Ruba's Top 50 albums! v. Finished!

[jingle.boy]

Century Child is the best them

[Ruba]

Sepultura - Chaos A.D. (1993)



1) Refuse/Resist
2) Territory
3) Slave New World
4) Amen
5) Kaiowas
6) Propaganda
7) Biotech Is Godzilla
8) Nomad
9) We Who Are Not As Others
10) Manifest
11) The Hunt
12) Clenched Fist

CHAOS A D! TANKS ON THE STREETS! CONFRONTING THE POLICE! BLEEDING THE... err sorry.

Here we have an album, where Sepultura abandoned thrash metal and became groove metal pioneers. Igor Cavalera totally unleashes the groove here. The song structures are simpler than ever, but the album is way catchier than its predecessors. There are also elements from Brazilian folk music, among the all down-tuned distorted guitars and blasting drums there is Kaiowas, which is a completely acoustic piece, providing some nice contrast.

Some faster songs, like Slave New World and Biotech Is Godzilla, borderline punk, and on the other end of the spectrum there are heavy and doomy stuff, like Territory and Amen. Territory and Refuse/Resist became hits and gave Sepultura some success they never had before.

Favourite tracks: Refuse/Resist, Amen, Kaiowas, Propaganda, Nomad, We Who Are Not As Others

Where'd I place it?: 40-50

---------------------------------------------------

Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)



1) Foam Born A) The Backtrack
2) B) The Decade of Statues
3) Informal Gluttony
4) Sun of Nothing
5) Ants of the Sky
6) Prequel to the Sequel
7) Viridian
8) White Walls

A rather recent discovery. Last winter I found out they were performing on Ilosaarirock festival, to where I had tickets, so I checked out a couple of songs, and wasn't really impressed yet. But seeing them live was a great experience. I lended The Great Misdirect from the library, and liking it, I bought this one, because people seem to consider this as their best work.

And I'm not regretting it. BTBAM play technical death metal, with a lot of blast beats and growls, but often the songs have some calm sections and some surprise turns into i.e. bluegrass or samba. All the players are real virtuosos, but I'd say my favourite member is the vocalist/keyboardist Tommy Giles Rogers. He might look like a Coldplay member, but don't let it fool you. He is excellent at growls to my mind, and he isn't afraid to use his beautiful clean vox either.

Due to VERY complex song structures and lengthy durations, I perceive the music like mosaics rather than "normal" songs. There is one leitmotif, however, a chord progression which is featured on in the beginning of The Backtrack, at "I'm floating towards the Sun" on Sun of Nothing and in the very end of White Walls.

They really have all the elements I like in a metal band. Clean vocals. Growls. Fast playing. Doom. Clean guitar. Ethnic elements. And melodies, I think Ants of the Sky is the most melodic song on the album.

Favourite tracks: Informal Gluttony, Sun of Nothing, Ants of the Sky, Prequel to the Sequel

Where'd I place it?: 30-40

It might get higher over time.

[wolfking]

Skunkworks is easily the third best Bruce album after CW and AOB, it's brilliant.

[TAC]

Wow, Skunkworks made a list! Nice!

[MoraWintersoul]

The thread title made me think You Go Now

[WindMaster]

Colors is such a good album.

[Ruba]

The thread title made me think You Go Now

I haven't had time to get to know Chroma Key yet, unfortunately.

Updating later today.

[Ruba]

Rush - Counterparts (1993)



1) Animate
2) Stick It Out
3) Cut to the Chase
4) Nobody's Hero
5) Between Sun & Moon
6) Alien Shore
7) The Speed of Love
8) Double Agent
9) Leave That Thing Alone!
10) Cold Fire
11) Everyday Glory

By 1993, Rush's synth days were happily over. They had already released two more guitar-based albums, Presto and Roll the Bones, but here they found their thing again. Maybe it's the thing they were looking for on Roll the Bones.

First of all, this is one of the best-sounding albums I've ever heard. Thanks Peter Collins. The intro to Animate gets me every time. Rush took a turn into heavier and rockier direction, Stick It Out being the heaviest Rush song to date. Sometimes they go dangerously near alternative rock. But prog elements are still there, however, most notably on Double Agent. The only song I don't care about is The Speed of Love, but it is only a minor flaw. The best songs make it up.

I haven't yet decided whether the cover is awesome or just stupid.

Favourite tracks: Animate, Stick It Out, Cut to the Chase, Nobody's Hero, Double Agent, Everyday Glory

Where'd I place it?: 35-45

---------------------------------------------

Megadeth - Cryptic Writings (1997)



The better cover, I think.

1) Trust
2) Almost Honest
3) Use the Man
4) Mastermind
5) The Disintegrators
6) I'll Get Even
7) Sin
8) A Secret Place
9) Have Cool, Will Travel
10) She-Wolf
11) Vortex
12) FFF

My first Megadeth album. And after careful consideration, I think it's the best. After all, I think it beats Youthanasia because of being more versatile.

I loaned this from a friend in late 2009, and liked it very much. Over time it grew on me, and now I can say there is no single track I dislike. The album combines the two earlier sides of Megadeth; the thrash of earlier years and the commercial hard rock/heavy metal like on Countdown to Extinction. In addition there some songs that sound like nothing else they have done before, like the dark and ominous I'll Get Even and the noisy and schizophrenic Sin. In a good way. The thrashers, like The Disintegrators and She-Wolf hold a candle to their classic thrash songs IMO and some radio friendly songs such as Trust and A Secret Place easily surpass their other 90s hits. And I won't leave the flaming guitar solo in Vortex unmentioned.

The original album is quite different to the 2004 remaster. I don't know why Dave edited it so much. For example the intro to Use the Man (a sample from Needles and Pins by The Searchers) is removed, and some songs have whole new or extended introductions.

Favourite tracks: Trust, Use the Man, The Disintegrators, Sin, A Secret Place, She-Wolf, Vortex

Where'd I place it?: 40-50

[Ruba]

Fuck it. Another update.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Wait... is it The Dark Side of the Moon? Fuck. Now it's in a wrong place. But I'm not going to do any extra tinkering.

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)



1) Speak to Me
2) Breathe
3) On the Run
4) Time
5) Great Gig in the Sky
6) Money
7) Us and Them
8) Any Colour You Like
9) Brain Damage
10) Eclipse

You all have heard this. If you haven't, you are a very bad person and should be ashamed of yourself.

Just kidding.

One of the most legendary prog rock albums ever, and definetely for a reason. The album relies on creating athmospheres and David Gilmour's tasty guitar work. I'd say he is my favourite guitarist, of all the guitarists in the world. There are heavy use of tape effects, most notably on On the Run, which feels like pre-industrial rock to me. The add some nice colour to the album, but I hate the intro to Time, when 5 million clocks start chiming and ringing similarly. Urghhh. Money brings a 7/4 break to all the athmospherics. Another gem is the soaring The Great Gig in the Sky, which is renowned for it's wordless gospel vocals, sung by Clare Torry. I love the use of saxophone on Money and Us and Them, such a fine instrument.

Favourite tracks: Breathe, On the Run, The Great Gig in the Sky, Money, Us and Them, Eclipse

Where'd I place it?: 35-45

-----------------------------------------

Djerv – Djerv (2011)



1) Madman
2) The Bowling Pin
3) Headstone
4) Gruesome Twosome
5) Only I Exist
6) Ladder to the Moon
7) Abmuse
8) Blind the Heat
9) Immortal

Probably the most random pick on my list. Djerv is a Norwegian band, featuring members from bands Animal Alpha, Stonegard and Trelldom. Their music is a mix of hard rock, heavy metal and black metal. So far they have released one EP and a self-titled debut album.

The album is a 37-minute kick in the balls. Everything’s loud and heavy, but not too abrasive. Drummer Erlend Gjerde’s playing is tight and powerful and Stian Kårstad makes crunchy riffs and unorthodox melodies stemming from black metal with his 7-string axe. But the reason I got their debut is the lead singer Agnete Kjolsrud, who was previously in Animal Alpha. Her vocals are heavier than before, often screamed, and usually there are two vocal tracks from different octaves, which create a menacing feel. And certainly turns off some.

The lead single Madman and Blind the Heat are from the heaviest side from the album, whereas Headstone and Gruesome Twosome are more like mid-tempo rockers. Only I Exist and Abmuse throw some melody in and the album ends with a danger in form of Immortal.

The album’s packaging is probably the coolest I’ve ever seen. The cover image is partially holographic (the greyish thing behind the skull), and it features some excerpts of lyrics written in mirror writing. When opened, the digipak features holographic images of band members.

And yes, I know their logo has the same font than Haken’s .

Favourite tracks: Madman, The Bowling Pin, Only I Exist, Abmuse, Blind the Heat, Immortal

Where’d I place it?: 10-20

[Evermind]

I'd say he is my favourite guitarist, of all the guitarists in the world.

This is something I can agree with. He's amazing.
Dark Side is great, though I love WYWH much more.

Never heard of the second album of course. 

[Ruba]

Butthole Surfers - Electriclarryland (1996)



1) Birds
2) Cough Syrup
3) Pepper
4) Thermador
5) Ulcer Breakout
6) Jingle of a Dog's Collar
7) TV Star
8) My Brother's Wife
9) Ah Ha
10) The Lord Is a Monkey
11) Let's Talk About Cars
12) L.A.
13) Space

Butthole Surfers is a Texan rock band, renowned for their heavy drug usage and chaotic live concerts. I found them out by Ministry's hit single Jesus Built My Hotrod, which features BHS vocalist Gibby Haynes on vocals. What we have here is their second to last album, which is one of their most "normal" sounding recordings. The album also gave them their only real hit, Pepper, which hold the peak position on for Billboard Modern Rock Tracks for two weeks.

As I said, this album sounds rather normal when compared to some of their earlier work, but still has some of that insane creativity. When the album is mostly guitar-based hard rock, there are some hip hop beats (Pepper), country and pedal steel guitar (TV Star) and some just pretty random stuff, like My Brother's Wife, which is a psychedelic journey into adultery and Let's Talk About Cars, which is basically a dialogue between a man and a woman in French over a beautiful guitar melody. And there are lots of distortion, well, it's not a Butthole Surfers album if it doesn't have a ridiculous amount of it.

Favourite tracks: Birds, Cough Syrup, Pepper, Ulcer Breakout, TV Star, My Brother's Wife, The Lord Is a Monkey, Let's Talk About Cars

Where'd I place it?: 30-40

---------------------------------------------

Ministry - Filth Pig (1996)



1) Reload
2) Filth Pig
3) Lava
4) Crumbs
5) Useless
6) Dead Guy
7) Game Show
8) The Fall
9) Lay Lady Lay
10) Brick Windows

The cover image tells it all. So heavy that your head melts.

