The Overlord

This is a hard topic to start for the obvious reasons of taste change etc. 7 years ago i probably would have put White Zombie here but as i said tastes change (thank god)
at the moment this isnt in any particular order and sometimes some bands have done a number of albums which are equally good for different reasons so im going to list a number of albums together because i cant choose.
1. MESHUGGAH- Destroy erase improve, Chaosphere, nothing, I: these albums/ep are for me equally good, they manage to be brutal. technical, and diferent from each other while maintaining excellent songs. Lots of tech bands forget about writing a good song and just focus on how hard it is to play, this is a mistake. Possibly the best drummer of all time, and an awesome metal vocalist.
2 SLayer- Divine intervention, gasp i hear you gasp, no the best slayer album is rein in blood, well i agree that is an awesome album but divine has spent longer in my cd player, the riffs are amazing the drumming feels like its about to fall apart the whole time and never does, paul bostaph had big shoes to fill and he did. im also giving an honerable mention to deciple from the god hates us all album, this song is the best slayer song ever, Arayas vocals are amazing and the song is indescribable.

Don

Okay, here goes. I might post reasons later.


20. Slaughter of the Soul - At the Gates
19. Follow the Reaper - Children of Bodom
18. Passion and Warfare - Steve Vai
17. The Jester Race - In Flames
16. Origin of Symmetry - Muse
15. OK Computer - Radiohead
14. V: The New Mythology Suite - Symphony X
13. The Divine Wings of Tragedy - Symphony X
12. Train of Thought - Dream Theater
11. Remedy Lane - Pain of Salvation
10. The Chainheart Machine- Soilwork
9. This Godless Endeavor- Nevermore
8. Bridge Across Forever - Transatlantic
7. SMPTe - Transatlantic
6. Liquid Tension Experiment 2 - Liquid Tension Experiment
5. The Human Equation - Ayreon
4. Images & Words - Dream Theater
3. The 1st Chapter - Circus Maximus
2. Scenes From a Memory - Dream Theater
1. The Black Halo - Kamelot

This is obviously not entirely accurate; I went for diversity over accuracy.

MURDER JUNKIE

The Jester Race over Clayman???? You are high

Don

hahaha, I'll pay that one. I've heard Clayman too much I think...But I don't like some of the "poppy" singing (e.g Pinball Map chorus). I obviously can't stand the later In Flames stuff.

judas_priest

These are my favourite Dream Theater albums too.

Don

What's ya favourite track from each of 'em?

judas_priest

That's a really difficult question. Lol- There are so many good tracks and it usually depends on my mood.
My favourites from Train of Thought are- Endless Sacrifice, Vacant, and Stream Of Consciousness .

Images and Words is an amazing album. It's so hard to pick a single track. Right now I'd probably say "Pull Me Under". My least favourite in that album i s Take The Time.

Metropolis Pt 2 is also really great. I tend to listen to the last 3 tracks ( One Last Time, The Spirit Carries On and Finally Free) the most, although all the songs are good.

Don

So I take it I&W is a new album for you? Because Take the Time is undoubtedly one of DT's greatest pieces.

To answer my own question:

I&W - Metropolis, Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper,
Scenes - Fatal Tragedy,
Train of Thought - changes between In the Name of God and Endless Sacrifice.

judas_priest

^ No not a new album for me. I don't dislike Take The Time- the music is good, it's just the talking near the start annoys me a bit, but it may still grow on me over time. lol.
I agree that The Miracle and the Sleeper is an amazing song, and fatal tragedy is good too.

Shooting Star

Top 20 albums... This is just off the top of my head.

20. Pink Floyd - The Wall - Why? Well this album opened up the door to concept albums and pushed my attention span a little. I also considered it one of the greatest albums I'd heard on first listen.
19. At the Drive-In - Acrobatic Tenement - One summer this was all I listened to. Very innovative stuff.
18. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation - Classic record... Just. The layers of guitar and nonchalant singing. Good stuff.
17. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead - If you're a teenager and depressed, this is probably the album for you. Whenever you're feeling melancholy put this on and it's like your very own soundtrack.
16. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine - Came at a time when I was feeling socially conscious so really highlighted my left-wing underpinings... And the music is just great.
15. Elliott Smith - from a basement on the hill - One of my favourite posthumous albums ever, with a lot of gravity added to the lyrics due to Elliott's suicide.
14. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left - My favourite Nick Drake album, just really wonderful and gentle autumnal guitar and understated string arrangements.
13. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister - Really beautiful and sweet music that usually puts a smile on my face.
12. The Beatles - Help! - Probably my favourite outright pop album ever, the point where the Beatles were just gradually letting in changes but still had that fresh bubblegum pop sound.
11. Radiohead - OK Computer - I thought this album was bull****. I honestly felt it was the most overrated piece of **** I'd ever heard. Eight months later it clicked with me and I fell in love with it.
10. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven - What's that? Pseudo-operatic instrumentation and near orgasmic crescendos? Must be GY!BE.
9. Nirvana - In Utero- The first Nirvana album I really liked which sort of opened me up to a new world of music, and I'll still listen and appreciate it.
8. The Arcade Fire - Funeral - Really overwhelmingly heartful and romantic. Beautiful stuff. And they're from Canada, score.
7. Joy Division - Closer - Probably the most bleak album I've ever heard. From anguished expressions of alienation to near funeral dirge music... Good album to die to.
6. The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - One of my earlier favourite candidates for best album, I still really love it. I'm a sucker for wall of noise and angsty lyrics and this album delivers.
5. A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step - Really subtle and atmospheric, with most of the songs having a really particular vibe that just makes the album... Really great.
4. The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium - There was a point I couldn't live without listening to this album once a day. I'm not that obsessed anymore but this album is still amazing.
3. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York - Really heartfelt and genuine and just nice. Reminds me of driving in the car late at night and appreciating a long, good day.
2. Tool - Ænima - The kinda album I just really jump into. I can't really express how much I enjoy it.
1. The Beatles - Revolver - This album has to be the album for me. I can sit down and listen to anytime, anywhere, and it's still amazing after every listen. I have trouble after listening it once to not immediately put it on again.

That wraps that up.