Before I post the last album and my number 1, I would just like to thank everyone who has followed the list, and I really hope that someone has found a new artist or band to check out, and if you happen to like something feel free to share that experience.
Some people have already guessed it, and I guess the choice wasn't completely shocking for the people who know me somewhat, so here you have it, my favorite album of all time:
1. Oceansize -
Frames (2007)
The first time I heard Frames was back in ~08 I believe. While the first song, "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt" sounded really cool, the music on the album did nothing for me. I don't particularly blame it, at the time I was listening to a lot of metal and hadn't quite gotten into Progressive music yet, which eventually became my bridge over to more mellow stuff, and stuff that isn't "just" metal. Scared off by that initial reaction, I didn't really think much about the band for almost 2 years, and it wasn't until 2010 that I checked the band out, but then it was their newest album; "Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up". While I loved the three other albums immediately, I was still a bit afraid of checking out Frames. I remembered the not-so-good first spin I had, and even though it was 2 years prior, I guess I was afraid that I wouldn't like it.
The album took a few spins to click, but it's such a massive grower, and I can find new things to love about the album with each listen. While "Effloresce" and "Everyone Into Position" were two masterpiece-albums, this album is just the band's big album, the most mature in terms of songwriting, it has the best songs, the best flow, and is a modern classic.
The album takes you on a journey from start to finish, with the 8 songs it has, it offers a lot of variety and the band displays several parts of their sound, everything from the more progressive and technical "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt", to the more heavy and Meshuggah-inspired "Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions", to the doomy and atmospheric "An Old Friend of the Christy's", to the title-track, and quite possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written; "The Frame".
The album has so many different aspects that speak to me, it has all the variety and dynamics I could ask for in music. Progressive songs? Check. Heavier songs? Check. Mellow and beautiful songs? Check. An instrumental? Check. There are several sections on this album that would qualify as the best musical moments the band has done, the harmony vocals in "Trail of Fire", the strings in the outro to "Savant", the part in "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt" where the drums kick in, adding an awesome groove to the song, or the amazing outro to "The Frame".
The band really managed to peak with this album, while their other 3 albums are also very high up among my favorites, this album has that little extra bit which makes it so forged into my first spot. The whole band is performing at their best on this album, and Mike Vennart's singing in particularly has never been so diverse on their other albums. He sings clean with a great range and variety, and he also does more groovy vocals on "Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions", really fitting into the song.
I honestly can't understand how I didn't care for this album initially, while it was over 3 years ago I first heard it, now I just want to travel back in time and slap myself in the face.
Favorite songs: Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt, Trail of Fire, Savant & The Frame.Thanks for following!
Topic: Zantera's top 50 albums (Finished!) (Read 24144 times)