But this surely is one of the heaviest albums I know. Industrial metal meets doom and sludge. This is also the most band-centered Ministry record: there are almost no samples and most of the songs feature live drums. The opening track Reload shows the name of the game, everything is distorted in that two-and-half-minutes shot of aggression: guitars, bass, vocals, drums and mandolin (it doesn't sound like mandolin in the studio version, but in live versions it certainly is one). The bluesy title track features a gorgeous harmonica solo. Crumbs and Dead Guy throw in some serious groove. The Fall is built around a drum loop and melancholic keyboard chords, until in comes a cathartic piano melody. Very unique piece in Ministry's discography and certainly one of the best. Lay Lady Lay is an oddball Bob Dylan cover, and it is the softest and melodic track on the record (not a very hard feat  ). But my favourite song is Game Show, which features numerous build-ups and releases and possibly the best vocals by Al Jourgensen ever.

This is my favourite Ministry album. Except The Last Sucker, I have heard them all, and when they have many other great albums, this just edges out them all.

Favourite tracks: Filth Pig, Lava, Crumbs, Useless, Game Show, The Fall, Lay Lady Lay, Brick Windows (sorry, must have at least eight songs!)

Where'd I place it?: 5-15

I'm not expecting much feedback for this update.

[Scorpion]

Filth Pig! My second favourite ministry album, great record.

[Ruba]

Nice to hear. It really divides fans' opinions, but cool that you're on the same side with me.

[Dr. DTVT]

Wow...Counterparts and Cryptic Writings in a top 50, that's very bold.  I don't agree with it one bit, but bold.

I loved those Sepultura and Butthole Surfers albums when I was in high school.  And Colors belongs in any top 50.

[?]

I realize I haven't commented anything lately...

DSOTM obviously is a classic and Counterparts is the next Rush album I plan on checking out. Animate rocks

[Ruba]

Rush - Hemispheres (1978)



1) Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres
I. Prelude
II. Apollo (Bringer of Wisdom)
III. Dionysus (Bringer of Love)
IV. Armageddon (The Battle of Heart and Mind)
V. Cygnus (Bringer of Balance)
VI. The Sphere (A Kind of Sphere)
2) Circumstances
3) The Trees
4) La Villa Strangiato

A tight pack of 70's prog rock. The album is only about 36 minutes long, but there's really nothing unnecessary.

I've seen some criticism towards the title track, but I don't think it's that much inferior to their other epics, like 2112 or Natural Science. Of course it's not on the same level with Book 1, but then again, what is? My favourite section is Armageddon, great guitar riff.

Circumstances is probably the least known song on the album, but it doesn't make it the worst. Pretty much the opposite. It's pretty much as catchy as a song with such many time changes can be. The Trees is another amazing song, I just wish it had Broon's Bane intro on the album, but well, you can't have everything. La Villa Strangiato is a huge fan-favourite, I probably like it a bit less than an average Rush fan, but it is still a fun song. The guitar solo on A Lerxst in Wonderland is fantastic.

Favourite tracks: Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres, Circumstances, The Trees

Where'd I place it?: 30-40
-------------------------------------------

Rush - Hold Your Fire (1987)



1) Force Ten
2) Time Stand Still
3) Open Secrets
4) Second Nature
5) Prime Mover
6) Lock and Key
7) Mission
8) Turn the Page
9) Tai Shan
10) High Water

The first time I heard this album was when I was waiting a bus that I expected to be at the bus stop soon, but it turned out that it was coming 40 minutes later. It was a freezing cold early winter night, probably minus 20 Celsius and I was pissed off. However, when I reached Open Secrets, I wasn't mad anymore. I was just stunned about how amazing the first three tracks were.

This is the most athmospherical Rush record in my opinion. A part of the (in)famous synth era, different synthetisators dominate the music. There are some uptempo rock tunes like Force Ten and Turn the Page, which give some variety. The softer tunes like Time Stand Still (love Aimee Mann's vocals) and Open Secrets are very beautiful. And stop bashing Tai Shan. It doesn't deserve it.

So this is my favourite synth era album, a bit better than Grace Under Pressure. GUP's highs might be higher, but I'm a not a fan of The Body Electric or Kid Gloves. Here is not a single song I would dislike, at the moment High Water is a bit weaker than the others, but I think it's a grower.

And the bus? Came when I was listening to Lock and Key or Mission.

Favourite tracks: Force Ten, Time Stand Still, Open Secrets, Prime Mover, Lock and Key, Mission, Turn the Page

Where'd I place it?: 35-45

[nicmos]

Great seeing appreciation for HYF.  I feel it doesn't get a fair look sometimes.  I also think High Water is a great album closer. I wish the production had a little more muscle though.

[adace]

Hemispheres is great. Hold Your Fire is merely decent for me.

[Lolzeez]

Hemispheres is good but I feel like it needs more.
HYF is very under appreciated. It's still my least fav out of the 4 but it's still the one I can listen to the most.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Yeah, I grew up with Rush, but hemisphere's seems weak to me.  I know I might be lambasted for saying so though    Great list so far!!!

