494 - Battering Ram - Iron Savior - 2004

When this album first came out, I was disappointed. I put the CD away in its spot in my CD binder and forgot about it. Really, my expectations were unreasonable. Granted, at the time, this was the worst Iron Savior release to date, but not because this album is bad, it is because the others are so good.

So, I was expecting another Condition Red or Dark Assault, and that is not fair because greatness is fleeting. Competence however endures, and this is a damn good album.

The songs do blend together more than earlier releases, and there are no real standout tracks, other than the title track, but the album is a solid rocker and the production and playing are superb.

So, while this album does not get heavy rotation on my iPod, it is an enjoyable listen and a really good Power Metal album from a great Power Metal band. And it is the 494th best hard rock/heavy metal album to date.

495 - Saxon - Saxon - 1979

Some regard this as the first NWOBHM album. I'm not sure if it is the first. I think Quartz 1977 record would be the first, but I digress. Either way, it is the first by a significant band.

When I was in high school, I did not like this record, but I have come to appreciate it. I know it is dated, and very raw, but these 8 songs are all of high quality. The production quality is poor (John Verity is no Martin Birch) and Saxon would certainly go on to do much bigger and better things (even without a marquee producer).

Some of the songs suffer from inconsistency, dragging through the slower parts (Judgement Day, Frozen Rainbow, etc.), but tracks like Stallions of the Highway and Backs to the Wall are full fledged NWOBHM classics. Others are hard rock standouts (Big Teaser and Still Fit to Boogie).

So, this raw effort from future legends is a good start to a great career, and thus lands at number 495.

496 - My Favorite Headache - Geddy Lee - 2000

There will be several Rush albums in this countdown, in fact all of them, with the exception of the preachy Snakes & Arrows. Geddy Lee's only solo album is a solid, if not spectacular effort. Some say he mailed it in, but I don't know for sure if I agree with that. I would have liked to see a bit more of a departure from the traditional Rush vibe. However, what we got was a Rush-esque album. It had a bit more keyboards than the recent Rush releases, so there is a distinction there, but I would have liked to see some experimentation with other genres by Lee.

The songs flow nicely, and the musicians perform flawlessly. The lyrics are not too serious and listening with hindsight, they are a refreshing departure from Peart's heavy hand. Snakes & Arrows (and to a lesser extent and for different reasons, Vapor Trails) makes me appreciate this album more 11 years after its release.

So, even Geddy "mailing it in" is good enough for #496 on the countdown.

497 - Master of Reality - Black Sabbath - 1971

Master of Reality is hailed by many Sabbath fans as their greatest work. I find it to be the worst of the original line up's 8 records.

Let’s break this record down into it's parts. There are 8 songs listed. I think you have to take away the 2 pointless and silly instrumentals Embryo and Orchid. This leaves you with 6. To me, Solitude doesn't really work. Generally, I am not a fan of the ballad. I prefer softer intreludes and instrumental sections of songs as opposed to a sappy ballad.

So, in my book, we are left with 5. That’s right, a supposedly full-length album with 5 real songs on it. Now of those 5, included is After Forever, the original Christian Rock song. It's not a bad song, but really not spectacular.

Into the Void goes on and on and goes nowhere.

Lord of this World, Sweet Leaf and Children of the Grave are all legitimate Sabbath classics, but really it is too little to consider this an elite album.

Finally, lest I forget, Master of Reality will be forever marred by the outro in Children of the Grave.

Interlude 1

So, compiling this list has been a tad more difficult than I thought. One of the reasons is that I was not expecting to find so many new releases that I like.

Think about it; 500 albums is a large number.

As I alluded to earlier, this population of albums consists of several great albums, but the bottom half or more contains some interchangeable pieces. At 500, Point of Entry is probably just as good of an album as DoomSword's Let Battle Commence, which will be somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Anyway, I am trying to position some things and finding it challenging. I do feel the list is worth doing, but it is going to be more fluid than I originally thought. But, when you think of it, that makes a heck of a lot more sense.

498 - Unstoppable Force - Agent Steel - 1987

Here we have an interesting album. Despite this band's first album coming out in 1985, leaving little time for imitation, comparisons to "elite" 1980's bands is inevitable. Not that they are a clone of any band, but they seem to have borrowed elements from other bands. So we have Queensryche vocals, Iron Maiden guitars and Metallica (Kill 'em All era) bass & drums. The whole thing is wrapped in an early Fates Warning vibe, and the result is Unstoppable Force.

Certainly, there were better bands and albums in the era, but among the bands who died out early (there was a reunion, but it is not really worth mentioning) this is one of the better albums. I'm not sure why these guys fizzled out, maybe it was bad management or lack of support from their label, but my guess is they would have changed their style to fit in with either the thrash movement or the glam movement. Maybe it was their refusal to change that destroyed them.

In any event, this is a good example of a good band, which may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. For me, it is good enough to land at number 498.

499 - Metallica - Metallica - 1991

I struggle with this album. In a vacuum, it's a really good traditional metal album. There are a few annoying slow songs, but face it, most good metal albums have them. Also, as with many good albums that clock in over 60 minutes, the last few tracks start to blend together.

But these minor flaws are not what brings this album down. There is an intangible here, and it is not a good one. Since music and it's enjoyment involves emotions and mood, this intangible hurts this album's ranking.

This album suffers from it's legacy, and that is why so many metal fans of my era dislike it. This album seemed to cause a wave that killed metal temporarily. Just look at the 1990's and you'll see a dearth of good metal albums, and for some reason, this album serves as a signpost for that end. On the bright side, I believe it was this dearth that opened up so many of the great albums and bands from the late 1990's and early 2000's, but that doesn't absolve Metallica and this album of its sins.

As such, "The Black Album" lands at 499. As a side note, if not for Mariano Rivera, it may not have cracked the list.

500 - Point of Entry - Judas Priest - 1981

This is an interesting record. Also, and interesting band. After reviewing the top 500, some may argue that I hold better bands to a higher standard. For example, if Demon released this album, I would sing its praises, but because it is Judas Priest, and they have a ten or so records better than this, I have been overly critical.

Maybe.

All I can say is this album suffers from inconsistency. There are some really great tracks here; Desert Plains, Solar Angels and even the overrated Heading Out to the Highway are all great tracks. Unfortunately, there are some real stinkers here. You Say Yes, Troubleshooter and All the Way are unlistenable. Turning Circles and On the Run are not much better.

Really, as I type, I am thinking 500 may be too generous given how many bad songs there are here. However, sometimes a couple of great songs can salvage an entire album, and I think that is the case here. I can overlook the problems here and focus on the great songs. Really, Priest usually has a clunker or two on their albums (Take on the World, United, etc.) and this album is no different, except that the clunker to classic ration is not as favorable as other Priest albums.

As a result, it lands at number 500.

Note - so how long until I post #499. Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe never. I am noncommittal.

The Top 400 (or so) - Introduction

In cataloging the top heavy metal(ish) albums of all time, I have found it interesting how the landscape of music has changed over the years. It is almost impossible to categorize Led Zeppelin II with White Wizzard, but I'll give it a try.

The other problem I am having is that the bottom 300 or so on this list can be very interchangeable. I think that when I am done, I'll find there is little difference between #317 and #483.

We shall see as I finalize the list, but my preliminary conclusion is that there are probably about 50 or so indispensable classics, another 150 or so really good releases, then a bunch (several hundred) of solid, but flawed records out there.

Again, stay tuned....

The Top 400

OK so in the next few weeks, I will begin the countdown the Top 400 heavy rock albums of all time. This will be a marathon, and may take 10 years, but who cares? I know I will phase in and out. Some weeks I may be prolific, other times I will not post for months. But since, I have nothing else to say, I may as well say this.

Coming soon #400...........................

The Top 250 - One More Try

So, loyal reader(s), I have finally decided to embark on a bold project that I have been wanting to do for some time. The problem is with a Top 250 album list is that new entries come in and tend to make the list outdated. However, with so few albums that I like coming out in recent years, it seems like now is a good time to embark on this bold project.

How long will it take?

How often will I post?

How soon until I completely abandon the project like so many others?

How long until I actually post Number 250?

There are many variables, plus there is probably a hidden variable, let's call it The X Factor....

WOW - It's Been a Long Time

Yup. I have not posted in quite some time. I've been busy. So, obviously, the top albums thing was a bust. As was my favorite 660. I guess I just don't know what to do with my little corner of the web.

I've heard a few good records lately, but nothing that great.

Saros - Acrid Plains
Ansur - Warring Factions

Again, pretty good, but nothing to blog about.

Best FLSR of all time - Pre-Intro

Pre Intro. Kind of like a pre-meeting. So, what are the rules?

I am not including anything that is not metal (or at least aluminum). So no Springsteen, Buffett, Hornsby, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Joe Jackson, Phish or Moby. All of which have albums that are among my favorite 250 of all time.

So, I will go with the "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it." definition.

Best Full Length Studio Recordings of All Time

So, I am now considering compiling a list of my favorite full length studio recordings (FLSR) of all time. I first considered a top 100, then 250, now I am trying to get it to 500. Right now the list is about 329, but there are a good number of FLSR's not on the list yet.

Stay tuned.

2002 - Well, not yet

So I am overdue to post my 2002 Top 10. Actually, I did post one about 5 years ago. I took a look at it and when I re-do that list it will be a tad different. The most glaring omission is Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors, which is an awesome album. The rest will probably only change the second half of the list as Iron Savior, Agalloch and Opeth's 2002 albums are still among my favorite of all time.

Update

So, here it is year-end. WGAF.

2001 - The Sun Sets Forever Over Blackwater Park

In the late 1990's metal started its resurgence. By 2001, there were so many bands, in so many sub-genres that there were dozens of good metal albums. Many of the 2001 albums that were barely on my radar would have been easy top 10's during the 1990's.

The funny thing is that because of my taste and preference for certain musicians we see a lot of related bands in the below top 10. As such it is no surprise that the top 10 consists of 5 Power Metal albums.

10. Angra - Rebirth

This is a little too "flowery" for my normal taste, but the symphonic and keyboard elements are muted enough to provide accent rather that distraction. As such this album stands out enough from the crowd to surpass other good albums from 2001 to take the number 10 spot. Angra hails from Brazil, and this is my favorite of all their albums, and the most commercially successful.

9. Primal Fear - Nuclear Fire

Primal Fear is three for three in making the top 10. Nuclear Fire is slightly more evolved than their first two albums, but there is room for improvement, as will be seen on later albums. But as far as Germanic Power Metal, these guys do it well, but there are two bands that do it better, one of those is….

8. Gamma Ray - No World Order

This is the last great Gamma Ray album and a step back from their greatness in the 1990's. Still, this is a great album. This album has all the qualities of a classic metal record, but it may be a bit too classic. Maybe Hansen tried to return to more of a Helloween sound from the "Keeper" days, but this is just a bit less polished than Powerplant or Land of the Free.

7. Into Eternity - Dead or Dreaming

I guess you would describe Into Eternity as Canada's most progressive melodic death metal band. Vocal shift from clean to harsh and the music can sound technical progressive to thrash. Really you need to be on your toes here as there are many different styles and sounds. Sometimes this approach does not work, but here it comes off very well. I think I liked this record more when it first came out, but it is still a top choice for 2001.

6. Children of Bodom - Follow the Reaper

Again, a variety of styles are present here. There are a lot of keyboards and some terrific guitar work from Alexi Laiho. The song Hate Me! is one of my favorites. I wish it existed when I was an angry teenager. Now I have to settle for it as an angry quadragenarian.

5. Ensiferum - Ensiferum

This band calls themselves "heroic folk metal". I always thought if that really as a Viking Metal type genre. Labels aside, I just really like this album. They use a good mix of harsh and clean vocals. Very cool intros and very ethnic sounds complete the album. Good stuff.

4. Edguy - Mandrake

More German Power Metal. One of the things I like about Edguy, is they do not take themselves too seriously. Mandrake is possibly my favorite Edguy album. This also could be their heaviest album as I cannot recall any annoying whinny ballads.

3. Iron Savior - Dark Assault

This is such a great album, that three seems like an under-rate, but 2001 was a phenomenal year. For some reason, Iron Savior is underappreciated by most metal fans. I really do not know why Gamma Ray is treated differently, to me Iron Savior is better (at least Iron Savior's best moments are).

2. ARK - Burn the Sun

If any other year, this would probably be number one. I think this album is pretty well respected in underground circles and covers many different sub-genres from power to progressive to even more bizarre styles. I really like the guitar player here (Tore Ostby). It is a shame he has been relatively inactive since this record came out, as unfortunately, ARK only recorded two records.

1. Opeth - Blackwater Park

Best. Album. Ever. Well, not quite, but top 5 all time easily. I have written an entire blog entry dedicated to this album, and I like it more now that I did then. Really, this is the perfect album. At times it rages, brutal and heavy and is followed by long acoustic passages. Some parts sound like traditional metal, and other parts are very progressive, and I don't mean Dream Theater progressive, I mean Van der Graaf Generator progressive. Brilliant album, just brilliant.

Interlude

Not a lot going on right now. Things are very busy. I am still not close to ready for a 2001 list. Nothing too interesting in the political front. No new inspiring albums.

My Life in Music

Perhaps it is the fact that I am 40 that has caused me to reflect on my life. I thought it would be interesting to do a playlist (in the old days we would do a compilation) of songs that would chronicle my life in music. I would start with my introduction to rock (probably Springsteen) and pass through various phases. Some good, some not so good. There will be plenty of cheese along the way, but I think overall it will be an interesting experiment.

2000 - The Dark Ride

By the turn of the century, metal was truly back and this decade has provided more great metal than ever before. In 2000 solid albums like Starfire by Jorn Lande or We Are Motorhead can't crack the top 10, when they may have been Top 5 in some of the years in the 1990s.

10. HammerFall - Renegade

This was the last of the good HammerFall records. Clearly the ideas were drying up by now, but this album is well executed and worthy of inclusion with the first two releases.

9. In Flames - Clayman

Again, the last good release by this band as well. Solid Gothenburg style here, nothing really derivative from the genre this band helped define. After this record In Flames tried to be NWOAHM and abandoned their sound.

8. Persuader - The Hunter

The third Swedish band of the countdown. Persuader is a good power metal band. They may have over achieved here based on their later work, but this is a sold debut.

7. Iron Maiden - Brave New World

A more important album than it is a good album. The return of Bruce and Adrian saved Maiden and their later efforts are certainly great albums. This one is more like Virtual XII. Really I would define this as a shit sandwich. The first song and the last song are great, but the material in the middle is questionable by Maiden's standards. Still, overall a good effort.

6. Running Wild - Victory

Solid album for one of the most consistent bands in the genre. Nothing really ground breaking, but very proficient.

5. Enslaved - Mardum - Beyond the Within

A surprising pick here. Enslaved is generally heavier and less melodic that the music I typically like. Also, I rarely like Black Metal, though I think that label does not fit this record. There are several brutal sections here, but they are well placed and never ramble on endlessly, like so many albums of this genre do. Whatever you want to call it, this is a standout album from a good band.

4. Halford - Resurrection

After years of nonsense like Fight and Two, Rob Halford decided it was time to make a metal album again. He brought in a competent, but not brilliant band. He wrote some really good songs, and brought in a top producer in Roy Z. The result is a really good album and like Bruce Dickinson who made solo albums better than his former band, he forced the hand of his former band to fire their inferior singer and reunite.

3. Blaze - Silicon Messiah

Speaking of inferior singers….Really I don't get it. Blaze was bordering on incompetent with Maiden, especially live. However, despite this, he managed to create an album better than Maiden's. I still don't get it, but this album is really great, and that is all that counts.

2. Tad Morose - Undead

This is smokin'. Urban Breed is one of those singers that makes an average band extraordinary.

1. Helloween - The Dark Ride

Every now and then, an album comes from out of nowhere to knock your socks off. This album is better every time I hear it. This is probably the best Helloween album ever, and that counts all of the Kiske/Hansen efforts. I don't know why they never reached this level before, and never did again, but everything lined up right for this album.