On this week's episode, we talk about our Top 5 Favorite Albums of All-Time, which should come as no surprise since you saw the episode title. What should come as a surprise to you is that historians have almost unanimously agreed that the year 536 CE (or AD if you’re still into that) was the worst year in human history to be alive. Let’s start off with the big dawg in this whole conversation, there was a volcanic eruption that caused a VOLCANIC WINTER. What kind of land before time type of disaster is that!? Turns out that the volcanic eruption was so bad that it actually caused the average temperature in Europe and China to fall to the point where they experienced crop failure and famine for over a year. It’s not like they could just order something on GrubHub either, I mean this era literally just figured out what static electricity was from rubbing amber with silk. All the while, the Byzantine Empire was waging war on the Goths over in Italy-land because they were tired of listening to The Cure and being mandated by the government to wear Tripp pants and studded belts. Don’t even get me started on the mutiny that was happening in Carthage (now Tunisia). Also, I know what you’re thinking. “But Existential Shred, what about 1346 when the Black Plague was decimating Europe’s population?” Which is a valid question, but that volcano really messed things up for a while for a lot of people. If you’re really curious check out the podcast “Oral Presentations” episode 47 “The Worst Year to Be Alive”. Unironically, it’s my favorite podcast of all time and you can say you listened to something educational today if you do. Anyway… oh yeah, we talk about 5 albums that we would call “pretty great”. Insta: @existentialshredcast Theme Song: SWISS by D3adrum (Insta: @d3adrum) Artwork by Garlic Hero (Insta: @thegarlichero)