Sorted by Rating | Sort by Name

5 classic

Anathema Judgement

This album embodies pure and bitter pain. After the death of their mother, the Cavanagh brothers must have experienced one hell of an emotional ride, because this album was released in its aftermath, and it is nothing but breathtakingly haunting. Anathema's sorrow does not manifest itself in the form of brute force anymore, but the incredibly powerful riffs and melodies combine with keyboard atmospheres to create dark, moody soundscapes that gather over the album like black clouds. Almost every song screams in bitterness, and the lyrics deal with a seemingly endless depression. It may one of the bleakest albums ever released, but despite its gloom and doom, it is also superbly beautiful, and essential listening for anyone with only the slightest hint of interest in the dark side. A completely stupendously amazing release.

Apocalyptica Apocalyptica

Blind Guardian Imaginations from the Other Side

Dream Theater Images and Words

Iced Earth Burnt Offerings

Kamelot The Black Halo

Nightwish Oceanborn

Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral

Opeth Blackwater Park

This is probably one of the best Opeth albums, though when every album they've released is such high quality, that doesn't say much. It pretty much runs smoothly throughout and it's got a more modern edge than the previous albums. The Drapery Falls features a colossal riff and the vocal interplay on Bleak absolutely rules. It doesn't really have many uneven moments, just ones that are less orgasmic than the absolute highlights. This is a great album any prog metal fan should have, and it's a perfect introduction to Opeth's remarkable oeuvre.

Opeth Still Life

Blackwater Park may be the most critically acclaimed, but this album is certainly a close second, if not the best album in Opeth's oeuvre. A majestic concept album based around love, heresy, occultism, rejection, and religion, its tragic tale unfolds as the music shows an emotional depth almost unbefitting of any metal band. Opeth aren't just a technically accomplished band (though this is one of their most complex outings, and the band don't play so many songs off this live), but they are also lyrically, aesthetically, and compositionally leaps and bounds ahead of the metal scene. It's rare to come across an album that combines its pompous intents with its musical style so well that it becomes a ride for life. And it's not just heavy: some of the most exquisite parts are acoustic jazzy interludes that serve not only as a breather from the more extreme metal onslaught, but make the album a big exercise in dynamics as well. This album is highly recommended for any open-minded music fan, as it shows one of cheesiest genres at its very best. It shatters any notion of music you may have had. And for that, it may just even beat out Blackwater Park as their most historical record.

Pain Of Salvation Be

Pink Floyd Pulse DVD

Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here

The most riddling album I have ever experienced, its emotional and sentimental value almost eclipses the benchmark set by its musical genius. This isn't an album, this is 45 minutes of pure genius, describing insanity, society, and humanity with the most meticulous of lyrics. Musically, it is one big waterfall, with each song segueing so easily into the next, it might as well have been recorded as one track. However, the highlight is Welcome to the Machine, not only notable for Gilmour's ascending backing vocals, but also for its excruciatingly sardonic lyrics. Is it the best album of all time? Hard to say, but it's as close as any album will ever come, and that is saying something.

Pink Floyd The Wall

One of the big musical triumphs of Pink Floyd (the other two being Wish you were Here and Dark Side of the Moon), this is a classic album for the ages. Its incredibly bleak lyrical concept makes the music harrowing instead of flat. Gilmour's best solo (and probably one of the best guitar solos ever) appears here on the song Comfortably Numb, but it's a work that stands as a whole. It may seem rather dull at first because almost none of the initial tracks feel right as standalone songs, but once you piece the whole thing together and look at it in helicopter view, you will see that this is possibly, probably, one of the best albums ever. It's such a shame that Pink Floyd have Wish You Were Here in their back catalog, because otherwise this would be their best easily. However, this album is their glorious last stand with the classic line-up, and is highly recommended to anyone.

Porcupine Tree In Absentia

Porcupine Tree Fear Of A Blank Planet

Pure perfection released as an album. From the musically intricate soundscapes to the frighteningly depressing lyrical imagery, everything works, fits, and flows as if the album were a 51-minute dream of music. The band ranges from moody trippy sections that recall Portishead's glory, to metal riffs that bring Opeth and Meshuggah to mind, to the technically complex work made famous by 70s progsters a la Rush, and even some pop sentiments on songs like Sentimental. It's a packaged overview of everything that is good about music: emotional value, technical accomplishment, lyrical relevancy, and interesting compositions. A pure tour de force that SW and co. may never be able to top again. Highly recommended buy.

Porcupine Tree Stupid Dream

Queen Greatest Hits One

Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime

Radiohead OK Computer

This album is a classic of the 90s, for the simple reason that every song on here is amazing. The album revels in a sense of claustrophobia and angst, and even the interlude of Fitter Happier is a testament to the alienation present on the record. It personifies this, no doubt inspiring many that felt the same to pick up a guitar and write tunes. Radiohead would go gaga after this, experimenting with electronica, jazz, and other madness, but this stands as their most "tuneful" album, and where they got the mix between oddball synth influences, plain old guitar rock and bleak thematicism completely right. This isn't heralded as the best album of the 90s for nothing.

