Best Heavy Metal Album for 2005

[Rider of Theli]

here's my choice for best Heavy Metal album for 2005:



but don't just take my word for it:

The current issue of METAL MANIACS magazine (on stands now) features the TOP CDS OF 2005 lists from each of their staff members.

Critic Sue Nolz included RETURN OF THE SNOW GIANT at Number 6!

Hail to Sue! You RULE! Her full list is below.

1) Candlemass, S/T
2) Witchcraft, Firewood
3) Burning Saviours, S/T
4) Nevermore, This Godless Endeavour
5) COC, In the Arms of God
6) Overlorde, Return of the Snow Giant
7) Slough Feg, Atavism
8) Judas Priest, AOR
9) Obituary, Frozen in Time
10) Early Man, Closing In

So spread the word. RETURN OF THE SNOW GIANT is a MUST HAVE CD!

For those of you who need further evidence, check out the MAXIMUM METAL review for more proof!



~Pathfinder Hoyt.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Actually Return of the Snow Giant was one of the best metal albums of 2004.

 

[Rider of Theli]

Actually Return of the Snow Giant was one of the best metal albums of 2004.

true it was released in Europe Dec 17th, 2004, but I didn't get my copy here in the United States until after the first of the year 2005. I believe they deserve the award, having been released in the U.S. in 2005.

 

[Regor]

I'm sorry... I know it's not Prog or Power metal.. but my vote for best 'Metal' album is going to Trivium for Ascendancy. I can't stop listening to this CD. The guitar work is just freaking outstanding. Best 'duo' on the planet right now as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Pellaz]

And I think maybe the guys in Trivium are now old enough to drink legally.

--Maybe.

 

[General Zod]

I'm sorry... I know it's not Prog or Power metal.. but my vote for best 'Metal' album is going to Trivium for Ascendancy. I can't stop listening to this CD. The guitar work is just freaking outstanding.

Indeed a good band and a good disc. They take way too much shit for not being "Metal". Fuck that. The kids are Metal, and they can play.

Best 'duo' on the planet right now as far as I'm concerned.

I can't agree with you here. If we're strictly talking new generation, maybe. However, if we're talking about the Metal scene as a whole, they're no where close to the top. For starters, Loomis and Smyth from Nevermore are so much better than the Trivium kids, it's not worth debating. As are the guys in Angra. The list goes on.

Look, I don't want to disrespect what the kids in Trivium do. They're young, they're talented, and they'll only get better. But when I saw them in support of their previous CD, the lead guitar player was one of the sloppiest I've ever heard. To compare him to Loomis, or any of the other greats in the genre, is just unfair.

Zod

 

[Claus / Intromental]

I can't agree with you here. If we're strictly talking new generation, maybe. However, if we're talking about the Metal scene as a whole, they're no where close to the top. For starters, Loomis and Smyth from Nevermore are so much better than the Trivium kids, it's not worth debating. As are the guys in Angra. The list goes on.

Right now, it doesn't get much better than Aldrich/Beach of WHITESNAKE.

c.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Oh I'm sorry, I must have wandered onto an alternate planet where Adrian Smith & Dave Murray have DIED or something.

 

[General Zod]

Oh I'm sorry, I must have wandered onto an alternate planet where Adrian Smith & Dave Murray have DIED or something.

As with any conversation about guitar players, you have to first establish whether the discussion is about technical prowess, songwriting or both. You then need to establish if we're talking about body of work or most recent output.

While Murray and Smith will always dwarf almost all guitar players, in respect to their place in Metal's history, I was speaking about the scene as it exists today. Even you, as a die-hard Maiden fan, aren't about to tell me that the guitar playing on "Brave New World" holds a candle to the guitar play on "This Godless Endeavor".

Zod

 

[Rider of Theli]

...Even you, as a die-hard Maiden fan, aren't about to tell me that the guitar playing on "Brave New World" holds a candle to the guitar play on "This Godless Endeavor".

Zod

here, here! *raises drink to Zod's statement*

I must admit that I lost interest in Iron Maiden shortly after 'Fear of the Dark' was released. And I was one of their biggest fans at the time. It's a good thing guitarists like Jeff Loomis and Steve Smyth came along to keep my interest in true metal altogether.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

true it was released in Europe Dec 17th, 2004, but I didn't get my copy here in the United States until after the first of the year 2005. I believe they deserve the award, having been released in the U.S. in 2005.

Okay, I'll let you slide on this one. I bought my copy as soon as it came out, so Snow Giant was on my top-10 list of 2004.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

As with any conversation about guitar players, you have to first establish whether the discussion is about technical prowess, songwriting or both. You then need to establish if we're talking about body of work or most recent output.

While Murray and Smith will always dwarf almost all guitar players, in respect to their place in Metal's history, I was speaking about the scene as it exists today. Even you, as a die-hard Maiden fan, aren't about to tell me that the guitar playing on "Brave New World" holds a candle to the guitar play on "This Godless Endeavor".

