Best late in career albums

[Zivilyn]

I got to thinking about this because of Hansi Kursch's (or is it Kusch? I don't feel like looking it up...) on the newest Demons and Wizards CD. He's probably not late in his career already, but it's amazing to think that he sounds so much better now than he did at the start of Blind Guardian. It's like he aged in reverse.
Most musicians have a problem making good music once they reach a certain age. The last good Iron Maiden album was at least 10 years ago (maybe 17, that's debatable (but please don't)). Black Sabbath kind of shit the bed at the end of the 70s. Any other long running band you can think of, they just lose something on the way. So which ones are actually good at this longevity thing?

 

[Wyvern]

Interesting thread. Musicians that age like wine, or bands.

I'll say without fear that Motorhead and Saxon are definitively on this league, over 25 years in the road and they kick ass like on their first album...sorry WAY BETTER than in the first album. I'm not saying the albums from the classic era are inferior no way, but the new albums have carved their mark in the stone on their own right.

I'll also add Alice Cooper lately his albums have redimensioned the legend of the Coop and unlike many bands that fell or sold out he managed to endure rough times and preserve being himself.

And as musician in particular I want to point to the almighty Ritchie Blackmore, from Deep Purple to Rainbow to Deep Purple to Rainbow to Blackmore's Night the guy never gave up, never diminished his guitar skill or quality and frankly from 'Highway Star' to 'Village In The Sand' he surely knows how to reinvent himself.

Gary Hughes - 'Shapeshifter'

 

[Soul of Ice]

I can't think of a band right off the top of my head, but I know a singer who just keeps getting better and he is...

Ray Alder!

He sounded amazing on APSoG and Disconnected (not so much FWX), and just recently on Redemption's "Fullness of Time" Now, that is one quality album. When I heard it, I actually got angry that Ray sounded so much better on this one than on FW's 10th album. If you have not heard, I highly suggest you check it out.

Sorry for the bad sentences, tired am I.

 

[abrasiverock]

Yeah, Motorhead, Overkill, Dio, Doro, & that is about all I can think of.

 

[Hawk]

Rush I would say are making a nice come back as well. l hope that their new album has a nice thick heavy guitar sound again. Kansas also are going back to their old style and sound great again.

I think that Jag Panzer has been reemerging as one of the main US metal acts at the moment.

Kreator are back with a vengeance. Their concert on Feb of this year in Tilburg was one of the highlights of the year for me.

Overkill are making killer albums again.

And Annihilator are doing great again as well at the moment.

 

[abrasiverock]

And Annihilator are doing great again as well at the moment.

How could I forget Annihilator? I just wrote a review for them yesterday. The new one is WAY better than the last one.

 

[Hawk]

How could I forget Annihilator? I just wrote a review for them yesterday. The new one is WAY better than the last one.

Indeed. Although I like the albums with Joe Comeau even better. But then I have been a Comeau fan since Liege Lord's "Master Control".

Good to see you jump in here again dude!

 

[Priest of Evil]

Master Control, nice.

Personally I dont believe anything Motorhead have done since Orgasmatron has been better than their earlier catalogue but they are still hard at it and relentless live. So if we are judging by bands that still wave the flag well I'd add Grave Digger and Dismember to the above list.

 

[SoundMaster]

Bands that, I feel, make better music today than in their early days:
Glenn Hughes
Motorhead
Saxon
Dream Theater


Bands that are still releasing awesome music today, just as good as their glory years:
Rush
Iron Maiden
Dio
Candlemass
Iommi (his recent releases have kicked ass!)

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Pink Cream 69. After going since the 80s and already doing 5 studio albums, an EP and a live album and going from glam to hard rock to alternative.... suddenly they re-invented themselves in 1998 with "Electrified", the best album they had done yet and they 'found their sound' you could say and then topped that in 2000 with "Sonic Dynamite". And their last album "Thunderdome" from 2004 is just as good as Sonic Dynamite, possibly even better at times!

 

[Fangface]

Tankard! Their alcoholic thrash has matured over the years and is at its best on the latest album.

Jag Panzer also get better with age, even if they were already awesome in the beginning.

 

[TheWhisper]

Really goods ones already mentioned. I'll throw TNT into the mix. Their last two albums have been as good, or better, than anything they've ever done...particularly 'My Religion'.

I would love to come back to this thread in a couple of months and add the name Queensryche, because 'Mindcrime II' was that good, but while I hold out some hope...it is very reserved at this point.

 

[Wyvern]

Bands that, I feel, make better music today than in their early days:
Dream Theater

I didn't put DT because they're relatively young in their catalogue and history, but if we can add bands with a shorter life span than the almighty ones we have mentioned then besides DT I may add Cathedral, Skyclad, Candlemass, Bruce Dickinson, Meliah Rage, Yngwie Malmsteen, Rata Blanca, and Riot.

Personally I dont believe anything Motorhead have done since Orgasmatron has been better than their earlier catalogue but they are still hard at it and relentless live.

Not better because you can't top the moment the classics came, but if you pick albums like "Bastards", "Snakebite Love", "We Are Motorhead" and "Inferno" they'll going to be the classics in the future too.

NP: Cathedral - 'Beneath A Funeral Sun'

 

[SoundMaster]

if you pick albums like "Bastards", "Snakebite Love", "We Are Motorhead" and "Inferno" they'll going to be the classics in the future too.

F*cking hell yeah!!
Motorhead is kicking ass all over the place these days!!

 

[DumbAss]

I'll also add Alice Cooper lately his albums have redimensioned the legend of the Coop and unlike many bands that fell or sold out he managed to endure rough times and preserve being himself.

Yeah, I agree. Although, "Dirty Diamonds" has a few cool tunes on it, "The Eyes of Alice Cooper" and "Brutal Planet" are two smokin' albums!
I also loved "The Last Temptation" but that was like 10 years ago.
Also...
Anthrax, that is until they did this stupid reunion thing.
"We've Come for you ALL" (2003), in my opinion, is thier best album ever!

 

[KMADD]

Motorhead and Slayer for their intensity.

 

[Fangface]

Skyclad

Agreed, the last album with Kevin Ridley now taking over on vocals is as good as anything they did before IMO.

 

[Bryant]

I didn't put DT because they're relatively young in their catalogue and history,

I don't care for the newer DT, but they have been "out" since what.... 1992 ? They might "barely" qulify as "oldschool" but they do qualify. I'm not a huge DT fan, but DT and Fates Warning shaped prog-metal as we know it today.



Bryant

 

[TheWhisper]

I don't care for the newer DT, but they have been "out" since what.... 1992 ? They might "barely" qulify as "oldschool" but they do qualify. I'm not a huge DT fan, but DT and Fates Warning shaped prog-metal as we know it today.



Bryant

'When Dream And Day Unite' came out in '89, I think.

 

[Wyvern]

'When Dream And Day Unite' came out in '89, I think.

Indeed it did. I guess that anything over 15 years can be valid to consider in this thread. On the other hand they are not making better albums now than in the start (with the exception of the debut), I think they are hanging on their turf in a decent manner (side note: I am a DT fan).

To me for example Amorphis or Sentenced (RIP) make better albums towards the today than in their beginnings, but that's because I don't like death metal and I prefer what they do now. Of course the same argument can be used by fans of the early era to call them fakes or sell outs.

Some bands learn how to age well, some not. Some change and appeal, some not. In the end is always subjective and in the ear of the beholder

NP: Helloween - 'Born On Judgement Day'