Average Rating: 3.37 Rating Variance: 0.95 Objectivity Score: 86% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicAgalloch Pale FolklorePerfection. Absolute perfection. Agalloch effortlessly combines folk, doom, death, black and post-metal into a powerhouse of a record. My reason for this being my favorite Agalloch album is because it has less filler than the others; it's without boring/repetitive tracks like "Odal" or "The Lodge". Every piano note, every variation of the acoustic guitar, every second is worth your time if you are a fan of Black/Folk metal. I truly consider this record timeless; and I don't think that Agalloch can top this immense perfection.Between the Buried and Me ColorsThis is, with a doubt,the most sophisticated and tasteful album (and yes I love the superfluous genre breaks) that I have ever listened to. Few may argue that "BTBAM forgot how to write songs". They didn't forget, they just decided to go beyond the realms of music and create a masterpiece that combines elements from many different genres and put them together. This album is fantastic and has influenced me as a guitar player more than anything else in the world. I have began to question the tastefulness of the genre breaks recently, as these genre breaks are a bit more organized on the follow up, "The Great Misdirect". I generally think that the album can flow incredibly, but sometimes it flows in a sloppy manner. Point is, this is a step in the right musical direction for a truly awesome band. To me, this is a 5.Cynic FocusNot only of the most influential albums in metal history, but one of the most epic journey's through music that I have ever experienced. Absolutely incredible. In every way. Robot vocals? Hell fucking yeah. Incredible jazzy instrumental called Textures? Hell fucking yeah. Revolutionary in the genre of death-tech/death fusion? Hell fucking yeah. Entertaining throughout? Hell fucking yeah. Epic ending solos like the one in the track "How Could I"? Hell fucking yeah. Years ahead of it's time? Hell fucking yeah. A true classic? HELL FUCKING YEAH.Dark Tranquillity The GalleryAlthough I haven't heard a giant load of melo-death, this album has made me a fan. I can safely say that I've listened too enough to realize that this album is one of the best. So far, this is my favorite melodic death metal album of all time; the guitar riffs the malicious vocals and the way it all comes together is just breathtaking. The sophistication and prominent use of acoustic sections in many tracks add to the albums divine status. Absolutely incredible album, essential melo-death.Dream Theater Images And WordsMany would say that Scenes from a Memory is Dream Theater's best album. While it's one of the best Concept albums ever made, it cannot outshine the great Images and Words, my favorite Dream Theater album. Not one song on the album sounds too much like another. Sorry guys, but Scenes from a Memory doesn't have Under a Glass Moon. Many critics consider this a genre defining album for Progressive Metal, and I consider it the best one. Dream Theater Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a MemoryProbably my favorite concept album of all time. No it's not overrated, no it's not 78 minutes of Dream Theater 'masturbating with their instruments'. Don't listen to the elitists. This album is divine.Genesis Selling England by the PoundGenesis is one of the leading bands of 70's prog, and this record is a reason why. Selling England by the Pound is considered to be on the best Progressive records ever spawned, and it is, just as divinely perfect as everyone claims. The best part is the fact that the record is highly consistent; there are so many good ideas meshed into each track. The synths are handled tastefully, and the piano riffs are brilliant. The only negative aspect about the album was the some of track "The Battle of Epping Forest". I found this track to be a jumbled mess, the lyrics flowed terribly and the song was disjointed, in a bad way. On a good note, it had some truly epic and controlled parts as well, so it wasn't all bad. A large positive to the album was the the second of two epics. The second epic, "The Cinema Show" was a flawless, mellow masterpiece that is among the best epics I've ever heard. This album is fantastic, and remains one of my top Progressive albums ever. Genesis is truly awesome.Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to HeavenThe epitome of epic buildups, the opus of post-rock, Godspeed has proven to me to be the most unpredictable, jaw-dropping post-rock band ever. The climax's of each track are relentless, the sounds and ideas that are combined are flawless and the way it all comes together is unimaginable. This is the most artistic, flawless and astounding post-music album that I have ever heard, and I don't think that any record in the genre could top this masterpiece. John Coltrane A Love SupremeSo entertaining, so full of life. Any fan of music should be able to appreciate A Love Supreme. The master of jazz handles the tracks without any impediment whatsoever. Scintillating to every degree of the word.King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson KingThis 1969 record is considered to be the 'father' of Progressive/Symphonic Rock. Every track is unrelenting, every lyric is unforgettable. "An uncanny masterpiece"- The Who's Pete Townshend on this album. It speaks for itself. This is, the most flawless album ever. There is not one error, not one weak point, not one bad idea. Brilliant. Amazing. Epic.King Crimson RedRed is a journey, a voyage if you will. Like many have said before, their is no band quite as strange as King Crimson. This is the album that marks a heavy progression for Crimson- it was pretty much just as jazzy and spacey as their previous works, but added was a heavy metal emotion, present on songs like Red and One More Red Nightmare. While I actually personally prefer Larks Tongues in Aspic and Lizard over this album, it is apparent that this is really Crimson's 'best' work besides their acclaimed debut, simply because of the cross-over with metal and the accessibility. Mastodon Blood MountainWhen I was 13, and I all I knew was Trivium, I thought this "sucked". Since then I have realized that Mastodon are reinventing Modern Prog and making it marketable as it once was briefly in the 70's. This album is fantastic in every fucking way, it's really inventive and different than everything else that you will hear.Metallica Master Of PuppetsIn 1986, Metallica released one the greatest albums ever made. This one is a must-own for any metal head or any fan of music in general, it's simply flawless. I find myself always citing this album as my biggest musical inspiration, and it is. Welcome Home Sanitarium, Orion, Master of Puppets and Battery would all be among my favorite songs of all time. The infinite awesomeness of this record is timeless and the impact that it's had on society is astronomical. Master of Puppets is the essential album of the 1980's and an important record for any fan of music. Metallica ...And Justice For AllA lot of people may hate me for saying this, especially the elitists of sputnik, but this is my favorite album of all time. I know, many consider Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets to be the best of The Four Horsemen, but this is my favorite for many reasons. It's the heaviest, most engaging, most stylistically complex effort of Metallica. Sure, Master of Puppets is their most important and influential, but And Justice for All was the last great effort of Metallica and I will always appreciate this work. It's basically tied with Master Of Puppets for my favorite album of all time, but this usually wins by a hair, because "One" is my favorite song of all time.Miles Davis Bitches BrewBitches Brew. Some call "Kind of Blue" the best of this jazz genius, but this one contains the best arrangements in the history of jazz. While in the overall scheme of things I prefer both Coltrane and Monk to Davis, this remains my favorite jazz record ever. It's just so flawless, all epic 10 minute plus tracks full of the weirdest shit you will ever hear. It attacked my mind for 90 minutes. Usually, for me, Miles Davis has this and Kind of Blue, and I'm not a giant fan of the others, (as I said, overall I prefer Monk and Coltrane) but this one is a different story. It's diverse, colorful, it varies all the time. It's just phenomenal. Minus the Bear Planet of IceThis album means so much to me. When I first arrived at sputnikmusic, I was a metalhead, eager to learn more about music and eager to experience different genres. While still a metalhead, I began to explore other genres; such as Jazz, soft rock, post-rock and finally indie. After listening to about 4 or 5 indie albums, I wasn't sure the genre was for me, but Minus the Bear changed my opinion. The use of odd sounds, synths and vibrations create a quirky and beautiful atmosphere for the verses and choruses to easily fall into a perfect place. The