Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorites

This blog challenge comes once again from Arlee at Tossing it Out - visit his site for the full details.

And I have to begin this on a sad note - Ronnie James Dio died Sunday morning. He contributed so much to the rock industry and will be missed!

What are my fifteen most favorite albums and why?

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime

I've followed Queensryche since their first EP and have always found them to be a unique musical entity. But "Mindcrime" took them to a whole new level. This amazing concept album blew me away and I feel (in my humble opinion) it's one of the greatest albums of all time.

Serenity - Words Untold and Dreams UnlivedThis Austrian power rock bands first disk is full of great riffs, catchy hooks and well-crafted songs. Just when I thought I had heard it all, Serenity came along and proved me wrong.

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Rush -

Hemispheres

/Permanent Waves

/Grace Under Pressure

My all-time favorite band deserves three spots and it took awhile to pick just the right ones. I chose "Hemisphere" because it is the best concept album. "Permanent Waves" was a solid choice because it contains my favorite Rush song "Natural Science". And "Grace Under Pressure" is my favorite start to finish Rush album. ‘Neff said.

Redemption - Snowfall on Judgment Day

The latest from prog greats Redemption is also going to the island. Besides having one of the best titles of all time ("Snowfall on Judgment Day" - how great is that), this is a beautiful album of love and love lost set to a driving rock beat.

Pantera - Far Beyond Driven

Sometimes nothing satisfies my musical cravings like a good dose of in-your-face metal. This album is a sledgehammer to the groin. An incredible mix of aggression, brutal riffs and crushing rhythms. A brutal masterpiece.

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

Why let the boys have all the fun. This female-fronted group can rock with the best of them. This impressive dose of orchestral rock is beautiful and aggressive. Every song has a contagious hook that you'll be humming for days.

Megadeth - Rust in Peace

What else can be said about Dave Mustaine's masterpiece? I've heard it a thousand times and I'm looking forward to the next thousand. Holy wars, Hangar 18, Five Magic's, Lucretia, Tornado of Souls - the heck with it, I'm going to go jam out and finish this list later.

Dream Theater - Octavarium and Awake

My second favorite band deserves two slots and these particular selections are fantastic. Every album is amazing, so it took some time to pick just the right two disks. I could listen to the amazing fretwork of John Petrucci all day (every day.)

Catherine Wheel - Happy Days

This British band never really took off in the US. Too bad, because this is one of my favorite albums of all time. Each song catchier than the next and topped with the amazing vocal work of Rob Dickinson.

Mastodon - Leviathan

We are back into crushing metal territory with this disk by Mastodon. The thought of a concept album of "Moby Dick" sounds completely ridiculous, but trust me when I tell you that this is an amazing musical achievement. Great songs, unique arrangements and a drummer that sounds like he has eight arms - truly impressive.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve

Seasons will change on the island and I will need some Christmas music. TSO is a work of pure, musical genius. I love every aspect of this album and the beautiful message rings true the whole-year round.

Guilt Machine

This is the latest project from Arjen Lucassen and a big influence on my writing. Arjen takes us through the stages of guilt while highlighting many talents, and this album influenced my final edits on CassaStar.

So there you have it! Let me know some of your favorite albums - or if any of my selections shock you.