Nick's Top 50 Thread v. Ending Themes

[wolfking]

I never really got into SA, and I'm a guitar instrumental fanboy.

[Nekov]

JPs solo album is great. I can't wait for him to put out a new one with Marco on drums 

[ReaperKK]

I like JP's solo album and maybe 3-4 years ago it would've made a Top 50 list (if I made one), but it doesn't age well IMO.

[yorost]

I never really got into SA, and I'm a guitar instrumental fanboy.

This, at least I used to be.

JP's solo album is ok, but there are so many better guitar albums out there.

[Dr. DTVT]

I'm joining the mob on this one.  Its not a bad album, but its not the greatest instrumental album IMO largely because I prefer more balance between the instruments, and in all honesty I probably listen to Tony MacAlpine's Maximum Security more than this album.

[TAC]

Must admit I hardly ever listen to this. Got a long trip coming up so I may have to bust it out.

[antigoon]

Love that Petrucci record.

[Nick]

32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought


You all had to know it was only a matter of time till a fail of this magnitude hit the list. Sure, there are some bits in Honor Thy Father that I'm not too fond of, but other than that this album absolutely slays from beginning to end. As I eluded to in the first post about Paradise Lost, Dream Theater do metal better than most metal bands. For a long time As I Am was my favorite Dream Theater song, and the solo remains one of the best things Petrucci has ever done. Stream of Consciousness is their best instrumental to date, and at the end of the day this album is just jaw dropping head banging goodness from front to back.

Favorite tracks: In the Name of God, Stream of Consciousness, This Dying Soul

Honorable mention: Demians - Building an Empire

[TAC]

Wow Nick, you're only allowing 2 Dream Theater albums and the first one is no higher than 32?

I hardly ever listen to Train Of Thought even though it has some great songs.  I don't know if it's the sound. Just feels sterile to me. I prefer the Budokan versions. The songs have a lot more breath and depth to them.
Endless Sacrifice is a TAC Top 10 DT song.

[yorost]

My favourite Dream Theater album.

[Dr. DTVT]

I thought trying to format my dissertation and make all the table of contents, table of figures, table of schemes, etc. was pure, unadulterated torture.  Then you put ToT down...implying its a top 2 DT album.  Now I just want to die.  I don't want to live in this world anymore.

[Nick]

Wow Nick, you're only allowing 2 Dream Theater albums and the first one is no higher than 32?

Thing about them is, if I were allowing more than three albums in the overall top 100 they would like have 7 or 8 albums in here. They have consistently put out fantastic albums, even if they don't have many that rank at the very top.

[yorost]

Out of curiosity, Nick, if you didn't limit yourself to 2 albums per band, how many different bands would actually be in the top 50?  How many bands could actually violate that rule?

[Dr. DTVT]

I will give credit where credit is due, a true top 50 with lots of the same bands would get boring, which is why my top 50 will be dedicated to bands that don't need any more knob slobbing.  I like that Nick put limits on how many times a band can appear, I just need to rattle his cage when he makes failtastic choices, like the one he just did where his rules imply that ToT is at least a top 2 DT album.  What's next Nick, SC?

[yorost]

I was not complaining about the rule. There's just so much great music out there that I find the rule sort of surprising to be needed.

[Nick]

I hope this doesn't spoil anything, but at least Rush, Dream Theater, Queensryche, Porcupine Tree and Ayreon would all have at least 3 albums in the top 50. Of those a few might have up to 5 or 6 albums in here.

[RuRoRul]

  Train Of Thought. Which is indeed a top 2 Dream Theater album.

The rest of the list / honourable mentions look good, don't know everything you've listed but I've been following.

[Dr. DTVT]

My favourite Dream Theater album.

Train Of Thought. Which is indeed a top 2 Dream Theater album.

Any questions?

[wolfking]

My favourite Dream Theater album.

[Nick]

31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell


While the first post-Waters attempt may have been a bit of a dud by Pink Floyd standards, they more than made up for it with 1994's Division Bell. Along with Dark Side of the Moon, this is one of the first 5 or so albums I ever owned. I don't remember who got those for me, but I've had both album since I was 6 or 7 years old, nearly twenty years ago. I can't tell you how many nights I fell asleep with those albums in the background. In particular I can't even begin to say how sonically pleasing this album has always been for me. Between Pink Floyd being my first concert in 1994, and having had this so long the album will always have a place in my heart even higher than the 31st place it is currently ranked. Along with The Final Cut it is probably the most under appreciated album in the Pink Floyd catalog, topping several of the other classic albums. Oh, and on PULSE especially, the lap steel solo is one of the greatest things ever recorded.

Favorite tracks: High Hopes, A Great Day for Freedom, Take it Back

Honorable mention: Star One - Victims of the Modern Age

[Dr. DTVT]

Mockery on pause.

PULSE was a fantastic live album.

[skydivingninja]

Division Bell is indeed fantastic. 

[Nekov]

Good choice here. This is a good PF album though I wouldn't put it as top 2 for them. Also, I share DTVTs opinion on TOT

[Nick]

The Story So Far:
31. Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
32. Dream Theater - Train of Thought
33. John Petrucci - Suspended Animation
34. Fates Warning - Parallels
35. The Flower Kings - Paradox Hotel
36. Dredg - Catch Without Arms
37. Genesis - The Selling England By the Pound
38. Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
39. Planet P Project - Go Out Dancing Part One: 1931
40. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo 2
41. Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
42. Pendragon - The Window of Life
43. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
44. Pain of Salvation - Scarsick
45. Spock's Beard - Octane
46. Amorphis - Am Universum
47. Evergrey - Recreation Day
48. Boston - Boston
49. Redemption - Snowfall on Judgement Day
50. Symphony X - Paradise Lost

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)
Beardfish - Mammoth
Demians - Building an Empire
Dominici - 03, A Trilogy: Part Two
Evergrey – Solitude, Dominance, Tragedy
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt. 1
Queensryche - The Warning
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Redemption - The Origins of Ruin
Rush - Permanent Waves
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers
Star One - Victims of the Modern Age
Symphony X - V
Tesla - Into the Now
The Flower Kings - Stardust We Are
Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

[yorost]

My favourite Pink Floyd album.  I like your last two.

[Zydar]

Division Bell is indeed fantastic. 

[WebRaider]

^5 .....  Pink Floyd was my first concert ever on that tour in 94 as well! I was told I'd be ruined from the start and for the most part that is absolutely true (even though I've seen many great concerts).  Great album as well. 

[adace]

The Division Bell is a phenomenal album. Glad to see it on your list.

[Mladen]

A couple of surprising choices there, Train of thought is not one of my favorite DT records, and The Division bell is far from being one of my favorite PF records. But that's what makes lists like this interesting. 

[ReaperKK]

Awesome pick with The Division Bell, it's a great PF album.

[TAC]

Nick, l'm with you on The Final Cut. One of 3 Pink Floyd CDs that I own. Never gave Division Bell a chance.

[Nick]

Really happy to see so much love for The Division Bell, and even a fair bit for Train of Thought.

[Nick]

30. Psycho Motel - Welcome to the World


This is the best grunge album ever made, and nobody knows about it. All this is shocking because it features Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame. People go on and on about Bruce's work, so it amazes me that this amazing two album band never gets any love. This is seriously how grunge could have sounded great, it's all here. It's 90's Seattle scene meets King's X, and it's absolutely phenomenal. Any fan of Maiden is shorting themselves if they've not heard this project. It doesn't sound at all like Maiden, but if you enjoy Smith's guitar work and stellar song-writing them you are going to love this.

Favorite tracks: The Last Chain, With You Again, Welcome to the World

Honorable mention: Shadow Gallery - Tyranny

[wolfking]

That PM album is amazing, love it.

[skydivingninja]

No man.

Dirt.  Alice in Chains.  Anyone who said grunge musicians can't play (i.e. Cozmo) should listen to that badass record.   
Okay granted I don't know much grunge but I wasn't too impressed with the Psycho Motel album when I listened to it.

And once again I thought your title change meant WYWH was going to be featured, but OF COURSE you fail as usual.