Author Topic: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums v.2: v.2 - v. The top ten  (Read 46620 times)

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Offline mikemangioy

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MikeMangioy's top 50 albums v.2: v.2 - v. The top ten
« on: March 31, 2015, 12:25:27 PM »
EDIT: This list is unfinished. Please go to page 6 for a reboot!

Sup, it’s me once again. I know it’s not been all that long but thanks to a series of fortunate and unfortunate events, here I am doing another top 50, 6 and a half months after I started the last one.

In here lists were kinda left aside for a bit, and I felt bad for it, so I tried to make up for it, creating this new list. I found out that it’s actually pretty different from last time. I’d say that 60% of the stuff is new, and wasn’t on the previous one, and that shows how lists are often inconsistent, and are just an indicative way to say “Hey, I fucking love these records”.
So, once again, before I embark on this epic journey, I encourage you to participate, share your thoughts and hey, feel free to suggest me anything if you need. There’s the roulette for that (My turn should be soon, get ready for that), but still.

So, this is how this’ll work:
I’ll post two albums a day (I’ll try to keep the pace steady) in separate updates, to give each more emphasis. The updates will be indicatively around  13:00 and 20:00 (GMT),  and once I reach the top 15, there’ll be one update a day.
With that said, this list is pretty write-up oriented: writing those helps me with English language, and it’s a  fun thing to do overall. I think they really have improved from my v1, so prepare for some long stuff actually.

Before starting the list here are a few albums from last time that sadly didn’t make the cut:





...that’s it for now. Tune back in tomorrow at 13:00 (GMT) for the start of the list! I’m excited, man :dangerwillrobinson:



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

The list so far:

What are you looking at? It hasn't even started yet!

#50 - "Autumn's soundtrack": Opeth - Blackwater Park
#49 - "Tanks and stuff": Sabaton - Heroes
#48 - "Cowboys on Mars" : Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
#47 - "One heavy return" : Anthrax - Worship Music
#46 - "Four songs and some solos" : Yes - Fragile
#45 - "Music of the ancient gods" : Symphony X - The Odyssey
#44 - "Stevie being creepy" : Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
#43 - "Death metal and country" : Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect
#42 - "I miss these guys" : Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World
#41 - "Hire another sound guy" : Metallica - Death Magnetic
#40 - "Just some power chords" : Green Day - Dookie
#39 - "Serious songs. Almost." : System Of A Down - Hypnotize
#38 - "Mermaids are metal" : Haken - Aquarius
#37 - "Everything is my fault" : Nirvana - In Utero
#36 - "Stevie being trippy" : Porcupine Tree - Up The Downstair
#35 - "NUGGETZ" : Dream Theater - Octavarium
#34 - "Hold your insults thanks" : Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
#33 - "Sell outs?" : Metallica - Metallica
#32 - "Speechless" : Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon
#31 - "Space and orchestras" : Muse - The Resistance
#30 - "Steel, eh!" : Rush - Clockwork Angels
#29 - "Ominous Germans" : Rammstein - Reise, Reise
#28 - "Stevie being jazzy" : Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning
#27 - "EINZ ZWEI POLIZEI" : Rammstein - Herzeleid
#26 - "Prog Metal done well" : Beyond The Bridge - The Old Man And The Spirit
#25 - "How to blow minds up": Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
#24 - "Stevie being lonely" : Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase.
#23 - "I think Lucas likes this" : Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
#22 - "Yin and Yang" : Opeth - Watershed
#21 - "A bald man's sum-up" : Devin Townsend - Z2
#20 - " :D " : Rush - Permanent Waves
#19 - "I think Evermind likes this" : Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
#18 - "A bomb." : Alter Bridge - Fortress
#17 - "A fitting title" : Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
#16 - "Headbanger's manifesto" : Metallica - Master Of Puppets
#15 - "An exercise in self-indulgence" : Rush - Hemispheres
#14 - "Grohl has a fetish for vintage" : Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
#13 - "Poor Jason" : Metallica - ...And Justice For All
« Last Edit: November 17, 2015, 01:48:26 PM by mikemangioy »
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Offline Evermind

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You left The Dream Sequencer out? I'm not following this shit.