[Ruba]

Ministry - Houses of the Molé (2004)



1) No W
2) Waiting
3) Worthless
4) Wrong
5) Warp City
6) WTV
7) World
8) WKYJ
9) Worm

My first Ministry album. I had heard a remix of No W in Need for Speed Underground 2 video game, and I wanted to hear more. At first I found the album OK, but it was quite different from what I was listening at the time. But a few months later, a couple of songs came back haunting my mind (World and Worm, if my memory serves me well). They were better than I remembered and I wanted more. I listened to some classic tracks from Psalm 69 and decided to go to the library and pick a few albums up. And then I was a industrial music fan.

This album was a turning point on their career. The long-term bassist Paul Barker had left the band. The guitarist Mike Scaccia was in, the first time since Filth Pig. The music went into a thrashier direction, after more avantgarde-sounding Dark Side of the Spoon and Animositisomina. This is the first album of so-called anti-Bush trilogy, although only two of the songs are directly aimed towards the president. The ultimate distortion attack on the few previous albums was stripped down and a clearer sound was introduced.

So this is a straightforward industrial metal album. Al Jourgensen's barking is backed with flaming guitar riffs and blasting drum machine beats (only two of the songs have live drums). The lead single No W is a furious thrash-laden political beatdown, Warp City is another heavy song, with a fun drumbeat, WTV is a nice superfast addition to their sample-driven TV-song series and my favourite song here is Worm, longest song on the album, with some neat harmonica playing by Al. This is probably one of their most accessible records, and for me it is very important, because I found Ministry by it, and by some of their earlier albums I began to appreciate electronic music.

Favourite tracks: No W, Wrong, Warp City, WTV, World, Worm

Where'd I place it?: 20-30

[Ruba]

Dream Theater - Images & Words (1992)



1) Pull Me Under
2) Another Day
3) Take the Time
4) Surrounded
5) Metropolis pt.1: The Miracle and the Sleeper
6) Under a Glass Moon
7) Wait for Sleep
8) Learning to Live

My first Dream Theater album. After being blown away by Pull Me Under and hearing some other tracks, I went to the library (you'll probably see this sentence a lot in my write-ups ). At first I disliked the slower and more melodic songs, because I was 14 and wanted everything to be METUUUHHLLL. But at some point, I decided to listen songs I had overlooked by pretty much every artist I knew well, and with Dream Theater, there were A LOT .

The song structures are maybe a tad simpler than on WDADU, which makes it more accessible, alongside with a better production and the new vocalist James LaBrie. The album is full of great melodies and the wankery never goes over the top. This is the most warm and welcoming DT album, a real opposite to their following record, but I still prefer Awake, maybe I just prefer darker music in general.

And the snare sound. I don't mind it. The album would sound silly with any other snare drum.

Favourite tracks: Pull Me Under, Take the Time, Metropolis pt.1: The Miracle and the Sleeper, Wait for Sleep, Learning to Live

Where'd I place it?: 20-30

------------------------------------------------------

Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High (2007)



1) Thriller
2) The Take Over, the Breaks Over
3) This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
4) I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me + You)
5) Hum Hallelujah
6) Golden
7) Thnks fr th Mmrs
8) Don't You Know Who I Think I Am
9) The (After) Life of the Party
10) The Carpal Tunnel of Love
11) Bang the Doldrums
12) Fame < Infamy
13) You're Crashing, But You're No Wave
14) I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None on My Fingers

An American alt rock/punk pop band, Fall Out Boy had some real commercial success with their third album Infinity on High, ignited by two hit singles, This Ain't a Scene... and Thnks fr th Mmrs. Both even reached some airplay here, in the midst of woods. I somewhat liked them, especially the latter and it's hilarious music video, featuring the band making a music video directed by chimpanzees (I heard the one in an evening dress is called Kim Kardashian ). Their music was also frequently featured in various PS2 games I own. But it was not until 2012 when I really checked them out.

I bought NHL 2006 second-hand. Rather bad game, but its soundtrack featured their song, which possibly has my favourite title of all time: Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued. Unfortunately, the album featuring that track was neither in my hometown's record store or library. So I loaned this one, which had two familiar songs. I liked it, but I wasn't completely sold. But later I found a tab book of this album, again, from the library, and suddenly, I found myself liking every song on the album.

The songs are rather short, only the last one tracking over four minutes. But on the other hand, they don't need to be longer. The band was going into a poppier direction, which is evident on their next album Folié a Deux, but the pop elements are used tastefully and kept on the leash, giving sometimes way to punkier and heavier approach. All songs are catchy, vocalist-guitarist-composer Patrick Stump really understands the concept of catchy. He is also one of my favourite rock vocalists, his tone might turn off some, but he has a very wide range and a powerful voice.

The album is driven by melodic guitars, with the exception of the beautiful piano ballad Golden. I guess the opener Thriller is the only song in the world featuring Jay-Z and double bass drumming. Its club of heavy major key songs is joined by Hum Hallelujah, featuring some elements of the Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. On it's heaviest the album is at The Carpal Tunnel of Love (great pun ), which features some screamo vocals by the bassist Pete Wentz, poppiest ones are the two with the longest titles I'm not going to repeat here goddamnit. Bang the Doldrums startles with its unorthodox melodies and a gorgeous bridge and You're Crashing, But You're No Wave is just melodic perfection.

