Some of the songs here are about driving, some aren't, but all of them are ones that I have fun driving to. Some of these songs make me want to put my foot down, roll down every window and scream the words until I can't speak anymore. Because of the type of list this is I really couldn't narrow it down past my 30 most favorite driving songs, so this is my top 30 driving songs.
Number 30
Out For Blood by Icarus Witch
I don't know why this is fun to drive to, maybe because the riffs are great and screaming "out! for! blood!" with the windows down and the stereo cranked is really fun, especially when driving around busy roads and areas.
Number 29
Lucky Man by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
The video quality isn't the best, but it sums up the reason this song made the list... the synth solo.
Number 28
Fire Woman by The Cult
This song is great to listen to in general and makes me want to drive real fast or at least for hours on end with this song on repeat.
Number 27
Superheros by Edguy
There's just an energy to this song that is great for driving the open roads.
Number 26
Bad Guys Wear Black
Every now and again a nice simple heavy metal song is needed, I really love cranking this if I'm driving down town late at night... the people going to nightclubs on the other hand may not fully appreciate the song when I do so.
Number 25
Escape by Metallica
Read the lyrics and you'll know why this made the list.
Number 24
Public Enemy Number 1 by Megadeth
What can I say, songs about being a wanted criminal are great to drive to.
Number 23
Stand Up and Shout
It's energetic, it's going a million miles an hour outta the gates and it's Dio... need I say more
Number 22
Keep Your Hands to Yourself by the Georgia Satellites
This song is just to fun not to be included. Plus I love listening to southern rock and blues based stuff when I'm driving.
Number 21
Shake The House Down by Molly Hatchet
Like I said, southern rock is fun to drive to.
Number 20
Black Betty by ZZ Top
It has a great beat and some great riffs.
King of The Highway by Astral Doors
If I could get it up here like the other it'd be easier to listen to, but it's just an amazing song to drive to. Great song about hitting the open road with a bike.
Number 18
Highway Star by Deep Purple
Just simply awesome.
Number 17
Flirtin With Disaster by Molly Hatchet
Is it at all surprising Molly Hatchet made the list twice. They wrote some amazing songs and I would recommend them as a great band to listen to while driving.
Number 16
Sweet Devil's Kiss by Devil Train
Solid riffs, great rhythm section and just a great song all around. They also covered American Woman and the video is similar to this one in one obvious way (and I'm certainly not complaining, the band writes great songs and the videos are fun to watch).
Number 15
Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
Like Molly Hatchet, I suggest ZZ Top as a band to listen to while driving. The music seems like it's perfect for driving a sports car with the roof down.
Number 14
Coming Through by Killer Dwarfs
It's got great riffs, great lyrics and singing, and attitude. Plus if you happen to already yell this at traffic, playing this song makes it seem like you don't have road rage... you're singing along to a great Oshawa rock band's song.
Number 13
Swords & Tequila by Riot
NWOBHM is also a great genre to crank on the car stereo. Fast paced, great riffs, great singing and just a great song.
Number 12
Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight by Spinal Tap
It's Spinal Tap, either you agree or you think I'm nuts for cranking this on the roads.
Number 11
Running Free by Iron Maiden
I know Tap should always be at 11, but this song is soo much fun to drive to, so it just had to take this spot.
Number 10
Breaking The Law by Judas Priest
I don't know why but songs about breaking the law are great to drive to, and this is one is king of all law breaking songs.
Number 9
Four-Wheel Drive by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Songs about cars and driving were pretty much a guarantee here, and this great Canadian band wrote some great ones.
Number 8
Slow Ride by Foghat
It's the guitars and the drums.
Number 7
Layla by Derek & The Dominos
Great guitar riffs (it's Clapton so that was a given), great energy and a classic among classics.
Number 6
Heading Out On The Highway
Judas Priest wrote some of the catchiest metal tunes and this one is an obvious choice for this list.
Number 5
Detroit Rock City by Kiss
I can't not drive to this, it's just a fun song that has some great riffs (the bass has some really cool parts in this one).
Number 4
More Than A Feeling by Boston
Anyone who saw that commercial with the convertible driving off into the horizon, top down, with this song playing over it knows exactly why it's here (and this high up the list).
Number 3
Scuttle Buttin by Stevie Ray Vaughan
Sometimes a fast blues tune without any lyrics can make you forget your speedometer exists, I know it has for me (thankfully I came back to reality just in time to slow down).
Number 2
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
There couldn't be a list without this song, simple as that.
