Number 71 - Lateralus by TOOL

Number 71: Lateralus by TOOL 

Who put math in my metal?

Release: May 15th, 2001
Genre: Prog Metal
Favorite Tracks: The Grudge, Lateralus, Schism

 

Where I heard it:

I have my mother to thank for the variance and expanse of my musical tastes. She listened to and enjoyed a multitude of genres, as was evident by the CD binder we had in the car for when we got bored of the radio. As I'd mentioned before, selections included Love. Angel. Music. Baby. by Gwen Stefani, Before These Crowded Streets by the Dave Matthews Band, and today's entry Lateralus by Tool. I distinctly remember the black sleeve of the CD jewel case, which revealed layers of the human body when opened. I don't have any recollection of listening to any tracks off Lateralus...well, except for the album's hidden track Faaip De Oiad. That song scared the ever-loving shit out of me when I was a kid. The distorted sounds and eerie voice-over was the most demented sounding thing I'd ever heard. That incident alone put me off from listening to TOOL for years until the release of Guitar Hero's fourth installment in 2009 that included a special segment dedicated to the band. This inspired me to revisit my childhood trauma with Lateralus, an album that was thematically resemblant to the memories I had as a kid, but musically was more advanced than I ever could have expected.

This body holding me
Reminds me of my own mortality
Embrace this moment
Remember we are eternal
All this pain is an illusion
~ Parabola

 

What to expect:

By the turn of the millennium, TOOL was already a well-established group in the underground metal scene. Their first two albums Undertow and Ænema made ripples in the industry for Maynard James Keenen's clean vocals and technically impressive displays from drummer Danney Carey. Yet, TOOL's first two releases sound conventional when compared to the compositional masterpiece of Lateralus. The album loosely follows a theme of humanity's creation and everything involved with it - the curiosity of its origins, the miracle of our existence, and its purpose within the universe. This mysterious aura on Lateralus is represented most prominently through intricately structured rhythm patterns that emulate the natural patterns of life's building blocks. A typical song from the album will see an idea manifest throughout its duration, playfully passing off rhythms between bandmates to create an overarching motif that stems from the album's initial concept The best example is on the album's title track, where both the lyrics and time signatures the band plays in make reference to the Fibonacci sequence, a cyclical series of numbers founded in both mathematics and nature. Numbers are the name of the game within TOOL's material, manufacturing contrasting notations together to invent some chaotic grooves. TOOL artfully unifies the softness of tribal-like ceremonies with the impact of metal music, reserving their use of extreme outbursts only when contextually necessary. Lateralus' songs will take you on a rhythmic exploration that offers a myriad of complexities and delights within its moments of musical ambiguity, as long as you can keep your head straight in the process.

Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion
Between supposed lovers
~ Schism

 

Why it's my favorite: 

When I took band classes in high school, I never imagined how much of the music theory I was taught would stick with me. Music education offered me a new language in which to better understand and communicate my love for the music I already adored. After I graduated, there was a period of time where I sought out technically advanced music just for the sake of its complexity, but have since grown appreciation for progressive groups that integrate their difficulty more subtly. I'm obsessed with Lateralus' execution in its songwriting, binding together awkward groupings of note pairings while still maintaining its overall flow. Conceptually, that flow also remains consistent in Maynard's elaborate and poetic lyrics. Although it appears to be philosophical dribble at face value, a deeper dive into the lyric sheet displays a stunning amount of depth and meditation towards the subject matter. Hidden within the haunting sounds of Lateralus lies a beauty that challenges both the mind and the psyche, if you're brave enough to embark upon this self-transcendent journey.

Number 72 - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by The Dead Kennedys

 Number 72: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by the Dead Kennedys

Punk gets political

Release: September 2nd, 1980
Genre: Punk
Favorite Tracks: California Über Alles, Chemical Warfare, Let's Lynch the Landlord

 

Where I heard it: 

When I first delved into punk towards the end of high school, the usual material consisted of staples like Black Flag and the Sex Pistols. That being said, it's surprising to me that my affiliation towards the Dead Kennedys didn't start until the middle of 2020. Of course, I'd known for years about the band name for their featured song Holiday in Cambodia that appeared in Guitar Hero, but that version was merely a faithful cover. When I heard Holiday in Cambodia again off of the compilation album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death, I was a bit disappointed at how different this version was from the one in my mind. It wasn't until years later that I realized Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death contained re-recordings of a few popular songs from the Dead Kennedys. The true version of Holiday in Cambodia resided on the band's debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, where I came to discover a whole lot more than just a childhood favorite.

