Best Album Openers

[Pretsy 1343]

Thought of making this, since I find it odd that no one ever discussed about their "favorite album openers" here, so yup:

 

Feel free to post your (some of your) favorite openers (max. 4 links and no order needed + doesn't matter if its studio or live) here...and a reminder:

 

Intros are not counted (the definition of "intro" is pretty vague - but I think you get my drift anyway - my excuse would be "just because", sorry!)

 

To start this thread, I will post some of mine (as an example/template if you will):

 

 

1. Tokyo Jihen - Ikiru

http://pann.nate.com/video/215614571

One of those songs I consider to be "the total bangers" of Shiina's repertoire - unusual ("Imogen Heap meets Queen-ish" ), sparsely arranged song ending up with good ol' TJ cast playing up to the max. I see this having a lot potential to surprise even those who are not necessarily fans of this kind of genre - which is why I recommend you to try out the link above (Ultra C live version - not for those who *dislike* Shiina's vocals).

 

2. Capsule - Soratobu Toshikeikaku

Someone might be already saying "but Perez, this is an interlude?!" - no, it's not an interlude. If you are even a bit familiar with house/electro music in general, you know pretty well that "lyricless" full-length songs can be openers as well as sole songs too. I see 'Soratobu' as Capsule's - no, Nakata's most brilliant and creative effort he has ever produced/done during his career. It's not a farce when people say that "good songs make you imagine things more vividly and even "live them" - and 'Soratobu' is worth being the showcase to those opposing the idea. No wonder that it even has a PV done by Ghibli staff (or Ghibli subsidiary staff, JIC)...

 

3. Luna Sea - Loveless

If we have to make a manual on "how to make a good opener", this has to end up there - talk about a way how to introduce the band carefully: the song progresses slowly by not having members appear at the same time but otherwise - and finally ends with all the elements combined together without making certain instruments "drown". Atmospheric, theme-setting number - and perhaps quite legendary too!

 

 

[nullmoon 784]

Definitely agree with Loveless, what a song

 

1) Sink - 9Goats Black Out - 

This is one of those songs that explains a band's soundscape immediately. Really beautiful song.

 

2) Utakata - Kagrra, - 

Ditto. One of the first J-Rock songs I ever listened to and it's simply perfect.

 

3) Vinushka - Dir En Grey - 

If we're missing out intros, we can count the song after right? This song is brilliant; it quickly raised DEG's game from their previous album I feel. Furthermore, it's one of their best songs.

 

4) Utsushiyo Horror Show - NoGoD - http://youtu.be/0MQkj6CCES0

One of my very favourites. Riff-heavy and with an awesome solo, this is one of their better recent tracks.

[Mr Bacon 106]

Definitely agree with Loveless and Sink. Just wanted to mention that, can't think of good ones at the moment.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Excellent tracks mentioned so far! I'm particularly fond of the LUNA SEA, Kagrra, and 9GBO choices.

 

Some of my other favorites:

 - BUCK-TICK - Kourin from 13kai wa gekkou (okay, it has an intro before it but jesus it's totally amazing/epic/slow/sinister)

 - SADS - Hello from The Rose God Gave Me (it's SADS, it's glam-punk-metal, 'nuff said)

 - SHERBETS - Iceland Boy from MIRACLE (let yourself be drawn into the surreal magical otherworld of Kenichi's gentle tones)

 - Church of Misery - Killfornia (Ed Kemper) from Master of Brutality (riles you up perfectly and then DAT BASS riff hits at 1:28 & you know shit is GOING DOWNNN)

[violetchain 912]

[Original Saku 1593]

Mono - Legend

 

Right now this is the only one that comes to mind, but that's probably because I just got done with a mono marathon a few weeks ago xD

[fitear1590 2414]

Cool topic, bruh.

Some of my personal faves include:

Versailles - God Palace
If I had to pick, this would probably be my favorite Versailles track.  It helps that it's so full of bombastic grandeur.

