Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
So, given that I couldn't find an thread for this, I thought I'd make one myself. We have a thread for favorite bands, now I want to branch it out further into favorite albums overall. Which albums do you like best and why? Is it for nostalgia, atmosphere, or overall awesomeness?
After careful consideration, I've narrowed it down to the following 11:
#11: Slayer - Reign In Blood
Let's be honest, nothing has been the same since this album was dropped. It's only 29 minutes long, and yet it's one of the most gripping, brutal, kickass album of all time. All ten songs on here are great, and it's overall one hell of a ride.
#10: Death - Symbolic
It's not my favorite Death album, yet Symbolic is still in my list. There's just something about it that's different from everything else. It stretched the boundaries of death metal and transcends the genre, and I'm not surprised people consider it Death's finest hour. It's as if you've been placed in a wasteland and Chuck and his gang are the only thing around you... epic.
#9: Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
Like I said in the death metal thread, the rest of MA's discography hasn't really impressed me, yet their debut is a genuine classic. Everything from Vincent's vocals to Trey's guitarwork is awesome. This is classic death metal at its finest. Awesome stuff.
#8: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
An album that, start to finish, is just great. A lot of it seems like it shouldn't work. Take "The Oath". Lyrics directly from a black mass sung in falsetto over heavy metal? And yet it remains one of the greatest metal songs ever. This album is the pinnacle of Fate and King's careers. A classic of the genre.
#7: Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
My all-time favorite 'ryche songs come from Empire, yet album-wise, Mindcrime really reigns supreme. It weaves together a classic story and is the concept album to end all concept albums. Start to finish, an all-time favorite.
#6: Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea
I don't often come back to this album, and when I do, I usually just pick one song from it to listen to because I'm not big on ten-minute songs one right after the other. However, any time I do listen to the whole thing through, I'm always glad I did. There's something about this record that's just... so great. Atmosphere, feeling, it's a perfect record. The best album of the 21st century, hands down.
#5: Megadeth - Rust In Peace
From the opening to "Holy Wars" to the end of "Polaris", Rust In Peace remains one of the albums that helped bring me into the metal genre. And it's filled with classics. "Hangar 18" is my favorite song of all time, "Tornado of Souls" has the greatest solo of all time, and even the lesser tracks are still pretty goddamn good, like "Lucretia", "Take No Prisoners", and "Five Magics". Great stuff.
#4: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
My favorite Maiden album keeps switching, but for now, this has taken the number 2 spot. The feel of the album, from the guitar to the synths, is what drives it, and I have yet to hear something sound more sci-fi than this. One of the best.
#3: ABBA: Gold
I'm cheating because this is a compilation album, but honestly I don't care. It features ABBA's finest tracks, and brings a lot of nostalgia back to me every time I listen to it. Pop is one of the greatest genres, if only because ABBA is a part of it.
#2: Iron Maiden - Powerslave
This album sums up why I love Maiden. All the songs on here fit together so well, the drumming is excellent, the bass is superb, the guitars are godly, and Bruce is the goddamn best. It all goes by so fast, it's so good. Love it.
#1: Death - The Sound of Perseverance
When it comes to talking about favorite albums, my #1 pick is obvious for me. There is not a song I'd rate below a 9/10 on here. Chuck's vocals ascended new heights, the band went for an entirely new sound, and overall it's a classic. "Voice of the Soul" is, tied with "Hangar 18", my favorite song of all time, and "Spirit Crusher" follows as the stand-out with one of the band's best choruses. Oh, and closing the album with the greatest cover song in the history of the world, "Painkiller"? This album is perfect, the whole way through.
So yeah, those are my favorites, what about you?
After careful consideration, I've narrowed it down to the following 11:
#11: Slayer - Reign In Blood
Let's be honest, nothing has been the same since this album was dropped. It's only 29 minutes long, and yet it's one of the most gripping, brutal, kickass album of all time. All ten songs on here are great, and it's overall one hell of a ride.
#10: Death - Symbolic
It's not my favorite Death album, yet Symbolic is still in my list. There's just something about it that's different from everything else. It stretched the boundaries of death metal and transcends the genre, and I'm not surprised people consider it Death's finest hour. It's as if you've been placed in a wasteland and Chuck and his gang are the only thing around you... epic.
#9: Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
Like I said in the death metal thread, the rest of MA's discography hasn't really impressed me, yet their debut is a genuine classic. Everything from Vincent's vocals to Trey's guitarwork is awesome. This is classic death metal at its finest. Awesome stuff.
#8: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
An album that, start to finish, is just great. A lot of it seems like it shouldn't work. Take "The Oath". Lyrics directly from a black mass sung in falsetto over heavy metal? And yet it remains one of the greatest metal songs ever. This album is the pinnacle of Fate and King's careers. A classic of the genre.
#7: Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
My all-time favorite 'ryche songs come from Empire, yet album-wise, Mindcrime really reigns supreme. It weaves together a classic story and is the concept album to end all concept albums. Start to finish, an all-time favorite.
#6: Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea
I don't often come back to this album, and when I do, I usually just pick one song from it to listen to because I'm not big on ten-minute songs one right after the other. However, any time I do listen to the whole thing through, I'm always glad I did. There's something about this record that's just... so great. Atmosphere, feeling, it's a perfect record. The best album of the 21st century, hands down.
#5: Megadeth - Rust In Peace
From the opening to "Holy Wars" to the end of "Polaris", Rust In Peace remains one of the albums that helped bring me into the metal genre. And it's filled with classics. "Hangar 18" is my favorite song of all time, "Tornado of Souls" has the greatest solo of all time, and even the lesser tracks are still pretty goddamn good, like "Lucretia", "Take No Prisoners", and "Five Magics". Great stuff.
#4: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
My favorite Maiden album keeps switching, but for now, this has taken the number 2 spot. The feel of the album, from the guitar to the synths, is what drives it, and I have yet to hear something sound more sci-fi than this. One of the best.
#3: ABBA: Gold
I'm cheating because this is a compilation album, but honestly I don't care. It features ABBA's finest tracks, and brings a lot of nostalgia back to me every time I listen to it. Pop is one of the greatest genres, if only because ABBA is a part of it.
#2: Iron Maiden - Powerslave
This album sums up why I love Maiden. All the songs on here fit together so well, the drumming is excellent, the bass is superb, the guitars are godly, and Bruce is the goddamn best. It all goes by so fast, it's so good. Love it.
#1: Death - The Sound of Perseverance
When it comes to talking about favorite albums, my #1 pick is obvious for me. There is not a song I'd rate below a 9/10 on here. Chuck's vocals ascended new heights, the band went for an entirely new sound, and overall it's a classic. "Voice of the Soul" is, tied with "Hangar 18", my favorite song of all time, and "Spirit Crusher" follows as the stand-out with one of the band's best choruses. Oh, and closing the album with the greatest cover song in the history of the world, "Painkiller"? This album is perfect, the whole way through.
So yeah, those are my favorites, what about you?