I wanted to do this since quite a while and now it's complete: my top 50 albums of all time. It includes mostly Metal and a few associated genres. The number 50 is arbitrary, it just happened to be the number I came closest when looking at what I like most. And the order is alphabetical, I couldn't decide on a real ranking.
King of the Dead is probably the best album of the 80s and better than 100% of its kind. I can see why people might get hung up on the vocals, they certainly are more of a mad screech than actual singing, but that is a large part of the charm. As can be heard on Frost & Fire, Tim Baker can do those 70s hard rock vocals as well, but chooses not to. I watched an old live performance of King of the Dead on YouTube and it was just completely ahead of its time and out of this world. The way the band introduces the song without Baker and then he is wheeled to the stage in a coffin and begins his screeches even before coming out. It is evident that the crowd isn't getting it at all, which is too bad really.
Tim Baker's songwriting is what sets them ahead aplenty. On Frost & Fire you can hear Greg Lindstrom's meddling, but with him gone on King of the Dead, there's nothing holding Fogle back with his flair for catchiness and occult atmosphere. It is wonderous how the band manages to catch that said atmosphere of occult and permeable evil better than harsher and harder bands like Slayer or Venom could at the time. The maybe do it even better than Black Sabbath in their early days. The Sabbathian influence is evident on the powerful 70s bass sound and style as well as the drumming.
On a side note, I haven't heard the last two albums so can't comment on that, but it's a shame that with Fogle dead, it's doubtful that band might re-unite to do something new.
Now answer the questions according to the numbers:
What was the first song you ever heard by 6?
we will rock you
What is your favorite album by 2?
Once
What is your favorite lyric that 1 has sung?
probably
"i can't stop this flame from burning, forevermore into the night blistering"
it's not their best by far, i just like this one lol
How many times have you seen 11 live?
None
What is your favorite song by 7?
Everlong and Wheels are tied
What is a good memory you have involving 20?
i don't have a 20
Is there a song by 3 that makes you sad?
nope.
What is your favorite lyric that 14 has sung?
pretty much every lyric in the song f-f-f-falling
What is your favorite song by 19?
welcome to hell...seeing as it's the only one i know.
How did you get in to 22?
don't have a 22
What was the first song you heard by 21?
don't have a 21
What is your favorite song by 4?
The Willing Well II: Fear Through the Eyes of Madness
How many times have you seen 10 live?
0 but i might be goin in february
What is a good memory you have involving 13?
uhm. listening to them on the way back home and my mom saying "oooh do you have any more dokken?"
Is there a song by 23 that makes you sad?
don't have a 23
What is your favorite album of 15?
Damnation
What is your favourite lyric that 9 has sung?
"gods kneel before our crime"
What is your favorite song by 8?
The Antichrist
What is your favorite song by 16?
the only song i've heard by them is fireflies
As I mentioned in my previous journal entry, I have a morbid fascination with my own listening statistics. So let's take a look at some more stats from 2009!
2009 was a good year, certainly heavy in quantity, but what about quality? I'll note now that the order of items below are opinion and will most likely change. Disappointingly, it appears I listened to exactly 49 albums this year - one short of having a top 50. It should also be noted that some of the albums here I do not rate highly, such as albums #48 and #47, and they appear here to give a complete view of last year in music (for me).
10.Cobalt - Gin
For any album, this is outstandingly composed. It's a very varied album, but one with strong black metal roots, which show mainly in the drums and vocals. It's hard to place a name of Cobalt's sound - a popular description on their shoutbox is 'Black metal Tool. Challenging music - and very worth picking up.
9.I Shalt Become - The Pendle Witch Trials
Criminally under-rated. To sum it up - it's very, very good depressive/atmospheric black metal from the UK. The album has no pretensions, just ample amounts of great black metal. Well worth finding, it has all the hallmarks of becoming a real gem.
8.Isis - Wavering Radiant
One of the earliest releases of 2009, and it set the right tone. It's a really great album, gives an excellent atmosphere and the vocals are very well done. My only comment is that the songs become slightly boring as the album wears on. Still, one of their best.
7.Baroness - Blue Record
The follow up to Red Album, this album serves as a showcase for Baroness's talent. The songs ooze with life, and the album carries a vein of vitality throughout that gives it a unique flow. The music is heavy, but not overly so - it forms a perfect back drop for John Baizley's grating vocals. There are some genuine moments of brilliance... Jake Leg!
6.The Axis of Perdition - Urfe
Where to start. It's a huge album - two discs (The Grief of The Unclean and The Great Unwashed). The content is mainly ambient soundscape, with spoken word from Leslie Simpson throughout. Very briefly, the album chronicles a man, lost in what seems to be a hellish, urban nightmare. This man runs, aware of demons at the edge of his reality. He relives memories of a hospital, or at least some sort of twisted experiment. What is the meaning? It is unclear - perhaps the demonic city was a dream, a side effect of the man's medical experiments. Maybe the city is a metaphor for the decay of our urban society. Who is Pylon? What is this 'axis'? Take from it what you will, maybe it's just a good story. This will disturb you. Ambitious certainly, but utterly excellent, hauntingly so. When you're out, we're in.
5.Jesu - Opiate Sun
More of an EP than an album, but as before, much of Justin's best music is hidden away on four-track releases. This effort has received flack for it's melodic, shoegaze like approach. Maybe people can't get over the Heartache EP just yet. Fuck them. This is genius. Can't wait for another full length.
4.Anaal Nathrakh -
Anaal Nathrakh have been a band of change recently - of their music, and their fans' opinions. ITCOTBW is an amalgamation of the sheer brutality of The Codex Necro era with the more structured songs and choruses of more recent albums. This album may fuck with your ears, but rest assured - you'll hum along too.
3.Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
Unbelievable effort - the songs are devastatingly simple, but hit you with the force of a tonne weight. Actually, this would get on the list simply for The Bleeding Baroness, but it's full of really iconic doom songs. If you're new to Candlemass or doom - look no further.
2.Mastodon - Crack The Skye
An album that has appeared, and has won many lists and polls this year, and it will come second here. I wasn't a fan of Mastodon before this year, and the sheer craft and ambition of this album swayed me. Great riffs, great vocals, and great songs.
1.Katatonia - Night Is The New Day
Perhaps I'm biased; this year was the year that Katatonia really grew on me, and that they released a new album this year only added to it. It is with an air of predictability for myself that I give Night Is The New Day the top spot, but it is an incredible album. Full of melodies, highs and lows, gloom and renewal. It's a less polished, but much more emotional Katatonia album. To quote a magazine feature on this album - 'Lets hope they never cheer up'.
So, overall a good year. Some great new bands, and some old masters returning in style. I still have a few albums to obtain, such as Moss 'Tomb of The Blind Drugged' etc. Lets see...
Best EP: Jesu - Opiate Sun Biggest disappointment: Shining - IV: Klagopsalmer Worst album: Lamb of God - Wraith Over-hyped: Absu - Absu