Best Instrumental

[Albert Flasher]

[COLOR=Sienna]I love instrumentals. I love how they get across so much without using lyrics at all, and how fun they are to listen to; at least, when done right. They display an incredible technical ability (again, when done right) and I just love em'! What are your favourites?

[b]Hocus Pocus by Focus[/b] is an obvious one. It has a great, air-guitar-able rythm to it, and the crazy vocals (used as an instrument in this case, which means it still counts as an instrumental!) just add to the whole confusion of the song, but it all seems to work. Not the most technically astounding song of them all, but definatly one the most fun to listen too!

There are some great ones by [b]Rush[/b] out there... most notably [b]La Villa Strangiat[/b], [b]YYZ[/b], and [b]The 2112 Overture[/b]. ([b]Limbo[/b] is good to, but not good enough to warrent mention here) They all display a peerless technical ability but still rock really hard and give you the ability to bob your head back and forth in time with the music, which is always fun.
[B]
Frank Zappa[/B] had some great instrumentals too. He may have been more known for his sarcastic, raunchy lyrics, but the man could play guitar like a ringin' bell! [b]Sofa No. 1[/b], [b]Zoot Allures[/b], [b]Little Umbrellas[/b], and the immortal [b]Peaches en Regalia[/b], there are some great ones.

But my all-time favourite instrumental has to go too... [b]Frankenstein! by Edgar Winter[/b]. IMO, nothing comes close. It has a simple back-and-forth rythm that anyone can rock too, with some incredible solos and the like thrown in for good measure. Definatly the most fun I have listening to an instrumental!

Honourable Mentions: [b]Lenny (SRV)[/b], [b]Little Wing (SRV)[/b], and [b]Cliffs of Dover (Eric Johnson)[/b] [/COLOR]

[John]

All-time favorite? "Red" by King Crimson. It's one of my favorite songs in general, and probably my favorite intro of any song. In fact, it's probably the only time I'd recommend listening to a sample of it on Amazon or somewhere (as long as it's from the intro, not the middle). It'll hook you if you do.

[Accela]

I heartily recommend:

[Click the link, then select the track I listed.]

[i]'Not Of The Fallen'[/i] by Up-C, Down-C, Left-C, Right-C ABC + Start ([url=http://www.myspace.com/upcdownc]Link[/url])

[i]'I Believe In Your Victory'[/i] by This Will Destoy You ([url=http://www.myspace.com/thiswilldestroyyou]Link[/url])

[i]'Further Up'[/i] and [i]'Further In'[/i] by Caspian ([url=http://www.myspace.com/caspiantheband]Link[/url])

[i]'Alone & Unaware...'[/i] by Red Sparowes ([url=http://www.myspace.com/redsparowes]Link[/url])

I've got loads more in my MP3 collection but only posted the above four you you could all enjoy them too.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Accela][i]'Alone & Unaware...'[/i] by Red Sparowes ([url=http://www.myspace.com/redsparowes]Link[/url'])[/quote]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]Definetally the best of [B]Red Sparrowes[/B]. Awesome song.

I'd like to nominate quite a few songs.

1. [B]Weight [/B] by [B]Isis [/B] - It does technically have some vocals, but it's just a repeating few words, and therefore doesn't count. This song is soothing, beautiful, and epic (at 10 minutes, no less!). I definetally enjoy this track for being the soft spot on Oceanic and totally awesome.

2. [B]Stream of Concienceness[/B](sp?) by [B]Dream Theater [/B] - honestly, I haven't heard this song enough times to give something definite about it. It's 10 minutes long, late on the CD, and I only recently got it, but from the few times I have heard it, I can tell you it's a straight-up amazing song.

3. [B]Day 9: Playground [/B] by [B]Ayreon [/B] - this is a pretty, folkish tune played on a few of the vast variety of instruments incorporated into Ayreon's music. It's whimsical and enjoyable.

4. [B]Odal [/B] by [B]Agalloch [/B] - admittedly, this song could probably do without the last minute or two of staticy noises and wind, but the first minutes are a great ambient experience. It puts you right smack in the frozen north and definetally sounds great.

5.[B] Any part of Cassandra Geminni [/B] by [B]The Mars volta [/B] - Several parts are all music -- all parts are awesome. You just need to go listen to it. 32 minutes total.

I also second Albert's [B]Rush [/B] nominations.[/COLOR]

[TimeChaser]

There are few instrumentals I really enjoy, but here are some:

"Stream Of Consciousness" - [B]Dream Theater[/B]

"Man Made God" & "The Wayfarer"- [B]In Flames[/B]

"Prognosis" & "Progtology" - [B]Enchant[/B]

"Entering The Angel Diabolique" & "Centro De Predomino" - [B]Soilwork[/B]

[Haibara]

I really like instrumental, especially the classics and most music with a violin in it, these two are my favorite instrumentals. The first one is my favorite band

[I]Crimson Tide and Deep Blue Sea[/I] by Nightwish
This is one of the few instrumentals they perform where there is no singing

[I]Carol of the Bells[/I] by Trans-Siberian Orchestra