[Chris]

Wasp - Crimson Idol
Savatage - TWoM

[eaeolian]

Originally Posted by Chris

Wasp - Crimson Idol
Savatage - TWoM

Two excellent choices, and two of my favs.

[ts73]

Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage
Gong - Flying Teapot Trilogy (that's a concept spanning 3 almbums!)
Aphrodite's Child - 666
honarable mention:
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son the Seventh Son & Metallica - Master of Puppets

[distressed_romeo]

I forgot 'Seventh Son...'! Dammit! Easily my favourite Maiden album. 'Infinite Dreams' is such an underrated song.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Dormant

Too many favourites already mentioned but I can't believe 'Dark Side of the Moon' hasn't been mentioned yet! I much prefer it over 'The Wall' if only because it is about being insane (I guess 'Wish You Were Here' should be mentioned too).

I've always thought of "Wish You Were Here" is an intensely personal album, and less of a concept album in the strictest sense.... but whatever you want to call it it's a DAMNED fine peice of music.

I don't think I could ever write something as emotionally open and vulnerable as the chorus of "Wish You Were Here..." Part of the reason I write instrumental music is that whenever I try to write lyrics I get completely bogged down in metaphor and whatnot, and in turn everything I write just kind of blows.

You know, maybe if I just said "fuck it," and focused on writing completely emotionally blunt lyrics, I'd be able to write...

...of course I still can't sing, lol.

[bigsethmeister]

Speaking of concept albums did Dream Theater's "Scenes From A Memory" really miss the mark for you guys?

I've listened to it several times and it always hits me as overly melodramatic and cliched...

[Dormant]

Originally Posted by Drew

I've always thought of "Wish You Were Here" is an intensely personal album, and less of a concept album in the strictest sense.... but whatever you want to call it it's a DAMNED fine peice of music.

I don't think I could ever write something as emotionally open and vulnerable as the chorus of "Wish You Were Here..." Part of the reason I write instrumental music is that whenever I try to write lyrics I get completely bogged down in metaphor and whatnot, and in turn everything I write just kind of blows.

You know, maybe if I just said "fuck it," and focused on writing completely emotionally blunt lyrics, I'd be able to write...

...of course I still can't sing, lol.

Totally agreed on the lyrics front. My problem is I like writing melodies and I prefer them to be sung (and I'm hardly an inspirational instrumental writer).

I find writing lyrics generally a complete pain in the arse. However, recently I have started copying the principle behind 'The Battle of Evermore' by Led Zeppelin (a vaguely written piece alluding to themes from Lord of the Rings for anyone who hasn't heard it) which detaches my personal feelings from the song and is more a depiction of other people's stories be they from literature or television.

As long as it's vague and you don't mention too many character names it doesn't sound too stupid. I guess in a way it's fairly emotionally blunt although it is my reading of other people's stories so there is a bit of personal perspective. In reality it's just plagiarism really.

[7 Dying Trees]

To me nothing has ever really come close to Operation Mindcrime. That album still is pure genius.

[velocity]

how about
symphony x "the odyssey"
savatage " dead winter dead"

[Leon]

Pink Floyd - Animals
Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
Buckethead - Giant Robot