2012 - What are your favorites so far?

[lane_miller]

The first quarter of 2012 is behind us. Musically, it was an amazing three months. What are your favorites???????????

Below are 3 releases so far this year that have absolutely kicked my butt.

King Giant: Tale of Mathias from 'Dismal Hollow'
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa5ae905yXI&feature=relmfu[/ame]

Southern Cross: Between the Lines from 'From Tragedy'


Last but not least...

Imminent Sonic Destruction: Promo from 'Recurring Themes'

 

[Creeps]

1 Nightwish - Imaginaerum
2 Epica - Requiem For The Indifferent
3 Primal Fear - Unbreakable
4 Overkill - The Electric Age
5 77 - High Decibels
6 Savage Messiah - Plague Of Conscious
7 Devil's Train - Devil's Train



These are the only albums I've obtained from this year so far. I am anxiously awaiting the new Cult and Accept.

 

[modernwizardry]

Crippled Black Phoenix - Mankind The Crafty Ape
Angel Witch - As Above So Below
Horisont - Second Assault
Pharaoh - Bury the Light
Christian Mistress - Possession
Astra - The Black Chord

Just picked up the new 3 inches of Blood today.

 

[J-Man]

1. Nightwish - Imaginareum


2. Beyond the Bridge - The Old Man and the Spirit


3. Crow7 - Symphony Of Souls

 

[actordude]

Its been a slow year for me on the disc buying front. So far, its been all Nightwish for me.

Looking forward to:
Jeff Scott Soto - picked it up yesterday
Pretty Maids - picked it up yesterday
Unisonic
Tyketto
Trixter

 

[Nidstang]

Aborted-Global Flatline
Alcest-Les Voyages De L'Âme
Eluveitie-Helvetios
Overkill-The Electric Age

 

[i am fabio]

Meshuggah "Koloss"

 

[zedowns]

Southern Cross and The Omega Experiment are the big ones for me. Listened to both of these on my way to the Protest the Hero show tonight and its getting really hard to imagine anything topping these two this year.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I'll receive judgment until I fully absorb and appreciate albums I have a good feeling will end up in my year end list, like Pallbearer, Alcest, Borkagar, Meshuggah, and Barren Earth. These are all promising favorites so far...

Also, the new Epica has surprised me. I think it's my favorite release of theirs since Consign to Oblivion.

 

[espz]

My usual MO is to concentrate on one album and listen the hell out of it. I started the year with the new Nightwish. Good stuff. But I don't find myself going back to it.

The two standouts of the year so far for me are Beyond the Bridge (as others have noted). Can NOT wait to see them live!

The other is surprisingly, Shinedown's new one. It is in HEAVY rotation right now. It is a strong follow up to Sounds of Madness (which in my opinion was a nearly perfect hard rock album), there are several songs that could be hits off THAT album on there. Plus TWO really good Saigon Kick songs! And two ballads that I'm singing to my wife every night before we go to bed (yes, I can be like that).

I really am also enjoying A Sound of Thunder "Out of the Darkness" and not just because they're on the board! Or maybe, but the album is STRONG.

The new Lanfear is also very strong. I'm surprised no one is talking about it on the board.

I have not gotten into the new Epica or the new Adrenaline Mob discs at all. I need to give them some time to gestate I guess.

When did the new Van Halen come out? I liked it. Not loved. I haven't played it for a month or two probably. I watched some of the youtube videos of them live....and I just can't do it. The album is ok, but I could never see them live again. I prefer to remember them in 1984, with David Lee Roth drunk and messing up the lyrics, and it was STILL one of the best shows I ever went to.

 

[Nidstang]

The Andrenine Mob album is so bad.

The only song I enjoyed was their Duran Duran cover.

 

[Jasonic]

Been a VERY slow year for me.
I believe the only 2012 releases I have are:
- Nightwish - Imaginarium (didn't care for at first, but has really grown on me)
- Unisonic - Ignition EP (ALL Killer! Can't wait for full length)
- Angel Witch - As Above So Below (Just got last night. Will be a grower, as contains some longer and slower songs for AW)

 

[PoetofTragedies]

Alcest, Moonspell, Thee Orakle, Les Discrets, Swallow the Sun, Anathema, the 11Th Hour.

 

[TheLongshot]

When did the new Van Halen come out? I liked it. Not loved. I haven't played it for a month or two probably. I watched some of the youtube videos of them live....and I just can't do it. The album is ok, but I could never see them live again. I prefer to remember them in 1984, with David Lee Roth drunk and messing up the lyrics, and it was STILL one of the best shows I ever went to.

The new VH is very meh. Not bad, but not great either. I find it mostly forgettable.

The only other new album I have gotten this year is the new The Mars Volta, which is definitely different. I'm not sure what to think of it yet.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

The Andrenine Mob album is so bad.

The only song I enjoyed was their Duran Duran cover.

I don't really care for it either. I should have done my research. Here I was thinking something with Russell Allen and Portnoy would be more prog-metal than Disturbed-eque alt-rock, so I was a bit disappointed in it.

 

[General Zod]

Drudkh - Eternal turn of the Wheel
Lunar Aurora - Hoagascht
Mustasch - Sounds Like Heaven...
Orange Goblin - Eulogy for the Damned
Savage Messiah - Plague of Conscience
Woods of Ypres - Woods 5

 

[OrbWeaver]

I still miss NW with Tarja, but goddamn, Imaginarium is so fucking good. Anette's voice is put to much better use on this album. So far, that's my favorite of 2012. The new Epica album is pretty excellent, too, but I do like the new NW better.

 

[Diabolik]

the new Angel Witch, Freedom Call, Mad Max and a few others so far.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

The new Lanfear is also very strong. I'm surprised no one is talking about it on the board.

Agreed .. very strong disc. It's right up there with my favorites this year and might actually have the top spot so far.

Others I've listened to and liked this year are as follows.

Accept - Stalingrad --- solid followup to Blood Of The Nations.

Overkill - The Electric Age --- not up to the level of Ironbound, but a good listen none the less.

Soen - Cognitive --- it's taken a beating for being very Tool-like in parts, but there's more to the disc that the two tunes that have the strongest Tool influence. It reminds me of a cross between Tool, Opeth's Damnation, and the Polish prog bands like Votum and Riverside. All told .. one of my favorites this year.

Savage Messiah - Plague Of Conscience --- Nice mix of heavy metal offerings. Great production ... hits me as a band that would go over pretty well at a future Prog Power.

Barren Earth - The Devils Resolve --- Nice followup to their debut disc. Nive cross of Swallow The Sun, Amorphis & Opeth.



Britt

 

[Nidstang]

Drudkh - Eternal turn of the Wheel
Lunar Aurora - Hoagascht
Mustasch - Sounds Like Heaven...
Orange Goblin - Eulogy for the Damned
Savage Messiah - Plague of Conscience
Woods of Ypres - Woods 5

YES.

I forgot about that album.

Im hoping to go to his memorial concert in toronto, I only lived about a hour from David Gold.