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Well spotted! Yes, I was contemplating what to use, and Gorguts was a contender along with Maudlin of the Well.

I'd trace it back to Celtic frost, but there's no doubt that Gorguts gave avant-garde metal substance in the 1990s.

2024 seemed to be an unusual year for thrash in that few albums stood out in this genre. But I might be wrong after looking at your excellent list of candidates.

No, i've heard at least 50 great thrash albums this year.

@petegreenfield3645 Feels like places like LOUDWIRE would love us to believe this.

That's a good question. I'd say that it's not dead, especially if you include blackened thrash and groove metal in the conversation. But this year saw a dearth of big-name releases. Admittedly, a genre does not live and die by its big names.

Yes, I agree that the new Blood Incantation album does not qualify as avant-garde metal. Given the saturation in death metal, Absolute Elsewhere feels like a welcome experiment, even if it goes back to the 1970s for its evolution.

@@screamblastrepeat1559 Cool

Every one of those tracks you've listed is an undeniable classic. I agonised whether to include 'Mercy in You'. I'm surprised they stopped playing it live after the SOFAD tour ended in 1995.

Thanks for watching. I left 'Halo' off the list on a technicality - Anton Corbijn made a video for it. Does that mean it was a single? You like your b-sides, don't you? Ha-ha.

@@screamblastrepeat1559 oh, I see. We didn’t get remixes so not a single :( I do!

All excellent songs you've chosen, especially 'Shine', which is underrated. 'Higher Love' doesn't receive enough praise, either.

Yes, you are correct. The original version was a b-side to the 1985 single, 'It's Called a Heart'.

I'm pleased you enjoyed the joke.

The first album I head was the 1987 masterpiece, Into the Pandemonium. This record changed my life! Morbid Tales (1984) is an album that I overlooked in my teens because the guitar work was too basic. Now I see that it's a proto-sludge metal album that influenced death metal, and I love it.

All good choices. 'It's Called a Heart' is a song that Alan Wilder hated, and Martin Gore it not too keen on it, but it's a decent single. However, the challenge in this video was to identify the best non-singles, and DM have the best singles collection in the world.

You're welcome. What are you top seven non-singles by Depeche Mode?

Yes, it's one of their finest songs, but they released the Butch Vig remix as a single, which disqualified it as a contender on this list.

I'm pleased that you feel so passionate about our content!

Yes, Black Celebration is a true classic. I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. Music for the Masses is also a record that deserves the highest praise. Look out for our next video that examines the Top 7 Album Tracks by The Cure.

Yes, the chorus to that song with Hudson's arpeggio-picking at the end of each bar make it a minor classic in the FNM back catalogue.

This was the song that first introduced me to the idea that you can have a heavy guitar album dominated by the personality, charisma, and technical ability of the vocalist. The contemporary prog metal band, Periphery, are the only band that come close, where you can say, "Wow! This music is heavy as fuck, but the vocals are even better than the guitars and groove of the drums."

I can see why it didn't make the cut for Violator. It feels unfinished to me. Depeche Mode's b-sides are quite weak in my opinion compared to, say, The Cure or even the Pet Shop Boys.

@@screamblastrepeat1559 Interesting, because I feel all of Violator's B-sides are excellent and are better than other albums filler. Here in LA we heard Dangerous on the radio quite often at the time of release of Personal Jesus. To each their own though ..

Yes, this was a definite contender. I went for 'Stories of Old' because it seems to be forgotten in the DM back catalogue, even more so than 'Lie to Me' from 1984. 'Two Minute Warning' was another track that nearly made it to the honourable mentions list. And then there is 'Lillian' from Playing the Angel and even 'Don't Say You Love Me' from the new album...

We're glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, Delta Machine is the most underrated of the post-Alan Wilder DM records.

Good analysis, good songs selections. I have, of course, a slightly different point of view. I think, it's because of some personal changes in the group. I see the band as a person, as a human being - as it groove up, turn into adult..... • naive Youth (Speak and Spell), • first disappointment (Vince leaves the band, A Broken Frame), • renewal, healing life from disappointments (Alan joins the band for full-time, Construction Time Again), • first victories, first succsesses in life (Some Great Reward) • time for adults, more seriousness, more responsibility, cleberness (Black Celebration, Music For The Masses, Violator, Songs Of Faith And Devotion), • closing one wonderful, beautiful part of life (Alan leaves the band, Ultra), • the beginnig of a new life stage, maturity, slowly turnig into a inevitable end (from 2001 till today) - to tell the truth, I don't like this part very much, as if something is missing here... here is my list of songs: 1) The Sun & The Rain Fall: very soothing, very mysterious. I love its atmosphere (it's the same with My Secret Garden) 2) Blasphemous Rumors: very strong composition, musically and lyrically as well 3) A Question Of Time: a very personal song for me. My father drew my attention to it, and it can be said that I fell in love with Depeche right through it 4) Policy Of Truth: as a teenager, I was impatiently waiting for its clip on TV. From that time I have it under my skin 5) It Doesn't MatterTwo: first love, no debate (also World Full Of Nothing) 6) Home: this song connects me with fate: anything can happen to you, but your fate will lead you home 7) Never Let Me Down Again: the most depeche song. If I had to present a DM to an alien, it would be this song 😊

Wonderful choice of seven, sir. That's what makes this so enjoyable. I wouldn't even dare to list the top 7 DM singles. That's impossible. @@martinbusnyak8938

The song is a live performance of 'Beg to Differ' by Prong.

Yes, the first five albums from King's X are remarkable. They're probably the most underrated band in rock. Ty Tabor is a guitar God.

The song is called 'Beg to Differ' by the New York thrash band, Prong. They released it in 1990 on their major label debut of the same name.

Thank you for the kind words. These two records did not come our way. You're welcome to review them retrospectively for our website if you think they are essential albums. Email kirkhoughton11@gmail.com if you're interested.

So let it be written, so let it be done.... @@screamblastrepeat1559

Yes, what you're saying makes sense. The post-metal angle and Radiohead influences give it an extra dimension beyond the funeral doom genre. Admittedly, no other publication has called Ahab's music avant-garde doom.