Note: I was going to put an asterix by each release I deemed a significant improvement over the band's prior CD. After looking through the list, however, I realized almost all of these discs, with the exception of Astral Doors, and perhaps Verdict and Widow, did considerably improve upon their predecessors.
1. System of a Down - Mezmerize
Crazy, I know. I never listen to the radio. I don't shop at Hot Topic. I never liked what I had heard of their previous material. However, my street cred be damned, I love this psychotically fun and catchy disc. The riffage is really quite crunchy and immense, and the tunes are very infectious. I love the off-kilter vocals too, and I sing along to all of the tunes (a rarity for me, as you can imagine). Their approach is refreshing. No band really comes to mind as an apt comparison. No 2005 release has invigorated me more than Mezmerize.
2. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
No really, I don't shop at Hot Topic. Look at the rest of my list, tr00 metal warrior, before you dismiss me as a complete baggy pants-wearing joke. Again, I never paid any attention to these mainstream teen idols, nor did I care for their music. However, this disc blew me away. The nu-metalisms are kept to a minimum (really just the "hauh, hauh, hauh" chanting in most of the songs), and the excellent melodic metal flows. The vocals are brilliant, and every tune has a sing along chorus. Sure, the music itself is not challenging, but the songs are put together very well. I am absolutely amazed that a very popular band could come out with a release this enjoyable to a metalhead like me.
3. Dark Tranquillity - Character
OK, they're big in the metal world, but we're at least getting out of the mall with this one, right? I like DT through Projector, but I did not care for Haven at all. Damage Done did not really grab me much. Character, however, shocked me. This is clearly my favorite DT release. Never have these guys so successfully created consistently engaging songs with a wonderful symbiosis of aggression, atmospherics, and hooks. Keyboards are used to great effect, but none of the band's savage edge is lost. This is a very compelling release. Character is easily one of the best melodic death discs in my collection.
4. Biomechanical - The Empires of the Worlds
Biomechanical have taken their approach on their good debut Eight Moons, have improved on every aspect of their music, and have added many new twists and turns. I still classify them as dark power metal in the American style, but they have gotten considerably more aggressive, heavier, and thrashier. The music is also more diverse than the tunes on the debut. Multiple points of comparison came to mind while listening, but Biomechanical have their own sound. The obvious Nevermore (Dreaming Neon Black), Queensryche (O:M), and Judas Priest (Painkiller) benchmarks have carried over from Eight Moons and been expanded upon, but this new disc is also very thrashy, with classic Pantera as an obvious reference point, both musically and vocally. Vocalist John K still often sounds like a more energetic and vibrant Halford or Tate, but his style on several tunes recalls Cowboys era Anselmo to some extent. Some have found this CD too chaotic or disjointed, but it works very well for me. We need more adventurous power metal like this.
5. Infernal Poetry - Beholding the Unpure
Another interesting progressive death metal release from Italy! The country has something special going on in their underground metal scene. Beholding the Unpure is an engaging album that does not appear to be clearly influenced by any of the major players (Death, Atheist, Cynic) in the complex death field. A good portion of the music is not particularly complex, but there are many embellishments that spice things up considerably, including the use of voice (breathing sounds, etc.) as part of the soundscape. This release places Infernal Poetry in the company of some of my favorite bands (Gory Blister, Aydra, Hypnotheticall, etc.) from the Italian complex extreme metal world.
6. Protest the Hero - Kezia
These guys are a tremendously promising find. They seem to be branded as a core band, but they have so much more going on than the bands in the genre (even the good bands - you know, the ones I like
). PtH's guitarwork is an amalgamation of metalcore sledgehammer breakdowns, classic thrash structures, and lots of fluid leads and melody lines. The vocalist almost always sings cleanly, and his vocals are a cross between those of an alterna-core band like Swift and the singers of bands like Realm and Toxik back in the day. The song structures are often complex - lots of interesting twists and turns, but without journeying down the path of dissonant noisetechcore. I have not heard a metalcore-type band this promising since Reflux, and these guys are significantly more exciting to me than that band.
7. The Shattering - The Shattering Begins
A late entry in 2005 and one of the best, albeit with a serious flaw. This disc is firmly in the complex deathgrind camp led by Spawn of Possession and Psycroptic, but unlike so many of the bands vying for a piece of the pie in this genre, The Shattering holds their own. They are not yet top tier, but their guitarwork is quite impressive and fluid. The rhythm section is adequate, but they are not at the same level as the axe handlers. In addition, the thin production for the drums, especially the snare (of course), is pretty bad, and I am not much of a sound snob. Despite this shortcoming, this release slays and is a must for fans of the genre.
8. Delian League - Truth in Chaos
If you like chunky, aggressive, classy American power metal with the occasional thrashy edge (as many of the good American power metal bands have), you need to check these guys out. When listening to Truth in Chaos, I am reminded of two of my favorite releases in this genre, Division - Trinity and, to a lesser extent, Archetype - Dawning. Killer thick riffage abounds, yet fluid lead and melody work is often on display as well (though not nearly as much as on Dawning). I am also reminded occasionally of GracePoint's newer material on the Full Circle demo with respect to some of the song structures (though GP's music is definitely more involved). To top off the references, I hear a touch of Metallica's Black Album on Truth in Chaos. Certainly, DL's vocalist sounds a bit like older Hetfield, but the huge, crisp power/thrash riffs remind me of the better songs on Metallica's initiation into the mainstream.
9. Fear My Thoughts - Hell Sweet Hell
Yes, there are many, many melodic thrashy death bands out there these days. It's the Newer Wave of Euro Melodic Death (Gothenburg is not as happenin' a few years into the new millennium). Few releases in the genre, however, kick as much ass as Hell Sweet Hell. The obvious point of comparison for this disc is Soilwork's seminal A Predator's Portrait. The proficient, catchy riffage and melodic choruses are quite notable on Hell Sweet Hell, although the clean vocals are limited to the choruses of a few tracks. I hear some Arch Enemy circa Anthems of Rebellion in the crunchy guitar playing as well. This is a very energetic disc that I liked right from the start. A must buy for fans of this style of metal.
10. Aletheian - Dying Vine
I have gone back and forth on this disc over the course of the year. I initially thought it was too disjointed. Then I thought it was stellar complex death. Then my enthusiasm waned, and it was toward the bottom of my list. Now it's back up near the top. I think my opinion of Dying Vine has stabilized now. The playing on this disc is very impressive. Every song is chock full of twisted riffs and frenetic lead work, which probably accounts for at least half of every song. If you need to latch onto a riff to get into a song, Aletheian are definitely not for you. The drumming is equally as involved and breathtaking. The vocals are the definite weak point for me. Death and black metal approaches are used - the grunting is no big deal, but the blackened rasps are annoying. The sparingly used clean singing lines are rather weak as well. I hear a little Atheist and a tiny bit of Death on Dying Vine, but the most apt comparison is to Aydra's great sophomore full length, Hyperlogical Non-Sense. Dying Vine is a no-brainer for all aficionados of complex death metal.
11. Trivium - Ascendancy
Am I back in the food court leering at jailbait with this one? I don't think so. I am not sure how popular this metalcore band currently is, but they sure know how to write catchy, yet heavy tunes. With the exception of one song that comes a little too close to Green Day for comfort, I could easily see fans of thrash and melodic death getting into these guys. One of the best of the melodic metalcore bands in the Killswitch Engage mold, Trivium has all of the elements down: a good mix of aggressive and clean vocals, crushing riffage, and hooks aplenty.
12. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
This is how I love my prog metal. The music on The Fullness of Time is consistently dynamic, and the playing is of a high caliber, yet it retains a definite edge and keeps the cheese to a bare minimum. In fact, the musical, and especially the lyrical, content of this release actually elicits a considerable visceral reaction from me. Lyrics rarely make any kind of impact on me, but the emotional prose of this disc is crafted well enough to command my attention. Alder's vocals do the lyrics justice and then some. The often crunchy and varied guitarwork and interesting drumming stand out for me as well. This disc crushes the band's debut, which I liked. The Fullness of Time clearly stands out in the realm of prog metal as a very affecting and engaging release.
