I cannot think of any "objective" criteria at all. It's a very personal thing when I rate an album 10. OK, it's gotta be an album with no weak seconds...or at least just a few. Then again it's not perfect, is it? Even those one and a half minute which is not good should only make it "excellent"?

I am one of those unfortunate, who cannot translate my musical "feelings" into words...into a review. I'm not a musician. I'm not really into the technical terms. And I do like a lot of different genres within metal as well as outside the world of metal. One day I may need to listen to old stuff AC-DC, next I need Opeth. Followed by Behemoth. Or Iron Maiden. And how to compare these bands? Guess it says more about myself that I like different "genres"/"styles".....

"Quality" is another difficult criteria. I'm not a big fan of eg Blind Guardian, but I can at least acknowledge that they're great musicians, who compose quite complex and clever metal. I prefer to listen eg Drudkh, but I am in position to argue why....other than Drudkh puts me on many "emotional journeys"...and Blind Guardian doesn't.....

So: What's your reason for rating an album as perfect?

When i really, really enjoy all or almost all songs of the album and i love to return to this album => rating 10

It's mainly based on my personal feelings over the technical execution of the music, if the album successfully passes on whatever feelings it wants to convey and manages to overwhelm me than it deserves the 10, what I'm rating is not the music but rather the effect of the music on me. If it makes want to bang my head like there's no tomorrow or if it makes me want to lay in the bed all day and listen to the music then yes I'll give them all my support.

A 'perfect' album for me has to be flawless or have one weak song...pretty simple in theory but an album that's incredible, you can tell, it's generally an album that is strong throughout that may has one song that may be a bit crap in comparison to the others, that's the anomolous song. Anything above one can't really be 'perfect' to me; then again, if I was being strict, very few of my albums would be perfect albums.

Also, when you have bands that you've been listening to for a while from whom you've expected a reasonably high quality of music, you tend to give them an average of high scores, even if the album to a first time listener is 'meh'. The truly 'perfect' albums are those that are of bands you may have heard the first time, and it's like 'wow'...

I rate it 10 when it's essentially a 9, but the album also lead me to explore new subgenres or look at the same subgenre in a new light. So it's very very hard to place a 10

For me, whether or not I give an album a 10 is very simple. If I like every song, and wouldn't class any tracks as filler, then I give it a 10. If there's even one filler on the album, I cant give it a 10. Simple really...

A perfect album to me is one where every song is memorable, and even if there is a weak song on the album, it's still a good one. It doesn't necessarily have to be the most technical album musically or even have the greatest production (although personally I do like a good production)...but if it has character, if its unique and fresh then its perfect. If it presents a great atmosphere no matter what it may be, then I would consider it perfect. I would consider it perfect if I can listen to it no matter what state of mind or mood I'm in. If I can listen to it anytime and it speaks to me and if I still love it the same or even more from when I first heard it, then it's perfect. I'd consider an album perfect if it makes me immediately go to Amazon and order without even thinking about whether I should buy it or not (yes Im guilty of downloading but I do try and buy CD's as often as I can). An album is perfect if all the musicians on the album just play well and flow together as a band, but still you can identify each member and still appreciate their individual roles on the album (if that makes sense). I could go on but I think you all get the idea.

There aren't many albums like that for me....but there are a few out there that I personally would consider perfect. Few examples for me: Moonsorrow - All their albums to me, Katatonia - Night is the New Day, Symphony X - Paradise Lost, The Odyssey, Divine Wings of Tragedy, Kamelot - The Black Halo. There's more for sure.

There is no such thing as a perfect album. none. even my absolute favorite records are not perfect.

instead, as far as MS ratings go, at least, my "10's" were limited to my answer of the proverbial "desert island, can only bring 10 albums" question... those 10 that were amazing enough in their ability to entertain and enthrall me for dozens to hundreds of spins. i did go all Spinal Tap and boost said list of "10's" to 11 this year with the new Enslaved.

but even then, as much as love those albums, they are not perfect.

no album is perfect.

