Defend an album that get ripped on a lot...

ultmetal wrote:

SpectreFate wrote:

When we do this topic I like to reply with:

"Gods of War" by Manowar.

It's symphonic. It's epic. It's not so much of a metal album and kids got pissed when it came out. It's nice to listen to all the way through without interruption. The story is interesting and it has some of their best cover art. If you don't like it, I will gladly take your metal case edition off your hands.

And that is the problem. Manowar have always had that "We are true metal, posers must die" attitude and to release an album full of orchestras and opera singers, with very little in the way of real metal songs, is what "got the kids pissed".

Yea, what Ult said. When you put on a Manowar CD and you don't even hear a guitar riff until almost ten minutes in, something is seriously wrong.

I am such huge Black Sabbath fanboy that I love 'Never Say Die' which IMO is a great album certainly better than 'Technical Ecstacy' which is the 2nd worst Black Sabbath disc. The title track has a great hook, 'Johnny Blade' is another excellent tune, like detuned stated the last Sabbath with prog influences, Iommi's production is not that great but still the songs shine thru.

ultmetal wrote:

And that is the problem. Manowar have always had that "We are true metal, posers must die" attitude and to release an album full of orchestras and opera singers, with very little in the way of real metal songs, is what "got the kids pissed".

I understand your point. But the band had been putting similar elements here and there on previous albums, so I don't see what was so shocking about this album. I was more surprised at "Nessun Dorma" and "An American Trilogy" from WOTW than I was at this album. On the other hand, JP's Nostradamus? THAT was shocking, but even that is a good album.

BLACK SABBATH - Technical Ecstasy
A departure for them for sure, but once I got used to it, I found I enjoyed the contrast with their earlier work.

BLACK SABBATH - Never Say Die!
Probably the most reviled and criminally underrated album of the Ozzy era. I never had a problem with it and loved it from the start.

BLACK SABBATH - Born Again
Great songs with killer Iommi riffs. The supergroup style collaboration has always gotten me off. It's not the filler and obligation album that people make it out to be.

JUDAS PRIEST - Ram it Down
Aside from the overly processed guitar sound and the atrocious cover of "Johnny B. Goode" I've always loved this album. The lyrics can be a bit silly in places, but I like the vast majority of the songs.

TrogDawn wrote:

BLACK SABBATH - Born Again
Great songs with killer Iommi riffs. The supergroup style collaboration has always gotten me off. It's not the filler and obligation album that people make it.

Love this album!

As a matter of fact, I'll add BLACK SABBATH - Seventh Star to the list as well. Sure, it should have been released as a Tony Iommi solo album, but it wasn't. Deal with it. It's still a great release. Glenn Hughes vocals are outstanding! The songwriting is super catchy, the riffs are heavy, the solos are great. What's not to like?

ultmetal wrote:

As a matter of fact, I'll add BLACK SABBATH - Seventh Star to the list as well. Sure, it should have been released as a Tony Iommi solo album, but it wasn't. Deal with it. It's still a great release. Glenn Hughes vocals are outstanding! The songwriting is super catchy, the riffs are heavy, the solos are great. What's not to like?

I was thinking about posting that one as well. I loved it when it was first released (most of my friends hated it) and still think it contains some of Iommi's best guitar work (Heart Like A Wheel). I hope Iommi and Hughes record another album together in the future.

detuned wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

As a matter of fact, I'll add BLACK SABBATH - Seventh Star to the list as well. Sure, it should have been released as a Tony Iommi solo album, but it wasn't. Deal with it. It's still a great release. Glenn Hughes vocals are outstanding! The songwriting is super catchy, the riffs are heavy, the solos are great. What's not to like?

I was thinking about posting that one as well. I loved it when it was first released (most of my friends hated it) and still think it contains some of Iommi's best guitar work (Heart Like A Wheel). I hope Iommi and Hughes record another album together in the future.

I love both 'Born Again' and 'Seventh Star' and since we are talking about Black Sabbath I will add 'Headless Cross' 'Cross Purposes' and 'TYR' on this list.

detuned wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

As a matter of fact, I'll add BLACK SABBATH - Seventh Star to the list as well. Sure, it should have been released as a Tony Iommi solo album, but it wasn't. Deal with it. It's still a great release. Glenn Hughes vocals are outstanding! The songwriting is super catchy, the riffs are heavy, the solos are great. What's not to like?