:neverusethis:
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline Sacul

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You left The Dream Sequencer out? I'm not following this shit.
Fixed.

Offline mikemangioy

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You guys  :rollin
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Offline jjrock88

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following

Online wolfking

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Some strong albums listed there, looking forward to the actual list.
Everyone else, except Wolfking is wrong.

Offline sneakyblueberry

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Wait, wasn't Rust in Peace your number 9 or something?  You mean to tell me you've found 41 new albums that you like better than your previous number 9???? THIS IS HORSE SHIT MANGIOY


... following.

Offline bl5150

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You left Rust In Peace out? I'm not following this shit.

:neverusethis:

FTFM
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Offline ThatOneGuy2112

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Rust in Peace and Powerslave made my own top 50. Those are some great picks. :tup

Follooooow

Offline mikemangioy

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Wait, wasn't Rust in Peace your number 9 or something?  You mean to tell me you've found 41 new albums that you like better than your previous number 9???? THIS IS HORSE SHIT MANGIOY

Yeah kind of ridiculous,  but I had to sacrifice something from the top ten so it doesn't get too stale and repetitive.

Anyways, thanks to all those who'll follow, first update coming one hourish later than I told you because life is hard.
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Offline mikemangioy

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Starting the list off, this is what is called a modern prog classic.


#50: Opeth - Blackwater Park
2001 - Progressive Death Metal - Sweden

You know, Opeth have been one of those bands with which I used the more “A little of each” approach, meaning that I only listened to a couple of songs from all the records. This was  also because they took a relatively long time to grow on me completely, and so I didn’t listen to the actual records until December – that’s when I’ve explored this band a little more. And them showing up in here is the result.

Blackwater Park has been always acclaimed as one of the best Progressive Metal albums of all times, and while it is surely a classic, I can’t say that I completely agree with that statement. We’ll see why in a bit.

So, this album was “painfully conceived” (as the booklet says :lol) at Fredman Studios, in Sweden, and was mostly written (as all Opeth records) by the band’s frontman, Mikael Akerfeldt. I’ve already expressed my immense love and respect for this man in my previous list, but I’ve been kind of an ass not including any Opeth album too. In terms of production, with this album some kind of relationship begins between the band and another immense immense musician, Steven Wilson. Since this album he’s worked on every Opeth release and eventually he and Mikael formed a duo, and made the album “Storm Corrosion”, which is ambient/proggy-folk, very weird, but still stellar.
In this album Opeth’s pre-keyboards sound is at its complete evolution: the songs are long, featuring mostly intricate and stream-of-consciousness-styled structures, which may be a bit overwhelming on the first listens: infact there are just a few recurring parts in the songs and so it’s prog in every sense of the word: even the songs progress, they evolve, in the words of Mikael, they feel like a journey.

The riffs are creative, complex but yet catchy and interesting, and they’re capable of creating a beautiful, haunting atmosphere, painting a really beautiful picture of (this is at least what they remind me of) forests, autumn, fog and other stuff like that. That’s amazing, few bands can really do that, and Opeth is one of them for sure. Also, the transitions between heavy and soft (and viceversa) are flawless, they feel very natural even though we’re talking about two completely different dynamics. With SW at production, you should expect the best, and indeed it is an awesome sounding album, especially the acoustic guitars and the drums, good God, that snare sound. The lyrics (which are also penned by Akerfeldt) are quite complex too, and I don’t always understand them, but still, they’re very beautiful and they help the atmosphere and the pathos.
The band performance is also stunning, Martin Mendez on bass does a really cool and clever job creating bass lines that play with the guitar parts, not necessarily following them, and Lopez surprises us once in a while with some fast double bass parts. Mikael is capable of using his melodic voice and growl at their best in this album, and I really love both sides of his voice, he’s a top 5 vocalist of mine. Wow.

