| Danzig Danzig | 4.0 |
| 'Til Tuesday Voices Carry | 4.0 |
| Taylor Swift Reputation | 4.0 |
| Taylor Swift 1989 | 3.5 |
| Entertaining stuff, but there's little here that can be called great pop imo. |
| Ray Charles The Genius of Ray Charles | 4.5 |
| The Doors L.A. Woman | 4.5 |
A worthy swansong if there ever was one,
L.A. Woman is as bluesy and
introspective as it got for The Doors.
Fantastic album. |
| Heart Dreamboat Annie | 4.5 |
| Rush Permanent Waves | 4.5 |
| The first of Rush's "transition albums". Features great experimentation on the band's part, and is overall one of Rush's most diverse and intriguing records. |
| Scorpions Love At First Sting | 4.0 |
| Save for I'm Leaving You and especially Crossfire, most of the album is pretty solid and damn entertaining rawk. |
| Rush 2112 | 4.0 |
| Impressive musicianship, however I take issue with the Temples of Syrinx section of 2112 as well as Lessons. Geddy wasn't the best vocalist, and he could at times be a bit much, however the band works well as a whole otherwise. |
| Journey Escape | 4.0 |
| Most of this is really good, save for Lay it Down. I'm also tired of hearing Don't Stop Believin'. Still, this album rocks. |
| Motley Crue Too Fast for Love | 4.0 |
| Bar Merry Go Round and Starry Eyes, this is a fun jam. |
| Heart Little Queen | 4.5 |
| The Mothers of Invention One Size Fits All | 4.0 |
| Neurosis Enemy of the Sun | 4.0 |
| Neurosis Souls at Zero | 4.0 |
| Iron Maiden Virtual XI | 4.0 |
| Harshly criticized to this day, Virtual XI is a decent album and easily superior to the likes of No Prayer for the Dying and Fear of the Dark. |
| Iron Maiden The X Factor | 4.0 |
| Highly underrated album. People most likely judge it due to the change in vocals. Nevertheless, The X Factor marked a significant improvement over the mediocre No Prayer for the Dying and the decent-but-lacking Fear of the Dark. |
| Melvins Stoner Witch | 4.0 |
| Morbid Angel Abominations of Desolation | 4.0 |
| There's an aggression and energy on Abominations of Desolation that you won't find on several MA records. The fact that this album is so well-executed is a testament to this band's potential at the time. Of special note is the role of Browning as both drummer and vocalist. He lacks Vincent's depth in his growls, and doesn't quite have Sandoval's punch, but makes up for both with his sheer intensity. Where this ranks for you in MA's discog will depend on how raw you like your MA. |
| Iron Maiden The Final Frontier | 4.0 |
| A tough pill to digest, but worth hearing all the same. My mind's not entirely made up with it, but maybe later I'll have a stronger opinion on it. |
| maudlin of the Well Bath | 4.5 |
| Impressive album. Feels like an odd collage of musical ideas, but it's really well executed. |
| Melvins Lysol | 4.0 |
| Impressive collection of material. However, I find it too short to impress. |
| Melvins Houdini | 4.0 |
| Some impressive tracks on here, but the filler tracks "Pearl Bomb" and "Spread Eagle Beagle" really ruin the experience. |
| Morbid Angel Gateways to Annihilation | 4.0 |
| With a dark atmosphere, bone-crushing riffs and impressive leads, Gateways to Annihilation follows up Formulas Fatal to the Flesh quite well. |
| Saxon Saxon | 4.0 |
| An interesting slice of NWBHM. Worth checking out if you're into bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. |
| Candlemass Epicus Doomicus Metallicus | 4.0 |
| One of the most revered doom metal records, Epicus Doominus Metallicus offers enough to impress the listener throughout it's running time. I won't go as far as saying it's one of the best metal albums I've ever heard, that's saying a bit too much as far as I'm concerned. But, it's an interesting enough listen and should be of interest to most riff lovers out there. |
| Iron Maiden A Matter of Life and Death | 4.0 |
| Arguably the best of Maiden's first 3 comeback era records. There are interesting songs like "These Colours Don't Run", "Brighter than a Thousand Suns", and "For the Greater Good of God", however I didn't care much for the last 2 tracks. Nevertheless, this destroys anything Priest did post-Painkiller, with the possible exception of Redeemer of Souls, which I haven't heard. |
| Morbid Angel Domination | 3.0 |
| Morbid Angel Covenant | 4.0 |
| Morbid Angel Formulas Fatal to the Flesh | 4.0 |
| Formulas Fatal to the Flesh is, quite simply, a relentless onslaught of riffs, which kinda softens when you get to the last 2 tracks. The highlight here is definitely the epic "Invocation of the Continual One", which easily ranks among the band's very best songs. Highly recommended. |
| Iron Maiden Dance of Death | 3.5 |
| Following a similar approach to Brave New World, Dance of Death feels a bit safer, although not in a negative sense. Maiden has aged well and remains an interesting metal act at this time, which is more than can be said for bands like Judas Priest. There are weak points, but, overall this album doesn't feel like a sign of decline or anything. A worthwhile listen for fans of the band. |
| Iron Maiden Brave New World | 3.5 |
| When compared to the likes of No Prayer for the Dying or Fear of the Dark, Brave New World comes out as a return to the classic Dickinson Era sound, at least for the most part. And while this album doesn't quite match up to the likes of any of the First 7, it easily tops the two that followed. Dickinson still sounds fresh and the band still delivers here, it's just that on points it seems that the band overdid things for their own sake, retaking the concept behind their classic epics and attempting to deliver the same feel. It clearly isn't gonna happen, and that, along with the fact that the 2nd half is weaker than the first, sums up my complaints regarding this album. |
| Iron Maiden Fear of the Dark | 3.0 |
| With 5/12 songs on the weak side, Fear of the Dark is slightly better than it's predecessor, but still a far cry from the legendary First 7. Having said that, "Childhood's End", the title track, and "Judas Be My Guide" are well worth the time of any Maiden fan. |
| Iron Maiden No Prayer for the Dying | 2.5 |
| While possessing gems like "Mother Russia", this is a far cry from Maiden's first 7. Here, the band gave up it's complex style in favor of a more straightforward, 80's approach. A sad low point in the band's career. |
| Deep Purple Shades of Deep Purple | 4.0 |
| Psychedelic as fuck, this definitely merits a listen, although it's not as immediate as other works by the band. The band definitely had room for improvement at this point, but this remains an interesting debut. Only fans of Mk II and/or III should check this out, this one is for diehards only. |
| Deep Purple The Book of Taliesyn | 4.0 |
| Building slightly on the overwhelmingly psychedelic debut, this album still feels in that vibe, and the band still has room for improvement in terms of songwriting. Nevertheless, this is still a very good album. |
| King Crimson Starless and Bible Black | 4.0 |
| The Who Who's Next | 4.5 |
| The Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request | 4.5 |
| An underrated gem, often written off as a weak imitation of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Their Satanic Majesties Request is, in my opinion, one of the Stones' very best records. It definitely played a hand in influencing the development of progressive rock, so we can no doubt thank them for that. |
| The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | 4.5 |
| Highly varied and creative, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band rightfully deserves the acclaim it gets, to some degree at least. Those who claim it as the magnum opus of the Beatles sure have a strong case going for them. |
| No Doubt Tragic Kingdom | 4.5 |
| Catchy, poppy album. Honestly, what's not to like? |
| Queen A Night at the Opera | 4.0 |
| Edge of Sanity Crimson | 4.0 |
| Interesting prog-metal work. Might grow in time, we'll see. |
| Deep Purple Who Do We Think We Are | 4.0 |
| In my opinion. Who Do We Think We Are is a criminally underrated record. While it doesn't possess the highs of the other Mk. II albums, Burn or even the often overlooked Deep Purple, it is a solid album in its own right. Also, "Place in Line" is, in my opinion, one of their very best songs. |
| Deep Purple Come Taste the Band | 4.0 |
| Criminally underrated, Come Taste the Band is the last in Deep Purple's impressive 7-year run. It is the funkiest of the bunch, which might explain the undeserved hate it gets. Nevertheless, it's good for what it is. It's just best to avoid comparing it to the best of Mk. II and simply see it as the end of an era. The band would not release any more studio material until 1984. |
| Scorpions Fly to the Rainbow | 4.5 |
| Full of interesting use of melody, complex songs, and musical ideas beyond their time, Fly to the Rainbow is arguably the most underrated of Scorpions' releases, overshadowed by later albums. Fans of their latter-day work might not easily get into this, but it's worth every minute spent. |
| Deep Purple Deep Purple | 4.5 |
| Deep Purple is clearly Jon Lord's album. His classical leanings dominate this work, but that makes the album all the more special. Blackmore does shine though, on magnificent tracks like "The Painter" and "Why Didn't Rosemary?". Perhaps the more obvious standout is the epic "April", which clocks in at over 12 minutes. With this album, Deep Purple demonstrated just how insightful a band they were, and this deserves to sit right next to the classics In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head and Burn. |
| Funkadelic Maggot Brain | 4.0 |
| There's a world of difference between Maggot Brain and Parliament's Mothership Connection. While the latter is a straightforward funk bomb, the former is an experiment of sorts, a hybrid of musical ideas. It might not appeal to all, but it's certainly interesting enough. |
| Jewel Pieces of You | 4.5 |
| Rainbow Rising | 4.5 |
| Deep Purple Stormbringer | 4.0 |
| Peter Tosh Legalize It | 4.5 |
| Primus Pork Soda | 3.5 |
| While it features several strong tracks ("My Name is Mud", "Welcome to This World" and "Nature Boy"), this is one crazy fillerfest. Recommended for diehards only. |
