Leaderboard

Mayhem - Deathcrush Observing Valentine's Day appropriately. ?

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

I'll listen to any metal album if it has a tank on the cover. Doesn't always work out, but any album with a tank on the cover is worth hearing at least once.

Well, it's clear that 1989 was a strange year that was dominated by hair metal and hard rock for me. Let's check out 1988 where the proper metal stands up and shouts. Requiem's Top 10 Albums of 1988 10. Running Wild - 'Port Royal' I've barely heard this band and I certainly haven't listened to this album in its entirety, but it takes the number 10 spot in honour of my brother @True Belief, who is a fan. Hail. Great 80s style pirates (the band)-in-a-tavern cover. I should actually listen to this at some point. 9. Candlemass - 'Ancient Dreams' Candlemass are always worthy of a listen, and this album has some nice moments. I really need to spend more time with it. Strange sort of fantasy novel cover, but it's cool as always. Candlemass will never be my favourite band but they're always respectable. 8. Bathory - 'Blood Fire Death' This is where Quorthon shifts his modus operandi from black metal to viking, and this album is the halfway mark. It's a bit rougher than things would become with 'Hammerheart', but it does the business with songs leaning towards the epic. I have a cheap re-release that lacks proper liner notes and lyrics, and I need a proper version. Stunning album art of valkyries in flight. 7. Slayer - 'South of Heaven' This and 'God Hates Us All' are probably my favourite Slayer albums, and I find this a lot more listenable and engaging than 'Reign in Blood' due to the slower pace and greater emphasis on melody, which I think actually adds to the menace rather than detracts. 'Mandatory Suicide' is mandatory listening and I remember playing this on drums back in high school in the 90s. Fitting album artwork. 6. Cinderella - 'Long Cold Winter' The worst thing this band ever did was give themselves such a limp band name, as Cinderella are actually pretty ballsy for a hair metal band. With Brian Johnson style vocals and a heavy blues vibe, this album is brilliant. The songwriting is just amazing. Of course, come 1991 no band called Cinderella could ever stand a chance. Boring all white cover. 5. Megadeth - 'So Far So Good So What' This is a strange album from Megadeth, probably because the production is so thick and the album cover is so alien. There are amazing songs on this release, such as the brilliant 1, 2 opening volley and of course 'In My Darkest Hour'. 'Mary Jane' is also a great haunting song. For some reason a kid at school chopped up a CD booklet and made it into a butchered cassette cover, which I had for years and frustratingly could only read half of the lyrics due to the scissor cuts. Strange what we remember from our youth... 4. Manowar - 'Kings of Metal' What an amazing album this is. 1987/1988 Manowar is some of the best and most fun metal I've heard, from the drama of 'The Warrior's Prayer' to untouchable epics like 'The Crown and the Ring'. For years I had underestimated this band, thinking they were just a corny Spinal Tap sort of thing, but no, they're the real deal. Brillant warrior album art. 3. Iron Maiden - 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' The classic light blue album from Maiden. The addition of those guitar synths, or whatever they are, give this a fantastical vibe that works really well, and the concept album message is pretty good although a little vague. The band are on fire, however, especially Bruce on songs like the title track and 'Infinite Dreams'. You can't deny them that this is a great album. Awesome cover of Eddie with the icebergs. 2. Metallica - 'And Justice for All' Yes, there's no bass and it's weird, but as a kid I had no idea anything was missing and I just loved this for what it was. Listening to it now, this album is simply stunning. The songs are epic, the drums click and clack and those guitars just soar. Listen to those twin guitars in the intro of 'Blackened'. Pure chills. Metallica are more like cartoon characters these days, but they once hit heights of perfection. Very impressive album cover that has sort of become an icon of 80s metal. 1. Ozzy Osbourne - 'No Rest for the Wicked' Compared with the genius of Metallica, this pulls up short, but for enjoyment factor this is it. Zakk Wylde's first album with the Ozman is a bit more serious than 'The Ultimate Sin', with Bob Daisley's lyrics emphasising the darker side of life, 'Crazy Babies' notwithstanding. The production is phat with 80s babies, 'Miracle Man' is catchy and Ozzy and Bob, this time with Zakk, produce the album of 1988 for Requiem Corp.

? It's a method that usually holds up Hell, one of my favorite bands is Tank.

Seconded!

Nicking this quote for my sig! ?

At the Drive-In "Relationship of Command" - in a horrible flux of mood this morning following a very pleasant start to the day with a cherished (already) gift from the gf for Valentine's, then starting work and dealing with deliberately awkward people with massive chips on their shoulders. I searched on shuffle for something to come on to fit the mood now and At The Drive-In fits fucking perfectly!

Absolutely. But I'm finding myself more drawn to the folky stuff on that album, too. Second track is killer. I enjoy their hits but I've never done a real dive into the catalog till now. Great band. NP: Heart - Dreamboat Annie Atrox - Orgasm

Enjoyed that Macca, made me hunt for this in the cupboard- Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards s/t Haven't listened to it in a while. Missed it.

Hail the 80s! I can't keep this posting pace up for too long, but here's another list. 1989 was the year and era of thrash and those first few proper death metal albums, which I admire but don't find myself loving. I blame my teenage years and that I have a soft spot for songs about girls and the Sunset Strip. Requiem's Top 10 Albums of 1989 10. Candlemass - 'Tales of Creation' Not my favourite Candlemass album, but this - Messiah's last at the time - is still a solid slab of doom. It's funny, I was listening to it today and it was more Sabbath than Sabbath were at this stage. Some of this plods a bit and I find myself wishing I was listening to 'Epicus...'. Beautiful album cover as usual. 9. Morbid Angel - 'Altars of Madness' If it wasn't for all those damn catchy hair metal albums that came out this year, this album would be a lot higher up the list. Crystal production for 1989, don't know what's going on there but it's amazing. I love that Morbid Angel style with the original three guys and I have a real soft spot for the first four albums. Interesting album cover. I like it a fair bit. 8. Blind Guardian - 'Follow the Blind' I've always neglected old Blind Guardian, which is a pity, because these old albums are great. The choruses on songs like 'Banish From Sanctuary' and 'Valhalla' are to/die/for. Hansi's voice is amazing on any music, so this album really stands out from the crass thrash morass of 1989. Terrible but funny/cool album cover of... what... goblins? 7. Alice Cooper - 'Trash For me this is by faaaar the best Alice Cooper album, and I'm surprised at how weak-sauce the albums both before and after this one happen to be. Led by 80s anthem 'Poison', which I maintain is one of rock's greatest songs, there are plenty of other cracking tracks that make this a winner. Cool cover of Alice looking cool. 6. Aerosmith - 'Pump' Speaking of cracking tracks. Another 70s act that made it bigger than ever in the 80s, 'Pump' is their best album and went 7x platinum. 'Janie's Got a Gun' is great but a bit serious, so I'm more into party rock anthems like 'Love in an Elevator' and 'F.I.N.E'. Steven Tyler's voice is to/die/for. Dodgy album cover but funny and cool for the 80s. Trucks having sex hur hur hur. 5. Warrant 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich' Is this really better than 'Pump'? It has an innocent frivolity about it that just kicks it into number 5. Look at the band photos, my god. This is girl-metal of the highest order, with barnstormers like '32 Pennies' and a simply awesome title track. See, most of you are listening to Kreator and Terrorizer... I'm listening to Warrant and considering putting my wife's lipstick on. Awesome album cover of fat rich man. 4. Whitesnake - 'Slip of the Tongue' The follow-up to '1987' was never going to measure up, and this doesn't, but it's still a fantastic album. Steve Vai on guitar playing Adrian Vandenberg's riffs, with David Coverdale at his puerile best. Just ridiculous lyrics, but that's half the fun. Album art is a rip-off of their previous album and isn't as good, but still cool. Miss John Sykes though. 3. Black Sabbath - 'Headless Cross' The first Tony Martin album is probably the best of Martin Sabbath, and throw in good old Cozy Powell on drums and you've got a great version of Black Sabbath that sounds and looks nothing like the 70s - and proper - version. Excellent gothic doom lyrics by Martin and all the 80s glory metal you could want. Dark heavy riffs that presage the gothic metal movement. Excellent gothic artwork. 2. Skid Row - 'Skid Row' The debut, this was and remains a huge album. Classic tracks like 'Big Guns', 'Youth Gone Wild', '18 and Life' and 'I Remember You' make this hair metal heaven for the Sunset Strip set. I tell you what, those New Jersey lads were lucky to find young Canadian Sebastian Bach. Without him they're nothing. Still waiting for the reunion... Great cover. 1. Motley Crue - 'Dr Feelgood' And the best album of 1989 comes from these four Sunset Strip stooges: Vince, Nikki, Mick and Tommy. When I first heard this in 1990 I was 10 years old and I-could-not-believe it. I had Motley Crue posters all over my juvenile bedroom walls. I still love this album and have two copies on CD, one permanently in my car and one in the mansion. Huge Bob Rock production, 'Kickstart My Heart', 'Dr Feelgood'. Look at these tracks. Wonderful green album cover. This just works. Bit worried about 'The Dirt' movie though...

Limbonic Art - Moon in the Scorpio

Shining - X Varg Utan Flock

Debussy - Preludes & Images (Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli)

Katatonia - Brave Murder Day

? Nice! I was wondering if someone here liked MJ! I love him so much since the old days They just played here a couple of weeks ago, I was looking forward for the event because it was near where I live, but that didn't happen. However a friend of mine was there he said it was pretty cool. Np: Sadistik Exekution - The Magus

I love Mutiilation. Horna - Askel Lahempana Saatanaa

Taake - Nattestid vinyl Bram Stoker - The Lair of the White Worm

Speaking of Ripper Owens, has anyone else heard Beyond Fear? They're like a slightly more thrashy Judas Priest clone. Maybe Dave will like them but I was a bit bored overall; the riffs didn't strike me as being particularly impressive and the vocals outstripped the rest of the music to an unacceptable extent.

Re: music theory this is true, rapidfire I can already tell I'm going to enjoy talking metal with you, personally I can't stand learning music theory, I'd much rather just go pick up my guitar and play as opposed to sitting there thinking ok what scale am I using now, what key am I in etc. don't get me wrong I can use the various scales quite well I just don't take that approach to my playing

Re: music theory I have briefly studied music theory back when I was in high school, I hated it, I can just sit there and read that stuff, I need to be picking up an instrument and playing for any of it to make sense