hmm, albums that changed my life, well there are a few:
Fleetwood Mac- Rumors (1977)
Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)
Pink Floyd - The Final Cut (1983)
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994)
In Flames - Colony (1999)
VNV Nation - Futureperfect (2002)
Lacrimosa - Elodia (1999)
Sisters of Mercy - Vision Thing (1990)
Within Temptation - The Silent Force (2004)
Shahidah Omar - Freedom (2010)
Plumb - Chaotic Resolve (2006)
That represents a great variety of genres but each of these albums spoke to me in one way or another, with many different songs. I find it interesting that the only solidly metal album on there is Colony, I used to love metal but, it tended to be individual songs more than albums. Though some would call Lacrimosa symphonic metal and some call Within Temptation metal, those descriptions don't feel right.
The Roger Waters era of Pink Floyd really made me rethink how I viewed the world and my place in it. From the Wall's discourse on betrayal and breakdown communication, to the Final Cuts' decidedly more political messages; I have spent a great deal of time going over the lyrics.
The Downward Spiral by the Nine Inch Nails, really worked for me as a Teenager, the angst, the rage against the hypocrisy of life. I still love to listen to songs like "Heresy" to this day, even if the album isn't as applicable as it once was.
VNV Nation is one of my favorite bands (if you consider two guys a band). While Empires is my favorite album, Futureperfect really spoke to me in a way that is hard to explain. In a way it represented possibility for me, and I can't quite explain why that is, but to this day when I hear "Electronaut" I want to go dance in the club, it might not have my favorite songs like "Standing", "Legion" or "Rubicon" but as an album it is special to me.
Some say First Last and Always was the best Sisters of Mercy Album, but something about Vision Thing just got me. "More" is something of a personal anthem of mine, and "Ribbons" as well as "Something Fast" were really the songs I needed back when I was listening to this album heavily.
Shahidah Omar is not the sort of artist that is really like anyone else. From the soft plea of "Stop the War" to the funky beats of "Freedom" and "Live My Dream" This album inspired me to be myself beyond anything else and embrace being weird. It is hard for me to say enough positive about this album but sadly no one knows who she is, and I get the feeling when I listen to those funky beats I am listening alone.
Plumb is interesting to make it on here as a Christan artist. Most Christan bands seem to put god before making good music, but for me Chaotic Resolve represents such deep personal pain that I relate too, I would be a fool to dismiss it because I differ religiously from the singer. "Cut" is a song about self harm, and it might require a bit of a trigger warning, but this was a song I relate to far more than I ever want to admit. The album after Chaotic Resolve, Blink has lots more sunny spots and really showcases her love of her children and her desire to protect them, so it isn't all darkness and sadness, but Chaotic Resolve spoke to me.
Last but not least if you don't have a 33RPM vinyl of "Rumors" by Fleetwood Mac, go buy it. Put that needle to the record, and just listen. You won't be disappointed. I never even picked up the CD version, it's that good.
