“Swing and a miss” albums

[Big_taco]

What are some albums that either killed a band’s momentum, got lost in the shuffle, or just overall completely lost the plot?

Asking for research purposes and interest, not genre specific.

Also no Metallica.

 

[Chanson]

Most metal bands who started before the 90s had some questionable creative decisions in the 90s.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Super Collider from Megadeth. The previous album Thirteen was pretty much a rush job to get out of their existing deal, so this was supposed to be the actual "good" album. It wasn't lol

Industrialist by Fear Factory. Mechanize was fucking amazing. Then they released Industrialist and it was just okay. Also got a lot of flack because they replaced fucking GENE HOGLAN with programmed drums.

Korn III. Was supposed to be the band's "return to form" album but was arguably worse than the albums before it.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Most metal bands who started before the 90s had some questionable creative decisions in the 90s.

Thats why I like Testament. Sure they did The Ritual, but after that each album got heavier and heavier. Literally wrote one of their heaviest songs as a fuck you for their label telling them to go "alternative."

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

Everything Coheed has done after Good Apollo IV.

 

[chipchappy]

every Red Hot Chili Peppers album ever made

 

[MetalDestroyer]

Everything Coheed has done after Good Apollo IV.

You take that back No World for Tomorrow is a masterpiece

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

@Metaldestroyerdennis Which is in Good Apollo IV Vol 2, so what's the issue? I didn't think it needed clarificiation but I can understand the misinterpretation.

 

[Big_taco]

Everything Coheed has done after Good Apollo IV.

Yea, Year of the Black Rainbow was weird. Counted.

 

[MetalDestroyer]

@Metaldestroyerdennis Which is in Good Apollo IV Vol 2, so what's the issue? I didn't think it needed clarificiation but I can understand the misinterpretation.

No I agree with you I literally came in here to post Year of the Black Rainbow

Yea, Year of the Black Rainbow was weird. Counted.

Weird is a very generous take

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I like year of the black rainbow

 

[KailM]

Rivers of Nihil’s “The Work.”

That album was such a snoozefest, I became totally turned off by the band. I won’t even listen to their previous album, which I liked.🤣

 

[Big_taco]

Rivers of Nihil’s “The Work.”

That album was such a snoozefest, I became totally turned off by the band. I won’t even listen to their previous album, which I liked.🤣

Backed. I saw them recently supporting this album and man…that shit kinda sucks.

 

[Big_taco]

I like year of the black rainbow

It has A song I like. Otherwise, man it’s a trial for me to get through but maybe worth a revisit. Idk

 

[Decapitated]

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus

 

[STRHelvete]

Every Death album...because Death fuckin sucks

 

[Chanson]

Every Death album...because Death fuckin sucks

Now that is a hot take.

 

[Big_taco]

Every Death album...because Death fuckin sucks

Oh shit…adding some spice to the thread.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

It didn't take long for this thread to devolve into 'music I hate' posts.

For me, a "Swing and a miss" album has to involve sincere effort from the artist; big ambition but doesn't work in execution. It's more interesting to see someone say I like (insert band/artist here) but this album just doesn't work. Morbid Angel's Illud Divinum Insanus is a great example since both Trey and Dan were both sincere and straight faced about it.

Now that's out of the way....

Testament - Demonic

Already stated, Testament took the road less travelled after Ritual and got even more heavier, but Demonic despite being largely death metal flavoured, was a step back from Low for me. Thankfully they recovered and went full force with The Gathering.

Machine Head - Catharsis

As if the nu metal trend hopping of The Burning Red and Supercharger wasn't enough... this is Robb Flynn doubling down on it and taking full charge at the expense of 2 band members and actual good music. Machine Head trend hopping on thrash is at least better than this.

Bruce Dickinson - Tattooed Millionaire

After Maiden then going to this for your first solo effort, yeah. At least Chemical Wedding erases this album.

Silverchair - Young Modern

Most listeners outside Australia stopped listening after Freakshow, but the band was off to new and interesting art rock directions and Diorama was Daniel Johns' artistic (if not pretentious) peak. Young Modern was the new and different directon of the same ambition and even more pretentious, but it just falls apart, which in turn tore the band apart.

Eric Clapton / Simone Climie - Retail Therapy

Who remembers that one time Clapton made an electronic album? Didn't think so.

One Ok Rock - Eye Of The Storm

From 35xxxv onwards, the band was already shedding a lot of elements that made them unique and become towards a generic American style pop/punk band. But Eye Of the Storm sheds even more of the rock edge and reduces the band to generic electro pop. At least they recovered with Luxury Disease right afterward.

Megadeth - Supercollider

Agreed with previous statements. Easy to say Risk, but that was their label hounding them down to make radio rock hits. Supercollider was at least an honest effort from Megadave and well...

Dream Theater - The Astonishing

Now I love a good pretentious effort, but for Petrucci to take his band and try to remake 2112 and making it even bigger just doesn't work.

 

[Pat]

Rivers of Nihil’s “The Work.”

That album was such a snoozefest, I became totally turned off by the band. I won’t even listen to their previous album, which I liked.🤣

Hard disagree on this, my favourite album by them!