GMD Poll: Top Ten Albums of 1996

[zabu of nΩd]

1. Angra - Holy Land
2. Opeth - Morningrise
3. Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire
4. Type O Negative - October Rust
   
5. Katatonia - Brave Murder Day
6. Bathory - Blood on Ice
7. Stratovarius - Episode
8. Therion - Theli
9. Dimmu Borgir - Stormblast
10. Ministry - Filth Pig

Hard choice for me. Only the first three I really love. Theli's a transition album, Stormblast is Dimmu before their signature sound, Filth Pig's a kinda tired release by an aging Ministry. Had to relisten to Brave Murder Day after years. Need to relisten to Filosofem too, but Burzum never really did much for me tbh

Holy Land really blew my mind when I first heard it about 4 years ago. I'd heard a song or two by Angra years before, and written them off as another over-the-top power metal band, but this album is so much more. Great ballads for one thing, which I find extremely rare in metal. I swear it out-progs Dream Theater too in terms of dynamic breadth and stylistic diversity.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Good Angra album.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Episode is some pretty solid power metal

 

[no country for old wainds]

cool, if anyone else is doing a list hurry up 'cause i'm gonna close this tonight

 

[no country for old wainds]

1) sacramentum - far away from the sun
2) the chasm - from the lost years
3) scald - will of the gods is great power
4) burzum - filosofem
5) oxiplegatz - worlds and worlds
6) vinterland - welcome my last chapter
7) kvist - for kunsten maa vi evig vike
8) summoning - dol guldur
9) gorgoroth - antichrist
10) joyless - unlimited hate

HM:
branikald - rdyandalir (unlistenable drums on track 3 are the only reason it didn't make it)
arghoslent - arsenal of glory
absurd - facta loquuntur
talisphere - talisphere EP
immolation - here in after
sacramentary abolishment - river of corticone
aura noir - black thrash attack
inquisitor - walpurgis, sabbath of lust
desaster - a touch of medieval darkness
dodheimsgard - monumental possession

oh and i'd better mention ildjarn and sort vokter so omni doesn't complain to me over facebook

 

[crimsonfloyd]

1) sacramentum - far away from the sun
2) the chasm - from the lost years
3) scald - will of the gods is great power
4) burzum - filosofem
5) moonblood - blut und krieg
6) vinterland - welcome my last chapter
7) kvist - for kunsten maa vi evig vike
8) oxiplegatz - worlds and worlds
9) summoning - dol guldur
10) gorgoroth - antichrist

HM:
branikald - rdyandalir (unlistenable drums on track 3 are the only reason it didn't make it)
joyless - unlimited hate
arghoslent - arsenal of glory
absurd - facta loquuntur
talisphere - talisphere EP
immolation - here in after
sacramentary abolishment - river of corticone
aura noir - black thrash attack
inquisitor - walpurgis, sabbath of lust
desaster - a touch of medieval darkness

oh and i'd better mention ildjarn and sort vokter so omni doesn't complain to me over facebook

I think that Moonblood record is from 97.

 

[Krow]

I'll mention Sort Vokter for you.

Sort Vokter fucking suck.

 

[Funerary_Doom]

that sounds like something demiurge would write so that probably means i wrote it

this btw

i'll announce results friday. i know most of these probably won't bother but final call for: @Funerary_Doom @Serjeant Grumbles @Phylactery @I-TEND-TO-DIE @RadicalThrasher @Dazed and Brutal

I'll be around more so it's just getting into the habit of checking the forums more regularly again

 

[no country for old wainds]

I think that Moonblood record is from 97.

looks like you're right. a lot of places call it 96 but nowhere reliable. guess i'll edit. @Phylactery you may want to also

 

[Phylactery]

Thanks. Edited it now.

 

[no country for old wainds]

GMD's Top Ten Albums of 1996
=10) Welcome My Last Chapter by Vinterland
A castle so crystal clear, its gate covered with ice...

"I'm stoked that Vinterland have reformed and are in the process of recording new music. Welcome My Last Chapter is an underrated classic. I've also found that the album is far, far more sorrowful/depressive than basically all of this suicidal BM nonsense. Silencer can fuck right off." - @Slayed Necros

Chosen by:
Talos of Atmora (#6)
Vegard Pompey (#6)
EspaDa (#6)
no country for old wainds (#6)
Slayed Necros (#8)
Mort Divine (#8)
Anom@nder Rake (#8)
Phylactery (#9)

=10) Blood on Ice by Bathory
This sword is the backbone of the life that I know, here among the mountains and snow...

"I prefer Hammerheart to Twilight of the Gods, but I think Blood on Ice is better than both. The very best." - @CASSETTEISGOD

"Twilight of the Gods and Blood on Ice are superior to Hammerheart. I'm listening to "Man of Iron" right now. Such a beautiful song." - @Iron Wizard

Chosen by:
CASSETTEISGOD (#2)
Vilden (#4)
alex76 (#6)
zabu of nΩd (#6)
Master_Yoda77 (#6)

=10) Brave Murder Day by Katatonia
Let's stay here for a while...

"Pfft BMD is the saddest album ever obv, you guys should embrace your inner Katatonia-fanboyism more imo! :'(" - @Vilden

Chosen by:
Vilden (#2)
EternalMetal (#3)
Vegard Pompey (#5)
zabu of nΩd (#5)
Serjeant Grumbles (#9)

 

[no country for old wainds]

of course our first ever threeway tie would be in the 10th spot to give me as much extra work as possible. thanks, cunts

 

[RadicalThrasher]

Has the next year up already been determined?

 

[no country for old wainds]

9) Morningrise by Opeth
Shadows skulk at my coming...

"Morningrise is their best IMO, sure the songwriting is a mess overall, but it has the best individual moments I think. Parts of it remind me of Final Fantasy 7." - @Phylactery

Chosen by:
zabu of nΩd (#2)
crimsonfloyd (#2)
spikes77 (#4)
Talos of Atmora (#5)
EternalMetal (#6)

 

[no country for old wainds]

eh maybe i should've listed it. it's hard to feel anything about an album i've probably genuinely listened to 100 times.

BLOOD ON ICE is probably the best viking-era bathory in my book, kinda surprised it's not higher but i guess it's never been that popular compared to HH or even TWILIGHT.

Has the next year up already been determined?

nope

or HAS it......

 

[no country for old wainds]

8) Bleeding by Psychotic Waltz
Wait at the corner for a white electric caterpillar ride, take us to the other side...

"Great band, Bleeding was my fav by far." - @MetalAges

Chosen by:
HamburgerBoy (#3)
Burkhard (#3)
Talos of Atmora (#3)
alex76 (#4)
Baroque (#4)

 

[no country for old wainds]

sorry for the small cover art, there's like nothing on google lol

 

[no country for old wainds]

7) Dol Guldur by Summoning
The crownless shall again be king...

"I think "Dol Guldur" is the best." - @Oblivious Maximus

"I literally cannot enjoy Summoning, no matter what I tell myself or what anybody tells me. I've tried countless times to get into Dol Guldur and a couple of their other releases, because everybody tells me how amazing they are. But I can't get past my aesthetic revulsion." - @Cythraul

"Yea, Dol Guldur is def. the best Summoning release. It contains the best insturmental passages that set the perfect mood for me." - @Dazed and Brutal

Chosen by:
Anom@nder Rake (#3)
Master_Yoda77 (#3)
Vilden (#3)
Phylactery (#3)
Vegard Pompey (#4)
crimsonfloyd (#6)
no country for old wainds (#8)
rms (#8)

 

[Phylactery]

eh maybe i should've listed it. it's hard to feel anything about an album i've probably genuinely listened to 100 times.

.

Pfft, I've listened to FAFtS, Deathcult and TRitSiO like 100 times and they still give me all the feels.

I'm more surprised that BAN didn't make your top 10 or honourable mentions. Especially since you listed the inferior Ultima Thulee in 1995 iirc.

 

[no country for old wainds]

6) Psychostasia by Adramalech
No soul could pass this three-headed dog...

"Adramelech -psychostasia for example is outlandish abstract and intricate with original riffs without being akward." @Death Delirium

"Slumber of Sullen Eyes is a lot more crushing but there's something about the riffs on Psychostasia that I just can't get over. It's brilliance." - @Manic Ferocity

Chosen by:
Anom@nder Rake (#1)
EternalMetal (#1)
Mort Divine (#2)
-CyanideChrist- (#2)
TechnicalBarbarity (#3)
zerostatic (#3)
ClichéUserName (#4)
Slayed Necros (#5)
Vilden (#7)
Talos of Atmora (#7)
Vegard Pompey (#9)