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

#7: LAMB OF GOD – ASHES OF THE WAKE

Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 5:00pm by

SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER IAN CHRISTE OF BAZILLION POINTS BOOKS & SIRIUS XM RADIO
21best1

Ashes_of_the_Wake

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 #7 album, coming in with a total of 172 points…

Lamb of God, Ashes of the Wake (Epic, 2004)
Randy Blythe – Vocals
Mark Morton – Guitars
Willie Adler – Guitars
John Campbell – Bass
Chris Adler – Drums
Produced by Machine and Lamb of God

Hooray, it’s number seven — listen to all those nearly-unanimous cheers for Lamb of God!

To me, Ashes of the Wake is about as centrist as heavy metal can be in the 2000s, and it’s really the sound of a brand new well-oiled machine. On this album Lamb of God sheared away what little was left of their unkempt basement band roots, and they tightened all the joints until they resembled a non-evil Slayer* with much fresher riffs. This is a triumph of slick professionalism that should cut across generational tastes, exactly what the struggling-to-resurge metal world needed in 2004. The ultra-consistent pace, almost metronome or click track steady, releases fury on a time release basis better than anything since At the Gates’ Slaughter of the Soul. That shouldn’t be a surprising comparison to anyone with ears.

I credit Ashes of the Wake with commercially killing off nu-metal, using a better groove derived from intricate latter-day thrash bands like Testament or even Coroner. Lamb of God even corralled lost cowboys Chris Poland and Alex Skolnick back to the metal camp to play sweet guest solos here. I’d argue further that the success of this record clamped a giant garbage can lid down on the prolific scream-sing-scream-sing radio-friendly melodic metal bands of the early 2000s – all wretched panderers that were considered Lamb of God’s peers until this album. Yet to succeed these guys didn’t bite the head off a bat, knife anybody in the back, or start a feud with Kerry King. As far as I know they never resorted to wearing funny contact lenses, either. They just played a lot of shows, practiced relentlessly for ten years or so, and after 500 or so appearances at godawful energy drink festivals, they emerged a kick ass band with a bumper crop of interchangeable great riffs. (They also drank with their fans, which always helps.)

Supposedly this is an anti-war album, a tight-lipped protest against Bush’s Iraq invasion that said they disapproved but were too tough to complain too much. That was the professionalism again — you didn’t take the stage in red state territory in 2004 preaching peace and love if you wanted to sell some T-shirts. Funny then that Lamb of God never struck me as a model of democracy. Especially back then they seemed like Randy-locks and the four bears – an immaculate dust-free instrumental quartet overshadowed by the fifth member, a charismatic and sweaty Southern screamer whose antics and monster voice gave the band its wide popular appeal.

Ashes of the Wake has definitely been influential on Lamb of God – they seized this formula and have clung to it for dear life ever since. And that’s why they’re thriving and available to fly the flag for intense metal and all of its technical traditions. Are there really six more durable albums from this decade? Ask me again in ten years, but I doubt there are more than two bands that have been as fiercely loved.

—Ian Christe

In addition to being the mastermind being Bazillion Points Books and the Bazillion Points blog, Ian Christe hosts Bloody Roots on Sirius XM radio and is the author of Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal and Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga.

THE LIST SO FAR:

#8 – In Flames, Clayman

#9 – Gojira, From Mars to Sirius

#10 – Opeth, Ghost Reveries

#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

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  • Bo

    LOL.Because it was commerically successful it’s automatically no good?.Moron.Maybe people bought it because it was good.Good enough to be in the Top 10 of all time.

  • Io

    This entire list reads like the favorite albums of someone who has only been listening to metal for a year. It’s more like a list of the most popular metal albums, not the best. I grew up with most of these albums, and at best they have nostalgia value, and if I were to listen to them today for the first time, well.. And, I think this list is very telling of people involved in “modern” metal.

    • Santa Claus

      Exactly this is THEE album that got me into real metal. Like half a decade ago.

    • Uglymicrowave

      thats the point You fucking dick…

      It’s only been 9 yrs since 2000 retard

      this isn’t (best metal albums of Io)

      and for the record…everyone has a different opinion of what “metal” is…

  • Julian

    shitstorm inc

  • ZapBranigan

    Surprised this wasn’t higher.

    • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

      Me too. I honestly had this picked as #1.

      • Miguel Sanchez

        I totally agree. Well, mmmmaybe second to Colors by BTBAM. Its a close call though

  • razorsharp codpiece

    Yeah I’d give this top ten status.

    • Nate L.

      isn’t #7 in the top ten? :P

  • Anthony

    I can see this as a halfway shitstorm. But who gives a fuck? This album kicks ass, and also their best album. Maybe we’ll see Wrath or Sacrament higher, but if we don’t, this album on the list will do just fine.

    • metalguy

      no wrath or sacrament. As the palaces burm

      • d.o.g.o.b.g.y.n.

        I’d expect either As The Palaces Burn or Reinventing The Steel to be #1.

        • http://live.com 5

          reinventing the steell!
          I forgot about that album

          those are probably the top 2

        • I Hate Ziltoid aka Nacho Cheese Doritos

          I love the fact that you mentioned Reinventing the Steel, but there is no way it will be in the top 10. Pantera kicks ass, but that album was brutal. You can tell the band wasn’t into it. CFH!!!

          • DLabs

            yeah reinventing the steel kicked mega ass but I wouldn’t throw it above as the palaces burn in a hurry

    • Uglymicrowave

      this is LOG’s second best by a long shot…AtPB is defintly there number one

      these guys are the most successful band in metal…and everyone needs to deal with that….

      w/o lamb of god….people would think KOrn is metal

  • Loganarchy

    People should be happy about this, though it seems to me that everybody said this was going to be in the top 5, if not the top 3.

    • http://neverontime.wordpress.com Sleepy D

      I would agree that people should be happy about this, but when has everybody ever been happy, all at once, about this list? I’m curious to see what shitstorm this could cause as I thought it would have at least made top 5. Anyway, this album kicks much ass, that much should be agreed on by most people on here.

    • Nate L.

      yeah i agree top three sounds more accurate place for this album.

  • F

    If I’m not totally off, this list has 11 albums from USA, 2 from Sweden and one from France. Seriously, broaden your perspectives just a little bit more please. And having Mastodon and Lamb of God twice is also pretty funny. If Leviathan scores this list as well, I will laugh my fuckin’ ass off.

    • Julian

      Of course Leviathan is gonna be on here. It’s widely recognized as their best album and will probably take the top spot or bare minimum top 3. So get ready for a big hearty lol.

      • phale

        not to split hairs, but surely you mean a big hearty lmfao.

    • major

      yeah, its pretty lame but i’m not entirely surprised given the people that we’re polled for this

      • whyowhy

        Why is it lame. If a band deserves more than one spot, they deserve more than one spot. If you made an 80s list, metallica would appear more than once and as well as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest. 90s would have multiple appearances by Pantera, Death. Go away commie

        • EarthIsGay

          That go away commie made me lol…But seriously though I would have put this at 1 or 2. Great fucking album.

          • GuuGuu

            agree with whyowhy — you all can go start your own poll if you don’t like it. i’m sure you could corral dozens of interesting homeless people to cast ballots. or your high school buddies.

