power metal in the vein of Stratovarius and other keyboard-heavy groups.
Unia means “dreams” in Finnish and this album is all about that. It’s all about exploring weird, new territory, singing nonsensical lyrics about dreams and nightmares, while retaining the classic Sonata Arctica/Kakko-esque storytelling and mouthful of words. Thickly layered vocals and multiple vocal parts are reminiscent of Queen, a big influence in Tony’s songwriting. The keyboards range from filthy synth lead voices to bells and sickly dark synth pads, groaning and twisting like black sludge through the songs. The guitars are surprisingly heavy, but offer little in the way of memorable riffs; they are mostly utilized as a means of adding percussive distortion to the songs, creating a thick and heavy foundation for Tony’s singing, which is the real star of the album. God, this album – there’s nothing but gems on this tracklist.
And it’s true – listen to any song on this album and Tony is up front in the mix, and almost always present. There are very few moments on the album where Tony backs off and the instrumental side takes over. He commands the songs, and they seem to evolve on his command, with entire sections abruptly starting and ending on a single word, with the snap of a finger he is able to manipulate the direction of the songs like some kind of magician. Coming off the heels of a full-bore power metal record, it is amazing what he created with Unia in my opinion. Every song really is a treasure here.
One of the best songs tells a story about a man dying in an avalanche and meeting Cygnus, the black swan, and essentially becoming the Grim Reaper. The poetry is sublime on “Fly With The Black Swan” and I highly recommend it, as well as “The Harvest” with some really enigmatic and bizarre lyrics but comes roaring at you like a tidal wave of boiling water. I’ll cap off this section with just a few of my favorite lyrics on Unia:
- "All the good things in my life dwell in my mind / Took a wrong lane, every day I hear myself say / Sickening's this feeling, my life, my hopes, my dream's but a drop of fuel for a nightmare"
- "Haven't seen you in weeks, no clouds in the sky to rain me a drop / Loving touch I need / And I'm killing time by the lake, diving off the cliff, many times scarring myself, colliding on the lake bed so dry"
- "Diving in the seas of sin without knowing where lies the bottom / Idle moments spawned you idle people, no morality, no soul"
- "It's hard for me to hate myself right now / Finally I'm understanding me / One day we may have whole new mes and yous / But first I need to learn to love me too"
- “We cannot wait for you, for limbo, forever / Don’t make us walk away – packs stay together / Fear would be justified, will be there soon / The things that you do will infect us too”
Although the rest of the band is noticeably uncomfortable speaking English, Tony has a fucking masterful command of writing English lyrics.
In Summary: It’s huge, it’s exhausting, it’s daring, it’s exciting. This album is one of the biggest growers in my collection. It took over 2 years for some of these songs to click, specifically “The Vice,” so I understand how this album rubs people the wrong way. However, in my opinion, this is easily one of the best Sonata Arctica albums, one of the best progressive metal albums ever, and at the very least one of the most unique records I’ve ever heard. Most people who know Sonata have an opinion on this record. If you don’t, well, give it a shot. Almost every one of these tracks is different from the rest. It’s got some absolutely gorgeous ballads, some epic storytelling (a continuation of the Caleb saga, for example), and some bizarre, inventive songwriting. More bands need to take risks like this, but only if they have enough artistic shit in their pants to pull it off the way Tony did with Unia.
Katt’s Favorites: In Black and White (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedraafUSCE), Paid in Full (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1zkXdqcajk), My Dream’s But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilc-YGyncUU), The Harvest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-S2LVCvAQU), Fly With The Black Swan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWSG7_en89M)
Listen to “Unia” by Sonata Arctica on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/3jKq3ckEriYmq6BCzbNBiL?si=U5kFv0GRQ6692ogtzpmuig)
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I've already said how I feel about SA including this album, but I don't think I mentioned that this was my first album and introduction into SA. I was not swayed by the power metal stuff from before this album, I heard Caleb and thought it was solid (still do) and knew the band might be up my ally so got this album sometime after it was released as it was their newest then. I just wasn't impressed, and maybe it's because I didn't give it two years to grow. I didn't enjoy it much from the beginning and I gave it multiple shots and came back to it multiple times. I later got the first two albums and really enjoy those much more. I've got no issue straying away from that power metal and into this style, but it just didn't click for me.
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Took me seven years to get into this album. Now I think it's absolutely brilliant. I actually had this in my Top 50.
It's also hilarious how my two of my favourite tracks (It Won't Fade and Caleb) aren't among your favourites. :biggrin:
Regarding our discussion in SA thread about Tony sounding bored on the new material, this album is a perfect example of Tony being engaged as hell in singing all the crazy lines. This is the enthusiasm I look for.
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Took me seven years to get into this album. Now I think it's absolutely brilliant. I actually had this in my Top 50.
It's also hilarious how my two of my favourite tracks (It Won't Fade and Caleb) aren't among your favourites. :biggrin:
Regarding our discussion in SA thread about Tony sounding bored on the new material, this album is a perfect example of Tony being engaged as hell in singing all the crazy lines. This is the enthusiasm I look for.
I mean, I love every song on the album, but if I had to choose 4-5 that I personally would want people to hear first, they are the songs I linked. But Caleb - specifically the last couple minutes - is probably my 2nd favorite song in the Caleb saga (behind Don't Say A Word), and It Won't Fade is a masterpiece of a song. Always thought it was about Jani's waning involvement in the band, when Tony wrote that, but it could just simply be another wolf song. And YES, Tony sounds like he's firing on all cylinders on Unia. There's none of that enthusiasm or energy present on The Ninth Hour, or half of Pariah's Child even, and the new single has me more worried than usual about the new album...
cram, that's a shame. Only a couple songs took that long to grow on me, because they were/are so bizarre, but most of the album was love at first listen for me, although I still remember the first time I put it on and thought, "What the FUCK is going on here?"
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It Won't Fade was my choice in roulettes for a while a few years ago.
My copy of the album also has To Create a Warlike Feel (a bonus track) between The Harvest and Worlds. I was pretty familiar with the album way before I had a chance to buy it, so first listen to that version caught me off-guard big time. :lol
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It Won't Fade was my choice in roulettes for a while a few years ago.
My copy of the album also has To Create a Warlike Feel (a bonus track) between The Harvest and Worlds. I was pretty familiar with the album way before I had a chance to buy it, so first listen to that version caught me off-guard big time. :lol
I like that song, but that would throw me for a loop too :lol I like the bonus tracks on this album a lot, but the copy I actually own has none sadly. However, it IS missing a full page out of the booklet! It was a widespread printing error. I think there's only one or two lines for Fly With The Black Swan before it goes right to the thank-yous and credits :lol
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It Won't Fade was my choice in roulettes for a while a few years ago.
My copy of the album also has To Create a Warlike Feel (a bonus track) between The Harvest and Worlds. I was pretty familiar with the album way before I had a chance to buy it, so first listen to that version caught me off-guard big time. :lol
I like that song, but that would throw me for a loop too :lol I like the bonus tracks on this album a lot, but the copy I actually own has none sadly. However, it IS missing a full page out of the booklet! It was a widespread printing error. I think there's only one or two lines for Fly With The Black Swan before it goes right to the thank-yous and credits :lol
Just checked and same here!
Cry for help...
FLY WITH THE BLACK SWAN
Once I got caught in an avalanche,
I must have died,
When a Black Swan flew to the rescue and cried
An offer I could not refuse.
GOOD ENOUGH IS GOOD ENOUGH
*lyrics for that song*
At least I have Good Enough is Good Enough lyrics because of To Create the Warlike Feel being on the album and so the page count is a bit different from yours. :lol
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HAHA. That's awesome. I know a lot of people who crap on Good Enough but that's one of my favorite Sonata ballads. So beautiful!
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Really though, you've never even HEARD of Daniel Gildenlow or Anneke van Giersbergen?
Definitely no as to the second person. Gildenlow I vaguely recognized and just confirmed that he was one of the guys who did a guest spot on DT's Repentance. I have no idea who he is otherwise (and the list of guests on Repentance is far more "monstrous" to me than the list on the Areon album).
But yes, I'll give it a listen.
I started listening to this album on my way into work this morning. For reference, I don't have a long commute, so I only got through the first track (Age of Shadows) and about half way through the second track (Comatose). Not a great start. The first track had a bunch of strong vocal performances, but it was not at all interesting musically.
I won't clutter up this thread with further commentary on it. If I find something interesting, I'll go over to the thread for the band.
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pg, your posts about Ayreon have me curious about your musical taste, familiarity with prog, favorite musicians etc. Just curious, nothing more. At least you're giving it a try.
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I actually own Unia but never listened to it. Today is gonna be the day I change that.
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pg, your posts about Ayreon have me curious about your musical taste, familiarity with prog, favorite musicians etc. Just curious, nothing more. At least you're giving it a try.
Let's put it this way: I have virtually no familiarity with any artists/bands from continental Europe (including Scandinavia) other than Scorpions, Helloween and Accept (and Accept was only a blip on my radar in the mid-80s). I also once downloaded an album by Lacuna Coil (they're Italian, right?) because I heard and liked the song "Spellbound." I'm sure as soon as I click "post" I'll think of someone else.
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pg, your posts about Ayreon have me curious about your musical taste, familiarity with prog, favorite musicians etc. Just curious, nothing more. At least you're giving it a try.
Let's put it this way: I have virtually no familiarity with any artists/bands from continental Europe (including Scandinavia) other than Scorpions, Helloween and Accept (and Accept was only a blip on my radar in the mid-80s). I also once downloaded an album by Lacuna Coil (they're Italian, right?) because I heard and liked the song "Spellbound." I'm sure as soon as I click "post" I'll think of someone else.
Wow! You are so missing out. Most of the artists in this list are European.
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pg, your posts about Ayreon have me curious about your musical taste, familiarity with prog, favorite musicians etc. Just curious, nothing more. At least you're giving it a try.
Let's put it this way: I have virtually no familiarity with any artists/bands from continental Europe (including Scandinavia) other than Scorpions, Helloween and Accept (and Accept was only a blip on my radar in the mid-80s). I also once downloaded an album by Lacuna Coil (they're Italian, right?) because I heard and liked the song "Spellbound." I'm sure as soon as I click "post" I'll think of someone else.
Wow! You are so missing out. Most of the artists in this list are European.
Heck, the majority of my music these days comes from overseas. There's not a lot of US artists that excite me lately.
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pg, your posts about Ayreon have me curious about your musical taste, familiarity with prog, favorite musicians etc. Just curious, nothing more. At least you're giving it a try.
Let's put it this way: I have virtually no familiarity with any artists/bands from continental Europe (including Scandinavia) other than Scorpions, Helloween and Accept (and Accept was only a blip on my radar in the mid-80s). I also once downloaded an album by Lacuna Coil (they're Italian, right?) because I heard and liked the song "Spellbound." I'm sure as soon as I click "post" I'll think of someone else.
Wow! You are so missing out. Most of the artists in this list are European.
Heck, the majority of my music these days comes from overseas. There's not a lot of US artists that excite me lately.
Pretty much this for me too.
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Yeah, I'd third that, now that I think about it.
I definitely will give this album a try. I think I was pretty harsh on My Dream's But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare in my roulette, but I will say that the song definitely interested me even if it didn't meet my taste exactly, so I want to hear what else is going on here.
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:corn
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Unia is a fucking masterpiece.
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I listened to a few songs from Unia and like that a little better than the typical Sonata Arctica sound. So that's progress!
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Finally something I *know*! I'm not the biggest fan of Sonata Arctica nor I know everything they did (I don't know more than know) but I love debut and Unia. On my surprise, Unia is getting pretty low scores in online communities like rym and I can't fathom why tbh, it's much more original than some other stuff I heard.
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Finally something I *know*! I'm not the biggest fan of Sonata Arctica nor I know everything they did (I don't know more than know) but I love debut and Unia. On my surprise, Unia is getting pretty low scores in online communities like rym and I can't fathom why tbh, it's much more original than some other stuff I heard.
Unia gets bashed because it's not a solid power metal release. When Unia came out, it was 3 years after their fourth balls-to-the-wall power metal album - Sonata was known for its duelling guitar/keyboard solos, double bass drumming, catchy vocal melodies in both verses and choruses, and just traditional, Stratovarius-style, Helloween-inspired power metal. Unia has basically nothing that people listened to Sonata for, so to this day it's still a black sheep in the family. I remember hearing it for the first time in 2007 and just being stunned at what I was hearing. It was as if they took the song "The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet" from Reckoning Night and decided that was the direction to take the band in, only exponentially more bizarre. It's much more original, but that's not what some ignorant power metal fans want, they just want Sonata to play the same style of music they started playing, which was aping Stratovarius. Oh well. Some people still want Tarja in Nightwish, too, can't change their minds I guess.
EDIT: To be clear I'm not saying that everybody who dislikes Unia is ignorant - instead, I'm saying that those people who can't accept Sonata evolving and pursuing a different style, and continue begging for songs like "Full Moon" and "Black Sheep" are ignorant.
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So, when are the good albums showing up?
:vomitard:
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Well, only 11 of the remaining 25 aren't power metal, so whenever we get to one of them :neverusethis:
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Well, only 11 of the remaining 25 aren't power metal, so whenever we get to one of them :neverusethis:
Are those post rock then? :biggrin:
And for Unia being different, it sure is and I respect that a lot from any band to change their sound. It just didn't click with me and that was my first album so it wasn't about "oh they aren't doing that power metal thing" for me, but for their fanbase as a whole, it makes sense if you felt that way.
Kind of how everyone wanted DT to do something different, so they make TA and then half the fans hate it. I give respect to DT for trying something new and it worked for me, but I know it didnt' for everyone.
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I'm expecting no less than three Kiss albums, two Rush albums, and one Maiden album. It's going to get good quick. :)
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Oh, my sweet summer children. #25 coming in hot, and I'll let you all wallow in your despair.
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25.
EMINƎM
THE EMINEM SHOW
Rap
released May 26th, 2002 via Aftermath
(https://i.imgur.com/rgWjPr7.jpg)
1. Curtains Up (skit) [0:30]
2. White America [5:24]
3. Business [4:11]
4. Cleanin’ Out My Closet [4:57]
5. Square Dance [5:23]
6. The Kiss (skit) [1:15]
7. Soldier [3:46]
8. Say Goodbye Hollywood [4:32]
9. Drips (feat. Obie Trice) [4:45]
10. Without Me [4:50]
11. Paul Rosenberg (skit) [:22]
12. Sing for the Moment [5:39]
13. Superman (feat. Dina Rae) [5:50]
14. Hailie’s Song [5:20]
15. Steve Berman (skit) [:33]
16. When the Music Stops (feat. D12) [4:29]
17. Say What You Say (feat. Dr. Dre) [5:09]
18. ‘Till I Collapse (feat. Nate Dogg) [4:57]
19. My Dad’s Gone Crazy (feat. Hailie Jade) [4:27]
20. Curtains Close (skit) [1:01]
THE EMINEM SHOW is
Marshall Mathers as Eminem (All vocals and lyrics / Production on all tracks except 3, 17, 20)
Dr. Dre (Producer on 3, 17, 20
Jeff Bass (Co-producer on 2, 4, 5, 10, 12, 13)
DJ Head (Co-producer on 10
Denaun Porter (Co-producer on 16)
WITH
a bunch of other rappers and producers ya’ll don’t care about (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eminem_Show#Track_listing)
Hear me out… This is one of the best selling albums of the 2000s, and Eminem himself was the best-selling artist of the decade. There's some good shit here, please don't dismiss it straight out the gate.
I love this album. I got into it before I really got big on rock and metal. I will always love this album and know almost every song by heart. But why? Amazing (if a little dated) beats. Raw vocal energy from Eminem. Awesome rhymes, awesome lyrics, just some really cool lyrical shenanigans throughout the whole album. Yes it’s offensive, yes it’s mean, yes it’s angry – that’s a big reason I love it. I appreciate learning a lot about who Eminem is as a person (Mathers) and artist (Eminem/Slim Shady) through this record, as well as what he was going through around this time. And although it’s super dated now, the political lyrics in songs like “White America” and “Square Dance” are cool as hell in my opinion.
Before I go on, there are a couple low points. “Drips” and “My Dad’s Gone Crazy” aren’t good. They’re pretty horrible actually. I don’t listen to them often, if ever (especially “Drips” which is just gnarly).
The lines on this album might not be as rhythmically advanced or strong as the chopper-style flows Eminem developed later in his career, but the rhymes are strong all the same, and there’s a lot of the foundation here for the wordplay he’d continue to grow over the years. Some say his lyrics were harder and stronger on Infinite and The Marshall Mathers LP but I disagree; the lyrics on The Eminem Show are more creative, flow better, they’re smarter, and Eminem’s delivery is much stronger and sounds a lot less hokey than on a lot of the MMLP stuff. Oh, and Aerosmith is sampled on “Sing for the Moment” which is huge. Another one of the album’s highlights, discussing the effect rappers and hip-hop culture on kids. Great song, great use of sampling with a classic rock song.
I guess it's also because I was only 10 when 9/11 happened, and I discovered this album shortly afterwards, that this album has stuck with me. Songs like "Square Dance" and "White America" and "Without Me" all bring me back to my childhood, strangely, to life-altering events at that young age. And then just getting into the rest of the record after that cemented it as really influential and powerful for me. At the time I thought I shouldn't be listening to such offensive stuff, but later on I realized there's a whole lot of rock and metal about drugs and violence soooo, y'know, art and all that.
In Summary: I’m not a rap fan, generally speaking. I only like a very few select rap albums. But I grew up with this, and I still listen to it a lot, and Eminem as an artist is just incredible and I really respect and admire his work. These are just really fun songs to listen to and several of them are pretty awesome gym tunes. Don’t bother listening if you are easily offended or aren’t open to rap. Thankfully there’s only one song on this record which has Eminem singing, but at least it’s not autotuned to hell like his later attempts at singing are.
Katt’s Favorites: White America (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxpeKhbeLm0), Business (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P05bTId-92A), Cleanin’ Out My Closet (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ9_TKayu9s), Square Dance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JX8j3vwrIA), When the Music Stops (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEVPKuxkWzA), Say What You Say (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNHdegQmIQ), ‘Till I Collapse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obim8BYGnOE)
Listen to “The Eminem Show” by Eminem on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/2cWBwpqMsDJC1ZUwz813lo?si=kBR9QbTGQgadVayLiYIxAw)
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You know what? I don't listen to it much, because I just have other stuff I grab for first, and some of the background melodies are too light for me, but that guy is a talent. He's got a wonderful tone to his voice, and an excellent way of building and releasing tension with both the words and the tempo. It's enjoyable to listen to his art, even if I don't always connect with it (I just don't have that anger, for better or worse. I just don't.)
I got no beef with this here (though that just means the three Kiss albums, two Rush albums and one Maiden album are higher up).
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I've got no problem with non-traditional genre's cracking the top albums of anyone's lifetime - again, just check mine. Shania Twain and No Doubt crack my top 50.
But this (rap) is a hard pass for me.
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I once terrified an ex-girlfriend by proving my love for Eminem by rapping along to some of the songs on here off the cuff and I'm pretty sure that played a part in her leaving me.
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I've got no problem with non-traditional genre's cracking the top albums of anyone's lifetime - again, just check mine. Shania Twain and No Doubt crack my top 50.
But this (rap) is a hard pass for me.
Haha, I read that fast and thought you wrote "No Doubt".
Wait...
Uh...
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I've got no problem with non-traditional genre's cracking the top albums of anyone's lifetime - again, just check mine. Shania Twain and No Doubt crack my top 50.
But this (rap) is a hard pass for me.
Haha, I read that fast and thought you wrote "No Doubt".
Wait...
Uh...
Go dig up my Top 50 thread. For my liking, that albums is the tits, man. 5* top to bottom.
Serious as a heart attack.
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I once terrified an ex-girlfriend by proving my love for Eminem by rapping along to some of the songs on here off the cuff and I'm pretty sure that played a part in her leaving me.
My daughter freaked me out like that. My step son was big into Eminem (he's moved on to southern rock now; we bond over Lynyrd Skynyrd; I gained a shit ton of respect when I whipped off "Simple Man" on my guitar for him and his son) and started singing it as a joke, and my daughter joined in like she wrote it. WTF?
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I've got no problem with non-traditional genre's cracking the top albums of anyone's lifetime - again, just check mine. Shania Twain and No Doubt crack my top 50.
But this (rap) is a hard pass for me.
Haha, I read that fast and thought you wrote "No Doubt".
Wait...
Uh...
Go dig up my Top 50 thread. For my liking, that albums is the tits, man. 5* top to bottom.
Serious as a heart attack.
I'm just pokin' fun. I'm on the list to give mine soon, and I have a couple albums like that. All good, I just wasn't expecting to see that there (though it's not on my list).
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Never was a No Doubt fan but I do like that kind of music
and also, i like having shit not metal come up in this because it shows more well roundedness and these albums from your past shape what you enjoy in the future.
I actually really respect Eminem. I feel he's one of the best rappers out there, but my knowledge and experience of that music is very limited to say that, but I say it because I can tolerate his music moreso than more rap.
I don't have an issue with rapping, some guys can swing awesome lines and melody to their rap singing. What I don't like are the beats. I'm a guitar, drums, and bass guy. I need a band playing instruments. I've never been able to get into rap because of what feels like the non musical part of it. Yes it's music, but often taking other peoples beats, using sound machines, just looping the same thing over and over. I'm not a fan.
I saw Lupe Fiasco last summer (the only rap set I think I've ever seen live) and his singing was great. Loved him, himself, but he had a DJ just piping in all the music and it wasn't anything special overall. I did search on youtube and he did a concert with a full band and it was awesome.
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What's funny, cram, is that Eminem has gone on record as saying he wanted to capture the spirit of rock on this record. There's some moments where there actually is a guitar - Sing for the Moment has a guitar solo, for example, but the tone leaves a lot to be desired for a metal/rock fan - and the drum beats on this are sometimes very much like a rock record. (I find the repetition comment curious because repetition is a fundamental quality of music, although the intent is far different in rap versus rock and metal, certainly)
Kendrick Lamar's album To Pimp A Butterfly is really worth checking out. "For Free?" has him rapping over literal jazz music, that seems like something you could appreciate.
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I think I've seen a few people here mention Kendrick Lamar is actually really good. I haven't checked him out but I could see that being cool.
When I think about rap as a style of singing though, I often think about bands like 311 who are one of my favorites who have a lot of rap influence in their music, but its always over guitar/bass and I absolutely love it. So how can I shit on rap itself? It just comes down to the music really for me.
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I once terrified an ex-girlfriend by proving my love for Eminem by rapping along to some of the songs on here off the cuff and I'm pretty sure that played a part in her leaving me.
I want to make a comment but I have no idea what I want to say. :lol
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I once terrified an ex-girlfriend by proving my love for Eminem by rapping along to some of the songs on here off the cuff and I'm pretty sure that played a part in her leaving me.
I want to make a comment but I have no idea what I want to say. :lol
In all seriousness, if that is true, good riddance man letting loose like that should be rejoiced.
I can rap 311's "Hive" song no problem, if any girl is going to walk away from that well she aint for me :lol
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I once terrified an ex-girlfriend by proving my love for Eminem by rapping along to some of the songs on here off the cuff and I'm pretty sure that played a part in her leaving me.
I want to make a comment but I have no idea what I want to say. :lol
In all seriousness, if that is true, good riddance man letting loose like that should be rejoiced.
I can rap 311's "Hive" song no problem, if any girl is going to walk away from that well she aint for me :lol
Yeah she was mortified but even then I was like, so the fuck what, I like Eminem, big deal. My mantra is you should NEVER be ashamed of what you like listening to. If you can't have fun...
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Yeah can't comment on this one.
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NEVER be ashamed of what you like listening to. If you can't have fun...
Truer words have never been spoken :metal
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NEVER be ashamed of what you like listening to. If you can't have fun...
Truer words have never been spoken :metal
Except for these:
Yeah can't comment on this one.
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Eminem is good jams dawg
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(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ceJyFOWAL._SX342_.jpg)
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You're so corny. Go shuck yourself :lol
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(https://cdn.drawception.com/images/panels/2012/6-29/6S8hNkLNGD-6.png)
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I love Eminem. Don't own any of his music, bit his way with words and rhyming is amazing. Definitely the most talented rapper of the last 20 years. Without Me is such an awesome song.
"So the F-C-C won't let me be or let me be me so let me see
They tried to shut me down on M-T-V
But it feels so empty without me"
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I think I've seen a few people here mention Kendrick Lamar is actually really good. I haven't checked him out but I could see that being cool.
The album that Katt mentioned is amazing and got me into hip-hop - it's so diverse musically, cinematic in mood, and both fun and tragic lyrically.
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Yeah, To Pimp A Butterfly is incredible. The track For Sale? is one of my favorites.
I love Eminem. Don't own any of his music, bit his way with words and rhyming is amazing. Definitely the most talented rapper of the last 20 years. Without Me is such an awesome song.
"So the F-C-C won't let me be or let me be me so let me see
They tried to shut me down on M-T-V
But it feels so empty without me"
His rhyming ability is so good. His Chloraseptic remix verse taking aim at all the haters is so fucking good.
Also, everybody needs to listen to Eminem's words remixed as a Talking Heads song. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfl3N9nesRg) Could be the greatest thing ever.
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24.
POWER QUEST
NEVERWORLD
Melodic Power Metal
released October 22nd, 2003 via Now & Then Records
(https://i.imgur.com/ztpo5Zb.png)
1. Neverworld (Power Quest, Part II) [8:59]
2. Temple of Fire [4:08]
3. Edge of Time [5:51]
4. Sacred Land [5:27]
5. When I'm Gone [6:26]
6. For Evermore [6:43]
7. Well of Souls [6:17]
8. Into the Light [5:12]
9. Lost Without You [10:43]
NEVERWORLD is
Steve Williams (Keyboards / Backing vocals)
Steve Scott (Bass / Backing vocals)
Alessio Garavello (Lead vocals)
André Bargmann (Drums)
Andrea Martongelli (Guitars / Backing vocals)
WITH
Sabine Edelsbacher (Vocals on 9)
Clive Nolan (Backing vocals)
Richard West (Keyboard solo on 2)
Karl Groom (Lead guitars on 6)
Julie Laughton (Cello / Flute)
Sam Totman (Additional guitars)
There are various schools of thought on what is the best stylistic approach to power metal. For me, Power Quest leans heavily into one of the best subgenres of power metal, the kind that's generally written by keyboardists (as this album is) – heavy influence from keyboards and synthesizer patches, strong positive chord progressions and happy melodies, and choruses dripping with sugar, spice, and everything nice.
It's melodic power metal at its core, but a cheeky bastard would call it Super Nintendo Van Halen Metal. The keyboards on a few songs sound like juiced up versions of Van Halen's “Jump” - like “Edge of Time” and “For Evermore” - but it's a distinct sound. The strong 80s influence coats this album like a thin film. I suppose it's pretty reminiscent of old school video game sounds which is a huge turnoff to a lot of people, but to me, I love it, it's just a really pleasant sonic texture. Same goes for that really bright grand piano patch you can hear on “When I'm Gone.” I LOVE that kind of sound.
Alessio Garavello is – par for the power metal course – a polarizing singer whose accent and nasally high notes will make or break the music for most people. I personally love it, but sometimes the high notes enter the squealing territory which is impressive but not always nice to hear. Overall I think he does an incredible job singing some extraordinarily high vocal parts, and because he sings them with so much power he's a big reason why Neverworld is considered a classic power metal album these days.
If there are some objective flaws to this album, it's the production for sure. It's not all it could be, and it sacrifices punch in the bottom end to make enough room for everything going on up in the stratosphere. It's not a huge negative to me, but it's an album that demands some equalizer tweaking to make the most of it.
In Summary: It's a shame that Power Quest has been on a rocky road for a little over a decade, since the core lineup of Steve Williams and the Italian guys ended, because this is a classic power metal album with just the right blend of musical sounds to help them stand out among the crowd. This came out towards the end of power metal's golden era and in my opinion is one of the last of its kind. I just haven't heard anything quite like this in the 12 years since I first heard this album. A good album is all about creating a pleasant sonic landscape for your ears to enjoy and although it's not for everyone this album's got a sound I crave like a junkie. You want so many strong melodies even the solos are infectious? Look no further.
Katt's Favorites: Neverworld (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW0Oie_vFM), Temple of Fire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7c8CSD6rqM), Edge of Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iQKw_TP-kI), For Evermore (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gVFZKH6nmQ), Into the Light (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q-l4Kp5NJU)
Listen to “Neverworld” by Power Quest on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4mTaMKwtTqIe5sxPci5Ys8?si=etURuADBT86CzLv9J8mqLA)
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I haven't listened to this album, but I have heard Magic Never Dies and Sixth Dimension, which are both fun albums. I'll have to check this one out.
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I haven't listened to this album, but I have heard Magic Never Dies and Sixth Dimension, which are both fun albums. I'll have to check this one out.
You'll have fun with Neverworld for sure!
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You sent the song Magic Never Dies from these guys in my roulette and I found it a bit too cheesy for my preference, but I may give this album a shot. I'm trying to listen to at least all the power metal from your list.
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I think I played Power Quest on the Atari 2600. Or was it the NES? I forget.
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I think I played Power Quest on the Atari 2600. Or was it the NES? I forget.
You mean the Power Glove!?
(https://www.nintendoenthusiast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NES-Power-Glove.jpg)
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Was kinda hoping more people would at least try Power Quest, that's a shame. Love the blend of 80s keyboards with happy power metal.
Uninteresting record #23 coming in hot.
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I feel like I have Power Quest somewhere in my music, but I can't seem to find it.
I'll check it out. Just haven't had the time yet.
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23.
FAIRYLAND
THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE
Epic Symphonic Metal
released November 24th, 2006 via Napalm Records
(https://i.imgur.com/D113gYD.png)
1. Endgame (instrumental) [1:16]
2. The Fall of an Empire [5:55]
3. Lost in the Dark Lands [6:01]
4. Slaves Forlorn (instrumental) [1:11]
5. The Awakening [4:50]
6. Eldanie Uellë [5:21]
7. Clanner of the Light [6:01]
8. To the Havenrod (instrumental) [1:05]
9. The Walls of Laemnil [5:57]
10. Anmorkenta [6:01]
11. In Duna [5:02]
12. The Story Remains [10:38]
13. Look Into Lost Years [3:04]
14. Across the Endless Sea [5:31]
THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE is
Philippe Giordana (Keyboards / Backing vocals / All composition & songwriting)
Max Leclercq (Lead vocals)
Anthony Parker (Lead guitars)
Thomas Cesario (Bass / Rhythm and lead guitars)
Pierre-Emmanuel Desfray (Drums)
WITH
Sarah Layssac (Lead vocals on 11)
Flora Spinelli (Lead vocals on 13 / Female vocals on 6)
This album was written entirely by keyboardist Philippe Giordana, who is the mastermind behind the French band Fairyland, and it shows. Each album takes place within his fictional fantasy world and is a concept record, but you can get by without ever digesting much of the plot. The record is already gloriously cheesy and epic enough; the plot is like the handful of cheese you add in to thicken it up.
Each track is a small epic in its own right, drenched in a virtual orchestra synthesized by the keyboards. At times the synthetic horns sound obviously cheap and dated, but the composition is smart and sophisticated enough to redeem the occasional low quality sound, and in a strange way adds a bit of unique charm to the record. The layers are intricate and dance with each other in such a way it sounds as if each orchestral instrument is an equal member to the core band. The piano gives way to bells and plays with woodwinds as horns swell and cry behind them, choirs bolster verses in languages both real and fabricated, and the strings do everything from taking the lead with fiery motifs (“The Fall of an Empire,” “Lost in the Dark Lands”) to laying down intelligent rhythmic patterns (“Eldanie Uellë”). The piano gets many moments to shine including a gorgeous solo in “The Awakening”.
“In Duna” and “Look Into Lost Years” are two orchestral songs without any semblance of rock or metal; two black sheep on the album, but two of my favorites (then again, every song is my favorite here). The three interludes are entirely choral and symphonic, and the 10 minute epic is carried largely by more strings and piano. But it’s not all sugar and gumdrops – while the production isn’t as good as it could be, there are some genuinely heavy, fast moments and entire songs on this record. The title track, “Lost in the Dark Lands,” “Clanner of the Light,” “Anmorkenta,” “The Story Remains,” and “The Walls of Laemnil” all feature some combination of speedy riffing and drumming, mighty riffs, grand vocal choruses, and shreddy solos. Is it enough to satisfy pure metalheads? Probably not. But a pure metalhead probably isn’t even reading this, so…
In Summary: This is an incredibly difficult album to sell anyone unless they’re super into power/symphonic metal and/or all things fantasy. This is a record I would play over and over and over again while playing video games, especially World of Warcraft, but I also play it at any time of day, while driving, working out, doing chores… It’s one of the most creative, powerful albums on my top 50 list with some undeniably beautiful composition. Best I can tell anyone is to just give it a shot and listen with an open mind. Try the favorites, they’re to die for.
Katt’s Favorites: Lost in the Dark Lands (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PzZHOhees#t=7m11s), The Awakening (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PzZHOhees#t=14m22s), Clanner of the Light (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PzZHOhees#t=24m32s), The Walls of Laemnil (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PzZHOhees#t=31m43s), The Story Remains (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PzZHOhees#t=48m39s)
Listen to “The Fall of an Empire” by Fairyland on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/3vTxnepReKjFB93ZayZIT9?si=ZJF9k9wZRA2P2xU5XsDZTg)
***
Story synopsis from the album booklet:
Across the mountains...
Across the seas...
Across the skies and space...
Across time...
There was a land the gods named Osyrhia. On this land they rose 7 continents. On each of these continents, they put a king and to each king, they gave a stone... In its youth, this land was of incredible beauty. Its wealth and the wisdom of its inhabitants filled the Gods with contentment. So many wonders at reach could only call for envy. So came an evil being, whose heart was blinded by jealousy and selfishness. He was the first to brave the gentle Gods. But he was not alone... Eager for power, many followed him and soon tried by force to take over the wonders of Osyrhia. In time, this dark being was known from all as Cenos, "he who gathers" in the old language, and the bards still call him the "Traveller", as he could cross whole continents to bring death and desolation. As a wave of chaos swept over Osyrhia, the Gods held a council and together joined their forces to banish evil and bring the peace back to their people. The very souls of Cenos and his followers were locked for thousand years. In their wisdom, the Gods gave the seven continental stones their power, so their people could protect their land and keep the evil souls in their elder grave. And if Cenos could gather the wick, the stones would unify all of Osyrhia's inhabitants. Nothing could defeat the guardian stones' power of unity. It was then said that in time, a young human would get the power from the stones and guide all the people in their fight against darkness. So ended the days of wealth. A thousand years have now gone by, and evil slowly awakes. In his uneasy sleep, a young man makes a strange dream...
As the story goes: Following the events accounted in the "Of Wars In Osyrhia" chapter, the armies of the light fought bravely at the battle of Laemnil, but were soon outnumbered by the legions of Cenos. The bearers of the Guardian Stones were slain, and the Stones themselves hidden in the fallen citadel of Laemnil. The armies of Osyrhia were led to their final destinations in Kalia, Duna and Eldergrave, where they would meet what fate Cenos had planed for them...
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There are 3 non-metal albums in a row coming up soon, for those waiting for something different :lol
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I've got all three albums saved on Spotify. Can't remember a thing about them other than they were all very enjoyable to listen to. I'll fire this one up later today.
According to Wikipedia, they have a release pending this year?
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I've got all three albums saved on Spotify. Can't remember a thing about them other than they were all very enjoyable to listen to. I'll fire this one up later today.
According to Wikipedia, they have a release pending this year?
Glad you enjoyed them!! Yes, the fourth album Osyrhianta is coming out this fall, I've been waiting over 10 years now and it's my most anticipated album of the year. Score to a New Beginning came out just before I graduated high school!
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I think that, in 9/10 bands, suggesting "Fairyland" as a band name for a metal band would get a person immediately kicked out of the band.
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There are 3 non-metal albums in a row coming up soon, for those waiting for something different :lol
Starting with this one? :lol
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There are 3 non-metal albums in a row coming up soon, for those waiting for something different :lol
Starting with this one? :lol
You're about as funny as a hemorrhoid you know that? :biggrin: :lol
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Was kinda hoping more people would at least try Power Quest, that's a shame. Love the blend of 80s keyboards with happy power metal.
Uninteresting record #23 coming in hot.
Brother, I'm making jokes, because that's what I do. But I've got about four albums I'm going to try to check out over the 4th holiday and Power Quest is one of them. I can't speak for anyone else, but still very interested in the list, even if most of it (BECAUSE most of it?) is new to me.
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Was kinda hoping more people would at least try Power Quest, that's a shame. Love the blend of 80s keyboards with happy power metal.
Uninteresting record #23 coming in hot.
Brother, I'm making jokes, because that's what I do. But I've got about four albums I'm going to try to check out over the 4th holiday and Power Quest is one of them. I can't speak for anyone else, but still very interested in the list, even if most of it (BECAUSE most of it?) is new to me.
Oh I'm not offended if that's what you're wondering :lol I just don't want to bore people. I think it's cool you're interested despite not knowing much of what's on the table here.
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I've been away all weekend (3 day weekend for me) and back to work now which is busy so I haven't checked into this thread at all or checked anything out lately. Probably not going to be able to just yet either. I haven't even heard of the last two bands before.
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Was kinda hoping more people would at least try Power Quest, that's a shame. Love the blend of 80s keyboards with happy power metal.
Uninteresting record #23 coming in hot.
Brother, I'm making jokes, because that's what I do. But I've got about four albums I'm going to try to check out over the 4th holiday and Power Quest is one of them. I can't speak for anyone else, but still very interested in the list, even if most of it (BECAUSE most of it?) is new to me.
Oh I'm not offended if that's what you're wondering :lol I just don't want to bore people. I think it's cool you're interested despite not knowing much of what's on the table here.
Well, I keep getting these songs in my roulettes, and there's just SO MUCH MUSIC out there, it's impossible to keep up. But Ayreon, Power Quest, Evergrey, and a couple others from your list (I don't have my list in front of me) are going to get a little of Stadler's time. Hopefully it'll pay off.
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You can skip Neveryay.
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I own only 1 Fairyland album. Dunno the name, it's not this one but it's really good.
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I own only 1 Fairyland album. Dunno the name, it's not this one but it's really good.
I'm going to assume it's Score to a New Beginning, their last one. That is an incredible record.
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22.
STRATOVARIUS
VISIONS
Power Metal
released April 28th, 1997 via T&T Records
(https://i.imgur.com/aZXKcQY.jpg)
1. The Kiss of Judas [5:49]
2. Black Diamond [5:39]
3. Forever Free [6:00]
4. Before the Winter [6:07]
5. Legions [5:43]
6. The Abyss of Your Eyes [5:38]
7. Holy Light (instrumental) [5:45]
8. Paradise [4:27]
9. Coming Home [5:36]
10. Visions (Southern Cross) [10:15]
VISIONS is
Timo Tolkki (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Timo Kotipelto (Lead vocals)
Jari Kainulainen (Bass)
Jens Johansson (Keyboards)
Jörg Michael (Drums)
WITH
Kimmo Blom (Backing vocals)
Marko Vaara (Backing vocals)
Richard Johnson (Backing vocals)
James M. Johnson (Narration on 10)
FINLAND!!!!
This album is so iconic to power metal that I have almost never heard negative criticism of this album from anyone even remotely interested in metal of this style. It is generally considered the fan favorite album, almost universally considered Stratovarius’s best album, and is arguably the most important record of their career.
Several of the songs on this album have become staples in the band’s live set over the last 22 years. “The Kiss of Judas” opens the album perfectly as a midtempo rocker with a crunchy riff and a big loud drum beat you can easily bob your head to. “Black Diamond” is one of the band’s most iconic songs featuring an incredible harpsichord motif and one of the finest keyboard-guitar dueling solos in the entire genre, Malmsteen-esque in nature but distinctly Stratovarius in the melodic phrasings and progressions (Jens Johansson, keyboards, was Malmsteen’s keyboardist for a time in the 80s). “Forever Free” embodies everything about Timo Tolkki’s positive lyricism despite sounding like a derivative of “Tomorrow” from their previous album. “Paradise” is a song about mankind’s effect on the planet with one of their finest choruses. “Coming Home” might be the fan favorite ballad, although it’s not personally mine, and “Visions” is a monumental epic with some impressive high notes from Timo Kotipelto.
The rest of the album ebbs and flows, and my mileage varies with these tracks. “The Abyss of Your Eyes” is a nice groovy rocker which you wouldn’t totally expect on a power metal record, and “Before the Winter” is a sappy ballad. “Legions” is the token song a lot of bands write about their fans, in this case the fan clubs that once made up the Legions of the Twilight in the 90s. “Holy Light” is a typical Timo Tolkki instrumental that follows a template that I personally think gets old rather quickly but in and of itself it is a pretty good neoclassical instrumental piece – just a bit too long.
The title track is where, up to this point in Stratovarius’s career, Timo Tolkki really began to solidify his hippie, tree-hugging ideology, complete with quotes from Nostradamus. God bless Timo Kotipelto and his singing on this song, it’s crazy how good he was in his prime. Although Timo Tolkki did 99% of the songwriting on this record (and most of the others) it’s this lineup that was able to put out consistently amazing record after record, this being their second.
In Summary: Black Diamond was one of the first metal songs I ever heard, not just power metal, and if I’m being honest with myself I think it’s one of the best songs I have ever heard. It embodies everything that’s amazing about power metal, a genuine life-changing song when I heard it. Visions really put Stratovarius on the map and came out right at the onset of the golden age of power metal. Sonata Arctica and many other power metal bands probably would not have existed without this record, or at least would not have created magical power metal in this style without it. Give it a try.
Katt’s Favorites: The Kiss of Judas (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaatBMAAt_Y), Black Diamond (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51sNYCxdaQI), Forever Free (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01mY-jwPJFI), Paradise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcvtyH8eCI), Visions (Southern Cross) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvncyMqXrdU)
You can listen to Stratovarius on Spotify here (https://open.spotify.com/artist/1O8CSXsPwEqxcoBE360PPO?si=RKXoOuvbS261bOA0tO3YNQ) but you can’t listen to most of Visions because Stratovarius/their label seems to switch out their catalog every few months on the damn service so w/e
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I own only 1 Fairyland album. Dunno the name, it's not this one but it's really good.
I'm going to assume it's Score to a New Beginning, their last one. That is an incredible record.
Yep, that's the one.
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Visions. What a fucking masterpiece of an album.
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Listening to a full-album rip on YT right now. Could be purchase-worth (damn Spotify!)
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Could be purchase-worth (damn Spotify!)
Could be?? :lol
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YES! Visions was pretty much my introduction to European power metal in 1998 or 1999. I was already way into Iced Earth and the heavier American style, but I had never heard the melodic, fast paced, happy style common in Europe.
Kiss of Judas knocked me off of my feet and remains my favorite song of theirs. Every single song on this record is fantastic and I still play the hell out of it 20 years later. What an incredible album!
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:biggrin: glad to see love for Visions. Chad... buy it!!
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There is nothing dud or what I would call filler on this album. It's fucking quality.
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There is nothing dud or what I would call filler on this album. It's fucking quality.
I agree, however, the closest songs that come to that are definitely Before the Winter (imo) and Holy Light. Strato's instrumentals tend to all blur together even for me but I think Stratosphere and Stratofortress are the definitive instruments. But everything else on this album is just... holy shit.
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There is nothing dud or what I would call filler on this album. It's fucking quality.
I agree, however, the closest songs that come to that are definitely Before the Winter (imo) and Holy Light. Strato's instrumentals tend to all blur together even for me but I think Stratosphere and Stratofortress are the definitive instruments. But everything else on this album is just... holy shit.
Agree, Before the Winter is close but I still quite like it. I like Timo's improv in Holy Light too.
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Man, speaking of Tolkki, that Paradise solo is so damn good. That parts at 2:45 and 3:00 are wonderfully catchy. His sense for melody was (is?) incredibly good. Shredding is one thing, being able to incorporate melody and emotion into that is something totally different.
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His octave bent tapped note thingy in that solo is fucking class.
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21.
SONATA ARCTICA
RECKONING NIGHT
Power Metal
released October 11th, 2004 via Nuclear Blast
(https://i.imgur.com/XWa0GKv.jpg)
1. Misplaced [4:42]
2. Blinded No More [5:33]
3. Ain’t Your Fairytale [5:26]
4. Reckoning Day, Reckoning Night… [3:21]
5. Don’t Say A Word [5:49]
6. The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet [4:44]
7. My Selene [5:28]
8. Wildfire [4:36]
9. White Pearl, Black Oceans… [8:47]
10. Shamandalie [4:04]
RECKONING NIGHT is
Tony Kakko (Vocals)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitars)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
WITH
Nik Van-Eckmann (Male voice on 5, 8, 9)
Every second of this record is great. Tony’s lyricism is arguably at its most concise and polished on this record; where on later albums he would get even more ambitious and adventurous, each record would get more and more inconsistent with some bizarre lyrical choices. Reckoning Night comes just within an inch of that dangerous line some power metal bands walk when they start to get bored with the style they’ve come to have associated with their band – it has its moments where it flirts with the adventurous and curious experimentation that would explode in prominence on Unia, but it never crosses that line to befuddle the listener.
And it’s in those moments where the record shines brightest; “The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet” is in hindsight so obviously a blinking red light showing where Tony wanted to take the band, a fantastic tale whose title says it all. “White Pearl, Black Oceans” is the epic of the album and goes through multiple changes, glued together by a commanding, theatrical vocal performance from Tony and one of power metal’s finest choruses that gets slightly altered and darker as the song progresses. “Don’t Say A Word” is another chapter in a multi-song saga about a woman and her psychotic stalker. “Wildfire” is an almost power-thrash type of song with some proggy vocal sections that would later balloon into a trilogy about the overall conflict between humanity and nature. And “Ain’t Your Fairytale” is the token wolf song, about teaching and learning from younger and older generations and knowing who you are. It’s in these songs that Sonata Arctica proves power metal can follow the traditional, predictable formula and still be original and compelling as anything else.
For some people, reinventing the wheel is a necessity in order to stay interested in creating music, particularly if it’s the method through which you earn your money. For a lot of consumers, they aren’t comfortable with that change, and that’s no better seen than in the Sonata Arctica fanbase. There’s a lot to be said about Sonata Arctica and the direction they took after this album, and especially after Unia, but one thing almost every fan can agree on is that Reckoning Night is an uncontested classic and one of the best albums the genre’s ever seen.
In Summary: While the music itself is more or less power metal, it’s Tony’s lyricism and masterful command of melody that makes this album such a delight to listen to. He’s one of the genre’s better storytellers and lyricists and really is the star here, although there are some keyboard and guitar solos that really let Henrik and Jani shine respectively. It’s an album any power metal fan needs to listen to, it’s an album I’d argue most metalheads should in fact listen to. It’s damn near flawless. I’ve also had Shamandalie stuck in my head for well over a decade – it’s one of my go-to songs when I just want to hum or sing a melody.
Katt’s Favorites: Ain’t Your Fairytale (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKpXnb2JxUk), Don’t Say A Word (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz2V5eI4O2k), The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVHawH0V6EQ), My Selene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vJAPiRhRT8), Wildfire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Da54cna-U), White Pearl, Black Oceans… (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUArGh-Jr0I)
Listen to “Reckoning Night” by Sonata Arctica on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/0gSnFwakkQUSP7Y4peuwmb?si=xGAcLfRgSMK8sYEs_xhHXg)
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I got Don't Say A Word (from Kade? maybe Lowdz) in my 2nd roulette, and loved it. last.fm confirms I went back to the album a few times, but it obviously fell off my radar. Gonna squirrel this one away to replay again.
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Never actually listened to this album or any songs from it (that I can recall at least). The sound in the music video for Dont Say a Word is terrible :lol but Im listening to the other songs. So far, kind of just like the rest of SA to me. I don't love it, I don't hate it. Not sure I am liking this more than Ecliptica though, I am feeling more and more strongly that that album is probably the only one of theirs I'll truly enjoy and even saying that, it's not like I love that album. I can see why you'd like this, it's got more style to it than the first two albums from the couple songs I just listened to.
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I think Tony's lyrics are so much more mature and captivating on Reckoning Night than on Ecliptica, that's one reason I love it so much.
Every night, I returned to watch them - the master and the puppet in the show
He said, "Oh no, I cannot sell him - priceless he is, masterpiece of mine"
Please, sell me your puppet, sir; name your price, oh please, whatever you may ask, tenfold the price I'll pay
"Did I not make it clear? This debate is over; I will never part from this puppet, my son"
With hungry eyes, I followed them all night, the blind master and the puppet he had made
"No, sir, to sell is not my will!" - the doll is mine, even if I have to kill...
then the dumb boy gets turned into a puppet
It's so hard to remember my life, the times before the show
Can I ever cut off the strings? "Take a bow, now dance and sing!"
Would you turn me into a child again? "No, never; I am your guide"
You can see a small grin on the face of the master when the puppet's in his place
Be careful of what you wish for - wishes might come alive
The twines are pulling me every day and night
The show, the glitter, and all the fame, I'd give away for a life
Some things can end with a word, they say
This only ends with a sharp knife
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Yeah, another good album here.
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I should really check these albums out.
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Yeah, this is a good one too.
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I should really check these albums out.
You should. :)
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
When I do Katt's Top 50 Worst Metal Bands. Hammerfall blows. :lol
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
When I do Katt's Top 50 Worst Metal Bands. Hammerfall blows. :lol
:lol
Legacy Of Kings made my Top 50!
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
When I do Katt's Top 50 Worst Metal Bands. Hammerfall blows. :lol
:lol
Legacy Of Kings made my Top 50!
I'm not surprised, a lot of power metal fans also love that album. It's not bad, it just doesn't keep my interest. I like Hammerfall's early records more than their later stuff which is just painful. And I'll take HF any day over Manowar. :lol
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Did someone say Manowar?!?! HAIL!!! :|
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FAIL!! :lol
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Hammerfall has been really hit or miss. Mostly miss. In the late 90's I was looking for a new band. I planned on buying a new CD for a trip to Florida. I sampled Hammerfall, Stratovarius, and Symphony X. I ultimately bought LOK. I loved it. It has the great nod to 80's metal. That album is like Saxon, Accept, Helloween, and Dokken all rolled into one. If Joquin Cans sang for Strato, I'd probably like them a lot more too.
I bought Battle Hymns when it came out in the early 80's. I think I bought their first three albums before I lost interest.
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Listening to Visions now. I know I have a downloaded copy of this.
It costs a damn fortune on Amazon.
Yeah, I'm good. I think you either like Kotipelto's voice or you don't. I also feel like I want them to be a bit heavier. This band just will not stick with me.
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
When I do Katt's Top 50 Worst Metal Bands. Hammerfall blows. :lol
:lol
Legacy Of Kings made my Top 50!
Amazing power metal album.
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When is Hammerfall going to be listed?
When I do Katt's Top 50 Worst Metal Bands. Hammerfall blows. :lol
:lol
Legacy Of Kings made my Top 50!
Amazing power metal album.
Hammerfall was more interesting live than SA, IMO but I was never able to really get into them. They are supporting Sabaton this fall so I'll see both bands as support acts again and get another taste.
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20.
ENYA
DARK SKY ISLAND
New Age / Celtic / Easy Listening
released November 20th, 2015 via Warner Music
(https://i.imgur.com/MO8WtaN.jpg)
1. The Humming… [3:42]
2. So I Could Find My Way [4:25]
3. Even in the Shadows [4:13]
4. The Forge of the Angels [5:12]
5. Echoes in Rain [3:33]
6. I Could Never Say Goodbye [3:28]
7. Dark Sky Island [4:56]
8. Sancta Maria [3:50]
9. Astra et Luna [3:20]
10. The Loxian Gate [3:33]
11. Diamonds on the Water [3:33]
DARK SKY ISLAND is
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin as Enya (Vocals / Instrumentation / Mixer)
Eddie Lee (Double bass on 3)
Roma Ryan (Lyrics / Loxian language)
Trivia: The name of this album refers to the island of Sark in the southwestern English Channel. In 2011, Sark was designated the first ‘Dark Sky Island’ in the world, where light pollution is banned. Cars are also banned from the roads there.
Dark Sky Island is my favorite Enya album, which says something because I love all her music. It was her first proper album in 7 years, with the misfortune of being released on the same day as Adele’s 25, but was still successful selling over 900k copies worldwide. It’s got the familiar songwriting style Enya’s known for, but extremely polished and refined until it shines like a star. You’ll find no dark side of the emotional spectrum on this record – only comfort and pleasure.
There are a couple themes at work here; journeys through the mind, heart, and soul are explored on songs like “So I Could Find My Way,” “Even in the Shadows,” “Echoes in Rain,” and “I Could Never Say Goodbye.” But then there’s the theme of celestial locales and the beauty of the human spirit, like “The Humming…,” “The Forge of the Angels,” “Dark Sky Island,” “Sancta Maria,” “Astra et Luna,” and “The Loxian Gate.”
Roma Ryan’s concept of Loxian, her fictional language, essentially comes from her hippie-dippie approach to telling the story of the Loxians, future descendants of the Celts who leave Earth and pass the red star Aldebaran in search of a new home. “The Forge of the Angels” tells of this journey in brief but beautiful Loxian script.
Sometimes I’ve listened to this album at the gym or work and have started choking up big time. “So I Could Find My Way” is about Roma Ryan’s mother, if I remember correctly, and that song hits me in the heart because it’s all about a parents’ love to their child and all they’ve prepared them for in life. “I Could Never Say Goodbye” is in a similar vein. Both songs are tearjerkers for me and I should probably only play them when I cut onions from now on.
In Summary: Sancta Maria is one of the most gorgeous pieces of music I’ve ever heard. If you want peace, you got it – Enya’s signature rise-and-fall, ebb-and-flow rhythmic patterns and waltz time are all over this album, as they usually are. But there’s a sophistication to this album, a polish and sparkling beauty to it that isn’t quite so perceivable on her older albums. Ironically there is almost no hint of darkness on this album, save for the brief ominous nature of “The Humming…” – after that, it’s heavenly light and the warm embrace of someone who just wants you to feel comfortable and at ease. Enya isn’t for everyone but for me she’s just the best. It never overstays its welcome either; at under 45 minutes it is easy to play the whole record front to back in one sitting. I listen to this record all the time and it’s so wonderful to hear when you just want the stress of the day to go away.
Katt’s Favorites: So I Could Find My Way (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLDLpqZdhX0), Even in the Shadows (Live at Good Day New York) (https://youtu.be/Nisn_Vk-Jfg), The Forge of the Angels (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSRcZKpAlss), Echoes in Rain (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWFc5mkABNo), Sancta Maria (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AbEMz7EUAg)
Listen to “Dark Sky Island” by Enya on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/26qiUsjX8tgvAqb2H8bucZ?si=OZWBc5zVTaC_r6zNSme0PQ)
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19.
CHROMA KEY
YOU GO NOW
Ambient / Electronic / Chill
released November 14th, 2000 via Fight Evil Records
(https://i.imgur.com/cTZ5aZo.png)
1. Get Back in the Car [5:04]
2. Another Permanent Address [5:05]
3. Nice to Know [4:30]
4. Lunar [3:14]
5. When You Drive [5:26]
6. Subway [4:23]
7. Please Hang Up [1:59]
8. Astronaut Down [4:36]
9. You Go Now [4:56]
YOU GO NOW is
Kevin Moore (Vocals / Keyboards / Bass)
David Iscove (Guitars)
Steve Tushar (Programming / Additional guitars & keyboards)
Oh, this is just a lovely record, pensive and dreamy and full of that delightful Kevin Moore magic.
In my senior year of high school the faculty finally allowed us to listen to our MP3 players during class downtime and lunch. So I spent most of that year playing this album when I could, because I found it early in the school year. I had computer classes at the end of every day, so I always ended the day listening to this record before going to work. There’s something extremely soothing about this record, doubly so in the winter months when the sun begins to hang low and add that magic of the late afternoon sunlight to the sounds of this record.
Although You Go Now lacks a song like “Undertow” or “On the Page” from Dead Air For Radios, another spectacular record, You Go Now is a bit more consistent in both quality and its mood. It’s got this slick electronic texture and set of beats that almost sounds primitive 19 years on, with kind of a thick snare sound in the drums, but I like it, and think it adds to the music rather than takes away. “When You Drive” is almost creepy with all the samples of Indian dialogue and what sounds like an Indian language being sung by a little girl? I’ve never been quite able to tell. “Astronaut Down,” “Subway,” and “Lunar” all have some pretty cool beats, whereas “Get Back in the Car” and “Nice to Know” and “When You Drive” are all slower, a bit darker, almost sickly.
Kevin Moore’s voice doesn’t go through much range, but it shines on songs like “Nice to Know” with its dark, inquisitive melody, and “Another Permanent Address” on which he sounds almost apathetic and broken, but fully aware of what a shitty situation the character of the song is in. It’s probably the catchiest song on the record, and it’s also my favorite.
You Go Now ends with the title track, a five-minute instrumental carried by a simple, pretty piano melody and some odd synth flourishes dancing over a basic electronic drum beat. I love this track, even if it is a little long, because of the warm sound of the piano and how much reverb seems to be on it. Great track.
In Summary: I think this is Kevin Moore’s magnum opus, and for 10 years I’ve been obsessed with it. I can enjoy this in any situation, any time of day, in any mood. There’s so much good music here, and I agree with almost all of KevMo’s melodic choices here. The lyrics are really good and serve the music well, and I’ve always enjoyed what he does with samples in his music. Dead Air For Radios comes close but You Go Now is my freaking jam, man. LOVE it.
Katt’s Favorites: Another Permanent Address (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFrEqWLzmhY), Nice to Know (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJMc-KSHW54), When You Drive (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRUUUj4IU48), Astronaut Down (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q27tXzBvAIA), You Go Now (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blf_s-QRtE4)
Listen to “You Go Now” by Chroma Key on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/2J7wRlm7tZNGdii635eizQ?si=RWHs_2EjQdm3qTMq9nHbVw)
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I like stuff like Enigma and Amethystium and Gregorian, so sure, I'll check out this Enya album.
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I like stuff like Enigma and Amethystium and Gregorian, so sure, I'll check out this Enya album.
I also highly recommend you checking out some of her earlier more famous songs if you aren't familiar with them: Only Time, Orinoco Flow, Caribbean Blue, Trains and Winter Rains, Wild Child...
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I probably am familiar with some of them. Enya is pretty popular here and I'm sure I've heard a few songs at parties (some of them sounded like Enya alright). I'll give those a shot.
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:corn
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Wow, Enya haha. Would never have expected that.
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Enya... I have nothing to add, it's just not for me
I've never actually listened to Chroma Key until right now, I definitely loved KM's value to DT, but I think I always just assumed based on what I heard about his other music, that I wouldn't like it, and well, I don't hate it :biggrin: I actually think it's pretty decent, only listened to Another Permanent Address and Nice to Know so far.
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I posted 2 because I know almost nobody here cares about Enya. :lol Sad but true.
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I posted 2 because I know almost nobody here cares about Enya. :lol Sad but true.
I figured :rollin
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I had a hard time getting into "you go now". I really liked "dead air for radios" though.
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:corn
TAC, are you still looking for the good stuff? :D
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Nah, it's all good. :)
Seems to be a generational thing with these bands, but I definitely appreciate it.
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Dark Sky Island is a very beautiful album and I agree with Katt that it's probably Enya's best. Her most consistently great, at least. It's easy for this kind of 'new age' music to get a bit samey over the length of an album but all the songs on this one are their own small worlds. It's certainly not for everyone but it's great for listening to on a long and lonely walk when you just want to detach from the rat race for a while and tune in to how simple and beautiful the world can be. Or when baked, that works too.
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Dark Sky Island is a very beautiful album and I agree with Katt that it's probably Enya's best. Her most consistently great, at least. It's easy for this kind of 'new age' music to get a bit samey over the length of an album but all the songs on this one are their own small worlds. It's certainly not for everyone but it's great for listening to on a long and lonely walk when you just want to detach from the rat race for a while and tune in to how simple and beautiful the world can be. Or when baked, that works too.
Had no idea you were a fan of Dark Sky Island, Dave. That's really cool. Yeah, you're on the money. Not gonna lie, it is even better whilst dining on the Devil's lettuce...
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In my senior year of high school the faculty finally allowed us to listen to our MP3 players during class downtime and lunch.
Man, do I feel old. When I was a senior in high school, we all used discmans! (Cue Stadler and "in my day, sonny, we had a walkman.")
I love Orinico Flow, but have never listened to much Enya. I LOVE Enigma though. Sampled a few of those tracks and they pretty much sound like the older Enya songs that I've heard.
I've never listened to Chroma Key. I'll have to try a song or two to see if I like them.
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Was that the Enya album you sent me in my last roulette? Or was it a song from that album in my first roulette? Either way, I remember not liking it very much. I think it had to do with my frame of mind while listening to it. I pretty much listen to most of my music while driving and I remember it not being conducive to that environment. I should give the album a listen when I'm at home just relaxing some evening..... :corn
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Pup, I think I sent you "Even in the Shadows", you didn't like how repetitive it was (granted.. it is). That's a fair criticism, particularly if you're driving. Enya is so much better played in your downtime, when you're relaxing, or whenever you're at home on the weekend. I like playing Enya in the dark with all my colorful lights and candles. :)
Grappler, I hope you like Chroma Key. v_clortho mentioned Dead Air For Radios and I also feel very strongly about that album, it's better in some ways, but personally I just gravitate towards YGN's vibe a lot more. I recommend both though.
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You Go Now, such a nice album indeed, I might relisten to it now, it's been a while
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Listening to some of those Chroma Key links now. This is too mellow for me. Knowing that Kevin Moore is involved, I want to hear some Dream Theater styled prog metal, with a killer singer. The vocals don't do it for me at all, and neither does the chill-out music...all coming from one of the most respected keyboardists in this genre. Kudos to Kevin for following his muse, but I'd rather listen to I&W or Awake if I want to hear his music.
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Listening to some of those Chroma Key links now. This is too mellow for me. Knowing that Kevin Moore is involved, I want to hear some Dream Theater styled prog metal, with a killer singer. The vocals don't do it for me at all, and neither does the chill-out music...all coming from one of the most respected keyboardists in this genre. Kudos to Kevin for following his muse, but I'd rather listen to I&W or Awake if I want to hear his music.
Darn, that's a shame. OSI might be more up your alley but probably still isn't what you're looking for.
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Sounds like he wants DT from the KM era :lol me too, honestly the mellowness is what holds it back for me too because I just enjoy upbeat music more. But the fact it draws emotion from me is what I liked about it, which reminded me of DT with KM era.
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I've actually never listened to OSI either. Checking out a few tracks - that's a bit better musically, but Kevin's vocals just aren't my style.
I'm like Cram - I want more upbeat or uptempo music. Mellow stuff just puts me to sleep - quite literally, since I nap to Enigma's greatest hits, every single day while commuting.
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I often choose new age stuff for napping too. A bit of David Arkenstone, some Kitaro, some Secret Garden especially. There's some good mellow stuff that's not sleep-inducing though. Including the next album on the list! :neverusethis:
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18.
TYCHO
AWAKE
Electronic / Ambient / Post-Rock
released March 18th, 2014 via Fight Evil Records
(https://i.imgur.com/FC1GYZt.jpg)
1. Awake [4:43]
2. Montana [5:26]
3. L [4:37]
4. Dye [5:17]
5. See [5:18]
6. Apogee [4:20]
7. Spectre [3:46]
8. Plains [3:17]
AWAKE is
Scott Hansen (Bass / Drums / Guitar / Keyboards)
Zac Brown (Bass / Guitar)
Ricardo Ayala (Live drums)
Rory O’Connor (Live drums / Live drums engineering)
Count (Live drums engineering)
Fun fact: every track on this album has been used in the commercial bumps for Adult Swim at one point or another. I think that’s actually how I discovered this record.
This album suits every occasion, frankly. It’s another one of those albums I’ll play in any situation, and it’s my go-to for when I need background music for something. Because it’s entirely instrumental, it never intrudes, it never tries too hard, it just finds a groove and sticks to it for the duration of a given track. The guitars have some kind of processing on them to the point where I thought the entire record was recorded on just a synthesizer for a long time. And the guitar never ever does anything more than something basic – strum a couple chords, or plug away at the same playful rhythm that opens “Montana” and let the synths party and mingle with each other overhead. They actually stand out because of how little they’re used.
The feeling I get listening to this album is a concoction of happiness, comfort, reassurance, curiosity, and awe. Pretty much everything I love about electronic music is right here. There isn’t one abrasive synth patch on this record, it’s all soft and warm and delightfully… synthy. It’s just so fun and enjoyable to listen to. And the tracklist is perfectly ordered, almost as if it was crafted to be paired with a high or intoxication. It starts off innocuously with the title track, then goes through the highs and lows of becoming intoxicated, and when the record reaches “Plains” at the end, all that’s left is an emptied field where the party used to be, and the track is appropriately somber but it’s not a bummer. It’s like the party ended and you’re still tripping but only a little. To that extent, "Dye" would be the pinnacle of the trip, and also my favorite track.
Speaking of… There’s a lot to be said for substances and the arts, particularly music. A few years ago I put this on loop while I was tripping balls and due to the nature of LSD it made the experience exponentially more fun. Hearing the intricate layers of synths loop in on themselves over and over created a whole bunch of sonic textures I could never have heard sober. I’ve given up the acid since then because it’s so powerful, but I can’t help but associate this record with those good partying times in my life. I don't like to drink much - at specific events maybe, but generally I am the kind of guy who likes to get his buzz on, and I like to do it with other things. I'm not necessarily advocating it, because everybody is different, but I do think the pairing of them with music is one of my favorite things in the world.
In Summary: It’s music for when you want something chill and smooth but fun and active at the same time. Want to chill but not fall asleep? Enya is on the sleepier side of the spectrum. Tycho, at least this album particularly, is on the ‘party’ side of the spectrum. It has its gentle moments but there’s always a beat or groove to latch onto, something memorable and catchy. My Last.FM shows that this is my most-listened to album ever, but my scrobbles are highly inaccurate due to a couple resets and years of lost scrobbles – sufficed to say, though, that it’s definitely one of my most-played albums of all time. Of all the records in 20-10 on this list this one has the most potential to crack the top 10 as time goes on.
Katt’s Favorites: Montana (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0#t=4m43s), L (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0#t=10m9s), Dye (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0#t=14m46s), See (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0#t=20m4s), Spectre (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEI1_oGPQr0#t=29m43s)
Listen to “Awake” by Tycho on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/7HWdGPosPkb9GY5MOgLgSW?si=EeEjpMtBSNaFl1zb3Ao6-Q)
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I wouldn't know anything about acid trips, but listening now and I can see it. It's way more upbeat than the last so I wouldn't put this in the put to sleep category, but I can see it in the trippy music, chill out category.
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I wouldn't know anything about acid trips, but listening now and I can see it. It's way more upbeat than the last so I wouldn't put this in the put to sleep category, but I can see it in the trippy music, chill out category.
As a fellow fan of the herb, you should totally listen to this when you're getting your swerve on.
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When I saw Captain Trips in the title, I was expecting Among The Living.
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I wouldn't know anything about acid trips, but listening now and I can see it. It's way more upbeat than the last so I wouldn't put this in the put to sleep category, but I can see it in the trippy music, chill out category.
As a fellow fan of the herb, you should totally listen to this when you're getting your swerve on.
My go to stoner music is typically reggae (been listening to Dirty Heads lately), but I could see this being good for that as well
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I wouldn't know anything about acid trips, but listening now and I can see it. It's way more upbeat than the last so I wouldn't put this in the put to sleep category, but I can see it in the trippy music, chill out category.
As a fellow fan of the herb, you should totally listen to this when you're getting your swerve on.
My go to stoner music is typically reggae (been listening to Dirty Heads lately), but I could see this being good for that as well
Seeing them with 311 in 2 weeks.
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I wouldn't know anything about acid trips, but listening now and I can see it. It's way more upbeat than the last so I wouldn't put this in the put to sleep category, but I can see it in the trippy music, chill out category.
As a fellow fan of the herb, you should totally listen to this when you're getting your swerve on.
My go to stoner music is typically reggae (been listening to Dirty Heads lately), but I could see this being good for that as well
Seeing them with 311 in 2 weeks.
Saw them both at Warped a couple weeks ago, and will see them both again in Philly next week and again in my hometown a week after that. 311 is one of my favorite bands and totally one of my stoner bands, but through them actually is how I discovered Dirty Heads a few years ago as they toured together before so I've seen Dirty Heads a few times now. This tour they are coheadlining though so depending on your show, 311 might be opening for them. Also, The Interrupters are opening for both of them and I like them a lot too (punk/ska music though not stoner). I'd actually be surprised if you like Dirty Heads though Joe.
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I've always been open to many styles of music.
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I've always been open to many styles of music.
I know, I've yet to see you talk about this type of music though. 311 is rock influenced, Dirty Heads more hip hop. What sold me on them, because I wasn't at first, was the live band. No DJ, they have drums, percussion, keyboards, guitar, and bass, two singers. Extra keyboard for the bassist. They make it work well live. Also, super chill music positive vibe music.
It's funny, as I derail Katt's thread with music he probably never heard of, but I was thinking if I did a top 50, this type of music would get the crickets like Katt's non metal music :lol
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That's a tasty Tycho album and great background music for work.
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Heck yeah seneca. I find the beats and overall soft nature of the album to be very helpful in 'zoning in' to work or whatever you're primarily focused on.
cram, I'm more likely to listen to something I've never heard of before, actually, so I'd totally check out the albums on your top 50 if you ever make one. Especially because I like trying stuff I've never dug into, like reggae. The other night I was listening to some mbube music, from Africa.
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That Tycho album is really nice. Great chill out music. :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal
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17.
DREAM THEATER
IMAGES AND WORDS
Progressive Metal
released July 7th, 1992 via Atco Records
(https://i.imgur.com/ARijsTI.png)
1. Pull Me Under [8:12]
2. Another Day [4:23]
3. Take the Time [8:20]
4. Surrounded [5:29]
5. Metropolis (Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper) [9:31]
6. Under a Glass Moon [7:02]
7. Wait for Sleep [2:31]
8. Learning to Live [11:30]
IMAGES AND WORDS is
Kevin James LaBrie (Vocals)
John Myung (Bass)
Kevin Moore (Keyboards)
John Petrucci (Guitars)
Mike Portnoy (Drums)
WITH
Jay Beckenstein (Alto saxophone on 2)
I don’t really have much to say about this album for obvious reasons: we all know about it. Just briefly I’d like to explain why I love this album so much.
This was the first prog record I ever heard. “A Change of Seasons” was my first prog song ever, but Images and Words was my first venture into the deep end of the rock and metal pool. I still remember where and when I was when I heard it, and how amazed I was at the musicianship and sonic landscapes I was being ushered through. No way a man can sing that high – and how the hell are they able to solo over these awkward beats, where do the riffs end? I think this record began my exploration of gifted and complex musicianship beyond GnR and Iron Maiden, and 16 years later, I feel jaded and hard to impress with new artists. I miss the sheer awe and mystery of records like this, before I knew how music worked and how to write and play. Every member of this band is a huge influence on me in no small part thanks to this record, and I can’t believe I got to see them play it live in 2017 alongside "A Change of Seasons." Kind of felt like part of my musical life was coming full circle and wrapped up right there.
In Summary: Dream Theater’s second greatest album is one of my most treasured albums and I think it’s one of the best rock/metal records ever made. It played a big role in me going to school for music and getting my degree in piano. It’s simply amazing. Nuff said.
Katt’s Favorites: Another Day (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYtiDCXLAcQ), Take the Time (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5sg8heGdyk), Surrounded (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULE6VNAxiU), Under A Glass Moon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEKTNtmKZEw), Learning to Live (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA_MqPRvsJc)
Listen to “Images and Words” by Dream Theater on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/2QgGoL5VSQhPHudTObS7zK?si=VJAeIm41TCCQewSr4M3s3Q)
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Never heard of them...
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Finally an album that makes my top 500! :D
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My #1 album of all time.
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I figured if there's one album on the list everyone can come together and appreciate, it's this one. Except I'm gonna lose ya'll on the next one. :lol Honestly from this album to #4 it's extremely close and this could easily be in the top 10... but I had to draw it somewhere. For many years this was in my top 10.
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never heard of this one. katt, get better taste in music :getoffmylawn:
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never heard of this one. katt, get better taste in music :getoffmylawn:
#16: East of the Wall - The Apologist :metardica:
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:metal :metal :metal :metal
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Ohh Dream Theatre... those guys suck...
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My #1 album of all time.
Finally, something we agree on!
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My #1 album of all time.
Finally, something we agree on!
Cheers, same here :yarr
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My gateway drug to prog metal.
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My gateway drug to prog metal.
Yea probably mine too
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16.
RHAPSODY
SYMPHONY OF ENCHANTED LANDS
Symphonic Power Metal
released October 5th, 1998 via LMP
(https://i.imgur.com/kqUcJKO.png)
1. Epicus Furor [1:14]
2. Emerald Sword [4:21]
3. Wisdom of the Kings [4:28]
4. Heroes of the Lost Valley [2:04]
5. Eternal Glory [7:29]
6. Beyond the Gates of Infinity [7:23]
7. Wings of Destiny [4:28]
8. The Dark Tower of Abyss [6:46]
9. Riding the Winds of Eternity [4:13]
10. Symphony of Enchanted Lands [13:16]
Fabio Lione (Vocals)
Luca Turilli (Guitars / Choir vocals)
Alessandro Lotta (Bass)
Alex Staropoli (Keyboards / Choir vocals)
Daniele Carbonera (Drums)
FEATURING
Constanze Backes (Female baroque vocals on 10)
Sir Jay Lansford (Narration)
Manuel Staropoli (Baroque recorders / Baroque oboe / Choir vocals)
Michael ‘Miro’ Rodenberg (Choir vocals)
Sascha Paeth (Acoustic guitars / Madolin / Balalaika)
WITH
a whole crapton of orchestra musicians (https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Rhapsody_of_Fire/Symphony_of_Enchanted_Lands/109#album_members_guest)
It’s Rhapsody. You know what to expect. Let’s talk about the story instead! Skip to the end if you don’t give a shit.
This is the second chapter of The Emerald Sword Saga. The Warrior of Ice and the mighty dragon Tharos set off in search of the third key to open the Ivory Gates to an enchanted realm (“Emerald Sword,” “Wisdom of the Kings”). After speaking with the wizard Aresius, they ride across a great valley and desert. The Warrior and Tharos are ambushed by nightmarish creatures – ghosts and the living dead surround our heroes until Tharos fends them off and flies away with the hero (“Heroes of the Lost Valleys,” “Eternal Glory,” “Beyond the Gates of Infinity”).
Tharos and the Warrior have a lovely little flight (“Wings of Destiny”) until everything grows dark and cold, and the presence of evil can be felt in the air. They arrive at the Dark Tower of Abyss (“The Dark Tower of Abyss”). In this tower lies the Emerald Sword, a powerful, ancient weapon. Let me just say this is a monstrous track, one of the first Rhapsody songs I ever heard, and the orchestral stuff is sublime. I adore every single second of this song and wrote a full piano arrangement of it in college. Damn is it good.
Okay, so, the Emerald Sword is hidden in the Dark Tower. There’s a long history to the sword that’s actually explained in the 2006 song “The Myth of the Holy Sword”. (The sword is filled with the life force of the ancient warrior Naimur, whose energy was drained out of him by an emerald stone. Naimur’s brother, Loinir, after the battle of Galfor’s mines in which Naimur was captured, stole the stone and with it forged the Emerald Sword. The angels answered his prayers and blessed the sword which filled it with might. Years later, a last battle was waged against Atlon. With a single blow, Loinir cut down Atlon and avenged his brother, but later, unsettled by the power of the weapon, sealed it beyond the Ivory Gates for ages.)
Anyway – while Tharos battles winged demons in the sky above the Tower, the Warrior enters a secret door and discovers the Emerald Sword. A demonic guardian awakens – before the Warrior of Ice is hit, Tharos arrives and kills the beast. They immediately escape and fly far away (“Riding the Winds of Eternity”). Unfortunately, by the time they get back through the Ivory Gates, Tharos succumbs to injuries he took at the Tower, and the Warrior of Ice, furious and heartbroken, swears for revenge against the Dark Lord Akron (“Symphony of Enchanted Lands”).
In Summary: Symphony of Enchanted Lands is a monumental power metal album. It contains some classic, iconic power metal songs, with “Emerald Sword” serving as the band’s signature anthem. It’s bursting with orchestral arrangements and real musicians, but with a heavy emphasis on the metal band that makes up the core band: the keyboardist is almost his own orchestra separate from the real musicians, and the guitars still play loud, heavy riffs and solos that are up front in the mix. It’s a very balanced record while also sticking to some safe traditions like having a token ballad (“Wings of Destiny”), an intro track (“Epicus Furor”), a big epic (the title track), and a song with a little bit of proggy influence (“Beyond the Gates of Infinity”).
Katt’s Favorites: Emerald Sword (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5kLxQGbRYg), Wisdom of the Kings (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87lkTfllLg), Beyond the Gates of Infinity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8AeOapGop8), The Dark Tower of Abyss (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoToociLHZs), Symphony of Enchanted Lands (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUuoXWTYVHs)
Listen to "Symphony of Enchanted Lands" by Rhapsody on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/346aOAWcE17Sz9pqeENw4I?si=EYCLvDlNQoCUH6x0mzw5kA)
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My gateway drug to prog metal.
Pretty much.
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K-Lox, another album that unfortunately I cannot offer much. I look forward to the end and looking at your list in total, and creating a checklist for me to run through.
Honestly, I've tried pretty much all of these bands in the past, but you've inspired me to give them all another shot.
I have said before that I remember getting very antsy musically in the late 90's. I went through a downloading phase where I tried many of these bands. It's great that you were able to experience these bands in your formative years, and I can se how they helped shape your tastes.
The bands and albums I listened to when I was 12-14 are still among my favorites even today.
I still can't believe you don't like Heavenly. Their first three albums are great.
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My #1 album of all time.
Finally, something we agree on!
I find this interesting, because it's not even my favorite Dream Theater album (that goes to Six Degrees, for reasons), let alone favorite of all time (that goes to Marbles). Now don't get me wrong, it's a great album, but not even in my top 3 Dream Theater albums.
I still can't believe you don't like Heavenly. Their first three albums are great.
Agreed. :metal I don't remember if it was you or Jingle that sent them in my roulette, but Heavenly is awesome. And I think I like them more now than I did during my roulette.
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I might have, although I really don't remember. If I did, I probably would've sent Evil, which I have sent a couple of times.
I sent Hands Of Darkness to Cool Chris in an instrumental round, and I think it won the round.
After the band basically left Ben Sotto after Dust To Dust, they are not the same. I think Frederic LeClerq is an amazing musician, and you could feel his influence on Dragonforce right away. he's being wasted as their bassist though.
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I might have, although I really don't remember. If I did, I probably would've sent Evil, which I have sent a couple of times.
I sent Hands Of Darkness to Cool Chris in an instrumental round, and I think it won the round.
After the band basically left Ben Sotto after Dust To Dust, they are not the same. I think Frederic LeClerq is an amazing musician, and you could feel his influence on Dragonforce right away. he's being wasted as their bassist though.
Considering Dragonforce's most recent album is their best, I'd say he had a huge impact on them. The song writing is the best it's ever been.
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I think his first album with them was Ultra Beatdown. I haven't followed them since that album though.
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Considering Dragonforce's most recent album is their best, I'd say he had a huge impact on them. The song writing is the best it's ever been.
Checking it out now. :metal
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Considering Dragonforce's most recent album is their best
(https://i.imgur.com/1Gc32Kj.gif)
Fred ruined this fucking band. They used to be amazing on their first three. What a fall from grace. A shadow of their former selves. I have very strong opinions on Dragonforce. :lol :lol
UB was his first album, yeah, but he started touring pretty much from the start on the Inhuman Rampage tour because Adrian Lambert left right after recording. Or even during it, after he finished his parts.
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K-Lox, another album that unfortunately I cannot offer much. I look forward to the end and looking at your list in total, and creating a checklist for me to run through.
Honestly, I've tried pretty much all of these bands in the past, but you've inspired me to give them all another shot.
I have said before that I remember getting very antsy musically in the late 90's. I went through a downloading phase where I tried many of these bands. It's great that you were able to experience these bands in your formative years, and I can se how they helped shape your tastes.
The bands and albums I listened to when I was 12-14 are still among my favorites even today.
I still can't believe you don't like Heavenly. Their first three albums are great.
That's cool, man. Even if you don't feel 'em, it's cool that you're giving them another go so many years later. Yeah, lots of this stuff came during the formative years. The ones that are more recent have a lot of competition to square up to.
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Fred ruined this fucking band.
(https://i.imgur.com/1Gc32Kj.gif)
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Bass solo on Astral Empire! :metal
EDIT: That whole song is fucking awesome!
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It's a good album. It just pales next to the old stuff...
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I sent Hands Of Darkness to Cool Chris in an instrumental round, and I think it won the round.
TAC: Heavenly - Hands Of Darkness
10
Superb blend of musicianship, creativity, melody. Everything a metal instrumental should be.
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It's a good album. It just pales next to the old stuff...
I actually have the first 4 albums. It's been ages since I've bothered with them. Those early albums really sound the same. But I love the melodic speed of them. I hate the squiggly shit they do in the guitar solos though.
I'm enjoying Reaching Into Infinity quite a bit, although Midnight Madness kind of blew.
I sent Hands Of Darkness to Cool Chris in an instrumental round, and I think it won the round.
TAC: Heavenly - Hands Of Darkness
10
Superb blend of musicianship, creativity, melody. Everything a metal instrumental should be.
:metal :metal :metal
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SYMPHONY! :metal
I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but Symphony of Enchanted Lands was among the first handful of power metal albums that I ever bought. I never really got into Rhapsody past this album, but it's so special to me for nostalgia. The songs take me back to when I started enjoying this kind of music, and Emerald Sword is just so awesome.
Images & Words - not much else to add. It's probably in my top 10 of all time. Sadly missed the tour 2 years ago, but that's life.
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Dragon...check.
Sword...check.
Castle...check.
Get the fuck out!
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Technically it's a fortress.
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Lord Of The Rings trilogy has taught me better than that. :lol
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Lord Of The Rings trilogy has taught me better than that. :lol
:lol The best fantasy series of all time and the one true trilogy.
SYMPHONY! :metal
I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but Symphony of Enchanted Lands was among the first handful of power metal albums that I ever bought. I never really got into Rhapsody past this album, but it's so special to me for nostalgia. The songs take me back to when I started enjoying this kind of music, and Emerald Sword is just so awesome.
Hell yes. It's a shame you never got into Rhapsody beyond this (there's so much good stuff there) but I'm glad it has that effect on you. I really love the sound of the synth brass on this record.
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Agreed. :metal I don't remember if it was you or Jingle that sent them in my roulette, but Heavenly is awesome. And I think I like them more now than I did during my roulette.
Definitely wasn't me. I don't own any Heavenly.
I patiently await Tim's edit of that post to hammer home the cheap shot I've teed up for him.
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I've tried a lot of power metal bands over time but the amount of cheese and corny-ness was often hard to swallow although I didn't find it that bad musically. Seeing and reading your entries here I will probably try some of them again to see if I can get past the dragons, swords and
castles fortresses.
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I&W :metal
When I was into power metal this Rhapsody album was one I listened to regularly. It has some really good songs
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Puppies is spot on. Reaching Into Infinity is Dragonforce's best album by a long, long, long margin. I think it's brilliant.
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(edited) Man, to each their own, but best by a 'long long margin'? I could not possibly disagree more. I'll hold my thoughts... for now... :biggrin:
I've tried a lot of power metal bands over time but the amount of cheese and corny-ness was often hard to swallow although I didn't find it that bad musically. Seeing and reading your entries here I will probably try some of them again to see if I can get past the dragons, swords and castles fortresses.
I doubt you'll be able to get into it - although, who knows. There are bands that sound like Rhapsody, but I actively despise them and that surprises people. What some people find corny I don't - like Rhapsody, I find them totally bearable, but so much other power metal either tries too hard or doesn't try hard enough and it sounds really bad. Cool that you might give them another shot though :)
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My gateway drug to prog metal.
Boom, me too.
Not my #1 album of all time, but top ten, and favorite DT album.
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Rhapsody is awesome.
I consider Rain Of A Thousand Flames one of the best Powermetal songs ever written.
Love the speed, arrangements, orchestrations, melodies.
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How can we be talking about DragonForce and not all agreeing that Sonic Firestorm is the best album (by a long, long, long margin) :metal
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How can we be talking about DragonForce and not all agreeing that Sonic Firestorm is the best album (by a long, long, long margin) :metal
Luke gets it. Luke totally gets it.
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15.
BLIND GUARDIAN
IMAGINATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Speed Metal / Power Metal
released April 5th, 1995 via Virgin Records
(https://i.imgur.com/Ekmeaqu.jpg)
1. Imaginations From The Other Side [7:19]
2. I’m Alive [5:31]
3. A Past and Future Secret [3:48]
4. The Script For My Requiem [6:09]
5. Mordred’s Song [5:28]
6. Born in a Mourning Hall [5:14]
7. Bright Eyes [5:16]
8. Another Holy War [4:32]
9. And the Story Ends [6:00]
IMAGINATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE is
Hansi Kürsch (Vocals / Bass)
André Olbrich (Lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars)
Marcus Siepen (Rhythm guitars)
Thomas Stauch (Drums)
WITH
Mathias Wiesner (Effects)
Ronnie Atkins (Backing vocals)
Jacob Moth (Acoustic guitars on 3)
Billy King (Backing vocals)
Thomas Hackmann (Backing vocals)
Rolf Köhler R.I.P. 2007 (Backing vocals)
Piet Sielck (Backing vocals)
Behold! Imaginations From The Other Side is, in my opinion, 1995’s best album, easily the best Blind Guardian album, and a landmark album for the speed metal side of power metal. It’s a culmination of their early sound, with a touch of the folky and orchestral elements they’d use for the next twenty years. Strong, heavy and fast riffs, loud drums, enormous choirs, Hansi singing like a banshee (in a good way), minimal interruption of flow. Blind Guardian was in the zone when they cut this gem. (That said, I like the acoustic version of “Bright Eyes” more than the proper version here)
I've actually struggled to put into words why I like this album so much partially because I've already talked so much about this already particularly in the Blind Guardian thread.
“The Script For My Requiem” is my favorite Blind Guardian song and one of the first metal songs I ever heard. The sound of that song – the production, the perfectly layered choir vocals, the intensity of Hansi’s singing, and the shred of the guitar – never fails to impress me. It’s the perfect heavy metal sound. Crucify! CRUCIFY!
“Mordred’s Song” and “A Past and Future Secret” are two of my other favorites for the brilliant clean guitar work and gorgeous vocal melodies carried over some choice chord progressions (especially in APAFS, which shifts between F#m and E major in the verses and creates a dreamlike atmosphere). "A Past and Future Secret" is about King Arthur, which is cool.
I think Andre’s shredding is at its best on this album: when he shreds, it’s still melodic and memorable and adds something to the music, but he doesn’t do it on every track like on older albums so when it does happen it stands out. Hansi is the real star of the album because he shows his full vocal range and can switch from a croon to a scream anytime he wants to (sometimes layering both in the same vocal line). “Another Holy War” and “I’m Alive” have him at his most catlike in the chorus, but he’s got more bite to his voice in the verses when he sings a bit lower. I can’t imagine any other singer possibly singing Blind Guardian’s stuff. I’ve never known how Hansi does it, but he does, and we all love him for it.
In Summary: I just love every second of this record. I even got to see them play it in full, live, in 2016. If you like metal and you haven’t heard this record or are new to Blind Guardian – listen to this ASAP. Nuff said.
Katt’s Favorites: Imaginations From The Other Side (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPG7gYoqpHM), A Past and Future Secret (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8GIVtCNlCk), The Script For My Requiem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZznRuOKQqQ), Mordred’s Song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDuyoC4WDSw), Bright Eyes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP6qMKW8jHo)
Listen to “Imaginations From The Other Side” on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/2Nvba6vKO2BjSBwJUFituv?si=K6Z_LS1bQoWRcEAbYKbT2g)
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I love this album....Nightfall was my first BG record sometime in 1998 or 1999 and then I ended up getting Imaginations not long after. I saw them at The Rave in Milwaukee in 2016...got a free ticket from the venue and decided that it was worth it to see them not only for the first time, but to see them play the album in full. The Ninth Wave was a nice opener and I was just taking in seeing and hearing Hansi sing live for the first time. Then they went into Welcome to Dying and I lost my shit. :metal
I've actually been listening to some of the remixed versions from the compilation album they put out a handful of years ago and it's weird to hear the songs mixed so different. But fun to have a few different versions of them.
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I love this album....Nightfall was my first BG record sometime in 1998 or 1999 and then I ended up getting Imaginations not long after. I saw them at The Rave in Milwaukee in 2016...got a free ticket from the venue and decided that it was worth it to see them not only for the first time, but to see them play the album in full. The Ninth Wave was a nice opener and I was just taking in seeing and hearing Hansi sing live for the first time. Then they went into Welcome to Dying and I lost my shit. :metal
I've actually been listening to some of the remixed versions from the compilation album they put out a handful of years ago and it's weird to hear the songs mixed so different. But fun to have a few different versions of them.
I almost went to that show! But I had friends in St. Louis, so I went there instead. I wasted too much time shotgunning drinks in the parking lot so I walked in a couple minutes into The Ninth Wave, and once Welcome to Dying started I was suitably buzzed to start partying :lol I also like having the multiple versions. The remixes aren't bad!
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:metal :metal :metal :metal :metal
Had it on my list somewhere around #15 too! I agree, this is the best Blind Guardian album by miles.
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:2metal::2metal::2metal::2metal::2metal::2metal::2metal:
Yeah, best BG album.
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My favorite BG album as well and also got to see it live in full at ProgPower in 2016 (Morded's Song Live at ProgPower 17 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2EEdx-lBMc) ugh I haven't watched this in a long time and I sing along soooo terribly lol)
I actually got the live DVD Imaginations Through the Looking Glass before any album, and as you can guess from the title, the DVD was filled with IFTOS songs which I loved and ended up eventually getting their entire discography and seeing them for the first time in 2010 which was an amazing experience. Still my favorite album of theirs and would be somewhere high on my top 50 list as well, so damn good every single track.
Also, had no idea Ronnie Atkins did backing vocals for this album
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I can finally participate, sort of. This is next on my BG journey. Been listening to them in order and this is next up.
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I can finally participate, sort of. This is next on my BG journey. Been listening to them in order and this is next up.
Hell yeah!! Report back with your thoughts either here or in the BG thread dude. I really hope you love it. :metal
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I can finally participate, sort of. This is next on my BG journey. Been listening to them in order and this is next up.
Hell yeah!! Report back with your thoughts either here or in the BG thread dude. I really hope you love it. :metal
No disappointments yet. Still need to share my thoughts on Somewhere Far Beyond over in the BG thread. I'm taking my time as I am really enjoying them so instead of one listen and moving on, I am trying to soak them in a bit more.
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I can finally participate, sort of. This is next on my BG journey. Been listening to them in order and this is next up.
Hell yeah!! Report back with your thoughts either here or in the BG thread dude. I really hope you love it. :metal
No disappointments yet. Still need to share my thoughts on Somewhere Far Beyond over in the BG thread. I'm taking my time as I am really enjoying them so instead of one listen and moving on, I am trying to soak them in a bit more.
SFB has another BG song that was one of my first ever metal tunes: Ashes to Ashes. The whole album is fantastic, but that song is very special to me and I love it sooo much.
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Now that's a fucking classic power metal album.
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Yeah, excellent album.
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I'm torn between Imaginations and At the Edge of Time for my favorite Blind Guardian album. Both are amazing.
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I'm torn between Imaginations and At the Edge of Time for my favorite Blind Guardian album. Both are amazing.
I'm all for tastes but not even a competition.
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At the Edge of Time is good, but yeah, not even close to IFTOS for me. If anything, I'd say A Night at the Opera is my second favourite BG.
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I'm torn between Imaginations and At the Edge of Time for my favorite Blind Guardian album. Both are amazing.
ATEoT might be my second favorite but Imagination wins
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Appreciating all the love for this Guardian album, it's amazing. I keep trying to learn Mordred's Song on my acoustic but I just do not have the skills to pull it off. I tried learning the Bright Eyes riff when I had an electric and that was pretty fun.
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So I have really only heard each of the Blind Guardian albums a handful of times. I'm not an expert but I consider Tales From The Twilight World my favorite, followed by Somewhere Far Beyond and Battalions Of Fear as my Top 3.
I did a run through tonight of TFTTW, SFB, and IFTOS. This is surely a great 3 album run for sure. Still a band that needs much more of my time. Thanks K-Lox for giving me the opportunity and motivation to run through a few of these.
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I still have to go back and fully read the writeups for Enchanted Lands and this, but both are gems. Enchanted Lands is my 2nd fave Rhapsody album; Imaginations is the gold standard from BG, imo.
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Just listened to the Rhadsody album. First, the good news. It's an excellent album, thoughtful and melodic. Liked the speed in some of the tracks.
The bad news?..well it's not really bad news, or even a criticism. I just prefer my power metal to have a bit more bite. To be a bit more heavier.
I'm not a fan of symphonic elements in my music. I don't mind a little embellishment in the background, but I don't want it to have any prominence. Similarly, I feel the same way about keyboards. I do like them, but not at 50-50 with the guitars.
I think that's why I prefer early Hammerfall and Heavenly over bands like Rhapsody and Stratovarius.
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Yay :)
TAC, we're total opposites in that regard. I gotta have keyboards doing some heavy lifting, at least on equal footing with the geetars. But I'm glad you had fun with Symphony!
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Listening to Sign Of The Winner right now!! :metal
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Listening to Sign Of The Winner right now!! :metal
That's such bad album title. :lol A friend of mine just found that at a record store for like $3. Told him he overpaid by $3. :lol
I should actually listen to that album sometime. I've heard a few albums but the only one I remember is Dust to Dust which of course I dislike and a little bit of Virus which is, well, it's music
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That album title is all WIN! :neverusethis:
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Sign of the Winner!? Lol what a title.
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Lord forgive me for my blabbering on this next update. Just check the summary as usual, but I took the time to be self-indulgent with this one.
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14.
AQUARIA
LUXAETERNA
Symphonic Power Metal
released November 3rd, 2005 via Scarecrow Records
(https://i.imgur.com/ONOFbgG.jpg)
1. Aeternalux [2:30]
2. …And Let The Show Begin [7:30]
3. Here Comes The Life [9:24]
4. Spirits of Light [5:38]
5. Humanity [8:08]
6. Whispers and Pain of Mother Nature [6:30]
7. Choice Time [6:45]
8. Judgement Day [10:31]
9. Your Majesty Gaia [7:03]
10. Luxaeterna [4:06]
11. Sons of the Sky, Brothers of the Earth* [5:48]
*Japanese bonus track
LUXAETERNA is
Vitor Veiga (Lead vocals)
Fernando Giovanetti (Bass)
Bruno W. Agra (Drums / Choir vocals)
Alberto Kury (Keyboards / Choir vocals)
Leandro Gomes R.I.P. 2010 (Guitars / Choir vocals)
Rick Mour (Guitars)
WITH
Ely Werneck (Percussion)
Igor Veiga (Additional bass)
Vitor Veiga (Choir vocals)
Favia Dotto (Choir vocals)
Luiza Borges (Choir vocals)
Deborah Braga (Choir vocals)
Djane Rodrigues (Choir vocals)
Ana Maria Rigotto (Choir vocals)
Leandro Vasques (Choir vocals)
Forgive me for all the rambling I am about to do. I cannot be short when I talk about this incredibly niche album.
On one end of the symphonic metal spectrum you have bands like Epica, which barely seem to use their orchestral arrangements beyond having the boring choir and a small string section in every song. On the other end, you have Luca Turilli, who for the last 8 years has shoved 20 pounds of shit into 5 pound bags without ever knowing when enough is enough. I find Aquaria comfortably in the middle, still ahead of Nightwish but not quite batshit crazy as Luca Turilli.
I’ve always had a vague idea of what this record is about – I haven’t looked at the booklet in years – but it’s essentially about the creation of the Universe and Earth by gods and goddesses, the rise of Man, and a fight between the gods as they decide which fate is best for humanity – to live, or to die. In the end, humanity prevails, living forever more under the watchful eye of Mother Gaia. It’s corny, it’s fun, and it’s epic as f&*%.
The intro track “Aeternalux” kind of sums up what the tone of the album is like. It opens with an ominous choir, then goes through a cinematic transition through its motifs and themes and allows a bunch of instruments in the fake orchestra to mingle with each other – horns and bells and flutes and strings and choirs all playing and teasing each other, creating this vibrant atmosphere and rich sonic texture. The brief, happy part with the horns playing a rapid melody is my favorite part.
And then we seamlessly transition into one of my very favorite power metal anthems, the perfectly titled, “…And Let The Show Begin.” The play of Life begins – “A big flame crossed the sky / Creation’s now divine / The astral law’s conducting a dance of stars” – Halfway through the piece the song breaks apart and you can actually hear applause. If this record is thought of like a play on some cosmic stage, this is the point where the camera pulls back away from the stage and focuses on the audience, the Gods and Goddesses watching from the shadows. And then it cuts back to the stage abruptly as the show carries on, leading into an early string climax that is incredibly reminiscent of Angra’s “Angels Cry.” Vitor Veiga hits every high note just right to sell the theatrics of this song, and he does it throughout the whole record.
And so the album carries on in that way, telling the story of Man and how the deities increasingly get tired of Man’s missteps and perceived failures, and eventually they have to decide whether or not Man gets to live or die. In the end, Mother Gaia has the last word and watches protectively over Man for the rest of their days. It's a symphonic adventure with plenty of tension and release and incredible playing from every member in the band (even the bassist gets a moment or two in the spotlight, just like on their follow-up Shambala) and when the story ends, there's always this feeling that washes over me, not unlike that feeling when you finish the last page of a good book that you just got lost in until you ran out of story to read.
In Summary: There just isn’t much I love more than some of the sounds on this record. The warm horns blaring behind a shreddy power metal solo which soars over rapid double bass drumming, coated in a thick sugary layer of strings and flutes (“…And Let The Show Begin”). An entire brass section roaring with celestial choirs (“Judgement Day”). Clean guitars, bells, and flutes to sing a song of pain (“Whispers and Pain of Mother Nature”). Everything from slow rockers (“Humanity”) to bonafied classic power metal (“Spirits of Light”). There’s even prog madness in “Choice Time” with an instrumental section I have never been able to properly transcribe. Sampling one song does not do this record justice. Every song is a special snowflake to me on Luxaeterna. The album closes with the title track, which is 100% orchestral, and the story ends with a rhythmic looping of the phrase, “Let the show begin again, let the luxaeterna exist forever” – and then the record ends with a lone piano playing a gentle melody. This record has meant everything to me for the last 12 years!
Katt’s Favorites: …And Let The Show Begin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjbqW6u4hVI), Here Comes The Life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYwgm3mUjOo), Humanity (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bKJVfIITlM), Choice Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhrcGj7LW_g), Judgement Day (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnC77Z1bO4)
Listen to “Luxaeterna” by Aquaria on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/7C9HMLd9uKcsWIJX2xcjVn?si=PCHfwnjKRGKIF0K2QPZamw)
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Never heard of this band before, had to pause my Secret Sphere album to try this out... not bad!
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Never heard of this band before, had to pause my Secret Sphere album to try this out... not bad!
You should play in roulettes, 'cause I think I've sent Aquaria in almost every one I've played. Glad you aren't repulsed! :lol
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:lol When I read this is between Epica and Turilli I thought maybe it was a good spot because I'm more like TAC where I don't want the symphonic to over power the metal.
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Might not want to speak too soon. The symphonic almost overpowers the metal a lot in places, just not on the same level as Turilli. No talk about geometry and waveforms here but lots of cheese :lol
EDIT: Oh lord ya'll I am so excited for #13 you have no idea. Where's @twosuitsluke at :corn
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Yea, I was going to say, I thought they leaned more toward Turilli than Epica, not so much truly in the middle, but I didn't sample enough to make that general statement but I did kind of think that. It seems around my border of what I can handle before the symphonic becomes too much.
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13.
DRAGONFORCE
VALLEY OF THE DAMNED
Power Metal
released January 27th, 2003 via Sanctuary Records
(https://i.imgur.com/0ZIUFxd.jpg)
1. Invocation of Apocalyptic Evil [:14]
2. Valley of the Damned [7:10]
3. Black Fire [5:47]
4. Black Winter Night [6:31]
5. Starfire [5:53]
6. Disciples of Babylon [7:17]
7. Revelations [6:53]
8. Evening Star [6:39]
9. Heart of a Dragon [5:23]
10. Where Dragons Rule* [5:51]
*Japanese bonus track
VALLEY OF THE DAMNED is
ZP Theart (Vocals)
Vadim Pruzhanov (Keyboards / Piano)
Herman Li (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Sam Totman (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Didier Almouzni (Drums)
WITH
Diccon Harper (Bass)
Clive Nolan (Backing vocals)
Long ago, in the Good Times, before the Age of Suck, before Herman Li plugged his Twitch streams 24/7 and spent half the streams thanking subscribers, before the Dark Lord Fred brought ruin to Dragonforce, before Dragonforce was a joke… there was Valley of the Damned.
It’s hard for me to be concise when talking about this album. I love it so much and it means so much to me because it’s one of the most important records in my life, and that’s no exaggeration. Most of the songs on this album rank among my favorite metal songs ever. “Black Winter Night” is my favorite Dragonforce song. “Evening Star” is better than most power metal bands’ entire careers. “Starfire” is a better metal ballad than most metal bands could dream of making. “Disciples of Babylon” has a great jazzy breakdown that shows a different side of the band than most people know. And “Heart of a Dragon” might take its melody from a nursery rhyme, but it somehow works perfectly with the lyrics, and the triumphant chorus is the perfect way to close the album… except for “Where Dragons Rule” which was written by original Dragonforce(heart) keyboardist Steve Williams, who would leave long before Valley was released, and would form Power Quest not long after.
ZP Theart may not have been the best singer for Dragonforce live – at least by the time of their third album, when he was not taking care of his voice and the tour schedule pushed him beyond his limits – but in the studio, he is still the definitive voice of the band in my opinion. He had range while keeping a distinct husky tone that lent some power to the vocals both in the high end and in the lower verses. I really miss his voice and the band kind of died for me when he split. He was my favorite aspect of early Dragonforce, and my favorite part of this album.
Power metal is a genre that’s plagued by cheesiness and corniness of all types, but in my opinion, the bands that lean into those elements the hardest tend to also be the greatest. Dragonforce is faster and heavier than a lot of power metal bands. Their melodies hit you in the face like the fist of an angry god – “listen to this, motherfucker!” – and they lean into it hard. Every song here is generally 200 BPM, with the odd exception like “Starfire” which is a ballad, and a moment or two in other songs. The lyrics, while corny, at least tend to make statements or tell a story, and aren’t as nonsensical and batshit crazy as they are on later records. But in the moment? All of this insanity crammed together into each song? Fuck yes, dude. GO BIG OR GO HOME. Normally feeling 'exhausted' after music is a bad thing for me, but with Dragonforce I want to finish a whole album feeling like I just got put through the ringer, like I was flying on the back of a dragon at the speed of sound for an hour with a sword in my hand.
In Summary: I could go on about this forever. Sufficed to say that Dragonforce – this era of Dragonforce – is one of the best bands to grace the power metal scene. There was a time when I’d listen to their first three albums multiple times, every day, for months on end, at all times of the day. When I play those records, especially Valley, I still feel a little bit of that unbridled enthusiasm and passion for music I felt when I was a kid. This record just fucking embraces everything I love about heavy, melodic, high energy music and everything from the keyboard patches to the singer's tone is perfect to me. Gold standard of power metal right here.
Katt’s Favorites: Valley of the Damned (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY), Black Winter Night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY#t=13m12s), Starfire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY#t=19m47s), Evening Star (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY#t=39m46s), Heart of a Dragon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY#t=46m26s), Where Dragons Rule (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguZybuZwpY#t=51m50s)
Listen to “Valley of the Damned” by Dragonforce on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/21rvAMnG77aMP4HXKACbmo?si=1Ejze4voQla6K9K5Nh-xjA)
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valley of the damned is the one dragonforce song, and they made like 5 albums based on it. nice
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valley of the damned is the one dragonforce song, and they made like 5 albums based on it. nice
I hate you :( :heart
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I just grabbed my iPod to pull this up, but apparently I have everything else by them on it. I went to the basement to check my CD's and apparently I don't own this, but I do own every other Dragonforce CD. I just did a Reaching Into Infinity listen a couple pages back in this thread, and I don't even remember buying it, or the last 3 albums for that matter. :lol
I'll have to order Valley.
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I just grabbed my iPod to pull this up, but apparently I have everything else by them on it. I went to the basement to check my CD's and apparently I don't own this, but I do own every other Dragonforce CD. I just did a Reaching Into Infinity listen a couple pages back in this thread, and I don't even remember buying it, or the last 3 albums for that matter. :lol
I'll have to order Valley.
How does that happen?! :lol You definitely gotta pick it up now. You gotta hear their roots, man! Sam and Herman actually sounded different from each other on this one.
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I just grabbed my iPod to pull this up, but apparently I have everything else by them on it. I went to the basement to check my CD's and apparently I don't own this, but I do own every other Dragonforce CD. I just did a Reaching Into Infinity listen a couple pages back in this thread, and I don't even remember buying it, or the last 3 albums for that matter. :lol
I'll have to order Valley.
How does that happen?! :lol
:lol I don't know. :lol
It's $15.83 on Amazon. I'm not paying that. Used is 8.99 plus 3.99 ship. :\
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I just grabbed my iPod to pull this up, but apparently I have everything else by them on it. I went to the basement to check my CD's and apparently I don't own this, but I do own every other Dragonforce CD. I just did a Reaching Into Infinity listen a couple pages back in this thread, and I don't even remember buying it, or the last 3 albums for that matter. :lol
I'll have to order Valley.
How does that happen?! :lol
:lol I don't know. :lol
It's $15.83 on Amazon. I'm not paying that. Used is 8.99 plus 3.99 ship. :\
First search on discogs.com for lowest price + USD showed me a US seller selling a near mint copy of the original pressing, with shipping for just over $7 (https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?sort=price%2Casc¤cy=USD&master_id=106163&limit=25&ev=mb). Go get it! Don't get the remixed & remastered version. It 'sounds' better but it is a fucking HOT album, it is one of the loudest records I've ever heard. Very uncomfortable to listen. EDIT: there's another sealed copy for $5 further down, but shipping is also $5 (wow)...
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Hey, this -was- the DF album I liked most when I was 14 and listened to them after hearing them in guitar hero :P
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I only had the album Inhuman Rampage, which kind of made me feel like..
valley of the damned is the one dragonforce song, and they made like 5 albums based on it. nice
As in, it all kind of just sounded the same to me. Like one awesome albeit over the top song and then repeat. I think I listened to the album 5 times, first time liked it a good amount and by the 5th I never came back because I felt sick of it. That was back like in senior year of college though so awhile ago. I did see them twice open for Kamelot and saw their whole show both times, and after 10 minutes into each set felt that exact same way I did in college. So while I never gave this album a chance, I'm sure it is a bit more diverse being their first album, I have very little interest in this band. I didn't even bother to see their headlining set at Progpower a few year ago.
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Re: Inhuman Rampage
I almost put it on my top 50. It would've been in the 20s somewhere, maybe low 30s. I love that record, but it absolutely sounds samey, even moreso than the two before it. It's kind of like they took what worked for them thus far and just amped it up to 10, in fact that's what they said basically happened: faster, more notes, longer solos. I think "Flame of Youth" and "Operation Ground and Pound" are top tier Dragonforce songs, but I understand the criticisms of that album for sure. Still an exemplary power metal album imo. "Trail of Broken Hearts" is an awesome ballad and might have the best solos on the album.
They're one of those bands that just kind of stays in the pocket of what they're good at although the last record had them branch out more than ever (not for the better). Kind of like Amon Amarth and ACDC.
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I only have Inhuman Rampage and fall into Crams' category of "Through the Fire and Flames is awesome." Even that entire record gets way too samey for me to listen to past the first few songs.
I do credit Dragonforce for helping to get me back into power metal when it came out. I had dropped off of following all bands in that genre except for Blind Guardian and Kamelot around that time. But I loved the song and I was reminded why I love the style of music.
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I think it was the "over the top" part of my little critique that bothers me when kind of not swaying from a sound. I know and love lots of bands that stick to the same sound over and over and if I enjoy it, I can enjoy the same output. But with Dragonforce, those crazy guitars are just too much for me and when it doesn't stop, it really makes me tired of listening to them.
When they played locally (I had never seen a power metal show at this venue before which was awesome) Dragonforce had a really big turn out, maybe bigger than Kamelot. The girl I was dating then (she was a Dragonforce fan, didn't know Kamelot) and was shocked they weren't headlining as apparently they have a strong NJ fan base, I guess she was right.
I saw ZP perform with Skid Row earlier this year, I thought he was the best part of that show. I think in my write up I wrote something about he seemed like the only one on the stage to act like he has something to prove. I actually didn't even realize the Skid Row new singer was actually the original from Dragonforce until after the show (so my review of how much I enjoyed his performance had nothing to do with my opinions or thoughts of Dragonforce although it shouldnt of mattered, vocals were never my issue with them anyway).
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I'm really happy for ZP. That's more his style, and he loves Skid Row and other 80s rock bands to death, and he does a good job at it. I'm glad he's happier and doing what he really loves.
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I'm really happy for ZP. That's more his style, and he loves Skid Row and other 80s rock bands to death, and he does a good job at it. I'm glad he's happier and doing what he really loves.
Is he happier? I mean, Skid Row isn't exactly a good band to be fronting in 2019. Dragonforce had a bigger crowd in the same venue as an opener :lol
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I'm really happy for ZP. That's more his style, and he loves Skid Row and other 80s rock bands to death, and he does a good job at it. I'm glad he's happier and doing what he really loves.
Is he happier? I mean, Skid Row isn't exactly a good band to be fronting in 2019. Dragonforce had a bigger crowd in the same venue as an opener :lol
ZP's an 80s rock dude at heart, he even auditioned for the band singing Bon Jovi. I think he has a deep disdain for Herman in particular; sources close to them have told me there was a massive blowout fight between ZP and Herman over the musical/lyrical direction of the band after the fourth album (Ultra Beatdown) and ZP up and quit because he couldn't take the lyrical nonsense anymore (it got really bad on UB imo, so I understand his frustration). Which is a shame because he was one of the founding members of the group. There's an old video interview with the band and they're talking about their influences and ZP was much different from the rest, screaming praise for Motley Crue and Skid Row and all those bands.
But yeah even though DF might've had bigger crowds, I think ZP is far happier playing 80s rock.
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ZP up and quit because he couldn't take the lyrical nonsense anymore (it got really bad on UB imo, so I understand his frustration).
I mean, who titles a song Heartbreak Armageddon? :lol
I would love to see the list of song titles that that actually beat!
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ZP up and quit because he couldn't take the lyrical nonsense anymore (it got really bad on UB imo, so I understand his frustration).
I mean, who titles a song Heartbreak Armageddon? :lol
I would love to see the list of song titles that that actually beat!
See and even as ridiculous as that song title is it's still not as bad as that fucking atrocious Shinedown-inspired emo teen suicide letter to mom on Reaching Into Infinity. And it's even called Silence! 'cause, you know, silence when he's gone, man. Deep shit. :lol
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I like their lasts album the most, but this is a pretty damn fine album.
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12.
VOYAGER
GHOST MILE
Progressive Metal
released May 12th, 2017 via Iav Records
(https://i.imgur.com/7Y8xgKU.jpg)
1. Ascension [5:22]
2. Misery Is Only Company [5:01]
3. Lifeline [4:45]
4. The Fragile Serene [4:55]
5. To the Riverside [2:09]
6. Ghost Mile [4:18]
7. What A Wonderful Day [3:12]
8. Disconnected [4:52]
9. This Gentle Earth (1981) [3:28]
10. As the City Takes the Night [6:25]
GHOST MILE is
Danny Estrin (Vocals / Keyboards)
Alex Canion (Bass)
Simone Dow (Guitars)
Scott Kay (Guitars)
Ashley Doodkorte (Drums)
Even for myself, I find it surprising that Ghost Mile is so high on this list, above Valley of the Damned and Imaginations From The Other Side and Images and Words. But every time I think about it, I realize this list is about my top 50 of all time, in this moment, what I’m feeling the most at this point in my life. If Valley of the Damned and co. represent the most important music to me of my teenage years, Voyager’s music represents some of the most important prog metal of my young adult life, and remains one of the only bands to blow my mind away with each album they’ve released for the last decade.
Ashley Doodkorte officially became my favorite drummer in prog and metal after seeing him play at ProgPower USA 2018. He hits his drums harder than anybody I’ve seen except maybe Jörg Michael, but he’s also playing everything, including blistering double bass (“Ghost Mile”), four-to-the-floor poppy dance beats (“Lifeline,” “What A Wonderful Day”), and gentle rolls on what I believe are floor toms (“This Gentle Earth (1981)”). He’s one of the stars of this record in my opinion.
Ghost Mile shows Voyager at arguably their most comfortable, with the same lineup that was on the previous album, V. The djenty side of the band comes out regularly, and I can’t say I’ve heard a tighter band than these Aussies. Simone and Scott’s parts double up over Ashley’s thick drums to create very powerful staccato accents, giving the music a very percussive sound, and even the melodic guitar parts sound like they have some punch to every note (like the melodic pattern they play in the refrain of “Ghost Mile” as the drums continue kicking out this stuttering rhythm that almost doesn’t seem to jive with the band if you aren’t paying attention). This rhythmic flavor has always kept me coming back for more.
And it’s that tight rhythmic section that allows singer Danny Estrin so much room to dominate in the upper end of the band alongside his sugary synth patches and occasional twinkling, clean guitar riff. I’m drawn to unique voices, and Danny has a very distinct sound that I find extremely pleasant. I think he’s particularly good in songs like “Ascension,” “Ghost Mile,” and “This Gentle Earth (1981)”. Danny is the other shining star of Ghost Mile in my book. He and Ashley are the most impressive to listen to here.
AND IT’S ONLY 44 MINUTES LONG! Prog bands, take some notes and get to the point with your songs, please. You can have musical complexity in a 3 or 4 minute song, believe me.
In Summary: Ghost Mile is strange in that it has complexity and depth, and yet it’s as easy to listen to as a pop record. In that way it reminds me of Images and Words. In my opinion Voyager are the new kings (and queen) of progressive metal, however you define that. I think this lineup of the band has an electric chemistry that I hope stays together for a long time. It’s one of my favorite albums of the 2010s and easily one of the best progressive rock/metal albums I’ve ever heard. Ghost Mile shows them at their absolute best, the album doesn’t overstay its welcome, it doesn’t waste its time on overblown songs that are way too long and it doesn’t try to tackle any super heady philosophical themes, or incorporate any corny or cheesy lyricism, it’s just really good prog metal that captures a band at the height of their creativity and performance.
Katt’s Favorites: Ascension (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doi60r3pniA), Misery Is Only Company (music video) (https://youtu.be/j3K4_4Bpn6M), Lifeline (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRb62Z2VEpo), Ghost Mile (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIlMNkW_YrQ), This Gentle Earth (1981) (https://youtu.be/7wctlthSB-A)
Listen to “Ghost Mile” by Voyager on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/1RS2T4HhvnOc9m8OaU8QUy?si=m_CHBf3-TASeU9Q5DgkGCQ)
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I think you know how I feel about this album since we saw the same show, but for others. I started checking Voyager out when I realized I would see them headline progpower. I initially wasn't into it. I think it's the singers voice that both turned me off a bit, but also intrigued me. I wasn't into it, but for some reason I kept trying. It wasn't until a month out of progpower I gave them one more shot and for some reason, that time it just clicked and I ended up listening to them non stop on youtube before getting this album, Ghost Mile, a week before the show which I really enjoyed.
Honestly that exact same situation happened two years earlier when I had previously gone to Progpower and for Haken. I couldn't get into them, and I think it was the vocals, but I was intrigued and kept trying and one day it just clicked and next thing I know I loved the band. ONly difference, I haven't gone back to discover more of Voyager sicne PP. I listen to Ghost Mile every once in awhile still, it's a good album for sure, but I haven't itched out time to discover more.
They were also an extremely impressive live band. They got tons of talent and put on one of the best, if not the best, set of the entire festival. I agree too about the drummer, guy was a beast. They opened with What A Wonderful Day and it just blew my mind how good they sounded and then they never let that feeling die for their entire long set. :metal
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Voyager, especially on their more recent records, has always sounded to me like Depeche Mode if they somehow came out of the Gothenberg melodeath scene in the late 90's/early 00's. And somehow, it totally works. Even more amazing, is that they are based in Perth, Western Australia, which is the most remote large city in the world. Perth's music scene punches far above its weight class though, as bands like Karnivool, Chaos Divine, Birds of Tokyo, The Jon Butler Trio, Tame Impala, and INXS all hail from there.
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Despite ranking the title track 4.5/10 in my last roulette, I still intend to check this album out to see if it clicks with me.
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Despite ranking the title track 4.5/10 in my last roulette, I still intend to check this album out to see if it clicks with me.
A madman.
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I've tried listening to this one several times and it has never done anything at all for me.
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Despite ranking the title track 4.5/10 in my last roulette, I still intend to check this album out to see if it clicks with me.
A madman.
I actually should start checking the bands from my roulette out, there was a lot of great stuff there (I also intend to check both of the bands you sent me). Will probably get to it starting next week.
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I've actually been doing the same for the bands you sent me in my last roulette, Ev, but between you and Puppies alone, the number of 10+ minute songs I'm still absorbing is ridiculous :lol :lol Sooo good though...
I wish Voyager was something everybody enjoyed. I get why it's not some people's cup of tea, but I think they strike the perfect balance between djent, prog, metal, and pop, while still doing their own thing and having fun with it. The live show is just a delight.
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I really like Voyager, but that's not one of their top albums for my tastes.
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Well this thread has got me back on a DragonForce kick :metal
I don't mind their debut but don't rate it as highly as you Katt. As you know, it's their second album where I think they really shine! My biggest gripe with Inhuman Rampage was how it felt like they were going through the motions (except for Through the Fire and Flames of course). I listened to it today for the first time in a few years and it is great, just not mind blowing.
I stopped listening to their new material after ZP left. I've given all their subsequent albums a few listens over the last few years but for me, they never recaptured the magic :sadpanda:
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Well this thread has got me back on a DragonForce kick :metal
I don't mind their debut but don't rate it as highly as you Katt. As you know, it's their second album where I think they really shine! My biggest gripe with Inhuman Rampage was how it felt like they were going through the motions (except for Through the Fire and Flames of course). I listened to it today for the first time in a few years and it is great, just not mind blowing.
I stopped listening to their new material after ZP left. I've given all their subsequent albums a few listens over the last few years but for me, they never recaptured the magic :sadpanda:
Spoiler alert... Sonic Firestorm is in the top 10. But where?! :) :)
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Voyager are very hit and miss for me. I find it difficult to really get into them. The only album I enjoy is The Meaning of I.
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They haven't done anything for me.
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Voyager are very hit and miss for me. I find it difficult to really get into them. The only album I enjoy is The Meaning of I.
God I love that record. Just barely missed out on my top 50. Was my favorite Voyager til Ghost Mile, easily.
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They haven't done anything for me.
What about a Voyager cover medley (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRt1xmg_wqI)??
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I like The Meaning of I and V. Haven't really explored any further into Voyager's discography.
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11.
POWER QUEST
MAGIC NEVER DIES
Melodic Power Metal / 80s-influenced Rock / AOR
released May 21st, 2005 via Majestic Rock
(https://i.imgur.com/L1sC8YF.jpg)
1. Ascension (instrumental) [2:05]
2. Find My Heaven [4:14]
3. Galaxies Unknown [5:03]
4. Hold On To Love [5:02]
5. Diamond Sky [3:58]
6. The Message [6:15]
7. Soulfire [5:04]
8. Children of the Dream [6:10]
9. Strike Force [6:23]
10. Another World [7:44]
11. Magic Never Dies [6:13]
12. The Longest Night* [5:24]
*Japanese bonus track
MAGIC NEVER DIES is
Steve Williams (Keyboards / Backing vocals)
Alessio Garavello (Vocals)
Andrea Martongelli (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Steve Scott (Bass / Backing vocals)
Francesco Tresca (Drums)
WITH
Anna Walker (Voice on 6)
Clive Nolan (Backing vocals / Keyboards on 12 / Orchestration on 1)
Magic Never Dies is… well, it’s a simple record, honestly. It has your blissful, optimistic power metal anthems for about half the record, and the rest is full of 80s-influenced keyboard driven AOR. And it all blends together beautifully, it’s neither too heavy nor too soft, it’s something of an evolution on the previous record, 2003’s Neverworld, and I think this is an extraordinary example of power metal in one of its tastiest forms.
I’m writing this one on the fly and I am utterly exhausted, so let’s keep it brief. Power metal anthems? You got ‘em. This album’s loaded with them: “Find My Heaven,” “Galaxies Unknown,” “Diamond Sky,” “Soulfire,” “Strike Force,” “Magic Never Dies” – every single one of those a power metal gem, full of catchy fast solos, stratospheric vocal melodies, huge choruses, fast drums, and cheerful lyricism. Speed + melody + synth magic = a very good time for me, these songs have all of that in spades.
“Hold On To Love” is a heavily 80s-influenced rocker with one of Power Quest’s best keyboard lines, which is also heavily inspired by Van Halen’s “Jump”. “The Message” is a slow ballad, the token brooding song of the album about being away from home and the toll it takes on relationships, good stuff but certainly not the strongest song for a power metal record. “Children of the Dream” straddles the border between the album’s power metal sound and the 80s rock sound of “Hold On To Love” and it’s also one of my favorite songs ever; if I were to pick a personal theme song, “Children of the Dream” would be a top contender, everything about it hits me in the feels.
“Another World” is a strange song in that it’s the longest song on the album but it’s not even metal; it’s just a rather standard, keyboard-laden, almost kind of barely prog-ish approach to power metal rock. Love the chorus, even if it takes a bit of time to get there. The title track, “Magic Never Dies,” is a great closer to the album proper, not overstaying its welcome, but making sure you know what the theme of the album is: hope, love, and a thirsty imagination.
“The Longest Night” features a stellar keyboard solo from the one and only Clive Nolan, and is widely considered one of Power Quest’s best songs, even as a bonus track. I love the start of this song, using an a capella version of the chorus to kick it off.
In Summary: A lot of people consider this to be Power Quest’s pinnacle, and I have to agree, although Neverworld is close. The sound of this record just speaks to me and has almost everything I could want in a keyboard-driven power metal record, and just about nothing I don’t want. This is way too cheesy for a lot of people, but if you think of this album as an hour-long blend of “Separate Ways” by Journey, “Jump” by Van Halen, and “The Final Countdown” by Europe… then it might be palatable! Give a couple songs a listen for yourself.
AND THEY’RE TRYING TO PLAY THE WHOLE THING AT PROGPOWER USA 2020!!! Totally new lineup other than the leader of the band, Steve Williams, BUT I DON’T CARE!!
:jamaritard: MAGIC NEVER DIES :jamaritard:
Katt’s Favorites: Hold On To Love (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCSjU1UEgAg), Diamond Sky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV_ISHyMXkQ), Children of the Dream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_5Zucb76VA), Strike Force (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5TS3om5W0Y), Magic Never Dies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=115fmzKbyuE), The Longest Night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgZiqo1m_6A), just listen to the whole record tbh
Listen to “Magic Never Dies” by Power Quest on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4p2I4ddSOcBdqmrPWbxdg0?si=K46M9l9BTx6Q2J9mDf3_Vw)
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When this is finished, you should rank all 50 of the albums from best cover art to worst cover art.
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You could also rank them by cheese.
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Off the top of my head I think I'd say either Symphony of Enchanted Lands 2 or Luxaeterna or Imaginations From The Other Side has my favorite artwork from this entire list. By cheese? Impossible. They're all cheese soup with extra cheese. :lol
Also, you think that album art is bad? I got the Magic Never Dies shirt one year, and on the back it had all the band members lined up looking at the camera, but the singer was wearing a cowboy hat and some kind of Hawaiian shirt, I think. :lol
Top 10 begins sometime this weekend... I know at least two or three will resonate with some people here but the rest might be head-scratchers or even get crickets. We're on the home stretch!
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:lol to the crickets coming and TAC's cheese ranking
What do you mean about "trying" to play progpower? The announcement of bands is coming up, I feel like it's got to be pretty close to settled, but I don't know how all that works, unless maybe they are the back up band for the eventual drop out
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:lol to the crickets coming and TAC's cheese ranking
What do you mean about "trying" to play progpower? The announcement of bands is coming up, I feel like it's got to be pretty close to settled, but I don't know how all that works, unless maybe they are the back up band for the eventual drop out
Well I assume it's set, but I guess it depends on funding? I plan on sponsoring, so I've been in contact with people. But I'm assuming they'll be in the announcement video :)
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Goddamn, I'm 5 albums behind, and just haven't had time over the past 10 days to keep up. Really want to read your writeups.
Aquaria - added to the list to listen to.
Dragonforce - saw them open for Kamelot once. I thought I new what speed metal was. They proved me wrong. I just don't 'get' DF. Not for me. A few decent tracks here and there, but on the whole, I'll pass.
Voyager - musically, great. Vocally... bland as fuck. Sorry, I just can't stand Danny's vocals. Or his Keytar for that matter.
PowerQuest - added to the list.
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I don't mind Power Quest........have an album or two from their early stuff and then revisited when Steve joined Eden's Curse.
They made my Best of 2016 podcast with Face The Raven EP which is quite a different (harder) sound, vocalist etc...
Voyager just don't click with me at all from what I have heard. I always try and get into local bands too but have never figured out the appeal...............actually I just revsiited Misery Is Only Company and I can hear the potential in there. Like the chorus but the midsection dragged and lost me. Pretty sure I would find some stuff I like if I could get through their discog but they have that djenty edge that tends to upset my ears unless it's very brief.
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Goddamn, I'm 5 albums behind, and just haven't had time over the past 10 days to keep up. Really want to read your writeups.
Aquaria - added to the list to listen to.
Dragonforce - saw them open for Kamelot once. I thought I new what speed metal was. They proved me wrong. I just don't 'get' DF. Not for me. A few decent tracks here and there, but on the whole, I'll pass.
Voyager - musically, great. Vocally... bland as fuck. Sorry, I just can't stand Danny's vocals. Or his Keytar for that matter.
PowerQuest - added to the list.
I urge you to please listen to Disciples of Babylon by Dragonforce, because it's really much more tasteful than their later songs. Nowadays they have their sound on autopilot, but Disciples remains a classic from their early years that for some baffling reason they refuse to ever play live (and the one tour they did, they only played half of it). Unfortunately they've never really written another song like that.
I think you'd like Power Quest... maybe.
I don't mind Power Quest........have an album or two from their early stuff and then revisited when Steve joined Eden's Curse.
They made my Best of 2016 podcast with Face The Raven EP which is quite a different (harder) sound, vocalist etc...
Voyager just don't click with me at all from what I have heard. I always try and get into local bands too but have never figured out the appeal...............actually I just revsiited Misery Is Only Company and I can hear the potential in there. Like the chorus but the midsection dragged and lost me. Pretty sure I would find some stuff I like if I could get through their discog but they have that djenty edge that tends to upset my ears unless it's very brief.
Face the Raven rocks. Ashley's a great singer, I love that scream that opens the song. I would love more songs like that. Also dig Steve's keyboards on Symphony of Sin - Unbreakable is an awesome song.
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I urge you to please listen to Disciples of Babylon
Awesome tune! :metal
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10.
RHAPSODY
LEGENDARY TALES
Symphonic Power Metal
released October 27th, 1997 via LMP
(https://i.imgur.com/7XOk7qG.jpg)
1. Ira Tenax [1:13]
2. Warrior of Ice [5:58]
3. Rage of the Winter [6:09]
4. Forest of Unicorns [3:26]
5. Flames of Revenge [5:33]
6. Virgin Skies (instrumental) [1:22]
7. Land of Immortals [4:50]
8. Echoes of Tragedy [3:35]
9. Lord of the Thunder [5:33]
10. Legendary Tales [7:51]
LEGENDARY TALES is
Fabio Lione (Lead and backing vocals)
Luca Turilli (Guitars / Choir)
Alex Staropoli (Keyboards / Choir)
Daniele Carbonera (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/j5uOm3I.png)
WITH
Manuel Staropoli (Baroque recorder)
Sascha Paeth (Bass / Mandolin / Acoustic guitars)
Anne Schnyder (Lead violin)
Helia Davis (Violin)
Oliver Kopf (Biolion)
Paul F. Boehnke (Cello)
André Neygenfind (Contrabass)
Robert Hunecke-Rizzo (Bass / Choir)
Ricky Rizzo (Choir)
Michael ‘Miro’ Rodenberg (Choir)
Wolfgang Herbst (Choir)
Tatiana Bloch (Choir)
Cinzia Rizzo (Backing vocals and choir)
Thomas Rettke (Backing vocals and choir)
Legendary Tales is Rhapsody’s debut album and a landmark album for power metal. This is a bonafide pioneer in the symphonic metal game, one of the first albums of its kind, coming out before Nightwish, before Blind Guardian started spending 4-5 years per album writing orchestral fluff, before Epica… “Oh god, he’s going off again, isn’t he?”
Ahem. Reasons I like this album!
1. Tracklisting – Basically every word in the tracklist is a keyword for fantasy, every title is epic. Yeah almost all of them are [blank] of [blank] but it works!
2. Unique choir sound. No other Rhapsody album sounds like the warm, vibrant choirs on this record, and in fact although the quality has improved over the last ten years, it sounds sterile and lifeless in that way most professional choirs do, which is ironic, because the more professional a choir sounds, the better they are, right? I don’t know. The latest Luca records have this extremely slick epic Latin choir element, but again… the warmth of the choirs on Legendary Tales resonate with me. Bigly.
3. Epic. Power. Metal. Soaring choruses. Big motifs. Even in songs like Flames of Revenge that have orchestral breaks, they feel like a part of the song, the energy and momentum of the song isn’t completely dashed and there isn’t a huge tonal shift between sections. In his later career Luca tends to lose the plot of what makes a song great in the first place – he will move to a completely unfitting B section (“One Ring To Rule Them All” for example) or he’ll just kill the fucking song in favor of putting in some narration to draw out an already overlong song (“Of Michael the Archangel and Lucifer’s Fall” – both parts). Also, unlike this writeup, which is already rambling.
4. I have a weakness for fantasy and music that complements epic fantasy (no shit, right?). When I was a kid I would do most of my music listening while playing video games, and my favorite video games were epic RPGs, fantasy stories full of fighting monsters and saving the world. And I also love classical music and heavy metal and keyboards. Legendary Tales – and by extension Rhapsody’s whole discography – really blends all of that into one high quality piece of art.
5. Look at that art. LOOK AT IT! HOW EPIC IS THAT?! I have a poster of that on my living room wall along with 3 other Rhapsody flags.
In Summary: I recall entire summers spent listening to Rhapsody, Dream Theater, Dragonforce, etc. obsessively. Rhapsody reminds me of good times in my life, embodies my love for fantasy and music, and that’s why Legendary Tales is my favorite of theirs and one of my favorite albums of all time. I don’t find this music cheesy, because Luca Turilli put authenticity and passion into both the concept and the music. Luca might be hating on his early works nowadays, but I think this is far less corny than his current obsession with Deepak Chopra. At least back in the day Luca didn’t believe he was a real medieval warrior making friends with dragons and dwarves. Now he’s all about believing he’s a quantum waveform born of nuclear stellar fire and that he saw the revealing math of god through celestial geometry. I want what he’s smoking, because I haven’t been that high in a hot minute.
Katt’s Favorites: Rage of the Winter, Flames of Revenge, Echoes of Tragedy, Lord of the Thunder, Legendary Tales
Rage of the Winter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T16GIp1Nvfk), Flames of Revenge (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjVoYL7FI0I), Echoes of Tragedy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beyajTxDz5Q), Lord of the Thunder (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwwJhfa7dT8), Legendary Tales (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTrG2XnG5yk)
Listen to “Legendary Tales” by Rhapsody on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4VTthS6o2pV12cux2FSXRS?si=jio1EEV8S0Klz9Sa1rewgA)
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10.
RHAPSODY
LEGENDARY CHEESE TALES
Symphonic Power Metal
released October 27th, 1997 via LMP
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Ya'll can bust balls all you want, Rhapsody fucking rules.
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I was hoping to see some good album in the top ten :neverusethis:
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I was hoping to see some good album in the top ten :neverusethis:
Well then you came to the right place, my friend :hat
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Katt, you really are a good sport about the comments(some by me, but mostly from TAC :D). Your write ups are excellent. Do you compile the reviews in word, then copy and paste or some other way?
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Katt, you really are a good sport about the comments(some by me, but mostly from TAC :D). Your write ups are excellent. Do you compile the reviews in word, then copy and paste or some other way?
Yup. I think I'm at 88 pages in Word or something. I copy and paste and then reformat here. Sometimes I type out the formatting in word, then transfer. I appreciate the compliment! I have almost a fetish for very nicely formatted writeups, so I try to make them look good.
I was once part of a community that dismissed my opinions on everything due to my taste in music so I've learned to roll with the punches. Ya like what ya like, can't really help it.
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Excellent album. My 2nd exposure to Rhapsody, and my 3rd fave by them. Gonna listen to it right this very moment actually.
And this week, I promise I'm gonna get caught up on all your writeups!
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9.
EDGUY
THE SAVAGE POETRY
Speed Metal / Heavy Metal / Hard Rock
released June 25th, 2000 via AFM Records
(https://i.imgur.com/Gpinq6R.jpg)
1. Hallowed [6:14]
2. Misguiding Your Life [4:05]
3. Key To My Fate [4:34]
4. Sands of Time [4:40]
5. Sacred Hell [5:38]
6. Eyes of the Tyrant [10:01]
7. Frozen Candle [7:15]
8. Roses To No One [5:43]
9. Power and Majesty [4:53]
THE SAVAGE POETRY is
Tobias Sammet (Vocals / Keyboards)
Jens Ludwig (Guitars)
Dirk Sauer (Guitars)
Tobias Exxel (Bass)
Felix Bohnke (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/APmg20j.jpg)
WITH
Frank Tischer (Piano on 4)
Ralf Zdiarstek (Choir vocals)
Markus Schmitt (Choir vocals)
When the boys of Edguy were literally boys – teenagers – they wrote their first album and sent it to a label. Reportedly the executive found it so bad he laughed at them. That was the 1995 version of this album, which is technically their first album. Years later they went back, redid the songs and recorded it with much better quality, and released it in the year 2000 after their first three albums – Kingdom of Madness, Vain Glory Opera, and Theater of Salvation.
I think this album is so good because it fully embraces the spirit of pure heavy metal. There are super fast riffs with melodies sometimes embedded into the riffs themselves. Tobias Sammet’s voice is in my opinion at its peak – moreso than Theater of Salvation, moreso than Mandrake – giving the verses all the aggression they need while carrying powerful melodies in the choruses, and becoming an air raid siren every time the songs need a super high scream. This album is a must-listen to for any fan of metal with high vocals, because it’s got one of the best vocalists in the game, at the peak of his game. Seriously, listen to “Frozen Candle” and “Misguiding Your Life” and check out those screams.
And although it’s a speedy record, The Savage Poetry relishes the brief moments it has playing ballads. “Sands of Time” is my favorite Edguy ballad and definitely one of the best ballads I’ve ever heard. There is a golden, warm feeling to the production of this song; similar to Fairyland’s “Fall of an Empire” album (which would come 6 years later), it has this golden shimmer from the strings and reverb on the piano that always makes me think of golden-orange rays of sunlight beaming into an empty, elegant parlor. I love the lyrics and message of this song and mourn how Edguy completely jumped off this creative road not long after this record. Shoutout to “Roses To No One” for being a full-on 80s rock ballad and still being better than most of their later ballads.
In Summary: I mourn how Avantasia has overshadowed Edguy in the last decade, because this album shows what a phenomenal band Edguy used to be. This is the first Edguy album I heard and it’s still my favorite. It’s classic heavy metal amped up a couple notches, Tobias Sammet is at the top of his game, and every second is enjoyable. All killer, no filler, as the saying goes. It’s not quite like any other album in their discography and I really appreciate that. I also love that this was originally written when they were teenagers, and they just polished up the structure and production of most of the songs for the 2000 release. Give these songs a listen. Incredible metal record, this one.
Katt’s Favorites: Misguiding Your Life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JGAgeVLpNM), Sands of Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeY5L2Qut4o), Sacred Hell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BX6ocJPyuQ), Eyes of the Tyrant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UckIXx6FMfw), Frozen Candle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiGPzy1z48A)
Listen to “The Savage Poetry” by Edguy on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4UvMdZxiaqghoxI3nKOxjY?si=8eJH4T1bRWOKDAftv2AI7Q)
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Listened to the first three songs linked, not bad, but I never thought EdGuy was bad, just not good. I think I like this more than what I heard before, sounds a bit like TMO but a bit more metal than just power I guess. Maybe. I dont know, it's solid music and better than what I've heard before. I also think it's really cool how this got rejected but they didn't give up on it. Pretty cool story.
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Listened to the first three songs linked, not bad, but I never thought EdGuy was bad, just not good. I think I like this more than what I heard before, sounds a bit like TMO but a bit more metal than just power I guess. Maybe. I dont know, it's solid music and better than what I've heard before. I also think it's really cool how this got rejected but they didn't give up on it. Pretty cool story.
Yeah, I love the story behind it. Tobi gonna Tobi. "You don't like it? Fuck you, we'll take it back and make it bigger and better and release it anyway!"
Edguy is not good, you're right. They're GREAT! They have some iconic power metal records in Theater of Salvation, Mandrake, and Hellfire Club.
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Kattelox, I just want to say, I've been sampling the links from each of these entries and reading all of your reviews. I really enjoy your enthusiasm for these records and, for that reason alone, I sincerely wish I could get on board.
I think my real hurdle is that I grew up in the infancy of metal and all these tunes with bright sunbeams, heroes and general cheerfulness...well that's not we called metal. For me, a distorted guitar doesn't make metal. There needs to be that element of danger, threat, uneasiness, anger, and the like.
Sorry I haven't contributed much to the discussion, but I am reading and enjoying your journey.
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I came here expecting to see some Maiden and was utterly disappointed.
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Kattelox, I just want to say, I've been sampling the links from each of these entries and reading all of your reviews. I really enjoy your enthusiasm for these records and, for that reason alone, I sincerely wish I could get on board.
I think my real hurdle is that I grew up in the infancy of metal and all these tunes with bright sunbeams, heroes and general cheerfulness...well that's not we called metal. For me, a distorted guitar doesn't make metal. There needs to be that element of danger, threat, uneasiness, anger, and the like.
Sorry I haven't contributed much to the discussion, but I am reading and enjoying your journey.
Hey, I admire the fact that you actually read these *and* sample the links. Thank you!
Your take on metal is an interesting one. I try not to focus too much on genre labels these days, but concerning metal, I've always thought that it's more about the instrumentation as well as the bombast of the song/album/band. For example I'd say Richard Wagner is the classical equivalent of heavy metal due to his composition style and the flavors he creates with the instrumentation, and how the drama in a lot of his music is almost oppressive, the tension is laid on so thick. So when I hear symphonics and classical arrangements with a heavy metal core underneath, I definitely consider it metal. But there's a reason why a lot of people have asked me over the years if I'm even a metal fan, considering what I like most about metal music. :lol
People once thought synthesizers couldn't be metal and bands that used them were making catastrophic mistakes (see Iron Maiden) - but synthesizers are actually what really brought me into the world of metal, hearing people like Jens Johansson play them. I think it's possible to have super sunny and happy music while remaining metal; the attitude is different, but it's not that much different from what Helloween was doing back in the late 80s, I would argue.
I came here expecting to see some Maiden and was utterly disappointed.
Killers nearly made this list, actually. Lost by a hair.
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This album is a blinder. Always loved this one. Some of Edguy's best songs here.
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If I could have just one Edguy album, this is it.
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Edguy sounds like someone trying to remember the name of Maiden's mascot. "You know, that Ed guy."
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I came here expecting to see some Maiden and was utterly disappointed.
Amen, Brother.
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Expecting TNOTB was way too predictable.
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Edguy sounds like someone trying to remember the name of Maiden's mascot. "You know, that Ed guy."
:lol honestly, the band name is terrible. I think they could be a bit more successful just with a different name.
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Ain't nothing wrong with the name and they've made quite a name for themselves in the power metal world with some of the genre's landmark albums. Tobi just has more success with Avantasia so it's easy to see why Edguy's on the backburner these days. :corn
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Rhapsody - I used to have a promo for Legendary Tales, but sold it when I fell out of listening to a lot of power metal about 15 years ago. I'll stick to my guns and say that owning one album of theirs is enough for me.
Edguy - I have their greatest hits and Hellfire Club. The greatest hits is a really great compilation. I've never felt like I need more Edguy though.
They do have the funniest concert singalong moment from their US debut at Progpower USA, where Tobi had the crowd chant swear words. :lol
https://youtu.be/kItTwZt8LUw?t=2m8s
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That is awesome!! :lol :metal
I've got a small novel for #8 and I don't care if anyone doesn't read it because fuck yes this album is everything. :soon:
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Edguy sounds like someone trying to remember the name of Maiden's mascot. "You know, that Ed guy."
:lol honestly, the band name is terrible. I think they could be a bit more successful just with a different name.
Sorry, Katt, but I'm with Cram on this one.
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Edguy sounds like someone trying to remember the name of Maiden's mascot. "You know, that Ed guy."
:lol honestly, the band name is terrible. I think they could be a bit more successful just with a different name.
Sorry, Katt, but I'm with Cram on this one.
Really? Says the KISS fan? :lol :hug:
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They do have the funniest concert singalong moment from their US debut at Progpower USA, where Tobi had the crowd chant swear words. :lol
https://youtu.be/kItTwZt8LUw?t=2m8s
That's pretty awesome up until the song kicks back in :lol Tobi looks and sounds so different here
also, Kiss is a much better band name than Edguy and I think it's safe to say now, after listening to more Edguy, I enjoy Kiss's music more too
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oh okay (https://i.imgur.com/wHa3dNC.gif)
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:lol
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So...I actually started listening to Rhapsody - Legendary Tales on the way into the office this morning. I got about halfway through Flames of Revenge by the time I got to the parking lot. Most of the way through Forest of Unicorns it hit me (and, by the way, it was quite a challenge not to skip to the next track after about 45 seconds of that song): This is exactly what would happen if someone gave synopsis of This Is Spinal Tap, along with a detailed description of the Stonehenge scenes, and said, "make a metal version of this."
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haven't we been over the "edguy has a stupid name" thing already :neverusethis:
(https://i.imgur.com/Nf3Zk4r.jpg)
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Cyril... can I share those pics to a Facebook power metal group I'm part of? They would get a kick out of them.
So...I actually started listening to Rhapsody - Legendary Tales on the way into the office this morning. I got about halfway through Flames of Revenge by the time I got to the parking lot. Most of the way through Forest of Unicorns it hit me (and, by the way, it was quite a challenge not to skip to the next track after about 45 seconds of that song): This is exactly what would happen if someone gave synopsis of This Is Spinal Tap, along with a detailed description of the Stonehenge scenes, and said, "make a metal version of this."
:lol
Look, I'm not going to lie, Forest of Unicorns is one Rhapsody song I am still a little baffled by; there is nothing else like it in their catalog, and it is totally out of place on this album. But it grew on me after many years, and nowadays I can listen to it unironically and legitimately love it. That said, I completely, 100% understand every criticism of that track and the desire to skip. The chorus is, er, well, musical, for sure.
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go for it lol
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So...I actually started listening to Rhapsody - Legendary Tales on the way into the office this morning. I got about halfway through Flames of Revenge by the time I got to the parking lot. Most of the way through Forest of Unicorns it hit me (and, by the way, it was quite a challenge not to skip to the next track after about 45 seconds of that song): This is exactly what would happen if someone gave synopsis of This Is Spinal Tap, along with a detailed description of the Stonehenge scenes, and said, "make a metal version of this."
:lol
Look, I'm not going to lie, Forest of Unicorns is one Rhapsody song I am still a little baffled by; there is nothing else like it in their catalog, and it is totally out of place on this album. But it grew on me after many years, and nowadays I can listen to it unironically and legitimately love it. That said, I completely, 100% understand every criticism of that track and the desire to skip. The chorus is, er, well, musical, for sure.
Well...I can't say the rest of it blew me away, and I honestly didn't feel like Forest of Unicorns was completely out of place. The Euro power metal stuff I've listened to as a result of this thread has left me looking for hooks. It's all well performed, and some of the songs have catchy choruses, but the basic tracks are mostly just chord progressions without a lot of melody or anything that leaves me saying, "let me give that another listen."
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Interesting. I don't at all agree with the hook assessment, but that's tastes! I would suggest however looking into some of these for something more substantial and thoroughly composed if that's what you're after. Beware the YouTube quality, you should try to find them on your favorite streaming service. But these have some level of complexity that you might really be able to sink your teeth into.
Fairyland - Score To A New Beginning (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_irSTG6Yowc)
Twilight Force - There And Back Again (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tehJTgy5Z3I)
Luca Turilli's Rhapsody - Of Michael the Archangel and Lucifer's Fall, Pt. II: Codex Nemesis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjVUyAIYSSU)
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8.
DRAGONFORCE
SONIC FIRESTORM
Power Metal
released April 19th, 2004 via Noise Records
(https://i.imgur.com/CgCtJ4k.jpg)
1. My Spirit Will Go On [7:54]
2. Fury of the Storm [6:46]
3. Fields of Despair [5:25]
4. Dawn Over A New World [5:13]
5. Above the Winter Moonlight [7:31]
6. Soldiers of the Wasteland [9:45]
7. Prepare For War [6:15]
8. Once in a Lifetime [7:46]
9. Cry of the Brave [5:46]*
*Japanese bonus track
SONIC FIRESTORM is
ZP Theart (Vocals)
Vadim Pruzhanov (Keyboards / Piano / Acoustic guitars)
Herman Li (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Sam Totman (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Adrian Lambert (Bass)
Dave Mackintosh (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/QIOsBMM.jpg)
*not pictured: Adrian Lambert, who left after the album’s recording but before release. Only two of these studs are still in this band. Two! Crazy. At least there's no French bassist in this photo. HOORAY! But there's no ZP or Vadim or Dave anymore. BOO! Screw you, Fred.
WITH
Clive Nolan (Backing vocals)
Non-fans of Dragonforce may skip this one. So, I’ll see all of you except twosuitsluke at #7, which I guarantee will have a lot of fans. But I’ve been waiting weeks to talk about this one, damn it.
I really can’t articulate what this album means to me. A part of me thinks it should be higher than #8, but I don’t think I can justify it with what’s to come. Still, this is one of the most important albums in my life. I dunno, man, you either ‘get it’ or you don’t, and this record changed my life, literally. I heard it when I was just getting into metal and the heaviest and fastest music I knew was 80s Metallica, Iron Maiden, and a small handful of Blind Guardian and Stratovarius tunes.
ZP Theart’s voice is one of my favorites in all of rock and metal, and there’s just something about it that every other power metal singer lacks. Maybe that’s because ZP’s wheelhouse is 80s rock, and ZP likes to smoke and drink, which doesn’t lend itself to a good power metal voice unless you’re Fabio Lione, apparently. ZP’s got a thick raspy/husky quality to his voice which gives a bit of ‘oomph’ to Dragonforce. The production on this album in particular favors ZP’s voice because the midrange melodies in the verse give some bite and aggression to the vocal parts, which is necessary to contrast with the saccharine melodies and bright nature of every chorus and choir part on this record. Maybe he wasn’t a great live singer, but he added an element to early Dragonforce that made them very special to me, and it’s been lost for about a decade now…
Sam and Herman have a spectacular chemistry as the two lead guitarists, having dueling guitar solos with one another while on-and-off again having harmonized “twin blast” solos. With the furious, 170-200 BPM riffing and double bass drumming, there is a concentrated energy to each of these songs that creates such an epic, fantastic atmosphere I’ve never gotten sick of.
Vadim Pruzhanov’s keyboard playing was very important to my development as a keyboardist and what I look for in power metal keyboards. Nobody plays like him, no one. He’s no Rick Wakeman, but Rick Wakeman is no Vadim Pruzhanov. You catch my drift? He added such a zesty flavor to Dragonforce’s music and it’s a damn shame he went into more electronic territory after this record. Sonic Firestorm has the perfect balance of ominous pads, synth strings, synth leads, and piano. “Above the Winter Moonlight” has some of my favorite power metal keyboard playing: the gorgeous melody leading the song from the synth lead, the piano in the bridges and breakdown, and a triumphant epic string melody that closes out the song. That song also has some of Dragonforce’s best solos.
Oh yeah, the solos. Dragonforce’s solos kind of went off the rails on later albums, but when they were in the pocket on the first 3 records, boy did they knock it out of the park. The solos aren’t just solos, they’re songs in themselves, bouncing back and forth between the aforementioned “twin blast” harmonized solos and individual solos, each with their own ebb and flow, seamlessly moving between shreddy passages and emotional, melodic cadences. And then the song always comes back home, generally with a “whoa-oh” transition that most people make fun of (because despite its effective nature, it is very predictable for Dragonforce to do this), or leading right back into the chorus.
Lyrics… well, okay, again, it either bothers you or it doesn’t. Lyrics are not what Dragonforce is about, but even on this album, they at least put a little thought into making some coherent imagery. Each of these songs describes some kind of epic event. Later on they try to sing about real things but they don’t change the lyricism much and it somehow manages to be even cornier than songs like, say, “Soldiers of the Wasteland,” which are corny as hell in how epic they try to be, but it’s so much more fitting for the music than later lyrical themes of relationships and society etc.:
Crossing battles savage seas towards the mountains high
Forest plains of wilderness we're striking out tonight
On towards our destiny we travel far and wide
Journey through the darkness as your hearts refuse to die
In the flames of hell we fire at will the fires of doom has come
With the forces of the blackest knights they're staring at the sun
Far across the distant plains of ice we're searching for the sword
When the time has come for battle now we follow with the horde
In Summary: Cheesy? Yes. Obnoxiously extreme in every way? Pretty much. Does it kick ass? Damn right it does. Again, you either get it or you don’t. Dragonforce is not for everyone, especially old Dragonforce like this. But this was when they were at their best, just before Fred joined the band and Herman and Sam gave up on trying. Modern Dragonforce is a shadow of its once glorious self. I miss the Sonic Firestorm days so much. I miss these long, intricate solos with melodic momentum and glorious cadences transitioning back into some thicc, husky vocal harmonies singing about wild fantasy nonsense. GIVE ME BACK MY FUN DRAGONFORCE, FRED!
Katt’s Favorites: My Spirit Will Go On (https://open.spotify.com/track/5c0YVM8W1X2CmVsXpWodaa?si=1F4RMj5AQKKjyyXYUEGtgw), Above the Winter Moonlight (https://open.spotify.com/track/0bl0BTOWoWhxhBgj9rU0tp?si=iPmUl0rYQ2CvXYDJpYHuug), Soldiers of the Wasteland (https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZTCbRXTBnAEXlQk5fDxw4?si=o1PezTJhQL6BeMhTUye2GQ), Once in a Lifetime (https://open.spotify.com/track/25AsdR82gnpySxX34lTkaX?si=SDhz6nIxTJ-3e0rq0A9n8w), Cry of the Brave (https://open.spotify.com/track/4WMaCiMLJfPxMhpg6omK7S?si=KYhIUASbQCK1ZRFjj-bpRg)
Listen to “Sonic Firestorm” by Dragonforce on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/02PT9ZLeEuvU6g2aS3qayM?si=gy_TKbO2QvekRt2a9g5HBg)
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I don't remember anything about this one but I think I own it. I'll have to find it and have a listen.
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8.
DRAGONFORCE
SONIC FIRESTORM
Sometimes I really have to wonder what some bands are thinking when they select photos. If this is the photo they thought was good, what did the photos they rejected look like?!
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Do you mean the album art or the band photo? I'm quite partial of this band shot which was laid onto the back of the Sonic Firestorm shirt:
(https://i.imgur.com/6Zp8bio.jpg)
But I also loooove the album art... it's my favorite DF album cover.
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Do you mean the album art or the band photo? I'm quite partial of this band shot which was laid onto the back of the Sonic Firestorm shirt:
(https://i.imgur.com/6Zp8bio.jpg)
But I also loooove the album art... it's my favorite DF album cover.
I was referring to the band photo. The album cover is pretty cool. The second band photo is cool because it appears they're just screwing around.
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I won't deny that Sonic Firestorm is a good album, even great at times, but Reaching Into Infinity is still their best, by a country mile. Sorry, not sorry :-\
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I found the cd and put it in the car on the way to work this morning. I must say, only three songs in but have never enjoyed this like I did this morning. First two songs are absolute rippers. Great melodies and I like the extended solos. They are not too out there IMO and these guys can play. I'm not the biggest fan of ZP's voice, but I have no issue with it either. They rhythm guitars are something I never truly appreciated either, I know live in the past this band has been a bit dodgy, but on here everything is fucking nice and tight. Hoping the rest of the album lives up to the first three songs.
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(https://66.media.tumblr.com/0ce030284fbeca4e9c23cc2556a83a72/tumblr_mrrtehrfEP1qi0f6mo1_400.jpg)
I heard the dog answers to Firewings.
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Of course he has a dog. Of course he does. Why would he have the superior domestic household companion? :facepalm:
Puppies, F. Kade, A. :neverusethis:
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Afterwards I'll go back to Valley also. Have that one on cd too. :tup
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I don't remember anything about this one but I think I own it. I'll have to find it and have a listen.
I'm listening now.
I own every Dragonforce CD, except apparently the first one. I've heard them all, but like Deris Era Helloween nothing has really stuck. I don't NOT like them.
Maybe after my Deep Dive of Deris Era Helloween, I'll do one of Dragonforce.
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7.
DREAM THEATER
SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE
Progressive Rock / Progressive Metal
released January 12th, 2002 via Elektra Records
(https://i.imgur.com/JBWQC1e.jpg)
DISC 1
1. The Glass Prison [13:52]
2. Blind Faith [10:22]
3. Misunderstood [9:32]
4. The Great Debate [13:46]
5. Disappear [6:46]
DISC 2: SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE
I. Overture (instrumental) [6:50]
II. About to Crash [5:51]
III. War Inside My Head [2:08]
IV. The Test That Stumped Them All [5:03]
V. Goodnight Kiss [6:18]
VI. Solitary Shell [5:48]
VII. About to Crash (Reprise) [4:04]
VIII. Losing Time / Grand Finale [6:00]
SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE is
Mike Portnoy (Drums / Additional vocals)
John Myung (Bass)
Kevin James LaBrie (Lead vocals)
John Petrucci (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Jordan Rudess (Keyboards)
(https://i.imgur.com/6SLvl72.jpg)
WITH
Howard Portnoy R.I.P. 2009 (Gong drum on “The Great Debate” outro)
I have this album’s cover art enhanced, blown up, and hanging on my dining room wall.
I don’t need to say too much about this one, do I? There’s no need to cover the minutiae of the songs, the backstory of the album, all that jazz, I know it, you know it, there’s a Wikipedia entry that could say a lot more than I ever could. But why does this rank so high for me?
I think Scenes From A Memory is far from Dream Theater’s magnum opus and is actually one of the most overrated prog metal albums out there. That’s just my opinion, and I know I’m in the minority. Where Scenes’ instrumental sections tend to meander and focus more on showcasing technical wizardry, I believe Six Degrees frames them more as musical conversations – songs have a mature structure even in the solos, and the transitions between sections are, mostly, fluid and organic. Where Scenes was fueled by pressure and tension under the threat of the band calling it quits if they didn’t stick their next landing, Six Degrees sounds more confident and collected to my ears, more enthralled with putting on a theatrical musical experience with broad concepts rather than playing up a heady concept with dazzling shred and insanely complex time changes.
Something that I don’t truly think ever reappeared in a Dream Theater album until The Astonishing is the feel-good rocker at a breezy pace. “About to Crash” is such a perfect song, and Dream Theater’s never quite done anything like it since – “Our New World” gets close, but it’s not the same. I need more of that playful piano intro and that cool groove in the verses and bridge. Or the amazing interplay of (Spanish?) guitar and piano in “Solitary Shell” which is a top 10 Dream Theater moment for me. Or the transition between “Goodnight Kiss” and “Solitary Shell” which also contains a top 3 John Petrucci solo. It’s just phenomenal. I especially like how Mike Portnoy lays down a basic four-on-the-floor kick drum beat for the whole thing to mimic a heartbeat. Brilliant stuff and it’s a section I always pull up to show people what amazing musicians these guys are if they aren’t familiar.
I think the first disc is quite good. One song in particular doesn’t get the respect I feel it deserves. “The Great Debate” is often overlooked (but I’m so happy there’s live footage of it on Score), but I really like it. Unlike more recent Dream Theater songs I think this one references modern, topical subjects in a good way, not being too blunt but not being too sappy with overly poetic lyrics. That’s just me; I quite like the way the song frames two opposing viewpoints and ultimately takes no stance itself. I don’t like preachiness, so this song works very well for me.
In Summary: I didn’t mean to write that much… Anyway, each member of the band is at their best on this one. Tip top form, intelligent and emotional songwriting, technical but not so overbearing that it sounds mechanical or lifeless. Lovely instrumentation, Jordan really flexing his incredible musical gift just in the “Overture” track of disc 2 alone. I understand this not being a favorite album for Dream Theater fans, but I simply do not understand the few people I’ve seen say this album sucks. I know a wonderful shrink…
Also, “About to Crash (reprise)” has possibly my favorite Petrucci guitar tone. That opening riff is everything.
Katt’s Favorites: The Glass Prison (https://open.spotify.com/track/4IuVWyD0fgFvX6V5CL0mHC?si=huf2dKtmT3OOLFc6msWzPg), Disappear (https://open.spotify.com/track/2xLgIwzHVr2u8l5IifYjHZ?si=wW3JsNNeR3CgfG9VgBjn_w), About to Crash (https://open.spotify.com/track/4wfLPdmcaRGxkUP35RH7r4?si=JjBw3HY3QAqGE21WHjL_OA), Goodnight Kiss (https://open.spotify.com/track/2clZUUctk8L78PPA3S9hqq?si=Q9NMndNWRqK8gdF45NlN8A), Solitary Shell (https://open.spotify.com/track/5wrLsgTlT0OS2FKFLuN0XL?si=HiIrXG1qSDK89BRr2SKpLw), About to Crash (reprise) (https://open.spotify.com/track/51XygyBUiVQ84JIQ4zM2HQ?si=iateUayzRXmEni7D4GrsBw)
Listen to “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” by Dream Theater on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/4INFVEhhhnLiqNR4MVPaX8?si=o_B-SHEBQqOzGSUC6lUiPw)
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I love the first disc, every single song on it is great. Sadly, I'm not fan of the title track. Without it SDOIT would be up there among the best DT records (and probably have a different title).
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I love this record. Images and Words is my favorite, but this battles for number two with SFAM and Octavarium. That was the DT sweet spot if you're asking me. They've been chasing that dragon ever since.
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I love the first disc, every single song on it is great. Sadly, I'm not fan of the title track. Without it SDOIT would be up there among the best DT records (and probably have a different title).
ruba how do we agree 100% on this one thing
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I love the first disc, every single song on it is great. Sadly, I'm not fan of the title track. Without it SDOIT would be up there among the best DT records (and probably have a different title).
I feel the same, I don't hate the title track, there's lots of good tracks (both About to Crashes, Solitary Shell) there but it's kind of uninteresting as a whole for me specifically the overture and last track are fairly boring IMO. Kind of brings the album down a bit. Disc 1 is where it's at, specifically the first two songs are two of DT's best IMO. But I'm glad to see music that I really in the top 10.
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So, I was super happy to see an album I like so much so high in your list after all those other ones that I really don't even know. And then you go and trash SFAM. Why you have to be like that man?
Having said that, I agree with your assessment on how good some of those songs are as well as how overlooked TGD is. This is my second favorite DT album and it does have my first song of them so I think this is a great pick for #6.
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This album has aged really well. I've appreciated it more and more as years go by.
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This album has aged really well. I've appreciated it more and more as years go by.
Yeah, this exactly. At the peak of my interest in DT, I think SFAM, I&W, Awake and even ToT all got a lot more listens in my corner, but SDOIT has outperformed all of them since.
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So, I was super happy to see an album I like so much so high in your list after all those other ones that I really don't even know. And then you go and trash SFAM. Why you have to be like that man?
It's not my fault everyone else is deluded and thinks SFAM is amazing. ;)
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Six Degrees is absolutely my favorite Dream Theater album and is in my top 5 albums by anyone (it can be anywhere from 1 to 5, depending on my mood). It's just about as close as you can get to musical perfection.
The Glass Prison was an immediate standout. The ONLY "down side" to the song is that the end of the instrumental before James comes in on the last movement of the song just feels like it gets too repetitive and overstays its welcome by maybe 30-45 second. Typically, on long instrumental passages that sound somewhat repetitive, DT provide very subtle and clever things that evolve the riff, melody, or pattern. If they are doing that here, I have somehow missed it. But this is a very minor point in an otherwise stellar song.
Blind Faith has some incredible instrumentation. But the lyrics are a "miss" for me.
Misunderstood is a top DT song. So simple sounding, yet so much going on. And so much atmosphere.
Glad to see some love for The Great Debate. I also happen to love it.
Disappear took me a little while to "get." Such an incredibly emotional song. I cannot sing it without getting choked up.
Six Degrees. What an incredible monster epic. Yeah, there are some parts that drag. But in a piece of such massive scope, that is completely forgivable. Overall, this is a fantastic song. The lyrical twist and finale at the end ties it up so nicely and makes it so much more relevant and meaningful.
Something that I don’t truly think ever reappeared in a Dream Theater album until The Astonishing...
Another really cool thing these two albums have in common perhaps more than any other DT albums is how the band got excited and motivated about a particular musical direction and just ran with it. For this one, the plan was originally to go in more of a "world music" direction. Then after JP and MP went to that concert (was it Pantera? I forget), a new direction took form and they totally ran with it. For The Astonishing, obviously the direction didn't change nearly as drastically. But still, you had the main composers excited about a particular experimental direction and totally running with it. I love that.
Back to my personal top 5, here's an interesting note: They ALL share MP on drums.
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Katt, I agree with everything you said, especially your thoughts on SFAM.
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Katt, I agree with everything you said, especially your thoughts on SFAM.
I'll drink to that. Great minds. :tup
bosk, great notes on the album. I love some of those chunky riffs on The Glass Prison, and I really appreciate how heavy they are without being oppressively thick like on later records. Also took a while for disc 1 to click with me, especially because it wasn't as immediately satisfying as disc 2, but wow, so much goodness. Disappear makes me choke up as well. It is very hard to sing along to that one, or even listen to it. James's delivery even as the rest of the band gets louder is just... :hefdaddy
Oh um... also... what is Jordan's hair even doing in that band photo? :lol Rarely am I glad musicians cut their hair in the long run but Jordan never pulled it off well imo.
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SDOIT is a top 3 DT album, along with I&W and SFAM.
This album came out a month after I was admitted to practice law. I had a 30 mile commute to and from work, so I spent a lot of time listening to it and, for some reason, I always remember driving over the Vincent Thomas Bridge (and the other bridge that I don't know the name of) that connects San Pedro to downtown Long Beach. My son was born a few months later, so I have some association between him as a baby and this album. Because of where I was in life, I unfortunately missed this tour, so I'm probably one of the few hoping that the album will get some anniversary treatment on the next DT tour.
Anyway, I freakin' love the title track, and I originally did not think much of disc one, so most of my time was spent listening to disc two. The title track is epic in ever sense of that word.
I didn't get into any of the songs on disc one until 5-6 years later. I was watching a Dream Theater misheard lyrics video on YouTube, and there was a part that featured the bridge from Blind Faith (the "and still life pushes on" section), and I thought, "hey, that's pretty cool; what song is that?" I went back and listened to Blind Faith and absolutely fell in love with it. I was in the front row when DT played BF on the Systematic Chaos tour and absolutely went apeshit over it. I grew more fond of TGP when I learned that the intro was done on the bass and also started to like Misunderstood a lot. However, TGD and Disappear remain two of DT's worst songs. The former, in particular, is a hot mess that is probably in the bottom 10 of the catalog.
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I'll throw my hat in to the "Six Degrees is my favorite DT album" ring.
This was my introduction to Dream Theater back in 2002. I had a teacher in High School that loved Dream Theater and was telling me if I loved Rush I would love Dream Theater. So I went out and bought this, since it was their newest album at the time. Fantastic album.
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Just here to chime in about Sonic Firestorm!
So I once posted this in the 'power metal' thread:
My introduction to Power Metal was a free CD given away with Metal Hammer Magazine UK back in about 2005 (great bloody year for music that one). It was called Battle Metal II: Kiss My Axe and the track list was pretty incredible and introduced me to bands that I still consider to be my favourite Power Metal bands. The track list was as follows:
1 –Venom Intro Tape 83/84 1:42
2 –Hammerfall Blood Bound 3:49
3 –Sonata Arctica Wildfire 4:38
4 –Dragonforce Fields Of Despair 5:24
5 –Korpiklaani Hunting Song 3:01
6 –Venom Welcome To Hell 2:41
7 –Demons And Wizards* Terror Train 4:47
8 –Turisas Battle Metal 4:23
9 –Saxon Beyond The Grave 4:55
10 –Conquest Of Steel Only The Devil Can Stop Us Now 4:00
11 –Accept Fast As A Shark 3:50
12 –Battlelore Troll Shaws 4:05
13 –Kamelot March Of Mephisto 5:30
14 –Primal Fear Metal Is Forever 4:47
15 –Fear My Thoughts Sweetest Hell 3:49
16 –Freedom Call Mother Earth 4:33
17 –Mob Rules Metal Is Forever 5:43
18 –Machine Men Back From The Days 3:25
Granted, not all the bands listed here are actually Power Metal bands but the compilation is solid as hell. It wasn't my first introduction to Venom as my obsession with Metallica had helped me discover them as an influence. But it was my first exposure to Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Turisas, Saxon, Accept and Primal Fear. Anyone else ever have this back then?
As mentioned, this my first exposure to DragonForce. It was mid 2005 and I remember it vividly. I was like you Katt in that it was the solos that really blew me away! I'd not heard metal like this and Fields of Despair became an obsession. A short while later Metal Hammer released a DVD, with one of the magazines, with live performances of certain bands. It had a live version of My Spirit Will Go On. Although this didn't have the same impact Fields of Despair had, it was enough for me to know I needed this band in my life!
I have a crystal clear memory of buying this album. It was the day that my girlfriend at the time ended our relationship because she knew I had feelings for a girl I'd been crazy over for years. Anyway, it was a Friday and we'd gone shopping after work. I picked up Sonic Firestorm and then she ended things when we got back to mine. Although I was kind if happy to be free it was still kinda sad as I didn't want to hurt her. I remember her leaving and me sticking this album on repeat and having a few drinks.
I suppose none of this is relevant to the album but I have strong memories of my first listens and how this album impacted my tastes. I used to rave about DragonForce but none of my friends really gave a shit. Of course, a few years later we were all playing Guitar Hero compulsively and they finally got on board when they heard Through the Fire and Flames!!
This album really has it all and every song is a 5* song in my book. If I'd heard every other DragonForce album, bar this one, I don't think I'd even be able to call myself a fan. Each of their albums has a select few songs I like and a fair bit of filler. Not Sonic Firestorm though, it's just perfect from start to finish and those solos :hefdaddy I have been known to walk around air guitaring (with my headphones on) and the solo to Fury of the Storm may be the most perfect song ever for that! I'm not sure I can think of many better examples of a blistering guitar solo!
Katt, I truly love this masterpiece and I'm so glad it ranks so high :heart
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This was my introduction to Dream Theater back in 2002. I had a teacher in High School that loved Dream Theater and was telling me if I loved Rush I would love Dream Theater.
Teacher of the year!
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This album came out a month after I was admitted to practice law. I had a 30 mile commute to and from work, so I spent a lot of time listening to it and, for some reason, I always remember driving over the Vincent Thomas Bridge (and the other bridge that I don't know the name of) that connects San Pedro to downtown Long Beach. My son was born a few months later, so I have some association between him as a baby and this album.
Wow, this is VERY similar to me (I was admitted in 2001, but still), and I listened to it a LOT on my 30-45 minute commute in N. Cal. AND my son was born the following year. AND I also missed the tour, despite this being my favorite album of theirs. WE COULD ALMOST BE TWINS!
However, TGD and Disappear remain two of DT's worst songs.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, if we were, I would promptly disown you.
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Wow, this is VERY similar to me (I was admitted in 2001, but still), and I listened to it a LOT on my 30-45 minute commute in N. Cal. AND my son was born the following year. AND I also missed the tour, despite this being my favorite album of theirs. WE COULD ALMOST BE TWINS!
As was I...December 4 to be precise. SDOIT came out in January 2002, and my son was born in May.
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Maybe not for vocal gymnastics, but in terms of what it delivers for me, "Misunderstood" is one of my top five James performances.
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Six Degrees...
First of all, this easily the best cover artwork in their catalog.
I remember busting this out and listening to TGP. I was so blown away, I played it a second time before resuming the rest of the album.
Sadly, TGP has not held up for me, and I consider it one of their, if not the number one worst aging song.
The rest of Disc one is amazing. TGD can be challenging to get through if I'm not in the mood, but there is some fantastic stuff all the way through it.
I consider Disappear at Top 15 DT track.
Now Disc 2. I suppose it's enjoyable enough, but frankly, I consider it a HUGE waste of time. There is not one thing that is even remotely mindblowing. The Overture? I mean some people have the gall to call The Astonishing Disney music??
Look, I like Solitary Shell and the solo in Goodnight Kiss is great, but other than that, I'm not sure what this song/disc has to offer.
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Someone punch TAC in the balls the next time you see him. For me. I have so much I want to say to all that! :lol
Luke is the guy I want standing next to me during a Dragonforce concert. Hell yeah dude. Every song on Sonic Firestorm is a treasure, each solo a winner, 5 stars all around to each track especially Cry of the Brave which is a stellar bonus track. I'm gonna go play it right now actually. :2metal: I'd have Sonic Firestorm higher but all of the top 10 are so darn influential to me that it's stiff competition.
Great to see so much love for Six Degrees. Awesome story pg, but Disappear one of the worst DT songs? I'm shook.
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great, great album.
Sorry but I'm with pg on Disappear. If there is one song I've skipped more than any other from DT it is that one.
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Just wanted say something on the Dragonforce before we move on, but that 80's breadown instrumental section in Prepare for War I think it is is fucking out of this world!
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Sonic Firestorm - has at least 3 different back covers, the one posted here, the cardboard sleeve promo and Japan retail all differ slightly.
ZP live, saw them a few times, he never was noticeably below album standard.
Besides when you go to see DF in concert I think most of us are primary going to see Herman and Sam run around onstage shredding and having fun.
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great, great album.
Sorry but I'm with pg on Disappear. If there is one song I've skipped more than any other from DT it is that one.
What's it like to be crazy? :P
Just wanted say something on the Dragonforce before we move on, but that 80's breadown instrumental section in Prepare for War I think it is is fucking out of this world!
Yes it is!
Sonic Firestorm - has at least 3 different back covers, the one posted here, the cardboard sleeve promo and Japan retail all differ slightly.
ZP live, saw them a few times, he never was noticeably below album standard.
Besides when you go to see DF in concert I think most of us are primary going to see Herman and Sam run around onstage shredding and having fun.
Yeah, Sam and Herman are certainly the big draws. ZP was really good live early on but he dipped pretty badly during the tour for Inhuman Rampage which pushed them past their limits and for too long to boot. ZP totally shot his voice by the last tour with the band/he stopped trying. But he could occasionally hit the high notes and they sounded amazing. I really liked the last tour he did when they played bits of Disciples of Babylon and Fields of Despair and Where Dragons Rule. I heard they warmed up during soundcheck a couple times with Cry of the Brave but it was never performed. I wish I had a chance to see more SF songs live though. Only Fields, Soldiers, and Fury, multiple times for the last two. They just refuse to play anything but the staples from the old stuff which sucks... even back in the day they did that.
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@Kattelox, I am more surprised at some omissions than some of the actual titles on your list.
Given your love for (symphonic) power metal, I was thinking that Therion, Nightwish, Epica would have got at least one album in so far?
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@Kattelox, I am more surprised at some omissions than some of the actual titles on your list.
Given your love for (symphonic) power metal, I was thinking that Therion, Nightwish, Epica would have got at least one album in so far?
I'm admittedly picky in my tastes. Therion - not a fan at all. Nightwish, I'm a fan and I've seen them live and own all their albums, and Dark Passion Play was originally on the list before I solidified it. I also love Oceanborn. Generally Nightwish is good stuff, but I have my gripes with a lot of the behind the scenes stuff. Epica, I've met them and seen them live; I have Design Your Universe (and a few others) signed by them, and the initial print of Requiem For The Indifferent that's missing vocals on the last track. I don't like everything they've done though, and a lot of it sounds very samey and self derivative and they're especially guilty of formulaic symphonic writing imo which is why I can't put Design Your Universe on here (my favorite Epica album). But I do think they're great musicians and the stuff I do like I think is excellent. An ex girlfriend of mine was a massive Nightwish and Epica fan and turned me onto both of them. Blah blah blah :biggrin: :lol
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Fair enough I have weird tastes too, eg I can't stand Neal Morse's voice on anything but Transatlantic.
But given your love for Rhapsody, I was thinking that you'd include (at least one of) master Luca's solo albums?
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Fair enough I have weird tastes too, eg I can't stand Neal Morse's voice on anything but Transatlantic.
But given your love for Rhapsody, I was thinking that you'd include (at least one of) master Luca's solo albums?
Nope. To be honest, for all the love I have for Rhapsody, I don't like Luca's solo albums or Dreamquest nearly as much. There are some great songs on there but altogether they aren't even close to top 50 level for me. As for Luca Turilli's Rhapsody... I think Ascending to Infinity rocks. Fantastic album, a bit much at times, but I think it has a couple weak tracks and it's not top 50 level. Prometheus is a poor album, a victim of Luca's modern tendency to throw as much as he possibly can into every moment of every song. Turilli/Lione Rhapsody kind of continues that trend. It's still enjoyable, but not top 50.
In my physical collection alone, not counting a single digital download, I have 480 CDs. That's a lot to filter through...
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I love Luca's outside of Rhapsody albums, the first two are in my book are pretty good.
I am closing in on 3000 CD's, so doing a top 50 would be near impossible, plus I don't have the time or desire to do anything like you have done.
So well done for doing this, much appreciated.
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I love Luca's outside of Rhapsody albums, the first two are in my book are pretty good.
I am closing in on 3000 CD's, so doing a top 50 would be near impossible, plus I don't have the time or desire to do anything like you have done.
So well done for doing this, much appreciated.
I'd LOVE to see a top 50 from you mate.
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If you'd asked me 2 months ago before I had surgery on my ankle, I might have finished a list by now, instead I've been at home for almost 8 weeks playing The Division 2 on my XB1...
Plus I am about to move from Sydney down to Nowra, so I'll keep it in mind and slow time put together a top 50.
Expect a shit load of bands from Finland and Sweden, oh and a few from Germany.
I will limit myself to only one album from each band/artist though, that way I'll have to be quite strict with myself.
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If you'd asked me 2 months ago before I had surgery on my ankle, I might have finished a list by now, instead I've been at home for almost 8 weeks playing The Division 2 on my XB1...
Plus I am about to move from Sydney down to Nowra, so I'll keep it in mind and slow time put together a top 50.
Expect a shit load of bands from Finland and Sweden, oh and a few from Germany.
I will limit myself to only one album from each band/artist though, that way I'll have to be quite strict with myself.
Shit, that's no good mate. I know what surgery on a foot/ankle is like, keeps you out of action for a bit, very frustrating. Hopefully all recovered now though. Yeah, I reckon you'd have some awesome obscure stuff in there. Definitely keep it in mind.
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I'm so far behind on this thread, but just wanted to say I'm with Jon regarding Disappear. Pass ... every single time. Does nothing for me. As for the title track, it's hard to listen to the studio version when we have Score - especially Overture.
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I love Luca's outside of Rhapsody albums, the first two are in my book are pretty good.
I am closing in on 3000 CD's, so doing a top 50 would be near impossible, plus I don't have the time or desire to do anything like you have done.
So well done for doing this, much appreciated.
I'd LOVE to see a top 50 from you mate.
Yeah me too!!
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I love Luca's outside of Rhapsody albums, the first two are in my book are pretty good.
I am closing in on 3000 CD's, so doing a top 50 would be near impossible, plus I don't have the time or desire to do anything like you have done.
So well done for doing this, much appreciated.
I'd LOVE to see a top 50 from you mate.
Yeah me too!!
Same here! Stoked for it.
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I am closing in on 3000 CD's, so doing a top 50 would be near impossible, plus I don't have the time or desire to do anything like you have done.
So well done for doing this, much appreciated.
I'm well over 2000 and I feel the same way. There is just no way I could do this. Heck, I don't know that I can even name a number one. A top 5 would probably give me an ulcer. The indecision would kill me.
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Professor, you can only have 50 of those 2000 CDs for the rest of your life. Which ones are they?
(https://media.giphy.com/media/Vccpm1O9gV1g4/giphy.gif)
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Yeah, great way to put it Tim.
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I did it ;D
For me the key was making it one album per band - I also had an honourable mention under each so it might've been a DTF Best 100 :angel:
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Gentlemen and Ladies, thank you for the encouragement, I have already started on a provisional list.
One album only per band, so far I am up to 64 bands, with only half having a specific album selected.
It's going to take a while...
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I'm looking forward to reading it! :)
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Gentlemen and Ladies, thank you for the encouragement, I have already started on a provisional list.
One album only per band, so far I am up to 64 bands, with only half having a specific album selected.
It's going to take a while...
I'm expecting Moonsorrow to be on it.... :leaveseyes:
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Gentlemen and Ladies, thank you for the encouragement, I have already started on a provisional list.
One album only per band, so far I am up to 64 bands, with only half having a specific album selected.
It's going to take a while...
:metal
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Gentlemen and Ladies, thank you for the encouragement, I have already started on a provisional list.
One album only per band, so far I am up to 64 bands, with only half having a specific album selected.
It's going to take a while...
I'm expecting Moonsorrow to be on it.... :leaveseyes:
So am I!
But which one I have no idea as I love them all, dearly :angel:
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Gentlemen and Ladies, thank you for the encouragement, I have already started on a provisional list.
One album only per band, so far I am up to 64 bands, with only half having a specific album selected.
It's going to take a while...
I'm expecting Moonsorrow to be on it.... :leaveseyes:
So am I!
But which one I have no idea as I love them all, dearly :angel:
My favorite (as everyone knows by now) is Verisakeet, but V is pretty much on the same level. Then there's Kivenkantaja, Voimasta ja kunniasta, and Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa which are all really close too. Suden Uni and Jumalten aika are both good, but (in my opinion) don't come close to any of the others. Then there's the Tulimyrsky "EP" which is amazing, but I'm not sure it should count in a top 50 album list....maybe... :corn
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Not sure if I'll have #6 up today or not - still suffering from food poisoning so I'm not sure if I'll get anything done. I think Puppies will like it a lot though...
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I'm so far behind on this thread, but just wanted to say I'm with Jon regarding Disappear. Pass ... every single time. Does nothing for me.
+1. Not sure why people like this song so much.
Not sure if I'll have #6 up today or not - still suffering from food poisoning so I'm not sure if I'll get anything done. I think Puppies will like it a lot though...
That sucks! Hope you get better soon
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I'm so far behind on this thread, but just wanted to say I'm with Jon regarding Disappear. Pass ... every single time. Does nothing for me.
+1. Not sure why people like this song so much.
some of us have emotions :'(
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Six Degrees is still my favorite DT, and like Bosky it would place near the top of all time, by anyone!
As for Disappear, I don't understand how music lovers can't see the brilliance of the keyboard and guitar interaction on this song. It has such a twisted-lullaby-on-a-broken-music-box vibe that is incredibly visceral. Coupled with the heart breaking lyrics and JLB's performance. MP's subdued and slightly off kilter drumming...just brilliant!
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Six Degrees is still my favorite DT, and like Bosky it would place near the top of all time, by anyone!
As for Disappear, I don't understand how music lovers can't see the brilliance of the keyboard and guitar interaction on this song. It has such a twisted-lullaby-on-a-broken-music-box vibe that is incredibly visceral. Coupled with the heart breaking lyrics and JLB's performance. MP's subdued and slightly off kilter drumming...just brilliant!
All of this... it's a tremendous, heartwrenching tune. One of DT's finest ballads, and James knocks it out of the park with his singing.
"So I'm moving on
I'll never forget
As you lay there and watched me
Accepting the end
I knew you were scared
You were strong, I was trying
I gave you my hand
I said it's okay
Letting go, time to leave here
And I'll carry on the best that I can
Without you here beside me
Let him come and take you home"
How anyone can say that's among DT's worst songs confounds me.
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As for Disappear, I don't understand how music lovers can't see the brilliance of the keyboard and guitar interaction on this song. It has such a twisted-lullaby-on-a-broken-music-box vibe that is incredibly visceral.
If by visceral you mean mundane and drab, then I'm with you 100%!
@ Katt... I never said it among their worst, just that it does nothing for me. It's not bad, but when the bar is as high as it is with DT's catalogue (The Astonishing and James current vocal range notwithstanding), I just tend to pass over it.
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But it would be nice if they played Disappear live instead of the multitude of songs where James just says "fuck it" and gives up all attempts at proper enunciation and hitting the notes. :lol
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But it would be nice if they played Disappear live instead of the multitude of songs where James just says "fuck it" and gives up all attempts at proper enunciation and hitting the notes. :lol
I'm sure he could do as much damage with Disappear just as much as any other tune. :lol
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As for Disappear, I don't understand how music lovers can't see the brilliance of the keyboard and guitar interaction on this song. It has such a twisted-lullaby-on-a-broken-music-box vibe that is incredibly visceral. Coupled with the heart breaking lyrics and JLB's performance. MP's subdued and slightly off kilter drumming...just brilliant!
I agree. It's really amazing.
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:corn
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My favorite (as everyone knows by now) is Verisakeet, but V is pretty much on the same level. Then there's Kivenkantaja, Voimasta ja kunniasta, and Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa which are all really close too. Suden Uni and Jumalten aika are both good, but (in my opinion) don't come close to any of the others. Then there's the Tulimyrsky "EP" which is amazing, but I'm not sure it should count in a top 50 album list....maybe... :corn
Verisakeet is a very strong contender for top spot, contains my fave Moonsorrow song 'Jotunheim'.
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6.
AGALLOCH
ASHES AGAINST THE GRAIN
Atmospheric Folk-Doom Metal
released August 8th, 2006 via The End Records
(https://i.imgur.com/M2mqFsG.jpg)
1. Limbs [9:51]
2. Falling Snow [9:38]
3. This White Mountain On Which You Will Die (instrumental) [1:39]
4. Fire Above, Ice Below [10:29]
5. Not Unlike The Waves [9:16]
6. Our Fortress Is Burning… I (instrumental) [5:25]
7. Our Fortress Is Burning… II: Bloodbirds [6:21]
8. Our Fortress Is Burning… III: The Grain (instrumental) [7:10]
9. Scars of the Shattered Sky (Our Fortress Has Burned To The Ground) (instrumental)* [19:27]
*bonus track only available to an exclusive vinyl edition of the album
ASHES AGAINST THE GRAIN is
John Haughm (Vocals / Guitars / Drums on 2 and 5)
Don Anderson (Guitars)
Jason William Walton (Bass)
Chris Greene (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/4ntRtAc.jpg)
*tbh I don’t know if this is the same lineup so I hope it is
WITH
Ronn Chick (Piano on 1, 6 / Ebow on 4)
Ashes Against The Grain is one of the best records I have ever heard. In the almost 13 years I’ve been listening to this album, I still haven’t heard anything like it (Gallowbraid excluded).
There is an angst about this record. Ashes… is like a lamentation on nature. Its brooding atmosphere is thick with the loneliness of a snowy, secluded forest, each reverb-coated chord strummed fluid as water and cold as the winter wind itself. I think John Haughm’s vocals add something quite special to this album, as his “harsh” vocals are my favorite kind – more like a ragged whisper, he sounds like what I imagine an ancient, mighty tree spirit would sound like, crackling and popping like old bark, and adds a certain texture to the music that is impossible to ignore. And when he sings cleanly, like in “Falling Snow,” it is a voice of warmth and beauty, a stark contrast to the grim delivery used elsewhere. “Limbs” is almost 10 minutes long, and yet it has only 8 lines of vocals, singing fantastic poetry:
The texture of the soul is a liquid that casts a vermillion flood
From a wound carved as an oath; it fills the river bank, a sanguine fog
These arms were meant to be lost – hacked, severed, and forgotten
The texture of time is a whisper that echoes across the flood
Its hymn resonates from tree to tree, through every sullen bough it sings
These boughs were said to be lost – torn, unearthed and broken
Earth to flesh, flesh to wood, cast these limbs into the water
Flesh to wood, wood to stone, cast this stone into the water
Unlike a lot of bands, the songs on this album don’t feel long to me. Where other bands have lengthy pieces that seem to meander and lose the plot and sound like multiple songs pieced together like a patchwork of musical ideas – Symphony X, Opeth, plenty of less obvious names as well – Agalloch takes an idea, runs with it, and intelligently elaborates on it until the song seemingly figures out the conclusion all on its own. “Not Unlike The Waves” is a remarkable tune with a watery riff that ebbs and flows like the tide; beautiful warm vocals hang gently on open vowels to create an angelic harmony that is quickly intruded on by demonic growls screaming the Icelandic word for crepuscular rays (Sólstafir).
Along with John Haughm’s vocals, the guitars are the true stars of this record. It doesn’t matter what they’re playing, whether it’s heavy or soft or distorted or clean, they are captivating. The tones are perfect, the harmonies effective, the very sound of the strings being plucked is almost therapeutic to listen to, particularly because the rest of the band tends to drop out during these sections (notably in “Limbs,” “Fire Above, Ice Below,” and “Not Unlike The Waves”) which only emphasizes the guitar that much more. I’ve used the word “watery” here to describe the strummed chords and that’s the perfect word. Other times, such as the main riff in “Limbs” the guitars take on a powerful, earthy sound with a lot of weight behind each pick and strum.
It also took me a couple years, but “The Grain” is a masterpiece. Nothing but ambience and noise but if you listen closely you can hear in the pulsing sounds when the guitar is being played to create the haunting soundscape.
I picture the same scene every time I play this album: nightfall on a wood somewhere out west, where the trees grow so high they pierce the skies and their canopies are unseen. What little of the sky that can be seen is a dark blue, and growing darker. The trees shiver as a cold wind passes through. After some time, there comes a soft glow in the distance, which slowly grows and brightens. It’s accompanied by low groans and sickening snaps, and in time, flames overtake the forest. Birds scatter; some escape, and some succumb to the destruction, falling like snow from fire above to ice below.
In Summary: The Mantle is overrated. Fight me. Ashes is not only one of the best albums I’ve ever heard, it’s one of the best pieces of art I can think of in general.
Katt’s Favorites: Limbs (https://open.spotify.com/track/62udu2Wo8jTlKtWpsZByBM?si=EFqeDBPBRye1twmiMhw71Q), Falling Snow (https://open.spotify.com/track/73vyulFUPAla99D1wUtMQo?si=M0j3n2ubTBeT4S2Eqw_ygA), Fire Above, Ice Below (https://open.spotify.com/track/0xdcWEV8BP3xuZRuibkXo1?si=enDzyCkYSV-nqHpd5J5CUg), Not Unlike The Waves (https://open.spotify.com/track/5rMmAix3Ub8VFDQv47LuP4?si=OV4xcouWSUqIYpFcQjADpA), Our Fortress Is Burning… II: Bloodbirds (https://open.spotify.com/track/28CABpLEJEkN2xsbzrqRCY?si=8bapJrdrQ_qztzCHtbq91w)
Listen to “Ashes Against The Grain” by Agalloch on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/2PIBrpGRMIcmYtt4aiN4xv?si=lb8pr1FAQp-nduln0kDJ0Q)
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One of my favorite albums ever :hefdaddy
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Halfway through the album, pretty cool music. I like it. I'm not too big into instrumental music overall, like I don't think I would have any instrumental albums in my top 50, let alone top 10, but I could totally listen to this a lot just because its good music. And I feel like you said, the songs are long but don't feel it. The album just kind of flows and wow, wait? I just listened to 30 minutes of music already? To me, that's usually a sign of good music when you don't realize the length. Anyway, this is a cool discovery. I don't think I had ever heard of this band before nor listened to "Atmospheric Folk-Doom Metal"
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:metal :metal :metal :metal :metal
Nelson got me addicted to this album, and I've got my best friend addicted to this album, and he has got his dad addicted to this album. That's how good it is.
Our Fortress is Burning I and II is one of best songs I know.
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Halfway through the album, pretty cool music. I like it. I'm not too big into instrumental music overall, like I don't think I would have any instrumental albums in my top 50, let alone top 10, but I could totally listen to this a lot just because its good music. And I feel like you said, the songs are long but don't feel it. The album just kind of flows and wow, wait? I just listened to 30 minutes of music already? To me, that's usually a sign of good music when you don't realize the length. Anyway, this is a cool discovery. I don't think I had ever heard of this band before nor listened to "Atmospheric Folk-Doom Metal"
Dude, that's awesome. I can't believe you've never heard of Agalloch before. This album changed my world. It was introduced to me by the same guy who got me into Opeth all those years ago, so I owe him soooo much for all the amazing music he introduced me to. I'm really happy you're enjoying it!!
I am very happy seeing the love for this album. It seems like every time I see this album discussed, more and more people love it.
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I can't believe you've never heard of Agalloch before.
I have not either.
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I can't believe you've never heard of Agalloch before.
I have not either.
I can believe that more easily. :lol Just surprising 'cause I've seen a lot of Agalloch love on this place before.
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I mean, I've seen thread titles with them mentioned. But I have long suspected that most of the band threads on this forum are just made up band names that people post just for the fun of it, and always assumed this was just another one, since pretty much nobody has ever heard of these guys.
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I think I've seen the name thrown around but thats about it. Actually reminded me a bit of Winters Gate, not as heavy, but with that guitar playing and how captivating instrumentally it is. There were some growls there too at the end.
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I mean, I've seen thread titles with them mentioned. But I have long suspected that most of the band threads on this forum are just made up band names that people post just for the fun of it, and always assumed this was just another one, since pretty much nobody has ever heard of these guys.
I think you can blame Parama/Cyril for those. Xanthochroid?? :lol But nobody?? Agalloch's pretty well-known, relatively speaking, in the metal crowd. Big cult following I guess you could say but they're far from unknown. There was a big ol' hullabaloo when John ended the band without consulting the rest of the members.
I think I've seen the name thrown around but thats about it. Actually reminded me a bit of Winters Gate, not as heavy, but with that guitar playing and how captivating instrumentally it is. There were some growls there too at the end.
:2metal:
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I can't believe you've never heard of Agalloch before.
Never heard of them either.
I have long suspected that most of the band threads on this forum are just made up band names that people post just for the fun of it, and always assumed this was just another one, since pretty much nobody has ever heard of these guys.
:lol :lol :lol
When I was in high school, a friend and I made up a band called Animosity. We made up band members and album and song titles, and my friend was an artist, so he drew album covers.
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I didn't really like The Mantle, it felt like bland post-rock coupled with bland black metal, but this one seems more up my alley. Will give it a listen.
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I didn't really like The Mantle, it felt like bland post-rock coupled with bland black metal, but this one seems more up my alley. Will give it a listen.
Oooh I hope you like this, I figured you were familiar with Ashes. I also am not that keen on The Mantle (or Pale Folklore, for that matter).
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The Mantle and Ashes are very different albums and both of them are like 7/10ish for me :lol
Also, bosk, Agalloch are about as big a name as it gets with folk/black metal, so uhh. Lots of people have heard of them actually.
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If you say so. I'm not one of the 10 fans of that subgenre, so I wouldn't know.
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If you say so. I'm not one of the 10 fans of that subgenre, so I wouldn't know.
I was going to say, it's not your kind of music whatsoever. But I'm pretty sure Agalloch was selling out venues on their last tour, so... they're plenty popular. Without exaggeration, almost every single time I see someone online asking for folk/black metal recommendations, Agalloch is mentioned, whether by someone suggesting them, or the OP putting up a disclaimer saying they're already a fan of them. Staple band when it comes to folk metal. I've also seen Agalloch in many roulettes' banned lists.
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Joking aside, I actually sampled the album earlier after your post. Plenty of talent for sure, but not my thing. Cheers to you for digging them though. :tup
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My #1 album, on certain days. Love it to death. Such a shame they disbanded too, as they put on incredible shows.
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Fast becoming one of my fav bands. Was sent Falling Snow in my first roulette by Mason (DTVT) and really liked it. I didn't however click onto them right away but about six months ago I had the urge to listen to it again and now I'm hooked. I prefer the Mantle but all in all this band is one of the greatest discoveries I've made. Fucking magical band and music.
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I mean, I've seen thread titles with them mentioned. But I have long suspected that most of the band threads on this forum are just made up band names that people post just for the fun of it, and always assumed this was just another one, since pretty much nobody has ever heard of these guys.
I think you can blame Parama/Cyril for those. Xanthochroid??
Hey, Xanthochroid are awesome. :P
I loved Ashes for a while and then went off it. I feel like I should give it another listen.
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I mean, I've seen thread titles with them mentioned. But I have long suspected that most of the band threads on this forum are just made up band names that people post just for the fun of it, and always assumed this was just another one, since pretty much nobody has ever heard of these guys.
I think you can blame Parama/Cyril for those. Xanthochroid??
Hey, Xanthochroid are awesome. :P
Yea, Xanthochroid are pretty decent :metal
I only own Ashes and The Mantle by this band. I always preferred The Mantle but it seems like I need to wait for winter to roll around and go for a walk, with my headphones and Ashes, on a cold night.
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In the heart of winter, Ashes is my fireplace.
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If you say so. I'm not one of the 10 fans of that subgenre, so I wouldn't know.
I was going to say, it's not your kind of music whatsoever. But I'm pretty sure Agalloch was selling out venues on their last tour, so... they're plenty popular. Without exaggeration, almost every single time I see someone online asking for folk/black metal recommendations, Agalloch is mentioned, whether by someone suggesting them, or the OP putting up a disclaimer saying they're already a fan of them. Staple band when it comes to folk metal. I've also seen Agalloch in many roulettes' banned lists.
By the way, off the top of my head, I can name maybe one or two black metal bands: Buzrum (or something like that) and Gorgoroth). Also, not sure if "Gaahl" is a band or a dude. I couldn't name a single folk-metal band and barely knew the genre existed (much less "black-folk-metal"). These are not genres that have a significant following in the U.S.
I gave a very quick listen to the first track on the Agalloch album and fast-forwarded to a part with vocals and pretty much immediately turned it off. Definitely not my thing.
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If you say so. I'm not one of the 10 fans of that subgenre, so I wouldn't know.
I was going to say, it's not your kind of music whatsoever. But I'm pretty sure Agalloch was selling out venues on their last tour, so... they're plenty popular. Without exaggeration, almost every single time I see someone online asking for folk/black metal recommendations, Agalloch is mentioned, whether by someone suggesting them, or the OP putting up a disclaimer saying they're already a fan of them. Staple band when it comes to folk metal. I've also seen Agalloch in many roulettes' banned lists.
By the way, off the top of my head, I can name maybe one or two black metal bands: Buzrum (or something like that) and Gorgoroth). Also, not sure if "Gaahl" is a band or a dude. I couldn't name a single folk-metal band and barely knew the genre existed (much less "black-folk-metal"). These are not genres that have a significant following in the U.S.
I gave a very quick listen to the first track on the Agalloch album and fast-forwarded to a part with vocals and pretty much immediately turned it off. Definitely not my thing.
Bro, I live in rural Illinois. I know all too well the struggle about traditionally European styles of metal not having a strong foothold here. :lol
I think the average age of this forum is older than I anticipated, truthfully. Most people around my age are familiar with the name Agalloch if not the music just 'cause it's a recognizable band for Internet savvy metalheads. 'sall good.
Also, Gaahl is both. So you're right either way. :lol
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Yeah y'all are just too old for this crap
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Yeah, Agalloch, and bm in general, has an impressive following in the US, and rightly so.
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A few years ago I went down to St. Louis and hung out with some people. It was an entirely black metal-loving community right in the middle of the city. The party was bonfires and extreme metal. There is definitely a bigger following in the States than most think.
Now why I, a power metal dweeb, was there with black metal dorks, is a whole other story entirely.
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You were lucky they didn't use you as a human sacrifice.
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Sounds like I should to move to St Louis
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As someone who used to live near St. Louis, don't
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Yeah no it's a shithole, stay far away from it
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Yeah no it's a shithole, stay far away from it
Not nearly as much of a shithole as Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas is indeed a shithole.
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Just reading up on this Agalloch album and listening to some samples. Funny that the singer says this is their worst album ever.
Wasn't digging the vocals I was hearing on Falling Snow. I'm still trying to expand my scream/growl tolerance. I just discovered Ihsahn recently and am loving his so I am slowly getting there.
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A few years ago I went down to St. Louis and hung out with some people. It was an entirely black metal-loving community right in the middle of the city. The party was bonfires and extreme metal. There is definitely a bigger following in the States than most think.
Now why I, a power metal dweeb, was there with black metal dorks, is a whole other story entirely.
Most metal heads can get along, no matter what flavour they favour.
We all seem to have a love of the core that is metal, all the different sub-genre fans seem to be able to get along just fine, in my experiences.
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5.
GUNS N’ ROSES
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
Hard Rock
released July 21st, 1987 via Geffen Records
(https://i.imgur.com/wxQf8Oe.jpg)
1. Welcome to the Jungle [4:31]
2. It’s So Easy [3:21]
3. Nightrain [4:26]
4. Out Ta Get Me [4:20]
5. Mr. Brownstone [3:46]
6. Paradise City [6:46]
7. My Michelle [3:39]
8. Think About You [3:50]
9. Sweet Child o’ Mine [5:55]
10. You’re Crazy [3:16]
11. Anything Goes [3:25]
12. Rocket Queen [6:13]
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION is
W. Axl Rose (Lead vocals / Synthesizer on 6 / Percussion)
Slash (Lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars / Slide guitar / Talkbox)
Izzy Stradlin (Lead and rhythm guitars / Backing vocals / Percussion)
Duff McKagan (Bass / Backing vocals)
Steven Adler (Drums / Percussion / Backing vocals)
(https://i.imgur.com/raYSbOP.jpg)
Doing this top 50 list has helped me regain some clarity on my memories. I was into Eminem before I was ever interested in rock and especially metal music. So, I believe late summer 2002 was when my journey into the kingdom of rock began. I know this now because I remember Halloween 2002 was the first Halloween I didn’t go trick-or-treating. Because why the f*&% would I go begging for candy when I could sit at home and play some awesome rock music I’d never heard before?
Appetite literally changed my life, but it was only one thing in a short period of time that had such an effect. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that 9/11 itself was a fundamental gamechanger in terms of shaping my outlook on the world, because I was 10. Within the next year I'd discover The Eminem Show, which was a political record in its own way and discussed 9/11 and war, and then shortly after that, I'd find GnR. I think 9/11 itself had a lot to do with that, because up until that point in my life, it was all games and innocent fun, music wasn't dangerous or vulgar or offensive in my world, it was mostly video game music and catchy instrumental stuff. But it was this record that turned me from a casual fan of music who just happened to like a Toto and Eminem record and various 90s video game soundtracks, into a full-fledged rock and roll kid. It began to clue me in to the seediness of the world, and the 'adult' side of things. I began growing my hair out after this record, and, fun fact, I have only ever had it cut once in the last 17 years, all thanks to Guns N’ Roses. I began immersing myself in the world of rock, guitars, egotistical and madly talented frontmen, and the solos, my god, the SOLOS! I remember not long after my obsession began, my parents got me the Use Your Illusion concerts on DVD, and I was so young and stupid I tried playing the DVD in my CD player before I realized what was up (they came in CD packages and I did not read the outside due to my excitement). I was SHAKING with excitement when I put that in my then-brand new DVD player and could finally watch the band live. See, I’m young, but this was long before YouTube or even MySpace, and I would spend entire Saturdays downloading archived videos of the band doing interviews and press spots and all that. I probably know more about GnR than I know about my own family history.
This record is tantalizingly dangerous; the energy is raw and palpable and despite the raucous nature of the music, it remains cohesive and well-structured and never goes off the rails. Each song has a specific theme or mood and Axl’s mighty range – not just in pitch, but in style and delivery – gives the record more variety than your average hard rock album. When I was a stupid kid I literally thought there were multiple vocalists on this record. “Welcome to the Jungle,” “It’s So Easy,” “Mr. Brownstone” are just a few examples of Axl’s versatility. He sounds different on almost every song, and changes his style and delivery a few times in multiple songs. My favorite rock frontman of all time. Very controversial both in his personal and professional life, but I think he is an intelligent, fascinating individual who is (or at the very least was) an incredibly gifted musician and songwriter.
All that said I think I like the stripped down version of “You’re Crazy” on GnR Lies more than the original version on Appetite. The speediness is nice and so are Axl’s banshee vocals, but the acoustic version has more swagger and is an easier listen.
In Summary: I’m sure we all know this record, and Guns N’ Roses ain’t for everyone, but this record – this band – shaped more than just my musical taste. I’m certain I would be an entirely different person, perhaps not even interested in music, if it wasn’t for Appetite for Destruction. In a way, it should probably be #1 or at least #2 – but in terms of sheer influence, I think the #1 spot is the only record that can go toe-to-toe with this one. Axl’s attitude, look, voice, and songwriting has been a monumental influence in my life and I deeply respect him despite all the controversy surrounding him. Appetite has some of the best riffs and rock vocals ever recorded… Take that one to heart. :2metal:
Katt’s Favorites: Welcome to the Jungle (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1tj2zJ2Wvg), Nightrain (Live in Tokyo) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnDNW6i8L04), Out Ta Get Me (Live at the Ritz ’88) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJO6dETD-Tg), Paradise City (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbm6GXllBiw), My Michelle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scmvAg_S97k), Rocket Queen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxW9iekNSek)
Listen to “Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/28yHV3Gdg30AiB8h8em1eW?si=8FcCGDfbRdiJxEU7zZcb6g)
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Now this is an album I can wrap my ears around. I think it finished in the 30s for my Top-50, but it's a gem regardless. 5*s, and no real duds that stand out as skippable tracks. I'd probably stack rank Out ta Get Me and You're Crazy towards the bottom, but by no means are they not good... just the least best tunes. The opening riff of Anything Goes is kinda bleh. Paradise City is a Top 10 song from the 80s in my books.
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You must have big ears! :lol
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I know we've discussed our opinions on GnR already here, but I think it's no surprise this album is so high on your list or really anyone's just because it's usually going to land really high on any major top metal album rankings.
I recently watched a TV show called "Breaking the Band" and the episode on Guns N Roses (I also recently watched Queen, The Clash, and Motley Crue (since I fininally finished their movie)) and damn are they a really interesting band so I can see how you'd get hooked into interviews and learning about them. Kind of makes me want to give them more of a shot, my music listening time just is too bloated right now though.
I love Nightrain though, I will check out that live in tokyo video :metal
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From my "classic albums" of the '80s thread:
This album was/is an absolute MONSTER. I have mixed feelings about it, so it's kind of a tale of two takes on the album.
First, on a personal note, I don't particularly care for it. Personally. While the strength of the songs is undeniable, the headspace of this album just isn't something I particularly identify with or care for. I liked Welcome To the Jungle, Sweet Child, and Paradise City well enough. But I first got the album as a "donation" from my uncle, who didn't care for it. And while I liked a few songs, it wasn't really for me. I ended up trading away my copy to a friend for Warlock's Triumph and Agony (the vocals on that blew my mind!), and to this day, I still consider that a good trade. The overall tone of the album captures a gritty, seedy, grungy, unseemly vibe to a tee. But that's just not me and never has been.
On the other hand, I can appreciate the excellent song writing, the attitude, the genuineness, and the influence this album has had on the rock/metal scene. GnR took the world by storm as the true "bad boys" of rock. And they were the real deal, which I think is one of the reasons this album has endured (coupled with, again, rock-solid songwriting).
So let me be clear: I fully recognize that this album is incredible. I just personally do not identify with the vibe. So while I still enjoy a lot of the songs on occasion, I don't gravitate toward this album.
The interesting thing for me is, as good as the "hits" are, the album really shines on its deep cuts. Rocket Queen and My Michelle, for example, are way underrated gems. But really, there isn't a weak track on the album.
One thing I often see sort of touched on when the band is discussed, but not put in quite these terms and explored from this angle is the almost "musical identity crisis" of this band. And maybe I'm overstating it just a tad. But I definitely see/hear it. On one hand, you had Slash and Duff, who were all about dirty, grimy, no-frills, straight ahead, in-your-face rock. They don't need the music to be shiny and polished. They just want it real, aggressive, and edgy. Then you had Axl, who can definitely play in the same playground as Slash and Duff, but also STRONGLY has a more polished, artsy side. Then you had Izzy, who was sort of artsy in a different way, with some blues and jazzy influence. The result was, in a way, a mess. But it was a brilliant mess that gave GnR a unique sound. That musical tension resulted in some truly groundbreaking songs that made you take notice and rewarded you for listening carefully to what they were doing.
Anyhow, this is kind of a rambling review. But when it comes to GnR, that's kind of my thought process.
I figured some cross-pollination of discussion might be fun. :biggrin:
I also should mention Mr. Brownstone: Hate the lyrics. But they are really clever, as is the vocal melody at times. I REALLY hate Axl's forward, mouthy vocal style that he uses here. But the riff may be my favorite GnR riff of all time. SO groovy!
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Not much else to add. I love some of the deeper cuts like Out ta Get Me more than Sweet Child of Mine. I've heard every hair-band/rock cover band play that song and it's just so tired and worn out to me. As a whole, it's an incredible album and just knocks your socks off from start to finish.
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It's probably 20 years since I listened to the album from start to finish but an undoubted classic. I tended to gravitate to the deeper cuts............I reckon Rocket Queen got the most play when I was a kid.
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It's probably 20 years since I listened to the album from start to finish but an undoubted classic. I tended to gravitate to the deeper cuts............I reckon Rocket Queen got the most play when I was a kid.
I think hearing the moaning in that song was the first official time my innocence was violated by rock. And I never looked back. :rollin
That Mr. Brownstone riff is nasty. Definitely one of Slash's best riffs ever imo. I personally dig Axl's voice on that one, kinda fits the vibe of the lyrics I think.
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Most people around my age are familiar with the name Agalloch if not the music just 'cause it's a recognizable band for Internet savvy metalheads. 'sall good.
I would submit that "most people around [your] age" aren't familiar with Dream Theater, much less Agalloch.
As for GnR, see my comment in the 80s thread.
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Let me rephrase: most metalheads my age who browse the Internet with any sort of regularity are familiar with the name Agalloch. Obviously the majority of people my age aren't going to know who Dream Theater is, let's be aware of the context within which we're speaking: metal/rock/prog/music fans.
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It's probably 20 years since I listened to the album from start to finish but an undoubted classic. I tended to gravitate to the deeper cuts............I reckon Rocket Queen got the most play when I was a kid.
this. Rocket Queen received lots of play at my house.
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It's probably 20 years since I listened to the album from start to finish but an undoubted classic. I tended to gravitate to the deeper cuts............I reckon Rocket Queen got the most play when I was a kid.
this. Rocket Queen received lots of play at my house.
I'll bet she did! *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* :eyebrows:
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I apologize (but not really) for the wall of text for this next one, and, well, for the top 3 as well. Deal with it. :biggrin:
#4 coming in hot. Just a moment...
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4.
KINGS OF LEON
COME AROUND SUNDOWN
Indie / Rock
released October 15th, 2010 via RCA
(https://i.imgur.com/FDh8NuI.jpg)
1. The End [4:24]
2. Radioactive [3:26]
3. Pyro [4:10]
4. Mary [3:25]
5. The Face [3:28]
6. The Immortals [3:28]
7. Back Down South [4:01]
8. Beach Side [2:50]
9. No Money [3:05]
10. Pony Up [3:04]
11. Birthday [3:15]
12. Mi Amigo [4:06]
13. Pickup Truck [4:44]
14. Celebration* [5:03]
15. Closer (The Presets remix)* [4:51]
16. Radioactive (remix feat. The West Angeles Mass Choir)* [3:29]
*deluxe edition bonus tracks
COME AROUND SUNDOWN is
Caleb Followill (Lead and backing vocals / Rhythm and acoustic guitars)
Matthew Followill (Lead guitar / Synthesizer / Piano / Wurlitzer / Lap steel guitar / Backing vocals)
Jared Followill (Bass / Synthesizer / Piano / Percussion / Xylophone / Omnichord / Backing vocals on 4)
Nathan Followill (Drums / Percussion / Backing vocals)
(https://i.imgur.com/23humhN.jpg)
WITH
Jacquire King (Percussion / Backing vocals)
Angelo Petraglia (Production / B3 organ / Wurlitzer)
Liam O’Neil (B3 organ / Baritone and tenor saxophone / Synthesizer / Piano)
Robert Mallory (Fiddle)
Krish Lingala (Saxophone / Synthesizer / Theremin)
Chris Coleman (Trumpet / Backing vocals)
Mike Kezner (Sitar / Maracas)
“Spill out on the streets of stars and ride away / Find out what you are, face to face / Once you’ve had enough, carry on / Don’t forget to love ‘fore you’re gone” – The Immortals
Hope you like reading…
If Appetite For Destruction was the soundtrack to my youth, Come Around Sundown is the soundtrack to my 20s and early adulthood. Where Appetite is rebellious, angry, nasty, and dirty, Come Around Sundown is wistful, pensive, sad, almost remorseful at times in its reflection of life and relationships and the turbulence of growing up. Appetite is the soundtrack for partying your ass off and getting laid and all that good stuff; Come Around Sundown is the soundtrack to a cigarette and a drink by yourself, outdoors, in the summer evening, with only you and your thoughts to keep you company.
A lot of that is attributed to the singer, Caleb, who was struggling with alcoholism and dark thoughts during the recording of this album, and his emotions are palpable. There’s a dark sadness in his voice. Every song uses it to great effect, too, especially “The Face” which has him howling longingly alongside a screaming, spacey lead guitar melody. “The Face” bleeds emotion and is one of the highlights of Come Around Sundown, and I think along with “Pyro” and “Back Down South” really capture what this album is all about, musically.
But as the album goes on and nightfall gets closer, and the sky morphs through yellows and oranges and pinks and purples to a soothing deep blue and the drinks really settle in, the songs pick up a little, with some more playful and optimistic melodies (complete with lovely “woo-oos” in the background). And when it ends at the thirteenth song proper, it appears as if the tracklist is structured to perfectly complement an hour of drinking and contemplation – it ends with two songs, one contemplating the friendship Caleb has found in liquor, and the other about drunkenly fighting a guy, who I’ve taken to assume is abusing his girlfriend, who Caleb is walking home in the song.
Lyrically, it’s quite pessimistic, but also nostalgic, looking back on (and longing for) good old times, while lamenting current dilemmas and even pondering the future a little bit. There’s a lot about lost love and searching for your true self on this album and that resonates with me a lot. Certain lines always stick with me and remind me of people I know. Coming from the Midwest, I still relate a hell of a lot with “Back Down South” which is essentially Caleb and his brothers reminiscing about where they came from (Oklahoma and Tennessee) – but it reminds me of my late teens and early 20s hanging out with my friends, both lifelong and from high school, before, during, and after the football games. Go team…
I included the bonus tracks in this one because they add a very special vibe to the rest of the record. “Celebration” invokes images of western canyons and the sound of vultures crying at high noon, Caleb’s raucous singing like that of a drunk stumbling down a desert highway. There is a remix of their 2008 hit “Closer” by The Presets, replacing the rhythm section with an ethereal, ghostly synth melody and gentle electronic percussion taps, allowing the synths to swell throughout the song. Shockingly, this actually reminds me most of “Collapse The Light Into Earth” by Porcupine Tree. The “Radioactive” remix with the choir is only different in the backing vocals but the real choir changes the flavor of the song, in a good way.
In Summary: I know this one won’t be popular with the DTF crowd, but to me, this is a 24-carat diamond in my collection and few records I’ve heard come close to this one. I relate to it on a lot of levels, and musically it’s just about as good as you get. I hate to say it but although this was Kings of Leon’s darkest hour behind the scenes, the record itself is, literally, their finest hour. Strife does have a tendency to bring out the best in an artist, sadly – and this is a strife-fueled, sad album. No shame admitting this one makes me cry – a lot.
Katt’s Favorites: The End (https://open.spotify.com/track/1T76pppCs1bFBcVpRCWzxS?si=f_z4IbA_QsuDDl12JStmyw), Pyro (https://open.spotify.com/track/0umDVf77ygI5RiVp9OvNDj?si=j1ZGnKRVTOCbAzi0PoU4yg), The Face (https://open.spotify.com/track/47NGN2PkaBo0ap4XF5LbJ2?si=pPTbaXyKSX6mmg41BmigDA), The Immortals (https://open.spotify.com/track/5cjS3W5FXywVMJ87MsMYCE?si=4ehaY8isRhGs_ZZa3IwCjA), Back Down South (https://open.spotify.com/track/6HfFLqjxyFJYx1V0olSKof?si=C5CdZ64qQhaeEZHzQrfWsA), No Money (https://open.spotify.com/track/7HCikOKgBCzEezjPgLSeOf?si=gOL5a3LkTKanxzUUKWFRfg), Closer (The Presets remix) (https://open.spotify.com/track/39AqQWRaP77mkS1MZfm2Nv?si=-RYS65rVR1GvWfe73hnfTw)
Listen to “Come Around Sundown” by Kings of Leon on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/5xFZ4iElFbUFtOGX4lvdTM?si=VO8uANCPTgW-Sgaw7XbEAg)
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4.
KINGS OF LEON
COME AROUND SUNDOWN
This is a band I've heard a ton about, but if I've heard any of their songs, I don't know it. Indie rock got really annoying really fast after some decent stuff in the mid- to late 90s.
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^^ To be honest I have no idea what makes a band 'indie' but most indie bands I've heard, I can't stand. I dunno if KOL's sound is really indie these days or not. Their first two albums, probably, big time. You might know the two songs that (regrettably) became monster hits, Sex On Fire and Use Somebody, but even the band admits those aren't the best songs even on that particular album.
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I've only heard those two songs you mentioned, but I'm curious to check this one out.
As an aside, I'm glad you've taken the time to do this top 50. I don't know if I'm imagining it or if I've simply missed most of them, but it seems like there haven't been as many of these threads as there were around 5 years ago, and I always enjoy getting a glimpse at other folks' favorites.
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there aren't as many, no.
i'm considering doing one but 1. i haven't started and i'm busy with other projects 2. if i do make one i'll probably put the top 25 into video format, i don't know if i'd even do a full 50 but maybe
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there aren't as many, no.
i'm considering doing one but 1. i haven't started and i'm busy with other projects 2. if i do make one i'll probably put the top 25 into video format, i don't know if i'd even do a full 50 but maybe
Do a top 500! :metal
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you do that one. i'll stick to "doing something humanly possible"
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you do that one. i'll stick to "doing something humanly possible"
..............hmmmmmmmmmm......I just might... :justjen
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Can't stand Kings of Leon. That is all. ;D
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I gave them a listen the last time they were on here and I wasn't into them, I checked out Pyro and wasn't into it. I don't think this band is for me.
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Yeah, I knew this one was going to bring crickets, this just isn't a style that's popular around here. And that's okay because now I get to post this.
Me:
(https://i.imgur.com/AarM4rx.gif)
DTF:
(https://i.imgur.com/O5ouxcb.jpg)
:lol
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I've only heard those two songs you mentioned, but I'm curious to check this one out.
As an aside, I'm glad you've taken the time to do this top 50. I don't know if I'm imagining it or if I've simply missed most of them, but it seems like there haven't been as many of these threads as there were around 5 years ago, and I always enjoy getting a glimpse at other folks' favorites.
Hey, thanks for checking it out, seneca. I'm glad people enjoy just checking out what other peoples' favorite records are even if they're not remotely interested in them. I did start it partially because I wanted to do my own but partially because I hadn't seen any around for a while... I hope this kicks up some interest in people doing them again.
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Can't stand Kings of Leon. That is all. ;D
So I thought until Katt sent me Knocked Up on my roulette. I'll probably be checking more of their stuff.
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Can't stand Kings of Leon. That is all. ;D
So I thought until Katt sent me Knocked Up on my roulette. I'll probably be checking more of their stuff.
YAY! Seriously, the album with "Knocked Up" is on this list (Because of the Times) - you should check out my favorites from that record, but honestly, I think the vibe of Knocked Up is more prevalent on Come Around Sundown.
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I SHOULD like the Kings of Leon, but alas, I don't. I don't know why it is that I don't connect with them, but it is what it is.
Now, Appetite? Bring it on. That album has aged SO well for me. It's one of those few records from the late 80's, 90's, that has transcended into the group of albums that compete with the best of the 70's, the era I grew up on.
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:corn
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i thought sex on fire was garbage and also really boring when it was in guitar hero
now i just think it's boring in guitar hero but actually it's an okay song. it exists
i'm just not wild about the band is all :corn
anyways looking forward to ommadawn being #1
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Yeah, I knew this one was going to bring crickets, this just isn't a style that's popular around here. And that's okay because now I get to post this.
Me:
(https://i.imgur.com/AarM4rx.gif)
DTF:
(https://i.imgur.com/O5ouxcb.jpg)
:lol
Sorry mang... just nothing for me to add here.
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Sex On Fire is a good song.
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One of my friends was obsessed with KoL when they released their first album (2003 or something?). I think they are still his favourite band but we don't hang out so much nowadays. Back when we DID hangout all the time he just used to play the first two albums all the time. Even though I wasn't too into them I liked a few songs. The Bucket is still the best song of theirs I've ever heard, by quite a long way!
By the time the third album dropped we only used to hangout in the pub so I wasn't around his flat (getting aurally assaulted by the band). Since then I've only heard singles and nothing has made me want to check out an album.
And yea, Sex on Fire was overplayed in the UK and I kind of hate it!
I'm tempted to check out this album just out of curiosity. I don't think I've heard a single song.
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Oh did someone mention that magical word 'ommadawn' ?
One of my fave albums :biggrin:
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3.
SONATA ARCTICA
WINTERHEART’S GUILD
Melodic Power Metal
released March 17th, 2003 via Spinefarm Records
(https://i.imgur.com/qQEB8Wr.png)
1. Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited [5:37]
2. Gravenimage [6:58]
3. The Cage [4:38]
4. Silver Tongue [3:58]
5. The Misery [5:09]
6. Victoria’s Secret [4:43]
7. Champagne Bath [3:58]
8. Broken [5:17]
9. The Rest of the Sun Belongs to Me* [4:22]
10. The Ruins of My Life [5:14]
11. Draw Me [5:06]
*Japanese bonus track
WINTERHEART’S GUILD is
Tony Kakko (Vocals / Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitars)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/vqFGfXD.jpg)
FEATURING
Jens Johansson (Lead keyboards on 3, 4, 6, 7)
When I saw Sonata Arctica for the first time in 2009, a girl and I at the Chicago show threw up a banner on stage that said, “Tony, you can abandon, please, brainwash, and exploit me anytime.” I think someone else threw their bra. Giggity.
Ecliptica and Silence are too close to Stratovarius’s world for my liking. Yeah, there are some really great songs on those records, but it wasn’t until Winterheart’s Guild that Sonata Arctica really matured and came into their own. Tony sounds more confident and far less like someone wanting to imitate Timo Kotipelto and Michael Kiske, and the songwriting itself, while retaining many elements of modern neoclassical power metal, sounds more as if Sonata Arctica finally developed their own zesty brand of spice to sprinkle atop a full-course power metal meal. Even the lyrics are more poetic and nuanced than most of Stratovarius’s lyrics up to this point, with a fuller vocabulary and varied themes. The songs are like little stories, which Tony Kakko is very good at writing. It’s one of this album’s strengths, the way it tells stories and explores the human heart. (The ironic thing is Jens Johansson himself played the lead synth tracks on 4 of the songs here.)
And what stories they are. “Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited” is about the world we live in and the kind of horrific philosophical nightmares we pass on from generation to generation. “Gravenimage” is a story about a man who has to make a choice between the two loves of his life because he does not have the time necessary to devote to each on their own. “The Cage” is about a wolf caged by Man. “Silver Tongue” I’ve never been quite sure on, it’s either about Moby Dick or about rich lazy fatcats, but perhaps it’s the former and the latter is “Champagne Bath.” Both utilize the 6/8 time signature extraordinarily well with wild guitar and keyboard parts that complement the rest of the album’s straight-ahead balls-to-the-wall 4/4 170+ BPM power metal anthems. And so on and so forth, the album is full of stories. There is one I particularly like in the closer “Draw Me” which is about a man who stopped painting portraits after the subject of one of his paintings died after being painted, and contemplates doing one final portrait of himself before passing away.
I love those tragic, romantic scenes Tony paints with his lyrics and music. He knows when to use synth pads and strings to create a dark and somber atmosphere, but he also knows when the songs require a little liveliness and fun, and he wraps it all up with some extraordinarily varied vocals, giving everything – clean high notes with or without vibrato, dirty rasps, gentle croons, it’s as if he’s able to channel the spirit of any character he takes the role of. This helps keep the record fresh and interesting; whereas most metal singers have one or two modes they stick to, Tony is all over the map, which I think helps keep listeners engaged.
Other than Tony’s voice, Jens Johansson plays some of my favorite stuff on the record, but it’s “The Cage” that contains one of his all-time best solos, a feisty monster of a synth solo that opens the track like a bat out of hell. Henrik never quite nailed this solo live, and it’s to be expected because Henrik is a wholly different keyboardist and doesn’t play that way, but I’ve always wanted a professional filmed concert in which Jens guest spots on this song to do it right (with the proper synth lead patch, too).
In Summary: Lots of people have lots of different opinions on Sonata Arctica. To me, this was, is, and will always be their peak, perfecting the Stratovarius-inspired formula mixed with just the right amount of originality. For 2003 this was both standard and adventurous. I still think it holds up better than some of Sonata’s most recent stuff and even sounds better than the last couple of records. It’s lightning in a bottle and one of the best albums I’ve EVER heard in any genre. Hits me right in the feels every single time. Also, some of the best lyrics power metal’s ever seen. I learned a lot of my first keyboard solos from this record, as well as a general sense of how to use keyboards well in a metal song. I have NEVER gotten tired of a single song on this album.
Katt’s Favorites: Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPA0G4j1U6s), Gravenimage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cOsyDPrVsU), The Cage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJBABphylXQ), Victoria’s Secret (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLgXLKRCjnI), Champagne Bath (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RROqpjkISNI), The Ruins Of My Life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=471XEdmJZzI)
You can’t listen to this one on Spotify, but surely it’s on other stuff…
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I like Sonata Arctica, and I like WHG, but there's no way this album is their best. There are, however, some good songs. APBE was my first SA song I think, and I love Gravenimage and The Misery.
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I like Sonata Arctica, and I like WHG, but there's no way this album is their best. There are, however, some good songs. APBE was my first SA song I think, and I love Gravenimage and The Misery.
Totes their best by a country mile. :loser:
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If memory serves correct the only song on this album that I really liked was Broken and you have almost every other track in your best :biggrin: I think this was the first of theirs that I tried too. I guess SA just never really clicked with me like they do with some...........Stratovarius over SA every time for me :)
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I never listened to this one. I have Ecliptica and Silence and then got Unia and never came back to the band well until your top 50. Just put the first track on and its pretty good. I don't think I'm going to fall in love with this band or anything, but it seems like this might have been an album I missed in my discovery 10 years ago since I got the first two and then got the recent one at the time (Unia).
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Not to bag on this band or album, but I listened to a couple of the songs that were linked, and they kind of epitomize why I don't generally gravitate toward power metal. There is some obvious, undeniable talent and musicianship. But there are also a lot of power metal tropes that, to me, feel ubiquitous and overused in the genre (for example, the use of only one of two possible drum beats, both featuring double bass at approximately 8 million BPS).
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Story of the thread, join the club. But this album has more than 2 drum beats
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I'm exaggerating, of course. But you get the idea. I'm just saying why it doesn't click for me, that's all.
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Katt, I've never been so interested in reading a thread about bands I have little to no interest in. I mean that with respect. :tup
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:biggrin: Glad to entertain. Only two to go! Probably very easy to predict, too.
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:lol
It's definitely been an entertaining ride reading/listening through this
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Katt, I've never been so interested in reading a thread about bands I have little to no interest in. I mean that with respect. :tup
This. And as a result, I have at least given several of these albums a try, even if the end result has often been "no thanks; not for me."
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That's all I can ask, is that if people care enough, to give the songs a try (even if they're not the ones I linked). But I especially hope people do that for something that's entirely out of their wheelhouse, like, say, Enya, or Kings of Leon. I certainly don't expect them to click with many people, but it's the effort spent trying out something new and unfamiliar or even uncomfortable that is the fascinating thing about these threads (top (whatever) lists, roulettes, etc.).
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I know I didn't like everything posted, but there's a few bands I actually did like and want to check out more. Then there's just plenty I gave a shot and weren't bad but nothing to make me want to dig further. It's still cool to just listen to something else even if only one song just to experiment and see what else is out there, plus I know you, Katt, have pretty similar tastes to myself so I figured there's some middle ground here and there was for sure.
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As much as I love old Sonata, the first 4 albums are close to a perfect quartet of power metal albums in my collection.
But I probably wouldn't put WHG at the top, though it does have some very strong material, it also has some filler.
The love affair with SA would end soon after Unia, and now I have no interest in them at all.
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You'll probably hate me for saying this Katt, but both Stratovarius and Sonata are performing on a same day this month in my hometown.
I'm not a big fan of power metal but out of those two, Strato's probably more of my thing.
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You'll probably hate me for saying this Katt, but both Stratovarius and Sonata are performing on a same day this month in my hometown.
I'm not a big fan of power metal but out of those two, Strato's probably more of my thing.
Truthfully... I don't care about seeing Sonata Arctica live anymore. Their live shows are a bit dreadful these days ("pants" is what the Brits would say, yeah?) and I strongly dislike the sets they play now. But Stratovarius? Mad jelly. It's been 10 years since they came over here...
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Hopefully they'll drag their asses over to Illinois (?) next time they'll tour US then, about time!
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Kamelot, Sonata Arctica, and Battle Beast one week after ProgPower, going to be an awesome show. I'll be amping up my listening to SA that week I'd imagine, as well as Battle Beast (I still haven't gotten their new album).
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Hah! You're good, Ruba, Illinois indeed. I don't expect them back anytime soon, maaaybe for another ProgPower... sigh.
@cram - I'm still on the fence about going to that show. I saw that tour last year except when it was with Delain and not SA, but Battle Beast would be the most fun set of the night imo, and I'm not all that crazy about them even though the show is a lot of fun. That single they put out turned me off of paying attention to the new record too. I guess we'll see how much money I have to play with after PP :lol
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I always wanted Battle Beast when I was a kid. I remember one of my friends had one, and I was jealous. I think there were actually two versions, where one had a little trap door on his back that you could stick He-Man's legs into so he could ride, and then another one without. Or was Battle Beast for Skeletor? Now that I think about it, I don't remember for sure.
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:lol
Also wasn't a big fan of the new single so held off on the album, until the time comes, but I do agree, they were AWESOME live. I didn't know them at all when I saw the same show as you, and they blew me away. I saw the same tour again in Denver on a work trip and was more into them for that show to enjoy it even more. Also, they had a crazy loud and into it crowd for them in Denver. I think they will be really good to see again this year, also coming off ProgPower I'm sure I'll be itching for a little more.
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I gave the Kings of Leon album and thought it was decent, but not exactly gripping for the mood I was in. This Sonata Arctica is probably not quite right either, if past experience is anything to go by.
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I just listened to some songs off this record and, yup, still all killer no filler. :metardica:
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I'll defend Michael here, this is a wonderful and underrated album. The style is slightly changing on this one, but I love the darker power metal tone of this album.
The opener is one of the best and definitely most underappreciated songs. Broken and Victoria's Secret are two of my favs also.
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See, Kade knows what's up.
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I mean I like SA but Ecliptica and Silence is where it's at for me. I have had Winterhearts Guild, on various mp3 players, for at least 12 years, however I couldn't name on song off it. It was just never very interesting to me and I couldn't get into it!
For the sake of this thread I'll listen tonight, it's been years since I have it a spin.
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2.
STRATOVARIUS
EPISODE
Melodic Power Metal
released April 22nd, 1996 via T&T Records
(https://i.imgur.com/N3PgFdZ.jpg)
1. Father Time [5:02]
2. Will The Sun Rise? [5:06]
3. Eternity [6:56]
4. Episode (instrumental) [2:01]
5. Speed of Light [3:03]
6. Uncertainty [5:59]
7. Season of Change [6:57]
8. Stratosphere (instrumental) [4:52]
9. Babylon [7:09]
10. Tomorrow [4:52]
11. Night Time Eclipse [7:58]
12. Forever [3:06]
13. When the Night Meets the Day* [5:30]
*Japanese bonus track
EPISODE is
Timo Tolkki (Guitars / Backing vocals)
Timo Kotipelto (Lead vocals)
Jari Kainulainen (Bass)
Jens Johansson (Keyboards)
Jörg Michael (Drums)
(https://i.imgur.com/y4eu9qp.jpg)
WITH
Kimmo Blom (Backing vocals)
Marko Vaara (Backing vocals)
Richard Johnsson (Backing vocals)
Pasi Puolakka (Flute on 12)
Ya’ll know what it is.
I identify a lot with Timo Tolkki’s lyricism, particularly in the late 90s Stratovarius material, and the opening song “Father Time” not only resonates with me on a very deep level, but I think everything about it, from the instrumentation to its philosophical lyrical theme, encapsulates the very essence of power metal. It’s about reflection of life and love and individuality and this fierce inner strength in every individual, fueled by sheer determination and willpower to accomplish what you set your mind to. Staying optimistic in the face of adversity. The lyrics do talk about this directly, but the music itself paints this musical landscape with loud, thunderous double bass drumming and mighty snares; lightning-fast guitar shredding, keyboard leads that complement the guitar theatrics perfectly, and a singer whose full-bodied, rich high notes split the sky like a siren to punctuate each verse and chorus. I am 150% all about that super positive optimistic outlook on life set to a backdrop of super loud and super fast music. Happiness can be very metal, it’s all about how you channel that energy.
