Bands that made a career best album very late

[OpenYourEyes311]

IMO...

Genesis: Invisible Touch (1987) - 18 years since first album, 13th album
The Offspring: Days Go By (2012) - 23 years since first album, 9th album
Styx: Cyclorama (2003) - 31 years since first album, 14th album

OP mentioned Green Day and gotta agree... Nothing past AI is anywhere CLOSE to how good that album was. And in fact, they've progressively gotten worse.

21st Century - Good, not great
Trilogy - Still good, less good, but they at least tried something different that worked for them
RevRad - Ok, but fairly boring
New Garbage Album - terrible. some sort of new direction that did NOT work for them

[Kotowboy]

A lot of us think Father Of All...is a middle finger to Warners and a contract filler.

It's 26 mins - which is allegedly how long an album has to be - to qualify as an album and not an EP.

The Artwork is just American idiot again with a cartoon unicorn.

I also guess that they tried to get out of their contract with the trilogy - and WB counted it as one album.

So they made Revolution Radio. Then made Father Of All as their final album for WB.

I actually love RevRad and Father Of All. They still have never made a St Anger style album that's barely even listenable.

FOAMF still has Fire, Ready, Aim. Sugar Youth. Take The Money And Crawl & Graffitia.

It's not like it's 10 SHIT songs. Plus BJA put out a couple of solo albums. It's like he's releasing his best songs as himself and not wasting

them on a Green Day album that is only going to fulfil a contract. Time Will Tell I guess - but I expect the truth will come out eventually and the next GD

album proper will be more like Revolution Radio if anything.

TL;DR - I don't think FOAMF is a fully serious album - But I don't think it's 100% intentional junk.

[pg1067]

In my example of Painkiller (which pg1067 disqualified because of a thing called "passing of time"  ) we have an album that had a worldwide critical acclaim, that is one of the most important of their carrer and that gave at least a setlist staple to Priest's concerts ever since. Ok, by now it falls into "first half of their carrer" territory, but how many of the album listed here have permanently changed the balance of what is considered a classic album in a band's catalogue, and how many songs from said albums have become concert staples?

Painkiller is a great example in that it's a decade and a half into the band's career, and not many bands released a career redefining album that far into their careers.  But it's now 30 years old, so....

I'm making a joke about TAC being old.

TAC and I have a certain kinship.  It's a shopping cart thing; you wouldn't understand.   

[HOF]

Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

[TAC]

I'm making a joke about TAC being old.

TAC and I have a certain kinship.  It's a shopping cart thing; you wouldn't understand.   

He's young and brainwashed.

[King Postwhore]

In my example of Painkiller (which pg1067 disqualified because of a thing called "passing of time"  ) we have an album that had a worldwide critical acclaim, that is one of the most important of their carrer and that gave at least a setlist staple to Priest's concerts ever since. Ok, by now it falls into "first half of their carrer" territory, but how many of the album listed here have permanently changed the balance of what is considered a classic album in a band's catalogue, and how many songs from said albums have become concert staples?

Painkiller is a great example in that it's a decade and a half into the band's career, and not many bands released a career redefining album that far into their careers.  But it's now 30 years old, so....

I'm making a joke about TAC being old.

TAC and I have a certain kinship.  It's a shopping cart thing; you wouldn't understand.   

You heathens!

[Peter Mc]

I’m going with what appear to be the staple answers in Iron Maiden and Rush. 

I’d class Counterparts as late Rush and it’s my favourite album of theirs. Clockwork Angels is also up there.

All the Maiden reunion albums are good with Brave New World being as good as anything in the 80’s imo.  Book Of Souls was absolutely outstanding as well.

Van Halen ADKOT is among my favourite VH albums too.

Of course there’s more modern artists like Steven Wilson who’s last 2 albums are as good as anything he’s ever done.  DT still putting out very high quality albums even if they’re not quite as good as their absolute best imo.

Judas Priest’s last album was great too although I’m not familiar enough with their catalogue to say whether or not it’s amongst their best.

[TAC]

Judas Priest’s last album was great too although I’m not familiar enough with their catalogue to say whether or not it’s amongst their best.

It's their best album since Painkiller so...26 years later...

[pg1067]

I’d class Counterparts as late Rush and it’s my favourite album of theirs. Clockwork Angels is also up there.

This actually raises another issue.

Rush released 19 studio albums between 1974 and 2012.  Album #10 (right in the middle) was Grace Under Pressure, which was released in 1984, which is only 10 years into Rush's 38 year recording career.  The halfway point of the recording career in terms of years was 1993, which is when Counterparts was released, but Counterparts was album #15 out of 19.  This is pretty common for bands that started their careers in the 1970s and 1980s, when releasing an album at least every other year was the norm.

Judas Priest’s last album was great too although I’m not familiar enough with their catalogue to say whether or not it’s amongst their best.

