|
User
Soundoffs 10
News Articles 2
Band Edits + Tags 10
Album Edits 49
Album Ratings 571
Objectivity 66%
Last Active 04-16-20 11:22 pm
Joined 12-21-13
Review Comments 9,850
| My 5's Ranked
Since I'm bored I thought why not? Hope you enjoy reading and hopefully find something you like. Note 5/5 is literally perfect, I wouldn't change a note while 4.9 and 4.8's I would. Thanks to Evo for reading over these :3 | | 18 |  | Opeth
Blackwater Park
4.8/5: This album consumed my life when I was 15-16, and has held up very well. Every day I was talking about it to my friends, putting it as the background all over the school computers and destroying my ears with it full blast on those shitty iPod earphones. Pretty much nearly everything here is Opeth at their peak (sorry MAYH and Still Life lovers), Mikael being absolutely demonic here with his most bellowing and evil vocal performance of his career with everything else being a refinement to their sound which they've build up to this point to finally being phenomenal. The amalgamation of Mikael's soft, yet alluring vocals beautifully coexisting with the band's calm and relaxing breaks and the overwhelming heavy Death Metal side to this album is a perfect mixture. Reason why this is not highly rated as the others is due to mainly the track 'Dirge of November', which has a main riff that lasts far too long and 'The Funeral Portrait' being not as well composed as the other tracks. | | 17 |  | Cryptopsy
None So Vile
4.8/5: This album did pretty well, don't you think? Minus the track 'Dead and Dripping', which is a noticeable drop in quality this is pretty much perfect Tech Death. What makes this mainly stand out of the pack is mainly 3 things. First is just how unrelentingly punishing this is. Bass pedals have a lovely thundering presence in the mix, the pace never lets up and the production is free from the overproduction plaguing a lot of Tech Death. Heavy and goes for the gut. Secondly is Flo on drums, who is the human equivalent of a steamroller going 60 MPH destroying everything in its wake. Lastly is Lord Worm, whose sounds like a rabid dog for most of the album until he screams/whelps uncontrollably. Perfect for this album. | | 16 |  | Gackt
MARS
4.8/5: Refer to my soundoff, won't fit in here. J-Rock of the highest order with one of the greatest vocalists of all time. | | 15 |  | Malice Mizer
Merveilles
4.8/5: Refer to sound off again. Mars' songwriting is tighter but the atmosphere here is just mesmerizing so this has the edge. | | 14 |  | Shpongle
Tales of the Inexpressible
4.8/5: A musical adventure is the best way to describe this for me, Shpongle give their most natural release here in their discography. Letting the tribal and more natural elements of their music thrive with lush atmospheres and hooks abound, achieved by choirs, flutes and bongos while their Trance tendencies control the general structure of the album gives this an unreal scope of sound and pacing. So many details crafted into this album it's incredible, one part is never overlong and is presence for just the right amount of time before another layer of sound enters or the song completely changes direction seamlessly with every track having their separate identity. Despite its length and large amount of depth, this is also so accessible and catchy. The calm and tranquil parts will want you smiling in glee with how incredible the production is on here before you nod your head to earworm worthy melodies like the break in 'My Head Feels Like a Frisbee'. Masterpiece with very little flaws. | | 13 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Calculating Infinity
4.8/5: Abrasive to the extreme, never has an album been so spastic yet so controlled and calculated (pardon the pun). Everywhere here bar two tracks is so explosive, Dimitri screaming in a desperate and frenzied fashion while the instrumentation pummels you to oblivion with punishing riffs coming together with a constant sense of tension. The production on here enhances this feeling even more, having a unique sound to where it sounds raw and dry yet relatively polished. Flawless instrumental performance, completely original hard hitting sound, pushing the boundaries on how manic Metal can be...what more can you ask for? | | 12 |  | Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
4.8/5: This album is a mess...a glorious heartfelt mess. On paper this seems like a disaster, vague statements about love and God on top of horrible abrasive production with a man yelping out notes just as abrasive as the sounds on this album in question, strumming the same chord progressions which you've heard thousands of times before ad nauseam. Yet...this album is magic, an indescribable quality of heart and soul goes through every part of this album. Jeff sells every lyric on this album with such conviction as if he's pouring his heart to you, sometimes going out of tune and belting out the song without a care of what comes out his mouth. With this comes the emotional weight of the lyrics, seemingly ridiculous at times ("Semen stains the mountain tops”) yet heart-warming. The incredible lyrics, portrayal and Lo-Fi production come together to create of world of such abstract imagery yet bounded together by core values that keep us alive: Love and belief. | | 11 |  | The Seatbelts
Cowboy Bebop Boxed Set
4.8/5: For this I'm counting the first 3 disks here, since the other 2 are live performances/extras. Shame this is so rare (I will get it though) because for 3 hours this is not only the perfect way to relive the show, but to immerse yourself in a musical journey featuring some of the finest Jazz, Blues, Pop or just music in general you'll ever hear. Even if you haven't watched the show so you don't know some context about this (for example why it's so meandering and the track listing towards the end of each disk) I still stand by this rating. Any genre The Seatbelts tackle on this they do with ease, featuring so many awe inspiring and relaxing moments on every track like the build up to the climax on 'Call Me, Call Me', the calm acoustic playing on 'Felt Tip Pen' and the bone chilling saxaphone on 'Space Lion'. The amount of emotions and styles this set covers is much too large a range for me to cover in this little description, so you should do yourself justice and listen to this. | | 10 |  | Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Of Natural History
4.8/5: To describe this as unsettling and massive is an understatement. This album's overall sound has to be truly praised for its originality and unique atmosphere. Nils' screams, lyrical content about the disease of man upon nature and instruments such as Glockenspiel, Xylophone and Harmonica along with field recordings enriches this album with a natural-routed yet nightmarish feel overbearing you throughout the whole record. In addition to this the rhythm and tone based style rather than having emphasis on melody works in their favour, letting Nils' run havoc with his presence on this album while Carla comes in soaring over the preceding turning the album from an instrument led album to a vocally led one. Whether if it’s Nils' bellowing serenade greeting you on A Hymn to the Morning Star or the sounds of animals after FC: The Freedom Club reliving you of the tension of the previous onslaught, this album is one you'll never forget, despite not being the most accessible. | | 9 |  | Kamijo
Symphony of the Vampire
4.9/5: If I could conjure up a dream album, this is pretty much dead on what I'd envision in my head. Having in my opinion the best vocalist in Power Metal and my favourite vocalist? Check. A grand Symphonic Metal concept album about a large historical event (in this case loosely) with immaculate pacing musically while progressing the story? Check. Every moment in the 28 minute song to have their own identity and have incredible transitions which are seamless and start every movement with a bang? Check. Progressing in quality and symphonic work throughout the album until a large emotional climax with double bass pedals, large amount of violins and an incredible ending note? Motherfucking check. The 3.7 average can fuck off, this is almost perfect | | 8 |  | Shpongle
Ineffable Mysteries from Shpongleland
4.9/5: While Tales was a exploration of an unknown lush land with tribal influences very dominant throughout, this is Shpongle pushing their sound to the very limit with undertones of a dark, morose sound. Unbelievably this has even better production and has more depth than Tales. So many little details and depth go into every track here, making each of them a joy to dive into and digest. It's like a canopy brimming with life in a rainforest, especially with the tones of the electronic elements here being so masterfully crafted composition wise and the tone of each beat. The tracks that especially make this a masterpiece are the 2 epics on this album 'I Am You' and 'Ineffable Mysteries', with the both of them just getting deeper and darker as they get on from their rather light hearted and incredible intros. Tales may be more immediate and works as a one whole track better however this is in my opinion Shpongle's best and deserves your undivided attention. | | 7 |  | Demolition Hammer
Epidemic of Violence
4.9/5: This is the musical equivalent of this for 40 minutes: http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/evolutioniststonerp/images/b/bd/X-Men_-_Juggernaut.gif/revision/latest?cb=20101221213215 For those in need of more detail then this, these are the best riffs you'll ever hear nonstop and never lets up with a production worthy of this gold mine. So hard hitting and every aspect of it has so much weight and presence in the mix (especially the bass pedal kicks), tone which sounds huge and heavy through a good pair of headphones bombarding your ears with non stop quality riffs. Add on to this nonstop onslaught of the best riffs in Thrash you have in my humble opinion without a doubt the best vocalist in the genre. The way he enunciates and puts such emphasis on each part of the lyrics with such bile and raw anger makes for some spectacular vocal patterns and tones. For something to get pissed off to and headbang to, there's nothing better. Demolition Hammer leaves nothing in their wake. | | 6 |  | Gackt
Mizerable
5/5: I've always had a strong emotional response, to in my eyes, Gackt's finest hour. Whether it's the opening drum fill swaying past you like the autumn wind or Lapis' majestic violin serenading, every single aspect of this album is seeming with awe inspiring performances and emotion. Leaving Malice Mizer's unique fusion of styles however not yet sighted on a career of Pop Rock, Gackt made a mainly Piano and violin lead effort to create a divine EP which never falters its flawless quality. Every song is incredibly composed and has plenty to offer, being more of a cohesive effort than almost all LP's I've listened to. From the gate the title track starts as the opening burst of energy with an incredible Art/Pop rock number enveloping the listen with strong violin leads and instantly memorable chorus. From there it becomes more emotionally lead, from tender piano to Gackt's incredible voice, this is something that must be heard by everyone. An essential listen. | | 5 |  | Mr. Bungle
California
5/5: Despite being their least 'out there' record, Bungle deliever the strongest songwriting of their careers with California. After listening to this multiple times and it finally hits you, it's a musical moment to remember. The restraint the band has here has done them wonders, allowing Mike Patton to focus on the lower end of his register more with his incredible tone and the band to take a back seat. This does mean however this is a soft record however, multiple songs are still warped yet with a serious ear for melody and hooks and more influences break into Bungle's assorted minds of madness. The Rockabilly/Distorted vocal clusterfuck ending of the second track is a masterpiece of class and genre bending, then with the middle eastern licks of 'Ars Morandi', the soulful swagger of 'Vanity Flair' to the...well indescrible 'Goodbye Sober Day' this is not only a perfect album but a very diverse one. | | 4 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
F#A# (Infinity)
5/5: Anyone who's reading this has probably listened to this, so this needs no introduction. This is pretty much heard by everyone here so I'll move on. | | 3 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
5/5: Out of all the albums I've listened too, this is the one I have to the biggest emotional attachment too, due to playing on one, incredibly bleak and awful night. But even before then, this album still blew me away. Along with F#A# Infinity the atmosphere of this is unmatched. From the open dark and droning violin arises from your headphones, the album grips you and never lets go with its emotionally charged crescendos and samples. However this isn't just an album building to the crescendo and with little else (I'm at looking you Skinny Fists), the ambient sections take a complete life of their own and you can just bask in them forever until the distorted guitars and drum rolls bring you back and have your heart racing, built up to appropriate tension and released at the right moment. The concept and compositional skill really hold this together to make this as good as it is, every moment feels like a purpose and is charged with such conviction, it doesn't get much better than this | | 2 |  | Meshuggah
Catch Thirtythree
5/5: I can rant for days about this, so many little details and aspects about this make this a mind-blowing feast for the senses. Catch is Meshuggah's being evolved to its pinnacle, instead of focusing on larger than life crushing grooves and little else, they bring a dense, robotic and overwhelming atmosphere here rife with tension. Starting with a dirge of a heavy groove with impeccable production, it slowly changes like a mechanical colossus rising and walking across the land while Jens shouts at you with an inhuman roar. Jens has added a razor like viciousness to his vocals, so he stands out to an incredible vocal performance unlike their previous outings. Then as the album progresses everything comes together and becomes a monolith of bleakness and immense scale. The grooves become faster, the ambience starts to arise and Jens starts to unleash chilling screams that no man should produce. | | 1 |  | X Japan
Art of Life Live
5/5: Where do I even begin to describe my favourite song of all time? The embodiment of human emotion wrapped up in a 34 minute Speed Metal Symphony. Even from an incredible backcatalog this band has established, this goes above and beyond. Everything here has a world class standard and makes itself stand out. The guitar work between hide and Pata has such chemistry and flair, the lyrics are a meaningful memento of the challenges of life, Toshi's heavenly voice is dramatic as ever with his one of a kind voice and most importantly... Yoshiki gave every single inch of his being into this composition. Whether it being his drum performance where he batters the drums with endless amounts of fills and double bass, blending the styles X Japan has to mature as a songwriter and deliver a piano solo which is forever engrained in my memory to push this above the rest. Despite how much of a masterpiece this album is, don't commit the cardinal sin of dismaying the rest of their albums. | |
CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | Man I was bored, can't write very well but I enjoyed doing this. | TalonsOfFire
05.06.15 | 18 would be in my top 5, great list dude. I have yet to hear 1 and 5 | romulanrancor
05.06.15 | The gif for 7 kicked ass. | romulanrancor
05.06.15 | I've actually never even listened to X Japan | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | Thank you :] Of course 1 and 5 are essential, but 6 is the most unappreciated so I say if anyone takes anything from here let it be that. I want it to have a 4.4 avg again. | Mort.