Radiohead The Bends

Slayer Reign in Blood

This album eats babies, slays the christians, and is so brutal in every possible way it's more brutal than most death metal. Tom Araya's vicious snarls are almost tuneless, and his shrieks are blood-curdling; as iffy as this all sounds, it's one of the most enduring and extreme pieces of metal. Who can forget the godly riffs of Raining Blood, or Angel of Death's fanatic opening shriek, or the race-to-the-finish tempo of Jesus Saves? It's all good, and with Dave Lombardo's vital drum performance to boot, this is simply one of the most essential metal records you can find. No metalhead should be without this one, and probably no non-metalhead either. Classic.

4.5 superb

A Perfect Circle Thirteenth Step

Agalloch Pale Folklore

Alice in Chains Dirt

As sinister as the title sounds, this is an album that really is all about feeling low, down to earth and like dirt. Staley's drug escapades are the focus here, and it turns these songs into brutal monsters: like demons swarming him. Cantrell's off kilter, dark riffs, and the monotone vocal drawls just give everything a completely bleak feel; like the album art, drowning in a desert. I think the world will be hard pressed to find a better depiction of the aftermath of drug use than this record; I don't think the world needs to find one, because this is just the perfect soundtrack.

Anathema A Fine Day To Exit

Anathema A Natural Disaster

Anathema Hindsight

This is even more the culmination of Anathema's sound, perhaps even softer than they went on the previous records... mostly because this is an unplugged acoustic record, and the songs sound like they were always meant to sound. The production is intimate, the "mournful cello" does a great job of conveying atmosphere, and it really sounds like 10 new tracks even though 9 of them appear on previous discs. It's a remarkable achievement that a compilation album might actually be the best record in the band's catalog, and in many cases it would be miserable; but this record just transforms a batch of already amazing songs and gives them a completely fresh and new face. Highly recommended for any fan.

Anthrax Among the Living

Arcturus The Sham Mirrors

Bad Religion All Ages

Bad Religion Against the Grain

Black Sabbath Paranoid

Sabbath were never as satanistic as the opinion of their era would want the general populace to believe. But their inventive use of Diabolus in Musica (also known as the tritone) created this muddy, evil sound every other metal band has wanted to replicate, and many have ripped the band off in the process. However, Sabbath did it first, and best, as the songwriting is ace and Ozzy doesn't sound nearly as annoying as he would on other Sabbath/solo records. And for that, this will stand as the album that changed the face of heavy metal into what it became.

Blackfield Blackfield II

Blind Guardian Somewhere Far Beyond

Blind Guardian Nightfall in Middle-Earth

Blind Guardian A Twist in the Myth

Brand New The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

Camel The Snow Goose

Candlemass Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet Requiem for a Dream

Cynic Focus

Cynic Traced In Air

Dark Tranquillity Fiction

Dark Tranquillity Character

RA RA RA CHUG CHUG CHUG wtf is this solos and keyboards? blasphemy! not tr00 deth metuhl!! it's better than anything else in the scene though so check it out

Dark Tranquillity Haven

Death Human

Deep Purple Made In Japan

Dream Theater Live at Budokan

Dream Theater Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory

Dream Theater Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

Dream Theater Awake

Dream Theater Score

dredg El Cielo

Emperor In the Nightside Eclipse

Emperor Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

Faith No More Angel Dust

Fall Out Boy Take This To Your Grave

Gamma Ray Land of the Free

God Is An Astronaut All Is Violent, All Is Bright

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada

This would be a 5 if it was 20 minutes longer. It's still amazing, but it needs more music.

Howard Shore Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kin

Iced Earth Something Wicked This Way Comes

Iced Earth Alive In Athens

Iced Earth Horror Show

Iron Maiden The Number of the Beast

Judas Priest Painkiller

Katatonia Tonight's Decision

Katatonia Viva Emptiness

Katatonia Last Fair Deal Gone Down

Katatonia The Great Cold Distance

Katatonia Night Is The New Day

King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King

Massive Attack Mezzanine

Megadeth Rust In Peace

Meshuggah I

Metallica Live Sh*t: Binge and Purge

Moonsorrow Kivenkantaja

Morbid Angel Altars of Madness

Mostly Autumn Heart Full of Sky

Mostly Autumn The Last Bright Light

Mostly Autumn For All We Shared

Muse Absolution

My Dying Bride Turn Loose the Swans

Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

sometimes i wander through the streets of amsterdam and i see the people walking around. then i take out my guitar and i play some chords and i try to sing. people throw me a dime because they like it.

Nevermore The Politics of Ecstasy

Nevermore This Godless Endeavor

Nightwish Wishmaster

Nightwish Dark Passion Play

Opeth Ghost Reveries

Opeth Morningrise

Opeth Damnation

Pain Dancing with the Dead

Pain Of Salvation Scarsick

Angry Daniel Gildenlow gives a fuck you to America and commercialism. In the meanwhile, The Bee Gees, 50 Cent, Al Pacino, bros, hoes, homies, strippers, God, commercials, and kids with flowers in their hands all appear, each doing their part. It's a bleak version of the future. The prog year of 2007 would turn bleaker after the release of this record, with Porcupine Tree releasing their seminal mindfuck of "Fear of a Blank Planet", but lovers of doom and gloom anti-commercialism lyrics flavoured with experimentalism and musicianship beyond the limits of the Earth need to pick this up and have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the best thing of all is: the band don't want you to pay for it.

Pain Of Salvation Remedy Lane

Pink Floyd Is There Anybody Out There?

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Portishead Dummy

Queen A Night at the Opera

Rammstein Mutter

Rammstein Rosenrot

Simon and Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water

Slayer South of Heaven

Snow Patrol Eyes Open

Sonata Arctica Ecliptica

Sonata Arctica Reckoning Night

Symphony X Paradise Lost

Symphony X The Divine Wings of Tragedy

System of a Down Toxicity

The Ocean Precambrian

Tiamat Wildhoney

Tori Amos Little Earthquakes

Have you heard that one piano song with a woman singing lately? Well, if you have, it all harks back to this little gem in the end. Tori Amos did it not the first (Kate Bush says hi), but she did it the best. Winter is the best song ever spawned in female singer-songwriter land and Silent All These Years's chorus is an absolute winner. And who else could make an a cappella song about rape work without sounding whiny? Only Tori. If you want a good, emotional ride through a young woman's brain, get this. If you want a record chock full of good, catchy tunes, get this. Hell, if you don't know what you want to get at the store and you don't own this record, get this. It is one of those albums that will keep the lovers drooling and even the haters admire the quality and talent she possesses. Amazing.

U2 The Joshua Tree

Ulver Bergtatt

Vangelis 1492: Conquest of Paradise

This is one of the most epic scores ever composed. It's powerful, haunting and moving, and it fits the theme of the accompanying movie quite well. Conquest of Paradise is a tune for the ages.

4 excellent

A Perfect Circle Mer de Noms

Aesop Rock Labor Days

After Forever Decipher

Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain

Age of Silence Acceleration

Alice in Chains Black Gives Way to Blue

Well fuck me sideways with a ten ton dildo. This is actually amazing, and I'd expected way less from a band out of the loop for years, affected by the death of their drugged frontman. I don't know how the fuck they ended up doing this because this is actually a comeback album that is almost as good as anything else they've done. Yes, that includes Dirt. Kudos to this band. Relevant still in 2009, as they were in 1992. Yowzer. I wanna grow old..

Amon Amarth With Oden On Our Side

Cry of the Black Birds might just be the most epic melodeath song ever recorded. The rest of the album is not as good as that song, but it's pretty damn epic nonetheless. Most of this album is pure gold, and when it's not gold, it's silver anyways. This is one of the stronger Amon Amarth albums, and a shoe-in for any fan, and a recommended buy for fans of the genre.

Amon Amarth Twilight of the Thunder God

This album has balls. Probably more balls than you will ever have. This album will make you drop them to the ground and bang your head with the Vikings on stage. Aggressive, melodic and catchy, it's safe to say that these Swedes have perfected their death metal style, and it's also safe to say they have never sounded better than this. Fans of the band should run to pick this up.

Amon Amarth Once Sent from the Golden Hall

Amorphis Silent Waters

Anathema Alternative 4

Apocalyptica Reflections

More bands should play like these guys. Cello metal? That's exactly what this is, and there are few that can match these guys in pure musical skill. But the songwriting is top-notch too, and these guys aren't wankers. The compositions are terrific, being melodic yet heavy, and the occasional appearance of Dave Lombardo on some tracks just makes the whole thing a tad more exquisite. This is some really fine music, the sound of a band really starting to get into the groove, and they went on to perfect it on their next record.

Blackfield Blackfield

Blind Guardian Live

Blind Guardian A Night at the Opera

Blind Guardian Follow the Blind

Blind Guardian Battalions of Fear

Brand New Deja Entendu

Burst Lazarus Bird

Burzum Filosofem

Celtic Frost To Mega Therion

Children Of Bodom Follow the Reaper

Coheed and Cambria Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV...

Coheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

Converge Jane Doe

Damageplan New Found Power

Damnation A.D. Kingdom of Lost Souls

Danzig Danzig

Dark Tranquillity Damage Done

Dark Tranquillity The Gallery

Darkane Rusted Angel

Darkane Insanity

Dead Can Dance The Serpent's Egg

Death Cab For Cutie Transatlanticism

Dimmu Borgir Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

Draconian Turning Season Within

DragonForce Valley of the Damned

Dream Theater Train of Thought

Dream Theater Live Scenes From New York

Dream Theater Black Clouds and Silver Linings

Dream Theater have an obsession with being m34tl now, as the first song features blastbeats and semi-growls from Mike Portnoy. Fortunately for them, they don't completely suck at it (some of the instrumental passages are long, but most of them work in context). Overall this is a pretty good return to form, as the instrumental part of this album is sick, amazing, and over-the-top wicked. James also sounds better than ever. The only downside, apart from some of the overlong solos, are that the lyrics are getting banal and annoying. Also massive props for the cool Trial of Tears section in the Count of Tuscany.

