6. Trivium - Shogun (2008)
Notable Tracks: Kirisute Gomen, He Who Spawned the Furies, Like Callisto to a Star in Heaven, Shogun Here's a band that perplexes me interminably. In all honesty, this album is probably their only production worth mentioning in any positive top 25 music list. Shogun is their fourth studio album, and without a doubt, their most difficult to triumph (they proved this with their 2011 release about egg whites and toast, or something like that). The album hinges primarily upon ancient Japanese military techniques and Greek mythology as a mode of storytelling. Also, their vocal approach changed vastly: they're deeper, easier to understand, and much more fitting with the way the 5 and 7-string guitars are played. And if that's not enough to whet your appetite, drummer Travis Smith amazes, as well. He utilizes a much heavier drumming technique that does anything but disappoint. And if you're in the mood for one of the better metal songs in the past decade, give the lengthy song, Shogun, a listen...or twelve.