[Dan Haggerty]
I'm going to interpret this to be the Top 5 metal albums I would recommend to people getting into the genre. In other words, these are not only great albums, but the ones I consider to be "iconic" of the metal *sound* that would give someone the best foot forward on getting into the genre.
5. Trouble - Pslam 9: One of the twin pillars of doom metal, born from the right hand of Iommi and distilled to its riff crushing purity, Trouble are darlings of those neck-deep in the biz but relatively unknown outside of the underground. It amazes me to wear their shirt to a concert, and maybe one or two people recognize it… and the band. It's like they're a bands band almost. Anyway, one part Sabbath, one dash of thrash (several years before thrash!), and some stoner rock sentiments to boot and you have the greatest album to rattle the plaster most people never heard of…
4. Judas Priest- Killing Machine: Not Judas Priests best album (but damn close), but this album is the best place to start for someone getting into the band. This album was the final one of the four part epic from the guys that rewrote the rules of metal from the ground up, much like Metallica would do in the 80s. The thing about this album is that it maintains the thinking man's metal that marked the creative awesome Priest wielded like a weapon in the 70's, but there is eye towards the 80's in the anthems, a bridge from technical mastery to the catchy rhythms of the 80's. Great place to start and discover the band (and then go backwards first!)
3. Iron Maiden- Number Of The Beast : A great album but not the bands best, but easily the most accessible and containing the most iconic anthems. A great gate way album into the traditional heavy metal sound and entry into NWOBHM; from underrated classics like "The Prisoner", to the premier progressive epic for the band in "Hallowed Be Thy Name", to the galloping riff hit "Run To The Hills", to the anthem sing along title track, this rocks mighty and hard. Once someone gets into this, just make sure you by them Piece of Mind and Powerslave for Christmas!
2. Megadeth - Rust In Peace: the ultimate thrash album, and in many ways more a thrash album and likely statement on prog if you weren't to busy getting your neck snapped by the speed to notice the dueling leads, solos, time changes, and riff construction. There is not a moment of this album that doesn't make you bang your fucking head off, every mathcore band should take note here on how to add intellect while still sounding alive and going for the throat. Metallica won the 80's duel of the Bay Area bands, but this album came out in 1990 kicked the game up to new levels, sneering at their contemporaries from the height of several miles. The only problem is that it might be to much for the metal neophyte. In that case, get them going with the excellent Countdown To Extinction first, it is also a great but more accessible, then introduce them to the ultimate thrash album of all time RIP.
1. Black Sabbath - Sabbatage: One of the best albums of all time, and the ultimate statement on the subject. Front to back the first complete statement on the subject of heavy metal from the band, and it just rips with win. Be it the riff monster "Hole In The Sky", to the proto-thrash and jazzy counterbalance of "Symptom Of The Universe", to Ozzy's career best performance in the godly "Megalomania", to arguably the best use of riff to denote song construction in "Thrill Of It All", to endgame and the grand ride into the abyss of "The Writ", this is THE heavy metal album.
Eight albums for the metal lords who started it all,
Two for the elfin one who helped rewrite the band for the 80's,
Five for Tony Martin doomed to be forgotten,
One for Ian Gillian who unleashed a scream from his dark tomb
All In the Land of Metal where the Shadows lie.
One metal album to rule them all,
One album to find them,
One album to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Metal where the Shadows lie.
[Weng Yu]
5. Leigh Jones - Music In my Soul: I stumbled onto this little gem recently while browsing through sites looking for music. There's precious little information on her online but I did find out that Motown Records founder Berry Gordy produced a track on her album, which is pretty damn impressive. The album is a good solid mix of soul, r'n'b and jazz, and I hope to hear more from her in the future.
4. Jem - Down to Earth: Seasoned TV viewers might remember her excellent cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" from the season finale of Season 1 of the OC. Her music has also appeared in other shows like Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and more recently in the Sex in the City movie. Anyway, her music mixes a ton of different genres like trip hop, r'n'b, rock and funk, and if you're looking for something different this is a welcome change.
3. Adele - 19: British readers will know who I'm talking about. Adele is a bestselling UK artist who voice sounds a little bit like Nina Simone. I have to confess I wasn't enamored with her at first, but with her distinctive voice I'm now hooked. Check out her live performance of "Crazy for you" - it's mesmerizing.