Zod

Well, I can't compare the playing, because the music they've written is very, very different. I have 0% doubt that Smith & Murray could easily play what Loomis & Smyth do, it's just not Maiden's style to do so. So it's a tough comparison to make.

My only point was that until Murray & Smith die or disband, there is no better guitar duo on this planet. IMO, of course.

 

[General Zod]

I have 0% doubt that Smith & Murray could easily play what Loomis & Smyth do...

You and I could go back and forth on this all day, as you are an unabashed Maiden fanboy, and I a Nevermore fanboy. That said, I'm not sure either one if the IM guys could play Loomis' leads, much less do so "easily". There's nothing in their body of work that suggests they can play that fast, that technical, that clean.

Zod

 

[Regor]

I love Nevermore too. But I wouldn't really call them a 'duo' in the same sense of the guys from Trivium, and here's why. Loomis is a damn monster on guitar, that's for damn sure. They both solo, but Nevermore doesn't have nearly as many 'harmony' runs all over their songs like Trivium does. Most of their songs have tons of dual guitar work going at the same time. And that's what I love them for.

As for the Maiden guys, well Trivium wouldn't be doing what they're doing if Maiden didn't do it first. But I think the stuff Trivium does is... how to put this nicely without offending anyone... more 'technical' and 'faster' than the stuff Maiden does. I'm not saying they couldn't play it, but I haven't heard Maiden write songs like what you'd hear on Ascendancy. Trivium is much more aggressive music, that's all.

I'll go back to blowing Trivium now

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

You and I could go back and forth on this all day, as you are an unabashed Maiden fanboy, and I a Nevermore fanboy. That said, I'm not sure either one if the IM guys could play Loomis' leads, much less do so "easily". There's nothing in their body of work that suggests they can play that fast, that technical, that clean.

Zod

There's also nothing to suggest they couldn't; you could go track-by-track off any of Maiden's classic 5 albums (NOTB -> SSOASS) and I think you'll be shocked at the quality of their playing. Hell, they defined an entire style of play. Just because Harris always opted for melody over technicality doesn't mean they don't have the chops to cut it that way.

You're right though, we could go back & forth on this all day. Only I'd be right though.

 

[General Zod]

Just because Harris always opted for melody over technicality doesn't mean they don't have the chops to cut it that way.

True. But all we can base our discussion on is what they've done, not what they may have done.

You're right though, we could go back & forth on this all day. Only I'd be right though.

LOL. You need to go back to your old nick name.

Zod

 

[General Zod]

But I think the stuff Trivium does is... how to put this nicely without offending anyone...

No need to worry about offending anyone with your opinion. It's your opinion, you're entitled to it.

...more 'technical' and 'faster' than the stuff Maiden does.

Just curious, how old are you? I don't mean that as an insult, I'm just curious if you're someone who grew up in Maiden's hey day.

Trivium is much more aggressive music, that's all.

Trivium's most aggressive moments more aggressive than Maiden's. But Trivium also uses some extremely melodic passages, much more melodic and Rock oriented than Maiden ever was. Just listen to "Dying in Your Arms". Maiden has never written a song so FM-friendly.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

True. But all we can base our discussion on is what they've done, not what they may have done.
LOL. You need to go back to your old nick name.

Zod

No way!

errr, why? You know who I am.

 

[TheWhisper]

There's also nothing to suggest they couldn't; you could go track-by-track off any of Maiden's classic 5 albums (NOTB -> SSOASS) and I think you'll be shocked at the quality of their playing. Hell, they defined an entire style of play. Just because Harris always opted for melody over technicality doesn't mean they don't have the chops to cut it that way.

You're right though, we could go back & forth on this all day. Only I'd be right though.

I LOVE Smith/Murray so this isn't meant as a slight to them, but anyone familiar with Thin Lizzy will know where the Maiden boys got a lot of their influence from. Listen to the song 'Massacre' from the 'Johhny the Fox' album.

I'll throw the names Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson into the ring for favorite guitar duos. Speed and technicality, while I love it, take a back seat to soul and 'feel' when playing together. The boys from Lizzy, and Smith/Murray, have 'it' in spades.

 

[Regor]

No need to worry about offending anyone with your opinion. It's your opinion, you're entitled to it.

Just curious, how old are you? I don't mean that as an insult, I'm just curious if you're someone who grew up in Maiden's hey day.

Trivium's most aggressive moments more aggressive than Maiden's. But Trivium also uses some extremely melodic passages, much more melodic and Rock oriented than Maiden ever was. Just listen to "Dying in Your Arms". Maiden has never written a song so FM-friendly.

Zod

I'm 27. Not that that means I'm couldn't be into Maiden heavily, their 'hay day' albums are just as accessable to me today as they would have been back then.

As for "Dying In Your Arms"... yeah, but that's my least favorite song off the album. I'd much rather hear "Departure" on an FM station. But what about "Fear of the Dark" I'd think that'd be on 'par' for DIYA.