Ensiferum Ensiferum

Enya The Memory of Trees

Explosions In The Sky The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

Faith No More Album Of The Year

Faith No More The Real Thing

Faith No More We Care A Lot

Fates Warning Awaken The Guardian

Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects Sol Niger Within

Funeral For A Friend Tales Don't Tell Themselves

The rawness of their earlier recordings has been replaced with a more polished sheen. Gone are the screams and growls and in come exclusively clean vocals. Purists may not like the more mellowed out sound on this record, as they went from posthardcore to sounding more like regular alternative rock a la lostprophets, but the tunes are better and meatier. Apparently these guys have found their songwriting groove, because songs like lead single "Into Oblivion (Reunion)" are exactly what I want to hear from this band at this point. If they keep it up, I can't wait to see where their next one will lead us.

Gamma Ray No World Order

Godspeed You! Black Emperor F# A# ∞

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Yanqui U.X.O

Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 2

Hypocrisy Virus

Iced Earth Night of the Stormrider

In Flames The Jester Race

In Flames Colony

In Flames Clayman

Iron Maiden Piece of Mind

Iron Maiden Live at Donnington

Iron Maiden Brave New World

Iron Maiden Dance of Death

Iron Maiden Somewhere in Time

Isis Oceanic

Jeff Buckley Grace

Judas Priest Screaming for Vengeance

Kamelot Epica

Kamelot One Cold Winter Night

Kamelot Karma

Kreator Enemy of God

Lacrimosa Elodia

Lamb of God Sacrament

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV

Machinae Supremacy Deus Ex Machinae

Machinae Supremacy Redeemer (Underground Edition)

Machine Head Burn My Eyes

Mastodon Blood Mountain

Mastodon Crack the Skye

Maximo Park Our Earthly Pleasures

Meshuggah Nothing

Meshuggah Catch Thirty-Three

Meshuggah obZen

Meshuggah Destroy Erase Improve

Metallica Master of Puppets

Metallica ...And Justice for All

Mogwai Happy Songs For Happy people

Mogwai Young Team

Moonsorrow V: Havitetty

Moonspell Night Eternal

Muse Black Holes and Revelations

My Dying Bride For Lies I Sire

It sounds like Swans/Angel era MDB. Finally. Because they were getting dull. This was pretty much the best thing they could put out at this point in time. Recommended.

Neurosis Through Silver in Blood

Nevermore Dead Heart In A Dead World

Nevermore Dreaming Neon Black

Nightwish Angels Fall First

Nightwish From Wishes To Eternity

Nightwish Over The Hills And Far Away

Nightwish Once

Nile Annihilation of the Wicked

Nine Inch Nails With Teeth

Nine Inch Nails Broken [EP]

Pain Of Salvation The Perfect Element Part One

Paradise Lost Draconian Times

Paradise Lost Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us

Pink Floyd Animals

Pink Floyd Meddle

Pink Floyd Ummagumma

Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother

Porcupine Tree Deadwing

Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun

Porcupine Tree The Sky Moves Sideways

This album tries very hard to be Wish You Were Here. The band has even bookended the title track just like PF did with Shine on You Crazy Diamond. The songs are all pretty much in a similar format, with The Moon Touches Your Shoulder being something of a Welcome to the Machine and Wish You Were Here hybrid. There are also many Gilmour-influenced spacy guitar solos. Luckily, the darker atmospheres and the ambient/techno influences save this album from being Pink Floyd, part II. Porcupine Tree would later use this prog-rock blueprint to mix it with other styles, effectively broadening their musical range. This just shows their prog-side at its best.

Porcupine Tree Signify

Porcupine Tree Nil Recurring

Protest the Hero Fortress

Queen Sheer Heart Attack

R.E.M. Automatic For the People

Radiohead Kid A

Rammstein Herzeleid

Rammstein Sehnsucht

Rammstein Reise, Reise

Rammstein Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da

Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication

Regina Spektor Soviet Kitsch

Riverside Second Life Syndrome

Rush Moving Pictures

This is quite a solid effort from one of the innovators of the progressive movement. Has all the flaws the genre is famous for, but nevertheless is concise enough to hold up very well as an album. Trails off a little towards the end, but the first four tracks are all hammers, and The Camera Eye is no slouch either. If you like prog, you'll like this album.

Sabaton The Art of War

Sarah McLachlan Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Sarah McLachlan may be Canada's most overplayed singer-songwriter. It's good she doesn't make those kind of airwaves in Europe, because let's face it: there's only so long you can rely on singles. But she's got some really good tunes on this one, just like female singer-songwriter's ought to, and nobody can argue with choice cuts such as Possession or Fear. And in light of those songs, in hindsight maybe it's not such a bad thing she gets all the airplay she does.

Sentenced The Cold White Light

Sepultura Arise

Sigur Ros Takk

Sigur Ros ( )

This album is lush. Very lush. It's like watching the snow fall on a mountain cold breezy winter day. It's like watching that same snow melt as the rivers run wild in spring. It's like watching the sun dry up rivers in the summer. It's like the leaves falling on the banks in the autumn. And when the snow comes back to fall, the circle is perfect; but this album never completes the circle. It's stuck in that winter vibe, but it's so lush, it never leaves its little comfort spot in front of the hearth. But that's right when you want to play it, and you do.

Slayer Seasons in the Abyss

Sonata Arctica Silence

Sonata Arctica Unia

Suicidal Tendencies Still Cyco After All These Years

This is a remake of the 1983 self-titled album apparently, but with updated members and sound (Mike Muir, the band's frontman and leader, is the only remaining member from the old lineup.) It sure won't serve as good enough for people who have the original, but since it ran out of print, the band re-recorded it, and the sound is tight and thrashy. If you don't have the original or the reissue, or if you just think "I Saw Your Mommy" is the most obnoxious (and best) song ever, this is for you.

Summoning Oath Bound

Swallow The Sun Hope

Symphony X V: The New Mythology Suite

System of a Down System of a Down

System of a Down Steal This Album!

Taking Back Sunday Tell All Your Friends

Testament The Gathering

The Cranberries No Need to Argue

The Dismemberment Plan Emergency and I

The Mars Volta Frances the Mute

The Ocean Aeolian

This Will Destroy You Young Mountain

Thursday War All The Time

Tool Lateralus

Tori Amos Under The Pink

Tristania Ashes

Within Temptation Enter

Wolves in the Throne Room Diadem of 12 Stars

Yes Close to the Edge [Re-mastered Version]

3.5 great

3 Doors Down The Better Life

A Silver Mount Zion He Has Left Us Alone...

After Forever After Forever

Agalloch The Mantle

Alanis Morissette Alanis Morissette: The Collection

Amon Amarth Versus the world

Amon Amarth Fate of Norns

Amy Macdonald This Is The Life

Anberlin Never Take Friendship Personal

Apocalyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos

Apocalyptica Cult

Apocalyptica Inquisition Symphony

Apocalyptica Worlds Collide

Arch Enemy Rise Of The Tyrant

Arcturus La Masquerade Infernale

Atheist Unquestionable Presence

Ayreon The Universal Migrator, Pts 1-2

Ayreon 01011001

¡T.O.O.H.! Rad a Trest

Behemoth Evangelion

This sounds like a Behemoth album. In case you didn't know what that sounds like, it has blasts, there are growls, it's heavy and fast, and they sing about Satan. Also they spell "of" as "ov" and they don't like Christians. And in case you also didn't know, this album sounding like a Behemoth album is a good thing, because this is pretty much ace as far as songwriting goes.

Black Sabbath Master of Reality

Blind Guardian Tokyo Tales

blink-182 Enema Of The State

Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago

Chevelle Vena Sera

Children Of Bodom Hatebreeder

Children of Bodom play an interesting blend of power, black and death metal that would be refined and honed further on later releases, most notably Follow The Reaper. As it is, this is a step up the ladder, but the band was not quite there yet even though the guitar/keyboard flurries are already extremely plentiful here. The main detractor are Laiho's vocals, which are too grating and shrieky and would be better refined on later efforts. Nevertheless it's a quality metal album worth your time.

Circus Maximus Isolate

Cobalt Gin

Coheed and Cambria Good Apollo...No World For Tomorrow

Cradle to Grave Texas Medicine

Crystal Castles Crystal Castles

Dark Moor Tarot

The first half of this disc is superb symphonic power metal deluxe. The second part doesn't stand up to the first half, which is sad, but it's still good in parts. Recommended for fans of the style.

Dead Kennedys Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

Death The Sound of Perseverance

Demians Building An Empire

Dream Theater Falling Into Infinity

Dream Theater A Change of Seasons

Dream Theater Systematic Chaos

Eluveitie Slania

Ensiferum Iron

Enslaved Isa

Eternal Tears of Sorrow Before the Bleeding Sun

Explosions In The Sky All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone

Falconer Among Beggars And Thieves

Firewind Allegiance

Funeral For A Friend Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation

Funeral For A Friend Memory and Humanity

Glasgow Grin Saints of the Greatest Sin

Gojira The Way Of All Flesh

Green Carnation The Quiet Offspring

Hypocrisy A Taste Of Extreme Divinity

Iced Earth The Dark Saga

In Flames The Tokyo Showdown

In Flames Whoracle

Iron Maiden Powerslave

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Kamelot Ghost Opera

Katatonia Brave Murder Day

Lacuna Coil Comalies

Lamb of God Ashes of the Wake

Liquid Tension Experiment Liquid Tension Experiment

Machine Head The Blackening

Mastodon Leviathan

Megadeth Rude Awakening

Megadeth Countdown to Extinction

Meshuggah Chaosphere

Metallica Ride the Lightning

Metallica S&M

Mirrorthrone Carriers of Dust

Misguided Aggression Hatchala

Mostly Autumn The Spirit of Autumn Past

Mostly Autumn Passengers

Muse Origin of Symmetry

Muse Showbiz

My Dying Bride The Dreadful Hours

Nas Illmatic

Neurosis Given to the Rising

Nightwish Century Child

Nine Inch Nails The Fragile

Nirvana Nevermind

Nirvana In Utero

Opeth My Arms, Your Hearse

Opeth Deliverance

Opeth Watershed

Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz

P.O.D. Satellite

Pain Psalms of Extinction

Pain Cynic Paradise

Pain Nothing Remains the Same

Pain Of Salvation One Hour by the Concrete Lake

Pain Of Salvation Entropia

Pantera Cowboys From Hell

Pantera Vulgar Display Of Power

Paramore Riot!

this album basically revolves around the premise of: here are a pair of tits for you to oogle at (o) (o)

Pelican The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon...

Porcupine Tree The Incident

This sounds like Porcupine Tree - the modern metal edition. Bits and pieces (Circle of Manias) could have been taken from Meshuggah records, there are lots of juddering metal grooves, as if NIN were playing and suddenly they are asked to do a duet with Opeth. The album's centrepiece, Time Flies, however, is a disappointing exercise in self-indulgence, and the quieter, mellow moments seem to work the best (particularly Kneel and Disconnect is a fantastic track). The band-collaborated second disc is more conventional PT material, like Lightbulb sun material with an updated guitar tone. Make no mistake: audio-wise it's complete ear candy, the performances are flawless and it's all done like a love of labour. But something's missing here that's on other albums. It seems to lack the uber-tracks that most other PT albums have; "Kneel and Disconnect" is just too short to claim the crown, and heavy thunkers like Octane Twisted seem to meander a tad too often for them to become truly memorable. As far as prog rock/metal goes, Porcupine Tree are undoubtedly on top of their game, but the absence of any truly instantly hitting material, which was always present on previous albums in one way or another, is a disappointment, given SW's ability to pen instantly memorable moments on every album. And that's why this Porcupine Tree record, although great in its own right, can't be rightfully included with the top picks of their extensive discography, metal era or not.

Primordial To The Nameless Dead

Pure Reason Revolution Amor Vincit Omnia

Radiohead In Rainbows

Radiohead Amnesiac

Radiohead Hail To The Thief

Red Hot Chili Peppers BloodSugarSexMagik

Relient K mmhmm

Rush 2112

THE TEMPLES OF SYYYYRIINX no geddy shut the fuck up you're not a banshee. this album is full of sexcellent technical wank though. it's just that geddy lee sings about two octaves too high all the time. oh well. at least he rules on bass.

Rush Snakes & Arrows

Sarah McLachlan Surfacing

Scar Symmetry Holographic Universe

Scar Symmetry Symmetric In Design

Sonata Arctica Winterheart's Guild

Steven Wilson Insurgentes

Stone Sour Come What(ever) May

Suicidal Tendencies Controlled By Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Deja Vu

Sum 41 Does This Look Infected

Symphony X The Odyssey

System of a Down Mezmerize

System of a Down Hypnotize

The Cure Disintegration

The Mars Volta De-Loused in the Comatorium

The Third and the Mortal Tears Laid In Earth

Therion Theli

Thrice The Alchemy Index: Vols. I and II...

Tiamat A Deeper Kind of Slumber

Tiamat Amanethes

Tool 10,000 Days

Tristania Illumination

Trivium Shogun

Turisas The Varangian Way

Void Of Silence Human Antithesis

Wintersun Wintersun

Within Temptation Mother Earth

3 good

3 Doors Down Away From The Sun

3 Mile Scream A Prelude to Our Demise

A Silver Mount Zion 13 Blues for Thirteen Moons

Alanis Morissette Under Rug Swept

Amorphis Eclipse

Anathema Eternity

Arch Enemy Burning Bridges

Arcturus Sideshow Symphonies

At the Gates Slaughter of the Soul

Avantasia The Scarecrow

Bathory Nordland II

Bathory Nordland I

Behemoth The Apostasy

Blind Guardian Tales from the Twilight World

blink-182 Take Off Your Pants and Jacket

Brand New Daisy

Built To Spill Perfect From Now On

Cartel The Ransom EP

Cartel Chroma

Children Of Bodom Hate Crew Deathroll

D.R.I. Dirty Rotten LP

Dark Moor The Hall of the Olden Dreams

Dark Tranquillity Projector

Dark Tranquillity The Mind's I

Dido No Angel

Dog Fashion Disco Beating a Dead Horse to Death...Again

Dream Theater Octavarium

Dream Theater When Dream And Day Unite

Dream Theater Greatest Hit (... and 21 Other...)

Epica The Divine Conspiracy

Evergrey Recreation Day

This is sort of like the little brother to Symphony X. It has furious guitar leads and monstrous chug riffs, but they aren't as good as Symphony X's. Tom Englund's vocals have a similar range to Allen's, but Russ just sings better. And they like to up the tempo to similar levels, but Evergrey's tempos just aren't as interesting. In the end, they are a competent band with some standout tunes "Blinded", but this is still a band that should always be playing second fiddle to some of the real prog stalwarts.

