Your Favorite Album from 1988

[Samsara]

Sam, the link is in the post. It's just small fonted.

Got it. Thanks Tim!

I have to say that And Justice For All is not really aging that well for me. I listened to it yesterday, as I did a handful of these albums, and I really love half of it (Blackened, One, Frayed Ends, and Dyer's Eve), and am fairly ambivalent to the rest.

Funny, because it is the exact opposite for me. That record is still my favorite Metallica release. There's a technicality to it that pushes it way ahead of Puppets, and a darkness that just appeals.

[pg1067]

I have to say that And Justice For All is not really aging that well for me. I listened to it yesterday, as I did a handful of these albums, and I really love half of it (Blackened, One, Frayed Ends, and Dyer's Eve), and am fairly ambivalent to the rest.

Funny, because it is the exact opposite for me. That record is still my favorite Metallica release. There's a technicality to it that pushes it way ahead of Puppets, and a darkness that just appeals.

Interesting question.  My top 12 Metallica songs is a mix of the big three albums, with each group of three containing one song from each album:

1. RTL (Creep)
2. AJFA (Black)
3. MOP (MOP)

4. RTL (Ktulu)
5. AJFA (Dyers)
6. MOP (Battery)

7. MOP (Damage)
8. AJFA (Straw)
9. RTL (Fade)

10. MOP (Sanitarium)
11. RTL (Bell)
12. AJFA (Sanity)

Any margins between the three albums are paper thin.

[Samsara]

I don't have it broken down by that, but my ranking is:

1. AJFA
2. MoP
3. RtL

But the margin between those album is pretty thin. I'd say something like 9.9, 9.8, 9.5. (Out of 10.) Just off the top of my head.

[425]

AJFA has grown well for me over time, although "time" for me doesn't go as far back as 1988. To mention a couple of the songs that haven't come up, To Live Is To Die remains one of my favorite Metallica songs, and I think Harvester of Sorrow deserves more attention than it gets.

My top Metallica albums are a near-interchangeable trio of RtL, AJFA and TBA. If I could cut Load down to a similar length as those three, it might be #1. As I've said here before, I have significant problems with MoP, which I think is just way weaker than the albums before or after it from a melodic perspective.

[pg1067]

I don't have it broken down by that...

I checked the list I submitted when Kev did the Metallica song ranking and found it amusing that it broke that way.  Obviously not intentional.

[nick_z]

MOP is undoubtedly number one for me, but AJFA and RTL always fight it off for second place.

[TAC]

So, I still rate Justice pretty high, as I ranked the 4 songs I listed in my Top 10 in Kev's Metallica Top 50 countdown. I think the title track came in at 42 or 43.
So there's a huge halo effect on this album for me, and I'm becoming more aware of it as time goes by.
I've never liked Harvester Of Sorrow, and I think To Live Is To Die is such a waste of time. It's like listening to some doomy jam.

If anything, Master Of Puppets is aging much better. But I'm still a Kil 'Em All guy at heart.

After Helloween, my most listened to 1988 album is Megadeth's So Far So Good So What. I know it's a quick listen, but I love every minute of it.

[nick_z]

After Helloween, my most listened to 1988 album is Megadeth's So Far So Good So What. I know it's a quick listen, but I love every minute of it.

So Far So Good...is a bit of a mystery to me. I know many fans (including you, obviously  ) that hold it in very high regard, but I find it to be a pretty significant step down from Peace Sells. Every time I revisit it, I'm thinking I might change my mind, but it never quite clicks...

[TAC]

After Helloween, my most listened to 1988 album is Megadeth's So Far So Good So What. I know it's a quick listen, but I love every minute of it.

So Far So Good...is a bit of a mystery to me. I know many fans (including you, obviously  ) that hold it in very high regard, but I find it to be a pretty significant step down from Peace Sells. Every time I revisit it, I'm thinking I might change my mind, but it never quite clicks...

I knew their first two albums, but they never clicked with me. I saw them opening for Alice on the Peace Sells tour, but I don't know...there was something missing, although I remember being fixated on Gar.

I happened to see Megadeth on the first night of their SFSGSW tour (Dio/Megadeth/Savatage (12/27/87) a couple of weeks before the album came out, and I really enjoyed their performance a lot more. I bought SFSGSW and it was that album that they finally clicked with me. It just feels a bit tighter, a bit cleaner, though on Rust In Peace, both of those qualities still improved exponentially.

[425]

So, I still rate Justice pretty high, as I ranked the 4 songs I listed in my Top 10 in Kev's Metallica Top 50 countdown. I think the title track came in at 42 or 43.
So there's a huge halo effect on this album for me, and I'm becoming more aware of it as time goes by.
I've never liked Harvester Of Sorrow, and I think To Live Is To Die is such a waste of time. It's like listening to some doomy jam.

I think one of my unusual Metallica opinions is that I almost always like them better when they’re slower. My favorite 80s songs are the three instrumentals, I think in the reverse of the popular opinion (TLITD > Ktulu > Orion) which also corresponds to how heavily they focus on slow, towering riffs.

Then my next favorites mostly come from either the group of ballads or the group of slower to mid-tempo songs. My top three on each 80s album is probably:

KEA: Four Horsemen/Jump in the Fire/Metal Militia
RTL: Ktulu/Bellz/Fade
MoP: Orion/Thing/Leper Messiah
AJFA: TLITD/One/Harvester or title track (too close to call)

Then on TBA, my favorites are something like Unforgiven/Sad But True/Misery

Finally, a significant part of my Load/Reload love probably has to do with liking how much they leaned into the slower stuff on those albums with stuff like Bleeding Me, House Jack Built, Memory Remains and Fixxxer.

After Helloween, my most listened to 1988 album is Megadeth's So Far So Good So What. I know it's a quick listen, but I love every minute of it.

I’m not a big Megadeth guy, even though I listened to them a fair amount when I was 15/16. (I now find Mustaine’s vocals and lyrics obnoxious). Even when I did listen to them, SFSGSW never really rated high for me as an album. But In My Darkest Hour is undeniable, and Hook in Mouth is pretty good if you ignore the Mustaine silliness of it all.

[twosuitsluke]

Just listened to Seventh Son for the first time in close to 20 years. I’m far from an Iron Maiden fan but it’s a pretty good metal album.

However, I think Can I Play with Madness is terribly dated and just a subpar song. I remember that it was one of the first Maiden songs I ever heard, and man I thought that chorus was so cheesy. That song alone formed my first impression of the band and was part of the reason I wrote them off for so long. The rest of the album is pretty good though.

[pg1067]

Just listened to Seventh Son for the first time in close to 20 years. I’m far from an Iron Maiden fan but it’s a pretty good metal album.

However, I think Can I Play with Madness is terribly dated and just a subpar song. I remember that it was one of the first Maiden songs I ever heard, and man I thought that chorus was so cheesy. That song alone formed my first impression of the band and was part of the reason I wrote them off for so long. The rest of the album is pretty good though.

We had a great metal station in soCal at that time, and they were geeking pretty hard for the new Maiden song, which they'd be premiering whenever it was.  CIPWM came on, and we were like, "ummm...what?"  I don't know what they were thinking having that as the lead single from the album.

[twosuitsluke]

Just listened to Seventh Son for the first time in close to 20 years. I’m far from an Iron Maiden fan but it’s a pretty good metal album.

However, I think Can I Play with Madness is terribly dated and just a subpar song. I remember that it was one of the first Maiden songs I ever heard, and man I thought that chorus was so cheesy. That song alone formed my first impression of the band and was part of the reason I wrote them off for so long. The rest of the album is pretty good though.

Musically it’s not terrible and the solo section is pretty dam good, shame the chorus just completely ruins it for me.
We had a great metal station in soCal at that time, and they were geeking pretty hard for the new Maiden song, which they'd be premiering whenever it was.  CIPWM came on, and we were like, "ummm...what?"  I don't know what they were thinking having that as the lead single from the album.

[ZKX-2099]

If anyone's wondering who is the sole person voted for Helloween, that was me

I probably could've guessed that actually.

I would've guessed Tim actually.

I haven't voted yet..



Actually just did and doubled Helloween's vote total!

Make it 3.

