Current top 10 for 2014

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Debut album in 1984 meets TDD criteria so it makes sense.

The cream will always rise to the top.

It was a magical evening in 1984 when I first heard GD on the local metal radio show. Not long after I bought HMB on the thinnest vinyl around. Banzai Records

 

[General Zod]

I suspect I do what most people do, when they read through threads like this; look for the common theme. The common theme that immediately stood out was Dynazty. Admittedly, they were only on the periphery of my radar and I had never taken the chance to listen to them. But after seeing their name ocver and over again, and seeing YtseJammer that it was the AotY, I checked it out. Awesome album. Definitely Top 10, maybe Top 5.

 

[Hammerlock]

No particular order, except for the first being a clear frontrunner for album of the year.

Insomnium - Shadows of the Dying Sun
Elvenking - The Pagan Manifesto
Sabaton - Heroes
Falconer - Black Moon Rising
Persuader - The Fiction Maze
Noble Beast - Noble Beast
Within Temptation - Hydra
Arch Enemy - War Eternal
Tuomas Holopainen - The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck

 

[Mardoch]

Animals as Leaders - The Joy of Motion
Behemoth - The Satanist
Anubis Gate - Horizons
Destiny Potato - LUN
Intervals - A Voice Within
Monuments - The Amanuensis
Periphery - Clear
Snarky Puppy - We Like it Here
Volumes - No Sleep
Voyager - V

I believe this is mine right now.

 

[YtseJammer]

I suspect I do what most people do, when they read through threads like this; look for the common theme. The common theme that immediately stood out was Dynazty. Admittedly, they were only on the periphery of my radar and I had never taken the chance to listen to them. But after seeing their name ocver and over again, and seeing YtseJammer that it was the AotY, I checked it out. Awesome album. Definitely Top 10, maybe Top 5.

I'm guessing you didn't bother to check out the new Freedom Call, despite my strong praise for their latest effort :hotjump:

 

[NorseBlood]

This forum is an unbelievably good resource for all things metal. Its also frequented by some of the most polite and thoughtful people on any forum on the net. I just want to thank you guys for making postings like this, and indeed the entire web site.

I am definitely going to check out some of the albums and bands listed here, many of which I am not familiar with (but soon will be).

Good stuff, Maynard.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Martyrdöd - Elddop and Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails are both incredible. Been spinning them a lot over the last few weeks. Matyrdöd for fans of Turbonegro, Kvelertak, etc and Fallujah for fans of Cynic and Lykathea Aflame.

 

[VenomGA]

here are the Devil's Dozen from 2014:
1. Loudness-Sun Will Rise Again
2. Behemoth-The Satanist
3. Triptykon-Melana Chasmata
4. Overkill-White Devil Armory
5. Grave Digger-Return of the Reaper
6. Executer-Helliday
7. Savage Messiah-The Fateful Dark
8. Hatriot-Dawn of the New Centurion
9. Tankard-R.I.B.
10.VoodooPriest-Mandu
11.Dynazty-Renatus
12.Primal Fear-Delivery The Black
13.Calban-Ghost Empire

 

[modernwizardry]

Listened to a couple tracks of Dynazty. Kinda cool...reminds me a bit of Kiuas.

 

[Finn Mac Cuhal]

Still have a bunch yet to hear but for now...

1 The Quantum Enigma – Epica
2 The Human Contradiction – Delain
3 Hydra – Within Temptation
4 Broken Crown Halo – Lacuna Coil
5 Heroes – Sabaton
6 War Eternal – Arch Enemy
7 Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows – Amoral
8 Redeemer of Souls – Judas Priest
9 Plagues of Babylon – Iced Earth
10 Paraiah’s Child – Sonata Arctica

 

[OrbWeaver]

I don't know that I have a top ten, as I don't recall everything I purchase throughout the year. But I am really impressed with Within Temptation's Hydra album, Delain's Human Contradiction and Falconer's Black Moon Rising. I wasn't as impressed with the new Epica as some of you were, but I am pleased that they seem to be filling the gap left by After Forever.

 

[Bryant]

I am happy to see Vanden Plas on some of the lists. When I heard Chronicles, I suspected their new direction would be a tough sell to many. I absolutely adore it, personally, but I think it lost some people.

Bryant

edit: With the dawn of the new Accept coming, I opted out of a top ten. Their last two releases have been like a foot on the throat in my ears. I am expecting more of the same.

 

[General Zod]

I'm guessing you didn't bother to check out the new Freedom Call, despite my strong praise for their latest effort.

I did not. But I've never been a fan of this band.

Martyrdöd - Elddop and Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails are both incredible. Been spinning them a lot over the last few weeks. Matyrdöd for fans of Turbonegro, Kvelertak, etc and Fallujah for fans of Cynic and Lykathea Aflame.

Have you been following all the drama over the mastering of the Fallujah record? The review over on Angry Metal Guy turned into a whole long debate on how the production diminishes the album. The guy who mixed it even joined into the discussion to explain what he was attempting to do. Interesting read.

 

[YtseJammer]

I did not. But I've never been a fan of this band.

Ha! Totally kidding. I know you have absolutely no interest.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Have you been following all the drama over the mastering of the Fallujah record? The review over on Angry Metal Guy turned into a whole long debate on how the production diminishes the album. The guy who mixed it even joined into the discussion to explain what he was attempting to do. Interesting read.

I felt like the drum samples hurt the record (sounds like vanilla superior drummer plugins to me), and the mastering is a little gross, but the record's so good that I don't care. Lykathea Aflame's Elvenefris is one of my favorite all time metal albums, and this record captures a similar sense of that atmosphere while keeping fresh and unique. When most extreme music these days is either circle jerk wankery, or hipster/poser bullshit that tries to be oldschool for the sake of doing so, I'll take something new and fresh in a heartbeat.

 

[General Zod]

I felt like the drum samples hurt the record (sounds like vanilla superior drummer plugins to me), and the mastering is a little gross, but the record's so good that I don't care. Lykathea Aflame's Elvenefris is one of my favorite all time metal albums, and this record captures a similar sense of that atmosphere while keeping fresh and unique. When most extreme music these days is either circle jerk wankery, or hipster/poser bullshit that tries to be oldschool for the sake of doing so, I'll take something new and fresh in a heartbeat.

Admittedly, I haven't spent any time with the record yet. It's on my musical "To Do" list. While it seems the production has been universally trashed, the praise of the actual music seems equally unanimous.

 

[ChrisK]

One of my favorite albums of this year is "Pink Lemonade" by Closure In Moscow. I know it has nothing to do with metal or the majority of the music discussed here, but it's definitely prog and absolutely amazing. Has anyone checked?

 

[labarum]

A loose order (if we're going off of plays)
Warning: Some Metalcore

Teramaze - Esoteric Symbolism
Within Temptation - Hydra
Destiny Potato - Lun
Delain - Human Contradiction
Dead by April - Let the world know
Rodrigo Y Gabriela - 9 Dead Alive
Beartooth - Disgusting
Memphis May Fire - Unconditional
Sonata Arctica - Pariah's Child
The Algorithm - Octopus4 (I play it all the time during work)

 

[Liquid Tension]

ChrisK,

I gave the Closure In Moscow disc a spin but elected not to buy it but I'm checking it out now and I don't know why I didn't get it...

Thanks for reminding me of this one.

 

[General Zod]

People really need to be listening to this album: