2007 Best

OK hit us with your best of list, its about that time. I always love to hear the opnions of the people here :headbang:

There you have mine, boy
CD's
Rush - Snakes And Arrows Just the band's name speaks for itself
Riverside - Rapid Eye Movement Great album or how to start a song a capella and end with a grunt :headbang:
Mind's Eye - A Gentleman's Hurricane Very Heavy, powerful, melodic tons of catchy elements and excellent vocalist
Dialogue - L.A. Mode more straightforward thing but great musicians…similar to G'N'R & Extreme
Myrath - Hope coming all the way from Tunisia for some killer prog metal

DVD:
Andromeda - Playing Off The Board Andromeda live in Poland…*in front of a seated audience

Concerts
Rush in London my first Rush live experience…*enough said
Riverside in Paris light years better than last year
ACT in Paris great show as headliner in France
so far from now that's it for me…*subject to some modifications though
 
I'm going with (not in order):

-Dead Air Radio: "Signal To Noise Ratio" (Big surprise & blew me away!!)
-Porcupine Tree: "Fear of a Blank Planet" (Worthy follow-up to Deadwing!!)
-3: "The End Has Begun" (Brilliant, and unlike any other band I've heard!)
-Redemption: "Origins of Ruin" (Nick & Co. have outdone themselves!)
-Circus Maximus: "Isolate" (Killer follow up to their awesome debut!)
-Thought Chamber: "Angular Perceptions" (Brilliant, & great vox by Ted!!)
-Rush: "Snacks & Arrows" (RUSH IS BACK, and in a big way!!!)

Those were the real standouts to me, with DAR and 3 being complete but wonderful surprises. I'd heard of "3", but was unfamiliar with their music until they completely blew me away as the opening band for a Porcupine Tree show. Dead Air Radio I'd never even heard of, but bought it on recommendation from Laser's Edge (Ken rarely steers me wrong), and was VERY pleased!!

Now for some CDs I was excited about, but wound up being somewhat disappointed in. Didn't *hate* any of them, but was somewhat let-down:

-Dream Theater: "Systematic Chaos"
- loved the first two tracks, then they lost me with the
spoken-word/rap/death/yelling style vocals.
-Symphony X: "Paradise Lost"
- Other than the title track, just hasn't done much for me.
Also, while I understand the more angry vocal style as fitting
the lyrical topic well, I prefer Russ' smoother tones.
Musicianship was better than ever, but the music wasn't.
-Pain of Salvation: "Scarsick"
-As a long-time PoS fanboy, it pains me to say I don't love the new
CD. I understand Daniel now hates the U.S., but it's getting in the
way of his music. Just let it go, DG, please?
-Kamelot: "Ghost Opera"
-I think I just need more time with this one...

Later!

Craig
 
Okay, I'll give it a shot. I bought around 80 CD's this year so far and saw around 40 bands, so it's quite difficult to decide. I tried to limit it to 10 CD's.

CD's:
1. The Bearded's Project: Hope | Omid (well, that one was quite obvious. ;) A fan project by members of the German SB forum, with some really great songs on it. And as it's for a good cause, there's no way I didn't put it on #1. Click the banner in my sig to get more info.)
2. Suspyre: A Great Divide (wow :headbang:!!)
3. Galahad: Empires Never Last (my first Galahad CD and it's fucking great)
4. The Healing Road: s/t (one of the guys from The Bearded's Project. He starting recording his own stuff just 1 year ago when he found music software on his Mac. Talented as hell, at the age of 41. http://www.myspace.com/hphess )
5. Apple Pie: Crossroads (SB lives!!)
6. Pain Of Salvation: Scarsick (they never disappoint)
7. Abigail's Ghost: Selling Insincerity (PT lives!! ;) )
8. Invisigoth: Alcoholocaust (music from members on the SB forum. Damn, so much talent out there!! http://www.myspace.com/invisigothmusic )
9. Porcupine Tree: Fear Of A Blank Planet (they also CANNOT disappoint!)
10. Steve Brockmann: Expected Errors (another member of the SB forum. Fantastic instrumental stuff. http://www.myspace.com/stevebrockmann)

concert:
1. Sylvan: Posthumous Silence - The Show (the first part where they played the album in its entirety was the most intense gig I ever witnessed. Wow.)

DVD:
1. Sigur Rós: Heima (Stunning document from this band.)
 
Here's a few of mine:

The Shins- "Wincing the Night Away"
Arcade Fire- "Neon Bible"
Dustin Kensrue- "Please Come Home"
Clutch- "From Beale St. to Oblivion"
Nine Inch Nails- "Year Zero"
Rush- "Snakes & Arrows"
Coheed & Cambria- "No World for Tomorrow"
Pain of Salvation- "Scarsick"
Serj Tankian- "Elect the Dead"
The Nightwatchman- "One Man Revolution"
Smashing Pumpkins- "Zeitgeist"


Oh, and Daniel Gildenlow doesn't "hate the US", he just has a lot of problems with our government. Trust me, there are plenty of us right here who feel the same way.
 
I have to add an extra band in my 2007 best
Beatallica got their album : Sgt Hetfield Motorbreath Pub Band
and I got the chance to see them live yesterday in Paris they were just f)àç! killer :OMG:

Extra add-on to my Cd' list for 2007
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Ted Leonard - Way Home love the man, love the singer, love the songwriter, love the cd enough said
 
sun caged - Artemisia (Bloodline probably the best track for 2007)
andromeda - Playing off the board(The best band at the moment????)
The Third ending - The third ending( release in 2006 or 2007??) justa masterpiece
 
Not a whole lot of music impressed me in '07.

