Bands who vastly improved over the years

Squall Leonhart

I was wondering if there many bands around who have started off pretty awful, released a few terrible albums, then their fortunes changed, they wrote and recorded much better material and then did well for themselves?

Things that don't count;

- bands that had instant success with first releases, even if the general consensus is or was that it was pretty poor material

- bands that had a few albums that are generally considered to be well written and recorded, just didn't make any impact on the charts or public conscience

I'm sure there must be countless examples... but can't really think of any!
There are a lot of bands who I can think of where I didn't particularly enjoy their earlier stuff, and I felt got better with time, e.g., The Who, Pink Floyd.

twinklerunner

The Beatles ... from Rubber Soul onwards. Don't care for their early stuff, even though it was very successful for them.

buck65

Mourning Beloveth, sizeable gains with every release. Their recent work is immense nearly two decades after forming.

Squall Leonhart

Yeah, I also much prefer the Beatles later stuff compared to their earlier (generally speaking), but they don't qualify in this case as they were massive from the word go, regardless of opinions of quality of their work.

Koptain Liverpool

Pantera

From this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amq9It9dRjs

To this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVMvART9kb8

*although you can still hear how good Dime is on their early glam stuff

mloc123

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

Pantera

From this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amq9It9dRjs

To this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVMvART9kb8

*although you can still hear how good Dime is on their early glam stuff

But everything before Cowboys has been written out of history

Ninjavampire

Dir En Grey. While I like their old stuff, the way they have evolved over the last two decades is crazy. Their newer stuff is seriously refined and I prefer it personally.

Mushy

Anathema. Early albums would struggle to get a listen, hit a pinnacle with We're Here Because We're Here, and the albums since then have also been excellent!

Pyr0

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

Pantera

From this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amq9It9dRjs

To this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVMvART9kb8

*although you can still hear how good Dime is on their early glam stuff

Their super early stuff is a bit hit and miss but their first album with Anselmo on vocals,"Power Metal" that was released before CFH, is an absolute belter though!

yknaa

Europe are a band I left way behind after the early poppy stuff but really enjoyed the last few albums and John Norum's playing. Great to see them in the Olympia with BSR a few years ago too. Can recommend them live if they are back again.

fyfe79

mloc123 wrote: »

But everything before Cowboys has been written out of history

Yeah, Pantera are the biggest example of this. How many other bands have tried to erase their first 4 albums? Usually, a bands' best material is among their first 4!

Conall Cernach

Iron Maiden. Ok, they were good, hinting at great for their first 2 albums but it was only really with the addition of Bruce Dickinson that they reached their lung bursting potential.

flasher0030

Conall Cernach wrote: »

Iron Maiden. Ok, they were good, hinting at great for their first 2 albums but it was only really with the addition of Bruce Dickinson that they reached their lung bursting potential.

Ya, but I’d put Maiden more in the category – Start, improved, deteriorated, improved, deteriorated, improved, plateaued.

Nephilim Wolf

Mushy wrote: »

Anathema. Early albums would struggle to get a listen, hit a pinnacle with We're Here Because We're Here, and the albums since then have also been excellent!

Very interesting thread. I always thought that Anathema's older stuff was truly incredible. And that they went downhill after the excellent 'Judgement' album. Although 'Distant Satellites' was real return to form. Also I think that Amorphis, Dark Tranquility, Moonspell, Nokturnal Mortum, Keep of Kalessin and Watain have gotten better over the years. I also forgotten about Pink Floyd. Never really liked the early Syd Barret stuff.

Squall Leonhart

Nephilim Wolf wrote:

I also forgotten about Pink Floyd. Never really liked the early Syd Barret stuff.

Yeah I know plenty who are fanatical with the Barrett material, but just doesn't interest me.

Wrongway1985

Clutch an obvious pick for me, For the most part I'd gather most fans of them their favorite album by them of course might not be Strange Cousins From The West but it's unlikely to be one of the first 3 albums either, good stuff on those for sure but very much sound now like a band honing their craft certainly now very much removed from the debut Transnational Subway League. Songs from the yet to be released album seem positive too very much looking forward.

buck65

Pink Floyd for me were great in the 60s and 70s. I enjoy all their albums but the groundbreaking stuff was in the early albums upto and including the Wall.