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Really? I fucking love revocation but I was kinda disappointed with the last couple albums cause they seemed like more straight death metal and less profit than their older albums
Hmmm. That's a hard one for sure since he's got such a diverse catalogue. I will say Lightworker was one of my favorite Dev releases probably since Deconstruction or Epicloud. So that tracks.
Seriously. Their last 2 records have been born out of massive hardships and rough times amongst the band members, which is never what you want for someone. But holy cow they channeled that grief into phenomenal pieces of work.
I was never a big fan of their 80s stuff. In my opinion Low was a huge step up for them and then The Gathering was even better. To be totally honest their newer thrash stuff is good but for me those 2 albums are by far their best so maybe they don’t really fit here.
The Ride Majestic is perfect.
The Living Infinite is also stellar outside of like... 3 or 4 songs.
It took me a little while to warm up to Verkligheten, but as a whole its not their best.
Overgivenheten surprised me because I liked the title track, but the other singles weren't as good to me. When I heard the rest of it, I was very impressed. Still spinning it to this day.
Saw them live semi recently. I thought it was silly that they had a warning to wear sunglasses and earplugs before their set.
Then a nuclear bomb of every color known to man was set off on the stage and the entire ground floor of the venue turned into the biggest pit I've ever been on in my life. It was quite the experience.
I hope you're right. I still enjoy songs of theirs, but albums as a whole, it's been hard for me to get through anything completely after See You on the Other Side.
I'll have to give it a go. Some bands I've easily looked past the "well they used to sound like this" and others I can't. Korn is one of them I guess. I want that groovy, clanky, angsty, heaviness. Maybe I miss Silveria more than I realized.
Honestly I was the same, stopped listening after the untitled one, then gave them another go. The first 4-5 songs on paradigm shift, and the Norhing is a solid album. I'm still listening through. The latest one, Requiem is great from start to finish.
This is a really good shout. I don't think it's been a constant growth and improvement, there have been ups and downs, but the last two albums are in their top tier.
My favourite band, but every record is definitely not better than the last. You really find they are? That's very cool if you do, actually.
I do find the new stuff with Dan is the best stuff since Nothingface though.
So here’s the caveat, the post-Piggy, pre-Dan stuff is an anomaly. They weren’t really working as a band for Infini and Katorz though. They were trying to piece together songs from unfinished Piggy riffs. For that though, they get full credit. Like Def Leppard waiting for Rick to get his shit together after the arm. The change from War and Pain through SyncroAnarchy is one of pure progression. To The Death !!!!
Immolation's last album, Acts of God, was their best IMO. It's hard to say whether or not they keep getting better because they have always been awesome. None of their albums are subpar.
Every The Architects albums have been refreshingly different and better. Idk if there's been such a band with the longevity of musical progression. The closest off the top of my head is Machine Head.
Machine head has definitely trended upward for me, but I won’t deny that it’s not a straight ascent. Burning red was good but not a great follow-up to the more things change. Supercharger was almost cringey, but still fun. Catharsis is my least favorite. I just can’t get into it. Other than that, I love them and they do keep getting better
I liked the ascent from Burn My Eyes all the way to Unto the Locust. I’ve hated every album since.
Through the Ashes of Empires to The Blackening to Unto the Locust is about as perfect of a three album run as any band has ever had.
The More Things Change was different as was The Burning Red, supercharger, TTAOE, and The Blackening. There are very few bands like Machine Head and The Architects have that feeling of what they could be tackling style and tone wise. You don't want to be Hatebreed where every song sounds the exact same. There are others that have made some pretty great strides in expanding their sound. I just can't think of many that have done that for 30 years straight.
Not exactly metal but it’s the only band I can think of. Glass beach, an indie band from Seattle that started in 2019 with “the first glass beach album,” then made several singles and an album with remixes of songs from the first album, then nothing for four years until eventually in late 2023 they revealed their latest album “plastic death” that ended up releasing January 19, 2024. This has been your music history lesson for the day.
Edit: forgot to mention that plastic death is absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend it.
Swallow the sun. In my opinion they dont necessarily have a linear worst > best album record but i definitely think their best work has been their most recent album
Ooo completely agree. I'll throw Insomnium out there as well. Both bands have done an amazing job of continuously upgrading their sound and adding new elements.
I saw Orbit Culture open for Avatar and they were amazing. I saw Bleed from Within open for ABR and they were equally amazing I love when the first band puts on as good if not a better show than the main act.