And half the time the album isn’t even that fast. It’s varied as hell. Fast tracks: Father Time, Will The Sun Rise?, Speed of Light, Stratosphere (the first half), Tomorrow. That’s it. Eternity is a mid-tempo rocker. Episode is an instrumental prelude to Speed of Light. Uncertainty is a mid-tempo rocker, Season of Change is a brooding, mysterious rumination on appreciating life. Babylon stomps at a very slow pace for a metal song, but contains one of the album’s best moments when Kotipelto’s voice rises impossibly high, and Jens Johansson’s lead solo comes in on the same note Kotipelto reaches, which gives me chills every single time. Night Time Eclipse and When the Night Meets the Day are more mid-tempo rockers with catchy riffs and vocals, and Forever is a heartbreaking ballad about Tolkki’s late father.
And that’s part of why I find it a landmark power metal album. It DOESN’T lean entirely on high vocals and super fast playing. Less than half the album is that, actually. What makes this power metal is in its lyrical themes and its attention to how the guitars and drums and vocals are used to create a metal-sounding song even when the tempo isn’t 160+ BPM.
In Summary: I could go on and on but I'll stop here. I don't expect anyone to share my love for this record, but this album was the start of what is largely considered Stratovarius's golden period, and for the next few years they'd continue to put out classic album after classic album without fail. This is the greatest metal record of all time in my opinion and it’s not even close. This is an album that was literally lifechanging for me. Timo and Jens were the perfect guitar-keyboard duo. Jens keeps up with Timo at all times, never letting up, and even matches him note for note in the instrumental “Stratosphere.” The particular blend and layering of keyboard and guitar leads is something I crave in all power metal. Tolkki wrote 99% of this album himself and so I credit him for my fascination with writing power metal. He was the perfect power metal songwriter and guitarist and in every single way he and the music he wrote have had a big impact on me personally. Best. Metal. Album. EVER. :2metal:
Katt’s Favorites: Father Time (https://open.spotify.com/track/6X0MgX89G4fwgoEm4XSVkY?si=9UWhZxyJQ8O98_-osuW25w), Will The Sun Rise? (https://open.spotify.com/track/68B69QadTA5RUdlZJIPn9U?si=QYemrCXeQBmyYogF5CcEHA), Eternity (https://open.spotify.com/track/013PQk8wAvR5l8HdmxUX5y?si=XtkY3jF7QU29Af-nINJMug), Speed of Light (https://open.spotify.com/track/5UQiOGk3n63zuv4LgNRFX7?si=yAt7nr-QS4-L-kUwJ9_BJQ), Season of Change (https://open.spotify.com/track/7uNhbkrxgLJOebuWvA1dda?si=MlhJTVl2T5eJ-zXZ9Kt1hg), Forever (https://open.spotify.com/track/45SsRch1IwEzLcKHyataEE?si=L69C2lduRu-erEA6Gkcc3g)
Listen to “Episode” by Stratovarius on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/1BUQMTwWjadjppsJsSjXh5?si=wNYgraK_TfGbLJJebtbMfQ)
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Katt’s Favorites: Father Time (https://open.spotify.com/track/6X0MgX89G4fwgoEm4XSVkY?si=9UWhZxyJQ8O98_-osuW25w), Will The Sun Rise? (https://open.spotify.com/track/68B69QadTA5RUdlZJIPn9U?si=QYemrCXeQBmyYogF5CcEHA)
:| Listening...
Okay, these are actually pretty good! :2metal:
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#1 is Edguy again please i gotta make another meme
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#1 is Edguy again please i gotta make another meme
you shall be more disappointed than nana's goats on harvest day, ed boi
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See, Episode was one of my first exposure's to Strat (along with Fright Night), and I was wholly unimpressed. Maybe my ears weren't ready.
I'll put it onto the Katt playlist - to be played on September 8th.
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Is September 8h National Cheesey Metal Day?
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See, Episode was one of my first exposure's to Strat (along with Fright Night), and I was wholly unimpressed. Maybe my ears weren't ready.
I'll put it onto the Katt playlist - to be played on September 8th.
Fright Night is the Rocky Dennis of Strato's catalog. Episode is Margot Robbie. :lol
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Katt, have you ever listened to Yngwie Malmsteen--live In Leningrad?
If not, based upon your tastes, you might be in for a nice surprise.
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Katt, have you ever listened to Yngwie Malmsteen--live In Leningrad?
If not, based upon your tastes, you might be in for a nice surprise.
Holy crap, emtee, I haven't seen you in a hot minute! How are you? It's great to see you, seriously. I haven't heard that particular live album but I'm not a big Yngwie fan. I prefer his songs with vocals but I can't think off the top of my head of any that I love. I'll keep that album in mind though!
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Joe Lynn Turner is the vocalist on it and honestly, It's one of my favorite
live albums. Check it out.
All is well! Great new job, 3 novels published. Life is good!
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Live in Leningrad is brilliant, as is Episode.
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Joe Lynn Turner is the vocalist on it and honestly, It's one of my favorite
live albums. Check it out.
All is well! Great new job, 3 novels published. Life is good!
Could you PM me the names of your novels? I remember when your first one came out but I can't remember the name and I struggled with it again just a few weeks ago. That's awesome to hear dude. Congrats!
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Will do. Glad you are well. Oh...I have long hair now too!
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Do you have a cape too?
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As per usual with Strato I love them a whole lot more when they slow down and turn up the real power and Episode has a couple of my all time faves of theirs (Eternity and Uncertainty) . Massive guitars as usual and this is about the time I was really big into them ,despite skipping a number of the more generic tracks on most of their albums. Fourth Dimension was in my Top 50 - one album per band - but this certainly would've been considered.
Good choice :)
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Live in Leningrad is brilliant, as is Episode.
Yes I used to have LiL on VHS, some of it hilarious.
Apparently Jens and Anders used to play all sorts of trick so on Joe, including hiding his wigs.
Weird how the VHS has more songs than the CD and DVD??
Episode, yes great album and one of my faves.
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Do you have a cape too?
:rollin
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Live in Leningrad is brilliant, as is Episode.
Yes I used to have LiL on VHS, some of it hilarious.
Apparently Jens and Anders used to play all sorts of trick so on Joe, including hiding his wigs.
Weird how the VHS has more songs than the CD and DVD??
Episode, yes great album and one of my faves.
Is that where the clip of Jens blowing up the toilet comes from? Literally, for once. Not figuratively.
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Yeah probably was, though I read a few interviews with Jens, back in the day, they must have had of fun.
BTW looking forward to your number 1.
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Live in Leningrad is brilliant, as is Episode.
Yes I used to have LiL on VHS, some of it hilarious.
Apparently Jens and Anders used to play all sorts of trick so on Joe, including hiding his wigs.
Weird how the VHS has more songs than the CD and DVD??
Episode, yes great album and one of my faves.
Is that where the clip of Jens blowing up the toilet comes from? Literally, for once. Not figuratively.
Wasn't the toilet clip from Stratovarius' Infinite Visions DVD?
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Maybe. I haven't watched IV in years. Good stuff though.
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Is the world ending or something? What's with the old school posters coming out of the woodwork? There's like five or six that haven't posted in MONTHS that all showed up around the same time.
Not a bad thing, to be clear. Emtee, good to see you (and congratulations!).
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Emtee!
:panicattack:
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1.
TOTO
IV
Pop / Rock
released April 8th, 1982 via Columbia
(https://i.imgur.com/GWoCr7E.jpg)
1. Rosanna [5:31]
2. Make Believe [3:43]
3. I Won’t Hold You Back [4:53]
4. Good for You [3:17]
5. It’s a Feeling [3:05]
6. Afraid of Love [3:52]
7. Lovers in the Night [4:25]
8. We Made It [3:56]
9. Waiting for Your Love [4:12]
10. Africa [4:55]
IV is
David Paich (Keyboards / Lead Vocals on 7, 10 / Backing vocals on 1, 2, 5-10)
Steve Lukather (Guitars / Lead vocals on 1, 3, 6 / Backing vocals on 1-4, 6-10)
Bobby Kimball (Lead vocals on 1, 2, 4, 8-10 / Backing vocals on 1, 2, 4, 6-10)
Steve Porcaro (Keyboards / Lead vocals on 5)
David Hungate (Bass)
Jeff Porcaro R.I.P. 1992 (Drums / Percussion)
(https://i.imgur.com/JYwHDiH.jpg)
WITH
Lenny Castro (Congas and percussion on 1, 4, 5, 7, 10)
Ralph Dyck (Synthesizer on 7)
Roger Linn (Synth programming on 4)
Gary Grant (Trumpet on 1)
Jerry Hey (Trumpet on 1)
Tom Scott (Saxophone on 1, 7)
Jon Smith (Saxophone on 2)
Jim Horn (Saxophone on 1, 7 / Recorders on 10)
Marty Paich R.I.P. 1995 (Orchestral arrangements on 3)
James Newton Howard (Orchestral arrangements and conductor on 3, 5-7)
The Martyn Ford Orchestra (Strings on 3, 5-7)
Jimmy Pankow (Trombone on 1)
Joe Porcaro (Percussion on 5, 10 / Xylophone on 6 / Tympani on 7 / Marimba on 10)
Mike Porcaro R.I.P. 2015 (Cello on 3, 8)
Tom Kelly (Backing vocals on 1, 2)
Timothy B. Schmidt (Backing vocals on 3, 4, 10)
If anybody’s read even a fraction of these write-ups, thank you. If anybody’s checked out the linked songs/albums, thank you, even if you didn’t like them. I’m all about sharing the love of music and trying to turn people on to stuff they might not otherwise look at, even if it’s not super obscure or unknown music. So, thanks again for following along and letting me spill my guts out over my favorite music while I take a few ribbings here and there. Now strap in... I have a lot to unpack :)
I was exposed to a lot of different music growing up which probably explains my musical tastes. My sister and I shared a room; pop stars, boy bands and girl groups, a couple rappers and a smidge of country, and whatever was popular on MTV. My dad, 70s and 80s hard rock like GnR, ACDC, Van Halen, and a little bit of Green Day and Nirvana to boot. Myself, video game soundtracks, a bit of classical music (Chopin was one of my first musical loves), and some pop music. And my mom… some of the old crooners, some pop, some of the lighter classic rock like Def Leppard and REO Speedwagon... and Toto.
God bless my mom for introducing me to this band. One year in the mid to late 90s I remember opening a Christmas gift and it was a Tears For Fears album. I had told my mom I liked that ‘red CD’ she played in the car, but couldn’t remember the name. I was too young to actually be disappointed, so I played the album, but it wasn’t what I remembered enjoying, so my mom took me to the store and helped me exchange it for Toto IV. I also got a portable CD player which I thought was just the coolest thing ever, and I stayed in my room and played this record on repeat for hours, every day.
Toto IV effortlessly blends what makes pop and rock music so good and kicks it up a notch, with creative rhythms, dashes of funk, dramatic orchestrations, and a variety of musical influences working to make each song unique. And despite almost every song being a rumination on love and/or heartbreak, each song stands on their own and has a unique flavor that help make this album so musically delicious. Compared to the previous album Turn Back and the album that would follow, Isolation, it is a wonder how this album sounds as good as it does. In my opinion, Toto wouldn’t produce an album with similar high quality production until 1998’s Mindfields.
I adore the vocals on IV. David Paich, Steve Lukather, and Bobby Kimball all have easily identifiable voices and they complement each other well when they trade off. Bobby’s higher register is best used for choruses, such as the timeless “Rosanna” and “Africa,” where Steve Lukather and David Paich, respectively, lead the verses with a huskier, deeper voice. Even Steve Porcaro gets in on the singing action for one song – “It’s A Feeling” is a highlight of the record, subdued vocals paired with a gentle keyboard riff and a steady drum beat. It’s one of the record’s more relaxing numbers for sure. Steve Porcaro’s synth work is awe-inspiring, and David Paich’s piano is bright and sunny and adds so much to songs like “Make Believe” and “Lovers In The Night.”
Shoutout to “Waiting For Your Love” which is the funkiest song on the album; a real groovy rhythm section with some smooth keyboards and tasty synth action always make me think of the music video which shows them playing the song in a club with people dancing everywhere. This song makes me wish I could actually dance.
You can’t talk about Toto IV, of course, without talking about the late, great Jeff Porcaro. The way the album starts is so perfect. Jeff plays his now legendary “Rosanna shuffle” which might be my favorite drum beat ever. Then the piano and guitar come in. I love how gorgeous this sounds, in the key of G, and then halfway through the verses it modulates to F to accommodate Bobby’s singing and amps up the energy, a simple but effective way to keep the song interesting. The singers weave in and out of songs seamlessly; some bands have jarring transitions between multiple vocalists, but not Toto. Not on this record, anyway. Bringing it back to Jeff, his drums are just really satisfying to listen to on every song, especially “Africa.”
Speaking of “Africa,” that song is a national treasure. No exaggeration: greatest song I’ve ever heard. It is musical perfection in 4 minutes and 55 seconds. The adventurous keyboards and how they jump from sound to sound, that sexy rhythm, silky vocals, an incredible harmony in the chorus – all while the electric guitar is barely doing anything. It’s a drum, vocal, and keyboard-centric song that just works on every level. And there’s nothing wrong with that Kilimanjaro lyric. :)
In Summary: I have an obligation to spread the Toto gospel. I still listen to this record on average once a week and have been doing that for as long as I can remember. This is the greatest collection of music Man has ever laid to tape. I still have that CD my mom got me over 20 years ago and the case is beat up but the CD still plays perfectly. I’ve bought this album three times on CD and twice on vinyl and I don’t even own a record player. Toto IV is love, Toto IV is life.
Katt’s Favorites: Rosanna (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmOLtTGvsbM), Make Believe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upr4WFsnXWk), It’s A Feeling (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLlRd9ZXPdw), Afraid of Love (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KMAmtYn9q4), Waiting For Your Love (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmBkdWhVTc0), Africa (music video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTQbiNvZqaY)
Listen to “IV” by Toto on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/62U7xIHcID94o20Of5ea4D?si=naFJgglHQdOIFPcrEopvvw)
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this album was never released in kansas
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:lol
This writeup put my Word document at over 100 pages and 40k words for all the writeups... wow.
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God bless my mom
You can say that again.
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How many power metal filled Top 50's would end with Toto? :metal Stratotovarius ;D
I wouldn't consider myself a massive Toto fanboi but the albums I do like I really like. Lukather,Porcaro,Paich etc.......amazing band (studio and live) that have never really got the recognition they deserve IMO.
I will say that , for me , most of their albums have a share of filler but the best stuff is :hefdaddy I didn't follow them as closely during the Luke years (vox) but got back on board big time with Mindfields , which got an honourable mention in my DTF Top 50. I could've easily used IV , The Seventh One or Isolation.
Thanks for an entertaining Top 50 Kattelox :metal You have finished off with two of my favourite bands, both of which got a mention in my Top 50 .
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I don't know Toto very well, but enjoyed what little I have heard before. It is kind of funny though how you have so much power metal and it ends with Toto :lol
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@bl5150, glad to entertain. Also glad we share a love for the same bands that finished this out. :biggrin: Mindfields might be my second favorite Toto album, it was on the list for a short time before I had to bump it for others... The Luke years aren't my favorite but there are some absolute gems on Kingdom of Desire and Tambu, I think. Tambu especially is underrated, it's very 90s and kind of weird in places but I love a lot of that record.
@cram - I knew it would throw some for a loop, but I also figured it was the most predictable on the list because of my public adoration for Toto and Africa :lol
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Thanks for all your hard work on this list, Katt. I really enjoyed following along.
As for Toto...what can you say about a band that named themselves after the most annoying dog in cinema history. :lol
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Thanks for all your hard work on this list, Katt. I really enjoyed following along.
As for Toto...what can you say about a band that named themselves after the most annoying dog in cinema history. :lol
they actually didn't. They named themselves because they wanted to play all styles of music and not be limited to anything (according to Jeff Porcaro anyway)
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Any excuse to make a pretty, over-the-top formatted list, I'll run with it. :lol
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Also, thanks for the hard work. It shows your passion for the music, whether others liked it or not. You put in a lot of effort not just in your write ups, but non stop defense of your feelings towards the music :metal :metal
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Thanks for all your hard work on this list, Katt. I really enjoyed following along.
As for Toto...what can you say about a band that named themselves after the most annoying dog in cinema history. :lol
*backhands* :lol
Though my 2 favorite albums from Toto is Hydra & The Seventh One.
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Thanks for all your hard work on this list, Katt. I really enjoyed following along.
As for Toto...what can you say about a band that named themselves after the most annoying dog in cinema history. :lol
*backhands* :lol
Though my 2 favorite albums from Toto is Hydra & The Seventh One.
TSO is awesome, it's just hamstrung by terrible 80s production and a couple songs that really ape the trends of the times, I think. "You Got Me" is a great song but it makes me think Michael Jackson every time I hear it.
I have Hydra on vinyl. It was originally my mom's, and she gave it to me last year. I treasure that thing. I need to look up to see what pressing it is but I'm pretty sure it's the original print. (EDIT: well apparently it is, since it was only printed in 1979 on vinyl, and again in 2011)
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Shock value on this being #1: none
Gotta run to the airport, but I will unpack your unpacking later.
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Shock value on this being #1: none
Gotta run to the airport, but I will unpack your unpacking later.
Driving would be faster. :neverusethis:
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(https://i.imgur.com/rQcbVJR.png)
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Katt, can you (or another fan) give me a 10 second ranking of Rhapsody of Fire albums? I have been listening to them a little based on this thread and would like some input. Thanks!
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Knew this was coming, you mentioned a few times in other threads that this was your favorite album. Not a bad choice at all, really great album by an even greater band. I like some other Toto records better but Rosanna (that outro solo/jam that is mostly faded out when the song is played on the radio is just gorgeous) and Africa are probably the best Toto songs.
So anyway, although this list was a little heavy on the power metal side, it was always a great read and some interesting choices.
And I listened to some Rhapsody and while they are still cheesy as fuck there's some good songs also.
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Katt, can you (or another fan) give me a 10 second ranking of Rhapsody of Fire albums? I have been listening to them a little based on this thread and would like some input. Thanks!
My absolute pleasure :) separated into groups of similar quality, imo:
1. Legendary Tales [1997]
2. Symphony of Enchanted Lands [1998]
3. Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret [2004]
4. Dawn of Victory [2000]
5. Power of the Dragonflame [2002]
6. Triumph or Agony [2006]
7. Into the Legend [2016]
8. The Frozen Tears of Angels [2010]
9. Rain of a Thousand Flames [2000]
10. From Chaos To Eternity [2011]
11. Dark Wings of Steel [2013]
12. The Cold Embrace of Fear: A Dark Romantic Symphony [2010] (not a traditional full-length Rhapsody record, but part of the concept nonetheless)
13. The Eighth Mountain [2019]
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25 Honorable Mentions
These were on the initial 'big list' and I had to chop them off.
1. IQ – The Road of Bones [2014]
2. Mystery – The World Is A Game [2012]
3. The Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky [1982]
4. Nightwish – Dark Passion Play [2007]
5. Broken Bells – After the Disco [2014]
6. Cellador – Enter Deception [2006]
7. Masterplan – Aeronautics [2005]
8. Cat Stevens – Tea For The Tillerman [1970]
9. Stratovarius – Nemesis [2013]
10. God Is An Astronaut – All Is Violent, All Is Bright [2005]
11. The Devin Townsend Project – Epicloud [2012]
12. Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon [1973]
13. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials [2011]
14. Angra – ØMNI [2018]
15. Rhapsody – Power of the Dragonflame [2002]
16. Chroma Key – Dead Air For Radios [1998]
17. Incognito – 100º And Rising [1995]
18. Toto – Mindfields [1998]
19. Led Zeppelin – ZoSo [1971]
20. King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King [1969]
21. Edguy – Hellfire Club [2004]
22. Edguy – Space Police: Defenders of the Crown [2014]
23. Helloween – Gambling With The Devil [2007]
24. Iced Earth – Something Wicked This Way Comes [1998]
25. Randy Newman – Bad Love [1998]
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I'm glad The Road of Bones made such an impression on you.
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Wow... nice to have made the honourable mention list. :blush
Loved that write up Mike. I heard Rosanna on the radio a week or so ago, and man that song is cool as fuck. As for Africa, I can appreciate your love and passion for it, but you are overrating it all to hell. The meme phase was cute, but saying it's the best music ever laid to tape is like saying Chuck Norris is the greatest martial artist in history. :lol
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The Road of Bones is insanely good. I can't believe I hadn't heard that before. It's awesome. The sonic landscape of that album is desolate yet beautiful.
Chad, I was jamming out to Africa nonstop in the 90s. Fuck the bandwagoners. I was here first. BEST. SONG. EVER. :biggrin:
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Some good stuff in the honorable mentions. I should probably check out The Road of Bones, I think the title track is the best thing I heard from IQ but their music was a little too prog and not enough hard rock for my enjoyment, that song had what I was looking for. Not sure if the rest of the album lives up to that or not though. That song was also awesome live :metal
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Africa rules.
From the honorable mentions, I like what I've heard from Iced Earth. I think Burnt Offerings or The Horror Show could be more of my speed, but I'll keep that record in mind.
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I really havent listened to any Iced Earth. I should though but I'm only starting to really get into Demons and Wizards, so one thing at a time.
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If you like D&W's first album I think you'll really like Something Wicked. It's heavy as hell but also varied and paced just right. That album slaps.
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If you like D&W's first album I think you'll really like Something Wicked. It's heavy as hell but also varied and paced just right. That album slaps.
Yea I do, and I do like the second (listened to both last night) my initial reaction is that it's just not as good as the first, but I think I'm going to grow to like it plenty once I listen even more.
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I'm am not surprised in the least that Toto was your number 1. It is a great album, but it honestly wouldn't make my top 50. Possibly an honorable mention......Stay tuned, I may be doing a top 50 in the near future. I haven't decided if I want to do that or another roulette first.
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Thank you for the Rhapsody of Fire list. From this thread I have checked them out, and Stratovarius. Both of whom I've heard but was inspired to do a little bit more of a deep dive in to.
And there’s nothing wrong with that Kilimanjaro lyric. :)
Wait, was that a shot across my bow? I know I pick on this song, or at least the lyrics, all the time. I do like the music, and I remember my parents playing the 45 all the time and it was one of the ones they played that I liked the most. But as a kid the lyrics always confounded me, and to tell the truth, they still do. Is he singing about a girl? The weather? Geography?
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Is he singing about a girl? The weather? Geography?
Yes
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No problem, Chris! No, that wasn't a shot at any individual, it's just I've noticed lots of comments over the years singling out the Kilimanjaro line for various reasons (too wordy, doesn't make sense, doesn't flow etc.). And that's all fine, opinions are opinions, I just disagree ;)
As for what Africa is about, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa_(Toto_song)#Background gives some pretty good info on it. Also, the song "Mushanga" off the album The Seventh One is like a sister song to Africa. Similar chill groove and brassy synths but more subdued; instead of a song about the beauty of Africa, it's a song about a writer meeting an girl while reporting in Africa.
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Spanish Steps Of Rome has the same vibe as those 2 songs.
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Stratovarius - Episode
I love this record. I tend to gravitate towards Visions and Destiny usually, but I got Episode in that same period as those two albums and have always loved that classic period of Stratovarius records. Can't really add much else - it's just a fantastic record, second to Visions for me.
Toto
I've never really been a fan of the band, but I know the hit songs. That's always been enough for me. But it's awesome to see such variety in this list. If I did mine, it would be about 45 metal records and 5 Styx albums. Maybe some random greatest hits albums thrown in.
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K-Lox, outstanding job on your list. The writeups were great and informative.
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Is he singing about a girl? The weather? Geography?
Yes
:lol That's what I thought!
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:biggrin: Thanks for the compliments. A lot of time went into this but it was nothing but fun.
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I thought that was outstanding. Really, really good. I haven't been able to dig in much because of life and Iron Maiden and shit, but that was really good and fun to follow.
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Very respectable choice for #1.
Following this thread, and knowing where we were inevitably headed for the end of the line, I had been thinking that I have never been that deep into Toto and have never owned anything of theirs, and probably owe it to myself to pick up a greatest hits disk. That is usually fine for the level of extremely casual fandom I feel for this band, and just knowing a few of their hits. But I'm second guessing that now after reading your writeup. I think a hits package is fine for some bands. But there are a few where a particular album captures the essence of a band so well that it makes sense to just jump right to that album. For instance, if someone only knew Journey's hits from the '80s and didn't have any albums and said they wanted to just get one or two, I would probably say, "well, they have a couple of 'greatest hits' packages that are really good. But honestly, if you want to know what this band was all about during their heyday, just get the Escape album and listen from start to finish. THEN maybe get a greatest hits disk to round out the hits from other albums." After reading your description, I think maybe Toto IV fits that description as well.
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Thank you Stadler! Iron Maiden is an acceptable excuse, but life? Pft. Nerd. :) :)
Very respectable choice for #1.
Following this thread, and knowing where we were inevitably headed for the end of the line, I had been thinking that I have never been that deep into Toto and have never owned anything of theirs, and probably owe it to myself to pick up a greatest hits disk. That is usually fine for the level of extremely casual fandom I feel for this band, and just knowing a few of their hits. But I'm second guessing that now after reading your writeup. I think a hits package is fine for some bands. But there are a few where a particular album captures the essence of a band so well that it makes sense to just jump right to that album. For instance, if someone only knew Journey's hits from the '80s and didn't have any albums and said they wanted to just get one or two, I would probably say, "well, they have a couple of 'greatest hits' packages that are really good. But honestly, if you want to know what this band was all about during their heyday, just get the Escape album and listen from start to finish. THEN maybe get a greatest hits disk to round out the hits from other albums." After reading your description, I think maybe Toto IV fits that description as well.
BINGO. You hit the nail on the head. I would love to know what you think if you can carve out 42 minutes to listen to it. (the older I get, the more I appreciate concise records like this - I am so tired of 60, 70, 80 minute records that don't justify their length) My beef with Toto is that the majority of their albums have at least one or two songs I'm not crazy about, or the production isn't all there, or... But Toto IV just ticks every box, it's insane.
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Kwyjibo, I gotta know your Toto ranking now :biggrin:
EDIT: Thought Kwyjibo didn't see Toto in first place. Nevermind :lol
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Kwyjibo, I gotta know your Toto ranking now :biggrin:
My Toto rating is Last and Next To Last.
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Kwyjibo, I gotta know your Toto ranking now :biggrin:
My Toto rating is Last and Next To Last.
As is your attention to detail, not-Kwijibo. :lol
Also, spinning this album in about 4 minutes.
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Chad, awesome. TAC, shut up. :lol
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Kwyjibo, I gotta know your Toto ranking now :biggrin:
EDIT: Thought Kwyjibo didn't see Toto in first place. Nevermind :lol
As I said, I wouldn't put IV on top, while it's a very good record without any real filler, some of the songs are just okay for me, while other records have more great songs. Like The Seventh One or Kingdom Of Desire.
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Guess I better go listen to IV! I don't think I've ever heard a Toto song other than Africa (which I love :lol ). I tried to add it to my wedding playlist, for the evening, but my wife veeto'd it :tdwn
I'll check in after a listen
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Toto.........yeah right. Glad you like them mate.
Seriously though, well done Michael, great list and well done with the way you presented it.
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Not my favorite Toto album, that award goes to The Seventh One, but still a good album. This was a weird top 50 overall and I was a little surprised that this was number one. I honestly can't understand how I managed to almost win your roulette :lol
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I listened to Toto IV yesterday for the first time in my life!! :biggrin:
I woke up this morning with the fucking earworm of Rosanne on permanent rotation in my fucking head. Arrrrgh!
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On a whim I bought a cheap last row ticket to see Toto this fall. Actually got the same seat I had for DT at this venue last spring. Since it was super cheap and a Saturday in a month (October) that isn't concert heavy I figured Id check them out. I plan on listening to them a lot more come closer to the show.
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I listened to Toto IV yesterday for the first time in my life!! :biggrin:
I woke up this morning with the fucking earworm of Rosanne on permanent rotation in my fucking head. Arrrrgh!
Came in here to basically post the exact same thing. Though, I don't mind the earworm. That 'barber-shop quartet' vibe in the pre-chorus, followed by the run of the horns ... tasty.
it's a very good record without any real filler, some of the songs are just okay for me,
I came in here to say this too^
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Next to Africa I legit think Rosanna is *the* perfect song. It's just... yeah, perfect. Nuff said.
cram, their live show is NUTS. You like good musicianship so boy are you in for a treat. Their jam sessions and how they expand these songs like Rosanna and Africa are so fun to experience in person.
Thanks for following along and being part of the discussion through this whole thing folks. Music is the best thing in the world :)
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That sounds awesome
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I agree - you won't regret seeing them live cram.
I couldn't get to see them recently with Jo Williams but did see them on the Falling In Between tour and they were great. One vivid memory is nothing to do with the music. It was a very old theatre building (all seated) and people started to stand up/ begin walking up the aisles to the front and security were directing them back to their seats. Luke came over and yelled at security to "fuck off" and let everyone rock. :D
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I listened to Toto IV yesterday for the first time in my life
I can’t believe that.
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I agree - you won't regret seeing them live cram.
I couldn't get to see them recently with Jo Williams but did see them on the Falling In Between tour and they were great. One vivid memory is nothing to do with the music. It was a very old theatre building (all seated) and people started to stand up/ begin walking up the aisles to the front and security were directing them back to their seats. Luke came over and yelled at security to "fuck off" and let everyone rock. :D
Oh that makes me even more excited. I love when bands are into the crowd vibe. I know being in the back, I won't be moving up but this venue I know from my DT experience, there's empty space behind my seat to stand and dance with no one around me so I was hoping for a cool vibe at this show to be able to really enjoy it even in a seated venue.
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Watching DT is like watching robots. I love 'em but they're soooo boring to watch on stage. Toto is loose and jams. Luke is awesome for saying that :lol
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Watching DT is like watching robots. I love 'em but they're soooo boring to watch on stage. Toto is loose and jams. Luke is awesome for saying that :lol
Yea easily the worst part about a DT show is the lack of feel from them on stage. Also, totally different music. I definitely love the "loose" type of shows more than the strict following of a checklist of songs.
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Those extended jams in every Toto concert are really fun.
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Glad to follow. I admit, I tuned out for parts. But it was still too fun.
I would love to do one of these, but they are hard for me. On one hand, it drives me nuts to not be definitive and truly have it clear in my mind that, say, #26 is truly better that #27 and will always be better than #27. In practice, I recognize that a lot of it is arbitrary. Today, I might prefer #26 to #27. Next week, #32 might bump both of them. And sometimes, it might even just be a flip of a coin. But I have a hard time admitting that to myself. :lol
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See bosk that's why I put the disclaimer that outside of the top spots most of the albums are more or less equal. They're the cream of the crop after all :lol
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Yea, it's truly impossible to say anything past top 10 (in my mind) is locked in for life. Things change. Also you might have new albums that might be weighed heavily because of its freshness.
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I am pretty much a digital buyer of music only these days. My old CD collection is very dusty in my basement, however I knew I had a BIlly Idol album (I think Im going to see him tonight) so I went to the dusty collection to find it (apparently I never ripped it to MP3) and I haven't looked at my old CDs in a loooooong time. Apparently I have GnR's Appetite :omg: had no idea I owned this album, maybe it was my Dads? I don't know but it was mixed in my collection (in alphabetical order, and apparently I had Billy in the I's which confused me) so I obviously put it there. Weird. I am ripping both to MP3 now.
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Glad to follow. I admit, I tuned out for parts. But it was still too fun.
I would love to do one of these, but they are hard for me. On one hand, it drives me nuts to not be definitive and truly have it clear in my mind that, say, #26 is truly better that #27 and will always be better than #27. In practice, I recognize that a lot of it is arbitrary. Today, I might prefer #26 to #27. Next week, #32 might bump both of them. And sometimes, it might even just be a flip of a coin. But I have a hard time admitting that to myself. :lol
This is the hard thing about making top 50’s. With the last one I did I limited myself to one album per band (made it a little easier) and then I figured out the order of the albums on one day and I didn’t change it. I thought to myself; “well, this is the order the list is in, I’m not going to change it now. It might not be perfect on some days, but I’ll stick with it, because it’s as accurate as it gets.”
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Talked about this with Jingle. I could do a Top 10, maybe a Top 20 but from there everything gets muddled. And I wouldn't know how to distinguish between my favorites now, my favorites 5 years ago, and my favorites from my childhood that I can't imagine listening to and enjoying today.
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As someone said earlier ... 50 albums you take to a desert island. The ranking in the Top 10-20 will probably be pretty static, but the rest might be fluid depending on the day/mood/or period of your life. I look back at mine now (I think I did it in 2011/12), and probably wouldn't put some of them where I did, and some would invariably drop off.
Bosk/Chris ... Just sack up and make a list. This isn't your final bar exam or anything.
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Hey Katt, I know I've fallen down on keeping up actively with the list lately (I've had some personal issues lately that have reduced my overall forum participation), but I just wanted to say I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your list. It was awesome to follow along with your writeups, which have always been good—thoughtful, interesting, concise. Hoping that your list helps me get into some great power metal, as I start catching up on listening to the albums you've listed here. Thanks for running such an awesome thread.