1001 Metal Albums you should hear before you die

Norg · 02-09-2015, 10:04 PM

86. (Devo)lved-Calculated (2004)

A tech death metal band from the LAND DOWN under. I admit i dont no much about the Personal lives or the ever changing history and band members of this band or what there fav beer or color is butt ehhh whatever i do know alot about dis album

They kinda sound like a heaiver version of Fear factory very industrial metal if u will. The drummer is obvs the most talented and thats why he is the last reaming member of the band or the one thats keeping it going.

the one thing i like about this album was well i wouldnt say they were the first but like many other Tech bands they sprinkled in electronics on there songs just to highlight the Heavy more IMO

this video is so killer

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

fav track Hybrid

Primeval Scum · 02-10-2015, 04:50 PM

87. In Flames - The Jester Race (1996)

Before they soiled their reputation with bland alternative metal, In Flames were a mighty force in realm of melodic death metal, being the most popular of the famous Gothenburg trio that innovated the style in the early 1990s. In Flames combined the aggression and atmosphere of extreme metal with the accessibility of melodic heavy metal more seamlessly than any band before them. Some scorned the band for "polluting" death metal with their damned melodic sensibility and sugary hooks, but what they started on this album could not be stopped. The Jester Race, along with Slaughter of the Soul, inspired legions of imitators over the next decade, but THIS album was the original - and remains a work of unique inspiration and quality. This is the crown jewel of the In Flames discography and perhaps of the entire Gothenburg scene.

Aside from the gorgeously sinister artwork (which is what originally drew me to the album back when I was a metal noob in 2010), the songwriting here is absolutely top-notch. Even In Flames' most ardent detractors cannot deny that the band had a knack for beautiful melodies. This shows up in the acoustic passages (Moonshield, Jester's Dance), the guitar riffs (Dead Eternity, December Flower) and solos (Wayfaerer, Dead God In Me). During In Flames' five-year heyday (Subterranean through Whoracle), literally every melody they crafted was solid gold. And even though Anders Friden probably isn't as talented as Subterranean vocalist Henke Forss, he sounds better on this album than he ever has since. He actually has a low register with some legitimately powerful death growls on this one! Jesper Stromblad is one of my favorite guitarists and he is consistently great on this disc as well. The band is going at full force here and you can really tell they were just enjoying writing and playing this music together. The production isn't as pristine and polished as on successor albums, which I enjoy. It lends the music a sort of mystique they would lose later, though I love the next few albums as well.

Moonshield is one of the best album intros ever with its folky acoustic passage and how it transitions into the sorrowful melodic riffing. The lyrics and vocal performance are heartfelt. And when the acoustic and electric guitars come together at the end, it's pure beauty. Other highlights include December Flower with its heavy tremolo riffing and blast beats, the winding guitar instrumental Wayfaerer, the haunting Dead Eternity, the twin guitar melodies of Artifacts of the Black Rain, and Dead God In Me, which is just epic throughout. In truth, every song here is catchy as hell and could be listed as a highlight, which is why this album is a must-listen. It may not have the progressive ambition of The Gallery, but it's unrelentingly fun - an enticing listen at any time, place or mood. The Jester Race was pivotal in the development of death metal, but it's also a true classic of the entire heavy metal tree.

The Batlord · 02-11-2015, 10:53 AM

88. Hellhammer - Satanic Rites demo (1983)

Building on what Venom started, and adding a heavy hardcore punk influence, Hellhammer were a primitive early black metal band whose influence far outstripped their abilities; pretty much every black metal band on the planet can trace at least some of their sound back to this band.

There's not much here other than a band incompetently blasting away with as much speed, energy, and unmelodic noise as they can muster, but in 1983, this was a revelation (of doom). Slayer may have been more polished, but they couldn't touch Hellhammer as far as abrasiveness. They only ever officially released one EP before breaking up, but this demo--which is longer than many albums--is really their definitive release.

After the band's demise, several members (most notably Tom Warrior) would further develop this sound in Celtic Frost; but until the experimentalism of Into the Pandemonium really set them apart from their early thrashing, I think their refinement of what Hellhammer laid down never quite justified that loss of primitive energy.

Spoiler for 666 on the River Styx:

LoathsomePete · 02-11-2015, 01:48 PM

It's weird, I'm a big Tom Warrior fan but I had never listened to Hellhammer before now.

Good inclusion.

