Thanks to lack of inspiration and time of writing reviews of new album, I feel like it is time for me to talk about something that a lot of us metal heads have very near and dear to our hearts, our record collections. While collecting records might not be one of the hottest things to do in 2017, with Spotify and other various music services on the so called Internet, it is still an important thing in my opinion, mostly because it is a direct testament to that you are supporting a band and their music.
No matter how big or small your collection is, or if you collect LPs or CDs, it still feels incredibly good to actually own a piece of musical history forever. With a service like Spotify, there is no certainty that an album will be there for all time, it might be taken off because of various reasons. Sure, a physical copy might break down after some use, but there is nothing like the feeling of buying a new album, opening it up, taking a look at the booklet, and putting the CD into your player, letting it blast out of your speakers. There is just a certain charm to it.
Now, I know this is becoming less and less of a factor in today's world, we rarely see any record stores out in the streets anymore, and we only have a select few websites that sells new albums too. It is a shame, because it is the foundation of becoming a band, to create music and distribute it to the masses. Obviously, technology must go forward, so it is not a change I am fully oppose to, but I think that theold ways still should have a spot even in the future, because it is way more impressive to have tons of CDs filling up your wall than seeing a Spotify playlist that contains over 5000 songs.
So how often do I buy records? Not too often, but that is mostly because I do not have the capital to go shop until I drop. I buy a pack of records (about 5 or more) every 3 months or so, and most of them are actually older records that are a little cheaper, and I only pre-order records if one of my all time favourites are coming up with something new. Whenever I get my own place and a little more space, I might buy more frequently.
Ultimately, I see CDs as the great Stan Lee sees comic books.
"They are like boobs. Watching is fine and all, but it is a much better feeling when you get to touch."
So let us look at my collection, which is currently 181 albums in size (and yes, I will update this post whenever I get new albums).
Alter Bridge:
Fortress
Alter Bridge is probably my favourite hard rock band out there right now, and "Fortress" is by far my favourite record from them, so it was no surprise that I would go after it first.
Amaranthe:
S/T
Nexus
Got these two very cheaply, and while no masterpieces, they still have some good fun moments.
Amberian Dawn:
River of Tuoni
Clouds of Northland Thunder
Old Amberian Dawn is best Amberian Dawn.
Amon Amarth:
Versus The World
With Oden On Our Side
Twilight of The Thundergod
Surtur Rising
Deceiver of The Gods
Jomsviking
One of the bands where I am going to get their full discography sooner or later, just a matter of time.
Anthrax:
Worship Music
For All Kings
I have Anthrax's last two records, but not "Among The Living" or "Spreading The Disease"? I must be a disgrace of a metal head.
At The Gates:
Slaughter of The Soul
An all time classic, a must have in any record collection.
Avenged Sevenfold:
City of Evil
S/T
Nightmare
Definitely the three best albums from the band so far, and I might get the rest soon enough (hesitating about "Hail To The King" though)
Between The Buried And Me:
Colors
The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues (EP)
The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Coma Ecliptic
Automata I
Not too easy to get a hold of their older albums for a decent price, but I will get them. Also, one of two real EPs that I own.
Black Sabbath:
S/T
Paranoid
Master of Reality
Heaven And Hell
13
I really should have more Black Sabbath in my collection, but it will come soon enough.
Blind Guardian:
Nightfall In Middle Earth
Beyond The Red Mirror
"Nightfall..." is not available on Spotify, so that was a must buy for me. Got "Beyond..." for a really good price not too far from its release.
Bruce Dickinson
Balls To Picasso
An impulse buy that paid off big time, an excellent and underrated solo record from the multi talented
Bruce.
Bullet For My Valentine:
Scream Aim Fire
Only bought it for the title track and "Waking The Demon". Man, this band was so good back in the days.
Cain's Offering:
Stormcrow
One of my favourite records from 2015
Cans:
Beyond The Gates
The only solo record so far from the HammerFall singer, and it is pretty good, although not too spectacular.
Children of Bodom:
Something Wild
Follow The Reaper
Hate Crew Deathroll
Are You Dead Yet?
Blooddrunk
Why do I own this many CoB albums? I actually do not know, got them for good prices in the right time I guess.
Devin Townsend:
Ocean Machine: Biomech
Infinity
Physicist
Terria
Ziltoid The Omniscient
If Devin albums were easier to get, I would have all of them already (well, maybe not "Devlab" and "The Hummer")
Devin Townsend Project:
Deconstruction
Epicloud
Z²
Transcendence
I really should get the remaining albums here, I am such a Devin fanboy that it is close to ridiculous.
Dio:
Holy Diver
The Last In Line
Dream Evil
Two classics and one other really good record, but I aim to get more from the man with the voice.
Disturbed:
The Sickness
Ten Thousand Fists
Indestructible
Asylum
Disturbed are rarely spectacular, but they have a consistency that is nice, so any album is worth buying for a nice price.
Dream Theater:
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
A Change of Seasons (EP)
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing
No surprise here, I own the whole discography (+ an EP).
Ghost:
Opus Eponymous
Infestisumam
Meliora
I am a member of the band wagon, so I obviously have all of the records here too.
Gojira:
L'enfant Sauvage
Magma
I really need to get more into Gojira, they are so god damned talented.
