Favorite songs of the decade

[lonestar]

Yeah he did, not sure if it went through.

[ReaperKK]

#14 Pyramid Theorem- Another Day Slips By, 2012

While the whole of this song is quite excellent, it's the last two minutes that puts it on this list. In what is easily my favorite guitar solo of the decade, Samuel Alexander Ermellini tosses aside the overly wanking standard to deliver some pure soul. It's downright untouchable, and has also earned a spot not only on this list, but also as my phone's ringtone for nearly 8 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YHHRm0wKoM

I've listened to most tracks in this thread and this is now the winner of my favorite song posted here so far. I loved this song, I'm going to go check out some more from them

[jingle.boy]

#14 Pyramid Theorem- Another Day Slips By, 2012

While the whole of this song is quite excellent, it's the last two minutes that puts it on this list. In what is easily my favorite guitar solo of the decade, Samuel Alexander Ermellini tosses aside the overly wanking standard to deliver some pure soul. It's downright untouchable, and has also earned a spot not only on this list, but also as my phone's ringtone for nearly 8 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YHHRm0wKoM

I've listened to most tracks in this thread and this is now the winner of my favorite song posted here so far. I loved this song, I'm going to go check out some more from them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENetUukyXXw

Thank me later  .  The opening segue is pretty cheesy, feel free to skip right to 1:25.

[lonestar]

Nice

The rest of the first album is proggy as fuck, serious instrumental work. Second album is more straight up hard Rock. Throughout it all, Sam is kicking ass, he's so fucking good.

[Stadler]

No. 14:   Sad Song, The Cars

HUGE Cars fan.  As in "I even like Door To Door" Cars fan.   But for better or worse, Ben Orr was a great, huge part of that.  I loved his voice, and he made Ric Ocasek's acquired taste voice palatable.  The contrast was important.  So what to make of the band doing a full album with "all Ric"?  It was a very good album, and it got a LOT of plays. I remember calling in to an internet radio show (Used Bin Radio) with that record as a potential album of the year pick, and while they weren't exactly jumping over their consoles, they didn't exactly laugh either, and I stand by that pick.   

The single is the song that has really resonated, and which I still listen to today.

[ReaperKK]

Oh yeah, that's a beaut for sure.  PT got a lot of good love around here, and I had the pleasure of seeing them live (can't remember if they were a local open for S-X, or Evergrey).  Regardless, they put on a good performance.  Didn't Barry want to hire the guitarist to provide some solo work for Anabasis II (which, ironically I saw an update on FB this morning).

Teramaze / An Ordinary Dream (Enla Momento)

I could've gone with the closer from this album, but this one gets the nod for quantity (12 minutes).  Killer riffs, varied pacing (from panic and frantic to sombre and melancholic) provide different moods throughout the song, and vocals that hit my prog-metal sweet spot.

Loved this song. I agree with you on the vocals, they remind me a bit of the vocals from the band children of nova. One thing that almost always ruins progress metal/rock bands is the vocals, they can be incredibly hit or miss.

[ReaperKK]

Nice

The rest of the first album is proggy as fuck, serious instrumental work. Second album is more straight up hard Rock. Throughout it all, Sam is kicking ass, he's so fucking good.

I'm going to give the first album a spin after I get through my morning meetings:yup

[The Walrus]

2011 was an incredible year of music for me, so I have a couple extras, but all of these have become some of my all-time favorite tracks...

Stratovarius - Elysium

I think this is the single greatest (prog?)power metal epic ever made, no exaggeration, this is hands down the king of epic tracks. Those last 6 minutes with the angelic choirs and mighty synth solo has no peer as far as I'm concerned. This song (and album) set the bar so freaking high that I'm starting to think it ruined most power metal for me in this decade, because most bands have failed to come anywhere close to making something this glorious.

Power Quest - Better Days

This one has gotten me through a lot of hard times over the last 8 years and it just means more to me with each year. Power Quest is near and dear to my heart and Steve Williams is one of the most influential songwriters to me personally. This song speaks to me. Lovely guitar solo to cap off the song. The positivity is palpable.

Rhapsody of Fire - Ad Infinitum / From Chaos To Eternity

The final album of Rhapsody's 10-album saga kicks off with these two tracks. From Chaos To Eternity is one of Rhapsody's greatest songs. Dark verses countered by a grand and majestic chorus, ripping neoclassical lead guitar/keyboard playing, and a ripping solo from Luca Turilli. The hook to this one still gives me goosebumps. It is introduced with the late Sir Christopher Lee narrating in Ad Infinitum, which runs seamlessly into FCTE.

Symphony X - Iconoclast

Haters gonna hate, I think modern Symphony X is incredible and this song sums up everything I love about them. I think the main riff to this song is the greatest metal riff of the decade.

Florence + The Machine - No Light, No Light

Still her best song in my opinion, and got me through some really hard days shortly after this album was released. The lyrics describe a relationship I was in back then, right down to the color of the eyes and the words used. Super powerful song.

Lorenguard - Hands of Chaos

This band came from Indiana and unfortunately aren't around anymore but they're the greatest American power metal band ever in my opinion. The production is better than any other American power metal band I've heard, it sounds crystal clear like a professional big budget European metal band. Epic lyrics, epic keyboard arrangements, epic vocals, god I miss this band. One of the best power metal albums I've ever heard, and they're criminally unheard of. I wish they had finished album #2.

[jingle.boy]

I lost interest in Rhapsody long ago, and despite trying to rekindle my interest, the 'of Fire' albums just failed to capture my interest.  I'll spin this to see if anything's changed, as it's been quite a few years since I tried any of these albums.

Zook gave me a Roulette submission from Lorenguard that I mostly enjoyed, but wasn't wow'd over.

Despite the chugga-chugga style of Iconoclast (album), this is a very good opening track.

Will also spin the others, and report back tomorrow... which I forgot to do on the others.

@Stads... can't say the new music from classic bands does much for me  .  Ronnie sounds great with Rainbow though.
@Katt... still need to spin that Plant album.  I didn't keep up with his post 90s stuff much. Actually, I didn't keep up with much of anything at the start of the millennium, with newborns and all. I'm eager to spin this tomorrow morning.

[TAC]

14. Enbound-Combined The Souls-2011

From 2011's And She Says Gold, which is a really nice album. I love this song and played the shit out of it.

[The Walrus]

I lost interest in Rhapsody long ago, and despite trying to rekindle my interest, the 'of Fire' albums just failed to capture my interest.  I'll spin this to see if anything's changed, as it's been quite a few years since I tried any of these albums.

Zook gave me a Roulette submission from Lorenguard that I mostly enjoyed, but wasn't wow'd over.

The 'of Fire' albums are a mixed bag for me personally. "From Chaos To Eternity" in particular has some high highs but very low lows - chasms, even, in no small part due to Luca's processed, super trebley guitar tone - but the title track is exquisite to me. Lorenguard is for a particular kind of cheese aficionado like myself. 

@Katt... still need to spin that Plant album.  I didn't keep up with his post 90s stuff much. Actually, I didn't keep up with much of anything at the start of the millennium, with newborns and all. I'm eager to spin this tomorrow morning.

It's a good morning album. Not heavy, not fast, but restrained and warm. Hope you like it.

[KevShmev]

I'm raelly into the last couple Plant albums; I think he's really found his stride. Semi-acoustic, but not unplugged, they are very organic and real.  I'm not sure there's a "Stairway To Heaven" in there, but it's all solid.  I could have picked about four or five songs, from any of three or four records (Carry Fire, Lullaby, Band Of Joy).  He's really on here as an artist, not a song. 

The newer Robert Plant stuff has been on my list for years of stuff to check out.  I don't know much of his solo stuff post-Fate of Nations (which is from 1993).

[wolfking]

14. Enbound-Combined The Souls-2011

From 2011's And She Says Gold, which is a really nice album. I love this song and played the shit out of it.

That's a great album. This would be easily the best song, but on a whole it's a fun listen.  Love hearing Lars on more this style too after Work of Art.

