Underrated albums

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Being at home for X-mas, I finally get to browse my record collection again. Needless to say, my heart really hangs on all my CDs and records, but not having had the chance to hear them since mid-August really means that I'm kind of rediscovering some of my old favourites.
I've noticed that a lot of my favourites are from big and really big bands whose names are known to virtually everyone who is at least a bit interested in rock music. BUT- these particular albums are virtually unknown to the broad mass. A shame as I think, and therefore, I find it appropriate that everyone here names their favourite underrated albums to open the eyes of those who wish to be enlightened. Also, if you wish, please state why you like these albums so much and why you think of them as 'underrated'.
Oh, yeah, please try not to list Maiden albums here, as we all know Maiden is pretty much the most underrated band ever [!--emo&;)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'wink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Judas Priest- Stained Class
An overlooked heavy metal classic. The circumstances around this album is what got me interested in Priest in the first place, and this was the first album I got. Even though there are no subliminal messages in this album, it still is still one of the most enduring and rewarding albums to listen to. Not to mention it's got one of the best songs ever on it- Beyond The Realms Of Death!

Pink Floyd- More
Most people tend to think Pink Floyd started with Dark Side Of The Moon and ended with The Wall. Well, it sure as hell ain't so, and this album is one of the numerous proofs. The music is absolutely wicked and, at parts, extremely heavy. I guess you have to like Pink Floyd to like this, and even if you enjoy their albums from their golden age, you might find it difficult to listen to this. However, if you like it, you might find something to like with Obscured By Clouds as well... incidentally, both were soundtrack albums to films of some underground director nobody cares for anymore these days.

Queen- A Day At The Races
Often considered as something of "A Night At The Opera Part II", there is obviously a connection between the two albums -both were recorded in the same sessions- but this one has a right to be regarded as a stand-alone album. I can relate to a lot of the songs on this one, and I'd say it surpasses ANATO, as well as most other Queen albums save for Queen II and Innuendo.

I'll think of some more later. Until then, merry X-mas and happy holidays to everyone at Maidenfans and everyone else out there.
 
Agree with those, especially the Queen and Pink Floyd albums. The early Pink Floyd stuff is very underrated (Saucerful Of Secrets, Meddle and the live LP of Ummagumma especially!) although I'd definitely say that The Dark Side Of The Moon is their musical peak but everyone says different.

I'd add to that Selected Ambient Works 2 by Aphex Twin. 24 amazing classical soundscapes, heavy and mellow at the same time. I'd go as far as to say it's one of the most beautiful yet most disturbing albums ever created. Very acoustic and electronic at the same time and all the instruments are played by one person!
 
I've never actually listened to More, but I like most Pink Floyd stuff (Dark Side of the Moon is amazing), so I'll see if I can get it somewhere.

When it comes down to underrated albums, I'd mention Tales from the Twilight World by Blind Guardian, Lumpy Gravy by Frank Zappa and early Pink Floyd especially.

AM, you've been talking about Aphex Twin for so long now that I feel the urge to check out what that stuff's really like. Do you know any site were I can download a song/clip or two, for an appetiser (not going for an album straight away really)?
 
It's the kind of thing I'm into at the moment. It's electronic dance music, but it's extremely technical stuff and he plays a lot of instruments on it. Bloody heavy at times as well!

Not sure of any sites where you can download stuff, but there might be the odd sound clip somewhere on the internet if you search.
 
Megadeth's So far... So Good..So what? This is an album that even i overlooked when i first listened to it but lately i've grown to like it. I'd compare it to getting into maiden's first to official releases, a somewhat different sound from later albums like Countdown to Extinsion (in my opinion their most accesible). I think it is overrated because the sound is pretty dated, you hear it and it SOUNDS old, but after a while you dig it.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Dec 24 2004, 05:48 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Dec 24 2004, 05:48 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Judas Priest- Stained Class
An overlooked heavy metal classic. The circumstances around this album is what got me interested in Priest in the first place, and this was the first album I got. Even though there are no subliminal messages in this album, it still is still one of the most enduring and rewarding albums to listen to. Not to mention it's got one of the best songs ever on it- Beyond The Realms Of Death!
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I'll be honest and say I've never heard this album but I own(ed) Defenders of the Faith, Screaming For Vengeance, and Painkiller. Painkiller was the only one worth getting and even that one isn't mindblowing or anything. I sold Defenders years ago and Screaming never goes into my CD player anymore. I would hope that 70's Priest is better than their later stuff but from what I've heard of it, it's not that extraordinary.
[!--QuoteBegin-Onhell+Dec 25 2004, 06:28 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Onhell @ Dec 25 2004, 06:28 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Megadeth's So far... So Good..So what? This is an album that even i overlooked when i first listened to it but lately i've grown to like it. I'd compare it to getting into maiden's first to official releases, a somewhat different sound from later albums like Countdown to Extinsion (in my opinion their most accesible). I think it is overrated because the sound is pretty dated, you hear it and it SOUNDS old, but after a while you dig it.
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Never liked SF,SG...SW? a lot. Too much filler, not enough killer. Rust In Peace blows it out of the water. But I guess the same can be said for almost all other 'Deth albums. [!--emo&B)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/cool.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'cool.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Dec 25 2004, 12:48 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Dec 25 2004, 12:48 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]
Pink Floyd- More
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I agree with you : More is a masterpiece ! Songs like 'Nile Song' or 'Ibiza Bar' are almost "heavy" ! 'The Crying song' is my favorite : I like to listen to it in the morning, after a party. [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Atom Heart Mother and Ummagumma are strange, but when you understand them, they're amazing !

[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Dec 25 2004, 12:48 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Dec 25 2004, 12:48 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Queen- A Day At The Races
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Sheer Heart Attack is also underrated. It's certainly not the best, but it's my favorite : I like the variety of the songs.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Lib+Dec 28 2004, 07:17 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Lib @ Dec 28 2004, 07:17 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I agree with you : More is a masterpiece ! Songs like 'Nile Song' or 'Ibiza Bar' are almost "heavy" ! 'The Crying song' is my favorite : I like to listen to it in the morning, after a party. [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Atom Heart Mother and Ummagumma are strange, but when you understand them, they're amazing !
Sheer Heart Attack is also underrated. It's certainly not the best, but it's my favorite : I like the variety of the songs.
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Ummagumma is a weird one. I love the live LP to bits, but the studio LP is pretty dire, even the band think so...

Sheer Heart Attack is excellent! Side 1 is really heavy stuff and side 2 contains some of the strangest Queen moments of all time...

Yeah you can tell I'm one of the few people who still owns a turntable.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-The Ancient Mariner+Dec 30 2004, 05:22 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(The Ancient Mariner @ Dec 30 2004, 05:22 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Ummagumma is a weird one.  I love the live LP to bits, but the studio LP is pretty dire, even the band think so...
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'The Narrow Way' - Gilmour part - is one of my favorite Floyd's song !

It's sure it's not an album you can listen to in all occasions but, for example, while playing chess or something like this, it can be a good background music.

[!--QuoteBegin--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Yeah you can tell I'm one of the few people who still owns a turntable.
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I'm one of them too : I almost never buy CDs : each time it's possible, I buy a LP.
 
Give these a try:

Carcass-"Heartworks", brutal yet, melodic.
Testement-"The New Order", Killer Guitar work
Rush- "A farewell to kings", Its Rush..need I say more?
 
[!--QuoteBegin-where_eddie_dares+Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(where_eddie_dares @ Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Carcass-"Heartworks", brutal yet, melodic.
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Ah, yes, there's an under-rated one. Carcass is sort of under-rated in general really.
[!--QuoteBegin-where_eddie_dares+Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(where_eddie_dares @ Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Testement-"The New Order", Killer Guitar work
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Also quite the good album. I might prefer Practice What You Preach but this one is certainly under-rated.
[!--QuoteBegin-where_eddie_dares+Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(where_eddie_dares @ Dec 31 2004, 11:03 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Rush- "A farewell to kings", Its Rush..need I say more?
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No, you, do not. [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

Anthrax's Persistence Of Time is an under-rated album as well. Next to Among The Living, I'd say it's their best work.
 
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