13. Volbeat - The Strength, The Sound, The Songs
This is just a damn fun disc. Michael Poulsens vocals are absolutely stellar. He evokes comparisons to many others (Hetfield, Danzig, and, of course, Elvis come to my mind), but he definitely has his own vibe going on. The hook-laden music ranges from chunky, almost thrashy, riffage to groovy metal with a strong rock feel, to their cover of the Bay City Rollers "I Only Wanna Be With You". It is a testament to Volbeats skills that I do not simply tolerate their 60s influence and rock sensibilities; I embrace them.
14. Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design
OK, this bears a strong resemblance to Depeche Mode era Soilwork. It also completely annihilates anything Soilwork has done after A Predator's Portrait. It's all here - infectious, chunky riffage, great leads, and a vocalist that nails both the gruff and the sappy clean vocals. Some of these tunes are embarrassingly catchy. This is simply an extremely well constructed and appealing CD.
15. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
This really grew on me to the point that I now place it third in Nevermore's discography behind The Politics of Ecstasy and Dreaming Neon Black. The band members' obvious musical proficiency is highlighted much more than on their past two discs, and some absolutely killer riffage and pounding drumming is the result. Dane is in fine form as well, delivering memorable melodies on many of the tracks. Several of the tunes, "Born", "Acid Words", "Bittersweet Feast", and "Medicated Nation", can easily hold their own against my favorite Nevermore material. The rest of the disc is not as inspiring, but its appeal has strengthened over time. I am very glad to see these guys back on their A game.
16. Destruction - Inventor of Evil
Ever since their good, if uneven, comeback release, All Hell Breaks Loose, Destruction have been on a downward slide. The Antichrist was so-so, and Metal Discharge was completely uneventful. Imagine my surprise when I first heard Inventor of Evil, the band's best release since Release from Agony. It's in the same style as the past three discs, but there are so many immense riffs on display that I am overjoyed during the first two-thirds of this CD. The drumming is also invigorating and very accomplished. Unfortunately, as with all modern Destruction releases, the quality decreases toward the end of the CD. However, the highs are much higher on Inventor of Evil, and the lows are not as low. Another kick ass metal surprise in 2005.
17. Kreator - Enemy of God
I thought Violent Revolution was a good comeback for Kreator, but I never thought they could fully regain their vicious mojo. I was wrong. Enemy of God is a real ass kicker, and it is my second favorite Kreator disc next to the godly, I mean demonic, Terrible Uncertainty. All the aggression and razor sharp classic riffage is here, but it feels very fresh. The songs are arranged quite well. Although they have successfully captured their classic sound,. they have also added some welcome melody. This disc gives me hope that old thrashers can still create vital releases in the modern metal world.
18. System of a Down - Hypnotize
This is similar to Mezmerize, in general, but it has a few shortcomings its companion CD does not. There are not nearly as many monstrous riffs on Hypnotize, and most of the tracks are not as absurdly catchy as those on my #1 release of 2005. The material on Hypnotize is also not as gleefully entertaining, though several songs are as inspired as those on Mezmerize. Finally, the last few tracks do not do much for me, so the disc ends on a down note. Obviously, despite these criticisms, I really enjoy this release. I'm still somewhat in shock, actually. To try to soothe myself, I repeat my new mantra: banana banana banana terra cotta pie terra cotta pie.
19. Kenos - Intersection
Italian creativity knows no bounds, apparently. Yet another progressive death metal band from the land of pasta rears its quirky head. Kenos are more eclectic than most of their peers, as they incorporate many different styles into their lengthy songs. Most of the music is not extremely intricate, but odd meters and twisted riffs pop up throughout the album. The band's strength really seems to be their penchant for fusing somewhat disparate musical styles into a cohesive and engaging amalgamation. The adventurous metalhead should definitely familiarize themself with the creations of Kenos.
20. Totem - Day before the End
This is some quality modern thrash with death vocals hailing from the burgeoning Polish extreme metal scene. Totem throw a lot into the mix on Day before the End. Crunchy thrash riffage and fluid leads are almost omnipresent, though they occasionally change things up with a string of clean vocals or a slower passage. The energy rarely dissipates for long though. This is a very strong debut with impressive guitarwork. I just wish there were more than seven tracks on the album. Day before the End is hard to find, but it is definitely worth tracking down.
21. Between the Buried and Me - Alaska
This was a real pleasant surprise for me. These guys did nothing for me with their previous noisecore outings, but Alaska has really impressed me. This is easily the most eclectic release in my list, as it blends complex death, prog metal, melodic death, noisecore, and acoustic ambience (the only element I am not too keen on - thankfully, there's not too much of it). The level of musicianship is very high on this release, and the songwriting has a unique flair. The material is quite chaotic at times, but it never devolves into dissonance like so many of the complex noisecore bands do. This is a very adventurous disc that deserves to be heard by anyone with an open mind and a tolerance for a bit of chaos and a lot of aggression.
22. Symbyosis - On the Wings of Phoenix (2 disc set)
Yet another trendy release that blends the music of Ram-Zet - Escape, Andromeda - II=I, and Coroner - Mental Vortex with growling death vocals. That sound hasn't hit big in your neck of the woods yet, you say? Well, then maybe Symbyosis has something going for them after all. The guitarwork is the highlight of the music with plenty of impressive leads and the occasional odd meter or serpentine riff. Keyboards add some nice textures as well. I think Disc 1 would find an audience among fans of regular prog metal if not for the extreme vocals. Oh well, their loss. Disc 2 is not as eventful as its jewel case roommate. Four inconsequential cover tunes and nine originals, half of which have been available on-line for a long time now, populate the CD. Several of the older tracks understandably harken back to the harsher Fear Factory meets Dream Theater approach on their debut full length, Crisis. The other songs are more ethereal in nature and contain many instrumental passages. I should mention that this is an independent release that was funded by preorders from the metal faithful. The packaging is quite impressive with a booklet for each disc, chock full of cheesy, yet interesting and well rendered fantasy/surrealist graphic tableaux.
23. Byzantine - And They Shall Take Up Serpents
Byzantine is a refreshing metalcore band whose style is not by the numbers. Their songs are varied in approach and structure and offer some interesting arrangements. Although they have their quirks, they do not fail to consistently bludgeon the listener with their brand of thrashy core, which is infused with a large helping of Pantera circa Vulgar Display of Power. This influence can be heard in both the vocals and the riffage. That said, Byzantine is much more than another aggro band. Their music is not complex, but many of the tracks are quite atypical of the genre. If the majority of the disc was as good as the first four tracks, this would rank in my top 15. Overall though, a worthy followup to their promising debut.
24. Reckless Tide - Repent or Seal Your Fate
Ahhh, classic Eurothrash with power metal elements. This brings to mind bands like Paradox and Poltergeist. Chunky, galloping riffs abound, and many of the tunes have memorable melodies. Singing in the harsher thrash style and melodic clean vocals are both present. This vocal mix combined with the classy power metal moments helps sustain my interest through all 14 tracks. Old school folks like myself should really get into these guys.
25. Non-Human Level - s/t
Non-Human Level is a solo project created by Darkane guitar player Christofer Malmström with Devin Townsend Band drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums and Darkane drummer Peter Wildoer on vocals. According to the band's page, "When Darkane had released their debut album in 1999 Christofer had a lot of ideas that maybe didn´t fit into the Darkane style but still was too good to just throw away." The interesting thing is NHL is fairly similar to Darkane's new disc, Layers of Lies, and that release is, albeit only partially, a throwback to Darkane's debut, Rusted Angel. So I guess I don't understand artists, but I do know that both of Mr. Malmström's releases this year are quite good. The music on NHL consists of clinical and precise modern thrash with somewhat abrasive death vocals. Impressive lead work is freely sprinkled throughout the tunes, and there are extended instrumental passages. I would not classify this as complex, but each track is quite busy and involved. Not a lot of conventional hooks or groove are on display. However, if you like frenetic, aggressive metal with a high degree of musicianship, NHL should do the trick.
