Katt's Top 50 Albums v. I bless the rains down in Africa [#1]

[cramx3]

Perhaps it's because I got 'in' to Avantasia via The Wicked Trilogy, but I just find the two TMO albums to be really good, but not exactly wow-worthy.  There are some fantastic tunes in there for sure, but overall I still place both of them behind the three Avantasia albums that followed them - yes, even Angel of Babylon (but not by much).

Yea I didn't get into Avantasia until way later so the first two albums definitely feel different, but also just kind of aren't as good as what came after.  Solid albums for sure, just not consistent enough for me to rank them any higher than the bottom of Avantasia's discography.

[The Walrus]

I am a staunch defender and advocate of the Golden Years Of Power Metal, which were propelled chiefly in my mind by the likes of (early) Avantasia and Edguy, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, and Blind Guardian, more or less. Back in the day, when there was no Scarecrow, when Avantasia was on indefinite hiatus, man, there was VERY little in the minds of myself and the power metal communities I was in that was on the level of Metal Opera II. It's showing its age now... but damn is it special to me.

Note: Moonglow actually beat out Iced Earth for a position on this list. Sorry, IE. Something Wicked almost made it to #50.

[cramx3]

Yea, I can totally see that.  If I had been a fan at that time, those albums would probably be regarded much higher

[Kwyjibo]

I think Part 1 of the Metal Operas is the better of the two. Part 2 is still really good though.


And my favorite Avantasia record is still The Scarecrow.

[The Walrus]

I'm also pretty young by this forum's average (no offense  ) so of course my age surely colors my impression of those years. I was like 12 when I started really digging into power metal. That was 16 years ago! Spent a lot of time growing up with Pt. II. Pt. I rules. If I did a top 100...

[cramx3]

damn, I definitely didn't know what power metal was at 12, I was still just listening to what was on the radio although just starting to find my own path, but yea, those albums that I loved around that age, I still love today and would probably turn some heads if I did a top 50 because they would land somewhere around them (this was mostly punk/ska music for me).

[The Walrus]

Listened to Infinite and Poetry for the Poisoned.  Enjoy'd the latter more than the former, but Infinite was a good listen.  I suppose hearing it without the buildup of the run of albums before it (talking about PftP here) allows me to appreciate it for what it is, and not with any pre-conceived notions or expectations.  This is one Kamelot album that I haven't actually purchased, so I think I'll add it to my library.  Ooohhh... $10, and iTunes is selling a bonus Live at Wacken 2010 disc along with it.  Cha-ching

Yay 

[jingle.boy]

Yea, I can totally see that.  If I had been a fan at that time, those albums would probably be regarded much higher

Ditto.

damn, I definitely didn't know what power metal was at 12, I was still just listening to what was on the radio although just starting to find my own path

Ditto.  Wasn't until I was 14 that I got myself converted to real music.  And I can TOTALLY relate to the fact that music we discovered in our most influential years (ie, teens) still resonates.  My Top 50 has albums like Dr. Feelgood, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Appetite for Destruction, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria.  Things that aren't exactly in my wheelhouse nowadays, if not for being ingrained in my musical DNA.

[The Walrus]

The changing of tastes is inevitabre!!!

[twosuitsluke]

Man, I didn't get into power metal until the mid 2000's. Even then I listened to a limited number of bands (mainly Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Helloween and DragonForce). This is making me want to give some of these other albums a go. I'm familiar with most of the bands here and have listened to albums by Avantasia, Stratovarius and Kamelot, just not any of the actual albums listed.

I'm following along and adding stuff to my Spotify playlists. It may take me a number of months before I get around to some of these but dammit Katt, you've got me curious as to what power metal gems I missed out on!

[Crow]

At 14 I was listening to dream theater, nowadays I only listen to brutal blackened deathcore grind and think anything less heavy than that isn't real music so I understand

[The Walrus]

Man, I didn't get into power metal until the mid 2000's. Even then I listened to a limited number of bands (mainly Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Helloween and DragonForce). This is making me want to give some of these other albums a go. I'm familiar with most of the bands here and have listened to albums by Avantasia, Stratovarius and Kamelot, just not any of the actual albums listed.

I'm following along and adding stuff to my Spotify playlists. It may take me a number of months before I get around to some of these but dammit Katt, you've got me curious as to what power metal gems I missed out on!

This makes me happy! Take your time.

Dragonforce absolutely dominated my musical life from 2004 to 2010. I'd say outside of Stratovarius they had the most mammoth impact on my taste. I used to listen to all 3 early albums at least once a day, every day, for months on end. MONTHS.

EDIT: I think I'll start adding Spotify links to the albums from now on, for ease of access.

[twosuitsluke]

Looking forward to seeing my fave (Sonic Firestorm) featured later then.

[TAC]

I used to listen to all 3 early albums at least once a day, every day,

Which ironically can be achieved by only listening one song.

[The Walrus]

Haven't heard that one before!! 

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Ditto.  Wasn't until I was 14 that I got myself converted to real music.  And I can TOTALLY relate to the fact that music we discovered in our most influential years (ie, teens) still resonates.  My Top 50 has albums like Dr. Feelgood, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Appetite for Destruction, Slippery When Wet, Hysteria.  Things that aren't exactly in my wheelhouse nowadays, if not for being ingrained in my musical DNA.

