The second album was better

corplhicks wrote:

I've noticed the sophomore slump in many genres except for metal; it seems that most follow up albums here in this genre are winning moments at the least.

Good point, corp. I've always felt that hard rock and heavy metal bands have a lot of material written and that carries them through the first few albums. The well seems to run dry after a few releases. Some bands find it hard to write on the road and in hotels and sometimes outside songwriters come in (although that's more in other genres I believe).

I would like to add XYZ "Hungry" over the debut as it has more fire with songs like "Face Down in the Gutter" and "Nice Day to Die" and "The Sun also Rises in Hell."

Though I'm hoping this one skates by on a technicality, Queensryche.

If we're counting official releases, The Warning is head and shoulders better than the EP. If we're counting by full-length albums, I'm still inclined to go out on a limb and say Rage for Order is better than The Warning.

There was a comment earlier in the thread about sophomore slump not hitting metal as often as other genres. Thinking on it, I'm inclined to agree for one simple reason: every metal band complains that the producer of their first album failed to "get it" and gave them a crap sound while usually by the second they've started to figure out what they wanted their records to sound like. Just a guess, but I'd imagine it plays at least a part.

Oh, and because I'm a creep like this, I'm going to throw out a non-metal and kind of obscure band that fits this trend: Oingo Boingo. Nothing to Fear is a perfect album and stands in much better stead than Only a Lad (though OaL isn't horrible).

Running Wild's " Branded and Exiled " .
That was one huge and glorious jump -
Even the LP cover was cooler looking !

Runicen wrote:

 If we're counting by full-length albums, I'm still inclined to go out on a limb and say Rage for Order is better than The Warning.

I'll take the Warning, by a fair margin.

Lari wrote:

Runicen wrote:

 If we're counting by full-length albums, I'm still inclined to go out on a limb and say Rage for Order is better than The Warning.

I'll take the Warning, by a fair margin.

I'll take the EP over both, by a Large Marge-in. It's the only QR I feel is worth listening to.

I agree with so many of the bands listed here, as far as the bands I am into anyway.

Since I'm on a Death kick, I'll throw them in too. I like Leprosy better than Scream Bloody Gore. SBG is the closest to standard OSDM they do. They really are a band, to me, that got better each album, with Symbolic being their absolute best (Sound of Perseverance is a close second or third, with Individual Thought Patterns).

I respectfully disagree about MEGADETH and FORBIDDEN.

Seems that most metal bands improve on their 2nd album.

Aerosmith - Get Your Wings
Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
Fates Warning - The Spectre Within

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Lari wrote:

Runicen wrote:

 If we're counting by full-length albums, I'm still inclined to go out on a limb and say Rage for Order is better than The Warning.

I'll take the Warning, by a fair margin.

I'll take the EP over both, by a Large Marge-in. It's the only QR I feel is worth listening to.

The EP is my favorite as well.

ZombieHavoc wrote:

I'll take the EP over both, by a Large Marge-in. It's the only QR I feel is worth listening to.

All I have to say about that:

Some albums that I didn't see mentioned yet:
Atheist - Unquestionable Presence > Piece of Time
Death - Leprosy > Scream Bloody Gore
Devastation - Signs of Life > Violent Termination
Disciples of Power - Ominous Prophecy > Power Trap
Sacrifice - Forward to Termination > Torment in Fire
Viking - Man of Straw > Do or Die

I liked the Ramones first record - lyrics - cymbol crashes
It was primative, stark - and definetly most punk sounding.
When " Leaving Home " hit the stores, and my friend bought it,
Wow - faster - smoother - stronger writing - fun - louder -
It was like the band instantly bloosomed - like fireworks.
Everyone knew that they were going to be huge -
that they weren't just another typical N.Y punk rock band.

Required Fields wrote:

Death - Leprosy > Scream Bloody Gore

I mentioned that, man! But I agree with your Sacrifice, Viking and Devasation picks...never really listened to Atheist and never hear dof Disciples of Power.

Iced Earth
Sabbat
Toxik
Watchtower
Celtic Frost

DakotaRogers wrote:

Celtic Frost

I get confused with the CF thing as Morbid Tales was an EP in Europe but I think an LP in the U.S so you are either saying that To Mega Therion is better than Morbid Tales or Into the Pandemonium is better that To Mega Therion. Either way I disagree. 

Not completely sold on Sabbat either, the debut was amazingly good.

While I'm here I'll add Onslaught - The Force

I bought the EP releases by CF first. So in my opinion Morbid Tales is the first and Emperor's Return is the second.

The Showdown-Temptation Come My Way (and better than anything after)
Sepultura-Schizophrenia
Biohazard-Urban Discipline
Cathedral-The Ethereal Mirror

Boris2008 wrote:

I get confused with the CF thing as Morbid Tales was an EP in Europe but I think an LP in the U.S so you are either saying that To Mega Therion is better than Morbid Tales or Into the Pandemonium is better that To Mega Therion. Either way I disagree. 

I've always known Morbid Tales to be an LP, so yeah, all glory to To Mega Therion.

Barren Cross Atomic Arena blows away the first album

DallasBlack wrote:

Sepultura-Schizophrenia

Well, there was also the Bestial Devastation, but of the full lengths, ABSOLUTELY! Schizophrenia is easily Sepultura's most underrated album.

DakotaRogers wrote:

Boris2008 wrote:

I get confused with the CF thing as Morbid Tales was an EP in Europe but I think an LP in the U.S so you are either saying that To Mega Therion is better than Morbid Tales or Into the Pandemonium is better that To Mega Therion. Either way I disagree. 

I've always known Morbid Tales to be an LP, so yeah, all glory to To Mega Therion.

Too difficult for me. Morbid Tales, Emperor's Return & To Mega Therion is like Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality. Impossible to choose as they are all untouchable

metalinmyveins wrote:

Judas Priest: Sad Wings of Destiny > Rocka Rolla
Megadeth: Peace Sells...But Who's Buying > Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good
Metallica: Ride The Lightning > Kill 'Em All
Motorhead: Overkill > S/t
Overkill: Taking Over > Feel the Fire
Exodus: Pleasures of the Flesh > Bonded By Blood
Scorpions: Fly To the Rainbow > Lonesome Crow
Tygers of Pan Tang: Spellbound > Wildcat
Europe: Wings of Tomorrow > S/t
Def Leppard: High 'N Dry > On Through the Night
Black Sabbath: Paranoid > S/t
Vinnie Vincent Invasion: All Systems Go > S/t
Slayer: Hell Awaits > Show No Mercy
Whitesnake: Lovehunter > Trouble
Danzig: Danzig II: Lucifuge > Danzig
Ozzy: Diary of A Madman > Blizzard of Oz
Dokken: Tooth and Nail > Breaking the Chains
Faith No More: The Real Thing > Introduce Yourself
Nuclear Assault: Survive > Game Over
Motley Crue: Shout at the Devil > Too Fast For Love
Nevermore: The Politics of Ecstasy > S/t
Bon Jovi: 7800 Fahrenheit > S/t
Kreator: Pleasure To Kill > Endless Pain
Rainbow: Rising > Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Rush: Fly By Night > S/t
Tesla: The Great Radio Controversy > Mechanical Resonance
White Lion: Pride > Fight To Survive
Yngwie Malmsteen: Marching Out > Rising Force

"We Care A lot" is Faith No More's first album.

I agree on The Showdown DB.

Hallows Eve
Onslaught