# Your favorite Concept Album



## Volteau (Apr 24, 2012)

I couldn't sleep one night and decided to track down songs I hadn't heard in ages through youtube. One thing led to another and I found myself listening to Operation:Mindcrime by QR and wow, as one commentator keenly observed: "the lyrics sound as if they were written last week". Amazing album, which turned into the segue for this post's question. 

The ones I can think of that had the most impact for me are:

1)Operation:Mindcrime
2)Scenes from a Memory

I'm interested in seeing what you guys post.

Edit: Lately I've been really into Ondrej's band Lithium Dawn and their concept album AION, which if you guys haven't heard, I suggest heading over to the recording section and downloading, for it is the most amazing DIY CA I have heard in, well, ever.


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## SkapocalypseNow (Apr 24, 2012)

Ziltoid the Omniscient.


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## Volteau (Apr 24, 2012)

Haven't heard that one. Will look it up! Devin never disappoints.


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## SkapocalypseNow (Apr 24, 2012)

And Ziltoid is no exception, in a rather ridiculous but still highly entertaining way. I also have a soft spot for anything coffee related, and an omnicient alien attacking Earth for a sub-par cup fits the bill quite nicely


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## ittoa666 (Apr 24, 2012)

Tie between...







And this...


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## scherzo1928 (Apr 24, 2012)

Ayreon - Into the electric castle.

/thread

also, 7th reincarnation of this thread.


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## Into Obsidian (Apr 24, 2012)




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## AngstRiddenDreams (Apr 24, 2012)

http://www.nuclearblast.de/static/articles/191/191022.jpg/1000x1000.jpg


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## JamesM (Apr 24, 2012)

Still Life.


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## Selkoid (Apr 24, 2012)

The Contortionist - Exoplanet


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## MFB (Apr 25, 2012)

Tie between Ziltoid and Symphony X's "V: The New Mythology Suite"


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## November5th (Apr 25, 2012)

These are my faves so far.

1)Circus Maximus-Isolate
2)Queensryche-Operation Mindcrime
3)Royal Hunt-Paradox
4)Pain Of Salvation-The Perfect Element 1
5)Dream Theater-Scenes From A Memory


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## Guitarman700 (Apr 25, 2012)

ittoa666 said:


> Tie between...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I love you. But you know that.
Not mentioned yet, but Kamelot-The Black Halo.


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## Ironbird (Apr 25, 2012)

People normally pick Abigail as the best King Diamond concept album, but House of God is my personal choice. Musically, it's fantastic, with great work from LaRocque and Drover. Lyrically, it's brilliant, with some popular theories about Jesus thrown in to strengthen the storyline. 

_"Upon the Cross he did not die, they tortured him, but he survived
Smuggled across the open sea, to Southern France, tranquility
There he married Magdalene, and founded another dynasty
A church was built upon a hill, to serve all of the gods at will."_


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## ilyti (Apr 25, 2012)

Lots of great concept albums/rock operas. I also love Operation:Mindcrime. I didn't care for the sequel though.

Absolutely every Ayreon album, particularly The Human Equation.
If Still Life counts as a concept album, then the criteria here must be pretty broad. Awesome album, but the story is hard to figure out just from reading the lyrics. 

Most of Alice Cooper's albums are concept albums, with an overall story. Welcome to my Nightmare, From The Inside, and Brutal Planet being my favourites.

The whole Iced Earth/Set Abominae mythos was made perfect on Framing Armageddon and The Crucible of Man. 

I listen to a lot of concept albums it seems..


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## The Omega Cluster (Apr 25, 2012)

Volteau said:


> Haven't heard that one. Will look it up! Devin never disappoints.



For me, he did disappoint, so even if I've tried, I've never gotten into his stuff.

But good concept albums are :

Coheed & Cambria (their 5 albums are ONE story)


Journal - Unlorja (fucking technical)


Haken (Aquarius and Visions are both epic albums)


Harmonium - L'Heptade (70's progressive rock at its finest - in French)


Last Chance to Reason - Level 2 (nerdcore)


Neal Morse - Sola Scriptura (probably THE best heavy prog-rock album of all times!)


Protest the Hero - Kezia (punk and technical metal that actually is good?)


Spock's Beard - Snow (one of the best prog rock albums out there)


The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Bleeding the New Apocalypse (heavier, proggier Mastodon)


Those are all fuckin' bad-ass concept albums!


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## JaxoBuzzo (Apr 25, 2012)

+ 1 for Good Apollo IV.

My All time favorite concept album, and probably over-all album, as well, is Isis' Wavering Radiant. There is none more well written.


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## MFB (Apr 25, 2012)

I really wish Coheed would drop their story and start a new one. I mean, it's a perfect time to stop it since I believe YoBR was supposed to wrap up it all up, but now Claudio is talking about continuing it from a different view or something else going on at the same time as the main story and all I can think is: WHY?! You're a creative guy, start something new.