[Max Kuehnau]

since I chose other, I should mention them: Toto: The Seventh One, Sade: Stronger Than Pride, Tori Amos: Y Kant Tori Read (in no order, you can only have Toto make the cut, I won't mind), although I really love OU812 (and Skyscraper) as well

[425]

Just listened to Seventh Son for the first time in close to 20 years. I’m far from an Iron Maiden fan but it’s a pretty good metal album.

However, I think Can I Play with Madness is terribly dated and just a subpar song. I remember that it was one of the first Maiden songs I ever heard, and man I thought that chorus was so cheesy. That song alone formed my first impression of the band and was part of the reason I wrote them off for so long. The rest of the album is pretty good though.

We had a great metal station in soCal at that time, and they were geeking pretty hard for the new Maiden song, which they'd be premiering whenever it was.  CIPWM came on, and we were like, "ummm...what?"  I don't know what they were thinking having that as the lead single from the album.

The lead single should definitely have been The Evil That Men Do.

I like Can I Play With Madness, but it would fall well into the lower half of my Maiden rankings, and I won't argue with anyone who says it was a misstep. (I will argue with saying that about any of the other seven songs.)

[Stadler]

Just listened to Seventh Son for the first time in close to 20 years. I’m far from an Iron Maiden fan but it’s a pretty good metal album.

However, I think Can I Play with Madness is terribly dated and just a subpar song. I remember that it was one of the first Maiden songs I ever heard, and man I thought that chorus was so cheesy. That song alone formed my first impression of the band and was part of the reason I wrote them off for so long. The rest of the album is pretty good though.

We had a great metal station in soCal at that time, and they were geeking pretty hard for the new Maiden song, which they'd be premiering whenever it was.  CIPWM came on, and we were like, "ummm...what?"  I don't know what they were thinking having that as the lead single from the album.

The lead single should definitely have been The Evil That Men Do.

I like Can I Play With Madness, but it would fall well into the lower half of my Maiden rankings, and I won't argue with anyone who says it was a misstep. (I will argue with saying that about any of the other seven songs.)

We used to sing "Can I Make A Sandwich!"

[Max Kuehnau]

what was your favourite sandwich filling?

[TAC]

Can I Play With Madness sucked in 1988. It has always sucked.

[425]

We used to sing "Can I Make A Sandwich!"

My brother initially heard it as "Can I Play With Magnets" and that one has lived rent-free for me ever since.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Maiden and ICP, the collab we never realized we all needed. 

[pg1067]

We used to sing "Can I Make A Sandwich!"

My brother initially heard it as "Can I Play With Magnets" and that one has lived rent-free for me ever since.

We went with "Can I Play with Matches?!"

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Sade: Stronger Than Pride

It's worth highlighting this as well.  It's one of her weaker albums, but it's still great, especially the opening trio of tunes. 

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Sade: Stronger Than Pride

It's worth highlighting this as well.  It's one of her weaker albums, but it's still great, especially the opening trio of tunes.

Sade is one of those artists I've always meant to give a try, but never got around to. Which album do you suggest to start with?

[King Postwhore]

My brother saw her live snd said it was as good as sex.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Haha, actually, Lovers Live may very well be the best starting point.  I'm not generally a big fan of live albums, but that one is phenomenal.  But if you insist on a studio album, I'd say Love Deluxe is the most consistent, while Promise has the highest highs for me. 

[TAC]

My brother saw her live snd said it was as good as sex.

'She was really good' would've sufficed.

[King Postwhore]

That's not what he told me. Lol

[WardySI]

1. Queensryche Mindcrime
2. Maiden Seventh Son
3. Noiseworks Touch
4. Van Halen OU812
5. Fates No Exit

Of which those top3 remain in my personal Top10 to this day so suffice to say 88 was a good year 

[jammindude]

I owned every one of these albums except for Seven Keys 2.  With the exception of Walls of Jericho, I always thought Helloween was too cheesy.

I’m a little surprised that State of Euphoria has zero votes. It’s not their best, but I think it gets overlooked a lot just because it’s the “least best” of the classic Joey-era.

