Bands that released their best album late in their career

Not THAT late in their career, but it took Rage 7 tries to release their best album (The Missing Link) in my opinion.

DakotaRogers wrote:

Not THAT late in their career, but it took Rage 7 tries to release their best album (The Missing Link) in my opinion.

I was about to mention Rage because they certainly took their time in finding their signature sound. I guess Trapped! would be the first album of theirs that hit the spot. Though the older stuff wasn't bad either... just a matter of preference. I for one love Perfect Man.

Blind Guardian released their debut 1988, and released their masterpiece 'Imaginations' 7 years later as their fifth album.

How about Stratovarius then? Debut in 1989, but "Visions" is probably their most popular album and was released in 1997 and it was their sixth album. Not quite a decade, but close enough.

However, because all these bands have gone on to release a ton of albums after their magnum opus, it's difficult to consider them late bloomers. Stratovarius is now 25 years old, for instance, and it's been 17 years since Visions.

I personally consider Iron Maiden's A Matter of Life and Death their best album, but I'm not that delusional to think that sentiment is shared by too many people. Their golden age albums are still their most popular.

Sabbat definitely comes to mind. They've always been a consistently great band, but their latest album is probably one of my top favorites.

For a band with a constantly revolving lineup, I'd have to go with King Crimson. This works two ways - for the band itself, I still stand by Red as at least tied for the top spot. It was their SEVENTH album overall, and the third for the core lineup that recorded it, so they definitely hit their stride later in the game.

For a more consistent band, I'm more hard-pressed to come up with a good example. The Pink Floyd point is definitely a good one.

Actually, how about The Beatles? I'm not going to talk smack on the early material, but arguably the stuff that drew in the MOST people and is still the gateway drug for people who get into them is around that Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour era.

Lari wrote:

I personally consider Iron Maiden's A Matter of Life and Death their best album, but I'm not that delusional to think that sentiment is shared by too many people. Their golden age albums are still their most popular.

I tend to agree with that statement - it's tied with Piece of Mind as my favorite Maiden album. I personally feel the 4 post reunion albums are as good as the classic 7 and they are mixed in with the classics in my Maiden album rankings.

choosemetal wrote:

Hirax for sure!!

Yes!

BearOnUnicycle wrote:

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

That I would argue for sure. I'll take Power Metal over anything they did after it.

Surprised no one has mentioned Deep Purple.

corplhicks wrote:

Surprised no one has mentioned Deep Purple.

Considering their best and most praised albums In Rock and Machine Head were released early on in their careers, I don't think they fit in the thread at all. 3rd and 5th albums, but only 2-4 years after their debut.

Witchfinder wrote:

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

For me, it's Saxon. Lionheart is my favorite album by them (and it's already 10 years old, jeeez!). But their last two are really good, too. I like them better than their early albums.

Runicen wrote:

Actually, how about The Beatles?  I'm not going to talk smack on the early material, but arguably the stuff that drew in the MOST people and is still the gateway drug for people who get into them is around that Sgt. Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour era.

I didn't even think about the Beatles (maybe because their "later" stuff isn't that far removed time-wise from their "early" stuff), but I prefer their psychedelic era to the "I Want To Hold Your Hand" era.

Lari wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

Surprised no one has mentioned Deep Purple.

Considering their best and most praised albums In Rock and Machine Head were released early on in their careers, I don't think they fit in the thread at all. 3rd and 5th albums, but only 2-4 years after their debut.

True; I think it's more subjective than anything. For me DP got more enjoyable with each album, with only a couple of minor misfires along the way. Perhaps they hit their peak with Machine Head, but the quality was still in motion up through today. Not everyone will share this, of course.

EDIT: it seems I mis-read the thread title...

Another candidate would be DEICIDE.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Another candidate would be DEICIDE.

Nah... those first two albums are untouchable.

I would agree with Hirax for sure! Others IMO are Iced Earth,Helstar,Shadows Fall.

Edit-Just thought of Exodus as well.To me Tempo of the Damned is as good as anything they've done.

Personally I prefer later Deicide and it's groovy yet melodic tendencies to their older material.
Virus by Hypocrisy is probably their best album and the one that sort of encompasses their sound the most.
Maximum Overload is debatable for Dragonforce. Some people think it's more of the same, some people think the shorter songs and modern metal influences changed the sound enough to make it something special. I personally think it broke the monotony they started getting themselves into with Inhuman Rampage but I wouldn't put it above an album like Sonic Firestorm.
Napalm Death didn't really hit a consistently good sound until Enemy of The Music Business sort of cemented them into their current style, and I personally think Utilitarian is their best album to date.

Hirax for sure!
Usurper as well.

I go for hirax.

For me it's Opeth. If I were to rank the albums I would just start with Pale Communion and work backwards.

The first band that springs to mind for me is Testament. Surprised they haven't had a mention yet.

Whilst i love the first part of their career up to and including the ritual the second half of their career has been my favourite. Low is a tremendous album, demonic was a bit of a curve ball but the gathering is their magnum opus to my ears with the last two albums being almost as strong.

This won't be a popular one but the final two Bathory albums (Nordland I & II) were probably my favorites, I think that they are massively under rated.

Wayne wrote:

The first band that springs to mind for me is Testament.  Surprised they haven't had a mention yet.

Whilst i love the first part of their career up to and including the ritual the second half of their career has been my favourite. Low is a tremendous album, demonic was a bit of a curve ball but the gathering is their magnum opus to my ears with the last two albums being almost as strong.

I think you're in the minority with your opinion. The trio of the Legacy, New Order and "Preach" are their most acclaimed albums, and in my opinion that period was their high point.

for me it would be winger..their last couple of albums are their best
Also (I know some will disagree)  Whitesnake....

Wayne wrote:

The first band that springs to mind for me is Testament.  Surprised they haven't had a mention yet.

Whilst i love the first part of their career up to and including the ritual the second half of their career has been my favourite. Low is a tremendous album, demonic was a bit of a curve ball but the gathering is their magnum opus to my ears with the last two albums being almost as strong.

I could go with Testament - Dark Roots of Earth is every bit as good as the first classics!