So, this album opens up with The Leper Affinity, which hits you in the face with a pounding 6/8 riff (very recurring time signature in Opeth) after the creepy organ buildup. This song opens the album really well, and it’s an amazing showcase of the band’s heavier sound. All the riffs are great, and they’re really fun to play – it also flows very well, 10 minutes fly by in the blink of an eye, and all of the sudden you find yourself in the beautiful piano outro, which closes the song with a melanchonic touch. Bleak is next, and it may possibly be my favorite; this song is much more melodic than the previous track, but it’s still heavy, especially during the finale. There are two things about this song that make me enjoy it so much: one is a section I call “Steven Chorus” in which Steven Wilson makes a vocal appearance, and it’s just a gorgeous melody. The other section is the acoustic transition… I’ve got no words for that, it’s just pure eargasm material. The album goes on with Harvest, a nice ballad which makes a good breathing space between other epic and heavy pieces. I really love the vocal lines in this one, although it’s not my favorite Opeth ballad. After that The Drapery Falls starts, and here the record begins to sound a little repetitive, but more of that later. This song is bipolar: the first half is in a power-ballad style, with a beautiful chorus, the second part is heavier and features growls. One highlight of this piece is the 5/8 riff after the first growl section. Good heavens, that’s really sick. Like really really really sick. Overall it’s a great song, but it does drag a bit, and I think that it’s because of its placement, I mean it’s basically another 6/8 ballad afer another 6/8 ballad, so yep. Next up is Dirge For November, which is my least favorite song. Now, this song represents my biggest Opeth critic: they are repetitive. Every song has that same atmosphere, but they are clever because they keep it cool throwing neat riffs at you, so yeah. This reason is why I prefer a particular album over this one, you’ll see with time. So, even though it’s really uninspired for me, Dirge For November features both a beautiful intro and outro. The Funeral Portrait is a shorter (well, 8 minutes.. but you get what I mean :lol) heavy song, and it has some of the coolest riffs in the album, along with top notch growls, until everything goes melodic in the last section, creating great contrast. After a great acoustic interlude, under the name of Patterns In The Ivy (such a cool title) the final track begins, and it’s a vortex of pure evil and darkness: Blackwater Park, with its lyrics about the darkest side of humanity, has growls all the way through. Each riff is a little masterpiece in this one, and everything is stopped after the first verse, when a creepy and eerie arpeggio part begins, and it’s one of the best moments in the entire album. After that the song goes heavy again and it builds and builds and builds until THE SUUUUN SETS FOR-EVAAAAAH OVER BLACKWATER PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK BOOM- nope. Acoustic outro for ya. And that closes the album masterfully.

So, overall, this is an awesome record, but can be repetitive, and kinda tiring to listen to. Still, it’s a progressive masterpiece, and one that you need to check out if you didn’t. Also, multiple listens required.

Favorite tracks: The Leper Affinity, Bleak, Blackwater Park
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 01:42:00 PM by mikemangioy »
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Offline Elite

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Come on man, Blackwater Park is top 10 material.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Sacul

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I'm fine with it on this position. I agree, it can be a bit repetitive at times, but it's a great listen nevertheless.

Offline Evermind

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It's one of the better Opeth albums with growls, but still... it's with growls.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline mikemangioy

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Let's continue with these gorgeous new forum graphics  :lol :rollin :lol :rollin (for the confused people of the future, use this, and try to search for the forum during April 1st 2015.


#49: Sabaton - Heroes
2014 - Power Metal - Sweden

This is one of my favorite albums of 2014. Could it be because it came out on my birthday? Maybe, but still, I’m not that egocentric :lol

So, I wanted to include this album because, even though it’s not my favorite by Sabaton, I wanted to honor the band’s second era, because since Carolus Rex four members of the band left, and so since 2012 there’s been this new lineup, which is what  I ultimately think about when I think of Sabaton, so yep.

Heroes was recorded in the Abyss Studios, in Ludvika, Sweden. It’s the same studio in which the previous 3 albums were recorded, and you can really tell that the band became comfortable with it. BUT it’s almost a completely new lineup, and this is one of the high points of the strength in Sabaton – they still sound like Sabaton, even though they went through this drastic lineup change. That’s because of lots of touring, as you can tell by the tour vlogs. Go check them out, hilarious stuff.

