Top Moments (Vol I)
Alphabetical order. If I even began to attempt to rank these I'd probably just off myself. Here are 60 of my favorite moments in music that have stuck with me well past the first listen. Comment with yours and be sure to check some of these out if you haven't experienced them yet. |
| 1 |  | Alice in Chains
Black Gives Way to Blue
Your Decision (2:19-2:59): Beautiful guitar solo leading into another verse with a gorgeous guitar line backing the lyrics. |
| 2 |  | Amia Venera Landscape
The Long Procession
Nicholas (0:00-0:21): After the quiet end to "Marasm", ear rapage. |
| 3 |  | Amplifier
The Octopus
Interstellar (1:20-1:48): Unexpected faster change of pace after a bizarre intro which leads into the first verse. |
| 4 |  | Amplifier
Amplifier
The Consultancy (0:47): That opening guitar riff comes in, holy shit I don't know how someone wouldn't love that on the first listen. |
| 5 |  | Anberlin
Cities
(*Fin) (3:28-4:35): Guitar solo and then the choir kicks in...I'll never forget that. |
| 6 |  | Birds of Tokyo
Universes
Train Wrecks (3:26-4:22): "I've seen you on the street, I still don't know your name. The shadows on the wall. The pictures with the moving eyes, the ones who see it all. The ones who keep their notes on you, I'll see you when we fall. When we meet our maker." Thank you so much for that Ian Kenny. |
| 7 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
Luca (3:55): The infamous scream that jolts you out of your chair. |
| 8 |  | Brand New
Deja Entendu
Jaws Theme Swimming (3:03-3:42): The grooviest Brand New has ever sounded. |
| 9 |  | Broken Bells
Broken Bells
The High Road (3:00-end): Beautiful repetitive chant of "It's too late to change your mind, you let laws be your guide". |
| 10 |  | The Butterfly Effect
Imago
Everybody Runs (2:04-3:03): What everybody came for, evvverrrryyyybbuuuudddyyy.... |
| 11 | | Chevelle
Wonder What's Next
Family System (0:23-0:53): Opening riff kicks in after a haunting intro kicking off Chevelle's true breakthrough into the music world. |
| 12 |  | Chevelle
This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)
Get Some (2:15-3:17): Favorite Chevelle moment, a full minute of head-banging ferocity. |
| 13 |  | Cog
The New Normal
Doors (1:32-4:50): An epic few minutes of repetitive chanting to open the song with a beautiful medley of guitars slowly building to the final climax. Literally goosebumps every time. |
| 14 |  | Coldplay
Mylo Xyloto
Princess of China (1:42-2:21): Rihanna delivering the most touching line I've ever heard from her joined soon after by Chris Martin. Fuck off, this warmed my heart when I first heard it, I don't care if it's lame. |
| 15 |  | Converge
Axe to Fall
Damages (-0:05-1:08): Final chaotic seconds of "Wishing Well" transition into the sexiest Converge opening I've heard from them. Just ferocious. |
| 16 |  | Converge
Jane Doe
Homewrecker (-0:02-0:11): Transition of "Hell to Pay" into "Homewrecker" makes me wanna beat the living shit out of someone. |
| 17 |  | Crossfade
We All Bleed
Make Me A Believer (2:02-2:17): This moment comes out of no where and shows that the band has some balls I didn't think they had. Best rock moment of 2011. |
| 18 |  | Cult of Luna
Somewhere Along the Highway
Back to Chapel Town (3:00-4:11): Took me a while to get into this band, but this moment stuck with me on the first listen. |
| 19 |  | Dark Tranquillity
Fiction
Misery's Crown (1:55-2:08): Death growl cuts off the clean vocals with a beautiful guitar solo backing it up. |
| 20 |  | Dead Letter Circus
This Is The Warning
The Design (3:22-4:05): Touching bridge to a very experimental and different sounding song for the band with the vocals reaching escalating heights. |
| 21 |  | Deftones
Around the Fur
Be Quiet and Drive (3:08-3:30): Band just breaks the fuck down and jams hard. Have done air guitar to this countless times. |
| 22 |  | Deftones
Diamond Eyes
Rocket Skates (2:43-3:08): As if the song wasn't already kicking enormous amounts of ass, this clinches the deal. |
| 23 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Option Paralysis
Room Full of Eyes (2:38-end): Greg's chilling verse switches pace between ear-shattering screaming to eerie mumbling. |
| 24 |  | Fair to Midland
Arrows and Anchors
Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow (3:34-3:45): Guitar solo, whole song is ridiculous really. |
| 25 |  | Filter
Title of Record
Take a Picture (4:22-end): Richard Patrick's famous line of "Hey Dad! What do you think about your son now?!" and then followed by a beautiful harmony of vocals to finish the song off in style. |
| 26 |  | Fleet Foxes
Helplessness Blues
The Plains/Bitter Dancer (2:07-4:06): Second segment of the song opens with wonderful harmonies mixed with some wind instruments, unforgettable. |
| 27 |  | Frank Ocean
channel Orange
Pyramids (1:11-1:28): This song is something special and while it's technically an R&B/Soul song that electronica part is simply too classy and sophisticated to be played at some grimy ass bar/club. I would get mad at a DJ for playing this there. |
| 28 |  | Gorillaz
Demon Days
Kids With Guns (2:58-end): Stellar finish to the song, the best Gorillaz moment. |
| 29 |  | Intronaut
Prehistoricisms
Prehistoricisms (0:00-0:59): Band starts the song up like they're starting up a motorcycle, you know shit is about to go down they don't make you wait long for the chorus. |
| 30 |  | Isis
In the Absence of Truth
Wrist of Kings (6:35-end): I have an obsession with ISIS openers, this one satisfies your hunger with a heavy ending after a very long buildup and the guitar/drums climax in the final seconds is incredibly powerful. |
| 31 |  | Isis
Panopticon
So Did We (6:16-end): Climax has brought me to tears more times than I care to admit. Yeah, a bit too overwhelming sometimes. |
| 32 | | Isis
Panopticon
Altered Course (2:03-3:20): You don't notice it easily at first, but when it really makes its presence known the higher-tuned guitar in the background is stunning and perfectly segways into the heavier section of the song, another tear-jerker. No lyrics needed. |
| 33 |  | Isis
Wavering Radiant
Hall of the Dead (5:23-end): This climax perfectly encapsulates the feeling of victory, it's what would probably be in my head if I won the Stanley Cup or something. |
| 34 | | Isis
Wavering Radiant
20 Minutes/40 Years (5:36-end): Beautiful finish to the song that should have ended the album. This makes me think of that bittersweet moment of saying goodbye to someone you know for a very long time. So long, you're not sure you'll ever see them again. |
| 35 |  | Karnivool
Sound Awake
Change (Part 2) (-0:26-1:15): The unforgettable return of the ending of Change (Part 1), except this time you actually get to hear what's on the other side of the chaotic hustle and bustle that ends the first part. Nothing will prepare you. |
| 36 |  | Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns
Blackout (2:12-2:48): Say what you will about the album, but it had this one highlight for me that showed how amazing the electronic side of the band could actually be. |
| 37 |  | Mastodon
The Hunter
Spectrelight (1:13-1:45): Mastodon ceases to be just a band and actually becomes a roaring mastodon. |
| 38 |  | Metric
Live It Out
Empty (2:00-3:18): Metric's best moment is on their worst album. |
| 39 |  | Metric
Synthetica
Clone (2:35-2:59): It's amazing this band has so many good songs I'm surprised something on their newest album would top all of them. The bridge section of this song is both luring and beautiful. |
| 40 |  | Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Heard It All Before (3:38-5:02): The most aggressive I think the band has ever sounded, topped off with a 17 second bone-chilling scream. Whew baby! |
| 41 |  | Neurosis
Through Silver In Blood
Purify (5:30-5:50): Neurosis pays you in dividends. |