| Parliament Mothership Connection | 4.5 |
| Few albums in music history are must-listens for every self-respecting music fan. Well, this is one of 'em. An amazing example of funk and an excellent introduction to those who are just starting out with the genre. Great stuff, all in all. |
| Primus Frizzle Fry | 4.5 |
| Encompassing a diverse array of influences into an eccentric whole, Frizzle Fry is a debut quite unlike any other. Solid from top to bottom, few debuts have been this good. |
| Deep Purple Made in Japan | 5.0 |
| As impressive as the first 3 Mark II Era albums are (and I dig Who Do We Think We Are as well, unpopular as it may be), they never quite captured the band's full potential. That potential is truly unleashed live, as demonstrated by this recording. It captures the band in their prime, delivering an energy you won't quite get in their studio work. it might well be said that this is the essential Deep Purple recording. |
| Primus Sailing the Seas of Cheese | 4.0 |
| While there's interesting material on Sailing the Seas of Cheese, as a whole this album lacks cohesion and feels like a directionless collection of tracks. That's not to say that this is bad, there are some sweet tracks for sure, but it could've been much better. |
| Sublime Robbin' the Hood | 4.0 |
| An underrated gem, Robbin' the Hood is so good it's almost a shame 40 Oz. to Freedom exists. Give it time and jam it patiently, you'll be glad you did. |
| Kylie Minogue Fever | 4.0 |
| Sublime Sublime | 4.0 |
| The last Sublime album has some of the bands best material, but some of it comes off as a bit more than is needed for it. For instance, the album could well have ended on "Caress Me Down", but instead we get a reprise of "What I Got" and the rather odd "Doin' Time". For what it's worth however, it still features some of the band's best material. |
| The Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating Infinity | 4.5 |
3 things make The Dillinger Escape Plan's debut one of the most fascinating albums of the last generation. 1) The originality: you'll be hard-pressed to find a similar album out there. 2) The songwriting: tight as fuck, without a single wasted moment. 3) The musicianship: tremendously well-executed, with layers upon layers of
interesting points. So yeah, amazing album. |
| Motorhead Ace of Spades | 4.5 |
| Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets | 4.0 |
| Nelly Furtado Folklore | 4.5 |
| Diverse, intriguing album. Better than Loose in my opinion. |
| Sublime 40 Oz. to Freedom | 5.0 |
| 40 Oz. to Freedom is nothing if not a classic of its generation. Fantastic album, extremely diverse and eclectic, with some solid guitar leads courtesy of the underrated Nowell, tight drumming and wicked bass playing. Truly an album of the ages. |
| Nelly Furtado Loose | 4.0 |
| Fun album. Good stuff for when you're tired of music that takes itself too seriously. |
| Coroner Mental Vortex | 4.5 |
| Thin Lizzy Jailbreak | 4.0 |
| An interesting ball of hard rock, Jailbreak is probably ne of the most influential albums in the subgenre. The one drawback is that it feels dated, as opposed to feeling like something that transcends its time. |
| Motorhead Overkill | 4.5 |
| Consistent from top to bottom, Overkill is a fine example of quality songwriting. Motorhead never intended to be a technical band nor to be metal icons. They just did what they wanted, and without meaning to, became key in influencing metal. Very interesting, and fun album to look into. |
| The Doors Strange Days | 4.5 |
| Dark, moody and very bluesy (as is expected of The Doors), Strange Days proves to be a worthy follow up to The Doors, proving to be even more consistent than its predecessor. |
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis: Bold as Love | 4.5 |
| More fluid and cohesive than the slightly mismatched Are You Experienced?, Axis: Bold As Love truly feels like an album, something the debut blatantly lacked. Where the songs on the debut feel as though they are best heard cherry-picked, in here they feel as though they belong in the album. Essential classic rock. |
| The Doors The Doors | 4.0 |
| Ah, the iconic, legendary, classic debut of controversial California rock band The Doors. Yes, this is an album quite representative of the band; and for the most part, the songwriting is ace. The weaker tracks here are "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)", and "Looked at You". |
| Cream Disraeli Gears | 4.0 |
| Ladies and gentlemen, one of the most iconic albums of the late 60's: Cream's Disraeli Gears. A respectable album in every sense, it's ruined by closer "Mother's Lament", which is very annoying. Other than that, this remains an interesting collection of songs all the same. |
| The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced | 4.0 |
| The main issue with Are You Experienced? is the lack of cohesion. This could be explained by the fact that it has two versions with different track listings. The good songs work well on here, but, in my opinion, this album is slightly overrated. Don't get me wrong, this still has some of his best material, but I wouldn't say it's his best work. For all intents and purposes, my soundoff shall refer to the 11 tracks on the North American edition. |
| Agalloch Marrow of the Spirit | 3.5 |
| The Doors Morrison Hotel | 4.5 |
| Bluesy, moody, dark; these are all adjectives associated with the controversial 60's legend The Doors. And this album certainly fits the description. Although the hit "Waiting for the Sun" is an obvious highlight, this album has plenty of underrated jams: "Ship of Fools", "You Make Me Real", "Peace Frog", and others. Essential classic rock. |
| Fates Warning Perfect Symmetry | 4.0 |
| Fates Warning was one of the major pioneers of progressive metal, and Perfect Symmetry showcases them exposing their style. Why is this a 4? While it's an enjoyable album, I wouldn't say it's one I'd revisit often. The vocals feel out of place at times, the guitar leads sometimes feel too technical, and the lyrics are a bit too abstract for my liking. Nevertheless, this is worth your time if you're a fan of the subgenre. |
| Blue Cheer Vincebus Eruptum | 4.0 |
| Vincebus Eruptum is more a historical relic than a musical masterpiece per se. Worth looking into for those interested in the roots of bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. It definitely feels dated, and although it is indeed a clear missing link between psychedelia and metal, it will only interest those looking for a deeper insight in the roots of heavy metal. |
| Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain | 4.0 |
| Vanilla Fudge Vanilla Fudge | 4.0 |
| Carmine Appice does a fine job on this one. However, this album is more of a historical relic than anything else. Worth looking into for the influence it had on bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. |
| John Mayall A Hard Road | 4.5 |
| An impressive tour-de-force, A Hard Road is, quite possibly, one of the missing links between blues and hard rock/heavy metal. Here we see an album which is essentially blues, but at the same time, paving the way for the Unholy Trinity (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple) to take the blues and convert them to hard-rockin' music. |
| Dysrhythmia Test Of Submission | 2.0 |
| Agalloch The Mantle | 4.5 |
| Queensryche Frequency Unknown (Tate's Queensryche) | 1.0 |
| Yeah, this is utter shite. Complete garbage, a shame my fave vocalist of all time spearheaded this bucket of bullshit. |
| Egonon Risveglio | 2.0 |
| Sorry guys, but I find this boring and uninteresting. To each their own. |
| Yonin Bayashi Ishoku-Sokuhatsu | 4.5 |
| Amazing Japanese prog gem. Suggested for fans of Genesis and Camel. |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Oceania | 2.0 |
| Boring, bland, uninteresting, generic tripe. Miles away from the greatness of the first 2 albums. |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist | 2.5 |
| Sometime later, I might give this another chance. Definitely not their most inspired work though. |
| Agalloch Pale Folklore | 4.5 |
| Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn | 4.5 |
| It took time for me to appreciate the genius behind Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Featuring one of prog's first ever epics ("Interstellar Overdrive"), it's hard to believe that this was the same band responsible for Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and Animals. So comparing this to either of those is a tough task. |
| Pink Floyd Meddle | 4.0 |
| Consisting of reasonably tight songwriting, Meddle is one of Floyd's most experimental records. Some might even claim it's their best, however, in my view, "Seamus" impedes that possibility. The one weak point in an otherwise stellar record, it just detracts from the album as a whole. However, this is still a fine accomplishment by Floyd. |
| Druid Toward the Sun | 2.0 |
| Boring, uninteresting album. The similarities to Yes (my least fave of the Big 5) don't help at all. |
| Sebastian Hardie Four Moments | 4.0 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music | 1.5 |
| After you're a few songs in, you realize this pretty much sucks major dick. |
| Queens of the Stone Age Era Vulgaris | 4.5 |
| Era Vulgaris is probably QotSA's most underrated record. Full of fun/experimental jams, this album proves how exceptionally well Josh's songwriting has been aging over the years. Like a fine wine, he just gets better and better. |
| Radiohead Amnesiac | 3.5 |
| Amnesiac pieces together some of Radiohead's best material with some of their weakest. Although it's not one of their strongest efforts, it still manages to hold up in regards to the quality of most of the individual songs. It just fails when taken in as a whole. |
| Queens of the Stone Age Lullabies to Paralyze | 4.5 |
| Underrated in QotSA's catalog, Lullabies to Paralize is, in my opinion, one of their best records. It has a nice experimental vibe to it and invites repeated listening. I'll go further and say that it surpasses both Rated R and Songs for the Deaf. |
| Radiohead In Rainbows | 4.5 |
| Charming, atmospheric, and consistent, In Rainbows easily stands among Radiohead's best works. |