As every Sabaton album, this one is really fun, catchy, epic sounding and also a bit heavier I think. The band, as I’ve said, sounds tight and the arrangements of the songs do a real great job with nice interplay between the two guitars, melodic synths, and a bombastic drum sound, which may be one of my favorite drum sounds ever. As always, good ol’ Joakim Brodén provides amazing vocals, raw but melodic and very powerful. Lyrically, instead of focusing on battles and war, the band with Heroes tried to focus on individual soldiers or companies that went beyond their call of duty, and did actions which caused them to be called, of course, “Heroes”.

This record starts with Night Witches which I proclaimed since the first listen an istant classic – it might be the band’s best opener after Ghost Division, or hell even better than that. This song is fast and short but reeeally memorable, and its strong points are the vocal lines, and the glorious chorus. Up next is No Bullets Fly, a pounding disco drum track with heavy riffs and one great chorus with nice backing vocals. The lyrics show that no matter how hard we may hate each other during war, in the end we’re all humans and inevitably help each other. One of my favorites, Smoking Snakes, is the third track. It’s a furious and triumphant 6/8 piece with good lyrics and melodies throughout. Although here I start to think of this band’s issue: their music is repetitive, throughout albums. I mean a lot of times there are really similar melodies going on, even from other songs, and there’s a strong feeling of the “it reminds me of” factor, the same problem with Iron Maiden, let’s say. Well, the next two tracks are the contrary of that: Inmate 4859 is an unusual song for Sabaton, since it’s fairly slow, a little creepy, but still a great chorus and an unexpected classical twist near the end – whilist To Hell And Back features country influences including the use of whistles, trumpets and even a jew’s harp. This song is really addicting, since it’s very catchy too, and it has also a great music video, proving the strong story behind the song, about a man that  after battling with enemies, ultimately battles with himself. The Ballad Of The Bull is my least favorite tune. Ballads are really not for Sabaton, Joakim’s voice doesn’t really fit the slow and melodic moods (of course there are exceptions: A Lifetime Of War), so  yep, I don’t really like this track, even though I admit it has a strong melody in the chorus. The record goes on with Resist & Bite, a march-like song which is great to sing along to, Soldier Of Three Armies, a track in which I find again the repetitivity issue, but this time less so, because the song features cool ideas throughout, and Far From The Fame which I heard long before the album came out because of the DVD Swedish Empire Live. The record closes with Hearts Of Iron, and the song is basically Uprising meets The Price Of A Mile. I really like the anthemic sound of this song, and it’s a really great closer, with a strong concept and vocal melodies. Also nice Bach guitar solo.

Overall Heroes is a very cool and easy listen, and pretty short too (36 minutes), if you want a quick album, catchy all the way through, but still heavy and, well, glorious, there you have it.

Favorites: Night Witches, Smoking Snakes, To Hell And Back, Resist & Bite

---

It's one of the better Opeth albums with growls, but still... it's with growls.

Yeah, I know you're not pretty keen on growls. But still, it's cool that you actually like it.


Come on man, Blackwater Park is top 10 material.

Yeah, I can see where all the hype comes from, but it ultimately doesn't hit me as much as some other people.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 01:42:17 PM by mikemangioy »
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Offline Evermind

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Tanks and stuff
« Reply #15 on: April 01, 2015, 01:26:32 PM »
Saw Sabaton live on this album's tour just a month ago. They rocked the hell out of the venue.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Tanks and stuff
« Reply #16 on: April 01, 2015, 01:31:42 PM »
Saw Sabaton live on this album's tour just a month ago. They rocked the hell out of the venue.

Which show were you at precisely? I'm curious to see the setlist
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Offline Evermind

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Tanks and stuff
« Reply #17 on: April 01, 2015, 01:40:02 PM »
Saw Sabaton live on this album's tour just a month ago. They rocked the hell out of the venue.

Which show were you at precisely? I'm curious to see the setlist

The one in Moscow at 6th of March. Here's the setlist, I think that should work.
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Tanks and stuff
« Reply #18 on: April 01, 2015, 01:51:12 PM »
The one in Moscow at 6th of March. Here's the setlist, I think that should work.
Wow you got Stalingrad  :o  :metal - they never play that one.
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Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #19 on: April 02, 2015, 05:54:17 AM »

# 48: Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
2006 - Pop/Progressive/Electronic/Latin Rock - UK

One of the things I’m trying to do in this V2 is honor some of the honorable mentions by including them in the list, and this is one of ‘em, Muse’s third album, Black Holes And Revelations.
Usually the most praised albums by the fanbase are the first three records, but I’m in the vast minority, because I really prefer the latter three (I hope four, with Drones coming out soon), I think mostly because I grew up with ‘em. I actually remember when this one came out, I was 7, and so this one of the very few bands that I’ve been following for ten years.

BH&R was recorded in various studios in New York, France, Italy and England – and I have to say, the production suffers a bit in this one. It’s not that bad, but I wish it was more clean, and that the primary instruments were more upfront.

So, this album showcases some strange Muse experiments, some of these sounds are  only used in this record: we have a more prominent use of synths, and some strong latin/Spanish influences – I would love to hear ‘em again someday. As always, the three guys are top notch and pretty distinguable, Matt’s voice shines through, and has some of the best performance ever, Chris rocks his bass as always, and Dominic really rocks in this one, showcasing his abilities like never before. One thing that this album lacks are riffs. Sure, there are a couple, but there’s never a WOAH riff, like there’s always been in every Muse album. I guess that’s part of experimenting, a thing that I’m grateful they do, because they’re really successful, and kind of bring prog to the masses.

The album opens with Take A Bow, strange choice for an opener, but still, works ok. This song is how you do a build-up properly, since it’s based off of a synth pattern that repeats itself, and Matt sings lines about corruption and V-For-Vendetta kind of stuff. It’s really emotional and gives me goosebumps every time, especially the very last note. It’s sadly underrated though, unlike the next track, which is sadly overrated:Starlight. Now, don’t get me wrong, this song is alright, I appreciate the way it’s dynamic with melodic verses and stronger choruses, but I wish people (and the band) would focus on objectively better songs, rather than a catchy tune about being loved. Not that it’s a bad song, again. Another commercial success, but a lot better in my book, is Supermassive Black Hole. I’ve known this song for about ten years, I listen to it every single day, no joke, and it still doesn’t bore me. That’s how you pass the test of time, ladies and djents. This song features Matt’s falsetto throughout, and it really fits the song. I just wish that it was a full heavy composition, without the strange drums, but with a proper rhythm – imagine it, it would break our necks! Map Of The Problematique is one of my least favorites, it’s bland, repetitive and flat, it doesn’t really grow in any sense. The lyrics, though are great:

"And no one think we are to blame,
why can’t we see
that when we bleed we bleed the same”


These are accompanied by a great vocal line. I just wish that  the music was more dynamic and creative. Soldier’s Poem is one of the few ‘strange experiments’ in the album. This one is practically a bluesy ballad. Dom uses brushes and there’s a strong Queen influence. I don’t really dig it, but I appreciate its presence on the record; what follows is one of my favorite ballads by these guys, Invincible. This is how you do love songs, you start with a low dynamic and gradually grow and grow until the last chorus is the most epic thing you’ll ever hear – they’ve used this technique even in Madness, and that’s what saves that song from being an ordinary pop song. So, yes, very cool track, with a very cool music video too. Up next is the heavy track Assassin: it’s no secret that I like the heavier side of this band, and this song is no exception – with an incredible chorus and great great drum performance by Dominic (DAT drum fill before the heaviness ensues  :metal). Again, sadly underrated, like Exo-Politics, a catchy tune about believing in aliens and stuff. It features a cool pulsating rhythm in 4/4, a great chorus and yeah, cheesy lyrics, but what the hell, it’s so groovy that I don't care about 'em. Following with the underrated tracks,City Of Delusion, a synth-ish bassline (reminds me of Darkshines from Origin Of Symmetry) and latin influences, with trumpets, strings and stuff. The latin stuff goes on with Hoodoo, a strong song, with great feel and a dramatic sound. Peculiar song for Muse, I wish they’d play this live more, because the HAARP version is stunning. And there it is, one of my absolute favorites, and probably one of many people’s absolute favorites, Knights Of Cydonia, a 2-parts country-infused galloping tune. It sets a really good vibe, and it’s heavy enough to headbang to, especially the second section (the crowd usually goes nuts during this). This could open the album really well actually, I’d swap It with Take A Bow, which could close it well also.