Lamp - シンフォニー
After a few years, Lamp came back with their newest album and showed a side of their sound, drenched in dreamy synths.  The result is beautiful and this opening track is the perfect gateway into this new era.

DIV - VANISH
I thinks there's some other fellow fans of this opener here.  It starts off mellow-cholic, before building up into a barrage of epicness.  It's also special to me, because this album was what officially solidified me as a DIV fan.  I was on and off the fence for them for the preceding singles, but this opening track made me just sit back and go "Well, damn.  They're awesome."

ねごと (NEGOTO) - サイダーの海
Dat piano pop.  NEGOTO hits the ground running right from the get-go on their debut album.

椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo) -ギャンブル
Extravagant, orchestral Ringo is my favorite Ringo. Plus, Gamble happens to be one of my favorite songs, so...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sra_RfqUpQ0

After reflecting on this list, it seems I prefer an in-your-face opening track that cuts to the chase and immediately shows what the band/artist is all about.

[CAT5 9075]

Here are a few that came to mind for me:

 

Tokyo Jihen (東京事変) - Himitsu (秘密)

from "adult /大人(アダルト)"

http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/v8cs6fnsbp/Tokyo_Jihen_-_Adult_01_-_Himitsu.mp3

 

"Himitsu" is one of the quintessential tracks of Tokyo Jihen's "Jazz-rock" era. Adult was the first album featuring TJ's second line-up, and many were skeptical at the time as to whether the new members (uki and izawa) could live up to the standards set by HZM and Mikio Hirama, but "Himitsu" put all doubts to rest in a dazzling showcase of top-notch musicianship and seasoned songwriting that signaled a new direction for the band and proved that Tokyo Jihen's debut album was no fluke.

 

ling tosite sigure (凛として時雨) - nakano kill you

from "Inspiration is DEAD"

http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/ma7g4e8jyf/01_-_nakano_kill_you.mp3

 

The opener to 2007's classic "Inspiration is DEAD" is a blistering testament to drummer Pierre Nakano's insane skills, and a track whose raw intensity still manages to stand out amongst the band's long line of high-octane indie-rock to this day.

 

school food punishment - close，down，back to

from "school food is good food"

 

http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/lkeklf82g0/01-close_down_back_to.mp3

 

2007 was an amazing year for Japan's indie scene and school food punishment turned quite a few heads with the release of their debut EP "school food is good food". "close，down，back to" served as an enthralling introduction to a band whose sound wasn't clearly defined yet, meandering somewhere between post-rock and indie-pop. Unfortunately, the song was also a bit misleading, as the band never went on to produce anything quite as cerebral and atmospheric again.

 

9mm Parabellum Bullet - Psychopolis

from TERMINATION

http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/0vllsbkpg4/01_Psychopolis.mp3

 

Incidentally, ANOTHER song from the wonderful year of 07'. Unlike the tracks I shared above, "Psychopolis" wasn't an instant winner and took a while to grow on me, but over time I've come to appreciate the song as the embodiment of 9mm's sound at the time: Audacious indie-rock tediously sprinkled with elements of metal and punk/hardcore. It was a refreshing sound at a time when their only visible rivals were ling tosite sigure. A great track that perfectly set the tone for a classic album!

[Bear 1817]

Sigh - Hail Horror Hail

This album marked a big change in Sigh's sound, and in such way this is the perfect opener. It's the straightest and easiest song to get into on the album, and it will kinda prepeare you for what's coming. It starts off as a catchy, blacking heavy metal song with fantastc leads and Mirai's raspy vocals on top before it transforms into this beautiful, cinematic orchestration and suddenly goes back to the blacking heavy metal. This is a perfect opener in the way that it is one of the best songs ever made by man, and it prepeared you for the change and weirdness that would come later on this album as well. You heard something were different this time around, even more so than on Ghastly Funeral Theatre and it opened up your mind for the madness that what were to come... at least it did for me in my young days.