It is almost impossible to create a perfect album by the exact meaning of the word. this is when, as mentioned, the album shouldn't have even 1 weak moment, 1 weak second on it. also it is absolutely depended on the taste and the criteria of the listener.

i can mention many albums that have only great songs (maybe except 1 sometimes) but i find it very difficult to find albums that have for example 5-6 songs which i'd rate with 10. most of them have 3-4 astonishing songs usually, 3-4 very very good but just a bit weaker and 0,1 or 2 decent songs.

as for me i think that the most complete and perfect albums i've ever heard (till now of course) are Pierced From Within - Suffocation, Destroy The Opposition - Dying Fetus and With Oden On Our Side - Amon Amarth.

For me it's about the instrumental,then vocal,then lyrics, grade every song from 1 to 10 and then add the numbers and divide by the number of songs. I have yet to listen to a perfect album,a perfect 10.I think the best rating I had was 9,70. So even if it's not a perfect 10,it's more close to 10 than to 9. This is my general system,but on some minor occasions I disregard a little the rating and vote with 1 lower[always voted lower,never higher than I saw the album].

Perfection is an empty word without meaning. Nothing is inherently perfect. Perfection exists only in relation to a standard. An album that meets the standards you set is "perfect." Typically, we don't clearly define the standards we have for music, so we don't really know what perfect is. If there was a quantifiable standard, mass-producing perfect albums should be easy once those standards are discovered. If, however, perfect is defined by whatever you feel like at the moment, it becomes a bit redundant. Why not just say that an album is the one you like best rather than call it perfect?

My favorite albums are flawed. Tori Amos's Boys For Pele has way too many songs, lacks cohesion, contains some pretty awkward lyrics etc. If I tried to apply some neutral standards of perfection, I'd say Under The Pink is the perfect album and Boys is an unpolished draft. But despite that, the latter is still the greatest album in history. I guess the same could be said about Kamelot's Epica (though it's not quite up there with Tori Amos): arguably it has more filler than The Black Halo or Karma, and the interludes don't really do anything for me because I don't care about the story. But somehow I feel it's still the peak of their career and a landmark in power metal. Or take the rollercoaster album by Red House Painters: waaaay too long, rather samey, but I'd argue it's still the "perfect" album.

I go with my gut. "10 albums on a desert island" is a good idea too, though for me there are more than 10 such albums. Especially since my favorites change frequently.

In the end it's about how much you enjoyed the album, ratings are something extra.Albums that struck me the most and didn't disappoint any second were Agalloch's The Mantle and Insomnium's Since the Day It All Came Down.

Perfection? I would not use this word, if i say it in a few words, mainly this goes determined by the emotions that transmits the album into me.

(I'm debating whether I should create a separate thread for this. This one is the closest I could find for discussing albums that you honestly find flawless.)
Like OP, I also sometimes have a dilemma in giving albums a 10. One day I might find an album absolutely perfect. But a couple of days later, I think it has a lot of flaws and deserves maybe a 8 or 9.
There are few albums that I find are honestly flawless - meaning no weak parts, no parts where I cringe, no skippable things. The only two that come to mind right now for me are Painkiller and Storm of the Light's Bane. There is nothing I would change about them. They are truly perfect to me.
While there are a lot of good albums out there (to which I give a 10), they all have some small thing that is weak or I would've changed:
For Symbolic, I find the singing on Chrystal Mountain kind of weak. For Rust in Peace, they could've just put Dawn Patrol with Polaris together. For Ride the Lightning, Escape is less impressive than the rest. For Powerslave and Somewhere in Time, I sometimes cringe at the choruses of Flash of the Blade and Heaven Can Wait. For Crimson, the ending act feels kind of rushed. Etc. Etc.
I've given all of these albums a 10 because the great moments outweigh the weak ones. But on MS, 10 means "perfect", which they technically aren't. Hence the dilemma.
Does anyone else have this problem?
What albums do you honestly think are flawless?

An album that I don't skip any songs, an album that it's always great, fun, a pleasure to get back to, an album that does not get old, no matter how much i've listened to it.

An album with nice melodies that stick in your head. With no filler songs. An album in which every song is memorable and makes you feel something while listening to it. For exemple, you listen to it on youtube and feel the urge to buy a physical copy right after. An album that people will remember a decade later.