        • H2O

          That would be because you only listen to those bands. Same here, I’m sure if some people expanded their horizons a little more, they’d realize how Lamb of God or Pantera are absolutely nothing special and bland. An 80′s list with Maiden, Judas Priest or Death consisting a big part of it? You’re kidding, there is SO much 80′s albums that kills.

          • whyowhy

            I’m saying that those bands had multiple albums that were good. Of course they’re not the only bands that would be listed, but they’d be mentioned more than once

      • Uglymicrowave

        hey ass holes…WITHOUT LOG everyone would think metal is SYSTEM OF A DOWN

        • ryan

          hahaha……… the truth

  • metalguy

    like it or not, you know this album deserves a spot. its place on the list is debatable, but its signifigance to 21st century metal is not

  • http://metallattorney.blogspot.com shadowking86

    I’m not the biggest Lamb of God fan in the world, but this is a very good album. It’s an acceptable album for the list. #7? No, but that’s fine.

  • ozzyzak

    Fuck yes.

  • Cisco

    No arguement here.

  • major

    color me surprised

  • Mynamesucks

    As the human torch would say flame on!

  • http://www.themetalreporter.net TMR

    MOTHER FUCK’ YEAH!!!

    sweeeeet.

  • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

    I personally like Wrath better and I guess we could still it.

    Lamb of God continue to impress with me with their ability to write creative, catchy riffs that are heavy as fuck and…surprise they hardly ever tune down! A lot of bands could learn from that. Tuning down does not mean heavier…

    • Watty

      They don’t drop down to say A# or C, but they do almost all their songs (at least as far as I’ve heard) in drop D. Anytime you drop the 6th string to make playing power chords and such more easily, you’re definitely shying away from being heavy in a standard tuning like Opeth (hell, even Gojira used a standard tuning on Oroborus, and that song’s intro intro is heavier than anything that LoG has come out with).

      I like them, but that’s really all they do – write riffs I mean. A lot of their material is simply one riff leading to another, leading into another. They definitely make it work, but I really don’t think they deserve two spots on this list, let alone that both of the picks so far haven’t been Wrath…

      • GuuGuu

        YES! great comment

      • Go Pens!

        I believe Oroborus is a full step down IIRC.

        • slave_screams

          Yup

        • Watty

          Oroborus is in D standard, hence why I said “a” standard tuning….

          • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

            Yes they do tune down to D in basically every song. When I say tune down I am implying to dropping all the strings. Gojira tunes a full step down. I guess I should have been more specific
            Gojira utilize that tuning very well though. They still play 1 finger bar chords a lot though, which gives most of what they play that dissonant sound.
            Your absolutely right when it comes to their music though, completely riff driven, probably why so many people like them. Hard to come up with a vocal hook when all your doing is screaming, better write some awesome catchy riffs. I would have taken this album off the list entirely and put wrath in instead.

      • SourDeez

        I would argue that riffs are by far the most important aspect of any good metal band. In other words, there is no good metal that doesn’t have a shitload of good riffs, and most bands that have a lot of kickass riffs are quite good.

      • Nate L.

        a) they deserve two spots wholeheartedly imo.

        b) The Way of All Flesh will land a top 5 spot I’m sure of it.

    • H2O

      Eh, do you know what heavy means? Sure it’s not only about tuning, but the sound and riffs. But listen to Bolt Thrower (World Eater, Cenotaph), they tune really down their guitars, and are there really many bands who are heavier than them? The riffing is killer too. And seriously, saying Lamb of God writes creative riffs means you barely listen to anything else. There’s TONS of bands who are far more creative, write more complex songs, are catchy or heavy than them. I could do a list of hundreds of bands.

      • bucketochicken

        Hundreds of bands:

        Go.

        • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

          Yeah lets hear them. Key word here being catchy…Yeah there are bands that play random shit all across the fret board but you arent going to remember a fucking note.
          “saying Lamb of God writes creative riffs means you barely listen to anything else” Not quite sir. I listen to everything across the board. There are a reason why there are more people that like this band than the obscure dumb ass metal you and ziltoid listen to. They create a hook. If other bands could write half the riffs these guys could they would. But as to your list to bands who are so much better lets hear it….

          • Double D

            I’ll give you a start:
            #1: Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine

            You gotta take it from there…

        • H2O

          Abigail, Absu, Agenda of Swine, Agent Steel, Amebix, Amon Amarth, Anatomia, Angel Dust, Antigama, Arch Enemy, Arkhon Infaustus, Asphyx, Astrofaes, Behemoth, Birds of Prey, Birhunasha, Blind Guardian, Bolt Thrower, Brutal Truth, Cannibal Corpse, Cathedral, Cephalic Carnage, Corrupted, Cradle of Filth, Coffins, Dark Tranquillity, Darkthrone, Dawn, Decapitated, Deceased, Destroyer 666, Destruction, Dio, Dismember, Drudkh, Dusk, Edge of Sanity, Electric Wizard, Emperor, Ensiferum, Entombed, Fastkill, Finntroll, Fornost, Fuck the Facts, Gargoyle, Grand Magnus, Hail of Bullets, Heaven and Hell, Hellveto, High on Fire, Holy Death, Holy Moses, Horna, Hypocrisy, Iced Earth, Immortal, Insect Warfare, Insomnium, Invasion, Audio Kolapps, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Jungle Rot, Kreator, Kypck, Magane, Manegarm, Mayhem, Megadeth, Metalucifer, Mezzerschmitt, Mgla, Mithotyn, Moonsorrow, Moonspell, Morbid Angel, Motorhead, Municipal Waste, Musta Surma, Napalm Death, Nasum, Necronomicon, Necrophagia, Nile, Nightwish, Nokturnal Mortum, Obituary, Obscura, Old Wainds, Opeth, Orange Goblin, Origin, Pan.thy.monium, Pentacle, Pentagram, Pestilence, Psycroptic, Primordial, Quo Vadis, Reverend Bizarre, Sabbat (UK), Sabbat(Jpn), Sad Legend, Samael, Scale the Summit, Sigh, Shadow, Sodom, Suidakra, Taake, Tank, Testament, Therion, The Chasm, Toxic Holocaust, Underdark, Unheartly Trance, Valhom, Venom, Volcano, Voivod, Wolves in the Throne Room, Yngizarm, Zuriaake.

          I don’t have albums of every band I like, think is more original than Lamb of God and have released an album (better than any lamb of god, machine head, deftones, in flames (well the old albums are enjoyable) or slipknot, this century.

          • Double D

            I don’t like Lamb of God, either. But, I did notice you didn’t have Richard Cheese in there. Serious omission.

          • H2O

            Who’s that guy? And LoG aren’t the only catchy band as far as I know… riffs? They like write the most lacklustre and half-assed thrash riff along Pantera and newer Anthrax. Ok, not all of the bands I stated are super catchy, but a bunch are. I’ll restate Bolt Thrower, they are catchy, heavy as fuck and write actual RIFFS that do something other than being bouncy.

          • bucketochicken

            I disagree. You lose.

          • Matt52

            yeah ur talking shit about LOG? You have fucking Finntroll, Cradle of Filth and Nightwish (just to name a few.) Thats like faggy D&D metal. You must be 400 pounds and sit on ur computer in your mother’s basement all day long. How does that third bag of Cool Ranch Doritos taste? You must masturbate to asian porn all day long because God knows you don’t have a girlfriend/ are still a virgin. Thats the problem with this site, there is a disconnect between the people who live in reality, and these sorry mofos who fight elves online every day. Have fun wearing a cape and slaying dragons.

