Jingle.boy's Top 50v2 - Stick a fork in this .... It's done!

[wolfking]

Yeah, never really got into Stryper. 

[Lowdz]

Yeah, never really got into Stryper. 

The new re-records are really good- how often does that happen. Worth a listen- I'm definitely not into the "message" but good songs are good songs.
Sorry Chad, knicking your thread 

[jingle.boy]

No apology necessary. Interest seems to have waned anyway.

[wolfking]

No apology necessary. Interest seems to have waned anyway.

no keep going.  People just don't understand the magic of the Toby Hitchcock album.

[jingle.boy]

Before I hit the top 10, here's the deal so far.

50) Amaranthe – Amaranthe (2011)
49) After Forever – After Forever (2007)
48) Lord – Set in Stone (2009)
47) Magnitude 9 – Reality in Focus (2000)
46) Prymary – The Enemy Inside (2009)
45) Darwin’s Radio – Template for A Generation (2010)
44) Royal Hunt – Paradox (1997)
43) Jørn – Out To Every Nation (2004)
42) Amaran’s Plight – Voice in the Light (2007)
41) Masterplan – Aeronautics (2005)
40) Damnation Angels – Bringer of Light (2012)
39) Lost In Thought – Opus Arise (2011)
38) Presto Ballet – The Lost Art of Time Travel (2008)
37) Soul Secret – Closer to Daylight (2011)
36) The Magnificent – The Magnificent (2011)
35) Symphony-X - V: The New Mythology Suite (2000)
34) Spock’s Beard – The Kindness of Strangers (1998)
33) Starbreaker – Starbreaker (2005)
32) Stargate – Beyond Space and Time (2012)
31) Royal Hunt – X (2010)
30) Ice Age – Liberation (2001)
29) Tears of Anger – In The Shadows (2006)
28) Stream of Passion – Embrace the Storm (2005)
27) Seventh Wonder – Mercy Falls (2010)
26) Pagan’s Mind – Celestial Entrance (2002)
25) Mind’s Eye – A Gentleman’s Hurricane (2007)
24) Beautiful Sin – The Unexpected (2011)
23) Nemesea – The Quiet Resistance (2011)
22) Threshold – Subsurface (2004)
21) Roswell Six – Terra Incognita:Beyond the Horizon (2009)
20) Frameshift – Unweaving the Rainbow (2003)
19) Flying Colors – Flying Colors (2012)
18) Blessed By A Broken Heart – Feel The Power (2012)
17) Threshold – March of Progress (2012)
16) Symphony X – The Divine Wings of Tragedy (1997)
15) Redemption – The Fullness of Time (2005)
14) Transatlantic – Bridge Across Forever (2001)
13) Spock’s Beard – Snow (2002)
12) Toby Hitchcock – Mercury’s Down (2011)
11) Affector – Harmagedon (2012)

Also, I have to share my full band honorable mentions. I've discovered a metric shit-ton of music in the last 24 months. At current count in my iTunes database, it’s just north of 400 albums, from more than 150 new artists I unaware of (or at a minimum, barely aware of) 2 years ago. And when I go in, I go ALL in. For most of these bands, I've purchased or Grooveshark’d their entire discography, and pretty much love it all. Problem is ... when you discover an entire discography all at once, it's very hard to pick a single favorite. So, here's my list of bands I love from top to bottom, but can't pick a favorite (yet).

Angra
Axel Rudi Pell
Dream Evil
Eden's Curse
Evergrey
Firewind
Henning Pauly (ie, all of his non-Frameshift projects)
House of Lords
Last Tribe
Neal Morse
Nocturnal Rites
Pendragon
Pride of Lions
Silent Force
Secret Sphere
Sunstorm
Sieges Even
Tellus Reqiuem
Vanishing Point
Within Temptation
Work of Art

Top 10 coming tomorrow.

[Lowdz]

No apology necessary. Interest seems to have waned anyway.

no keep going.  People just don't understand the magic of the Toby Hitchcock album.