| Slowdive Souvlaki | 4.5 |
| Often contrasted with Loveless, Souvlaki showcases the smoother side of shoegaze. A diverse, spacey album, it definitely keeps the listener hungry for more. |
| Khan Space Shanty | 4.0 |
| Solid album, however I have issues with the vocals, plus it kinda gets old after a while and isn't the most interesting or the most original prog album around. |
| Black Flag Damaged | 4.0 |
I don't know how often I would listen to this. But the raw agression on display here is
undeniable, and there's also a sense of density that I don't think many punk acts have portrayed
(disclaimer: I'm not really a punk guru, so that last bit is based on conjecture from the sample
of punk I have heard). |
| Nosound Afterthoughts | 4.0 |
| Beyond the Bridge The Old Man and The Spirit | 2.0 |
| Gets a 2 because while it's not flat-out terrible, it's just plain uninteresting. |
| Death Scream Bloody Gore | 4.0 |
| Let me start by saying that Death has no outright bad album, and that songwriting was pretty much impeccable on each of them (with the possible exception of The Sound of Perseverance, where it was near-perfect)> Having said that, what limits Death's debut is the limited scope of the musicianship. The band was barely beginning to transcend thrash metal, and in this album the thrash influences are dominant. Quite a few choruses are memorable ("Evil Dead", "Sacrificial", "Baptized in Blood", "Mutilator" and the title track stand out in this matter). While the band's musicianship would improve on later releases, this album still remains, in and of itself, a major turning point in the rise of death metal. |
| Death Leprosy | 4.0 |
| Sweet Smoke From Darkness To Light | 4.5 |
| Alphataurus Alphataurus | 4.0 |
| Death Spiritual Healing | 4.5 |
| Solid from top to bottom, and generally overlooked in Death's discography, Spiritual Healing flows impeccably. It also features some of Chuck's best lyrical work. |
| Radiohead The Bends | 4.0 |
| A solid album for Radiohead, The Bends no doubt features some of the band's best material. Having said that, it isn't quite perfect: "Just" and "My Iron Lung" slightly ruin the experience. Nevertheless, this album is certainly worth your time. |
| Univers Zero Heresie | 4.0 |
| A dark, brooding, KC-ish album, Heresie is an interesting enough listen for those who have an avid interest in obscure prog. There's definitely a lot of things going for this album, but it's certainly not for everyone. Don't judge it too quickly, there's plenty of intelligence behind the music. |
| Maneige Les Porches | 4.5 |
| Les Porches is far and away one of the most sublime prog records never to have become famous. It's not hard to see why though, gems like these can only be understood by few. |
| Gotic Escenes | 4.0 |
| Los Jaivas Alturas de Machu Picchu | 5.0 |
| If you're really looking to expand your musical horizons, seeking something different in the realm of prog, etc., then you can't go wrong with this. Alturas... is truly a breathtaking journey into new waters for progressive rock. While not one of the "indispensable" prog gems, you really can't go wrong with this one. |
| Gentle Giant Free Hand | 4.5 |
| Gentle Giant In a Glass House | 4.5 |
| This is a fantastic album. I slightly prefer Octopus, but this one comes pretty close. Great old-school prog. |
| Gentle Giant Octopus | 4.5 |
| Octopus is one of the finest prog albums I've ever heard. Impeccable musicianship and highly varied experimentation. Highly recommended for fans of old-school prog. |
| Yes The Yes Album | 4.0 |
| Yes Fragile | 4.0 |
| Not a fan of this band, but it's easy to see that this album was extremely influential, not just for prog, but for heavy metal as well. |
| Alice in Chains Black Gives Way to Blue | 4.0 |
| Camel The Snow Goose | 4.5 |
| Camel Mirage | 4.5 |
| It's really pointless to determine which Camel album is best, since both Mirage and Moonmadness rule hard. Mirage, Camel's sophomore release, has a strong, jazzy feel to it, and is definitely one of the most interesting things the 70's produced. Quite simple, you can't go wrong with this one. |
| Rush Moving Pictures | 4.5 |
| Pretty consistent record. Rush does have better songs than Tom Sawyer, but it does the job as the opener, even if many of us have heard it múltiple times. |
| Mastodon Crack the Skye | 3.5 |
| Where you stand on Crack the Skye will have a lot to do with what you expect out of this band, and out of music in general. One thing is plain and clear: this is very different from the sludgier first 3 records. Here, Mastodon almost completely embraces a psych-prog vibe, which can easily alienate fans of the band's earlier stuff. But there are those who stand on the other side of the fence, and think that it was good for this band to drop the sludginess. And where do I stand? I say that this is a record with good songs, but a slight step down from the previous 3 records. And why is this so? More than having to do with the lack of sludginess (although that's certainly a factor), it has to do with the fact that some parts do feel a tad draggy, and the band seems to be attempting to execute something a la Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (less overwhelming riffage and more stretched-out composition). Another issue is the vocals: they stick out like a sore thumb, which detracts from the experience. At the end of the day, all this makes out of Crack the Skye an endurance test; although some might claim this to be a masterpiece. |
| Camel Moonmadness | 5.0 |
| One of the best prog albums ever made, 'nuff said. |
| Blind Melon Blind Melon | 4.5 |
| Blind Melon is far and away one of the most overlooked bands of the grunge movement. With this album they prove that they were more than a match for the Big 4. In my opinion, this album easily surpasses any Nirvana record. |
| R.E.M. Green | 2.5 |
| Despite a few good songs, Green is mostly a bland affair. Too many songs are dull and uninteresting. |
| Genesis Foxtrot | 4.5 |
| Foxtrot is easily one of Genesis's finest accomplishments. The band as a whole is in top form, and the songwriting is untouchable. Definitely a prog essential. Can't go wrong with the mighty combo of "Watcher of the Skies" and "Supper's Ready". |
| King Crimson Discipline | 3.5 |
| The main issue with Discipline is that while 4 tracks are fantastic, 3 are outright dragfests (Matte Kudesai, The Sheltering Sky & the title track). Probably KC's first dissapointment. |
| King Crimson In the Wake of Poseidon | 4.5 |
| Dream Theater Awake | 4.0 |
| Not much to say about this album, other that it's decent enough to get by. |
| Genesis Nursery Cryme | 4.5 |
| The greatness of this record lies in Hackett's lead work, he shines very well on here. Fantastic album. |
| Yes Close to the Edge | 4.0 |
| Well yes, this is a solid prog record. However, Anderson's vocals prevent me from giving it a higher rating. |
| Dream Theater Images and Words | 4.0 |
| While I find the stuff between the opener and Metropolis pt. 1 uninteresting, I can't deny that the second half is pretty solid. |
| Death The Sound of Perseverance | 4.0 |
| The Sound of Perseverance is very different from the rest of the Final Four (which, admittedly, doesn't mean much since they're all different). For this one, Chuck raised his pitch and opted for a full-on progressive approach. He mostly succeeds, but at the end of the day, the material just isn't on the same level as that on Symbolic, Individual Thought Patterns or Human. "Scavenger of Human Sorrow" while a solid track, just doesn't compare as an opener to "Flattening of Emotions" or "Symbolic" (at best, it lies third in that regard above "Overactive Imagination"). And worst of all, the "Painkiller" cover just feels out of place and unnecessary, making it rank easily at the bottom regarding the closers in the Final Four. Nevertheless, tracks like "A Moment of Clarity", "Spirit Crusher" and "Voice of the Soul" make this album more than worth your time. |
| Death Individual Thought Patterns | 4.5 |
| A highly jazzy record, Individual Thought Patterns is notable for the dominant presence of bassist Steve DiGiorgio, alongside guitar wizard Andy LaRocque. While lacking a proper bookending (opener "Overactive Imagination" has no buildup and instead gets straight to business, while closer "The Philosopher" simply fades out), this is still a highly solid and interesting album, and in my opinion slightly better than Human due to the fact that it feels more complete musically thanks to the bass audibility. Essential death metal. |
| Death Symbolic | 5.0 |
| Symbolic may very well stand as Death's crowning achievement. It definitely takes more than one listen to comprehend, but behind all the speed and thrashyness in this record, there are also remnants of the jazzy elements present on Individual Thought Patterns. From the epic riff that opens the album on the title track, to the acoustic outro on "Perennial Quest", this album is a real treat. Hell, the case could even be made for this album being the pinnacle of all things metal, it is just THAT good. |
| Death Human | 4.5 |
| Only a select few bands can claim to have perfected heavy metal, and Death lies among those select few. This album is really a roller-coaster, packed with impressive riffs and leads. Guitar enthusiasts should be more than happy with this album, as it's definitely one of the finest the death metal subgenre has to offer. The drum intro in "Flattening of Emotions" is very memorable, as is the guitar work on closer "Vacant Planets". Essential death metal classic. |
| Queens of the Stone Age ...Like Clockwork | 4.5 |
| Radiohead Kid A | 4.0 |
| A spacey, trippy album. Slightly prefer it to OK Computer at the moment. |
| Radiohead OK Computer | 4.0 |
| While OK Computer is a solid album, in my opinion it isn't perfect. "Fitter Happier" and "Electioneering" slightly ruin its flow. However, the rest is impressive enough. |
| Mastodon The Hunter | 3.0 |
