7. Isis - One of my favorite metal bands ever, the effect Isis has on me is indescribable. Their blend of mellow post-rock and luscious sludge metal is divine, and I always get a very ‘spiritual’ (for lack of a better word) feeling when listening to them. It’s actually similar to Cynic, as their music has a very calm feeling even when it’s really heavy. It may sound like a strange mix, but it works wonderfully overall, and Isis is one of the best at it. All of their albums have something to offer, though my favorite is easily In the Absence of Truth, with songs like 1000 Shards and Garden of Light being favorites. I desperately wish I could have seen them before they broke up, but it never worked out. As horribly dorky and pitiful as this will sound, the night they announced that they broke up was probably one of the most depressing nights of my life. I think I wandered around the beach chain smoking and looking dejected while listening to Garden of Light on repeat for like two hours.
6. Toby Driver - The ‘mastermind’ behind maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot, Tartar Lamb, as well as a musician in Gregor Samsa and doing his solo album, the man is a genius. All of maudlin of the Well’s albums are brilliant, Kayo Dot is great as well with Choirs of the Eye being my favorite album of all time, and his solo album is amongst the most haunting music I have ever heard. Basically, Toby Driver is one of the best individual composers/musicians out there, everything he touches is gold, and I want to have his chilren. Also, when I ordered the newest Kayo Dot album I received it from him (the return address was his apartment in New York), and it had a little message thing saying thank you for buying it and he signed it. It also had a CD-R of some live Kayo Dot and Tartar Lamb performances. So awesome.