*I'm sorry for the ridiculous length of this post, but it just kind of grew and grew. It might be long winded, but maybe someone will get something out of it.
I've had this list done for a few weeks, and I think I've tweaked it the point that it's just time to release it and be done with it. I hope the formatting of this turns out decent so it can be easily read.
This year I decided to put a grade on things 10.0-9.0 are A's, 8.9-8.0 B's, 7.9-7.0's C's. I cut the list at 30 this year. I listened to more discs in 05' than I normally do so 30 seemed about right. I've also added a link for each band so if what I wrote sounds half way interesting, or intrigues someone they can just go visit that artist site and maybe sample some of their music.
Enjoy!!
#1 Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor - 9.8 Grade
An excellent comeback for Nevermore !! For me this is a big improvement in all phases over Enemies Of Reality. EoR's not a bad disc, it's just that it was lackluster for a Nevermore album. Well anyway, they are back in the finest of form here with TGE. For me the disc is excellent from start to finish, and easily found it's way to #1. I'd only rate Dreaming Neon Black higher than this one in the Nevermore back catalog. This is probably on par with Dead Heart In A Dead World in my world. http://www.nevermore.tv/
#2 Scar Symmetry - Symmetric In Design - 9.4 Grade
Wow, this one really hit me after a few spins. I've never been a huge fan of the melodic death metal genre, but this band just worked for me in a big way. I like their mix of death (low growl), Clean (very warm and friendly), and shrieks, better than most bands in this genre. The vocalist reminds of Kral from Mercenary when he does the deathy vox, and reminds of Dan Swano on the clean stuff. Add into the mix that the musicianship is top notch, and we've got a winner here. These guys seem to remind folks of Soilwork, but in my book this band is much better in all phases. This was a debut by the way, so it will be interesting to hear output #2. The band isn't made up of rookies though, as most of these guys have performed in more unheralded bands in their homeland of Sweden. They are currently working on a new one and it should hit in the 1st quarter of 2006. http://www.scarsymmetry.com/
#3 Kreator - Enemy Of God - 9.3 Grade
These guys have been around for a long time, but I'm rather new to them. This is trash metal at it's finest if you ask me. The music contains lots of cool riffs, and plenty of agression. The vocals are gruff, but very fitting for this style of band. The lyrics are well done as well, but deal with disturbing topics. This isn't church music. I think this is studio disc #11 for these German metallers, and perhaps their best yet. I've back cataloged a few things and Enemy Of God is still the best of the bunch to these ears. If you want to hear some good Thrash give these guys a whirl. There's even a rather melodic track in the middle by the name Voices Of The Dead which is incredibly killer, as is the majority of the disc. http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/
#4 Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists - 9.1 Grade
This was a suprise. I have widely ignored this band over the years mainly because of my now several year radio ban, and some preconceived notions that the band was crap. I'd heard a few of their hits from their dubut disc, but I didn't even know they had a 2nd disc. I missed it completely. Well anyway, 10,000 Fists is said to be their most metal disc to date, and contains several strong cuts. It's a seamless listen for me. I start at the beginning and go all the way thru, and it never really does lose my attention. There is something to be said for tunes that are more compact in nature. You get hit with 3 or 4 minutes of good stuff, and then they move onto the next track. There's even solo's to be found as well. They also do a bang up job on a cover of the Genesis track "Land Of Confusion". http://www.disturbed1.com/
#5 November's Doom - The Pale Haunt Departure - 9.0 Grade
They hail from Chicago in my home state of Illinois. I've actually seen them in concert once, but was totally unfamiliar their music. They are basically doom/death, but mix clean vox with the death stuff. The death vocals are among the best that I've heard .. so clear, yet menacing. It reminds of Akerfeldt from Opeth. I would also consider November's Doom's music to be a mix of Opeth and modern Katatonia, so if you like either band this might be up your alley. The Pale Haunt Departure is a concept type album, and is a rather sad tale, but also hopeful. It focuses around a dying fathers thoughts concerning his young child, and the guilt he feels for having to leave this earth before he wants to. http://www.novembersdoom.com/
#6 Opeth - Ghost Reveries - 8.9 Grade
The anxiously awaited new one from Opeth is here, and for me it's a bit. Reviews have been pretty good, but some are walking away dissapointed. This new one doesn't rank with Still Life, and Blackwater Park (my two favorites), but it would be near the top of the 2nd tier. The disc really contains a little of everything for the Opeth fan. There are plenty of heavier tracks which contain the mix of death and clean vox. There are some moodier tunes that are void of death vox. There's one instrumental in their as well. All in all it's 8 tracks, many of significant length which is typical of an Opeth album. Favorites for me include Ghost Of Perdition, The Baying Of The Hounds, Beneath The Mire, and Harlequin Forrest. The only negative I have is that this with Opeth it's not always easy to listen to their discs all the way thru in one sitting. There is a slowdown for me after track 5, which picks up some in track 7, but then slows down a bit in the finale. Still, I think it's an excellent disc. http://www.opeth.com/
