Dark Castle's Top 50 V1.5(Return of the Booty Shorts) #19, 11 have NSFW Covers

[Dr. DTVT]

Thread title is a little behind 

Skeletonwitch  . Thanks for introducing me to them last list.

[Dark Castle]

35. IRONHIDE - Create/Collapse/Repeat (2011)


Hailing from the land down under, IRONHIDE forge a path through a mixture of metalcore and mathcore. I discovered the guys through Metalsucks.net's "Unsigned and Unholy" which featured cool unsigned bands. But these guys aren't just cool, they're god damned radular. It's an intense listen that I listen to most often when I work way to early in the morning and need to stay awake on the commute down. Song's will take abrupt changes, but for me it works, it keeps you on your feet only to knock you down. The band makes me think of a world where Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge set to making babies, they've still got some rough edges to work out, but I see these guys going places, as they've definitely got the talent.
Favorite Tracks: Mechanism, Daydreams of Chaos, Soiree

[Dark Castle]

34. A Life Once Lost - Hunter(2005)


One of the heaviest bands to ever exist, (The recently split up  ) A Life Once Lost make their first appearance with their fantastic and probably heaviest album "Hunter". Hunter is not an album that simply hits hard. It completely demolishes and for good measure drives a spike through to finish the job. You may think I'm exaggerating a bit, but take a listen to the song 'Needleman' and I think you'll agree. Part of what I love so much about this album is Robert Meadows vocals. While I think he got better over the next few albums, his vocals are absolutely terrifying on the album, thanks mostly to the visceral nature of his howls and growls. Guitars act like wrecking balls, and a dominant force on the record, and last but not least, drums take a thorough beating, just to keep up with the intensity. If you're a fan of Converge, I think you'll like this band, they take it at a much slower pace than Converge's break neck intense speed, but they're just as visceral if not more.
Favorite Tracks: Needleman, Vulture, Salai, Ghosting, With Pitiless Blows

33. Dawnbringer - Nucleus


A band that wears it's oldschool influences on it's sleeves and manages to sound completely original, Dawnbringer's album Nucleus comes in at number 33 on this list.  A Traditional Heavy Metal band that splashes in subtle other hints of other genres, they're from Chicago. Many songs on this album rely more on guitar than vocals, entire minutes devoted to soloing and guitar driven story telling, and vocals are utilized when they're needed.  Never does the solo go into noodling and they keep things changing so as to retain interest, you'll go from a warm guitar riff to an icy cold tremolo picking reminiscent of Black Metal, galore with blast beating. A funny thing about this album is that originally, it was intended for at the halfway part to just be played in reverse(instruments anyways) but they found it too ridiculously hard to make something that sounded good both normally and backwards(can't blame 'em).  If you're a fan of bands such as Cauldron, Iron Maiden, and bands in similar vein, I feel that you will enjoy this album very much.
Favorite Tracks: You Know Me, The Devil, Cataract, Pendulum

[The King in Crimson]

That Cephalic Carnage album is actually pretty cool. I avoided them because I just don't like grindcore and seeing as there's very little grindcoring on the album, I was pleasantly surprised with it.

[Dark Castle]

That Cephalic Carnage album is actually pretty cool. I avoided them because I just don't like grindcore and seeing as there's very little grindcoring on the album, I was pleasantly surprised with it.

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them! I don't know if you'd like their earlier work, it's definitely much more grindy, but I'd be content with just Misled By Certainty 

[Dark Castle]

32. Decapitated - Carnival is Forever (2011)


The first album from Decapitated since the automobile crash that left drummer Vitek in a coma, Carnival is Forever showcases some of my favorite material from this band, and is an incredible album. I'd been a casual fan of Decapitated up until this point, listening to the occasional song every now and then, but this album really nailed it in to me about how fucking awesome this band really is. I absolutely love the imagery of the album cover, it really nails down the feel of the album. While they're a technical death metal band, they went with a more groove based sound with this album, and mixing that with technical death metal works pretty damn well if you ask me. If you're a fan of technical death metal, you can't go wrong with these guys, as they're one of the best.

Favorite Tracks: The Knife, Carnival is Forever, Homo Sum, Pest

[adace]

Not my favorite Decapitated album, but still really good.

