Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. Although it’s been a pretty shitty year for me personally, I have had the chance to buy and listen to most of the music I wanted to. Not everything I wanted to, but overall I was able to get the main CDs I wanted. I think 2010 was a better year for metal than 2009, and was a great year for my favorite genre, THRASH! This year my list has my Top 16 instead of just 10.
#16: FIREWIND - Days of Defiance (Media Book Edition)
‘Days of Defiance’ is the sixth album for Firewind, and is yet another solid release for Greek guitarist Gus G and his main band. (Gus is now Ozzy’s guitarist as well.) I own everything Gus has played guitar on, and he never disappoints. This album fits in nicely with the other classics Firewind have recorded. The only difference line-up wise from the last album is that former Metalium drummer Michael Ehre has now replaced Mark Cross, and he does a great job. Standout tracks include “World On Fire,” “Chariot,” and “Kill In The Name of Love.” Stellar artwork and packaging - I really recommend buying the limited edition “Media Book Edition” of this CD, it comes with a sticker, guitar pick and three excellent bonus tracks.
#15: HOLY GRAIL - Crisis In Utopia
This band came out of nowhere for me this year. I had never heard them before seeing them on tour with Exodus, and they blew me away with their youth and energy. I picked up their ‘Improper Burial’ EP and enjoyed it. ‘Crisis In Utopia’ came out right after that and features two re-recorded tracks from that EP, “Fight To Kill” and “Immortal Man.” I really dig this band, they’ve got a modern metal sound that nods to old school thrash and an excellent vocalist in James Paul Luna.
#14: EXODUS - Exhibit B: The Human Condition
The sticker on the front of this CD reads: “12 songs of super fast, aggressive and epic technicallity.” I’d have to agree with that description. Put the CD in, and an acoustic intro segues another punishing lesson in pissed-off violence. Bay-area thrash legends Exodus are in top form on Exhibit B. I like this album even more than Exhibit A. Seeing the band perform some of these songs live this year confirmed my belief that this band is still among the best out there. Songs like “Hammer and Life,” “Downfall,” and one of my personal favorite songs of the year, “Burn Hollywood Burn” are great, angry fun. Andy Sneap’s production, mix and mastering is, as usual, crisp and dynamic. Colin Marks’ kick ass artwork is simply the icing on the cake.
#13: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - The Cold
For the record, Flotsam and Jetsam have been around since 1982– 28 years and counting! After 2005’s ‘Dreams of Death’ (easily the worst F&J album), I wondered if the band had enough inspiration to make another decent album (or another album at all). Well, ‘The Cold’ is a near-return to form for F&J. The best F&J albums are the ones where Eric AK is pissed off, and I’m happy to say that he is finally pissed off again! His lyrics and vocals are the heart and soul of F&J, and they are what makes this album. The music is solid, not the best the band has ever done, but no matter, the talent shines through. Tracks like “Take,” “Blackened Eyes Staring” and the melancholy of “Better Off Dead” are pretty pessimistic, but that’s the way the best F&J material sounds. “Black Cloud” is my favorite song of the year. The frustration in that song is real, and is something I identify with. Since this album was released, guitarist Mark Simpson has left the band, finally reuniting the guitar team of Ed Carlson and Michael Gilbert. Here’s hoping F&J can move forward with more good music. I’d love to see them work with a producer like Andy Sneap one day.
#12: GAMMA RAY - To The Metal!
No denying Gamma Ray are one of the greatest German power metal bands ever. Their last release, 2007’s ‘Land of The Free II’ was good, but did not blow me away. I like ‘To The Metal!’ a lot more and I think the title track is one of the best songs they’ve ever written, even if it is fairly simple for Gamma Ray. Check out “All You Need To Know” for another taste of the early Helloween era, as the song features guest vocals by Michael Kiske. “Shine Forever” and “Chasing Shadows” are blistering speed metal anthems. The double disc digibook is a pretty sweet design, even though the “Making of” DVD is nothing special. In the end, this really is a fun album. The credits say: “Produced by the Spirit of Freedom - Hell yeah!” That pretty much says it all. Hail to the Metal!