 The sun beams down on a brand new day
No more welfare tax to pay
Unsightly slums gone up in flashing light
Jobless millions whisked away
At last we have more room to play
All systems go to kill the poor tonight
~ Kill the Poor

What to expect:

By its very nature, punk music embodies qualities of disobedience and anarchy, rebelling against the oppressive powers that be. This is normally accompanied by loud power chords, frantic tempos, and socially conscious lyricism. Punk bands like these are a dime a dozen. However, this was not the case at the turn of the decade in 1980. The most shocking material in punk at the time was the Sex Pistol's Nevermind the Bollocks, an album laden with criticism for the British monarchy and government. Jello Biafra, the Dead Kennedy's eccentric and outspoken leader, took this concept and shipped it over the pond to analyze some of the socio-economical problems in America. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables wittily exposes the absurdities of a tyrannical capitalist rule by protesting topics like extreme poverty, the military industrial complex, and government surveillance. Not surprisingly, plenty of the messages from these songs still hold up today, it's almost uncanny. Apart from the subject matter, Jello Biafra executes his point so cleverly by writing songs like Kill the Poor and When Ya Get Drafted from the point of view of those in authority rather than the perspective of Biafra himself. If you take the lyrics at face value, the subject matter of the lyrics can be appalling. When you apply the additional satirical context of a song like I Kill Children, the true direction of the Dead Kennedys' music starts to reveal its hidden genius that lays within. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables keeps a tongue in cheek while simultaneously discussing heavy issues, which accentuates some of the more outlandish and extreme results of their consequences as a sort of premonition to what we're headed toward if change is not instituted. Well, nearly four decades later, it sounds like the Dead Kennedys knew exactly what they were talking about. 

Ever wanted to die? Of course you have
But I won't 'til I get my revenge
I've been fucked far, far too many ways
I don't want to see people anymore
Things I never ever saw before
Make me see them for the shit they are
Take as many as I can away with me
Anyone can be king for a day
~ I Kill Children

Why it's my favorite: 

The Dead Kennedys' deceptive songwriting style didn't begin to deeply resonate with me until around the time of the George Floyd protests in mid 2020. I was listening to plenty of music with political undertones, and happened to cross paths once again with the Dead Kennedys for their staunch anti-police mindset. As I listened through Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables for the first time, I was astounded by how much material was still relevant in today's society. I personally related to the gripes of corrupt politicians and terrible landlords, especially at that point in American history. The Dead Kennedys' ability to both satirize and hyperbolize controversial issues to drive a point home is second to none within the punk genre. There's a sense of camaraderie among Dead Kennedys fans in the fact that everybody is in on the acuity of their music. You may not exactly agree with Jello Biafra's perspective on every song from Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, but you can't deny that the album inspires a level of thought that forces the listener to question their own beliefs in comparison. My eyes and mind were opened to injustices I hadn't even considered before, but I feel enlightened with this knowledge rather than shame for my ignorance. The concept of music as a form of protest was nothing new by 1980, but the Dead Kennedys added a new dimension to this idea, perfecting the art of disguising scathing criticisms as excellent music.

Number 73 - City of Evil by Avenged Sevenfold

 Number 73: City of Evil by Avenged Sevenfold

Power metal for the public

Release: June 6th, 2005
Genre: Heavy Metal
Favorite Tracks: Beast and the Harlot, Blinded in Chains, Bat Country

 

Where I heard it:  

Like many teenagers, my selection of music was pretty angsty and rebellious during middle school. This period was shortly after my discovery and ensuing infatuation with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, so hard rock and metal were particularly in my rotation. I idolized bands like Slipknot, Metallica, and Judas Priest for their powerful and chaotic energy that allowed me an outlet for my childish frustrations. These bands and many others like them were ones I frequently heard on my local hard rock radio station, 94.3 KILO (shoutout to them!). Coincidentally, the radio station held a Guitar Hero competition at a Hooters an hour from where I lived, and I somehow convinced my mom to take her twelve year old son to Hooters so he could compete in a video game. I didn't win, but as a consolation prize I was offered a choice of merchandise among several items. My selection was a CD of Avenged Sevenfold's eponymous white album, where I first heard songs like Afterlife and Scream. For a very long time, I thought this album was the band's magnum opus, but have since been persuaded toward Avenged Sevenfold's previous album City of Evil. After a few run-throughs of both albums, I'm ready to make a case for City of Evil - perhaps if it's only for my own sake.

I've seen my family fade away
You've taken my whole life
There's nothing left to say
Avenged the dead, killed all who cross me in my path
Suicidal, I've never planned on coming back
I want it, I need it, revenge is dripping from my teeth
Need nothin' to feel power and bring the killers to their knees
~ Strength of the World

 

What to expect:

Before Avenged Sevenfold's major label debut City of Evil, the quintet dabbled in more extreme forms of metal like black metal and metalcore. While the talent amongst its members was quite obvious, there wasn't much distinction between them and any other generic black metal band. Frontman M. Shadows had this same realization after Avenged Sevenfold's second album Waking the Fallen received lukewarm praise, deciding to pursue more melodic avenues in order to appeal towards a wider audience. However, this shift in genre sacrifices none of the edge which the group had become known for in previous endeavors. In fact, Avenged Sevenfold as a whole greatly benefited from embracing a style that closer resembles prog metal throughout City of Evil. M. Shadow's grittiness is artfully blended into his singing voice, showcasing an impressive vocal range that spans from beautiful harmonies to death growls which harkens back to their metalcore days. The tradeoffs between the guitar duo of Synyster Gates and Zachy Vengeance communicate effortlessly within the rhythm, intermittently placing blistering runs of notes that rock your socks off. And of course, I can't mention Avenged Sevenfold without giving it up for the man himself: The Rev, perhaps one of metal's greatest drummers to ever live. The depth you hear within every drum head is jaw-dropping. The resonance of the cymbals is crystal clear. The execution is flawless and performed with ease. All of this combines for one of the most theatrical metal experiences I've ever been a part of. City of Evil lies right on the equilibrium of intensity and approachability, making a great recommendation for those looking to dip their toe into metal!

I hand you my mortal life, but will it be forever?
I'd do anything for a smile
Holding you 'til our time is done
We both know the day will come
But I don't want to leave you
I see my vision burn. I feel my memories fade with time
But I'm too young to worry
A melody, a memory, or just one picture
~ Seize the Day

Why it's my favorite: 

When compiling this list, there were quite a few bands that I was surprised I slept on for so long. I've always had appreciation for Avenged Sevenfold, but I don't think I really gave them credit for how good they were until their last album The Stage came out. I clearly remember listening to the title track on my balcony, truly awestruck at the capabilities of a band I had more or less written off as past their prime. While I fell in love with The Stage for its return to progressive metal, it feels disingenuous to crown it for what City of Evil had already accomplished more than a decade prior. City of Evil dared Avenged Sevenfold to push their boundaries, and they delivered a technically brilliant product that conveys its concept through intricate lyrical storytelling accompanied by angelic choirs and acoustic interludes. City of Evil innovates the metal genre despite lack of precedence on the band's behalf of how to make an album like this. To me, that's what sets apart this album from any other in Avenged Sevenfold's discography: its genius is practically accidental, but worthy of praise nonetheless.

Number 74 - You've Come A Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim

Number 74: You've Come A Long Way, Baby by Fatboy Slim

"My favorite artist right now is Fatboy Slim, that guy kicks ass"

Release: October 19th, 1998
Genre: Electronic, Big Beat
Favorite Tracks: The Rockafeller Skank, Right Here, Right Now, Gangster Trippin

 

Where I heard it: 

Prior to my discovery of dubstep in late 2010, my history with electronic music was based around a best-of electronica CD that my aunt had in her car. Among some of the tracks I remember were genre-defining classics like Cascada's Everytime We Touch, Alice Deejay's Better Off Alone, and of course Darude's Sandstorm. Now that I think about it, that compilation album immediately set my standard for electronic music moving forward. The Rockafeller Skank by Fatboy Slim was one of the first few tracks on that CD, and even if I hadn't listened to it off that disc, I would have probably heard it one hundred times over the radio or in movie trailers or whatever. You could not escape this song in the early to mid 2000's. Perhaps because of its commonality, I never fully delved into Fatboy Slim's catalog until around 2015 when a good friend of mine revealed to me that Fatboy Slim was his favorite artist at the time. I'd heard the hits off of You've Come A Long Way, Baby and liked them enough to give this album a full listen, but I wouldn't fully recognize its polish and significance until just last year. 

 

"You've Come A Long Way, Baby incorporates an amazing vision and variety of musical sentiments in throwing everything from rock guitars and acid bleeps to piano over the grooves."
~ The Independent

What to expect:

In the age of modern electronic music, there are numerous sub-genres that attempt to categorize each classification of composition style. There's trance, house, techno, dubstep, glitch...and the list goes on. Without providing a detailed history, Fatboy Slim was one of a few acts like The Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers that helped popularize Big Beat, characterized by its carefully layered samples and repetitive structure. While each individual one-to-two bar sample may not convey much by itself, several samples strung together generate a well-oiled machine made out of recycled parts. Every track from Fatboy Slim's sophomore effort You've Come A Long Way, Baby remains faithful to this formula, gradually introducing new sound patches that build toward the grand climax where each individual line gains context in relationship to the multiple layers of noise. You might think a song is headed in one direction, and then the beat kicks in, completely diverting the listener's expectations. For the most part, Fatboy Slim utilizes an expansive library of clips that revolve around obscure R&B and funk tracks. With the catchy bass hooks and risqué lyrical content, it's no secret why so many artists chose to pay homage to these otherwise unknown performers in their own music. You've Come A Long Way, Baby cleverly integrates several subtle references throughout its tracks, many of which will go unnoticed without supplemental reading. Don't fret however; the intention of leaving behind little musical easter eggs to discover seems to be more for the amusement of Fatboy Slim than any other reason. This album acts like a giant personal collage of content that influenced his style, and serves a much deeper purpose of humanizing the DJ behind the setup. The culmination of all these experiences creates an energetic and danceable album that is easily enjoyable regardless of your knowledge of the background material.

 

"The best Big Beat may not be exactly 'intelligent,' but it's only deceptively brainless; like the best slapstick routines, it's manipulative by nature, and designed to seem totally unself-conscious."
~ Spin Magazine

Why it's my favorite: 

Electronic music at the turn of the millennium was such an exciting era to experience. The technology was exponentially advancing, dance music was gaining massive popularity, and a sudden influx of DJs quickly established a creative zeitgeist that encouraged rapid innovation. Fatboy Slim's brand of bouncy beats played a vital role in crossing over big beat music to a general audience. Though the frequencies can get intense at times, You've Come A Long Way, Baby offers a much more approachable avenue to a genre of music that can come off as intimidating. Tracks like Gangster Tripping and The Rockafeller Skank are just plain fun to listen to. There do exist more advanced rhythm breakdowns on the album such as the hypnotic finale Acid 8000, but the majority of Fatboy Slim's act involves simplicity in harmony. Every piece of the puzzle fits right where it's supposed to, and putting it all together through the duration of a song's length is a delight each and every time. Even the transitions between songs flow together with impressive timing, my favorite being the lead into The Rockafeller Skank from Right Here, Right Now. It's such a clean passage that appropriately sets a jovial mood for an album that flexes its technicality without taking itself too seriously at its core. I don't have a ton of electronic albums on my top 100, but I can safely say that You've Come A Long Way, Baby has a special place in my heart as well as on this list.

Number 75 - Gb City by Bass Drum of Death

 Number 75: Gb City by Bass Drum of Death

Lo-fi beats to mosh/headbang to

Release: April 12th, 2011
Genre: Garage Rock
Favorite Tracks: Gb City, Nerve Jamming, Velvet Itch

 

Where I heard it: 

For at least the last four years, I've afforded the luxury of listening to my own music over a proper speaker at my job. When I transitioned jobs a couple years back, I was quickly deemed the resident DJ of the restaurant. Suddenly, finding different music to listen to for eight to nine hours, five days a week was a necessity. I exhausted my personal libraries within the first few months, eventually contracting user-created playlists from Spotify to do the hard work for me. Usually, I'd just search a particular genre that might support a fast-paced work environment with high tempo and higher volume. Through this process, I've listened to my fair share of both wonderful and terrible music (mostly the latter) and discovered a handful of my favorite artists in the present day. It's a little strange to talk about bands like Bass Drum of Death with the same reverence as other groups on this list when I've only first heard Gb City less than a year ago. Yet, Bass Drum of Death fulfills a musical need for me  that I had always yearned for, but didn't have knowledge of its existence until recently. 

This time you've caused me too much pain
Got thrown back and rippled into rain
But I got you and you got me
These hoops are out here in my way
But gin forgets you through the day
~ Gb City 

 

What to expect:

While there are examples of breakthroughs into mainstream outlets with features on video game soundtracks like Sunset Overdrive and Grand Theft Auto V, Bass Drum of Death mostly maintains a small yet dedicated fanbase among the underground scene. The band's barebones production style helps preserve their alternative image despite rising popularity over the decade plus since the release of their debut album Gb City. This stripped-down approach towards production is taken both deliberately and accidentally, namely through John Barrett's decision to write, perform, and mix every part on Gb City by himself. Perhaps due to this limitation, Bass Drum of Death applies a heavy lo-fi filter which embraces intentional technical flaws as a stylistic choice. The grainy distortion gives off the feel of a band you'd find at an impromptu house venue, warts and all to bare for an audience that cares less about the music and more about the party. That said, Bass Drum of Death provides plenty of nuance throughout Gb City, fusing the intensity of garage rock with the attitude of surf punk to create an album with frantic highs like High School Roaches and delirious lows like Spare Room. Although its composition is structured around simplicity, Gb City utilizes every note and chord to its advantage with strategical force between instruments. What Bass Drum of Death lacks in outstanding musicianship is made up for tenfold by its decibel level. The volume allows the clamorous culmination of noise to get up close and personal in the listener's face, even on the album's downtempo tracks. Stopping just short of aggression, Gb City sports an overweening aura that openly taunts those who scoff at its legitimacy as music.

 

 Once you need it the most
Once you got it
Kinda pissed I'm gonna be stoned
You need to piss off, play with your own
Right, fuck you
~ Get Found

Why it's my favorite: 

It's not that often anymore where I'll hear a new band which meets the criteria for my particular niche of musical enjoyment. Once in a while though, there's a band that catches my attention as I wade through the hundreds of bands that sound like nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it was John Barrett's distinct vocal register that made it easier to identify a Bass Drum of Death song out of the bunch, but the high energy songs from Bass Drum of Death quickly became a favorite of mine at work after hearing them across multiple playlists. I had always envisioned a punk band that straddled the line between hardcore and mainstream, and the track list of Gb City was the perfect balance in tone for me. Barrett being the sole mastermind behind Bass Drum of Death allowed him to engineer every piece of Gb City perfectly together, and that effort certainly did not go unappreciated by me once I learned of this fact. His independence displays a level of knowledge about music that transcends fundamentals and theory, focusing instead on the greater dynamic of a band's cohesive relationship through the point of view of a single artist. I hate to sound like a music pundit, but I see utter genius within the imperfections of Gb City that establish Bass Drum of Death as one of the greatest musical projects of the 21st Century. And even if that's not true, at least Gb City pumps me up for another day at the old grind.

