i simply HAVE to respond to a rage post like this. i'll break it into eras based on band lineups (sorry if i get too detailed, but hopefully it will prove helpful).
*** the pre-manni days ***
depraved to black (ep - as avenger)
prayers of steel (as avenger)
reign of fear
execution guaranteed
i consider the avenger ep and album part of this era. then it includes both of the first two rage albums. while i appreciate them a ton and have listened to them enough to know every word, i would not recommend getting into this stuff unless you turn into a diehard rage fan (and listen to all of the other material first).
*** the manni days ***
perfect man
secrets in a weird world
reflections of a shadow
extended power (ep)
trapped!
beyond the wall (ep)
the missing link
refuge (single)
manni is simply an amazing guitar player. he is full of raw talent that i won't try to explain. my first exposure to rage was the perfect man album. this is the first rage disc that manni (and chris) were on. it is what suddenly made me stop listening to both of the helloween "keepers" albums. i was listening to perfect man non-stop. the first track that rage played at pp4 was from this album (it was "don't fear the winter"). the production on perfect man is a bit old sounding but is also quite unique.
the next few albums are all quite good, but they hit on something very fresh with trapped! (songs like "solitary man" and "enough is enough" were early favorites i recall). it is hard to explain though since rage seldom sounds like other bands. but the new sound becomes what i consider the pinnacle of early rage on the missing link. this is still my favorite album (by and band) of all time (with my favorite tracks being "certain days" and "raw caress"). but the missing link took a few listens to grow on me while trapped! hit me from day one.
so from this era i recommend getting perfect man and trapped! if you love perfect man then grab the albums between it and trapped! then if you love trapped! (how could anyone not?) then definitely get the missing link.
*** rage as a 4 man band ***
10 years in rage
lingua mortis
in vain (singles)
end of all days
higher than the sky (single)
black in mind
live from the vault
thirteen
it took two decent guitar players to replace one manni. i think this is how most old school rage fans felt. but when i first got 10 years in rage i had high hopes because this b-sides and new material album has some killer tracks like "vertigo" and "she killed and smiled" on it. then suddenly rage released an album with an orchestra.
don't get me wrong - i really dig this stuff. but it is not the missing link. it feels like the guitars suddenly lacked the depth peavy wanted so he had to throw in an orchestra. there is some great material in this era, but overall it is my least favorite rage phase. i'd say my favorite album from it all was end of all days (which has "higher than the sky" on it). thirteen is probably the best orchestra heavy cd they made (as others have pointed out in this thread).
so check out 10 years in rage, end of all days, and thirteen. i noticed some people also saying that black in mind is very good (and very dark) which i'll agree with. but when i want to listen to something from this era, i tend to go directly to one of those three albums.
*** the new rage ***
ghosts
welcome to the other side
unity
soundchaser
rage is now reborn. once again a three man lineup, peavy has surrounded himself with a guitar player who is not only as fresh and ferocious as manni was but also far more technical. then he gets who i consider the most amazing drummer of the decade in the lineup as well. i sure was ready for the second coming.
ghosts was technically written and recorded with the previous lineup, but since the new band was together when it was released i listed it here. welcome to the other side was the first album where victor and peavy really started writing together. i was not overly impressed by it (again it is very good and i listened to it a ton, but compared to other rage material i felt it was only par).
then unity came out, and i was blown away! this is the album to get into for the new rage material. it has a very new feel to it and captures the fun vibe of my favorite rage works of all time. i also have a promo copy of soundchaser which comes out in a few weeks, and i must say that i like it even more than unity. the track "secrets in a weird world" is by far my favorite at this point.
so get unity and soundchaser asap!
whew, that was a bunch of late night typing. for those who don't know me, i was the author of rage's first website ages ago called the rage page (don't laugh, it seemed original at the time, heh). i turned it into only a discography site during the lingua mortis days and then decided to retire it shortly afterwards. i think my excitement level for the current material affected my desire to maintain it. i have been tinkering with the idea of reviving it though lately. to the best of my knowledge, i own every single rage track (via singles and imports) ever released (along with the videos on laserdisc from japan).
regards,
doug
