- May 4, 2012
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There are good albums, there are great albums, but what about perfect albums? By perfect, I mean an album in which there is not one single song that isn't awesome in one way or another--an album in which you would not change a single thing. Here are some that I consider to be perfect.
Metallica--Master of Puppets: It starts and ends with perfect thrash fury in Battery and Damage Inc, but in the middle there is quite an amazing range, from melodic (Welcome Home/Sanitarium, title track bridge) to epic furiosity (Disposable Heroes), to grinding stomping (The Thing that Should Not Be & Orion). There is nothing about this album that is not excellent in one way or another.
WASP--Crimson Idol: In a just world, this would have been the album that broke WASP through to the mainstream, as it's one of the best concept albums of all time. Blackie Lawelss really poured his heart into this album and it showed. Murders in the New Morgue is one of the most aggressive songs in the band's catalog, while The Idol is a true epic.
Iced Earth--Dark Saga: This album marked an interesting change for the band, as they became more focused on shorter songs, and it worked. Matt Barlow settles in as the singer, letting his emotions dominate the music, while the riffs from Schafer are as good as ever. Although every song is awesome, highlights include the emotional A Question of Heaven and the furious Violate.
Rush--Power Windows: I had considered Moving Pictures, but IMO, Vital Signs doesn't match up to the rest of the album. On the other hand, Power Windows is excellent on every level. Some may not have liked the heavy synths of this album (and indeed throughout much of the 80's for this band), but I really enjoyed the sound, from the up-tempo opener in Big Money, to the atmospheric closer in Mystic Rhythms.
Dream Theater--Images and Words: This was a close one, as I'm not much of a fan of Another Day. However, it works for what it is trying to do, so I'll let it slide, since the rest of the album is so awesome, particularly Pull Me Under, Metropolis and Learning to Live.
Pink Floyd--The Wall: No explanation is truly needed here, but suffice it to say, this is a truly emotional roller-coaster of an album that is unforgettable. Gilmour is particularly great here, with memorable riffs (Young Lust, Another Brick in the Wall), and solos (Mother, Comfortably Numb).
So, what would you consider to be a perfect album?
Metallica--Master of Puppets: It starts and ends with perfect thrash fury in Battery and Damage Inc, but in the middle there is quite an amazing range, from melodic (Welcome Home/Sanitarium, title track bridge) to epic furiosity (Disposable Heroes), to grinding stomping (The Thing that Should Not Be & Orion). There is nothing about this album that is not excellent in one way or another.
WASP--Crimson Idol: In a just world, this would have been the album that broke WASP through to the mainstream, as it's one of the best concept albums of all time. Blackie Lawelss really poured his heart into this album and it showed. Murders in the New Morgue is one of the most aggressive songs in the band's catalog, while The Idol is a true epic.
Iced Earth--Dark Saga: This album marked an interesting change for the band, as they became more focused on shorter songs, and it worked. Matt Barlow settles in as the singer, letting his emotions dominate the music, while the riffs from Schafer are as good as ever. Although every song is awesome, highlights include the emotional A Question of Heaven and the furious Violate.
Rush--Power Windows: I had considered Moving Pictures, but IMO, Vital Signs doesn't match up to the rest of the album. On the other hand, Power Windows is excellent on every level. Some may not have liked the heavy synths of this album (and indeed throughout much of the 80's for this band), but I really enjoyed the sound, from the up-tempo opener in Big Money, to the atmospheric closer in Mystic Rhythms.
Dream Theater--Images and Words: This was a close one, as I'm not much of a fan of Another Day. However, it works for what it is trying to do, so I'll let it slide, since the rest of the album is so awesome, particularly Pull Me Under, Metropolis and Learning to Live.
Pink Floyd--The Wall: No explanation is truly needed here, but suffice it to say, this is a truly emotional roller-coaster of an album that is unforgettable. Gilmour is particularly great here, with memorable riffs (Young Lust, Another Brick in the Wall), and solos (Mother, Comfortably Numb).
So, what would you consider to be a perfect album?
