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21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century... So Far

#10: OPETH – GHOST REVERIES

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 5:00pm by

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER FREDDY CAI OF PAINKILLER MAGAZINE

21best1
ghost-reveries

We recently polled a wide array of musicians, managers, publicists, label reps, and writers from within the world of metal to find out what they thought the 21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century So Far have been. Eligible albums were released between January 1, 2000 and  April 1, 2009. Each panelist turned in a ballot, with their #1 album worth 21 points, their #2 album worth 20 points, and so on and so forth. The ballots are now in and we’ll be counting down one album a day until we reach #1. Today we present the #10 album, coming in with a total of 163 points…

Opeth, Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner, 2005)
Mikael Åkerfeldt – Vocals/Guitars
Peter Lindgren – Guitars
Per Wiberg – Keys
Martin Mendez – Bass
Martin Lopez – Drums
Produced by Jens Bogren

To Opeth, Ghost Reveries might have just been another album, an opportunity to take its forcecful sound one step further. To me, it’s more like a full-length spell that has been put upon my head. This is one of those very rare albums of which I just can’t easily rid myself, like an ex you just can’t get out of your head.

Ghost Reveries is mostly a  concept album (Did I mention that those very rare albums of which I just can’t easily rid myself all happen to be concept albums?). Seven of the eight tracks on this record tell a story with tone that might best be desribed as “absolutely insane.” See, there are tons of extreme metal bands out there constantly dealing with something like “undead zombies chewing poor bastards’ brains in the graveyard” or “psychopath chopping the whole neighborhood up with or without a wicked smile,” etc. And that’s cool, but I mean, seriously, I don’t think there has ever been an album before  of such pure evil on such a mental level – the story of how a crazy Norman-Bates-type-of-guy is spiritually tortured after slaying his own mother. And when those first seven tracks are finished, the band finishes off the album with a song called “Isolation Years.” It doesn’t belong to this son-killing-mother part, but this slow burn masterpiece is still thrilling.

Music-wise, Ghost Reveries can be perfectly described as “paranoid.” As the band’s main composer, Mikael Åkerfeldt successfully managed to transfer his dark emotions into all those twisted solos, surrounded then by wall of even thicker riffs. Ghost Reveries is the most solid and progressive metal album I’ve heard this decade – yes, you can headbang to it, but it also requires time to be fully absorbed. And the thing with Ghost Reveries is, by the time you realize that you absolutely must get it out of your mind, you’ve been possessed long enough for it to make you one of its many hosts. And that is exactly what makes this album so essential.

-Freddy Cai

Download Ghost Reveries from Amazon!

THE LIST SO FAR:

#11 – Deftones, White Pony

#12 – Tool, Lateralus

#13 – Mastodon, Blood Mountain

#14 – System of a Down, Toxicity

#15 – Nachtmystium, Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1

#16 – Machine Head, The Blackening

#17 – Hatebreed, Perseverance

#18 – Lamb of God, New American Gospel

#19 – Mastodon, Remission

#20 – Shadows Fall, The War Within

#21 – Slipknot, Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

THE PANEL OF VOTERS

Chris Adler, Lamb of God
Dan And, Bison B.C.
Ben Apatoff, Apatoff for Destruction/Metal Injection
Jason Bittner, Shadows Fall
Tim Brennan, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Freddy Cai, Painkiller Magazine
Ian Christe, Bazillion Points
Reverend David J. Ciancio, Yeah! Management
Betsey Cichoracki, Relapse Records
Paul Conroy, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
J. Costa, Thy Will Be Done
Dallas Coyle, ex-God Forbid/Coyle Media
Doc Coyle, God Forbid
CT, Rwake
Anso DF, MetalSucks/Hipsters Out of Metal!
Vince Edwards, Metal Blade Records
Charles Elliott, Abysmal Dawn/Nuclear Blast Records
Brian Fair, Shadows Fall
Leo Ferrante, Warner Music Group
D.X. Ferris, author 33 1/3: Reign in Blood/Freelance Journalist
Mike Gitter, Roadrunner Records
Nick Green, Decibel
Matt Grenier, August Burns Red
Anthony Guzzardo, Earache Records
Kevin Hufnagel, Dysrhythmia
Mark Hunter, Chimaira
Steve Joh, Century Media
EJ Johantgen, Prosthetic Records
Kim Kelly, Metal Injection/Hails & Horns/Freelance Journalist
Josh “The J” Key, Psychostick
Jason Lekberg, Epic Records
Eyal Levi, Daath
Bob Lugowe, Relapse Records
Matt McChesney, The Autumn Offering
Jake McReynolds, Psychostick
Marc Meltzer, The Syndicate
Josh Middleton, Sylosis
Matt Moore, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder
Vince Neilstein, MetalSucks
Sammy O’Hagar, MetalSucks
Anton OyVey, MetalSucks/Bacon Jew
Rob Pasbani, Metal Injection
Alex Preiss, Psychostick
Carlos Ramirez, NoiseCreep/Universal Music Group
Brian Rocha, Fresno Media USA
Jeremy Rosen, Roadrunner Records
Axl Rosenberg, MetalSucks
Satan Rosenbloom, MetalSucks/Cerebral Metalhead
David Bee Roth, MetalSucks
Jason Rudolph, Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Amy Sciarretto, Roadrunner Records/NoiseCreep
Carl Severson, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Gary Suarez, MetalSucks/No Yoko No/Brainwashed
Geoff Summers, The End Records/Crustcake
Bram Teitelman, The Syndicate/Metal Insider
Alisha Turull, Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Christopher R. Weingarten, 1000TimesYes/Freelance Journalist

Tags: , ,
  • Go Pens!

    Finally some metal!

  • Mitch

    Just about fuckin’ time!

  • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

    A halfway decent pick? You telling me the metalcore faggots might actually have some decent taste? No, wait, it’s the most entry-level band this side of fucking Children of Bodom and Lamb of God. Faggots.

    Kikes, etc.

    • Jewers

      if I didn’t think you were kidding about being that negative, I’d call you an ignorant elitist bastard

      • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

        what

    • American Hate

      Lamb of God smokes. GO run in fornt of a bus

      • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

        they smoke cocks. enjoy your breakdown.

        • Shiggy Shack

          best comeback I’ve read in a while. Thanks for the laugh

        • Jesse

          Lamb of God is not metalcore you retarded ignorant cunt. Go fuck your mother if she isn’t dead (hopefully she is) and listen to your Dragonforce.

          • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

            lol you mad. enjoy your entry-level knuckledragging bullshit, faggot.

          • Fizzy G

            I’ve always thought Lamb of God was more along the lines of panteracore.

          • Biff Tanner

            Balls- I’ve enjoyed your posts immensly. Its nice to see another like minded individual on this site overrun by -core and scenster breakdown bands. Lamb of God most certainly does smoke the cock….Opeth USED to be good, but this is the album that really showed that they are a one trick pony. Children of Bodom is probably the worst entry level band. Horrible bland trash….and their fans seem to have the same IQ as your average Pantera fans.

      • ihateyou

        FAIL

    • groverXIII

      Heh… you suck at trolling, that’s for sure.

    • Jesse

      Lamb of God must really suck given their success.

      • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

        Yes, because popularity = talent. You stupid motherfucker.

        • Jesse

          Ok, Ballsack, what are your favorite bands? Which bands do you listen to? Do you listen to a band, and then say “oh wait, they’re getting too popular, I must stop listening to them now even though they’re still good” and then move on to some shitty band that nobody has fucking heard of.

          I’m guessing you listen to bands with the most brutally disgusting names that you think sound cool, like Anal Blast, Cunt Lip Destroyer, or Putrid Baby Flesh. Just because you think a shitty name sounds cool on an unknown band doesn’t make them good, it just makes you an ignorant stupid twat who hates when bands gain success.

  • DJ

    nice one of my favorite albums ever

  • bucketochicken

    clap…… clap…… clap…… clap……

  • Jewers

    Woo!

  • http://baroquebleakbrutal.blogspot.com Eric Hanson

    I’ve been thinking over which Opeth album from this decade I’d include in my own best-of list for a while now and have come to the conclusion that it really should be Ghost Reveries. A really fantastic album. Good choice.

  • Leprosy

    |—————————————————–|
    |—————————————————–|
    |—————————————————–|
    |—————————————————–|
    |————————————————–5-|
    |–0–3–0–3–5–3–5–3–6–3–5–3–6h7—-|

    • sinistatroy

      you see us comin’
      and you all together run for cover
      We’re takin over this town!

      • Leprosy

        Here we come
        reach for your gun
        and you better listen well my friend

  • ZapBranigan

    Great album, shouldn’t be a lot of complaints here…

    • http://zunetracks.net Loganarchy

      The only possible complaint is that it should be higher? No one is complaining though, so I guess # 10 is fine.

