Favourite Albums

[Coon]

Well this thread have might already existed in the past, but since I'm new here...

The thing is to mention our favourite albums ever. Of course to name just one is very difficult, but what about a top 5? That sounds good to me. So here are mines:

1.- Nikolo Kotzev - Nostradamus: I've always said this is the best album I ever heard: perfect marriage between hard rock and classic music.

2.- Iron Maiden - Live After Death: Deep in my heart I'm but a simple metalhead...

3.- Orphaned Land - Mabool: You all know this, no comments.

4.- Opeth - Watershed: I like it as much as Mabool and the only reason Mabool is first is 'cause I've live more experiences with it than with Watershed. Opeth is one on my favourite bands.

5.- Ayreon - The Universal Migrator: I consider both parts as a whole. I have always love Arjen's taste for music.

 

[Postmodernist]

A nice tread Coon.

My top-5 is:

-> Estatic Fear "A Sombre Dance" [atmospheric symphonic doom/death metal with medieval folk influences]
-> Liquid Tension Experiment 1 & 2 [instrumental art-rock/fusion/progressive metal]
-> Orphaned Land "El Nora Alila" [oriental doom/death metal]
-> Jesse Cook "Live At The Metropolis" [flamenco/world music]
-> Loreena McKennitt "Nights Of The Alhambra" [ethereal/new age/world music]

I could also add here many different songs by Satriani, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Haggard, California Guitar Trio, Steve Morse, Apocalyptica etc. however the best masterpieces are kinda randomly distributed among the albums.

 

[Zuzuz0r]

This changes very often for me, but I think the albums that I will never get bored of listening to them will be:

Opeth - Morningrise(along with BWP, Still Life and Ghost Reveries).
Agalloch - The Mantle.
Orphaned Land - Mabool.
Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors.
Solefald - Red For Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey: Part I.
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here.

 

[Tabletwister]

Been listening to the below albums a lot lately:

Arcturus - Sideshow Symphonies
Borknagar - Quintessence
The Kovenant - Nexus Polaris
Orphaned Land - El Norra Alila
Rotting Christ - Theogonia

 

[Coon]

This changes very often for me, but I think the albums that I will never get bored of listening to them will be:

Opeth - Morningrise(along with BWP, Still Life and Ghost Reveries).
Agalloch - The Mantle.
Orphaned Land - Mabool.
Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors.
Solefald - Red For Fire: An Icelandice Odyssey: Part I.
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here.

Great taste! I love The Mantle!! Well, actually I love Agalloch in general. And The Sham Mirrors is also my favourite Arcturus! And of course Morningrise. It was my favourite Opeth for a long time, I'm still in love with Black Rose Immortal ^.^

 

[Postmodernist]

If you adore Agalloch, try out Estatic Fear.

 

[Coon]

If you adore Agalloch, try out Estatic Fear.

Will do, don't know when since it is a lot of stuff to listen over my plate now, but will do. Promise.

 

[Zuzuz0r]

I've heard a lot of Estatic Fear, but never thought of listening to some of them, I guess I'll do it now.

 

[HaTikva]

Except for Mabool , some of my other favourites:


The God Machine - Scenes from the second storey
Placebo - Without you I'm nothing
Manic Street Preachers - Forever delayed
Indochine - Paradize
Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain, Evergreen
A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals (PS: sad how low he sunk ever since that album, each album got worse and worse)



I probably forgot some more ...

 

[lozanoje]

Well, I cannot make a top-10 list, its imposible to have at a time in my brains all the albums I've ever heard to process the "best-of" list...

Its easier to think about the best bands, and then chose an album of each one...

From past:

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Pantera - Vulgar display of power

From present:

Orphaned Land - Mabool
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
Devin Townsend - Terria

I do not feel confortable making this kind of lists, its like betraying (by forgeting to put them in the list) a great number of beautiful albums that have fullfiled my heart all over the years

lozano

 

[Orfanos]

Well, I 'll try to name only ten.

Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
Manowar - Hail to England
Warlord - Deliver Us
Accept - Breaker
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Winterhawk - Revival
Titan Force - s/t
Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction
Metal Church - s/t

 

[SonofRuss]

Whew, it is impossible to name 5 favorite albums, because I listened to a lot of great music since I was 13 and bought my first own album, but I'll try it:

1. Death - Individual Thought Patterns
There is no one in the whole metal scene who impressed me like the immortal Chuck Schuldiner. Chuck, you were more than a musician, you were a brother in metal and a god on the guitar, you will be remembered forever. Rest in peace, my friend, and let the metal flow.
2. Loreena McKennitt - The Visit
Never heard such an enchanting voice before, this lady is true magic.
3. Orphaned Land -The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR
Look at my post in the Album thread, nuff said. OL is unmatched.
4. Iron Maiden - Killers
Well, what should I say about THIS MILESTONE? Probably the best Heavy Metal album of all times.
5. Bolt Thrower - For Victory
Although they always write songs about war and bloodshed, they are one of my alltime favorite bands. No other Death Metal band impressed me like the heroes from England. Bolt Thrower is the most underestimated band of all times.

I could go on the whole day, but I guess these are the albums that impressed me most.

 

[Whiskey_Bonbons]

These albums are the ones I find myself listening over and over for a long time:
Orphaned Land - El Norra Alila (musically, its the band's best IMO)
Slough Feg - Traveller (this band can do no wrong!)
Pagan Altar - Mythical & Magical (Jethro Tull influenced metal band = I'm sold)
Manilla Road - Spiral Castle (unique vocals- and the harsh vocals here are really great; some of the band's best songwriting)
Reverend Bizarre - Into the Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend (awesome atmosphere, doom metal done right.)

 

[siriusian]

All times favourites:

1. Testament-The Legacy
2. Metallica-Master of Puppets
3. Death-The Sound of Perseverance
4. Megadeth-Peace Sells...
5. Slayer-Seasons in the Abyss

And nowadays,
1. Orphaned Land-The Never Ending Way Of Orwarrior
2. The Agonist-Lullabies for the Dormant Mind
3. Behmoth-Demigod
4. Dark Tranquillity-Where Death Is Most Alive
5. Cadaveria-Far Away From Conformity

 

[HaTikva]

Aha, someone else that knows the Agonist!

While I prefer clean vocals rather than growls (so musically it isn't my prefered style of metal) ... am I the only one who thinks Alissa (the vocalist) is drop dead gorgeous? She has a beautiful face, and I love her hairstyle in her videos! One of the most gorgeous ladies in metal, maybe in music alltogether (although Shlomit is in a league of her own )



Have to add (how could I have forgotten it in my earlier post in this topic?):
The God Machine - Scenes from the Second Storey

One of the best albums ever made IMO, it is epic and groundbreaking from the first to the last second. Like a paralysing trip of breathtaking noise rock. I often compare them to Tool in terms of style, but --and I realise I will get blamed for saying this-- The God Machine is better I'd say. They were so far ahead of their time.



PS Siriusian: what about the pride of Turkish metal, Pentagram? I saw them live twice when I lived in Istanbul, great band. Their song "Bir" is one of the favourites in my iPod, especially with the volume up. Hepsi Bir, hepsi Hakk'tan!

 

[Miltbrand]

Pretty impossible, so I'll list albums that have had a deep impact on me and changed my outlook on music. I'll probably forget some essential albums, but here goes:

Anthrax - Among The Living
Opeth - Morningrise
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Storm - Nordavind
Iron Maiden - Killers
Amorphis - Tales From The Thousand Lakes
The Gathering - Mandylion
Katatonia - Brave Murder Day
Paradise Lost - Icon
Solefald - The Linear Scaffold
Therion - Lepaca Kliffoth

 

[Dora]

Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime
Gazpacho: Tick Tock
Slipknot: All hope is gone
Rob Dougan: Furious Angels
Porcupine Tree: Foabp
ORWarriOR
Placebo: Sleeping with Ghosts
Pink Floyd: The Wall
The Cult: Love
Paradise Lost: Host
Altan Urag: Made in Altan Urag
Anthrax: State of Euphoria

 

[Bound2Fate]

Top 5 is not enough, haha. Even putting them in any order is impossible for me.

Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
Tool - Lateralus
Katatonia - Night is the New Day
Orphaned Land - Orwarrior and Mabool
Nacho Vegas - Cajas de Musica Dificiles de Parar
Disturbed - Believe
A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
Anathema - Eternity and The Silent Enigma
Opeth - Damnation and Ghost Reveries
Pain of Salvation - Scarsick and BE
...and several more...