Written by F3ynman2000 on 29.09.2021 at 15:29

(I'm debating whether I should create a separate thread for this. This one is the closest I could find for discussing albums that you honestly find flawless.)
Like OP, I also sometimes have a dilemma in giving albums a 10. One day I might find an album absolutely perfect. But a couple of days later, I think it has a lot of flaws and deserves maybe a 8 or 9.
There are few albums that I find are honestly flawless - meaning no weak parts, no parts where I cringe, no skippable things. The only two that come to mind right now for me are Painkiller and Storm of the Light's Bane. There is nothing I would change about them. They are truly perfect to me.
While there are a lot of good albums out there (to which I give a 10), they all have some small thing that is weak or I would've changed:
For Symbolic, I find the singing on Chrystal Mountain kind of weak. For Rust in Peace, they could've just put Dawn Patrol with Polaris together. For Ride the Lightning, Escape is less impressive than the rest. For Powerslave and Somewhere in Time, I sometimes cringe at the choruses of Flash of the Blade and Heaven Can Wait. For Crimson, the ending act feels kind of rushed. Etc. Etc.
I've given all of these albums a 10 because the great moments outweigh the weak ones. But on MS, 10 means "perfect", which they technically aren't. Hence the dilemma.
Does anyone else have this problem?
What albums do you honestly think are flawless?

If that is perfect for you, that is right man =)

Some examples of my "flawless":

https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=427

https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=1280

There are very few albums I myself consider perfect, my top rated albums on MS I have given 98-100 are Paranoid and Symbolic, but I give a 10 rating for anything I would rate 95 or above, that's the way I do it anyway.

I've often thought about creating a list of albums I have rated a 10.

Written by AndyMetalFreak on 12.01.2022 at 17:49

There are very few albums I myself consider perfect, my top rated albums on MS I have given 98-100 are Paranoid and Symbolic, but I give a 10 rating for anything I would rate 95 or above, that's the way I do it anyway.

I've often thought about creating a list of albums I have rated a 10.

You definitely should. I for one am interested

Track order is super important. The album has to flow!

Written by HeavysAudio on 12.01.2022 at 18:34

Track order is super important. The album has to flow!

Agreed I often change the track order f an album on my IPod playlists make even albums I don't really lile albums flow better and sound better. Unless it's a concept album obviously

Written by HeavysAudio on 12.01.2022 at 18:34

Track order is super important. The album has to flow!

so true.

Written by JoHn Doe on 29.09.2021 at 15:36

An album that I don't skip any songs, an album that it's always great, fun, a pleasure to get back to, an album that does not get old, no matter how much i've listened to it.

I agree with that! I think I've given now 10s to those albums that are really special for me personally - those albums that fulfill those requirements for me: (1) I like all the songs and (2) I can listen to it anytime and I will be guaranteed to enjoy it!

A 10/10 album needs to stand the test of time, be endlessly replayable and binge-worthy, and inspire feelings beyond appreciation for the actual music, whether through excellent lyrics, concept, atmosphere... There's no clear answer, but when an album is a 10, it's something you just "know", but not immediately. There aren't many albums I'd rate 10/10, not many at all. 9s or 9.5s I can throw out when feeling like it, but a 10 is sacred and should not be overused, lest it loses its value.

Some metal albums I'd consider rating (or have rated) 10 are Tiamat - A Deeper Kind Of Slumber, King Crimson - Red, Nightwish - Century Child, Amorphis - Tuonela, Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness, Rotting Christ - Sanctus Diavolos... Albums I can listen to over and over again and enjoy as much as the first time I heard them, and that usually have a personal meaning to me due to associations or thoughts they inspire.

I could list a variety of traits, such as replayability, uniqueness or complexity, but in the end it comes down to emotional resonance for me. If I have some sort of deep emotional reaction to an album, much more than most music, it's a 10. This usually happens if the albums have some of the other traits that a lot of people list, but sometimes it can be something fairly minor or a personal experience too.
But yeah, basically all albums in my top 10 I have a deep emotional response to, often times multi-faceted.

