GMD Poll: Top Ten Albums of 1998

[Krow]

I might be totally off base but sfk was usually a pretty nice guy and just suddenly went crazy with the insults and anger, something probably changed in his daily life or work or something annnnd it’s easier to take it out on the weirdos here than people you work with or loved ones.

Or maybe I’m just talking outta my ass.

 

[CiG]

Yeah I think the guy self-medicated his demons with booze, as many are want to do. He's cool af.

 

[no country for old wainds]

1) the chasm - deathcult for eternity: the triumph
2) aeternus - ...and so the night became
3) solstice - new dark age
4) bruce dickinson - the chemical wedding
5) arghoslent - galloping through the battle ruins
6) living impaired - blossom and decay
7) runemagick - the supreme force of eternity
8) forest - foredooming the hope for eternity
9) aura noir - deep tracts of hell
10) mortem - the devil speaks in tongues

HMs for the likes of inquisition, SOAD, opeth, obtained enslavement, sacred steel, MA etc.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

Have you heard Fantasien 1998 by Marge Litch? Can't say if it's your kind of power metal because it's too weird to compare to anything, but it's a very fascinating album.

Also, why do you like The Chemical Wedding so much?

 

[CiG]

golem - the 2nd moon

Released in 1999, recorded in 1998.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Have you heard Fantasien 1998 by Marge Litch? Can't say if it's your kind of power metal because it's too weird to compare to anything, but it's a very fascinating album.

Also, why do you like The Chemical Wedding so much?

i think i did listen to it but can't remember too well, i'll try again.

there's nothing too mysterious about my love for TCW, it's just a largely consistent and holistic set of bangers 'n epics full of atmosphere and great hooks, driven by an extremely powerful/charismatic vocal performance. really well structured songs too, everything in its right place. solo bruce is my dio. there are at least two or three maiden albums i like more though for the record.

 

[-CC-]

Earliest no country list in GMD Poll history? Had me worried I was missing the deadline for a sec there.

 

[Omni]

I was thinking about streaming that Runemagick album so it could potentially place in my list, but I feel like I want to own it before I listen to it. Based on what I've heard, it would surely have made my list if I owned it already.

I also almost put the Order from Chaos album on my list before further review reminded me of other albums that came out in 1998.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

1998 Top Ten

1. Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth
2. Dawn - Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)
3. Virgin Steele - Invictus
4. While Heaven Wept - Sorrow of the Angels
5. Primordial - A Journey's End
6. Therion - Vovin
7. Unholy - Rapture
8. Tristania - Widow's Weeds
9. Opera IX - Sacro Culto
10. Runemagick - The Supreme Force of Eternity

Honourable Mention

• 
  
  
  • Morbid Angel - Formulas Fatal to the Flesh
  • Death - The Sound of Perseverance
  • Theatre of Tragedy - Aégis
  • Negură Bunget - Sala Molksa
  • Carpathian Forest - Black Shining Leather
  • Silent Stream of Godless Elegy - Behind the Shadows
  • Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands
  • Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes
  • Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became
  • Falkenbach - ...Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri...
  • Nightwish - Oceanborn
  • Solstice - New Dark Age

 

[Omni]

I like how Dawn is special and they get a red dash in the middle of your blue top 10.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

Thanks for pointing that out. It's just because that dash wasn't wrapped in the artist url tag like the others. I fixed it by directly editing the BB Code, which can be confusing because of all those square brackets.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I'll just post my list before I forget and miss the deadline. There were a few more albums I wanted to hear before finalizing but I don't think I'll have the time.

1. Hajime Wakai & Taro Bando - F-Zero X Original Soundtrack
2. The Chasm - Deathcult for Eternity
3. Barathrum - Legions of Perkele
4. Marge Litch - Fantasien 1998
5. Amon Amarth - Once Sent From the Golden Hall
6. Morbid Angel - Formulas Fatal to the Flesh
7. Inquisition - Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult
8. Dawn - Slaughtersun
9. Solstice - New Dark Age
10. Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became

HMs:
Arghoslent - Galloping Through the Battle Ruins
Katatonia - Discouraged Ones (one of my favorite albums to mope to as a teengar, but nothing I listen to much anymore)
Sad Legend - Sad Legend
Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands
Northwinds - Great God Pan (weird fucking album, mostly in a bad way but sometimes in a really good way)
Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
Oxiplegatz - Sidereal Journey
Opeth - My Arms, Your Arse
Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth
Devin Townsend - Infinity
System of a Down - System of a Down

 

[-CC-]

That's the most Vegard Pompey #1 pick I've ever seen.

 

[Phylactery]

1. The Chasm - Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph
2. Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became
3. Incantation - Diabolical Conquest
4. Dawn - Slaughtersun
5. Arghoslent - Galloping Through the Battle Ruins
6. Hirilorn - Legends of Evil and Eternal Death
7. Solstice - New Dark Age
8. Inquisition - Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult
9. Runemagick - The Supreme Force of Eternity
10. Night Conquers Day - The First Snowfall

Honourable mentions: Mortem, Morbid Angel, Abigor, Order From Chaos, Bruce Dickinson, Gorguts (too much of a mindfuck and infrequent listen to make my top 10, but certainly a great album), Sad Legend, Opeth (their most coherent release and second best after Morningrise imo), Paysage d'Hiver, Wind of the Black Mountains, etc

Are we sure that Nox Intempesta is 1999? Rym says 1998 but MA says 1999 - it'd make my list if it was 1998.

Song of the year: The Chasm - "A Portal to Nowhere"

 

[Slayed Necros]

Are we sure that Nox Intempesta is 1999? Rym says 1998 but MA says 1999 - it'd make my list if it was 1998.

3rd of January 1999 according to Folter Records.

 

[Omni]

That F-Zero X soundtrack rules, but I don't think that I'd be willing to rank it like a regular album. I wish that F-Zero GX had a soundtrack on the same level, since the gameplay is so great.

 

[-CC-]

1) Meshuggah - Chaosphere
2) Dying Fetus - Killing on Adrenaline
3) Yattering - Human's Pain
4) Incantation - Diabolical Conquest
5) Bolt Thrower - Mercenary
6) Solitude Aeturnus - Adagio
7) Runemagick - The Supreme Force of Eternity
8) Crowbar - Odd Fellows Rest
9) Aeternus - ...and So the Night Became
10) Dehumanized - Prophecies Foretold (Gotta love that snare drum)

HM: The Chasm / Acheron / Malevolent Creation / Nile / Morbid Angel / Incantation / Death / Bruce Dickinson

This year was weird. Not a single album stood out particularly (not even top 3), but there was plenty of decent albums this year. In fact, the entire HM could replace any of the bottom 5 depending on the day. Probably the most arbitrary ranking yet.

Song of the year: "New Millenium Cyanide Christ" - Meshuggah, closely followed by "We Are Your Enemy" - Dying Fetus (that opening riff embodies everything I love about metal)

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

Love seeing that Runemagick album on so many lists.

 

[Slayed Necros]

Likewise. Great album.

 

[Omni]

That's one that I'm definitely going to buy.