 

Number 76 - Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple

Number 76: Deep Purple In Rock by Deep Purple 

Rock and roll royalty

Release: June 5th, 1970
Genre: Hard Rock
Favorite Tracks: Child in Time, Speed King, Bloodsucker

 

Where I heard it: 

While Deep Purple may not be a household name, certainly their most recognizable tune Smoke on the Water rings a bell with even the least musically literate. This was my relationship with Deep Purple pretty much all the way until my junior year in high school, when one of my friends and I were discussing the greatest keyboard solos of all time. I was quick to suggest classics like Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas, but my friend was adamant in discussing the legitimacy of Deep Purple pianist John Lord, specifically on Speed King. I remember looking up the song on YouTube over a summer night on my backyard deck, less smitten by the keyboard solo and more impressed by the overall arrangement of Speed King in general. I had heard a handful of Deep Purple's radio hits before, and they left plenty to be desired as far as innovation and excitement. Little did I know, Deep Purple as a band were in fact one of the most influential bands in taking the first steps to broadening rock and roll as a genre towards something a bit more extreme. In this regard, Deep Purple In Rock's first steps are about as significant as Neil Armstrong's.

If you've been bad
Oh Lord, I bet you have
And you've not been hit by a flying lead
You'd better close your eyes
Bow your head
Wait for the ricochet 
~ Child in Time

What to expect:

From a personnel perspective, Deep Purple can be classified between several iterations of lineups that each saw success for their timeframe, but are undoubtedly different versions of the band. Deep Purple In Rock began the second era of Deep Purple fronted by prolific vocalist Ian Gillan, the hallmark voice of the band throughout the ages. Gillan's trademark feature is his astonishing vocal range, which is stressed to its absolute limits throughout his studio debut with banshee-like screams that pierce through the noise. Alongside newcomer Roger Glover on bass, these two immediately gained rapport with Deep Purple's existing corps: John Lord on keyboards, Ian Paice on drums, and Richie Blackmore on guitar. Considered Deep Purple's finest grouping, each member had a hand in writing the music for Deep Purple In Rock, further enhancing the musical chemistry developed between artists. This confidence amongst each other inspired some of the most ambitious songwriting for its time, mixing blisteringly fast riffs with all-out rock jams that combines for a versatile range of sound textures that spotlights every member's blinding brilliance. Many of the concepts pioneered on Deep Purple In Rock evolved rock music into a heavier compound that demanded the most from its performers. Though a name for it didn't quite exist yet, Deep Purple's breakneck speeds and spectacular solos would eventually birth a completely new genre dubbed 'heavy metal' - and boy, have we come a long way from its initial conception. While Deep Purple In Rock sounds nothing like the metal we're accustomed to in the modern age, albums like it walked so that bands like Slayer and Metallica could run. 

You came along for a weekend
But you only stayed for one night
You took off your hair
You pulled out your teeth
I almost died of fright
You'd better do something for your own sake
~ Living Wreck

 

Why it's my favorite: 

My education on the evolution of metal music seems to have been given completely backwards. The first metal bands I listened to were all well-established titans of the genre: Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, the works. My tastes only extremified with age as I discovered even heavier genres like death metal and black metal. Eventually, I looped back around to the genesis of metal music by further exploring the depths of prog rock, and found myself surprised at the parallels between early prog and heavy metal. There's a significant lack of shock value in music like Deep Purple that is well over fifty years old, but that's due in part to a lack of precedent at the time. Back then, this kind of music was the most far-out you could find. It fills me with wonder to imagine Deep Purple In Rock as this outrageous, uproarious content that generated controversy and divisiveness upon its release. The appreciation and recognition for metal as a genre has gracefully matured with the public's musical palate, and it's bands like Deep Purple that we have to thank for ensuring its success and longevity.

Number 77 - Age of Winters by The Sword

 Number 77: Age of Winters by The Sword

A perfect balance of myths and riffs

Release: February 14th, 2006
Genre: Metal
Favorite Tracks: Ebethron, Iron Swan, Freya

 

Where I heard it: 

Growing up in my high school's music department, I was fortunate enough to share a creative space with some of the most talented musicians I have ever known. As a result, I made friends with plenty of musically minded people who loved to collaborate and share their work with others. I'd be introduced to a few of my closest friends the summer after my graduation, all of whom had played in a band together as far back as middle school. I was aware of their individual abilities, but I hadn't heard the trio rehearse together until a nice summer day in 2014 when I was invited to a garage session of theirs. Myself and one of the members' girlfriends sat in a couple lawn chairs as the instruments tuned up, the amplifiers hummed, and the band played through two flawless runs of Freya and Iron Swan by The Sword. The chemistry between these three guys was obvious through their synchronicity, jamming along with each other and embracing the rock star image. The two-person audience was left completely speechless, in awe of the private concert we had just experienced. It wasn't too long after this memory that I remember running home to look up the lyrics for Freya, hoping I could be a part of my friends' greatness by any means necessary. While my membership was never acquired, I'll always have this moment to thank for my love of The Sword and their debut album Age of Winters.

She sits astride mountains tall and wide
Serpent of Earth writhes between glacial tides
Holy nectar flowing from celestial teat
Lips of blood and fire gorging on the sacred feast
Bounty of the goddess offered by the avatar
White blood spills with the singing of the scimitars
~ The Horned Goddess

What to expect:

As indicated by the track names, The Sword draws heavy inspiration in its lyrics from stories of Norse mythology that recant epic tales of battle and immortal beings. Appropriately, these themes are reenforced with steady, dreary doom metal beats that aim to drag out every phrase as long as possible. Despite its intimidating name, doom metal is notably distinguishable from the technically advanced rhythms of prog metal and the fervent fretwork of thrash metal. Doom metal's strengths rely on atonal segments of slow, repetitive melodies that evolve over the course of a song's duration. In effect, this invites the listener to dramatically bang their head along with the punctuated notes, utilizing predictability in songwriting with just enough twists and turns to keep things feeling fresh and interesting. In relation to The Sword and Age of Winters, the combination of ancient fantasy and heavy metal pairs perfectly together, creating a theater of the mind that is guided by brutal riffs and impressive vocal harmonization. Age of Winters embraces simplicity through pattern-based verses that develop familiarity and engagement with the listener to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. For those new to the genre, The Sword offers a straightforward approach to the metal format that harkens back to its origins with bands like Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, providing a fantastic introduction that builds upon its predecessors.

 Bane of the demon lord
Slayer of the spider priests
Spiller of the silver blood
Fragments of bore infused with purest steel
A warrior's hand and a wizard's mind to wield
Killer of Lor, avenging those accursed
Gathering knowledge, quenching deadly thirst
~ Barael's Blade

Why it's my favorite: 

For as much music I listen to with complex time signature and complicated accompaniment, I sure do appreciate bands that can captivate your attention without excessively vying for it. Whether it be the upbeat march of Freya or the sludgy crawl of The Horned Goddess, The Sword creates discernible impact of impressive magnitude with every note delivered. The unison of distorted chords, deep bass notes, and jarring crash cymbals propel noise directly into your eardrum with palpable force. You won't find too many standout solos among the songs on Age of Winters, mainly because the band relies so much on synchronization between instruments to achieve that powerful sound However, the few solos that are sprinkled throughout the album leave chills down my spine, namely the bass solo to close Iron Swan and the drum solo that bridges the two sections of the album's finale Ebethron. The members of The Sword clearly possess massive talent, yet depend on their composition skills over their technical prowess to display their musical vision. I was fortunate enough to witness them perform in 2015, and the sheer energy of their music translates perfectly to a live setting. You've gotta respect them for capitalizing on a concept they executed so well and running with it for so long. For me, nothing compares to the one that started it all with Age of Winters.

Number 78 - Van Halen I by Van Halen

Number 78: Van Halen I by Van Halen

A revolution in rock and roll

Release: February 10th, 1978
Genre: Rock
Favorite Tracks: Eruption, Ice Cream Man, Jamie's Cryin'

 

Where I heard it: 

As I mentioned back in my entry for Pearl Jam's Ten, a major turning point in my musical tastes came right before starting high school after purchasing a stack of CDs from a yard sale down the street from my house. I can remember the amusement and amazement I experienced putting each one into my step-dad's hi-fi stereo system throughout the summer, receiving a musical education with every playthrough. Within this collection of 7 or 8 CDs was Van Halen's eponymous debut album, which featured radio staples like Runnin' With the Devil and Jamie's Cryin' that I was familiar with at the time. I knew Van Halen's brand was prominent across the sphere of arena rock after watching hours of old concert footage clips from VH1 retrospective shows. What I had yet to understand as a teenager was the scope of what Van Halen achieved through their efforts that revolutionized music history, all starting from Van Halen I.

 I found the simple life ain't so simple
When I jumped out on that road
I got no love; no love you'd call real
Ain't got nobody waiting at home
~ Runnin' with the Devil

What to expect:

Founded by brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen, the band already had two of the most outstanding instrumentalists on drums and guitar respectively. When you consider the addition of prolific frontman David Lee Roth, it's no wonder why Van Halen quickly caught the attention of audiences worldwide with their electrifying variety of rock and roll. Roth's notoriety as a sex symbol is well expressed through the lyrical content, boasting extravagant semi-autobiographical tales of promiscuity and heartbreak. His emblematic screams and wails of nefarious bedroom activities between verses add texture and excitement to an already versatile vocal range. Low notes have a deep, gruff slur to them, while the high register is where Roth makes his money with boisterous swagger and everlasting confidence. With all that said, Roth plays a clear second fiddle to virtuoso and band namesake Eddie Van Halen, arguably the finest guitar prospect since Hendrix. The musical composition of Eddie is nothing short of symphonic, whether its the heavy chord progressions within the band or the sensational solos that delight every track on Van Halen I. In fact, Eddie is quick to flex his remarkable talents in an unhinged, unabridged, unbelieve two-minute solo entitled Eruption, which completely shattered the limits of the electric guitar's capabilities in the late 70s. His utilization of two-hand fret tapping on Eruption is one of the first and greatest examples of its kind, reprising itself in other solos on the album like You Really Got Me and I'm the One. While there is no weak member of Van Halen, it's difficult not to shine the spotlight on the iconic rock pairing of Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth. These two lead the charge in creating something from Van Halen that had never been done before, and its ambition paid off in one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

 Now Jaime's been in love before
And she knows what love is for
And she needs a little more than one-night stands
She wants to send him a letter
Just to try to make herself feel better
It said, "Give me a call sometime"
But she knows what that'll get her
~ Jaime's Cryin'

 

Why it's my favorite:

For being raised by games like Guitar Hero, it surprises me that my fandom for Van Halen didn't get started until high school. None of Van Halen's songs were featured on releases up until the release of Van Halen's very own Guitar Hero installment, but I was well-acquainted with this group by the time of that release. I've heard what feels like the entire back catalog of classic rock guitar players, and Eddie Van Halen still possesses a quality within his playing that resonates with me. You can feel the energy produced through the amplifiers in your speakers at home, like an intimate concert venue for a powerhouse of a band. While I never got to experience the spectacle of a live Van Halen show for myself, I have a memory of an interaction I had with the parent of a friend I had in high school band that made me feel as if I'd seen one. This band dad had seen Van Halen on numerous occasions, both in their prime and recent reunion tours, and the stories he told of Van Halen's impeccable stage presence captivated my attention during a long bus ride. I was able to so clearly picture those experiences without my own first-hand account, and so much of that is due to the immersion that Van Halen I surrounded me in the first time I heard it. There's a caliber of musicianship to this album that you have to respect as an all-time classic, and that luster has not been lost on me in the several years since first hearing this album.

Number 79 - It Still Moves by My Morning Jacket

Number 79: It Still Moves by My Morning Jacket

Indie ahead of its time

Release: September 9th, 2003
Genre: Indie Rock
Favorite Tracks: Rollin' Back, Run Thru, Mahgeetah

 

Where I heard it:

Prior to the normalization of aux cables, I begrudgingly listened to the radio quite often at work and on car rides. Fortunately, there were plenty of quality stations in my area that I could flip between to satisfy my specific tastes. One of my favorites was 94.3 The X, an alternative station that catered to a wide variety of genres and decades. Around the fall of 2015, I was driving around in my friend's car listening to a live studio session from The X's headquarters, who was later introduced as My Morning Jacket. For some reason, this trivial memory lives on in my head due to the band's outstanding live performance combined with their noteworthy name. In regards to both of those points, I hadn't heard anything like it before. This makeshift concert broadcast over the airwaves sounded like a master tape, only distinguishable by the intermittent cheers from the studio audience between songs. I figured that if My Morning Jacket sounded this good in a live setting, so must their recorded material. I would soon begin sampling pieces of It Still Moves after Spotify recommended Run Thru in a playlist and playing One Big Holiday in the Rock Band franchise. It took me about a year to finally dig deep into this album, which only confirmed everything I initially assumed about My Morning Jacket's abilities.

 

And you, you always told me
No matter how long it holds me
If it falls apart or makes us millionaires
We'll be right here forever
Go through this thing together
And on heaven's golden shore we'll lay our heads
~ Golden

 

What to expect:

My Morning Jacket is generally listed as an indie rock or southern rock group, but it's tough to place an all-encompassing label on the band's genre. Based out of Kentucky, My Morning Jacket draws deep inspiration from the grassroots country sound they grew up around and channels it all into It Still Moves. These parallels are glaringly obvious in songs like Dancefloors and Easy Morning Rebel which amplify the twangy guitar filters and southern drawl of vocalist Jim James, emulating a style fit for a proper honkey-tonk. Meanwhile, you have tracks that embrace the element of rock and roll with full-force bangers like One Big Holiday and Run Thru that tonally contrast the majority of It Still Moves. Where this album and My Morning Jacket as a whole succeeds the most is during slow, gentle ballads that pay homage to country legends like Hank Williams and Willie Nelson who perfected the country ballad. This is where the strengths of Jim James fully become realized, utilizing a sonorous falsetto that hauntingly echoes over the instruments. The heavy usage of reverb across the entire band gives off this distant, dreamy vibe that borders a psychedelic experience. The emotional impact carried with every song on It Still Moves contains is palpable, whether that feeling is inexplicable joy or crushing sadness. This spectrum of feelings paired with a variety of musical stylings creates a remarkable dissonance that leaves the listener captivated simply through curiosity of what lies ahead. My Morning Jacket has the capabilities to produce more technically advanced songs, but wisely elect to dial back the tempo in order to highlight their atmospheric minimalism. I give a lot of praise to My Morning Jacket for showcasing an array of different musical approaches on It Still Moves without sacrificing the core of what makes this group so special to begin with.