So, overall, this album is full of nostalgia for me, it’s not Muse’s best work objectively, but I still enjoy it a lot and there are great tunes all over. I’ll wait impatiently for Drones, but until then…

YOUR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASS BELONGS TO MEEEE NOOOOWOWOW

Favorites: Take A Bow, Supermassive Black Hole, Assassin, Exo-Politics, Knights Of Cydonia
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 01:43:05 PM by mikemangioy »
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Offline Scorpion

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #20 on: April 02, 2015, 09:00:08 AM »
I'll pretend you didn't say anything about there actually being objectivity in music, because otherwise we would be here all night, and just say that Black Holes is very good. Not my favourite Muse album, but it does sit comfortably at #3 behind Origin of Symmetry and The Second Law.

Also, props for that Rammstein album on the honourable mentions. I didn't like it much at first, but it has grown on me a lot. Have you listened to the bonus tracks? Three of the five are some of the best songs that Rammstein have written and are inifinitely better than songs like Roter Sand. Also, my mother sings in the choir on that album, which is pretty dope. :metal
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Hey, the length is fine :azn: Thanks!

Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #21 on: April 02, 2015, 09:53:56 AM »
Also, my mother sings in the choir on that album, which is pretty dope. :metal

Neat!  :metal
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Offline ThatOneGuy2112

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #22 on: April 02, 2015, 12:04:43 PM »
Yeah, I'll just go ahead and censor the word "objectively" in my head when I read these write-ups now. :lol

Blackwater Park is far too low. ;)

I'm really not into Muse's most recent records, and Black Holes is probably the last of theirs I'd call "great". Not a bad choice at all.

Offline Evermind

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #23 on: April 02, 2015, 12:15:26 PM »
Muse? I'll pass.

Actually though, I'm looking at my Top 50 once again, and while there are some mediocre songs on the albums in 40-50th place range, I don't think I would call any song from them "one of my least favorites, bland, repetitive and flat".

And yeah, let's not start that objective vs. subjective debate once again. :lol
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. Cowboys on Mars
« Reply #24 on: April 02, 2015, 12:34:52 PM »
man, i love map of the problematique, you cray man

Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #25 on: April 02, 2015, 01:11:54 PM »

# 47: Anthrax - Worship Music
2011 - Heavy/Thrash Metal - New York, USA

Here’s one of the first few metal groups I’ve go tinto. If Metallica showed me how to play aggressive music that also has class, Slayer showed me how dark can everything be and Megadeth showed me how much skill can a band have, Anthrax did show me that at the end of the day it was all about having fun and kick ass. This band brings to the stage its energy, and make a bunch of 50 year old man, seem like they’re in their 20s.

Worship Music was their first album in eight years, and it felt like they really needed to come back with a bang after all this time. Well, did they? Kind of. This is a great album, but it has some major flaws. But let’s not look at that quite yet.

To begin with, this record has an awesome production, every instrument is crystal clear in the mix, the drum sound is great and the guitars are fat and heavy. The band itself is in great shape, the best ones being as always (probably one of my favorite rhythm section ever) the uncle-nephew duo, Charlie Benante and Frank Bello. These guys make my day whenever I hear them play. Charlie has the most awesome, but still subtle, ideas for his drum parts, and Frank Bello is always there, the bass is always heard and I love this stuff. Scott and Rob are throwing epic riff after epic riff, and there’s also a renewed Joey Belladonna, who sounds the same, but has more catchy vocal melodies than he ever did before. And I like that. The songs are action packed, heavy, catchy and memorable especially. Regarding the lyrics, they’re not that awesome, actually. Bummer.