guitar work is pretty intricate, especially for indie, and is handled tastefully, effortlessly and flawlessly. Every riff is engaging and every giant amalgamation of synth and guitar never becomes tiresome or "too much". There is not a weak track to be found. The album is simply marvelous in every way and has opened up a new musical horizon for me to venture into. It was the first album in this genre that I truly loved, and I will always appreciate it's beauty. This is probably my favorite'indie' album of all time, though Minus the Bear is more math/alternative rock than indie. But whatever, Planet of Ice owns life. Opeth MorningriseDear Opeth, praised be thy name, thank you for giving us the gift of Morningrise. Although many view Morningrise as one of Opeth's weaker albums (though, in all honesty, Opeth has no weak albums), it is actually their most complex album. That's not to say that complexity=greatness every time, but this album raw energy channeled through it's complexity in a tasteful way. Each song has a few brilliant acoustic passages within and all songs have a dark feel to them. This is such an underrated album, and deserves the credit of being the most sophisticated release from the gods known as Opeth.Opeth Blackwater ParkThou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. Thou shall love and bow down to the almighty Opeth. So far, Blackwater Park is the best metal album of 21st century. Pink Floyd AnimalsI wrote a really long sound-off on why this is only a 3. It's only gone up since them. It now stand at a 5. It's nearly flawless when I go back and listen to it. The theme of the "Animals" are handled masterfully and intrigue me. While I deem this a classic, it is not 'perfect'. It has a few moments where certain combos don't work and do not mesh correctly. But this record also has Pink Floyd's finest moments. In terms of listening, this is my true 'favorite' simply because the album is all epics- and since I'm a prog wannabe, I love it for that. However, the 'best' Floyd album is "Wish you Were Here". That's the one where everything works, but on Animals, Pink Floyd's finest moments shine. Pink Floyd is swiftly becoming my favorite 70's Progressive band, though I don't think they'll ever surpass King Crimson. Pink Floyd Wish You Were HerePink Floyd is undoubtedly considered the best Progressive Rock band in history, and they are the most commercially successful one. While I may be the first to argue that Floyd definitely isn't the best of their genre, I can safely say that "Wish You Were Here" is one of the best records that 70's prog has to offer. To me, Pink Floyd has always had an issue with consistency. "Animals" featured some of the best moments in Progressive history, while at the same time, other sections of the album were horrific and underdeveloped. Similarly, the acclaimed "Dark Side of the Moon" had a similar issue; some tracks were phenomenal while some were just synth-heavy filler. "Wish you Were Here" is void of these issues, as the synth/keyboard use is more tasteful than ever, in fact, the keyboards used by Pink Floyd on this record are the best I've ever heard in Progressive Rock. They are handled flawlessly and actually flow with music, and are used as segues into other moods in a track, such as the effortless transitions in "Welcome to the Machine". While I'm the first to say that Pink Floyd is a tad overrated (seriously, there is better), this album is a must. Not only their most consistent album, but their best album.Protest the Hero FortressUltimately, this album is a 4.5. However, this album influenced me as a guitar player more than anything else. After hearing Protest the Hero, I immediately began to learn how to sweep pick, and in the end it made me a much better musician and guitar player. The shear complexity of every track is unreal. Sigur Ros Takk...Sigur Ros is, was, and always will be the weirdest fucking band ever. However, their arrangements are not only astounding... but possibly the best in their class. The use of bells and strange icelandic vocals is highly original and simply used phenomenal throughout every track. The music itself is simply hypnotizing, intoxicating, and beautiful. I simply love everything about Sigur Ros, and this is my favorite effort from them... even over the almost equally phenomenal "( )". Sigur Ros is so fucking fantastic, possibly the most entertaining post-rock group, but the most inaccessible, which can be a problem, but not for me. Flawless.SikTh Death of a Dead DayComplex, layered, intricate, strange, quirky, bizarre, odd, offensive, rude, outrageous, brilliant, intelligent, disjointed, structureless, risky, weird, diverse, scary, frightening, abrasive, aggressive, monumental, unique, extraordinary, intense, chilling, beautiful, brutal, dark, creepy, fantastic... If you happen to look up any of these words in Webster's dictionary, don't be surprised to find a picture of the album cover of Sikth's "Death of a Dead Day" next to the word itself. Best mathcore album I've ever heard. Best tech metal next to Botch and Dillinger.Sufjan Stevens IllinoisFollowing the release of "Illinois", Sufjan Stevens was immediately credited as being the man who released the best indie album of the decade so far. The title is fitting. "Illinois" is the most diverse, exciting, relevant, intriguing indie album that I have ever heard. Even though some of the song titles are pretentious, it's made up for, as the record is simply brilliant. "Illinois" is one of the records where I can say that 'filler' tracks actually fit with the album and are not superfluous. Even the 7 second "One last Who-oo for the Pullman" serves it's relaxing purpose. I'm also pretty content that I'm not the only one who acclaims this so highly; dozens of magazines and reviewers have named this one of the best of the decade for indie, and again, that title is fitting, because this is the best record that 21st century indie has to offer. Intelligent. Heartfelt. Entertaining. Endless. Extraordinary. The best indie record of the decade. Period.Symphony X The Divine Wings of TragedyThe Divine Wings of Tragedy is by far the best Power Metal album I have ever heard. If you like bands like Evergrey or Sonata Arctica, and you haven't heard this album, this album will make those bands look as talentless as Suicide Silence. Well, maybe not that talentless, but pretty close.The National BoxerUpon hearing this album initially, I gave it a 2. Then it went to a 3. Then a 3.5. Than a 4. Than a 4.5. Now it's borderline between a classic and a superb rating. This one is a grower, as it took me time to realize just how well written and consistent the music is. The arrangements, and the way certain instruments are combined and overlapped never fails within any track and the subdued vocals are perfect for a rainy day. While my favorite track from these guys is "The Geese of Beverly Road", "Boxer" is a perfect mellow indie album that is far superior to similar bands like Interpol. The National has finally grown on me, after weeks of rigorous listening. It's really the arrangements that get me, no arrangements sound alike and every track is relevant. I love the emotion that is so hidden behind the beautiful arrangements, and because of the above reasons, I deem this a classic and it remains one of my favorites in the genre. Can't wait to see what these guys do next.Yes Close to the EdgeOnly three tracks, really? For the album's full 40 minutes, I was never bored once. Possibly my favorite Classic Progressive Rock album of all time, alongside King Crimson's debut and the 1973 album Selling England by the Pound from Genesis.4.5 superbAgalloch The MantleAgalloch Ashes Against the GrainAlice in Chains DirtAstounding Hard rock/Metal album, one of my favorite albums of the 1990's and it's my favorite album from my favorite grunge band. The album is that damn impressive. The vocal harmonies are bone-chillingAlice in Chains Alice in ChainsThe heaviest album in Alice in Chain's discography is undoubtedly their best musically, maybe it didn't have the diversity that Dirt did, but it's still incredible. If you are a fan of 90's rock, this is an album you have to pick up.Andy McKee Art of MotionAnthrax Spreading The DiseaseAnother underrated album in the catalog of the great Anthrax. Anthrax has about 4 awesome albums and the rest suck, I know.Anthrax Among The LivingAnthrax is, has been, and always will be underrated compared to the other bands in the 'big four'. While not musically superior to bands like Megadeth and Metallica (although in my opinion, Anthrax is better than megadeth), Anthrax was fast, heavy and absolutely the second best band of the big four. Anthrax demonstrates the true art of speed metal throughout every song, and this is the ultimate thrash album. Too bad these guys don't get more recognition, the quality of each song is outstanding. Anthrax Armed And DangerousAntoine Dufour DevelopmentAntoine Dufour ExistenceArcturus The Sham MirrorsI have never been a huge fan of Black metal, but this album has changed my opinion entirely. Arcturus is an avant-garde black metal band that, on The Sham Mirrors, uses odd sounds, brilliant piano riffs and passages, and other things of that nature that really captured my attention throughout every track. This is certainly one of the strangest and most gripping albums I have ever heard in my life and besides a good amount of awkward vocal moments, it is perfect. There are barely any bland spots on this album. Any fan of Progressive metal or Black Metal should take a listen to the Sham Mirrors.Arsis A Celebration of GuiltFor the most part, Technical Death metal is a genre of incredibly impressive instrumental work. The only problem is, sometimes extreme technical metal bands take that ideal too far and focus on brutality and raw energy over the more important collection of unique riffs and originality. Arsis is not one of these bands, as they blend crushing ascending scales, machine gun drumming, chilling vocals, and display their talent in a variety of ways. Arsis has both the quantity of magnificent riffs and song quality too. This is one of the best death metal albums that I have ever listened to, the hard part for Arsis is how they could surpass this excellent attempt. The only slight problem I found with this album is that the songs sounded too alike, which is a cliche in some aspects of the genre, but that didn't take too much away from the shear brilliance of this record. Another slight flaw was that it began to get a tad boring and redundant at the end, but again, this is still a monster of a record.August Burns Red ConstellationsPeople are going to despise me for saying this, but Constellations is not only one of the best metal album of 2009, it's one of the best metalcore records I've ever heard. It wasn't even an honor, but it was a privilege for this piece of audible chocolate (credit to South Park) to slither through my ears. Yes, I know musically it's probably no greater than a 4, but the raw energy radiating from every track is truly magnificent. Also, it's one of the best records in the genre, and as I have an unhealthy lust for metalcore, this record was an instant fave. This, ladies and gentlemen, is my guilty pleasure.Between the Buried and Me The Silent CircusBetween the Buried and Me AlaskaBetween the Buried and Me The Great MisdirectWhile it did not capture the raw emotion of Colors or the 'in-your-face' attitude of The Silent Circus, The Great Misdirect is a step forward for Between the Buried and Me, as it takes the Colors formula and adds even more musical diversity while taking away the slight flaws that Colors may have had. I personally cannot decide whether or not this is better than the great Colors, but both are amazing and this is yet another step forward for a brilliant band. No joke, probably my favorite progressive metal record of the decade besides Blackwater Park. Black Sabbath ParanoidWAR PIGS WAR PIGS WAR PIGS WAR PIGS WAR PIGS WAR PIGS WAR PIGS "Generals gather in their masses, just like witches at black masses." Come on man, it's Paranoid! This is the album that shaped metal as we know it. Black Sabbath Black SabbathSabbath's first album is also one of their best, easily in the Sabbath Top 3. This is possibly the album that began the genre we all know as metal. It's unreal, this metaltastic masterpiece was released in 1970... light years ahead of it's time. The blues-rock feel on the record is timeless. While this is musically inferior to "Heaven and Hell", "Paranoid" and "Master of Reality" it is definitely one of my choice cuts from their impressive discography.Camel MirageI heard about Camel through this site, and thought they were some unknown band from the 70's who help pioneer the Progressive/Space Rock scene. Later I learned that they actually had some commercial success, but upon hearing Mirage, they should have garnered far more respect and popularity that they were given. Camel's Mirage is between a 4 and 4.5 for me, as it is excellent nonetheless. It's a 4 because of too much filler at some points, but can be brought up to a 4.5 because of the spacey and different synth patterns they use in each track. Camel is truly fantastic, and this was my first exposure to them. They were so ahead of their time in terms of the guitar and synth progressions they used, and this makes them one of the most intriguing bands that I have ever listened to. It floats between a 4 and a 4.5, from day to day, sometimes it can't be a 4.5 because of slight inconsistency, sometimes it' a 4.5 because of the synth work. It's so hard to decide, but nevertheless, it is a monumental achievement for a band that is sometimes looked over too quickly.Camel The Snow GooseSo here it is, Camel's acclaimed "The Snow Goose". After hitting decent success with the undoubtedly fantastic sophomore effort "Mirage", Camel decided to take things in a more experimental direction. Even though Mirage was just as spacey and artistic as the next Progressive album, The Snow Goose takes what Mirage did to a new level- in many ways. First off, the album is entirely instrumental, and flows as one big instrumental frenzy. Within the album are perfect keyboard passages, that never seem to bore, the use of even more symphonic instruments then ever before, like the heavy emphasis on horns, strings and even wind instruments, which are used colorfully throughout every song. Every track flows effortlessly into the next, and just when a song may start to drag a bit, The Snow Goose immediately throws you into another setting. The album has so many different moods on each track, varying from sad and depressing to upbeat and happy, but never becomes "too much" and never gets out of hand like some other Progressive music. The shifts between soft and heavy are flawless and make the album entertaining from start to finish. Each track utilizes a different number of instruments and they are never used out of context. This album is my favorite instrumental record ever, it is just so diverse and colorful in every way. It also doesn't contain a whole lot of filler, which is a common trait of 70's progressive music. "The Snow Goose" is a truly phenomenal work of art in every possible way and remains, to this day, Camel's most influential contribution to the genre of Progressive Rock. Cynic Traced in AirIt may not be the groundbreaking, genre-defining album that Focus was, but Traced in Air is fantastic nonetheless. The unique solos from Focus were kept throughout this album, and so were the spacey, robot vocals. The one element that was missing from this record was the heaviness that was present on Focus. To be honest, it feels like less of a Progressive Metal record and more of an avant-garde rock album, but hell, it's still magnificent. Cynic is truly back. Dark Tranquillity CharacterFull of sorrow and emotion, when I first heard this album I was stunned at it's dark and heart-touching sound. A death metal band using spacey, depressing keyboard riffs? Absolutely, and never has it worked so well. While no incredible instrumental work is present, the simple yet beautiful keyboard riffs are among the most passionate I have ever heard. Don't forget the skull pounding vocals. Dark Tranquility goes beyond death metal and makes a heartfelt, magnificent and evil record that showed me another side of death metal. While musically this album is only a 3.5, a 4 must be given for it's pure emotion and originality. Definitely worth a listen. Death The Sound of PerseveranceLove it, I love it so much. This album grows on me every damn day. It's outstanding. Could eventually become a 5.Death SymbolicDream Theater A Change of SeasonsDream Theater AwakeProbably the most diverse DT album, not in terms musically, but more of the fact that the album goes back between light and heavy songs. Every song is great, every song is entertaining. even the broodingly simple "Silent Man" is exceptional. get it now!Dream Theater Black Clouds and Silver LiningsMost Dream Theater fans would say that the golden age of Dream Theater was from 1992-1996 and then after the atrocious Falling into infinity, 1999-2000. Since then the decent Six Degrees, the excellent Train of Thought, the average Octavarium and the not-so-great Systematic Chaos were released. Even though there are a couple great ones in there, most would say Dream Theater has been declining since Scenes from a memory. Not anymore.dredg El CieloEl Cielo is a an artistic piece of beauty, and while the album and it's ideas are fantastic, there are a couple of flaws that need to be addressed. The album is very original and accessible, however it does get a tad tedious while listening to the whole thing. Some of the acoustic work is excellent, and some just misses the mark. The vocals are very inviting yet they lack in variety, a trait which I am not a huge fan of. However, these are truly the only even slight flaws that I found with masterpiece. This is one hell of an album and it's uniqueness makes it one of the most addicting albums that I have ever encountered. A riff can lead you into one direction, or throw into another, and it's entertainment cannot be rivaled by any other album in the genre.Edge of Sanity CrimsonA GIANT. This album sounds like Opeth on crack for about 40 minutes. Not a weak spot to be found. Elton John Madman Across the WaterEmerson, Lake and Palmer Brain Salad SurgeryELP was a successful Progressive band from the 70's, but they aren't as appreciated as they should be. The best part about Brain Salad Surgery is that it never drags. I love Pink Floyd and Camel, but sometimes 70's Prog bands like that tend to have certain parts drag on for no reason. When I listen to ELP, the time changes, the chord changes, the 'everything' changes constantly. Emerson is one of the most intelligent and skilled pianist of the 70's prog scene, and Palmer is a fantastic drummer. The writing capabilities of this band are utterly phenomenal, the arrangements are genius, the ideas work, the disjointed song structures are entertaining and sophisticated. The piano work is out of this world, and every track is interesting and diverse, from Benny the Bouncer's western feel to the classical interpretation track Toccata. The album integrates genres tastefully without mashing ideas that don't work, and the album is a must listen for any piano fan or any fan of Progressive music at all, the arrangements are unreal. I know that lately I've been rating a lot of these Classic Prog albums 4.5's and 5's, but I'm a sucker for good old fashioned prog, and I have not heard many Classic prog bands that I don't like. This record is not given enough credit, and I truly believe it's one of the better 70's prog records. This album is unbelievable in every way, and is now one of my favorite Progressive records ever. Yeah it's pretentious, maybe they don't write "songs" like Neil Young does, but these arrangements sound like they are made by aliens.Green Day DookieDookie is a rollercoaster, although punk is a repetitive and commercial genre, nobody does it quite like Green Day. Green Day's old work is among the best punk I have ever heard in my life. Drop 21st Century Breakdown and get Dookie. The cover art takes this album from a 4 to a 4.5.In Flames WhoracleIron Maiden PowerslaveThis is the last incredible Maiden album, and in my opinion the best. From the crushing riffs in The Duellists to the opening metaltastic riff of Flash of the Blade, this album has some of Maiden's best moments. Iron Maiden Piece Of MindPiece of Mind is my second favorite album by Iron Maiden. It's got The Trooper and Revelations, two of my favorite Maiden tracks. Maiden is one of those bands who just couldn't write a bad riff in their first few albums. This is no exception. Up the Irons.John Coltrane Blue TrainKashiwa Daisuke Program Music IThis album was nearly impossible to find, simply because it is not well known or popular whatsoever. Consisting of only two tracks, "Program Music I" is not like anything I have ever heard, and manages to tastefully/brilliantly combine electronic elements into new age classical music. This band is phenomenal, and so is this album. King Crimson Larks' Tongues in AspicI'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is one of my favorite King Crimson albums. No more needs to be said, the album left me speechless. Though what seriously needs to be said is this: King Crimson are the gods of music, whether you like their sound or not. My favorite band next to Metallica. Led Zeppelin UntitledLed Zeppelin's 'IV' is one of those albums that must be owned by EVERY, yes EVERY classic rock fan. Actually, screw that, everybody should own this album. Put down the new Lil Wayne album and pick this up. You can't go wrong with some good, old fashioned Zeppelin. Maps and Atlases Tree, Swallows, HousesMastodon LeviathanMastodon blends the 'horse metal' sound from their first album but ultimately adds some diversity, and the result is a monster of a record.maudlin of the Well BathI've never heard a band play music like this in my entire life. If you haven't heard this album already, pick it up now.Megadeth Rust In PeaceMeshuggah Destroy Erase ImproveMeshuggah is one of those bands that is hard to listen to, because of the abundant odd time meters and repetition. While I am one who is not a fan of superfluous repetition, Meshuggah seems to make it work on this incredible album filled with some of the weirdest rhythms, strangest jazz influences, and oddest lyrics. A brilliant album that is a 4 musically, a 5 because of it's uniqueness, but at times it is hard to listen to/grasp a song because of it's odd timing, so a 4.5 is what "Destroy Erase Improve" deserves. Metallica Kill 'Em AllOne of the best thrash albums in the history of metal is released by metal's greatest band in 1983.Metallica Ride The LightningRide the Lightning is one of those albums that I could listen to from start to end one hundred times in a row. I can't take how people on this site like Megadeth more... in fact, Dave Mustaine wrote the title track on this album, and it's his best work besides Hangar 18 and Black Friday, and he's not even in Metallica any more!!! But seriously, extraordinary album. Don't mean to bash Mustaine either, he's absolutely brilliant. I'm a Metallica fan boy for life. This really deserves a 4.5, but the highest you can give a 4.5, because of the repetitiveness of Call of Ktulu and the mediocrity of Escape. But sorry, again, I am a Metallica fan boy.Metallica Live Shit: Binge & PurgeMiles Davis Kind of BlueMinus the Bear Into the MirrorMisery Signals ControllerOpeth OrchidThis is by far Opeth's most underrated album, especially on this site. Some of Pethy's best material can be found within these few tracks. Opeth My Arms, Your HearsePeople usually say that My Arms and Your Hearse and Still Life are very similar. 99% of those people say that Still Life is far superior. I am not one of those people.Pelican The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon...One of my favorite post-metal bands is Pelican, so it would be fitting that this is one of my favorite post-metal albums.Rush Moving PicturesThe legendary Rush at their best, this album happens to be one of my favorite classic rock albums. Any fan of YES or Zeppelin would enjoy this.Rush HemispheresI can't decide with album is better, Moving Pictures or Hemispheres. Point is, they are both incredible and Hemispheres is an extraordinary record.Sigur Ros ( )Lovely album. Many prefer it over Takk, and though I do not, I still love it.Symphony X V: The New Mythology SuiteThis album, while it has 1 or 2 weak tracks on it, it is still one of my favorite concept albums. Essential for any power-prog fan.System of a Down System of a DownSystem of a Down by System of a Down is the magnum opus of experimental hard rock/political rock. get the album right nowSystem of a Down ToxicityThere is no album in the world like Toxicity, and there is no band like System of a Down.The Decemberists The Crane WifeWith The Crane Wife, The Decemberists expand their art rock sound and dip into the surface of Progressive Rock, and it works exceptionally well, as this, without out a doubt, is their magnum opus. The album flows effortlessly, and each track is memorable. They also show that they can handle epics well, clearly espoused by the album's key track "The Island" and by the other epic "The Crane Wife 1 and 2". This is easily one of my favorite indie records ever, to not appreciate it's beauty is pure musical blasphemy. The National AlligatorThe Red Chord Fed Through the Teeth MachineOf all the metal records this year, this one stands near the top. Unrivaled brutality mixed with a vast multitude of colorful and original riffs, accompanied by machine gun grind drumming. This album is the epitome of the entertainment and has an extremely high replay value. This is a must get for any death metal/grind/deathcore fan. The best that The Red Chord has put out yet, a step forward in originality. Fantastic.The Who QuadropheniaThe Who's 1973 album is beyond a masterpiece. It even closes with the best song that the Who has ever written, Love Reign O'er Me. Hey, do you like Neil Peart? Well although it is obvious that Neil is a drumming machine, Keith Moon was doing what he did 10 years earlier.Yes RelayerYes FragileIf you like classic rock, progressive rock, or hell, even music at all, listen to Roundabout by YES. If you do not feel the need to get the full album immediately following the conclusion to the song, you are insane.Yes YessongsYndi Halda Enjoy Eternal BlissAn epic, drawn out, diverse piece of post-rock. One of the best bands in the genre, definitely over those overrated post-rock guys like Mogwai and or This Will Destroy You. The album is never boring and simply genius, very similar to Godspeed You! Black Emperor.4.0 excellent65daysofstatic The Fall of MathOne of the more diverse and exciting bands in post-rock is 65days, take a listen if you are a post-rock fan.Alice in Chains FaceliftAlice in Chains