#7 Communic - Conspiracy In Mind - 8.8 Grade
This a the debut from the Norwegian 3-piece. They remind of Nevermore in sound and in the vocals, but they kind of have their own vibe too at times. There are some cool atmospheric parts that kind of help them to stand out over the competition. This is a really good debut, and it has maintained this ranking thru the majority of the year. At times I wanted to downgrade them because of the Nevermorism's, but in the end I couldn't do it. However, on their next effort I hope they branch out a bit and find even more of their own sound. They also could stand to chop a minute of two from some of their tunes. A few of the songs seem to run a little longer than they should. Recent listens helped elevate this one up several spots. http://www.communic.org/
#8 Astral Doors - Evil Is Forever - 8.8 Grade
Astral Doors is fun .. plain and simple. The singer sounds a lot like Dio, but if you can get past that you'll find some pretty good power metal and some damn catchy tunes. Astral Doors is pretty much pure power metal, but they incorporate a hammond style organ into the mix, and it works. It's used more for light background stuff, but it's present quite frequently, and for me it's enjoyable, and makes them a bit different than the regular power metal fray. Good stuff. I think they would be an excellent prog/power band. They also released an EP in 05' called Raiders Of The Arc, and it contains some excellent new tracks as well.
http://www.astraldoors.com/
#9 Vision Divine - The Perfect Machine - 8.7 Grade
This is a really good follow up to Stream Of Consciousness effort of 04'. I have it almost on par with that disc, which was a top 5 for me last year. This is one of my favorite progressive power metal bands out there. The Perfect Machine is a concept album based on how things would be if scientists discovered how to cure all diseases and prolong life to the point that the human body would become the perfect machine. Good stuff. Guitarist/song writer Olaf Thorsen (ex Labyrinth) is the main man behind this Italian band, and the singer, Michelle Luppi, is a big standout as well. There is a lot to like about this band for the progressive power metal fan. http://www.visiondivine.com/
#10 Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter - 8.7 Grade
I liked this disc right away. The singer is terrific, and the band is more than solid at their craft. Fans of DT, and Symphony X should like this, but one could that Circus Maximus borrows a lot from those two bands, and I personally hear lots of Symphony X in their music. It's not enough to bother me, but it has bothered some out there. Not me though .. I look forward to more from this band. I bet they really find their own identity on the next one. For those of you that don't care for wankiness at all this one isn't for you. There are long instrumental breaks to be found, but in my opinion the majority of them are quite interesting. http://www.circusmaximussite.com/
#11 Icarus Witch - Capture The Magic - 8.6 Grade
This is old school traditional metal ala Maiden, but done really well. Don't get me wrong though, as this isn't really a Maiden clone band. Icarus Witch has their own identity. It's A really fun listen, with some cheesy subject content here and there. Still, I find them quite fun, and I just seem to enjoy myself every time I listen to them. Capture The Magic is pretty solid from start to finish, and makes for a good listen if you are looking for a little bit of something new that harkens back to the old school classic metal of the 80's. They also released an EP in 05' which is also very good. It's entitled Roses On White Lace. It's been a big year for Icarus Witch to say the least. http://www.icaruswitch.com/
#12 Kamelot - The Black Halo - 8.6 Grade
I would have went nuts for this disc a few short years ago, but Kamelot just ain't what it used to be for me. This is a well done disc that contains several good tunes, so it's safe to say if you like Kamelot you'll like this. I think The Black Halo is a good improvement over Epica, which for me just kind of paled in comparrison to the two that proceeded it. A few cuts on The Black Halo remind me of the 'Conception' days, and that's always a good thing, but other tracks don't fire me up the way Kamelot used too. http://www.kamelot.com/
#13 Symphorce - Godspeed - 8.5 Grade
There best yet. Godspeed contains several good tracks, but rarely does this band ever do anything that I would call "great" material. They are what they are .. a solid power metal act. Andy B. Franck is the highlight here. As most of you know he doubles in Brainstorm as well, and is one of the most energetic frontmen on the planet. I like Symphorce's Godspeed over Brainstorm's latest Liquid Monster, and that's a first. Usually I think Brainstorm's material is a bit better, but I give the edge to Symphorce this time out. http://www.symphorce.net/
#14 Charon - Songs For The Sinners - 8.5 Grade
