So I have finally decided to complete the list of my favorite albums and publish it. I’m gonna have to limit myself to 10 albums only, otherwise this list can grow quite long.
So here are my top 10 favorite albums in no particular order.
Post your top personal 10 in the comments below.
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
As a person who grew up listening to every Pink Floyd record, I cannot permit myself to choose a single Pink Floyd album as my only favorite record. But for the sake of compiling this list I had to torture myself and after numerous debates I had to settle down with the album ‘Wish You Were Here’. So there you have it, I’m still going to say this is not my only favorite Pink Floyd album.
Images and Words – Dream Theater
If I had said “all time favorite records” instead of albums in the title, I would’ve went with ‘A Change of Seasons’, but because this record is considered an EP I can easily pick ‘Images and Words’ as my favorite Dream Theater album, specially knowing that ‘A Change of Seasons’ was actually written in the same era. I must admit that I’ve listened to ‘Images and Words’ continuously during three consecutive months when I first discovered it.
Moving Pictures – Rush
Can I also pick ‘Signals’ and ‘2112’ ? No ? Then I guess I’ll go with ‘Moving Pictures’, YYZ does it for me. The song is also tied to many memories and the many times we enjoyed playing it live and during jam sessions with my previous band Nu.Clear.Dawn. As a Canadian, I feel proud to have given the world Rush, to balance out all those embarrassing travesties the country produced in the recent years.
The Human Equation – Ayreon
As if James LaBrie singing on another Arjen Lucassen epic double-album progressive rock opera was not enough, Mikael ??kerfeldt of Opeth makes this record easily one of my favorites of all time. Some of the songs like Mystery still sends multiple shivers down my spine.
Souvenirs – The Gathering
Anneke van Giersbergen [period]
To this day I haven’t heard any other female voice in the rock genre on this planet that can beat Anneke’s magical, mysterious, tender and passionate vocal cords. Not only with The Gathering, but every time I listen to her latest solo album ‘Everything is Changing’ I feel complete satisfaction and enjoy every millisecond of her presence. And I really hope that I get the chance to work with her one day. (hint hint)
Remedy Lane – Pain of Salvation
These guys had a huge influence on me, although not apparent in the Nu.Clear.Dawn record, they continuously inspire me with their lyrics, compositions, power of will and determination.??Daniel Gildenl??w is the Roger Waters and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd in one body.
In Absentia – Porcupine Tree
I cannot keep this record away for longer than a couple of weeks. I just can’t get enough of it. Blackest Eyes,??Trains,??The Sound of Muzak, the instrumental Wedding Nails, the closing track Collapse the Light Into Earth, enough said ? I have to also admit that I had one of the most amazing concert experiences when I saw the band live during the ‘Tour of a Blank Planet’, it was an intimate venue in Montreal, the sound was amazing, the crowd were amazing, and my spot was amazing as well.
Beyond Daylight – Vanden Plas
An absolute masterpiece, melodic, heavy and addictive. Andy’s voice is an absolute wonder, the guitar work by Stefan Lill is spectacular. I consider myself very lucky having had the chance to share the stage with Vanden Plas in Turkey back in 2004, it was an experience I will never forget. And I feel extremely honored to have Andy as a special guest on ‘Solipsistic’.
Apostrophe – Frank Zappa
The father of prog. The mother of invention.??Great googly moogly.
The humor, the wacky sounds, and sometimes pointless lyrics are what we are missing today. Although I still hear a lot of Zappa in all of Steve Vai’s records but I still think that’s not enough to fill the shirt of the muffin man with dried muffin remnants, and I’m honestly not a fan of cupcakes.
Experiments in Mass Appeal – Frost*
Since I have limited myself to only 10 albums for this list I had to pick one between, Symphony X, Frost, Steve Vai and others. ‘Experiments in Mass Appeal’ is a wonderful mix of melodic and proggy themes. The album (contrary to the cover) is just too colorful and sweet and makes me shoot colorful rainbows from my ears while riding a pink flying unicorn. Ok well, may be that was a bit too much.
So what’s your top 10 ?