Black Gives Way to BlueI was very surprised at how awesome this album was. After 15 years, and the death of their lead singer, Alice in Chains still manages to put out an excellent record that rivals their old, legendary material. They haven't lost a step. Definitely one of the best albums of the year, and probably the most diverse Alice in Chains record.All That Remains The Fall of IdealsI honestly don't give a shit what people say about All That Remains on this site. Yes, upon listening to other melodic death metal, All That Remains seems like one of the weaker bands. While this is sort of true, The Fall of Ideals is not only their magnum opus, but it is a beautifully brutal masterpiece.Amon Amarth With Oden on Our SideAmon Amarth Twilight of the Thunder GodAnimal Collective Merriweather Post PavilionAnimal Collective Fall Be KindAnthrax Persistence Of TimeAnthrax State Of EuphoriaAnthrax Fistful Of MetalArcade Fire FuneralArcade Fire's "Funeral" may not be the absolute masterpiece that it's hailed as, but it's a hell of an album nonetheless. The wide use of instruments and sounds make each track memorable and distinguishable from one another. That said, the album can be a bit inconsistent at times, and the vocals/lyrics flow strangely and don't always fit with the actual music. Arsis A Diamond for DiseaseAugust Burns Red MessengersIn the wide world of average metalcore, August Burns Red does a lot to set themselves aside from the average. Yes, too many breakdowns take away from the quality at times, but the song structures are exciting enough to keep you intrigued throughout every song. The drum work is among the best and most brutal I've ever heard in metalcore and it never bores. Excellent guitar work is also a major contributor to the overall incredible quality of this excellent album. Put down The Devil Wears something boring and pick up some real metal.Bayside The Walking WoundedBetween the Buried and Me Colors_LiveBlack Sabbath Heaven And HellBlue Oyster Cult Agents of FortuneBoston BostonBotch We Are the RomansNot really a classic, but an awesome mathcore album nonetheless. Kind of repetitive at times, but when being redundant isn't an issue, there are some golden moments on here.Camel MoonmadnessAnother one of Camel's best, although not on the same level as Mirage or Snow Goose when speaking of quality and consistency. I credit this work for being one of the most diverse Camel records, along with Snow Goose, however, while containing a vast multitude of musical textures, the album can be a tad inconsistent. For example, "Song within A Song" shows promise within the first half but then drags on for the rest of the track, a similar problem with the next track "Chord Change". To that end, the album also has some of Camel's best moments, such as the gripping intro track called "Aristillus" and the perfectly executed tracks "Another Night" and "Lunar Sea". This album floats between a 4 and a 4.5 but usually ends up on the lower side because of the inconsistency. Don't fret, it's still a largely underrated album, just not as consistent as Camel's prior works, and even with this, it is still among their best. One has to appreciate the fact that each track has it's own unique sound and collection of riffs, just as other songs from previous Camel albums do. Charles Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusChimaira The Impossibility of ReasonChimaira ChimairaThis is the best album of the underrated metalcore act Chimaira. If you want to headbang for a full 60 minutes, get this album now.Coheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3I've been listening to Coheed and Cambria for years now, and this album never gets old. In my opinion, this is the best work Coheed has ever done, and it even includes my favorite Coheed and Cambria track which is In Keeping Secrets of Silent:3. This is one of the few mainstream bands that I find to be pretty awesome. Claudio also went to a High School that's five minutes from my house... Which I think is pretty cool.Converge Petitioning the Empty SkyConverge Jane DoeBORING. BAD FLOW. AWFUL HIGH PITCHED VOCALS. THE MUSIC IS NOTHING SPECIAL. GET OVER IT. IT'S A BAND THAT PIONEERED THE GENRE, BUT MANY HAVE SURPASSED THEM. GET THE FUCK OVER IT. PROBABLY THE WORST ALBUM OF ALL TIME.Cult of Luna SalvationThe most hypnotizing, artistic post-metal album I have ever listened to. It's sludgy, ugly, gross, loud, nasty, awesome, entertaining and mesmerizing to every degree of the word. Easily a 4.5 if it didn't have some of the cliche post-rock flaws.Dark Tranquillity FictionDeath Individual Thought PatternsDirty Three Ocean SongsDream Theater Train of ThoughtDream Theater's heaviest album is one of their most underrated. Dream Theater Live at the MarqueeDream Theater Master of PuppetsEdge of Sanity Purgatory AfterglowEluvium CopiaEmerson, Lake and Palmer Emerson, Lake & PalmerFates Warning No ExitEasily one of the best Progressive albums I've ever heard. Upon hearing the first 5 tracks I would have given this album a 3, but after hearing the Ivory Gates of Dreams, the whole album began to come together, and so I deem this a 4.Fates Warning Awaken the GuardianFrightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ FightGenesis The Lamb Lies Down on BroadwayA 90 minute story in the form of an impressive album. People do tend to overrate this album, for me, it's hit and miss. The vocals flow poorly in each song but the instrumental aspects are at the top of their game. The album itself flows effortlessly but some ideas just don't work. Still awesome though, yet I prefer Selling England, Foxtrot and even Nursery Cryme. Genesis TrespassGenesis A Trick of the TailGentle Giant OctopusGentle Giant In a Glass HouseGentle Giant Free HandGodspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞I can't normally say that post-rock is one of my favorite genres, but after hearing this brilliant, yet surprisingly simplistic masterpiece, I can safely say post-rock is an excellent genre. This album emits one of the darkest moods ever put to record, and should not be over-looked by any post-rock fan. While the tracks seem to fall into wide open spaces at times, that is simply because post-rock is a genre that uses empty spaces to it's advantage by filling the background with strange and intriguing patterns, and of course the "Soft/Heavy equation." Although this is considered the best of Godspeed, it's flaws keep it from being worthy of it's apparent classic status. At times, the empty spaces become a little annoying, and it seems to take away from the quality. Also, I usually consider Godspeed the masters of mood transition, but on this record they don't do that as fluently as they do on "Zero Canada" or my personal favorite "Lift Your Skinny Fists...". Nevertheless, this album is still a post-rock punch in the face.Godspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞ [Vinyl]Green Day InsomniacIn Flames The Jester RaceIn Flames ColonyInsomnium Above the Weeping WorldExcellent melodic death metal album, filled with some great riffs and it's entertaining throughout. It's a shame bands like this aren't more popular.Iron Maiden KillersISIS Wavering RadiantDefinitely the best from Isis, I'm not really a huge fan of Isis. Oceanic and Pantopticon were a little hard to listen to at times, but this album flows much better than previous works and is definitely more interesting. One of the best albums of 2009.Jethro Tull Thick as a BrickJohn Coltrane Giant StepsKillswitch Engage As Daylight DiesKing Crimson DisciplineKing Crimson LizardKing Crimson is just one of those bands whose discography is received in a half and half fashion, as many classic rock bands who continued for decades are. In a critic's eyes, about 30-40% of Crimson's discography is undeniably outstanding, and the other percentage just falls to mixed reviews. This album, Lizard, is usually considered the 'best of the worst' in KC's discography. In the best, but at the bottom of the list nonetheless. I cannot figure out the reason for this, as this is undoubtedly in Crimson's top 3. I will never understand why this record is not valued better. Sure at times it may be 'too weird' (even for King Crimson) and this may be their least accessible album, but it contains some of there most intriguing arrangements. This album is brutally difficult to get into, which is one of the reasons it is slightly discredited, but after intense listening, I have come to the conclusion that this one of Crimson's best works, only being surpassed by their groundbreaking debut album. Say what you want about Lark's Tongues and Discipline, and while those are still fantastic, Lizard proves triumphant.King Crimson Starless and Bible BlackLamb of God KilladelphiaLed Zeppelin Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin 1 is the first Zeppelin album. It speaks for itself everybody. In fact, it has one of my favorite classic rock songs ever; Dazed and Confused. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IIMachine Head Burn My EyesManchester Orchestra Mean Everything to NothingOne of the best indie records of 2009; the best from Manchester thus far; highly entertaining album and an intriguing growth for Manchester Orchestra. It's an excellent record, not really 'superb' or 'classic' but the replay value is stunning. I may have bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mastodon at 5, but I listen to this album like it is a 5. One of my favorite indie records. Maps and Atlases You and Me and the MountainMastodon RemissionMastodon Crack the Skyemaudlin of the Well Leaving Your Body MapMegadeth Countdown To ExtinctionMegadeth YouthanasiaMegadeth Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?Metallica No Life 'til LeatherThis is the CD that samples some of the first recording of the best band in metal history.Metallica S&MMetallica Death MagneticAn excellent comeback for an excellent band. Nuff'said...mewithoutYou It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All A Dream! It's Alright!Miles Davis The Essential Miles DavisMinus the Bear Highly Refined PiratesMinus the Bear are one of the most complex and layered bands in Indie/Alternative, and this album is yet another gem in their discography. This is simply a pretty awesome album, but it has it's flaws. While their most complex and technical album, the tracks are a bit inconsistent and sometimes the songs get out of hand with technicality, but not too often. While not as impressive and focused as Planet of Ice, Highly Refined Pirates is still one hell of an album, and continues to impress me more through every listen.Minus the Bear Menos El OsoWhile less technical than the higher acclaimed "Highly Refined Pirates", this record is definitely more cohesive and consistent than Pirates. Fantastic guitar and vocal work are present throughout, and it just seems a little bit more mature than Pirates was. Pirates was still fucking awesome, but this is definitely smoother and more accessible. At times however, the arrangements may get a little out of hand, but most of the time this album is genius. Minus the Bear Bands Like It When You Yell YAR at ThemMinus the Bear They Make Beer Commercials Like ThisMinus the Bear This is What I Know About Being GiganticMisery Signals Of Malice and the Magnum HeartIt's math/metalcore done the right way. It's got brutality, technicality, quirky genre breaks, and most of all fantastic clean guitar work. This is one of the best mathcore albums I've ever heard, though most songs are about 30 seconds too long, but not to worry, the tracks are awesome.Misery Signals MirrorsMirrors is one the best metalcore albums I have ever listened too. It is more complex and layered than most metalcore, and Misery Signals does a fantastic job distancing themselves from the cliches of average hardcore.Mono Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun ShinedMutiny Within Mutiny WithinOasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory?Opeth Still LifeOverrated as all hell, but still kickass. Godhead's Lament and White Cluster are fantastic.Opeth DeliveranceOpeth DamnationOpeth Ghost ReveriesOpeth LamentationsOpeth The Roundhouse TapesPantera Cowboys from HellPantera Vulgar Display of PowerPelican AustralasiaPelican March Into the SeaPink Floyd The Dark Side Of The Moon"Dark Side of the Moon" is not only usually considered Pink Floyd's finest album, but it is considered one of the most experimental and important albums in history. While it is not Floyd's opus, it is definitely a close second or third. Released in 1973, this record experimented with sounds and audio clips that had never been used in modern music before, (such as the themes in "Money" and "Time") and this album is monumental for doing that, however, although this album was a futuristic epitome of creativity, it does fall to the Pink Floyd curse. That curse is inconsistency. There are tracks such as "On the Run" that were definitely 'cool' back in the day for being so spacey, but when observed carefully, one would have to question the tastefulness of such superfluous repetition. This repetition is also present on some of the other tracks on the album. The album definitely has some of that old Floyd filler, but "Dark Side" is still a fantastic achievement. It may seem like I'm bashing one of the most important albums ever, but I'm not, I'm simply pointing out the tiny flaws that need to be addressed. This record contains some of Pink Floyd's finest work, like Floyd's opus track, the virtually flawless "Us and Them", the totally awesome "Money" and the highly entertaining "Any Colour you Like". There are some unnecessary progressions in a few songs, but this is still an excellent progressive record nonetheless. This CD is fantastic though full of filler, but it's legacy shall live on. For me, tied with "Meddle".Pink Floyd Meddle"Meddle" marked the transition of Pink Floyd's art pop sound into a more progressive, experimental type of music. Meddle is clearly one of Floyd's best to this day, clearly espoused by the beauty and magnificence of the 23 minute "Echoes". The rest of the album is great too, especially "San Tropez" and "A Pillow of Winds". The album is also very consistent, which is not a normal characteristic of Pink Floyd because in my opinion, some of their work is usually hit and miss. The only thing I truly disliked about "Meddle" was the song "One of these Days". I found it a little tiresome and unnecessary. This is a truly awesome album, and I believe it's underrated by most Pink Floyd fans. Protest the Hero KeziaRush Permanent WavesRush Fly By NightScale the Summit MonumentScale the Summit Carving Desert CanyonsThis band has so much potential, simply put. Craving Desert Canyons is one the better instrumental albums I've heard in my life. Sigh Scenes from HellSo far, it's the most entertaining album of 2010. The production is a little weak, and a little too weird sometimes are the jazzy sections, but this is highly original and fun to listen to. While it's not the classic that staff writer Tyler Munro claims it to be, it's one hell of an interesting listen, it's really excellent to say the least. Probably the most interesting metal band I've heard in a while.Sigur Ros Agætis byrjunSikTh The Trees Are Dead and Dried Out, Wait for Something WildA tad bit more offensive and in-your-face than the astounding "Death of a Dead Day" but a little less focused and simply to extreme at some points. While being inferior to Death of a Dead Day, this album is still pretty damn awesome in it's own right.Soilwork The Chainheart MachineSoilwork A Predator's PortraitSoilwork Figure Number FiveSymphony X Twilight in OlympusSymphony X Paradise LostSystem of a Down HypnotizeThe Appleseed Cast Two ConversationsThe Appleseed Cast Low Level Owl, Volume ISome parts may drag on for too long, but this album is highly original and very fun to listen to. Soft, relaxing music= a happier me. It also helps that the band uses atmospheric instrumental work to fill the background with something truly beautiful. The Appleseed Cast Low Level Owl, Vol. 2The Arusha Accord The Echo VersesReally impressive mathcore record; full of originality and complexity. Very interesting listen, one of my favorites in the genre as of right now.The Decemberists PicaresqueA simple band, a smooth sound, an awesome album. The Decemberists continue to incorporate their wide use of instruments and catchy lyrical techniques in their simple, yet highly unique music. While some tracks may fall a little short at times, this album is consistent overall and is great music for any mood. The best part of the whole album is how damn catchy it is, whether it's the broodingly simple chorus of "The Engine Driver" or the polka influenced "Mariners Revenge Song". Picaresque will entertain any indie fan, and will warm hearts within the first few minutes of the record. Great job guys.The Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating InfinityI listened in and out to Dillinger's enitre discography, and this is a personal favorite. Looking at the 1999 release date, it seems a little impossible but it is possible indeed. The tritones are actually used tastefully and the music is just offensive enough to make indie fan's ears bleed. It's truly a brilliant album full of time changes galore, and I really dig this one. We'll have to see if they can top this with their new record.The Dillinger Escape Plan Miss MachineThe Dillinger Escape Plan Ire WorksThe Human Abstract NocturneThe Mars Volta De-Loused in the ComatoriumThe first Volta album is simply their opus. They don't take it too far like on some sections of Frances, and they entertain throughout. However, I still don't feel that they have the true intelligence to go as far as they do with genre mashing. This album is still pretty damn awesome in it's own right, but Mars Volta really has to omit the extended sections of avant-garde sounds. Nothing wrong with quirky little beats, even if they are all over the place, but for 5 minutes of "Cicatriz