Best of 2005, so far?

[SoundMaster]

Although the year isn't even half over, do you find that 2005 has been a good year, or poor year, so far?

I think it's been great so far.

Best so far:
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Why these guys aren't HUGE right now is beyond me. In my view, they're easily the best band to come along since Maiden. I think they're THAT good.

Glenn Hughes - Soul Mover
Again, Glenn remains under the radar and has released nothing but tremendous music for over a decade now. "Soul Mover" may be his best release yet. The funk combined with metal/hard rock, and the soulful vocals is just done perfectly here. The man should be a household name.


And, in the next few weeks, the new Candlemass is being released (tomorrow, in North America) and , of course, the new BRUCE!

Later in the year, new releases from Opeth, Queensryche and Anathema are due!!!

The only disappointment so far is the new Priest record, which is a snooze-fest, IMO.

 

[T_man357]

Motorhead - Inferno
These guys haven't missed a beat!! This is probably the best release out there right now (My Opinion)

 

[JonnyD]

I think it has been great too

Some of my favs are
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Kreator - Enemy of God
OVERKILL - RelixIV

.... I know I'm missing some but those Stand out to me

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Unfortunately nothing this year has moved me nearly as much as last year's releases did. 2004 brought Ayreon - The Human Equation, Orphaned Land - Mabool, and JOP - Tage Mahal. All three of those I consider timeless masterpieces of music. Only one album in 2005 has struck me as a potential masterpiece and it's not even metal, it's symphonic rock (Lana Lane).

I haven't given up on 05 yet though...still have a long way to go and some potentially great albums coming down the pike. It would probably help if I wasn't so goddamned picky. But what can I say? I'm me!

 

[JonnyD]

Unfortunately nothing this year has moved me nearly as much as last year's releases did. 2004 brought Ayreon - The Human Equation, Orphaned Land - Mabool, and JOP - Tage Mahal. All three of those I consider timeless masterpieces of music. Only one album in 2005 has struck me as a potential masterpiece and it's not even metal, it's symphonic rock (Lana Lane).

I haven't given up on 05 yet though...still have a long way to go and some potentially great albums coming down the pike. It would probably help if I wasn't so goddamned picky. But what can I say? I'm me!

Have you Heard Kamelot - The Black Halo yet? I figured you of all ppl would prolly get into that one

 

[#1_Droogie]

The only disappointment so far is the new Priest record, which is a snooze-fest, IMO.

well i have to say i disagree with you there, i think its an excellent record, not up to par for Priest standards, but not bad.

I really think that Revolution and Judas Rising stand out, but this is all IMO, so i could be the only one who feels this way

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Have you Heard Kamelot - The Black Halo yet? I figured you of all ppl would prolly get into that one

Yeah, I've got Black Halo, JD. It just hasn't clicked for me yet, not into the "masterpiece" category anyway. That's not surprising though. I have a love/hate relationship with Kamelot. I have to be in a certain mood to listen to them. It's their "power" or speed metal side that creates potholes in the road. Really fast music generally turns me off unless I'm in the mood. That's probably my biggest hang up right there...I've had it a month but only listened to it about 7-8 times because I'm just not in a speedy mood very often.

Trust me, I haven't given up on it yet. The jury in my head is still deliberating on the verdict with Black Halo. I'm sure they won't decide until the next time I'm on a Kamelot kick (where I generally spend several days spinning all their discs quite often). At that point, we'll see if Black Halo comes out ahead of Karma (my fave so far) and Epica. I suspect it will come out on top because it actually has MORE mid-tempo songs than their previous efforts.

 

[JonnyD]

Yeah, I've got Black Halo, JD. It just hasn't clicked for me yet, not into the "masterpiece" category anyway. That's not surprising though. I have a love/hate relationship with Kamelot. I have to be in a certain mood to listen to them. It's their "power" or speed metal side that creates potholes in the road. Really fast music generally turns me off unless I'm in the mood. That's probably my biggest hang up right there...I've had it a month but only listened to it about 7-8 times because I'm just not in a speedy mood very often.

Trust me, I haven't given up on it yet. The jury in my head is still deliberating on the verdict with Black Halo. I'm sure they won't decide until the next time I'm on a Kamelot kick (where I generally spend several days spinning all their discs quite often). At that point, we'll see if Black Halo comes out ahead of Karma (my fave so far) and Epica. I suspect it will come out on top because it actually has MORE mid-tempo songs than their previous efforts.

I think once it clicks with you its gonna CLICK ... I'm not to big into their previous work its just Bleh but TBH is outstanding Drink a few Brews maybe even smoke a J or 2 and then listen to "Abandoned" and let Kahn take you away with those Deep almost David Bowie like melodic emotional vocals might eve bring a damn tear to your eye ... and whats really amazing about TBH is that it is so damn Wimpy even by my standards but it doesnt matter its just an amazing record! hahaha ya just gotta play the shit out of it hahaha

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Yeah, I agree. Once it clicks it is really going to get me excited. I'll soon be heading out on the road for the summer to promote my new book and that means plenty of driving time...which means plenty of listening time! I'm sure I'll get to play the shit out of it then!

 

[JonnyD]

Yeah, I agree. Once it clicks it is really going to get me excited. I'll soon be heading out on the road for the summer to promote my new book and that means plenty of driving time...which means plenty of listening time! I'm sure I'll get to play the shit out of it then!

hahahaha Hell yeah! I can almost picture you now! its gettin kinda late you have been on the road for a few hours and "Abandoned" Comes on and you start wailing "Oh whyyyyyyyyyyyyy oh why my gooOOoood Why have you Abanonded me in my Sobriety" hahaha Sorry I got that fucking song stuck in my head now! hahaha

 

[KMADD]

Some stuff I dug so far.
Shadows Fall-The War Within
Despised Icon-The Healing Process
Children Of Bodom-Trashed Lost and Strung Out EP(new album out in Sept. Hawk!!)
Immolation-Harnessing Ruin
3 Inches Of Blood-Advance And Vanquish
Corrosion Of Conformity-In The Arms Of God(best cd they put out since Blind)
Strapping Young Lad-Alien
Sinai Beach-Immersed
I know a couple of these cds might have been released in 04 but I just picked these
up!

 

[SavaRon]

Best so far is Overkill - RelixIV, great CD as usual from these guys. I hope they get on the Gigantour! I wanna hear 'Bats in the Belfry' live! I can see the whole crowd yelling BATS! That would be great!

Hey KMADD, how is that '3 Inches Of Blood' CD? I like the tune they are playing on headbangers ball. I think it's called 'deadly sinners' or something like that? Is the rest of the disc similar to that tune?

 

[Wyvern]

Unfortunately nothing this year has moved me nearly as much as last year's releases did. 2004 brought Ayreon - The Human Equation,

Motorhead - Inferno
These guys haven't missed a beat!! This is probably the best release out there right now (My Opinion)

It was a bad year 2004. But I had Ayreon and Motorhead in the top as a matter of fact.

1. Wolf – “Evil Star”
2. Rival – “State Of Mind”
3. Motorhead – “Inferno”
4. Saxon – “Lionheart”
5. Manigance – “D’Un Autre Sang”
6. Malediction – “Esclave Du Vice”
7. Meliah Rage – “Barely Human”
8. Skyclad – “A Semblance Of Normality”
9. Death Angel – “The Art Of Dying”
10. Steel Prophet – “Beware”

Top 2004 not-exactly metal albums:

1. Ayreon – “The Human Equation”
2. Spastic Ink – “Ink Compatible”
3. Derek Sherinian – “Mythology”
4. Jordan Rudess – “Rhythm Of Time”
5. The Tangent – “The World We Drive Through”
6. The Flower Kings – “Adam & Eve”
7. Lana Lane – “Return To Japan”
8. Ring Of Fire – “Lapse Of Reality”
9. The Jelly Jam – “The Jelly Jam 2”
10. Joe Satriani – “Is There Love In Space?”


For 2005 so far I have a few albums: Hammerfall, Freedom Call, Steve Vai, Judas Priest, Force of Evil. I'm waiting for a haul containing more 2005 material and still searching for Astral Doors release, as well as coming attractions by: Sentenced, Space Odyssey, Mesmerize, Shadow Gallery, Bruce Dickinson, Demons & Wizards, Rata Blanca, and Cryonic Temple, some of those will hit the top ten undoubtedly.

 

[Pabla]

For me it's too early to tell... but so far B. Dickinson, Kamelot and Kreator have made a hugeeeeeeeeeeee impression

 

[carnut]

I go for Overkill-RelixIV, but I'm sure some more good recordings are on the way...I don't think 2005 was that bad uptill now...OK, Ayreon will be very hard to beat for me too, but that's one of the better releases of the last decade I think...

 

[wdiv]

Haven't gotten much from 2005 (although it's already mid-May.. damn, time flies). Hopefully Bruce, D&W, Russel Allen and Iommi/Hughes can all live up to expections.

 

[rokk]

'05 has been great for me since TSO introduced me to European Metal!

Astral Doors - Evil is Forever (may be '04 release but its '05 for me!
Wolf - Evil Star... this and Astral Doors courtesy of TSO... thank you!
Hammerfall - Chapter V
Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night ... my son introduced this band to me and this new release isn't so technical and much more enjoyable IMO
Judas Priest - which of course I would have bought anyway

I would say so far so good for '05!

 

[crypticmyth]

Drudkh - Swan Road

 

[carnut]

Drudkh - Swan Road

Never heard of that one, sounds pretty dark/black metalish though...hey, you're from India, cool, we haven't had any posters from there I think

 

[Runehammer]

2004 was excellent (Overlorde and Ironsword were my picks) and this year has been a bit disappointing in comparison but Slough Feg and Judas Priest are stand-out so far, Candlemass is also likely to be right up there by all accounts.