Some more whiing for the mainstream metal masses.

Here are Roaburn's Albums of the Decade Up To Now as voted by the visitors of their forum.

http://www.roadburn.com/2009/12/roadburns-album-of-the-decade-electric-wizard-dopethrone/

The votes are in, the points have been awarded and the math has been done. More than 150 of you have taken the time to forward your Top 10 list for the Roadburn Album of the Decade.

Here then is your list (and a stunning list it is). It seems that some bands suffered because they had several good albums in the decade, like High on Fire, Neurosis or Mastodon, but champions Electric Wizard did not suffer from multiple great releases and in the end stood above all the contenders. Their magnum opus Dopethrone was mentioned the most, got the most points and clearly deserved to win. Not satisfied with the top spot, they also had the number 3 album of the decade with Witchcult Today.
Neurosis was the only other band to place two different records on the list, holding spot number 2 with Given to the Rising and number 8 with Eye of Every Storm.

Needless to say, we at Roadburn are very proud that we have had both bands at our festival (listen back to their appearances here (Electric Wizard) and here (Neurosis).

ROADBURN TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE DECADE:


Electric Wizard - Dopethrone

01.Electric Wizard - Dopethrone, 2000 (298)

"How do you review one of the best records you've ever heard? That is the challenge that Dopethrone has presented me with. It is so hard to tell whether an album sounds good in the short term, or whether it will stand the test of time. Luckily, you can look back to the last Electric Wizard full-length Come My Fanatics? and see how that has lasted. Quite nicely, it turns out. Four years have not diminished its potency or impact. Dopethrone maintains all the good things from Fanatics? and then makes it all? well, better. There is just MORE Electric Wizard-ness packed in. Enough to convince me that Dopethrone is an all-time classic.

What is Electric Wizard-ness? It is the primal opposition of different elements: super-saturated distortion next to drugged-out ambient spaces; minimal bpm's pitted against edge-of-sanity vocals; "essence of Iommi" riffs versus subharmonic drone. It is also a feeling, an atmosphere of sociopathic danger and bleak despair fused with the comforting warmth of fuzz. It's the uncertainty of taking heavy drugs and the euphoria of a good trip. It is density and space. Darkness and light. Basic, visceral elements translated into music.


In truth, that is exactly what this record is. The band went into the studio with rough outlines of songs, but left the final product up to spontaneous creation. And created the complex simplicity of Dopethrone. Or is it simply complex?

One of the interesting things about Dopethrone is that it nullifies all the normal criteria for judging records. Does it have great songs? Irrelevant. The album is great. Does it have excellent musicianship? Not applicable. The instruments work together as an organic whole. Is it well-produced? Again, not applicable. The sound is a function of the playing. The atmosphere simultaneously creates and is created by the music. This is one seamless unit. This is the dopethrone. Kneel before your liege lord? and inhale deeply" ? Drew Webster, Roadburn 2000.


02.Neurosis - Given to the Rising, 2007 (177)
03.Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today, 2007 (144)
04.Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf, 2002 (130)
05.Om - Conference of the Birds, 2006 (124)
06.Celtic Frost - Monotheist, 2006 (123)
07.Mastodon - Leviathian, 2004 (120)
08.Neurosis - In the Eye of every Storm, 2004 (110)
09.Isis - Oceanic, 2002 (97)
10.Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters, 2007 (94)

Also in contention:

Clutch - Blast Tyrant
Sleep - Dopesmoker
Melvins - A senile Animal
Sunn o))) - Black One | Monoliths & Dimensions
Witchcraft - S/T
Jesu - S/T

The rules again:

- Only discs released between 1-1-2000 and 31-12-2009 counted

- Roadburn related

- Number 1 gets 10 points, number 10 gets 1 point

- Only one disc per artist

- No re-issues

Why are Witchcult Today and Dopethrone both in the list when the rules say "only one disc per artist"?

Anyway, I happen to have a few of these albums in my own top-list so for me, this list is OK. It is obviously focused on sludge/stoner/doom/post metal so given this limitation, I have to admit these are some of the best releases of the decade. Surprising that Esoteric isnt there though.

Written by jupitreas on 29.12.2009 at 13:27

Why are Witchcult Today and Dopethrone both in the list when the rules say "only one disc per artist"?

That part is directed at the people voting

Written by jupitreas on 29.12.2009 at 13:27

Why are Witchcult Today and Dopethrone both in the list when the rules say "only one disc per artist"?

Anyway, I happen to have a few of these albums in my own top-list so for me, this list is OK. It is obviously focused on sludge/stoner/doom/post metal so given this limitation, I have to admit these are some of the best releases of the decade. Surprising that Esoteric isnt there though.

I think Esoteric isn't in there cause they never played Roadburn. At least that's what I gather they mean by "Roadburn" related.

EDIT: but then again then Celtic Frost shouldn't be in there cause although they were booked two years ago they didn't play cause they had split up.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.12.2009 at 13:29

Written by jupitreas on 29.12.2009 at 13:27

Why are Witchcult Today and Dopethrone both in the list when the rules say "only one disc per artist"?

Anyway, I happen to have a few of these albums in my own top-list so for me, this list is OK. It is obviously focused on sludge/stoner/doom/post metal so given this limitation, I have to admit these are some of the best releases of the decade. Surprising that Esoteric isnt there though.

I think Esoteric isn't in there cause they never played Roadburn. At least that's what I gather they mean by "Roadburn" related.

EDIT: but then again then Celtic Frost shouldn't be in there cause although they were booked two years ago they didn't play cause they had split up.

But that still means that they are 'related' somehow, right?
Besides, if this is just a list of artists that played at Roadburn, it is hardly a proper top-list of the decade. Its basically the equivalent of a poll to decide which band that played at Roadburn was the coolest.

Written by jupitreas on 29.12.2009 at 13:34



But that still means that they are 'related' somehow, right?
Besides, if this is just a list of artists that played at Roadburn, it is hardly a proper top-list of the decade. Its basically the equivalent of a poll to decide which band that played at Roadburn was the coolest.

Knowing the guys behind Roadburn it is probably about the sorts of bands they feature in their webzine. Damn, now I have to know. I'll see if walter is willing to answer my question

Wonder about Sleep as well. Dopesmoker "fits the bill" in that it was released for the first time in that format in 2003... but was originally released, spliced up, on Jerusalem.

just an oddity. as a fan of pretty much every band listed there, i have no complaints!

Wow, it's strange too see mainstream lists that I actually like.

I don't really have a problem with this one, although I've heard better albums, but it's good for this kind of lists.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 29.12.2009 at 22:33

Wow, it's strange too see mainstream lists that I actually like.

Mainstream list?

Roadburn webzine is a lot lot lot lot smaller than MS and the festival up to this year could only hold 1700 people and this year 2300 so I wouldn't call this a list compiled by the mainstream at all.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.12.2009 at 16:00

Mainstream list?

Roadburn webzine is a lot lot lot lot smaller than MS and the festival up to this year could only hold 1700 people and this year 2300 so I wouldn't call this a list compiled by the mainstream at all.

I read a totally different label then... never mind

Roadburn >>> Roadrunner.

Wow, that review of Dopethrone is so well-written. Commendable. Checking that album ASAP.

Fantastic list!

I myself would probably omit Celtic Frost as well as replace Leviathan with a different Mastodon album (I feel that it is their weakest album)

Other than that, bang-up job Roadburn and Roadburn forum readers!

Oh, also I believe that The Eye of Every Storm is a better album than Given to the Rising. But they are both great so I won't begrudge the fans for choosing GtttR.