Average Rating: 4.15 Rating Variance: 0.39 Objectivity Score: 51% (Somewhat Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicAsia AsiaBlackfield Blackfield IIMaybe it was for a very simple thing (listened these bunch of songs in a grey evening autumn day) that I fell immediatly in love with the album. Aviv Geffen maybe is a celebrity in Israel but I never heard about him. I was shocked with the feeling he shows playing the acoustic guitar and singing with Steve Wilson (the brilliant mind behind Porcupine Tree). It's simple amazing. The last songs "Where Is My Love?" and "End of the World" made me cry like a child. What a sad and beatiful poems! Impossible to be a hit anywhere (what a shame) although all the tunes are catchy like any McCartney / Lennon song. Any XXI century alternative / indie pop/rock band can't equal this (almost) perfect cd. rDef Leppard PyromaniaDream Theater Images and WordsReading the splendid official band's biography "Lifting Shadows" (Rich Wilson) seems impossible that the album was so incredibly good. When I listened for first time I was in an amateur band. I showed immediately the stuff to the other guys. We get killed. Nobody in the world could beat that. For an innocent boy who liked metal & prog rock I&W was the Holy Grail. Mike Portnoy, Kevin Moore and David Prater (the producer) fought constantly in the studio for everything. Surprisely the songs sounds, even now, near perfection, better than anything they recorded in their future albums. "Pull me Under" riff (and the concise solo guitar), the crazy rythyms in "Take the Time", the grandiose epic sound in "Metropolis" and the orgasmic final "Learning to Live" was the best music moments in my youth. Definetily the album of my life.Fates Warning ParallelsWith this album Fates Warning finally found their own grial: the perfect communion between their classic influences (Iron Maiden, Rush, Queensrÿche, Marillion, etc.) and their own sound, leaded by the spectacular guitar duo Jim Matheos-Frank Aresti, the clean, beauty and powerful Ray Alder's voice, and the original drum playing by Mark Zonder. Matheos wrote these songs trying to be less complicated than the previous and also excellent Perfect Symmetry. The songs are played in a classic "in crescendo" mode from the first notes to the chorus, the more catchy in all Fates Warning career. The Eleventh Hour, one of the best prog metal songs ever written, it's Parallels hight point, but the rest are all absolutely magnificient. In Paralles Fates Warning shows perfectly how a band can mix their brilliant technical skills with a well structured songs, like Queensrÿche in Operation Mindcrime and Empire.Kamelot The Black HaloI almost gave up with Kamelot after their three releases: Eternity, Siege Perilous and Dominion. Dominion was the first album recorded with Khan at vocals. For me, as a big Conception fan, was a big disappointment. The production was a mess (in fact the album seems a demo tape) and the songs was really weak. In the war against the greatest power metal bands from Europe Kamelot never would won a battle if they insisted in that direction. Then an internet friend sent me The Fourth Legacy (2000), second release with Khan and the first one recorded in Germany with the wizard Sascha Paeth. I put it in the cd player without any hope... But what I heard changed everything. The intro "New Allegiance" and "The Fourth Leagacy" shocked me in the same way that I turned crazy with the firsts songs in Painkiller (Judas Priest) album. The sound was terrific and the magnificent Khan voice shined clear and powerful. The album was full of nuances and had the most precious ballad I ever heard: "A Salyorman's Hymn". Then, with "The Black Halo" the music seemed supernatural to me. The prog and symphonic elements flew magically all around and Thomas Youngblood played hard, heavy and soft as ever did it before. The rock opera, based in the classic Faust's myth, has several top moments of song writing and production. "March of Mephisto" with the devil himself (Shagrath) as guest is a little cathedral of metal; "The Haunting" with Simone Simons is superlative, but the grand finale comes with "Memento Mori". Khan, who learned to sing in an opera school music, is the only one who can lead such a magnum opus. Youngblood finally understood who is the band genius and accepted a secondary role, a difficult decision to made by a lead guitar!King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson KingMarillion Seasons EndThe first and, for me, the best Steve Hogarth work with Marillion, specially in "Easter" (the acoustic intro is one of the high lights), "Berlin" and the epic and wonderful "The Space"..., a perfect song to "travel" to the stars. Maybe this is the album where they sound closer to Pink Floyd ("Wish You Were Here" era). I prefer for sure this symphonic approach that the alternative pop/rock sound from their last albums. I think musics like Rothery (his solos are absolutely brillians), Mark Kelly and Pete Trewavas are born to play progressive rock not in a Radiohead kind of band. A jewel for all kind of music lovers.Marillion Misplaced ChildhoodMetallica Master of PuppetsWe're talking here about the holy bible. If "Kill em all" and "Ride the Lightning" was the old metal testament (even the lyrics are so brutal as the vengeful god of those ancient times) here we have the definitive New Testament. I have always thought that "Orion" is a strange metaphore of rescucitated Jesus travelling to heaven and "Damage, Inc." is how he left the world after his departure. And "Master of Puppets", I guess, is his father pulling the strings, or Jacob in the island.Metallica MetallicaOpeth WatershedA perfect blend of the death metal from Still Life, Blackwater Park, and My Arms, Your Hearse, the monolithic riffage of Deliverance and Ghost Reveries, and the prog/classicism of Damnation. The intro (Coil) is pure magic with Nathalie Lorichs angelical voice singing the precious second verse and leaving me without breath in my first listening. After that, a pure death metal exercise a la Blackwater Park in Heir Apparent with Akerfeldt growling better than ever. I don't really like classic death metal, but this band challenges me every album more and more. In The Lotus Eater they try to take further than ever the progressive metal territories with King Crimson modern touch. This is the more experimental song. Burden it's absolutely 70's prog-rock with and incredible acoustic guitar work (there's a funny surprise at the end...). It could be perfectly a song written and played by Genesis or Pink Floyd in their golden era. Porcelain Heart it's a clever mix between killer riffings, epic chorus and acoustic and very very dark verses. Hessian Peel is a little masterpiece, a lesson to undersand what Opeth is at this time. The end, Hex Omega, is a new journey throught the dark in the Opeth reign. Not a song for a David Letterman show... really.Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd Wish You Were HerePink Floyd The WallPure Reason Revolution The Dark ThirdQueensryche Operation: MindcrimeSanctuary Into the Mirror BlackSavatage Gutter BalletThe first time you listen a band is always very special 'cause you don't know what you will find. At first, with the killer riffing in "Of Rage and War" and the desperate Jon Oliva shouts (perfect for the lyrics) I think woa! what a tremendous such trash metal band (bay area sound). But then, a delicate piano introduce one of the best metal, progressive, symphonic or rock songs ever written: "Gutter Ballet". That was I ever was looking for, how to combine the power of hard rock and the beauty or classic prog rock (like Opeth in XXI Century). "Temptation Revelation" is a piano piece that introduce the best ballad written for the Oliva brothers, "When the Crowds Are Gone", with a guitar solo that Chris probably is playing now every day in heaven. And then again Chris -a very underrated guitar player- plays with the acoustic guitar "Silk and Steel" a little piece who could sign Steve Hackett or Steve Howe in a classic album from the 70's. Then the album comes back to the metal territories with a bunch of pieces that are instant classics to me. I enjoy specially the superb "Summer's Rain" intro and the frantic rhythm in "Hounds".4.5 superbBlondie Parallel LinesCamel MirageDio Holy DiverEagles Hotel CaliforniaFates Warning Inside OutFocus Hamburger ConcertoGenesis The Lamb Lies Down on BroadwayIron Maiden Seventh Son of a Seventh SonIron Maiden Piece of MindIron Maiden The Number of the BeastKamelot The Fourth LegacyKamelot KarmaMarillion Script for a Jester's TearMastodon Crack the SkyeMy choice for the best 2009 album. The main reason is obvious. They jump from alternative to progressive metal in a completely natural way and that is a feast for people who share love with Tool, Metallica, The Mars Volta, System of a Down or even King Crimson and Dream Theater. I really appreciate they effort to make a lap forward in their career keeping they classic metal sound, including growls, dirty guitars & battle drums, with the new exciting vocal range. Blood Mountian was a "straigh to your head" album. You didn't need many tastes to enjoy it. It was metal injected to your blood without anaesthesia. Crack the Skye is more like a journey to unkowned and stranger lands. Few alternative rock bands can risk their reputation writing stuff (lyrics included) so pretentious as Quientessence, The Cszar, Ghost of Karelia and The Last Baron and improve. This magnus opus proves progressive rock is not yet a museum piece. And last but not least I wanna congratulate them for the incredible work in the special edition cd (art, making of, etc.). I admit I first downloaded the album but after one listening I needed to buy it... in a compulsive way!Metallica Ride the LightningMetallica ...And Justice for AllPink Floyd MeddlePrince Purple RainRainbow Long Live Rock 'n' RollI think Blackmore & Dio invented here and before (the marvellous Rising album) the style known as power metal. Gates of Babylon was imitated millions of times but never would be improved in future times. The terrific and powerful Kill the King shows the world how an epic metal song had to sound. All this people who still enjoy Helloween, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Tobias Sammet, Angra, Magnus Karlsson, etc. needs to go back to the roots and they will discover that the ancient kings & gods can't be defeated. rRainbow RisingRedemption The Fullness of TimeScorpions BlackoutSupertramp Crime of the CenturyU2 The Joshua TreeUFO ObsessionUFO Lights OutUFO No Heavy PettingVan Halen Van HalenYes 90125Yngwie Malmsteen Trilogy4.0 excellentAerosmith Toys in the AtticAerosmith PumpAn album full of rock hits thanks to Jim Vallance and Desmond Child, who help them to write better songs. This is their best effort after the Joe Perry come back.Asia AlphaBad Company Bad CompanyBasil Poledouris Conan The BarbarianCreedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's FactoryDeep Purple Deep Purple In RockDeep Purple BurnDire Straits Making MoviesDire Straits Dire StraitsDokken Under Lock and KeyDream Theater Black Clouds and Silver LiningsExtreme III Sides to Every StoryForeigner Double VisionGolden Earring MoontanHeart Little QueenJethro Tull Heavy HorsesJethro Tull Songs from the WoodKamelot Ghost OperaKamelot EpicaKing Crimson RedMarvin Gaye What's Going OnMetallica Kill 'Em AllMichael Jackson ThrillerMike Oldfield CrisesMike Oldfield QE2Nick Drake Pink MoonPink Floyd Atom Heart MotherPink Floyd The Division BellPrince Around the World in a DayQueen Queen IIQueensryche The WarningRush Roll the BonesRush SignalsRush HemispheresRush 2112Steve Vai Passion and WarfareSupertramp …Famous Last Words…U.K. U.K.U2 WarUFO PhenomenonYes The Yes Album3.5 greatBon Jovi Slippery When WetKamelot Poetry for the PoisonedKing Crimson DisciplineOceansize Self Preserved While The Bodies Float UpPink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of DawnPink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of ReasonRamones RamonesSanctuary Refuge DeniedThe Clash London CallingVan Morrison Astral WeeksZZ Top Eliminator3.0 goodJethro Tull Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die!Metallica Death MagneticMetallica Garage Inc.The Stooges Fun House2.5 averageMetallica LoadTalking Heads Remain in Light2.0 poorMetallica St. AngerMetallica Reload
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