[Lethean]

#19 - Borknagar - In a Deeper World
https://youtu.be/zBMrMJEC2ls

A lighter track from them, but they seem to do a great job with those kind of slower, haunting closing tracks.


#18 - Sonata Arctica - Storm the Armada
https://youtu.be/XjRrEV3Qcy0
The newest song on this list.  I actually love this whole album and have played it quite a lot in the last few months.  This track is my favorite, and sometimes I'll play it a few times back to back.


#17 - The Ocean - Devonian: Nascent
https://youtu.be/N9F-Nf3SWtc

An exception to the rule that most of my plays come from full album listens. I don't even own the whole album, but that might change as I start exploring this band more for ProgPower.  This song is incredible, and of course the clean vocals are just amazing.


#16 - Voyager - Ghost Mile
https://youtu.be/oIlMNkW_YrQ

I'd suggest listening to this whole album many times. For me, it was kind of a nice listen, nothing special at first.  But after I listened to it a little more, it grew on me big time.

[Ruba]

So, I'll do a top 25, in no particular order. Here's the first group of five.

Filter - We Hate It When You Get What You Wanted (2012)
Just some goddamn solid industrial metal that gets me pumped every time.

Jinjer - Perennial (2019)
An emotional powerhouse. Tatiana's beautiful lyrics sync so well with the music. There is sadness over the death of everything green during autumn, but Mother Nature will once again flourish in the spring. It is the inevitable, perennial circle of nature.

Honorable mentions: I Speak Astronomy, Cloud Factory

Djerv - The Bowling Pin (2012)
I could've picked any song from this album, it's my favourite of the decade, but it's probably this one that showcases Agnete's vocal talent and their blend of hard rock and black metal the best. If only they'd make another record...

A Perfect Circle - The Doomed (2017)
Ok, this is largely for the lyrics. I think they are one of Maynard's best and really nail down what is going on the world right now. Musically, it's orchestral and grandiose and I have to say the chorus is great.

Leprous - Forced Entry (2012)
There's half a dozen other songs that could be here. I love Bilateral, it's more focused than Tall Poppy Syndrome, but still retains some of its playfulness and this is the highest point of the album for me. Great prog epic chock full of amazing melodies and has one of the best vocal performances of Einar.

Honorable mentions: Slave, Contaminate Me, The Flood

[The Walrus]

Storm the Armada? ... huh. Curious!

[lonestar]

#13 Between The Buried And Me- Voice of Trespass, 2018

While most of this band's work favors the technical, this jazzy/proggy blend of awesome continues to blow me away with every listen. Some of the instrumental work is still hard to wrap my head around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja0EWloqsKo

[jingle.boy]

@ Lethean... I sampled that Sonata release, and was largely unimpressed.  The Ocean and Voyager I've tried, and it's a hard 'no' for me.  I'll give Borknagar a go, but pretty sure that's not my cuppa tea.

@ Tim... it's been a while since I spun that Enbound album (or the sophmore release).  I really liked both of them, so I'll drop this into the rotation.

@ Katt... Elysium, yeah it's a great tune, but a stretch to call it "single greatest (prog?)power metal epic ever made".  Though for a guy who thinks it's mathematically provable that Africa is the greatest song ever laid to tape, I wouldn't expect anything less hyperbolic   PowerQuest - you gave this to me in my roulette. Very nice track, but somewhat pedestrian.  Florence and Lorenguard tracks were really enjoyable - lyrics from the latter were a mound of cheese, but the music was solid.

Also, Band of Joy has been purchased as of a couple of hours ago. 

BTBAM... one of those that doesn't resonate with me that probably should.  But this tune was fun as hell.

My submission today ....

Symphony X / Without You

Is it a Power Ballad?  Probably.  But it's still heavy af.  Underworld is a 5* album top to bottom, and was my #2 AOTY from '15, so something had to appear here.  Without You hits a sweet spot for me of being heavy and light simultaneously.  And of course, Russell Allen.  Romeo's lyrical and musical writing is just top notch.  Love the melodies (both vocal and instrumental) on this one.  Goosebumps.