1. System of a Down - Mezmerize
Crazy, I know. I never listen to the radio. I don't shop at Hot Topic. I never liked what I had heard of their previous material. However, my street cred be damned, I love this psychotically fun and catchy disc. The riffage is really quite crunchy and immense, and the tunes are very infectious. I love the off-kilter vocals too, and I sing along to all of the tunes (a rarity for me, as you can imagine). Their approach is refreshing. No band really comes to mind as an apt comparison. No 2005 release has invigorated me more than Mezmerize.
2. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
No really, I don't shop at Hot Topic. Look at the rest of my list, tr00 metal warrior, before you dismiss me as a complete baggy pants-wearing joke. Again, I never paid any attention to these mainstream teen idols, nor did I care for their music. However, this disc blew me away. The nu-metalisms are kept to a minimum (really just the "hauh, hauh, hauh" chanting in most of the songs), and the excellent melodic metal flows. The vocals are brilliant, and every tune has a sing along chorus. Sure, the music itself is not challenging, but the songs are put together very well. I am absolutely amazed that a very popular band could come out with a release this enjoyable to a metalhead like me.
3. Dark Tranquillity - Character
OK, they're big in the metal world, but we're at least getting out of the mall with this one, right? I like DT through Projector, but I did not care for Haven at all. Damage Done did not really grab me much. Character, however, shocked me. This is clearly my favorite DT release. Never have these guys so successfully created consistently engaging songs with a wonderful symbiosis of aggression, atmospherics, and hooks. Keyboards are used to great effect, but none of the band's savage edge is lost. This is a very compelling release. Character is easily one of the best melodic death discs in my collection.
4. Biomechanical - The Empires of the Worlds
Biomechanical have taken their approach on their good debut Eight Moons, have improved on every aspect of their music, and have added many new twists and turns. I still classify them as dark power metal in the American style, but they have gotten considerably more aggressive, heavier, and thrashier. The music is also more diverse than the tunes on the debut. Multiple points of comparison came to mind while listening, but Biomechanical have their own sound. The obvious Nevermore (Dreaming Neon Black), Queensryche (O:M), and Judas Priest (Painkiller) benchmarks have carried over from Eight Moons and been expanded upon, but this new disc is also very thrashy, with classic Pantera as an obvious reference point, both musically and vocally. Vocalist John K still often sounds like a more energetic and vibrant Halford or Tate, but his style on several tunes recalls Cowboys era Anselmo to some extent. Some have found this CD too chaotic or disjointed, but it works very well for me. We need more adventurous power metal like this.
5. Infernal Poetry - Beholding the Unpure
Another interesting progressive death metal release from Italy! The country has something special going on in their underground metal scene. Beholding the Unpure is an engaging album that does not appear to be clearly influenced by any of the major players (Death, Atheist, Cynic) in the complex death field. A good portion of the music is not particularly complex, but there are many embellishments that spice things up considerably, including the use of voice (breathing sounds, etc.) as part of the soundscape. This release places Infernal Poetry in the company of some of my favorite bands (Gory Blister, Aydra, Hypnotheticall, etc.) from the Italian complex extreme metal world.
6. Protest the Hero - Kezia
These guys are a tremendously promising find. They seem to be branded as a core band, but they have so much more going on than the bands in the genre (even the good bands - you know, the ones I like
). PtH's guitarwork is an amalgamation of metalcore sledgehammer breakdowns, classic thrash structures, and lots of fluid leads and melody lines. The vocalist almost always sings cleanly, and his vocals are a cross between those of an alterna-core band like Swift and the singers of bands like Realm and Toxik back in the day. The song structures are often complex - lots of interesting twists and turns, but without journeying down the path of dissonant noisetechcore. I have not heard a metalcore-type band this promising since Reflux, and these guys are significantly more exciting to me than that band.7. The Shattering - The Shattering Begins
A late entry in 2005 and one of the best, albeit with a serious flaw. This disc is firmly in the complex deathgrind camp led by Spawn of Possession and Psycroptic, but unlike so many of the bands vying for a piece of the pie in this genre, The Shattering holds their own. They are not yet top tier, but their guitarwork is quite impressive and fluid. The rhythm section is adequate, but they are not at the same level as the axe handlers. In addition, the thin production for the drums, especially the snare (of course), is pretty bad, and I am not much of a sound snob. Despite this shortcoming, this release slays and is a must for fans of the genre.
