A Hundred Albums? Part 1
| Written by: | Darkside Momo |
| Published: | June 16, 2017 |
It's been a long while since I last wrote a blog post (whether here on MS or elsewhere, tbh).
Happened that I was reflecting about how I would select one hundred albums (like, a big, round number) in all my virtual and real collection - which ones would they be? And what portrait would they deliver of me, my tastes, and my history as an avid music listener?
The challenge appealed to me, so here it is - as a series of blogs and not articles (like, it's totally personal and egocentric stuff
). It'll feature all the most important albums in my life, whether I love them unquestioningly, or because they were instrumental in my musical growth (or even growth as a human being), or as they're perfect soundtracks for the worlds in my head. So no, this is not exactly a best of list. Kind of a mix between that and my life's soundtrack.Oh, by the way. First, I don't want to rush things, so there will be ten blog posts, one per (mid-)month, with ten albums each (I just want to enjoy this journey, you know
); and second, there's no real order of preference for all the albums here (or between different posts) - inside each article they'll be listed in the order I discovered them.Sure, this trip is pretty narcissistic, but I'm sure you'll all find some albums you'll like along the way...
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Ten albums, part one
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Ten albums, part one ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This first selection was just made to cover varied ground, from classics to new marvels, from weird stuff to soundtracks and geekeries, as a prelude of things yet to come...
(And yes, there are no Skyclad or Dark Tranquillity albums. Yet.)
| Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988) It is only fitting that the first album is an Iron Maiden. Back then in early 1994, they were THE band that introduced me to Metal (thanks again Martial for these two best-of cassettes!). And while I'll readily admit Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son wasn't my favorite at first - too 'evil', too prog for me back then - it grew on me to the point that's it's the only Iron Maiden album I still go back to regularly. Link: you don't really need one, do you? Oh well, here's "Can I Play With Madness?" |  |
 | Sepultura - Chaos A.D. (1993) After Iron Maiden and Metallica, Sepultura were the third band in my metal initiation, with this very album... But, while Arise might be better overall, this is the last classic of the Sep's discography for a good reason: it starts with a rebellious anthem ("Refuse/Resist") and goes on with politically charged thrashing goodness (all things that appealed to me back then, and still do). All that served with a lot of spice and variety, but not to the point of losing some of its edge like Roots. Oh, and did I mention that a friend and I did an little report in English class in high school, featuring the "Manifest" song? Good times! Link: A well-known classic. |
| Therapy? - Troublegum (1994) That's the kind of album that, as a newbie teenage metalhead, you're kind of ashamed to like. Because, you know, it's 'not really metal', a bit mellow maybe, yadda yadda. Fuck it. All fourteen songs on Troublegum are awesome, from the violent "Knives" onwards. That's how alternative heavy rock (or whatever you want to tag it) is done, with catchy riffs and emotions all over the place. Always a pleasure to listen to! Link: Three songs out of it. |  |
 | Hitoshi Sakimoto - Vagrant Story Original Soundtrack (2000) I love Matsuno's games, so after the life-changing Final Fantasy Tactics, I did play to Vagrant Story (a lot). And while the game is really good, its soundtrack is far beyond that 'really good'! Hitoshi Sakimoto's pieces complemented and enhanced the game's mood a thousandfold, and could teach a thing or two to many metal bands on how to be dark and haunting... Still highly listenable as of now, and a staple for those of you who want music for their pen & paper RPG sessions. Link: The whole soundtrack's been uploaded on YouTube. |
| Textures - Silhouettes (2008) This is a complex, agressive masterpiece that might come across as a intense mind-boggling maze. The music's constantly evolving here, you won't find many repeating structures.... or more precisely, they'll have been twisted in unexpect turns. So, after much jaw-dropping during my first listen - hey, you kinda have a lot of plot twists per song, which makes for quite a ride - my love for this marvel was sealed. Particularly if you consider the icing on the cake that are the insanely good three closers ("Stormwarning", "Messengers", and "To Erase A Lifetime"). Link: Bandcamp |  |
