Top 10 albums since the beginning of the new millennium

mckindog

Living for Sanctuary from the law
Staff member
There was time, 10 or 15 years ago, when Maiden was simply one of my favourite bands, not my clear-cut favourite like they are today.
The reason that changed is pretty simple: unlike many of my other old favourites, Maiden has continued to put out incredible music.
In fact, when you think about the music being made since the calendar turned to 2000, it is amazing how much better their output has been than any other band.
And with 2010 almost in the books it got me wondering: what are the best albums of the digital download age?
These are my picks:

1. The Final Frontier — Iron Maiden
2. A Matter of Life and Death — Iron Maiden
3. Resurrection — Halford
4. No World For Tomorrow — Coheed and Cambria
5. Brave New World — Iron Maiden
6. Stadium Arcadium — Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. Dance of Death — Iron Maiden
8. A Tyranny of Souls — Bruce Dickinson
9. Black Ice — AC/DC
10. Vapour Trails — Rush
 
In alphabetical order :)

Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (2003)
Girl Talk - Feed the Animals (2008)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven! (2000)
Mono & World's End Girlfriend - Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain (2005)
Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)
Sigur Rós - Takk... (2005)
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
The Lucksmiths - Warmer Corners (2005)
The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride (2008)

I might actually rank them later on.
huh... I just realized that I loved 2005 a lot...
 
There were a lot of absolutely brilliant albums released in the 2000s. It's hard to narrow it down to ten, please don't ask me to rank them. This is from the top of my head only, it's very likely I am missing a few. I'm also excluding 2010.

Iron Maiden - Brave New World (2000)
Blaze - Silicon Messiah (2000)
God Dethroned - The Lair of the White Worm (2004)
Demons and Wizards - Touched by the Crimson King (2005
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
Primordial - To the Nameless Dead (2007)
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
Vreid - Milorg (2009)
Geist - Galeere (2009)
Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know (2009)


No, I don't feel comfortable with this selection at all.
 
In order of awesomeness

Mostodon -Leviathan
Nevermore -This Godless Endeavor
Iced Earth -The Crucible of Man
Iron Maiden -Brave New World
System Of A Down -Toxicity
Iron Maiden -A Matter of Life & Death
Dimmu Borgir -Death Cult Armageddon
Metallica -Death Magnetic
System Of A Down -Mezmerize
Motorhead -Inferno
 
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Blaze - Silicon Messiah
Iced Earth - Horror Show
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge
Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
Rush - Snakes and Arrows
Iron Maiden - Dance of Death
Dethklok - The Dethalbum
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
 
Cool topic, I have to think well about it though. Many candidates.
edit: weak post, I have 12 and can't narrow it down. Maybe I only could if I would play these albums in a row, but I haven't time for that unfortunately.


After Forever – Decipher (2001)
After Forever – Prison of Desire (2000)
The Arcane Order – Machinery of Oblivion (2006)
Blaze – Silicon Messiah (2000)
Bruce Dickinson – A Tyranny of Souls (2005)
Epica – Design Your Universe (2009)
Iron Maiden – A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier (2010)
Necrophagist – Epitaph (2004)
Scar Symmetry – Symmetric in Design (2005)
Scar Symmetry – Pitch Black Progress (2006)
Soilwork – The Chainheart Machine (2000)

I can tell you one thing, the album in bold letters is the best metal album of this century.
Get it and you'll see. This riff feast accompanied with such remarkable lead work destroys all other contestants in a wink of an eye.
 
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Spiritual Beggars - On Fire
Iommi - Iommi
Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World
System Of A Down - Toxicity
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death
Rush - Snakes & Arrows
Cathedral - Endtyme (One of the heaviest albums of all times!!!)
Ozzy Osbourne - Down To Earth
The Hellacopters - High Visibility

More SOAD albums would be on this list, some The White Stripes, Queens Of The Stone Age, Halford's Resurrection (Better than anything Priest released since Defenders Of The Faith bar Painkiller), Arch Enemy's Wages Of Sin is pretty amazing, too. I know too little to put on a wide ranged list, but from what I really like and stood relevant years after their releases, that's my top ten.
 
Iron Maiden - Brave New World (2000)
Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys, The Legacy (2005)
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know (2009)
Bruce Dickinson - A Tyranny Of Souls (2005)
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier (2010)
Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden (2004)
AC/DC - Black Ice (2008)
Iron Maiden -  A Matter Of Life And Death (2006)
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera (2002)
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death (2003).
 
Wow, pretty tough.  Especially since I, like many here, probably would rank the 4 Maiden releases in their Top 10's.

So, here goes (in no real definitive order)

Iron Maiden- Brave New World
Iron Maiden- Dance of Death
Iron Maiden- A Matter of Life and Death
Iron Maiden- The Final Frontier
Volbeat- Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil
Hail of Bullets- ...Of Frost and War
Immortal- Sons of Northern Darkness
Bolt Thrower- Those Once Loyal
Circus Maximus- Isolate
Slough Feg- Atavism
 
A little bit tough and to accommodate some great albums, I've restricted Maiden to just their best of > 2000.

In no particular order:

Biomechanical - The Empires of the Worlds
Iron Maiden - Dance of Death
Metallica - Death Magnetic
Onslaught - Killing Peace
Alabama Thunderpussy - Staring At The Divine
Neurosis - A Sun That Never Sets
Tristania - World Of Glass
Kreator - Enemy Of God
Anthrax - We've Come for You All
Soulfly - III
 
Not ranked, that would be impossible.  Alphabetically according to album.  Also excluded live albums.  And I still feel like it's not right.

Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
Megadeth - Endgame
God Dethroned - Passiondale
Blaze - Silicon Messiah
Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
Primordial - To the Nameless Dead
Moonsorrow - Voimasta ja Kunniasta
Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
 
The System Has Failed - Megadeth
Perpetual Flame - Yngwie Malmsteen
7 - Talisman
One Day Remains - Alter Bridge
Tenth Dimension - Blaze
Once - Nightwish
Fallen - Evanescence
Freedom Rock - H.E.A.T.
Humanity: Hour I - Scorpions
Place Vendome - Streets Of Fire

I'm not counting Maiden and Bruce albums coz it wouldn't be fair.
 
A Matter of Life and Death
Brave New World
The Final Frontier
Dance of Death
Anomaly...Ace Frehley
Born Into This...The Cult
Angel of Retribution...Judas Priest
Snakes and Arrows... Rush
Black Ice... AC DC
The Devil You Know...Heaven and Hell

Johnny Cash's Solitary Man must be mentioned as well... spine tingling...
 
No order.  This is very tough, have about a dozen honorable mentions


Imaad Wasif-The Voidist
Dead Meadow-Old Growth
Sheavy-Republic?
Clutch-Blast Tyrant
Grand Magus-S/T
TV on the Radio-Return to Cookie Mountain
Mastadon-Leviathan
Fugazi-The Argument
System Of A Down – Toxicity
Iron Maiden- Dance of Death

Jeffmetal said:
The Hellacopters - High Visibility

+1  :ok:
taker64 said:
Born Into This...The Cult

+1  :ok:
 
In chronological order:

Iron Maiden - Brave New World (2000)
No-Man - Returning Jesus (2001)
Agalloch - The Mantle (2002)
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (2002)
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing (2005)
Pelican - The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (2005)
Mastodon - Blood Mountain (2006)
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (2007)
Rush - Snakes and Arrows (2007)
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (2007)
 
in order top to bottom from favourite:

1.Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

2.Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death

3.ISIS - Wavering Radiant

4.Opeth - Watershed

5.ISIS - Oceanic

6.King Diamond - House of God

7.Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

8.King Diamond - Give Me Your Soul...Please

9.Tomahawk - Tomahawk

10.Opeth - Blackwater Park 
 
Though one. Not in a particular order.

Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death (2006)
Slayer - World Painted Blood (2009)
Megadeth - United Abominations (2007)
Stam1na - Viimeinen Atlantis (2010)
Iron Maiden - Brave New World (2000)
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue (2009)
Dream Theater - Train of Thought (2003)
Serj Tankian - Elect the Dead (2007)
Amorphis - Eclipse (2006)
Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)
 
All 3 Maiden albums
Rush's 2 albums
Blind Guardian's 3 albums
Megadeth's last 2 albums

Damn, I can't include Bruce's last album. Well, I'll make it a top 11. :p
 
Well, I don't really listen to recent music.

Maiden's 4 albums. Ahm.
Oh! Solution .45's debut, it's a great album!

I'll post more if I remember anything.
 
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