Now this really is a hard question for me to answer.
I was going to create this poll last time, but was going to wait for 'The Chthonic Chronicles' to be released before making it - but someone else made it first.
Now 'The Chthonic Chronicles' is out - it is included in here.

Before, I would have probably answered saying 'Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule' or 'Battle Magic' were my favorite - I think of of these are really fantastic albums.
But now 'The Chthonic Chronicles' is out and it is another really amazing album.

The first two albums are more black metal oriented, and the three after them are perhaps a bit more symphonic, but 'The Chthonic Chronicles' goes back to black metal how it was before.
Each album is different in its own way - 'Battle Magic' has excellent compositions, possibly better then the other albums - but 'The Chthonic Chronicles' has more aggression and power then the others and 'A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria' and 'Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule' sound darker then the others.

It is so hard to pick one favorite album - so this is why I am making this poll, I think it will be interesting to see how other people vote and what reasons they give as well.

Forcing myself to pick one though, I am going to have to choose 'Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule' with 'The Chthonic Chronicles' a very close second place and 'Battle Magic' in third.

There is a chance there will be no more Bal-Sagoth albums as Byron is now content he has completed his hexology - it is just a good job that all six albums are fantastic!

So let me know what you all think! Thanks!

I chose "The Power Cosmic", it's just way above others while I still like all of their albums. "Callisto Rising" was the first song I heard (it was on a compilation album) and it's still my favourite by them. In addition to "Callisto Rising" the album is full of excellent songs like "The Empyreal Lexicon" and "The Scourge Of The Fourth Celestial Host". I just feel that the rest of the albums are more in contrast with good and average, meaning they have some awesome pieces but also boring (too strong word) parts. To me "The Power Cosmic" instead is solid and doesn't have any parts that go below awesome. I don't think there's more for me to say.

Really difficult decision ..
I voted The Power Cosmic too, cuz that's the only album I have
I don't really like it though

Good poll, Baz. I've followed Bal-Sagoth since their first album, but without a shadow of a doubt their 3rd album 'Battle Magic' is definitely my favourite. At first I didn't like it because it sounded so different to 'Starfire Burning..', but after about 10 listens it really grew on me. The keyboards are very upfront on this album, but it really suits the compositions, and some of the melodies are incredible. I particularly like 'Blood Slakes the Sand at Circus Maximus', with its jolly circus melody at the beginning, which later gives way to a heavy percussion section, then after that we get a brilliant Conan meets Airwolf style tune.

There are loads of bands doing symphonic metal these days, but on Battle Magic they manage to make it sound unique and exciting and it's stood the test of time. Unfortunately, the latest one just seems like 'another album' in comparison.. it has a couple of good songs but I haven't felt compelled to listen to it much. Maybe it'll be another grower.

In comparison, their other albums don't hold my interest so much or make me think "wow!" to the same extent, and to be honest I don't listen to Atlantis Ascendant or Chtlonic Chronicles very much.

The Power Cosmic is their album I find more blisful, it's nice to listen to it it puts you in good mood... I had never been their bigest fan though.. years ago I used to hated them, but I had learned to enjoy Bal Sagoth.

Very hard question to answer, but I have listened every Bal-Sagoth album, and my fav would be The Chthonic Chronicles. The rawness of that album is really good, plus they redefined themselfs.

belgianmetalman: well then you shouldnt have really voted if you dont know the band well - maybe if you looked into some of their other albums you would grow to like them..

Richard: yeh, i wish i knew Bal-Sagoth for longer - i have known them for a good amount of time though. i really cant remember how i found them.
yeh, i agree about 'Battle Magic' - it probably is the album that makes me go 'wow' most, but i didnt vote for it. for some reason i dont have a massive drive to keep listening to it, i dont know why because i know how good of an album it is. but i dont know
their last album i especially liked - it was a lot more black metally and extreme that i thought the previous two lacked

i am actually quite surprised at the moment how the poll is going, i always thought of 'The Power Cosmic' as one of their weaker albums..
it and 'Atlantis Ascendant' didnt seem as well constricted as 'Battle Magic' and no way as extreme as the first two

I havent heard the first 2 yet.

Out of the last 4 though...the Chthonic Chronicles is my favourite, then Atlantis Ascendant, Battle Magic and Power Cosmic.

yeh - if you like 'The Chthonic Chronicles' bost out of the last four, then i think you will really like their first two albums
they are a lot more black metally and extreme then the others but keep the bits about them that keep them Bal-Sagoth
they are well worth looking into
i am still the only person to vote for their second album though, but oh well - they are both still fantastic

Cool. In that case I will definitely check them out!

