Blog → Top Twenty Albums

I attempted to make a list of my Top Twenty favorite albums. Of course, this isn’t to say they’re the greatest albums of all time or they’re the ones I listen to the most, but here is a list of the albums that I appreciate the most for whatever reasons. There were quite a few more than could have been included and a few narrowly missed the cut. The Wildheart’s debut E.P. ”Mondo Akimbo-A-Go-Go,” Faith No More’s ”the Real Thing,” Aerosmith’s ”Get Your Wings,” and Sebastian Bach’s ”Angel Down” all narrowly missed the cut. Enough blabbering, here’s the list!


20. Skid Row - Slave to the Grind (1991)
Rounding out the Top Twenty is Skid Row’s sophomore album ”Slave to the Grind.” A classic Heavy Metal album in my mind, nearly every song on the album is a hit in my book (we’ll forget about ”In a Darkened Room”). Tracks like ”Slave to the Grind,” ”Quicksand Jesus,” and ”Mudkicker” cemented it as my favorite album within a genre that rarely offered up anything unique. Despite being released in 1991, it’s hands down the best “80’s metal” album.


19. Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986)
The greatest Thrash Metal album of all time, ”Reign in Blood,” was a for sure in my Top Twenty. It’s always been a favorite of mine. Thirty minutes of blood soaked aggression coming at you at 1000 miles an hour. Every song on here is killer but stand outs are, of course, ”Raining Blood” and ”Angel of Death.”


18. AFI - The Art of Drowning (2000)
AFI have a pretty diverse catalog ranging from Hardcore Punk to Horror Punk and then ultimately to faggy MTV read alt. Rock. Before AFI decided money was more important than rock n’ roll, they released quite a few good albums. It took a bit of time to decide on which album I thought was best between this one and ”Black Sails in the Sunset” but I settled on this one due to it’s more solid song writing. Songs like ”A Story at Three” and ”Sacrifice Theory” bridge classic Mohawk wanting A Fire Inside with ”Sing the Sorrow” alternative AFI. Too bad they suck now.


17. Social Distortion -Prison Bound (1988)
What Top Twenty would be complete without a Social D album? ”Prison Bound” iz the album that attracted me to Social D in the first place. Where the commercial D failed with ’Ball and Chain” songs like ”Like An Outlaw (For You),” ”Lawless,” and the title track pulled me into this classic punk rock band. It’s no wonder Social D fans are so rabid. With albums as good as this, it makes damn good sense.


16. Disarm - By Any Means Necessary (2008)
Released this year, ”By Any Means Necessary” from South Yorkshire death sleaze punks Disarm has pulled me in and annihilated me time and time again. They seem to have jumped inside my head to figure out what type of band would be perfect for my listening pleasure, successfully blending Scandanavian Sleaze with Punk Rock and moments of Thrash (ala the Wildhearts) into a sound that is nothing short of deafening. It’s a good blend between the extreme “hardcore” bands and the pop of modern day alternative bands. Stand out songs include ’Bark. Bite. Scream.,” ”the River City Randsom Death Pact,” ”Sirens & Machines,” and ”!Resistancia!”


15. Backyard Babies - Total 13 (1998)
The second album from Swedish sleaze rock heroes Backyard Babies, ”Total 13” is the trashiest of the studio albums and the most under produced, which in turn allows them to sound more punk rock than glam, aligning them as some sort of bastard child of Guns N’ Roses and Social Distortion. From the opening riff of ”Made Me Madman” straight to the end, the album gets my heart pumping at full speed and manages to please my senses for rough punk n’ roll rather well. Stand outs include ”Bombed (Out of My Mind),” ”Let’s Go to Hell,” and ”Highlights.”


14. Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic (1975)
Aerosmith’s third album out of the gate is their first (or arguably second) five star album. Every song here epitomizes Aerosmith in their prime. 70’s Hard Rock dripping in Blues, Aerosmith established themselves as the definitive Hard Rock band with this album (along with ”Rocks” and ”Get Your Wings”). Personal favorites on this album include ”Sweet Emotion,” ”Round and Round,” and the classic (despite being overplayed) ”Walk This Way.”


13. Star Star - The Love Drag Years (1992)
I’ve probably recounted how I discovered Star Star a million times now. I had found this LP in a dollar bin in a dollar store when I was in seventh grade and bought it because the cover reminded me of Rocky Horror Picture Show, of which I was a big fan at the time. It sat around for a years until I opened it up one day and listened to it, only to regret having ever thrown it in amongst my lack luster CD collection. A spontaneous mix of 70’s glam, ‘77 punk, and good ol’ classic rock n’ roll, Star Star’s sophomore album is a great album with my personal favorites being ”Treasure or Trash,” ”Fly Boy,” “Cowboys in Space,“ and ”Baby Shoulda Known.” You can go to Star Star’s MySpace page and find a link somewhere on there to download the album for free now.