[Lethean]

Jingle - you told me you liked The Ocean song.  And Voyager did surprisingly well in your roulette.  I think Voyager is your secret favorite band.

[jingle.boy]

Jingle - you told me you liked The Ocean song.  And Voyager did surprisingly well in your roulette.  I think Voyager is your secret favorite band.

Oh, that's the one I spun... you gave it to Tim in his roulette?  Yeah, it was pretty decent.  And The Voyage of I didn't do badly, that's true.  I guess I was just talking more in generalities with those two bands.  I'm just not up for giving multiple chances, when I'm virtually certain most of their output will not appeal, in order to find the handful of things that will.  There's just too many bands/albums that are amazing from start to finish.

[The Walrus]

@ Katt... Elysium, yeah it's a great tune, but a stretch to call it "single greatest (prog?)power metal epic ever made".  Though for a guy who thinks it's mathematically provable that Africa is the greatest song ever laid to tape, I wouldn't expect anything less hyperbolic   PowerQuest - you gave this to me in my roulette. Very nice track, but somewhat pedestrian.  Florence and Lorenguard tracks were really enjoyable - lyrics from the latter were a mound of cheese, but the music was solid.

Both Elysium and Africa are every bit as good as I say they are, you moose knuckle! 

[jingle.boy]

@ Katt... Elysium, yeah it's a great tune, but a stretch to call it "single greatest (prog?)power metal epic ever made".  Though for a guy who thinks it's mathematically provable that Africa is the greatest song ever laid to tape, I wouldn't expect anything less hyperbolic   PowerQuest - you gave this to me in my roulette. Very nice track, but somewhat pedestrian.  Florence and Lorenguard tracks were really enjoyable - lyrics from the latter were a mound of cheese, but the music was solid.

Both Elysium and Africa are every bit as good as I say they are, you moose knuckle! 

Evergrey is better.

[Stadler]

"Dude, I have the best name for our band:   Borknager!"
"Dude, you're fired."


Mine for the day:

No. 13:  "Flight Of Apollo", Angels And Airwaves

So I get it, he's a nut job, but I love Tom DeLonge's voice, and the slightly more sophisticated music and vastly more sophisticated lyrics (I just don't find the sophomore 'humor' of Blink-182 to be funny) make this a band I like.  Recently, he's kind of veered off the track a little (the releases are either digital or bundled with his other stuff, novels and movies and shit) but when it's just the music, it's pretty good.

This song is from the two-CD "Love" set; I've sent "Secret Crowds", from the album before, "I-Empire".

[The Walrus]

@ Katt... Elysium, yeah it's a great tune, but a stretch to call it "single greatest (prog?)power metal epic ever made".  Though for a guy who thinks it's mathematically provable that Africa is the greatest song ever laid to tape, I wouldn't expect anything less hyperbolic   PowerQuest - you gave this to me in my roulette. Very nice track, but somewhat pedestrian.  Florence and Lorenguard tracks were really enjoyable - lyrics from the latter were a mound of cheese, but the music was solid.

Both Elysium and Africa are every bit as good as I say they are, you moose knuckle! 

Evergrey is better.

Chad you're the funniest dude alive.

[Lethean]

Stadler, what are you on about?  Go listen to that Borknagar (no e) song and pipe down.

[Lethean]

Jingle - you told me you liked The Ocean song.  And Voyager did surprisingly well in your roulette.  I think Voyager is your secret favorite band.

Oh, that's the one I spun... you gave it to Tim in his roulette?  Yeah, it was pretty decent.  And The Voyage of I didn't do badly, that's true.  I guess I was just talking more in generalities with those two bands.  I'm just not up for giving multiple chances, when I'm virtually certain most of their output will not appeal, in order to find the handful of things that will.  There's just too many bands/albums that are amazing from start to finish.

No, I get that and do the same thing.  I'll report on my The Ocean findings as I listen to their Jonas-less songs and see how they are.

[Stadler]

Stadler, what are you on about?  Go listen to that Borknagar (no e) song and pipe down.

