New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Roadrunner Records) Given that Stone Sour's latest album, House of Gold & Bones Part 1, is one-half of an epic concept record (which includes a short story in its booklet, and will eventually be expanded into a four-issue comic in 2013), Roadrunner Records knew they had to ask frontman
Corey Taylor to list his five favorite concept albums. Here's what he told them:
Pink Floyd, The Wall: Obviously I gotta put probably two or three
Pink Floyd albums on there. When you talk about concept albums, they probably did it the best of anyone out there. Having said that, my favorite's probably The Wall, just for the scope of the story and the narrative and whatnot. That was what inspired me to go for this in the first place, was the fact that it was a two-disc set and had all this incredible music and all these little bits and pieces that really put the story together. And then obviously inspired the wonderful movie.
Pink Floyd, Animals: I don't think a lot of people realize it's a concept album. I [also] don't think a lot of people realize how good that album is. It's a diverse and honestly angry album. There's a lot of angst in that album. I think the lyrics are wonderful, the music is fantastic - it's only five tracks, but they're so good that you forget you're only listening to five songs.
Queensryche, Operation: Mindcrime: The first one is fantastic. I love that album. It's one of those albums that sometimes I forget about, and then I'll be scrolling through my iPod and be like, "Oh my God!" and then I'll just listen to nothing but Operation: Mindcrime for two days. Honestly, a lot of people point to
Empire as one of their best albums, but Mindcrime sounds better, has better songs on it, there's an edge on that album that I just think
Empire didn't have. "Eyes of a Stranger" - I can listen to that alone every day and not get sick of it, just because I love the way that song's put together.
Iron Maiden, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: Honestly, I didn't like the album when it first came out. I thought it was too clean, I thought the production took away a lot of the edge that
Iron Maiden had for as long as they did, but "The Evil That Men Do," that song alone is worth buying that album for. And it's not the only fantastic song on there. Over the years, I've come to appreciate that album in so many different ways, whether it's the title track or "The Clairvoyant," or the first single, "Can I Play With Madness." That whole album is really put together well.
Stone Sour, House of Gold & Bones: I have to go with the ones we just made, both parts. I'd put these albums, not just as concept albums, I'll put these albums up against anyone's albums out there right now, period. Because that's how good they are. Just from a fan's perspective, listening to the music, because I'm a fan of my own music. I would put these albums up against anyone right now, and I wouldn't feel bad about it.
As a bonus, here's Josh Rand's top five:
1. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2.
Dream Theater, Metropolis Pt. 2
3. Iron Maiden, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
4. Rush, 2112
5. The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
Stone Sour's latest album, House of Gold & Bones Part 1, is available everywhere now - get your copy from the Roadrunner webstore!