      • youcantkillthe metal

        Yeah, but that stupid fuckhead Ziltoid isn’t here yet. He’s busy smoking his dad’s pole. But don’t worry, as soon as he has finished polishing the head, he’ll be here, posting his narrow-minded comments, with all of his immense knowledge that he has accumulated during his enormous 8 years experience listening to metal.

        Hey Ziltoid, why don’t you try swallowing a handful of razor blades, you fuck!

        • Fuckin Eh

          Hahahahahaha

        • Jewers

          big ol lol

        • Ziltoid

          RAWR, SUCK A DICK, SWALLOW SOME RAZORBLADES! U R SO SMRT!

          Your existence is a pretty damn good piece of proof that abortion should be legalized. Do the world a favor and die. You’re wasting our air and our tax money for the unemployment benefits you no doubt receive.

          As for this pick. Ok, it’s Opeth. Hipster-y? Yes. Quality metal? Yes. Not their best album of the decade (might even be their worst), but certainly better than any of the shit so far.

          • youcantkillthe metal

            OH WOW! Good comeback Ziltoid – “Real Intelligent”

            Isn’t that one of yours, you fucking child molester.

            Yeah, my existence – like you’d know, you fuckin know-it-all, barely-out-of-puberty little cunt. You still live at home with mummy and daddy do you, fuckin dickhead? Probably never worked a day in your life, cum stain.

            Unemployement benefits? You’re a fuckwit!

            And I’m sure I’ve already suggested, several times, that you go top yourself, and I’m sure others agree.

            And I wasn’t telling you to go suck a dick – I was merely letting everyone know why you’re late – because you were (specifically) choking on your old man’s knob.

            You fuck!

          • ihateyou

            By unemployment benefits you mean social services benefits right? Cause to get unemployment benefits, you actually have to have had a job at some point. Clearly that idiot never has.

          • Ziltoid

            CUM STAIN, CUNT, FUCKWIT, DICKHEAD…XFD

            Man, you might actually be dumber than the Waking the Cadaver guy. You literally respond to everything with a childish insult or vocabulary.

            You are the kid they’re teasing in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YersIyzsOpc

            That is how immature you are. Go ahead, have a tantrum. Say “badass curse words.” Yell like Chester Bennington. Hell, quote that LP song that goes “SHUT UP!” over and over. Let the inner 12 year old child inside your soul speak its mind.

            And XD at accusing me of being a pedophile. I think somebody is trying (and failing) to hide their insecurities. Actually, that’s probably true about all of your insults. Silly child…

          • youcantkillthe metal

            HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…

            Eat shit Ziltoid. Go do lines of Draino….You fuck!

          • Ziltoid

            I could seriously see this kid saying that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBAwQE7ps5U&feature=related

            I guess that’s what you’re like.

          • http://infinitybasement.wordpress.com billybob

            Isn’t abortion legal?

          • metalguy

            ive been pationtly reading your comments for 11 days and paid no attention to it. now i just have to say

            EAT A DICK AND SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU JUST LIKE TO START FIGHTS AND I REALLY WANT TO KICK YOUR ASS

          • Ziltoid

            GRRRR SHUT DA FUCK UP OR I’LL KICK UR ASS!!!

            DUH
            DUH NA NA NA

            RE!

            DUH
            DUH NA NA NA

            SPEK!

            DUH
            DUH NA NA NA

            WOK!

            R U TALKIN 2 ME?!?!?!?

            Go away and get back to your Pantera-listening ways.

  • Anthony

    Would have preferred to see Blackwater Park, but i’ll take this just fine.

    • groverXIII

      Be patient… it’ll be on this list.

      • Keith Brown

        I hope so

        • raiseyerfists

          Yeah Blackwater Park better be on here. Ghost Reveries is my least favorite this decade, maybe even least favorite Opeth album besides Orchid, but still a good album. I think I’ll throw it on right now.

    • Biff Tanner

      Blackwater Park was definitly their best of the decade (with Still Life being their best overall), and I have to say that Ghost Reveries is by far their worst. I gave up on them after this, but was pleasantly suprised by Watershed….I think it has a lot more character than Ghost Reveries. In general, Opeth have exhausted their creative potential I think. They are a one trick pony. What they did used to be very, very unique and heartfelt, now, they are simply churning out the same riffs over and over and over and over again, none with very much character. Where are the GREAT mournful melodies of Still Life and My Arms, your Hearse? They are GONE…now they are just generic jazzy death metal riffs with the all too predictable acoustic breakdown section. This band has lost it, and Ghost Reveries is their worst overall.

      • groverXIII

        “Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”

        (There’s a Big Lebowski quote for just about any situation.)

        • Biff Tanner

          Well, theres a lot of in’s , a lot of out’s, some what-have-you’s….a lot of interested parties involved.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QU0BKUbflc Garske

    I think people will accept this one a little more than yesterday’s fiasco.

    Although still waiting for Watershed ^_^

    • The Greys

      Agreed. Opeth never disappoints, but I liked “Watershed” much more than “GR.” That’s just my opinion, however.

      • Tim

        I disagree. I consider Porcelain Heart and Hessian Peel to be weak tracks, that bring the whole album down (although the rest of the album is KILLER) whereas GR is solid all the way through.

        • brookh

          I thought Porcelain Heart was an Opeth parody when I first heard it…

          • The Greys

            I understand your point of view, Tim. The way you feel about “Porcelain Heart” and “Hessian Peel” is exactly the way I felt about “Beneath The Mire” and “Atonement” on “Ghost Reveries.” They weren’t terrible tracks, to be sure … but I thought they were weak compared to all the other songs on that album.

            But, admittedly, it has been a long time since I’ve listened to those songs, so I should probably try them again and see if there was something I missed.

  • akolbe

    amazing album. i was wondering when opeth was gonna be on here

  • American Hate

    Not nuts about this band, but at least this is something I respect.

  • http://metallattorney.blogspot.com shadowking86

    I have begun to get a sinking feeling in my gut every time I come here to check out the next album on the list. Today was actually a decent choice. Opeth is not my favorite band, but I like them quite a bit. This is definitely not my favorite album of theirs though. Hopefully Blackwater Park will show up later, that was a better album that would qualify for the list.

    • bucketochicken

      “I have begun to get a sinking feeling in my gut every time I come here to check out the next album on the list.”

      Jesus dude, really? Go outside and play or something.

      • http://metallattorney.blogspot.com shadowking86

        Apparently sarcasm is completely lost on some people.

        • Mitch

          Because a sarcastic statement in an otherwise serious comment, on the internet, in text, transfers really well, right?

          • bucketochicken

            Not to mention the relative dearth of sarcasm on the rest of THE LIST threads with people wailing gnashing teeth, etc.

            My bad.

  • disciple_of_the_watch

    Excellent album, but I do not seem to enjoy it as much as the other Opeth albums anymore.

  • http://live.com 5

    YES! Ghost Reveries!
    i had no idea that this was a concept album.

    i can play every second of the grand conjuration in my head

    • Fuckin Eh

      The Grand Conjuracation is actually one of my favorite songs of all time. The dudes in Opeth got some serious chops. They show that you dont need to fucking shred ALL the time to be awesome guitar players. The whole band just blow my mind

  • http://www.twitter.com/waynegraham Wayne

    No complaints here.

  • http://www.countshockula.blogspot.com ezra

    Finally!
    Though some 15 year old with no sense of perspective will find something wrong with it.
    Oh, wait they do that with every pick!

    • Fizzy G

      People who dislike things I like are 15 year olds with no sense of perspective!!

  • http://www.last.fm/user/BootScraperSean Anger Unmanagement

    Amounst Opeth’s best, expecting Blackwater Park to be in top 5, having said that i thought lateralus would have been… Ghost Reveries is pretty cool, though havent listened to it in a while especially since Watershed came out, which im also expecting to be on the list soon. \m/Opeth\m/

  • Not their best of the ’00s

    Christ, does that mean that Opeth’s other four albums of the ’00s (or at least the three “heavy” ones) are still to come?

    • Hassman

      Hopefully.

      • raiseyerfists

        I don’t think Deliverance will be here – underrated by most.

  • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

    This is my favorite album of theirs, I haven’t given watershed or blackwater park the time that I gave this one so maybe those will overtake it at some point. This message board isn’t nearly as fun though. It sucks when everyone agrees! haha

    • Lord Bling

      You should. BWP is still their finest hour (and is sure to end up on this list at some point). Been listening to it for almost nine years now and it’s still just as fresh as it was when I first got it.

      • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

        I definitely will. Have a long drive coming up this weekend, will for sure give BWP a few spins.

      • sYgnal

        +1 – BWP still kills after all these years… It really is their Magnum Opus!

        BUT, when you suffer an almost complete line-up change and the band almost dissolves then I can see why they haven’t produced another masterpiece…Yet.(my opinion)

    • icebeast

      I DISAGREE! The final 9 spots should all go to 311′s Greatest Hits ’93-’03!

      • Keith Brown

        FINALLY, a comment on one of these things that made me laugh

        Thanks for that

  • yanky

    just started getting into this band a few days ago
    def metal
    def top 21
    def not good fighting material over here

    poor ziltoid

    • jason

      HAhaha…
      The metal nerds have been silenced….C’mon guys, you can’t find something to bitch about with this pick? Where is the “only-liked-their-demo” guy?

  • I, Monarch

    FINALLY!!! Opeth > all other bands mentioned so far

    • Mitch

      I love both of ‘em, but I think there’s some competition between Opeth and Mastodon.

  • Big Tricky

    Yes.

  • Santa Claus

    Good choice. Kind of hilarious though that deftones is right below this one. I like deftones but its has no business on here.

    • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

      I am starting to think that all the people voting didn’t vote for necessarily the BEST metal albums, but maybe the best couple from each genre of metal. If you look at the list so far, most of the albums have been drastically different. I think its kind of cool, giving that most genre’s of metal have been given some representation, although it obviously pisses quite a few people off.

      • Ziltoid

        I’ve seen no power metal, death metal, doom metal, thrash metal (although that has been awful this century), melodic death metal, industrial metal, folk metal, etc. etc.

        And today was the first day for a prog metal band.

        This list has been basically rock, metalcore, groove metal (Machine Head), sludge metal (Mastodon) and nu-metal. Most genres of metal have no representation at all.

        • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

          Yeah because we were all counting on a folk metal, a doom metal, and a industrial metal album being in the top 21.

          • Ziltoid

            Primordial–To the Nameless Dead OR Tyr–Eric the Red (folk)
            Eletric Wizard–Dopethrone (doom)
            Vortech–Posthumaism (industrial)

            Well, those are three albums that are certainly qualified to make the list from each of those genres. Also, I only made this post because the other guy said that many genres of metal had been represented. That was untrue.

          • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

            The other guy was in-fact me. I guess I meant to say most genre’s that people actually listen to minus Vikings, doom metal = Weed, and industrial? come on dude…you like to think your music taste is so eclectic to say the least, but it’s not. You purposefully ignore certain music based on whoknowswhat.

            Ziltoid do you ever have any fun? drink beer? smoke weed? kiss a girl? go out of your basement?
            What do you listen to when you have a girl over? have people over and are getting fucked up?
            “hey guys check out this new band that me and 9 other people like!” Now to be fair, I have not listened to 2/3 mentioned bands and they could be pretty good (doubtful), and reading comments from people like you makes me never want to. You say yourself below that your better than everyone. But for me, when I have people over (females even! I know its a strange thought) and drinking some beer, playing some pong. I am going to throw on a great metal album that its actually possible to bang your head to and get into. We are not sitting around with black fishnet and viking swords in our basement as I am guessing you are.

          • Ziltoid

            It’s not about my music taste being eclectic, it’s about you making a false statement that the list was diverse.

            I have lots of fun. I **GASP** leave my house, party it up, and enjoy myself. When I have people over, I just put my music on shuffle. If Aphex Twin (for you uneducated ones, this is great electronic music) comes on, great. If Impaled comes on, great. The music is just for the background. I don’t need or want my friends to headbang. The music just makes the atmosphere fun.

            “Now to be fair, I have not listened to 2/3 mentioned bands and they could be pretty good (doubtful)”

            Funny enough, even the people who have hated me have mostly liked the bands I have mentioned. Maybe you should be a bit more open-minded. Check out my top 21 in the White Pony topic.

            Black fishnets? Those are for Slipknot fans. And I keep my viking swords stored away. They must always be in perfect condition in case I ever need to pillage a Wal-Mart or something.

          • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

            The list is diverse, you just happen to put things that more than 100 people listen to into 1 category, which is odd considering your complete obsession with breaking things into 1,000,000,000 sub-categories. Take a look at the list again
            Slipknot sounds like nothing else so far
            hatebreed-sounds like nothing else so far
            shadows fall-sounds like nothing else so far
            mastodon-sounds like nothing else so far
            lamb of god-sounds like nothing else so far
            deftones-sounds like nothing else so far
            machine head-sounds like nothing else so far
            Tool-sounds like nothing else so far
            opeth-sounds like nothing else so far
            SOAD-sounds like nothing else so far
            nachtmystium-sounds like nothing else so far

            none of those bands sound the same
            Hence it being a diverse list

  • Mynamesucks

    I love Opeth but this album was kinda forgettable compared to their other albums.

    • Lord Bling

      Kinda agreeing with you. If I had to rank their work:

      BWP
      Still Life
      Deliverance
      Watershed
      Ghost Reveries
      Damnation
      My Arms, Your Hearse

      I rarely reach for Orchid or Morningrise. Decent, but they were still trying to find their voice.

      • groverXIII

        Heh… if I was ranking their albums, it would be in a straight line… because they’re all phenomenal.

        If I had to pick a favorite, it would be a tie between Ghost Reveries and Blackwater Park.

        • Lord Bling

          You’re not wrong; in fact, the gap between my #2 and my #7 is barely noticeable at all. I just know that BWP is my favorite, and Still Life was the first Opeth album I owned and it will always hold a special place in my blackened heart. Everything else is pretty arbitrary. They’re all great records.

          • groverXIII

            Yeah, the only reason Ghost Reveries holds a slight edge for me is because it was the album that really got me into Opeth. Well, that and it’s a great album.

  • http://www.crackcesshollywood.com Farhaad

    Killerrrrr. Can’t wait for the rest.

  • Kye

    Fuckin right

  • CYN1C

    I sure hope this isn’t the only Opeth album on the list, and that with this we can forget about the other 11 American bands and focus on the top ten material of European bands.

    P.S. Blackwater Park deserves #1. Unquestionably.

  • matt

    Fuck yea! My fave Opeth album! I posted a couple of days ago that I didn’t think this would make the list, happy to be wrong.

    Look for Blackwater Park to come in at number 2, right behind Crack The Skye

  • Fantum

    Marilyn Manson is SO in the top five, right before ICP and right after Linkin Park.

    • Santa Claus

      I do think some of the panelists were juggalos. Deftones are juggalos right?

      • TrapThem

        god, i hope not..that means ima have to kick my own ass..

      • Keith Brown

        I wouldn’t be surprised about the Psychostick assholes, though

  • http://www.bringvictory.com balls

    Can’t wait to see Iron Maiden get passed over for more mallcore bullshit.

    • Lord Bling

      balls, I think you meant to post that comment in the Deftones thread from yesterday. It doesn’t belong here.

  • sYgnal

    It’s only common sense that these guys should be on the list but with this album they became more Prog than Death. I wasn’t really satisfied but it’s not easy to surpass Blackwater Park & Deliverance (Damnation was a nice change as well).

    Watershed is better than most of the crap out there but it’s still been all downhill(too me) after Deliverance. Though they did a killer cover of “Would” by AIC.

    • Lord Bling

      Don’t forget their cover of Robin Trower’s ‘Bridge of Sighs’. Amazing, and true to the original too.

      • sYgnal

        I agree…But, that’s my problem with Opeth(my problem,not theirs). IMHO, they don’t produce the beautiful heavy Death material like they used to. BUT, that’s because of the line-up change & Mikael’s proggier-than-thou vision. Don’t get me wrong…I dig these guys, appreciate the immense talent that they have & very happy that they are still a band. I just miss that straight forward heavy then straight forward mellow formula and of course the Pink Floyd/wall-o-sound engineering on BWP (which they nailed when I saw ‘em on their Deliverence tour)

        • Lord Bling

          I like Watershed a lot, although I had to come around to it after a few listens. It’s definiltely ‘proggier-than-thou’, but I think it’s a natural progression. But I also saw them on that Deliverance tour (in a tiny club in Dallas, and got a picture with Akerfeldt afterwards!), and I agree with you on the sound being nailed there.

          • sYgnal

            Ah, no doubt. I agree that it was a natural progression & I’m definitely NOT trying to knock them for it. I’d still rather listen to Opeth than most other bands.

  • http://www.anlace.org Gothian

    This is the worst Opeth album… I hope we have some more

    • Fantum

      I don’t know about worst but I certainly think that Watershed is far superior. I do still enjoy the first few tracks off of GR though.