This...

I do not feel confortable making this kind of lists, its like betraying (by forgeting to put them in the list) a great number of beautiful albums that have fullfiled my heart all over the years

 

[siriusian]

Aha, someone else that knows the Agonist!

While I prefer clean vocals rather than growls (so musically it isn't my prefered style of metal) ... am I the only one who thinks Alissa (the vocalist) is drop dead gorgeous? She has a beautiful face, and I love her hairstyle in her videos! One of the most gorgeous ladies in metal, maybe in music alltogether (although Shlomit is in a league of her own )


PS Siriusian: what about the pride of Turkish metal, Pentagram? I saw them live twice when I lived in Istanbul, great band. Their song "Bir" is one of the favourites in my iPod, especially with the volume up. Hepsi Bir, hepsi Hakk'tan!

The Agonist seems to be an underrated band till now but their fame is I guess spreading over. Yes, Alissa is gorgeous, I love her both vocal styles and as far as I know she has a degree in operatic arts so that's where her talent come from. Just listen to her superb a capella version of Tchaikovksy's piece Swan Lake. They do not create something superhuman but I think they offer it in a unique way which the creativity and originality makes the golden key.

As for The Pentagram/Mezarkabul, they are the biggest acts of Turkey but I believe they do not take it to a professional/seious level. Releasing albums after so many years of hiatus or refusing to play live often is not something the music industry would go by. They are going to release a new album, but who knows when, judging from their previous experiences of laziness And they have a new vocalist who obviously does not "look" so metal and not fitting the band. I am sure they will not support their album with a tour therefore their talents will stay underground again...

Upon reading the recent posts lately I guess you were the one who enjoyed living in Istanbul, Israel or New York. And I have the key to why you love these places so much

On earth there are some energy centers and some cities are built on such places where people living those places absorb these energies creating in themselves happines, joy even trance like situations. You should have noticed that in such cities people have much appetite, consume much alcohol, have increaed libidos and sleep less but still have excessive energy. In Turkey many of the cities are built on these energy centers like Izmir, Konya, Bursa, Malatya, Sivas, Kayseri, Urfa, Erzurum to name a few. In Istanbul I sensed this energy the most in Bosphorus and Sultanahmet area (esp. in Yerebatan Cistern in which I can not stay there more than 10 minutes since much energy here creates an unexplained feeling in me). The energy in Istanbul is so tough so that's why people of Istanbul are so aggressive. This energy sometimes takes peak while in other times disappearing almost. I do not have detailed info about these subjects since I live in Ankara where there is no such energy area. But soon I hope to move to a city where this energy abounds. I can write a thick book about what I have found out about this subject so far, but I am too lazy to do it,, haha.

If you have any questions, feel free to write them down here....

And why not share your experiences here when you visited such cities or places? I am willing to know about the energy centers in other part of the world, by your experiences...

 

[HaTikva]

Mezarkabul changed singer again? Or is it the same guy who was with the band 5 years ago already (which already was not the initial singer)?

I saw Mezarkabul's 20th anniversary gig on the shores of the Bosphorus, the stage right next to the sea, the Bosphorus bridge idyllicaly lit on the background. Great experience. Great live band.

I agree with you about Istanbul. Sultanahmet is a very special place. A very spiritual energy is there. I mean, I am atheist, but in my opinion the Blue Mosque is the most beautiful building on earth. I can spend hours just walking through the Beyazit souks or get lost in the countless little alleys surrounding Sultanahmet Square. I like Besiktas a lot as well for its more cosmopolitan vibe.

Must admit it is still hard for me to talk about Turkey in depth. I loved it so much living there, the employer messing up the working permit was the big issue. I left because I didn't want to work illegally but promised myself to return as soon as I could. The next two years I applied to numerous Turkish companies, but with the economical crisis the working permit issue was getting tougher. I still miss Turkey so much that I find it hard to talk about it without getting a tear in the eye. If I knew I could get an income in a legal way, I would take the first plane back. I lived all over Europe and really, Spain is great. But still, nothing compares to Turkey. Such an amazing country, and with the friendliest people I ever met. I miss Turkey