Favourite tracks: Thriller, The Take Over, the Breaks Over, Golden, Thnks fr th Mmrs, The (After) Life of the Party, The Carpal Tunnel of Love, Bang the Doldrums, You're Crashing, But You're No Wave

Where'd I place it?: 25-35

Note: In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson was originally intended to be on this update, but I decided to replace it with another album, which is later to be revealed.
 

[nicmos]

wow, didn't expect to see a Fall Out Boy album on the list.  maybe I"ll have to give them a listen.  again, one of the great things about following these lists.  you have some preconceived notion of a band based on the one song you heard on the radio, and it might not be completely accurate.

[Ruba]

The radio hits give quite a correct picture of the album. Short and catchy modern alt rock tunes. There aren't obvious crowd cheering parts (like the chorus on Thnks fr th Mmrs, featuring only drums and vocals) outside the hit singles though. And it's only a good thing.

[Ruba]

Ministry - ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ (1992)



1) N.W.O.
2) Just One Fix
3) TV II
4) Hero
5) Jesus Built My Hotrod
6) Scarecrow
7) Psalm 69
8) Corrosion
9) Grace

Also (and better) known as Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs. Ministry's best-known album, from which three rather succeesful singles were released: Jesus Built My Hotrod, N.W.O. and Just One Fix. The album was a cornerstone for their setlists.

Ministry's albums became heavier one after another: starting from synth pop, then moving into EBM, then adding guitars and finally the band turned into a raging industrial metal monstrosity. The album sounds cold and machine-like, but it fits their style well. I love the drum sounds on the album, they almost sound like drum machine.

Jesus Built My Hotrod features an oddly timed riff, a driving drum beat and guest vocals by Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers. Don't try them at home. TV II was their first "TV song", with super fast drums and guitar riff and fast, yelled out vocals which give it a schizophrenic feel. Just One Fix is a Ministry song by the book, and not in a bad way. Psalm 69 is very dirty and rancid song which isn't meant to be taken too seriously. Helluva fun too. I thought Al wouldn't write anything so obscene, but the opener for their last album From Beer to Eternity, Hail to His Majesty (Peasants) proved me wrong. Love him. The album ends with two experimental and chaotic instrumentals, a bit different, but functional solution.

Favourite tracks: Just One Fix, TV II, Hero, Jesus Built My Hotrod, Psalm 69

Where'd I place it?: 21-30

----------------------------------------------------

Alice Cooper - Killer (1971)



1) Under My Wheels
2) Be My Lover
3) Halo of Flies
4) Desperado
5) You Drive Me Nervous
6) Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
7) Dead Babies
8) Killer

First of all, thank you TAC. I picked up this album because of your recommendation. I have heard a few other Alice Cooper albums, but they have had some filler. This doesn't.

All the band members play very well, and I really like Alice's voice. His lower, soft vocals are awesome and he higher raspy register has surely influenced some later rock/metal vocalists, such as Dave Mustaine and Marilyn Manson. Here short rock tunes shake hands with longer and more ambitious tracks. And even as I naturally prefer the latter, the rockers such as Under My Wheels and You Drive Me Nervous are very good also. The latter have some neat guitar melodies and a fun sound effect on drums. Desperado is the most different short song, being rather calm and has some nice (I think sampled) strings and horns. Halo of Flies is the longest song on the album, going through many different sections, TAC named it as the first prog metal songs, and it certainly is among the first. Dead Babies gathered some controversy around the time it was released, and it is possibly my favourite Alice Cooper song. The title track combines some jazzy playing, a creepy climax in the middle and a lengthy heartbreaking keyboard outro.

I don't have really any big complaints. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah is a bit weaker than the other songs, but not bad at any stretch. And the drums are mixed poorly, but that's still pretty minor flaw.

Favourite tracks: Be My Lover, Halo of Flies, You Drive Me Nervous, Dead Babies, Killer

Where'd I place it?: 41-50

[Ruba]

Meshuggah - Koloss (2012)



1) I Am Colossus
2) The Demon's Name Is Surveillance
3) Do Not Look Down
4) Behind the Sun
5) The Hurt That Finds You First
6) Marrow
7) Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion
8) Swarm
9) Demiurge
10) The Last Vigil

One of the most recent albums on the list. I bought this album after reading a favourable review, even though I had not much idea what their music is like. Track one, I Am Colossus. Some of the most fucked up rhythms I had ever heard hit my eardrums (later I found out than song goes almost entirely in 4/4 ). Guitars go super low and those growls, they were amazing. I probably haven't heard better growls than Jens Kidman's on the album.

Very technical drumming and ultra heavy riffs, with great growls, that's what this album is about. Rhythms aren't always inscrutable, for example Demiurge is rather simple, but flat out heavy. The Demon's Name Is Surveillance features very fast double pedal triplets throughout, must be very tiring to play. At it's most epic the album is at Behind the Sun, and the longest track Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion is slow and brooding.