The album opens (after the “Worship” ambient intro) with a bang: Earth On Hell is a heck of a furious track – fast and very heavy at the same time, especially at the very beginning. It left me surprised actually the first time I heard it. Overall a classic Anthrax song, which is very memorable especially, once again, thanks to its heaviness. Another memorable thing is found in the next track, The Devil You Know: the stop and go riff. So catchy. Other than that, the song has a really strong and melodic chorus. And also some random screams thrown in which crack me up everytime. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t, a zombie-themed song, has brilliant riffs all over, and one heck of a performance by Charlie. Jesus, that bridge section. Also, the solo in this song is worth mentioning. I’m Alive is probably the poppiest entry in the record, featuring an uplifting groovy riff, a catchy chorus and a groovy second half, even though I think it should’ve been trimmed down a bit. After that, it’s In The End’s turn, and here comes one of the problems with this album, it could be either good or bad. I can’t really pick a favorite tune, but at the same time I can’t also really say that it’s because the songs are too awesome or they’re too average. Quite an enigma for me, this is. Well, whatever, the thing is, In The End is proooobably my favorite. But I’m not sure at 100%. Once again, heavy, this time emotional (the song is dedicated to both Dio and Dimebag, so yep) and DAT palm-muted riff. The Giant is the last song I really like until the last track. It’s fun, fast and I like the structure of the vocals, the melodies (the chorus, man) and the 000000. 000000. 000000. 000000. After this song the album gets kinda bland. Judas Priest is a filler, easy. It steals the riff from I’m Alive and the chorus from Earth On Hell. Come on, ‘Thrax, you're better than that. Crawl is fairly meh, but not that bad either. The Constant IMO is really boring, bland, and really should’ve not be there. But after three really meh songs the album picks up its pace again with Revolution Screams, one great final track, featuring stunning double bass work by Charlie, and a heavy-as-fuck riff. It’s also not your typical Anthrax song, I like how the band explored a little more.

So yeah, overall, nice record, but it could’ve been shorter. The flow is amazing on the first 6 tracks and then it gets boring. We didn’t need fillers, it could’ve been just a tidbit shorter and be more awesome, but whatever, I’m grateful for the rest of the songs up there. Waiting for the new album!

Favorites: The Devil You Know, Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't, In The End, The Giant

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I don't think I would call any song from them "one of my least favorites, bland, repetitive and flat".

It's actually not that bad, I've said it in the writeup. It just lacks dynamics to me, and that makes it feel uninterasting.

man, i love map of the problematique, you cray man

 ;D
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 01:43:35 PM by mikemangioy »
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Offline Sacul

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #26 on: April 02, 2015, 01:27:37 PM »
 :corn

Offline jjrock88

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #27 on: April 02, 2015, 03:39:51 PM »
very cool Anthrax pick!

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #28 on: April 02, 2015, 04:25:42 PM »
very cool Anthrax pick!
Worship Music finally clicked with me a couple of months ago. It's a great album.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #29 on: April 02, 2015, 05:55:03 PM »
I still don't understand how an album where a third of it is bland and boring to your ears can even come near a list like this, but whatever. I personally dig Worship Music a bit more than you seem to and would rank it considerably lower (it might touch my Top 100, were I ever to make such a list, but probably not).
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Hey, the length is fine :azn: Thanks!

Offline Sacul

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #30 on: April 02, 2015, 06:01:49 PM »
To be honest, that's how the top 50-tier of my list was like - didn't have enough excellent albums to cover all the spots, so had to add some merely good ones instead.

