Editorial time.
If I had one album that I could say sums up the entire reason I live for metal music, it'd be Born of the Bomb by Lich King.
From the album art with a cool as hell skull lord and a nuclear explosion, to the stunningly well crafted music within...this album is a triumph.
It's got all the stuff I want to hear, fun lyrics, serious lyrics, and even an epic concept song about the band mascot Lich King.
This is a band that's been around for a while now, they serve up a plate of searing Thrash Metal, ripped straight out of the 80s and given an update.
The music is the kind that seeps aggression directly into your bones. But at the same time, it's not so ugly that you can't tell what you're listening to.
And of course, for me, the guitar work is the most important. The riffs are tight, and blazing fast, but they know when to slow it down and rely on powerful chords when necessary. The solos. Oh my God. The solos. Fast, bluesy, shreddy, you name it.
I would be hard pressed to find an album I consider the epitome of a metal album. I love all the genres, I really do, and I think this one has enough weight to be interesting to someone who likes say...Metalcore, or regular Heavy Metal.
If you've never listened to it, I highly recommend it. It's a spectacle that should be listened to at least once.
If you don't like Thrash, that's cool too, but... try it, maybe this one will be the exception.
And my personal favorite track from the album, if you don't want to listen to the whole thing at first.