Rank the Theocracy Albums!

It's about time we have a ranking thread on the (un)official house band of the CMR. So let's get to it! 

1. Ghost Ship

Consistently awesome. Some of their best riffs and most memorable hooks (which, for Theocracy, is saying a lot). There isn't a song on here I don't love and I've probably listened to it more than the others combined. 

(VERY SLIGHT GAP. RAZOR THIN.)

2. Mirror of Souls

For a long time, this was top for me. It still is in a very tight race with Ghost Ship. The songs are all awesome with great choruses and there's a good variety of sounds here. The title track is my favorite Theocracy song and Absolution Day is right behind it. A masterpiece. 

(BIGGER GAP)

3. Theocracy

I haven't had this one as long, but it's still excellent. I don't think there's a bad song on it. Great stuff. 

(SLIGHT GAP)

4. As the World Bleeds

I know this will be controversial, but I think this is the weakest primarily because it's the most inconsistent. Half of it is flat-out awesome and among the best of their career. The other half ranges from quite good to skip-button ("The Gift of Music"). It's still leagues ahead of pretty much any other power metal, of course, because it's THEOCRACY. But I think it's the weakest of their works. However, it was actually the first Theocracy I got and it made me a fan, so I certainly like this album! 


Theocracy rules (play on words somewhat intended).

1. As the World Bleeds.  It's their best one musically and lyrically.  "I Am" is maybe my favorite song by anyone ever.

2. Mirror of Souls.  Almost as good as ATWB but the title track drags a little in the middle.  I don't mind long songs but that one's a stretch.

3. Ghost Ship.  Good songs but this one feels more like a collection of songs than a complete album (does that make sense?).

4. Theocracy.  I like it, but not as well as the others.  There's nothing bad to say about it other than I like the others better.

eatbugs wrote:1. As the World Bleeds.  It's their best one musically and lyrically.  "I Am" is maybe my favorite song by anyone ever.

2. Mirror of Souls.  Almost as good as ATWB but the title track drags a little in the middle.  I don't mind long songs but that one's a stretch.

3. Ghost Ship.  Good songs but this one feels more like a collection of songs than a complete album (does that make sense?).

4. Theocracy.  I like it, but not as well as the others.  There's nothing bad to say about it other than I like the others better.

There are definitely some killer lyrics on AtWB. "Hide in the Fairytale" is one of my favorites lyrically (as well as musically).

1. As the World Bleeds.  Incredibly album.  "I Am" is probably one of the best songs ever written.

2. Mirror of Souls.  Just as good as ATWB, but possibly could have done with another 'short' song.  Absolution Day is amazing (especially the lyrcs)

3. Ghost Ship.  Another brilliant album, difficult to see how an album this good could only come third... but the other two are near perfect.

4. Theocracy.  I'd give this album 8.5/10.  Matt did this by himself.  It shows off his abilities and skills.  Love this.

Mirror of Souls-Has their best song, Laying the Demon to Rest, song flat out rocks.

ATWB

Ghost Ship

Theocracy

They have no bad songs, just some better then the others.

They are a great band, and I have even seen them open for Disciple.  However, I just can't get into them.

Black Rider wrote:
They have no bad songs, just some better then the others.

“The Gift of Music” begs to differ 

Mirror of Souls


I'll have to listen to the others to figure their rank.

I reckon Gift Of Music's lyrics are exceptional.

Close your eyes, you little dreamers
Numbered as the grains of sand
Do you believe there is a treasure you can't hold in your hand?
Stewards of My great Creation
I will give this gift to you
A language that can speak your heart when words could never do
The melodies will give you wings to fly above Creation
Whenever you can't find the words to say
So My child, I give this gift to you and all the nations
So you can give it back to Me one day
See the child, ashamed and broken
Words can never come out right
Dreams of failure dance in his head every single night
But twelve words in a simple language suddenly make sense somehow
That little boy, once shy and awkward, stands before you now
The melodies will give you wings to fly above Creation
Whenever you can't find the words to say
So My child, I give this gift to you and all the nations
So you can give it back to Me one day
Music is Your masterpiece, Your signature and smile
The glorious crown jewel of all Creation
Gave a voice and sense of wonder to this lonely child
Whose melodies ring forth Your coronation now
And the strings crescendo like the sunrise in the sky
The percussion section thunders like the stormclouds
In their wonder up on high
The brass is roaring like the mighty ocean's tide
Creation is music, and music is Creation
All the earth, a symphony of balanced majesty
All of life, a melody with four-part harmony
The rhythms march in great complexity
Creation is music, and music is Creation, let it sing

I love The Gift of Music! Why all the hate for that song?!

