Paul and Josh wrap up their Opeth exploration by discussing the band's latest album, Last Will & Testament. They discuss the album's bold creative decisions including the return of more metal elements such as growls as well as the album's heavy emphasis on narrative and lack of proper song titles. They discuss the merits of the band shifting directions at this stage, but ultimately it comes down to the music, so is it a spin or a bin?
Paul and Josh go through a Discogs blog about the 20 Essential Horror Soundtracks. They talk about which are spins and which are bins, and spend some time talking about some personal favorites that were missed as well.
Paul and Josh have an open discussion about Ace Frehley and pay tribute to the late guitarist from Kiss. They talk about some of their favorite moments from Ace in the band and talk a little about their own experiences with Kiss growing up.
Josh and Paul discuss the final two albums in Opeth's "Newpeth" era: Sorceress and In Cauda Venenum! They talk about what this period means for Opeth's history and even issue a couple bins.
Paul and Josh talk about their experiences catching two different shows on Bruce Dickinson's 2025 Mandrake Project tour. They talk about the setlist, Bruce's performance, and his new backing band. They also speculate on his future solo endeavors and what his increased solo activities mean for the future of Maiden.
Paul and Josh talk about Opeth's dramatic change in style from extreme metal with a touch of prog to pure progressive rock. They talk about what may have motivated the change in direction and whether Mikael Akerfeldt was successful in taking Opeth to new places.
Paul and Josh take a break from discussing albums to talk about the classic rhythm video game series Guitar Hero! They mainly discuss the differences between Rock Band and Guitar Hero III, but generally discuss the series as a whole.
Josh and Paul continue their Opeth journey by looking at the band's progressive Metal apex moment. They discuss the albums' somewhat mirrored fan response and how they close the door on the band's extreme metal roots while also showing clear signals of the prog rock to come. They discuss the band's lineup changes that happened during this era as well as their ascent into the metal mainstream thanks to their signing with Roadrunner Records.
Paul and Josh build a Mount Rushmore of Weezer's 21st century albums - i.e. excluding their most popular Blue and Pinkerton. Of the band's controversial post-Pinkerton output, what rises above the rest? Is there an album that is actually in contention for the best Weezer album of all time?
Paul and Josh continue their Opeth deep dive by discussing the pair of albums Deliverance & Damnation. They talk about the band's struggles during this period and whether these albums hold up overtime, particularly how Deliverance has been re-evaluated over the years and Damnation could be seen as a hint of things to come.
Josh and Paul discuss the state of physical music consumption and collecting. They talk about their relationship and history with collecting and what the music industry could be doing to make people more excited about buying music.
Josh and Paul continue their Opeth deep dive miniseries by talking about the critically acclaimed pairing of Still Life and Blackwater Park. Do these two fan favorites hold up in the discography decades later? Are they overrated? Should they be tossed in the bin?
Paul and Josh review the new Bruce Dickinson remix project More Balls to Picasso. They take a deep dive into the history behind the original Balls to Picasso and discuss the good, bad, and ugly with this new remix. Is it worth the $40 for a double splatter vinyl?
Josh and Paul kick off a new miniseries by talking about the first three Opeth albums: Orchird, Morningrise, and My Arms Your Hearse. They talk the early history of the band, discuss the progressive rock influences that are seen even on their most pure metal albums, and assess whether these albums stack up against what's to come.
Paul and Josh react to the passing of the Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne. They talk about his legacy, their personal history with Ozzy, and his cross generational impact. They also go into their favorite Ozzy works and create a Mt. Rushmore across his discography with Black Sabbath and as a solo artist.
Josh and Paul talk through two trios of King Crimson albums - the Wetton era (Larks Tongues, Starless, Red) and the 80s Belew era (Discipline, Beat, Three of a Different Pair).
Josh and Paul do a round up of a few albums that they've heard in 2025. What's spinnable and what's binnable? They also talk a little about the state of recorded music as a whole and their struggles to stay current as they get older.
Josh and Paul revisit the 2002 forgotten Weezer album Maladroit. They discuss its place in the band's overall discography, and how it bucks the band's reputation for having no good material after Pinkerton. Despite being the least streamed Weezer album, does this actually hold up as one of the all time best?
Josh and Paul return to the Prog Archives top 20 to discuss the remaining albums they missed in part one and talk about some albums that were excluded from the list altogether. Then, they finalize their own top 20 greatest Prog Rock albums of all time. Don't miss it!
In response to the recent news of Brian Wilson's passing (1942 - 2025), Josh and Paul look back on one of the more polarizing and unique albums in the Beach Boys catalog: Love You. They discuss the album's quirks and the merits of Wilson's songwriting and creative choices found throughout.
The Beach Boys Love You:
https://open.spotify.com/album/3ttmiqBiRWbbloqIwOfRZi
https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-you/1442850788