Guilty as charged. Gave it a listen again to see what I didn't get when it came out. Great vocals, good songs, just nothing special- something is missing, and I thinnk it's overfamiliarity with Erik Martensson. I'm just burned out on his songwriting. And there's no band vibe (a criticism of alot of the Frontiers stuff for me- strange because it seems to be the same guys, they should sound like a band), no unique sound.

[wolfking]

IMO, that's Martensson's shining moment.  After that he has started to get a little stale.

[jingle.boy]

10) Symphony X – The Odyssey (2002)

Tracks to try ... Really?? ??  If you’re still following this thread, I don’t think you could have possibly NOT heard this album.  But just in case, there’s only one track that matters for now ... Here’s the link to it live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J26jHVI_oos
This caps off one of the best four-album runs in any band’s repertoire.  Nothing wrong with Paradise Lost (the album after this one), but it doesn’t compare to this or the three that preceded it (V, TiO, TDWoT).  The title track alone with Russell singing 7 nursery rhymes probably would’ve cracked my Top 50.  But when you put the 25 minute epic (and I think that word is overused by and large, but is the closest word in the English language that can be used to describe) The Odyssey as the anchor to 7 other gems, you have the definitive S-X album.  Some argue which album defines Symphony-X, but I believe that this is to S-X as I&W is to DT – not as the breakthrough album, but as their best album.  No question about it.  There’s an inter-play between guitar and keyboards on this album that shows just how balanced Symphony-X can be.  When I first heard this album, and started making my way through each track, it was like after after on how great and heavy each track was.  After already taking things up a notch with V: The New Mythology Suite, they drop this mother fucking album! Inferno rocks your fucking socks right off, Accolade II is even better than its predecessor, King of Terrors gives the best and most powerful chorus in the album.  Russell really hits his stride with his range, moving in and out of smooth/graceful, to aggressive/powerful between songs, and within songs.  The sweet soulful intro to Awakenings then transitions to the quasi-growl style that he carries so well.  All of which is simply building up to the ultimate eargasm of The Odyssey.    If you thought they blew their 20+ minute load with The Divine Wings of Tragedy, little did we know they would be able to give us another even better and grander saga. This 7-part odyssey has absolutely everything... bombastic instrumental opener, melodic acoustic section to start the story-telling, then they deliver the raw, dynamic metal, albeit with brief interludes allowing us to catch our breath.  After letting us down gently in Part VI (the instrumental section Scylla and Charybdis), they take it home with the finale Champion of Ithaca.  “Let a new life begin, this is the end of my Odyssey”

This is simply the best Symphony-X has to offer in their catalogue.   

9) Spock’s Beard – Day For Night (1999)


Tracks to try ... Day For Night, Crack the Big Sky
Ok, the first thoughts in my mind as I start to write this up are ‘shield’s up, brace for impact’, as this album usually finishes towards the bottom of most DTF'rs Spock's Beard ranking.  Sometimes a listening experience lays an impression on you that is far greater than the music itself.  Such is the case with my love for this album.  I came to Spock’s Beard because of “Full Circle” from Octavarium, and the ‘Day for Nightmare’ lyric.  ‘Oh, that’s a Spock’s Beard song/album.  Well, what the fuck is that all about?’ is how it struck me.  So, out I went for some Spock’s Beard.  Ended up with DFN, Octane and Snow.  I’d never been a big fan of 70s prog... I was a classic/glam/hard rock kinda guy, expanding to prog and power-metal in the mid/late 90s with bands like DT, Shadow Gallery, Vanden Plas, Nightwish, Rhapsody, Freedom Call etc...  So, when I clicked play on Day For Night, it was a completely refreshing experience.  Not that I’d gotten bored or stale with prog-metal, but wow, this was all the greatness of prog, but stripped out the speed and power.  This really was my first exposure to modern prog, and since I wasn’t swayed by any significant experience with classic prog, it left quite a mark on me.  This was also the first album I’d ever heard of Neal’s voice and compositions.  It’s like ‘open wide the flood gates’!  Seriously, just think about that... someone’s first experience ever with Morse (who is one of the few musicians/composers I consider to be in the genius category).  For those that weren’t SB fans right from the start in ’96, think back to your own first Morse experience, and where does that album sit with you?  I’m willing to bet it’s pretty high up there.  The chorus’s on this album are golden.  The musical range and instrumentation is spectacular – particularly the bass work by Meros.  And Neal’s voice... what needs to be said?  If McPherson’s voice is like a 12-year old scotch, then Morse (along with other’s like Dec Burke and Damian Wilson) would be in the 18-year category.

[Pols Voice]

DFN was my first Neal Morse-related album, back in 1999. I didn't think much of it, but I gave V a shot and loved it right away. Over time, DFN grew on me a lot. It's an underrated album.

The Odyssey is good too.

[Elite]

Day for Night is great, but like you said, I would rank it closer to the bottom than to the top of Beard's discography. The title-track is absolutely fantastic though and ANY Spock's Beard album is a great addition to any top 50 list. Nice!

[Scorpion]

The Odyssey is great, I had it at the same spot on my list as well. It's probably dropped a little, due to having discovered so much new, awesome music, but I still hold it in high regards - though in my opinion, Awakenings tops this album. Still, the title track is worth of a lot of praise, and it's definitely a great example on how you can construct a compelling epic (though I think I'd give TDWOT the ever-so-slight edge here, but that's no knock on The Odyssey).

Spock's Beard hasn't been able to grab me. Might give them another try, but I'm not really into prog of any kind that's missing the metal element (which is why Transatlantic and Rush aren't really my cup of tea), and even then, it's become a sort of hit-and-miss genre for me.

[jjrock88]

Odyssey is mind boggling good.

[Lowdz]

What you say about D4N is exactly how I feel about V, my first SB exposure (well, after seeing them support DT on the SFAM tour). I don't havethis album but have some of the songs on the live album and dvd. Should probably get round to picking it up.

The Odtssey is a great SX album. My 2nd SX album after V, and I like it nearly as much. Everything is better than on V, the only thing lacking is the surprise at discovering a "new" band that was soo good.

[Dr. DTVT]

DFN's biggest problem is the competition from the other SB albums is fierce, but I understand the whole favoring your first album from a band because I'm guilty of it myself sometimes.

[jingle.boy]

8) Neonfly – Outshine the Sun (2011)


Tracks to try ... The Messenger, The Ornament, Ship With No Sails
On one of my first Wednesday night trips into Nick’s WPaPU radio show, Nick opened the show with Tesla’s Modern Day Cowboy.  Wow, Nick has some good musical taste.  Ok, let’s see what else comes along.  Well there was quite a few bands that piqued my interest.  Ship With No Sails was played by the guest host of the show that night (I don’t even remember who it was – checking his archives, it was “Ben”... whoever the hell that is).  None-the-less, it was good enough to check out the whole band.  Wowzers!  This is one awesome debut album from this 5-piece band from the UK, consisting of  Frederick Thunder – Guitars; Willy Norton – Vocals; Paul Miller – Bass; Patrick Harrington – Guitars; and Boris Le Gal - Drums.  Hardly household names.  But that’s one thing I’ve come to realize... lots of great music can come from lots of unexpected sources.  These guys actually caught a break by getting Ship With No Sails on the Rock Band Network.  Some may cringe at or diss that, or shun artists that ‘sell out’ to such commercialism, but in today’s day and age, any exposure is good exposure. With the popularity of such games, I don’t see how it’s any different than getting a hit played on Casey Kasem’s American Top 40. None-the-less, several acts have garnered more notoriety by getting their music on a gaming platform. I’m sure there are a more than a handful of DTF’rs who were first exposed to Dream Theater in such a way.  There isn’t a single track that I skip when I decide to roll this album.  Most of the track’s carry a pretty frantic pace, and that’s just the kind of music that whet’s my whistle these days.  While the guitar and keys deliver some fantastic sounds, it’s the rhythm section that puts the band on its shoulders and runs full pace.  Norton’s vocals are masterful... he’s got an extremely wide range in his voice, and usually resides in a pretty high register, often in a territory that is usually reserved for the ladies.  There are some moments where his voice can easily be confused for a female vocal track.  Broken Wings and The Enemy start the album with a couple of fast-paced tracks; Ship With No Sails is the commercially accessible track; The Ornament is a wonderfully complex instrumental showcasing the bands immense talents; and The Messenger is my favorite track on the album, starting with a splash, then a nice/slow acoustic melody, making you think it may be a ballad, then breaking down into an instrumental section that is controlled chaos, and you can’t help but .  This album is what great melodic metal should sound like.  It was a home-run right out of the gate from these guys.  They have toured with a number of great acts (Freedom Call, Pagan’s Mind, late last year with Magnum, and currently with Sonata Arctica), and they are currently in the midst of release #2. 

7) Allen/Lande – The Battle (2005)


Tracks to try ... Hunter’s Night, Reach A Little Longer, Wish For A Miracle
Once I was introduced to the chubby-inducing experience that is Jorn Lande’s voice, I didn’t stop until I’d unearthed pretty much everything he’d lent his chops to.  After his self-titled stuff, the Allen/Lande series was next on the list.  Upon first listen, I found the first track a little shallow – and for a ‘metal’ song it was about as limp as a wet-sponge-handshake.  Sure, the vocals were good, but the music an melodies were bland.  Then, Hunter’s Night came in for the rescue, and Allen owns that bitch.  Perfect melodic-metal track... it’s got a great chorus with a recurring riff that still gives me butterflies.  Musically, this is the output of Magnus Karlsson, who’s also delivered the output for Starbreaker (#34), Last Tribe (honorable mention), Kiske/Sommerville, and Bob Catley (of Magnum).  Damn this guy writes some great shit.  Most know how much I love me a good power ballad, and Lande delivers one of the best ones I’ve heard in probably 20 years (since Hardline’s In The Hands of Time) in the piano led Reach A Little Longer (side note ... There’s a bonus ‘acoustic’ version out there of Reach A Little Longer, which I was a little disappointed in, because there’s really nothing interesting to the arrangement... just stripped out the electric guitar (which has a great solo).  I guess because I found it to be such a great ‘power’ ballad - that could be the source of my disappointment).  Anyways, that three track run of Hunter’s Night/Wish For A Miracle/Reach A Little Longer is probably the best three consecutive melodic-metal songs I have in my library.  The writing isn’t overly complex or radical, but simply consists of really solid guitar and vocal melodies, song after song.  Other than the opening track, the 1st half of this album owns the 2nd half.  That’s not to say the latter isn’t good, it is, but the 1st half (up to track 7, My Own Way Home) is virtually flawless.  Where Have The Angels Gone is the standout on side 2 (yeah, like this was ever released on vinyl). 

Related Honorable Mention:  The Revenge; The Showdown.  All three in this series are top notch, but I was simply floored by the first one in a way that the subsequent 2 albums weren’t able to do.

[wolfking]

THE BATTLE!!!!  Possibly the best melodic rock album of all time. 

Still need to chek Neonfly.

[jingle.boy]

Click the link ... Listen to The Messenger ASAP!

[wolfking]

Click the link ... Listen to The Messenger ASAP!

I'm at work, so I will tonight when I get home. 

[Lowdz]

Two very excellent albums there Chad. The Neonfly was a surprise as I'd never heard of them when I stumbled on a YouTube track. I don't like my AOR/melodic rock too polished and Neonfly fit that bill.

Magnus Karlsson is a great writer and those are two excellent vocalists.

[jingle.boy]

Now’s where I start to get a little wordy, and with good reason.  One entry at a time from here on out, and one update per day as I'm traveling next week... so this will be wrapped up by Sunday.

6) Consortium Project - <I thru V> (1999-2011)

   


Tracks to try (for everyone but Mason)... II – Intrusions of Madness: IV – Enigma; V – Enemy Within

So, if the last two albums didn’t offer much discussion, I doubt this is going to (which is a shame) ... but stay with me, for you know most of the players that contributed to this project, whom I’ll call out at the end.  Offering to do an album review here and there for LadyObscure had its perks.  One of them was the introduction to Ian Parry.  I thought I’d heard of his band Elegy before, but I had not.  So, when Nem linked me to Enemy Within (play that 3:03 song right now!), within the first 30 seconds, I instantly knew I had to check this out (btw... here’s my full review of the fifth album).  You should all know by now my love of concept/thematic albums, so when doing the background research for this review, upon finding out that this was a 5-album concept, I was floored.  Then I listened to them... and was blown away.  These five albums (starting with Criminals and Kings released in 1999, and concluding with Species mid-2011) weave a complex and very intricate tale from what could be a parallel universe, or how ours turns out depending on how a variety of global-reaching cultural, social and economic issues unfold.  Each album builds upon the story of the previous album, and takes the listener through centuries of events of how mankind evolves:

I: Criminals and Kings is a reflection on our current generation
II: Continuum in Extremis picks up a century later, with mankind split by our genders – men living in asylum, women evolving to a higher plane, and dominating society
III: Terra Incognita …. after the depletion of the ozone, while women have secluded themselves in a biosphere, its safety is threatened, and a search for a new world begins
IV: Children of Tomorrow recounts how this society started on the path it did, and an unspeakable truth hidden for generations
V: Species (the final chapter of this epic tale), has a single scholar searching for mankind’s true origins, and ends up “on a final epic journey into outer space met with dire consequences the world has never known.”

Overall, these 5 albums are filled with a fantastic blend of guitar and keyboards… neither grabbing one's attention over the other for too long.  There are little guitar and keyboard licks and wails placed appropriately against the main riffs and melodies which had me listening to the songs over and over again just to try and catch what I missed the first (and second, and third…) time around.  Parry’s singing portrays all the right emotions - anger, rage, pain, fear - to pull you in to (and through) the storyline.  Combined with the fact he has excellent range with some fabulous screams and long notes, as well as the emergence of some excellent female leads starting in the third album, the strength of the vocals alone were quite an unexpected surprise.

Over the course of these five albums Parry was able to draw on some very household names in prog for these albums - Stephan Lill (Vanden Plas, guitars), Casey Grillo (Kamelot drums), Kris Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation, bass), Markus Teske (Red Circuit, Keyboards), Arjen Lucassen, Thomas Youngblood (Kamelot, guitars), Günter Wernö (Vanden Plas, Keyboards), Patrice Guers (Rhapsody, bass), Ivar de Graff (Within Temptation, drums), and some fantastic (albeit unknown) female vocalists.  If you’re a fan of ANY of these bands, I highly suggest checking this series out.  Any Ayreon fans should check this out, as it’s very much similar to his compositions, and that style of musical and lyrical writing.  Not to mention that Parry and Lucassen were in a band (Vengeance) together at one point before going off on their own direction.

Doc... you'll get your first song shortly.

Related Honorable Mention – The four albums by Elegy with Ian leading; State of Mind, Manifestation of Fear, Forbidden Fruit, Principles of Pain.  They are all melodic metal greatness!

[Cedar redaC]

I've heard a few things from these guys before, but I've never really dug into it, I'll have to check it out.

[obscure]

  

[jingle.boy]

I'll be forever grateful to you for this one. 

[Lowdz]

I picked up 3 of these from HMV 2nd hand before Xmas. Not really listened to them properly yet but first impression was positive. And with the cast list it should be.

[jingle.boy]

Which 3?  V: Species is the best easily.  IV: Children of Tomorrow has some gems, but a couple of forgettable ones as well.  The other three are solid top-to-bottom.

[Lowdz]

II, III and V. V was the one I played when I bought them.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I only have number 3.  Never gave it much time but I remember it was nice and heavy.  Should check out more.  Damn you Chad with these recommendations. 

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, I'm an   III was probably my least favorite of the 5.  But in saying so, it's also like saying The Metal Opera is my least favorite Avantasia album.   

You play Neonfly?

Top 5 still to come.  Don't worry Kade, it won't be 5 new albums/bands for you.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I'm an   III was probably my least favorite of the 5.  But in saying so, it's also like saying The Metal Opera is my least favorite Avantasia album.   

You play Neonfly?

Top 5 still to come.  Don't worry Kade, it won't be 5 new albums/bands for you.

Thank God.

Yeah, forgot Neonfly will check again tonight.  If 3 is the weakest the others must be strong but I know what you are saying regarding Avantasia.

[jingle.boy]

Check Enemy Within from V: Species too.  It's only 3 minutes, but action packed.  You'll have to forgive the lol-factor of the video.  And if anyone decides to listen to Enigma, it's mandatory that it be done with headphones.  You'll thank me later.

[jingle.boy]

5) Beyond The Bridge – Old Man and the Spirit (2012)


Tracks to try ... Triumph of Irreality, World of Wonders, Where The Earth and Sky Meet (tip of the hat to Grandma Dunn)
My (and I’m sure plenty of others around here) album of the year for 2012.  Hard to believe it’s only been out just over a year.  There’s no way I can top the review that loney wrote on this one, so (like Stargate), I’m not even gonna try.

It was with trembling hands and a humbled soul that I removed the headphones, having just finished my first full listen to Beyond the Bridge’s debut album, The Old Man and the Spirit.  I had come across something miraculous, wondrous, and beautiful; a true work of art, and had to pause a moment to appreciate how the music had changed me.  Moments like this are rare in music; some bands can have a massive body of work, all wonderful, and yet only touch this height once or twice. The fact that this was a debut just stunned me all the more, usually bands have to work years, even decades, to develop a sound like this, and this band nailed it on the first shot.  My curiosity got the best of me, as it usually does, though luckily I had to go no further than their website to find what lay behind the maturity that they show.
The album is a concept album, in every sense of the word.  The basic story is that an old man, in the final stages of his life, is in a state of frustrated despondency, and in his desperation, calls out to a spirit to find meaning in his life.  The spirit who answers his call embodies all the wisdom that man cannot achieve, but lacks the real life experience to make sense of it.  A deal is presented by her, in that if the old man surrenders his memories, he will be given the wisdom.  Though simplistic, the story is deftly handled, and leaves enough room for the listener to interpret it via their own emotions and experiences, further involving the audience in the story in a personal way by letting their own emotions intimately ride the tale with the music.  This works perfectly, so perfectly that I was moved close to tears on a few occasions, reflecting upon where the music took me to in my own personal life, and how my memories and emotions mirrored those of the old man.  Would I be willing to sacrifice them for the ultimate answers? Were my most cherished possessions sacrificable at all?  Such is what this work left me to ponder.
Musically, this thing is a straight up prog metal monster.  From the textbook opening thunder of chords to the closing dreamscape of bliss, it dishes out a gauntlet of wondrous sound, covering all the best things that good prog has to offer; the beast of an instrumental in Triumph of Irreality, the soul searing ballad Worlds of Wonder, the staccato verbal onslaught of The Struggle, the soul crushing distorted beatdown of The Primal Demand, and so much more, it carries its message with authority.  Grounded by an extremely solid bass and drum performance, the other instruments dance and play around like caffeined up kids on the first day of summer, free and with the sole purpose to live for the day.
Vocally, it is near perfection.  Thematically, it is structured so unbelievably well, I am in awe with every subsequent listen.  Though the songs don’t tend to run together, they are tied musically in a fantastic fashion, and each piece is a stand alone work.  Lyrical and musical themes are repeated throughout, but are built upon with each use, the words expand with emotion, and the music expands with intensity.  This works wonderfully to build the gravity of the outcome, and ties the listener even closer to the struggle that the Old Man has to face.

There isn’t anything more I could add, even if I wanted to.  That sums it up perfectly.  Perfectly.  Full review is here

RIP Simon.  You gave us a wonderful gift while you were with us.  “And it breathes light in your soul...”

[Zydar]

I'll have to check out this album.

[Scorpion]

 

Amazing album.

[lonestar]

My album of the year as well, it is perfect in every way.





And thanks for the nod to Grandma, though it's Grandma Borrego, Grandma Dunn is still kicking butt and taking names.

[jingle.boy]

And thanks for the nod to Grandma, though it's Grandma Borrego, Grandma Dunn is still kicking butt and taking names.

Ahh... gotchya.  Which grandma was the one that was gonna buy this album based on your review? 

I'll have to check out this album.

Um, yeah.