Let's leave classical out of this for the time being. So, in first place, by a mile:
Shpongle - Tales of the Inexpressible
Once Upon the Sea of Blissful Awareness
Around the World in a Tea Daze
Flute Fruit
This is just about the best finish to any album I've heard in ages.
But, there are more:
Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair
Small Fish
Burning Sky
Fadeaway
This music is seriously intense when not sober. Intense like you wouldn't believe.
Also:
Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
Book of Thel
Gates of Urizen
Jerusalem
These are the three progressive songs in the center of the album, and are some of the best heavy metal songs put to record IMO, and heavy metal in the Led Zep/Deep Purple sense, and not in the sense of what followed after. It doesn't even bear much resemblance to Maiden TBH.
And also:
Nile - Black Seeds of Vengeance
Black Flame
Libation Unto the Shades that Lurk in the Temple of Anhur
Masturbating the War God
Um... this is music made by mad people for mad people. On this disk and the follow-up, Nile were on that thin line between genius and insanity; on these tracks, they were brilliant rather than insane, but the rest of the album, especially the latter tracks... oh boy.
And even more:
Dream Theater - Awake
The Mirror
Lie
Lifting Shadows off a Dream
Here, DT was playing with their heavy/surreal tone, very much under the musical direction of Kevin Moore. Since Kevin was the only thing that I really liked about DT in terms of songwriting, this is my favorite moment on the disk. Still, I like all of it so much that it doesn't really matter what three tracks you choose from. The three track centerpiece - Erotomania/Voices/The Silent Man is also worthy of attention, though that last acoustic guitar track... sucks, IMO. No worries, though, it's the only weak moment on the whole disk.
And even more still!
Devin Townsend - Terria
Earth Day
Deep Peace
Canada
Ambient metal that rings like a bell yet towers like a cathedral while shimmering like a polished diamond and hitting like a fusion bomb. You will not believe the sound coming out of your headphones... I know I don't.
Also, any three consecutive tracks from Amethystium - Odonata or Apheleon. It doesn't even matter what three. They're all beautiful. Oh, and any three tracks from OTT - Blumenkraft, except maybe track 4. And any three tracks from... oh bugger, there's just too much to list!