Charon is the main band of J.P. Leppaluoto, who can also be heard on Poisonblack's debut from a year or two ago. The music here is similar to that band, and is best described as Finnish Goth Metal I guess. JP's voice is of the baritone variety, and fits real well with the music. The main difference I can tell between Charon and Poisonblack is that Charon uses some female vocals here and there. They mix well with JP's baritone voice. Good disc ... give it a shot. http://mhs.fi/charon/
#15 Imagika - Devils On Both Sides - 8.5 Grade
This was my first encounter with a disc of theirs, and I found it to be a pretty good one. I became aware of their stuff after seeing them live at Powerfest in Chicago this past year. I met this Norman dude while partying with a bunch of folks, and I later came to find out he's the singer. Well, Norman can actually sing very well, and he fits what a power metal band should look for in a singer. He's melodic one second and can be brutal the next. The range is there, and it makes for some excellent diversity in the songs. http://www.imagikametal.com/
#16 Pagan's Mind - Enigmatic:Calling - 8.4 Grade
This is a good disc, but it's sound is very similar to their excellent 2nd release, Celestial Entrance, but it's lacking the catchiness some. It's not a bad disc by any means, but I think they came up short of CE. CE is an excellent disc, so topping it, or matching it was going to prove to be a tough accomplishment. Enigmatic:Calling is also the continuation of a sci/fi concept that I think started with their debut. I think it's time they move away from the concept on the next one. http://www.pagansmind.com/
#17 Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion - 8.3 Grade
I'm not horribly well versed on their discography, but from what I've heard this is their best effort yet. I find them to be a solid, yet somewhat generic power metal band. I think they do what they do pretty well, but lack certain qualities that could help to distinguish themselves from other, similar bands. The singer reminds me of a poor man's Urban Breed. He's fairly solid, but not spectacular. All in all this effort seems pretty varied, and makes for a nice listen. http://www.nocturnalrites.com/
#18 Warmachine - The Beginning Of The End - 8.3 Grade
This was kind of a late entry into the mix, but I found myself enjoying it enough to give it a top 20 type grade. I first became aware of this band after seeing them live at Chicago Powerfest 05'. They hail from Canada, and play a classic metal/thrash blend that works pretty well. At times I'm reminded of some older stuff from Megadeth, Metallica, and I even hear some more modern metal influence from fellow countrymen, Into Eternity. This is also a band without a label, as this disc was self financed. Dave Ellefson of Megadeth was a co-producer on this disc, and overall the production seems pretty good to me. http://www.warmachineonline.com/
#19 Old Man's Child - Vermin - 8.2 Grade
The brainchild of Black metaller, Galder, who also doubles as a guitarist in Dimmu Borgir. This is my first experience with OMC, but I don't think it will be my last. The vocals here are of the death variety so that could be a turnoff for some. Me, I think it fits in well with the overall product. I like OMC much better than Dimmu, mainly because it's not near as over the top symphonic and epic. It's more in the power metal vein than anything. Lots of good tunes, and excellent riffage can be found here. http://www.oldmanschild.net/
#20 Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny Of Souls - 8.2 Grade
This is a pretty solid release for Bruce. It's not near to the level of Accident Of Birth, or The Chemical Wedding, but it ranks up there with any of his other solo releases in my opinion. There isn't much to say about this one .... it's Bruce, it's solid, and if you like his past stuff you should like this one. http://www.brucedickinson.net/
#21 Lee Z - Shadowland - 8.1 Grade
This is a disc that seems to be way under the radar for most metallers. Lee Z is band, and not some dude named Lee Zobrisky. They hail from Germany, and they actually remind me most of another German band that goes by the name of Superior. The main difference is that Lee Z works in and out of a few different metal genres, while Superior keeps is mainly to progressive metal. It seems that they have been around in some capacity for a long time, but I'd never heard of them until this year. Shadowland isn't a perfect release, but it does contain several enjoyable tunes along the way. One song might be progressive, while the next might be kind of bluesy, or even remind of hair metal. This is probably my "find" of the year. I'll be interested to see what they do for their next effort. http://www.lee-z.de/
#22 Black Majesty - Silent Company - 8.1 Grade
This was my first go around with this band, and all in all I find Silent Company to be enjoyable. The singer is really good, and they remind me quite a bit of a mix of Kamelot and Edguy music wise. This disc reminds me of a mix of Seige Perilous/The 4th Legacy era Kamelot, and maybe Mandrake era Edguy. This is a pretty high quality act, but the grade is affected because it's all been done lots of times before. I have to admit they do it good though. I wouldn't be suprised to see this band become a higher profile band in the coming years. http://www.blackmajesty.com/
#23 Place Vendome - S/T - Grade 8.0
