HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ALBUMS

[Rocky Raccoon]

Haven't seen one of these threads in a while & Im always looking for new and exciting music so everyone recommend a couple of TOP albums that you think are a must hear for people on this forum. Im tooking 10 out of 10 albums here, no shit please, but in saying that, respect other peoples opinions!

I'll start:-

Symphony X:- V the mythology suites
A brilliant concept album about Atlantis. Symphony X are sort of a progressive power metal high-bred. ( I don't like calling them power metal though because they are far better than any power metal band I know of) The album flows together into one sorta big song but is seperated into tracks. Amazing musicians especially Michael Romeo, the guitarist who writes most of the music. (must be something about the name that inspires musical genius)


Derek Sherinian:- Black Utopia (instrumental album)
Featuring Zakk Wylde & Malmsteen among others, this is an amazing instrumental album. Sherinian has played keyboard for the likes of Dream Theater, Alice Cooper and Billy Idol.

The Beatles:- The White Album
A double album at the height of their creative peak??
Enough said really..

Decapitated:- Winds of creation or Nihility
Amazing technical Death metal from poland. There is normally always something I dislike about most Death metal bands. Can't fault these guys though!
Catchy, technical & heavy as fuck!
Theres 5 to start guys

Cheers

 

[R0l0]

Theres 5 to start guys

That's only four
How can we trust your tastes if you can't even count to 5?

 

[wankerness]

He said Winds of Creation OR nihility so technically there are 5.

 

[daz436]

I really hate the Beatles.

Hear come the flames.

 

[Stimuli]

Porcupine Tree - Coma Divine
Gov't Mule - The Deepest End
Frank Marino & Mahagony Rush - RealLive!
Liquid Tension Experiment 1 & 2
An Evening With the Allman Brothers - 2nd Set
Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

IMHO

Hope Of The States - 'The Lost Riots'
I suppose you would call them a fusion of British stlye indie music, post-rock and epic, lush textures. Sort of an indie-rock band with string arrangements. Not metal in any way whatsoever. At first, many may dislike Sam Heriley's singing voice intensely, I know I did (think Billy Corgan and Liam Gallaghers bastard love child). But once I got past that, I personally couldn't ever find fault with this record. It contains most of my favourite songs. It has an emotional sensibility to it that I haven't ever heard captured on record anywhere else. My personal top album of all time, I expect probably about 1 other person on this forum might like it, but I can't reccommend it enough, I truely can't

Tori Amos - Any, but if I had to pick one, I might go for 'From The Choirgirl Hotel'
This one is probably her proggiest release to date. While her songwriting has always been exceptional, here marks the point where she made a 100% coherent actual album. From spiralling madness (Spark), to poignant, moving ballads (Playboy Mommy), to super chilled out vibes (Liquid Diamonds ), this album is an awesome experience that demands repeated listens.

Anathema - 'A Fine Day To Exit'
Most of us probably know this record, and I know that it isn't to the taste of some. But I think that this is the record that features their most mature and insightful songwriting to date. It covers all moods and emotions in the musical spectrum (to my ears), while remaining in the trademark Anathema vein. Brilliant from the first note to the last. And 'Temporary Peace' is just the most beautiful closer ever...

Portishead - 'Dummy'
The mother of all trip-hop records, here Barrow, Utley and Gibbons took the use of samples to the next level. And how did they do this? By creating songs that were simply and unmistakeably their own from them. In addition to this beacon of creative genius... 'Roads' is possibly the most beautiful song I ever heard in my entire life

Strapping Young Lad - 'Alien'
Some of you may be thinking 'Wtf, how is THAT a 10/10 record?' And I can see where you may come from with this. At first, I found the whole thing just too incoherent to really give it a chance. Gradually, however, it all began to make a sort of gloriously fucked up sense to my ears. Everything on this record fits perfectly. To me, it's the perfect encapsulation of frustration, anger, violence and rage, all on one disc. I listen to this album more often than any other in my collection. It just never tires for me. And oh yeah, Gene Hoglan is a GOD

Honestly, from my point of view, I can find literally no faults with these albums. I might add more later, but those stick out in my head right now...

 

[Bard In The Forest]

Well, yeah, thats definitely only 4, but if you want my recomendations for 10/10 albums, here you go.
Angra-Temple Of Shadows (power metal, GREAT guitarist and vocals. Very great album... Features Hansi Kursch, which is reason enough to check it out.)
Agalloch-The Mantle (Neo-folk/black metal, very great stuff all around.)
Bathory-Nordland I (Viking metal, ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY QUORTHON. I don't think I even need to say anything else)
Porcupine Tree-Lightbulb Sun (Prog rock, You're on an Opeth board; you should know Porcupine Tree)
Uaral-Sounds of Pain (Doom/acoustic, VERY depressing and moving stuff. One of the most emotional albums I've ever heard)

 

[CAIRATH]

Is there really a point to this if you're not going to say something about what the albums sound like and why you like them? Just a bunch of names posted by someone I don't know at all isn't really much of a drive for me to start checking out those bands. But maybe that's just me...

 

[blinkgreenozzy]

I really hate the Beatles.

Hear come the flames.

see your signature? you should try that.....jk

 

[daz436]

lol. i'm proud to admit i don't like the beatles, it makes me unpopular in certain situations but I don't care its my taste and im proud of it

 

[Kenneth R.]

bear in mind my opinion is pretty out-there

CAIRATH is right, we should give descriptions.

1. Nightingale - Alive Again.

Probably my favorite band. Although any in this list can be. Nightingale is Dan Swanö's project after the death of legendary Death/Prog Metal Edge of Sanity. Nightingale takes all the clean vox of EoS, the prog tendencies with an 80's rock attitude, and goes to town. He also utilizes similar tone to that on his cult classic Moontower. The first four albums (concluding in this one) follow a horror story concept, although future albums do not. I warn you, this stuff is extremely catchy. If it were made by anyone else, this would make radio. Also worth mentioning is the guest appearance of Ayreon mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen playing a mean guitar solo on "Shadowman".
2. Third Eye Blind - Blue

Second album from this San Francisco rock alternative band. On Blue, leader Stephen Jenkins works a dark poetry, depsite the upbeat nature of many of the songs. Laden with echo and layered effects, Blue was their experimental album with pushing their creativity with technology. Jenkins is notable not only as a brilliant lyricist who uses straightforward words to tell a complicated tale, but for his graduate degree in English Language and oddly enough, Marine Biology. I recommend the version with the unedited tracking of "Slow Motion", deemed too offensive/controversial for the label to allow the lyrics.
3. Unicorn - Emotional Wasteland

Beautiful, beautiful music. As the title suggests, this disc is an emotional disaster. It's crushing, and yet... calming. Fans of newer Anathema might like this. It is a bit cheesy, but that adds to the realism you feel for the singer (who happens to be none other than Dan Swan&#246. Difficult album to find, however. The band is now defunct, although Dan will continue to make music in the same style with his new band, Second Sky.
4. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice

Tech/Prog Metal from the 'States. What seperates Zero Hour from the pack is their unique ability to interchange the roles of Guitar and Drums, as well as (on this release) the haunting poetic voice of Erik Rosvold.
5. Orphaned Land - Mabool

Oriental Prog/Death Metal from Israel. These guys are the best at what they do. They take ethnic music of the middle-east and merge it with crushing metal, seemlessly. Mabool (The Flood) is a masterpiece album imo.

 

[A Darkness Coming]

 

[EternalMetal]

Opeth - Still Life - Obvious reasons really, I just think it is composed of some of the best material Opeth has ever written. I guess im another one of those Still Life followers

Black Label Society - Sonic Brew - Alcohol fueled tunes at their best! This stuff is great because there is a rawness to it that rules and it rocks so hard. The songwriting is incredible, and the guitars are good.

Devin Townsend - Accelerated Evolution - I personally love this album. It is usually underrated among Devin's works because of it being pretty straigtforward, but I love the true emotion that this album portrays. Definitely a good rock/metal album with pop influences. It definitely has some extremely heartfelt songs, and everything about it sounds amazing.

Iced Earth - The Dark Saga - Solid release from Iced Earth, excellent power/thrash metal with some of my favorite songs. I like it because it is early Iced Earth with a slight rawness to it that makes them sound great. A lot of emotion, powerful guitars, and just straight up heavy metal.

Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor - IMO, Nevermore's best album. The guitars on this album are untouchable, fucking amazing. Twin guitars with solos aplenty. All the songs are excellent and would consider no song on this cd even close to filler. I cant even pick 2 of my favorite songs off of the cd, and this is why I feel as though this cd is amazingly good.

That good enough for you CAIRATH?

 

[a rofl nazi]

^ this is probably the best album i've ever heard

 

[Killing Art]

Great pick on the Decapitated, one of my favorite bands. Also, if you guys never heard of this band, their called opeth from Stockholm , Sweden. Chech them out

 

[a rofl nazi]

there is no way that decaptitated have made 10/10 albums

 

[EternalMetal]

lol. i'm proud to admit i don't like the beatles, it makes me unpopular in certain situations but I don't care its my taste and im proud of it

Thats nice. Why are you proud to not like something? Sounds pretentious to me. I dont like them either, but im not going to go about and go out of my way to say I dont like one of the most influencial bands. I respect what they did enough not to single it out of a list and say I dont like it.

I dont like a few of the bands on some people's list, but im gonna keep that to myself

 

[Arnold Layne]

Steely Dan - The Royal Scam

 

[daz436]

Thats nice. Why are you proud to not like something? Sounds pretentious to me. I dont like them either, but im not going to go about and go out of my way to say I dont like one of the most influencial bands. I respect what they did enough not to single it out of a list and say I dont like it.

I dont like a few of the bands on some people's list, but im gonna keep that to myself

I brought it up because they piss me off enough for me to want to mention it, the same as every other band that begins with 'The' and ends in the letter 'S'. Help yourself looking them up I got bored when I hit 30.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

nevermore - this godless endeavor
in flames - colony
devin townsend - ocean machine
firewind - forged by fire
arsis - a celebration of guilt
fear factory - demanufacture
dimension zero - silent night fever
lost horizon - a flame to the ground beneath
sonata arctica - ecliptica
hate eternal - king of all kings
nightrage - sweet vengence
arcturus - the sham mirrors