Originally Posted by Piss Me Off I really like Have a Cigar

Originally Posted by Alfred [CENTER]17. He Is Legend "I Am Hollywood" (2004) What it is: I'm just gonna say Hard Rock Favorite Track: You Think I'm Pretty? I love those bands that seem to combine elements of other bands you like, and that is the case with He Is Legend. They combine the heavy southern edge of Maylene with the pretty singing and post-hardcore atmosphere of Alexisonfire, and at the same time have their own idiosynchrasies. The end product is a very enjoyable hard rock album. The reason I choose this album over 2006's "Suck Out The Poison" is partially because this is the last album with Schuylar Croom aforementioned pretty vocals, which are almost completely absent from that album (as HIL have stated is because of his excessive smoking). This One weakness I have continually noticed with He Is Legend is their songwriting. It's not terrible, but it's quite simple. However, the excellent vocal delivery makes up for that. Schuylar Croom has fantastic screaming, singing, or whatever he decides to do with his voice. He certainly has a way around a vocal riff. Most of the tracks on the album use the same formula. Fast rhythm, screaming/clean singing shifts, many guitar riffs, but you know the old saying, if it ain't broke... I've posted this before...

Originally Posted by Alfred ...and here is Alexisonfire [CENTER]16. Alexisonfire (2002) What it is: Post-hardcore Favorite Track: .44 Caliber Love Letter There had to be an Alexisonfire album on my list, but the problem is, which one? Every time I sat down and thought about which album was my favorite, I ended up more clueless than I was before. At first I was pretty certain that it would be 2006's crisis, due to the accessibility of it and the great songs. But finally I settled on their self-titled debut album, and here's why. "Alexisonfire" is rawer, less structured, more intense/energetic, and far more passionate than anything they released after. "Crisis" and "Watch Out!" have more standout tracks sure, but Alexisonfire works better as an album, and that is the point of this thread, is it not? So I shoved aside the accessibility of the other two, and decided that the sound of a young hardcore band making their first record is a far more interesting listen. The sound of Alexisonfire on this album is sharp and angry. They take a lot of influence from hardcore punk, but some odd structuring and complexity say otherwise. There is tons of screaming here, probably 90% of the vocals are screamed. The singing doesn't strike me as pretty, nor does it aim at producing a hook, like it does on the other two albums, but it's more just an instrument in the chaotic mix. It's a sound that is tight, together, and no part seems to stand out more than another. The production is quite low-end, but that doesn't take away from the album at all, but instead adds to it. As I said before, it's very sharp. Alexisonfire have produced a hardcore masterpiece with this album, and their rawness, passion, and punk rock vibes set them apart from the whole hottopiccore thing, a trend which they are often wrongly associated with.

Originally Posted by Alfred [CENTER]12. Underoath "Define The Great Line" (2006) What it is: Too debatable Favorite Track: A Moment Suspended In Time After thinking about it for about ten minutes, I can't do it.

Also, about what you said about Schuyler not doing vocals on the second album... Where did you get this information? I had never heard of this before and when I saw them live shortly after 'Suck out the Poison' was released Schuyler did perform the songs live. So im intersted to know if that is accurate...

Originally Posted by Alfred Sorry, grammar fail on my part. Schyler's vocals are on SOTP, but they're a lot different there is what I meant. And about Underoath, I've heard a lot of their early stuff. It's great, but DTGL is better IMO. Besides, if Dallas Taylor hadn't left Underoath, we wouldn't have the even awesome-er Maylene, would we? Thanks for the response, glad to see someone who enjoys a lot of my less-loved choices!

10. Refused "The Shape Of Punk To Come" (1998)

What it is: Loud and epic post-hardcore
Favorite Track: Liberation Frequency

I don't know why I held off on this album for so long, but I did. Maybe it was because I was intimidated. It was probably that didn't want some crappy hardcore with political ideals that I don't exactly agree with shoved down my throat. But boy, was I pleasantly blown away by Refused's 1998 hardcore punk classic "The Shape Of Punk To Come".

"The Shape Of Punk To Come" is the loudest album I have ever heard, and one of the few that I fell in love with on first listen. Like Genghis Tron, they have all of my favorite elements of music. They are most often described as a hardcore band, but this is not your average generic hardcore record. This is madness.

The album opens to the sound of traffic with Worms Of The Sense/Faculties Of The Skull, and follows with some angry screaming over top of some infectious instrumentation. It is one of the better tracks on the album, but only a taste of what is to come. Liberation Frequency begins with a quiet and moody opening verse, but you are soon assaulted with shrill screaming and hard guitar with the volume set to eleven.

Refused achieved levels of intensity that your band wishes they could. They effectively use loud-soft shifts on Liberation Frequency and New Noise as well as (hard-to-describe) two-note patterns in the title track. I don't know how to describe how awesome the latter technique is (Genghis Tron and L'Antietem have also used it) or even what it is, but just listen to the harder parts, and you'll understand.

Refused completely revolutionized hardcore punk with this album. Instead of making another shriek-fest like Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent, they completely reinvented the genre using electronics, samples, and odd song structures. It's punk-punk rock so to speak.

This album wasn't the shape of punk to come in the sense of people making experimental masterpieces like this one, but it did open the eyes of fans around the world who were content with their fast, angry three chord nonsense. No matter how many times I listen to this album it never gets old, and I can't see that changing any time soon. Refused made one of the most addictive and infectious albums ever, and I don't know what I would do without the album. If you are a fan of punk, hardcore, or heavy music in general, you must hear this album before you die.

Originally Posted by Alfred 10. Refused "The Shape Of Punk To Come" (1998) What it is: Loud and epic post-hardcore Favorite Track: Liberation Frequency