The Batlord · 02-11-2015, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

It's weird, I'm a big Tom Warrior fan but I had never listened to Hellhammer before now.

Good inclusion.

LoathsomePete · 02-11-2015, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

I really like Celtic Frost and Triptykon, I always just kind of viewed Hellhammer as a proto-version of things I already liked, they also didn't have any studio albums and I usually don't bother with demos or EPs unless I'm REALLY into the bands.

Zer0 · 02-11-2015, 05:14 PM

I'd definitely recommend listening to Satanic Rites. It has something else that was lost somewhat in Celtic Frost - the rawer, dirtier, primal side of metal. It definitely has an almost hardcore-punk feel to it, whether intentional or not. If you close your eyes and forget about all the satanic imagery you could almost mistake them for an early-80's American hardcore punk band.

The Batlord · 02-11-2015, 07:13 PM

89. Exodus - Bonded by Blood (1985)

Murder in the front row
Crowd begins to bang
And there's blood upon the stage
Bang your head against the stage
And metal takes its price
Bonded by blood

The chorus to the title track pretty much says it all about this album and this band. According to legend, the "blood upon the stage" line came from an incident during an early Exodus show where there was literally a pool of blood on the stage, and their "singer", Paul Baloff, put his hand in the puddle and wiped it across his face. You will never be as metal as this album or this band.

Even after over a decade of playing this album over and over and over again, when the sound of the dropping bomb explodes into the opening riff of the first song, it still gives me a jolt of adrenaline. Everything that is thrash is encapsulated in this album: the riffs, the trashy lyrics, the anti-melodic screaming, and most importantly, the energy.

Exodus may not have been first off the starting block with releasing an album, but they were one of the original San Francisco Bay Area thrash bands, and every one of their peers, from Metallica to Slayer, were influenced by these maniacs. Who the **** knows what would have become of the scene without them. And they still kick ass today. Gary Holt 4 lyfe!

Spoiler for Don't get mad if they rape your wife.:

The Batlord · 02-12-2015, 02:43 PM

90. Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines (2002)

Proof that brutal, technical death metal can be epic and left-field without sacrificing intensity. This band is as vicious and dense as Suffocation or Cryptopsy, but the Egyptian atmospheric touches and extended musical passages make them truly unique. Relatively straight-ahead death metal songs stand next to extended epics such as "Unas Slayer of the Gods" and the eighteen-minute, four-part title track--Nile's crowning achievement and masterpiece, which is worth the price of admission alone--to create something that satisfies purists, while flirting with the avant garde.

Also gotta love that tribute to Candlemass' "Gothic Stone/The Well of Souls" throughout "Unas Slayer of the Gods". Even more that their longer songs often employ some delicious death/doom passages.

Spoiler for Title track should be Egypt's national anthem.:

Primeval Scum · 02-14-2015, 10:08 PM

91. Agalloch - The Mantle (2002)

The Mantle combines elements of black metal, acoustic folk, and atmospheric rock unlike anything else I have ever heard. They build atmosphere the old-fashioned way: by utilizing each instrument to reflect their emotions. No immersive synths or try-hard 'concepts' needed. Throughout The Mantle, the band creates something so unique yet so tangible that you have no choice but to sink and drown in it. You will feel like you are alone, wandering through desolate, snowy woodlands like the elk on the front cover…while other times, you will be rendered speechless by waves and waves of stunningly gorgeous soundscapes. There is a mysterious nature that accompanies Agalloch’s sophomore album, and it is albums like this that make music worth exploring, sharing and reviewing. A benchmark of twentieth century ART.

02-10-2015, 04:50 PM	#142 (permalink)
Primeval Scum Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 146	87. In Flames - The Jester Race (1996) Before they soiled their reputation with bland alternative metal, In Flames were a mighty force in realm of melodic death metal, being the most popular of the famous Gothenburg trio that innovated the style in the early 1990s. In Flames combined the aggression and atmosphere of extreme metal with the accessibility of melodic heavy metal more seamlessly than any band before them. Some scorned the band for "polluting" death metal with their damned melodic sensibility and sugary hooks, but what they started on this album could not be stopped. The Jester Race, along with Slaughter of the Soul, inspired legions of imitators over the next decade, but THIS album was the original - and remains a work of unique inspiration and quality. This is the crown jewel of the In Flames discography and perhaps of the entire Gothenburg scene. Aside from the gorgeously sinister artwork (which is what originally drew me to the album back when I was a metal noob in 2010), the songwriting here is absolutely top-notch. Even In Flames' most ardent detractors cannot deny that the band had a knack for beautiful melodies. This shows up in the acoustic passages (Moonshield, Jester's Dance), the guitar riffs (Dead Eternity, December Flower) and solos (Wayfaerer, Dead God In Me). During In Flames' five-year heyday (Subterranean through Whoracle), literally every melody they crafted was solid gold. And even though Anders Friden probably isn't as talented as Subterranean vocalist Henke Forss, he sounds better on this album than he ever has since. He actually has a low register with some legitimately powerful death growls on this one! Jesper Stromblad is one of my favorite guitarists and he is consistently great on this disc as well. The band is going at full force here and you can really tell they were just enjoying writing and playing this music together. The production isn't as pristine and polished as on successor albums, which I enjoy. It lends the music a sort of mystique they would lose later, though I love the next few albums as well. Moonshield is one of the best album intros ever with its folky acoustic passage and how it transitions into the sorrowful melodic riffing. The lyrics and vocal performance are heartfelt. And when the acoustic and electric guitars come together at the end, it's pure beauty. Other highlights include December Flower with its heavy tremolo riffing and blast beats, the winding guitar instrumental Wayfaerer, the haunting Dead Eternity, the twin guitar melodies of Artifacts of the Black Rain, and Dead God In Me, which is just epic throughout. In truth, every song here is catchy as hell and could be listed as a highlight, which is why this album is a must-listen. It may not have the progressive ambition of The Gallery, but it's unrelentingly fun - an enticing listen at any time, place or mood. The Jester Race was pivotal in the development of death metal, but it's also a true classic of the entire heavy metal tree. __________________ Last.fm RateYourMusic Don't grieve for me, I'm not there. I am the gentle autumn rain. Hold up my lamp to light your way. Farewell to thee...

02-11-2015, 01:48 PM	#144 (permalink)
LoathsomePete Cardboard Box Realtor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hobb's End Posts: 7,648	It's weird, I'm a big Tom Warrior fan but I had never listened to Hellhammer before now. Good inclusion. __________________ Last.FM 101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

02-11-2015, 05:14 PM	#147 (permalink)
Zer0 ∞ Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 3,792	I'd definitely recommend listening to Satanic Rites. It has something else that was lost somewhat in Celtic Frost - the rawer, dirtier, primal side of metal. It definitely has an almost hardcore-punk feel to it, whether intentional or not. If you close your eyes and forget about all the satanic imagery you could almost mistake them for an early-80's American hardcore punk band. __________________ Last FM \| RYM \| The Final Sound

02-14-2015, 10:08 PM	#150 (permalink)
Primeval Scum Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 146	91. Agalloch - The Mantle (2002) The Mantle combines elements of black metal, acoustic folk, and atmospheric rock unlike anything else I have ever heard. They build atmosphere the old-fashioned way: by utilizing each instrument to reflect their emotions. No immersive synths or try-hard 'concepts' needed. Throughout The Mantle, the band creates something so unique yet so tangible that you have no choice but to sink and drown in it. You will feel like you are alone, wandering through desolate, snowy woodlands like the elk on the front cover…while other times, you will be rendered speechless by waves and waves of stunningly gorgeous soundscapes. There is a mysterious nature that accompanies Agalloch’s sophomore album, and it is albums like this that make music worth exploring, sharing and reviewing. A benchmark of twentieth century ART. __________________ Last.fm RateYourMusic Don't grieve for me, I'm not there. I am the gentle autumn rain. Hold up my lamp to light your way. Farewell to thee...

02-09-2015, 10:04 PM	#141 (permalink)
Norg Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,358	*86. (Devo)lved-Calculated (2004)* A tech death metal band from the LAND DOWN under. I admit i dont no much about the Personal lives or the ever changing history and band members of this band or what there fav beer or color is butt ehhh whatever i do know alot about dis album They kinda sound like a heaiver version of Fear factory very industrial metal if u will. The drummer is obvs the most talented and thats why he is the last reaming member of the band or the one thats keeping it going. the one thing i like about this album was well i wouldnt say they were the first but like many other Tech bands they sprinkled in electronics on there songs just to highlight the Heavy more IMO this video is so killer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJgkIFRuYyM fav track Hybrid