8. Delian League - Truth in Chaos
If you like chunky, aggressive, classy American power metal with the occasional thrashy edge (as many of the good American power metal bands have), you need to check these guys out. When listening to Truth in Chaos, I am reminded of two of my favorite releases in this genre, Division - Trinity and, to a lesser extent, Archetype - Dawning. Killer thick riffage abounds, yet fluid lead and melody work is often on display as well (though not nearly as much as on Dawning). I am also reminded occasionally of GracePoint's newer material on the Full Circle demo with respect to some of the song structures (though GP's music is definitely more involved). To top off the references, I hear a touch of Metallica's Black Album on Truth in Chaos. Certainly, DL's vocalist sounds a bit like older Hetfield, but the huge, crisp power/thrash riffs remind me of the better songs on Metallica's initiation into the mainstream.
9. Fear My Thoughts - Hell Sweet Hell
Yes, there are many, many melodic thrashy death bands out there these days. It's the Newer Wave of Euro Melodic Death (Gothenburg is not as happenin' a few years into the new millennium). Few releases in the genre, however, kick as much ass as Hell Sweet Hell. The obvious point of comparison for this disc is Soilwork's seminal A Predator's Portrait. The proficient, catchy riffage and melodic choruses are quite notable on Hell Sweet Hell, although the clean vocals are limited to the choruses of a few tracks. I hear some Arch Enemy circa Anthems of Rebellion in the crunchy guitar playing as well. This is a very energetic disc that I liked right from the start. A must buy for fans of this style of metal.
10. Aletheian - Dying Vine
I have gone back and forth on this disc over the course of the year. I initially thought it was too disjointed. Then I thought it was stellar complex death. Then my enthusiasm waned, and it was toward the bottom of my list. Now it's back up near the top. I think my opinion of Dying Vine has stabilized now. The playing on this disc is very impressive. Every song is chock full of twisted riffs and frenetic lead work, which probably accounts for at least half of every song. If you need to latch onto a riff to get into a song, Aletheian are definitely not for you. The drumming is equally as involved and breathtaking. The vocals are the definite weak point for me. Death and black metal approaches are used - the grunting is no big deal, but the blackened rasps are annoying. The sparingly used clean singing lines are rather weak as well. I hear a little Atheist and a tiny bit of Death on Dying Vine, but the most apt comparison is to Aydra's great sophomore full length, Hyperlogical Non-Sense. Dying Vine is a no-brainer for all aficionados of complex death metal.
11. Trivium - Ascendancy
Am I back in the food court leering at jailbait with this one? I don't think so. I am not sure how popular this metalcore band currently is, but they sure know how to write catchy, yet heavy tunes. With the exception of one song that comes a little too close to Green Day for comfort, I could easily see fans of thrash and melodic death getting into these guys. One of the best of the melodic metalcore bands in the Killswitch Engage mold, Trivium has all of the elements down: a good mix of aggressive and clean vocals, crushing riffage, and hooks aplenty.
12. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
This is how I love my prog metal. The music on The Fullness of Time is consistently dynamic, and the playing is of a high caliber, yet it retains a definite edge and keeps the cheese to a bare minimum. In fact, the musical, and especially the lyrical, content of this release actually elicits a considerable visceral reaction from me. Lyrics rarely make any kind of impact on me, but the emotional prose of this disc is crafted well enough to command my attention. Alder's vocals do the lyrics justice and then some. The often crunchy and varied guitarwork and interesting drumming stand out for me as well. This disc crushes the band's debut, which I liked. The Fullness of Time clearly stands out in the realm of prog metal as a very affecting and engaging release.
