Best of 2014

[Jasonic]

I don't care if you don't like it or not. It's more the tone you've had today that has made you come off super angry, and I figured I'd just poke some more fun at you in jest. Dude, relax.

How did you sense an angry tone????

Anyhow instead of contributing nothing of value why dont you participate with your best of list??

 

[Jasonic]

I concur with your assessment on the High Spirits. That one put me in low spirits.

Lol. Yeah that's what the Lego movie put me in.

 

[Element_man]

Calm the fuck down, children. Not gonna rank em, and there's loads I haven't heard yet but here's what I liked:

Arkona - Yav (their best yet, really stuck with me)
Below - across the dark river (favorite singing of the year)
Skelator - king of fear (lotsa fun)
Riot V - unleash the fire (some meh songs but they still got it)
Striker - city of gold (Dan was definitely listening to a lot of hardcore when he wrote this but it's better than Armed to the teeth. Much angrier and Dans vocals are still deadly)
Giant Squid - Minoans (cool discovery. Sludgy prog rock, very interesting)
Sumerlands - demo (best Phil Swanson band ever)
Order of the Solar temple (wow)

Stuff that didn't really stick with me (might require revisiting)
Cauldron Born - sword and sorcery metal EP (good)
Walpyrgus - demo (vox sounded better than latest TTD but I can't remember any of the songs at all)
Slough Feg - digital resistance (half really good, half goofy)
Twilight of the gods (cool vox, boring songs)
Grand magus (slowed down hammerfall, meh)
Anguish (some cool stuff, but nothing hooked me in)

Stuff I need to hear:
Moros Nyx
Olorin
Savage Master
Demon Bitch
Spell
Falconer
Gamma Ray

Favorite discovery
Pride Tiger - The lucky ones (Vancouver party rawk not unlike the happier thin lizzy songs)

I haven't heard much that I hated, outside a song or two

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

You so clever.

I know and I didn't even use a meme.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Lol. Yeah that's what the Lego movie put me in.

 

[Jasonic]

Argh. Completely forgot about Slough Feg

That's another 2014 release I still want to get.

That's why I love these threads.

 

[modernwizardry]

Probably will shake out like this:

1. Iron Savior - Rise of the Hero
2. Gamma Ray - Empire of the Undead
3. Noble Beast - S/T
4. Primal Fear - Delivering the Black
5. Crosswind - Vicious Dominion
6. Ian Anderson - Homo Erraticus
7. Elvenking - The Pagan Manifesto
8. Ambush - Firestorm
9. Riot V - Unleash the Fire
10. Falconer - Black Moon Rising

I have the new Vanderbuyst on order which could possibly crack into this but the samples I heard seemed weak compared to earlier material. Below and Dagger also had very solid releases but there was just too much excellent German power metal this year! I need to give the new Vanden Plas more listens as well.

Biggest disappointment for me this year was the Mausoleum Gate album. I will revisit though because I love everything prior to the full-length. Also the Amulet CD was a let down.

 

[nomisofsiman]

why dont you participate with your best of list??

I will. Have to think about it though as to not miss anything. Some of the great stuff earlier in the year seems like longer away.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Riot V - Unleash the Fire - Steaming pile of turds after track 2

 

[nomisofsiman]

Accept - Blind Rage - Lame lame lame

I have to revisit this. Initially it didn't grab me like the two other recent ones.

 

[Element_man]

Ah yes I forgot about Crosswind, Darkest Era, Accept and Portrait. Each of these albums had one or two tracks that I would love to go back to ("Dark Side of My Heart" from Accept gets stuck in my head all the time) but otherwise, a little underwhelming. Crosswind is the best of this bunch for me.

Also gotta hear While Heaven Wept, Iron Saviour, Primordial, Dark Forest and several others. Man some of these bands I really liked at one point, but I don't even care to hear their new stuff. I expect the new Primordial will be excellent. Dark Forest... man, I dunno. Sometimes they'll pen a song that just crawls right under my skin but most of the recent stuff has been super duper blah.

Heard Outcast and Tarot on bandcamp, all sounded really fucking rad, gotta nab those.

Also, ya'll are gonna love the new material from Terminus, Funeral Circle and Eternal Champion. They likely won't be out until 2015, alas. I hope you guys enjoy the new Gatekeeper as well, it's a different spin from the EP, but the melodic sensibility is similar so I think it all makes sense. For once in my life, I think we nailed the production. can't wait to get a teaser online for you beautiful people.

 

[SteelFireRecs]

Not ready to rank as i have a few more things to hear, these lists are always to premature. I like doing mine in January.

Albums:
Robert Pehrsson's Humbucker - s/t
Ambush - Firestorm
Riot V - Unleash the Fire
Heavy Tiger - Saigon Kiss
Midnight Malice - Proving Grounds
The Order of the Solar Temple - s/t
Noble Beast - s/t
Twilight Force - Tales of Ancient Prophecies
Below - Across the Dark Driver
Eternal Winter - Within the Castle Shadowgate
Johnny Touch - Inner City Wolves
Hitten - First Strike With the Devil
Cobra - To Hell
Stormwarrior - Thunder & Steele
Skull Fist - Chasing the Dream
Starblind - Darkest Horrors
Skelator - King of Fear
Portrait - Crossroads

Eps/Demos/Singles:
Blaze - The Rock Dinosaur EP
Walpyrgus - demo
Moros Nyx - Rite of Rebellion
Cauldron Born - Sword and Sorcery Heavy Metal
MetalUSAfer - Heavy MetalHammer
Tarot - all 3 demos
Midnight Priest - Hellbreaker
Blizzard Hunter - Conqueror of Destiny
Seven Sisters - The Warden
The Unholy - Demo (released 12/31/2013, but not immediately available)
Dracula - Open Graves at Night
Outcast - demo

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Stuff I need to hear:
Moros Nyx
Olorin
Savage Master
Demon Bitch
Spell
Falconer
Gamma Ray

That shit is free dude. Go fucking download it like pro.

Here is my list. Perhaps after a few more listens the new Primordial will be on this and whatever else I'm fucking forgetting.

1) Blood Farmers - Headless Eyes
2) Dead Congregation - Promulgation of the Fall
3) Ogre - The Last Neanderthal
4) Innsmouth - Consumed by Elder Sign
5) Slough Feg - Digital Resistance

 

[dcowboys311]

There's been a lot of great releases this year, too many to keep track. I am falling behind big time.

I've liked:
Hetroertzen/Dodsengel split
13th Moon
Absurd
Abysmal Lord
Anathema
Auroch
Barbarian
Behemoth
Black Magic
Blaze
Burzum
Cauldron Black Ram
Dark Fury
Dead Congregation
Diocletian
Domains
Drowned
Funereal Presence
Heresiarch
High Spirits
Incantation
Innsmouth
Johnny Touch
MetalUSAfer
Nechbetyh
Necros Christos
Possession
Ranger
Rostorchester
Rude
Sacrificio
Sacrocurse
Satan's Satyrs
Sinmara
Sorcier des Glaces
Spell
Spellcaster
Symptom
Teitanblood
Totale Vernichtung
Triptykon
Vampire
Vanhelgd
Vestal Claret
Violent Hammer

Haven't listened to many new nonmetal releases this year, but Wovenhand, King Dude, 311, and Have a Nice Life stand out.

Still gotta hear a bunch of shit though: Hetroertzen LP, Blood of Kingu, Countess, Darkspace, Descresy, Goatpenis, Horrendous, Howls of Ebb, Ill Omen, Impetuous Ritual, Lvcifyre, Master's Hammer, Mortuus, Nightbringer, Obscure Burial, Pallbearer, Portrait, Ride for Revenge, Svartidaudi, Thantifaxath, etc...

 

[TychoCelchu]

Haven't listened to many new nonmetal releases this year, but Wovenhand, King Dude, 311, and Have a Nice Life stand out

Have you heard the new Rancid?

 

[Diabolik]

going to post mine in a week or so...still need a few new ones to make the final list....mine so far is....



Riot V
High Spirits
Slough Feg
Edguy
Skull Fist
October 31


still need to get the new Crystal Eyes and Freedom Call. have the Blaze EP and Ambush on the way finally.

 

[dcowboys311]

Have you heard the new Rancid?

I think I've heard maybe three Rancid songs ever. Worth seeking out?

 

[TychoCelchu]

As a fan of Rancid in general, I like it. Rancid at this point is nothing if not reliably solid.
The songs "Back Where I Belong" and "Honor is All We Know" are my early favorites.

 

[SteelFireRecs]

going to post mine in a week or so...still need a few new ones to make the final list....mine so far is....



Riot V
High Spirits
Slough Feg
Edguy
Skull Fist
October 31


still need to get the new Crystal Eyes and Freedom Call. have the Blaze EP and Ambush on the way finally.

Blaze rocks so hard and the Ambush is awesome

 

[modernwizardry]

Ah yes I forgot about Crosswind, Darkest Era, Accept and Portrait. Each of these albums had one or two tracks that I would love to go back to ("Dark Side of My Heart" from Accept gets stuck in my head all the time) but otherwise, a little underwhelming. Crosswind is the best of this bunch for me.

Also gotta hear While Heaven Wept, Iron Saviour, Primordial, Dark Forest and several others. Man some of these bands I really liked at one point, but I don't even care to hear their new stuff. I expect the new Primordial will be excellent. Dark Forest... man, I dunno. Sometimes they'll pen a song that just crawls right under my skin but most of the recent stuff has been super duper blah.

Heard Outcast and Tarot on bandcamp, all sounded really fucking rad, gotta nab those.

Also, ya'll are gonna love the new material from Terminus, Funeral Circle and Eternal Champion. They likely won't be out until 2015, alas. I hope you guys enjoy the new Gatekeeper as well, it's a different spin from the EP, but the melodic sensibility is similar so I think it all makes sense. For once in my life, I think we nailed the production. can't wait to get a teaser online for you beautiful people.

Dude...the new Iron Savior. The first 7-8 tracks are pure power metal gold. It was my most played album this year. Get on it yo!