05.06.15 | cool list man
check The Always Open Mouth | Cygnatti
05.06.15 | [john cage]
sweet trip
zombies
kim jung mi
ugk
the wrens | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | @romulan: You should do that ASAP | Tunaboy45
05.06.15 | "Every day I was talking about it to my friends"
haha I was exactly the same! I drove my best mate crazy (and still do occasionally) | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | @Mort: I'll check a bit of it now, and thanks.
@Tuna: Nice, my friends I bugged the shit out of eventually listened to me and fell into the Opeth fandom. We don't talk anymore though. | EvoHavok
05.06.15 | Woohoo, sweet list! | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | Which without you would be a nightmare to read xD | RoundOnEndHiInMiddle
05.06.15 | 3, 4, and 13 are some of my favorites too. sweet list, loved the descriptions. | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | Thank you very much, glad you were entertained. | InFlamesWeThrash666
05.06.15 | 7 is heavier than a sledgehammer in the face...Also nice to see 2 here | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | Especally 2:48 onwards on Pryoclastic Annihilation...my god NOTHING does as hard as that toward the end. Good to see that someone else thinks 2 deserves more praise then it has. | Angelboros
05.06.15 | I'll point out the painfully obvious and say that somebody ranking their 4's and 4.5's would be a very, very slight cakewalk compared to 5's being ranked. That's besides the point, though. Bitchin' list! | titanslayer
05.06.15 | I still don't understand the love for 18, I love 17 but I hate the vocals on it though,13 is awesome, I think I would like 5 and I started listening to it a while ago but I had to deal with a family emergency before I got far and I never really tried giving it a spin again, 2 is awesome but I think chasosphere is their best | Judio!
05.06.15 | Cool list man, love your description for 12. | CalculatingInfinity
05.06.15 | @Angel: Very true, but I had alot of fun doing this. Thanks :]
@Titan: Shame you don't like Lord Worm, I think he's incredible on it. 5 requires a few spins to click but when it does oh lord it's glorous. As I said before if there's one album which deserves to be checked out it's 6 because it needs to be heard by so many more people.
@Judio: I think that's the best description here, definately most natural to write up with the word limit. | miketunneyiscool123
08.19.15 | Epidemic Of Violence ftw | xiLeadFeather
05.09.17 | I'm surprised there's no Diru on here! | AsleepInTheBack
05.09.17 | Fantastic list, love the descriptions and the clear effort that has gone into them. You've convinced me to check Shpongle and Cryptopsy. Beautiful description of 12 too. Actually damn this list is older than I realised | EvoHavok
05.09.17 | @xi This list was made when he wasn't into Diru at all. He had DSS at like 3 or 2.5 and would say some funny things about the band; Arche kept growing on him and eventually made him enjoy their past material far more. | CalculatingInfinity
05.09.17 | @Lead: Pretty much was Evo said lol, this was 1 or 2 months before DSS devoured my rotation and soon their whole discography followed. I'd make some Dir themed list but my love of the band is too easy to make fun of so I'd rather not.
@Asleep: Hope you enjoy the 2 :]
Also my past self would be happy that I eventually got the physical copy of 11 haha. | xiLeadFeather
05.10.17 | @Havok & Calc ~ Ahhh okay I understand haha. I had no idea you didn't like Diru at first but I'm surprised you liked Arche the most and now DSS. What changed?? | Dedes
05.10.17 | More people really gotta hear Kamijo. Like Symphony of the Vampire actually feels like an artwork | Flugmorph
05.10.17 | and then calc experienced buck-tick syndrome lol | guitarded_chuck
05.10.17 | no floyd no good | Flugmorph
05.10.17 | lol | Orb
05.10.17 | Awesome list Calc. You kinda got me inspired to do the same tbh. | CalculatingInfinity
05.10.17 | @Lead: Arche's guitarwork is what started me to convert to the band. I adored how smooth it was, switching from glorious leads to powerful grooves in an instant. Flowed like water while I found their other works to have poor riffs and guitar work in comparison. Eventually I decided to try DSS because it's an album I always loved in concept but found the execution sloppy. Over a month or two it grew from a 2.5 to a 5, falling for the immense heaviness and bleakness the album has. Afterwards the rest of their efforts started to fall into place and when I first watch In Situ/Tabula Rasa for curiosity I just devoured through all their lives and output.
@Flug: I know please halp ;-;
@Evokaphile: Thanks, will be sure to read it ;) |
|
