The time has come. I'm going to be updating this multiple times a day with a few each (well, until like #20 or something), mainly because I'd rather make multiple smaller write ups over the course of a day rather than one big one.
The list itself is about as 'all time' as I could make it, rather than just my opinion right now. I've been sitting on the list for months, so I have some perspective on it and I think I'm pretty happy with it.
And finally, yes, there are repeats of artists. So without further ado, the first three:
50. Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness: I originally found Light of Day, Day of Darkness in the midst of my extreme prog nerd phase back in high school, and while the album is closer to symphonic metal than prog rock it still blew me away. Over the course of an hour Green Carnation manages to cover an incredible range of music, from gothic and symphonic metal to solo female vocal spots to eastern influenced music. Throughout the hour long epic there are numerous highlights, but it never feels as if you're just waiting to get through to the climax; the song is consistently captivating – quite a feat for such a long piece.
49. Gregor Samsa - Rest: Gregor Samsa's second venture is perhaps even more diverse than their debut album, with far more diverse instrumentation including clarinets, violins, cellos, xylophones, along with the usual post-rock setup. The result is a much more ethereal and nebulous sound, one that works brilliantly. The album is rather unsettling, but not in the usual 'end of the world' that many post-rock bands have; it's much more personal, and frankly much more effective.
48. Unexpect - In A Flesh Aquarium: Sorry its's not higher Gorille. In a Flesh Aquarium, as most of you probably know it due to Gorille's tireless pimping out, is a fucking awesome album. While the music is still completely psychotic, there's tightness and clarity in the music that's rather surprising considering you're hearing a seven piece band play. The music never sounds careless or thoughtless, but rather organized and thought out. While Dream Theater may claim that their music is 'systematic chaos', Unexpect easily takes that descriptor and executes it much better.