I’ve also always been surprised at the relative hate that No Rest for the Wicked gets. After the subpar Bark at the Moon, and the absolutely insipid Ultimate Sin, I thought Wicked was a fantastic “return to form”…and I’ve made no secret of my opinion on Ozzy(tm), so I don’t say that lightly.

[nick_z]

I owned every one of these albums except for Seven Keys 2.  With the exception of Walls of Jericho, I always thought Helloween was too cheesy.

I’m a little surprised that State of Euphoria has zero votes. It’s not their best, but I think it gets overlooked a lot just because it’s the “least best” of the classic Joey-era.

I’ve also always been surprised at the relative hate that No Rest for the Wicked gets. After the subpar Bark at the Moon, and the absolutely insipid Ultimate Sin, I thought Wicked was a fantastic “return to form”…and I’ve made no secret of my opinion on Ozzy(tm), so I don’t say that lightly.

I think State if Euphoria is ok but, regardless, it probably didn’t stand much of a chance as a “favorite of the year” against the available candidates here.

Oh, and count me in as a fan of No Rest! No hate from me always enjoyed that one (better than Ultimate Sin, although not as much as Bark at the Moon)

[TAC]

I owned every one of these albums except for Seven Keys 2.  With the exception of Walls of Jericho, I always thought Helloween was too cheesy.

I’m a little surprised that State of Euphoria has zero votes. It’s not their best, but I think it gets overlooked a lot just because it’s the “least best” of the classic Joey-era.

I’ve also always been surprised at the relative hate that No Rest for the Wicked gets. After the subpar Bark at the Moon, and the absolutely insipid Ultimate Sin, I thought Wicked was a fantastic “return to form”…and I’ve made no secret of my opinion on Ozzy(tm), so I don’t say that lightly.

I disagree with almost every word of this post. 

Although I do agree that State Of Euphoria is the least best.

[Max Kuehnau]

Haha, actually, Lovers Live may very well be the best starting point.  I'm not generally a big fan of live albums, but that one is phenomenal.  But if you insist on a studio album, I'd say Love Deluxe is the most consistent, while Promise has the highest highs for me.

Bring Me Home Live is as good as Lovers Live (even more precise). All of their albums are all killer no filler to me, precise and musical to the t. (Even their B-sides. Then again I'm a lifelong fan of them. I attended their 2011 tour three times. They were the best concerts I've ever attended, bar none (up there with Mangini era DT in 2014, 2016 and 2017 and all the Toto shows I attended and Peter Gabriel in 2014.) I'm insanely hard to impress. Sade did. (My selection also will tell you that I'm not much of a metal fan or listener)

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Haha, actually, Lovers Live may very well be the best starting point.  I'm not generally a big fan of live albums, but that one is phenomenal.  But if you insist on a studio album, I'd say Love Deluxe is the most consistent, while Promise has the highest highs for me.

Bring Me Home Live is as good as Lovers Live (even more precise). All of their albums are all killer no filler to me, precise and musical to the t. (Even their B-sides. Then again I'm a lifelong fan of them. I attended their 2011 tour three times. They were the best concerts I've ever attended, bar none (up there with Mangini era DT in 2014, 2016 and 2017 and all the Toto shows I attended and Peter Gabriel in 2014.) I'm insanely hard to impress. Sade did. (My selection also will tell you that I'm not much of a metal fan or listener)

Certainly a great choice as well.  I like the more prominent reverb in the mix, but it axes "Somebody Already Broke My Heart" (probably my second favorite song of her's) for a number of cuts from the just released at the time Soldier of Love, which I consider her weakest album (although "Skin" is the best track from it on there). 

And some of it is probably nostalgia.  Sade is one of my longest-running favorite artists.  She's easily the biggest discovery from my smooth jazz radio listening days in the mid-late 90s in late elementary school.  But when Lovers Live came out on DVD I watched it a bunch of times, it pulled me away from all the power metal I was otherwise overdosing on at the time. 

[Max Kuehnau]

I literally was exposed to their music while in the womb (as some might know who followed my since abandoned musical autobiographical thread a while back. Hey Stadler, how about I should resurrect it as it were? Had to abandon it for various reasons at some point, mostly health reasons)