 

And that catchy, blacking heavy metal is topped with some great lyrics that are easy to hear due to Mirai's understandable vocals:

 

"Beyond all morality into insanity

I plunge my knife in you again and again

Torture your corpse before it's cold

I seek to devour your life and soul"

[Mr Bacon 106]

Yesss Cat, that LTS track is definitely an amazing opener.

Here's some more:

kamomekamome - エクスキューズミー

This is such an epic start to this album. Starts with the a capella bit and then goes into a frenzy, and eventually end up in that beautiful chorus.

 

D'espairsRay - Infection

Does it get any better than this? Such an eerie beginning to this dark album, and the percussion adds so much to the atmosphere of the song. The chorus sets you up for what is to come after this.

 

And finally, one of my faves:

√eight - illational of the people

That opening riff is so powerful, and then that slapping bass after it just gets me so stoked. And it's pretty ballsy to start an album with a full song without a proper chorus, haha.
 

[DogManX 179]

Best album openers? Easily

 

Dir en grey - Audience Killer Loop

Very strong opener. Haunting atmosphere and killer riff.

 

Nightmare - 蛹 (Sanagi)

Sets up a great mood for the follower "Varuna", that guitar line is just great.

 

D'espairsRay - Damned

(...), this is the most awesome opener with the most powerful riff of all time.

[enyx 903]

I have to agree with 'sink', 'VINUSHKA', 'audience KILLER LOOP', 'Infection', and 'close, down, back to'. All of those are really solid openers that I probably would have posted myself were they not already posted.

 

THE NOVEMBERS - Moiré

Opener for their third mini-album 'GIFT'. I adore everything about this song as an opening. It starts off calm and rather dreamlike, and then just builds and builds in terms of grandeur over its 8 minute runtime. Unfortunately I don't think the rest of the mini quite hits the same level of quality with the exception of the closing title track, but still, that doesn't take anything away from this fantastic song.

 

Spangle call Lilli line - mai

Opener for their sixth full-length 'PURPLE'. Pretty much from the instant this song starts, you get a feeling for what Spangle call Lilli line is all about. This song perfectly encapsulates almost everything that 'PURPLE' goes on to present later in the album.

 

Dir en grey -  鬼眼 -kigan-

Opener for their third full-length '鬼葬'. Yes, I know Dir en grey have already been mentioned twice in this thread, but I find this track often gets overlooked despite being my personal favourite opener of theirs. It manages to be atmospheric, calm, energetic, and batshit insane all at the same time.

[Mr Bacon 106]

Oh man I forgot about Audience Killer Loop, that is definitely a great first song.

 

Also I can't seem to find a YT link, but Inori from Oto-Oni's full-length is an amazing opener as well.

[CAT5 9075]

Seconding the love for SCLL's "mai" nad D'espa's "Infection"!

[Pretsy 1343]

Some neato openers you guys have there!

 

Keep them coming - any genre goes as usual

 

 

AND REMEMBER - only max. 4 picks per post/person (let's play it fair and square)

[DogManX 179]

I'll just post this last one since it wasn't reduced to "japanese band's" openers, was it? I'm sorry if the opposite would be the case.

However, I find the epicness just astounding in this case. Fun thing is that this song works just as well as a finisher.

 

Ex Deo - Romulus

[Pretsy 1343]

^ If you didn't see any "only Japanese"-reminders out there, then feel free to post anything outside of Japanese music spectrum too. (read: I didn't reduce this to certain nationalities/language, in case I wasn't clear enough)

[blackdoll 907]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n9OzMDoeAs

Wasn't sure if it had to be track one so i just finish with this. It gets you ready for the ride which is that album.

[Bear 1817]

Bathory - A Fine Day to Die (from Blood Fire Death)

This album starts off with a perfect intro that's probably the best and most epic intros of all time, before A FIne Day to Die. The song starts off with beautiful, haunting acoustic guitar over some ambience and whispery singing, before all hell breaks loose a minute and a half later. And from there on it's complete mayhem, in a majestic and powerful way.

