ninehertz

1. • sabbathfan
   • WARNING: LONG POST
     
     On kerrang boards there is a thread asking what people's album/albums of the decade are. I racked my brain and came up with this little lot. I can't narrow it down that much though....
     
     
     Iron Maiden - Brave New World (2000), Rock In Rio (2001), Dance of Death (2003), A Matter of Life and Death (2006), Flight 666 soundtrack (2009)
     
     A stunning set of albums from the greatest metal band of all time. Three excellent to outstanding studio efforts, and two live belters. Live albums make or break a band's greatness, and Maiden didn't disappoint in this field.
     
     
     Motorhead - Inferno (2004)
     
     Everyone goes on about their classic early 80s albums, but this is right up with them. Very consistent, rocks at a level Metallica can only dream of nowadays. And my god it is HEAVY. Kiss of Death (2006) was a good follow up too.
     
     
     Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden (2004)
     
     Notable for two things: One, Ripper Owens's unearthly vocal range. Best vocalist in rock right now, with the exception of Dickinson. Two, the Gettysburg trilogy, which is about half an hour long yet flows well and in my opinion really works. Not a flawless record, but Gettysburg is brilliant and earns this album its place on the list.
     
     
     Tool - Lateralus (2001)
     
     At the height of Slipknot mania, when Limp Bizkit were still a serious global concern and mentioning prog bands got you puzzled looks, a flat out progressive rock record got a 5K Kerrang review and a number 1 spot on the Billboard 200. This is a complex/intricate record, but it doesn't forget to bring the memorable riffs too, and having rediscovered this album a month or so ago I'm finding it rather addictive. It works very well as a whole piece. Utterly gorgeous artwork as well.
     
     
     Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness (2005), To The Nameless Dead (2007)
     
     Not exactly cheerful records, but the band put everything into their music on these albums. TGW is dark, intense, brooding and utterly enraged - I can't find the words to describe the emotions at play on this record. TTND is equally enraged but less despairing, more of a fighting spirit on it. A very strong sense of history and culture weaved through both of these. I don't tend to listen to this style of music but Primordial do it magnificently. Great live band too.
     
     
     Skyclad - Folkemon (2000)
     
     Not as good as their earlier 90s work, and a bit unbalanced for my tastes - the first half of the record is noticeably stronger than the second - but a good album. VERY catchy. Should have been a big record that got the band a lot more attention, but it never happened.
     
     
     QOTSA - Songs For The Deaf (2002)
     
     Took a while for me to get interested in this record, but once I did, it was awesome. I think it's one of the best records for listening to on journeys, as it's built around that theme - the songs are interspersed with little fake radio sketches mimicking the action of tuning through the stations on a car radio. Now some people find these sketches annoying. I love them. They have a charm of their own and add a lot to the record. The songs are great too - some full on rock, some more ethereal. Mosquito Song is a mellow, melancholy closer to the record. The hidden track is innovative - rewind from track 1 and you'll see what I mean.
     
     
     Grand Magus - Monument (2003)
     
     This is superb. Great, GREAT riffs. Consistency, and a mellow yet heavy tone to it. The songs are even better live!
     
     
     Cathedral - Endtyme (2001)
     
     Not the usual Cathedral record - it's much more sludgy and slow-tempo than anything they have done apart from their debut - but it's got good songwriting, it's memorable, individual, and HEAVY. Quite consistent, and an improvement on their previous two albums. It's not as heavy, though, as...
     
     
     Electric Wizard - Dopethrone (2000)
     
     ...this album. This is probably one of the heaviest records I have heard. It's a bit much to take in repeatedly, but when I put this on my speakers implode. Quite Sabbathy, but infinitely bleaker.
     
     
     Neil Young - Living With War (2006)
     
     I need to buy this - I borrowed it a while back from a friend so I haven't heard it as much as I'd like to. It's great though - done in 14 days or so, quite raw and direct, and pulls no punches. Quite a powerful album.
     
     
     Judas Priest - Live in London (2002), Angel of Retribution (2005)
     
     Live in London is great - it's got Ripper Owens on the mic, but don't let that spoil you as he blows Halford away here. Good, heavy guitar tone and a great setlist. A most enjoyable live record.
     
     The Halford comeback, AoR, grew on me - it's very consistent [I even like the song Loch Ness which has good riffage, despite the slightly odd lyrics], some brilliant soloing from the Tipton/Downing team, and a nice mix of styles - the Painkiller-esque Judas Rising, the more 80s, oddly melancholy Worth Fighting For, and Angel and Eulogy hark back to their 70s work a bit. Plus it has an awesome Roy Z production job.
     
     2008's Nostradamus was a good effort but not quite as consistent and lacked something in the production department.
     
     
     Reverend Bizarre - In The Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend (2003)
     
     Total Sabbath worship, and once I adjusted to the vocals I loved this. Really consistent, really heavy, good atmosphere and great songwriting despite most of the songs being over ten minutes long.
     
     
     AC/DC - Black Ice (2008)
     
     It could be five songs shorter, but what the hell... It's sold 7.2 million copies worldwide already. It went to number 1 in 29 countries. It's gone platinum everywhere. It has riffs, solos, hooks and songwriting other bands can only dream of. It's addictive. It's catchy. It's AC fucking DC and it's rock and fucking roll. The end.
     
     
     Oh, and...
     
     Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue (2009)
     
     I need to give this some more listens. But... well... this is a serious contender for album of the year already. Brilliant songs, with a sense of hope/brightness coming through despair, and after what this band have been through people thought they'd never make another album again...
     
     It's different from the Layne era, obviously. It doesn't have that harrowing, bleak atmosphere Dirt has, or the haunting aspects of Jar of Flies. Sometimes they appear, but not for as long. There is a slightly more upbeat edge to things. In a way, this makes it more instantly listenable - Dirt is a brilliant album but it's so bleak and harrowing it is quite exhausting to listen to all the way through. But this album is anything but bland. There is a sense of loss, mourning, but also moments of looking forward, of rebuilding. I need to spend a lot of time with this record.
     
     
     
     
     PS: Other contenders for the album of the decade list: everything Muse have put their name to, The Gates Of Slumber - Conqueror.
   • [20:33 on 12/10/09]
2. • Big Si
   • My memory isn't good enough for this. Off the top of my head, in no order at all:
     Old Man Gloom - Christmas
     Everything about this is awesome, even the shit accordion based noise track in the middle.
     
     Melvins - A Senile Animal
     For a band to produce their best album over 20 years into their career takes some doing. Their live performances really sold this to me.
     
     Clutch - Pure Rock Fury
     The album that got me into them. Also responsible for showing me how cool dancing with a two litre bottle of cheap cider in one hand is.
     
     Pelican - Australasia
     Epic epic epic epic epic epic epic epicness.
     
     Botch - Anthology of Dead Ends
     Strictly a mini-album, but it's still probably the best 20 odd minutes of heavy music that will ever be written
     
     Killing Joke - Killing Joke
     Another band saving their best album until everyone thought they were dead. Dave Grohl on drums and daft vocals about asteroids, it's a winner.
     
     And I'll say Dopethrone too. The only truly essential doom album in my book.
     [Edited by Big Si at 20:59 on 12/10/09]
   • [20:58 on 12/10/09]
3. • sabbathfan
   • Dopethrone is good but Come My Fanatics is better I think.
     
     I got Pure Rock Fury, but never truly got into it. It did improve the more I listened to it. I can't remember what I did with it now.
   • [21:05 on 12/10/09]
4. • Rob Himself
   • I thought Dopethrone came out in 1998? Beat me severely if I'm wrong.
     
     Had to do this in a rush for Kerrang a while back and forgot loads of great stuff, but these are the albums that stood out for me, at the time at least - there's only a handful I still listen to regularly:
     
     1. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)
     2. Tool - Lateralus (2001)
     3. Million Dead - A Song To Ruin (2003)
     4. Hundred Reasons - Ideas above Our Station (2002)
     5. Daughters - Canada Songs (2003)
     6. Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)
     7. At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command (2000)
     8. Labrat - Ruining It for Everyone (2002)
     9. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001)
     10. Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden (2004)
     
     Probably listened to all those a million times each since I got them.
   • [10:32 on 13/10/09]
5. • mamba
   • I'm struggling to think of any from the early 2000s (apart from copying a couple of Rob's), but I know they're there.
   • [10:45 on 13/10/09]
6. • WickedWesticle
   • That labrat album is wicked.
   • [10:54 on 13/10/09]
7. • Rob Himself
   • Fo sho. Drove all the way to Tunbridge Wells to see them once, it was crazy.
   • [13:27 on 14/10/09]
8. • mike
   • There have been too many, highlights I'd say-
     
     Isis- Oceanic
     Mastodon- Remission
     Pelican EP
     Pelican- Australasia
     Old Man Gloom- Christmas
     Lateralus is my fave Tool album so yes.
     
     There are far too many, can't keep going or it'll not end.
   • [20:28 on 14/10/09]
9. • Hopkins
   • Hmm, tricky one this, probably forgot something really obvious
     
     Deftones - White Pony
     Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R
     A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
     Tool - Lateralus
     Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth
     Mastodon - Leviathan
     Clutch - Blast Tyrant
     Dredg - El Cielo
     Cave In - Jupiter
     Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American
     Taint - The Ruin Of Nova Roma
     Biffy Clyro - Blackened Sky
     Neurosis - A Sun That Never Sets
     The Sword - Age Of Winters
     Seafood - Surviving The Quiet
     Gentlemans Pistols - s/t
     Turbonegro - Drenched In Blood
     Cursed - II
     
   • [20:50 on 14/10/09]
10. • alan
    • This thread is just giving me a list of stuff I really should check out. My top ones would probably be...
      
