Compelling concept albums.

[Kenneth R.]

+Mabool
+ALL OPETH

 

[Yngvai X]

my three favorites of all time:

Pink Floyd - The Wall. C'mon, did it really take until page 2 for someone to mention this one?

Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-earth. I admire this one for the musical atmosphere it sets up, rather than the story content, since its not original, however lyrically/musically I rank it on par with The Wall as far as perfectly capturing the emotion and mood of the story being told.

Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane. Very emotionally charged, personal lyrics, great flow and fitting music/story. I actually like The Perfect Element 1 more musically, but as a full concept album goes, I think Remedy Lane is more moving.

Honorable mentions:

Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Mostly for the way the music flows, because the story doesn't make a whole lot of sense at all.

Ayreon - The Human Equation. I love the interplay between the different roles, and theres some great musical themes throughout.

Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory. Thematically and musically excellent, lyrically bland.

Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element 1. See comment with Remedy Lane.


To be honest, most concept albums I hear fail to really captivate and immerse me, which is a shame, because by their nature a concept album has the potential to be the ultimate expression of music and story.

 

[Anonymous]

Glad to see you posting again, Matt

 

[Liquid Tension]

If you haven't heard Eternity X's concept disc THE EDGE it's a very good one also....

Opeth My Arms Your Hearse is also very good....

 

[greenaxer]

Transiberian Orchestra- The Lost Christmas Eve
Ayreon- The Human Equation
Dream Theater- Scenes From A Memory
Symphony X- V
Ayreon- Into The Electric Castle

The TSO one, has such a fantastic, challenging message intertwined throughout the storyline... Quite emotional if you read the story in the liner notes...

Agree on TSO. What a kick ass ensemble, and body of work.

My fav's include:

Symphony X - V
Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
Savatage - The Wake of Magellan, Dead Winter Dead
Dredg - El Cielo
Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
Rush - 2112
Pink Floyd - The Wall

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Tyr - Ragnarok

 

[Ayreon Guardian X]

OHH!!! I just remembered a great concept album:

GWAR - Ragnarok!! It was all about the day of the final comet Ragnarok and how the world was going to end and all of this sh!t...Kick-ass funny metal album...

 

[Phanto]

Two pages and no love for Mabool or Dreaming Neon Black? I'm disappointed in you guys.

Mabool had too much BS between the good stuff.

 

[The Stormbringer]

Huge thumbs down to everybody for not mentioning "A Pleasant Shade Of Grey" by Fates Warning.
Psychotic Waltz' "Into The Everflow" is brillant and might be a concept album as well. I'm not sure, though, because it's too fucking weird.

 

[progmetaldan]

+1

 

[Son of Evil]

Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane.

Such an amazing album. Every song is full of emotion and feeling.

Then there are the Ayreon albums, Rhapsody (C'mon, admit it, they ARE enjoyable), Odyssey by Sym X, Scenes from a Memory by DT, etc.

Any Power/Prog fan should be able to name a lot of memorable concept albums. They have become pretty much a trend.

 

[progmetaldan]

If we're mentioning sections of albums, the DT- Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence is an awesome one IMO.

 

[mark b]

King diamonds THEM and CONSPIRACY, truly awesome.

 

[IntoPhagist]

Iron Maiden - 7th Son
Iced Earth - The Dark Saga

 

[IntoPhagist]

Still life is a concept? i never even knew haha, i never really read lyrics to bands anymore.

 

[mark b]

I saw someone said King Diamond up above, but it needs to be restated.

Abigail, "Them", Conspiracy, etc. etc. Holy fuck, King can do no wrong (except in the mid 90's when he put out the eye and spiders lullabye... those kinda sucked). House of God remains one of the greatest concepts EVER. I want that album cover tattoo'd on my back. For serious. I have an awesome idea for a backpiece.

Personally i think house of gods is his weakest work. CONSPIRACY FOREVER

 

[Phanto]

I kind of liked The Eye also. I mean "Burn" and "Father Picard" kicks ass!

Btw aren't KD working on a new concept album?

 

[mark b]

I kind of liked The Eye also. I mean "Burn" and "Father Picard" kicks ass!

Btw aren't KD working on a new concept album?

He sure is and it will be out in june, i love the eye also especially the trial

 

[greenaxer]

If we're mentioning sections of albums, the DT- Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence is an awesome one IMO.

+ 1, my friend. That one just grew on me continuously and it's one of my favorites. But it's a great piece of music in itself.

 

[progmetaldan]

Sure is, and to see it performed in its entirety with an orchestra on the Score dvd was simply amazing.