Post what you think are good openers and closers to albums, and why you believe they're good. Personally, I think opening and closing an album with great songs is what all bands should be doing. Introduce the album with a bang, and leave with the listener wanting more. The rest of the tracks should still be good, too.

For the purposes of this thread, intros and outros can be excluded.

Great openers:

Mithras - "Portal to the..." (from Worlds Beyond the Veil)

A 6 minute intro? What? That's right, 6 minutes of nothing but sounds and synths, but for me this is a very strong track and epitomises what Worlds Beyond the Veil is all about. I believe it sets the mood of the album perfectly and I couldn't have asked for a better way to commence it.

Meshuggah - "Concatenation" (from Chaosphere)

Probably the most off-kilter track on the album is a really great way to open this beast of an album. It showcases Meshuggah at their heaviest and craziest, and the rest of the album doesn't let up, but "Concatenation" pulls no punches.

Great closers:

Fear Factory - "A Therapy for Pain" (from Demanufacture)

Fear Factory have done a lot of melodic closers on their albums, but "A Therapy for Pain" remains my favourite one, with its brooding drums, whispered cleans, and mechanical sounds at the end. The repeating vocals of "tried so hard" are great to sing along to (for me, anyway). A great way to end the album.

Anaal Nathrakh - "Castigation and Betrayal" (from Hell is Empty and All the Devils are Here)

Probably the most insane Anaal Nathrakh track is always something I look forward to at the end of this album, as I enjoy the wall-of-sound ferocity and intense vocal screaming. A stunning portrayal of what Anaal Nathrakh are capable of.

I'll think of more tomorow, but as for right now, Full Speed or no Sperd off of Striker's Eyes in the Night should be mentioned as one of the greatest openers ever. Not only is it the best song on the album (but not by that much, cause the whole thing kicks infinite ass) but it rips your face off immediately when it starts and makes you go "fuck yes, here we go!" which I feel is the duty of a good opener.

first one that comes to mind is káli, which not only ends the album, but also the whole discography of !t.o.o.h.! - that solo with the bass part in the middle is just so sweet

simple :

Battery - the harmonized clean guitars in the begining, the way they build and build and how to lead into one thrash heaven
South of Heaven - haunting droning dark and complete left turn after RIB
Blessed are the Sick - Wierd machine / guitar noises, feedback and baby crying
Symphonies of Sickness - The wierd opening synth/sample choir type sounds with the thick ugly chords and that insane growl...genius

theres actually tons of them...

I thought the opener of WBTV was neat, but way too long for its own good. I get sick of it before it's even half done. On the other hand, Mithras' intros on their other 2 albums are nothing short of spectacular.

Måneskyggens Slave, just an amazing black metal track.

I'd have to say Hung Bunny by Melvins. A 10 minute song of nothing but guitars just droning on until finally climaxing with Roman Bird Dog.

Farwell by Pink is another fantastic opener. Great atmosphere. It's heavy but also lush sounding at the same time.

As far as extreme metal goes Satan Spawn, The Caco-Daemon is such an excellent opener and one of my favorite Deicide songs. It sounds incredibly frantic and has a little bit of dissonance. Also Benton's layered vocals rule.

Erm, by Boris. Though I agree that on that album they sound like different band.

Fantastic symphonic opener to a fantastic album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34BbMP83U_g

How epic is that?

As for closers, Waters of Ain might just be Watain's magnum opus. 15 minutes of black metal craziness capped off with Carl McCoy simply existing as well as a breathtaking guitar solo.

Kathaarian Life Code and The Pagan Winter on Darkthrone's A Blaze in the Northern Sky is absolutely great combination of a good opener and closer. The way how the album starts with chanting and percussion and also ends like that, is just fantastic. Of course the tracks itself are black metal at it's best, too.

Arcturus' Kinetic off The Sham Mirrors is an excellent opener.

not metal, but I don't think anyone would disagree that eclipse from dark side of the moon is among the best closers ever.

"Den Ensomme Nordens Dronning" by The Monolith Deathcult is an excellent closer, a 14-minute death metal track that is both epic and punishing.

Also, Boris' "Farewell" is a great opener, heavy is fuck yet dreamy and beautiful.

They do tend to have good closing songs. My pick of the bunch would be Final Exit. Very apt lyrical content for an album closer. (Memory Imprints) Never End is another great closer of theirs.

Dismember - Override of the Overture has to be one of the best openers. Gradual buildup that sounds like a storm brewing before the onslaught of riffs that follows.

As far as best closers...

Black Metal- Darkthrone "Crossing the Triangle of Flames" from Under a Funeral Moon. Those last 2 riffs have to be the grimmest thing ever written. A darker, more evil sounding exit I can not imagine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woArbFp9Btc

Thrash- Slayer "Raining Blood". Nothing more need be said! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8ZqFlw6hYg

Death Metal- Morgoth "Darkness" from Cursed. Such a sad, distant and forlorn sounding track wraps up this amazing album. Doomier than doom metal, darker than dark metal, it's the perfect ending to this album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ioiwzzY6Zk

Special mention must be made to Dinincarnate's album closer "Immemorial Dream". Beautiful song, great way to finish the "Dreams..." album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXveeDYSU6o

I'm probably the only who thinks this, but Foret Disparue on Akitsa's La Grande Infamie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqgQsogg2-k

The sparse and mournful riffing, droning noises, anguished screams creates such atmosphere, perfect way to end the album for me

I think Procession of the Dead Clowns by Blut Aus Nord is the best Metal closer that I know of.
What People Are Made Of by Modest Mouse is my favourite non-Metal closer. I like their more aggressive songs.

