Underrated Albums

[sava]

Savatage - Poets and Madmen. IMO, this is better than anything they have done except Streets and Edge of Thorns and maybe even better than them.
Deathrow - Deception Ignored

 

[drmetal8]

Agree on Corrosion of Conformity. "Blind" is the one I would add to the list. Great album.

 

[jem777az]

I was under the impression that this widely considered one of the greatest Metal discs ever... not sure how that makes it underrated.

Probably because most people think of Blackwater Park (which is considered their masterpiece) or Deliverance when Opeth is mentioned. For some reason Still Life tends to fly under people's radar.

 

[RiffDaemon]

Conception - Parallel Minds

 

[TribunalRecords]

WILDSIDE-Under The Influence

NICE! love that album so much!

 

[General Zod]

Probably because most people think of Blackwater Park (which is considered their masterpiece) or Deliverance when Opeth is mentioned. For some reason Still Life tends to fly under people's radar.

While I'm sure we can find people who would claim each Opeth album as their masterpiece, I've never heard, anywhere, that a majority consider BWP their masterpeice. For what it's worth, on the Encyclopaedia Metallum site, Still Life has a higher review score than BWP. Similarly, on the Opeth board, in every poll on favorite album (of which there are dozens), Still Life has always won, by a wide margin, with BWP often not even placing second.

 

[TribunalRecords]

Hittman - Hittman
Epidemic - Decameron
Dr. Know - Wreckage In Flesh
Great King Rat - Great King Rat
Cold Sweat - Break Out
The Awful Truth - The Awful Truth
Solstice - Solstice
Monstrosity - Impending Doom
Quiet Riot - Quiet Riot (aka QR)
Lion - Dangerous Attraction
Michael Bolton - Everybody's Crazy
TT Quick - Metal Of Honor
Unruly Child - Unruly Child
Rogue Male - First Visit
Boulevard - Into The Street
Dead End - Shambara
EZO - Fire Fire
Vow Wow - Shock Waves
Frankie & The Knockouts - S/T, Below The Belt & Makin' The Point
Dirty Looks - Cool From The Wire
Great White - Great White (1st album)
Liege Lord - Master Control
LeRoux - So Fired Up
Red Dawn - Never Surrender
LeMans - LeMans
etc etc etc etc

plus EVERYTHING on Divebomb Records, duh.

 

[General Zod]

EZO - Fire Fire
Dirty Looks - Cool From The Wire

Love that first EZO record... didn't care for Fire Fire. That Dirty Looks disc is bad ass.

 

[OdinsCourt]

If Bruce Dickinson's "The Chemical Wedding" counts, I'll mention that one.

Good call there; I've always told people to check this little known gem out. I consider this to be the best METAL album ever made. So, so, so solid.

 

[jem777az]

While I'm sure we can find people who would claim each Opeth album as their masterpiece, I've never heard, anywhere, that a majority consider BWP their masterpeice. For what it's worth, on the Encyclopaedia Metallum site, Still Life has a higher review score than BWP. Similarly, on the Opeth board, in every poll on favorite album (of which there are dozens), Still Life has always won, by a wide margin, with BWP often not even placing second.

While that may be true, there's a reason why they played BWP in its entirety on the Evolution XX tour. I've talked to many an Opeth fan at their shows and even some in the line at Starbucks and very rarely is SL mentioned. I think the hardcore fans may prefer SL but the casual fan is more familiar with BWP. It may have something to do with the fact that they toured the US for the first time supporting BWP.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Good call there; I've always told people to check this little known gem out. I consider this to be the best METAL album ever made. So, so, so solid.

AOB > CW , IMO

Rosanna > Africa as well!

 

[actordude]

Not sure if this one has been mentioned yet:

Galactic Cowboys - "Space In Your Face".......

This disc is just so fucking good in my opinion!!!! If anyone out there hasn't heard it, take some time to seek it out and spin it.....