      Genghis Tron - Board Up The House
      Weedeater - God Luck and Good Speed
      Mistress - In Disgust We Trust
      Rammstein - Mutter
      Down II
      Mastodon - Leviathan
      Neurosis - Given to the Rising
      Baroness - Blue Record
      The Bookhouse Boys - s/t
      Torche - Meanderthal
      Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
    • [22:38 on 14/10/09]
11. • Gareth
    • At The Drive-in - Relationship of Command
      Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates
      Cave In - Jupiter
      Dredg - El Cielo
      
      I'm sure there are more.
    • [22:09 on 15/10/09]
12. • mike
    • Gareth says:

      At The Drive-in - Relationship of Command
      
      
      Yeah and has dated very well, still sounds brand new.
    • [22:10 on 15/10/09]
13. • Big Si
    • I would like to add:
      Baroness - Second
      The best bits of Mastodon and some other good stuff.
      
      Torche - S/T
      The original version, not the pointless remaster. World, meet Mr Bombstring.
    • [22:40 on 15/10/09]
14. • odoom
    • OLD MAN GLOOM - christmas
      MASTODON - near enough everything
      TORCHE - meaderthal & s/t
      LEVIATHAN - masive conspiracy against all
      BLUT AUS NORD - the work which transforms god
      DEATHSPELL OMEGA - fas...
      CURSED - I, II & III
      KRALLICE - s/t
      CONVERGE - jane doe
      BOTCH - anthology of dead ends
      
      there's actually a fair few of great albums that have come out over the last decade. the late 90's and 00's have struck me as the years "metal" finally grew up and embraced texture, art, expression and individuality that was missing from so much of the "classic" stuff previously
      
      
    • [14:36 on 21/10/09]
15. • Tim Holehouse
    • Woven hand- mosaquaic
      wolf eyes- Human Animal
      Pinback- Summer in abbadon
      Neurosis- eye of every storm
      Angels of the light- Everything is good here/ please come
      Mars Volta- deloused in the cremitorium
      
      I can't think of any more... sure there is more stuff I've loved.
    • [12:24 on 22/10/09]
16. • Mazz
    • um....
      
      
      Bad Wizard - #1 Tonight
      The Brought Low – Right on time
      Electric Wizard – Dopethrone
      Artimus Pyledriver – S/T
      Kiss – Sonic Boom
      The Sword – Age of Winters
      Circulus – The lick on the tip on an envelop yet to be sent
      Black Betty – S/T
      Truckfighters – Gravity X
      Gonga S/T
      Goatsnake – Flowers of disease
      
      
    • [13:02 on 22/10/09]
17. • bad admiral
    • trebuchet - the VERY BEST OF
    • [16:11 on 22/10/09]
18. • 90dayman
    • Ah this is good. I like lists that give me ideas for albums to check out.
      I've been mainly listening to punk/hardcore/emo stuff lately so that's heavily reflected in my list. Could easily make another list of stoner/doom type stuff. Might just do that later. This list is made up of stuff I listen to year after year so, I guess that makes them my obvious favorite albums of the decade:
      
      Cross My Heart: Temporary Contemporary
      The Exit: Home for An Island
      The Ghost: This is a Hospital
      Drowningman: Rock and Roll Killing Machine
      Thursday: Full Collapse
      Rise Against: Siren Song of the Counter Culture
      Small Brown Bike: Dead Reakoning
      Glassjaw: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Silence
      Red Stars Parade: Disko
      Someday I: Ref 4
      Contender: Away With Words
      
      This list could go on and on. Makes me realise that it's really beeen an awesome decade for tunes.
    • [21:08 on 22/10/09]
19. • sabbathfan
    • odoom says:

      
      
      there's actually a fair few of great albums that have come out over the last decade. the late 90's and 00's have struck me as the years "metal" finally grew up and embraced texture, art, expression and individuality that was missing from so much of the "classic" stuff previously
      
      
      
      
      I agree that a lot more good stuff has come out in the last decade than one might realise, but I disagree with your comment that the older stuff didn't have texture/individuality etc. When I listen to 70s and 80s stuff I'm constantly impressed by how much individuality and genuine feeling there is in the music.
    • [15:20 on 23/10/09]
20. • Rob Himself
    • ooh yeah, Thursday definitely. and in a similar vein, Elliott - False Cathedrals, despite me losing my CD copy donkeys ago.
    • [16:27 on 23/10/09]

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