Post some good 'ol metal in this thread

[JayKeeley]

Random albums, brief reasons why they rule/suck. Come on and join the party.

Destroyer 666 - Unchain the Wolves

I'm still not sure which D666 I prefer -- it's probably Phoenix just because I got it first, but Unchain is a different beast altogether. Much more atmosphere and "Genesis to Genocide" has got it all.

Evergrey - Solitude Dominance Tragedy

There's no doubt in my mind that this is the best Evergrey release. It's so dark, even for a 'prog' album, but it's pretty epic too. Plus this stuff works even better live. Shame their last album was pants.

Satyricon - Dark Medieval Times

This album gets better with each listen. It's also interesting to hear all those elements that you might now hear with bands like Drudkh. Not conventional blasting black metal, but atmospheric & pagan all the way. This is fast becoming one of my fave BM albums.

Enslaved - Monumension

I'm not even going to compare it to Vikingligr, but as all the other Enslaved albums go, I think this has become my favoUrite. It took a while, but I always knew there was SO much potential there, so I stuck with it. This is probably the DARKEST prog album I own -- see: "The Voices" or "Cromlech Gate", but really the album needs to be taken as a whole.

King Diamond - Conspiracy

Worst album cover, but quite easily the most underrated KD album ever, alongside The Eye. If you've got this, Them, Abigail, and The Puppet Master then your CD collection can rule that much more. My word is KD the all time best cult horror metal Dane evar.

 

[BenMech]

gooood choices Jay

 

[skeptik]

"Don't Be A my pals, Listen To Grave Digger"

Grave Digger - Excalibur

From the gloriously cheesy keyboard intro to the laid back closer of Avalon (and the excellent bonus track in the form of Parcival), Excalibur is simply an out-and-out Heavy fucking Metal classic from the last decade. When the first riff in Pendragon kicks in, you know right away that this is not going to be another pussy Euro Power Metal album that has been the common export of late. This is pure Speed Metal riffing. Well, for the most part. There are also (hilariously) cheesy pseudo ballads such as Emerald Eyes, but god damnit if they don't work. The Round Table is pure Heavy Metal. And of course, the vocalist must be mentioned. Chris Boltendahl really is a bad singer. But he's a great Metal vocalist. Nobody can match his gruff performance on this album, not even Lemmy.

 

[NAD]

Outsider, Night of the Shape, and Priestess of Mars possibly top the amazing album that is Dopethrone. This stuff kills babies.

 

[J.]

You know, I'm not sure about this one. Listening to it now, it's not bad by any means, but not really all that great. Of course the bullshit "raw" expensive studio production kinda ruins it. Hell, some might call this a fake black metal album in some aspects. I'll stick with Bergtatt.

 

[Ellestin]

The more time passes, the more this becomes my favourite Samael record. "Passage" is fucking outstanding of course, but I can't help viewing it as the forerunning omen of their subsequent ruin. While "Ceremony..." embodies all you'd ever crave for in terms of primitive, blasphemic spite. Authentic, strong, almost tribal, this is music to paint your soul blacker than a my pals's ass.

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Storm of the Light's Bane - Dissection.

Well known, but I mention it because it is THEORETICALLY possible that some people have not treated this album as the HOLY SHIT MUST BUY that it is, in which case, wtf is wrong with you. It's what melodic death really should have been, the perfect mixture of catchiness and brutality, remaining interesting throughout.

The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea - Skyclad

Sorta halfway between the Sabbat sound and the catchy, pun-laden modern sound (both of which have their good qualities), with some really heavy, angry bits of biting criticism like "Jeopardy" and "Art-Nazi." The sort of thing that gets the blood pumping, laugh and a snarl at the same time. Skyclad is to metal what the best comedians were to their art - make you laugh, make you think, and make you ANGRY.

Hyperion - Manticora

Some of the best of the new age of power metal. Symphony X turns up the distortion and listens to Painkiller a whole bunch of times. Based on a highly successful sci-fi novel by Dan Simmons, one of the few popular sci-fi books I don't hate. A concept album in more than just lyrics - the themes of the music repeat, work off each other, reflect the story as it progresses and retells. Excellent stuff.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

It makes me sad tht "pants" are used as a derogatory term...

Mmmm, yeah, I'll recommend...

Doomsword - Let Battle Commence

...methinks! Pretty great album! Not sure if it's doom- or heavy metal, but it rules either way! Pretty damn epic and fun!

 

[Nico]

Much more atmosphere and "Genesis to Genocide" has got it all.

You know it. Best fucking song ever.

 

[Tide In Mind Out]

yayse!! i love that album. i just swooned over it yesterday when i came across it in my cd pile


and i just wanted to add prong- cleansing. i sard posting a pic of it. but yeah, that's an album that's passed the test of time. for me at least.

 

[JayKeeley]

Mithotyn - Gathered around the Oak Table

Haven't heard this in years, but just as good as I remembered. Very traditional sounding, lots of melodious folk melodies, short bursts of viking goodness. Falconer debut was good too (pretty much Mithotyn riffs but with clean -- not operatic -- vocals), however, this steals the thunder. Harsh vocals are really pretty good. The first song comes out of nowhere and rips you in two.

 

[Mormagil]

^great album



Metal Church - Metal Church

because...it rules. one of the first 80s metal albums i ever bought

 

[General Zod]

Zero Hour "The Towers of Avarice"

The greatest pure Prog Metal CD of all-time. Erik Rosvald's vocals are godly, Jasun and Troy's guitar and bass work are beyond brilliant, and Mike Guy's drums are just plain sick. And they lyrics... genius.

Zod

 

[Dark One]

Mithotyn - Gathered around the Oak Table

There goes a potential recommendation I had you bastard.

 

[Dark One]

Destroyer 666 - Unchain the Wolves

I'm still not sure which D666 I prefer -- it's probably Phoenix just because I got it first, but Unchain is a different beast altogether. Much more atmosphere and "Genesis to Genocide" has got it all.

I simply cannot stop listening to this album - and really, all of D666 - but Unchain the Wolves is elevating itself to god-like status in a hurry. G to G is simply amazing, don't know what else to say.

Satyricon - Dark Medieval Times

This album gets better with each listen. It's also interesting to hear all those elements that you might now hear with bands like Drudkh. Not conventional blasting black metal, but atmospheric & pagan all the way. This is fast becoming one of my fave BM albums.

I enjoy it very much, but find The Shadowthrone and Nemesis Divina to be superior from their more blackened days. Still, I'm in the camp that thinks all Satyricon rules, so it's really like albums 1A, 1B, 1C, etc.

Enslaved - Monumension

I'm not even going to compare it to Vikingligr, but as all the other Enslaved albums go, I think this has become my favoUrite. It took a while, but I always knew there was SO much potential there, so I stuck with it. This is probably the DARKEST prog album I own -- see: "The Voices" or "Cromlech Gate", but really the album needs to be taken as a whole.

Ok, I seriously need to sink my teeth into this one. Just like you and "Dark Medieval Times", I can't get past "Below the Lights" enough to give it the attention it deserves.

 

[Nico]

G to G is simply amazing, don't know what else to say.

That song alone pretty much sums up why metal > the alternative.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Exactly!

 

[JayKeeley]

Ok, I seriously need to sink my teeth into this one. Just like you and "Dark Medieval Times", I can't get past "Below the Lights" enough to give it the attention it deserves.

Well that's only because I'm hearing some of this old Satyricon for the first time. I tend to focus on one album rather than spread myself too thin. Even on one listen, it's easy to tell there's more depth to it compared to latter Satyricon works.

 

[Demonspell]

Late comment on the Evergrey: While I think In Search Of Truth is their best and is more consistent than SDT, I agree about the atmosphere on that album, which they haven't really been able to recapture since, though The Inner Circle (underrated, at least in my reckoning) came close...couldn't be bothered with the new one.

 

[JayKeeley]

One reason why SDT > ISotT is because it isn't about just one subject.