Number 1
Radar Love by Golden Earing
I've found myself singing along to this song from the bass line to the guitar line to the vocals (of course). To be honest, I've sounded something like Homer Simpson singing it, except with the correct lyrics. This song is just to fun to sing to and drive to not to be number 1 on this driving songs list.
There you have it and feel free to put down your favorite driving songs in the comments section. By the way, as an added bonus I'll put the video for the top one not to make this list right below...
I will go through my top 10 concept albums, and it took me some time to create this list because I started by listing all the concept albums I enjoy then I had to narrow down a list of at least 30 or more down to 10. Now, I've been told there are 2 kinds of concept albums; ones with a story and ones that are just about the same subject but have no real story line connecting them. I tend to favor the albums with a story line to them, but I still have a few of the other type that I hold in high regard.
The first one on this list is one that a friend told me I should listen to and the moment I heard the 13 minute closer I was hooked. Coincidentally the album with The Last Baron on it takes the last spot on my list, number 10 is... Crack The Skye by Mastodon
I can't really help but to put this one on here, I mean Rasputin is really the central character and that is pretty awesome. Though the lyrics and the theme take a back seat to the musicianship and songwriting/composition on this album, which is just superb. I don't think any band could have pulled off something quite like this, and Mastodon has really raised the bar for musicians inside or outside of prog-metal.
I spent a fair amount of time arguing with myself over which album would take this spot, and both albums were released by the same artist. The one I went with was the follow up to this band's first concept album, which was excellent, number 9 is... Still Life by Opeth
My Arms Your Hearse was an amazing concept album and it was well written, but I just like Still Life more: from The Moor to White Cluster this album is a masterpiece. The story is about a man who was banished from his village for not conforming to their religious views and he returns for his girl. The story is really well paced considering how simple it is and the music is just amazing. The growls are monstrous, the clean vocals are just great, the music is just what you'd expect from Opeth at that time (considering that this album was released after My Arms Your Hearse and before Blackwater Park, which was certainly a magical time in music).
This next one is a modern adaptation of The Count of Monty Cristo from a German prog-metal band. Number 8 is... Christ-0 by Vanden Plas
It's the story of a man who has just gotten out of prison after spending years growing into a cruel man, someone devoid of any of those Jesus teachings of peace and love... Christ-0. Basically he goes on a killing spree and a detective tries to catch him, but must go through his own demons first before he can confront this demon. The story is extremely well written, nowadays I really expect nothing less from Andy Kuntz since he's quickly become one of my favorite lyricists/singers. The music is also amazing and I really love how the instrumentation is handled, unlike most prog bands Vanden Plas's focus more on the melody rather than just mindlessly shredding for hours. Don't get me wrong, there is shredding, but it's done in a very melodic way that a lot of bands don't really do at all. I've heard that they'll be releasing a new concept album later on this year, and I couldn't be more excited.
There's no way I could leave out a concept album from Arjen A. Lucassen, and I chose this one completely because growing up I was really really into Sci-Fi (Star Trek, Star Gate, The Day The Earth Stood Still, etc). Number 7 is... Space Metal by Arjen A. Lucassen's Star One
From the standpoint of a prog fan it is a dream come true with Dan Swano (Nightingale), Russel Allen (Symphony X, Allen Lande, guest spots with Avantasia), Floor Jansen (After Forever, Nightwish - live and hopefully the new permanent vocalist) and Damien Wilson (Threshold and millions of other appearances) on vocals. There also happens to be a guest appearance by the one and only Jens Johansson (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Stratovarius). As a fan of Sci-Fi one can't help but love the fact that the songs are about classic Sci-Fi movies and shows like Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Gate, Star Wars and Alien to name a few. The music is what you'd expect from Lucassen, just great, and the vocals are done just as you'd expect from this all-star cast, amazing. There was also a second album called Victims of The Modern Age, but Space Metal was the best anyone could have hoped for.
Next up is an American metal band that wrote a multi-album story (2 albums plus 3 songs as a prelude), and changed vocalists between the 2 albums. That pretty much gave it away, number 6 is... Something Wicked parts I & II and the Something Wicked trilogy
It started with the Something Wicked Trilogy, then Barlow left the band and the Ripper joined on for 2 concept albums, the first about the American revolution and the second Framing Armageddon. The story is basically that the Setians were the original inhabitants of earth and humans came from the stars, killing all but 10,000 of them. Their revenge was to make us forget who we were and where we came from, influence the evolution of humanity and await their savior who would be the destroyer of humanity. The Crucible of Man was released with Barlow back on vocals and it picks up with the birth of Set Abominae, the savior of his kind, and his conditioning/training as the destroyer of mankind. Eventually he starts his quest and he makes his decision on what he will do after watching mankind over the ages. The story basically ends with a good moral; the only way for us as a species to survive is to reject human nature (greed, selfishness, etc). The album Dystopia had 2 songs that were still about the story, just during Set's spree of destruction, and apparently we can expect the occasional song or 2 down the road about this epic tale.
The music is what you'd expect from Iced Earth and the vocals on all songs relevant to this story are amazing (yes I actually like the Ripper's work on Framing Armageddon), and it is just great in every way I can think of.
Sir Russel Allen is making his second appearance on this list. Number 5 is... Paradise Lost by Symphony X
Not many bands could possibly take on the task of writing a concept album about the garden of eden story and it turn out so amazing. This album is, in my opinion, Symphony X's best work to date. It's fast, heavy, epic, progressive, it's got a couple ballads which can leave you speechless and the songwriting is superb. I really don't know what else to say other than it is amazing.
Not surprising at all that this next album is from a power metal band and it's about Middle Earth, number 4 is... Nightfall On Middle Earth by Blind Guardian
I know it makes more sense to put up the studio version since the army of vocals is just epic, but I love the live versions just as much... plus you get a real large army of vocals with the crowd. Anyways, the album is basically the Similarion and the music is epic. There are a lot of spoken word tracks on the album and they really add something that I can't quite put my finger on. Not much to say other than... this is epic in far too many ways (did I forget to say: EPIC).
If this didn't make the list then I don't think I would be able to go on with this blog, this is probably one of the most well-known concept albums from a band that has gone through recent issues and is technically 2 bands now. Number 3 is... Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche
This doesn't need to be justified, it should make any list on the best concept albums. I did not put it higher because I think the 2 that are above are as close to perfect as possible and this album does have it's weaker points. I don't know why, I can listen to most of the songs endlessly, but I can't listen to Suite Sister Mary unless I'm listening to the album the full way through and reading the lyrics. Other than that, the songs on this album are memorable and can stand as amazing songs on their own. For that matter all of the albums on this list really have that quality, but Operation Mindcrime is one of the most memorable albums with some of the most memorable songs on it.
With a second appearance on this list is their 2010 and, until a new album is released, is their most recent work. Number 2 is... The Seraphic Clockwork by Vanden Plas
Time travel, the idea that an alternate history occurred where Jesus's destiny was never fulfilled and Judas protected him, the idea that a clock maker's destiny is to save mankind (until the end of time) with the greatest act of betrayal... wow. I'm not a religious person, I don't believe that organized religion is right, but I think this album's story is genius. If religions had stories like this I would be in church every week front and center paying attention to every word spoken. The story has a really good human element to it to, the clock maker has to struggle with the idea that Christianity got rid of the prophecies of Jesus dying for the world's sins and trying to get past the fact that he feels completely betrayed so that he can take his rightful place in history to save mankind. On top of all that the music is more refined and miles above that of Christ-0, which may be hard to believe. There is not one song that isn't a masterpiece by itself, and together they create one of the best albums I've ever listened to.
And at last, the top spot on this top 10 concept albums list has been reached. After all of the albums that made the list I finally get to reveal my favorite and it also happens to include Russel Allen once again (though not in a prominent role this time). Number 1 is... The Scarecrow Trilogy by Avantasia
These were the 3rd, 4th and 5th albums by Avantasia, the 2nd story and thankfully not the last. The Scarecrow, Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon create a story that is interesting, emotional and epic (there's that word again). The main character (Tobias Sommet) is basically an outsider who has unrequited love for someone (Amanda Somerville) and is exploring the left-hand path with the help of his guide (Micheal Kiske) while being tempted to abandon that path (by Jorn Lande) with a ton more guest spots along the way (like Roy Khan, Alice Cooper, Russel Allen, Cloudy Yang and Klaus Meine). There is of course much more to the story, but I'll move onto the music.
The music is epic and awesome, but also extremely melodic and catchy as ****.
I consider Avantasia's latest album The Mystery of Time to be even better than any of the prior releases but it is not yet a completed story (so I hear) and even if it was, The Scarecrow Trilogy had 3 albums to get out the story and each album is a masterpiece by itself and the same can be said about each of the songs. If I had only listed individual albums then 4 spots would be taken up by Avantasia (the trilogy plus The Mystery of Time) and that hardly seemed fair considering all the concept albums I had to cut out to make this list.
