Welcome! I did 51 albums because when I compiled the list, I could not possibly remove one more album, so I just said “fuck it” and started doing write ups. Before I begin I want to say that my taste in music has changed A LOT recently. I see a lot of people posting here that have been listening to the same albums and bands for years. This is not the case for me. The majority of this list is music that I have discovered in the last year or so, with only some of it going back to around 2-3 years. Anyway, here we go!
Facts about my list:
-7 bands with 2 albums in my top 51
-1 band with 3 albums
-I currently have 850 albums in my library, making this roughly 1/17 of the music I listen to.
Warning: This list may be controversial. What I recommend you do about this is shut the hell up and deal with it. Or maybe just tell me I suck or something. Idk. That’s what usually happens.
51. Trivium – Shogun: I was huge into this band back in 2006-2007 just after The Crusade came out. They were one of the first metal bands I really loved, along with Killswitch Engage and Metallica. While I obviously don’t listen to them as much anymore, I still enjoy this album very much. The title track on this album is by far the best thing the band has done, imo. I had the chance to see Trivium live at Mayhem Fest ’09, where they put on a fantastic show. Some of you may not agree with this pick at all, but I urge some of you to give this band a chance. They have some great stuff.
Best songs: Shogun, Kirisute Gomen, Of Prometheus and the Crucifix.
50. Buckethead – Albino Slug: This guy. Can fucking play guitar. Really fucking well. I was always reluctant to check out Buckethead because I thought it was all mindless shredding (like “Jordan” lol). In a way that is true, but there are some really great riffs on here as well and the songs flow very smoothly. Although I love his mellower stuff more in general, I believe this to be his best album overall. It’s also one of his shortest at around 40 minutes, which prevents it from dragging like a few of his other albums. I feel like more people here should listen to Buckethead. He has at least 15 albums that I thoroughly enjoy.
Best songs: The Redeem Team, Siege Engine, Dawn at the Deuce.
49. Muse – Black Holes and Revelations: Okay, so about 2-3 years ago when I first heard Muse, my favorite bands were Trivium, Killswitch Engage, and Metallica. This band, along with a few others which I will mention later, helped me get out of my shitty metalhead phase. I think for roughly a month or so, Muse was the only band I listened to. This album is pretty much interchangeable with Absolution, so I guess you can consider both of these albums in this place. A lot of you will criticize me for loving Muse, but not liking Radiohead that much, but… whatever go away.
Best songs: Starlight, Assassins, Exo-Politics.
EDIT: Full list:
1. Porcupine Tree – In Absentia (2002):
2. Coheed and Cambria – In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (2003):
3. Tool – Lateralus (2001):
4. Mew – Frengers (2003):
5. Opeth – Blackwater Park (2001):
6. Oceansize – Frames (2007):
7. Riverside – Second Life Syndrome (2005):
8. The Dear Hunter – Act II: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading (2007):
9. Megadeth – Rust in Peace (1990):
10. Agalloch – Ashes Against the Grain (2006):
11. Thrice – Beggars (2009):
12. Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance (2006):
13. Dredg – El Cielo (2002):
14. Dream Theater – Images and Words (1992):
15. Death – Symbolic (1995):
16. Karnivool – Sound Awake (2009):
17. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – F# A# ∞ (1998):
18. Anathema – We’re Here Because We’re Here (2010):
19. Jeff Buckley – Grace (1994):
20. Alcest - Écailles de lune (2010):
21. Deftones – White Pony (2000):
22. Coheed and Cambria – The Second Stage Turbine Blade (2002):
23. In Flames – Clayman (2000):
24. Brand New – The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me (2006):
25. Porcupine Tree – Deadwing (2005):
26. The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and Death (2009):
27. Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime (1988):
28. Alice in Chains – Facelift (1990):
29. Iron Maiden – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988):
30. Dredg – Catch Without Arms (2005):
31. Oceansize – Everyone Into Position (2005):
32. Pink Floyd – Animals (1977):
33. Ulver – Perdition City (2000):
34. Opeth – Still Life (1999):
35. Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet (2007):
36. Metallica – Master of Puppets (1986):
37. King Crimson – In The Court of the Crimson King (1969):
38. Portishead – Dummy (1994):
39. Alter Bridge – Blackbird (2007):
40. Rush – Hemispheres (1978):
41. Tool – 10,000 Days (2006):
42. Shinedown – Leave a Whisper (2004):
43. Sigur Rós – ( ) (2002):
44. A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step (2003):
45. Pure Reason Revolution – The Dark Third (2006):
46. Dream Theater – Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002):
47. Hurt – Vol. 2 (2007):
48. Prototype – Continuum (2006):
49. Muse – Black Holes and Revelations (2006):
50. Buckethead – Albino Slug (2008):
51. Trivium – Shogun (2008):
Honorable mentions:
Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies EP
Coheed and Cambria – Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV: Volume 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
Death – The Sound of Perseverance
Explosions in the Sky – The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
Haken – Aquarius
Iced Earth – The Dark Saga
Incubus – Make Yourself
Oceansize - Effloresce
Opeth – Ghost Reveries
Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun
Sigur Rós – Takk…
This Will Destroy You – This Will Destroy You