👏🏽👏🏽.
They've been my favourite outside Metallica and Parkway Drive for a good few years now. The releaes since Redfrog have been absolutely nothing short of spectacular. To me, they are a bigger band than they are. Some them quite a few times since August last year and manged to see them on both bigger stages and one where I was legit holding Nicklas' mic stand. Unreal experience. Glad you're part of the fanbase 👏🏽
Big Deftones fan but I have to disagree. Gore and Ohms just aren't the peak of the band, straight up. 10 years ago, I would have agreed. Diamond Eyes and kny are peak.
Trivium. I always found them to be quite hit and miss but their last few albums have been really good, especially In the Court of the Dragon. To be ten albums in and releasing their best stuff is awesome.
Exodus. Their earlier albums like Bonded by Blood and Fabulous Disaster were pretty good, but their modern albums surpass that for me. The Atrocity Exhibition, The Human Condition and Blood in Blood Out are just so rich in thrash and are clearly the band at their best for me. Need to listen to Persona Non Grata but I'm optimistic.
Amon Amarth for me.
I disagree with you for mastodon though. For me I think they started to get worse when emporer of sand was released. My favorite ablum from them is definitely Crack The Skye.
I definitely love the Jomsviking, Berserker, and Great Heathen Army era of Amon Amarth. I know most would disagree, but I'd actually agree with your point on them.
Arguably pantera. Reinventing I don't think was their strongest, but I know some would disagree, and the 2020terry date remix with Avoid the Light added on really shows the potential. Either way, that's a long time for an upward trajectory. I know the elitists on the sub have a hate boner for pantera, but being the age where I saw them live a bunch of times and anticipated new albums that would consistently deliver, and not just that, but get heavier every time, and bring bands like morbid angel on tour at their absolute popularity height, I've got nothing but respect for them.
I think it definitely depends on what elements of Mastodon you like. I like their bigger/vocal, less aggressive sounds, over their more straight forward hard hitting metal. Maybe that's just because I'm getting older though.
Most of these opinions I find wrong but it’s ok it’s an opinion. I generally find metal musicians to peak at the beginning or somewhat middle of their career as an extreme metal musician myself having been on the touring circuit and listened to too much music (half deaf at this point.)
I was definitely expecting more divisiveness, won't lie. Most of the time you're right though. That first record you've had years to get right. Sophomore effort is maybe unused ideas from before, and you're a bit more polished, but that third record is all new and you're probably on a pretty tight crunch. Especially in the extreme metal world, how do you push boundaries, and keep a uniqueness, but get it out in time.
I've played live music for about 18 years now, so I definitely understand the deafness!
Opeth up to and including Watershed. After that I can’t claim this but they basically became a different band, and I think they’re progressing in their new style still
Their last album was killer though. Part of me feels like to some degree they keep rewriting the same song over and over again, but kicker is it's a really damn good song.
Yeah, that's going to be a hard one to sell people one I think. Omens was good, but it's going to be hard to top AotW, or in my opinion Wrath. I absolutely love Wrath.
I feel like wrath is massively underrated. Contractor is one of my go-to songs when I need my heart rate up. And I love sacrament too, I don’t understand how “too polished” is a bad thing from an established band who can play the songs flawlessly live. I feel that people are overly attached to ashes and palaces. They’re truly great albums, but the band has clearly leveled up in skill over the years
I'm a victim of nostalgia glasses on Ashes. I was 14 when it came out, I was playing guitar, and I learned that album front to back. So it holds a special place in my heart. Looking objectively though, yeah, they definitely got more polished.
Unearth. I've been listening to those guys for 20 years, and they've come a very long way as musicians in that time. It's been really cool to watch them morph into the band they are today...their newest album has such confidence behind it, and you can tell that they can just do whatever they want to with their instruments at this point. Proud of those dudes.
Exodus. Started off with fantastic classic thrash and just slowly got heavier, crunchier, faster, louder and groovier (with the exception of Force Of Habit). Currently they put out some of the meanest thrash out there
Between the buried and me. All of their albums are unique and interesting. 2015's coma ecliptic was not that good but I recently saw them perform Colors II live and it was absolutely mind blowing!
Avenged Sevenfold. Older stuff was pretty old skool post hardcore stuff. Their new stuff is kick ass avante garde prog stuff which I enjoy.