| Okay, it's true: this is the band's sellout album. But is it a bad album? As with Crack the Skye opinions can be split here. Some will argue that this is a fun album, while others will claim that it's a sign of decline. In my opinion, it's a decent record, certainly not in the same league as Leviathan, Remission or Blood Mountain, but still enjoyable enough. My only major gripe is the vocals: Hinds seems to be struggling too much to sound like Peter Gabriel, and it doesn't suit him at all (he's at his best when he sounds menacing/threatening/etc. Nevertheless, this album is still inspired enough to be worth the listen, even if it doesn't touch the mighty first 3. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers I'm With You | 1.0 |
| The bloated production issues that first reared their heads on One Hot Minute have finally reached their climax (or should I say, their unclimax) on I'm With You. This album is just unbearable, with the worst mixing job in the history of mixing jobs (no joke). Worst album ever made? Debatable. Worst RHCP album? Far and away. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers One Hot Minute | 4.0 |
| One Hot Minute is quite the oddity in RHCP's discography. Not quite a top-tier record and yet not a bottom-tier one either, it sits in the middle. To be completely honest, I feel this is one of their most interesting records. Yes, you read right. It still has some of that spirit from BSSM remaining, even if it doesn't execute things on the same level. Not the best place to start, and only worthwhile to fans of the band, it will take a patient listener to enjoy this record. But listen to it. Even if it's not their best, there are gems to be found on here. The major weakness is the midsection: "Pea", "One Big Mob" and "Walkabout" ruin the album's flow are are completely skippable. Even so, I encourage those into the band to check this out, it might be worth your time. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium | 2.5 |
| Bloated, overproduced and way too radio friendly, Stadium Arcadium feels devoid of the virtues that used to make the band so great. There's hardly any creativity to be found here, and too many songs are bland and uninspired. Hard to believe that this was the same band responsible for albums like Freaky Styley, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Blood Sugar Sex Magik. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Mother's Milk | 4.0 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers | 4.5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Freaky Styley | 5.0 |
What gives Freaky Styley the edge over all other RHCP albums is
how catchy, fresh and fun it is. Extremely underrated, this is a true
gem, and revolutionized music in general. One of my all-time fave
albums. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers The Uplift Mofo Party Plan | 4.5 |
| The Uplift Mofo Party Plan is by far one of RHCP's most underrated works. Lying in the shadow of albums like Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication, it is, in fact, far more solid than people give it credit for. From the solid opener "Fight Like a Brave" to the awesome closer "Organic Anti-Beat Box Band", this is the band giving justice to their name in a way few of their fans coul've imagined. Yes, you read right, they are spicy as hell on this album, seemingly possessed by a fiery spirit that nowadays seems long gone. Don't judge it too quickly on first listen, take your time to enjoy and it will reveal to you just how powerful it really is. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way | 3.5 |
| Like Californication before it, By the Way has issues with regards to consistency. While the first 6 tracks are solid, after that the album goes hit-and-miss. There are no less than 5 weak tracks on here. My fave on here is possibly "Midnight", followed by "The Zephyr Song" and "By the Way". |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication | 3.0 |
| While Californication is often regarded as a triumphant return-to-form by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the fact of the matter is that it's reputation far exceeds it's actual quality. While the first 6 tracks and the closer are all fairly solid, the album gets pretty hit-and-miss from there. Doesn't even come close to Blood Sugar Sex Magik. |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 4.0 |
| What makes Blood Sugar Sex Magik such a good album is how everything works so well on here. The weakest tracks are probably the well-known singles "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge", along with the title track, since they don't match up with the rest of the songs. Highlights for me include: "Suck My Kiss", "My Lovely Man", "Funky Monks", and "Apache Rose Peacock". But the album in general is worth your time. |
| Soundgarden Fopp | 3.5 |
| Fopp is pretty much the weaker sibling of the two major cult EP's of Soundgarden's underground era. Out of the 4 tracks herein, 3 are fairly strong, but the dub version of the title track feels totally unnecessary and out of place. Recommended only for diehard SG fans. |
| Soundgarden Screaming Life | 4.0 |
| A solid offering courtesy of the grunge sledgehammer. Out of the two major underground EP's, Screaming Life is easily the stronger sibling. A pulse pounding 6-track journey, Screaming Life might well be SG's most overlooked effort. |
| Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral | 4.5 |
| Therapy? Troublegum | 4.0 |
| TAD Inhaler | 4.5 |
| An awesome ball of riffs, basslines and drums. If you're already into bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, this album is for you. If you're looking for riffs, this album is for you. If you're a metal fan looking for something different, this album is for you. Hell, if you're a rock fan bored with the same old same old, just jam this shit and crack up the volume. Hard. |
| My Bloody Valentine Loveless | 5.0 |
| The atmosphere conjured in Loveless is quite unlike any other. You need to be in the right mood for this album, otherwise it won't hit you.r |
| Alice in Chains Alice in Chains | 3.5 |
| The main issue with Alice in Chains' self-titled swansong (Layne Era anyway) is that it drags more than it should. It's definitely the worst place to start when it comes to this band. You're better off jamming the two previous LP's along with Jar of Flies and SAP before getting into this one. |
| Alice in Chains Sap | 4.0 |
| Alice in Chains Jar of Flies | 5.0 |
| Jar of Flies is easily one of the best EP's ever made, and the best of Alice in Chains' 2 fully original ones. You simply cannot say you've experienced this band if you haven't heard this. Essential grunge. |
| Alice in Chains Facelift | 4.5 |
| Nirvana Bleach | 2.5 |
| While the first few tracks on here are promising, the album goes down midway. Many fans will defend this album, but eh, to each their own. |
| Nirvana In Utero | 3.0 |
| In Utero is neither fantastic album nor terrible album. It's just an album, plain and simple. If you're into repetitive punkish numbers, this might be in your league. Otherwise, steer clear from this. |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Machina/The Machines of God | 3.5 |
| While slightly more interesting than Adore, Machina is nevertheless an inconsistent affair. The main problem lies in the second third of the album, it's pretty much useless. Recommended only for serious fans of the band. |
| Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine | 4.0 |
| Pretty Hate Machine is, as far as debuts go, in the "fairly impressive but not mindblowing" category. While it boasts what is arguably one of the best 5-track successions in the history of rock music, the second half doesn't quite have the same level of strength. Still, this is a good place to start with NIN. |
| Testament Practice What You Preach | 4.0 |
| This has some of Testament's biggest songs, but the album itself is draggy at times. Recommended for those seasoned with Souls of Black and/or The New Order. |
| Ranger Knights of Darkness | 4.0 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Adore | 3.5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | 3.5 |
| The major issue with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the concept itself. Corgan's ambition definitely went overboard when it came to effective songwriting. While the first disc is very solid, with only two weak tracks ("Love" and "Cupid de Locke") the second disc is absolutely bursting with filler, especially on the second half (this would be the 4th quarter of the album). It's a shame that this album fails in that regard, because songs like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "1979, "Zero" and "Tonight, Tonight" rank amongst the Pumpkins' very best. |
| Nirvana Nevermind | 4.0 |
| Alice in Chains Dirt | 4.5 |
| Dirt is truly an album for the depressed. Ten is a hybrid of emotional ups and downs and Superunknown is a dense, layered trip of introspection. But if ever you were looking for an album that understood your angst, suffering and pain Dirt is that album. From the sudden metallic opening of "Dem Bones" to the impressive closure of "Would?", AiC gave us here one of the indispensable albums of the 90's. |
| Slayer Seasons in the Abyss | 4.0 |
| Slayer South of Heaven | 4.0 |
| Extremely heavy stuff. Some badass riffs, as well as some of Lombardo's best drumming. |
| Slayer Reign in Blood | 4.0 |
| My only complaint with Reign in Blood is it's rather excessive focus on speed for speed's sake. Unlike the previous 2 records, this one just isn't quite as strong musically. However, it does deserve the praise it gets, to a point. |
| Slayer Hell Awaits | 4.0 |
| There are significant differences between Hell Awaits and Show No Mercy. Where that album focused on pure balls-out riffage, this one is more cerebral and atmospheric. Definitely not for the squeamish. |
| Slayer Show No Mercy | 4.5 |
| Slayer's debut is nothing less than a pummeling roller-coaster ride packed/stuffed/filled with riffs, riffs and more riffs; as well as some fast drumming and leads. Definitely an essential release. |
| Prince Purple Rain | 4.5 |
| Garbage Version 2.0 | 4.5 |
| Garbage improve dramatically from the experiments of their debut to deliver us a masterful blend of alt rock, hard rock and electronica elements. A true 90's gem. |
| Depeche Mode Construction Time Again | 4.0 |