Hopefully someone enjoyed this list and, as always, I welcome any comments and suggestions so long as they are appropriate (If you think I missed some albums, let me know).
I figured for this post I'll keep it to something simple; my favorite underground Bands. This list is not in any specific order and it's not really a list like my prior ones, it's me trying to spread the word about some great bands that I enjoy. I know some people already know about some of these bands, so I would ask that people continue this list in the comments section so that anyone who reads this (including myself) can be exposed to bands that they/I may not be familiar with.
Hollow Ground released I think about 6 songs in their career and fell into obscurity rather quickly, which is too bad because they were a great NWOBHM band and I would have loved to hear more of them.
For those who listen to Death, you probably already know of this band since it was a side project. For those who don't take a listen, the vocals are good but understandably they are a bit of a "love it or hate it" kind of thing. The music is quite melodic but still heavy and progressive.
Catharsis released a demo and their debut Pathways To Wholeness, and they are a progressive metal gem. The music is very well done and reminds me of Psychotic Waltz except as a three-piece. For prog, it is raw since there are no keyboards, and it is great... it makes me think whether keyboards in prog-metal is really making the music better or holding it back, just because of how well done it is.
This band is not the most underground band on this list, but it took some digging for me to be able to find this album. This is a great thrash metal band that really puts a lot into the music and the lyrics, and Time Does Not Heal is by far my favorite release from this band. Though, I'd suggest listening to everything they've done because it is all good thrash metal anyways.
This band is pretty much like if Geoff Tate always sang in that Queen of The Reich falsetto and early Fates Warning (first 4 albums) mixed with early Queensryche as the musical element. There is great songwriting, musicianship and Screamer is simply an amazing band.
For some reason the link for what is probably one of the best songs I have ever heard doesn't seem to be working in terms of embedding videos, so here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6dlZCRianw
Zions Abyss are a Canadian band (Albertan to be specific) and when I first heard Scarred For Life (which is what the link above is for) I was blown away with how amazing it was. The rest of TALES is great, but Scarred For Life is a masterpiece that people would sell their souls just to be able to write something half as good as it. There were rumors (from the band) that they'd release their second album (which is still unreleased as far as I know), but that has yet to happen so TALES is the only album we get to hear for now.
Again I seem not to be able to embed a great song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCV25NaCQ4Y (Last Rites).
The song I put the link up for could easily compete with Zions Abyss's Scarred For Life (as well as songs from the artists that I will put up after Empyria). Empyria are a British Columbia based progressive metal band that just amazes me with how well they can write songs. For those getting into the band I highly suggest that you start with the album A Long Road Home, which is re-recorded versions of previously released songs... it basically gives an overview of most of their career and the production on it is also the best in their career (in my opinion). For those really into the proggiest stuff, listen to the Lighter Side of Darkness parts I-IV (which is the video above).
Wicked Maraya released Cycles before changing their name to Maraya and releasing 2 more albums, and recently they have announced that they will be releasing Lifetime In Hell (unreleased album recorded before Cycles) with 2 brand new songs as bonus tracks (in the vein of Cycles).
The music is just amazing, to me it feels like a combination of 90s alternative, progressive metal and power metal. All I can really say is do yourself a favor and take a listen.
This is the debut from Etibicoke (Ontario) based prog-metal band In The Name and it is still one of my favorite albums ever. It feels like Rush, Psychotic Waltz, Fates Warning, Queensryche and 90s alternative music were blended together and turned to 11. The album sounds timeless and is really a step or 2 above every other prog band in history, and for that matter music in general. The music is amazing, the composing/songwriting is spectacular, the melodies are memorable, the lyrics are amazing and the singing is too amazing to accurately describe. This remains their only release under this name.
In The Name was originally called Kingsbane, who released a demo that was called the greatest prog-metal demo in history by Hard Rock Magazine and was released just about the time that Dream Theater broke it big with Images & Words. Because of the rise of grunge, aka the dominance of Nevermind, they were not able to get a major label contract. They changed their name to Seven Years and released another demo, eventually signing with a small label and changing their name to In The Name for their debut album. After the release of their Kingsbane/Seven Years demos by Stormspell Records in 2010, the band said that they were inspired to write new material in the vein of the Kingsbane demo. Sadly, nothing has happened since then and it seems as though one of the greatest bands I have ever had the pleasure of listening to will not be making a comeback that I am certain would have been as close to perfect as a band could get.
The music was powerful, moving, melodic, full of hooks, timeless, spectacular and probably the best music this world could ever hope to hear.
For those who do not like metal or rock, try taking a listen to Blinded by In The Name (still rock/metal but it has a sound that is so different from rock/metal), or Shame by In The Name (a beautiful acoustic ballad that mainstream music fans should love).
I have stated what I felt were disappointing albums and surprisingly good albums, but I have yet to go into an often traveled path: my top 5 most overrated albums. I will take this time to state immediately that, though I list the following albums as being overrated, I either have been or still am a fan of these albums/artists. The reason these albums made the list is simply that I don't think they are as good as people have made them out to be.
Number 5 is a good release from a great prog-rock band... Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd
I know that one of their biggest radio hits came from this album and that it is considered their best album by a lot of people (or at least most people I run into), but I never found it as great as everyone said it was. I think it is a good album with some good songs but I always felt that other Pink Floyd albums were miles better than this one (The Wall and Wish You Were Here). Because of how amazing Pink Floyd's discography is it is really impossible to say that one release is THE release of their career, but Dark Side of The Moon is still good enough to avoid the top spot on this list (or the second through fourth spots).
Number 4 is the second studio album by a prog-metal band described as "the most popular band you've never heard of" and is also a band that I think, in general, is overrated (but is still a good artist)... Images and Words by Dream Theater
Yes, Pull Me Under was a top 5 hit on MTV in the early 1990s and yes, this is a good album, but it did not make prog-metal popular and it was not the first time a prog-metal band had a single with regular rotation on MTV. If memory serves, Dream Theater was the third of the three major pioneering prog-metal bands to break through to the mainstream, Queensryche (Empire - 1990) and Fates Warning (Parallels - 1991) had some singles that achieved mainstream success (granted the carpet was pulled out from under Fates Warning leaving them with less success compared to the other two).
I always hear Dream Theater fans praising the band as gods and the greatest thing ever but, like many bands praised so highly, they ultimately land in the overrated category. Images & Words is a good album but it is not great and it is far from perfect but, luckily, it is nowhere close to being the most overrated album in my opinion.
Number 3 is called their greatest album by the mainstream but is also called a sellout and a betrayal of the sub-genre... The Black Album by Metallica
When this album came out it was a success and turned Metallica into a mainstream success... and a rock band. This is certainly not Metallica's best album and, in a way, it was a bit of a betrayal to a lot of die-hard thrash fans. When I was in high school I had a lot of rage and frustration, and thrash metal was something that helped me through it... the people I didn't like very much (for various reasons) were the kind of people that this album attracted, people who just didn't "get" thrash. That is part of the reason why people felt it was a betrayal, I mean think about it... first you think it's not good then the people who caused your frustration and rage start saying how great the Black Album is.
Anyways, time to get off that little rant and onto the album itself. I do enjoy some of the songs on this album but I don't like the production much because it feels to rock n' roll for a thrash metal band, the songwriting is not up to the standard set by the prior albums, it just feels like a sell-out (I don't know how else to put that) and yet, so many people say it is Metallica at their best. Ultimately this is one highly overrated album, but it still has some moments good enough to keep it ahead of the next 2.
Speaking of that, number 2 has one of the most overplayed singles on it... Nevermind by Nirvana
This album hit number 1, helped put grunge on the map which pushed glam into a tiny hole (which it kind of got out of) as well as metal in general and I have heard so many people say how great the album is. I don't think the album is as good as most people think it is but it does have one thing that mainstream music doesn't have, pure raw emotion and intensity. They were never the greatest band, the greatest songwriters, great musicians but somehow I've run into people that think they are all of the above. If there's one thing I have to say its that Nevermind is very overrated and Nirvana's debut album Bleach was much better, but one thing I can never argue with is that Polly is a great song. It's overrated but there are some decent songs on the album and the music may not be that great but it is real and heartfelt, and I do like listening to it on occasion.
... and the number 1 most overrated album in history is... a tie between every pop star from the late 1980s to present. Well, it would be... but I don't review that kind of music. So the number 1 spot on my list instead is still a tie, but all 3 albums are from the same artist... We Are Not Alone, Phobia and Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin
I used to be into this band but my tastes changed and when I went back to listen to the music, I couldn't tell the difference between 90% of the music. I did not include the debut Saturate because it is actually a decent album. All I've ever heard from Breaking Benjamin fans is that they are perfect and that any list that does not include them as the best rock/hard rock/metal band is not a true list and is someone's "idiotic opinion". Well, here's my idiotic opinion for everyone to see: the musical evolution of this band is non-existent, the singing is bland and unemotional, and the songwriting sounds like the copy & paste function was used one too many times. I still listen to some songs from all their albums on occasion because sometimes I feel like listening to that stuff, but I still feel the way I do about these albums. If they weren't praised as highly as they are by their fans then they may not have ended up here, but they are so... they are.
So, as always, if you want to comment on anything here go for it, just respect people's opinions and they (including myself) should do the same.
One thing I have always noticed is that in the progressive metal genre a lot of bands seem to sound similar to one and other, which seems extremely contradictory to the idea of the music being called progressive when it's not really progressing all that much. I decided to go through every prog metal band I have on my computer and create a list of the 10 most unique prog metal bands to this date, that I am aware of.
One thing I will ask right off the bat is that if you don't see a band on this list you think should be on here, say so in the comments. Chances are I either had my reasons or I was not aware of that band, either way speak up because it may make me take a second look at the list and maybe discover some great bands.
So, without further adieu, here is number 10... Dream Theater
I know there are a lot of people that will argue with this decision because Dream Theater has a lot of die-hard fans that think that they are gods, which is great for them. Looking at the band, they made the list because when they started they were fairly original and not many bands came close to sounding like them at the time. The reason they are in the lowest spot on the list is that, despite being original when they started, there are more Dream Theater clones out there than there are anything else in the genre. In the end they really were the ones that broke through out of the early prog metal bands, but they are not the most unique sounding band today and, honestly, they did not create the genre nor were they the most unique prog metal band when they started (that honor goes to a couple of bands that are higher up on the list).
Number 9 has been described as the offspring of Opeth and Tool, but are so much more... Riverside
With their debut album, this Polish band really showed their versatility and all of their releases sound a little different from the last. They may sound like Opeth meets Tool but there is something else there... something about the atmosphere of each song (which is the most evident in their second full-length Second Life Syndrome) that makes this band unique. Because they do sound like a few other bands, they are not very high on this list but they certainly made the list because there aren't many bands that can produce unique music in this day and age. The song Second Life Syndrome basically sums them up perfectly, one part is more mellow and soft, one is heavier and one is instrumental.
The 8th most unique prog metal band is one of the pioneering bands of the genre... Fates Warning
Like Dream Theater, Fates Warning made the list because when they started they were a very unique sounding band (ignoring the debut/demo Night On Broken) that helped to pioneer the genre. In this case they are lower on the list because many of their albums are not very unique sounding, even when considering the time periods. I love Fates Warning, they are by far my favorite band, but the albums that they created that are unique are really just Spectre Within, Awaken The Guardian, Perfect Symmetry and Inside Out. Though, parts of Perfect Symmetry and Spectre Within sound similar to what other bands were playing. Now the reason that Fates Warning is higher than Dream Theater (because lets face it, some people may still be stuck on that fact) is simply Awaken The Guardian: it was/is one of the most unique albums in music period, and it was one of the earlier prog metal albums predating Operation Mindcrime by 2 years and being released while Dream Theater was only around for about 2 years (I don't remember if they were still Majesty at that point). It is impossible to ignore the significance of this band, but ultimately a fair portion of their albums are not unique enough to propel them higher on this list.
For those expecting another pioneer of the genre, you'll have to wait a bit. Number 7 is a newer band... Appearance of Nothing
With 2 full-lengths under their belt and another one coming this band has quickly impressed me. I actually decided upon this band over To-Mera for this list because I felt the unique approach to the compositions and instrumentation along with the combination of growls and clean vocals made them a better choice (To-Mera would be listed as number 11 or 12 if this list was longer). They may be less popular than the other bands on this list, but with music like this that may change... and hopefully soon.
It had to happen eventually, number 6 is... Mastodon
There really aren't many bands like Mastodon, they combine many different sounds and they have reached a respectable amount of popularity with some quality releases. I actually caught them with Opeth on the Heritage/Hunter tour and my only complaint was that they didn't take a break between songs to interact with the audience, but that probably saved enough time for an extra song or 2. The reason they are not higher is a matter of timing... as a relatively newer band in the genre, they came in after many (and I mean many) paths were taken in regards to prog in general. In 10 to 20 years who knows, maybe they will have a bigger impact on the genre and will deserve to jump up higher on this list. For now we'll say they are number 6 and climbing (number 7 is in the same boat to, but these guys will probably climb faster).
Number 5 once said the difference between themselves and Dream Theater was that they met on the road and not in a college... Psychotic Waltz
Who could forget the great underground progressive hippie metal band from San Diego. From their earliest demos to Bleeding (and hopefully soon a new album), they have created some very memorable and odd prog metal. They are up here because I can't think of how to describe that style of playing/composing other than to say it's in the style of Psychotic Waltz, not to mention how unique the singing was at the time.
I mentioned them a little earlier in this list and here is number 4... Opeth
There was no way they wouldn't make the top 5 at least. They took death metal / deathcore and added clean vocal passages, intricate acoustic passages, complex electric parts, eventually some great keyboard parts and the songs still flow beautifully. Each album always sounds different from the last and, whether good or bad, they still always sound like Opeth.
Getting into the top 3 will undoubtedly create some conflict (if I haven't already) between the opinions of you all and me. Number 3 is... Pain of Savation
This is a band that has produced concept album after concept album after concept album, and have taken the less traveled road in the genre and the record from a few years ago reminded me of the blues a bit. Despite all the uniqueness to each album/song, the band have always written music (and lyrics) that have genuine emotion in them. I always point out The Perfect Element pt. 1 to prove that point the first 3 songs are all filled with emotion but still have great music and that's not something that happens everyday.
Number 2 is... Cynic
There was no way I'd ignore this band, they may only have 2 full-lengths but they are both phenomenal. The first release in 1993 (I think) I can only describe as completely different and groundbreaking for the time and no less then that today. I'm not kidding when I say that this and number 1 are two bands I shouldn't have to justify at all, I feel they are clear decisions for obvious reasons.
Now, number 1 takes the top spot because they were a flagship band for the genre, forming a couple years before fellow pioneers Fates Warning and Dream Theater and still sounding as unique now as they did years ago... Watchtower
They were one of the earliest bands in prog metal and took an approach that was truly progressive, and that's all that really needs to be said.
I will be doing a lot with prog metal in the future so you can look forward to that (or look forward to telling me I'm wrong).
In music there are always a few bands that are as far from serious as possible and I will be listing the funniest (but awesome) bands that I absolutely love to listen to again and again. In this post I will list them based on a few things: lyrics, music, whether or not they were in any television programs or movies, influence (on bands, culture and anything really) and of course my personal preference will be a factor.
Number 5 are going balls out bringing back glam and getting their street-level ads removed due to inappropriate imagery, other wise noted as the album's cover art. The only reasons that they aren't higher on this list is simply that the lyrics aren't quite as good (still great though) as some of the other bands on this list and they have been releasing (and playing) as a band for less time than the other bands on this list. They are... Steel Panther
Number 4 have embraced the cliches of metal by chasing the dragon, getting evilized, giving everything to be in the book of heavy metal and have even written a song about a particularly aggressive lady of pleasure. They play some very heavy metal and have written many songs that make me bang my head and make me laugh while singing along. A band that titles the ballad of an album "the ballad" really doesn't need an introduction but they're getting one anyways, they are... Dream Evil.
Number 3 hail from British Columbia and were in league with Satan while you were shouting at the devil. This band has beaten out some great bands because they not only write some music that is funny as ****, the music is also intense, brutal and just great all-around... not to mention the fact that Nathan Explosion made a guest appearance on the vowel song (it was just too great of a guest spot not to be added in this post). They are... Zimmers Hole
Number 2 not only is the world's 7th largest economy and the stars of an insanely funny television program, they also released three albums, all of which have been the highest charting death metal albums on the billboard 200 until the next release came out. This is one of the most obvious bands to put on this list, especially after hinting at it in the bit about number 3. They may be amazing, hilarious and just plain awesome but I just couldn't put them any higher (I'll mention why with number 1's introduction) on this list, here they are... Dethklok
Despite the fact that all of the previous bands are just amazing, none of them could possibly top the funniest (but awesome) bands list of mine. Number 1 have gone through more drummers than I care to count, are England's loudest band, produced a black album well before Metallica, the band leaders are fire & ice with the bassist as lukewarm water, have a guitarist obsessed with Stonehenge who thinks taking off his sweater will stop global warming and may still be completing that musical trilogy in D minor. In the end could it really be anyone but the one the only... Spinal Tap
Maybe it was an album that was so good you couldn't believe that it was from that artist, or maybe their previous album was so bad that an average album sounded like a classic by comparison. Well, this is my list of the top 5 most surprising albums.