2. Raul Midon - A World Within a World: I first discovered Raul Midon when he was supporting Jason Mraz on his UK tour. What I saw was an energetic and skilled guitar player who had vocals to back it up. Two years later I picked up this album and I liked it - Midon has a smooth and soulful voice which suits his acoustic style perfectly. Then I found out he was blind, and I was even more amazed at what he can do. This is a quality album which I highly recommend to anyone who likes more relaxed guitar music.
1. Eric Lau - New Territories: British Chinese producer Eric Lau tops off this list with his debut album. I would highly recommend this album anyone - it's a work of quality neo soul that deserves a much bigger audience. Plus Eric is a really humble and down to earth guy, which makes a refreshing change from a lot of the delusional wannabe artists that I've met over the years. Get it!
[Ric Switzer]
Honorable Mentions- Faith No More "The Real Thing", Glassjaw "Worship and Tribute, Rise Against "The Sufferer and the Witness", and Skycamefalling "10.21"
5. Five Pointe 0 - Untitled: I hate it so much that this band was labeled as rapcore. This disc is chock full of death metal growling, Deftone's-esque hooks, and harmonies that paid homage to the greatest band on earth, Faith No More.
4. Agents of Oblivion - Agents of Oblivion: Acid Bath's Dax Riggs has one of rock's most unique soulful voices, yet remains an underground secret, hiding his talents from the niche of radio friendly mall rock. Quite possibly the indies' most well kept secret, he leads a stellar band of musical geniuses on a psychedelic joyride to hell and back on this masterful disc. My favorite track "Only the End of the World Again" is based on a short story by the same name, from Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors collection.
3. Torture Killer - Swarm: If you like Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Skinless, or Necrophagia I'd absolutely buy this album. SFU and former Corpse frontman Chris Barnes lends his legendary growl to a band that weaves brutality and serentity into a rich tapestry of the macabre.
2. Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos: I distinctly remember this Tuesday as the day I split from the norm and bought a disc I hadn't heard anything about prior to. Nu Metal rockers Nonpoint released an album the same day, and much to the chagrin of my friends at the time, I opted to purchase the less advertised release from one of Sweden's premier power metal bands. Brimming with layered melodies, synth, and guitar solos galore, NBC proved to be an instant metal classic and introduced me to a lot of foreign acts I wouldn't' have regularly checked out, such as In Flames, Opeth, Amon Amarth, Lordi, Scar Symmetry and many others!
1. Vampire Mooose - Vampire Mooose: This has been one of my favorite albums since its Rotten Records release in late 2003. It's hard to describe this band by any label as they combine different styles of metal into something entirely their own. Touching base on rapcore, hardcore, and even a bit of good old grind, the boys in Mooose provide a hell of a listen on their debut album.
Editor's note: "Mooose" is spelled correctly, in this case. Trust me. I checked to make sure-BC
[Ben Czajkowski]
Honorable Mentions: Five Pointe 0 – Untitled, Sevendust – Animosity, Sinch – Clearing the Channel, Fingertight - In the Name of Progress, Flaw – Through the Eyes, Finger Eleven – Greyest of Blue Skies, American Head Charge – The Feeding, Army of Anyone – Army of Anyone, Chromeo – Fancy Footwork
5. Shades of Fiction – Shades of Fiction: This is one of the best albums in my catalog. I love underground, local bands. This one is from Chi-town, and it's a solid disc all the way through. It's short, yes, but there's no filler; it just bounces along. Some of the best sampling and keyboard work I've heard to date.
Three Recommended Tracks: "Nurse With Amnesia", "Preoccupied (With a Number of Other Concerns)", "And That's Why I Need Her"
4. 32 Leaves – Welcome to the Fall: I ranked Fall as one of the best undiscovered albums a few years ago. One of the singles from this disc received a ridiculously high amount of airtime on a satellite radio channel that it eventually led to them being picked up by Universal. Fall is one of the few albums that you can put on and listen to all the way through. It's straight rock with some awesome chill-out instrumentals in between.
Three Recommended Tracks: "All Is Numb", "Your Lies",
3. Still Remains – Of Love and Lunacy: As far as Metalcore goes, Still Remains will always be one of my favorites (RIP). Not nearly as good as The Serpent, but I feel that Lunacy doesn't have the processed, sophomoric flaws that The Serpent had. Lunacy is raw, well thought out, smart metal. In a world where metalcore is bland, I find that Still Remains did a nice job at standing out with how well Lunacy balances those harmonies, strong lyrics, instrumentals, and snarls.