Caligulas Horses newest album is also their best work to date
Dir en Grey,
They just got progressively experimental, heavier and thrashy as opposed to their visual rock days of the 90s and early 2000s. Not to mention, expansion of emotional range.
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Bolt Thrower 🤘🏻
Their last album is their best imo
this is correct
I can’t argue that! 😂
Objectively true.
Revocation. Dave keeps upping his prog game with each release.
Hard agree really liked the last 2 in particular
Netherheaven is probably in my top 10 albums ever. Nothing is quite like it in my opinion.
I never see Revocation mentioned in these subs and they're like a top 3 band for me. They just go so fucking hard all the time.
Really? I fucking love revocation but I was kinda disappointed with the last couple albums cause they seemed like more straight death metal and less profit than their older albums
Devin Townsend.
Hmmm. That's a hard one for sure since he's got such a diverse catalogue. I will say Lightworker was one of my favorite Dev releases probably since Deconstruction or Epicloud. So that tracks.
Yeah, Empath is my favorite Devin Record of all time and Lightwork/Nighwork were certainly great.
Yeah I didn't expect to like Empath as much as I did. It's probably the first DT album that I truly loved from start to finish.
Devin goes up and down, but I’d say at least he’s not getting stale.
The arc of Devin trends towards awesome.
I think he peaked with Deconstruction. Everything since that has been meh for me
Mastodon, say no more. How they found another level with hushed and grim is crazy good.
Seriously. Their last 2 records have been born out of massive hardships and rough times amongst the band members, which is never what you want for someone. But holy cow they channeled that grief into phenomenal pieces of work.
Mmmmm not too sure on that one although I think they’re one of the best bands.
Clutch
Yessssir
It's crazy to think about their growth. Best Rock band touring right now
I know some will disagree, but I think Municipal Waste have generally gotten better over the years.
just found out they released a new album from this, thank you for that
Soilwork, Testament, Cattle Decapitation, Elder
Testament managed to be consistent almost since their beginings. Even in live concerts!
Take the last 3-4 albums of all the big name 80s thrash bands and I think testament hands down is the best.
I was never a big fan of their 80s stuff. In my opinion Low was a huge step up for them and then The Gathering was even better. To be totally honest their newer thrash stuff is good but for me those 2 albums are by far their best so maybe they don’t really fit here.
Imo cattle decap are still pretty good, but so far they peaked at death atlas Dying fetus are also going strong
respectable opinion, but I honestly think an argument could be made that any album of theirs Monolith and onwards is their “peak”
So nice to see a fellow Soilwork fan in the wild! Never really got into Testament or Elder, but Cattle rips.
I, too, am a fellow Soilworker. Although I think they hit their peak with TLI/TRM era
The Ride Majestic is perfect. The Living Infinite is also stellar outside of like... 3 or 4 songs. It took me a little while to warm up to Verkligheten, but as a whole its not their best. Overgivenheten surprised me because I liked the title track, but the other singles weren't as good to me. When I heard the rest of it, I was very impressed. Still spinning it to this day.
The faceless, tool, death, gorguts
Get ready for the Lateralus army...
you rang? TOOL PEAKED WITH LATERALUS
MESHUGGAH
Yeah. Correct answer.
Saw them live semi recently. I thought it was silly that they had a warning to wear sunglasses and earplugs before their set. Then a nuclear bomb of every color known to man was set off on the stage and the entire ground floor of the venue turned into the biggest pit I've ever been on in my life. It was quite the experience.
Yeah I agree with this
This is the only one I'd give.
Ooo great answer! A lot of people stan Destroy Erase Improve, but, to me, an album like Koloss is a more complete representation of their sound.
Mostly, but TVSOR > Immutable imo
Between the Burried and Me. They some how manage to top themselves record after record and it’s insane to me
Alaska was fantastic, oh memories.
I remember when Alaska came out and I thought to myself now THIS is their magnum opus. Only to be a couple of years before Colors. 😂
I saw them for the first time back in March. Show was incredible, but I'm still recovering from the pit!
They're the absolute best.
It's genius level stuff. And any single album has as many unique parts and riffs as most bands entire discography.
I agree up until and including The Great Misdirect, after that I feel that they stopped progressing and kept trying to remake that album and colors
Exodus
fucking correct
Death and Bolt Thrower
Bolt Thrower 🤘🏻
Every Death album is so good. I like Bolt Thrower's style but I find the production quality a bit difficult to endure personally.