    • FNM

      I agree completely. This has only one decent song (Isolation years) the rest sound like a poor attempt at Opeth by numbers. At least Watershed was better so hopeful for the future.

  • Canvas Of Flesh

    Good album. Not near as great as their masterpiece “Still Life”, but good nonetheless. It’s good to finally see some metal on this list. Maybe we’ll see some Ayreon next.

    • SourDeez

      I’ll be really pleased if The Human Equation makes it onto the list.

      • Canvas Of Flesh

        I concur. That album was completely amazing. Arjen can do no wrong in my eyes.

  • icebeast

    Screw this! Where’s Drowning Pool???

    • Mitch

      Trolling fail.

      • icebeast

        Sense of humor fail.

        • Mitch

          Speak for yourself.

          • icebeast

            No one asked you, Mitch. Last I checked, this wasn’t MitchSucks (although, clearly…). From looking at your comments, I can tell you’re a really fun guy. What happened to the “I haven’t really seen other people in this thread shoving their opinions in each other’s faces” Mitch? Where’s that guy when I need him? Next time I feel like posting, how about I run it by you so I can make sure it’s up to your standards? Or, next time, you could just ignore my post like a normal person.

          • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

            Icebeast all he is saying (I think) is that you basically did the exact same joke you did a few scrolls up but just inserting a different band that will obviously not be on here. maybe I will scroll down and it will say “Fuck this, number 10 should be (insert shitty band)” and it still wont be funny seeing as the same joke was in every other one on this list.

  • miguel_g(Peru)

    check out the special version with the celtic frost cover (circle of tyrants)

    • http://metallattorney.blogspot.com shadowking86

      The first time I heard Opeth was on a tribute to Celtic Frost album and that was the song. It was a great song and still is. That’s how I got into the band. Other bands that I was introduced to from that album included Enslaved, Mayhem, Emperor, Slaughter (Canadian death/thrash band), Grave, and Cianide.

  • SourDeez

    Definitely my favorite Opeth album. Blackwater Park and Still Life are both very good, but even those have a few tracks that I skip sometimes. This album is seriously mature, and killer from start to finish. They really upped the metal on this one, without sacrificing any of the acoustic gloom-and-doom parts. The first time I heard The Baying of The Hounds I couldn’t even stand up it was so good.

  • groverXIII

    Best album on the list so far… although I think it should’ve been higher. I know Blackwater Park will be on the list later, but you could mostly fill the top 10 with Opeth albums, to be honest.

    I guess this can somewhat eliminate the whole “this list is all American bands” theory…

    And I’m sure the naysayers in this one are mostly going to be trolls, although I’m curious what Ziltoid has to say about this one. At least no one can argue that this one’s not metal.

    • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

      Haha yeah I know, where is that dude at, must have forgotten to pay the internet bill.

    • Lord Bling

      in b4 “OMG THERE ARE CLEAN VOCALS ON THIS RECORD, SO IT’S NOT METAL!”

      I mean, there has to be SOME trolling in this thread tonight, right? :)

    • Ziltoid

      Hello hello. Sorry I’m late to the party. I was **GASP** being social. As for Opeth, yes, they’re trendy to like, but the music is solid, and definitively metal. Not my favorite artist, but they probably deserve a spot on this list. BWP would have been a much better pick, though. That’s all I really have to say about this.

      • groverXIII

        Social? Whoa… and here I thought we all had no lives.

        BWP will be on the list, you can count on that… it’ll be a travesty if it’s not.

        To digress a bit, I’m listening to Mercenary’s ‘The Hours That Remain’ at the moment. It’s a solid album, although I don’t think I would be putting it in my 21. The production is good, it’s nice and heavy, and the keyboards aren’t cheesy and ridiculous, so it’s got a leg up on a lot of power metal albums right there.

        After this, Ne Obliviscaris and then Vortech.

        • ihateyou

          God you listen to gay bands dude. I bet you are one of those metalheads who tries to be extremely intellectual about everything and critique every single point of everything. You don’t even deserve to listen to metal.

          • groverXIII

            Ah, I was wondering what had happened to you. The Deftones thread just wasn’t the same without your mindless trolling.

          • ihateyou

            Thanks. Even a complete fag with zero musical taste or life skills can appreciate a good trolling. Suck it jewbag. I bet you are mexican. Looking for work?

          • ihateyou

            Fuck I missed the deftones thread eh. God dammit they are my #1 most hated band. Dammit!!!!!

          • groverXIII

            Wow… you managed to call me gay, tasteless (musically speaking), lacking in life skills, Jewish, and Mexican is the space of two lines. You’re really on top of your game.

          • groverXIII

            And yeah, there were a lot of good trolling opportunities there. It made me question your dedication. A good troll doesn’t take a day off.

          • ihateyou

            I know!!! Ive been getting bitched out at work for trolling too much and not doing my actual job. I work 2 jobs, play in a band, drink frequently and somehow attempt to keep a relationship in order. These things take a lot of time but the trolling must prevail!!

          • groverXIII

            That’s the spirit… your boss just doesn’t understand that you need to do your civic duty, dammit.if you don’t troll, then who will?

          • ihateyou

            Yeah really. I should be gettin paid for this shit. Heres one…….you sell mo’ amway than dat nikkah Don Campan. You should go suck his little wigger dick so maybe he will put yo’ ass up on dat I.B.O game foo’

          • groverXIII

            Very nice… you managed to convey a pseudo-urban accent through text. Granted, that’s not particularly hard… and I think you need to sprinkle in some caps lock there, just to really get your point across, like Kanye West does.

        • ihateyou

          I would……but im not a gay fish.

          • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

            ha funniest south park

      • Keith Brown

        Wait, Ziltoid not insulting a band/being indifferent???

        HERESY

  • B-dizzle

    Awesome, you guys chose one of the worser works again.

    • TrapThem

      please tell me that’s a joke. “worser”?? i’ll forgive you if you’re foreign

      • groverXIII

        What would you expect from someone who willingly calls himself B-dizzle?

  • Ben

    No opinion on this. Not my cup of tea, but I can acknowledge that it’s a top 10 album.

  • xXxDarkfoxXx

    Thank You!

  • Sin and Death

    I’m surprised there aren’t as many “This isn’t metal” and “This band blows” comments. …

    I disagree with those who assert that this is a step down from previous offering of Åkerfeldt and Co. This album seems to have the widest dynamic in terms of musicianship, lyrics, and vocals. Ghost Reveries is truly a masterpiece.

    • http://metallattorney.blogspot.com shadowking86

      I have yet to meet anyone who believes Opeth is not metal. That’s why there aren’t as many “This band isn’t metal” comments.

    • GraZmus

      There is no “They are not Metal ” comments…because…. They ARE metal… Unlike 2 two previous alternative rock selections.

      Not a huge fan Of Opeth (bit slow and boring)…but Grand Conjuration is on this album.. and that song kicks ass.
      Deserves a spot on the list.

      • Sin and Death

        What is and isn’t “metal” is highly subjective. The soft parts of this album balance out the heavy parts, and one could assert that becasue of that, it isn’t true metal. I wouldn’t argue that, because in my mind anything that is remotely heavy can be considered metal. I guess I was more surprised by the lack of asinine comments than anything else.

        • groverXIII

          Good point… I personally share your viewpoint on metal, being a bit more forgiving than some folks on here, but I think that more people around here have respect for Opeth. And when they do go metal, they don’t half-ass it, that’s for certain.

  • Doov

    Not as metal as slipknot but still a good album.

    • metalguy

      you better clear up that sarcasm quick or someones gunna kill you

  • yanky

    ZILTOID WHERE ARE YOU

    WERE WAITING…

    GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?

    • Leprosy

      i know.

      IT HAS BEEN AN HOUR ZILTIOD. LORD BLING IS HERE. WHERE ARE YOU?

      • Lord Bling

        CAPS LOCK IS CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL

        EVEN WITH CRUISE CONTROL, YOU STILL HAVE TO STEER

        hahaha

        I won’t be here long tonight. Just thought I’d drop by for a few minutes and share in the Opeth love. Ziltoid isn’t a huge Opeth fan, but I doubt he can go the whole evening without stopping by either.

  • Piero

    The last album with Lopez on drums, unfortunately. Not that Axe is a bad drummer, but Lopez was more original somehow

    • Lord Bling

      Glad I’m not the only one who misses Lopez. His performance on the ‘Lamentations’ DVD was good shit.

  • Rancidcorpse

    Finally not my fav but still good not #10

  • EarthIsGay

    Ghost of perdition, lingering death. Ghost on Mothers bed. Fucking epic.

    • CYN1C

      It’s:

      Ghost of Mother
      Lingering death
      Ghost on Mother’s bed

      And yes, fucking EPIC!

      From start to finish a great fucking album.

  • metalguy

    i could never realy get this band. they are all phenonmenal musicians and songwriters, but there music bored me. but after that awesome write up, and cuz its on the list. ill def be listening to this

  • douchesnozzle

    still waiting for reinventing the steel.

    • Cougar Party

      It’s not gonna be on here, but it’s an underrated album. It’s heavy as fuck. One of the (many) cool things about Pantera was that they actually got heavier with every album they made. Usually it’s the opposite.

    • ihateyou

      lol

  • http://garbageheadbanger.blogspot.com/ therealmetalmatt

    A pick I agree with. Like most people on here, I too am hoping to see Blackwater Park on this list.

  • Ben

    yAY. finally sumting me agree wit. Me lovez da br00tal metalz and I knows dis song be br00tal metalz becuz me likes dis album. only stufs me likes is der br00tal metalz and only stufffs dats da br00tal metalz be good. Me have good tastes in moozic. Moozik me like is goood mooozic Nutting els be good.

    This album may be awesome. But you’re all fucking pathetic.

    • Lord Bling

      You post on a message board to complain about others who post on a message board?

      I may disagree with some people on genres, quality of albums, etc., but I’d never begrudge someone for having passion, and wanting to share it, even if it isn’t always in a friendly manner.

      So, may you kindly GTFO.

      • Ben

        GTFO? Of your mom’s cunt? No, I like it in here. Despite the weird smell.

        And quite frankly, I don’t give a shit what kind of idiocy you “don’t begrudge.” I DO begrudge whiny, closed minded simpletons. And yes, I will post about what other people are posting. Just like the the majority of the posts are people still griping about how they don’t like the other picks. “OOO, they finally picked a metal album.” Give me a fucking break. Most of these people couldn’t even give a solid definition for what their narrow, idiotic view of metal may be. Fucking serial killers have passion that they want to share too. Does that mean that I have to be okay with serial killers? Give me a fucking break.

        • Lord Bling

          Serial killing isn’t art. You fail at trolling, and at life. Good day sir.

          • Ben

            neither is talking about music on an internet message board. Although, I’m sure more serial killers would consider what they do art than message board posters would.

            I fail at life, huh? And you would know this… how? Way to be original. Seriously, if you miss the point of what I have an issue with, the extremely closed minded points of view that so many on this site seem to have, I don’t know what to tell you. Being a closed minded prick is not art either. Someone being so egotistical that they view their own taste in music as the be all and end all of what is “good” flies directly in the face of your own statements. On one hand, you say that you don’t begrudge people who have different views than you. Then you attempt to defend the morons who post here and shit talk every last band that they don’t happen to like. Which is it? Is it just that you’re not willing to take a stand on anything?(even something unimportant like a metal site)

          • Lord Bling

            You’re comparing debating music to serial murder. That doesn’t hold water. I also never said that commenting on a message board is art. We’re commenting about art that we do or don’t appreciate. You seem to think we’re all snobs. Well, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion.

            “On one hand, you say that you don’t begrudge people who have different views than you. Then you attempt to defend the morons who post here and shit talk every last band that they don’t happen to like.”

            I think you’re confusing me with someone else (perhaps Ziltoid, who has also been vocal in his disapproval of some albums on this list, but has been uglier in his posts). Tool? Deftones? I like both of those bands, and I own both of those albums. However, I don’t think they belong on this ‘metal’ list. Some others do, and that’s fine. That’s what these comment boards are for. I’ve disagreed, but unlike you, I’ve kept the trolling to a bare minimum. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re trolling right now, and I’m probably falling for your ‘not willing to take a stand on anything’ flamebait. Whatever. Either way, I’ve said what I wanted to say to you. Feel free to have the last word, and call me names, etc. I’ve already fed the troll enough today. Have a nice night.

      • Mitch

        I haven’t really seen other people in this thread shoving their opinions in each other’s faces, just sharing their humble opinions on which albums they think deserve the spots. So really, you’re not even making fun of anyone here by doing that. Unless talking about music with other people who have similar taste is pathetic…

        • Ben

          Seriously? There’s over.. what… 300 posts on the Deftones entry of people bitching back and forth about whether or not they’re even metal. And most of the posts even on this entry are of the, “finally a real metal album/good choice” variety. There’s nothing on these board BUT people attempting to shove their opinions down other peoples’ throats. So, if you need an apology from me, here it is. I’m sorry that I get pissed off by how many metal fans are closed minded idiots who might as well be watching American idol given how obsessed they are with turning music into a competition instead of letting it just exist as art.

          • Lord Bling

            Okay, so I guess I have one more thing to say to you: This list IS a competition. If you don’t like it, bitch at MetalSucks for coming up with it in the first place. I certainly wouldn’t be complaining about Tool or Deftones for any other reason. As I just said above, I like both of those bands. In fact … GASP! … I own every album on this list so far. I’d just rather see some less-recognized bands get mentioned.

          • youcantkillthe metal

            Yes, good call. Well done. Shut those cunts up!

          • youcantkillthe metal

            Sorry, that reply was for Ben – I agree with you…

          • Jewers

            WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Rik

    YOU FAGGOTS SPELT “BLACKWATER PARK” WRONG

    Ugh. Hopefully BP will be higher on The List but I dunno what to expect any more…

    • Mitch

      Homophobia FTW?

      • Rik

        I’m not homophobic, faggot’s just a damn good word. Also I was not being entirely serious as you may or may not have figured out.

        • groverXIII

          Well, at least you can spell it correctly… that puts you in a class above that guy from Waking The Cadaver.

          (Of course, that just means you’re a bit too smart for the Special Olympics. Not much of a compliment, I know. :D )

    • RobotScythe

      It’s “spelled” not “spelt”. Spelt is a type of wheat. Faggot.

      • Rik

        “Spelled” and “spelt” are both valid and accepted spellings, faggot.

  • tjangles

    Amazing album and band. Should have been higher.

    This kinda makes up for the deftones pick. kinda

  • tiagón

    lml

  • AxeRipper

    Maybe this list isn’t one big joke to get us all to hate each other…

  • Tim

    Starting the big 10 off with a bang! Great choice, best band on the planet!

  • zmh26

    Well I’d have to say this is one of my favorite picks so far that belongs in the slot it has. That’s my opinion at least. Here to Blackwater park, probably their best album, later on in this list. But probables are more than likely going to be leviathan and Blood Mountain by Mastodon, ATPB or AOTW or Scarament by Lamb of God (Pick two of them), probably an album of All That Remains more than likely Fall of Ideals, Iowa by Slipknot, and probably some other highly debatable albums that are questionable of being metal.

    What I’d LIKE to see appear but probably won’t:
    Traced in Air – Cynic
    Prometheus: The Disciple of Fire and Demise – Emperor (because I’d rather see that get a spot over some oof the other crappy black metal band out there)
    Brave New World – Iron Maiden (I have hope for this one)
    Fortress – Protest the Hero
    Impossibility of Reason – Chimaira
    Those are some, ready for the shit to fly

  • fightingmike

    Not my favorite Opeth, that would be Blackwater Park. This record starts off with a bang and then is a total bore afterwards, but still alot more deserving of a spot on this list. If this was a list of the top 10 Metal bands of the decade, than Opeth would totally be on that list, but not because of this record.

    I really hope the rest of the list includes something from Isis, Enslaved, Killswitch, Converge, Dillinger, Meshuggah, etc…

  • Kazz

    Absolutely cannot go wrong with Opeth. Amazing band/ album

    • http://www.myspace.com/cobhc13 Lauren

      agree. this list is just getting started now.

  • Froogle

    Well they are the most mainstream good metal :>

    One of my fav albums.

  • Froogle

    Also, this could be the start of an amazing top 10!

  • zhitnik

    Good album, much better than Watershed, I agree with an earlier poster that Opeth has been going downhill for me since Deliverance. I appreciate that they are still a talented band and will go their own direction, but man, they are starting to get much more proggy and clean. Also, losing their drummer (martin lopez), whom I consider one of the best metal drummers of all time, hurts quite a bit too. His influence on their musical direction and style was very apparent.

    • Ben

      Proggy and clean???!?!?!!?!!!? Oh my God, no!!! Not that!!!! The horror. The horror!!!!!! Don’t let them stretch out artistically at all. It’s a sign of Armageddon.

      • zhitnik

        Take it easy pal, you prog-heads are always so knee-jerky. I have no problem with prog myself, but when great metal bands clean up, they leave behind a void that needs to be filled. I used to look forward to the next Opeth album for some great metal, and now I’m not really sure what I’m going to get.

    • phale

      one of the appeals of the metal genre is that there is still some artistic territory to be explored in heavy music. for example, an album like damnation (opeths non-metal album) is ok, but i might as well go back to camel and pink floyd, because their music evokes the same feelings and they do it better. id put blackwater park against the dark side of the moon anyday, but damnation is just a gimmick. but maybe it will be the one people care about in 30 years, who knows?

      • The Great Danton

        I’m going to have to disagree on Damnation, I always felt Akerfeldt’s true creativeness aand soul came out on the slower songs. It’s not the best slow, prog album ever, but I still love it.

  • Ben

    Lord Bling(I couldn’t add another response to your post), I understand that the list is a competition. That’s not what I meant. I meant that metal fans seem stuck on this never ending bullshit of, “my taste in music is better than yours,” “you like what genre? That shit sucks,” “That isn’t true metal. This is,” “I listen to only the most ‘underground’ music.” It’s nothing but a bunch of limp dicked, ego stroking bullshit.

    As for “less recognized bands” getting on the list, this goes right into one of my biggest issues with the current state of metal fans. Less popular DOES NOT = better. Sorry, it doesn’t. This isn’t a list of the “top 21 greatest albums that no one but 2 metalheads sitting in their basement in Pittsburg have heard”

    And, finally, as for bitching at the metalsucks guys, while I normally find myself needing to do so, I have not had a single problem with this list so far. Despite the MS bloggers’ tendency to fall right in step with every cliche thing I hate about metal fans, it seems that the wider range of input has created a bit of balance. I really don’t give a fuck if the Deftones, SOAD or Tool fit the general metal cretin’s idea of what metal is. I don’t care if metalheads have turned their backs on slipknot because they don’t like the fact that they got popular. I don’t give a good flying donkey dick if Machine Head experimented with styles that are no longer trendy. All these dickheads who swear they, and only they know what metal is are asinine. Defining that is like trying to catch smoke. It’s not happening. There’s tons of bands heavier than Sabbath that people would swear up and down are not metal. Creating 9683583 different sub-divisions of the genre certainly does not help matters.

    But, I digress. It doesn’t matter. Nothing I point out is going to open anyones’ eyes. People are going to go on representing the same grunting, sloped forehead, closed minded stereotype that people have always had of metal fans and none of them are going to realize that they are the very basis of that stereotype.

    I guess I really should just stop coming here and reading comments. But it’s seriously like eating outside and having a bunch of flies annoying you. They aren’t a threat. They are insignificant. you know this. But you refuse to cease swatting at them.

    • NPC

      You are awesome.

    • bucketochicken

      Victory.

    • Lord Bling

      Ben,

      Thanks for the intelligent reply. I’m glad to see you weren’t trolling earlier.

      When I said ‘less recognized’ bands, I didn’t mean that ‘less recognized’ automatically means ‘better’. The thing is, I don’t come to this website to read about System of a Down, or Tool, or the Deftones. I have plenty of other places to go to read about them, and I do. This site is usually about music that’s ‘MORE BROOTAL’, LOL. That’s the main part of my issue with the ’21 Best Metal albums of the Decade’ title. I don’t have a problem with your essentially saying ‘fuck genres’. Believe it or not, I live by that in every other form of art except for these past few threads. On my MP3 player, I don’t have ‘black metal’ or ‘alt-metal’ or any of that other stuff; I just have ‘metal’. Well, okay, I do have ‘grindcore’ as a separate genre, because sometimes I just want to hear something that’s really really fast. :) My point is, MetalSucks should’ve just called it the ’21 Best Albums of the Decade’. That would’ve been much better.

      So why are some people (like myself) bitching about the genres on this list? I think part of it is old-fashioned insecurity. The rest of the world looks down on us metalheads, and they think all of our music is talentless and only exists to glorify Satan worship. And while we always say, ‘I don’t give a fuck what people think!’, obviously, we do, at least, to an extent. I’m sure this view won’t be popular with most here, but a big part of human nature is the seeking of acceptance from our peers. And by peers, I don’t mean the ‘American Idol’ watching crowd. Fuck them. :) I speak of the people we work with, play softball and drink beers with, our bosses, etc. Since none of those people are posting here, and it’s a ‘metal’ site, we expect to have more in common with people here. When we don’t, we get worked up a little more than we normally would. And then you have the semi-anonymity of the internet that makes things even worse, so some are quicker to insult others (‘Internet Tough Guy Syndrome’).

      I didn’t mean for this to turn into a psychology rant, but your post about swatting at flies made me laugh, and think at the same time. That’s all. You’re right though. Nothing any of us says here is going to change any minds. However, sometimes it’s just nice to get things off our chests. And I’ll say that I’ve been going through people’s personal ‘top metal albums’ lists, and have been making notes of the ones I haven’t heard, and after doing some research, will track some of them down. So this list has at least been good for something!

      I know I threatened to leave earlier, but I actually AM going now. :) Everyone have a nice night.

      • Jewers

        BIG METAL HUGS ALL AROUND!

        thank you Opeth

      • Keith Brown

        *wild applause*

    • phale

      ‘People are going to go on representing the same grunting, sloped forehead, closed minded stereotype that people have always had of metal fans and none of them are going to realize that they are the very basis of that stereotype.

      I guess I really should just stop coming here and reading comments.’

      can we get this quote in the header banner, please?

    • SourDeez

      Nicely put

      • TrapThem

        to all the people who claim homophobia runs rampant on this site..here’s proof that two guys can come together ( Ben & Lord Bling) put aside petty differences..and prove to everyone that they’re are big queers, and are probably making out rite now…lol…jk fellas…seriously people spend more time bitching at eachother than at metalsucks or the artists who picked them…I say you guys at ms make all the ballots public. that way if any of us have a problem with one of the people who voted for this album, we could figure out the proper ways of contacting them and telling them that they suck

        • Lord Bling

          hahaha

          I’m not in a make-out mood. I just worked out and I’m all sweaty, plus I have a headache. :)

          The other thing about human nature that sucks is we attack things that are different from us (or things we don’t understand). Plus, trolling can be fun sometimes. But honestly, I think 95% of the people who come to this site would all get along just fine in a real-life setting.

          • youcantkillthe metal

            Yeah, I’d get along with everyone except Ziltoid. He’s a weeping cunt!

            I still come to this site to check the list, plus all the usual shit like reading reviews, funny articles, etc. But now I just go through these comments to hang shit on Ziltoid, ’cause he’s such a little dick.

            I love giving shit to little cunts who think they know everything, when they quite clearly don’t.

            Ziltoid – suck my left nut!

          • Ziltoid

            Well then, you are quite bad at “hanging shit.”

            I’m happy to say that I’d never get along with most people here, although there are some few exceptions. You know why? I don’t hang out with the special-ed losers.

          • youcantkillthe metal

            No, you wouldn’t get along with anyone here, would you Ziltoid. It’s because you have a personality disorder that makes you incapable of social integration. You think that you are so far above the pack, that you’ve lost sight of reality.

            It’s funny that you call me a child – I’ve been listening to metal since before you were an itch in your daddy’s ballbag. Seeing your posts makes me laugh, ’cause there are few things funnier than an ignorant little fucker like you thinking he is an all-knowing authority on every little thing.

            Whenever you cop an insult, all you can respond with is “Oh, you’re so smart” or “Real intellectual” – awesome comebacks man. Do all your little figurines jump up and applaud you for your awesomeness? I bet they do. Then they sing a Hymn to your greatness, hey?

            You are a stupid little fuck. All the hate you receive, you invited upon yourself. And yes, I love giving you shit – you’ve earned it!

          • Ziltoid

            A personality disorder? You can diagnose psychological disorders through the internet. YOU MUST BE MAGIC!

            I certainly do have a sense of arrogance, but I feel that it is deserved around these parts. People here are mostly idiots. I am better than them. Call it narcissism if you want, but that’s the truth.

            What even funnier about me calling you a child is that even though I may be young, I am infinitely more mature and capable of replying to something in an intellectual manner than you are. You post like you have the mentality of a vulgar 8 year old:

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBAwQE7ps5U&feature=related

            And my “awesome comebacks” are much better than throwing around vulgarities and calling people cunts and dicks and such. Simple–I am smarter than you, I am better than you. I might as well use that as my comeback, since it’s at least truthful.

            Seeing your posts makes me laugh because they’re filled with nothing but the stupidity and vulgarity of someone trying to pose as a functioning human being and failing miserably.

  • iolanach

    Good album, no doubt. Top 10 of the last decade?!? No way. If you want a Opeth album in your top of decade list, it would have to be either Blackwater Park or Deliverance.