A few of my favs:
Nightwish's Dark Passion Play

Thought Chamber's Angular Perceptions

Redemption's The Origins Of Ruin

That's about it, I guess...

--dan
 
Add the The Flower Kings - The Sum of No Evil to the list. Easily their proggiest and best ever.

Another vote for Way Home, also.

And Sola Scripture by Neal Morse.
 
I think the Flower Kings are on a HUGE slide down the drain since "Unfold The Future". Their newest album, to me, consisted of nothing but cheesy keyboard fluff. It's got nothing to note done by any of the other instruments, and every one of the longer songs is structured similarly (keyboard sounds to kick off the track, instrumental overture, quiet first verse with Roine singing)... a terrible album in my opinion.
 
I think the Flower Kings are on a HUGE slide down the drain since "Unfold The Future". Their newest album, to me, consisted of nothing but cheesy keyboard fluff. It's got nothing to note done by any of the other instruments, and every one of the longer songs is structured similarly (keyboard sounds to kick off the track, instrumental overture, quiet first verse with Roine singing)... a terrible album in my opinion.

A bit harsh i do believe!!
 
http://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/

50. Coheed - NWFT
49. Dream Theater - SC
48. PT - FoaBP
47. People For Audio - THE NEW ANCIENTS
46. Inme - DAYDREAM ANONYMOUS
45. Alter Bridge - BLACKBIRD
44. Serj Tankian - ELECT THE DEAD
43. Menomena - FRIEND AND FOE
42. The Polyphonic Spree - THE FRAGILE ARMY
41. Deas Vail - ALL THE HOUSES LOOK THE SAME

the next Entry added

40. Paulson - ALL AT ONCE (reissue w/ Bonus Tracks)
39. Marillion - SOMEWHERE ELSE
38. The End - ELEMENTARY
37. Porcupine Tree - NIL RECURRING (EP)
36. One Republic - DREAMING OUT LOUD
35. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - SE DICE BISONTE, NO BUFALO
34. Woven - AFTERMATH (EP)
33. Bend Sinister - BEND SINISTER (EP)
32. Andre Matos - TIME TO BE FREE
31. Battles - MIRRORED
 
Hi,

my best of list is not very long, because I haven´t bought a lot of CD´s and DVD´s last year...oh, I bought some, but some where not released in 2007.

- THRESHOLD : Dead Reckoning
- POVERTY´s NO CRIME : Save My Soul
- Dream Theater : Systematic Chaos

live :

Threshold in Osnabrück/Germany and in London/UK

What I like and what I bought last year was ENCHANT/Live At Last (DVD) (do you know the band :lol::lol:) and Whitesnake/LIVE:In The Still Of The Night (DVD), two Genesis live DVD´s and a lot more, but not released in 2007.

Frank
 
http://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/

50. Coheed - NWFT
49. Dream Theater - SC
48. PT - FoaBP
47. People For Audio - THE NEW ANCIENTS
46. Inme - DAYDREAM ANONYMOUS
45. Alter Bridge - BLACKBIRD
44. Serj Tankian - ELECT THE DEAD
43. Menomena - FRIEND AND FOE
42. The Polyphonic Spree - THE FRAGILE ARMY
41. Deas Vail - ALL THE HOUSES LOOK THE SAME
40. Paulson - ALL AT ONCE (reissue w/ Bonus Tracks)
39. Marillion - SOMEWHERE ELSE
38. The End - ELEMENTARY
37. Porcupine Tree - NIL RECURRING (EP)
36. One Republic - DREAMING OUT LOUD
35. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - SE DICE BISONTE, NO BUFALO
34. Woven - AFTERMATH (EP)
33. Bend Sinister - BEND SINISTER (EP)
32. Andre Matos - TIME TO BE FREE
31. Battles - MIRRORED

next 10 added 30-21

30. Blackfield - II
29. Fields - EVERYTHING LAST WINTER
28. The Pax Cecilia - BLESSED ARE THE BONDS
27. Cavil at Rest - ORION WAY (EP/3 EPs in 1)
26. The Apples in Stereo - NEW MAGNETIC WONDER
25. The New Pornographers - CHALLENGERS
24. Dark Tranquillity - FICTION
23. Strata - STRATA PRESENTS THE END OF THE WORLD
22. Neverending White Lights - ACT II: THE BLOOD AND THE LIFE ETERNAL
21. Thurisaz - CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
 
I'm pretty indecicive and can't ever really narrow it down to a select few. I Love music too much, so I get a little over the top on list's. I still have several 2007 releases sitting here on my desk in the shrink wrap that I have yet to find the time to bust open and spin, but here are some that really stood out for me...

Anubis Gate - Andromeda Unchained
Behemoth - The Apostasty
Circus Maximus - Islate
Deliverance - As Above So Below
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omnicient
Evidence One - The Sky is the Limit
Heart of the Sun - s/t
Kaipa - Angling Feelings
Machine Head - The Blackening
Malevolent Creation - Doomsday X
Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin
Paradise Lost - In Requiem
Pathosray - s/t
Poverty's no Crime - Save My Soul
Primal Fear - New Religion
Raintime - Flies and Lies
Saxon - Inner Sanctum
StarCastle - Song of Times
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Threshold - Dead Reconing
UDO - Mastercutor
Volbeat - Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil