Band Top Tracks Lists - The Guardians Edition
My list obsession has led to me compiling lists of my favourite tracks by several of my favourite bands so, at the risk of upsetting those less list-obsessed Academy members, I thought I would start threads where myself and anyone else who wants to get involved, can post their lists of bands' favourite tracks.
So starting with a couple of Heavy Metal Gods, here we go:
Sonny's Top 20 Judas Priest tracks:
1. Sinner - Sin After Sin (1977)
2. Exciter - Stained Class (1978)
3. Beyond the Realms of Death - Stained Class (1978)
4. Tyrant - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
5. Stained Class - Stained Class (1978)
6. Victim of Changes - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
7. Starbreaker - Sin After Sin (1977)
8. Jawbreaker - Defenders of the Faith (1984)
9. The Hellion / Electric Eye - Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
10. Hell Bent for Leather - Killing Machine (1979)
11. Genocide - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
12. The Ripper - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
13. Dissident Aggressor - Sin After Sin (1977)
14. Deceiver - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
15. Running Wild - Killing Machine (1979)
16. The Sentinel - Defenders of the Faith (1984)
17. Between the Hammer & the Anvil - Painkiller (1990)
18. Screaming for Vengeance - Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
19. Ram It Down - Ram It Down (1988)
20. Hell Patrol - Painkiller (1990)
Sonny's Top 20 Iron Maiden tracks:
1. The Trooper - Piece of Mind (1983)
2. Killers - Killers (1981)
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Powerslave (1984)
4. Murders in the Rue Morgue - Killers (1981)
5. Die With Your Boots On - Piece of Mind (1983)
6. Another Life - Killers (1981)
7. Flash of the Blade - Powerslave (1984)
8. Still Life - Piece of Mind (1983)
9. Powerslave - Powerslave (1984)
10. Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden (1980)
11. Hallowed Be Thy Name - The Number of the Beast (1982)
12. The Evil That Men Do - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
13. Different World - A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
14. Flight of Icarus - Piece of Mind (1983)
15. Remember Tomorrow - Iron Maiden (1980)
16. Sea of Madness - Somewhere in Time (1986)
17. Revelations - Piece of Mind (1983)
18. Aces High (- Powerslave (1984)
19. Wasted Years - Somewhere in Time (1986)
20. Ghost of the Navigator - Brave New World (2000)
Cool lists, Sonny! Now for my turn... Here are my top 20 tracks from each of my never forgotten power metal heroes of my metal interest whom I'll never let go of:
DragonForce
1. Through the Fire and Flames - Inhuman Rampage (2006)
2. Highway to Oblivion - Extreme Power Metal (2019)
3. Revolution Deathsquad - Inhuman Rampage (2006)
4. Operation Ground and Pound - Inhuman Rampage (2006)
5. Soldiers of the Wasteland - Sonic Firestorm (2004)
6. Cry Thunder - The Power Within (2012)
7. Fury of the Storm - Sonic Firestorm (2004)
8. Valley of the Damned - Valley of the Damned (2003)
9. Pixel Prison - Warp Speed Warriors (2024)
10. E.P.M. (Extreme Power Metal) - Ultra Beatdown (2008)
11. The Edge of the World - Reaching into Infinity (2017)
12. Disciples of Babylon - Valley of the Damned (2003)
13. The Game - Maximum Overload (2014)
14. My Heart Will Go On - Extreme Power Metal (2019)
15. Heroes of Our Time - Ultra Beatdown (2008)
16. Where Dragons Rule - Valley of the Damned (2003)
17. The Last Journey Home - Ultra Beatdown (2008)
18. Burning Heart - Warp Speed Warriors (2024)
19. Hatred and Revenge - Reaching into Infinity (2017)
20. Astral Warrior Anthem - Warp Speed Warriors (2024)
Kamelot (Roy Khan era)
1. Memento Mori - The Black Halo (2005)
2. Nights of Arabia - The Fourth Legacy (1999)
3. Hunter's Season - Poetry for the Poisoned (2010)
4. The Black Halo - The Black Halo (2005)
5. March of Mephisto - The Black Halo (2005)
6. Serenade - The Black Halo (2005)
7. Center of the Universe - Epica (2003)
8. The Haunting (Somewhere in Time) - The Black Halo (2005)
9. Ghost Opera - Ghost Opera (2007)
10. Karma - Karma (2001)
11. The Great Pandemonium - Poetry for the Poisoned (2010)
12. Abandoned - The Black Halo (2005)
13. The Fourth Legacy - The Fourth Legacy (1999)
14. This Pain - The Black Halo (2005)
15. Lunar Sanctum - The Fourth Legacy (1999)
16. The Shadow of Uther - The Fourth Legacy (1999)
17. Until Kingdom Come - The Fourth Legacy (1999)
18. Forever - Karma (2001)
19. III Ways To Epica - Epica (2003)
20. Providence - Siege Perilous (1998)
I am thrilled to see that Flash of the Blade is so high on your list, Sonny. It's one of my favorites as well, and I've always felt that it's somewhat overlooked.
The "top x tracks from a band" list may well be a favorite of mine. Either that, or "band x's releases, worst to best" – to me, it's particularly enlightening to see how widely opinions may differ among the fans of the same band. I'll be glad to give Iron Maiden a shot, but I don't think my knowledge of Judas Priest, Dragonforce, and Kamelot's material is deep enough to do it justice. Instead, I'll give you my take on Black Sabbath; behold:
Karl's Top 10 Iron Maiden tracks:
01. Powerslave – Powerslave [1984]
02. The Duellists – Powerslave [1984]
03. Flash of the Blade – Powerslave [1984]
04. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner – Somewhere in Time [1986]
05. The Prophecy – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son [1988]
06. The Evil That Men Do – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son [1988]
07. Caught Somewhere in Time – Somewhere in Time [1986]
08. Rime of the Ancient Mariner – Powerslave [1984]
09. Sign of the Cross – The X Factor [1995]
10. Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) – Somewhere in Time [1986]
Karl's Top 10 Black Sabbath tracks:
01. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath [1970]
02. The Sabbath Stones – Tyr [1990]
03. Anno Mundi (The Vision) – Tyr [1990]
04. Falling Off the Edge of the World – Mob Rules [1981]
05. Electric Funeral – Paranoid [1970]
06. Turn Up the Night – Mob Rules [1981]
07. Heaven and Hell – Heaven and Hell [1980]
08. Die Young – Heaven and Hell [1980]
09. Neon Knights – Heaven and Hell [1980]
10. Master of Insanity – Dehumanizer [1992]
My three favourite Maiden albums are Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time and Powerslave, so my list of tracks would definitely have a lot of crossover with yours Karl.
My three favourite Maiden albums are Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time and Powerslave, so my list of tracks would definitely have a lot of crossover with yours Karl.
^^^ Exactly this.
My three favourite Maiden albums are Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time and Powerslave, so my list of tracks would definitely have a lot of crossover with yours Karl.
My three favourite Maiden albums are Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time and Powerslave, so my list of tracks would definitely have a lot of crossover with yours Karl.
^^^ Exactly this.
Are you guys my clones?