Three Recommended Tracks: "White Walls", "I Can Revive With My Own Two Hands", "Stare and Wonder"
2. VNV Nation – Matter + Form: Matter + Form is the perfect blend of electronic, trance, and lyrics. This dark and brooding album is, perhaps, one of the best things to trickle out of Europe this decade. Running at just under an hour, once you put this baby on, there's no stopping the movement that will course through your body.
Three Recommended tracks: "Chrome", "Arena", "Perpetual"
1. Rob Dougan – Furious Angels: While this may sound like a metal album, it is the furthest thing from the truth. This is more of the best orchestral, trip hop, and bluesy discs you can ever pick up. Fans of The Matrix are probably already familiar with him (think red dress scene). From start to finish, this is one of the most compelling sets of tracks I've ever listened to. My soul is forever indebted to Marshall for this one.
Three Recommended tracks: "Clubbed to Death", "Furious Angels", "Born Yesterday"
[Tom Santoro]
I am a product of the 1990s. So most of my selections are from that decade. Kids, just check these records out. If you don't like them now, someday you will.
5. Satchel - EDC: This album contains lines from the film Reservoir Dogs. It also had song titles based on the movie. It featured Shawn Smith who later would be part of Pigeonhead and The Twilight Singers. It is sometimes funky, sometimes pure rock and sometimes soft. "The Suffering" is a building piano ballad that was their most familiar song.
4. The Afghan Whigs - 1965: I am gay for Greg Dulli. I am probably also the only person who bought their final studio album. The songs are sultry and I cannot believe they went unappreciated when this album was released. "66" is one of the sexiest songs ever written. Come on Greg, stop flirting with Mark Lanegan and get back with The Whigs (Afghan).
3. The Pixies - Doolittle: The Pixies set the table for Nirvana with the speed up slow down tempo. Some of my favorite songs are on this record, most notably "Hey"; "La La Love You"; "Debaser"; "Gouge Away"; "Wave of Mutilation"; "No. 13 Baby" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven." This is the best Pixies album and you should own it! Alright I like "Here Comes Your Man." I just want to look cool by omitting it.
2. Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle: AOL was formed in the mid 1990s. They were part of the Chapel Hill music scene which included Superchunk. They were one of my favorite bands while I worked at my college radio station. I first heard them on the Mallrats soundtrack which featured the song "Web in Front." "Web in Front" is on Icky Mettle which also features "Might" and "Wrong". It is a great album if you like Superchunk, Pavement and others of that ilk.
1. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive: I have been trying to get all of my friends to get this album. I have played it for them over and over. It has been a hard sell but I finally have converted some to the altar of Craig Finn. I celebrate their entire catalogue, but their most recent effort is their greatest. They are comparable to Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band and Elvis Costello and the Attractions. They are great story tellers and that is what makes this album great.
[Jacob Crogie]
5. Evanescence - Fallen: And so begins my list with one of my favorite bands fronted by one of my favorite artists, Amy Lee. This is the album that kick started it all for them and introduced them to a widespread commercial audience. There is something for everyone on this album, heavy rock in the form of "Going Under", "Bring Me To Life", "Everybody's Fool" and "Tourniquet". But it is in the piano driven ballads that Evanescence really shines, "Hello" and "My Immortal" come to mind. Look past what you may have heard about Evanescence and delve into this album's musicality, you will not be disappointed.
Recommended Tracks: "Hello", "Tourniquet" "Going Under"
4. Marianas Trench - Fix Me: Next up on my list is an album you have probably never heard of from a band whom you know nothing about! (Unless you're a Canadian like me eh?) Great album from a great rock band from the Great White North! What isn't to love about that? This is a band which puts together songs with catchy hooks, smooth vocal harmonies and strong musicality, and I strongly recommend you check them out.
Recommended Tracks: "Shake Tramp", "Say Anything", "Vertigo"
3. Down With Webster - Down With Webster: Again with the unknown Canadian bands, but believe me when I say that these guys are revolutionizing music! They have catchy hooks and an amazing smorgasbord of musical styles and talents thrown together to create something truly unique. They are a boy band that doesn't suck, each of the seven members brings something different to the table, and BY GAHD these guys are on their way up!
