13. Dream Theater - Metropolis PT 2: Scenes From a MemoryGenre: Progressive MetalThis was the first Dream Theater album I ever bought, but this wasn't the album that got me into the band. Regardless, SFAM is a brilliant concept album full of great musical jams, and James LaBrie is in top form. Newcomer Jordan Rudess fits right in bringing wacky new sounds to the band, my favorite being the ragtime solo in The Dance of Eternity. After Falling Into Infinity, DT really took it up a notch and created a masterpiece, but really, FiI isn't that bad. Anyway, PLUH!
Favorite song: Beyond This Life
12. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)Genre: Progressive MetalAnother brilliant concept album. Simply flawless. I used to not like The Needle Lies very much, but it's cool now.
Favorite song: The Mission
11. Kamelot - The Black Halo (2005)Genre: Progressive Power MetalAnother brilliant... Oh wait, said that already. Whatever, it's a brilliant concept album too, and their best album overall. Kamelot made us wait 7 years for another great album.
Favorite song: Memento Mori
10. Circus Maximus - Nine (2012)Genre: Progressive MetalCM changed their style a tad for this one, but they still sound awesome. A little more contemporary and mainstream sounding, but I like it, and the direction they're going.
Favorite song: Burn After Reading
9. Redemption - Snowfall On Judgment Day (2009)Genre: Progressive MetalThis is the album that made Redemption click for me. Tried 'em in 2007 with The Origins of Ruin, but couldn't get into them. Snowfall changed all that, and now I love all their albums except the debut, but not even Nick Van Dyk likes that one.
Favorite song: Love Kills Us All/Life In One Day
8. Stone Sour - House Of Gold & Bones (2012/2013)Genre: Alternative MetalThis is a double concept album and I was debating whether to separate them since both parts came out at different times, but I might as well list it as one album. Part 1 kicks my ass and shows no mercy while Part 2 is a little more merciful and gentle. This album is described as Pink Floyd's The Wall meets Alice In Chain's Dirt, and it wipes the floor with both of them. If I had listed them separately, Part 1 would probably be even higher.
Favorite song: Absolute Zero
7. Lorenguard - Eve of Corruption: The Days of Astasia - Part One (2011)Genre: Power MetalThis unknown US Power Metal band created in my opinion the greatest Power Metal album of all time. I discovered them by simply checking on the status of Progressive Power Metal band, Winterfell, and discovered that their singer is now in a band called Lorenguard. So I check out their YouTube page, and listen to the title track, and wasn't really impressed, but was shocked that Robb Graves (lol) changed his vocal style, and isn't obnoxious anymore. He did grate on my ears after listening awhile, but now he sounds great! And the title track is the weakest on the album. Still pretty good, but The rest of the album is pure gold. If you've heard of them and happened to listen to their first EP or whatever, and wrote them off, well I don't blame you, but Eve of Corruption is amazing. Comma spicing FTW. They don't sound anything like their EP. Different singer, and not shitty. For a self produced and funded debut, it sounds amazing, and for a debut, you'd think these guys were veterans. A Masterpiece of metal.
Favorite song: The Prince and The Pariah
6. Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (2002)Genre: Progressive MetalI got into disc 2 before disc 1 oddly enough, it was the track times that kept me hesitant to listen to disc 1, but once The Glass Prison clicked, I was thrashing all around. Not really, but that song is fucking awesome as is the title track. Misunderstood is still my least favorite song here, but I'm OK with it.
Favorite song: The Glass Prison
5. Circus Maximus - Isolate (2007)Genre: Progressive MetalHere's an instant clicker. Fun fact: I discovered CM with this album in Florida, and bought the CD in Arizona... That wasn't fun at all. What the fu- Michael Eriksen is amazing, and this album is better than both Symphony X's Paradise Lost and DT's Systematic Chaos which came out the same year. Masterpiece.
Favorite song: Abyss
4. Dream Theater - Awake (1994)Genre: Progressive MetalDT got heavier and darker, and nobody liked them anymore, but Awake rules. Suck it Rob Van Dam. The bonus track is pretty good I guess.
Favorite song: Scarred.
3. Symphony X - The Odyssey (2002)Genre: Progressive Power MetalThe Odyssey marked the beginning of a new era for SX. They got heavier, and they would take 10 years to make albums from then on out. This album is a nice mix of the heavy and softer side of the band, and Russell is awesome and very dynamic, something he isn't anymore. Every song is perfect, but it took me a while to appreciate Incantations of the Apprentice.
Favorite song: The Odyssey
2. Dream Theater - Images and Words (1992)Genre: Progressive MetalDT's breakthrough, and every prog metal band's blue print. Simply the best. Better than all the rest. A great mainstream Prog album, and although Take The Time and Pull Me under were butchered for radio play, they didn't need to be. They fly by due to how catchy they are. Surrounded was the first DT song I ever heard, and it remains my favorite.
Favorite song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
1. Iced Earth - Night of the Stormrider (1992)Genre: Thrash MetalYes, those really are the original covers.
Although some of the songs on this album sound better with Matt Barlow singing them, especially live, the original is still a masterpiece in thrash metal. Back when Jon Schaffer was young and inspired, he created some of the coolest riffs, and his playing was out of this world. There are two interludes that slow the pace, but otherwise this is ass kicking thrash from start to finish.
Favorite song: "The Stormrider Trilogy" or Pure Evil... or Travel in Stygian
And there it is...
NEXT YEAR WILL BE BETTER
50% wont be changed.
Thank you.