\"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Specify instrumental or non-instrumental (you don't have to do both)....

my vote goes to:

Stravinsky The Rite of Spring (instrumental)

Alice in Chains Dirt (non-instrumental)

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Dirt is a good choice, but I'd have to go with The Wall. At least on Dirt, there's a certain, "yeah, I'm a junkie, but at least it's fun sometimes" vibe to it. The Wall is a steady descent into madness, and you don't really get the feeling that the protagonist is enjoying it at all along the way.

In high school band, we played a piece that was meant to simulate the fire-bombings of Dresden. We made noises like bombs falling in the distance and even screamed at the top of our lungs at the moment the city is being attacked. Apparently the marching band arrangement calls for the band to march in a swastika. Not happy stuff.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

"Dummy" by Portishead is pretty dark album...

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

While not the bleakest Nirvana stuff, In Utero, should get a nod. The most depressing songs by Nirvana were never put out on major albums.

random lyrics on in utero:

"I lie in the soil and fertilize mushrooms"

"Look on the bright side is suicide"

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Should we say, right off the bat, that death metal doesn't count?

That's infinite darkness there, brah...

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

something from Morrissey seems like it should make this list.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

"Amused to Death" by Roger Waters is pretty dark, though I don't think I could term any album "darkest ever".

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Should we say, right off the bat, that death metal doesn't count?

That's infinite darkness there, brah...

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, I guess I should've qualified that I don't really necessarily mean "goth" (and all its implications) when I say "dark".....

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
something from Morrissey seems like it should make this list.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, a classic line:
"Oh mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head."

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

"It's like...how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black."



Spinal Tap's "Smell the Glove"

http://spinaltapfan.com/atozed/images/smellsm1.jpg
[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Nick Drake Pink Moon

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Joy Division - Closer

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

trane - the olatunji concert
elliott smith - elliott smith

--turnipmonster

Has to be the Beatles
 

[ QUOTE ]

"Darkest" Album Ever?...


[/ QUOTE ]

White Album

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Joy Division - Closer

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice call. The great thing about it is that you get the imression that there is no affectation involved, which is amazing given the subject matter.

I was leaning toward the third Cure album, Pornography. Yes, there are elements on each of the first two which are darker, but I think that taken as a whole, Pornography is legitimately and actually frighteningly "dark."

I would have said that Swans' Soundtracks for the Blind would qualify, but I suspect nobody would know what the hell I was talking about.

DISCLAIMER: Note that none of these nominees is technically "goth." I think it would be stupid to point out that Bauhaus or Christian Death or This Mortal Coil or Dead Can Dance were "dark." I realize The Cure is close, but I think we can all agree that there IS a difference.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz)

And Justice for All (Metallica) - probably a weak nominee, but I'm struggling here

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.

Songs include Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar, and the title song.

Re: Has to be the Beatles
 

glad someone gave the white album some love, my favorite song of all time is "while my guitar gently weeps." though i think the darkest albums IMO are Nine Inch Nails-Downward Spiral, Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Yes.. Faith & Pornography are classics. I played them to death when i was 17.
I think the only album of this ilk which has come close since is Codeine's "The White Birch".

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Good save. I was about to hit this thread with my top 20 most insanely dark death metal CDs of all time. Portishead. Meh.

KJS

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

The Verve's "A Storm In Heaven" always makes me want to slice my wrists open.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

man i am glad you mentioned this floyd album too, i couldnt decide between this and dark side. shine on is very dark, but have a cigar isnt that dark its about saying [censored] you to the industry and not selling out, not very dark stuff. the rest of the album is very dark though so good choice.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
trane - the olatunji concert
elliott smith - elliott smith

--turnipmonster

[/ QUOTE ]

turnip,

I don't know that 'trane album....I'm assuming it's a later period album? (Impulse release?)....who's on that?....

Elliot Smith can definitely be pretty dark...."Needle In the Hay" obviously on the album you mentioned.....my favorite tune by him is "Angeles" (I forget which album it's on)....

"Did you add up all the cards left to play?...to zero."

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz)

[/ QUOTE ]

I see where you're coming from......though I do think there's a certain sweet romanticism about it that lacks that sense of complete despair and hopelessness.....



[ QUOTE ]
And Justice for All (Metallica) - probably a weak nominee, but I'm struggling here

[/ QUOTE ]

I find "Master of Puppets" to be a little darker, but it's hard to argue with the album containing "One"....

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
shine on is very dark, but have a cigar isnt that dark its about saying [censored] you to the industry and not selling out, not very dark stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, sort of. It's more about how Syd Barrett (original frontman) was seduced by record execs and money. He eventually took waaaay too many drugs, went totally shitballs, and got kicked out of the band. But they felt guilty about it after they hit it big and wrote the whole WYWH album about him.

The oddest part about all this is that he randomly showed up at the studio while they were recording WYWH, and asked if they needed help. They told him to get lost. Wish you were here, indeed.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

The Wall, especially if you watch the movie. Anything by Tom Waites compells me to drink heavily.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
The oddest part about all this is that he randomly showed up at the studio while they were recording WYWH, and asked if they needed help. They told him to get lost. Wish you were here, indeed.

[/ QUOTE ]
i knew about syd barrett and his problems but did not know he showed up at the studio while they were recording. good stuff, thanks! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]

I don't know that 'trane album....I'm assuming it's a later period album? (Impulse release?)....who's on that?....


[/ QUOTE ]

yep it's on impulse. trane, pharaoh, rashied ali, alice coltrane and jimmy garrison. it's his last live recording, and the heaviest trane I've ever heard, so much so that I can't listen to it too often. it is extremely out but I think it is great. carlos santana said this recording sounds like trane was staring down death, and that's about the best description I can think of.

--turnipmonster

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

damn, I'll have to go get it...

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

don't say I didn't warn you [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

Black Sabbath - Born Again

After Dio left, Sabbath brought in ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan. "Born Again" is Sabbath's darkest and most brooding album.

(Interestingly enough, a couple of years later Sabbath put out their most radio friendly album, some would call it almost glam metal, "Seventh Star", filled with ballads and catchy choruses.)

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I don't know that 'trane album....I'm assuming it's a later period album? (Impulse release?)....who's on that?....


[/ QUOTE ]

yep it's on impulse. trane, pharaoh, rashied ali, alice coltrane and jimmy garrison. it's his last live recording, and the heaviest trane I've ever heard, so much so that I can't listen to it too often. it is extremely out but I think it is great. carlos santana said this recording sounds like trane was staring down death, and that's about the best description I can think of.

--turnipmonster

[/ QUOTE ]

So rare to find people that have heard "The Olatunji concert". Coltrane's playing there is absolutely amazing. Easily one of his best sessions. I don't care much for Sanders, however. He's exciting to listen to for like two or three minutes, then I get bored and my ears hurt. That's the main reason I don't listen to very often.

Coltrane is one of the very few artists that's actually made me cry. That's kind of special.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

What the hell are half you people on, Alice in Chains, Metallica, The Cure and Nirvana are dark?

I would say the darkest album I have heard for the mixture of mournful dark lyrics layered with guitars and mournful electric violin work is My Dying Bride - Like Gods of the Sun.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
What the hell are half you people on, Alice in Chains, Metallica, The Cure and Nirvana are dark?

I would say the darkest album I have heard for the mixture of mournful dark lyrics layered with guitars and mournful electric violin work is My Dying Bride - Like Gods of the Sun.

[/ QUOTE ]

You get the feeling that they asked for someone semi-popular in the OP

Re: Has to be the Beatles
 

[ QUOTE ]
glad someone gave the white album some love, my favorite song of all time is "while my guitar gently weeps." though i think the darkest albums IMO are Nine Inch Nails-Downward Spiral, Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti

[/ QUOTE ]

The Downward Spiral is actually more angry than dark.

Dark Side of the Moon could definitely qualify. There's some serious suffering running through the whole thing.

As for Physical Graffiti, no album with Down By The Seaside could ever really be called "dark."

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]

In high school band, we played a piece that was meant to simulate the fire-bombings of Dresden. We made noises like bombs falling in the distance and even screamed at the top of our lungs at the moment the city is being attacked. Apparently the marching band arrangement calls for the band to march in a swastika. Not happy stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah man, I also played this in high school. Great song. Very intense.

Bob

Re: Has to be the Beatles
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
glad someone gave the white album some love, my favorite song of all time is "while my guitar gently weeps." though i think the darkest albums IMO are Nine Inch Nails-Downward Spiral, Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon and Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti

[/ QUOTE ]

The Downward Spiral is actually more angry than dark.

Dark Side of the Moon could definitely qualify. There's some serious suffering running through the whole thing.

As for Physical Graffiti, no album with Down By The Seaside could ever really be called "dark."

[/ QUOTE ]

Physical Graffiti is more heavy than dark. It's still amazing though. The transition in the middle of "Down by the Seaside" is quite gloomy though.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

De-Loused in the Comatorium by The Mars Volta... whole thing's about OD'ing on heroin...

I second The Wall.

Lateralus by Tool.

EDIT: All non-instrumental.

Re: Has to be the Beatles
 

[ QUOTE ]
Physical Graffiti is more heavy than dark. It's still amazing though. The transition in the middle of "Down by the Seaside" is quite gloomy though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you mean, but I think that "gloominess" is only there to justify the more hopeful resolution of the song as a whole.

Just my opinion.

Re: \"Darkest\" Album Ever?...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Lateralus by Tool.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, I think it's the opposite.

Reflection, for instance, is about hopefulness for the species as a whole, if only we can put aside our egos.

Ticks and Leeches is about anger, and letting those who bargain for ruin just get, well...ruined.

The Grudge is about letting go of pointless animosity.

Schism is about opening the avenues of communication.

Parabol/Parabola is about having some spiritual connection to the world.

The Patient is about, uh, ok--it's a little dark.

Lateralus is about pushing the limits of one's experience.

Triad is a freakin great instrumental.

I know I did them out of order, but I was just winging it.