Best NEW (latest) album by OLD guard?

I picked the top vote getters from the other poll and added a few I missed from before...

This is not a "style to style" comparison of albums, so don't vote that way.

This is a question of which band, after 30+ years in the game, put out the best album overall in terms of what you/we think they're capable of. Who really drove it home?

I listed the latest albums by some pretty big names...so which, in terms of quality and legacy, do you think is the best?

Mods, feel free to close the other poll....

Since "The Final Frontier" isn't represented I went with "13".

I went with van Halen, but was close to picking anthrax.

Went with Sabbath, but could have easily been Accept or Deep Purple

I voted for Black Sabbath, although Deep Purple could almost be a tie.

Van Halen this time.

Given the ups and downs, mud-slinging and general douchy behavior of both Dave and the VH brothers, the fact that this album exists at all is a miracle. So what if most of it was re-hashed demos. It came out sounding like classic Van Halen and that's good enough for me.

I could have said the same thing about Anthrax too.

I went with Sabbath, I do think that the Anthrax record is great though. I have yet to hear the Deep Purple record, I'm really having problems thinking that a no Blackmore, no Lord Purple record can be great, but it is very well thought of by you guys.

Since Testament didn't make the cut. (posers ) went with 'deth. Accept is killer also.

Boris2008 wrote:

I have yet to hear the Deep Purple    record, I'm really having problems thinking that a no Blackmore, no Lord Purple record can be great, but it is very well thought of by you guys.

Their previous album "Rapture Of The Deep" from 2005 featured this same lineup (Steve Morse on guitar and Don Airey on keyboards) and was a good record as well. Not up to the standards of Now What?! but still definitely worth checking out.

People tend to forget that Airey has been with the band since 2003 (when Lord retired from touring) and Morse has been the guitarist since 1995.

I don't know about anyone here, but I really liked Deep Purple's "Bananas" from 2002/3 or so.

The new Black Sabbath is really impressing me. "Loner" and "Dear Father" strike me as standouts at this point.

I need to get "Stalingrad" since "Blood of the Nations" was fantastic.

Stalingrad is a kickass record, but I still think Blood of the Nations had a meaner bite to it, much like old-school Accept. I voted 13. Again, VH is a close second. And Overkill is a close third.

Went with Deep Purple but i could have easily gone with 13. Both are great albums.

Using the criteria of best album based on what they were capable of I went with Kiss.  Monster blew my expectations away.  The Sabbath and VH albums I had high expectations for but sorta knew that both could/would still deliver the goods.  Haven't heard the new DP yet but all of those other albums are really strong too.  Proving the old guard STILL has it.

Accept -- Stalingrad is my favorite

akeldama wrote:

Since "The Final Frontier" isn't represented I went with "13".

I would have voted for that one too!

I think I'll still stick with KISS. I'm still slightly limited on what I've heard from that list, but Monster is the one that I'm jamming to the most.

I voted Stalingrad.  I don't think it was quite as good as Blood of Nations but I definitely like it better than the other albums in this poll.

Accept pretty easily..

From this list... Sabbath. The last Accept wasn't as good as Blood of the Nations imo.

Voted for Accept, even though I can't say I enjoy both new albums as much as others do. But considering all the rave reviews the guys recieve, it was rather easy vote.

Van Halen, easily for me, loved the album.

I voted for Anthrax's Worship Music - tough tussle between this and Sabbath.


I would've picked Overkill's latest album over these guys.