I was thinking about posting that one as well. I loved it when it was first released (most of my friends hated it) and still think it contains some of Iommi's best guitar work (Heart Like A Wheel). I hope Iommi and Hughes record another album together in the future.

I like all three Iommi/Hughes collaborations.

Stryper - Against the Law
People didn't like it because the band had become "rebellious" or whatever. The pretty boys in the bumble bee suits were wearing beards and looking "tough". Who the heck cares. The music is what's important. This one had some smoking songs and a great guitar tone. Micheal Sweet lets out some blood curdling screams. Oz Fox really stepped up his lead work as well. Favorite tracks, Rock the Hell Out of You, Against the Law, Caught in the Middle, Lady and Shining Star.

candlemass wrote:

Black Sabbath - Forbidden

Go ahead and defend it, I double dog dare ya!

Actually, I like this lp, though it is the weakest one in their catolague.

ultmetal wrote:

Stryper - Against the Law
People didn't like it because the band had become "rebellious" or whatever. The pretty boys in the bumble bee suits were wearing beards and looking "tough". Who the heck cares. The music is what's important. This one had some smoking songs and a great guitar tone. Micheal Sweet lets out some blood curdling screams. Oz Fox really stepped up his lead work as well. Favorite tracks, Rock the Hell Out of You, Against the Law, Caught in the Middle, Lady and Shining Star.

I didn't like this lp simply because I didn't think the songs were that good, the cover of Shinning Star was the best cut IMO. "In God We Trust" was pretty weak other than the title track, there were internal problems going on and it showed up in the songwritting, and in the breakup shortly after ATL.

Megadeth - RISK (1999)
This album got such savage reviews upon its release that I avoided it until I could pick up a used copy on the cheap a year or two later. After a few spins I wondered what the big deal was. I kinda liked it. No, it's not the Deth of old but still has some solid playing and decent songs. I always thought that its follow up, THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO, was a weaker album, yet that one was hailed as their "return to form." Go figure.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Megadeth - RISK (1999)
This album got such savage reviews upon its release that I avoided it until I could pick up a used copy on the cheap a year or two later. After a few spins I wondered what the big deal was. I kinda liked it. No, it's not the Deth of old but still has some solid playing and decent songs. I always thought that its follow up, THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO, was a weaker album, yet that one was hailed as their "return to form." Go figure.

I agree. Lots of good songs on it. Crush Em' is horrible though.

ultmetal wrote:

Stryper - Against the Law
People didn't like it because the band had become "rebellious" or whatever. The pretty boys in the bumble bee suits were wearing beards and looking "tough". Who the heck cares. The music is what's important. This one had some smoking songs and a great guitar tone. Micheal Sweet lets out some blood curdling screams. Oz Fox really stepped up his lead work as well. Favorite tracks, Rock the Hell Out of You, Against the Law, Caught in the Middle, Lady and Shining Star.

I agree,Ult. All For One from this record is one of my favorite Stryper songs. Great album!

Skid Row - REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE
This one seemed to get a lot of hate when it was released a few years ago, but I liked it from the first spin. I was never more than a casual fan of Bach-era Skid Row (SLAVE TO THE GRIND still gets an occasional spin), so maybe that's why I didn't freak out when I first heard R.P.M. Obviously the fact that Bach is no longer in the band is a major stumbling block for many "old" Skid Row fans, and this album is far less slick than any of their previous material, so I guess I can understand why people who still clutch their breasts and sigh wistfully whenever "I Remember You" or "18 and Life" comes on the radio were like "What the f**k is this?" when they first heard R.P.M. Okay, so REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE may not sound much like "classic" Skid Row but based on its own merits, it's a fun, no-frills, down & dirty punk influenced hard rock record with a snotty sense of humor. I think I actually like RPM better than most of the Skids' back catalog. I may be alone in the wilderness with that opinion, but there you go.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Megadeth - RISK (1999)
This album got such savage reviews upon its release that I avoided it until I could pick up a used copy on the cheap a year or two later. After a few spins I wondered what the big deal was. I kinda liked it. No, it's not the Deth of old but still has some solid playing and decent songs. I always thought that its follow up, THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO, was a weaker album, yet that one was hailed as their "return to form." Go figure.

I still don't like this one. I hated it when it 1st came out and I've since only mildly "warmed-up" to a few tunes. This is the turd in the Megadeth punchbowl for sure. I think even Dave sorta went back on this one and said "Yea, I was trying some new stuff and it probably should've been a solo album, not a Megadeth album". I thoroughly enjoy The World Needs A Hero though.

