I have tried and failed at a top 100 albums. I get hopelessly clouded by nostalgia :(

Isn't that a good thing? Top 100 lists are more interesting when the people making actually have a sort of emotional/nostalgic connection. I think Bulldog and Urban both based their #1's on how they connected emotionally to the album a lot more than the musical skill demonstrated. Also, it makes your list unique.

It is unfortunate that one of the greatest things about this album is the track 'To Walk Among Them'. It is a stupendous track spanning 17 minutes that encompasses brutal riffs, technical musical passages and more invention that many metal bands unfortunately cannot manage in their entire careers whilst still remaining relatively original, cliche free and utterly listenable. It's downfall? It is the first track on the album and any band that takes this approach is setting itself up for a fall. The surrounding tracks are equally as good but using this track as an album opener will always set yourself up for even more scrutiny than ever.

However, Hacride with only a couple of albums under their belt are blowing away many bands with a technical, progressive sound that never sacrifices their own sound for commercial gain. In fact the whole album is barely a step away from the heaviest sounds of Porcupine Tree, a band that they share many similarities.

Hacride are as heavy and intense as many bands around yet they are quite comfortable to give us harmonious vocal lines and catchy riffs without resorting to cliche Metal.

It's a prog album without losing it's identity. It's a heavy album without losing it's own sound. They are one of the few bands that I could recognise in the oversaturated cliched Metal market of today.

As they are French we probably won't be able to see them on tour too much or see their name plastered over Metal Mags which is genuinely a shame as the Metal fraternity is generally as close minded as the mainstream these days.

I have posted this beauty many times but already it has gained it's own identity into an oversaturated market of banality.

Could I get a PM for Hacride and Electric Wizard?

This is a great thread mate, I look forward to seeing more of these as you count down your favourites. I already have a Green Carnation album (A Blessing In Disguise) that I'm still getting into so I won't be checking out that but I will give Hacride a try they seem very interesting.

Well, it happened for Gojira, didn't it? This is the first I've heard Hacride - and I like.

Really? I must be missing something about Porcupine Tree. To me they sound absolutely awful. Although I hate their vocals most of all and I don't like prog (old or new) but maybe I haven't heard enough. PT seriously sounds like this band?

No it's more so in the structure of their music that reminds me of PT. If you are not a fan of Prog then you won't dig PT anyhow, although their earliest stuff (early 90's) was very ambient and at times psychedelic.

I should really get moving with this thread :(

The Ultra Violence not only goes down as one of the best Thrash Metal albums recorded it is also one of the finest debuts too. Their infamous demo tape Kill As One produced by a certain Kirk Hammet was one of the most sought after tapes and this lead to a record deal with the album not only recorded in 2 days flat but also featured a 14 year old drummer and the rest of the band (who were cousins) clocking in at under 19 years old.

Despite their tender years the band had been together for 5 years previously so they were already tight musically and refreshingly clear of their direction. Listening back to the album (which I constantly do) it obviously has some flaws with some terrible lyrics and certain tracks lacking focus but this is minor griping considering what they produced.

The album is very raw in parts but contains some classic riffs, solid guitar solos and fairly complex composition with the brilliant title track an undeniable classic.

These were the days when young kids got together to perform in garages and still got picked up by labels and supported well, a trait that has all but disappeared these days and it's a shame that we never really got to hear the band for longer despite making great strides with their following two albums before they split in 1991. This was mainly due to a serious automobile accident the band suffered meaning that they couldn't take part in the infamous Clash Of The Titans series of gigs which could have seen the band enter the mainstream.

Thrash Metal even in 1987 had it's fair share of copy cat bands but Death Angel were head and shoulders above many of them and if you love Thrash Metal then this should be in your collection. Required listening for sure.

This album will certainly divide opinions mainly due to the vocals. For those who don't know, King Diamond was the vocalist for cult Metal band Mercyful Fate who were a big influence on Metallica and he continued his unique vocal style for his solo work.

Alternating between classic Metal, slightly guttural stylings and a ridiculous falsetto, King Diamonds albums are an acquired choice which is understandable but if you can appreciate them, then you have access to some of the best classic Metal albums and Abigail is probably his pinnacle.

Abigail is a concept piece about rebirth and ghosts yet it actually doesn't detract from the music and is a decent Horror tale in it's own right but who want's to know about that when it's the music that is more important at this time.

Abigail is unashamedly classic Metal with meaty riffs, tempo changes and gorgeous solos that are so indicative of the genre. If anyone was to ask me what a classic Metal sound was in the 80's then this album is the answer.

When the accent wasn't on speed or aggression it's a brave move to make an old fashioned album that took it's shape from early Priest and Maiden. It was retro in 1987 so it sounds even more so now but it's an honest album that celebrates the classic two guitar harmonies of Metal.

This is not a genre busting album by any means but it is a great example of what traditional Metal should sound like without resorting to tubthumping cliche's.

If you can handle the vocals then you will love this album.


The very few cool points I have left will be lost with this post but fuck it eh?!

Good to see this back up and running, was wondering for a minute there. You'd be screwed if it wasn't stickied.

Actually those seem kind of prog-like to me... I mean how many tempo changes were there in those songs? It's kind of like a really cheesy epic, and King Diamond's voice reminds me of years ago when I listened to Nightwish hahahahaha. No distress though, of course I like it- what's not to like? Gives me a craving for some Bongzilla. Oh, and btw the way, you should write up a review for Sigh, even though Anteater already has I'd like to see your take on it.