 | Alchemist - Spiritech (1997) There's all I love here. Complex proginess, with both agression and melody? Check. Fantastic singing, drumming, guitars and bass (OMG "Figments"), magnified by stellar songwriting? Check. Yes, I know, this could describe almost any Alchemist album, but Spiritech is THE one that's that close to perfection. Also, note that I first discoved "Chinese Whispers" when they played it live at Hellfest 2008... Link: Some songs on Youtube |
| Shining (NOR) - Blackjazz (2010) What a blast! That insane mix of heavy metal aggression, industrial sonic violence, and jazz playfulness was an instant love affair. But, past all the exhilarating aggression and wackiness, that's the album that made feel like I've been sailing for a long time through the ocean of Metal, but I finally reached the other shore with it. New musical worlds await! Link: Two songs. |  |
 | Hacride - Back To Where You've Never Been (2013) This is one of those albums that happened to be there precisely at the right time. Its lyrical themes are about adult life, and the conflicting choice of either realising your dreams or live a 'normal' life. Totally what I needed to hear back then, as the conflict the band members faced resonated pretty deep. And well, all the progress I made in my fantasy writing this last four years owes to this kick in the ass Hacride gave me (the fact that the music's pretty awesome did help too). Eternal gratitude, guys. Link: Bandcamp |
| Dr. Steel - Dr. Steel II: Eclectic Boogaloo (2001) I discovered Doctor Phineas Waldorf Steel's works while I was investigating steampunk. He's the evil genius, the mad scientist of the genre; his hip-hop / atom-punk / electro eclectic whatever is pure geekness bonanza - all in the name of world domination, of course. Sadly, he didn't achieve this lofty goal, but he left us with a lot of great tunes that'll speak to geeks and Peter Pans of all stripes (just check "Lament For A Toy Factory" and "Childhood (Don't) A Go-Go"). Link: See above |  |
 | A Forest Of Stars - Beware The Sword You Cannot See (2015) I was already quite blown away by their previous album A Shadowplay For Yesterdays, but in retrospect it feels like only a sketch of what was to come... They have such a vivid storytelling - er, songwriting... well, both - flair at their adventurous, victorian (dare I say it : steampunk-ish) take on atmospheric black metal, with those fantastic guitar lines and harmonies, heartbreaking violin play, that I can't help but love this album immensely. Not that easy to digest at first, but a true marvel. (for the un-initiated, I'd suggest "Drawing Down The Rain", and "An Automaton Adrift" - another fave of mine, "A Blaze Of Hammers", might be slightly less listener-friendly) Link: Bandcamp |
Next:
Part two: electro and/or indus (metal)
Part three: Extremities, Dirt, And Various Repressed Emotions
Part four: Avant-proggy madness! (part 1)
Part five: Miscellaneous 2
Part six: Soundtracks and Geekeries
Part Seven: Proggy madness! (part 2)
To be continued...
 | Written on 16.06.2017 by Once your regular Hellfest reporter, now retired. I (strangely enough) listen to a lot of metal. And enjoy good beers, comics, novels and role-playing games. |
Comments
Comments: 26
Visited by: 403 users
| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089  |
NB: editing images sizes and adding links will be done tomorrow Edit: Done!
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
This is so cool! Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son is also so special to me. Nice to see Alchemist in there as well and such a great album. I knew you liked some of these and they make total sense when I think about what you usually like. It's eclectic, as I would expect. Momo likes trippy stuff. A very interesting read, now I want the rest! 
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62014  |
Only Forest and Miaden is good from your list to me and you said maiden is to prog. to me when I was teenager, all that bpaspemy, fitting in genres was only what I liked. Later I grow up, I still hate prog whit out few bands, djent all new bands and maybe Roadburn day 3 can be good, but somehow, non of other albums in a list worked for me
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by BloodTears on 16.06.2017 at 13:14 thanks! And yeah, I like trippy stuff, in the avant / proggy sense I'll try to make the next blogs eclectic as well - and with surprises too, I guess!
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7345  |
I love your first three as well, especially Seventh Son, which got me into metal. Troublegum had me at the first listen. It's a shame the band never reached such high standards again. Chaos AD took some time to grow on me, mainly because I loved Arise so much (and still do). Also sad that Sepultura turned to utter shite afterwards.
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Admin Posts: 5923  |
Ah, I'm going to like this series. I recently tried to compile my top 50 albums of all time and pretty much stalled around 200 before effectively randomizing the list. I can appreciate the effort this kind of thing takes. I'm also pleased to note that I know more than half of these releases.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by Bad English on 16.06.2017 at 18:36 different tatses but yeah, while Seventh Son isn't prog per se, it's the proggiest of the first IM albums - Steve Harris, as a huge prog fan, always wanted it this way
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by nikarg on 16.06.2017 at 20:45 Yeah it's sad Therapy? never released another album as good as Troublegum, but thankfully they did some good stuff nonetheless (some songs on Infernal Love or Crooked Timber, and Disquiet, come to mind). As for Sepultura, I can't agree on the 'utter shit'. It took them time, but they did release good stuff imo, Dante XXI and The Mediator particularly - but I'll grant you they're quite an acquired taste.
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62014 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 17.06.2017 at 00:53 IN some way I have to agree, its progressive, but I better would use name different
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 16.06.2017 at 23:12 Haha, the working list got slightly over 300 - and the whole selection isn't finished, so I'm still trimming it down (hence the "enjoying the journey")  As for not knowing everything, I'd be surprised if more than a few MSers did know about Dr. Steel!
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266  |
"Back then in early 1994"....ahhh I got you by over a decade Cool blog, will be keeping an eye on it.
---- rekt
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9028  |
Whenever I try to make a top 100 album of anything I get to around 90 and then I quit because I know that I can't fit just 10 in the remaining slots and it hurts too much. Oh boi, youll have a tough time
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by tea[m]ster on 18.06.2017 at 17:43 That the "privilege" of being old But thinking it's been 23 years already always makes me "wow that's already a long journey" Thanks for the comment, hoping you'll enjoy the next articles!
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by RaduP on 18.06.2017 at 18:25 That I know, and that's part of the fun and of the challenge!
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15287  |
Nice work, mon ami... had started on a smaller scale of a similar project. was just going to be my top 100 albums. got through most of it, but then work and real life happened.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7345 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 17.06.2017 at 00:57 Thanks for reminding me of Infernal Love. I had completely forgotten that this album was in my collection, but I found it again yesterday and you are right; some good songs there. Looking forward to your next 10 albums
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by BitterCOld on 20.06.2017 at 03:21 And one day - when time permits - you'll finish it and we'll read it
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by nikarg on 20.06.2017 at 14:04 You're welcome
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15287 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 20.06.2017 at 19:58 Actually found my spreadsheet that I was using to rank, and had whittled my list down to like 53 with the intention of trimming to 50. Might get around to it depending upon how life goes in the next month. Busy with leaving one place, spending a month in another before moving to a third.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by BitterCOld on 20.06.2017 at 22:53 well, three albums to go, so I'm waiting (just kidding, obviously)
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Dream Taster The Enemy Within Staff Posts: 1337  |
Wow Momo, only first 10 down and already what a great list! 
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by Dream Taster on 24.06.2017 at 03:49 Thanks! That said, most probably you won't say that anymore in the end - different tastes 'n all
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| wrathchild Staff Posts: 14090  |
Nice, I like the personal approach, keep it going!
---- La belleza no reside en lo que puedas crear, sino en lo que eres capaz de transmitir Beauty resides not in what you're able to create, but in what you're able to communicate Txus, Mägo De Oz
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by wrathchild on 27.06.2017 at 14:26 thanks! Will do
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| HemisphereofWar Posts: 39  |
Iron Maiden's [url]Seventh Son of a Seventh Son[/url] and Hacride's [url]Back to Where You've Never Been[/url] are my favorites from this list. Iron Maiden's album because... it's Iron Maiden, how can it not be one of my favs. Hacride's album because of the proggy influences and lyrical content.
---- See how it sings like a sad heart And joyously screams out its pain Sounds that build high like a mountain Or notes that fall gently, like rain.
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089 |
Written by HemisphereofWar on 28.06.2017 at 09:55 Thanks for reading! If yoiu haven't listened to Spiritech, then you probably should (or give it a second chance if you already did )
---- My Author's Blog (in French) "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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