[Oya?]

Hi HF,

Thanks very much for the suggestions everyone! Please check latest posts; certainly looking forward to many more. And here's an updated list of the CDs that I have at the moment:

Therion
Secret Of The Runes
Lemuria
Sirius B
Gothic Kabbalah

Moonsorrow
Kivenkantaja
Verisäkeet

Stratovarius
Fourth Dimension
Visions
Destiny

Edguy
Vain Glory Opera
Theater Of Salvation

Avantasia
Metal Opera
Metal Opera Part II
The Scarecrow

Kamelot
Karma
Epica
The Black Halo

Symphony X
The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
V: The New Mythology Suite
The Odyssey
Paradise Lost

----

Need-to-buy list (it's hard to find these CDs locally, most of the local CD stores don't stock much metal and then only the 'popular' ones; I have to order from overseas (usually eBay)):

Edguy
Hellfire Club

Revolution Renaissance
New Era

Rhapsody
Legendary Tales

Helloween
Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1
Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 2

Omen
Battle Cry

Iced Earth
Something Wicked This Way Comes

Gamma Ray
Land Of The Free

----

Other stuff I've listened to, thanks to all the suggestions, but not sure about/needs more listening/don't like them:

Nightwish
Dark Passion Play

Epica
The Phantom Agony
Consign To Oblivion

Ensiferum
Victory Songs

Turisas
Battle Metal

Blind Guardian
Imaginations From The Other Side
Nightfall In Middle Earth

Iced Earth
The Glorious Burden

Ayreon
The Human Equation

Tristania
Beyond The Veil

Sonata Arctica
Ecliptica

 

[scytheavatar]

Firstly, Porcupine Tree is not metal.

Secondly a few recommendations for what you already have:

Edguy: Hellfire Club (Their best album)
Nightwish: Oceanborn (it's much better than Dark Passion Play, most consistent of their albums. Their only one that I would call good)
Iced Earth: Something Wicked this Way Comes (Their only album that is great from the start till the end)
Kamelot: Karma

Thirdly, some other bands:

Blind Guardian: Imaginations from the Other Side, Nightfall on Middle Earth (The biggest power metal band out there.)
Rhapsody: Legendary Tales. (Pretty much Dragonforce done right.)
Helloween: Keeper of the Seven Keys part I and II (Created power metal.)
Gamma Ray: Land of the Free (that's sci-fi power metal for you)
Kiuas: The Spirit of Ukko (very underrated album)
Hibria: Defying the Rules (another underrated album)
Suspyre: A Great Divide, The Silvery Image (if you like Symphony X you'll like these guys too)

And finally I'll recommend you to listen to more Moonsorrow and learn to appreciate harsh vocals, most people can't in the first try.

 

[Oya?]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scytheavatar /img/forum/go_quote.gif Firstly, Porcupine Tree is not metal.

Apologies.

I only have Fear Of A Blank Planet, and I thought they were also classified as prog metal. I'm not familiar with most of their albums.

Quote:

Secondly a few recommendations for what you already have: Edguy: Hellfire Club (Their best album) Nightwish: Oceanborn (it's much better than Dark Passion Play, most consistent of their albums. Their only one that I would call good) Iced Earth: Something Wicked this Way Comes (Their only album that is great from the start till the end) Kamelot: Karma Thirdly, some other bands: Blind Guardian: Imaginations from the Other Side, Nightfall on Middle Earth (The biggest power metal band out there.) Rhapsody: Legendary Tales. (Pretty much Dragonforce done right.) Helloween: Keeper of the Seven Keys part I and II (Created power metal.) Gamma Ray: Land of the Free (that's sci-fi power metal for you) Kiuas: The Spirit of Ukko (very underrated album) Hibria: Defying the Rules (another underrated album) Suspyre: A Great Divide, The Silvery Image (if you like Symphony X you'll like these guys too) And finally I'll recommend you to listen to more Moonsorrow and learn to appreciate harsh vocals, most people can't in the first try.

Thanks very much for the recommendations! I'm going to have a listen to those; I think Helloween and Gamma Ray sounds interesting. I'll have to check out Rhapsody, I've had a very brief listen before but I can't quite remember what I thought of it.

EDIT: Regarding Moonsorrow, I've only got Verisäkeet at the moment, will have a another listen to it (any other must-listen albums from them?). Also Turisas' Battle Metal is quite fun, even if I can't understand most of the growling. Sort of drifting away from power/symph. metal though huh.