 

Could just as well have included the intro instead, being beyond amazing and all that.

 

 

This song is even better than the more or less perfect title track btw, which I mentioned in the album enders-thead.

[CAT5 9075]

LOSTAGE knows how to open up albums:

 

(2006) - "TELEVISION CITY" from PLAY WITH ISOLATION

 

 

(2007) - "RED" from DRAMA

 

 

(2009) "SF" from GO

 

 

 

[Sakura Seven 593]

Cruel World by Lana Del Rey. Starting an album off with a nearly seven minute long noisy ballad was a ballsy move and it worked really well to set up Ultraviolence.

[Pretsy 1343]

Got to break the mold and go with a couple of my non-Japanese choices too (since I *never* intended to limit this thread to "Japanese music" only, right?):

 

: Despite being obviously enough the least disturbing opener of theirs, "Sweet Charity" wraps "retro-Californian" soundscape of "California" (doo-wop, bossa, surf rock etc.) nicely together with their trademark, key & tempo-changing quirkiness. Pleases both mainstream-ier and artsier fans equally

 

: The most ethereal and drum-lacking Cocteau full-length happens to have one of my most loved openers! The lack of drums and emphasized ambiance in "Lazy Calm" recreates a different, soothing sonic palette of warmer colours. Fraser appearing later in the song contributes significantly to the "necessary" build-up as well.

 

Nice openers you have there, folks! (especially Sakura)

[shizukasou 47]

12012 - Just the way you are... (SEVEN)

I've read a lot of discontent about SEVEN around the webz, yet it had me from the very beginning.

 

DELUHI - G.A.L.D. (Yggdalive)

Epic. Nuff said.

 

DIR EN GREY - Un deux (ARCHE)

Other openers of theirs have already been picked, plus this one equally kicks ass. Some said "and Zero" could have been an intro track, but I actually think it would have done ARCHE more justice if it were at the end, it feels more like a closure to me...

 

the GazettE - AGONY (STACKED RUBBISH)

Great opener for the album and various lives they did. Awesome.

 

lynch. - Last Nite (SHADOWS)

Saying I love this is an understatement. One of lynch.'s best eras, hands down.

 

ONE OK ROCK - Koi no aibou kokoro no Kupido 恋ノアイボウ心ノクピド (Kanjou Effect 感情エフェクト)

My very first song from them and still going strong! So catchy.

 

Psysalia Psysalis Psyche - Subway Killer (eponymous EP)

Love the atmosphere, love the vocals, love everything. Y DID U DISBAND THO ;__;

 

MUCC - Kagayaku Sekai 輝く世界 (Houyoku 鵬翼)

Perfection.

[one-eyed waiter 28]

DIR EN GREY - Un deux (ARCHE)

Other openers of theirs have already been picked, plus this one equally kicks ass. Some said "and Zero" could have been an intro track, but I actually think it would have done ARCHE more justice if it were at the end, it feels more like a closure to me...

 

Oh wow, this gets me so hyped every time. It's like you immediately feel how different from DSS the album will be.

[saishuu 3220]

Some great onea have been mentioned already! SCLL's "mai" especially is fantastic. That's probably the song I've listened to the most in my life. lol

As to some of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet...

 

D - Phantom pain (from "Tafel Anatomie", 2006)

 

Kagrra, - 妖しの光 (from "[gozen]", 2002)

 

清春 - 光 (from "MELLOW", 2005)

 

La'cryma Christi - 未来航路 (from "Lhasa", 1998)

 

Laputa - Sadness (from "c.a.k.e.r.a", 1999)

 

SID - 紫陽花 (from "隣哀‐レンアイ‐", 2004)

 

B'z - DEEP KISS (from "SURVIVE", 1997)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw8ErZbZ97A

 

ONE OK ROCK - 内秘心書 (from "ゼイタクビョウ", 2007)

 

me-al art - 共鳴 (from "exist", 2008)