[Dark Castle]

31. Black Tusk - Set the Dial (2011)


One of the bands I discovered thanks to John Baizley's artwork, Black Tusk unleash the sludgy goodness of the South and leave a warpath in their wake. I remember waiting to get this album and Mastodon's "The Hunter" after preordering them and it came in a week and a half late and I was getting very pissy and frustrated that I didn't have these albums to listen to yet, but man when I finally got the chance to listen, I was floored. One of my favorite things about this band is how all three members split vocal duties, each with a distinct sound that adds so much to the dynamics. Their sound is similar to early Mastodon/Kylesa/SavannahAreaSludge but these guys stick out, thanks to their unique dynamics and sense for infectious songwriting. During the Fall of 2011, this did not leave my car stereo much, and I also give it credit for women mooning me from their car even though they couldn't have possibly have heard it. So eyeh, it's an album with some good memories, but on top of those memories, its simply a kickass sludge album from a band that continues to perfect their sound and have good times.

Favorite Tracks: Bring Me Darkness, Mass Devotion, Set the Dials To Your Doom, Resistor, Crossroads and Thunder

[Elite]

Epsilon is still cool, I bought it the last time you did you list.
Furthermore Hatebreeder is excellent; my favourite Bodom album and the only only I own, though it must be about 5 years since I last heard it.

I'm now giving that Cephalic Carnage a chance, just for the hell of it, but I'm not really enjoying it yet

[Scorpion]

Black Tusk sounds like something I could enjoy. I'll check it out when I'm back home.

[Dark Castle]

30. Ihsahn - After(2010)


Ihsahn is a mental genius.   After caught my heart when Undercurrents was featured on a Metal Hammer compilation cd and an interview with the bearded Nord.  Originally of the highly regarded Black Metal band Emperor, after the split, Ihsahn set down his own path of Black Metal flawlessly mixed with progressive elements.  Jørgen Munkeby of Shining, the Industrial Black Metal band from Sweden, provides amazing Saxaphone on the album, and really helps the album transcend into something amazing, even though Ihsahn already provides for great listening.  Ihsahn has a raspy howl, and it sometimes when I'm in the right mood gets me all emotional and bullshit.  The tracks are have a desolate feel about them, and by that I don't mean it feels empty music wise, but that the songs are melancholic and such.  The album has a shine about it, Ihsahn's guitar tone is cold, reminiscent of his Emperor days, but at the same time they feel like they're conveying along with his voice desperation, sadness, and the tone of this album just blows me away.  Check this out if you're a fan of Black Metal that's got more to it than kvlt-ness, you'll be rewarded with amazing instrumentation, including amazing sax, and you'll be treated with radular songs.
Over the last year I've come to appreciate this album's bleakness even more, it's quite the emotional ride.
Favorite Tracks: The Barren Lands, Frozen Lakes On Mars, Undercurrent, On The Shores

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Just ordered that one!

[Dark Castle]

29. Royal Thunder - Cvi


Very few bands have left a bigger impression on me than Royal Thunder. Based out of Atlanta, Royal Thunder unleash Bluesy Rock/Metal, and they sound radular. Mlny Parsonz has a one in a million voice, a voice that can seem delicate one moment, sultry the next, and a defiant roar after that, that matches perfectly live and in the studio. Atmosphere drips from the speakers, passionately haunting at times. Guitars tumble, drums dazzle with tempo and great beats. I first heard of them through Decibel Magazines, around the time they put out their first EP, which I instantly enjoyed. So when I heard that their debut album was coming out, I waited, and waited for what seemed an eternity, and stunned is the word that accurately describes what I felt. And words can't even describe what it was like seeing them play some of my favorite songs ever live, I could hardly contain myself from gushing like an idiot when shaking hands with the band. Anywho, there's absolutely no way you can go wrong here, if you like progressive music, then you will absolutely love this band.

Favorite Tracks: Parsonz Curse, Whispering World, Blue, Sleeping Witch, Black Water Vision

[adace]

Love that Ihsahn album.

[Lolzeez]

Man. I haven't listened to like half of the albums so far. 

[Dark Castle]

28. Kreayshawn - Somethin 'Bout Kreay (2012)


Your first question might be "Who the fuck is this?", your second after learning who would probably be "Why is this all the way at 28, ahead of fucking Royal Thunder and all of the other wonderful bands that we totally know that you have on your list?"
This shit is the shit. Everybody needs some dumb as fuck music, and this is my dumb as fuck music. Hot female white rapper? Check. Songs about getting blazed, getting money, acquiring all the bitches, and having all the syrup? Check Check Check Check. The best part is some of these songs are in my mind at least, legitimately radular. Songs like "Go Hard" know exactly what they are, and they're just fun songs to have in the background and show to all of your friends so they can wonder about your mental state and ask why they're friends with you, not realizing that in about two days they'll be singing along while driving around town. Should it be this high up in the list? Probably not, but here it is, and I love this album, it's exactly what it sounds like it'll be, it's a ton of fun, it's stupid, and damn Kreayshawn looks fine

Favorite Tracks: Blase Blase, Summertime, BFF, Go Hard (La.La.La), Breakfast

[senecadawg2]

This shit is the shit. Everybody needs some dumb as fuck music, and this is my dumb as fuck music. Hot female white rapper? Check. Songs about getting blazed, getting money, acquiring all the bitches, and having all the syrup? Check Check Check Check.

I'm not going to lie, this bit makes me want to stay as far away from the album as possible 

Still, I may give it a try, for the sake of novelty.

[Dark Castle]

I would not blame you one bit for avoiding this album with a ten foot pole. I was sucked in. 

[Big Hath]

believe it or not, this is the first mention of Kreayshawn in any top 50 list

[Dark Castle]

27. Opeth - Ghost Reveries (2005)


Favorite Opeth album here, Opeth to me put out their opus with this release. It bleeds Opeth, every song sounding exactly how Opeth should. And to start out the album with the ever perfect "Ghost of Perdition" is amazing, always leading me to constantly listen to the album.
The first Opeth song I ever heard was an edit of The Lotus Eater, off of a Metal Hammer cd compilation and damn, it was on repeat for many days.  After that I started picking up Opeth where I could, my first buy being The Candlelight Years with the first three albums, all fantastic, but my favorite would have to be Ghost Reveries.  Nudging out Watershed and My Arms, Your Hears by just a tiny bit, Ghost Reveries is an amazing record all around, from the artwork to the music contained inside.  Mikeal is one of my favorite vocalists in metal, for the reason that both aspects of his vocals are extraordinary.  His growl is powerful, and ferocious, where as his clean vocals are crooning, and calming.  Muscianship is something that is never lacking in Opeth, whether you prefer Lopez or Legolas, you're in for a treat with the drumming, bass is just splendid, and guitars are never lacking, with the warm acoustic tones, and the electric raze of their electric guitars.  Opeth is also a band I never really compare to other bands because they have such a distinctive sound, you know right away that you're listening to Opeth when they come on, even with Heritage.  Now more so onto why I consider Ghost Reveries their best.  Along with the descriptions about their musicianship above, Ghost Reveries is just extremely memorable to me, and while their catalog is for the most part, Ghost Reveries just edges out on top.  Also it has some of my favorite songs from them, The Grand Conjuration being one of my most favorites, the transitioning in the song gives me goosebumps, plain and simple.  So if you haven't given Opeth a chance yet for some crazy reason, and you're okay with growling, Ghost Reveries would be the album to start at, as it's simply radulartastic.
Favorite Tracks: Ghost of Perdition, Reverie/Harlequin Forest, The Grand Conjuration

[Elite]

believe it or not, this is the first mention of Kreayshawn in any top 50 list

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Opeth! Although I don't have that album.

[Dark Castle]

Opeth! Although I don't have that album.

!  !

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'm working on it! I've got Watershed, and I ordered Blackwater Park. This one will probably be next.

Unless I decide I want Heritage more.

[Dr. DTVT]

Opeth! Although I don't have that album.

I won't give you shit because you're young and you haven't had the money to acquire every essential album yet, and even if you wanted to be a failhouse and get them illegally, still need time to listen to them.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Opeth! Although I don't have that album.

I won't give you shit because you're young and you haven't had the money to acquire every essential album yet, and even if you wanted to be a failhouse and get them illegally, still need time to listen to them.

I got Watershed first because I still wasn't totally cool with harsh vox. Now that that (lol) imposition has been removed, a whole world has opened up.

[Dr. DTVT]

I'm still trying to get Nick to get over his harsh vocal phobia. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I think Devin Townsend and Mikael Åkerfeldt on The Human Equation was what did it for me.

But, I'm pretty sure Nick's already heard that one, so...

[Sketchy]

GR

[?]

GR

[adace]

GR

[Zantera]

There is some great stuff on this list.

[aprilethereal]

I'm working on it! I've got Watershed, and I ordered Blackwater Park. This one will probably be next.

Unless I decide I want Heritage more.

Get Still Life or Deliverance next if you like BWP. GR is one of the most overrated albums in existence

[Onno]

Following. And indeed, GR 

[Lolzeez]

GR