12. The Confession - The Confession (2005)
While the debut album of the Confession, 2007’s ”Requiem,” may have been ruined by production from Avenged Sevenfold front man M. Shadows, turning them into little more than an A7X Metalcore clone (albeit a clone with superior playing ability and songs), the Confession’s debut E.P. is a solid effort from start to finish. Not as shiny and overproduced as the L.P., ”the Confession” is a hauntingly dark Heavy Metal album with very few Metalcore tendancies. The most noticeable difference between the E.P. and the L.P. is that the screams were dropped on the full length album. They remain on the E.P., very harsh and biting, sounding far more evil and mid range than most Heavy Metal bands (who I find either are way too gutteral or way too high pitched). One of my favorites and despite the fact that they’ve disbanded and released a lackluster follow up, I’ll keep spinning tracks like ”No Angel” and “Wasting Away” for years to come. The latter of those two tracks is simply phenomenal, in case you were wondering.


11. Kill Cheerleader - All Hail (2004)
Previously releasing E.P.’s under the monikers Cheerleader and Cheerleader 666, Kill Cheerleader’s debut (and only) album ”All Hail” is a riffage masterpiece, melding thrash metal, punk rock, and catchy rock n’ roll into one hard rocking package. These Canadian Punk Metallers have since disbanded, but their album will live in infamy. Any band that can mix na-na-na’s with wailing guitar solo’s and thrash breakdowns out of ”Ride the Lightning” is good in my book. Personal favorite songs include ”Deathboy,” “No Feelings,” and ”Bad Habit.”


10. The Bronx - The Bronx (2003)
Referring to the first Bronx album titled “the Bronx,” the Bronx present a breakneck hardcore punk record with a lot of soul. Whereas most modern hardcore bands focus too much on being tougher than the band that came before them and screaming deeper and more incoherently than the next, the Bronx have a certain swagger than can only be contributed to one thing: their balls-to-the-wall awesomness. With demo’s produced by former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, it’s hard to pass up a band like this. Favorite songs off this less than 30 minute L.P. include ”They Will Kill Us All (Without Mercy),” “Guns Without Bullets,” and the earth shattering opener ”Heart Attack American.”


9. Warrior Soul - Drugs, God and the New Republic (1991)
Coming out in 1990 as music was shifting away from glammed up Hard Rock, Warrior Soul presented a hypnotic, politically charged sound that while reminiscent of Hard Rock of days gone by, did not wallow in the shallow cheese and cliché of their predecessors. Their sophomore album ”Drugs, God and the New Republic” was my first encounter with Kory Clarke and his rag tag band of degenerates. With a guitar tone that is simply out of this world and can’t be beat, Warrior Soul present a devastatingly fresh rock album that should of revived hard rock in the early nineties. Instead, the world looked towards Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder for guidance, even when they had someone like Kory Clarke to save their wretched souls. Stand out songs include ”the Wasteland,” ’Intro,” and the title track. Only a band like Warrior Soul could name the first song on the album ”Intro” and still have it be one of my favorites.


8. Faith No More - Introduce Yourself (1987)
Once again, another sophomore preformance makes it into the Top Twenty. The last album to feature Chuck Mosley on vocals and the second last to feature Faith No More rocking their traditional sound of pure Funk Metal glory, ”Introduce Yourself” manages to successfully blend heavy metal licks with a furious funk bass background and Chuck Mosley’s often off-beat half rapped/half sung vocals. Drastically different from Mike Patton, Chuck Mosley’s vocals fit loosely on the album and work it’s way in and out of the grooves the extremely talented members of Faith No More create. Songs with interesting structures and subject matter prevail on this album, something that they managed to carry with them into the Patton days but never managed to capture quite as well as they did on ”Introduce Yourself.” Stand out tracks include ”Anne’s Song,” “Death March,” ”We Care A Lot,” and ”The Crab Song,” but honestly, most of these tracks are gems in their own right.


7. Love/Hate - Blackout in the Red Room (1990)
Coming at the end of the glam metal era, Love/Hate were heralded as “the next Guns N’ Roses,” which is saying something ,since they were the FIRST to be called that (unlike the countless number of bands since them). Over shadowed by Grunge as Nirvana rocked the charts, Love/Hate’s rock n’ roll stardom was cut short, but not without first giving the world ”Blackout in the Red Room,” the greatest sleaze rock album of all time. Soaked in gasoline and screaming for vengeance, Love/Hate present an album that’s not only dangerous, but it’s fun as hell. Songs about drinking, marijuana, and of course girls, it’s definitely an album that fits within the 80’s spectrum of things, but don’t let that hold you back. One of the dirtiest releases period, Jizzy Pearl’s raspy screams have never sounded as good since this record. A few of the best songs on this album are the title track, ”Rock Queen,” ”One More Round,” “Why Do You Think They Call It Dope?,” and ”She’s An Angel.” Find Love/Hate’s official website and download it. It’s free.


6. Bullets And Octane - In The Mouth Of The Young (2006)
Orange County punk n’ rollers major label debut (and sophomore release all together) ”In the Mouth of the Young” sees them shedding their punk pop tendencies of ”the Revelry” for a much meaner razorblade attack with help from one of the dudes from Punk Metal gods Helmet at the Helm(et). Immediately upon getting this album is became one of my favorites as each song rolled perfectly into the other. From start to finish, it’s a very entertaining album. From furious speed punk songs to more laid back almost reggae inspired metallic numbers, to just plain arrogant rock n’ roll songs, Bullets and Octane manage to become America’s answer to Backyard Babies. Once again, another bastard child of Guns N’ Roses and Social D, Bullets hold back no punches on this release and songs such as ”Save Me Sorrow,” ”All Hail Halo,” “Queen Mirage,” and ”Signed in Alcohol” take no prisoners. This is a shoot first, leave the questions for someone else to ask kind of record.


5. Faith No More - Angel Dust (1992)
The second album to feature Mike Patton and the second Faith No More album in this list, ”Angel Dust” bridges the gap between the Funk Metal Faith No More of the late 80’s with the Alt. Rock Faith No More of the mid 90’s. Patton opted to drop his nasally singing style that people know him for on such songs like ”Epic” for a wider selection of singing styles. From lounge crooning, to explosive screams and squeals, ”Angel Dust” is Faith No More successfully blending Funk, Metal, and Alt. Rock into a package that doesn’t suck. There has never been a band that sounds like Faith No More and that cannot be more true than on ”Angel Dust,” where so many different musical styles are mixed into one amalgam of hysteric rock that it still manages to sound fresh to this day. Stand out tracks include ”Be Aggressive,” ”Caffeine,” ”Everything’s Ruined,” and ”Crack Hitler.”


4. Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies (1994)
On top of being the first Alice in Chains album to feature Mike Inez, one of my favorite bassists, ”Jar of Flies” was the first E.P. to ever go to number one on the Billboard charts. And for good reason too. Seven songs of Layne Staley doing what he does best, showing up every other rock singer, leave me amazed every time I hear it. A few acoustic numbers, a few partially electric, it’s an eclectic mix of sorts, but Grunge pioneers and 90’s Metal lords Alice in Chains manage to make a relaxed rock record that stays interesting throughout and manages to capture the imagination. My personal favorites are ”I Stay Away,” ”No Excuse,” and ”Don’t Follow.” Hell, it’s even got a nice instrumental track on there. Gotta give it up to them for that.


3. Aerosmith - Rocks (1976)
The best Aerosmith album and the best album of the 1970’s brings Aerosmith’s second release into my Top Twenty. ”Rocks” is the follow up to ”Toys in the Attic” that not only managed to meet expectations but in more ways than one, defy them. It’s pretty impressive when a band released two superb records back to back, but three is just unheard of. ”Rocks,” more so than any other Aerosmith release, is the reason they are the definitive American Rock N’ Roll band. Personal favorites include ”Back in the Saddle,” ”Sick as a Dog,” ”Last Child,” and ”Nobody’s Fault.” Still, you could really just play the close your eyes game and pick a song at random and it’d still be phenomenal.


2. -Guns n’ Roses - Appetite for destruction (1987)
The best selling debut album of all time, ”Appetite for Destruction” managed to save rock n’ roll and pull it out of the festering pit of hair metal, paving the way for a slew of imitators as well as the oncoming of Grunge. Songs about love, lust, drugs, booze, partying, and general mischief manage to turn the street wise Hard Rock of Guns N’ Roses into platinum success. Basically, take 70’s Aerosmith, play them a couple punk rock records, throw even more drugs in the mix, and you get ”Appetite for Destruction.” I could go on but if you’re reading thing and don’t know how amazing this album is already, you’re in the wrong place. My favorites include ”It’s So Easy,” “Paradise City,” “Mr. Brownstone,” and ”My Michelle.”


1. The Wildhearts - Earth vs. the Wildhearts (1993)
It was hard to think of an album that could top Guns N’ Roses’ ”Appetite for Destruction” for me. For years I doubted it could be done. Enter the Wildhearts. Managing to blend influences as diverse as the Beatles and Metallica (and everything between), the Wildhearts present their debut effort ”Earth vs. the Wildhearts” in 1993, a year that Hard Rock was all but on it’s way out the door thanks to Grunge. Thankfully these dudes were just dirty enough to sneak by with their pop-laced thrash rock that bordered on punk quite often. Beautifully crafted songs with riff after mother fucking riff, the Wildhearts set the stage to conquer the world with their unbelievable discography with this record. Intense thrash breakdowns into five-part harmonies and songs about watching T.V., the Wildhearts manage to keep you entertained while pulled out another surprise around each corner. My favorite songs include ”Loveshit,” ”News of the World,” ”Greetings From Shitsville,” and ”Love U ‘Til I Don’t,” but really, it’s all amazing stuff.

Interestingly enough, I used to hate the 1990’s for the music that came out. Looking at my list, it seems like the 90’s dominated. Funny..