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User
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Last Active 09-30-20 3:01 pm
Joined 03-27-19
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| Top Ten Records- Revisited and Revised
Caution- this list has no value whatsoever, even to me. It is merely a revised version of the list I published 1.5 years ago here on sputnik. I’ve been actively and consciously listening to music since I was 7 years old, so for 23 years now. Like many of you, it’s practically the axis of my life in one way or another. I had a few years when I grew apart from music for some reason, and those 3 years were very sad- and it occurred to me quite some time later why. I returned to music ‘’fulltime’’ in 2013, and the remission was even stronger than before. I felt like I was 10 again, using all my allowance on records, and spending all day with my headphones on. The below list is a take on the 10 records I couldn’t live without. Note: It usually takes at least a few years for a record to make it to this sort of list for me- I have to be sure it wasn’t just an attraction. In the case of this list there are a few cd’s which I decided to forgive that rule. And one more thing- this time I tried to maintain a bit of order from most important to least, although the differences are minute. | | 1 |  | Blind Guardian
Nightfall in Middle-Earth
The only thing that changed in comparison to the previous list is the position of the record on the list. All I could possibly write about it was written in the previous version- this records holds an enormous sentimental value for me, but apart from that, it’s as epic as can be. A musical illustration to my favorite set of books, when you listen to it, it’s like listening to music and reading simultaneously. I’m not a great fan of power/ fantasy/ etc. metal, but this is the record that just gets me every time. | | 2 |  | Opeth
Blackwater Park
This band has to be on the list. But the record is different to what I chose last time (Watershed). The reason is, previously I didn’t want to be taken as too pretentious and obvious. Blackwater Park is the first Opeth record I heard (I was 12), and for a very long time the only Opeth record I knew. Now I have all their back catalogue, and regularly go to their gigs. But, just like with the first record from the list, it isn’t just sentiment that makes this record one of my favorites. It’s got all the right things in the right order, the riffs, the atmosphere, the vocals, the Wilson. It’s a complete album, period. | | 3 |  | Type O Negative
Life Is Killing Me
One more reoccurring record. I tried to choose a different TON record, because, as I mentioned before, I know that this one is objectively their weakest one. The band didn’t like it, fans were skeptical, press was critical. But I love it. I have all of their records and books about them, and I just love the guys- it’s exactly my kind of thinking and philosophy. This record- despite being all over the place- is near perfect in being a Type 0 Negative record, although I’m aware this might sound like heresy. | | 4 |  | Clutch
Psychic Warfare
The plan is that the first 5 positions of the list are reserved for artists who are very important to me on many various levels, and for a long time. Clutch is the youngest out of the 5, with me knowing them for only 7 years. But it’s been a vicious, constant love. For example, I don’t listen to TON all that much- I just like to know they’re there when I need them , so to speak- but there hasn’t been a fortnight without me listening to Clutch. At first, I always listed Earth Rocker as the pinnacle, because I started off with that one, then it was Blast Tyrant (which I think might be their best objectively), but I decided that the record that captures the true Clutch spirit is Psychic Warfare. It’s one of those albums that you listen to with a short breath and your mouth open, and when it ends you go: huh? What was that? | | 5 |  | Pride and Glory
Pride and Glory
Closing the first five is Zakk Wylde. I say Zakk Wylde, because I use that term to group all of his projects into one. I know he is a bit corny, but I love the guy. He’s the uncle I never had, and always wished I did. I listen to BLS for 15 years (half of my life), been to gigs, have all the records, but I decided to list Pride & Glory. Why? Because first of all, I would have a problem with choosing one BLS record- each one sparks up various memories and emotions- and second of all, I think that Pride & Glory is much more authentic. It’s a power trio of friends drinking beer and enjoying playing together. I love the whole atmosphere of the album, and the combination of bluegrass and drop D is the bees knees. | | 6 |  | Riverside
Love, Fear and the Time Machine
Not much has changed here, same band and after some thought I decided to stay with this album, although I’m getting very accustomed to the first three. | | 7 |  | Porcupine Tree
In Absentia
One of my biggest mistakes in life, a story I like to bore many people with, is that in 2001 I got an invite from a colleague to a rather enclosed concert in a legendary Polish studio of a band called Porcupine Tree. I knew the band, but as I was 11 at the time, I didn’t really care for it, preferring things like Metallica. Prog was boring, serious and strange for me at the time. The concert came out on CD years later as their live album ‘’Warszawa’’. Anyway, now I’m a big fan of Porcupine Tree, and, despite the fact that our encounter started relatively recently, I decided to include one of their albums in to the list. The choice might change in the future as the rest of their records sink in, and the more I listen to them, but I’m pretty sure Porcupine Tree will be in my top ten bands anyway. | | 8 |  | Metallica
...And Justice for All
This is kind of an honorable mention. I started my aware music listening with Metallica at the age of 7, I started learning guitar by playing their songs at the age of 9 (of course just the simplest riffs), it got me through school etc- just like with many of us I suppose. But when you grow older, you tend to leave the guys behind and expand musically, I guess. I still go to their gigs if they play in Poland (horribly overpriced and ridden with Instagram followers for some obscure reason), I buy their albums in pre order (when they actually release something), but I’m by no means a maniac. I like watching documentaries from the past, like recording the Black Album- it’s quite comforting in a way. I had no idea which record to choose to be honest. Each one is important, be it Kill Em All, Load, St. Anger (but not Lulu of course). I chose ..And justice because I guess it’s not the most obvious choice, but it could be pretty much any of their records. | | 9 |  | Soen
Lotus
Another ‘’new’’ record on the list. The previous list tended to trail off at about the 7th or 8th album. I stated Alice in Chains ‘’Dirt’’ as one of the top ten albums, but I haven’t really listened to it in a long while, and despite the fact I love it, I think it’s rather in my top 20. It’s just a bloody good record, but not much more to me. Well, this time I’m trying to avoid fillers in the list. Soen is a band I discovered when they released Lotus (so 4 albums in), and I immediately loved the band. Bought all of their back catalogue except the first record (difficult to get at a reasonable price), but I think Lotus is where they fully found ‘’their’’ sound. I must admit that if I would have to ditch one album from this list it would be either Metallica or Soen. I’m not quite sure if I’ll still have the same kind of a blast out of listening Lotus in 5 years time, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see. | | 10 |  | Jeff Beck
Loud Hailer
I saw this album as ‘’record of the month’’ in my favourite music magazine. Of course I was familiar with Jeff Becks playing to a certain extent, but never went in too deep. So I listened to the album on You Tube (I had a Saturday shift at work), and got so excited by the music, that I immediately bought the album on route back home. With each succeeding song I was more and more enchanted. Each track on this record is awesome. It’s the lowest on the list, but definitely will stay on it in the future. | |
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