          • Apoptosis

            “Have fun wearing a cape and slaying dragons.”
            Have fun making sweeping generalisations whenever someone doesn’t agree with you.

            Oh, and also have fun being a rapist. Because only a rapist would like Lamb of God.

            (By the way, in case anyone’s curious, I’m replying to H20 because for some reason the site won’t let me reply to Matt52.)

          • Andrew

            Matt52…
            “Thats like faggy D&D metal. ”

            And then there’s the morons who thing “fag” is an insult. Some of us are proud to be gay.

          • H2O

            hahaha… Seriously, that’s like 3 bands out of 120. A big bunch of those have far more balls than the LOG guys could ever dream to have. Are heavier, more crushing, more metal and have actual riffs and vocals. I guess you only stated those bands because you don’t know any others on my list.

          • Biff Tanner

            Excellent list. Especially the inclusion of FASTKILL.
            they sound like early Slayer on meth. Amazing riffs and terrific, unique vocals.

      • Tim

        Well said. Groove thrash wasn’t good in ’94, wasn’t good in ’04 and still isn’t good. Why listen to shit like this when there really are hundreds are bands that wrote/are writing better riffs and better songs?

        • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

          Yeah there is a reason he doesn’t know those bands. Cause they blow donkey dick. I am sorry H20 but you just put nightwish on your list….I will now pass over your posts. hahaha nightwish…dumbass

    • ShiggyShack

      A perfect example of writing crushing riffs without having to down tune is Antrhax’s “Among the Living” The beginning of that song kills

  • bucketochicken

    Did I miss something when I read through that?

    To what is the asterisk (“…a non-evil Slayer*”) referring?

    • http://blog.bazillionpoints.com Ian Christe

      Good eye, greasy mitts! That * pointed towards a 600-word explanation how in D&D terms Slayer are Lawful Evil and LOG are Lawful Neutral.

      • bucketochicken

        Hmmm… yeah, I could see that, I guess. I think I’d see LoG as more Good than Neutral though. Tough to say – it’s pretty subjective.
        What about say, Rage Against the Machine? Chaotic Good? I guess only a band like Fugazi could truly be considred Chaotic, but RATM would have to be pretty fuckign close, I would think. Too bad they had a relatively low Constitution which led to their eventual demise. That or they failed one too many Saving Throws.

        As for LoG, I would have to say they have a much higher Dexterity (not to mention Wisdom & Intelligence) than does Slayer, but I think Slayer would probably take them in term s Strength/Constitution. Certainly more Hit Points (but they’re higher level, so that’s to be expected, I s’pose).

        Anyway, nice write-up, fellow nerd.

        • http://live.com 5

          What are you talking about
          Stop rabbling pointlessly

          • bucketochicken

            What are we talking about?
            Games for people who tend to read a lot of books, I guess you could say.

          • groverXIII

            And when he says books, he means ‘books that don’t have cardboard pages’.

        • Cy Sperling

          This is my favorite post ever. You easily made the saving throw vs boring.

          • bucketochicken

            I’m wearing a +10 Excitement Cloak.

          • groverXIII

            I’ll bet that’s a hit with the ladies, too.

        • IncarnationOfEvil

          So Good metal is better than Evil metal now? Selling your soul to the devil is not a Good idea anymore?

          • bucketochicken

            Tough to sell anything thses days…

        • groverXIII

          Hahahahaha… RATM must have made their saving throw vs. death, because they got back together for some shows. Either that or someone reanimated their corpse.

          I don’t really see any of these bands as Lawful anything, though… at best, neutral evil and true neutral?

          (Glad I’m not the only nerd around here.)

          • jason

            *ogre standing at the top of the frat house*
            “NERRDDDSS!!!!”

          • groverXIII

            I was waiting for that… that’s almost obligatory. Well-played, sir jason.

          • Jason

            thank you sir…and with that I bid you all a good weekend!

          • phale

            haha saving throw vs death…poor chuck.

        • slave_screams

          Fugazi chaotic in what sense? Individualism, resisting the mainstream, writing music that made the listener actually think about what they were listening to? Their music has incredible power, with a message, but I wouldn’t consider it chaotic, you have to go back to the 60′s for true revolution. I can’t argue with the placement of this record tho, it stands out as one of the best metal records of the past few years, as is still their best record imo

          • bucketochicken

            Not the same definition of “chaotic.”

          • Anselmowitz

            G G Allin was chaotic, that was what, late 80′s? We need more motherfuckers like him.

        • zmh426

          win for all metal nerds

      • groverXIII

        Ian, have you ever considered dropping the ‘e’ in your last name? I mean, Ian Christ would be kind of an awesome name.

        • http://blog.bazillionpoints.com Ian Christe

          No, but I tried dropping all the letters and having no name. Very lonely.

          • Keith Brown

            Haha, classy

    • http://www.myspace.com/euphanism Zack

      I didn’t see it either.

      • Double D

        You guys have me lost. Really. I read books all the time (without cardboard pages) and still have no idea what you’re talking about…

  • Watty

    From Mars to Sirius is definitely a better album than this, and so is Ghost Reveries…

    Don’t get me wrong, I like me some Lamb of God, but they’re a one trick pony. At any rate, I think Wrath is a better album than this one was.

    I also agree with “F.” The voters’ panel needs to broaden their perspectives a bit. It seems like they’re really only focusing on the stuff they are familiar with, not the stuff that necessarily deserves to be on the list. I’m still waiting to see stuff like “Above The Weeping World” by Insomnium…that album is fucking amazing.

    • Tom

      Fuck yes what an album! Don’t hold your breath though.

    • http://www.myspace.com/1033metal Jackson

      why would they vote for something they arent familiar with? Thats like me saying the new transformers is the greatest movie this decade, but I havent seen it.

    • http://www.crescentshield.com Dan

      “Above The Weeping World” by Insomnium is better than anything on this list in my book. But you won’t see it here, that’s a given.

      • i think

        great album……..

    • toolhasaids

      oh shit, good call. such an awesome album.

  • joshkid

    This is my most favorite album of the deacde, awesome! Even guys that aren’t fans of LOG gotta admit that this is an insane album!
    Metallica & LOG @ MSG, I’ll be there!!!

  • http://metalinjection.net RobInjection

    Great writeup!

  • King Cheezit

    I hate when hipsters swear off Lamb of God because they are in fucking charge of American Metal right now! They blew up from the underground because the underground rose up with them! This band rocks, this album is influential and their reign is torrential!

    • Don King

      Thanks, Iron Mike. Do you want to eat his children, too? Asalama laika lida… Praise be to Allah!

  • Nate L.

    this will be their highest unfortunately. should be higher.

    but i’m pretty sure that palaces/wrath/sacrament won’t/don’t/can’t top it.

  • jason

    I am not a fan of LOG, but I am a huge fan of Ian Christe’s writing and don’t doubt a word of the write up.

  • http://live.com 5

    I figured that this album would be number 1

    I count 2 Mastodon albums, 1 (2?) Lamb of God album(s), and I pray 1 Opeth album that should probably made the list.

    But what others chould show up?

    • bucketochicken

      Ladder Up the Ass?