Favourite tracks: I Am Colossus, The Demon's Name Is Surveillance, Behind the Sun, Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion, Demiurge

Where'd I place it?: 41-50

---------------------------------------------------

PMMP - Leskiäidin tyttäret (2006) (Daughters of a Widow Mother)



1) Joku raja (Some Respect)
2) Kiitos (Thank You)
3) Kesäkaverit (Summer Friends)
4) Henkilökohtaisesti (Personally)
5) Taiteilia (Artis) (typo intended)
6) Päät soittaa (Päät Is Playing)
7) Onko sittenkään hyvä näin? (Is This the Way It's Supposed to Be?)
8) Tässä elämä on (This Is the Life)
9) Kohkausrock (Ragerock)
10) Leskiäidin tyttäret (Daughters of a Widow Mother)

PMMP is a Finnish pop-rock band. They were one of the most popular bands in Finland until they called it a day after a ten-year career earlier this year. The band was known for their vocalists Paula Vesala (on the right on the album cover) and Mira Luoti (on the left). Their voices compliment each other nicely, Paula having a higher and more clear and Mira lower and darker voice.  The other band members (Juho Vehmanen on bass, Heikki Kytölä on drums, Mikko Virta on guitar) never played on the studio albums, but they were the live assembly the whole ten years. In addition the band didn't write the music themselves, but the composer was always the same. The lyrics were mostly written by Paula Vesala...

... and you have no idea what I'm talking about anymore.

Anyways. The album is a great blend of pop, rock, electronic music, punk rock and schlager (traditional Finnish popular music). The album spawned numerous hits, including dark Joku raja, which can be seen as some kind of anti-domestic violence anthem and it is one of the most cathartic songs I know, and Henkilökohtaisesti, which reminds me of another legendary Finnish pop band Leevi and the Leavings. Taiteilia is a silly electropop song, where Mira and Paula both go very over the top. Päät soittaa and Kohkausrock are the punkier ones, the latter being the most progressive song on the album, having many different parts, softening after the heavy punk attack in the beginning only to come back furious in the end. Although the album covers many different genres, nothing sounds like to be out of place and there is no single one weak song.

They were also known of their energetic live shows, and I was lucky enough to witness one last summer. That was the best gig I've ever been to.

Favourite tracks: Joku raja, Kiitos, Kesäkaverit, Taiteilia, Päät soittaa, Kohkausrock

Where'd I place it?: 11-20

[?]

I've never known anyone who likes Meshuggah and PMMP

A few of my friends are huge Meshuggah fans and I think they're a cool band, but their music isn't melodic enough for my taste. PMMP have a few good songs, thanks to Jori Sjöroos' great sense of melody - his 90s project This Empty Flow was awesome.

[Ruba]

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes (1992)



1) Crucify
2) Girl
3) Silent All These Years
4) Precious Things
5) Winter
6) Happy Phantom
7) China
8) Leather
9) Mother
10) Tear in Your Hand
11) Me and a Gun
12) Little Earthquakes

What we have here is a cute little eccentric redhead. Tori Amos is a singer-songwriter with her unique style. I became interested about her when I heard that Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is a fan of hers and had this album playing non-stop on his car stereo around the time he was writing NIN album The Downward Spiral. Trent also did some guest vocals on Tori's song Past the Mission, featured on album Under the Pink.

This album sounds nothing like NIN, but I prefer it this way. This is her debut solo album, focusing mainly on Tori's piano and vocals, though plenty of songs have some band instruments, drum and synth string programming and even orchestra. So it's not just piano and the girl. She was still evolving as a vocalist, but she already sounds great.

Some of the songs are just helplessly beautiful, like Silent All These Years and Winter (DT covered it on Uncovered gig), but there are some darker material too, such as Precious Things and jazzy Leather. Happy Phantom is cute and silly, with some slight serious undertones. But my favourite here and a definite candidate for my favourite song ever is Me and a Gun, which she wrote after being raped by a fan when she was twenty-one. So emotional.

Favourite tracks: Crucify, Precious Things, Winter, Happy Phantom, Leather, Mother, Me and a Gun, Little Earthquakes

Where'd I place it?: 16-25

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Papa Roach - lovehatetragedy (2002)



1) M-80 (Explosive Energy Movement)
2) Life is a Bullet
3) Time and Time Again
4) Walking Thru Barbed Wire
5) Decompression Period
6) Born With Nothing, Die With Everything
7) She Loves Me Not
8) Singular Indestructible Droid
9) Black Clouds
10) Code of Energy
11) Lovehatetragedy

Bonus tracks:
12) Gouge Away (Pixies cover)
13) Never Said It

Video games. Video games, people. I heard of them first in a racing game FlatOut 2, which features tracks Not Listening and Blood Brothers (partially). I actually uploaded the first to my MP3 player when I was 12. Years later, I heard She Loves Me Not on NHL 2003, and at first I didn't like it that much, because it features some rapping. But eventually it grew on me and I decided to check the whole album.

After their nu-metal debut Infest and before generic alternative metal outlet Getting Away With Murder, we got a album which is kinda in the middle, sort of a transition in their career. Rap elements are few and far between (I actually like them on Infest, though). The songs are catchy, but not overly simple (I'm looking at you GAWM!). I really like Jacoby Shaddix as a vocalist, he might turn off some, but when he turned the rap down a bit, he became a great alt rock vocalist, and I love his screams. The bassist Tobin Esperance is the main composer, and he did great job here. The drummer Dave Bruckner has a great groove. And the guitarist Jerry Horton has plenty of great riffs and melodies.

M-80 is a major kick in the ass, followed by moodier Life is a Bullet. Code of Energy has one of the most blasting riffs ever and lovely calm middle section and outro. Decompression Period is a dark ballad with some great guitar work and catchy chorus, and probably is the only song on the album with good lyrics. Well, you can't have everything. The title track is simply amazing, featuring many changes in dynamics only in just over three minutes. Sadly, they aren't playing too many songs from the album live nowadays.

I love the album cover.

Favourite tracks: M-80 (Explosive Energy Movement), Life is a Bullet, Decompression Period, Born With Nothing, Die With Everything, Singular Indestructible Droid, Code of Energy, Lovehatetragedy

Where'd I place it?: 16-25

[Mladen]

So many great albums on this list! 

I enjoyed your writeup for Killer, being that I've been in the Alice Cooper mood the last couple of days, and that album has some amazing tracks. Halo of flies is definitely one of my all time Cooper favorites.

[Ruba]

Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986)



1) Battery
2) Master of Puppets
3) The Thing That Should Not Be
4) Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5) Disposable Heroes
6) Leper Messiah
7) Orion
8) Damage, Inc.

No Top 50 Album list could be complete without something from Metallica.

Metallica is the band that made me listen to heavy metal, and I guess I'm not alone with that. My first Metallica album was s/t, and for some time I preferred it to this. And for obvious reasons. For 12-year-old, who has mostly listened to commercial rock, The Black Album with its four-five minute hit singles is more accessible than an effing thrash monster with some tracks passing the eight-minute mark. But slowly and steadily this passed it and every other metal album in the world.

No, Lars Ulrich is not very good drummer, but yes, he manages to sound adaquate here. Kirk Hammett's solos are meaning- and tasteful at least for then, the solo preceding the bass solo in Orion is my favourite solo of his. James Hetfield's vocals are less screamed and more sang. Guitar riffs are great, one of the best guitar albums of all time. And this album sadly became an epitaph for the legendary bassist Cliff Burton.

Battery and Damage, Inc. go on a full throttle after their calm intros, the title song is a must-play for every garage thrash metal band (assuming they have a good lead guitarist), Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is a part of the Metallica's "fourth-song-power-ballad"-trilogy, and even when it might not be as good as One, it was one of the first songs on the album really grab my attention. The Thing That Should Not Be is very unique song in their discography, chugging and creepy. But possibly the best track here is Orion, a song with power chords and boringly harsh vocals.














That bass solo.

Favourite tracks: All of them.

Where'd I place it?: 1-5

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Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals (1998)



1) Great Big White World (A)
2) Dope Show (O)
3) Mechanical Animals (A)
4) Rock Is Dead (O)
5) Disassociative (A)
6) The Speed of Pain (A)
7) Posthuman (A)
8) I Want to Disappear (O)
9) I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me) (O)
10) New Model No. 15 (O)
11) User Friendly (O)
12) Fundamentally Loathsome (O)
13) The Last Day on Earth (A)
14) Coma White (A)
15) Untitled

The second outlet on MM's concept album trilogy entitled "Triptych", Mechanical Animals differs radically from its predecessor Antichrist Superstar. Industrial metal rage is now more on the background, making way for hard and glam rock influences. And hey, Manson himself can actually sing, not just scream!

The album is divided in two halves. Manson has two roles, Alpha (his "human" side) and Omega (a nihilistic rock star). Alpha and Omega songs aren't however back-to-back. I marked Alpha song with A and Omega songs with O to the tracklisting in order to clear things up. Omega songs are often rockier and Alpha songs more ballad-like.

I think this is where Marilyn Manson really showed where he is capable of as a lyricist. I Don't Like the Drugs has some reeeally thorny criticism towards American way of life, it's almost comparable to Tool's AEnema. On the other hand, songs like The Speed of Pain and The Last Day on Earth have some amazing imagery and metaphors.

There are no fillers, the album is very consistent. Great Big White World is probably the darkest song on the album and a fan-favourite. The Dope Show is dismal and apatethic glam rock song. The Speed of Pain is amazing Pink Floyd-esque ballad, whereas Posthuman shows that they can still make some quality industrial metal. I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me) has some great use of black female soul singers and if the chorus doesn't stick in your head, it's weird. Fundamentally Loathsome features amazing guitar solo. Coma White is one of the best-known Marilyn Manson songs, a beautiful power ballad.

Favourite tracks: Great Big White World, The Dope Show, Mechanical Animals, The Speed of Pain, Posthuman, I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me), Fundamentally Loathsome

Where'd I place it?: 36-45

[Scorpion]

Mechanical Animals is the fucking shit. I'd probably have a hard time to decide on a favourite Marilyn Manson album, but this is certainly Top 3.

[Ruba]

Nightwish - Oceanborn (1998)



1) Stargazers
2) Gethsemane
3) Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean
4) Sacrament of Wilderness
5) Passion and the Opera
6) Swanheart
7) Moondance
8) The Riddler
9) The Pharaoh Sails to Orion
10) Walking in the Air
11) Sleeping Sun

Oceanborn is Nightwish's second album, released a year after their debut Angels Fall First. The album marked a notable turn on their style, being much heavier, possibly the heaviest NW record to date. The album can be classified as power metal, and there is even some death metal influences, Tapio Wilska provides harsh guest vocals on two tracks. Everyone had developed as musicians, and the album is more technical than its predecessor, but the times of orchestral overload are still way ahead.

The album could be perfect, but there's a couple of things I don't like on it. First of all, I think Sacrament of Wilderness is one of their worst songs. It's not bad, but I dislike the chorus, it's annoying. And ending the album with two ballads, as gorgeous as they are, is a boring solution. Sleeping Sun is not featured on every release, though, but on the most of them. And the marginals on my list are rather small, so the album doesn't make it to the top.

But on the contrary: the album's highs are very high. Gethsemane gives me goosebumps, the chorus is spectacular. Passion and the Opera is a fun song, featuring a lot of Tarja's wordless operatic vocals. Swanheart has one of the greatest guitar solos ever known to man. Moondance maintains the folk elements of the debut. The Pharaoh Sails to Orion is a heavy, melodic masterpiece. It's pretty sad that the band doesn't play album's songs anymore, or pretty much any songs from their four first albums (when I saw them last summer, they played She Is My Sin, which I don't like that much, Bless the Child and Ever Dream, which is becoming ridiculously overplayed), since they are full of win.

Favourite tracks: Gethsemane, Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean, Passion and the Opera, Moondance, The Riddler, The Pharoah Sails to Orion, Walking in the Air

Where'd I place it?: 21-30

------------------------------------------

Rush - Permanent Waves (1980)



1) The Spirit of Radio
2) Freewill
3) Jacob's Ladder
4) Entre Nous
5) Different Strings
6) Natural Science

The point on Rush's career, where they started to move from lengthy epics to more rocking direction. I think this is the last real "prog" album by them. The album also gave them two rock radio hits, The Spirit of Radio and Freewill, both of which are still staple numbers on live concerts.

This is the most consistent Rush album. Usually they have at least one weaker song on every album. This and Hemispheres have none. Of the rock hits, I prefer Freewill, which has great lyrics, that wacky instrumental break and possibly as many time changes one can have in a song that can recieve airplay. Jacob's Ladder is a real standout and unique track, being one of their most athmospherical songs. Despite of its length, it is pretty static and simple in structure, but it focuses on athmosphere. Entre Nous is one of the most underrated Rush songs, it's damn beautiful and I'm glad it is featured on Snakes & Arrows Live. Natural Science is their last multi-section epic and one of their best epics period. When ranking Rush albums, people usually put this album below Moving Pictures, Hemispheres and Power Windows, but I think this passes all of them.

Favourite tracks: Freewill, Jacob's Ladder, Entre Nous, Natural Science

Where'd I place it?: 21-30

[wolfking]

Permanent Waves 

[jjrock88]

Permanent Waves 

[Ruba]

Animal Alpha - Pheromones (2005)



1) Billy Bob Jackson
2) I.R.W.Y.T.D.
3) Bundy
4) Most Wanted Cowboy
5) Catch Me
6) 101 Ways
7) Deep In
8) My Droogies
9) Bend Over
10) Remember the Day

Animal Alpha was a Norwegian rock band. I found them, once again, from a video game, NHL 06, which was responsible for that Fall Out Boy album too. It featured a censored version of Bundy. I liked it instantly, but slowly it grew on me and I wanted to hear more. Checking them out was one of the best decisions in my life. I was going through a difficult period in my life and this band helped me a lot. I was really in love with them, and especially with the vocalist Agnete Kjolsrud.

This is their debut album, which features mostly hard rock, but there are some elements from blues, heavy metal, jazz and ambient. The album is rather playful and I believe the band had a lot of fun recording this. They are not overly conventional, but the album has its serious moments also.

The frontwoman Agnete wore 18th century style-dresses, painted her face white and sang. The album has probably her most diverse vocals, ranging from very soft, barely audible to insane screaming. Her tone is quite different and not everyone likes her, but she is very talented nonetheless. The solo guitarist Christian Wibe was the main composer and he writes great riffs and melodies. The bassist Lars Imre Bidtnes had a weird habit to dress like Agnete and he has some really nice bass lines on the album.

Bundy was their only hit, and I'm starting to get a bit tired with it, but it is a great song nevertheless. Possibly the simplest and "normal" song on the album. The craziest one is probably My Droogies, which is quite disturbing (the middle part ), but only in a good way. Billy Bob Jackson is a heavy album opener with a gorgeous chorus. Bend Over is a naughty, catchy song. Catch Me is the most playful song on the album. And the album closer Remember the Day is one of the most beautiful songs ever and it has one of my favourite lyrics ever.

Favourite tracks: All of them.

Where'd I place it?: 1-5

-------------------------------------------------

Queensrÿche - Promised Land (1994)



1) 9:28 a.m.
2) I Am I
3) Damaged
4) Out of Mind
5) Bridge
6) Promised Land
7) Dis Con Nec Ted
8) Lady Jane
9) My Global Mind
10) One More Time
11) Someone Else?

Screw Operation:Mindcrime, this is the QR's masterpiece.

The album is rather soft and athmospherical, roughly half of the songs are ballads. And it's not a bad thing. Pink Floyd-influences are evident. Chris DeGarmo is an amazing guitarist. And this was the last time Geoff Tate was phenomenal.

I Am I and Damaged are on the heavier and experimental side, Bridge is a dark, radio-friendly ballad. Someone Else? is a stunning piece with CDG on piano. The title track and Dis Con Nec Ted form a 12-minute epic, together they are easily the best QR song. Promised Land is massive and Dis Con Nec Ted grooves like there's no tomorrow. The album is very consistent, although My Global Mind is a bit out of the place, being too light, but it is still a great song.

Favourite tracks: I Am I, Damaged, Out of Mind, Bridge, Promised Land, Dis Con Nec Ted, Someone Else?

Where'd I place it?: 6-15