13. Volbeat - The Strength, The Sound, The Songs
This is just a damn fun disc. Michael Poulsens vocals are absolutely stellar. He evokes comparisons to many others (Hetfield, Danzig, and, of course, Elvis come to my mind), but he definitely has his own vibe going on. The hook-laden music ranges from chunky, almost thrashy, riffage to groovy metal with a strong rock feel, to their cover of the Bay City Rollers "I Only Wanna Be With You". It is a testament to Volbeats skills that I do not simply tolerate their 60s influence and rock sensibilities; I embrace them.
14. Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design
OK, this bears a strong resemblance to Depeche Mode era Soilwork. It also completely annihilates anything Soilwork has done after A Predator's Portrait. It's all here - infectious, chunky riffage, great leads, and a vocalist that nails both the gruff and the sappy clean vocals. Some of these tunes are embarrassingly catchy. This is simply an extremely well constructed and appealing CD.
15. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
This really grew on me to the point that I now place it third in Nevermore's discography behind The Politics of Ecstasy and Dreaming Neon Black. The band members' obvious musical proficiency is highlighted much more than on their past two discs, and some absolutely killer riffage and pounding drumming is the result. Dane is in fine form as well, delivering memorable melodies on many of the tracks. Several of the tunes, "Born", "Acid Words", "Bittersweet Feast", and "Medicated Nation", can easily hold their own against my favorite Nevermore material. The rest of the disc is not as inspiring, but its appeal has strengthened over time. I am very glad to see these guys back on their A game.
16. Destruction - Inventor of Evil
Ever since their good, if uneven, comeback release, All Hell Breaks Loose, Destruction have been on a downward slide. The Antichrist was so-so, and Metal Discharge was completely uneventful. Imagine my surprise when I first heard Inventor of Evil, the band's best release since Release from Agony. It's in the same style as the past three discs, but there are so many immense riffs on display that I am overjoyed during the first two-thirds of this CD. The drumming is also invigorating and very accomplished. Unfortunately, as with all modern Destruction releases, the quality decreases toward the end of the CD. However, the highs are much higher on Inventor of Evil, and the lows are not as low. Another kick ass metal surprise in 2005.
17. Kreator - Enemy of God
I thought Violent Revolution was a good comeback for Kreator, but I never thought they could fully regain their vicious mojo. I was wrong. Enemy of God is a real ass kicker, and it is my second favorite Kreator disc next to the godly, I mean demonic, Terrible Uncertainty. All the aggression and razor sharp classic riffage is here, but it feels very fresh. The songs are arranged quite well. Although they have successfully captured their classic sound,. they have also added some welcome melody. This disc gives me hope that old thrashers can still create vital releases in the modern metal world.
18. System of a Down - Hypnotize
This is similar to Mezmerize, in general, but it has a few shortcomings its companion CD does not. There are not nearly as many monstrous riffs on Hypnotize, and most of the tracks are not as absurdly catchy as those on my #1 release of 2005. The material on Hypnotize is also not as gleefully entertaining, though several songs are as inspired as those on Mezmerize. Finally, the last few tracks do not do much for me, so the disc ends on a down note. Obviously, despite these criticisms, I really enjoy this release. I'm still somewhat in shock, actually. To try to soothe myself, I repeat my new mantra: banana banana banana terra cotta pie terra cotta pie.
19. Kenos - Intersection
Italian creativity knows no bounds, apparently. Yet another progressive death metal band from the land of pasta rears its quirky head. Kenos are more eclectic than most of their peers, as they incorporate many different styles into their lengthy songs. Most of the music is not extremely intricate, but odd meters and twisted riffs pop up throughout the album. The band's strength really seems to be their penchant for fusing somewhat disparate musical styles into a cohesive and engaging amalgamation. The adventurous metalhead should definitely familiarize themself with the creations of Kenos.
