Bands that released their best album late in their career

A lot of bands seem to record their best material early on, and then kind of fizzle out. Or in the best case, they continue with consistent releases, but still the early albums are more special because of their classic status.

Any late bloomers you can think of? Bands that took a decade or so of releasing albums before recording their magnus opus?

The only one I can think of is Pantera, but even then that is fairly debatable.

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

The only one I can think of is Pantera, but even then that is fairly debatable.

I actually like their earlier material better.

One band that I feel definitely got better later in their career is "Death" with Sound of Perseverance being their magnum opus.

I'd say Satan's Host. The last two albums are their strongest.

Vexer6 wrote:

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

The only one I can think of is Pantera, but even then that is fairly debatable.

I actually like their earlier material better.

One band that I feel definitely got better later in their career is "Death" with Sound of Perseverance being their magnum opus.

I'm a casual fan myself, and usually go for Power Metal when in the mood for some Pantera, which happens very, very rare anyway. In fact, I've never even heard Cowboys From Hell in its entirety.

Hirax for sure!!

For me it's Budgie with Power Supply. It was a total sellout to the NWOBHM movement, but I think it's the best thing they've ever done.

I think Threshold have got better with time, although I'd be hard-pressed to pin down one album as their magnum opus.

Aerosmith

Witchfinder wrote:

For me it's Budgie with Power Supply.  It was a total sellout to the NWOBHM movement, but I think it's the best thing they've ever done.  

I really only like the albums with the original lineup. My favorites are the self-titled debut, In For The Kill and especially Bandolier.

Sword Of The Heretic wrote:

Aerosmith

Assuming this was not written in jest, what would you consider their best work, if not Toys in the Attic or Rocks?

Stryper, in my opinion, No More Hell To Pay is their best album.

Behemoth, with "The Satanist"

And "Painkiller," maybe?

It seems to happen more often in other genres like jazz. Many of the greats like Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington and others had their best work occur more than a decade after they came on the scene. In Duke's case some of his best work happened 40 years into his career.

One artist that comes to mind for me is Stevie ray Vaughn..while every album he did is a great album I really thought 'In step' and 'Family Style (with Jimmie Vaughn)' were his best....

I don't know if it was their best but Celtic Frost certainly went out with a terrifying bang with Monotheist.

I also find Stryper a bit less annoying now than I used to back in the day, but I'm still a long way from 'liking' any of their stuff.

That never happens
No band ever ends on a good note - esp KISS - over the last 15 years -
Yet they all say the same thing, " This is the best thing we ever did " - ugh
but when a band follwed up with a better release - was always great -party time -
Priest following uo " Screaming " with " Defenders " - that was a wild one -
Scorpions " Crazy World ", Krokus " Headhunter", Dokken "Back for attack" - great follow-ups.
Even " Electric Circus ", " Whitesnake " - but to end on a good note - that never happens.

Boris2008 wrote:

I don't know if it was their best but Celtic Frost certainly went out with a terrifying bang with Monotheist.

That was certainly a case of a band finishing off as strong as they started.

I'm tempted to say JUDAS PRIEST.

I think a lot of death metal bands have: KRISIUN, NILE, ORIGIN.

I'm tempted to say: Pretty Maids - Pandemonium

All of their releases are top notch, in my opinion, but Pandemonium is their best yet...

How about Saxon and Overkill? Both bands have released very strong material late in their careers.

Not quite a decade, but Pink Floyd released Wish You Were Here in 1975, 8 years after their career started.

I agree with Death, as mentioned above, though I point to Symbolic as their best, with Sounds a close second. I'm not really into the records before Symbolic. Though they are better than your average 80s death metal record, to me.

I don't think OVERKILL ever released anything as good when they let Gustafson go, although "Horrorscope" is debatable. After that, no way.

S.D. wrote:

Not quite a decade, but Pink Floyd released Wish You Were Here in 1975, 8 years after their career started.  

Using that logic, you could make the argument for AC/DC. While they were well short of a decade, they were 5 or 6 albums deep before they released Highway to Hell, which alot of fans would consider their best Bon Scott album.

Of course, they topped that one with Back in Black, which alot of fans consider their best post-Bon album. Certainly their most popular.

I don't know that I personally agree with either one of those statements, but the logistics are there. None of their earlier (or later) albums posted the sales numbers or favorable reviews those 2 albums had, did they?