Guns N' Roses:
Appetite For Destruction
Use Your Illusion I
Use Your Illusion II
Only really need to own "Appetite...", but I got the other two records almost for free, so why the hell not.
Haken:
Affinity
Could not be without one of my favourite albums of 2016.
Halcyon Way:
Building The Towers
This is one of my underrated favourites, both when it comes to band and album.
HammerFall:
Glory To The Brave
Legacy of Kings
Renegade
Crimson Thunder
Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken
Threshold
No Sacrifice, No Victory
Infected
(r)Evolution
Built To Last
My first metal love, so I obviously have all of the records from them
Helloween:
Keeper of The Seven Keys Pt. 1
Straight Out of Hell
I am so ashamed that I own the first part of "Keeper..." but not the second.
Holy Grail:
Ride The Void
Times of Pride And Peril
One of my favourite bands from the new millenium, need to get "Crisis In Utopia" soon to complete the trilogy.
In Flames:
Whoracle
Clayman
Soundtrack To Your Escape
Come Clarity
A Sense of Purpose
Sounds of A Playground Fading
Battles
I am gonna get so much shit for this, aren't I?
Iron Maiden:
S/T
Killers
The Number of The Beast
Piece of Mind
Powerslave
Caught Somewhere In Time
Seventh Son of A Seventh Son
No Prayer For The Dying
Fear of The Dark
The X Factor
Virtual XI
Brave New World
Dance of Death
A Matter of Life And Death
The Final Frontier
The Book of Souls
Full discography here, no real commentary needed.
Judas Priest:
Sad Wings of Destiny
Sin After Sin
Stained Class
Killing Machine
British Steel
Point of Entry
Screaming For Vengeance
Defenders of The Faith
Turbo
Ram It Down
Painkiller
Angel of Retribution
Redeemer of Souls
Firepower
Got a lot of albums here, but need a lot more.
Kotipelto:
Waiting For The Dawn
Another impulse buy, pretty decent record by the Stratovarius singer
Linkin Park:
Hybrid Theory
Meteora
I grew up with the band, so I just had to get these two records.
Mastodon:
Blood Mountain
Crack The Skye
The Hunter
Once More 'Round The Sun
Emperor of Sand
Working my way backwards in this discography, might get the upcoming EP as well, depending on how good it is.
Megadeth:
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
Rust In Peace
Dystopia
Why do I only own 3 Megadeth albums? I should really own more
Metallica:
Kill 'em All
Ride The Lightning
Master of Puppets
...And Justice For All
The Black Album
Death Magnetic
Hardwired... To Self-Destruct
Do I really need to own the remaining albums?
Moonspell:
Extinct
Another personal favourite from the last couple of years, got it for a really nice price.
Motörhead:
Ace of Spades
Orgasmatron
The Wörld Is Yours
Seriously, why do I only have THREE Motörhead records, and one of them is not "Overkill" or "Iron Fist"?
Mustasch:
Above All
Latest Version of The Truth
Sounds Like Hell, Looks Like Heaven
I love front man Ralf Gyllenhammar and his fun hard rock band.
Opeth:
Deliverance
Blackwater Park
Ghost Reveries
Pale Communion
Just started their discography review series, so it might give me reasons to get more albums from them.
Overkill:
The Years of Decay
Ironbound
The Electric Age
Love me some good old Overkill
Ozzy Osbourne:
Bark At The Moon
Black Rain
I really like Ozzy's solo stuff, but I do not feel any hurry to get them right away.
Pain:
Nothing Remains The Same
Yeah, it is the album that has "Shut Your Mouth".
Pain of Salvation:
In The Passing Light of Day
So far, clearly my favourite record of 2017.
Psychostick:
We couldn't Think of A Title
The Flesh Eating Rollerskate Holiday Joyride (EP)
Sandwich
Space Vampires Vs. Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D
IV: Revenge of The Vengeance
I freaking love these idiots
Rainbow:
Rising
Classic.
Raubtier:
Från Norrland Till Helvetets Port
Sweden's answer to Rammstein, great power in these guys
Rush:
Moving Pictures
May not be metal, but they are still damn good.
Scar Symmetry:
Holographic Universe
Great album in a lot of ways, had to have it.
Slayer:
Reign In Blood
South of Heaven
Seasons In The Abyss
Three classics that all of you should own.
Soilwork:
The Living Infinite
The Ride Majestic
This second golden age of Soilwork is mighty fine.
Stormhold:
Battle of The Royal Halls
Band from my neighbourhood! Go listen to them if you are into classic power/heavy metal.
Strapping Young Lad:
Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing
City
The New Black
Just like with the solo stuff from the Dev, if the remaining albums were any easier to get, I would already have them.
Sunburst:
Fragments of Creation
My favourite newcomer last year.
Symphony X:
V: The New Mythology Suite
Got this one really cheaply, but I really need to get more from this band.
System of A Down:
Toxicity
Hypnotize
Mesmerize
Three modern classics, gotta own them.
Testament:
The Ritual
Yet another band I need to own more albums of.
The Devin Townsend Band:
Accelerated Evolution
Will get "Synchestra" some time to complete the duo.
Tool:
Lateralus
With a box cover so psychadelic, you need to own this one.
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force:
Odyssey
I think everyone should own at least one record from the man with the lightning fast fingers.
Thanks for reading, and don't forget to stay metal
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson
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