 

[Gazza]

Try the following:

Masterplan - s/t
Angtoria - God Has a Plan For Us All
Demons & Wizards - s/t
Finntroll - Natterfodd
Devin Townsend - Infinity
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Nightingale - Alive Again: The Breathing Shadow Part IV
Ocean Machine - Biomech
Tristania - Beyond the Veil

A little bit different than what you might be used to but I'm sure there's something there that you'll love.

 

[Oya?]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazza /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try the following: Masterplan - s/t Angtoria - God Has a Plan For Us All Demons & Wizards - s/t Finntroll - Natterfodd Devin Townsend - Infinity Ayreon - The Human Equation Nightingale - Alive Again: The Breathing Shadow Part IV Ocean Machine - Biomech Tristania - Beyond the Veil A little bit different than what you might be used to but I'm sure there's something there that you'll love.

Thanks! I don't think I've even heard of any of those bands, except maybe Demons & Wizards. I'll give them a try.

 

[elliot42]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazza /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ayreon - The Human Equation

I'll second that.

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oya? /img/forum/go_quote.gif EDIT: Regarding Moonsorrow, I've only got Verisäkeet at the moment, will have a another listen to it (any other must-listen albums from them?).

To me, Verisakeet is clearly their best album, but it is also their darkest, most black metal album and is not what I would call newbie-friendly. For someone new to these type of music I'll recommend you to try Kivenkantaja, which is more accessible. I'll also recommend you to get Death - Symbolic to ease you to harsh vocals.

 

[Oya?]

I've snatched up a few albums and had a listen.

I've got, Rhapsody's Legendary Tales, Helloween's Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I & II, Blind Guardian's Imaginations From The Other Side and Nightfall In Middle Earth, Ayreon's The Human Equation, and Gamma Ray's Land Of The Free.

Legendary Tales was a fun listen and I think I'll get a copy. But what really caught my ears was The Human Equation, I think it's got a really cool style and I'd like to sit down and really absorb Equation and then look at Ayreon's other albums. What are your favorite albums? Their discography looks impressive and it's interesting that they all have intertwining stories and themes.

Blind Guardian is quite nice but I think I need a bit more time to let them grow on me. And Helloween; I'm having a hard time enjoying Keeper Of the Seven Keys though, the files I have seem to be of really poor quality (although it is a pretty old album, recording standards might be to blame).

I have yet to listen to Land Of the Free.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scytheavatar /img/forum/go_quote.gif To me, Verisakeet is clearly their best album, but it is also their darkest, most black metal album and is not what I would call newbie-friendly. For someone new to these type of music I'll recommend you to try Kivenkantaja, which is more accessible. I'll also recommend you to get Death - Symbolic to ease you to harsh vocals.

I'll try that one out too. I'm actually listening to Verisäkeet now and I am quite enjoying it.

Thanks again for all your time!

 

[evanft]

Every single album Iced Earth released before Something Wicked is superior.

 

[Tridacnid]

Falconer- s/t is the only one I've heard.
Sonata Arctica- Ecliptica or Winterheart's Guild.


Happy listening!

 

[Oya?]

(In the interests of preserving my sanity I'm going to omit bolding and italics now

)

I can't seem to get into Blind Guardian and Helloween for some reason, I understand that these seem to be significant bands in the genre but I guess I don't really like them. Gonna give some more Blind Guardian albums a try though, maybe I'll find something I like.

I've listened to Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes, Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica, Tristania - Beyond The Veil, Gamma Ray - Land Of The Free. I actually really like all of these, especially Land Of The Free. I think I'm going to listen to some more Rhapsody albums as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tridacnid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Falconer- s/t is the only one I've heard. Sonata Arctica- Ecliptica or Winterheart's Guild.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I'm going to have to give Falconer a listen.

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oya? /img/forum/go_quote.gif EDIT: Regarding Moonsorrow, I've only got Verisäkeet at the moment, will have a another listen to it (any other must-listen albums from them?). Also Turisas' Battle Metal is quite fun, even if I can't understand most of the growling. Sort of drifting away from power/symph. metal though huh.

As mentioned, Verisäkeet is bit wrong album to start Moonsorrow listening, as on that album they started venturing their darker roots, and even moreso in the next album V: Hävitetty. Search for album Kivenkantaja for truly epic and melodic folk metal, with nice mix of choir clear vocals and 'cookie monster' vocals for excellent contrast. You should really try to find it, its excellent piece of finnish folk metal music!

 

[lmilhan]

I have over 4,800 tracks in my music collection that fall into the category of music you are looking for, so I should be able to help out a little bit.