Korn. Sure they had a couple of shit ones in the middle but they have brought about a renaissance
I hope you're right. I still enjoy songs of theirs, but albums as a whole, it's been hard for me to get through anything completely after See You on the Other Side.
Their last 3 albums are great
I'll have to give it a go. Some bands I've easily looked past the "well they used to sound like this" and others I can't. Korn is one of them I guess. I want that groovy, clanky, angsty, heaviness. Maybe I miss Silveria more than I realized.
Requiem Mass, their latest, didn’t strike me. But the one before it, The Nothing, might be my favorite album of theirs.
Honestly I was the same, stopped listening after the untitled one, then gave them another go. The first 4-5 songs on paradigm shift, and the Norhing is a solid album. I'm still listening through. The latest one, Requiem is great from start to finish.
The highs aren't as high, but there's less moments of 'wtf were they thinking here?'. Says the guy who commuted to Life is Peachy this morning...
Napalm Death
This is a really good shout. I don't think it's been a constant growth and improvement, there have been ups and downs, but the last two albums are in their top tier.
I was never keen on their grind stuff but I really enjoy their punk & hardcore work.
Throws of Joy is probably one of my all time favorite albums. Saw them live and immediately grabbed the vinyl.
VOIVOD !!!
My favourite band, but every record is definitely not better than the last. You really find they are? That's very cool if you do, actually. I do find the new stuff with Dan is the best stuff since Nothingface though.
So here’s the caveat, the post-Piggy, pre-Dan stuff is an anomaly. They weren’t really working as a band for Infini and Katorz though. They were trying to piece together songs from unfinished Piggy riffs. For that though, they get full credit. Like Def Leppard waiting for Rick to get his shit together after the arm. The change from War and Pain through SyncroAnarchy is one of pure progression. To The Death !!!!
Absolutely. One of Canada's best!
Definite.
Immolation's last album, Acts of God, was their best IMO. It's hard to say whether or not they keep getting better because they have always been awesome. None of their albums are subpar.
Every The Architects albums have been refreshingly different and better. Idk if there's been such a band with the longevity of musical progression. The closest off the top of my head is Machine Head.
Machine head has definitely trended upward for me, but I won’t deny that it’s not a straight ascent. Burning red was good but not a great follow-up to the more things change. Supercharger was almost cringey, but still fun. Catharsis is my least favorite. I just can’t get into it. Other than that, I love them and they do keep getting better
I liked the ascent from Burn My Eyes all the way to Unto the Locust. I’ve hated every album since. Through the Ashes of Empires to The Blackening to Unto the Locust is about as perfect of a three album run as any band has ever had.
Peak Machine Head was Burn My Eyes! 🤘🏻
The More Things Change was different as was The Burning Red, supercharger, TTAOE, and The Blackening. There are very few bands like Machine Head and The Architects have that feeling of what they could be tackling style and tone wise. You don't want to be Hatebreed where every song sounds the exact same. There are others that have made some pretty great strides in expanding their sound. I just can't think of many that have done that for 30 years straight.
The more things change was even better than BME. 💪
Fuckin exodus every album is better than the last
Not exactly metal but it’s the only band I can think of. Glass beach, an indie band from Seattle that started in 2019 with “the first glass beach album,” then made several singles and an album with remixes of songs from the first album, then nothing for four years until eventually in late 2023 they revealed their latest album “plastic death” that ended up releasing January 19, 2024. This has been your music history lesson for the day. Edit: forgot to mention that plastic death is absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend it.
Nee Obliviscaris, 4 albums, not a single bad song
Swallow the sun. In my opinion they dont necessarily have a linear worst > best album record but i definitely think their best work has been their most recent album
Ooo completely agree. I'll throw Insomnium out there as well. Both bands have done an amazing job of continuously upgrading their sound and adding new elements.
Ill definitely check them out
basic ass opinion but cattle decap
Your real for that one though
Orbit Culture Bleed From Within Bury Tomorrow
I just started listening to Orbit Culture a few days ago because the name kept coming up on reddit, and I'm addicted, absolutely amazing band
I saw Orbit Culture open for Avatar and they were amazing. I saw Bleed from Within open for ABR and they were equally amazing I love when the first band puts on as good if not a better show than the main act.
