Discovolante's Best of: 1998
From the beginning of the year to the end, via the Sputnik release calendar. |
| 1 |  | Bellatrix
G
Alt-folk oddities Kolrassa Krokrioandi made a bold decision to do a complete 180 and become a pretty standard pop rock band under the new name of Bellatrix. While the style change is a move that divided their entire fanbase to this day, I'm in the camp who believes it was a wise move as on their debut EP as Bellatrix exemplifies. On the EP "G", the group concocted some of the best downtempo pop rock tunes of the era, most significantly boasting the incredible track "Silverlight". |
| 2 |  | Alison's Halo
Eyedazzler 1992-1996
Alison's Halo was an underground shoegaze band from Arizona that came a bit too late in the shoegaze movement to really make an impact, but holy hell was their music divine. On their posthumous compilation album "Eyedazzler", the latecomers concoct some truly remarkable cuts that make for some of the best of the forgotten mid 90s shoegaze era. A release that has thankfully gotten more and more traction over time with curious shoegaze eccentrics around the world. |
| 3 |  | Necro
Necro EP
Necro's first EP is a bold switch-up in horrorcore music, mixing an over-the-top horrorcore aesthetic with hardcore, grimy and gritty hardcore rap. An underground classic that officially ushered in a new master in the genre. |
| 4 |  | Queso
Cheese
Filipino nu metallers Queso (originally known as Cheese) made a huge ruckus in the music scene around their area with the release of their debut self-titled album in 1998. An rollercoaster of an album that explores various emotions with dead-on accuracy, Queso made one of the finest metal albums in Filippino music history right from the start. |
| 5 |  | Beastie Boys
Hello Nasty
"Hello Nasty" was a return-to-basics approach for the Beasties with more focus on the classic b-boy days that they originated from. If it was trimmed a bit (as it is indeed a bit staggering at 22 tracks), "Hello Nasty" would be a pretty close runner-up for my favorite Beastie Boys album. |
| 6 |  | Prince
Crystal Ball
An album that has quite the divided reception among the Prince fanbase, I'm a definite fan of "Crystal Ball", which was originally a highly ambitious triple-LP and was later released as a compilation in 1998 of some of his deep cuts, many of which were not released before. With such sleeper ahead-of-their-time gems like "Dream Factory", "Sexual Suicide" and "Cloreen Baconskin", it serves as just some more proof of Prince being on another planet entirely. The best to ever do it. |
| 7 |  | Genitorturers
Sin City
After a 5 year break, Genitorturers returned with the release of their second album "Sin City", which would end up being probably their most significant moment commercially speaking, as well as perhaps their career-defining album as well, with virtually no duds on the album. An underground industrial masterpiece. |
| 8 |  | DMX
It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
Never was horrorcore and hard-edged East Coast hip hop ever so eloquently mixed. |
| 9 |  | Silly Fools
I.Q. 180
Released when they were still on the verge of taking over their home country in a major way and in the process selling out hardcore, Thai rock legends released their first full length album "I.Q.180" follows in the same vain as their self-titled EP from two years before in the sense of blending balls-to-the-wall nu metal with a strong industrial punch. A mad slobknocker of an album, and sadly their only full length with any real weight to it. |
| 10 |  | System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down's self-titled debut is one of the best alt metal albums ever, and shows the band at their heaviest and raw, which is where I think most of the best stuff of a band comes from. |
| 11 |  | Fear Factory
Obsolete
A surprisingly strong follow-up to one of the best groove metal albums ever, "Demanufacture", which just missed the cut on my 1995 best-of list. |
| 12 |  | Insane Clown Posse
Forgotten Freshness Volumes 1 & 2
"Forgotten Freshness Volumes 1 & 2" is a compilation consisting of some deep cuts in ICP's catalog, including some of their biggest fan favorites. Easily the best of the "Forgotten Freshness" volumes. |
| 13 |  | Theatre of Tragedy
Aégis
The greatest gothic metal album ever, in my opinion. |
| 14 |  | Death
The Sound of Perseverance
A suitable final hoorah to the best death metal band to ever do it. |
| 15 |  | Bizarre
Attack of the Weirdos
The title "Attack of the Weirdos" is quite fitting for Detroit rap veteran Bizarre. On his first solo EP, he showcases his signature offbeat, morbidly offensive style with some creative and haunting beats. One of the best D12 solo releases outside of Em's stuff and Bugz's first solo EP. |
| 16 |  | Marilyn Manson
Mechanical Animals
"Mechanical Animals" is an evolution no one saw coming, as it saw Marilyn Manson transition into an extraterrestrial industrial glam rocker that took strong influence from David Bowie, with the signature cynical Manson twist. While it sure as hell isn't anything like "Antichrist Superstar", the album proves to be quite memorable and a classic in its own right. |
| 17 |  | OutKast
Aquemini
Another groundbreaking moment in hip hop history, "Aquemini" is thought of by many to be OutKast's finest moment. Like their previous album "ATLiens", "Aquemini" is one of the most beloved hip hop albums to emerge from the South, if not the most. |
| 18 |  | 2Pac
Greatest Hits
Something that has garnered the reputation of being one of the most legendary and spectacular compilation albums in rap history, for very, very good reason. |
| 19 |  | Faith No More
Who Cares a Lot?
A splendid best-of album that is practically the essential Faith No More album. |
| 20 |  | Busta Rhymes
Extinction Level Event
An album that continues the bombastic galore that is top Busta Rhymes, "Extinction Level Event" isn't necessarily up to par of his last two albums, but it is definitely still fantastic and entertaining listening. The collaboration with Mystikal in particular, "Iz They Wildin Wit Us & Gettin' Rowdy Wit Us", is particularly fan-fuckin-tastic. |
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