Evergrey Torn

semi-prog, semi-interesting, semi-catchy, semi-good vocals, semi-well written songs, semi-boring, semi-everything kinda

Fall Out Boy From Under The Cork Tree

Funeral For A Friend Hours

God Is An Astronaut God Is An Astronaut

God Is An Astronaut Far From Refuge

Gojira From Mars To Sirius

HUM You'd Prefer An Astronaut

Iced Earth The Glorious Burden

Barlow, where art thou? Owens is a good singer, but he's just not in Barlow's league, and his presence is what is really missed here: he keeps the songs and Jon's songwriting in check. Most of the songs on here are pretty predictable power metal fare, and though Declaration Day, Attila and the Gettysburg trilogy keep up a part of the quality level, most of this is subpar compared to other Iced Earth works. If you want to get into the band, go for a Barlow-era album first (Burnt Offerings/Horror Show), and then get this.

Iced Earth The Crucible of Man

In Flames Lunar Strain

In Flames Reroute to Remain

In Flames A Sense of Purpose

Iron Maiden A Matter of Life and Death

Iron Maiden Killers

Iron Maiden Fear of the Dark

Isis Wavering Radiant

Neurosis-lite. This is metal for people who are too old too deal with that snotty melodic post-rocky moody stuff, or just not sad enough; but too much of a weaksauce to flesh the deep riffs and go for some real crunchy sounds. Instead, it falls somewhere in between, and therefore sounds decent and appealing enough; but if you take into account this band once got it right on Oceanic, that is a very disappointing state for an album to be in.

Kamelot The Fourth Legacy

Katatonia Discouraged Ones

Katy Perry One of the Boys

Kreator Hordes Of Chaos

Lamb of God Wrath

Megadeth Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?

Megadeth Youthanasia

Mercenary Architect of Lies

Metallica Kill Em All

Metallica Metallica

Mostly Autumn Glass Shadows

It's pretty much the same MA we're used to, except slower and dreamier. This also means, that despite some great guitar work from Josh, and Heather's better-than-ever vocal histrionics, they've also become more boring. The main influences here are Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and friends; unlike the last album, which marked a return to more progressive waters, even adding that dish of folk back, now they're plodding along in more classic rock territory; and I don't know if I like that as much as I like the oldschool MA with the folk and prog touches. This band needs to keep its Floydy roots. I still like the album, but I can't help wishing for something altogether more... interesting. Oh, and Tearing at the Faerytale is just the most emotional song the band ever wrote. Check that out.

Mostly Autumn Storm Over Still water

Muse The Resistance

My Dying Bride Songs of Darkness, Words of Light

Necrophagist Epitaph

Nevermore Enemies Of Reality

Nile In Their Darkened Shrines

Nile Those Whom the Gods Detest

Nine Inch Nails Year Zero

Nine Inch Nails The Slip

Oceansize Frames

Opeth Orchid

Pagan's Mind God's Equation

this is kinda good, especially the david bowie cover but my god that singer is one screeching fucktard. he's worse than James LaBrie and he overdoes it so much. He can sing but he needs to tone it down. the musicians are all competent. they also probably wank to queensryche, dream theater and iron maiden and all those sorts of bands. which is cool, but it's been done before. gets a 3 on the merit of good musicianship and some ok songwriting.

Pain Rebirth

Pelican City of Echoes

Pink Floyd The Division Bell

Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Portishead Third

Sarah McLachlan Afterglow

Scar Symmetry Pitch Black Progress

Scar Symmetry Dark Matter Dimensions

Sigur Ros Ágætis Byrjun

Slayer Christ Illusion

Slipknot Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)

Soilwork Figure Number Five

Static-X Shadow Zone

Stratovarius Visions

Symphony X Twilight in Olympus

The Dear Hunter Act II: The Meaning of...

The Mars Volta The Bedlam In Goliath

It's The Mars Volta playing The Mars Volta Songs the way The Mars Volta typically play songs. This means they are technically complex, too long, and there is a lot of random wank and bullshit. This album has less ambient filler than previous records, which makes it a bit more energetic, but it's still a chore to sit through the whole thing. If they would just learn the ins and outs of songwriting...

Tiamat Prey

Tiamat Skeleton Skeletron

To-Mera Delusions

Tool Undertow

Tool Aenima

Tori Amos American Doll Posse

U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind

Vangelis Blade Runner Soundtrack

Yndi Halda Enjoy Eternal Bliss

2.5 average

AC/DC Back in Black

Anathema The Silent Enigma

Bruce Springsteen Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Children Of Bodom Are You Dead Yet?

Coldplay A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Dimmu Borgir In Sorte Diaboli

Dio Holy Diver

DragonForce Inhuman Rampage

Edguy Tinnitus Sanctus

Fall Out Boy Infinity On High

it's got some kinda neat tracks but this is the pop version of a band who i liked better when they stuck to their punk roots on the first two albums. thnks fr th mmrs is a golden song though, and there is some scattered interesting stuff on the rest of the record. but all in all the killer to filler ratio is a bit lower than what I have come to expect of these guys.

In Flames Soundtrack to Your Escape

In Flames Come Clarity

In Flames Subterranean

Iron Maiden No Prayer For The Dying

Katatonia Dance of December Souls

Megadeth United Abominations

Metallica Load

Metallica Reload

Mudvayne Lost and Found

Odium (Canada) At The Bottom

Pantera Far Beyond Driven

Pantera The Great Southern Trendkill

R.E.M. Out Of Time

Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium

Rhapsody of Fire Legendary Tales

Metal for Mighty Warriors in Enchanted Lands trying to save the Fair Maidens with their Fantasy Swords / Other Magical Items and Superb Wizardry Skill. This is the kind of power metal album that you want to hear only once. Unless you are a D&D fanatic, I don't see how anything but the LOOK I AM MALMSTEEN neoclassical fretwank could possibly do anything but irritate the listener. This is so over-the-top hilarious power metal posturing it's overbearing and annoying. Probably the worst thing of all is that these guys take it so seriously. Well, the next time I slay a dragon in the forests, I guess I have a soundtrack.

Serj Tankian Elect the Dead

Sigur Ros með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Snow Patrol A Hundred Million Suns

Sonata Arctica The Days of Grays

Sybreed The Pulse of Awakening

it's like Fear Factory meets Samael, only with terrible clean vocals

Synastry Blind Eyes Bleed

Taking Back Sunday Where You Want To Be

Tool Opiate

2 poor

3 Doors Down Seventeen Days

Between The Buried And Me Colors

too long, too boring, too complex, too pretentious, the vocals are fucking awful, all in all: too much

Breaking Benjamin Phobia

Children Of Bodom Something Wild

Coldplay X&Y

Coldplay Parachutes

Derelict Unspoken Words

DragonForce Ultra Beatdown

Power metal: now with +50 dragonslaying, + 50 guitar masturbation, -50 songwriting, and +1010101010101101001100 homosexuality. Enjoy DRAGON FORCE

Ensiferum From Afar

Tries really hard to be epic, but sounds like power metal with harsh vocals. For the uninitiated, that means speedy metal with epic (read: lame) keyboards, dumb screaming and folksy acoustic guitars. They lost it after Iron, when Jari left, and this album doesn't do anything to change the fact that Jari took the songwriting skill with him. And when you take the seasoning from a stew, you get something drab and boring. That is this record.

Epica Consign To Oblivion

Epica The Phantom Agony

Evanescence Fallen

Evanescence The Open Door

Hammerfall No Sacrifice, No Victory

Helloween Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 1

Iced Earth Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Pt. 1)

Into Eternity The Scattering of Ashes

Judas Priest British Steel

Kreator Pleasure to Kill

Linkin Park Hybrid Theory

Loren Battle Words Begin Wars

I had a review which got lost and cannot be arsed to re-post it, but let me just say that this generic cookie-cutter metalcore by scene kids that jumped on the bandwagon three years later is not of interest to anyone, and can safely be skipped.

Metallica Death Magnetic

After the infinite suckfest of the 90s and early 2000s, Metallica needed to progress. Well, they have progressed notably: they have gone from extreme suckdom to being mediocre and boring. Now that's a great step forward for you! This album is far too long, far too monotonous, and far too grating musically for sustained interest. Hetfield's vocal work is at an all-time low as his monotonous drawl pervades every song. It's time to hang up your studio boots and keep touring off past efforts because even when you try to go back to thrash like Master of Puppets stuff, you end up plodding like the black album. Whatever they tried on here, it's not working, and the lyrical content makes it look like a real joke. I haven't waited five years for them to put out this piece of snoredom.

Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Panic! At the Disco A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Rhapsody of Fire Triumph or Agony

Slayer World Painted Blood

Stratovarius Destiny

U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Within Temptation The Silent Force

1.5 very poor

Avril Lavigne Let Go

Bullet For My Valentine The Poison

Children Of Bodom Blooddrunk

Coldplay Live 2003

Dido Life For Rent

Good Charlotte The Young And The Hopeless

Hammerfall Renegade

This album suffers a lot from being a power metal album. This means it's burdened with men singing like women, lyrics about dungeons, dragons, and the almighty conquest of evil (and brave metal warriors), and derivative riffs stolen from Maiden and Priest. Well, bad news, because if you hate that style, this is probably your worst nightmare. The vocalist does sound like a woman. The lyrics are cringeworthy. And, every song sounds like it came from an Iron Maiden B-side collection. It's any sane music fan's worst nightmare. Stay far, far away from this. If you want good power metal, pick up Kamelot or Sonata Arctica instead.

Into Eternity The Incurable Tragedy

Linkin Park Meteora

This album did not stand the test of time for me. Whereas Hybrid Theory had a formula that deservedly made it a commercial success (regardless of whether you liked it or not), this is just Hybrid Theory 2 with too little Chester, a lot of repetition, quite angsty lyrics, ridiculously simple verse/chorus affairs, and more of that. This is the best band to come out of the nu-metal scene, and this album has let me down very much. Don't get this, it's cool once but it has absolutely zero replay value and is just boring generic nu-metal.

Linkin Park/Jay Z Collision Course (The Ulitmate Mash-Up)

Metallica St. Anger

Mower Make it a Double

Sum 41 All Killer No Filler

Within Temptation The Heart of Everything

1 awful

(hed)pe New World Orphans

This is like sticking your dick in a cheese grater. Over and over. The sound that that makes is better than this record.

blink-182 blink-182

Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time

The Rasmus Dead Letters

Trivium The Crusade