Haha, I'm sure it's good, and I'm sure it means something epic like "Breath of the Glass Wind", but when I read it first, it sounded funny to me.

[ReaperKK]

"Dude, I have the best name for our band:   Borknager!"
"Dude, you're fired."


Mine for the day:

No. 13:  "Flight Of Apollo", Angels And Airwaves

So I get it, he's a nut job, but I love Tom DeLonge's voice, and the slightly more sophisticated music and vastly more sophisticated lyrics (I just don't find the sophomore 'humor' of Blink-182 to be funny) make this a band I like.  Recently, he's kind of veered off the track a little (the releases are either digital or bundled with his other stuff, novels and movies and shit) but when it's just the music, it's pretty good.

This song is from the two-CD "Love" set; I've sent "Secret Crowds", from the album before, "I-Empire".

I checked out A&A for the first time earlier this week and I actually was surprised at how much I liked it. I thought itd be blink with a slight twice but to your point the lyrics were better imo

[TAC]

"Dude, I have the best name for our band:   Borknager!"

[TAC]

13. Teramaze-Delusions Of Grandeur-2015

[The Walrus]

2012 was a weird and very light year for new music for me... that whole year was a bad year for me, so I didn't get around to much; most of my favorites from 2012 were discovered years later. Here's a few that I love most of all.

Anathema - Internal Landscapes - The whole album is a masterpiece, but this, wow, what a way to end the record, and it itself is a miniature epic that oozes beauty and warmth.

Asia - Ghost of a Chance - XXX is my second favorite Asia record and in my opinion head and shoulders above most of Asia's discography. This track in particular is a home run. Steve Howe's lead guitar tone is so rich that some of those high notes make me want to cry, and the lyrics and John Wetton's voice together put it over the top.

Mystery - Dear Someone - Props to jingle.boy for turning me on to this record, it is another masterpiece. This song has become my favorite of theirs. Sounds very Rush-like, and has a nice vibe.

Devin Townsend Project - Grace - the rhythms in this are addictive to me, can't get enough of the tuplets and thick, fat drums. Love pieces like this, but hardly know where to begin trying to find more.

[jingle.boy]

13. Teramaze-Delusions Of Grandeur-2015

I'm down with this. As I said, my Teramaze choice was a tossup between this and the opening track.

@ Katt... props accepted. 

[Stadler]

Asia - Ghost of a Chance - XXX is my second favorite Asia record and in my opinion head and shoulders above most of Asia's discography. This track in particular is a home run. Steve Howe's lead guitar tone is so rich that some of those high notes make me want to cry, and the lyrics and John Wetton's voice together put it over the top.

We are on the same page here with our adoration of the post-reunion Asia material.  Gravitas is strong as well.

[The Walrus]

Asia - Ghost of a Chance - XXX is my second favorite Asia record and in my opinion head and shoulders above most of Asia's discography. This track in particular is a home run. Steve Howe's lead guitar tone is so rich that some of those high notes make me want to cry, and the lyrics and John Wetton's voice together put it over the top.

We are on the same page here with our adoration of the post-reunion Asia material.  Gravitas is strong as well.

My man. Only thing I disagree with is Gravitas. Where I was expecting a follow-up to XXX's amazing music, I got a tepid and (to me) uninspired record - big disappointment for me on release.

[lonestar]

Anathema - Internal Landscapes - The whole album is a masterpiece, but this, wow, what a way to end the record, and it itself is a miniature epic that oozes beauty and warmth.

Mystery - Dear Someone - Props to jingle.boy for turning me on to this record, it is another masterpiece. This song has become my favorite of theirs. Sounds very Rush-like, and has a nice vibe.

Devin Townsend Project - Grace - the rhythms in this are addictive to me, can't get enough of the tuplets and thick, fat drums. Love pieces like this, but hardly know where to begin trying to find more.

Already featured Mystery, and that Anathema album is coming up. As to DTP, he's had some big hits and big misses with me...Supercrush is about as stunning as songs get, but some of his other stuff loses me quickly. Must be the Anneke effect.