| Construction Time Again is very consistent, but lacks the maturity of later albums. Basically, the best was still yet to come. |
| Depeche Mode Some Great Reward | 4.0 |
| Excellent album, however I think the next 3 are more mature and therefore better. |
| Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway | 4.0 |
| The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is an interesting concept album which also happens to be the swansong of Gabriel Era Genesis. Although I won't argue that it is indeed a solid album, I don't quite consider it as perfect as others claim. While the first disc is flawless, the second disc has a bit of filler which makes the experience a bit dull. Also, I feel the band is rather restrained here, somewhat sacrificing all-out musicianship in favor of the grand-scale concept. That being said, I highly suggest any prog fan who hasn't heard this to do so ASAP and come to his/her own conclusions. |
| King Crimson Red | 4.5 |
| Red is one of the strongest efforts by King Crimson. Unlike the debut, it is much more focused on the music, which has that jazzy feel typical to the band. The highlight here is "Starless", an instrumental which ranks amongst the best closers in the history of progressive rock. A true work of genius. |
| King Crimson Larks' Tongues in Aspic | 4.5 |
| Lark's Tongues in Aspic is probably one of King Crimson's most underrated records. It demands multiple listens (meaning I still need to listen to it a lot more. Nevertheless, this is one of those albums that definitely has a sporting chance against the slightly overrated debut. |
| Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here | 4.5 |
| Wish You Were Here is far and away one of the cornerstones of progressive rock. The highlight is definitely "Have a Cigar", which features one of Gilmour's very best leads. Essential prog. |
| Pink Floyd Animals | 4.5 |
| An interesting concept album, Animals features 3 long songs book-ended by the brief "Pigs on the Wing" tracks. Many argue that this is the band's magnum opus, but what really matters is that, objectively, this was a major game changer for progressive rock. |
| King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King | 4.0 |
| While In the Court of the Crimson King is indeed one of the most seminal albums in progressive rock, that doesn't necessarily make it a masterpiece. Don't get me wrong: the musicianship on here is impressive as it is. But "Moonchild" just drags too much after the first 2 and a half minutes. Another fault is the production: it could've been much better. Having said all this, In the Court of the Crimson King still stands as an essential listen for fans of progressive rock. |
| Sortilege Métamorphose | 4.0 |
| Michael Jackson Thriller | 4.5 |
| Some albums deserve their reputation, and Thriller is close to being one of them. Close, but no cigar. With the cheesy "The Girl is Mine" on here, the album fails to achieve perfection. Nevertheless, this is one pop album truly worth hearing, and it's not hard to see why it became such a phenomenon in the 80's. |
| Opeth Heritage | 4.5 |
| Heritage is possibly Opeth's biggest achievement since My Arms, Your Hearse. Extremely consistent, with nary a bad song, it's probably the most interesting album they have ever produced, even if it's not their best. |
| Anthrax Fistful of Metal | 4.0 |
| Fistful of Metal is a solid, albeit flawed, debut from Anthrax. The biggest flaw is the production: Turbin's vocals are barely audible and the instruments in general could've benefited from better audio quality. The "I'm Eighteen" cover and "Death From Above" feel somewhat out of place, at least in my view. All the same, this is the sound of a band that's trying to come to terms with itself. They would sound a lot more mature on Spreading the Disease. |
| Anthrax Spreading the Disease | 4.5 |
| There's never a dull moment on Spreading the Disease, indeed, you'll have a hard time keeping up with this album. Spitz and Ian play like madmen on here, and Benante whips up some wicked fills. Easily one of the band's finest efforts. |
| Anthrax Persistence of Time | 4.5 |
| Persistence of Time probably has the best production out of any Anthrax album. You just gotta love the way the instruments are so perfectly welded together to create a sonic avalanche. My favorites on here are probably "Blood" and "Keep it in the Family". |
| Anthrax State of Euphoria | 4.5 |
| State of Euphoria is pure aggression and speed. My favorite on here is probably "Misery Loves Company". |
| Anthrax Among the Living | 4.0 |
| Among the Living is frequently touted as one of the "Big 4 thrash masterpieces" together with Master of Puppets, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and Reign in Blood. It certainly feels similar to the first of those in terms of structure and overall sound. It also shares with that album a bit of sameyness on the riffs and the general structure. Production is another clear flaw of this album: it feels bone-dry and some might need to exert patience to get used to it. The tracks "A Skeleton in the Closet" and "A.D.I./Imitation of Life" feel unnecessary and are outright boring. Having said that, the standouts for me are "Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)" and "One World", but, generally speaking, this is a pretty solid album, with great basslines, drumming, etc. |
| Venom Welcome to Hell | 4.0 |
| Deep Purple Deep Purple In Rock | 4.5 |
| In Rock was highly groundbreaking for its time. It was extremely influential for much hard rock and heavy metal that would follow. Bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest definitely borrowed from this. Also of note: you get a fantastic opening/closing combo with "Speed King" and "Hard Lovin' Man". |
| Kreator Coma of Souls | 4.0 |
| Iron Maiden Killers | 4.5 |
| Whether or not Killers is better than Iron Maiden is a debatable matter. The two albums are very similar in nature, and remarkably consistent as well. One thing remains clear however: both records were highly revolutionary for heavy metal. Without a doubt, Iron Maiden had taken over from Judas Priest, since the "Metal Gods" had become a lot less relevant musically after their release of Stained Class. |
| Iron Maiden Iron Maiden | 4.5 |
| This album is the reason why Iron Maiden is so relevant to heavy metal. Yes, their live shows are legendary, and yes, Dickinson is a major showman. But this, the one that started it all, is what makes the band's name worth it's weight in gold. Even if the Dickinson Era had never happened, Maiden would still have their place in history secured with this one album. Definitely an essential listen for metal fans.rPS: What keeps this from being a full-blown masterpiece is the ineffectiveness of the title track (which carries the band name) as a closer. While the song is good, it just falls short in such a position. |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Gish | 4.5 |
| Gish is truly an amazing record, and might well be my favourite SP. It just flows wonderfully, without a single bad track. Siamese Dream was/is more popular but this just might be their magnum opus musically. |
| Black Sabbath Never Say Die! | 2.5 |
| Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door | 2.0 |
| In Through the Out Door is easily Zeppelin's weakest studio effort (pre-breakup). While I applaud the band for venturing into uncharted waters here, they simply come up dry. The songs simply lack comeback value and this just feels like a botched-up experiment in general. |
| Led Zeppelin Presence | 3.5 |
| Presence is a rather disappointing affair when compared to the greatness of its predecessor. While it does possess a fine opener/closer combo in "Achilles Last Stand" and "Tea for One", " For Your Life", "Candy Store Rock" and "Hots for Nowhere" just flat-out suck. Also, as a whole, the album reflects a worn out band that no longer had the level of inspiration that got them through their first 6 records. Recommended only for diehard fans. |
| Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti | 5.0 |
| Physical Graffiti towers head and shoulders above all the previous studio LP's. Not one track is weak. Without a doubt, this record was a template for many bands to come. More than a rock n' roll achievement, Physical Graffiti is a music essential, period. |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin III is without a doubt one of the most interesting albums in Zep's catalog. Mixing acoustics with bluesy rock n' roll proves to be a winning formula throughout most of the record. Sadly, there are downers, and they are at the end of the record. "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" simply feels like it gets nowhere, and "Hats Off to Roy Harper" is downright annoying. Nevertheless, this still remains a fine album to look into. |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV | 4.5 |
| It's impressive to see how this band released 4 albums in an unbelievably short time. "Black Dog" easily ranks among the band's best openers, while "When the Levee Breaks" has a similar standing as a closer. Nevertheless, "Four Sticks" feels out of place here; which is a shame, because this is easily one of Zep's best achievements. |
| Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy | 4.5 |
| Let me start by saying that this album deserves its reputation as an essential listen for those wishing to gather a better understanding of rock n' roll. Most of the songs on here are flat out excellent. However, "Dancing Days" proves to be the dud on here, impeding this from being a fully consistent listen. Still, if you're a fan of the band, this should be on your collection. |
| Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age | 4.0 |
| Qotsa's debut demands repeated listening to be truly understood. Not the band's best album by any means, but nevertheless a very interesting record. The downers here are "Walkin' on the Sidewalks", "I Was a Teenage Hand Model", and "I Can't Quit You Baby", but don't let that stop you from experiencing this album. |
| Queens of the Stone Age Rated R | 3.0 |