Here is a list of bands that you must check out.

I am too lazy to read back through the posts in this thread to see what has already been suggested, so there will likely be some repeats in this list:

Abydos
Adagio
Aina
Allen / Lande
Altaria
Andromeda
Angra
Aquaria
Ark
Artension
At Vance
Avantasia
Axel Rudi Pell
Axenstar
Balance Of Power
Beholder
Beyond Twilight
Black Majesty
Blind Guardian
Brainstorm
Brazen Abbot
Cellador
Circle II Circle
Circus Maximus
Conception
Concerto Moon
Cryonic Temple
Crystal Eyes
D.C. Cooper
Dark Moor
Dragonforce
Dragonland
Dream Evil
Dream Theater
Dreamtale
Dungeon
Edguy
Eldritch
Elvenking
Eternal Reign
Evergrey
Evil Masquerade
Falconer
Frameshift
Freedom Call
Gaia Epicus
Galloglass
Gamma Ray
Guardians Of Time
Hammerfall
Heavenly
Helloween
Hibria
Highlord
Human Fortress
Iced Earth
Impellitteri
Imperanon
Insania
Into Eternity
Iron Mask
Iron Savior
John Arch
Jorn
Kamelot
Kiuas
Labyrinth
Last Tribe
Lost Horizon
Luca Turilli
Magnitude 9
Mago De Oz
Manticora
Masterplan
Mindflow
Moonlight Agony
Mystic Prophecy
Nocturnal Rites
Opus Atlantic
Pagan's Mind
Pain Of Salvation
Pegazus
Platitude
Power Quest
Pyramize
Redemption
Rhapsody
Royal Hunt
Secret Sphere
Shadow Gallery
Shaman
Sinergy
Sonata Artica
Space Odyssey
Starbreaker
Steel Attack
Stratovarius
Sun Caged
Symphony x
Time Requiem
Timeless Miracle
TNT
Twilightning
Vanishing Point
Vision Divine
Warmen
Winds
Winterlong
Wizard




I have about 100 more suggestions up my sleeve, but start with the above list. That should keep you busy for a few years.

 

[lmilhan]

I just dug through my collection and have a few more for you!

Abstrakt Algebra
Alkemyst
Almora
Amaran
Arachnes
Archetype
Star One
Arwen
Asperity
Athena
Avalon
Avantasia
Axxis
Black Majesty
Bloden Wedd
Book Of Reflections
Casus Belli
Catharsis
Cellador
Conquest
Crimson Fire
Crimson Glory
Crystal Eyes
Custard
Cydonia
Dali's Dilemma
Dealy Sin
Degree Absolute
Derdian
Desdemona
Dinoysus
Divinefire
Domain
Domine
Dreamaker
Edge Of Forever
Empty Tremor
Eniac Requiem
End Cogitans
Epinikion
Eternal Flight
Everwood
Excalion
Fairyland
Falkirk
Firewind
Forgotten Tales
Genius rock opera
Glory Opera
Guardians Of Time
Harmony
Heed
Helreid
Highland Glory
Imperanon
Infinity
Kotipelto
Lord
Meduza
Mind Key
Mind Odyssey
Mundanus Imperium
Narnia
Olympos Mons
Reptilian
Ride The Sky
Seventh Avenue
Seventh Wonder
Shadow Host
Shining Fury
Soulblaze
Superior
Suspyre
Thalion
The Reign Of Terror
The Storyteller
Thy Majestie
Vanden Plas
Vhaldemar
Virtuocity
Visions Of Atlantis



I think it is safe to say I enjoy these Genre's of music.

 

[acidbasement]

Two albums you *must* check out:

1. Therion: Gothic Kabballah - an amazing rock/metal opera, and my pick for best album of 2007, hands down. The Abba influence is pretty funny for a metal album.

2. Astral Doors: New Revelation - not every song is a keeper, but the singer's voice is so intoxicating it doesn't matter.

Also, since you liked Gamma Ray's Land of the Free, I'd suggest their albums Majestic and No World Order. Their live album Skeletons in the Closet is fantastic as well. And if you ever get the chance to see them live, DO IT!

If you're going to give Blind Guardian another shot, I recommend A Night at the Opera. Also, check out Savage Circus' album Dreamland Manor. They are the new project of Blind Guardian's old (played on every album but the latest) drummer, and they are quite similar in sound to early BG. I second the earlier suggestion to try Demons & Wizards, which is a side project of BG's singer and one of the guitarists of Iced Earth. Their album Touched by the Crimson King is great!