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## JamesM (Apr 25, 2012)

I've hated everything after IV, and I liked Second Stage and 3 better (emphasis on 3), so...


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## asphyx123 (Apr 25, 2012)

I love concept albums:

King Diamond - Puppet Master / Them / Abigail / The Eye are all awesome
Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
Ayreon - The Universal Migrator2 - Flight of the Migrator
Star One - Space Metal / Victims of the Modern age (both don't have a storyline through all songs but still have the same theme - so for me they are concept albums, too)
Queensryche - Empire / Operation Mindcrime
Riverside - Out of myself


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## GSingleton (Apr 25, 2012)

nuff said.


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## broj15 (Apr 25, 2012)

Pink Floyd - The Wall
Whitechapel - The Somatic Defilement
Queensryche - Operation Mind Crime

That really shows how varied my taste in music is


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## bouVIP (Apr 25, 2012)

I'm pretty sure this is a concept album...






if not oh well still an epic album


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## NaYoN (Apr 25, 2012)




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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Apr 25, 2012)

+1 to anything Coheed and Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime.


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## Thrashmanzac (Apr 25, 2012)

ziltoid the omnisient - devin townsend
oh we do like to be beside the seaside - the vasco era


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## Don Vito (Apr 25, 2012)

Don't really have a favorite, but I used to love Winds of Plague's "The Great Stone War".

Musically, it was really alright melodic deathcore, but I think they captured the whole war vibe pretty well, especially the last song.


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## ry_z (Apr 25, 2012)

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omniscient





Buck-Tick - Juusan-kai wa Gekkou


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## AliceLG (Apr 25, 2012)

In no particular order:

Pink Floyd - The Wall
Spock's Beard - Snow
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Bradway
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
Ayreon - absolutely everything
Opeth - Ghost Reveries ... to the purists out there, think of Isolation Years as a bonus track 
Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

This could turn into a very long list, I'll stop before it's 9 hours later and I can figure out why I'm so hungry and tired


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## spawnofthesith (Apr 25, 2012)

Exoplanet and Colors


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## Hankey (Apr 25, 2012)

Everything by Coheed & Cambria





Protest The Hero - Kezia





Fear Factory - Obsolete


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## Metal_Webb (Apr 25, 2012)

The last 4 Amorphis albums, "Eclipse", "Silent Waters", "Skyforger" and "The Beginning of Times". Each tells a different story from the Kalevala and each is brilliant in their own right. "Eclipse" is one of my all time favourite albums ever!



I echo the sentiments about Ziltiod...one of Devvy's best IMO.

Eluveitie's "Helvetios" also kicks a ton of buttock as well. It tells the story of the Gaulish war


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## DLG (Apr 25, 2012)

marillion - misplaced childhood
genesis - the lamb lies down on broadway
pink floyd - the dark side of the moon
frank zappa - joe's garage
jellyfish - spilt milk
kevin gilbert - the shaming of the true
queensryche - operation mindcrime
iron maiden - seventh son of the seventh son
david bowie - the rise and fall of ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars
the flaming lips - yoshi battles the pink robots
the mountain goats - tallahassee


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## AborteD (Apr 25, 2012)

Every single album of Emmure.


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## Fillifax (Apr 25, 2012)

MFB said:


> I really wish Coheed would drop their story and start a new one. I mean, it's a perfect time to stop it since I believe YoBR was supposed to wrap up it all up, but now Claudio is talking about continuing it from a different view or something else going on at the same time as the main story and all I can think is: WHY?! You're a creative guy, start something new.



Well, he kinda already did. Have you read the books/comics? YoBR was the first part of the story, a prequel to Second Stage Turbine Blade.
Actually, he has his other band, The Prize Fighter Inferno, which follows Inferno. I definately think he should stay in the same universe. I'd like to know something about what happened before YoBR and perhaps he could go more in depth about the Mage Wars?


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## UnderTheSign (Apr 25, 2012)




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## Don Vito (Apr 25, 2012)

AborteD said:


> Every single album of Emmure.



Ah Yes!

The grand epic of contracting AIDS.


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## Hauschild (Apr 25, 2012)

Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory.
Sounds like there are some albums i need to give a spin, though!


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## Repner (Apr 25, 2012)

Symphony X - V: The New Mythology Suite
Ayreon - All of them
Pain Of Salvation - BE


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## Pat_tct (Apr 25, 2012)

I really like the Idea of concepts and I mostly write in cocepts too.
My favs:

BTBAM: "Colors" and "The Great Misdirect" (well the second one is not a real concept, but the songs are still linked)
Vildjharta: "Masstaden"
The Contortionist: "Exoplanet"


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## Riffer (Apr 25, 2012)

Mastodon - Crack The Skye
Mastodon - Leviathan
Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
The Faceless - Planetary Duality
Coheed - In Keeping Secrets/IV/No World For Tomorrow
Pink Floyd - The Wall
BTBAM - Colors
Devin Townsend - Ki/Addicted/Deconstruction/Ghost
The Who - Tommy


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## Lagtastic (Apr 25, 2012)

Symphony X - V

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Dream Theater - Scenes

Shadow Gallery - Tyranny & Room V (both albums are part of the same storyline)

Persefone - Core


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## MartinMTL (Apr 25, 2012)

GSingleton said:


> nuff said.



Technically it is not a concept album, but i guess it could still pass. And it kicks ass. 

Exoplanet (The Contortionist) and Ghost Reveries by Opeth are my favourite. I don't know if ghost reveries counts though.


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## Asrial (Apr 25, 2012)

DTP - ZTO (I demand coffee!)
Ayreon - the human equation
Tesseract - Concealing Fate EP


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## snowblind56 (Apr 25, 2012)

Dio - Magica


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Apr 25, 2012)

Pink Floyd-The Wall
Queensryche-Operation Mindcrime
Neal Morse-Sola Scriptura.

I also have the live DVD for the latter, and the performances are top notch.


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

scherzo1928 said:


> Ayreon - Into the electric castle.
> 
> /thread
> 
> also, 7th reincarnation of this thread.



Sorry about that then. Searched a bit, didn't find it. Always fun though


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## Grand Moff Tim (Apr 25, 2012)

Willie Nelson - The Redheaded Stranger.


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

MartinMTL said:


> Technically it is not a concept album, but i guess it could still pass. And it kicks ass.
> 
> Exoplanet (The Contortionist) and Ghost Reveries by Opeth are my favourite. I don't know if ghost reveries counts though.



Yeah, I've always had a tough time kind of defining a CA. I mean, sure, it could very well be defined as having one story told through out various songs, but can it also be said that it can have one THEME? Different stories about. say, individualism, that aren't tied one to another. Some people have defined In Absentia by Porcupine Tree as a CA due to the common themes tying in the songs. Don't know if I agree, though. But it's interesting to think about nonetheless.


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## thedonal (Apr 25, 2012)

Pink Floyd- The Wall
Dream Theater- Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (sort of tenuous, but the second disc counts as a concept album in itself)
Blue Oyster Cult- Imaginos


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## SenorDingDong (Apr 25, 2012)

In no particular order:


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## brick (Apr 25, 2012)

Catch-33 By Meshuggah
The Way Up. By Pat Metheny


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

Messed up. Never thought of Sgt. Pepper as a concept album, and I've heard it like a thousand times :S. I need to pay attention to the lyrics.


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## SenorDingDong (Apr 25, 2012)

Volteau said:


> Messed up. Never thought of Sgt. Pepper as a concept album, and I've heard it like a thousand times :S. I need to pay attention to the lyrics.



Don't worry, it wasn't a concept album in the traditional sense, so most people wouldn't really jump to thinking of it as one; it was that they wanted to write an album that would "tour for them," one that would be written and played by the fictitious characters of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.


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## canuck brian (Apr 25, 2012)

Sol Niger Within. It's one of those albums you have to listen to in order or it just sounds weird!


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

Had no idea Fredrik had made a concept album. Glad I made this thread . Lots of new stuff to hear!


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## canuck brian (Apr 25, 2012)

Volteau said:


> Had no idea Fredrik had made a concept album. Glad I made this thread . Lots of new stuff to hear!



Plan for an hour, listen to it beginning to end with no break. It's amazing. 

I'm so jealous you get to experience it for the first time.


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## decypher (Apr 25, 2012)




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## Randy (Apr 25, 2012)

The Ocean Collective - Heliocentric


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## ArtDecade (Apr 25, 2012)

Tommy
The Wall
Joe's Garage

Anything else is child's play.


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## Hirschberger (Apr 25, 2012)

Also, Heliocentric by the Ocean, Colors by BTBAM, and Crack the Skye by Mastodon


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## theleem (Apr 25, 2012)

Mastodon- Crack the Skye
Mercyful Fate- Melissa... I'm pretty sure that's a concept album


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## sibanez29 (Apr 25, 2012)




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## ry_z (Apr 25, 2012)

^ Oh what the hell, I somehow forgot Oceanic.


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## White Cluster (Apr 25, 2012)

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Porcupine Tree - The Incident
King Diamond - Abigail


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## Handbanana (Apr 25, 2012)

Wow, ive seen some Symphony X, but I think the Odyssey was my fav. Then Scenes by Dream Theater. Im sure theres others but its been a while since ive listened to a good concept album. Ziltoid was meh to me. Couldnt really get into it.


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## MFB (Apr 25, 2012)

Odyssey was only one song though, not an entire album


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## Handbanana (Apr 25, 2012)

MFB said:


> Odyssey was only one song though, not an entire album


 
That one song is like 24 minutes long. its not a full blown concept album, but many of the tracks revolve around other concepts/ideas if not relating to the title track itself.


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## ry_z (Apr 25, 2012)

A few more:


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## themike (Apr 25, 2012)

Its literally like listening to an audiobook, I love it.


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## Blake1970 (Apr 25, 2012)

Is Dark Side of the Moon considered a concept album?


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## Larrikin666 (Apr 25, 2012)

Amogh Symphony - The Quantum Hack Code
Seriously blows my mind. That guy puts together some really powerful, weird compositions.


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## sibanez29 (Apr 25, 2012)

How could I forget:






Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven!


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## ArtDecade (Apr 25, 2012)

I think there are quite a few definitions of "concept" at play here... some of the albums mentioned have unique/strange themes and music, but don't have an overarching concept.


*Tommy*: Rock Opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind boy that finds freedom and celebrity through pinball before his fans turn on him. Strange concept, but its there.
*Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven*: Besides beautiful passages of music, is there a unifying concept?

If we look at Pink Floyd, they have had themed albums and concept albums. Dark Side doesn't really have a concept, but they designed an album that flows from track to track. I would put it in the same camp with Antennas to Heaven. The Wall is obviously a concept album alongside the likes of Tommy.


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## TheSilentWater (Apr 25, 2012)

A few of my favourites that haven't been mentioned yet:
















And, simply because it is about MEGA MAN IN A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE


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## theleem (Apr 25, 2012)

Blake1970 said:


> Is Dark Side of the Moon considered a concept album?



Yeah I would say so


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## Mordacain (Apr 25, 2012)

Blake1970 said:


> Is Dark Side of the Moon considered a concept album?



Yes...oh very much so yes. Many consider it the progenitor of the "concept album' as we know it.

My list in no particular order:

Pink Floyd: The Wall
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Dream Theater: Scenes from a Memory
Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet
Lithium Dawn: AION (yes, its that good that I consider it a "favorite" now)


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## Sicarius (Apr 25, 2012)

Ziltoid and Cruelty and the Beast.


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## Santuzzo (Apr 25, 2012)




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## ArtDecade (Apr 25, 2012)

^ That is no one's favorite concept album. Even Kiss hate it! Ha.


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## Santuzzo (Apr 25, 2012)

ArtDecade said:


> ^ That is no one's favorite concept album. Even Kiss hate it! Ha.



It IS MY favorite concept album. I don't care if KISS hate it, it is my favorite KISS album, too and I am a big time KISS-fan!


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## MrGignac (Apr 25, 2012)

+1 to Obscura and king diamond 

i personally love Demons and Wizards Dark tower themed album.


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## vampiregenocide (Apr 25, 2012)

First the obvious:







ObZen is somewhat a concept album.
\


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

Holy crap. There's a lot of stuff out there I need to re-listen or listen to for the first time. Thanks for all the great suggestions (even though this wasn't a "suggestion" thread, I know ).


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## ilyti (Apr 25, 2012)

Santuzzo said:


>


 
I actually LOL'd. Thought this was a troll post until I saw your explanation.

I tried to get into this album a long time ago, because I figured it would potentially the only Kiss album I could possibly like. But I forget everything I heard on it. What's the story?

Also: Lots of mentions for Operation Mindcrime.. unfortunately this was the last _really_ good QR album.


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## mountainjam (Apr 25, 2012)

Pink floyd-wish you were here


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## broj15 (Apr 25, 2012)

Never Really thought of any Godspeed You! Black Emperor albums as being concept albums since i never really think of GY!BE making individual songs, but in that case





I also failed to mention;


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## MFB (Apr 25, 2012)

I've always known concept albums to be ones that tell stories, so I don't really see bands like Explosions in the Sky, or Godspeed You Black Emperor, or Thee A Silver Mt. Zion as releasing concept albums since there's no lyrics to tell that story. There may be samples of stuff but nothing resembling an overall story.


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## Mordacain (Apr 25, 2012)

MFB said:


> I've always known concept albums to be ones that tell stories, so I don't really see bands like Explosions in the Sky, or Godspeed You Black Emperor, or Thee A Silver Mt. Zion as releasing concept albums since there's no lyrics to tell that story. There may be samples of stuff but nothing resembling an overall story.



Here's the wiki entry on it:

"In music, a *concept album* is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical."[1] Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing to a single overall theme or unified story. This is in contrast to the practice of an artist or group releasing an album consisting of a number of unconnected (lyrically or otherwise) songs performed by the artist."

So really, just needs a unified theme seems like.


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## MFB (Apr 25, 2012)

Guess that means my grindcore album about X-Men is going to be a concept album  Look out other concept albums, here I come!


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 25, 2012)

And simply because there aren't enough bands or albums with the word "ocean" in their title in this thread...


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## Volteau (Apr 25, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> And simply because there aren't enough bands or albums with the word "ocean" in their title in this thread...



Def. read my mind. Confusing stuff.


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## sahaal (Apr 26, 2012)




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## traditional (Apr 26, 2012)

Lateralus by Tool.
I'm really surprised that no-one has mentioned it yet, if not just on face value but if it's rearranged in to The Holy Gift. It's incredible, easily my favourite.
Tied second is DT's Ziltoid and Planetary Duality by The Faceless.


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## Xaios (Apr 26, 2012)

Crap, that's a hard question. In the end though, I have to go with...


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## Divinehippie (Apr 26, 2012)

Concept albums are some of my favorites, love an album with a story my list in no order:
The Contortionist-Exoplanet
BTBAM- Colors
Protest the Hero- Kezia
Last Chance to Reason- Level 2 (a new listen for me but goddamn loving it so strong \m/)
Pink Floyd- the wall

more im sure but i mean they've all been pretty much covered here haha xD


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## Vinchester (Apr 26, 2012)

Shadow Gallery - Room V


and Pain of Salvation - Entropia


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## Furtive Glance (Apr 26, 2012)

Xaios said:


> Crap, that's a hard question. In the end though, I have to go with...
> *snip


Came here to post this. Amazing album.


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## klami (Apr 26, 2012)

Xaios said:


> Crap, that's a hard question. In the end though, I have to go with...



For me its a toss up between Remedy Lane, The Perfect Element Pt I and BE, even though I enjoy all of their albums (yes I do..). There's something very appealing to me about Gildenlöws writing. To me it appears honest, vulnerbale and personal. 

Oh, and Seventh Wonder's "Mercy Falls". A bit too theatrical here and there, but a good album with a great singer!


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## asphyx123 (Apr 26, 2012)

Forgot to mention some....

Wasp - the crimson Idol
Hypocrisy - The Arrival

If you like german/european style metal bands like Helloween/blind Guardian you might also enjoy

Gamma Ray - Somehwere out in space
Gamma Ray - No world order


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## Volteau (Apr 26, 2012)

Xaios said:


> Crap, that's a hard question. In the end though, I have to go with...



I COMPLETELY Forgot about this album. Man, had some real good times listening to this.

Guess I'll update my list since the definition of a CA is so broad:

Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
The Incident

Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Perfect Element

NIN - Downward Spiral

Also great is the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis. My dad BURNED that album when I was a kid.


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## broj15 (Apr 26, 2012)

MFB said:


> I've always known concept albums to be ones that tell stories, so I don't really see bands like Explosions in the Sky, or Godspeed You Black Emperor, or Thee A Silver Mt. Zion as releasing concept albums since there's no lyrics to tell that story. There may be samples of stuff but nothing resembling an overall story.


 
I kind of thought about it the same way. Too me a concept album is a group of songs unified by a single theme. GY!BE, EITS etc. don't really write songs, but kind of write what i would call a composition of sorts (even though they are technically the same thing). 
One thing that has always blown my mind about GY!BE is that they can convery such strong emotions while using little to no words at all. Each GY!BE album kind of paints a picture in your mind. Although the picture will be different for everyone depending on how you percieve the music thier albums seem very conceptual and each "movement" of the composition has a single unifying theme that ties each one into all the others.
I guys i never really think of post rock bands writing actual songs, since i typically listen to post-rock on vinyl as opposed to CD, therefore, the album isn't divided into track 1, 2, 3 etc., thus making it more suitable to listen to and digest as a whole (with the exception of flipping from side A to side B).
The great thing about music is that it is percieved differently by everyone, there for there is no right or wrong answers. Thank god the majority of the people on here understand that and are willing to have a civil, stimulating conversation about such matters


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## lemeker (Apr 26, 2012)

Silverstein- A Shipwreck in the Sand, not sure if its really a "concept album, but has an overall theme throughout. Just an all around great cd....very well written.

My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade.......don't really like MCR, but this album just kicks sooo much ass. I hear Floyd and Yes, with a touch of early Genesis i all over it.

King Diamond- there's 3 here.....Abigail, Them and The Eye; The Eye being my favorite (First King Diamond album I owned). If you have to ask, you'll never know!!!!!! 

Dream Theater- Scenes

The whole Coheed catalog.

.......even though I'm not sure bout this one, but Alice Coopers Welcome to My Nightmare is pretty cool too.


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## Sicarius (Apr 26, 2012)

I've always thought a concept album had a unifying story to it.
By the wikipedia definition, it could be argued that SOAD's Toxicity is a concept album because the music flows well.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 26, 2012)

Volteau said:


> Also great is the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis. My dad BURNED that album when I was a kid.



As in he destroyed it, or he illegally reproduced it? The former is fucked up, the latter doesn't seem noteworthy.


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## guitareben (Apr 26, 2012)

Real Illusions: Reflections - Steve Vai


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## flint757 (Apr 26, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> As in he destroyed it, or he illegally reproduced it? The former is fucked up, the latter doesn't seem noteworthy.



I think he meant played it all the time.


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## VBCheeseGrater (Apr 26, 2012)

The Armada said:


> Still Life.



Agreed, this needs a pic, and +1 for King Diamond Abigail


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## Alimination (Apr 27, 2012)

Dream Theater- Scenes and octavarium 

Voivod - Dimension Hatröss'

Kind Diamond- abigail & Them

Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray

Porcupine tree- Fear of Blank Planet, Deadwing and the incident

and David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars? =)


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## ry_z (Apr 27, 2012)




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## HeavyRiffin (Apr 27, 2012)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## SirMyghin (Apr 27, 2012)

Alimination said:


> David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars? =)



Damned right.

Aqualung by Jethro Tull is a big favourite album of mine. Not the story concept album, but the linked themes concept type album (lyrically and musically).


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## Xaios (Apr 27, 2012)

ry_z said:


>



That one is a *very* close second on my list. If I was trapped on a proverbial desert island, both Temple of Shadows and The Perfect Element would be 2 of my 5 cd's.


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## isispelican (Apr 27, 2012)




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## Volteau (Apr 27, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> As in he destroyed it, or he illegally reproduced it? The former is fucked up, the latter doesn't seem noteworthy.



As in he heard the crap out of it.


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## Monk (Apr 28, 2012)

Shine by yours truly.


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## BrianUV777BK (Apr 28, 2012)

I gotta go with The Wall.


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## DanielBTE (Apr 28, 2012)

Probably going to get a lot of disagreement from this.

Job For A Cowboy - Genesis

Was the album that got me to progress forward musically.


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## Volteau (Apr 28, 2012)

isispelican said:


>



Another album I totally forgot. I saw them opening for Metallica here in PR, and when they began playing Ghost of Karelia I cried. Ok, I didn't CRY, but I felt shivers down me spine!


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## beneharris (Apr 28, 2012)

GAH, since Heliocentric, Agony (best cd to come out last year btw), and The Protomen were all already used, i'm going to have to go with:

The Ichthyologist- Giant Squid





Cybion- Kalisia





Heroes Temporis- Magni Animi Viri






Constitution of Treason - God Forbid


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## Darkstar124 (Apr 28, 2012)

The contortionist-Apparition.


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## JoeytheChoady (Apr 28, 2012)

The Mars Volta-Deloused in the Comatorium
BTBAM-Colors
The Fall of Troy-Phantom on the Horizon 

All freaking brilliant


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## Volteau (Apr 28, 2012)

Since I saw so many people talking about Heliocentric, I went out and bought it on a limb. Hell, didn't even listen to a clip on youtube or anything. And damn, I love it.... simply love it. Thank you all for the awesome suggestion. Still have a huge list to go through, though... 

It's so raw and so wonderfully uncompressed that it makes me cry. I don't know if I should say so or not, but it reminds me of ISIS.

BTW, it's only 8 bucks on iTunes, so no excuses! Get it nao!


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## Black_Sheep (Apr 30, 2012)

Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe

Symphony X - Paradise Lost 

Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory 


W.a.s.p - The Crimson Idol (very, very, very underrated album that happens to be one of the best ever concept albums imo!)


Those are what i can think of for now. There's plenty of more great concept albums for sure...


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## Leuchty (Apr 30, 2012)

Fear Factory - Obsolete


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## Huntor (Apr 30, 2012)




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## linchpin (Apr 30, 2012)

The one with the SHOCKing future where EDGECRUSHER escapes and SMASHER/DEVOURER is sent after him by SECURITRON and their DESCENT from power and oppression cannot be achieved with just HI-TECH HATE alone, so from there on it's FREEDOM OR FIRE for him to survive from becoming OBSOLETE because there will be no RESURRECTION from failing to survive a prison of TIMELESSNESS.


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## amonb (Apr 30, 2012)

Epic







And I always considered this as a concept album, like most of Devin's...


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## Djent (Apr 30, 2012)

I had to pull the mainstream card, but these albums haven't really been mentioned, if at all


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## The Uncreator (Apr 30, 2012)

Ayreon's "The Human Equation" can't really be beat, although "01.." is a up there as well.


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## Ralyks (Apr 30, 2012)

Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane


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## Volteau (Apr 30, 2012)

amonb said:


> Epic
> 
> 
> And I always considered this as a concept album, like most of Devin's...



I may have to get it just for the cover. Amazing.


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## Islandjam2990 (Apr 30, 2012)

A lot of my favorites were taken, but Haken's "Visions" from 2011 is easily one of the best albums I've ever heard, period. It just happens to have a kickass concept as well


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## Volteau (May 1, 2012)

Volteau said:


> Since I saw so many people talking about Heliocentric, I went out and bought it on a limb. Hell, didn't even listen to a clip on youtube or anything. And damn, I love it.... simply love it. Thank you all for the awesome suggestion. Still have a huge list to go through, though...
> 
> It's so raw and so wonderfully uncompressed that it makes me cry. I don't know if I should say so or not, but it reminds me of ISIS.
> 
> BTW, it's only 8 bucks on iTunes, so no excuses! Get it nao!



Went out and bought the hardcopy of this album. It is one of the most elaborate CD packaging I have seen. I'll take pics later on to demonstrate why.


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## Slunk Dragon (May 1, 2012)

Here are some of my favorites





















This last one here is a Buckethead album, and an absolutely fantastic one at that.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (May 2, 2012)

^ Trilogy is not a concept album at all. Even by Wikipedia's rather liberal definition.


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## BlackMesa (May 2, 2012)

I got many that have already been listed, I'll do a full one tomorrow, but I haven't seen this one listed yet. The Zombie Ep from The Devil Wears Prada. Absolutely love that album as much as King Diamond's Abigail.


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## pawiffuwee (May 2, 2012)

The Dear Hunter's Acts I-III
Not sure if it qualifies, but The Mars Volta's Frances the Mute?
That's pretty much all I've got.


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## Slunk Dragon (May 3, 2012)

SchecterWhore said:


> ^ Trilogy is not a concept album at all. Even by Wikipedia's rather liberal definition.



I thought that it kind of had an overarcing theme, or maybe I'm just too much of an ELP fanboy.


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## Fillifax (May 3, 2012)

For those who don't know, Chameleon Circuit is a band that exclusively sings about Doctor Who. Yes, Doctor Who. And they're brilliant!


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## Mr. Big Noodles (May 3, 2012)

Slunk Dragon said:


> I thought that it kind of had an overarcing theme, or maybe I'm just too much of an ELP fanboy.



Nope. It's a disconnected mish-mash of conflicting ideas from Keith Emerson and Greg lake, like every other ELP album. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of ELP, but I imagine that their writing sessions went something like this:

Keith Emerson: I have this really cool thing I wrote. Wanna hear it?
Greg Lake: No.
Keith Emerson: Okay! *plays pseudo-classical stride piano jazz experiment*
Greg Lake: Needs an acoustic ballad. Girls love my chubby face.
Keith Emerson: Well, shit, how will we ever convince people that we're deep? Let's cover some ass classical music.
Carl Palmer: EVERY ORIGINAL SONG PALMER HAS PLAYED ON FEATURES A COWBELL!


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## ForThisGift (May 3, 2012)

I can't believe there hasn't been any mention of _El Cielo_ by Dredg. As far as the imagery created on the album, a lot of it was taken from Dali's 'Dream Caused By the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening', which was originally said to have been inspired by his wife's struggles with sleep paralysis. All of the lyrics on the album are actually sourced out from journal entries of people suffering from sleep paralysis. 

Aside from what (I think at least) is a very cool concept to tackle, they also nailed the album from the open to close. It is definitely one of my all time favorite records, concept or not.


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## Repner (May 3, 2012)

If any ELP album is a "concept" album, it would be Tarkus. Side B was never meant to be acknowledged, and was written purely so there wasn't a blank side of the vinyl


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## MFB (May 3, 2012)

I feel so silly for forgetting this one. It's a favorite!


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## Volteau (May 4, 2012)

Completely forgot about:
















Possibly the best trilogy CAs out there.


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## Buddha92 (May 4, 2012)

my favorite concept album.thus far


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## Mr. Big Noodles (May 4, 2012)

Repner said:


> If any ELP album is a "concept" album, it would be Tarkus. Side B was never meant to be acknowledged, and was written purely so there wasn't a blank side of the vinyl



Agreed. Too bad that nobody could agree on one concept for it.


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## Repner (May 5, 2012)

Bal-Sagoths albums are great as well. Haven't heard enough of them to tell which is my favourite though


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## Sikthness (May 5, 2012)

Last Chance to Reason - Level 2
Dog Fashion Disco - Adultery


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## s4tch (May 5, 2012)

Ralyks said:


> Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray



This. Fates Warning is probably the most underrated band ever.

+ Operation: Mindcrime, Remedy Lane, Be, The Perfect Element, The Wall, The Dark Side of the Moon, Dark Saga, etc.


