These metal concept albums tell a story that moves from one song to the next. A guitar part can mark an arrival, a new singer can put somebody else in charge of the story, and an interlude can change what the next track…
Items 56 The creator’s order
1 Operation: Mindcrime (1988) Released Jan 1, 1988 Queensrÿche opens in a hospital, where Nikki starts looking back in “I Remember Now.” “Revolution Calling” gives his discontent somewhere to go, and “Suite Sister Mary” puts two points of view into the same scene. Listen for when the original narrator starts losing control of the story. 0 2 Metropolis, Part 2: Scenes From a Memory (1999) Released Jan 1, 1999 Dream Theater places Nicholas under hypnosis in “Regression.” “Strange Déjà Vu” gives him glimpses of Victoria, and “Fatal Tragedy” starts to connect those glimpses to a death. Choose it when you want a progressive metal mystery that gives you clues before its final scene. 0 3 Abigail (1987) Released Jan 1, 1987 King Diamond's opening funeral makes the family history feel ominous before Miriam and Jonathan arrive at the mansion in “Arrival.” Listen to how “The Family Ghost” gives Jonathan information that Miriam doesn’t have. This is the one to choose for horror told as a sequence of scenes. 0 4 Leviathan (2004) Released Jan 1, 2004 Mastodon gets a crew moving in “Blood and Thunder,” while “Iron Tusk” and “Hearts Alive” make the hunt feel increasingly difficult to turn back from. It draws its shape from Moby-Dick. This is the fast, jagged way to hear that pursuit, with much of the pressure coming from the riffs. 0 5 Operation: Mindcrime II (2006) Released Apr 4, 2006 “I'm American” reintroduces Nikki in a story that picks up after the first album. “The Hands” gives him a different register before his old conflict returns to the foreground. Start with the original to understand why the pursuit matters. 0 6 Into the Electric Castle (2010) Released Jan 1, 2010 Ayreon gathers travelers in an unfamiliar place in “Welcome to the New Dimension.” Different singers give each character their own voice when they face the same obstacles. “The Decision Tree” shows why it matters which traveler is speaking. 0 7 The Human Equation (2004) Released Jan 1, 2004 Ayreon gathers voices for different feelings around a man in a coma. “Day One: Vigil” gives the people at his bedside a place in the story, then the days turn inward. Choose it when you'd like to hear a large cast argue through a shared past. 0 8 Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998) Released Jan 1, 1998 “War of Wrath” supplies an aftermath before “Into the Storm” rewinds to the struggle over the Silmarils. In “Nightfall,” Blind Guardian lets the loss of the Two Trees register through the voices of Tolkien’s elves. Choose it if you like short spoken passages between full songs. 0 9 “Them” (1988) Released Jan 1, 1988 “Welcome Home” makes the grandmother's return the source of the unease. By “Tea,” a familiar domestic ritual has started to carry a very different meaning. Start with this King Diamond album before Conspiracy to hear the family story in order. 0 10 Conspiracy (1989) Released Jan 1, 1989 Keep “Them” in mind when “At the Graves” returns to the voices that haunted the first record. “A Visit from the Dead” makes the family's past a present problem. Play this after the first album if you want the return to mean something. 0 
Operation: Mindcrime (1988)Released Jan 1, 1988Queensrÿche opens in a hospital, where Nikki starts looking back in “I Remember Now.” “Revolution Calling” gives his discontent somewhere to go, and “Suite Sister Mary” puts two points of view into the same scene. Listen for when the original narrator starts losing control of the story.0
Metropolis, Part 2: Scenes From a Memory (1999)Released Jan 1, 1999Dream Theater places Nicholas under hypnosis in “Regression.” “Strange Déjà Vu” gives him glimpses of Victoria, and “Fatal Tragedy” starts to connect those glimpses to a death. Choose it when you want a progressive metal mystery that gives you clues before its final scene.0
Abigail (1987)Released Jan 1, 1987King Diamond's opening funeral makes the family history feel ominous before Miriam and Jonathan arrive at the mansion in “Arrival.” Listen to how “The Family Ghost” gives Jonathan information that Miriam doesn’t have. This is the one to choose for horror told as a sequence of scenes.0
Leviathan (2004)Released Jan 1, 2004Mastodon gets a crew moving in “Blood and Thunder,” while “Iron Tusk” and “Hearts Alive” make the hunt feel increasingly difficult to turn back from. It draws its shape from Moby-Dick. This is the fast, jagged way to hear that pursuit, with much of the pressure coming from the riffs.0
Operation: Mindcrime II (2006)Released Apr 4, 2006“I'm American” reintroduces Nikki in a story that picks up after the first album. “The Hands” gives him a different register before his old conflict returns to the foreground. Start with the original to understand why the pursuit matters.0
Into the Electric Castle (2010)Released Jan 1, 2010Ayreon gathers travelers in an unfamiliar place in “Welcome to the New Dimension.” Different singers give each character their own voice when they face the same obstacles. “The Decision Tree” shows why it matters which traveler is speaking.0
The Human Equation (2004)Released Jan 1, 2004Ayreon gathers voices for different feelings around a man in a coma. “Day One: Vigil” gives the people at his bedside a place in the story, then the days turn inward. Choose it when you'd like to hear a large cast argue through a shared past.0
Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)Released Jan 1, 1998“War of Wrath” supplies an aftermath before “Into the Storm” rewinds to the struggle over the Silmarils. In “Nightfall,” Blind Guardian lets the loss of the Two Trees register through the voices of Tolkien’s elves. Choose it if you like short spoken passages between full songs.0
“Them” (1988)Released Jan 1, 1988“Welcome Home” makes the grandmother's return the source of the unease. By “Tea,” a familiar domestic ritual has started to carry a very different meaning. Start with this King Diamond album before Conspiracy to hear the family story in order.0
Conspiracy (1989)Released Jan 1, 1989Keep “Them” in mind when “At the Graves” returns to the voices that haunted the first record. “A Visit from the Dead” makes the family's past a present problem. Play this after the first album if you want the return to mean something.0