1988: SSoaSS or O:M or AJFA?

1988: SSoaSS or O:M or AJFA?


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This album from 1988 is a real ass-kicker:

Thundersteel_cover.jpg


When it comes to Riot people are generally familiar with "Fire Down Under" but I think ThunderSteel easily kicks its ass.
Voldemort´s Tank! Riot´s best indeed.
 
...And justice for all, in my opinion, is one of the most overrated albums ever, production is just awful (ok, Metallica managed to do even worse later in their career and not just once) and most of the songs are way too long that they become truly boring to listen to, special mention to the title track. Personnally I may listen to one or two songs but the whole thing it's just not possible, I'll always skip songs or part of them.

Operation Mindcrime I used to love it a lot and still find some of the songs amazing (The Mission, Suite Sister Mary, I don't believe in love, Eyes of a Stranger) but some others not that much anymore. As a whole, its a great album but song by song I'd rather go with SSOASS

And for 1988, along with SSOASS, Fates Warning's No Exit is one of the best of the year.
 
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son contains one of Iron Maiden's best soundscapes, hooks, and melodies. Musically, it's easier to be carried away by this album.

Operation: Mindcrime has an incredibly strong story. Conceptually, it's easier to be carried away by this album.

I will cheat and play dirty on this question by saying Operation: Mindcrime > Seventh Son of a Seventh Son just because Operation: Livecrime > Maiden England.

I am glad that someone else also mentioned Riot/Thundersteel and Fates Warning/No Exit as other strong albums. I agree that those also are top-tier albums.

Some other top-tier albums from 1988 in my book are also Digital Dictator by Vicious Rumors, and also the self-titled album by Fifth Angel.

As far as And Justice For All goes... well, I haven't listened to it. I like a Metallica song or two here and there, but I wouldn't consider myself a fan of them. Or as someone feeling drawn to their music in general.
 
I’ve tried listening to Operation Mindcrime several times and, while the story is interesting, I find the album musically boring. Or a better way to put it is that I feel no emotional hook or connection to the album.

But I’m also among the few that believe Promised Land is the best Queensryche album so don’t listen to me.
 
I guess it´s a matter of taste then ´cos I tried it but failed to adore Promised Land. O:M builds up towards a musical climax that I never found on any other album ever again. I first listened to it in 1996, got hooked on it ever since.
 
I’ve tried listening to Operation Mindcrime several times and, while the story is interesting, I find the album musically boring. Or a better way to put it is that I feel no emotional hook or connection to the album.

But I’m also among the few that believe Promised Land is the best Queensryche album so don’t listen to me.
O:M is my favorite ever album. It towers above any other work by any artist in my book, but I do love Promised Land to death. It's my third favorite QR album.
 
I’ve tried listening to Operation Mindcrime several times and, while the story is interesting, I find the album musically boring. Or a better way to put it is that I feel no emotional hook or connection to the album.

But I’m also among the few that believe Promised Land is the best Queensryche album so don’t listen to me.
Never clicked with me, either. Ive had several attempts. I have no clue what what this story is about, probably because Im bored after a song or 2 and lose track of the narrative. And the misic doesn't bring me back in. Although, if memory serves, theres a couple of good tunes towards the end. But aye, mostly dull pish.
 
But I’m also among the few that believe Promised Land is the best Queensryche album so don’t listen to me.
My favourite album of theirs too. ;) That said, QR's catalogue doesn't seem to inspire unanimous support. As far as I am concerned, it is the period from O:M to Hear In The Now Frontier I'm fond of (honorable mentions to Rage for Order and Q2K) but there is little in common between these two albums, in terms of style. I understand that those who loved The Warning are happy with Todd LaTorre nowadays... Good for them. ;)
 
I never found "old" Queensryche to be that interesting. Extremely talented and gifted as musicians go, but to me, Maiden did a better job at everything they did. And you can say "well O:M is better as a concept" and maybe that's true. But Seventh Son works, to me, better as an album, which is why i'm listening to music and not reading a book. I place a lot of value on story and lyrics and such, but if the songs aren't there, then I'll still never be able to appreciate it. That said, I'm not saying O:M doesn't have great songs. I'm sure it does. It just doesn't do anything for me personally. Dream Theater is the same for me. I've tried to get into them multiple times and just keep finding them to be absolutely sterile. If I want progressive, I tend to go with latter day Maiden, or Devin Townsend's work.
 
Maiden are my all time favs but I personally believe that Operation Mindcrime is the best Heavy Rock record ever released.

However overall this is like choosing which one of your children you love the most.
 
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