Career defining albums

[Wrathchild]

I lent Operation Mindcrime to one of my uni classmates last week and may have described it with words that also form the title of this thread .

That got me thinking, just what is a career defining album and how many metal bands have been lucky enough to make one? Some obvious choices are Van Halen's debut, Number of The Beast, British Steel, Alive (and maybe Destroyer) and Machine Head.

Bands like Sabbath and AC/DC make the choice a bit more difficult. Paranoid might be the Sabs' best known and most popular effort, but it's far from their best IMHO. AC/DC went downhill a bit after For Those About To Rock, but any album prior to that is just as consistent and enjoyable as the one before it.

Led Zeppelin make things really complicated, because everything of theirs is so different. You could almost say (and several people have) that every Zep record is a concept album about the band's collective state of mind at the time of recording, so picking just one to represent their whole career is quite a challenge.

Thoughts?

W

 

[Sydo]

I think Rust In Peace was the career defining album for Megadeth.
It's just a damn shame that Mustaine thinks it was Countdown To Extinction..

 

[Spruce Goose]

Dream Theater - Images and Words (But could also be Scenes from a Memory depending on how I understand your topic)

The Beatles - Sgt Peppers

Helloween - Keeper of the 7 Keys

 

[spawn]

A career defining album is one that fans want you to make over and over again for the rest of your life, and no matter what you release, and how good it is, it will always be said to be not as good as *insert album here*.

i.e. Reign In Blood, Rust In Piece etc.

 

[spawn]

I think Rust In Peace was the career defining album for Megadeth.
It's just a damn shame that Mustaine thinks it was Countdown To Extinction..

If Risk had outsold CTE he would have thought Risk was the career defining album though

 

[Aussie_Outlaw]

I think Rust In Peace was the career defining album for Megadeth.
It's just a damn shame that Mustaine thinks it was Countdown To Extinction..

Well of course he'd think that, he was rewarded with commercial success and praise which is what he was looking for after Metallica got all their success.

It makes sense.

Though I agree it was RIP.

 

[Spruce Goose]

Pink Floyd -- Dark Side of the Moon is a classic example

 

[Goreripper]

Slayer - 'Reign in Blood'
AC/DC - 'Back in Black'
Bon Jovi - 'New Jersey'

Personally I'd say 'Physical Graffiti' was Led Zep's career defining moment, though many would suggest it was 'VI'. And I'd say that Metallica has two: 'Master of Puppets' and 'Black', one defined their early career, and the other their later period.

 

[Spruce Goose]

Yeah, I would suggest VI for Zep

 

[The Amazer]

VI... that would mean Physical Graffiti

I think IV is the greatest album of all time, but I don't think you can choose just one Led Zeppelin album. Every album defines them. What a band.

And with Metallica, I agree that both Puppets and Black have their place.

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

I would say Slippery When Wet for Bon Jovi. When people think Jovi, they think Prayer, Bad Name and Wanted.

 

[Goreripper]

Yeah Trent I reckon you're right there.

 

[plattopus]

I have a feeling In Absentia will turn out to be Porcupine Tree's career-defining album. They seem to have succumbed to the "mainstream", and even though their music still rocks I think from now on they'll be making music according to what will sell. Thus, everything will be compared to In Absentia, which is personally one of my all-time top 5 albums, and is probably many peoples' as well.

 

[plattopus]

Thought of a couple more.

Rush - 2112 / Moving Pictures
Silverchair - Neon Ballroom
Tool - AEnema
Yes - Close to the Edge

 

[salty]

whoa dude...dont prog up the forum so quickly haha

 

[plattopus]

Bite my ass, metal boy.

 

[Spiff]

I'd swap Close to the Edge for Fragile.

 

[spawn]

I wouldnt put Neon Ballroom as silverchairs defining album.

 

[Goreripper]

I'd have to agree there.

 

[spawn]

Id go either Frogstomp or Freakshow personally