I'm sure I'll take some shit for some of my selections. Oh well.
Top 25
Nevermore "The Godless Endeavor" (Dark Power/ Progressive/Thrash Metal) - in a word, brilliant. This is one of those rare discs where every song on the disc has (at one point or another) been my favorite. Dane hasn't sounded this energized since "Dreaming". Smyth's addition has clearly fueled Loomis’ creative fire. And in doing so, the two have instantly become the most ferocious duo in Metal.
Redemption "The Fullness of Time" (Progressive/Power Metal) – talk about a shock. To say I was under whelmed with the debut would be an understatement. Well, apparently Nick has been shooting musical steroids, because this CD is a fucking beast. Everything is better; the melodies, the musicianship, and by leaps and bounds, the lyrics. On the debut, the lyrics were of no consequence. However, "The Fullness of Time" is introspective and intense. If the opening of “Parker’s Eyes” doesn’t send a chill down your spine, check your pulse. Ray Alder hasn’t sounded this good in years.
Primordial “The Gathering Wilderness” (Pagan/Folk/Black Metal) - I wrote an entire review for this CD (http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188468), so I’ll be brief. Intense, immense, beautiful, passionate, powerful, original, amazing. Don’t be scared off my the genre classification. The vocals are mostly clean, and completely amazing. I encourage anyone open-minded to give this a listen.
Circus Maximus “The 1st Chapter” (Progressive Metal) – this disc just didn’t click for me. Then I had the chance to see Circus Maximus perform all but the title track live. Wow. I don’t recall ever being caught that off guard by a performance. Michael Eriksen’s vocals are simply flawless. These kids have a real bright future in front of them.
Novembers Doom “The Pale Haunt Departure” (Opethian Death) – prior to this release, I had never heard a Novembers Doom song. Consequently, the amazing quality of this CD caught me by surprise. Paul’s Death style vocals may be better than even Akerfeldt’s. The lyrics are top notch, and the music and the production are equally stellar.
Riverside “Second Life Syndrome” (Post Rock/Neo Prog) - this sophomore effort picks up where the debut left off. However, there’s a growing sense of maturity within the songwriting. It’s hard to speak of Riverside and not mention Piotr Grudzinski. His guitar play on this disc is astounding.
Kamelot “The Black Halo” (Power Metal) – this CD left me flat, then didn’t leave my player for two months, and now has begun to collect dust in my CD rack. However, it represents a return in quality, after the horribly dull “Epica”. This is Kamelot, so you know what you’re getting; melodic Power Metal, with Khan’s awesome voice.
Dead Soul Tribe “The Dead Word” (Progressive Rock/Metal) – this band intrigued me with their debut, but quickly bored me as their second and third releases seemed stagnant. However, things have really fallen into place on their latest. While the Toolisms remain, DST does the one thing that the current Tool doesn’t; write great songs, free from meandering, over-bloated self-indulgence. “To my Beloved” and “A Fistful of Bended Nails” are themselves worth the price of the CD.
Trivium “Ascendancy” (Melodic Death)– “dude, they’re NuMetal. They’re Mallcore. Just look at them.” It’s ironic that a band whose roots lie closer to Maiden, than 99% of what’s more readily tagged “Metal”, could ever be mistaken for anything other than a Metal band. But such is Trivium’s fate. Genre classifications aside, this disc kicks ass from beginning to end. Twin guitar leads throughout, stellar drumming, and Matt’s superb clean and Death vocals get me to crank the volume every time I fire this up.
Grand Magnus “Wolf's Return” (Power/Traditional Metal)– pure, old fashioned, classic Heavy Metal. Huge, killer riffs and soaring vocals. This disc is one fun listen.
Moonsorrow “Verisäkeet” (Pagan/Death/Black) – this disc would have been much higher on my list if the whole CD was of the same quality as “Haaska” (Track 2) and “Pimea” (Track 3). However, since those two tracks account for 28 minutes and 50 seconds worth of sensational music, it’s certainly a very worthwhile purchase.
Corrosion of Conformity “In the Arms of God” (Stoner/Hard Rock) – 2005 was the year I discovered CoC. Awesome, well played, edgy Hard Rock, with a Stoner/Southern tinge. Excellent vocals and a very cool vibe throughout.
Soilwork “Stabbing the Drama” (Melodic Death) – aside from In Flames, Soilwork is probably the most criticized band in Metal. However, where In Flames aren’t built to deliver a more melodic brand of Metal (Anders has the worst clean vocals on the planet), Soilwork are perfectly constructed to do so. This is the perfect disc for rolling down your windows on a late-May day, and cranking the stereo.
Sieges Even “The Art of Navigating by the Stars” (Progressive Rock) – another band I had heard of, but had never heard. I don’t often like Prog Rock. It usually lacks the intensity I want from my music. However, these guys manage to hold my interest by staying song focused, and delivering a well executed, consistent and original sound.
Old Man's Child “Vermin” (Black/Power Metal) – recent years have seen the popularity of bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth soar, as they blend Black Metal sensibilities with a Power Metal approach. However, both bands are inconsistent in terms of song quality. And where Dimmu and CoF have failed, Old Mans Child have succeeded. “Vermin” is a solid, consistent CD, that delivers a dark vibe with a ton of head banging goodness.
Frameshift “An Absence of Empathy” (Prog Rock/Metal) – this disc is really more about Sebastian Bach’s fantastic voice, than anything else. I forgot just how unique, how passionate and how intense his voice can be. It’s awesome to hear him sing this style of music.
Disturbed “10,000 Fists” – another band that “isn’t really Metal”. Yeah… whatever. Again, I’m not sure what’s not Metal about aggressive, guitar-centric music, that features well delivered vocals and often anti-Christian themes. Oh well. Cool disc.
Avian “From the Depths of Time” (Power Metal/Hard Rock) – what can I say? I’m a Lance King fan boy. Sue me!
Bruce Dickinson “Tyranny of Souls” (Power Metal) – after the total suckage that is “Tattooed Millionaire”, I had written off Dickinson’s solo career as unnecessary. This disc showed me how wrong I was. Though not as good as “The Chemical Wedding” (which I only recently purchased), it’s still better than anything Maiden has done in years.
Lanfear “aNother gOlden rAge” (Power Metal) – though these guys continue to move further from their progressive roots with each release, I still dig their sound, and more specifically the vocals of Tobias Althammer.
Order of Nine “Season of Reign” (Power Metal) - what drew me to these guys initially, was the Barlowesque vocals. However, what kept me intrigued was their dark, more American approach to Power Metal.
Savage Circus “Dreamland Manor” (Power Metal) – simply stated, if you like Blind Guardian, you’ll like Savage Circus.
Symphorce “Godspeed” (Power Metal) – although this band is a bit on the generic side, Andy’s vocals help to elevate them out of the obscurity they would otherwise be mired in. Nothing overly special going on here, but that’s OK. It’s a good, fun Metal CD.
Black Majesty “Silent Company” (Power Metal) – a solid sophomore effort from a good band, with a superb singer.
Blood Red Throne “Altered Genesis” (Brutal Death Metal) – machine gun riffing, crystal clear production, a good sense of groove and enough tempo changes to keep things from growing monotonous, allow these guys to separate themselves from their genre mates.
Most Disappointing
Zero Hour “A Fragile Mind” (Progressive Metal) – the long anticipated follow-up, to the amazing “Tower of Avarice”. Simply stated, Zero Hour have spit the bit. “A Fragile Mind” is tedious and uninspired. While it’s nearly impossible to replace a singer of Erik Rosvald’s quality, the Zero Hour twins needed to spend a bit more time holding auditions. That said, the singer isn’t the primary problem, bad songs are.
Opeth “Ghost Reveries” (Prog Rock/Death Metal) – this is not a bad disc. There are actually some moments on it that are truly exceptional. However, taken as a whole, the disc lacks the consistent high quality I’ve come to expect from Opeth.
Enslaved “Isa” (Black/Progressive Metal) – on their previous disc, “Below the Lights”, Enslaved’s music had an underlying atmospheric quality that sucked me in. That quality is no where to be found on their latest release.
Dark Tranquillity “Character” (Melodic Death Metal) – once again, not a bad disc. Just not as good as what I’ve come to expect from these Swedes. Truth be told, the disc’s tracks sound like leftovers from the “Damage Done” sessions.
Zod
Top 25
Nevermore "The Godless Endeavor" (Dark Power/ Progressive/Thrash Metal) - in a word, brilliant. This is one of those rare discs where every song on the disc has (at one point or another) been my favorite. Dane hasn't sounded this energized since "Dreaming". Smyth's addition has clearly fueled Loomis’ creative fire. And in doing so, the two have instantly become the most ferocious duo in Metal.
Redemption "The Fullness of Time" (Progressive/Power Metal) – talk about a shock. To say I was under whelmed with the debut would be an understatement. Well, apparently Nick has been shooting musical steroids, because this CD is a fucking beast. Everything is better; the melodies, the musicianship, and by leaps and bounds, the lyrics. On the debut, the lyrics were of no consequence. However, "The Fullness of Time" is introspective and intense. If the opening of “Parker’s Eyes” doesn’t send a chill down your spine, check your pulse. Ray Alder hasn’t sounded this good in years.
Primordial “The Gathering Wilderness” (Pagan/Folk/Black Metal) - I wrote an entire review for this CD (http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188468), so I’ll be brief. Intense, immense, beautiful, passionate, powerful, original, amazing. Don’t be scared off my the genre classification. The vocals are mostly clean, and completely amazing. I encourage anyone open-minded to give this a listen.
Circus Maximus “The 1st Chapter” (Progressive Metal) – this disc just didn’t click for me. Then I had the chance to see Circus Maximus perform all but the title track live. Wow. I don’t recall ever being caught that off guard by a performance. Michael Eriksen’s vocals are simply flawless. These kids have a real bright future in front of them.
Novembers Doom “The Pale Haunt Departure” (Opethian Death) – prior to this release, I had never heard a Novembers Doom song. Consequently, the amazing quality of this CD caught me by surprise. Paul’s Death style vocals may be better than even Akerfeldt’s. The lyrics are top notch, and the music and the production are equally stellar.
Riverside “Second Life Syndrome” (Post Rock/Neo Prog) - this sophomore effort picks up where the debut left off. However, there’s a growing sense of maturity within the songwriting. It’s hard to speak of Riverside and not mention Piotr Grudzinski. His guitar play on this disc is astounding.
Kamelot “The Black Halo” (Power Metal) – this CD left me flat, then didn’t leave my player for two months, and now has begun to collect dust in my CD rack. However, it represents a return in quality, after the horribly dull “Epica”. This is Kamelot, so you know what you’re getting; melodic Power Metal, with Khan’s awesome voice.
Dead Soul Tribe “The Dead Word” (Progressive Rock/Metal) – this band intrigued me with their debut, but quickly bored me as their second and third releases seemed stagnant. However, things have really fallen into place on their latest. While the Toolisms remain, DST does the one thing that the current Tool doesn’t; write great songs, free from meandering, over-bloated self-indulgence. “To my Beloved” and “A Fistful of Bended Nails” are themselves worth the price of the CD.
Trivium “Ascendancy” (Melodic Death)– “dude, they’re NuMetal. They’re Mallcore. Just look at them.” It’s ironic that a band whose roots lie closer to Maiden, than 99% of what’s more readily tagged “Metal”, could ever be mistaken for anything other than a Metal band. But such is Trivium’s fate. Genre classifications aside, this disc kicks ass from beginning to end. Twin guitar leads throughout, stellar drumming, and Matt’s superb clean and Death vocals get me to crank the volume every time I fire this up.
Grand Magnus “Wolf's Return” (Power/Traditional Metal)– pure, old fashioned, classic Heavy Metal. Huge, killer riffs and soaring vocals. This disc is one fun listen.
Moonsorrow “Verisäkeet” (Pagan/Death/Black) – this disc would have been much higher on my list if the whole CD was of the same quality as “Haaska” (Track 2) and “Pimea” (Track 3). However, since those two tracks account for 28 minutes and 50 seconds worth of sensational music, it’s certainly a very worthwhile purchase.
Corrosion of Conformity “In the Arms of God” (Stoner/Hard Rock) – 2005 was the year I discovered CoC. Awesome, well played, edgy Hard Rock, with a Stoner/Southern tinge. Excellent vocals and a very cool vibe throughout.
Soilwork “Stabbing the Drama” (Melodic Death) – aside from In Flames, Soilwork is probably the most criticized band in Metal. However, where In Flames aren’t built to deliver a more melodic brand of Metal (Anders has the worst clean vocals on the planet), Soilwork are perfectly constructed to do so. This is the perfect disc for rolling down your windows on a late-May day, and cranking the stereo.
Sieges Even “The Art of Navigating by the Stars” (Progressive Rock) – another band I had heard of, but had never heard. I don’t often like Prog Rock. It usually lacks the intensity I want from my music. However, these guys manage to hold my interest by staying song focused, and delivering a well executed, consistent and original sound.
Old Man's Child “Vermin” (Black/Power Metal) – recent years have seen the popularity of bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth soar, as they blend Black Metal sensibilities with a Power Metal approach. However, both bands are inconsistent in terms of song quality. And where Dimmu and CoF have failed, Old Mans Child have succeeded. “Vermin” is a solid, consistent CD, that delivers a dark vibe with a ton of head banging goodness.
Frameshift “An Absence of Empathy” (Prog Rock/Metal) – this disc is really more about Sebastian Bach’s fantastic voice, than anything else. I forgot just how unique, how passionate and how intense his voice can be. It’s awesome to hear him sing this style of music.
Disturbed “10,000 Fists” – another band that “isn’t really Metal”. Yeah… whatever. Again, I’m not sure what’s not Metal about aggressive, guitar-centric music, that features well delivered vocals and often anti-Christian themes. Oh well. Cool disc.
Avian “From the Depths of Time” (Power Metal/Hard Rock) – what can I say? I’m a Lance King fan boy. Sue me!
Bruce Dickinson “Tyranny of Souls” (Power Metal) – after the total suckage that is “Tattooed Millionaire”, I had written off Dickinson’s solo career as unnecessary. This disc showed me how wrong I was. Though not as good as “The Chemical Wedding” (which I only recently purchased), it’s still better than anything Maiden has done in years.
Lanfear “aNother gOlden rAge” (Power Metal) – though these guys continue to move further from their progressive roots with each release, I still dig their sound, and more specifically the vocals of Tobias Althammer.
Order of Nine “Season of Reign” (Power Metal) - what drew me to these guys initially, was the Barlowesque vocals. However, what kept me intrigued was their dark, more American approach to Power Metal.
Savage Circus “Dreamland Manor” (Power Metal) – simply stated, if you like Blind Guardian, you’ll like Savage Circus.
Symphorce “Godspeed” (Power Metal) – although this band is a bit on the generic side, Andy’s vocals help to elevate them out of the obscurity they would otherwise be mired in. Nothing overly special going on here, but that’s OK. It’s a good, fun Metal CD.
Black Majesty “Silent Company” (Power Metal) – a solid sophomore effort from a good band, with a superb singer.
Blood Red Throne “Altered Genesis” (Brutal Death Metal) – machine gun riffing, crystal clear production, a good sense of groove and enough tempo changes to keep things from growing monotonous, allow these guys to separate themselves from their genre mates.
Most Disappointing
Zero Hour “A Fragile Mind” (Progressive Metal) – the long anticipated follow-up, to the amazing “Tower of Avarice”. Simply stated, Zero Hour have spit the bit. “A Fragile Mind” is tedious and uninspired. While it’s nearly impossible to replace a singer of Erik Rosvald’s quality, the Zero Hour twins needed to spend a bit more time holding auditions. That said, the singer isn’t the primary problem, bad songs are.
Opeth “Ghost Reveries” (Prog Rock/Death Metal) – this is not a bad disc. There are actually some moments on it that are truly exceptional. However, taken as a whole, the disc lacks the consistent high quality I’ve come to expect from Opeth.
Enslaved “Isa” (Black/Progressive Metal) – on their previous disc, “Below the Lights”, Enslaved’s music had an underlying atmospheric quality that sucked me in. That quality is no where to be found on their latest release.
Dark Tranquillity “Character” (Melodic Death Metal) – once again, not a bad disc. Just not as good as what I’ve come to expect from these Swedes. Truth be told, the disc’s tracks sound like leftovers from the “Damage Done” sessions.
Zod
Top 3 for sure.