Ok, so I've done a quick list that I think is pretty accurate. Here ya go:
01. Aces High
02. Wasted Years
03. The Number of the Beast
04. Powerslave
05. The Evil The Men Do
06. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
07. Caught Somewhere in Time
08. Run To The Hills
09. Moonchild
10. Flight of Icarus
Black Sabbath
01. War Pigs
02. Black Sabbath
03. Iron Man
04. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
05. Symptom of the Universe
06. Sweet Leaf
07. Snowblind
08. Hole In The Sky
09. Planet Caravan
10. Headless Cross
Here's one that's a little more leftfield & includes a few deeper cuts:
Rainbow
01. Stargazer (from "Rising", 1976)
02. Gates of Babylon (from "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll", 1978)
03. A Light in the Black (from "Rising" 1976)
04. Man on the Silver Mountain (from "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow", 1975)
05. Tarot Woman (from "Rising", 1976)
06. Eyes of Fire (from "Straight Between the Eyes", 1982)
07. Run With the Wolf (from "Rising", 1976)
08. Danger Zone (from "Down to Earth", 1979)
09. Tearin' My Heart Out (from "Straight Between the Eyes", 1982)
10. Snowman (from "Bent Out of Shape", 1983)
Might as well start with my favorite: Metallica
1. Creeping Death (RtL)
2. Master of Puppets (MoP)
3. The Shortest Straw (AJfL)
4. Ride the Lightning (RtL)
5. Blackened (AJfL)
6. Fade to Black (RtL)
7. Sad But True (TBL)
8. Nothing Else Matters (TBL)
9. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (MoP)
10. Trapped Under Ice (RtL)
Symphony X
1. Evolution: The Grand Design (V)
2. Paradise Lost (PL)
3. Egypt (V)
4. Set the World on Fire (PL)
Smoke and Mirrors (TiO)
The Edge of Forever (TDG)
Of Sins and Shadows (TDWoT)
Through the Looking Glass (TiO)
Legend (U)
The Accolade (TDWoT)
I'll bite Metallica, and return the favor with King Diamond:
Karl's Top 10 Metallica tracks:
01. ...and Justice for All – ...and Justice for All [1988]
02. Disposable Heroes – Master of Puppets [1986]
03. Blackened – ...and Justice for All [1988]
04. Fight Fire with Fire – Ride the Lightning [1984]
05. One – ...and Justice for All [1988]
06. To Live Is to Die – ...and Justice for All [1988]
07. Damage, Inc. – Master of Puppets [1986]
08. Creeping Death – Ride the Lightning [1984]
09. The Call of Ktulu – Ride the Lightning [1984]
10. Dyers Eve – ...and Justice for All [1988]
Karl's Top 10 King Diamond tracks:
01. Grandmaaaaa! Welcome Home – “Them” [1988]
02. The Portrait – Fatal Portrait [1986]
03. The Invisible Guests – “Them” [1988]
04. Sleepless Nights – Conspiracy [1989]
05. The 7th Day of July 1777 – Abigail [1987]
06. Black Horsemen – Abigail [1987]
07. Abigail – Abigail [1987]
08. Arrival – Abigail [1987]
09. The Candle – Fatal Portrait [1986]
10. The Trial (Chambre ardente) – “The Eye” [1990]
One of my NWOBHM favourites and a band I always loved seeing live:
My Top 20 Angel Witch tracks:
1. Angel of Death (Angel Witch)
2. Baphomet (Metal for Muthas)
3. Gorgon (Angel Witch)
4. Don't Turn Your Back (Angel of Light)
5. Atlantis (Angel Witch)
6. Confused (Angel Witch)
7. White Witch (Angel Witch)
8. Free Man (Angel Witch)
9. Angel Witch (Angel Witch)
10. Sorcerers (Angel Witch)
11. Geburah (As Above, So Below)
12. Condemned (Angel of Light)
13. Evil Games (Screamin' n' Bleedin')
14. Death From Andromeda (Angel of Light)
15. Sweet Danger (Angel Witch)
16. Angel of Light (Angel of Light)
17. Flight Nineteen (Sweet Danger / Flight Nineteen)
18. Devil's Tower (Angel Witch)
19. Dead Sea Scrolls (As Above, So Below)
20. Witching Hour (As Above, So Below)
Heavily dominated by their superb debut LP.
What you gonna do when a band issues an album so much better than the rest of their discography?
Another favourite band of mine, Sweden's Grand Magus:
1. Hammer of the North (Hammer of the North)
2. Valhalla Rising (The Hunt)
3. Son of the Last Breath (The Hunt)
4. Mountains Be My Throne (Hammer of the North)
5. Iron Hand (The Hunt)
6. At Midnight They'll Get Wise (Hammer of the North)
7. Starlight Slaughter (The Hunt)
8. I, The Jury (Hammer of the North)
9. Legion (Grand Magus)
10. Sword of the Ocean (The Hunt)
11. The Hunt (The Hunt)
12. Black Sails (Hammer of the North)
13. Storm King (The Hunt)
14. Northern Star (Hammer of the North)
15. Like the Oar Strikes the Water (Iron Will)
16. Silver Moon (The Hunt)
17. Ravens Guide Our Way (Hammer of the North)
18. Draksådd (The Hunt)
19. Spear Thrower (Wolf God)
20. The Naked and the Dead (Triumph and Power)
A band who are incredibly consistent and deserve more acclaim.