I would have rated this one a bit higher if the majority of the songs were on the lines (heavy wise) of the 1st track, Cross The Line. Unfortunately the material is fairly light, and I just wish it would have been cranked up a notch or two. It's melodic rock that reminds me of PC69's lightest material, or something along the lines of Journey. Michael Kiske is the singer on this disc, and he is awesome. He ranks right up there among my favorites. Even though the material is lighter than I prefer he saves most of the disc for me with his great voice. Other artists involved in this project are Gunter Werno, Kosta Zafiriou, Dennis Ward, and Uwe Reinenauer, so there is some PC69 influence present. This is good melodic rock, but I sure would like to hear a more metal verison of this material. http://www.placevendome.com/ (coming soon)
#24 Brainstorm - Liquid Monster - 8.0 Grade
I consider Brainstorm to be one of my favorite power metal bands, but this disc never really captured enough of my attention to ever get into regular rotation. It could be that I was becoming a bit burnt out on them at the time it was released, but in general I don't find this disc to be up to the level of their last two or three. I would like to see Brainstorm change things up a bit for their next one, and maybe be a bit more progressive. http://www.truemetal.org/brainstorm/
#25 Presto Ballet - Peace Among The Ruins - 7.9 Grade
This is a side project of Metal Church's Kurdt Vanderhoof, and is in the 70's prog rock vein. The instuments and recording processes (analog) were used with the idea of making the product sound like it came from that era, and I'd say they achieved it. The singer is decent, and fits the music pretty well, and overall the songs are pretty good and memorable. If you long for something new in prog rock that harkens back to the past this might be the disc for you. http://www.prestoballet.com/
#26 Freak Kitchen - Organic - 7.9 Grade
I was initially dissapointed with this one, but I managed to warm up to it pretty well as the year went on. It's a step down from Move in my opinion, but it still contains some really cool stuff. The more I played it the more the songs started to stick in my head, and subsequently the rating improved steadily. FK continues to deliver catchy and humor filled tracks each time out, and this is no different on Organic. This is one of the few bands that seems to appeal to a lot of my non metalhead friends, and I've often wondered how a band like this would play on modern rock radio in the USA. I've always thought they would go over fairly well. As always Mattias "IA" Eklundh has a lot of interesting guitar sounds going on. http://www.freakkitchen.com/index.html
#27 Zero Hour - A Fragile Mind - 7.8 Grade
This was a hit and miss release for me on several fronts. Zero Hour employed a new singer for this one than on past works, and he's just not up to the level of the former singer. The new singer is still at least adequate, so it's not a total loss. As for the music it's fairly technical, and kind of cold sounding. That's pretty typical of a Zero Hour release. There are some good tunes to be found here, so that helps make this a fair release. I think the changes in the band just affected the whole overall product some. The new singer took over lyric writing from the past singer, and once again I preferred the writings of the former singer. There was also a long time between releases here, and this disc just seems like more of a transition disc than anything. http://www.zerohourweb.com/
#28 After Forever - Remagine - 7.7 Grade
This is another one that isn't quite up to the level of the last one. I really enjoyed Invisible Circles a ton. It was my #2 favorite in 2004. Well, this new one has it's moments, but it's just not up to that level. The "Beast" is used less on this one, and the overall aggression is toned down a bit, and that hurts the overall product for me. The "Beast" is my highlight of this band, so his diminished role affected my final grade. I'd also say this one is a bit more commercial than their previous works. One positive .... no horrifically bad spoken word segments this time out. http://www.afterforever.com/
#29 Redemption - The Fullness Of Time - 7.6 Grade
This one got a lot of hype, but I only found it half enjoyable. I'm not the worlds biggest Ray Alder fan either, so his addition wasn't a big selling point for me. I think he has a pleasant voice, but he comes off lacking emotion more often than not. I think this is a good improvement over the debut, but not by a very wide margin in my opinion. I like the first half of this disc a lot better than the second half. http://www.ivorygate.com/redemption/
#30 Stride - Imagine - 7.5 Grade
We're at the point on the list where I only really enjoy about half of the material. Stride used to be an instrumental act, but they have added a singer to the mix. I actually enjoy the singer a lot ... he's very good. The problem is that the band still thinks they are an instrumental act at times, and they meander their way thru some long instrumental parts and some straight instrumental tracks. When the singer is singing I actually enjoy what I'm hearing for the most part, but as soon as the bands starts to wank off I tend to lose interest. http://www.strideonline.com/
I've had this list done for a few weeks, and I think I've tweaked it the point that it's just time to release it and be done with it. I hope the formatting of this turns out decent so it can be easily read.
This year I decided to put a grade on things 10.0-9.0 are A's, 8.9-8.0 B's, 7.9-7.0's C's. I cut the list at 30 this year. I listened to more discs in 05' than I normally do so 30 seemed about right. I've also added a link for each band so if what I wrote sounds half way interesting, or intrigues someone they can just go visit that artist site and maybe sample some of their music.
Enjoy!!
#1 Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor - 9.8 Grade
An excellent comeback for Nevermore !! For me this is a big improvement in all phases over Enemies Of Reality. EoR's not a bad disc, it's just that it was lackluster for a Nevermore album. Well anyway, they are back in the finest of form here with TGE. For me the disc is excellent from start to finish, and easily found it's way to #1. I'd only rate Dreaming Neon Black higher than this one in the Nevermore back catalog. This is probably on par with Dead Heart In A Dead World in my world. http://www.nevermore.tv/
#2 Scar Symmetry - Symmetric In Design - 9.4 Grade
Wow, this one really hit me after a few spins. I've never been a huge fan of the melodic death metal genre, but this band just worked for me in a big way. I like their mix of death (low growl), Clean (very warm and friendly), and shrieks, better than most bands in this genre. The vocalist reminds of Kral from Mercenary when he does the deathy vox, and reminds of Dan Swano on the clean stuff. Add into the mix that the musicianship is top notch, and we've got a winner here. These guys seem to remind folks of Soilwork, but in my book this band is much better in all phases. This was a debut by the way, so it will be interesting to hear output #2. The band isn't made up of rookies though, as most of these guys have performed in more unheralded bands in their homeland of Sweden. They are currently working on a new one and it should hit in the 1st quarter of 2006. http://www.scarsymmetry.com/
#3 Kreator - Enemy Of God - 9.3 Grade
These guys have been around for a long time, but I'm rather new to them. This is trash metal at it's finest if you ask me. The music contains lots of cool riffs, and plenty of agression. The vocals are gruff, but very fitting for this style of band. The lyrics are well done as well, but deal with disturbing topics. This isn't church music. I think this is studio disc #11 for these German metallers, and perhaps their best yet. I've back cataloged a few things and Enemy Of God is still the best of the bunch to these ears. If you want to hear some good Thrash give these guys a whirl. There's even a rather melodic track in the middle by the name Voices Of The Dead which is incredibly killer, as is the majority of the disc. http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/
#4 Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists - 9.1 Grade
This was a suprise. I have widely ignored this band over the years mainly because of my now several year radio ban, and some preconceived notions that the band was crap. I'd heard a few of their hits from their dubut disc, but I didn't even know they had a 2nd disc. I missed it completely. Well anyway, 10,000 Fists is said to be their most metal disc to date, and contains several strong cuts. It's a seamless listen for me. I start at the beginning and go all the way thru, and it never really does lose my attention. There is something to be said for tunes that are more compact in nature. You get hit with 3 or 4 minutes of good stuff, and then they move onto the next track. There's even solo's to be found as well. They also do a bang up job on a cover of the Genesis track "Land Of Confusion". http://www.disturbed1.com/
#5 November's Doom - The Pale Haunt Departure - 9.0 Grade
They hail from Chicago in my home state of Illinois. I've actually seen them in concert once, but was totally unfamiliar their music. They are basically doom/death, but mix clean vox with the death stuff. The death vocals are among the best that I've heard .. so clear, yet menacing. It reminds of Akerfeldt from Opeth. I would also consider November's Doom's music to be a mix of Opeth and modern Katatonia, so if you like either band this might be up your alley. The Pale Haunt Departure is a concept type album, and is a rather sad tale, but also hopeful. It focuses around a dying fathers thoughts concerning his young child, and the guilt he feels for having to leave this earth before he wants to. http://www.novembersdoom.com/
#6 Opeth - Ghost Reveries - 8.9 Grade
The anxiously awaited new one from Opeth is here, and for me it's a bit. Reviews have been pretty good, but some are walking away dissapointed. This new one doesn't rank with Still Life, and Blackwater Park (my two favorites), but it would be near the top of the 2nd tier. The disc really contains a little of everything for the Opeth fan. There are plenty of heavier tracks which contain the mix of death and clean vox. There are some moodier tunes that are void of death vox. There's one instrumental in their as well. All in all it's 8 tracks, many of significant length which is typical of an Opeth album. Favorites for me include Ghost Of Perdition, The Baying Of The Hounds, Beneath The Mire, and Harlequin Forrest. The only negative I have is that this with Opeth it's not always easy to listen to their discs all the way thru in one sitting. There is a slowdown for me after track 5, which picks up some in track 7, but then slows down a bit in the finale. Still, I think it's an excellent disc. http://www.opeth.com/
#7 Communic - Conspiracy In Mind - 8.8 Grade
This a the debut from the Norwegian 3-piece. They remind of Nevermore in sound and in the vocals, but they kind of have their own vibe too at times. There are some cool atmospheric parts that kind of help them to stand out over the competition. This is a really good debut, and it has maintained this ranking thru the majority of the year. At times I wanted to downgrade them because of the Nevermorism's, but in the end I couldn't do it. However, on their next effort I hope they branch out a bit and find even more of their own sound. They also could stand to chop a minute of two from some of their tunes. A few of the songs seem to run a little longer than they should. Recent listens helped elevate this one up several spots. http://www.communic.org/
#8 Astral Doors - Evil Is Forever - 8.8 Grade
Astral Doors is fun .. plain and simple. The singer sounds a lot like Dio, but if you can get past that you'll find some pretty good power metal and some damn catchy tunes. Astral Doors is pretty much pure power metal, but they incorporate a hammond style organ into the mix, and it works. It's used more for light background stuff, but it's present quite frequently, and for me it's enjoyable, and makes them a bit different than the regular power metal fray. Good stuff. I think they would be an excellent prog/power band. They also released an EP in 05' called Raiders Of The Arc, and it contains some excellent new tracks as well.
http://www.astraldoors.com/
#9 Vision Divine - The Perfect Machine - 8.7 Grade
This is a really good follow up to Stream Of Consciousness effort of 04'. I have it almost on par with that disc, which was a top 5 for me last year. This is one of my favorite progressive power metal bands out there. The Perfect Machine is a concept album based on how things would be if scientists discovered how to cure all diseases and prolong life to the point that the human body would become the perfect machine. Good stuff. Guitarist/song writer Olaf Thorsen (ex Labyrinth) is the main man behind this Italian band, and the singer, Michelle Luppi, is a big standout as well. There is a lot to like about this band for the progressive power metal fan. http://www.visiondivine.com/
#10 Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter - 8.7 Grade
I liked this disc right away. The singer is terrific, and the band is more than solid at their craft. Fans of DT, and Symphony X should like this, but one could that Circus Maximus borrows a lot from those two bands, and I personally hear lots of Symphony X in their music. It's not enough to bother me, but it has bothered some out there. Not me though .. I look forward to more from this band. I bet they really find their own identity on the next one. For those of you that don't care for wankiness at all this one isn't for you. There are long instrumental breaks to be found, but in my opinion the majority of them are quite interesting. http://www.circusmaximussite.com/
#11 Icarus Witch - Capture The Magic - 8.6 Grade
This is old school traditional metal ala Maiden, but done really well. Don't get me wrong though, as this isn't really a Maiden clone band. Icarus Witch has their own identity. It's A really fun listen, with some cheesy subject content here and there. Still, I find them quite fun, and I just seem to enjoy myself every time I listen to them. Capture The Magic is pretty solid from start to finish, and makes for a good listen if you are looking for a little bit of something new that harkens back to the old school classic metal of the 80's. They also released an EP in 05' which is also very good. It's entitled Roses On White Lace. It's been a big year for Icarus Witch to say the least. http://www.icaruswitch.com/
#12 Kamelot - The Black Halo - 8.6 Grade
I would have went nuts for this disc a few short years ago, but Kamelot just ain't what it used to be for me. This is a well done disc that contains several good tunes, so it's safe to say if you like Kamelot you'll like this. I think The Black Halo is a good improvement over Epica, which for me just kind of paled in comparrison to the two that proceeded it. A few cuts on The Black Halo remind me of the 'Conception' days, and that's always a good thing, but other tracks don't fire me up the way Kamelot used too. http://www.kamelot.com/
#13 Symphorce - Godspeed - 8.5 Grade
There best yet. Godspeed contains several good tracks, but rarely does this band ever do anything that I would call "great" material. They are what they are .. a solid power metal act. Andy B. Franck is the highlight here. As most of you know he doubles in Brainstorm as well, and is one of the most energetic frontmen on the planet. I like Symphorce's Godspeed over Brainstorm's latest Liquid Monster, and that's a first. Usually I think Brainstorm's material is a bit better, but I give the edge to Symphorce this time out. http://www.symphorce.net/
#14 Charon - Songs For The Sinners - 8.5 Grade