 

When I think about the story
One thing seems pretty clear
The warm things you left behind
They still want you here
But only in time you find
That all things come back around
And just like the frown
We'll turn them upside down
~ Rollin' Back

Why it's my favorite:

Out of the numerous famous voices in music history, there's qualities unique to Jim James that boldly stand out amongst some of the greats. There is no faking the strong southern accent James has developed living in Kentucky. His vocal range gives him the ability to conjure whatever the moment calls for, be it a soothing lullaby or a ghostly wail. The lyrics he sings are all typical retrospective tales of love, refuge, and life on the road; but the flowery language used to convey his thoughts is so beautifully witty and creative. More figuratively, listening to Jim James' enamoring voice feels like a warm Autumn day under a shady tree, watching the rays of sunlight pierce through the rustling leaves in the gentle breeze. The crystal clear production of the album helps render it an ageless classic that was well ahead of its time in the indie genre. Celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, It Still Moves holds up today not only among the discography of My Morning Jacket, but head-to-head with about anything in the indie scene today. 

Number 80 - Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.

Number 80: Ready to Die by the Notorious B.I.G.

The pinnacle of East Coast hip-hop

Release: September 13th, 1994
Genre: Hip-Hop
Favorite Tracks: Juicy, Machine Gun Funk, Gimme the Loot

 

Where I heard it: 

My hip-hop habit didn't get started until around 2014, right as I was about to graduate from high school. That being said, I knew about Biggie Smalls well before I started listening to anything by him. Growing up in the San Francisco bay area, the west coast versus east coast rivalry was understood quite early in life, and there was no bigger example of this battle than the hip-hop feud between Tupac Shakur's west coast style and The Notorious B.I.G.'s east coast influence. West coast artists like 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, and N.W.A. were practically required listening as a kid. When I hit my hip-hop renaissance after high school, I was surprised that most of my favorite hip-hop artists like Nas, the Wu-Tang Clan, and certainly Biggie all were prominent in the east coast scene. I was appalled at first by my regional betrayal, but I soon began finding reasons to love both brands of hip-hop for their subtle differences between each other. During my initial deep-dive of the genre, I was immediately drawn to Ready to Die for its iconic album art that's considered one of the greatest of all time. As it turns out, the music ain't so bad either.

Bruised up from the pistol whipping
Webs on the neck from the necklace stripping
Then I'm dipping up the block, and I'm robbing bitches too
Up the herring bones and bamboos
I wouldn't give a fuck if you're pregnant
Give me the baby rings and a #1 Mom pendant
 ~ Gimme the Loot

 

What to expect:

Ready to Die is more akin to a cinematic experience that chronicles the life and times of Christopher Wallace otherwise known as The Notorious B.I.G., rife with tales typical of a troubled upbringing. The lyrical content alludes to several instances of armed robbery, sexual escapades, drug deals, and of course good old fashioned murder. It's up to the listener to decide how much of the lyrics are based upon true events, but the amount of attention to detail in Biggie's raps leave little doubt. These themes are reflected both musically and literally throughout the album, which is accompanied by various skits to provide further context towards songs before or after they play. Ready to Die can be down right uncomfortable or even disturbing sometimes, but there's a macabre fascination towards hearing first hand accounts of the struggles in the game. This morbid curiosity is only heightened by the colorful storytelling abilities of Biggie, who hooks you in with impeccable rhyme flow that stacks bar after bar together until an entire narrative is written. Biggie's vocal range allows him to immediately set the mood for a song, whether it's the depressed mumblings of Suicidal Thoughts or the shouting demands of Gimme the Loot. There's a depth to Biggie's voice that isn't quite James Earl Jones, but you can still hear the weight of every word. Ready to Die's high production value is responsible for most of the album's musical credibility in spite of its vulgar and offensive approach. Under the oversight of P. Diddy's entourage, Biggie's rap talent flourishes behind beautiful sample work that integrates funky classics from artists like James Brown, KC & the Sunshine Band, and the Isley Brothers to create unforgettable hip-hop beats like in Big Poppa and Machine Gun Funk. This harmonious fusion of sampling and wordsmithing makes Ready to Die an unforgettable experience in so many aspects.

Thinkin' back on my one-room shack

Now my mom pimps an Ac' with minks on her back

And she loves to show me off of course

Smiles every time my face is up in The Source

We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us

No heat, wonder why Christmas missed us

Birthdays was the worst days
Now we sip champagne when we thirsty

~ Juicy

Why it's my favorite:  

When I think of the legacy Biggie left behind, so much of it is inflated by the mythos that surrounds his short, tragic career. Massive fame and fortune couldn't save him from the lifestyle he was affiliated with for years. Perhaps it was no shock for it to all end this way; the album's name is Ready to Die after all. But the depth of it all is much more soul-baring than it comes to admit. Biggie documented the wide range of emotions involved with his particular situation from the humblest of beginnings to the summit of success. His Brooklyn roots influenced not only his lyrics, but the overall style he embodied with his raps. East coast hip-hop had such a forthright and autobiographical element to it which I was so drawn to in my early adulthood. I related to the themes of the underdog's redemption after suffering through the unthinkable. Obviously, the life Biggie lived was much more intense and agonizing than I will ever experience, but even the smallest connection between listener and artists helps humanize the man behind the mic. I shamelessly fantasize of a luxurious life like the one described in Juicy, and as I look over to my Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, I realize I'm not doing too bad in life. Ready to Die serves as a temporary escape from the mundanity of regular life, injecting a powerful dose of thrills and chills from the mind of one of hip-hop's greatest.