Bands that made a career best album very late

[MirrorMask]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

 

(Agree on the BG albums however!)

[cramx3]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

 

(Agree on the BG albums however!)

That might be my "scoff" opinion   

[Evermind]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

 

(Agree on the BG albums however!)

Agree on Imaginaerum. I didn't think they'll top Century Child but over the years Imaginaerum is definitely my favourite now.

As for Blind Guardian, Beyond the Red Mirror isn't even in my Top 3, so here's a scoff from me too.

[Ben_Jamin]

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.

Their electronic weirdo atmospheric tracks have always been my favorite. Prosthetics, Circle, Gently, and Skin Ticket to name the main ones. I only recently got All Hope Is Gone. Didn't enjoy The Gray Chapter. But, We Are Not Your Kind is up there with Vol.3 for me.

[Kotowboy]

All Hope Is Gone is way better than the Grey Chapter.


It has Gematria and Vendetta.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

David Bowie - Blackstar

Absolutely. It might even have been my favorite album of the 2010's. It really is up there with his other classics and I would even put it above the likes of Hunky Dory and Heroes. Just a fantastic closing statement to his career.

[millahh]

So I've got three:

-Another vote for Bowie's Blaskstar.  I don't know if it's truly the best, but is competitive with the best, especially under the circumstances
-King Crimson has got to be in this conversation. The Power to Believe is on par quality-wise with anything else in their catalog
-No mention of Johnny Cash? The American recordings (especially American IV) are very, very strong. They're a different beast than his early work, but they hold their own

[Stadler]

So I've got three:

-Another vote for Bowie's Blaskstar.  I don't know if it's truly the best, but is competitive with the best, especially under the circumstances
-King Crimson has got to be in this conversation. The Power to Believe is on par quality-wise with anything else in their catalog
-No mention of Johnny Cash? The American recordings (especially American IV) are very, very strong. They're a different beast than his early work, but they hold their own

Good call on Big John Cash.  Some of the song choices are a little "hipster" for me (I blame Rubin for that) but his voice is just gold, if you ask me. 

[MoraWintersoul]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

Agree on Imaginaerum. I didn't think they'll top Century Child but over the years Imaginaerum is definitely my favourite now.

You guys are just weird, I can't name two NW albums I listened to less than these two. And I like EFMB more than most people I've talked to at that.

[The Walrus]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

[cramx3]

soooo "scoff"?? 

[Learning2Live]

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

+1 for Similitude

[hefdaddy42]

David Bowie - Blackstar

This is easily the best answer I've seen thus far.

[H2]

Not sure if this has been said, but I wouldn't call D/T Dream Theater's best album, not by a long shot. And Songs of Experience is no way U2's best.

[Dream Team]

Abbey Road is the clearest and best example for me.

[Buddyhunter1]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

[MirrorMask]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

For that we have the Nightwish League 

[cramx3]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

We've got Century Child through EFMB it seems, honestly though, that's a fantastic run of albums through 3 singers.  Kind of amazing in it's own right.

[The Walrus]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

You remove 6 songs from that album and I agree.

[Buddyhunter1]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

You remove 6 songs from that album and I agree.

I'll give you Wish I Had An Angel. That song is booty.

[The Walrus]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

You remove 6 songs from that album and I agree.

I'll give you Wish I Had An Angel. That song is booty.

My dude. That song fucks. That is one I do not have a problem with. 

[Buddyhunter1]

You're all high, Dark Passion Play was Nightwish's peak.

Once is best ablum

Have we covered each one of them yet?

You remove 6 songs from that album and I agree.

I'll give you Wish I Had An Angel. That song is booty.

My dude. That song fucks. That is one I do not have a problem with. 

If I wanted to listen to Nightwish without all of the charm I'd listen to Evanescence.

[Sacul]

Abbey Road is the clearest and best example for me.

Yeah that's a great late album.

[Setlist Scotty]

Abbey Road is the clearest and best example for me.

Yeah that's a great late album.

Late in terms of the Beatles' actual existence, but I don't know if I would really count it when you consider that they were a recording entity for 8 years. Compare that to bands like Rush, Priest, Maiden and others that have been spoken of here who have had 40+ year careers. Had Rush been around as a recording entity for all of 8 years like the Beatles, their final album would have been Moving Pictures! So I don't think a band like the Beatles, who had a very short existence should count in the same way as these other bands.