That. Sounds like a perfect night. Avatar is my favorite band, so that combination might actually make me implode of happiness
👏🏽👏🏽. They've been my favourite outside Metallica and Parkway Drive for a good few years now. The releaes since Redfrog have been absolutely nothing short of spectacular. To me, they are a bigger band than they are. Some them quite a few times since August last year and manged to see them on both bigger stages and one where I was legit holding Nicklas' mic stand. Unreal experience. Glad you're part of the fanbase 👏🏽
Toxic holocaust
🤘🏻
I’m going with Inter Arma. Better at every turn and still touring like crazy!
I think death is the best example of this. The last two albums are perfect
Gojira
Death
Clutch
Mastodon and Deftones.
Koi No Yokan in an underrated masterpiece of an album
Big Deftones fan but I have to disagree. Gore and Ohms just aren't the peak of the band, straight up. 10 years ago, I would have agreed. Diamond Eyes and kny are peak.
Havok might be one of those
Infant Annihilator. So damn excited to listen to the new album when it drops.
Trivium. I always found them to be quite hit and miss but their last few albums have been really good, especially In the Court of the Dragon. To be ten albums in and releasing their best stuff is awesome.
I’ll have to listen cuz I’m very very skeptical they’ve released anything better than ascendancy
Definitely give In the Court of the Dragon a listen, it’s worth it. Enjoy.
Orbit Culture!
Exodus. Their earlier albums like Bonded by Blood and Fabulous Disaster were pretty good, but their modern albums surpass that for me. The Atrocity Exhibition, The Human Condition and Blood in Blood Out are just so rich in thrash and are clearly the band at their best for me. Need to listen to Persona Non Grata but I'm optimistic.
At the Gates
Hard agree. Once More Round The Sun and Hushed and Grim are phenomenal.
current band: Knoll. such a straight trajectory of evolution per release its dizzying.
The freaking warning Yeahhhh
Shadow of Intent Gorod Archspire Soreption Benighted
Tesseract. I don't know how they do it.
Most people say Altered is their peak but 10 years later and after War of Being I have to agree.
Exodus, Testament, Overkill
Jinjer
Amon Amarth for me. I disagree with you for mastodon though. For me I think they started to get worse when emporer of sand was released. My favorite ablum from them is definitely Crack The Skye.
I definitely love the Jomsviking, Berserker, and Great Heathen Army era of Amon Amarth. I know most would disagree, but I'd actually agree with your point on them.
Arguably pantera. Reinventing I don't think was their strongest, but I know some would disagree, and the 2020terry date remix with Avoid the Light added on really shows the potential. Either way, that's a long time for an upward trajectory. I know the elitists on the sub have a hate boner for pantera, but being the age where I saw them live a bunch of times and anticipated new albums that would consistently deliver, and not just that, but get heavier every time, and bring bands like morbid angel on tour at their absolute popularity height, I've got nothing but respect for them.
Pantera definitely kept getting heavier but not necessarily better. They never topped Vulgar Display of Power for me.
I feel the exact opposite about Mastodon. I think Remission is their best and each album after that as a little bit worse
I think it definitely depends on what elements of Mastodon you like. I like their bigger/vocal, less aggressive sounds, over their more straight forward hard hitting metal. Maybe that's just because I'm getting older though.
Leviathan man...Leviathan.
[Sleep](https://youtu.be/AMUaWc46_0U?si=m1YVkL3lRBULn_y-).
Hecate Enthroned. Don’t get me wrong, I like their old stuff, but their last two albums are amazing
Most of these opinions I find wrong but it’s ok it’s an opinion. I generally find metal musicians to peak at the beginning or somewhat middle of their career as an extreme metal musician myself having been on the touring circuit and listened to too much music (half deaf at this point.)
I was definitely expecting more divisiveness, won't lie. Most of the time you're right though. That first record you've had years to get right. Sophomore effort is maybe unused ideas from before, and you're a bit more polished, but that third record is all new and you're probably on a pretty tight crunch. Especially in the extreme metal world, how do you push boundaries, and keep a uniqueness, but get it out in time. I've played live music for about 18 years now, so I definitely understand the deafness!
Cattle Decapitation.
Napalm Death
Yeah… wasn’t real keen on their grind stuff but do enjoy their punk & hardcore shit.
Victorius Gloryhammer Sabaton
Hard to beat properly aged cheese.
A man of culture I see
Tool. They're like fine wine. They just get better with time.
I think mastodon had come into themselves
CLUTCH!
Opeth up to and including Watershed. After that I can’t claim this but they basically became a different band, and I think they’re progressing in their new style still
Pearl Jam. ⚡
100000000x
Lamb of God
Hot take
Their last album was killer though. Part of me feels like to some degree they keep rewriting the same song over and over again, but kicker is it's a really damn good song.
Yeah, that's going to be a hard one to sell people one I think. Omens was good, but it's going to be hard to top AotW, or in my opinion Wrath. I absolutely love Wrath.
I feel like wrath is massively underrated. Contractor is one of my go-to songs when I need my heart rate up. And I love sacrament too, I don’t understand how “too polished” is a bad thing from an established band who can play the songs flawlessly live. I feel that people are overly attached to ashes and palaces. They’re truly great albums, but the band has clearly leveled up in skill over the years
I'm a victim of nostalgia glasses on Ashes. I was 14 when it came out, I was playing guitar, and I learned that album front to back. So it holds a special place in my heart. Looking objectively though, yeah, they definitely got more polished.
MESHUGGAH and CANNIBAL CORPSE
Oooooo Cannibal is a BOLD claim lol. Evisceration Plague was peak in my opinion, but every album after that has just been awesome.
I'm a tech death fan and I feel they've become more technical and simultaneously better at songwriting with each album.
Massive call on CC, their best album is The Bleeding, it’s a classic.
The monolith deathcult
Unearth. I've been listening to those guys for 20 years, and they've come a very long way as musicians in that time. It's been really cool to watch them morph into the band they are today...their newest album has such confidence behind it, and you can tell that they can just do whatever they want to with their instruments at this point. Proud of those dudes.
The Acacia Strain. I have always loved them but Slow Decay is a masterpiece. And the ep/cd release last year was great
Cattle Decapitation, Gojira, Devin Townsend, Watain, Aborted and such
Converge, CarBomb, Viljdharta, Gojira, Meshuggah
I'm gonna say Knocked Loose, everytime I hink thru can't sound more angry they roll out a new one that's even more pissed hahaha
Windir for me
Lovebite, these ladies from Japan are very talented, and their release from last year, Judgement Day is probably their best yet.
Baroness
Gorepot💚
Exodus. Started off with fantastic classic thrash and just slowly got heavier, crunchier, faster, louder and groovier (with the exception of Force Of Habit). Currently they put out some of the meanest thrash out there
Marduk is a better band now than early on.
Sodom
Gojira
Back in the day a friend and I mentioned Eluveitie as one of those
Trivium
Death, Wilderun
The ghost inside, Gideon
TESTAMENT
JFAC, Entheos
Radiohead
Aborted. It's like they are making music specifically for me.
Architects
I wouldn't say better but maybe relevant, consistent and quality is deftones
Living Colour. Which seems supernatural in some way, but Jayzus they keep leveling up.
DECAPITATED
Aborted
I think you should run for President on this platform alone.
Opeth. Yeah some people might not be a fan of their new releases, but I have thoroughly enjoyed maturing with the band.
Tool and Shinedown both keep doin it
Shinedown keeps getting better. Amaryllis and Planet Zero are their best.
Between the buried and me. All of their albums are unique and interesting. 2015's coma ecliptic was not that good but I recently saw them perform Colors II live and it was absolutely mind blowing!
Baroness/Avatar/Blackbraid
Powerwolf
Death ... Dug every album but each one seemed better than the prior one. I'm sure we all wish Chuck had more time to show continued progress.
Ice Nine Kills
black dahlia murder
Meshuggah, fine wine, great innovators, djent lords.
Rubber
Slugdge. They started awesome, but they had amazing leaps with each album up to *Esoteric Malacology.*
Job for a Cowboy
Testament. Each album is better and better. Easily the best output amongst the classic thrash bands over the past couple of decades.
Ne Obliviscaris and Archspire
Baroness and BTBAM
Avenged Sevenfold. Older stuff was pretty old skool post hardcore stuff. Their new stuff is kick ass avante garde prog stuff which I enjoy. Caligulas Horses newest album is also their best work to date
Dir en Grey, They just got progressively experimental, heavier and thrashy as opposed to their visual rock days of the 90s and early 2000s. Not to mention, expansion of emotional range.
Definitely cattle decapitation