Actually I was thinking about recommending two albums, but one of these albums is so well-known that there's probably no one out there who hasn't listened to it: The Wall by Pink Floyd.
My other recommendation is The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails. This one hurts ... In some ways it is melodramatic, but it still remains authentic and oh boy, sometimes it really can take one's breath away if they allow it. I'm not a big fan of wine, I actually dislike most types of wine, but still I want to compare this album with wine: to me this album needed to age; the more I listened to it, the more I could enjoy it. Lyrics-wise it's surely amongst the 'darkest' albums I've ever heard, so stay away from it if you don't like this kind of music. The beauty of it is that it's not just pure and simple force combined with blind power, but delicately composed and written music that is at times even sweet - with a sour taste at the same time. Truly good music, truly inspiring and ... truly exhausting.
Oh, and please excuse me if you already listened to it.
)