[Kotowboy]

Not sure if this has been said, but I wouldn't call D/T Dream Theater's best album, not by a long shot. And Songs of Experience is no way U2's best.

Not best - but great albums late into their career. The thread title means late albums that rival their career best.

And for my money - Songs Of Experience is hands down U2's best album of the 21st century.

Innocence / Experience is basically a double album where one 'half' isn't just crammed with filler.

Very rare indeed.

[a51502112]

Voivod - The Wake

Absolutely agree.

[Elite]

I'll join the 'Abbey Road' train here.

Another one I thought of is 'A Love Supreme' by John Coltrane.
Maybe 'The Violent Sleep of Reason' by Meshuggah
and 'Panther' by Pain of Salvation.

Does 'Abbey Road' actually count as 'late career'? Technically it was the second to last studio album The Beatles recorded, yes, but all of the guys have continued to make music after The Beatles quit.
Coltrane is definitely 'late career', although he probably would have made tons more stuff had he not died prematurely.
The latter two are difficult, since those two bands are still active. Technically it's late into their careers, but who knows how much stuff they'll pump out before calling it quits.

[Kotowboy]

As someone else said - The Beatles were only around for 8 years.

Most bands these days can barely manage 2 albums in that time.

Bands back then put out an album every single year. Sometimes two albums a year.

I read on Wiki that AC/DC put out Back In Black literally 1 year after their previous album - and they had to get a new singer in that time.

Back when I was seriously into music as a teen - all my fave bands put out an album every year or 2 years.

Now it's 3 or more as standard. If you're lucky.

Therapy? have put out 15 original studio albums in 30 years. Which is pretty awesome. And only 1 or 2 duds in there.

[Peter Mc]

Not sure if this has been said, but I wouldn't call D/T Dream Theater's best album, not by a long shot. And Songs of Experience is no way U2's best.

Not best - but great albums late into their career. The thread title means late albums that rival their career best.

And for my money - Songs Of Experience is hands down U2's best album of the 21st century.

Innocence / Experience is basically a double album where one 'half' isn't just crammed with filler.

Very rare indeed.

U2’s best album of the 21st century isn’t a particularly high bar in my opinion!

[gazinwales]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

 

(Agree on the BG albums however!)

EFMB is one of their worst for me, it sits just above the latest one at the bottom of the pile.

[Kotowboy]

U2’s best album of the 21st century isn’t a particularly high bar in my opinion!

Meh. Only No Line On The Horizon sucks in my opinion.

[Max Kuehnau]

another band worth mentioning IMHO: Dire Straits releasing Brothers In Arms and On Every Street (my two personal favourites and their cleanest in terms of execution and recording)

[King Postwhore]

U2’s best album of the 21st century isn’t a particularly high bar in my opinion!

Meh. Only No Line On The Horizon sucks in my opinion.

Funny, I like it over their last 2 releases.

[jingle.boy]

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

What a weird way to spell Imaginaerum, which is their best album 14 years into their carrer.

 

(Agree on the BG albums however!)

EFMB is one of their worst for me, it sits just above the latest one at the bottom of the pile.

While I agree that they're weaker, I can't put them on the bottom.  It is rather shocking that their music with the most dynamic and versatile vocalist are two of their weaker ones though.

[Stadler]

As someone else said - The Beatles were only around for 8 years.

Most bands these days can barely manage 2 albums in that time.

Bands back then put out an album every single year. Sometimes two albums a year.

I read on Wiki that AC/DC put out Back In Black literally 1 year after their previous album - and they had to get a new singer in that time.

Back when I was seriously into music as a teen - all my fave bands put out an album every year or 2 years.

Now it's 3 or more as standard. If you're lucky.

Therapy? have put out 15 original studio albums in 30 years. Which is pretty awesome. And only 1 or 2 duds in there.

Rush and Kiss, for example, were almost at an album every six months.

Kiss    February 1974
Hotter Than Hell   October 1974
Dressed to Kill   March 1975
Alive!  September 10, 1975 (my birthday!)
Destroyer   March 1976
Rock And Roll Over    November 1976
Love Gun  June 1977
Alive II    October 1977


Rush   March, 1974
Fly By Night   February 1975
Caress Of Steel   September 1975
2112  April 1976
All The World's A Stage  September 1976


Granted, they were only 30 - 35 minutes each (or were live albums) but still.