ESP' this is what I hear: KAJWDBNAWKJFB;AKJFBW;KAJFBAK;FBW;FKWA;JKFBWA;JWAFA. The Mars Volta still rocks, but they have to tone it down. Televators is the true gem on the album. I really enjoy listening to these guys... when their not masturbating with electronics into the recording device.The Mars Volta The Bedlam in GoliathThe Mercury Program A Data Learn the LanguageThelonious Monk Monk's DreamWeezer PinkertonWeezer WeezerYes Going for the OneYes The Yes AlbumYes Tales from Topographic Oceans3.5 greatAll That Remains This Darkened HeartAmon Amarth The CrusherAnthrax Sound Of White NoiseAnthrax Stomp 442Arsis We Are the NightmareAt the Gates Slaughter of the SoulSome might call them a more aggressive, more melodic version of Slayer. They are also a better version. At The Gates actually writes solos and riffs that can be distinguished from one anotherAtheist ElementsAtheist Unquestionable PresenceWhile one of the pioneering bands of their genre, I can't help but notice that Cynic and Death are far superior to Atheist. Atheist isn't bad by any means, but this album is highly overrated, the way the vocals flow is kind of what does it for me. I must say, this album is definitely growing on me.Avenged Sevenfold Waking The FallenBaroness Blue RecordBayside Sirens & CondolencesBayside AcousticBayside BaysideBetween the Buried and Me Between the Buried and MeBetween the Buried and Me The Anatomy OfBotch American NervosoBroken Social Scene You Forgot It in PeopleCharles Mingus Mingus Ah UmDeath HumanDisturbed BelieveDream Theater Six Degrees of Inner TurbulenceDream Theater Systematic ChaosDream Theater Greatest Hitdredg Catch Without ArmsEluvium An Accidental Memory in the Case of DeathEvergrey In Search Of TruthFates Warning A Pleasant Shade of GrayGodspeed You! Black Emperor Yanqui U.X.O.Iron Maiden Dance Of DeathIron Maiden The Number Of The BeastIron Maiden Live After Death (DVD)ISIS OceanicISIS The Red SeaJethro Tull AqualungKatatonia Night Is the New DayKillswitch Engage Alive or Just BreathingKillswitch Engage The End of HeartacheKing Crimson In the Wake of PoseidonMany consider this album an utter failure. Yeah, it's not one of Crimson's better albums but it's still very good, entertaining throughout. "Cat Food" and "Cadence and Cascade" are among some of Crimson's best songs.King Crimson Three of a Perfect PairKing Crimson VROOOM VROOOMLamb of God Ashes Of The WakeLamb of God SacramentLamb of God Walk With Me In HellLed Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IIIManchester Orchestra I'm Like a Virgin Losing a ChildManchester Orchestra You Brainstorm, I Brainstorm, But Brilliance...Mastodon The Workhorse Chronicles [DVD]Mastodon Call of the Mastodonmaudlin of the Well My Fruit Psychobells... A Seed Combustiblemaudlin of the Well Part the SecondMetallica Garage Inc.Metallica MetallicaMiles Davis Jack JohnsonMiles Davis NefertitiMogwai Young TeamOasis Be Here NowOkkervil River Black Sheep BoyOpeth WatershedPantera The Great Southern TrendkillParkway Drive Killing with a SmilePelican City of EchoesPelican What We All Come to NeedPink Floyd The Piper At The Gates Of DawnRush 2112Rush A Farewell To KingsRush Caress Of SteelRush Snakes & ArrowsShadows Fall The War WithinShadows Fall Threads of LifeSoilwork Stabbing the DramaStabbing the Drama is a unique album, and Soilwork is one the better bands in Melodic Death metal. They have some really catchy stuff on here, and they have some excellent riffs.Soilwork Natural Born ChaosSoilwork Sworn to a Great DivideSpoon TransferenceSymphony X The OdysseySystem of a Down MezmerizeTexas in July I AmAlthough their overall sound has been done before, by bands like August Burns Red and Misery Signals, Texas in July takes the prog metalcore sound and twists it, makes it darker, adds some guitar solos and ultimately releases an unforgettable album. The Antlers HospiceThe Beatles RevolverThe Beatles are the most important band in history, not really for 'music' and for the genre, but they were marketing genius's who did what anyone could have done first- they made art pop a highly profitable business. I may not be a fan of these guys, but they propelled the music industry into a whole new universe. The Decemberists Castaways and CutoutsThe Decemberists The Hazards of LoveThe Mars Volta OctahedronThe National Cherry TreeThe National The Virginia EPThe Twilight Sad Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen WintersTrivium AscendancyGreat album, highly underrated, people just bash it because of it's slightly generic sound. It's definitely not as good as I thought it was when I was 13, but it's not 'horrible'.Trivium Ember to InfernoTrivium ShogunUnearth The MarchWeezer The Green AlbumWintersun WintersunWintersun's self titled album combines power and death metal to make a pretty balanced and consistent record. Unfortunately, it falls to blandness and superfluous repetition in many spots and what's being repeated isn't always that interesting. That said, the drum work is spectacular and the guitar work isn't half bad either. Definitely not a classic, but intriguing and mostly original. If the songs didn't drag as much, this could be 4. 3.0 goodAerosmith AerosmithAll That Remains OvercomeAnthrax Volume 8: The Threat Is RealArcade Fire The Arcade FireArcade Fire Neon BibleArsis United in RegretAs I Lay Dying An Ocean Between UsAugust Burns Red Thrill SeekerAugust Burns Red Looks Fragile After AllBaroness Red AlbumBlind Guardian A Night At The Operablink-182 Enema Of The StateBon Iver For Emma, Forever AgoThis guy has an awesome voice but the music can get really boring.Brand New DaisyBreaking Benjamin SaturateBroken Social Scene Broken Social SceneChimaira ResurrectionCult of Luna Somewhere Along the HighwayDarkest Hour Undoing RuinDarkest Hour is a decent place to start for the simple side of melodic death metal. Although they suffer from too many riff cliches and boring vocals, they actually do some very interesting stuff on this album, like the tracks "Pathos" and "Ethos". Not great, but they have potential.Darkest Hour Deliver UsDarkest Hour The Eternal ReturnDeath LeprosyDeath Cab for Cutie TransatlanticismDeath Cab for Cutie PlansDevilDriver Pray for VillainsDream Theater When Dream And Day UniteDream Theater Octavariumdredg LeitmotifEvergrey Recreation DayGenesis DukeGenesis AbacabGentle Giant Gentle GiantGod Is an Astronaut All Is Violent, All Is BrightGreen Day WarningGrizzly Bear VeckatimestIn Flames Reroute to RemainInsomnium Across the DarkIron Maiden Somewhere In TimeIron Maiden The Essential Iron MaidenISIS PanopticonI'm trying to get into these guys more, and now that I listen to more post-rock/metal it's probably going to be easier. ISIS CelestialISIS SGNL>05Jethro Tull War ChildKamelot EpicaKing Crimson The Power to BelieveKing Crimson BeatKing Crimson IslandsKing Crimson THRAKKing Crimson The ConstruKction of LightKing Crimson EarthboundLamb of God New American GospelLamb of God As The Palaces BurnLamb of God WrathLed Zeppelin Houses Of The HolyMastodon LifesbloodMastodon 9 Song DemoMegadeth So Far, So Good... So What!Meshuggah NothingTo be honest, I'm not a huge Meshuggah fan. That said, Destroy Erase Improve was a fabulous and original album. Whenever I listen to a Meshuggah album, I can't help but notice that all of them sound like a down-graded version of Destroy Erase Improve. They haven;t put out a record where they have progressed yet, and it kind of annoys me, seeing how they are one of the most talented group of musicians in metal. I wish Meshuggah would take it in another direction, because everything they have produced so far is just a hillbilly version of the great Destroy Erase Improve. Nothing is not bad album, but it's just not good enough.Meshuggah obZenMost would say that Meshuggah is a very unique band, which they are. "obZen", like many other Meshuggah albums, features some of the oddest time patterns and most outlandish song writing styles of any progressive band I've ever heard. While still a solid record, the tracks are way too alike in terms of sound and production, and most of the main riffs fall to similar intricacies that begin to annoy the listener after a while through multiple listens. (the eight string-low-pitched guitar attacks begin to aggravate your ear drums by the 4th song). Overall, the album is definitely distant and of higher quality then some of the garbage metal out there, but the fact that there are many boring and redundant parts take away from the quality. "obZen" is easily a 4/5 if there was more diversity among the songs in terms of stylistic approach. Meshuggah normally uses repetition very well, like on the groundbreaking, earth shattering "Destroy Erase Improve" but it ultimately fails some of the time on this record. Simply put, the tracks were all too similar to be a truly fantastic release, no true diversity was explored and Meshuggah did not progress at all as a band. It's sad to see such an obviously talented group of musicians make albums that all sound like a down-graded version of their magnum opus.Miles Davis In a Silent WayModest Mouse The Moon & AntarcticaMogwai Happy Songs for Happy PeopleMogwai Mr. BeastThe one big post-rock band that doesn't wow me.Mogwai The Hawk Is HowlingPantera Far Beyond DrivenPink Floyd The Division BellPink Floyd PulsePink Floyd A Saucerful Of SecretsPink Floyd The Final CutPink Floyd Pulse — The FilmPorcupine Tree In AbsentiaRush RushRush CounterpartsRush Grace Under PressureRush Power WindowsRush Roll The BonesShadows Fall RetributionSoft Machine ThirdSonata Arctica Reckoning NightThe Black Dahlia Murder MiasmaThe Decemberists Her Majesty the DecemberistsThe Dillinger Escape Plan The Dillinger Escape PlanThe Mars Volta Frances the MuteI like this album, a lot actually. Upon hearing the first half of the album I was ready to give this a 4.5. However, and many people may hate me for saying this, I thought the final 30 minute track was a bit to much. Not that no band can handle a track of such a monstrous length, but that The Mars Volta doesn't really have the capacity to do it competently, at least on Frances the Mute. Besides Miranda (which I wasn't a huge fan of either) and Cassandra Gemini, the album was pretty awesome. The Mars Volta is taking it to far for what they can handle however.The Shins Wincing the Night AwayTrivium TriviumUnearth The Oncoming StormUnearth III: In the Eyes of FireVampire Weekend ContraWeezer Make BelieveWeezer The Red AlbumYes YesYes 90125Yes Tormato2.5 averageAnthrax We've Come For You AllArsis Starve for the DevilThe new release from tech/death band Arsis, is not a total failure by any means, but a step back nonetheless. What ever happened to the uncontested brutality of their first two efforts, where has the originality gone? On this record, it seems that Arsis is attempting to draw from it's influences a bit too much, instead of being a tech death metal band that they once were, they are now a technical thrash band that sounds like Megadeth with unclean vocals. I enjoyed some of this record indefinitely, but it is still a step back for Arsis, they lost their edge. The bright side is that while the solos and high-neck leads are placed in cliche thrash areas of each track, the guitar work and harmonies are still pretty fucking cool, which one would expect with Arsis. For a fan of 80's thrash or bands like Shadows Fall or Children of Bodom, this album may impress, but for fans of the old Arsis, you will walk away slightly irritated by the lack of originality and brutality. As I Lay Dying Shadows Are SecurityBreaking Benjamin We Are Not AloneBreaking Benjamin PhobiaBreaking Benjamin Dear AgonyChildren of Bodom HatebreederChildren of Bodom Are You Dead Yet?Converge Axe to FallDirty Three Whatever You Love, You AreDisturbed Ten Thousand FistsDisturbed IndestructibleDream Theater Falling into InfinityEvergrey The Inner CircleGreen Day 21st Century BreakdownHatebreed PerseveranceHORSE the band Desperate LivingThe band annoys me. One of the weaker bands in mathcore for sure.Iron Maiden Iron MaidenIron Maiden Brave New WorldIron Maiden Seventh Son Of A Seventh SonJeff Mangum Live at Jittery Joe'sKansas Point of Know ReturnMegadeth Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!Megadeth The System Has FailedMegadeth United AbominationsMetallica ReloadMetallica LoadMinus the Bear AcousticsWhile the arrangements are fantastic and fit perfectly with the original tracks, the production is extremely weak, which takes a lot of the quality away from the overall sound. The vocals are also pretty awful and out of tune, which is very odd considering Jake Snider usually does some great vocal work. Modest Mouse No One's First, and You're NextMogwai Come On Die YoungNeutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the SeaI'm sorry sputnik, but this album is so blatantly average that I felt the need to say something. The lyrics defnitely prove that Milk Hotel are smart song writers, but the lyrics don't make the album a 5, which many have given it. Meaning in a song is important, but when songs are ultimately boring, it kind of ruins it. Each song is pretty much the same musically; just a couple catchy acoustic chord progressions in each song accompanied by some truly heartfelt lyrics. This album is way to overrated...something needs to be done...Opeth BurdenParkway Drive HorizonsPink Floyd The WallPink Floyd UmmagummaPoison the Well The Opposite of DecemberShadows Fall Somber Eyes to the SkySonata Arctica SilenceSonata Arctica UniaSonic Youth The EternalStratovarius VisionsCHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE CHEEEEESSSSEEE CHEESE CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!Styx The Grand IllusionSystem of a Down Steal This Album!The Format Dog ProblemsThe National The NationalThe Number Twelve Looks Like You Put On Your Rosy Red GlassesThe Number Twelve Looks Like You Worse Than AloneTrivium The CrusadeUnderoath Define the Great LineYes Open Your Eyes2.0 poorAC/DC Black IceAll That Remains Behind Silence and SolitudeArchitects Hollow CrownListened to this in full, unfortunately. Boring, dry and unoriginal best describe this album. The singer is a copycat of Sikth's vocalist but with less range. Every time a song starts to descend into a clean, proggy section, it's no different than the small clean section from the song before, and accompanied by this section are those awful vocals. The riffs show some original potential, but mostly just fall to overused tritones, a generic mathcore mistake. This album was painfully boring, and made no impact on me at all. Avoid it if looking to get into the genre, as this is not the place to look.As I Lay Dying Frail Words CollapseAs I Lay Dying Beneath the Encasing of AshesAttack Attack! Someday Came SuddenlyAvenged Sevenfold City Of EvilBleeding Through The TruthBlessthefall WitnessCircle Takes the Square As the Roots UndoI seriously don't get it. Just don't get it. Most of it sounds like: "BLAH BLAH BLAH (emo-sounding pussy screams) BLAH BLAH BLAH, accompanied by some quirky drum fills, strange and awkward guitar riffs and then more BLAH BLAH BLAH YAAHHHH EMO SCREAMMS YELL YELLLLLL BLAHHHH BLAAHHHH and then it immediately shifts to a cleaner, more progressive style. That's about it.Dinosaur Jr. FarmDisturbed The SicknessFrightened Rabbit Sing The Greysfun. Aim and IgniteHatebreed Rise of BrutalityIn Flames A Sense of PurposeJames LaBrie Elements Of PersuasionJet Get BornKorn Life Is PeachyMegadeth RiskMetallica St. AngerNeutral Milk Hotel On Avery IslandOceano DepthsI have to be honest, musically, the album is a 3. Oceano actually uses some pretty decent techniques, not great but they show potential. All this said, there is a limit to how intense a growl can be... they take the art out of screaming...Pink Floyd Atom Heart MotherShadows Fall The Art of BalanceSonata Arctica The Days Of GraysStars Set Yourself On FireThe Mars Volta AmputechtureWeezer RaditudeYes Big Generator1.5 very poor+44 When Your Heart Stops Beating2Cents Lost At SeaAC/DC For Those About To Rock We Salute YouAvenged Sevenfold Sounding The Seventh TrumpetBullet For My Valentine Scream Aim FireCannibal Corpse VileCannibal Corpse Gallery Of SuicideChildren of Bodom BlooddrunkChimaira Pass Out of ExistenceColdplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His FriendsGentle Giant Giant for a DayHollywood Undead Swan SongsIn Flames Soundtrack to Your EscapeIron Maiden A Matter Of Life And DeathKillswitch Engage Killswitch EngageLimp Bizkit New Old SongsLinkin Park MeteoraMachine Head The Burning RedMegadeth The World Needs A HeroMinus the Bear Interpretaciones Del OsoPantera Power MetalShadows Fall Of One BloodSix Feet Under Death RitualsSuicide Silence The CleansingSuicide Silence No Time to BleedHorrible band, horrible record, horrible, horrible, horrible. But I laugh every time I listen to Unanswered... it's so funny to watch them play it live.The Devil Wears Prada With Roots Above and Branches BelowAUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE.AUTO TUNE. AUTO TUNE!!! YAY!!! This album is painful and plain. Hate it. Hate those faggots who walk around and think that they 'know metal' because they listen to this pathetic bullshit. Please, this is panzy metal.The Human Abstract MidheavenThe Number Twelve Looks Like You Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.Whitechapel This Is Exile1.0 awfulAC/DC Highway To HellAvenged Sevenfold Avenged SevenfoldbrokeNCYDE I'm Not a Fan, but the Kids Like It!Coldplay X&YFlyleaf FlyleafGenesis Calling All StationsLimp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored WaterLimp Bizkit Three Dollar Bill Y'allLimp Bizkit Results May VaryLimp Bizkit Greatest HitzPantera Metal MagicPsyopus Ideas of ReferencePsyopus Odd SensesSix Feet Under CommandmentThe lead man from this band once said that without weed, he couldn't write songs. Truthfully, he can't write songs with weed either.Skillet AwakeWaking The Cadaver Perverse Recollections Of A Necromangler
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