  • kevin

    “Supposedly this is an anti-war album”

    Have you actually listened to this album? How could you possibly be unsure of something like that after hearing a song like “now you’ve got something to die for”? Or ummm, hey idk, maybe just looking at the album cover art?

  • groverXIII

    Palaces is my favorite LoG album, but this is a close second. Great album, heavy as fuck, and much better production than on Palaces (I just like the songs on Palaces better). I am kinda surprised this didn’t make number one considering how popular this album is, but the fact that it’s on the list is good enough for me.

    • sinistatroy

      that is spot on with how i feel also. the songs are just fucking better on Palaces. i’m not knocking this one but 11th Hour? Defense of our good name? cant top em!!

  • http://live.com 5

    My mom wouldn’t let me buy this ablum until a few months ago because of thier name, and then she borrowed a copy from a guy she works forshe read that one part in “What I’ve Become” where they refrence “Amazing Grace” and freaked out and was all like “AHHH! all of their songs are old hymns made evil!”
    She let me buy their albums because I was like chill out. Its that one song and read the meaning behind the words.

    • bucketochicken

      She loves you and is just trying to look out for you. I think that’s very nice.

      • Double D

        That was very kind, bucket. You really could have torn this young buck a new one there…

    • phale

      your mom is a reactionary religious control freak? so thats what kind of people like lamb of god…now i understand.

      • i think

        HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA

    • Anselmowitz

      Kill your mum & go buy a slayer album. Thank me later.

  • Rik

    Meh, Palaces is better.

    • groverXIII

      It’ll probably be higher on the list… it’ll be an injustice if it’s not.

      • http://live.com 5

        New American Gosple made it so As The Palaces Burn has to

        • slave_screams

          I would be surprised if there was another LOG record on the list, you still have Blackwater Park/Watershed – Obzen/Catch 33 – Leviathant/Crack the Skye to go, plus at least 1 album that will cause a collective dropping of the jaw, poor Ziltoid, I can just picture him pacing up and down the room

          • Sandwiches

            If meshuggah doesn’t show up pretty I’m gonna punch ziltoid right in the clit

          • Sandwiches

            ^pretty soon. Derp

          • Rik

            Watershed really shouldn’t be on the list. Blackwater Park has to be though…

  • Marcorona

    Lamb Of God, fuck yeah!!…

  • Simon

    Ashes is good, but Palaces is much more interesting.

    Btw I hope there will be some Nevermore on the list? Maybe some This Godless Endeavor?

    • slave_screams

      Great record, but it won’t be on the list

  • Mancubus

    I’m surprised that this is #7. AotW was the album that kept me somewhat interested in metal during the mid 2000s. This and The Oncoming Storm. I officially became a metal nut again in 2006 but AotW was able to grasp my attention at a time when I first heard KSE and SF and considered metal dead due to the clean choruses. Then again, I was a high school kid who liked what was forcefed to him by the radio at the time but for any metal album to grab my attention at the time was incredible. This album should at least make the top 5.

    Oh, and if Miss Machine or Codex Necro isn’t on the list, then I’m going to be incredibly, unbelievably pissed.

    • Jason

      you liked miss machine better than ire works?

      • slave_screams

        Ire works is a more rounded record, but the purists would burn it, not enough chug chug wee wee!

        • Jason

          I agree…to me Miss Machine is a transitional record. DEP is one of the few bands that has been able to bring their fan base with them as their sound changes. I loved Calculating, but I think I like the melodic stuff on Ire even more. Maybe I’m just getting old.

          • slave_screams

            Ditto, for me bands like Opeth, Dillinger, Mastodon, BTBAM etc set themselves apart when they take the foot of the distortion pedal and inject melody in with the madness – There are plenty of bands who play at 100miles an hour all the time, but for me there has to be a few other colours in the mix than just black and grey – I like blue and red goddammit!

          • Anselmowitz

            True, I don’t know many ppl that prefer old DEP to new. Ill chuck Irony is a Dead Scene on every so often but after all the clone bands hit Calculating lost some of its spark to me. Mouth of Ghosts > any DEP song imo.

          • Jason

            Love that song. That shit is moving.

      • Sandwiches

        I think miss machine is definitely the better album. Goddamnit where is the Dillinger on this list? I’m pretty surprised kse hasn’t showed up either

    • slave_screams

      And whatever chance you have of Dillinger being on the list, Anaal Nathrakh chances would be zero I’d imagine

      • j-rock

        I don’t know, honestly i’ve always found DEP’s more melodic songs to carry more breadth. Either way, they walk the line between serene and chaotic in a style few other artists can accomplish.

        • j-rock

          Also, never heard Anaal Nathrakh they seem to have gained quite a following though. Anyone know what the name is supposed to mean?

          • slave_screams

            Name means ‘serpents breath’ iirc

          • http://www.evertype.com/misc/charm.html phale

            its in their wikipedia article.

  • Piero

    Reminds me that I am seeing them live on tuesday, and that is gonna be fuckin’ amazing…

  • uLy

    This is a fantastic album no doubt. Definitely worthy of top 10.

  • Ross

    Too high for a LOG album. I’m guessing three of the six remaining albums are going to be Mastodon and Opeth. Would love to see Sunn O))), Baroness, and Genghis Tron take the other three spots but knowing these idiots it’s going to be Trivium, God Forbid, and Metallica.

    • Harry

      Yeah I was really hoping for Red Album too, but at this point that’s pretty much impossible.

  • I Hate Ziltoid aka Nacho Cheese Doritos

    Very nice! LoG has done nothing but bring a good name to the metal family. I would have liked to see As The Palaces Burn on this list, but I don’t think it will now. Palaces should have been on instead of Black Label, although there is no other goose bump rising song than Black Label! CFH!!! Have a merry drunken weekend!… except for Ziltoid.

    • slave_screams

      Poor Ziltoid, he’s only 20 after all, I shudder to think how arrogant my opinions were at 20

      • Watty

        Before seeing this list, I would have ventured to say that I thought that most metal-heads were smarter and slightly less arrogant than most other people (at least the ones I’ve met), but now….I take it back…

        I do take offense though. Age has very little to do with how arrogant an opinion can be; knowledge on the other hand…

        • youcantkillthe metal

          You’re absolutely right. Looking back, I have to say that I am embarrassed to have engaged in this level of discourse. In doing so, I have contributed to, and thereby perpetuated the stereotype that metalheads are some sort of intellectually inferior social group, which we all know is bullshit. Suffice to say, I regret engaging in such juvenile discussion and childish name calling. I guess it was borne of my disdain towards ridiculous comments posted here by certain users.
          Ziltoid, if you’re listening, I apologise. I still think you are a small minded idiot, however, that does not warrant such rude and hostile dialogue as I have directed towards you. Please continue posting your very limited points of view.
          PS: Your use of the moniker ‘Ziltoid’ is a misnomer. The irony is that you lack the cognitive capacity to recognise this, and the stones to admit it.

      • http://www.myspace.com/437666934 Noel

        dude, im 17 and i have a wider spectrum of music than ziltoid will probly ever have. its about the person, not the age.

        • Double D

          That sounds like something a 17 year old would say. However, at 17 I was a music nazi. Literally, thats what I was called at school.

          • Double D

            I had no idea some of you guys were so young…

          • SourDeez

            Judging by the inanity of a lot of the comments on here, I though everyone was under 18.

  • I Hate Ziltoid aka Nacho Cheese Doritos

    Oops…I meant New American Gospel. Too many Black Labels.