Recommended Tracks: "Grind", "Weekends", "Odies"
2. The Killers - Hot Fuss: Back to a band EVERYONE knows, and loves to hate..."They are so overrated", "Sam's Town sucked huge hairy monkey nuts" etc. etc. etc! I love The Killers and I firmly believe that they are one of the few newer bands which continue to deliver on a consistent basis and avoid generic crap-rock. "Hot Fuss" brought this Vegas foursome to the forefront of the modern rock scene, where they continue to reside. With their latest release "Day and Age" ready to drop in a week, the time is right to check out where it all began!
Recommended Tracks: "Somebody Told Me", "Mr. Brightside", "Everything Will Be Alright"
1. illScarlett - EPdemic: Oh, great, another little known Canadian band! Before you start flaming, that is what this top 5 is about, albums I would recommend to you! I could have stuck with the expected and been like OMG "Let it Bleed"...OMG "Led Zeppelin IV"...OMG "The Marshall Mathers EP". BUT NO! I took this opportunity to give you something that you may not have heard before! RANT OFF! Check this one out, this Mississauga foursome combines the best elements of ska punk, reggae and alt. rock to put together something that sounds like Sublime. And that my friends is NEVER a bad thing.
Recommended Tracks: "Mary Jane", "Heaters", "N.T.F.", "One-A" basically the whole damn album...
[Andrew Moll]
5.A Place to Bury Strangers - A Place to Bury Strangers: The New York City band's debut album is one of the loudest you'll hear, with its wall of guitars, like a Jesus and Mary Chain record turned up to 11. It's a relentless sonic assault that also borrows from the best that many shoegaze bands had to offer. The swirling guitars help showcase the melodies, which are then beaten into submission by the sheer volume of it all on tracks like "Don't Think Lover." This one should be played extremely loud.
4.The Wrens - The Meadowlands: It took seven years for the album to get released, but when it finally was in 2003 it proved to be one of the best "break-up" albums ever recorded. Tracks like "Happy," "She Sends Kisses," and "13 Months in 6 Minutes" are both poppy and somber, showing an emotional side that the Wrens hadn't shown on their previous records. The album is filled with great lyrics and memorable hooks and is a well-crafted album that anyone can proclaim as something extremely personal.
3. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee: John Darnielle was able to produce yet another stunning album full with his almost peerless storytelling ability. Tallahassee is the story of a married couple who move into a new house but are simultaneously dealing with their failing relationship. It's not a sad album by any means, rather an unflinching look at the ups and downs of life and how we relate to the people we're closest to.
2.J Dilla - Donuts: Hip-hop producer J Dilla, AKA Jay Dee, recorded this album on a hospital bed, cutting and pasting some of his favorite tracks into his last statement. The samples that he used not only showed a deep emotional significance, but also gave the appearance of a guy enjoying some of his favorite songs. The album was released on Dilla's 32nd birthday, just three days before passed due to TTP, but the tracks on this album show a man who had come to terms with his situation, and was looking to enjoy all the time he had left.
1.Battles - Mirrored: This 2007 album is an example of what the future will sound like. Battles' brand of math-rock is unique and forward-thinking. Guitars, computer effects and pulsating drums combine with indecipherable vocals to create one of the most exciting records in years. Songs like "Atlas" and "Tonto" are completely original and show where rock music can go in the years to come.
[Paul Hollingsworth]
Honorable Mentions:
Prince - Sign O' The Times: - Plenty of goodness here, maybe more than on any other Prince record. "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" is pop song writing at its best.
Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis: - If you don't own this record, shame on you. If you fail to mention Dusty Springfield in a recent Top 5 about women in music, (that'd be me) double shame on you (me.)
Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball: - My favorite release of the year by far. If there were a way to buy stock in a band based on future potential, my life savings, (all six dollars and 73 cents of it) would be placed on this band.
5. The Action - Rolled Gold: This album was recorded back in the mid-60's, but never saw the light of day. It was finally released in 2002 and is also available on iTunes. It's a damned shame this band is so obscure. After you listen, you may send your check of thanksgiving payable to Paul Hollingsworth c/o 411mania.
4. Kiss - Revenge: By 1992, Kiss had become trapped by their past and by very poor attempts to mimic whatever was popular at the time. The majority of their eighties output was forgettable and nearly Spinal Tapp-ish. They regained something important with this record and seemed on the verge of breaking out again. But then came the reunion with the original members, and as everybody knows, looking back pays much better than looking forward, especially in music.