I voted for "Starfire...". I like all their albums even if i can say i haven't properly listened to "Chtonic". The reason is that i love those symphonies they've created; the atmosphere that every song puts me in. And i don't find any lesser composition in this album, every riff is like it should be. The charge of power this album gives me is awesome, especially when some track (In The Raven-Haunted Forests...) has its riffs starting lower then growing faster it gaves me the idea of the last ride. So powerful. I love it.

yees. me too

i have just got a new computer, so i am ripping all of my CDs onto that now (itll take months!)
especially because i have to type in all the track names myself because it isnt on the internet
-hahaha. oh i had fun this morning doing Bal-Sagoth's albums, typing in all their extra long song titles

i am really surprised there is just the one vote for 'Battle Magic' - it certainly deserves more

Written by Guest on 30.05.2006 at 18:08

I voted for "Starfire...". I like all their albums even if i can say i haven't properly listened to "Chtonic". The reason is that i love those symphonies they've created; the atmosphere that every song puts me in. And i don't find any lesser composition in this album, every riff is like it should be. The charge of power this album gives me is awesome, especially when some track (In The Raven-Haunted Forests...) has its riffs starting lower then growing faster it gaves me the idea of the last ride. So powerful. I love it.

Chtonic Cronicles is probably their best album for this times!! Superb !!!
Anyway i'll leave my vote on "Starfire..."

P.S.: Omg ! "Shackled To The Trilithon Of Kutulu" Is Violenlty Beautiful !!!!

I don't know any song of The Chthonic Chronicles and Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled... so, among the others I know I choose Atlantis Ascendant, I like all the songs, specially the instrumental ones, like The Epsilon Exordium, and the ghosts of Angkor Wat
Another great album is Battle Magic, it may be even better that Atlantis Ascendant but I don't know all the songs

1st - A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria
2nd - Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled...

I don't like the new path taken by the way... they became some weird kind of self-parody with their last album if you understand me... but as I said before, "Battle Magic" is unbeatable.

this poll really does just show how each of their albums are brilliant - with each album having votes and it all being to equal
i listened to 'The Chthonic Chronicles' again a few days ago and - i dont know - maybe i just wasnt in the mood, but i didnt get into it much
noo - i cant have been in the right mood because i know it is a brilliant album

A very hard decision, but I know that I will exculde the first two albums from albums. Well... probably Battle Magic, but I still haven't heard The Chthonic Cronicles.

Milan: why are you excluding the first two albums? do you not like them or have just not heard them?
they are definatly worth getting hold of and listening to
their second album - 'Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule' is fantastic in my opinion. it is very good stuff indeed

I never seen a black metal band been coverted to power metal =) Ill probably check this band out, any sugestions?

Written by 4look4rd on 15.07.2006 at 04:29

I never seen a black metal band been coverted to power metal =) Ill probably check this band out, any sugestions?

If you want to hear Black Metal, then try with "A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria", this is a really extreme album
If you want to know more melodic stuff, my recommendation is "Atlantis Ascendant" because of the excellent length songs and the amazing instrumental ones

also 'Starfire Burning...' is a brilliabt album that still keeps to the more extreme side
'Battle Magic' for a more symphonic album
or 'The Chthonic Chronicles' for a bit of a mix. its the latest album and goes back to being more extreme
try all of them though... hahaha. they are all brilliabt as you can see they all have some votes..

I can not choose between firts tow albums
Other albums I dont like
Firts are great
Other, arec too, but song titles and lyric remainds me Absu and early Kataklysm lyrics, so maybe I vote for it
Actualy I never had hera other albums from them only those two .

if you like the first two albums, the next most extreme one is the new one - so you might like that if you looked into it
the other three are quite a bit more symphonic and paddy

Written by Baz Anderson on 18.08.2006 at 12:31

if you like the first two albums, the next most extreme one is the new one - so you might like that if you looked into it
the other three are quite a bit more symphonic and paddy

Maybe, but I hawnt ehar nothing, exept first 2, only if metalstormradio play songs of them then maybe soem song.
But i search for them when be home, maybe ound them

yeh. they are well worth looking into
if you go here http://www.bal-sagoth.co.uk/ and go to the downloads bit you can listen to clips of tracks
you might not want to though, they arent full songs - but they do give an idea as to what its like

"a black moon" is by far the best.
The brutal vocals in this album are my favourite brutal vocals ever
The Nor-Black and old school-death riffs fit perfectly with the concept of this album

this was a really tough choice but i had to go with chronicles, i just love the production, the vocals sound a amazing, very brutal sounding, and you can actually hear the narrations clearly, with some of there earlier stuff its hard to make it out which is a bit of a problem when dealing concept albums

Well, I have to say that Chthonic Chronicle's grows a lot with time... my first impression was bad, and nowadays is the Bal-Sagoth album I most listen to... at least once per week, very blissful, I had learned to enjoy it.. a lot. And this must be the opnly band that manages to make not annoying epic narrations.

Power Cosmic of course...
Bal Sagoth rocks ... Great Epic dark tunes , and what about their lyrics ... pppfffsss , fucking crazy shit !
jejeje
Power cosmic then...