I'd say Firepower is the best thing they've done since Painkiller, but I haven't given a ton of thought to where I'd rank it among the run from HBFL through Painkiller.

[jammindude]

Voivod - The Wake

+1

[HOF]

I’d class Counterparts as late Rush and it’s my favourite album of theirs. Clockwork Angels is also up there.

This actually raises another issue.

Rush released 19 studio albums between 1974 and 2012.  Album #10 (right in the middle) was Grace Under Pressure, which was released in 1984, which is only 10 years into Rush's 38 year recording career.  The halfway point of the recording career in terms of years was 1993, which is when Counterparts was released, but Counterparts was album #15 out of 19.  This is pretty common for bands that started their careers in the 1970s and 1980s, when releasing an album at least every other year was the norm.

Yeah, I almost threw out Marillion’s Marbles (even if I might rank it anywhere from 1-4 for them) but then realized it’s been 16 years since it was released which is only 5 fewer years than the band had been around at the time of its release. I imagine Marillion release the album their working on now and maybe one more in the next 5 years or so and that might be it for them.

Similarly, I almost said Journey’s Trial by Fire (it’s not their best album really, but it’s up there), but that was closer to their debut album (21 years) than it is to today (24 years)!

[ProfessorPeart]

Like TAC, I am struggling with coming up with anything. I mean, I have some bands where I think there best album was 20 years into their career, but they are still going 17 years later.

About all I can come up with right now is Titans of Creation by Testament. That album is just solid. Well, I guess I could throw in Slayer. World Painted Blood might be my favorite of theirs and as much as I wanted to dislike Repentless after what they pulled with Lombardo, they went out on a real high note as that album is awesome as well.

Beyond those, I have not been able to come up with anything else. Many have put out stellar albums that some may call career best (Anthrax - Worship Music, Rush, etc) but those aren't my favorites.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Pink Floyd - The Division Bell

Yep! I was coming in here to say exactly this. My favorite Floyd album.

Also Scott Walker - The Drift. That is a career best album only 42 years into his music career.

[Shredzorz]

This might be a controversial statement, but Blind Guardian's Beyond the Red Mirror. Imaginations is still my absolute favorite, but Red Mirror is probably second place.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Swans - The Glowing Man
Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls
Anathema - Weather Systems
Yes - Fly From Here
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
Rush - Vapour Trails
Anthrax - For All Kings
Metallica - Death Magnetic (production aside)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah Don't Bend Ascend (only their fourth album but released 10 years after its predecessor & 15 after their debut; does this count?)
Steven Wilson - Hand Cannot Erase (late career if you include Porcupine Tree)

Edit: besides TGM, HCE, & maybe FAK, I don't think these are the best albums by these artists. I just think they among their better albums & should be commended even if they're not #1.

[Dedalus]

David Bowie - Blackstar

[TAC]

Motorhead's final album, Bad Magic, is amazing! Their final song, When The Sky Comes Looking For You, is one of their all time best tracks. A fitting end, for sure.

[The Walrus]

This might be a controversial statement, but Blind Guardian's Beyond the Red Mirror. Imaginations is still my absolute favorite, but Red Mirror is probably second place.

Same. Lot of BG fans scoff at the opinion

[MirrorMask]

This might be a controversial statement, but Blind Guardian's Beyond the Red Mirror. Imaginations is still my absolute favorite, but Red Mirror is probably second place.

Same. Lot of BG fans scoff at the opinion

*Scoffs*

[jingle.boy]

Seems like a lot of people have a very odd definition/perception/interpretation of "career best", and/or "very late".  Rush, DT, Floyd, Maiden... all their best albums were in the 1st half of their musical careers, if not "very early".

Lots of bands have released "great" albums late in their career, but "career best"??  Not only is the term rather subjective, but (personal opinions / tastes aside) I'm unclear how a general consensus would consider any of the above as having released their 'best' in the twilight of their career.

Off the top of my head, can't think of any.

[HOF]

Seems like a lot of people have a very odd definition/perception/interpretation of "career best", and/or "very late".  Rush, DT, Floyd, Maiden... all their best albums were in the 1st half of their musical careers, if not "very early".

Lots of bands have released "great" albums late in their career, but "career best"??  Not only is the term rather subjective, but (personal opinions / tastes aside) I'm unclear how a general consensus would consider any of the above as having released their 'best' in the twilight of their career.

Off the top of my head, can't think of any.

I couldn’t either. Besides Floyd. ;-)

[jingle.boy]

Seems like a lot of people have a very odd definition/perception/interpretation of "career best", and/or "very late".  Rush, DT, Floyd, Maiden... all their best albums were in the 1st half of their musical careers, if not "very early".