  • WookieBastage

    Still my favorite of their albums

  • lolwut

    this is the cd what got me into american metal for years i never new we had a powerhouse in the us as big as these guys were when i found out about them fuck wrath and sacrament atpb and aotw are there nbest work and nag was very infunentuial as well

  • cink

    where the fuck is Killswitch?

    • angelcrusher!!

      i bet they will make the top 5

      • Jesse

        No Killswitch album is better than this, none at all.

        • Anthony

          I agree, though I can’t help but feel that Alive or Just breathing will end up on this list.

          I was hoping for Unearth’s The Oncoming Storm to be on this list, but since we’re in the top 6 now, I doubt it’ll be there.

  • angelcrusher!!

    i wanna see btbam – colors/alaska, killswitch – alive or just breathing, and maybe amon amarth

  • H2O

    Seriously… None of those albums would be in my top 60… TWO LoG album?!?! Machine Head? and all those non metal albums? HAHAHA This year only has seen better albums than any posted here, ie Obscura, Absu, Kreator, Jungle Rot, Metalucifer, Antigama, Asphyx, Beherit, Heaven and Hell, Cannibal Corpse and all those not yet out that will surely kill anything in here; Sodom, Carnivore, Sigh, Hypocrisy etc. Do you guys only listen to what little metal goes on tv and is “the in thing”? Shame some people’s expectations are so low. And we’re 9 years in the century… meaning there’s probably more than 60 better album than those.

    not in order list and probably not ok since I don’t want to go through the exercise of finding all the album I own from that period and decide which is better than the other. And only one album per band for some sense of fairness. And these are only albums present on my computer (I have some vinyls) from bands and albums I know, some may be better than those here.

    1. Bolt Thrower – Those Once Loyal (death metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsbJXpnaW0&feature=related
    2. Drudkh – Forgotten Legend (atmospheric black metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVK3il62Fxg
    3. Ensiferum – s/t or Iron (viking/folk metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4-SXOnDzxg
    4. Hypocrisy – Virus (death metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e1UBsanpPQ&feature=related
    5. Kreator – Enemy of God (thrash metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64K00Uamjn0
    6. Metalucifer – Heavy Metal Bulldozer or Heavy Metal Chainsaw (heavy metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syMpnsu-Tbc
    7. Moonsorrow – V: Havitetty (folk/viking/black metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arAkTYsfbTs
    8. Obscura – Cosmogenesis (technical death metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLX-0TAqOdQ&feature=related
    9. Quo Vadis – Defiant Imagination (technical death metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep_9S9WH8TI
    10. Reverend Bizarre – In the Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend (doom metal) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CibxhxngDzs&feature=related (not from the album)
    11. Sabbat (Jpn) – Karmagmassacre or Satanasword (thrash) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muWkwj1xUmw
    12. Sigh – Imaginary Sonicscape (?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgCfWKblFHE&feature=related
    13. Sodom – s/t or M16 (thrash) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa6cINHLqRc
    14. Toxic Holocaust – An Overdose of Death (thrash/punk) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jzd4JujfSU
    15. Absu – s/t (black/thrash) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b_3a2fn0aQ
    16. Cephalic Carnage – Xenosapien (technical dm) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM1yhU0dBFM
    17. Dark Tranquillity – Damage Done (melodic dm) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cx0WMH24J0&feature=related
    18. Coffins – Mortuary in Darkness (doom/death) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuRd_Q43TT8
    19. Destroyer 666 – Phoenix Rising (death/black) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax7cdHiZ010
    20. Magane – Mortes Saltantes (japanese back/folk) http://www.myspace.com/maganeyomimetal (Tsavulafi)
    21. Napalm Death – Smear Campaign (death/grind) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIRUzqHTNh8

    So go and learn, yeah I had time to waste.

    • Canvas Of Flesh

      Wow, great list fella. I’m a huge fan of Bolt Thrower, Absu, and Destroyer 666.

    • Fizzy G

      fyi you’re a terrible terrible person because you don’t have any mainstream acts on that list.

      you’re a stupid closed minded loser yeah.

    • Biff Tanner

      I gotta agree with your list nearly 100%. My Drudkh pick would be “Blood in our Wells”,followed closely by “Autumn Aurora”.
      I would also place “Cold Steel for an Iron Age” above “Phoenix Rising”….although “I am the Wargod” off Phoenix is probably the best song they’ve ever written….but I think Cold Steel….is more solid overall.
      As far as 21st century Sodom, “M-16″ hands down, although the s/t is awesome as well. Can’t wait to hear the new one. Also looking forward to the new Sigh.

      The people voting for this list have a VERY, very limited view of metal. Looking back through the list, I’ve made the unsettling discovery that ALL of these albums listed can be puchased at Best Buy. That is certainly not a good sign if all your music cravings can be fullfilled at a chain retail store.

      H20- besides the Nightwish, you and I seem to have the exact same taste in music. Metalucifier!!! Sabbat!!! FastKill…. Jap metal rules. DARKNESS AND EVIIIIIIILLLLL !!!

      • H2O

        Eastern Force of Evil!!
        Actually it’s been a looong time since I listened to Nightwish, but yeah I admit to love some of it.
        Phoenix Rising is actually my only D666 album shame…
        hey you’ll hear me scream on Prelude to the Oracle from the next Sigh album, I’ll also be in the videoclip! Well we were just a bunch of fans screaming the chorus and getting crazy, awesome.
        Oh and I recently saw, new Sabbat album early 2010! It was time!!

        Yeah they have a limited view on metal, and there are Lamb of God, Shadows Fall guys and others from that kind of music, so the list looses a LOT of credibility.

        And lol no mainstream stuff? I hope (and think) it wasn’t serious. Hell I’m sure some people don’t even know who are Sodom and Kreator…

  • metalguy

    and it has good artwork

  • Jesse

    Fantastic choice for #7. I wouldn’t be surprised to see As the Palaces Burn pop up on this list either. This album broke the barrier between Slipknot and death metal for me. I learned that metal can be catchy and insanely heavy at the same time.

    Psycroptic wouldn’t be a bad choice somewhere in the rest of the list either. (ob)Servant is a fucking masterpiece of an album.

  • fightingmike

    Good choice! This is the only LOG record i own and i dont really need to get any others. The production is the best of all of their records on here and it is the first record that you could actually understand what Randy is saying. This should be top 10. Not quite up to Pantera’s level, but as close as they come without being a ripoff.

  • grymmbear

    AMAZING album, though I was expecting it to place higher.

    If Blut Aus Nord’s “The Work Which Transforms God” makes it on here, I will shit a fuckin’ brick.

    • Kye

      It definitely should be on here…but I’d say that’s a very small chance

    • Biff Tanner

      Blut Aus Nord?? HA . We wish. That album is indeed amazing. Unfortunatly, I’ve noticed that in order for an album to make this list, it must be available for instore purchase at Best Buy. Thats a bright red flag that these people really don’t know much metal.

  • SourDeez

    This is a pretty good album, but besides a few awesome riffs I think the 3 before this (including BtP) slay this one completely. This album brings back great memories though, they played in NY the day it was released and to this day it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I’ve sort of stopped listening to Lamb of God, especially since their last 2 shitty albums, but they are ridiculous live.

