UPDATE:
8. Protest The Hero- Fortress
Fortress is, at it's most basic, what I would call a Prog shred album. Fast paced, intricate riffing and leadwork is interspersed with Rody Walker's incredible vocals using his spectacular range and voice. The thing that makes this album really stand out though is that every musician on here is performing at their absolute high point and to the best of their abilities. You can really hear how much creativity went into giving every instrument parts where they would really shine (Sequioa Throne comes to mind) and how interesting they make all of these parts sound and stand out. This album is a MUST for anyone into bands like The Human Abstract, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, etc and really anyone interested in some great proggy shred with excellent vocals.
Favorite Songs: The Dissentience, Sequoia Throne, Wretch
And this is where I will probably lose any credibility
7. Dream Theater- Train Of Thought
The first that's probably coming to your mind right now is probably "TOT, WHAT THE FUCK?" but yes, I absolutely LOVE this album. It was the first DT album I ever really got into. I remember laying in bed at like 4 AM just thinking "Eh, I'll give Dream Theater a try for once" and listening to it through my headphones in the dark, having my mind absolutely blown. This is typically considered DT's heaviest album (And, as you should know, this is a very metal list and I am a very metal guy) but it's got some of the greatest riffs, clean parts and solos Petrucci has ever written in my opinion. Stuff like the opening and main riffs in 'Endless Sacrifice', Every riff and the solo of 'In The Name Of God', the main riff in As I Am, and the chorus in 'Honor Thy Father' are some of my absolute favorite Dream Theater moments ever. I also really believe that this is a very overlooked album becaue it seems like most hardcore DT fans just hear a generic metal album and write it off as such but I feel like it contains some of the most incredible parts they've written.
Favorite Songs: All of them
By the way, are my write ups a little more entertaining now?