Top 100 Greatest Albums (According to this guy)

“We are fighting to survive;  I'll never break;  From the ashes we ignite;  Don't fade away;  We live, we die, we fall, we rise…” There is a lack of heavy metal albums in this list, partly due to the fact that some metal bands are way too screamy, not too melodic, or start to merge into the hair/cheese flamboyent metal that I have never fancied. But I have been enjoying the heavier, more emotional side of rock music in the recent years, especially in the Christian side of the rock industry. There were a few songs amongst the Christian heavy metal scene that I really like but most bands I’ve listened to fall short of producing truly great albums. But a couple have entered my ears, producing feelings of enjoyability and much excitedness. Enter the epic, cinematic, orchestral heavy metal sound  of Red, whom I stumbled upon through the wonderful tool of Spotify. This album brings together fantastic melodies with screams, heavy rock guitars and classical orchestral s...

“ Solitary views of the other side of a plane we've yet to know;  Will we ever get the chance to walk alone;  In this life or when we find out that we're home;  What will we hear there … ” Alternative Rock is a genre that bloomed late for me, and so it was after years of CD purchases that music streaming was my engine of discovery, and most of the alternative bands would have been Spotify discoveries; Anberlin being up there as one of my first and one of my favourites. They are most well known for the song “Feel Good Drag”, which is a flippin’ excellent song and well worthy of a mention. But this later album is just fantastic. The same quality, catchiness, and ferocious sound that Anberlin are well known for. But what really stands out is the brilliant range of Stephen Christian’s vocals, and an unmistakeable tone like no other. Sometimes calm, sometimes raucous; never afraid to push his vocals if the melodies demand it. All in all, Anberlin have carved out a sound that i...

“ You're My beloved, l over I'm yours;  Death shall not part us,  It's you I died for;  For better or worse,  Forever we'll be;  My Love it unites us,  It binds you to Me … ” A band i discovered on Spotify; Tenth Avenue North have some really good tunes, but this album is filled with great, heart-felt christian songs. With a sound that crosses modern worship with the likes of Keane or Snow Patrol, this is one of the milder rock albums in the list. A lot of albums tend to position their strongest songs at the beginning of an album. But the first two songs aren't anything special. But track 3 onwards are fantastic. I do favour a band who are totally open about their faith and not afraid to make God apparent and at the forefront of their songs. They deal with the struggles of faith, the joys of a relationship with God, and understand grace. But the songs that really stand out for me are those sang from God’s perspective, to us; His loved creation. ‘Times’ remi...

“The City’s on fire; will burn to the ground; Man’s evil desire; Has brought himself down… ” Heading to the clear-out section at my local Wesley Owen and I’m drawn straight to this fauvist hyper colourful cityscape. For the album artwork alone, I purchased it. Later on in the day, I was very pleasantly surprised to be listening to a newly discovered ska punk band, and what a great album it is! It’s a mature sound. Not a hint of fromage, as you can so easily get with some ska albums. Really catchy songs with very complimentary horn arrangements. A good variety of ska, punk rock and reggae, in both the major and minor keys. And a mention for the superb clavinet on ‘Trial and Tribulation’. Lyrical content covers a little politics (as most punk bands do) but generally stick up for the little man, the outsider, the unfairly treated and against the greed of this world. Wholesome values run throughout the album. A couple of the more punky songs are not the greatest, but most of the album is s...

“I would walk through flood and fire; I’d push against the tide; There’s nothing I won’t do to get to You… ” Let’s take some Imagine Dragons, add a bit of Owl City, mixed together with a tablespoon of Phil Wickham… and you have The Digital Age. A rock rave that understands and delights in the grace of God. ‘Galaxies’ kicks off with one of my favourite openings. A very ominous piano introduction, almost Muse-esque. The following vocals pulled me right in. Superb harmonies, a great chord sequence and incredibly strong voice that is right up my street. This then smashes into the best song on the album, ‘One Pursuit’.   A slight downside is that the intensity drops a notch almost straight after. Still continuing to be upbeat, but a little more poppy, and less of me wanting to punch the air, crying out “WOOOOO YYYEEEAHHH”. But this is a praise album like no other. The cosmic/electro theme runs throughout and songs differ in style, which is a real breath of fresh air. From the almost Kra...

To those who don’t know me, this top 100 albums wont be like any other you’ve seen.  To those who do know me, a lot of the albums may come as a surprise. But if anyone is expecting a list like those featured on popular radio stations or tv shows, then you will be disappointed, I am no-one special in the eyes of humans, so why should I take this on and publicise it?  Well, I am passionate about music, passionate about the bands I've discovered and love to introduce people to these bands. At the ripe old age of 35, I realise that the list isn't even a full compilation of what i will discover, both old, recent and future, but with 30 years of that time, being in and around music, and having listened to the greats of different genres alongside those left behind, I feel my palette is currently wonderfully coloured.  I also don't get to share with many people my musical tastes, and finding it awkward to spark up a conversation, this is a format that settles one’s heart. To pai...