To be fair, Whitesnake, Slippery When Wet, and Hysteria are all fantastic albums.

[TAC]

Hysteria blows.

[cramx3]

Those are all great albums

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Hysteria blows.

[TAC]

It's terrible. I know. It's me. But it might be one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard. We waited so long for that album.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

It's terrible. I know. It's me. But it might be one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard. We waited so long for that album.

I'll admit that it was no where near as good as the albums that preceded it. And there are a few clunkers, but overall it's an enjoyable album.

[TAC]

I found it so frustrating. Like, what happened to Def Leppard. It's a different band. I'm not saying there aren't some decent tunes on it (there aren't..), The B sides were so much better.

It is just overproduced studio crap.

[TAC]

So...back to the countdown..



The Metal Opera Part II is a great album. I love The Seven Angels, especially the back and forth between DeFeis and Kiske in the early verses. Might be my favorite Avantasia passage.

Chalice Of Agony!!

[jingle.boy]

Hysteria blows.

Oh don’t worry, I knew that was coming. Nowadays, I’d sooner reach for Pyromania, but Hysteria was the one that had the bigger impact on me. And if not for Love Bites, it would be a 5* album.

[TAC]

To me, the only "real" Def Leppard song on Hysteria is Gods Of War.


In a vacuum, I like the title track, Love And Affection, and Run Riot. But I hardly consider them Def Leppard songs. At least not the Def Leppard I grew up with.

The studio gadgetry is such a turn off.

[jingle.boy]

Well, I mean... they only had 9 hands to work with. 

[Cool Chris]

Yeah, how dare a band not write and record the exact same style of album throughout their career.

Hysteria was either the first or second CD I bought with my own money for my own stereo I also bought with my own money. I was familiar with the hits from H&D/Pyromania but not as full albums. A couple of the Hysteria singles were out by this time and I loved it. I didn't weigh my love for it in the context of their other albums. It was just a damn fine album from start to finish.

And yeah, Avantasia is a band I've been trying to listen to more of since my own Roulette.

[TAC]

You guys are excused for buying Hysteria as young lads with your lawn mowing allowance.

[Cool Chris]

Uh, hello... I delivered newspapers. You know, those pieces of paper that your generation still gets all your news from. 

[TAC]

I delivered papers from September of 1983 to September of 1984. That paper route paid for my first concert, ironically Def Leppard, and so many albums. I think I bough 1 or 2 a week for most of that year.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Listened to Moonglow again. I give it a 6/10

I'm giving Shambala another listen.

[wolfking]

Great pick.  I prefer part 1, but part 2 isn't far behind.

[Stadler]

I found it so frustrating. Like, what happened to Def Leppard. It's a different band. I'm not saying there aren't some decent tunes on it (there aren't..), The B sides were so much better.

It is just overproduced studio crap.

I have a man-crush on TAC right now.  High 'n' Dry was - at the time - about the perfect album.  Ten songs, no f*****g around, even the ballad had some balls to it.    Pyromania was... well...  okay, it's good, but there were one or two songs that maybe the chicks liked a little too much.   But there was still some balls (we all knew it was Steve Clark holding down the fort!)   And then... the arms wheels fell off and everything changed.   The first singles here in the States were Animal and Women, and neither one had the urgency or the immediacy of "Let It Go" or "Billy's Got A Gun".   And then it got worse:  "Hysteria", "Love Bites"...  and back then, it wasn't "CDs" or "downloads", it was 7" singles, and I remember being at college and flipping over "Animal" and listening to "I Wanna Be Your Hero" or flipping over "Women" and hearing "Tear It Down" (not the same version as on Adrenalize) then later, the b-side "Ring Of Fire", and thinking "who was the brainiac that left THESE off the record??

I don't think Hysteria "blows", but at the time it was a huge left turn (make that sound of a record needle being pulled off the record right about now) and for a guy that was bigger into Priest, Maiden, Ozzy, Rainbow, Rush...   yeah. 

[The Walrus]

The good songs on Hysteria: Rocket, Animal, Love Bites, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Armageddon It, Hysteria (Animal RULES!)

The good songs on Pyromania: Photograph, Foolin', Rock of Ages

Hysteria wins easily. One of the few 80s albums I grew up with! My mom had both of those on cassette. I remember not liking Leppard as a little kid because they were "too heavy"  No wonder I grew up to like Aquaria. I bet if I was born in the 70s I would've been a diehard Leppard fan. I just DO NOT get what they've been doing since those days, though. Very weird direction they've gone.

Also Tobias Sammet wrote the best Def Leppard song Def Leppard never wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SVLBZyOO4w (I think it's about one of their roadies who loves DL... lol)

[Stadler]

I'm not arguing with you Katt; I've come to really like Hysteria.  But at the time it was such a jarring blow.   You've got to remember, too, Hysteria came out in August of 1987.  Guess what was released LITERALLY just two weeks before?



(And honestly, Leppard recreates that record live about as well as any band can; they get a lot of shit for perhaps... "augmenting" their sound, but I saw them on the Kiss/Def Leppard tour a couple years ago from like the 15th row, and frankly, other than the transition from the intro-tape of "Won't Get Fooled Again" to them playing it live, there was no vocal/guitar/drum funny business (they did pipe in some of the sound effects).