 

[SharkBlack]

Dirty Looks - Cool From The Wire (totally agree)
Yes- Tormato
Entwine - (Just about every recording they have ever made!)
Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild
Coroner - Mental Vortex
UFO - Force It
Lake of Tears - Forever Autum
Solitude Aeturnus - Downfall
Slayer - South of Heaven
T.S.O.L. - Hit and Run
Rishloo - Feathergun

To name a few...

 

[General Zod]

While that may be true, there's a reason why they played BWP in its entirety on the Evolution XX tour. I've talked to many an Opeth fan at their shows and even some in the line at Starbucks and very rarely is SL mentioned.

I too find very little Still Life discussion at Starbucks.

I think the hardcore fans may prefer SL but the casual fan is more familiar with BWP.

I suspect that's true. And ultimately, I suspect it's why your original statement threw me. My perspective tends to be based on the scene.

I would liken the popularity of BWP (outside the scene) to the popularity of the self-titled Metallica disc (which sold more copies than RTL and MoP combined).

 

[JenniferLynn]

Nice call on Cry Wolf Jennifer. That's a melodic metal masterpiece. You're thinking of 'Crunch' right?

I am!!! Such a great band.. they got lost in the Seattle invasion and it was a sad loss - that disc STILL kicks ass..

 

[JenniferLynn]

Conception - Parallel Minds

Can anything that Conception did really be TRULY appreciated 100%?? I discovered them SOOOO incredibly late but every album they did, every time I listen, reaches a new level of devotion & appreciation...

they rule... Just bow now and realize why later

 

[Palabra de Dios]

COC - Deliverance never lets up. Pure Southern Black Sabbath worship; so fucking good!

 

[halcyonwayband@aol.com]

Not sure if this one has been mentioned yet:

Galactic Cowboys - "Space In Your Face".......

This disc is just so fucking good in my opinion!!!! If anyone out there hasn't heard it, take some time to seek it out and spin it.....

+10000

 

[Palabra de Dios]

One way I think about "underrated" albums are from bands where they have some *Classic* albums that are untouchable, but others that don't get as MUCH attention are actually pretty damn good as well.

Good examples:

Hammerfall - Renegade: Okay, I'll admit; the first two are better albums, but this one's my favorite. It was my first HF album, and it will always be my most memorable. So many good songs on this one, yet it has always been shown as a transition toward mediocrity for this band.

Judas Priest - Ram it DownPainkiller gets A LOT of attention, and for good reason: it's likely one of the top 5 best speed metal albums ever made, ever. But Ram it Down is fucking fast and heavy too, and deserves some of that same attention in my opinion. Awesome album.

Iron Maiden - Many albums that aren't Number of the Beast/Piece of Mind/Powerslave: Particularly Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time, and Fear of the Dark: this is likely my favorite Maiden period. Those first few albums are classic as fuck, don't get me wrong; so many good songs on them, but this is where they matured even further and put out some of the classiest material of their career. Seventh Son is a fucking monster, and is by far my favorite Maiden album. Sadly, most casual Iron Maiden fans would likely not even recognize the classic-ness of such songs as "Infinite Dreams" or "Wasted Years." Morons.

Slayer - South of Heaven: Fuck Reign in Blood. I mean, not really. It's good and all, but this is Slayer's best in my opinion. Slower, yes, a bit more groove-oriented, but fucking heavy as shit and not sold out at all. They really put out a good one with SoH.

I will also say this about Black Sabbath: I think there are plenty of people in the underground scene that will recognize non-Ozzy Sabbath as awesome and even superior. That is simply not the case with the mainstream. VH1 would have you believe that Dio filled in for Ozzy and didn't really have a huge impact on the band, and I don't know how often they'd even mention the amazing Tony Martin. It's a shame, really. Tyr and Headless Cross (among others) are simply stunning albums. Seriously.

 

[General Zod]

Judas Priest - Ram it Down. Painkiller gets A LOT of attention, and for good reason: it's likely one of the top 5 best speed metal albums ever made, ever. But Ram it Down is fucking fast and heavy too, and deserves some of that same attention in my opinion. Awesome album.

This.