r/melodicdeathmetal • u/autistic_bard444 • 1d ago

Discussion Let' argue -- best Bel'a'kor album

Originally, many years ago, I was all about Stone's Reach. Then, it was all consuming breath and bone. This morning, while cleaning the kitchen, the epiphany struck me, easily Coherence.

25 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

33

u/penseurquelconque 1d ago

It’s Stone’s Reach and it’s not even close!

(I am kidding, I like all of their albums, but this album has a special place in my heart).

That being said, great bands will do that to you. They will make you switch favorite albums from time to time!

30

u/DashSnowden Be'lakor 1d ago

I'll say Breath & Bone because it has the best cover art but I TRULY think they're all 10/10.

3

u/wasuremono_ 1d ago

Agree, although Abeyance does some heavy lifting.

3

u/dcnairb Be'lakor 1d ago

abeyance is the song that introduces many to the band for a reason

19

u/R4kshim 1d ago

Of Breath and Bone might be my favourite melodeath album of all time.

30

u/Negromancers 1d ago

Vessels.

18

u/VauntBioTechnics 1d ago

That riff in The Smoke of Many Fires… masterpiece.

7

u/FitUse4135 Be'lakor 1d ago

Hands down. It's a work of art, how there is a single theme running through every song, how the order of the songs is dictated by the story and how the story tells the cycle of life.

5

u/fcdk1927 1d ago

I’m in this camp.

5

u/Defillidan Dark Tranquillity 1d ago

I love their whole discography, but Vessels is just out of this world.

4

u/Belakor_Fan Be'lakor 1d ago

Concept album has my vote

2

u/pfk505 1d ago

I gotta go Vessels as well. I know it's heresy here but I don't find the older albums hold up that well, especially Stones Reach.

2

u/Spacemaniki 1d ago

Stone's Reach is my favorite but Vessels comes extremely close and is underrated by the community

10

u/I_love_Con_Air 1d ago

I like The Frail Tide.

7

u/Ok_Active_2234 Children Of Bodom 1d ago

This is probably not a very popular opinion, but I think their best album is actually The Frail Tide

11

u/Machcharge At The Gates 1d ago

Here's an argument: not only do you have 2 apostrophes instead of 1, neither of them are in the right spot.

It's Be'lakor

I'm unleashing u/Gravesplitter on whoever messes it up again

9

u/autistic_bard444 1d ago

1000 pardons and broken drumsticks for my most heinous and egregious metal crime

4

u/Gravesplitter Dark Tranquillity 1d ago

Lord have mercy lol

5

u/Quartrez 1d ago

It's B'e'l'a'k'o'r thank you very much

5

u/FilodeCanguro 1d ago

I'll says coherence is the most mature and the one with the best songwriting 

Although with some elements we have already heard before 

So my vote goes for Stone's Reach  Maybe a little more simplistic but way more original and good produced 

5

u/Revo94 Be'lakor 1d ago

Stone's Reach or Breath and Bone you can't go wrong with either one

6

u/provegana69 [Disarmonia Mundi] 1d ago

Honestly it's a toss up between Stone's Reach and Coherence for me. I like one album more one day and the other album more the next day. I think Stone's Reach is the more consistent album overall with each individual track being really strong on their own but Coherence has higher highs and flows smoother as a single experience. I love all their stuff but those two definitely pull far ahead of the rest of their material for me.

4

u/Louieobz 1d ago

I'm a Stones Reach guy. First I was exposed to and it stays with me.

3

u/Mammedoff 1d ago

of breath & bone for me

4

u/BeLakorHawk 1d ago

Hopefully the one they’re currently recording! Imagine that!

But OBAB for me … just.

3

u/dinklberg1990 1d ago

Stones reach for me 100% I discovered them right around the time I got into world to Warcraft and I just have so many hours listening to the album it’s really like a comfort album I listen to once a month and still a jammer.

3

u/darkcloud717 1d ago

YOU CANT MAKE ME CHOOSE!

3

u/RustyCutlass 1d ago

This is an "Especially Lisa, but especially Bart" situation. Breath and Bone is my mostest favourite of all their albums...which are also my favourite.

2

u/Milesisgr8 1d ago

Literally listening to Stone's reach for the first time rn lol

2

u/Deadeye121212 1d ago

Man I dont know what it is about Coherence but thats the only album I just really cant get down with

1

u/Mister08 1d ago

I had the same issue. I've got back to it a few times since it released and never really had it click.

1

u/NinjaFamiliar2474 1d ago

Vessels is their finest job both in sound, composition and lyrics

1

u/Mister08 1d ago

Hmm, best overall is probably Stone's Reach. That said, 'The Frail Tide' might be my personal favorite.