| While Rated R contains great songs like "Auto Pilot", "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", and "Better Living Through Chemistry" (best on here), it also drags a lot, specifically in the 2nd half. The presence of filler and the lack of cohesion make this a bit of a tedious listen in full, which is a shame for such a fantastic band. |
| The Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream | 4.5 |
| The brilliance of Siamese Dream is difficult to explain. It's not even because standouts like "Hummer", "Mayonaise", "Soma", "Disarm" and "Cherub Rock" exist. No, that is not the reason this is such a classic of its era.rThe reason this is such a classic is because of how mind-blowingly innovative the album is on the whole. It shattered conventional thinking on what rock n' roll could be. To this day, Siamese Dream still has the same power it did in the early 90's. rProblema with this álbum: Luna's an underwhelming closer. |
| Rush Hemispheres | 4.0 |
| I wouldn't go as far as to say this is my fave Rush record, but it's possibly their most influential.rIn terms of my opinion of it, most of it rules, especially the epic Book 2. However, Circumstances doesn't work for me, it's another singing misfire for Geddy. |
| Rush A Farewell to Kings | 4.5 |
| Easily one of Rush's best, a true prog classic. You really can't go wrong with this one. My only complaint is that "Madrigal" is too short for my taste; other than that this is a perfect record. |
| Rush Caress of Steel | 4.0 |
| Very underrated album. The 2 epics at the end simply destroy. And to think they would outdo themselves on later releases. |
| Megadeth Risk | 2.0 |
| Megadeth Th1rt3en | 2.0 |
| Jamming this in full is a waste of time. A very weak and uninspired album with poorly made lyrics. |
| Megadeth The System Has Failed | 2.5 |
| Regarded as the band's "return to form", The System Has Failed is a rather boring record. The first 4 songs are easily the best on here, I honestly don't care much for the rest. |
| Megadeth United Abominations | 3.0 |
| Megadeth Endgame | 3.0 |
| Very overrated album. Don't get me wrong: Broderick is highly talented, but his leads lack passion. Also, the midsection and closing are weak. It seems Dave's running out of ideas. |
| Megadeth Cryptic Writings | 4.0 |
| Underrated record. IMO, it's the best thing they did after RiP. |
| Megadeth Youthanasia | 3.5 |
| Like CtE, the 2nd half is the weak point of this album. Nevertheless, I find it overall more enjoyable than that album. Better riffs, more entertaining, yeah, I think I explained myself. |
| Megadeth Countdown to Extinction | 3.5 |
| The first mainstream-era 'Deth, Countdown to Extinction is a bit disappointing: production is flat-out lame and the second half is rather weak, being saved by the last 2 songs. |
| Megadeth So Far, So Good... So What! | 4.5 |
| Production is the main issue here, but this is still a very consistent record with fantastic guitar work. |
| Soundgarden King Animal | 3.0 |
| The main issue with King Animal is energy, this album severely lacks it. While it keeps a decent momentum up to "Taree", after that the album loses steam. Recommended only for diehards. |
| Silversun Pickups Swoon | 4.0 |
| Soundgarden Down on the Upside | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Signify | 5.0 |
| Signify is the last of the band's psychedelic space rock works. That this band took the effort to create 3 fine albums in this vein is astonishing; to say that they would go on to create an equally fine commercialized output defies expectations. |
| Porcupine Tree The Sky Moves Sideways | 4.5 |
The Sky Moves Sideways is a fantastic statement for prog. Flowing
effectively as a single unit it easily ranks among Porcupine Tree's
biggest achievements. |
| Porcupine Tree The Incident | 3.0 |
| This right here is a crazy fillerfest. A few cool songs like "The Blind House", "I Drive the Hearse" and "Time Flies", but I think this is an overblown concept. Now I understand why SW put the band on hiatus. If PT ever get back together, they should just get back to basics and stray from these concepts. |
| Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet | 3.5 |
| Morbid Angel Altars of Madness | 4.5 |
| This is pure aggression. Riffs galore, intense drumming, you get the idea. |
| Porcupine Tree Up the Downstair | 4.5 |
| This is the first of the band's masterworks. Few bands have sustained a creative streak like this band has. Pretty much everything starting here and ending with In Absentia is essential PT in my opinion. |
| Porcupine Tree On the Sunday of Life | 4.0 |
| This needs more love. Sure, on first listen it feels weak, but after a while it has plenty of growing power. Much like JP's Rocka Rolla, I think this album is undeservedly overlooked in light of later releases. |
| Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun | 4.0 |
| Lightbulb Sun continues on the path initiated with Stupid Dream. The band continues experimenting, dabbling on different textures as they go along. This may not top Stupid Dream, but that's no real reason not to listen to this. |
| Porcupine Tree In Absentia | 3.5 |
| My main issue with In Absentia is that several songs on here get old after several listens. |
| Porcupine Tree Deadwing | 3.5 |
| Not best PT by a long shot, but still an enjoyable release. The opener is fantastic, and the closer is good too. But 4 songs ("Shallow, "Lazarus", "Mellotron Scratch" and "Glass Arm Shattering") feel a tad out of place. |
| Queensryche Queensryche | 3.5 |
| Immolation Close to a World Below | 2.5 |
| The Angelic Process Weighing Souls With Sand | 2.5 |
| Bulldozer The Day of Wrath | 2.5 |
| Deicide Deicide | 2.5 |
| Prince Parade | 4.0 |
| Megadeth Super Collider | 1.5 |
| First 2 tracks are passable, after hearing "Burn", I won't bother with the rest. |
| Yngwie Malmsteen Eclipse | 4.0 |
| Toxik Think This | 5.0 |
| Yngwie Malmsteen Odyssey | 4.0 |
| Mudhoney Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge | 3.5 |
| The Mothers of Invention Freak Out! | 4.5 |
| Duff McKagan Believe In Me | 1.5 |
| Duff McKagan is truly an overrated bassist. Fans give him far more credit than he deserves. And yeah, this album is very bad. |
| Sonic Youth Goo | 4.0 |
| Eiffel 65 Europop | 2.5 |
| King Diamond Abigail | 4.0 |
| Steve Vai Alien Love Secrets | 4.0 |
| Yngwie Malmsteen Trilogy | 4.0 |
| Yngwie Malmsteen Marching Out | 4.0 |
| Skrillex Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites | 1.0 |
| Republica Speed Ballads | 3.0 |
| This album does have interesting concepts, but sadly it fails to do anything exciting. Rather, it just stays muddled in a sea of synths without any real musicianship to show for it. Listen to Garbage's Version 2.0 instead. |
| Emmure Goodbye To The Gallows | 1.5 |
| brokeNCYDE I'm Not a Fan, but the Kids Like It! | 1.5 |
| DoomThrone Skeleton Veiled in Flesh | 1.5 |
| Asking Alexandria Stand Up and Scream | 1.5 |
| Gulaggh Vorkuta | 1.0 |
| Discharge Grave New World | 1.0 |
| Genesis From Genesis to Revelation | 3.0 |
| Genesis Calling All Stations | 3.0 |
| I don't find this as bad as many people do, but the musicianship is definitely lacking. All the same, Wilson does a good job on the vocals. |
| Genesis We Can't Dance | 3.5 |
| Even if the album has interesting moments, it lacks some of the punch that made earlier Collins-Era works worthwhile. Had this album had fewer balladry and more attitude, it could've been better. Collins did well in leaving the band after this. |
| Genesis Wind & Wuthering | 4.5 |
| Pallas (UK) The Sentinel | 4.5 |
| Fantastic example of neo-prog.Clearly, there's a lot of Rush influence here, but there's also a hint of pop experimentation as well. |
| Dick Dale Surfer's Choice | 5.0 |
| This is one of the most unique releases ever. Dale's technique feels quite ahead of its time, and I've a feeling Satriani himself listened to this. |
| Kansas Kansas | 4.5 |
| Kansas gets off to a fantastic start. Their sophomore is better in my opinion, but this is still quite good. |
| Emerson Lake and Palmer Brain Salad Surgery | 4.0 |
| It's slightly better than the cartoonish Trilogy, since it has the greatness of the half-hour "Karn Evil 9". However, it doesn't quite achieve the level of the debut or Tarkus. |
| Kansas Song for America | 5.0 |
| Fantastic album. Arguably their best. Fantastic musicianship. |
| Mekong Delta The Music of Erich Zann | 4.5 |
| Candlebox Candlebox | 4.5 |
| A refreshing listen. These guys did some interesting stuff back in the day. |
| Oceansize Effloresce | 4.5 |
| Gong Camembert Electrique | 4.5 |
| A fantastic prog gem. Highly recommended Canterbury scene stuff. |
| Sade Lovers Rock | 4.0 |
| Faith No More The Real Thing | 4.5 |
| I was told this was cheesy, and was pretty much disuaded from finishing this. However, I gave it another shot and it paid off. A fantastic, highly experimental album. |
| Symphony X The Odyssey | 4.5 |
| Gentle Giant Acquiring the Taste | 4.5 |
| Fantastic old-school prog. I probably liked Free Hand and Octopus a tad more, but this one comes close. |
| Warlock Triumph and Agony | 4.5 |
| Van Halen Balance | 4.0 |
| In my opinion this is the best of the Hagar Era. The spark of the Roth Era is somewhat revived here, and musicianship is in quite good form. |
| Van Halen OU812 | 2.5 |
| Too many disposable songs. IMO When It's Love is the only great track on here. |
| Warlock Burning the Witches | 4.5 |
| An impressive debut album. The guitar work is amazing, a pity this band is so overlooked. |
| Running Wild Death or Glory | 4.0 |
| Decent album, but feels a tad draggy sometimes. IMO the follow-up is better. |
| Running Wild Pile of Skulls | 3.5 |
| Entertaining listen, but drags on a tad too long. Metal albums like this should only be about 35-40 minutes long. Plus, the songs themselves feel a tad repetitive at times. |
| Running Wild Blazon Stone | 4.5 |
| Running Wild Port Royal | 4.5 |
| You'll be hard-pressed to find metal better than this. This is the kind of band I sometimes wish Priest and Maiden were: here, it's pretty much a marriage of the killer twin guitars of the former with the effective basslines of the latter. The drums are good and effective as well. Recommended for those looking into new metal. |
| Marillion Misplaced Childhood | 2.0 |
| The Cult Dreamtime | 4.5 |
| Tesla The Great Radio Controversy | 4.5 |
| Thompson Twins Into the Gap | 4.0 |
| Amazing pop perfection. If you're into Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys or Tears for Fears, you should love this. |
| Blue Oyster Cult Spectres | 4.0 |
| Blue Oyster Cult Club Ninja | 2.5 |
| Bloated, overproduced album. While at first it may seem on par with their best, the problem here is that the formula that had previously worked wonders for this band has now backfired. You might as well ignore this one (unless you like overproduced/overindulgent albums). |
| Scorpions Animal Magnetism | 4.0 |
| Doesn't have as much punch as some of the earlier and later releases, but still a worthwhile album. |
| Scorpions Savage Amusement | 4.5 |
| Undoubtedly one of the best releases within their 80's output. Well worth the listen. |
| Scorpions Lovedrive | 4.0 |
| While it's entertaining enough, it lack a bit of the punch that makes other albums by the band so special. Nevertheless, it should be worth your time if you're a fan of classic hard rock. |
| Trivium Ascendancy | 1.0 |
| Trivium The Crusade | 1.0 |
| Bjork Post | 4.0 |
| Bjork is one of the most original artists I've ever come across. She literally can't be pinned down to a single genre, and she handles all musical waters with great skill. You must listen to understand this, as it lies beyond the realm of words. |
| Eurythmics Be Yourself Tonight | 5.0 |
| Pet Shop Boys Behaviour | 2.5 |
| Behaviour is the PSB's first subpar album. It has its moments, but is nowhere near the heights of their first three. |
| Dio The Last in Line | 3.0 |
| Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman | 4.0 |
| Ozzy manages to make good songs; but, album-wise, he doesn't deliver that much punch. Nevertheless, it's the last of the Rhoads-Era albums. RIP R.R. |
| Pet Shop Boys Introspective | 4.0 |
| Actually owns this, but it's still a good album. The last song is a tad dull, sadly. |
| Steppenwolf Steppenwolf | 2.5 |
| Pantera The Great Southern Trendkill | 1.0 |
| The Great Southern Trendkill is a dull listen. Can't add anything more to that statement. |
| Pantera Far Beyond Driven | 1.5 |
| Unlike the fun of Cowboys From Hell or the addictive heaviness of Vulgar Display of Power, Far Beyond Driven feels like a dull chore. |
| Pet Shop Boys Actually | 5.0 |
| The formula in Please is greatly expanded on Actually. An essential for music fans. |
| Kansas Masque | 4.5 |
| This is a badass album. Musicianship is impressive, and the band really shines. Symphony X was doubtlessly influenced by these guys. |
| Queensryche Dedicated to Chaos | 1.5 |
| Album is a mess, and while I usually 2.5 albums I get halfway through, the level of ridiculousness here is so high that this gets a 1.5. |
| Queensryche Operation: Mindcrime II | 2.5 |
| While there are some okay songs in it, O:MII is mostly a train wreck. The songs are very poorly arranged, the concept itself is weak, and the good songs lack punch. An album that only diehards might be interested in, but casual QR fans should stay away from. |
| Queensryche Tribe | 3.5 |
| The main issue with Tribe is that it lack inspiration. It's not terrible, but the band doesn't bother to rock out at all. "Rhythm of Hope" is a great song (the best here in my opinion), but this will only interest hardcore fans of the band.rPersonal Rating: 3.4 |
| Sodom Tapping the Vein | 2.5 |
| Motorhead The World Is Yours | 1.0 |
| Motorhead Motorizer | 1.0 |
| Motorhead Kiss of Death | 1.0 |
| Motorhead Hammered | 1.0 |
| Motorhead We Are Motorhead | 1.0 |
| Motorhead Snake Bite Love | 1.0 |
| Don't waste your time with this, it's just not worth it. |
| Motorhead Overnight Sensation | 1.0 |
| Terrible, terrible album. I can't say anything else. |
| Motorhead Sacrifice | 1.0 |
| Couldn't even get past the first track, it's that bad. |
| Motorhead Bastards | 1.5 |
| Motorhead March Or Die | 2.0 |
| Why, oh why didn't Motorhead stop making albums after releasing Orgasmatron? It's one thing to stick to what works for you musically, but it's something else to be doggedly afraid to experiment. Only the first 2 songs are any good, the way I see it. |
| Motorhead 1916 | 1.5 |
| Lemmy has lost his touch since Orgasmatron, possibly his last good album. 1916 shows a band stuck in the same horrid riffs and rhythm sections. The music just feels too monotonous and uninspired here. |
| Dark Tranquillity The Gallery | 4.5 |
| Within the Ruins Elite | 1.5 |
| Weak, weak album. Album covers can be deceiving, and this one deceived me quite well. Great cover, sucky album. |
| Motorhead Inferno | 1.5 |
| Sputnikers overrate this album. While the first song is passable, the second is too dull. Don't be fooled, and skip this. Not even Steve Vai could save this piece of shit. |
| Krokus Metal Rendez-vous | 4.0 |
| In several ways, I might say this is something of a rock n' roll dream come true. Nice riffs, good solos, plenty of the good stuff here. |
| Tygers Of Pan Tang Spellbound | 5.0 |
| Interesting arrangements throughout. Will definitely listen to more stuff from these guys. |
| Raven Wiped Out | 4.0 |
| These guys impressed me tbh. The music isn't too original, but it does give you a heckuva good time. Recommended for bored rockers. |
| The Cult Electric | 3.5 |
| Decent album, but several instrumental inconsistencies make it a step down from Love. |
| Big Wreck Albatross | 2.5 |
| Average alt rock album. Doesn't bring at all anything new to the table. Nothing original, innovative or refreshing to hear here. |
| Black Sabbath Seventh Star | 1.0 |
| Black Sabbath Forbidden | 1.0 |
| Motorhead Orgasmatron | 3.0 |
| By this point, it becomes obvious that the band is running out of ideas. Lemmy should've stopped recording at this point. I personally have little to no interest in anything he has done since the mediocre Rock N' Roll. |
| Vinnie Moore Mind's Eye | 4.0 |
| While it doesn't rank among the great classics of the Guitar Virtuoso subgenre (and certainly isn't in league with the Big 4 albums [Surfing With the Alien, Passion & Warfare, Rising Force and Ah Via Musicom]), it's a fine one in it's class, and Moore is no doubt more talented than a lot of wannabes out there. |
| Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt | 2.0 |
| Didn't enjoy this album that much. Too dull and repetitive. |
| Tool Lateralus | 3.0 |
| Sadly, this is a rather dull record. Since I managed to finish it, it gets a 3. Some decent songs, but the album pretty much becomes a borefest after a while. |
| The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed | 5.0 |
| I don't often say this, but this isn't only an exceptionally awesome album; it's also one of the greatest albums of all time, period. You must hear "Nights In White Satin" before you die. |
| Racer X Second Heat | 3.5 |
| Voivod Killing Technology | 4.0 |
| This is an interesting record. Not at all recommended for thrash neophites; but metalheads looking for something new might be pleased with this. |
| Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club | 4.5 |
| This is a very good record. I doubt that Sheryl has done a better one since. |
| Foo Fighters The Colour and the Shape | 2.5 |
| Generic, even by alt rock standards. Easily one of the most overrated albums of the 90's. |
| In Mourning Shrouded Divine | 2.5 |
| Garden variety death metal. Nothing special here, just what you'd expect from an average band in the subgenre. |
| Pomegranate Tiger Entities | 3.5 |
| Great ideas, but monotone execution. The album is a passable listen, but respectable musicianship, but gets dull at times. Bottom line: there's lots of room for improvement. |
| In Vain (NO) The Latter Rain | 3.5 |
| Decent offering. Nothing too exceptional, but it's not too bad either. If you're an average death metal fan, this should suit your tastes. |
| Riverside Anno Domini High Definition | 4.0 |
| I was surprised with this record. Fresh sounds and new ideas. I don't say this too often, but I might listen to this record again sometime to see if I "get it". |
| Psychotic Waltz A Social Grace | 2.0 |
| Pretty generic prog record. Pretty much more of the same, nothing too original. |
| Super Furry Animals Radiator | 4.0 |
| I haven't listened to these guys in a long while. Might want to give them another try once the time is right. |
| Tyr Eric The Red | 4.0 |
| This is a pretty solid album from a pretty solid band. I look forward to checking out more of their stuff in the future. |
| Seal Commitment | 3.0 |
| Seal manages to put out decent recordings throughout his career. While perhaps a bit cheesy, this is nonetheless a good record. |
| Angra Rebirth | 2.5 |
| Angra Temple of Shadows | 2.5 |
| Seal System | 3.0 |
| This album is nice, but feels rather uninspired in almost every sense. A decent continuation of Seal's career, but a step down from Seal IV and two steps down from Human Being. |
| Ne Obliviscaris Portal of I | 2.0 |
| Far too repetitive. Generic extreme metal with hints of prog. Nothing special to see here. By Sputnik standards, I consider this album overrated. |
| Dawnbringer Nucleus | 4.0 |
| Decent metal record, but nothing too exceptional. Needs more creativity. |
| Sade Stronger Than Pride | 4.5 |
| Very impressive record. Fine musicianship and great songs. For personal reasons, I prefer Love Deluxe, but this might be close second (along with Promise). |
| Dr. Dre The Chronic | 3.5 |
| Good record, but often too repetitive and saturated. Snoop's Doggystyle tops this imo. |
| Sade Promise | 4.5 |
| This album is quite underrated next to Diamond Life. In fact, it is superior to it both lyrically and musically. It has a deeper feel and Sade seems to show more energy here than on her debut. Highly recommended. |
| John Mayer Room for Squares | 4.0 |
| A fine recording by Mayer. It feels a tad repetitive at times, but overall a solid debut. |
| Pain of Salvation The Perfect Element, Part 1 | 2.0 |
| Pain of Salvation Remedy Lane | 2.5 |
| Guess this band isn't really my cup of tea. A lot of people praise them; I just see them as an overrated band. |
| Chuck Berry Chuck Berry Is on Top | 5.0 |
| Every song here is an absolute classic. Those interested in old-school rock n' roll can't miss this. This here is the definitive Chuck Berry, the perfect sampler of his music. Look no further. |
| Seal Seal IV | 3.5 |
| DragonForce Valley of the Damned | 1.5 |
| Ansur Warring Factions | 4.5 |
| I didn't expect to enjoy this record this much. But it's a great recording, and these guys outdid themselves a lot. |
| Bardo Pond Amanita | 4.0 |
| Overall, a very good record. A pity the songs are often inaccessible. |
| Beardfish The Void | 3.5 |
| Great work. I was a bit disappointed with the guitar soloing though, not what I was hoping for. All the same, I liked this enough to consider another possible album in the future. |
| Bloomfield, Kooper and Stills Super Session | 5.0 |
| Twas a crime to keep this album out of Sputnik. Bloomfield was, quite simply, one of the best guitarists of all time. This album should be heard by any guitar enthusiast, but, especially, by any blues lover. Jazz lovers might also find this appealing. |
| Sade Diamond Life | 4.0 |
| While it has good songs, I'm pretty sure that Sade did better things in her career (Love Deluxe certainly tops this). Nevertheless, a strong debut in my book. |
| Motorhead Rock 'N' Roll | 2.5 |
I was rather disappointed with this. It's a rather dull record, and Motorhead clearly were
stuck in a rut at this point. |
| Symphony X Twilight in Olympus | 4.5 |
| Budgie Never Turn Your Back on a Friend | 4.0 |
| Nightwish Once | 3.5 |
| My Chemical Romance The Black Parade | 1.0 |
| Santana Borboletta | 4.0 |
| Edguy Vain Glory Opera | 1.0 |
| Overkill The Years of Decay | 4.0 |
| Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies | 4.5 |
| Tesla Mechanical Resonance | 4.5 |
| Muse Absolution | 2.5 |
| ZZ Top Degüello | 4.0 |
| Alchemist Spiritech | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Bitches Brew | 5.0 |
| This album simply changed the face of jazz forever. Not only that, but it has also influenced artists of diverse genres ever since. You just can't go wrong with this gem. |
| Blue Oyster Cult Cultösaurus Erectus | 3.5 |
| Biohazard Urban Discipline | 3.5 |
| Corrosion of Conformity Deliverance | 4.5 |
| Amon Amarth Versus the World | 4.0 |
| Seal Human Being | 4.0 |
| Eurythmics Touch | 4.0 |
| blink-182 Take Off Your Pants And Jacket | 1.0 |
| blink-182 Enema Of The State | 1.5 |
| Simple Plan Still Not Getting Any... | 1.0 |
| Ozric Tentacles Strangeitude | 4.5 |
| Napalm Death Scum | 1.0 |
| Aerosmith Pump | 3.5 |
| Pantera Reinventing the Steel | 1.5 |
| Marilyn Manson Antichrist Superstar | 1.0 |
| AC/DC Highway To Hell | 4.0 |
| Chickenfoot Chickenfoot | 1.5 |
| Iced Earth Horror Show | 1.0 |
| Queensryche Queensryche EP | 4.0 |
| This EP definitely gives promise of the band's future. All 5 tracks (4+bonus) are fantastic, but "Nightrider takes the cake on here. Great riffs, fastastic soloing, and Tate's voice is in top shape. Don't miss this stellar debut.rPersonal rating: 4.2 |
| Steely Dan Pretzel Logic | 4.5 |
| Yngwie Malmsteen The Seventh Sign | 2.0 |
| Anthrax We've Come for You All | 2.5 |
| A very lackluster comeback attempt. Good thing Bush left after this. |
| Anthrax Volume 8: The Threat Is Real | 1.5 |
| Anthrax Stomp 442 | 2.5 |
| Ozric Tentacles Waterfall Cities | 4.5 |
| Genesis Invisible Touch | 4.0 |
| Genesis Genesis | 4.0 |
| Genesis Abacab | 4.0 |
| Pearl Jam Backspacer | 4.0 |
| Backspacer is a continuation of the return-to-roots phase that the band is currently going through. It's a very good album, but it's not without flaws; the main one being that the album feels a tad oversimplified in general. That being said, it's still a very consistent listen and it's good to see that they can still enjoy themselves after 2 decades of rock n' roll.rPersonal Rating: 4.2 |
| Pearl Jam Pearl Jam | 4.0 |
| The "Avocado Album" is easily my third favorite PJ record. Why? Because it's arguably their most inspired work since Ten and Vs.. It opens and closes wonderfully, and McCready shows off some of his best lead work. The band demonstrates not only that they've still got it, but that they can still make something that equels the best of their prime. Don't miss this if you're a fan.rPersonal Rating: 4.2 |
| Queensryche Hear in the Now Frontier | 4.0 |
| HitNF is the last album with Chris DeGarmo as an official member. A lot of people despise this album, and it isn't hard to see why. Here, they sound nothing like on their first four albums, and it seems that internal issues were coming to a head. The song "Hero" is my track pick for this, but the album is generally decent. Granted, it can be harder to get into than the others, but repeated listens can help you enjoy it more.rPersonal Rating: 4.0 |
| Machine Head Through the Ashes of Empires | 3.5 |
| Bolt Thrower War Master | 4.0 |
| Quiet Riot Metal Health | 3.0 |
| Scorpions Blackout | 4.5 |
| Nickelback Silver Side Up | 3.0 |
| Pearl Jam Riot Act | 4.0 |
| Like other records of the band's experimental era, Riot Act is a grower. At first it might not seem like much, but this album is in fact more inspired than Binaural. Give it a try, you won't regret it.rPersonal rating: 4.4 |
| DragonForce Inhuman Rampage | 1.5 |
| Pearl Jam Yield | 4.0 |
| Yield proves two things: 1) the band wasn't going to repeat itself, and 2) they were willing to persevere despite the fact that grunge was pretty much passe by this time. And they do a good job of it. If you're a fan, don't miss this one. |
| Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell | 4.0 |
| The Strokes Is This It | 1.5 |
| Sodom M-16 | 4.5 |
| Destruction Eternal Devastation | 2.0 |
| Justin Bieber My World 2.0 | 1.0 |
| U2 The Unforgettable Fire | 4.0 |
| Lady Gaga Born This Way | 1.0 |
| Lady Gaga The Fame | 1.0 |
| Lady Gaga The Fame Monster | 1.0 |
| Lamb of God Ashes of the Wake | 1.0 |
| Buckethead Population Override | 3.5 |
| Seal Seal | 4.5 |
| Watchtower Control and Resistance | 5.0 |
| Easily the essential Watchtower album. Great jazz influences, great guitar work, epic bass, epic guitar work, fantastic record. If you are interested in progressive metal, you have to hear this. |
| Slipknot All Hope Is Gone | 1.0 |
| Slipknot Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses | 1.0 |
| Pet Shop Boys Please | 4.5 |
| In Flames The Jester Race | 3.0 |
| Gamma Ray Land of the Free | 2.0 |
| Watchtower Energetic Disassembly | 4.0 |
| Van Halen Van Halen III | 1.5 |
| Phish A Picture of Nectar | 5.0 |
| Tony Macalpine Maximum Security | 1.0 |
| Just a self-indulgent shredfest, nothing more. MacAlpine's talented, but his overindulgent bombast ruins this album. |
| Bryan Adams Reckless | 4.0 |
| Metallica Reload | 1.0 |
| Metallica Load | 1.5 |
| This album really sucks, Ain't My Bitch is probably one of the worst intro songs ever. |
| Ramones Rocket to Russia | 2.0 |
| Nile In Their Darkened Shrines | 3.5 |
| Ozric Tentacles The Hidden Step | 4.5 |
| Ozric Tentacles Jurassic Shift | 4.5 |
| Eric B and Rakim Paid in Full | 4.5 |
| White Lion Pride | 4.0 |
| Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | 4.0 |
| Traffic Traffic | 5.0 |
| One of the best albums you'll ever hear. Period. |
| Foreigner 4 | 4.5 |
| Sodom Agent Orange | 4.5 |
| Heroes del Silencio Senderos de Traicion | 5.0 |
| Santana Welcome | 3.5 |
| Santana Caravanserai | 4.5 |
| Magnificent record; in my opinion, this is his last essential album. |
| Santana Santana III | 4.5 |
| Santana Abraxas | 5.0 |
| The best Santana album. Caravanserai is great as well, so I was a bit torn between the two. But I think this one represents Santana better. |
| Santana Santana | 4.5 |
| DMX It's Dark and Hell Is Hot | 4.5 |
| Metallica St. Anger | 1.0 |
| ZZ Top Eliminator | 4.0 |
| ZZ Top Tres Hombres | 4.5 |
| Kansas Leftoverture | 4.5 |
| Symphony X The Divine Wings of Tragedy | 4.5 |
| Symphony X Paradise Lost | 5.0 |
| Dokken Back for the Attack | 4.0 |
| Dokken Under Lock and Key | 4.5 |
| Dokken Breaking the Chains | 4.5 |
| Blue Oyster Cult Fire of Unknown Origin | 2.0 |
| Blue Oyster Cult Secret Treaties | 4.5 |
| Judas Priest Nostradamus | 1.5 |
| Megadeth The World Needs a Hero | 1.5 |
| Paul Gilbert Get Out of My Yard | 4.5 |
| Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds of Fire | 4.5 |
| Pearl Jam Vs. | 5.0 |
| Ten may be better, but this is still one hell of a runner-up. It opens and closes perfectly, and is the band at their grittiest and most unvarnished. Together with that fantastic debut, Vs. is the other essential PJ album and played a crucial role in reaffirming the band as titans of their time.rPersonal rating: 4.9 |
| Pearl Jam Binaural | 4.0 |
| Binaural definitely falls in the grower category. It takes several listens to truly appreciate this album, and it definitely hasplenty of texture to it. However, it's also somewhat subdued in terms of musicianship, so it's definitely not the best place to start with the band.rPersonal rating: 4.2 |
| Pearl Jam No Code | 4.0 |
| Vitalogy ended the band's classic era on a messy note (definitely not the band's most inspired moment). With No Code, the band reinvented themselves as experimentalists. Grunge was beginning to wane at this point, however, and many began to desert the band by this time. This is still one fine release though, and the overlooked "Red Mosquito" is among the band's best songs overall.rPersonal Rating: 4.2 |
| Pearl Jam Vitalogy | 3.0 |
| The main issues I have with Vitalogy are: 1) Poor production, and 2) Excessive filler. In particular, the closer "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me" is terrible, and makes one wonder what the band was thinking at that point. But don't get me wrong, some of the band's best songs are on here. Just skip all the filler and close it on "Immortality". That would've made a better closer anyway.rPersonal rating: 3.2 |
| Sade Love Deluxe | 5.0 |
| Album is just soooo goood!!! Every song on here's a gem, you can't go wrong with this. Call me a sap, but I don't care, this woman's a goddess. |
| Seal Seal II | 5.0 |
| This album kicks ass. Seal is at the peak of his powers in this sublime record. |
| Yngwie Malmsteen Rising Force | 5.0 |
| The album that introduced shred guitar to the world. While Yngwie might not be my fave guitarist, this is still an excellent record. Worth the listen. |
