Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Having a bit of fun today discussing sophomore slumps, and specifically going through 25 bands that did the exact opposite. That is, rather than putting out a dud for their sophomore album, these 25 bands released what I consider to be their BEST album of their career.
This is not in any specific ranked order, just going through some bands and albums that immediately came to mind. Be sure to give me your picks!
Bands and albums discussed today are below for reference (in alphabetical order):
Blut Aus Nord - Fathers of the Icy Age (Memoria Vetusta I)
Borknagar - The Olden Domain
Cirith Ungol - King of the Dead
Death - Leprosy
Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane
Ensiferum - Iron
Exhumed - Slaughtercult
Forteresse - Les hivers de notre epoque
Heavy Load - Death or Glory
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys pt 1
King Diamond - Abigail
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
Monstrosity - Millennium
Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick
Obituary - Cause of Death
Opeth - Morningrise
Rainbow - Rising
Saor - Aura
Sodom - Persecution Mania
Sonata Arctica - Silence
Summoning - Minas Morgul
Testament - The New Order
Vehemence - Par le sang verse
Winterfylleth - The Mercian Sphere
Woods of Ypres - Woods II: Pursuit of the Sun and Allure of the Earth
Having a bit of fun today discussing sophomore slumps, and specifically going through 25 bands that did the exact opposite. That is, rather than putting out a dud for their sophomore album, these 25 bands released what I consider to be their BEST album of their career.
This is not in any specific ranked order, just going through some bands and albums that immediately came to mind. Be sure to give me your picks!
Bands and albums discussed today are below for reference (in alphabetical order):
Blut Aus Nord - Fathers of the Icy Age (Memoria Vetusta I)
Borknagar - The Olden Domain
Cirith Ungol - King of the Dead
Death - Leprosy
Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane
Ensiferum - Iron
Exhumed - Slaughtercult
Forteresse - Les hivers de notre epoque
Heavy Load - Death or Glory
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys pt 1
King Diamond - Abigail
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
Monstrosity - Millennium
Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick
Obituary - Cause of Death
Opeth - Morningrise
Rainbow - Rising
Saor - Aura
Sodom - Persecution Mania
Sonata Arctica - Silence
Summoning - Minas Morgul
Testament - The New Order
Vehemence - Par le sang verse
Winterfylleth - The Mercian Sphere
Woods of Ypres - Woods II: Pursuit of the Sun and Allure of the Earth