3. The Red House Painters - Retrospective: The first song on this two disk set is a cover of the Kiss song, ‘Shock Me.' I've heard ‘Shock Me' played a thousand times on vinyl, tape, CD and in concert, but I didn't recognize it until I read the lyric sheet. The rest of the songs on this collection are some of the most honest and heartbreaking songs I've ever heard. Mark Kozelek writes and sings like no one else, and at a time when a band's supposed uniqueness is as premeditated as every other aspect of their image, it's a refreshing change to actually hear music which moves you in such a personal and profound way.
2. Various Artists - Nuggets Volume #1 and #2: These collections of 60's rarities by garage and psychedelic bands is a good introduction for people unfamiliar with the genre. It's worth seeking out, especially on vinyl. Most of my friends, the ones I like anyway, will receive a mix CD of songs from this collection as a Christmas gift.
1. Big Star - #1 Record: It flopped upon its release in 1972. (Coincidently, also the year I flopped out into the world.) However, it became an influential record to many of the bands which I consider favorites today. Bands as diverse as Husker Du and the Bangles give credit to Big Star as a major influence on their sound. If power pop and sunshine pop interest you in the least, then this record is worth searching out. I've pushed this on most of my friends, and they have all, at least to my face, said they liked it.
[Patrick Robinson]
It's hard to recommend hip-hop to somebody who doesn't listen to it, but we all have to start somewhere. Of course, if we started with the first album I listened to, we'd be in trouble, so that being said, I've tried to pick albums that I feel anybody with an open mind could get into and take away some enjoyment after listening to them.
Honorable Mention: Little Brother - Getback: The thing I love about this album, is that I feel it's extremely accessible. The content deals with a lot of everyday situations for the working class man who can't afford a Mercedes, whilst the rappers themselves are definitely having fun with this release, something I feel is a must for a good album.
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full: The only reason that this isn't higher on the list, is that to a first-time listener, Rakim's monotone flow and voice can be off-putting for some people. That shouldn't prevent you from giving this a go once you're more accustomed to hip-hop at a later stage though as it paved the way for rap music today.
5. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers): This album gets a recommendation from me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there's the impact it had on the hip-hop world. It launched the careers of 9 artists as both a group and individuals. The production from RZA was unlike anything heard before and has spawned many imitators since then. Secondly, there's the lyrical content. Littered with references to old kung fu movies, the 5 Percent Teachings and copious amounts of New York slang, it's thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Finally, it's one of my personal favorite albums of all time.
4. Nas - Illmatic: Widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and possibly the most impressive debut from an artist of his age (Nas was 19 / 20 at the time of recording), it showed maturity beyond his years. Lyrically, it brought about a change to the hip-hop world: complex rhyme schemes, a more focused flow and street tales like never heard before. The production itself was impressive as well. With outstanding tracks from both DJ Premier and Large Professor, everything about this album just WORKED. I'd recommend it based not only on the fact that it's an amazing album, but if you're going to get into hip-hop, you NEED to have listened to this album.
3. Common - Like Water For Chocolate: This is an album for anybody who says that hip-hop is all about cursing, money-talk and bitches. An album about life, love and social commentary, weaved with simple yet meaningful lyrics. Personally, it was a hard choice to choose between this and Be, but this album won out in the end, based on "The Light" – an outstanding hip-hop track about love, and "The 6th Sense" featuring quite possibly one of the best Premier beats I've ever heard. This is an album that NEEDS to be heard, not only by hip-hop fans, but for those who are disillusioned with how rap is presented in the mainstream as well.
2. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell: This album I think is one of the albums responsible for solidifying hip-hop's place in mainstream music when it had previously been viewed as a passing trend. Whilst it's not the first attempt to blend hip-hop and rock music, it was easily the most successful attempt, with the group's cover of "Walk This Way" becoming one of the most recognized songs in hip-hop. It's also one of the most sampled albums ever – just listening to each track, you can usually think of a couple of occasions where another artist has used a sample from Raising Hell. A definite must as it represents an important moment in the history of hip-hop music.
1. LL Cool J - Radio: My sentiments to this album are much the same as Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell, with the added factor that it launched the single longest record deal in the history of the hip-hop world. While LL Cool J may not be the household name he was 20 years ago, it would be crazy to overlook his impact on the genre based on his questionable song choices now. Coming into the game younger than Nas was, LL helped kick-start rap's presence in the mainstream music with a loud and forceful debut. Rick Rubin's production was outstanding from start to finish, which, combined with LL's delivery and lyrics, to me, truly embodies what rap was all about back in the day.
[Joshua George]
So I'm just going to have a little bit of fun with this one because it's the top 5 album recommendations. If you asked me this question every day, it would change every day, but a couple of these would be on it every time. Let's get moving to the list, shall we?
5. Various Artists - Chef Aid: The South Park Album: I chose this CD because there are quite a few great songs on this, not to mention Chef singing "Chocolate Salty Balls" makes my day. Artists come together like you've never seen with everyone from Primus to Sir Elton John singing on this CD. It's a must have for the car on a long trip when you just wanna have fun.
4. R.E.M - Automatic for the People: This one just has a lot of memories and sentimental value attached to it for me. I listened to this CD almost every night in 1999. 7 years after its initial release and I was still getting incredible use out of it. At one point I played it so much, I had to buy another one because the first one wore out. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I spent about a week of nights after my first college girlfriend broke up with me, just wallowing in "Everybody Hurts". It's cliché and might make me a sissy, but it helped, lol. Leave me alone, I have to get a tissue now...
3. Boyz II Men - II: Again, as far as sentimental value and extreme listening capabilities go, this CD was in my CD player for at least 2 years. With songs like "I'll Make Love to You", "On Bended Knee", "Water Runs Dry", and "Yesterday" (just to name the more popular ones, not necessarily my favorites), you can't help but keep this CD around. I would still be listening to this CD today, but undfortunately one horrible day, I went to get it out and it cracked in two; an extremely sad day in my life.
2. Tenacious D - Tenacious D: This was the first CD in the 2 CD Discography of this illustrious band and definitely the best. If you want to have a CD just to listen to and chill. Jack Black is one of the funniest people in the music industry hands down. Several other funny people (if that's the genre you're interested in) are Bo Burnham, and Stephen Lynch.
1. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III: Bar none, one of the best albums I've had all year. This CD has so many just ride and listen songs, as well as a little bit of political message, and even some slow ballads. This album may possibly be one of your greatest options as a pick-up from any store. If you have a friend that has it, I urge you to ask them to borrow it or *find other methods* of procuring this particular CD as soon as you can. I will say that it is a CD that is absolutely worth every penny of its cost.
[Matt Shoemaker]
5. Alestorm- Captain Morgan's Revenge: This album is so much fun to party to, on top of being an excellent record. Throw this on during a party, and I guarantee everyone will be jammin' out to it.
4. God Is An Astronaut- Far From Refuge: The third album from the Irish instrumental rock band is an incredible effort. The band, as a whole, provides a very peaceful, relaxing atmosphere for the listener. "Sunrise in Aries" is a particularly impressive track.
3. Oldboy Soundtrack: I don't normally list soundtracks as favorites, but this is one of the most impressive I've ever heard. All the tracks are named for old film noirs, with the exception of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", and provide a mix of electronic and classical music that fuse for an amazingly catchy listen.
2. In Flames- Whoracle: As mentioned in my last column, this is a concept album about the end and rebuilding of the world. The idea is fantastic, and the album is one of my favorites of all time. Definitely worth a listen for any metal head.
1. Metallica- Master of Puppets: This is my favorite album of all time, and I would recommend it to anyone who would listen to me. Quite possibly one of the best mixes of melody and heavy metal of this generation. This is the album that got me into heavy metal, and it still stands strong as my most influential album of all time.
[Michael Adler]
Honorable Mentions: Ghostbusters Soundtrack: Not only do you get the classic theme from the movie, by none other than Ray Parker Jr. himself, but you get classics from Air Supply and the Thompson Twins. I highly recommend everyone go out and buy this now.
5. The Ditty Bops - The Ditty Bops: Sometimes, I find myself embarrassed to be caught listening to this because it's so darned cute; but it's a great band you that probably haven't heard of. It's a lesbian duo (the type you want to see make out) that perform a wide range of older styles of music; blues, folk, etc. They sound very 1940's, yet modern at the same time with beautiful harmonies, and their songs quite original and catchy.
4. Led Zeppelin - Zoso: Mostly everyone has heard this album, but for those who didn't it's required listening. It's Zeppelin at their best-there's no wasted motion on this album. Sure "Stairway to Heaven" is overrated, and they ripped it off from Spirit but it's still awesome. The true highlight of the album is the "The Battle of Evermore."
3. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris: QOSA are possibly my favorite band putting out new music today, and I find them to be criminally underrated. They have their fans, but I'm always surprised by how many people have never heard of them. This is their most recent, and best album- it's nearly flawless, save for two songs that drag towards the end. "I'm Designer" is in the top five of all time great songs, "Sick Sick Sick" is frickin' awesome, and "Battery Acid" is genius.
2. Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium: This is groundbreaking stuff, and my favorite Mars Volta album. They've never quite topped this one, their first one. I picked this one up randomly when I was still living at home and had shitloads of money to throw around on random CDs. The cover looked interesting; it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. It's an astonishing whirlwind of progressive rock that's unrelenting in its intensity. If you haven't heard this album, you need to.
1.PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea: This is PJ Harvey's best album, and also one of the greatest albums of all time. She's another criminally underrated artist. This album gets continually recommended whenever I have someone attempt to tell me how great Paramore or Amy Lee is. They're no PJ Harvey.
[Sandeep Murali]
Honorable Mentions - Tesla - Mechanical Resonance, Dire Straits - Brothers in arms, Judas Priest - Painkiller, Metallica - Master of puppets, Def Leppard - Hysteria
5. Bon Jovi - Slippery when wet: Oh no he didn't! Oh yes I did! Raise your hands (See what I did there?) if you're already typing down a flame in the comments section. But you see, with twenty six million copies sold worldwide, something is bound to be right with it. The album has everything I like about Hair metal in it. Catchy guitar work, sing along choruses, an upbeat feel and of course, good ol' cheese. Every single anthem from the album still gets me pumped and of course, "Wanted dead or alive" is a classic in the making. When a young music fan asks me what's the deal about this whole "Hair metal" thing and what's worth checking out, my fingers point to this one.
4. Cinderella - Night Songs: In (cheap plug) last week's column , I had called Night songs one of the best debut efforts of the whole era. And I still stand by this statement. Almost everything from this album still sounds relevant and stands testament to the amazing musician Tom Keifer is. "Nobody's fool" manages to send a shiver down my spine every time I hear it. If you're one of those people who firmly believe that the 80's are full of "Poser" musicians, I suggest you give this one a spin. I guarantee ya, you'd be pleasantly surprised.
3. Black Sabbath - Paranoid: The best album from the guys that spawned heavy metal as we know it. Iommi's riff work, the down tuning, the wailing vocals of Ozzy, the general gloomy feel, all of it inspired Metal musicians who succeeded them. Deep Purple may have inspired the virtuosos of the art form, but Sabbath was the ones who made sure that they wrote stuff that made your mom frown upon you. ...and it doesn't get any better than Paranoid. From the self titled track to "Iron Man" to the controversial "War pigs", this album has tracks that will, dare I say NEVER get outdated. "Planet Caravan" has always been a guilty pleasure of mine and is perhaps, my second favorite Sabbath song (after... what else? "Paranoid"!). If you call yourself a Metal fan, you already have this album. If you don't, stop wasting time and rectify your folly NOW.
2. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast: The Bruce Dickinson era begins for Maiden with this 1982 effort. And he couldn't have asked for a better debut because two and a half decades down, budding metal artists cite this as one of their inspirations. If you want to know why the metal underground is all crazed up on Maiden, I'd suggest that you start with this one. "Hallowed be thy name" alone would be enough for you to "Get it". A 5+ star effort from the veterans of the NWOBHM.
1. Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good : I recommend this over their masterpiece Rust In Peace for one reason: Sheer, untamed aggression.
Dave Mustaine was an angry young man in 1983. After his former employers Metallica showed him the door, young Dave was hell bent on one-upping them. He put his heart and soul into Killing... and it shows. Be it the blistering "Mechanix"(which is how the song should be played) or the headbang inducing "Rattlehead" or the chilling "Looking down the cross" or... hell, ANYTHING from the album is exceptional. Sure, the production is a bit shoddy by today's standards, but that just adds to the bands below-the-radar status. One listen and you'll know that I'm not kidding on this one. Truly a benchmark album as far as Thrash Metal is concerned.
[Chris Crowning]
I'll assume that everyone here has a knowledge of music, so I'll not waste my time, your time and oh-so valuable column inches recommending Master of Puppets, the Downward Spiral, The Color & the Shape, or anything 'classic.' So I'll take my brief this week to be to recommend albums that you may not have heard, but I reckon deserve a bigger audience...
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#8: That's 'F sharp, A sharp, infinity'. This is one of the few albums I've ever heard where words like 'sound-scape' and 'emotionally affecting' actually seem appropriate, indeed wholly inadequate. This is not easy listening, it's not even that much fun, but if you give this album the time, it may well reorder you're perceptions and you'll feel a whole lot better for having heard it. Stunning.
4. 36 Crazyfists - The Tide and Its Takers: Probably higher profile than the rest on here, but I think 36CF are much underrated and manage to straddle the line between brutal heaviness and having melody and some beautiful, fragile parts with consummate skill. I could have said any of their albums, but "Absent Are The Saints" currently functions as my alarm clock, so Tide gets the nod.
3. the Hazey Janes - Hotel Radio: Should be Scotland's favorite sons, and probably the best ‘good-time, sunshine, sitting in a park soaking up the rays' album I've ever heard, Gorgeous.
2. The Butterfly Effect - Begins Here or Imago: This band from Australia come across as a mix of Tool and the Deftones but with a more vulnerable emotive side that sounds utterly honest, especially when compared to the faked, corporate emoting we hear every day in these times. Two great albums, one awesome band.
1. VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theater or April: I love this band, and IMHO their first and most recent albums are their best. One melds near-industrial rock electronica with Gregorian chanting and genuine emotion to awesome effect, the other shows how much can still be achieved with the most basic, acoustic tools available to the dedicated songwriter.
[Dan Marsicano]
5. Nevermore – This Godless Endeavor: The latest album from the most underrated metal band this century, This Godless Endeavor is an hour of wall-to-wall perfection, with no flaws whatsoever. The title track ranks as one of the band's best tracks and "Final Product" is a tour-de-force for guitarist Jeff Loomis. The fact that this album only sold about 3,000 copies in its first week of release is a crime against humanity.
4. Dream Theater - Awake: Arguably the last great Dream Theater album, the progressive metal band is at a creative high on Awake .This was keyboardist Kevin Moore's final album with the band and he made sure to go out with a bang. From the three songs that made up the "A Mind Beside Itself" trilogy to the somber closer "Space Dye-Vest," a personal favorite track of mine, Awake is 75 minutes of pitch-perfect progressive metal.
3. Nile – Ithyphallic: My first exposure to the death metal band with a Middle Eastern flair to it, Ithyphallic is a brutal album that has a melodic sensibility to it. The vocals are clear and intelligent-able, much more so than their past releases, and the choruses are memorable. The two epics that open and close the albums are my personal favorite Nile tracks, especially "Even The Gods Must Die," with its sing-along gang chants of the title and the Karl Sanders solo work at the end. For death metal fans, any album by Nile deserves a spot in your collection, but their newest one is the one I would recommend to have.
2. Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet: A concept album based on the corruption of our youth due to technology and prescription drugs, Fear Of A Blank Planet is Porcupine Tree's magnum opus. Each one of the seven tracks works off each other, building to a thrilling conclusion in "Sleep Together." The title track has one of the best riffs in the band's history and the 17-minute epic "Anesthetize" harkens back to The Sky Moves Sideways days.
1. Metallica – Ride The Lightning: While some may argue that Master Of Puppets is a better album, I think that Metallica's sophomore album should be required buying for new Metallica fans. It shows the early brilliance of the band, and the youthful energy that is lacking on later releases. The foursome was willing to take chances with their sound, in tracks like the wonderful instrumental "Call of Ktulu" and the 80's hard rock sound of "Escape." Of course, you can't forget about the Kill Em' All outtakes "Fight Fire With Fire" and "Trapped Under Ice." Ride The Lightning is an excellent Metallica album, one that would be the first in a trilogy of classic albums.
Alright, folks. Thanks for reading. Here's what you should do. Enter your list in the comment's section. You do not have to register to comment. Here's how your list should look:
Honorable Mentions: If you have any...
5. Artist - Album: Explanation of choice
4. Artist - Album: Explanation of choice
3. Artist - Album: Explanation of choice
2. Artist - Album: Explanation of choice
1. Artist - Album: Explanation of choice