Anyway, on to the rankings:

1. ATWB, and it’s not even close. This is an exceptional album. Not a single skip track on it for me. Lyrics are awesome, songwriting and playing came together perfectly. Punchy production. It has it all. And I agree with others that I Am is Theocracy’s greatest song.

2. MOS - Another fantastic album. It could have used more solos (a reason ATWB is better). But songs like Laying the Demon to Rest and Bethlehem are killer.

3. Theocracy - The songwriting here was awesome and for it being a single person doing it all, it’s almost unbelievable. But the full band and better production on future releases have relegated this down the list.

4. Ghost Ship - Outside a couple of good songs, especially Around The World and Back, I didn’t get into this album at all. It was well played and produced; I just didn’t like the songs.

I'm not a huge power metal fan, but I really dig this band.  Kind of tough to pick a favorite between the first two albums.

Mirror of Souls - Laying the Demon to rest is without a doubt my a favorite Theocracy song, also Bethlehem and Absolution Day are fantastic.

Theocracy - I played this album to death so much so that both my sons really like it as well and neither of them are metal fans.  The Serpent's Kiss, Sinner, Victory Dance...just fantastic

Mirror of Souls is just barely beat out by the debut.  I AM and Hide in the Fairytale are just excellent.

Ghost Ship is easily my least favorite.  I just couldn't connect with this one as well as with the first three for some reason.

I honestly cant rank them. My copout is a complete tie.

They all have so many strong points.

Staybrite wrote:I'm not a huge power metal fan, but I really dig this band.  Kind of tough to pick a favorite between the first two albums.

Mirror of Souls - Laying the Demon to rest is without a doubt my a favorite Theocracy song, also Bethlehem and Absolution Day are fantastic.

Theocracy - I played this album to death so much so that both my sons really like it as well and neither of them are metal fans.  The Serpent's Kiss, Sinner, Victory Dance...just fantastic

As The World Bleeds Mirror of Souls is just barely beat out by the debut.  I AM and Hide in the Fairytale are just excellent.

Ghost Ship is easily my least favorite.  I just couldn't connect with this one as well as with the first three for some reason.

This is my ordering as well, though ATWB and GS are basically tied for me and are quite a bit lower than the first two albums.  ATWB has a couple songs I really like (I AM and the title track) though the rest are a fair bit weaker* IMO.  Ghost Ship is overall a more consistent album but there aren't any songs that really stand out from the rest to me.




* "weak" Theocracy is still pretty dang good, but compared to their other material, I much prefer the first two albums.

Kerrick wrote:
* "weak" Theocracy is still pretty dang good, but compared to their other material, I much prefer the first two albums.

Absolutely, "weak" Theocracy is still better than a ton of stuff out there.

Black Rider wrote:Mirror of Souls-Has their best song, Laying the Demon to Rest, song flat out rocks.

ATWB

Ghost Ship

Theocracy

They have no bad songs, just some better then the others.

I second this ranking

Great question...my favorite band...listening to their Christmas stuff right now...how do we rank that?!?!

1. Ghost Ship

2. Mirror of Souls

3. Theocracy

4. As the World Bleeds

Beckster13 wrote:Great question...my favorite band...listening to their Christmas stuff right now...how do we rank that?!?!

1. Ghost Ship

2. Mirror of Souls

3. Theocracy

4. As the World Bleeds

This is the correct order. 

Beckster13 wrote:Great question...my favorite band...listening to their Christmas stuff right now...how do we rank that?!?!

In December it's #1.

In the 11 other months it's #3 behind As the World Bleeds and Mirror of Souls (the correct order).

1 Mirror of Souls - the title track was my introduction to long songs, and completely changed my perception of what music could do. Also was one of the clearest presentations of the gospel I heard since Romans, but way easier to understand . 

2 As The World Bleeds - As stated before, I Am is mind-blowing, and the little tidbits and easter eggs throughout prove it's creative depth... like the time signature minusing 1 beat per measure in the middle of I Am, or the 12 notes signifying all the musical notes in "Gift of Music"

3 Ghost Ship - Not as groundbreaking or overarching as the above two, but solid all the way around.

4 Theocracy - A fantastic debut, I like the remaster better with the live drums as production quality is a dealbreaker for me. 

Would love to see a Theocracy Christmas music poll  

Favorite band ever!

1- Mirror Of Souls (all time fav Theocracy song Laying the Demon To Rest)
2- As The World Bleeds (I Am-great song)
3- Theocracy (many great songs and thankful for the real drums and remaster)
4- Ghost Ship (my least favorite but a solid album overall)
 
*if their Christmas songs were considered a real album it might fall into the #4 or #5 spot for me…my favorite song would be the Christmas Medley.
*oh yeah….I am a fan of “The Gift of Music”…lol!

Theocracy is a band whose literal only conceivable weakness is the band name, and - even then - I now associate the word moreso with the band than with crusades. It's simply a matter of getting new listeners past the band name.

I try to tell people it's like Dream Theater with thrash and better vocals and soaring, memorable choruses. 

I'd rank them as 

1. As The World Bleeds. There is a very haunting element in Matt's voice. But not in a gothic nor overly dark way, but in a way where there's an adventure and he's like this minstrel or spirit guide like in Muppets Christmas Carol but who occasional breaks the fourth wall and takes up sword against the dragons and hydras. While Theocracy is a Top 20 All Time band for me, it's typically the guitar work that stands out. On this album, the vocals could not be more elite. They are the standout on this album, and the band does its own adventuring with the way they blend genres. Almost every time I've heard a band try to mix punk or hardcore with power/fantasy/AOR, I cringe. And yet, "Light of the World" is an exquisitely ethereal pop punk song with flourishes of power and thrash. It has so much ENERGY. The vocals on that song and others - particularly when it's layered - remind me of Boston. "Altar to an Unknown God" has serious DT vibes, but has a much more anthemic chorus than I often hear in all progressive metal floating around the globe.

2. Ghost Ship because it has "Wishing Well", "The Wonder of it All", "Castaway", "Stir The Embers" and "Easter". I don't often return the rest of the album except when I'm driving into certain gorgeous cities where I love to listen to "Around the World and Back". I heard Matt pretty much did this album himself. 

3. Mirror of Souls. This is the album that made everyone stand up and pay notice. At least six stone cold classics on here, yet I think they upped the intensity on subsequent albums. Even on a sleepier song like "The Writing in the Sand", you can see how the vocals make this band a cut above the average power metal band.

4. S/T. It's good, however I simply don't click on it as often as the others.

eatbugs wrote:1. As the World Bleeds.  It's their best one musically and lyrically.  "I Am" is maybe my favorite song by anyone ever.

2. Mirror of Souls.  Almost as good as ATWB but the title track drags a little in the middle.  I don't mind long songs but that one's a stretch.

3. Ghost Ship.  Good songs but this one feels more like a collection of songs than a complete album (does that make sense?).

4. Theocracy.  I like it, but not as well as the others.  There's nothing bad to say about it other than I like the others better.

I agree with everything eatbugs said.

As The World Bleeds
Mirror of Souls 
Ghost Ship 
Theocracy

1. As the world bleeds - Great songs incl. Gift of Music, dislike some progressive breaks though
1. (tie) Theocracy - love the positive "vibe" on the debut
2. Mirror of Souls
3. Ghostship

My list goes in the unacceptable/unorthodox opinions thread.

As The World Lies Bleeding - best songs, best solos. Not big on The Gift of Music but the rest is amazing and the title track and Altar to the Unknown God are two of my favorite metal tracks ever. If I have nothing on my mind to listen to, those two tracks go on.

Ghost Ship - love the mix of aggressive tracks (Paper Tiger, The Wonder of It All, Stir the Embers) and more pop metal tracks (Around the World and Back, Currency In This Bankrupt World). Every track is great but the highs aren't as high as ATWLB.

Theocracy - my first Theocracy. Super catchy, warm, diverse, progressive in all the best ways. The fact that it was rerecorded with live drums put this a step up above Mirror of Souls.

Mirror of Souls - I was always disappointed with this album after the debut. Something about it never clicked. Beyond Laying The Demon to Rest there isn't another track that I truly go crazy for. It was more professional in every way (production, performances, packaging). Yet, at the time I was in a power metal crazed world and this album sounded more like everything else I was hearing. It sounded ordinary. I thought the writing was more unique on the debut and still do.