Best Of cover

Best Of

Between the Buried and Me · 2011

215 min · 24 tracks · progressive metal

A dynamic blend of intricate melodies and aggressive riffs that captures the essence of progressive metalcore's emotional depth.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Selkies: The Endless Obsession — This track exemplifies the band's seamless fusion of melodic elements with heavy instrumentation, making it a fan favorite and a staple in their live performances.
  • →
    Alaska — Alaska features intricate time signatures and lyrical themes that delve into personal struggles, representing the band’s ability to marry complexity with accessibility.
  • →
    White Walls — As one of the longest tracks on the album, White Walls encapsulates the band's signature style through its progressive structure and climactic build-up, showcasing their compositional skills.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic peaks and valleys
  • live performance energy captured
  • immersive multi-part explorations
  • emotional highs and lows
  • detailed headphone listening experience

Maybe skip if you

  • prefer straightforward song structures
  • seek instant gratification tracks

Where this album fits

Career context
Best Of arrives during Between the Buried and Me's rise within the progressive metal scene, following their acclaimed album Colors released in 2007. This compilation showcases pivotal tracks from their previous works, serving as a bridge between their earlier material and the subsequent release of The Parallax II: Future Sequence in 2012. It highlights their evolution as a band while introducing new listeners to their complex sound.

Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

  • Alaska

    The lyrical transition shifts from introspective self-doubt to an assertive declaration of overcoming challenges.

    This movement not only underscores the theme of personal growth but also contrasts vulnerability with strength, enhancing the emotional depth of the song.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Mordecai 5:47
  • 2 Ad a Dglgmut 7:39
  • 3 Aesthetic 3:47
  • 4 (Shevanel Take 2) 3:15
  • 5 Alaska 3:59
  • 6 Selkies: The Endless Obsession 7:23
  • 7 All Bodies 6:12
  • 8 Backwards Marathon 8:30
  • 9 Foam Born (A) The Backtrack 2:13
  • 10 (B) The Decade of Statues 5:22
  • 11 Prequel to the Sequel 8:37
  • 12 Viridian 2:51
  • 13 White Walls 14:11

Disc 2

  • 1 Mirrors 3:36
  • 2 Obfuscation 9:05
  • 3 Mordecai (live) 5:34
  • 4 Shevanel Cut a Flip (live) 6:55
  • 5 Backwards Marathon (live) 9:04
  • 6 Ad a Dglgmut (live) 8:12
  • 7 Selkiess: The Endless Obsession (live) 9:56

Disc 3

  • 1 Mordecai (music video) 6:09
  • 2 Alaska (music video) 3:58
  • 3 Obfuscation (music video) 9:16
  • 4 Synesthesia 1:04:09

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata