Best album closer

[plattopus]

The best album opener thread is great, so I figured this thread would be a good thread to do also!

Off the top of my head I'd name Learning to Live as probably my favourite, but I might have to go through my CD list and come up with some others.

 

[Goreripper]

You're right! No one ever talks about great album closers! "Hallowed be Thy Name" is one of the best. Ditto for "Damage, Inc." and "Dyer's Eve". I know I'll think of more.

I have! "Rock N Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" fucking rocks.

 

[plattopus]

Fuck I can't believe I forgot Damage Inc!!

 

[Goreripper]

Shame on you.

 

[plattopus]

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me... I won't be fooled again.

 

[mattt]

Dream Theater 'Finally Free'

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Yes, Finally Free is fantastic, as is Damage Inc and Dyers Eve.

This is hard as there are lots of great epics that round off albums. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is fantastic, as is To Tame A Land and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Dantes Inferno is a favourite, and Travel In Stygian is good too, as is The Phantom Opera Ghost. Dungeon's Legend Of Huma is great as well.

For something a bit different, I think Maiden's Journeyman is good, similar is Bruce's Arc of Space. Only The Good Die Young is fantastic as well.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Dream Theater's Space-Dye Vest is another favourite. Brilliant.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

It's hard to say which songs close albums better than others because it doesn't really have an impact like opening an album does.... except maybe with live albums in which case I would say God Gave Rock & Roll To You/Star Spangled Banner on KISS Alive III is a brilliant closer...

But there is one choice which is far and away above the rest. Partly because it is on a concept album so it is important which song closes the album, but also because it is by far the best song on the album and closes the story so well...

Queensryche - Eyes Of A Stranger!!!!!!!!

Other choices...

KISS - Black Diamond (those chords slowing down.. UNREAL!!!)
Alice Cooper - Escape (not a great song but I like how it closes the album, escaping from the Nightmare with an upbeat rocker)
KISS - War Machine (thunderous finish to a thunderous album)
Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith
Motley Crue - Danger
Alice Cooper - Wind Up Toy (rock & roll album turns into classic 70s Alice vibe then he throws in a Nightmare reference outta nowhere!)

 

[The Amazer]

Metallica - Damage Inc.
Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
Guns N Roses - Rocket Queen

 

[Spiff]

Savatage - Believe, Sleep, Alone You Breathe, Not What You See
Dream Theater - Trial of Tears
Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark, The Unbeliever (one of their most underrated tracks), THE THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE (awesome song! So unlike Maiden, which makes it even better), Journeyman

 

[Spiff]

Oh, and Dream Theater - Space Dye Vest. That's not really a Dream Theater song, though... Portnoy said in an interview that if they had known KevMo was leaving the band then it probably wouldn't be on the album cos it's so much his song. So, if SDV wasn't on the album then Scarred would be a top choice for a closing track. One of the best guitar solos evah.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Grave Digger - Silence, is another. Awesome song.

 

[plattopus]

OK here's my list:

Dream Theater - In the Name of God (Train of Thought)
Evansecence - My Immortal (Fallen)
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir (Physical Graffiti) [it counts because it's the end of the disc!]
Led Zeppelin - Tea For One (Presence) [because it's a sign that this God-awful album is finally over!]
Liquid Tension Experiment - Hourglass (Liquid Tension Experiment 2)
Pagan's Mind - The Prophecy of Pleiades (Celestial Entrance)
Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Wish You Were Here) [this counts as both an album opener and closer... w00!]
Porcupine Tree - Collapse the Light Into Earth (In Absentia)
TransAtlantic - Stranger In Your Soul (Bridge Across Forever)


I would put Collapse the Light Into Earth as number one by an absolute country mile... which would mean that my all-time favourite opening and closing tracks are both from the same album!

Number two would go to Stranger In Your Soul, Damage Inc. and Learning to Live in a three-way tie.

But on a kind of related topic, I always thought Dream Theater - Hell's Kitchen would make the perfect last track for an album because it has that awesome build-up and great climax... but for some reason it was put in the middle of the album! Not to take away from TOT, but I always though Hell's Kitchen would be far more appreciated if it was used at the end of the album.

 

[Goreripper]

THE THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE (awesome song! So unlike Maiden, which makes it even better)

Agreed! I love that song.

 

[spawn]

The Coming Curse by Iced Earth

 

[spawn]

The best album closer ever is of course... Bat Out Of Hell

 

[Spiff]

But on a kind of related topic, I always thought Dream Theater - Hell's Kitchen would make the perfect last track for an album because it has that awesome build-up and great climax... but for some reason it was put in the middle of the album! Not to take away from TOT, but I always though Hell's Kitchen would be far more appreciated if it was used at the end of the album.

I disagree. Hell's Kitchen was originally the middle bit of Burning My Soul and it's always sounded quite awkward to me. I never did like it as a separate instrumental song. It's always felt like filler to me.

 

[9mm]

The Coming Curse by Iced Earth

 

[spawn]

The best album closer ever is of course... Bat Out Of Hell

Yes. Maybe if you are listening to the Greatest Hits album instead of the original YOU BLOODY IDIOT.