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## Cyntex (May 5, 2012)




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## All_¥our_Bass (May 5, 2012)

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Tool - Lateralus
Opeth - Damnation
Meshuggah - Catch 33
Mastodon - Leviathan


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## GhostsofAcid (May 6, 2012)

Cyntex said:


>



This.


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## ThePhilosopher (May 6, 2012)

I think I've ruined more copies of The Fragile than any of the others (damn CD players without skip protection), some great mentions here though.


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## Volteau (May 6, 2012)

Cyntex said:


>



Panopticon is a ridiculously good album (like all ISIS albums). And the theme has to be one of my favorites (being a fan of Foucault's works helps).


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## ghostred7 (May 6, 2012)

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
King Diamond - Them

I'd also like to give special mention to Savatage - Streets: A Rock Opera (RIP Criss Oliva)

One of my fav leads and lead breaks of all time (huge Criss Oliva fan) is on track 11 (starts ~2:22), "Ghost in the Ruins"


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## TheStockholmChainsaw (May 6, 2012)




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## Volteau (May 7, 2012)

Taking a tour within the Nostalgia Factory has reminded me of a band which I spent a good part of my 16 year-old year listening to:


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## mattofvengeance (May 8, 2012)




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## poopyalligator (May 9, 2012)

I am surprised nobody has mentioned it, but Thrice- The Alchemy Index is an amazing concept album. It is basically 4 different eps that are inspired by earth, air, fire, and water. Each ep sounds very different and has a very distinct sound to it. I will put a song from each one on here

water


air


earth


fire


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## rainbowbrite (May 9, 2012)

I think we all know what the concept was behind this one....


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## HOKENSTYFE (Jun 9, 2012)

Neon God: Part 1

Neon God: Part 2

By W.A.S.P.


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## Chiba666 (Jun 9, 2012)

Demanufacture followed closley by Maidens Seventh Son.


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## Schism20x6 (Jun 9, 2012)

My favs in no particular order...

Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient + Deconstruction
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1
Tool - Lateralus
Uneven Structure - Februus
Radiohead - Computer ok
NIN - Year Zero
Porcupine Tree - The Incident + Fear of a Blank Planet
Enochian Theory - Evolution Creatio Ex Nihilio
Stealing Axion EP
TesseracT - Concealing Fate EP


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## skeels (Jun 9, 2012)

Lotta great stuff here. Always love to discover new recommendations ..

Also +111 for The Wall. I grew up with that.

For the old-timers.. how 'bout..
"My name is Tommy, and I became aware this year..."


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## abysmalrites (Jun 10, 2012)

The band's V:28, albums are NonAnthropogenic, SoulSaviour, and VioLution.

Also, Mithras albums, Rosetta's first album and maybe their second, and that's all that comes to mind right now.


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## rgaRyan (Jun 10, 2012)

http://f0.bcbits.com/z/14/52/1452270155-1.png





Even though it's instrumental, the song titles are sorta conceptual.
But my favorites would have to be Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Exoplanet by The Contortionist, and Colors by BTBAM (not really a concept album, but it's sweet)


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## I Voyager (Jun 10, 2012)

SFAM


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## guy in latvia (Jun 10, 2012)

Some really awesome stuff on this list!

I can't believe that no one has put up the ultimate death metal concept albums:











If you havn't heard these then you're in for a treat! Life changing experiences!


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## groverj3 (Jun 10, 2012)

No Particular Order:

























I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting...


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## fassaction (Jun 15, 2012)

I have always loved this band, was bummed when they broke up...for their first release, this album was pretty awesome. The lyrics are all closely tied together, not sure if they ever considered it a concept album, but the themes are all running together.


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## ASoC (Jun 15, 2012)




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## Hyacinth (Jun 16, 2012)

Fucking amazing album. In my opinion, it's TFoT's greatest work.




Just came out, but it's already one of my favorite concept albums.




Probably my favorite of all time is 2112


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## Ulvhedin (Jun 16, 2012)




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## celticelk (Jun 16, 2012)

I've never been a big fan of the concept album as such, but there are a few recent releases that have tweaked my ear:

Anais Mitchell: Hadestown
Tori Amos: Night of Hunters
Eluveitie: Helvetios


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## Miijk (Jun 16, 2012)

Fear Factory - Obsolete 

Freakin love that album in every aspect!


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## sevenstringj (Jun 16, 2012)

Suffocation's Pierced from Within. The first half of that album is like a mini concept album - going into the mind of a killer who butchers a woman and then kills himself. Some of the best death metal ever recorded.


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## Dunloper (Jun 16, 2012)

Probably Deloused In The Comatorium by The Mars Volta. One those albums I usually listen to start to finish.


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## Ambit (Jun 17, 2012)

Top 3 -

DT - Scenes From a Memory
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
Tool - Lateralus


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