Rank The Bloodgood Albums

I somewhat recently started getting into Bloodgood.  I have four of their albums (Bloodgood, Rock In A Hard Place, Out Of The Darkness, and Dangerously Close) and intend on picking up the rest in due time!  I know we've got some longtime Bloodgood fans here and I'm curious how'd y'all rank their albums!

Of the one's I've got, I'd rank 'em as follows, though they're all pretty new to me so this list may shift some as I get to know the albums better.

Bloodgood
Out Of The Darkness
Rock In A Hard Place
Dangerously Close

The last two are about tied, though RIAHP feels a bit more consistent - even if it's quite a bit softer/more-rock-than-metal than I typically listen to.

This is a little difficult for me because I had the first four albums on two discs.  But I think I can do it. 

Detonation
Out Of The Darkness
Dangerously Close
Bloodgood
Rock In A Hard Place
All Stand Together
Metal Missionaries

But there is a fine line between those first 5 albums (like half a point on any given day).

Right on!  It seems the general consensus is that Detonation is their best and All Stand Together their worst.  I don't quite understand Metal Missionaries - is it a compilation album or something?

kerrick wrote:

Right on!  It seems the general consensus is that Detonation is their best and All Stand Together their worst.  I don't quite understand Metal Missionaries - is it a compilation album or something?

I am in the minority, but "All Stand Together" is my favorite.  If they had better production, I think it would have been better received.  You can barely hear the bass and bass drum.  However, for me, the songs were just better crafted.

I wish it could have been remixed or pre-recorded completely.  With Michael Bloodgood being gone, that will never happen.

Detonation
Bloodgood
Dangerously Close

Metal Missionaries is their demo.  I still have my cassette.

alldatndensum wrote:

kerrick wrote:

Right on!  It seems the general consensus is that Detonation is their best and All Stand Together their worst.  I don't quite understand Metal Missionaries - is it a compilation album or something?

I am in the minority, but "All Stand Together" is my favorite.  If they had better production, I think it would have been better received.  You can barely hear the bass and bass drum.  However, for me, the songs were just better crafted.

I wish it could have been remixed or pre-recorded completely.  With Michael Bloodgood being gone, that will never happen.

That's always a good sign when fans can't agree on a band's "best" album!  AST seems a bit hard to find on CD but they have it available on their Bandcamp page which I intend on snagging one of these Bandcamp Fridays...    I look forward to hearing it - even if the production is lacking some.

Xid wrote:

Detonation
Bloodgood
Dangerously Close

Metal Missionaries is their demo.  I still have my cassette.

Cool!  Ah I was mixing MM up with Trenches Of Rock, my bad.  Do you guys think MM is worth checking out?  I think it was re-released not too long ago and still pretty available.

I can't decide where to put any of them.  I love them all, and All Stand Together is awesome.

Metal Missionaries has 4 songs:  

Awake
Accept the Lamb
Anguish and Pain
Battle of the Flesh

The demo songs are pretty close to what they put on the albums.

kerrick wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

kerrick wrote:

Right on!  It seems the general consensus is that Detonation is their best and All Stand Together their worst.  I don't quite understand Metal Missionaries - is it a compilation album or something?

I am in the minority, but "All Stand Together" is my favorite.  If they had better production, I think it would have been better received.  You can barely hear the bass and bass drum.  However, for me, the songs were just better crafted.

I wish it could have been remixed or pre-recorded completely.  With Michael Bloodgood being gone, that will never happen.

That's always a good sign when fans can't agree on a band's "best" album!  AST seems a bit hard to find on CD but they have it available on their Bandcamp page which I intend on snagging one of these Bandcamp Fridays...    I look forward to hearing it - even if the production is lacking some.

Oh yes, "All Stand Together" is definitely not a bad album.  If it was the only album the band recorded it would still be a favorite of mine.  The mastering/recording wasn't amazing and it is certainly the most commercial sounding of their records (IMO).  It kind of reminds me of Stryper's "In God We Trust" album because of that.

I never got All Stand Together based on people's opinions. Perhaps I should've?

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I never got All Stand Together based on people's opinions. Perhaps I should've?

It's not a bad album.  The title track is anthemically sing-a-long.  My favorite tracks from the album would be All Stand Together and Out Of Love.

kerrick wrote:

Xid wrote:

Detonation
Bloodgood
Dangerously Close

Metal Missionaries is their demo.  I still have my cassette.

Cool!  Ah I was mixing MM up with Trenches Of Rock, my bad.  Do you guys think MM is worth checking out?  I think it was re-released not too long ago and still pretty available.

Xid wrote:

Metal Missionaries has 4 songs:  

Awake
Accept the Lamb
Anguish and Pain
Battle of the Flesh

The demo songs are pretty close to what they put on the albums.

Unless you are a completist (just have to have it all) I would say you could easily skip the Metal Missionaries demo.  The re-recorded versions on the first two full-length albums are just as good (if not better).

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I never got All Stand Together based on people's opinions. Perhaps I should've?

Yes

end of!

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I never got All Stand Together based on people's opinions. Perhaps I should've?

It's pretty pricey to buy on CD, but you can purchase it digitally for $10 here:
https://bloodgood.bandcamp.com/album/all-stand-together

My personal order, though this changes frequently,...

1) Detonation

Honestly, I think this is more due to nostalgia than anything else...as it was the album that really solidified my being a fan. Alone In Suicide and Holy Fire are my favorite tracks

2) Out Of The Darkness

Top Of The Mountain is my favorite Bloodgood song from ANY album and it is why this is all the way up to no 2 for album rankings. Mad Dog World is really cool too.

3) Rock In A Hard Place

Their most consistently excellent album from start to finish, IMO. She's Gone and The World (Keeps Moving Around) are my favorite. Side note, first time I heard The World (Keeps Moving Around) was before a Barren Cross concert and the soundboard was pumping it into the auditorium (for testing I guess).

4) All Stand Together

SOS is an incredible song. Puts it ahead of their s/t release for me.


5) Bloodgood

What's Following The Grave is an excellent tune. 


6) Dangerously Close

Excellent album that I really need to rank higher..lol...In The Trenches, Man In The Middle, Pray, and Bread Alone are great tracks. The older Bloodgood albums get the nod due to nostalgia.



Note:

Metal Missionaries:
The 25th Anniv Edition has 6 tracks....a 1985 interview and a demo of Man In The Middle with Oz Fox are added to the orig 4. Worth picking up (Edit: Apparently there is now a 3rd version of this that includes another 2 tracks (8 total now)

Dangerously Close:
Make sure you get the version with The Word (which was originally a Kickstarter only track on their digital version). The reissue has it and it is on Bandcamp too.

Live Albums:
HIGHLY recommend  To Germany, With Love!

I also strongly recommend picking up the Trenches Of Rock CD with remixed versions of a lot of their classics

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

I never got All Stand Together based on people's opinions. Perhaps I should've?

It has some great tunes.

SOS is one of my favorite Bloodgood tracks ever. Fear No Evil, All Stand Together and Out Of Love are also really good.

For Detonation, I would definitely recommend getting the Special Edition the band put out directly. It sounds great and they have bonus tracks. The live tracks, especially the first one, are a lot of fun. 

https://www.bloodgoodband.com/product-page/detonation-special-edition