20. Totem - Day before the End
This is some quality modern thrash with death vocals hailing from the burgeoning Polish extreme metal scene. Totem throw a lot into the mix on Day before the End. Crunchy thrash riffage and fluid leads are almost omnipresent, though they occasionally change things up with a string of clean vocals or a slower passage. The energy rarely dissipates for long though. This is a very strong debut with impressive guitarwork. I just wish there were more than seven tracks on the album. Day before the End is hard to find, but it is definitely worth tracking down.
21. Between the Buried and Me - Alaska
This was a real pleasant surprise for me. These guys did nothing for me with their previous noisecore outings, but Alaska has really impressed me. This is easily the most eclectic release in my list, as it blends complex death, prog metal, melodic death, noisecore, and acoustic ambience (the only element I am not too keen on - thankfully, there's not too much of it). The level of musicianship is very high on this release, and the songwriting has a unique flair. The material is quite chaotic at times, but it never devolves into dissonance like so many of the complex noisecore bands do. This is a very adventurous disc that deserves to be heard by anyone with an open mind and a tolerance for a bit of chaos and a lot of aggression.
22. Symbyosis - On the Wings of Phoenix (2 disc set)
Yet another trendy release that blends the music of Ram-Zet - Escape, Andromeda - II=I, and Coroner - Mental Vortex with growling death vocals. That sound hasn't hit big in your neck of the woods yet, you say? Well, then maybe Symbyosis has something going for them after all. The guitarwork is the highlight of the music with plenty of impressive leads and the occasional odd meter or serpentine riff. Keyboards add some nice textures as well. I think Disc 1 would find an audience among fans of regular prog metal if not for the extreme vocals. Oh well, their loss. Disc 2 is not as eventful as its jewel case roommate. Four inconsequential cover tunes and nine originals, half of which have been available on-line for a long time now, populate the CD. Several of the older tracks understandably harken back to the harsher Fear Factory meets Dream Theater approach on their debut full length, Crisis. The other songs are more ethereal in nature and contain many instrumental passages. I should mention that this is an independent release that was funded by preorders from the metal faithful. The packaging is quite impressive with a booklet for each disc, chock full of cheesy, yet interesting and well rendered fantasy/surrealist graphic tableaux.
23. Byzantine - And They Shall Take Up Serpents
Byzantine is a refreshing metalcore band whose style is not by the numbers. Their songs are varied in approach and structure and offer some interesting arrangements. Although they have their quirks, they do not fail to consistently bludgeon the listener with their brand of thrashy core, which is infused with a large helping of Pantera circa Vulgar Display of Power. This influence can be heard in both the vocals and the riffage. That said, Byzantine is much more than another aggro band. Their music is not complex, but many of the tracks are quite atypical of the genre. If the majority of the disc was as good as the first four tracks, this would rank in my top 15. Overall though, a worthy followup to their promising debut.
24. Reckless Tide - Repent or Seal Your Fate
Ahhh, classic Eurothrash with power metal elements. This brings to mind bands like Paradox and Poltergeist. Chunky, galloping riffs abound, and many of the tunes have memorable melodies. Singing in the harsher thrash style and melodic clean vocals are both present. This vocal mix combined with the classy power metal moments helps sustain my interest through all 14 tracks. Old school folks like myself should really get into these guys.
25. Non-Human Level - s/t
Non-Human Level is a solo project created by Darkane guitar player Christofer Malmström with Devin Townsend Band drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums and Darkane drummer Peter Wildoer on vocals. According to the band's page, "When Darkane had released their debut album in 1999 Christofer had a lot of ideas that maybe didn´t fit into the Darkane style but still was too good to just throw away." The interesting thing is NHL is fairly similar to Darkane's new disc, Layers of Lies, and that release is, albeit only partially, a throwback to Darkane's debut, Rusted Angel. So I guess I don't understand artists, but I do know that both of Mr. Malmström's releases this year are quite good. The music on NHL consists of clinical and precise modern thrash with somewhat abrasive death vocals. Impressive lead work is freely sprinkled throughout the tunes, and there are extended instrumental passages. I would not classify this as complex, but each track is quite busy and involved. Not a lot of conventional hooks or groove are on display. However, if you like frenetic, aggressive metal with a high degree of musicianship, NHL should do the trick.