Here's a real kick in the nuts for you all.


I LOVE Black Sabbath's "Technical Ecstasy". I will admit that some of the songs are a bit silly ("Backstreet Kids", "Rock and Roll Doctor", "Gypsy" - though I do like them), but it has "She's Gone", one which I always felt showcased great maturity in their writing. "All Moving Parts" is a fun one, although I haven't the slightest idea what it's about. "It's Alright" , "You Won't Change Me", and "Dirty Women" have always been three of my all-time favorite Sabbath tunes.

I also adore "Never Say Die!". You know you're a diehard Sabbath fan when you actually like those two albums.

I hear Black by Overkill

Very Underrated Album and one of the best albums by Overkill

Turbo by Judas priest

Good songs but very bad production the synersizers dominate the songs way too much if you get out Priest Live and hear the songs from the Turbo album they sound way better. Also the album has very good solos

s/t by Motley Crue

One of the ballsiest grunge/metal albums ever listened to and never got the attention it deserved a lost classic album

Native Tongue by Poison

Clearly their best album mostly because they get a guitar player who can PLAY Ritchie Kotzen defintely delivered the goods on that album and a time when they pulled their fingers out of their arses and wrote good quality music
and didn't have one of the world's worst guitarists CC Deville

System has Failed by Megadeth

As ultmetal stated correctly thrash metal purists would hate this album and I can see why because of the clean production but I still think its miles ahead of St Anger and have thrashy songs I loved this album to pieces when it came out in 2004

X Factor by Iron maiden

This obviously won't be a popular opinion at all. I think Blaze was more suited singing on the x factor album than Bruce (No I'm not knocking Bruce he was still is one of the best vocalists in metal) but since Bruce is more of a Theatrical singer and is suited to loud riffs and singing high notes and suited to previous iron maiden albums. The X Factor album is different its dark and melodic and does not have the same formulas as the previous albums do
which I am not saying is a bad thing.

Quote :

X Factor by Iron maiden

Once I quit expecting this to sound like classic Maiden I started really liking it.

As for Native Tongue and The System Has Failed I totally agree with you.

Deep Purple-Come Taste the Band- Tommy Bolin's one and only studio album with Deep Purple and also the swan song for the band til their reunion in 1984. IMO great songs and Bolin is more insync with Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale's funk leanings. Tommy Bolin plays nothing like Ritchie Blackmore, had his own distinct style and had an incredible guitar tone. "Lady Luck' seems to be a preview of the type song he would perfect with early Whitesnake, Tommy Bolin tasteful playing underscoring great songs such as 'You Keep Moving' .




Jimmy Page's best and most inspired playing since Led Zeppelin's demise. Critics were going on and on about David Coverdale and how could he, that wanna be Robert Plant clone, well the hell with them, Coverdale has never sang so high and so much power ever. Songs like 'Absolution Blues' 'Whisper a Prayer for the Dying' and even ballad 'Take Me for A Little While' where excellent songs and it is too bad that ego and critical bashing killed this partnership after only one album. It certainly wasnot album sales this album went platinum and even rose up to #5 on the Billboard Charts.

Smindas wrote:

manny wrote:

Guns N Roses-Spaghetti Incident?- Love this album, an album of covers of some favorite punk, metal, glam bands done Guns n Roses style, also responsible for introducing me to the great UK Subs, The Dead Boys, and inspiring to dig out my old T. Rex vinyl out of the archives.

This one. I bought this on a whim and was sure it was going to be a stinker from what I'd heard, but I ended up playing the hell out of. There are some amazing covers on there, like 'Down on the Farm', 'Human Being' and 'I Don't Care About You' among others.

Megadeth - Youthanasia
I see this one getting ripped on a lot for it apparently being Megadeth's attempt at the commercialism that led to Cryptic Writings and Risk but I think that's unfair. Yes, it's slower and yes, it's more melodic, but it's far heavier than Countdown ever was. The speed is gone for the most part, there's a bit more groove and melancholy throughout the entire album. Really, one of my all time favourites.

This = WIN

I would also agree w/ Once Dead as well as Overkill's "I Hear Black".

I'm still not loving VR's "Destruction Comes" after all these years. I've listened to it countless times in the 13+ years I've owned it, and only 2 or 3 songs on the whole disc (not counting "Hyde Under Pressure", LOL) stand out or make any lasting impression. Perhaps I need to give it another spin (it's been over a year), but other than "Before the Time" (mostly due to the video), "Raegoul" (because it's slow), and the first couple tracks, the album becomes a din. There's so little variation that it doesn't have much of an impact. That said, I listen to plenty of punk & other stuff that has very little variation, but that combined w/ CRAPPY production and weak overall songs and I just can't get past it. I hate saying that, because I love classic VR - "Human Sacrifice" and "Released Upon the Earth" are both still favorites.

Here's one for you guys:


I have NO FLIPPIN' IDEA why everyone hates this album. People have made the erroneous claim that Skid Row was trying to sound like Pantera (what?), and that this album lacks the melody of earlier stuff. Perhaps it's a bit tougher than "Slave to the Grind" was, but that's one of the reasons I like it! They took the hard-hitting melodic metal sound of the previous album & turned it up to 11 here. The guitar is so heavy for this style, the riffs groove beyond anything the band had done, and the album is diverse & interesting. Maybe Baz was a bit overblown here at times, but isn't that part of what heavy metal is - over the top antics? Truly underrated and underappreciated IMO.

Eternal Idol by Black Sabbath: is a severely underrated album by Black Sabbath ok Tony Martin's abit bland and ye alot of people attacked the album for being too glossy and I think the songs would of sound alot better if they were sung by Glen Hughes. Even though it doesn't hold a candle to their first 5 albums with Ozzy Osbourne and the ones with Ronnie James Dio it is a very strong songs like The Shining, Ancient Warrior, Glory Ride, Nightmare and that awe inspiring instrumental and I also like the synersizers used in the mix which gives alot of warmth to the album and the good thing is they don't dominate the album at all.

Seventh Star by Black Sabbath: A highly underrated album Glen Hughes and Tony Iommi have an amazing musical chemistry

Flick of the Switch by AC/DC: I actually think there's nothing wrong with this album alotta AC/DC fans hated probably because it was a big step from their previous albums with Brian Johnson and had a raw production and songs sounded more depressive as well

Burning Red by Machine Head: Ok There are alot of things wrong with this album like Rob Flynn should NEVER of RAPPED even though he does sound better than Fred Durst from Limp Bizcrap. But besides it has some crunchy riffs and gets you headbaging even though it is a bit chugga chugga. I actually prefer this album to Ashes of Empire an album I can't get into

The Blitz by Krokus: The black album of Krokus. This album was the first mainstream album that did loose some of their die hard metal audience just like what happened when MetallicA released their black album. Anyway there are some good Krokus songs like Our Love (will never die), Rock the Nation, Hot Stuff and their of The Sweets Ballroom blitz but doesn't hold to their previous Marc Storace albums.

Load and Reload by MetallicA: The songs on these albums are not bad like ok there are some boring wanky songs like Hero of the Day, Wasting my Hate, Fuel, Prince Charming and Attitude. The biggest issue with this album it is too glossy and polished MetallicA are more suited to a raw sound like on their 80s albums. Bob Rock is clearly the wrong producer for Metallica. Despite all that there are some heavy metal platters like Outlaw Torn, Bleeding me, Fixxxer, Devil's Dance, King Nothing, Aint my smurfette and Low man's lyric. The demos of the songs sound even better particuarly Memory Remains, Low Man's Lyric and Fuel. The songs also sound better live particuarly on that Woodstock 99 bootleg

OK I just came from a local store, where an SAVATAGE cd has been there for some years at 25 dolars. But I went today and it was for 8 Bucks so I grave it



FIGHT FOR THE ROCK. Whell this is concidered their worst album, people even skip songs when they play this cd.

I am giving my first spin, and this albums sound great to my ears. I haven't read the lyrics at the moment. But I don't see what is wrong with this album?

manny wrote:

Jimmy Page's best and most inspired playing since Led Zeppelin's demise. Critics were going on and on about David Coverdale and how could he, that wanna be Robert Plant clone, well the hell with them, Coverdale has never sang so high and so much power ever. Songs like 'Absolution Blues' 'Whisper a Prayer for the Dying' and even ballad 'Take Me for A Little While' where excellent songs and it is too bad that ego and critical bashing killed this partnership after only one album. It certainly wasnot album sales this album went platinum and even rose up to #5 on the Billboard Charts.

This album is very underrated. I actually bought this one for 1 dollar on a local store. I did give it some spins when I got it, but it didn't grab my attention. I know I have to give it another try some time.