Lots of bands have released "great" albums late in their career, but "career best"??  Not only is the term rather subjective, but (personal opinions / tastes aside) I'm unclear how a general consensus would consider any of the above as having released their 'best' in the twilight of their career.

Off the top of my head, can't think of any.

I couldn’t either. Besides Floyd. ;-)

"Personal tastes aside"    Surely you recognize that the vast majority would put any one of DSOTM/WYWH/Animals/The Wall ahead of The Division Bell.

[ErHaO]

Some from the top of my head:

Orphaned Land. To me Unsung Prophets and Dead Messiah's (2018) is their best album by a significant margin. The band has been around since 1991.

Slipknot. I think We Are Not Your Kind is their best.

Iron Maiden. I overall prefer their reunion albums over the classics.

Neal Morse. I think Similtude and Adventure are the best albums with his name on it.

Stratovarius. Nemesis is by far their best for me.

[Sacul]

David Bowie - Blackstar

Absolutely this

[WildRanger]

Deep Purple:  the last couple albums, produced by Ezrin, are stellar.

I disagree. IMO those albums can't come close to Purpendicular.

[HOF]

Seems like a lot of people have a very odd definition/perception/interpretation of "career best", and/or "very late".  Rush, DT, Floyd, Maiden... all their best albums were in the 1st half of their musical careers, if not "very early".

Lots of bands have released "great" albums late in their career, but "career best"??  Not only is the term rather subjective, but (personal opinions / tastes aside) I'm unclear how a general consensus would consider any of the above as having released their 'best' in the twilight of their career.

Off the top of my head, can't think of any.

I couldn’t either. Besides Floyd. ;-)

"Personal tastes aside"    Surely you recognize that the vast majority would put any one of DSOTM/WYWH/Animals/The Wall ahead of The Division Bell.

Strictly personal, and mostly because it’s the only one that I really like by them.

[MirrorMask]

This actually raises another issue.

Rush released 19 studio albums between 1974 and 2012.  Album #10 (right in the middle) was Grace Under Pressure, which was released in 1984, which is only 10 years into Rush's 38 year recording career.  The halfway point of the recording career in terms of years was 1993, which is when Counterparts was released, but Counterparts was album #15 out of 19.  This is pretty common for bands that started their careers in the 1970s and 1980s, when releasing an album at least every other year was the norm.

This is also an excellent reason why, after a certain point, it's hard to make comparisons. Iron Maiden's last studio album was in 2015, 5 years ago. 5 years is the time that also passes from 1980 to 1985, in which we all kno what they achieved. Five years are five years but you can't compare what a young band on the rise does with what an estabilished legend does in a world that entered a different millennium with complete different approaches to music, technology and the way the musical industry evolved.

That's why Painkiller still feels like a "late carreer album" for Judas Priest- because since then they've released an album every 5 years or so, while in their youth 5 years meant 4 albums at least.

[WildRanger]

David Bowie - Blackstar

Absolutely this

Yep. Blackstar is a great album and it's in the same league with Bowie's classic albums.

Clockwork Angels is a very good Rush album, but I really doubt if it's in the same league with Rush albums from the classic period (2112 - Signals).
Book of Souls is mostly boredom to me. But I'm surprised that Iron Maiden's stuff of the 21st century get too much love on this board.

[WilliamMunny]

The Book of Souls and We're Here Because We're Here have already been mentioned, so here are a few others that come to mind (maybe stretching the idea of the thread a little):

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam. It's 14 years old now and they're still making music, but it's their 8th album and came out 15 years after their debut. Still my favourite PJ album, along with Ten.

Deftones - Koi No Yokan. Their 7th studio album, 17 years after their debut. Up there with White Pony as my favourite from them.

Redemption - The Art of Loss. Only their 6th studio album, but still 13 years after their debut. Probably my favourite Redemption album.

Total respect, I'm not arguing with you, but you brought up Pearl Jam.  That's a band that is moving in the other direction.  Ten is far and away my favorite album by them, and except for Yield, every album is just a mix of songs I like and those I skip.   They transitioned around No Code from "Stone and Jeff's band" to "Eddie's band", and I wasn't on board for that.   I'd much rather go back and listen to anything with Jeff's writing on it (I mean his handwriting).   Ten, Temple Of The Dog, Apple, Shine, Green River...

I actually think PJ's best records (Binaural, Self-Titled, and Lightening Bolt) are the later ones...I'm in the minority, but I actually have little use for Ten...it's fine, but the band didn't really click for me until No Code.

As for Sonic Boom, damn straight! That is one of my go-to Kiss records!

[WilliamMunny]

Such a good thread!

I've been struggeling to think of one, but one that comes to mind is Tom Petty's 'Wildflowers'...I'm a HUGE Petty fan, and I think this is far and away his best record top to bottom. Kinda amazing it came well into his third decade as an artist.

[HOF]

The Book of Souls and We're Here Because We're Here have already been mentioned, so here are a few others that come to mind (maybe stretching the idea of the thread a little):

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam. It's 14 years old now and they're still making music, but it's their 8th album and came out 15 years after their debut. Still my favourite PJ album, along with Ten.

Deftones - Koi No Yokan. Their 7th studio album, 17 years after their debut. Up there with White Pony as my favourite from them.

Redemption - The Art of Loss. Only their 6th studio album, but still 13 years after their debut. Probably my favourite Redemption album.

Total respect, I'm not arguing with you, but you brought up Pearl Jam.  That's a band that is moving in the other direction.  Ten is far and away my favorite album by them, and except for Yield, every album is just a mix of songs I like and those I skip.   They transitioned around No Code from "Stone and Jeff's band" to "Eddie's band", and I wasn't on board for that.   I'd much rather go back and listen to anything with Jeff's writing on it (I mean his handwriting).   Ten, Temple Of The Dog, Apple, Shine, Green River...

I actually think PJ's best records (Binaural, Self-Titled, and Lightening Bolt) are the later ones...I'm in the minority, but I actually have little use for Ten...it's fine, but the band didn't really click for me until No Code.

As for Sonic Boom, damn straight! That is one of my go-to Kiss records!

I thought the self-titled Pearl Jam album was kind of weak to be honest (and mastered as loud as crap), but I thought Backspacer was really good.

[WilliamMunny]

The Book of Souls and We're Here Because We're Here have already been mentioned, so here are a few others that come to mind (maybe stretching the idea of the thread a little):

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam. It's 14 years old now and they're still making music, but it's their 8th album and came out 15 years after their debut. Still my favourite PJ album, along with Ten.

Deftones - Koi No Yokan. Their 7th studio album, 17 years after their debut. Up there with White Pony as my favourite from them.

Redemption - The Art of Loss. Only their 6th studio album, but still 13 years after their debut. Probably my favourite Redemption album.

Total respect, I'm not arguing with you, but you brought up Pearl Jam.  That's a band that is moving in the other direction.  Ten is far and away my favorite album by them, and except for Yield, every album is just a mix of songs I like and those I skip.   They transitioned around No Code from "Stone and Jeff's band" to "Eddie's band", and I wasn't on board for that.   I'd much rather go back and listen to anything with Jeff's writing on it (I mean his handwriting).   Ten, Temple Of The Dog, Apple, Shine, Green River...

I actually think PJ's best records (Binaural, Self-Titled, and Lightening Bolt) are the later ones...I'm in the minority, but I actually have little use for Ten...it's fine, but the band didn't really click for me until No Code.

As for Sonic Boom, damn straight! That is one of my go-to Kiss records!

I thought the self-titled Pearl Jam album was kind of weak to be honest (and mastered as loud as crap), but I thought Backspacer was really good.

Yeah, Backspacer is solid as well. I freaking love 'Johnny Guitar'—I know it's a silly song, but damn, it's such an infectious rocker.

[Fritzinger]

David Bowie - Blackstar

Absolutely. I actually think it's his best album.

[Kotowboy]

Slipknot. I think We Are Not Your Kind is their best.

100% It's a fantastic album. And all those 'fans' complaining that it's not just Heretic Anthem 12 times...

Bands change and grow. Personally the weirdo electronic tracks MAKE that album. Spiders and My Pain especially.

But Orphan is still my fave song.

Plus the album as a whole is SO MUCH BETTER than The Gray Chapter - which i've still not listened to in full.

[cramx3]

Slipknot. I think We Are Not Your Kind is their best.

100% It's a fantastic album. And all those 'fans' complaining that it's not just Heretic Anthem 12 times...

Bands change and grow. Personally the weirdo electronic tracks MAKE that album. Spiders and My Pain especially.

But Orphan is still my fave song.

Plus the album as a whole is SO MUCH BETTER than The Gray Chapter - which i've still not listened to in full.

My favorite album of 2019, it's great but I haven't really listened to their other recent releases to personally say this is their best album, it's the best I've heard though which includes the first two albums so I'm inclined to agree here.

This might be a controversial statement, but Blind Guardian's Beyond the Red Mirror. Imaginations is still my absolute favorite, but Red Mirror is probably second place.

Same. Lot of BG fans scoff at the opinion

*Scoffs*

I'd scoff too, but I think Blind Guardian do kind of fit, At The Edge of Time was their best album since Imaginations from the Other Side, 15 years later.  Sadly they followed up with Beyond the Red Mirror, which was a let down for me.

I think Epica's The Holographic Principle is their best album to date, for a career of 7 albums in 17 years since the first. 

I also think Nightwish's Endless Forms Most Beautiful is their best album 18 years after their first release.

But for Epica and Nightwish, it's hard to tell if this is late in their career or not.  These bands could be going on for 20 more years.