Most Shining's openers are great

I concur. Perhaps not the best I know of, but it is pretty damn good.

Speaking of BAN, the opener of Memoria Vetusta II is nothing short of excellent. It builds up a nice ethereal atmosphere with a couple of simple melodies on synths.

Yeah, in its function as closer, "Procession Of The Dead Clowns" is pretty much perfection. It's not just any ending, it's THE ultimate ending.

Twilight's "The Cryptic Ascension" goes in a similar direction, even though it's an opener, but it surely prepares you for the final hours and is a massive "Monument To Time End".

24 HRS. AGOOOOOOO!

Sets the ball rolling nicely and has one of the catchiest riffs ever written! A perfect opener on a perfect Savatage record!

I was also listening to Death SS last night and on "The 7th Seal", "Give 'Em Hell" is a hell of an opener while the magnificent title track puts things to rest at the close in perfect epic fashion.

Iced Earth's Horror Show opens with the amazing Wolf a powerhouse of awesome that smacks you in the face.

A great album closer is "The Final Slaughter" on Aguynguerran's only record (song originally by Nifelheim), excellent cover too.

Sigh's Introitus/Kyrie is definitely one of the best intro songs I've ever heard. It doesn't spend any time building up a momentum or anything like that, instead it just blasts you with a shitstorm of symphonies right from the start, catchy and relentless symphonies at that. The whole song is pretty much awe inspiring.

Now when I think of it, almost every Sigh album has a fantastic opener.

I like my openers atmospheric and my closers MASSIVE.

=Dead Congregation's "Graves of the Archangels"
Martyrdoom is the best opener in metal, period. The closing track is massive too.

My favorite closing track, however, is Incantation's "Unto Infinite Twilight / Majesty of Infernal Damnation".
MASSIVE.

Oh, man, how could I forget this? I love this track.

Many good ones mentioned. For openers I'd say "Limbs" by Agalloch is an excellent kick off to Ashes. Likewise the combo of "Ceasuri Rele" and "Țesarul de Lumini" from Negura Bungets OM are not only one of the best openers to an album but also just one of the most beautiful chunks of music ever recorded.

I think the closer to Altar of Plagues White Tomb is very fitting and perfect in context of the whole album. "Ninety Three" from Caina's the Hands That Pluck is one of the finest Caina songs is general. Also would like to throw in Immortals "Beyond the North Waves." Its awesomeness is undeniable. Same goes for Megadeths "My Last Words."


Fuck yes! Gotta love "Echoes" from Meddle too.
(Since Pink Floyd has been brought up, I just remembered how good of a closer Nachtmystiums "Seasick" trilogy is as well.)

Not necessarily a "closer", but Bolt Thrower's When Cannons Fade includes a wonderful, unintentional bow-out by the band at the end.

Also, in (maybe) contrast to triggerhappy, I find the outro "Elevation" of Memoria Vetusta II to be particularly fitting because it provides a proper recap of the album's themes: lead guitars coupled with keyboard melodies that seem to move off into infinity. It's a four-minute excursion into an expansive, warm, and contemplative world of who-knows-what. Absolutely brilliant.

It's certainly a mesmerising outro all right. Just sort of forgot about it lol.

"Everything is Fire", off Ulcerate's album of the same name, is a fantastic closer. It features everything that is great about that album. I love the final seconds......"Everythinggggg is FIREEEEEEE.....dun dun, DUN DUN."

Det Som En Gang Var

Yeah, it's like those last hits feel like a conclusion. It's great.

Agreed. I'd add Hit the Lights, Fight Fire with Fire, and Blackened as great openers... and Dyer's Eve as a fantastic closer. In fact I'd say the trio of Hit the Lights, Fight Fire with Fire, and Battery are 3 of the greatest opening metal tracks of all time.

I'd also add Angel of Death for a fantastic opener as well as Immortal Rites.

and IN BATTLE THERE IS NO LAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW! That one in particular just sets the atmosphere for the album so well. Total devastation.

Some of my favorite openers:

Massacre - Dawn Of Eternity

Awesome buildup into the ultimate thrashy death metal opener. A lot of people complain about Bill Andrews' simplistic drumming but I think it meshes perfectly with Rick Rozz's straightforward style of writing, and this is arguably the best Massacre song

Vio-Lence - I Profit

7 minutes of non stop riffage. Perry Strickland has some excellent fills and Sean Killian's voice, while hit or miss for listeners, hits hard.

Danzig - Godless

Killer drum section in the beginning leading into an upbeat intro that suddenly comes to a screeching halt with the nails being hammered into the cross with the drum hits in the verse.

Toxik - Think This

Perfect clean intro with airy synths and TV samples. That first riff when it kicks in.....so basic yet so badass. Sets the tone for the album perfectly.

thumbs up to both suggestions. final exit is a hell of a song.

through silver and blood - the wall of doom comes in subtley but surely...crushing

hell awaits - why no mention ??? classic slayer stylee....backward chants seque into that iconic riff

the invocation / chapel of ghouls - yes cheesy but neverthless a pivotal moment for satanic death metal

Judas Priest's "Exciter" = PERFECT OPENER!
Overkill's "Evil Never Dies" = PERFECT CLOSER!

as far as closers:

Neurosis - Stones From The Sky (from A Sun That Never Sets) one of my favorite songs ever and a perfect way to end the album

Neurosis - Origin (from Given To The Rising)

aw hell who am I kidding, every Neurosis closer is fucking great.


another one off the top of my head is Tool - Third Eye (from Ænima)