|
User
Reviews 30
Approval 81%
Soundoffs 7
Album Ratings 140
Objectivity 97%
Last Active 01-17-09 5:46 am
Joined 05-07-06
Review Comments 1,150
| Intensity
This is a list of the ten most intense albums I own and my thoughts on them. Enjoy. | | 1 |  | Neurosis
Through Silver In Blood
Intentionally dissonant harmonies heighten the tension to the breaking point. When that point is reached, the pent up energy is released in a carthaic explosion of tribal drumming, doomed out riffage, and tortured vocal performances. The climax to Locust Star is probably the most intense minute of music I've ever heard; the three vocal lines cascading on top of a demonic riff. | | 2 |  | Converge
No Heroes
The subtraction of a guitar from the Converge equation is what makes No Heroes the most intense Converge album in my eyes (yes, even moreso than Jane Doe). The music has a much more wide open and punky feel; it's a lot more accessible and a whole fucking lot more intense. Jacob Bannon is widely regarded as the most intense vocalist in the extreme metal world; a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with. The frenetic, groove oriented drumming and inventive guitar work only further the chaos of No Heroes | | 3 |  | Strapping Young Lad
Alien
Alien, more than any other album I've ever listened to, exemplifies the statement "wall of sound." Constant jackhammer drumming, downtuned machine gun riffing, bass that sounds like a cannon, and frenetic shreiking from Devin Townshend characterize this mindfuck of an album. | | 4 |  | Mr. Bungle
California
A sometimes subtle, but more often purposely grating genre soup. There's the occasional calm, laid back song that gives Mike Patton an opportunity to vocally masturbate, but there are just as many songs that are breakneck journeys through a number of different genres. What makes California amazing is the constant level of intensity it maintains while nearly entirely forsaking the distorted electric guitar. I am primarily a metal fan, and the fact that a band could achieve such brilliant chaos with traditional instruments was very eye opening. None Of Them Knew They Were Robots and Ars Morendi have to be two of the most frenetic, off-the-wall songs ever made. | | 5 |  | Meshuggah
Nothing
Seemingly nonsensical hammering with guitars tuned to low G and a vocal performance that sounds akin to a vicious machine grinding a human to a pulp gradually falls into place as a methodical groove metal album. Fucking A. | | 6 |  | Eminem
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem spits constant, venomous hate throughout the hour-plus running time of this album. Whether it's the cold, unfeeling Way I Am or the absolutely brutal Kim, Eminem manages to stun the listener again and again with his wanton ferocity. Many see this as shock tactics, but to me, this sounds completely genuine. | | 7 |  | Converge
Jane Doe
It had to be on here somewhere. Jane Doe is an album that many regard to be the most intense of all time. The production is claustrophobic and headache inducing, and the instruments are all constantly blasting away at 100 mph. Whether it's the chunky, crushing riffing in Homewrecker or the trebly, high pitched mind blasting assaults in songs like Concubine and Thaw, Converge manage to pound their listener to a pulp in a variety of ways. Oh, and that Jacob Bannon's pretty angry also. | | 8 |  | Between The Buried And Me
Alaska
It's the first truly heavy album to have raped my virgin mind, so it will always hold a special place in my heart even if it isn't as intense as the albums listed above. Alaska is essentially highly technical mathcore mixed with jazz influences. There is a wide variety of harsh vocals, from pig squeals to full out death metal bellows. The riffs are grinding, downtuned, and relentless, and there is always a healthy supply of blastbeats from the drums. | | 9 |  | Meshuggah
I
A 21 minute carnival of quintissential Meshuggah riffs, ranging from their early thrash days to more ambient, jazz influenced stuff. The section one and a half minutes in where all structure dissolves, Thomas Haake hammers his cymbals as hard as he can, the vocalist screams as hard as he can, and the guitar belches out random fast chords is what really gains this album a spot on the list. The breakneck soloing helps also. | | 10 |  | Protest The Hero
Kezia
The amount of musical ideas on here is astounding, and manages to tire me out every time I listen. Yeah, I know it's not really intense, but I can't think of any other good albums for this spot. Shoot me. | |
Brain Dead
08.06.07 | They're in a rough order. | blackened07
08.06.07 | I agree with some of this. I just checked out 4 and I'm impressed with it. | Tyler
08.06.07 | I agree with most of this. Not a fan of 3 or 5 though. | jrowa001
08.06.07 | needs some Amon Amarth. but other than that good list, i like/love all these albums (maybe not 6). Since you like 9, i recommend you check out Edge of Sanity's Crimson and Crimson II because both are long ass songs that kick major ass | Mikesn
08.06.07 | 6, 8, 10 are great | Tyler
08.06.07 | Good to see you on here by the way. I thought you'd stuck with RYM (Scree, no?). | Cravinov13
08.06.07 | List needs Nasum. | Brain Dead
08.06.07 | Cocaine: Yeah, I still go on RYM sometimes, but right now, I'm liking sputnik more. And yeah I'm Scree. | BallsToTheWall
08.06.07 | 1,5,6,and 9 are intense. You heard catch 33 from meshuggah.That alone is pretty intense to listen the whole thing at once. | kazzra
08.06.07 | 7 is amazing. IMO it is much better than No Heroes. | Cravinov13
08.06.07 | I hate Meshuggah. That's all I'll say. | Dis_Con_Nec_Ted
08.06.07 | " You heard catch 33 from meshuggah.That alone is pretty intense to listen the whole thing at once."
Catch 33 is on of those albums I just need to hear in it's entirety in a short period of time. The atmosphere just sucks you in and at the the climax all hell breaks lose. Fucking amazing... | Dis_Con_Nec_Ted
08.06.07 | #5 is slow and repetetive. Only couple of good songs IMO.
Straws Pulled at Random is one their best though. | Dis_Con_Nec_Ted
08.06.07 | btw, is #1 anything like 'I' or some other Meshuggah? | Cravinov13
08.06.07 | No, it blows it out of the fuckin water. | Yazz_Flute
08.07.07 | Needs some bathory imo | Tyler
08.07.07 | Did you just ask if Neurosis was like Meshuggah? Fuck off.
And fuck off with the Bathory. It's good but not fitting to the list. At all. | Skyler
08.07.07 | good list but you forgot dillinger | SpeakerCity
08.07.07 | Intense to me is something along the lines of either Mezzanine or The Holy Bible. We're probably thinking about different sorts of intense. | Cravinov13
08.07.07 | fuck off with Cocaine. he sucks. :p | dminorshero
08.07.07 | between the buried and me with jazz influence? What are you talking about? | Cravinov13
08.07.07 | a lot of the break downs probably. | dminorshero
08.07.07 | hahahah, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis definitely had some sick drop C# breakdowns | chimera908
08.07.07 | Really great list, I've heard at least songs from all of these albums and I must say for the most part I think I'd agree. If you havn't heard Converges You fail Me, find it now. It may not sound as intense as Converges other material at first. However after a couple listens I realized I had never heard a darker, angrier and more intense album. | Brain Dead
08.07.07 | dminorshero: the jazz influence is present mainly in the drumming. Also, Laser Speed is essentially a jazz song. So yeah... | astrel
08.07.07 | 4 & 10 = yayz | dminorshero
08.07.07 | laser speed is at best a latin-pop tune, there is no swing feel, no jazz ride rhythm and no solo during the tune (excuding the beginning). I can't believe that jazz is the only true american music and a lot of assholes don't know the first thing about it. Sad day in music. | Brain Dead
08.08.07 | Blow me, asshole. | dminorshero
08.09.07 | What? I'm not trying to be an ass, I love BTBAM. I'm just saying, a lot of people throw around things like that without knowing what jazz is. I'm sorry for trying to explain to you. | austin888
09.06.10 | None so Vile? Darkness Descends? Reign in Blood? | Jesuslaves
09.06.10 | How the fuck do you find these. | Obfuscation24
09.06.10 | 3 year old thread on front page what the fuck | ArizonaBay97
09.06.10 | Why do you comment on 3 year old lists? | luci
09.06.10 | what chambered said | eternium
09.06.10 | Wow. |
|