  • American hate

    Good choice – Id prefer this to be in the top 5, but this record is hands down the best on this list so far. this album and the war within made me realize back in 04 that metal bands outside of the old guard could actually kick major ass.

    I am now awaiting Reinventing the Steel and Brave New World to pop up.

  • SP420

    Biggest joke on this list so far. Unbelievable. How could Lamb of God’s most commercially successful album be seen with such merit by so many people?

    • bucketochicken

      I think you just answered your own question.

      • SP420

        Well, I like rhetoric.

    • Dlabs

      well……look at what you just wrote

  • miguel_g(Peru)

    great choise, however I’ve been more into Wrath these days…..the only problem that I found with this album is the very few traditional guitar solos in it.

  • harbingerofdoom

    Good, respectable pick, but certainly not a favorite album of mine. Lamb of God, and this album in particular, did play a vital role in drawing me away from the more mundane metalcore I was listening to in 2004, but it hasn’t really had any holding power on me five years after the fact. Nevertheless, when are we going to see The Red Chord’s Prey for Eyes or even Akeldama from The Faceless? Easily top 5 material, IMHO.

    • Double D

      Never. And I’m not being a dick. You will not see those albums on this list.

  • Tim

    This must only make it because Pantera’s album this decade was too fucking terrible to put up here. LoG fucking blows.

  • Matt52

    IMO best album so far….this album got me out of listening to fag shit like Disturbed and Slipknot. I was never into screaming until I heard Randy on this album. After I got used to it, it opened alot of doors for me musically, and I haven’t looked back since. I can honestly say I like each and every fuckin one of these songs, maybe except for Omerta (which people seem to like anyway, its too simplistic for me.) But thats what this album sort of is, straight up in your face, dareisay brutal, metal that sticks in your head and demands repeated listens. Anyone who doesn’t agree, I guess you are entitled to your own opinion and I guess im a little younger (21) but go see these guys live, and tell me that shit doesn’t give you a hard on. They keep evolving, and I have managed to enjoy all of their albums including most of Sacrament(which everyone hates.) I know I’m rambling but I love this album and this band is what I think of when I think of metal or if I want to get any of my friends into the genre. Btw, when they Black Label at their concerts, it feels like Im losing my virginity again in that Wall of Death. Hail Satan

    • Tim

      Terrible live band. Blythe has all the stage presence of an octogenarian in a wheel chair on oxygen.

      • SourDeez

        You’re just saying that to piss people off. You’ve clearly never attended a Lamb of God show.

        • Tim

          Except that I’ve seen them at least three times (I only say at least because they are a non-entity for me as far as live bands go), the first time almost ten years ago when they were touring for New American Gospel. They are bad on album and annoying live. I can understand why people think they are intense live, that is if they’ve never seen a death metal or grindcore show. Once you’ve seen Brutal Truth or Today Is The Day or Soilent Green in a 450 square foot room packed with a hundred people, shit like LoG is just boring.

          • SourDeez

            I’ve been to hundreds and hundreds of death metal and grindcore shows, including Brutal Truth and Today Is The Day. they’re awesome but the vast majority of shows I’ve been to have consisted of the band standing there and rocking out and the crowd standing still for the most part. It’s all about being crushed by volume, but as far as crowd and band energy goes, I find death metal shows tend to be lacking. I much prefer listening to that type of music than listening to Lamb of God, but I would much rather see a live band whose guitarists are never standing in one place for more than two seconds and whose singer is barking orders at the audience constantly. And a band with a killer lightshow that actually syncs up to their music, and a sound person who knows how to make metal sound good instead of just loud. That is a rarity for death metal shows.

      • meepins

        LoG was amazing when I saw them April 23rd. You’re wrong.

        • j-rock

          “Losing my virginity again in that wall of death” god bless ya kid.

      • Dlabs

        Lamb of God = Best show Ive been to

  • Rancidcorpse

    YES very good album

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

    Okay……very very nice. For some reason, I thought this might get skipped over (somehow). Solid choice. The top 10 is lookin’ pretty damn good so far.

  • Geek Beater

    This is the best album on the entire list and still kicks ass to this day. This album will never grow old or tired. It is their best album by a longshot. Wrath better be nowhere near this list.

  • snagon

    Lamb of God are not my favorite metal band but this is definitely my pick of the ones i have listened to. I feel really stumped as far as the rest goes. Left on my board is blackwater park, leviathan, crack the skye, time waits for no slave, death is this communion, and quite a few others that are escaping me at the moment. not sayin all of them belong on the list just some i think will show up

    • Double D

      Holy Fuck, I hope Death is this Communion is on this list. Good call, brutha.

      • Loganarchy

        I agree. I don’t think many people appreciate Death is This Communion. It’s a truly great album.

        • Double D

          That’s funny, I’m listening to it right now.

  • shreddies

    There should be a rule for no band being allowed to appear twice on the list.

    • snagon

      i can agree with that i would like to see 21 individual bands up here just as much as the next guy. there are plenty that are deserving but hey these list have there share of ups and downs

    • Double D

      Once again, you guys have been raised in this ridiculous “everyone deserves a trophy” generation. If a band has several good albums over a decade, why deny them their multiple spots on the list?

      • Harry

        Yeah, this is probably an after-effect of the self-esteem movement that recently took hold in public education.

      • Edika

        It is not about everybody deserving a trophy and yes LOG has multiple good albums as well as Mastodon but there are other bands in this decade that have produced better albums than at least one of the two mentioned for these two bands! Alist with 5 albums of one band, 3 of another band and so on only shows the limitations of the people voting in this list.
        And yes MS is not responsible for the list and yes it is about us bitching so that is what I am doing :)!

    • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

      This is a list of the band ALBUMS, not BANDS. There’s a slight difference here.

  • Ben

    As the palaces burn has no chance of being on this list. Not nearly as influential as AOTW. Also that Pantera album has no chance either, it kinda sucked compared to their other, earlier stuff.

  • Vlad

    Lamb of God? Ugh.

  • Leviathan696

    finally!!! been waiting for this album to show up, a brutal and amazing album… now im gonna have to wait for As the places burn to show up

  • Harry

    I like Lamb of God, but I’m not a big fan of the vocals. It might just be that they’re too high in the mix.

  • Anthony

    Great album, but im suprised to see so many people say they enjoyed Wrath. Dont get me wrong, i do too, but you guys really think it should be on this list?

  • ryan

    this is really no that good of an album. i personally think that new american gospel is far more better than ashes of the wake.

  • bearwizard

    lets see some tr00 death metal up in this bitch

  • Lord Bling

    Meh. I like this album, but Palaces is better. It could still show up though.

    Get ready for Death Magnetic to be #1!

    • Double D

      Fuck, that would be awesome.

      • Double D

        But unfortunately, Lord Bling, that could be a “Day that never comes”! HAHAHAHAHOHOHOHO! Holy fuck, I am funny!

  • OBEY1019

    I can’t believe this is so high on the list this is a pretty bland cd to me.

  • Phillip

    I’m not a big fan of this album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quality, but it’s so bland.

    As The Palaces Burn runs circles around this album. Best LaG album by far. Hopefully it makes an appearance in the top 5.

  • scene kid

    more like that hellyea album

  • SourDeez

    This album is pretty good, but I think their best album by far is already on the list. Plus, I’m kind of pissed that Vehemence’s “God Was Created”, Type O Negative’s “Dead Again”, and Akercocke’s “Choronzon” clearly won’t make the list at this point. There’s definitely a middle ground between albums that blew up the industry and super-obscure “kvlt” shit. No one expects Ulcerate to make the list, but a few sleepers would have been appreciated. The list has been quite predictable. Allright, that’s all the bitching I’m gonna do about the list itsself.

    • TrapThem

      NO type o negative album will ever make any list…ever

  • (required)

    Surely there will be a Meshuggah album coming up soon. A Dillinger album is a given, I’m thinking Miss Machine. I bet Leviathan is up there somewhere. Judging from the rest of this list, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Killswitch Engage album pop up. The rest, I have no idea. If we could only get our hands on a copy of Fred Durst’s iPod database…

    • (required)

      Oh yeah, I’d say a Chimaira record sounds pretty plausible too.

  • Selaphiel

    The only LOG album I honestly enjoy.

  • Astral Zombie

    you guys are gonna shit when you see Death Magnetic is Number 1!

  • thestormmaster

    Hmmm Chris Adler is the first panelist listed and this is the 2nd LOG album on the list. I think someone might have stuffed the ballet box, but I would have thought he would have got ashes as #1. He needs some republicans from Florida to show him how to stuff a ballet box right.

    • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

      Do you really think that low of Chris? Come on, no self respecting human being would do that. Besides even if he gave LOG albums all top spots on his ballot, that wouldn’t change that much

      • thestormmaster

        SARCASM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • phale

          sarcasm is way funnier when you let it hang. douche.

  • Mike

    Can you guys please add some good albums for the final few albums? I want to save money on The End Records sale that gives 12% off for each one in this list. 12% off mallcore albums doesn’t help me much.

  • CYN1C

    Third time in a row this week, this album was the also the 1st I heard from Lamb of God, and they are now in my top favorite bands. This album is a fucking american metal masterpiece of the kinds we don’t see anymore. Well worth it. Still my favorite from LoG.

  • Walker

    I personally always looked at As the Palaces as the most influential of all their records, hell I think it was the record that really hooked me into metal. Ashes is the record that hooked a lot more people. Hell, fucking guitar hero even made that god awful Laid to Rest version on part two. Now for the rest of the list I think BTBAM has to show up sooner or later, I think Darkest Hour should be on the list but they probably wont be. KIllswitch’s Alive or Just Breathing defined an entire genre. I personally would love to see Chimaira make the list too but who knows? Overall I own every record on this list except that Black Meddle on, IM just flat out not into any of that, is that bad?

  • Jesse

    I think Sacrament will make it. Not my favorite Log album, but it just seems like this album will make it based on the wide popularity increase after its release.

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

    but seriously.. Korn is coming up, i can feel it.. just wait..

  • ferocious_fetus

    this is the record where LoG lost me.
    Way too slick/boring/generic.
    Aimed at converting OZZFEST/”maggots” instead of pushing the envelope or modern/relevant metal.
    New American Gospel & to a lesser extent Palaces Burn FTW.

  • Nick

    this is probably one of my favorite albums ever, actually. nice choice! i probably would’ve ranked it higher though, but that’s just me. anyway, if neither Onset of Putrefaction nor Epitaph show up soon, the MS Mansion is getting blown up. just so you guys have a heads up.

  • ryan

    amon amarth’s twilight of the thunder god should be #1

  • griffo110

    awesome

  • j-rock

    Converge’s Jane Doe deserves a spot on this bitch.

    • Carnage9

      agreed.

  • ryan

    the harvest floor by cattle decapitation should be on this list somewhere

  • Cougar Party

    [my favorite band] should be number #1! AGRRRRRRHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/shadow_patton Patton

    Their best album to date imho

  • Dave

    Ok, I’m gonna start this off by saying Lamb of God was my favorite band for a good long time when I first got into metal. Hell, I was considering a Lamb of God tattoo(Thank fucking god I didn’t[And thats coming from an Atheist]). They really started getting boring after a while, there is so much stuff that is better.

    How can a list of 21 albums, spanning 9 years, have so many band repeats? Two Mastodon albums? Two Lamb of God? Really? Almost all the albums coming from the States? If there was one LoG album, then ok, maybe the list isn’t as obviously shitty…but come the fuck on. There are a lot of damn good albums out there, this is ridiculous…bah

  • http://schenkeltown.blogspot.com Daisy May Tinklepants

    duran duran are neither a duran nor a duran

    discuss

  • phale

    lets do top six predictions to amuse ourselves over the weekend. +1 internet to whoever gets the most right.

    im not gonna hope to do them in order, but i will get us started. im only confident in the first three.

    gojira – the way of all flesh
    mastodon – leviathan (maybe cts too, but i dont think the panel had enough time to listen to it before voting)
    opeth – blackwater park
    isis – oceanic (i prefer panopticon, could be the vote is split and they wont show)
    lamb of god – as the palaces burn
    amon amarth – fate of norns (another possible vote split with versus the world)

    • prives

      In no particular order:

      Chimaira – The Impossibility of Reason + [Self Titled]
      Necrophagist – Epitaph
      Pantera – Re-Inventing the Steel
      Behemoth – Demigod
      Devil Driver – The Fury of Our Makers Hand

      It will be very sad if none of these turn up.

      • phale

        may as well get your hanky ready now.

  • SouthFL Infidel

    Just throwing this out there…how do you guys feel about the sludge/doom/stoner metal being pretty much forgotten on this list? I’m not one of these ppl who complain for hours about the list after every album is posted (I think that’s pretty lame), so I’m not saying these bands SHOULD be there…I’m just saying that I haven’t seen them mentioned much in the debates that are going on here.

    Example: I think C.O.C.’s “In The Arms Of God” is a beast…that is one bad-ass riff-fest as far as I’m concerned. I’ve got nothing against Hatebreed, S.O.A.D., or Shadows Fall…but I’ve got all those albums and haven’t listened to any of them nearly as much as I have “In The Arms of God”, Crowbar’s “LIfesblood For The Downtrodden, or *gasp* both of The Sword’s albums (let the ridicule begin!). I’d rather hear those than Slipknot any day.

    Again, I’m NOT saying any of these should be on this list…I’m just saying I can’t believe I haven’t seen any albums like this even mentioned in the debates around here. I’m not a High On Fire fan, but I ususally can’t go anywhere without hearing about them, and they haven’t really even been mentioned here. Although I have noticed since I’ve been comiing to this site that it seems like more of a death-metal crowd…I guess that explains it.

    I admittedly don’t listen to a whole lot of varieties of metal (most of it I just flat-out don’t like…I don’t really care for death metal, so none of those great death-metal bands are going to get a fair listen from me because it’s just not my cup of tea) With that being said I’d take Type O Negative’s “Dead Again”, Superjoint’s “Use Once & Destroy”, Down II (I liked it a lot even if it’s clearly not as good as NOLA) and Maylene and the Sons of Disaster’s “II” over half the albums on this list so far. Hell, I’d take Nothingface’s “Violence” over Slipknot…and they’re arguably not even metal…at least not in the “tru-metal” sense.

    This isn’t really an argument for any of these albums, just got tired of lurking and decided to throw my two cents in.

    • i think

      becuase its a shit genre.. might as well say “OMGZ WHY HASNT ENI NOISECORE BEEN ON?!?!?!? ANAL CUNT 4 LYFE”

      • phale

        can you name a stoner/doom/sludge band that *should* be on the list? because if you cant, maybe thats why there arent any.