Offline ThatOneGuy2112

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #31 on: April 02, 2015, 09:55:42 PM »
I'm with Scorpion, it does raise the question of how many albums you've listened to when an album in the top 50 is merely "good". :P

Offline mikemangioy

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Re: MikeMangioy's top 50 albums...AGAIN?! (v2 list) - v. One heavy return
« Reply #32 on: April 03, 2015, 01:02:09 AM »
Well, what can I say guys? It is what it is, it's like Sacul said. Things get significantly better now. It's just those four spots where the albums "great" and not "amazing" to me. Just because there are one or two underwhelming songs, it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy the album and that it can't be in the top 50. As you  may probably know, I listen to less music than most of you, so this is the result    :D
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# 46: Yes - Fragile
1971 - Classic Progressive Rock - UK

Yes are probably my favorite-sounding classic prog act. To begin with, I love Jon Anderson’s voice, very particular, and it can create this cool atmosphere, that I can’t really describe in words. The other guys in the band are also pretty amazing in what they do: we have Rick Wakeman, one of the greatest keyboardists at his times, Bill Bruford, an old version of Mangini basically, Chris Squire tone is awesome, and the stuff he plays fills the songs with a great fat end. And then Steve Howe, a man of which I especially love the quirkiness of his parts and his acoustic guitar sound, which is honestly the best acoustic guitar sound I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. But why do I focus so much on the members of the band? Well, that’s because it’s what this album is.

Fragile is, infact, a collection of little solos, along with four actual songs, and there’s a “solo” piece to each member. I like this experiment, it makes you understand what’s really behind a band songwriting, much like Periphery did with Clear. Only this is better. IMO at least.

This was recorded in London (Advision Studios), and honestly I didn’t listen to the original version, because the remastered is just sooo perfect. It’s amazing what modern technology can do to relatively old music. The sound is so crystal clear, especially drums and acoustic guitars. Props to Dan Hersch, who did the thing.

So, as I’ve said, Fragile is four songs + little solo tracks. It opens with Roundabout, one of the best openers around; the song makes you think is gonna be sad, with the beautifully touching acoustic guitar intro, but eventually transitions in the happiest thing you’ll ever hear. I mean, it just makes you smile, especially the chorus. If every song had a face, :D would be the one for Roundabout. Also love the heavy riff in the middle of the song. Cans And Brahms is Rick Wakeman’s solo piece, even though it’s actually a cover of a composition by Johannes Brahms. It’s a pleasant and quirky listen, although admittedly a strange piece to put on a record. We Have Heaven is Jon Anderson’s piece, a nice groovy song with, of course, lots of layered vocals and choirs and stuff like that. It’s suddenly interrupted by a door and some footseps, that freak me out everytime. South Side Of The Sky is “actual song” number 2. This one showcases Yes’ heavier edge, with ominous guitars and one awesome interlude, featuring a grand piano solo and after that, layered vocals, a thing that Steven Wilson would be proud of. I like this track. Five Percent For Nothing is Bill Bruford’s piece, and it’s 35 seconds of random notes along with some organ chords and some drumming paradiddles within hi-hat, snare and kick drum. The fuck, Bill. Long Distance Runaround is the next actual song, and it’s quirkiness galore. The main melody is once again pretty happy, and high too. It also features a cool polyrhytmic figure in the verses. The Fish is my favorite little-tune. Chris Squire gives us a layered bass performance, with multiple tracks, one great groove and a vocal line. It’s cool. The last solo song is Mood For A Day, an acoustic guitar solo. What can I say, I love Steve’s acoustic work, as I’ve stated. This is no exception – an emotional solo, a great prelude to the dark and proggy Heart Of The Sunrise. Jeez, this track is the bomb. This is prog done masterfully. It’s very dynamic, serious but quirky, the vocal melodies are touching and epic, the lyrics? Same. I raise my hands. It’s like forshadowing Dream Theater and Haken – it really reminds me of Haken, ‘cause of the quirkiness and vocals, Ross and Jon have very similar voices. So yep, masterful track, hard to describe but beautiful.

What else to say about Fragile? It’s strange, its flow is not that great, but I appreciate the experiment, and the standalone tracks are just gorgeous. Chapeau.

Favorite tracks: Roundabout, Heart Of The Sunrise
« Last Edit: April 07, 2015, 01:44:00 PM by mikemangioy »
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Yeay, well, I just think every album in any top 50 list should be 'amazing' by the stadards of the person making the list. There's no point in creating a 'Top 50 albums list' if you've only heard 70 records of which you think half is crap. Now, that's me exaggerating, but you get the point.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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