  • Phillip

    Not my favourite Opeth album, but a good pick nonethless.

    Blackwater Park had better be on the list!

  • DM

    Sounds like something caught in my garbage disposal.

  • Ziltoid

    I’m here, and for once there isn’t much to criticize. Trendy stuff that was bound to be on this list sometime, but still quality metal, so no argument from me, although they could have chosen a better album (BWP?). See, I’m perfectly fine if the album is both good and metal. It’s just that this list’s albums have mostly gone against both the “good” and the “metal.”

    • jackattack

      I still don’t see the problem with something being trendy. Somebody mentioned this about Mastodon (I’m not sure if it was you), saying it was “such a trendy pick”. So what if it’s trendy? It kick’s ass and a lot of people agree with that.

      • CYN1C

        And most importantly, it’s definitely well-deserved. Unlike previous picks.

      • Sean

        I used the word trendy to describe the Mastodon pick Blood Mountain, altho I didn’t mean it as an insult. I keep forgetting that its an insult in the metal community if you call a band popular or trendy for some reason. Just that it wasn’t surprising that it made the list due to its popularity. Course I had some people jump on my nuts due to the use of that word.

        And I’m happy to see Ghost Reveries make the list, I love Opeth and will be happy to see this and BWP on the list.

    • youcantkillthe metal

      See. You said above that that was all you had to say. We all knew you couldn’t help yourself.

      Shut the fuck up, lonely loser…

  • Alex Rochon

    Let’s not forget about Damnation, now, shall we? Even Watershed was excellent by genrewide standards, if it fell a little short by Opeth standards. Still Life would definitely be on here had it been released a year later.

    Or, perhaps I’m just an Opeth fanboy. You decide.

    Whatever.

  • Alex Rochon

    Oh, and apologies for the double-post, but I was too busy wanking Opeth too remember to say that the list so far has been alright, I guess. Not stellar, but not atrocious.

  • jackattack

    Good choice. I still haven’t given Opeth’s whole disco as much of a listen as I would like to (in time it will happen), but very solid.

    Just in case any of you cared…

    Municipal Waste: “Hazardous Mutation”
    Iron Maiden: “Brave New World”
    ISIS: “Oceanic”
    ISIS: “Panopticon”
    Pelican: “Australasia”
    In Flames: “Come Clarity”
    The Black Dahlia Murder: “Unhallowed”
    The Red Chord: “Fused Together in Revolving Doors”
    Converge: “Jane Doe”
    Mastodon: “Leviathan”
    Zao: “The Funeral of God” (i have a sore spot for them)

    there’s others that I’ll post later.

    • http://www.last.fm/user/carnage9 Carnage9

      yeeeeaaaah converge!!! thats what we like to see.

      • ihateyou

        Converge=Fail.

        • jackattack

          Converge = Fail, unless you have a fucking soul.

          • ihateyou

            No. You fail. Scenester.

          • http://www.last.fm/user/carnage9 Carnage9

            i dont have a soul.

    • Lord Bling

      I love that Zao record. Best thing they’ve put out this decade, and maybe even ever. And I will always back Converge, especially that disc. Amazing. Oh, and Isis? Yeah. Oceanic is a masterpiece.

      • jackattack

        I might as well throw all of Converge’s releases this decade on that list of mine. They’re all deserving, especially You Fail Me.

        Torche’s Meanderthal is also amazing… but I don’t think that can really be called metal. It’s metal at it’s core, but it’s definitely rock n’ fucking roll up front.

        The Sword’s Age of Winters is also up there for me. As is the Red Album by Baroness.

        Good to see some love for Zao, though. 20 years, millions of lineup changes, and still going strong.

        • pete

          ooh, Baroness, good pick!

      • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

        I am stoned as fuck listening to Oceanic right now and reading harry potter. Its awesome haha
        and no one make fun of harry potter, those books are awesome. An Isis album in the top 10? Can’t imagine there will be one, but that would be kind of cool.

        • http://www.facebook.com/roshinn Dan Wolfson

          Harry Potter is a literary shitstain.

          • metalguy

            i read all kinds of that adult(?) fiction stuff, and the writing level oof harry potter is really bad

  • Malacoda

    Shocked Ziltoid didn’t have any complaints… though he shouldn’t, as it’s a kickass album.

  • bearwizard

    damn this website is popular…..

    • ihateyou

      Dam your gay.

  • ihateyou

    Finally! Something that deserves to be mentioned! Good job MS goofs!

  • esteban

    i like this. i haven’t really had issue with most of the albums listed so far (except for Hatebreed) but I’m a little sad because it looks like its gonna be mostly mainstream all the way to the top. I don’t have a problem with mainstream but I’m thinking Between the Buried and Me are gonna get left off when I think they’re the greatest band the mainstream won’t ever like. :’(

    • ihateyou

      Dude, BTBAM sucks. Can you get any more gay? I doubt it.

    • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

      I bet colors is on it, at least it should be.

  • http://www.last.fm/user/carnage9 Carnage9

    I ENDORSE THIS CHOICE 100% (y)

    • http://www.last.fm/user/carnage9 Carnage9

      and im hoping not to see watershed on here. i honestly cant stand it. Blackwater Park better be coming though.

  • SP420

    This list is finally getting somewhere.

  • http://www.theinevitablenose.com/ The Inevitable Nose

    How can this be only #10! Interested to see what you think can top it.

    • http://bleak46n2.blogspot.com Bleak46n2

      right on!!!
      though BWP is their best album IMO… but then again who really cares…
      but you’re right… i wanna see whats gonna top this too…
      hopefully meshuggah makes this list too…
      cheers…
      but from what ive been told [and dont ask who], choc starfish and hotdog flavored water is just around the corner…
      lmao J/K…

  • Nacho Cheese Doritos

    What about this top 10…
    Nonpoint
    Primer 55
    Shuvel
    18 Visions
    E. Town Concrete
    downset
    Pushmonkey
    Creed
    Disturbed
    Crazy Town
    hed (pe)
    ?????
    I only hope ,so I can hear all the corpse paint wearing booger eating Monday Night Raw fans preach about their favorite, personal death metal bands that nobody has heard of!!!!!!!!!! And I guess I’ll go ahead and mention that I know all these bands are 90′s nu metal, except for the mighty Creed!!! The same shit they probably jammed out to back in the day. Music is music so enjoy it. Everybody is talking shit on these bands because they sell records…that’s part of being successful. Here’s to the future shit talking for Killswitch Engage (their new album blows though. Piss off and stop hating the world cause your ugly, fat and smelly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Hudson

      Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Booger eating Monday Night Raw fans!!!

    • http://bleak46n2.blogspot.com Bleak46n2

      i’d rather see mudvayne’s LD 50 [even though i really dont wanna] ]on this list rather than some nonpoint – crazy town – hed pe – creedish mumbo jumbo…
      sorry just my 2 cents…
      and definitely MESHUGGAH… only meshuggah can save this list now…
      but then again u know theres some metallica coming LMAO… [here come the metallica fans now to start a feud... ] franTICTICTICTIC!!! lmao
      mmmmmm herbbb…

    • Ziltoid

      “booger eating Monday Night Raw fans”

      Those are also called Pantera fans. Y’know, people that don’t listen to obscure metal at all…

      “…their favorite, personal death metal bands that nobody has heard of!!!!!!!!!!”

      Why is this the favorite argument of people who like mainstream music? Is it because people think that there is a direct correlation between popularity and musical talent? “Our favorite death metal bands” happen to mostly be on labels. Y’know, with distribution. Sometimes worldwide. If you look a bit harder, you’ll realize that these underground bands actually have a decent following.

      And by the way, I’d love a “personal death metal band” to follow me around all day. That would be cool.

      “Music is music so enjoy it.”

      So we should enjoy all music, even if it’s crap like most of this list?

      “Everybody is talking shit on these bands because they sell records…that’s part of being successful. ”

      No, we’re talking shit on these bands because they make horrible music. Part of being successful as an artist also means making good art, not just selling said art.

      • http://bleak46n2.blogspot.com Bleak46n2

        rightly said…
        good job!!!

      • Cannary

        Pantera rules! If you don’t like Far Beyond Driven or Great Southern Trendkill then I question your sexuality.

        • Ziltoid

          Most homophobic, insecure Pantera fans question people’s sexuality. Pantera is truly some of the worst music to have ever existed. I made a post (one that was actually agreed with by those who replied to it) in one of the recent “best of” topics about why Pantera is so horrible. You should read it. It explains why people shouldn’t like that bro-magnon drivel.

          • Canary

            Hey Ziltoid,

            Are you ready for another exciting weekend in the basement jerking off to Hustlers and Playboys? You truely are a basement dweller! You have zero friends and life. If I could only get 5 minutes alone with you to beat your ass and piss on your prog tunes. Loser!

      • Nacho Cheese Doritos

        Dear Ziltoid,

        You had a good reply, but your last comment “…because they make horrible music….means making good art.”…is purely a personal opinion. Lets face it…were all wrong. There are no 100% correct answers so we should all start listening to county, or the mighty Creed!

        • Ziltoid

          My last comment was based on the generalization that the idiot before me made. Obviously good/bad is MOSTLY subjective (although there is a point where the difference between two things is blatantly objective), but as far as this list goes, I think my generalization was certainly more correct that the idiot’s generalization.

    • groverXIII

      I think I still have Shuvel’s CD buried somewhere in my closet. SET IT OFF.

      What a ridiculous band… I am ashamed for having contributed to any sort of success they may have had. There’s no accounting for peoples’ tastes back then.

  • The Great Danton

    Watch, the top ten will consist of all prog albums. Next up, Dream Theater – Octavarium.

    I am glad Opeth made the list though.

    • Ziltoid

      I’d like to see some more prog on here, but it’s doubtful. I certainly don’t want a DT album, even though I really like them. I like Octavarium quite a bit (the title track is one of my favorite songs ever), but “I Walk Beside You” might just be one of the worst songs ever written. That song killed the album, and some of the others aren’t anything fantastic.

    • pete

      Systematic Chaos could be up there, I think it’s some of DT’s best work, def the best of the decade.

      • Ziltoid

        No! The individual songs are ok (at best), but the album has no coherent flow whatsoever! You start out with 1/3 of an epic, then a ballad, then a failed pseudo-thrash/prog song, then a b-side-from-Train-of-Thought-quality “heavy” song, then a quiet song, then the mess up of Prophets of war, then the bore-fest of Ministry of Souls, then the last 2/3 of the epic.

        In the Presence of Enemies is pretty good, though, but Octavarium and Train of Thought are much better, and I don’t think either of them deserves a spot on this list.

        • groverXIII

          Personally, Train Of Thought is my favorite DT album because it’s the heaviest… and even then, there’s a few snoozers. Still, all in all, I like DT simply because when they’re good, they’re awesome, and those moments outweigh the moments when they’re not so good.

    • SourDeez

      Dream Theater is a soulless band IMO.

      • Ziltoid

        I only get that vibe from Metropolis Pt. 2. It feels weird as a DT fan not to like that album too much, but it seems really soulless and drawn out. The rest doesn’t seem soulless IMO.

        • ihateyou

          Shut up ziltoid. You are a fucking faggot. You listen to gay progressive metal made by basement dwelling fags. You are a big pussy and have absolutely no evidence to back up what you say. Seriously man, go elsewhere. You are not wanted. Everybody here hates you, and I assume that this is the same in your non-internet life. How about you go out and try to get laid or something. You need a life sooooo bad. God dammit, take a hint!!! FUCK.

  • prives

    Opeth = Good metal, but too much slow shit.

    • Carnage9

      “but too much slow shit.” no.

    • ihateyou

      You=gay

  • Cam

    First Opeth album I ever listened to(a few months back, just starting to check these guys out)…but I only went through it all the way once. Great pick for the list and after reading the review I’m gonna go back and try to pick up some stuff I definitely missed on my first spin.

  • flamesin

    people like ziltoid and youcantkillthemetal should be euthanized.

    Finally some opeth love!

  • F

    Their best album to date. It totally deserves a spot on this list.

    If i had to rank their works:

    Ghost Reveries
    Blackwater Park
    Still Life
    My Arms, Your Hearse
    Watershed
    Damnation
    Deliverance
    Orchid
    Morningrise

    • Lord Bling

      Wow, someone putting GR above BWP. Interesting. That’s not the case with most Opeth fans.

  • Crusty Hippo

    Seems like I’m late. I will say, as far as getting into Death Metal, or better yet, as far as reaching the beginning of the explorations of far far far greater music than I ever listened to, Ghost Reveries was the first album to bring the ‘awakening’ to me that there was very intricate music out there that I was NOT listening to.

    As silly as it may sound, when I first heard The Grand Conjuration, it actually sent a chill down my spine because the chorus just sounded so… creepy, almost. But creepy in the sense of not wanting to turn my back to it. Moreso to go beyond and see what really lies within this album, as well as the band altogether. The changing with Akerfeldt’s voice had me believe at times that he wasn’t actually doing it and was using some sort of synthesizer or something. That changed quickly, of course. He is a very talented vocalist to say the least. The soft melodies as well as his brutal growls. I love it all.

    Sounds like I’m acid, but ah well. This album was the beginning for me. Other than this, I was busy listening to KoRn and bands that, to me, are no where near in comparison. This made me want to venture further, and captivated and actually motivated me to find music just like this.

    Now-a-days, Opeth remains one of, if not, my favorite band. Even if I’m more of a BWP guy, which I think is safe to say for most of the other metalheads on here, I’ll always turn to this album and consider it the beginning.

    Awesome, awesome album. Glad it’s #10.

    • groverXIII

      Well said. I had a similar experience, although I had at least moved on from Korn to more metalcore-type stuff.

      • Crusty Hippo

        Well, I haven’t listened to KoRn since that point in time. I went more metalcore as well. And I haven’t looked back!

  • Chimp-0-Neg

    The number of comments is inversely proportional to the metal-ness of the album.

  • http://www.welovemetal.com We Love Metal

    This will be popular: Top to bottom I think this album is much weaker then some others on the list. I understand its inclusion, but not this high.

  • Jonathon

    God, the comments on this site really are fucking diseased. Between shitty insults, poor grammar, and the hypocrisy of a lot of these comments, it really is a wonder that anybody hear can put on their pants without getting their dick stuck in the zipper. Christ.

    By the way. If you can make fun of hipsters and, in the same breath, say that something popular is automatically bad because more people like it, we can’t ever be friends.

  • http://www.facebook.com/roshinn Dan Wolfson

    I think Ziltoid is funny and has a valid opinion (even if I might disagree based on MY standards) and some people are just insecure or otherwise confused about what other people think and have to fight back childishly.

    you fucking faggots

  • Steven

    Yes! Been watching this list every day just to see if this album would be in it.

  • joeptc

    Clayman!!

  • Nacho Cheese Doritos

    I’m gonna have to guess there will be albums by Dillinger Escape Plan (Calculating Infinity would be nice but it’s from ’99), another Lamb of God (Ashes of the Wake), Killswitch Engage (if there gonna be on the list, I would hope Alive or Just Breathing, but probably The End of Heartache) and I guess Mastadon will get 3 w/ Crack the Skye, which sucks they get 3 (variety dudes!). I would have guessed Unearth, (The Oncoming Store) but not this high. Everybody keeps mentioning BTBAM, but I don’t see them making top 10. And unfortunantely Avenged Sevenfold’s City of Evil will make top 5. Shit…I just remembered Korn’s Follow the Leader…that album ruined Korn…(insert Korn hating comment here, eventhough most of us rocked out to their first CD). Since I’m rambling I will continue to…there’s probably a decent chance Slipknot’s self titled debut probably has a good chance too. GOD HELP US ALL!!! WE NEED MORE SLAYERRRRRRRRR!
    Have a very metal Wednesday!

    • phale

      im gonna have to guess you are very wrong.

      and follow the leader was awesome…well, it had some good things about it. but ya, after that commercial album, korn never again did anything that was less than gross. but its from the 90s anyway.

  • da wreck

    I really can’t wait to see the Zimmer’s Hole album Legion of Flames on here… Now that’s REAL metal.

  • Leviathan696

    amazing album deserves to be here.

  • ryan

    we better see another opeth album again or i will be very confused, this was a great album but not OPeths best of the 21st century.

  • Onedollarkatana

    It took me the longest time to get into Ghost Reveries–almost right up to the point Watershed was released, in fact. I do like it and I’m glad it’s on here, but I do agree that it may be the weakest of Opeth’s more recent catalogue. I say ‘may be’ because I’m having the same issue with Watershed–just can’t get much into it. Maybe I’ll start liking that one by the time the next album is ready.

    Blackwater Park, though, is beyond awesome. It’s still my favorite after all this time.

  • Mancubus

    This album is proof that not everything released on Roadrunner records in the past five years sucks horse cock. Great pick, great band although watershed is overrated as fuck.

  • Miniferret

    Great choice, my favorite Opeth album!

  • drew

    why are some people on this board such duechebags?

  • http://www.last.fm/user/Demigod1 Tyler

    I prefer Still Life, Blackwater Park, Deliverance, Damnation, and Watershed to this, but this is a great album.