        • Tim

          Do you want just one or more than one?

          Electric Wizard – Dopethrone or Witchcult Today
          Dozer – In the Tail of A Comet
          Buried At Sea – Migration
          Isis – Oceanic
          Harvey Milk – Life, the Best Game in Town
          High On Fire – Death is This Communion
          Om- Conference of the Birds
          Neurosis – A Sun that Never Sets

          And that’s only the non-obscure bands.

          • Andrew

            Thanks for this Tim…Would you say that Torche is in this genre as well?

          • Dave

            Sorry sir, you do not belong here and you have posted here in error, allow me to direct you somewhere where people post good lists.

            Love me some Doom/stoner/sludge.

          • phale

            im with you on isis, but im not sure the rest of them– though some are good– should be on the list. so many people have mentioned dopethrone that i feel i need to give it a try.

          • Jason

            EYEHATE-FUCKING-GOD

          • Dlabs

            Man this site really introduced me to the other side of the metal community (didnt know how split it was on the first place) and that electric wizard shit was kickass

          • Vlad

            HIgh on Fire REALLY should be on this list.

        • Edika

          Candlemass – King of the Grey Islands

          Just to name one and that is coming from a none doom fan. This record has heavy as hell and nto the least bit boring.

  • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

    Great pick! Love me some LOG. Don’t think they’re going to be number 1 though.
    Besides there are a lot of bands and album missing from this list (IMO): Children of Bodom. Mastodon’s Crack The Skye, Protest The Hero, The Haunted, Soilwork, so on and so forth

    • i think

      i forgot about cob.. im guessing seen as some of the bands on there seem to be friendly they might vote for them..
      prob cob

  • i think

    mastodon – leviathan
    kse – alive or just breating
    probably log, guessing sacrament
    blackwater park
    maybes;
    amon
    gojira
    insomnium
    maybe even as i lay crying – ocean between us has some alright songs

    • Dlabs

      thatd be great to see some kse up there or the way of all flesh but thats gonna bring some heavy fire

  • Andrew

    I appreciate this list. I was out of the loop with metal music forever until I saw Meshuggah last year at a Ministry concert, and suddenly I can’t get enough of the recent metal. So actually, several of these albums are new to me.

    • phale

      look through all the comments for more lists if you really want an education.

  • B-dizzle

    As The Palaces Burn is vastly superior to this record.

    • g

      in everything except the mix, yeah

      i like devin’s productions way more that any of machine’s

      • B-dizzle

        I actually post on a board where someone took the production and made it less muddy. I actually don’t mind it the muddy way though.

    • Jesse

      I think we’ll still see it.

  • Hey_Yo

    This album is terrible.
    This list is terrible.
    These bands are terrible.

    If what they are picking for the best metal albums of this century are these… I think I need to switch the genres of music I listen to cause this shit is trash.

    • Fufkin

      Do it then. I’ll alert the media.

  • Sin and Death

    There’s no question that the musicianship of Lamb of God is superb, but Randy’s vocals are just god-awful. In the scope of popularity and progression in metal, Lamb of God deserves a mention, but taking up more than one spot on the list is kind of unfair to other bands that should be on the list. Mastodon falls into the same category, and we will probably see one more album from them before all is said and done. “Utter bollocks” to quote the Brits.

  • http://manmanmanman.man Man

    Deftones? Seriously? WTF with this nu metal shit. Why not put any little garage recording from some southern california quartet on here then.

  • GamlaSonn

    I got the feeling that if you heard one song on this album you’d heard ‘em all, but it’s an all right album. I’d put Palaces before this one tho

  • Me

    i’m a lamb of god fan, but I disagree with almost everyone here. the production on as the palaces burn is cool and gritty, but from an arrangement and sonic perspective, I feel like ashes is a lot more refined and better written. other than the four most popular tracks (ruin, as the palaces burn, 11th hour, and vigil), it’s kind of boring. ashes has the hard-hitting opener, interesting riffs in the faded line, a great transition from one gun into break you, and sweet solos in the title track. worthy of a top 5 or 10 IMO.

  • Marco

    ISIS – Oceanic is still left

  • Marco

    and black seeds of vengance

    • cyrollan

      Oh Marco, you just made me cry bittersweet tears. Let’s go make our own Metal site and write a list which includes great albums such as that. I’ll bring the lemonade!

      • phale

        my first extreme death album. mm.

        morbid angel/gateways should be on your good list too.

  • iLol

    album bored me.

  • Edika

    If Nevermore had made Dreaming Neon Black one year later…I’m sure they would have a spot in this list (well not sure but they would deserve it). Saying this their work in this decade surely deserve a spot over so;e of the bands appearing so far in this list. I like LOG and agree that they have been very influential and active but one place is enough (the same goes for Mastodon).

    Oh and by checking the list of voters I see a lot of MS names and contributors, so MS is partly to blame for this mess hahahahahahaha!!!!

  • cyrollan

    Ian Christe is the best. Loved his shows when I had Sirius and drove around 4 hours a day for my old job. (Any relation to Richard Christe?)

    • Joe

      you mean Richard Christy? Only if his family has the same problem spelling their last name. C’mon now.

  • Fufkin

    My favourite LoG album and I return to it a lot. A modern classic.

    Plus, The Faded Line reminds me of Thundercats.

  • Demogorgon

    Reading all the comments has opened my eyes to the diversity of the metal community. A lot of people can not seem to fathom that if it is not one of their personal favourites it can still be a good album and that other people do, in fact, like the album. I would like to see a Metal Sucks readers top 21, it would be interesting.

    • SourDeez

      I think it’s more like, people who don’t like any mainstream metal seem to think that their tastes are automatically more evolved and that that they know so much more about metal than people who like a lot of the albums on here. I’ve also noted that most of these people, when listing their favorite bands, tend to seriously favor bands that are technically or melodically complex, as opposed to artists who play simple badass riff-centric shit-kicking metal. My take on it is this: You are not automatically more knowledgeable, nor are your tastes any better just because you prefer complex music. A lot of the best metal has a great level of complexity and depth, but there’s also just as much equally great metal that relies on simplicity and groove to get the job done. Hating on simple metal does not make you a more experienced or tasteful metalhead. Some of us really like down-tuned, shit-kicking meathead riffs just as much as we like musical flights of fancy and exotic soundscapes.

  • \m/Eluveitie\m/

    Does Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown qualify for this list? According to Zune, they’re metal

    • \m/Eluveitie\m/

      Sounds like a wigger slam album to me

    • Dlabs

      Id love to see that happen……itd be the funniest 5000 angry comments id ever read

  • Slaughterhouse

    I think the #1 spot will be a battle between Master of Puppets and Vulgar Display of Power

    • H2O

      We can’t use smileys right? [insert sick smiley here]

    • Art Weingartner

      21st century genius.

  • Art Weingartner

    I thought this was going to be in the top 3, along with The Blackening and some shitty Mastodon album. I am sorry, i can’t get into them I’ve tried.

    Also when am I going to see God Hates Us All or Christ Illusion?…and I know its too late for The Oncoming Storm.

  • Slaughterhouse

    #1 Master Of Puppets #2 Vulgar Display Of Power #3 Reign in Blood

  • Bullhead

    This album would be a good one, if half of the songs didn’t sound alike