Number 5... Astronomica by Crimson Glory
Crimson Glory is one of those bands that I absolutely love, but one thing I had always heard was that Astronomica was not a very good album, that it was really weak and that Crimson Glory without Midnight (in this case with Wade Black) was a poor attempt at an album. Well I took a listen to War of The Worlds and the title track on YouTube and I loved it, so I bought the CD and I loved every single song.
I have no idea what people are talking about when they trash this album because it is just amazing, the production is good, the guitars, bass and drums are just great and the vocals are very well done. Maybe it's just because Midnight wasn't singing or writing but I think this is an album that fans of classic metal (and power metal and prog-metal) should check out.
Number 4 is... The X-Factor by Iron Maiden
This is yet another one that people have been trashing because of 1 reason: no Dickinson. I really don't know what it is with people hating albums just because the singer is different, if the singing sucks then that's a different story, though sometimes the singing is amazing and the band just sucks (i.e - the Ripper-era Priest), but in this case neither are true. Maiden sounds great, the songwriting is solid and a continuation of the darker material from Fear of The Dark, as well as Blaze Bayley sounding great. It was listening to the Blaze-era Maiden (well, this album and 2 songs from Virtual XI) that made me a Blaze Bayley fan in the first place. He's not Bruce, he doesn't have the range but he puts everything he's got into every single note he sings, not to mention a very heavy metal voice. For those who could never accept anyone but Bruce as the singer, they wouldn't be where they are without Paul Di'Anno fans accepting him so give their 3rd vocalist a chance at least once. Also, for those who don't like Iron Maiden because of the vocals (trust me there are some like that), give this album a listen and also check out Blaze's solo work.
I got into this band somewhat with their earlier albums, which were more in line with glam rock than anything else. I really didn't consider them anything special until I heard this album, it was heavier than their other music but it was still very melodic and catchy. When I listened to the songs they had a very different feel to them than their other material, and I still feel as if this album was the band finding their voice and creating something that was much less "in the vein of" and more a statement about who they were as a band. I suggest listening to this if you're into melodic-rock/hardrock, it's a good record and I really wish they could have created a follow-up to this record.
Number 2 is... Clash of The Gods by Grave Digger
This album surprised me, but it's not because any of their work was sub-par in fact, Grave Digger has been very consistent and has never really experimented with a different musical direction since their only album under the name Digger. The album that came out prior to this was a return to what they became best known for, songs about the Scots. The Clans Will Rise Again was exactly what was expected of a record like that, heavy, fast, intense and great to play over Brave heart. So my expectations were pretty much that this new album would be more of the same and, upon hearing the lead single Home At Last, I figured that this would meet expectations... but I was wrong in the best way. As it turned out Home At Last was one of the lower points in the album, and I was just blown away. The opener was hauntingly beautiful and a great lead into God of Terror, and the rest of the album was a balance of the heavy, the fast, the haunting, the intense and the beautiful. The use of acoustic guitars and what the keyboardist adds to the songs just elevated this album well above the majority of Grave Digger's discography, at least in my opinion. When I first heard the title track the first thing I thought of was Metallica's Wherever I May Roam, but better. This album to me is and will always be one of the best releases in music. Because of how good their prior albums were though, this album just couldn't surprise me as much as the last one on this list did.
Number 1 is... A Different Kind of Truth by Van Halen
I'll be brutally honest, I do not like Van Halen apart from Hot For Teacher... that is, until A Different Kind of Truth. I actually don't like 90% of glam (this album, the song Hot For Teacher, everything by the Killer Dwarfs / Russ Dwarf and a couple Motely Crue songs being that 10%), so saying that I enjoy this album certainly says something about it. It's not the best album in the history of mankind, but it is a rockin' album that is just fun to listen to. It feels like Van Halen has taken a less-is-more approach to this record with less Eruption and more hooks, melody and just great songwriting. There have been a lot of negative reactions to this record and I really don't understand why, it's not their earlier records but that's why I like this album so much, it's catchy, it's well written and (this is a big one for me) the music isn't just some kids showing off, it is an experienced band that can write. If you don't like the album because it's not classic Van Halen then (to paraphrase Eddie in an interview in a guitar magazine I have somewhere) put it in a vault and don't listen to it until 20 years from now.
So that wraps up my top 5 most surprising albums, if you have any kind of opinion on this or want me to create a certain kind of list or review something put it in the comments, just keep in mind we all have different opinions and such.