These days I like to keep an eye on my rating distribution and make sure there's new top-rated albums fairly regularly. I don't have any clear criteria, but if an album feels like I want to/should enshrine it as an all-time great, and especially if it's felt like that for a longer while (usually at least a year), that's a good sign it's a 5-star album,

I use less discretion with 4.5/5 these days, bumping a really great album up there immediately. As time passes, if stays relevant and retains its replayability, or even grows in meaning, I might revise it up to 5. If it turns out the charms wears thin, I nudge it down a bit.

At the moment on RYM, I seem to have stumbled on a nice normal distribution between 5-2 stars. (I basically never use 0.5-1.5 stars, they feel redundant):
5 ★: 19 albums
4.5 ★: 76 albums
4 ★: 287 albums
3.5 ★: 470 albums
3 ★: 484 albums
2.5 ★: 85 albums
2 ★: 19 albums

A 10 is not necessarily a perfect album. Because the rating here does not allow for 0.5 increments, if an album for me is notably better than a 9, I'll rank it a 10 even if I do not think it is perfect.

Using the Rate Your Music criteria, my results are heavily skewed because I rank mostly albums I own, and if I thought they stunk, I probably wouldn't own them (unless I made a mistake and bought it sight unseen, such as for example, Illud or Cold Lake. #Fuuuuu )

5 ★: 88 albums
4.5 ★: 257 albums
4 ★: 268 albums
3.5 ★: 165 albums
3 ★: 100 albums
2.5 ★: 67 albums
2 ★: 43 albums
1.5 ★: 19 albums
1 ★: 6 albums
0.5 ★: 6 albums

Written by sgtrobo on 05.03.2022 at 21:33

Using the Rate Your Music criteria, my results are heavily skewed because I rank mostly albums I own, and if I thought they stunk, I probably wouldn't own them

I rate new albums yearly, but the same is still kinda true: if an album is obviously bad, I'm not going to listen to it enough to really rate it. Or maybe I'm not the target audience, so it feels silly to rate, like, a skate punk or pop rap album when I couldn't differentiate my indifference to the genre from my dislike of the particular album. Mostly I add "pretty good" or better albums to my yearly list, and those are the albums I come back to rate after a few spins. Others I just forget about.

As for retrospective ratings, I mostly rate the gems I discover, not the stuff that doesn't interest me, so for older albums the ratings are even higher.

But anyway, I'm not very interested in "perfect". It doesn't really mean anything I could consistently apply. It's enough for me to know that the album is an all-time favorite. Even the 5-star scale with halves (basically a 1-10 scale) feels a bit too fine-grained. I have named the ratings Desert Island Stuff (5), Extraordinary (4.5), Excellent (4), Very Good (3.5), Good Stuff (3), Decent Enough (2.5), and Unimpressive (2). But honestly, I'm not sure what the difference between Extraordinary and Excellent is supposed to be. Or Excellent and Very Good.

Written by IronAngel on 07.03.2022 at 09:22

maybe I'm not the target audience, so it feels silly to rate, like, a skate punk or pop rap album when I couldn't differentiate my indifference to the genre from my dislike of the particular album.
... <snip>
As for retrospective ratings, I mostly rate the gems I discover, not the stuff that doesn't interest me, so for older albums the ratings are even higher.

agreed specifically on both issues

While I've given 30 albums 10/10, there are only 4 albums I would consider to be a true 10/10 (others are 9.5-9.9).

They are:

1. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
An album that got me through some dark times in my life. A dark companion if you will, and a beautiful combination of dark instrumentation, reflective lyrics and masterful production. Its still to this day the darkest and most vulnerable piece of music (or any art for that matter) I've ever come across.

2. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
My first experience with metal that was both heavy and melodic with some progressive elements. It's a perfect combination of mature songwriting and creativity.

3. Opeth - Blackwater Park
The more 'grown-up' version of Master of Puppets in a way. This album opened my eyes to what a metal album could be with its use of acoustics, layered guitar melodies and heavy riffs written in standard tuning.

4. Edge Of Sanity - Crimson
Again, a new concept of what music could be. A single 40-min song was inconceivable to my teen self getting into metal more than a decade ago, let alone one that is designed to reflect a fictional story.

Really, it's been a mixture of the quality of the songwriting, performance and production combined with my personal experience with the album and how they've helped me grow as a music lover - both as a listener and creator.