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[Carnage]

I'd put Symphonies, Necroticism and Surgical Steel on a level, all very different but all 5/5 albums.

As for Maiden, my favourite changes weekly but TNOTB, SSOASS and Powerslave are always at the top.

[Yung Led Zeppelin]

Powerslave then Seventh Son for me. Somewhere has a wee bit of filler (Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner) that keeps it from greatness, but also features their best song (Wasted Years).

Now Playing - Carcass - Heartwork, Surgical Steel, Necroticism. Probably one for the controversial opinions thread, but those are my top three Carcass albums in order.

I've no idea how Heartwork is so divisive, it's just such a quality album start to finish

[Anvil]

Powerslave then Seventh Son for me. Somewhere has a wee bit of filler (Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner) that keeps it from greatness, but also features their best song (Wasted Years).

Now Playing - Carcass - Heartwork, Surgical Steel, Necroticism. Probably one for the controversial opinions thread, but those are my top three Carcass albums in order.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is the best song on Somewhere.  Amazing track, even if the lyrics are a bit cheesy.

[Carnage]

I've no idea how Heartwork is so divisive, it's just such a quality album start to finish

Being more melodic and commercial sounding than their previous albums, it was always going to piss some existing fans off. It's a decent album with a couple of filler tracks maybe but y'know yerself, any change of direction inevitably polarises people.

[mickO)))]

Heartwork is hated because it's a sellout album. They should have released it under a different name.

[Pentagrimes]

Powerslave then Seventh Son for me. Somewhere has a wee bit of filler (Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner) that keeps it from greatness, but also features their best song (Wasted Years).

Now Playing - Carcass - Heartwork, Surgical Steel, Necroticism. Probably one for the controversial opinions thread, but those are my top three Carcass albums in order.

I've no idea how Heartwork is so divisive, it's just such a quality album start to finish

Obvious answer: probably because those of us of a certain age who'd grown up with the Carcass that produced Reek and Symphonies were perhaps not interested in hearing them explore their Traditional heavy metal roots. A lot of the things that had been special about them initially were all gone by the time Heartwork rolled around, basically.

 I'll  admit it's a very well written record,and I can see the appeal now. but I still don't care for it a whole lot. Interestingly, I liked Necroticism at the time but I went back to it a few years ago and its aged quite poorly. Some good ideas but its bloated and overlong.

See also: why I couldn't give a fuck about Slaughter of the Soul.

[Grim Reality]

Powerslave then Seventh Son for me. Somewhere has a wee bit of filler (Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner) that keeps it from greatness, but also features their best song (Wasted Years).

Now Playing - Carcass - Heartwork, Surgical Steel, Necroticism. Probably one for the controversial opinions thread, but those are my top three Carcass albums in order.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is the best song on Somewhere.  Amazing track, even if the lyrics are a bit cheesy.

You can't call a fucking heavy metal song The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. Poxy shite. This encapsulates my problem with Maiden/Dickenson. Scattergun approach to lyrics. Themes all over the shop. For every cool as fuck Aces High or The Trooper there's the Distance Runner or Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter. Did he write the lyrics in the back of the taxi on the way to the studio? Also Dickinson is a performer and has no heavy metal heart. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing them in June with my kids.

Tonight's tunes.
Sacrilegium - wicher
Auld Ridge - for death and glory....
Arkona - imperium

Edit to agree with Ducky that Wasted Years is the best Maiden track. Absolute perfection.

[Carnage]

Wasted Years and Stranger In A Strange Land are the weakest songs on the album for me, their melodic singles usually are.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

I think Wasted Years is killer, but also that Maiden have a rake of songs at least as good as it.

[ldj]

Reading this thread has me sticking on Seventh Son, jaysus that run of albums in the 80s really was class.

Which reminds me I need to keep a eye on Ticketmaster to see if any tickets for the gig in May pop up.

[Don Gately]

Currently listening to Deafheavens new one "Lonely people with power " big return to form.
Also Stranger in a strange land is a great song

[Anvil]

Black Sabbath - Forbidden (finally picked up the reissue - only given it one listen but there is alot to like about it)

Novembers Doom - Bled White (picked this up cheap.  While they were often described as a poor man's MDB, they still had a charm... Though this album has lost me at track 6... Pretty boring to be honest).

Pandemic - Phantoms (speed thrash from Dying Victims via Poland).

Trigger Zone - The Pain Principle (compilation of tracks from a band who never made it past the demo stage- the 90s tracks have a strong whiff of Pantera)

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son (is it their best?   Not sure but definitely up there with about 5 others)

MegatonSword - Niralet (not gardening this time.  Seriously killer EP).

The Halo Effect - March of the Unheard (new Melodeath album from this year.  This is their second album, it isn't anything new, but it is solid).

[Ducky]

Powerslave then Seventh Son for me. Somewhere has a wee bit of filler (Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner) that keeps it from greatness, but also features their best song (Wasted Years).

Now Playing - Carcass - Heartwork, Surgical Steel, Necroticism. Probably one for the controversial opinions thread, but those are my top three Carcass albums in order.

I've no idea how Heartwork is so divisive, it's just such a quality album start to finish

I've always found the narrative around Heartwork a bit bonkers (partially because No Love Lost is what opened my ears to nastier sounds after Metallica/Maiden) but I can see what the lads mean re; "selling out".

At the same time, I think the stylistic shift shouldn't have been such a suprise. If they jumped straight from Reek to HW, that would've been jarring, but the progression is clear as day between those first four records.

Plus Walker came into his own as a vocalist from Necroticism onwards. One line of his snarl and you know it's him. And seeing as the reunion material is far more in line with Necroticism (which is also melodic as fuck) and HW than the first two, which one is in fact the "true" Carcass sound? Because to me when the bulk of your discography is melodic death metal and not goregrind, then you're a melodic death metal band (who happen to have one or two goregrind albums), not the other way round.

[Eoin McLove]

The Smiths- The Queen is Dead. Quite enjoyable stuff.

Bretwaldas of Heathen Doom- Kingdom of Killers/ the one after it whose name escapes me.

[Polaris]

You can't call a fucking heavy metal song The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. Poxy shite. This encapsulates my problem with Maiden/Dickenson. Scattergun approach to lyrics. Themes all over the shop. For every cool as fuck Aces High or The Trooper there's the Distance Runner or Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter. Did he write the lyrics in the back of the taxi on the way to the studio? Also Dickinson is a performer and has no heavy metal heart.

Scattered thoughts: Dickinson didn't write anything for SIT, which made it better and more consistent and focused in my view. I always thought SIT was a concept album on time (?), including being hinted at with the title of the Loneliness song. I suspect Harris writes the music first and if he needs lyrical influence to looks through his film collection. Loneliness was a 60s film – really good if I remember – but most of their shittest lyrics are based on films: The Assassin; Quest for Fire (where dinosaurs and people roamed the earth); The Fugitive; and so on. I do find the lyrical contrasts jarring, between poetic, e.g. Revelations, and naff: Quest for Fire. If English was their second language it would be more forgiveable. I always felt Dickinson the most metal in the band, but I know what you mean about him being a performer.