Charon is the main band of J.P. Leppaluoto, who can also be heard on Poisonblack's debut from a year or two ago. The music here is similar to that band, and is best described as Finnish Goth Metal I guess. JP's voice is of the baritone variety, and fits real well with the music. The main difference I can tell between Charon and Poisonblack is that Charon uses some female vocals here and there. They mix well with JP's baritone voice. Good disc ... give it a shot. http://mhs.fi/charon/
#15 Imagika - Devils On Both Sides - 8.5 Grade
This was my first encounter with a disc of theirs, and I found it to be a pretty good one. I became aware of their stuff after seeing them live at Powerfest in Chicago this past year. I met this Norman dude while partying with a bunch of folks, and I later came to find out he's the singer. Well, Norman can actually sing very well, and he fits what a power metal band should look for in a singer. He's melodic one second and can be brutal the next. The range is there, and it makes for some excellent diversity in the songs. http://www.imagikametal.com/
#16 Pagan's Mind - Enigmatic:Calling - 8.4 Grade
This is a good disc, but it's sound is very similar to their excellent 2nd release, Celestial Entrance, but it's lacking the catchiness some. It's not a bad disc by any means, but I think they came up short of CE. CE is an excellent disc, so topping it, or matching it was going to prove to be a tough accomplishment. Enigmatic:Calling is also the continuation of a sci/fi concept that I think started with their debut. I think it's time they move away from the concept on the next one. http://www.pagansmind.com/
#17 Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion - 8.3 Grade
I'm not horribly well versed on their discography, but from what I've heard this is their best effort yet. I find them to be a solid, yet somewhat generic power metal band. I think they do what they do pretty well, but lack certain qualities that could help to distinguish themselves from other, similar bands. The singer reminds me of a poor man's Urban Breed. He's fairly solid, but not spectacular. All in all this effort seems pretty varied, and makes for a nice listen. http://www.nocturnalrites.com/
#18 Warmachine - The Beginning Of The End - 8.3 Grade
This was kind of a late entry into the mix, but I found myself enjoying it enough to give it a top 20 type grade. I first became aware of this band after seeing them live at Chicago Powerfest 05'. They hail from Canada, and play a classic metal/thrash blend that works pretty well. At times I'm reminded of some older stuff from Megadeth, Metallica, and I even hear some more modern metal influence from fellow countrymen, Into Eternity. This is also a band without a label, as this disc was self financed. Dave Ellefson of Megadeth was a co-producer on this disc, and overall the production seems pretty good to me. http://www.warmachineonline.com/
#19 Old Man's Child - Vermin - 8.2 Grade
The brainchild of Black metaller, Galder, who also doubles as a guitarist in Dimmu Borgir. This is my first experience with OMC, but I don't think it will be my last. The vocals here are of the death variety so that could be a turnoff for some. Me, I think it fits in well with the overall product. I like OMC much better than Dimmu, mainly because it's not near as over the top symphonic and epic. It's more in the power metal vein than anything. Lots of good tunes, and excellent riffage can be found here. http://www.oldmanschild.net/
#20 Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny Of Souls - 8.2 Grade
This is a pretty solid release for Bruce. It's not near to the level of Accident Of Birth, or The Chemical Wedding, but it ranks up there with any of his other solo releases in my opinion. There isn't much to say about this one .... it's Bruce, it's solid, and if you like his past stuff you should like this one. http://www.brucedickinson.net/
#21 Lee Z - Shadowland - 8.1 Grade
This is a disc that seems to be way under the radar for most metallers. Lee Z is band, and not some dude named Lee Zobrisky. They hail from Germany, and they actually remind me most of another German band that goes by the name of Superior. The main difference is that Lee Z works in and out of a few different metal genres, while Superior keeps is mainly to progressive metal. It seems that they have been around in some capacity for a long time, but I'd never heard of them until this year. Shadowland isn't a perfect release, but it does contain several enjoyable tunes along the way. One song might be progressive, while the next might be kind of bluesy, or even remind of hair metal. This is probably my "find" of the year. I'll be interested to see what they do for their next effort. http://www.lee-z.de/
#22 Black Majesty - Silent Company - 8.1 Grade
This was my first go around with this band, and all in all I find Silent Company to be enjoyable. The singer is really good, and they remind me quite a bit of a mix of Kamelot and Edguy music wise. This disc reminds me of a mix of Seige Perilous/The 4th Legacy era Kamelot, and maybe Mandrake era Edguy. This is a pretty high quality act, but the grade is affected because it's all been done lots of times before. I have to admit they do it good though. I wouldn't be suprised to see this band become a higher profile band in the coming years. http://www.blackmajesty.com/
#23 Place Vendome - S/T - Grade 8.0
I would have rated this one a bit higher if the majority of the songs were on the lines (heavy wise) of the 1st track, Cross The Line. Unfortunately the material is fairly light, and I just wish it would have been cranked up a notch or two. It's melodic rock that reminds me of PC69's lightest material, or something along the lines of Journey. Michael Kiske is the singer on this disc, and he is awesome. He ranks right up there among my favorites. Even though the material is lighter than I prefer he saves most of the disc for me with his great voice. Other artists involved in this project are Gunter Werno, Kosta Zafiriou, Dennis Ward, and Uwe Reinenauer, so there is some PC69 influence present. This is good melodic rock, but I sure would like to hear a more metal verison of this material. http://www.placevendome.com/ (coming soon)
#24 Brainstorm - Liquid Monster - 8.0 Grade
I consider Brainstorm to be one of my favorite power metal bands, but this disc never really captured enough of my attention to ever get into regular rotation. It could be that I was becoming a bit burnt out on them at the time it was released, but in general I don't find this disc to be up to the level of their last two or three. I would like to see Brainstorm change things up a bit for their next one, and maybe be a bit more progressive. http://www.truemetal.org/brainstorm/
#25 Presto Ballet - Peace Among The Ruins - 7.9 Grade
This is a side project of Metal Church's Kurdt Vanderhoof, and is in the 70's prog rock vein. The instuments and recording processes (analog) were used with the idea of making the product sound like it came from that era, and I'd say they achieved it. The singer is decent, and fits the music pretty well, and overall the songs are pretty good and memorable. If you long for something new in prog rock that harkens back to the past this might be the disc for you. http://www.prestoballet.com/
#26 Freak Kitchen - Organic - 7.9 Grade
I was initially dissapointed with this one, but I managed to warm up to it pretty well as the year went on. It's a step down from Move in my opinion, but it still contains some really cool stuff. The more I played it the more the songs started to stick in my head, and subsequently the rating improved steadily. FK continues to deliver catchy and humor filled tracks each time out, and this is no different on Organic. This is one of the few bands that seems to appeal to a lot of my non metalhead friends, and I've often wondered how a band like this would play on modern rock radio in the USA. I've always thought they would go over fairly well. As always Mattias "IA" Eklundh has a lot of interesting guitar sounds going on. http://www.freakkitchen.com/index.html
#27 Zero Hour - A Fragile Mind - 7.8 Grade
This was a hit and miss release for me on several fronts. Zero Hour employed a new singer for this one than on past works, and he's just not up to the level of the former singer. The new singer is still at least adequate, so it's not a total loss. As for the music it's fairly technical, and kind of cold sounding. That's pretty typical of a Zero Hour release. There are some good tunes to be found here, so that helps make this a fair release. I think the changes in the band just affected the whole overall product some. The new singer took over lyric writing from the past singer, and once again I preferred the writings of the former singer. There was also a long time between releases here, and this disc just seems like more of a transition disc than anything. http://www.zerohourweb.com/
#28 After Forever - Remagine - 7.7 Grade
This is another one that isn't quite up to the level of the last one. I really enjoyed Invisible Circles a ton. It was my #2 favorite in 2004. Well, this new one has it's moments, but it's just not up to that level. The "Beast" is used less on this one, and the overall aggression is toned down a bit, and that hurts the overall product for me. The "Beast" is my highlight of this band, so his diminished role affected my final grade. I'd also say this one is a bit more commercial than their previous works. One positive .... no horrifically bad spoken word segments this time out. http://www.afterforever.com/
#29 Redemption - The Fullness Of Time - 7.6 Grade
This one got a lot of hype, but I only found it half enjoyable. I'm not the worlds biggest Ray Alder fan either, so his addition wasn't a big selling point for me. I think he has a pleasant voice, but he comes off lacking emotion more often than not. I think this is a good improvement over the debut, but not by a very wide margin in my opinion. I like the first half of this disc a lot better than the second half. http://www.ivorygate.com/redemption/
#30 Stride - Imagine - 7.5 Grade
We're at the point on the list where I only really enjoy about half of the material. Stride used to be an instrumental act, but they have added a singer to the mix. I actually enjoy the singer a lot ... he's very good. The problem is that the band still thinks they are an instrumental act at times, and they meander their way thru some long instrumental parts and some straight instrumental tracks. When the singer is singing I actually enjoy what I'm hearing for the most part, but as soon as the bands starts to wank off I tend to lose interest. http://www.strideonline.com/