| 42 | | Neurosis
Through Silver In Blood
Locust Star (4:30-end): As if the song couldn't grow any more hair on your chest, now you'll have a fucking forest down there when this part kicks in. |
| 43 |  | Neurosis
The Eye of Every Storm
No River To Take Me Home (6:36-end): The beautiful finish comes out of no where and is truly one of the most touching moments in the band's catalog. |
| 44 |  | Oceansize
Effloresce
Massive Bereavement (5:19-5:59): Wonderful harder jam session after a very long and eerie buildup. |
| 45 |  | Oceansize
Frames
Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt (start - 3:32): Shows how masterful the band is at progressing a song at a nice pace even without the use of lyrics. |
| 46 | | Oceansize
Frames
Trail of Fire (5:50-7:12): This band is so good when they hit the heavier parts, beautiful song all around topped off by this little segment. |
| 47 |  | Oceansize
Everyone Into Position
The Charm Offensive (6:14-6:53): Great riff and outro and shows off how comfortable the vocalist is at screaming. |
| 48 |  | Opeth
Blackwater Park
The Leper Affinity (3:14-3:35): Cool little guitar riff and the band shows how in-sync they are by neatly pausing the music for effect and then picking up right after as if nothing happened. I don't know that part always impressed me. |
| 49 |  | Porcupine Tree
Deadwing
Arrive Somewhere But Not Here (6:55-8:07): The heavy climax of the song of course. People are going to argue there should be more Porcupine Tree songs on this, I agree I just couldn't recall any specific moments I loved from each song, rather I like the songs as a whole. |
| 50 |  | Riverside
Second Life Syndrome
Volte-Face (7:51-end): A triumphant blast of guitars and vocals to close the song off. "I'm not afraid, NOT AFRAID!!!" |
| 51 | | Riverside
Second Life Syndrome
Second Life Sydrome (5:16-5:56): I like how it's three wonderful songs in one it truly makes for a refreshing listening experience and there are many parts to this song I could've put here but this one is my favorite and the transition into the second act of the song is legendary. |
| 52 |  | The Roots
undun
I Remember (1:54-end): The last verse of the song Black Thought gives us everything he's got and caps the song off with such passion and presence. I also love the woman who sings the chorus. |
| 53 |  | Russian Circles
Empros
Atackla (1:47-2:41): Drums kick in...and then guitars...this was a welcome surprise I never liked this band and this album is full of moments like this. |
| 54 |  | Sam Roberts
Chemical City
Mind Flood (4:31-5:33): Sam Roberts hardly ventures outside of his comfort zone anymore and has taken to playing it safe. Songs like this remind me of when his music would reach amazing heights. |
| 55 |  | Silversun Pickups
Neck of the Woods
Mean Spirits (4:22-end): This may well just be the best Silversuns songs in their entire discography. It's the heaviest song on the newest album and after a brief cool down, they breakdown into a sweet jam to close the song off. Essentially it's like sex for your ears. |
| 56 |  | Steven Wilson
Insurgentes
Veneno Para Las Hadas (0:00-3:20): Basically the entire opening and first verse. Absolutely gut-wrenching and emotional. Reminds me Steven Wilson still has it in him, although not lately. |
| 57 |  | Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
I Want You (0:32-0:45): My favorite song from these guys, very haunting and dreamy, and I love when the first chorus kicks in. Every time I hear it I unknowingly start singing it without realizing. |
| 58 |  | Thursday
Common Existence
Last Call (0:13-0:39): When the opening riff kicks in. My favorite song from them. |
| 59 |  | Tool
10,000 Days
Jambi (4:09-5:15): The talkbox. Yeah. |
| 60 |  | Yanni
Live at the Acropolis
One Man's Dream (0:00-0:36): That piano intro...another moment that has brought me to tears before. Beautiful. |
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