#11: CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED
The awesomely-named Charred Walls of The Damned is a project comprised of metal veterans Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Sadus, Testament, Futures End) on bass, Richard Christy (Iced Earth, Death, Control Denied) on drums, Tim “Ripper” Owens (Yngwie, Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Beyond Fear) on vocals and guitarist/producer Jason Suecof (producer of this CD, Trivium, Death Angel and many other bands). CWOTD have a death/speed metal sound on most songs, with a little tech metal thrown in. It’s great to hear a band this heavy without ‘cookie monster’ vocals, which I am not usually a fan of. Lead-off track “Ghost Town” remains my favorite, although I really like “Manifestations,” “The Darkest Eyes” and "Fear In The Sky" as well. This is one of my favorite Tim Owens performances, he sounds great and hits high notes all over the place. There are also loads of excellent harmonies as well. The star of this CD is Richard Christy, who wrote all the music and lyrics and lets loose with tons of sick double bass drumming throughout. At nine tracks, the CD clocks in at only 35 minutes, but it is a satisfying 35 minutes. This CD was recorded right up the road from me in Sanford, Florida. It comes with a ‘Making of’ DVD (seems like a lot of bands are doing these now) which is pretty hilarious in parts. I love this band, I hope they continue to make music together.
#10: HELLOWEEN - 7 Sinners
Sony is touting this album as a “return to form.” Not sure why, as Helloween are in the prime of their career, and are really firing on all cylinders. ‘7 Sinners’ has 13 up-tempo songs, only one of which is a ballad (“The Smile of The Sun.”
Some of the best songs they’ve ever written are on this album: “Where The Sinners Go” and “Are You Metal?” lead off the album and are solid anthems. Then Saxon’s Biff Byford provides a spoken intro to the pummeling “Who Is Mr. Madman?” My two favorite songs are “Raise The Noise” (check out the flute solo!) and the speed/thrash metal of “Long Live The King,” both of which capture the rollicking euphoria I love about Helloween. I would put “Long Live The King” (written by Deris) up against any other song this year. That song destroys! I also dig “The Sage, The Fool, The Sinner.” Andi Deris sounds awesome, the guitars and bass sound great, and drummer Dani Loble’s drumming is phenomenal and takes the band into thrash territory occasionally. (Third album now with him behind the kit.) The album cover/artwork is one of their best as well, I really dig the move away from cartoonish covers.
#9: FORBIDDEN - Omega Wave (Digibook Edition)
The sticker on the front claims this CD is “The most anticipated metal album of the year.” I’m not sure if that’s true, but this is a far, far better album than people are giving Forbidden credit for. This is not just a comeback for a great thrash band, this is a manifesto. It’s been eight long years since ‘Green’ was released and the band sounds determined to make up for lost time. (‘Omega Wave’ is Forbidden’s fifth album.) Russ Anderson’s voice has served him well and he sounds awesome on ‘Omega Wave.’ The current lineup of Forbidden features Anderson, Craig Locicero on guitar, Matt Camacho on bass, as well as new members: All-star guitarist Steve Smyth (Nevermore, Testament, Vicious Rumors, etc.) and drummer Mark Hernandez (ex- Heathen and Vio-Lence). I love the build-up of intro “Alpha Century,” leading into the blast of “Forsaken At The Gates.” Great opening for the album. My favorite track, “Overthrow” follows, featuring background vocals by Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza and Chuck Billy, which sound downright vicious! “Adapt or Die” is definitely one of the best songs on the album. Other great songs include “Dragging My Casket” and “Inhuman Race.” Appropriately, after beginning with “Alpha Century,” the album ends with “Omega Wave,” the title track, and one of the best songs on the album. The album has a simple, yet killer cover and layout that references the ‘Forbidden Evil’ album. I had high hopes for Forbidden in 2010, and I was not disappointed. The successful tour with Overkill revealed them to be still at the top of their game.
#8: HEATHEN - The Evolution of Chaos
More Bay-area thrash! ‘The Evolution of Chaos’ is a monumental comeback for the legendary Bay-area band Heathen, whose prior albums ‘Breaking The Silence’ and ‘Victims of Deception’ are classics of the genre. Some have called this new album a “masterpiece of modern thrash,” and I couldn’t agree more. This is actually only Heathen’s third proper album, their first in 19 years! (2004’s ‘Recovered’ is considered an EP.) There are special guests galore on this album, like ubiquitous bassist Steve DiGiorgio, vocalist Rob Dukes and guitarist Gary Holt of Exodus, and legendary Bay-area guitarist Terry Lauderdale. Every song on this album is solid, standout cuts being “Dying Season,” “Arrows of Agony,” and “Undone.” At over 11 minutes in length, the centerpiece of the album is “No Stone Unturned,” which features an acoustic interlude, a fretless bass solo by DiGiorgio, and a thrashing shout-along chorus at the end. Vocalist David White (aka David Godfrey) still sounds great, but he does not hit the crazy high notes much anymore. The guitars are the perfect tone, still capturing the Heathen sound. Really, it’s the quality of the songwriting that keeps you coming back for more listens. The production is top notch, and the album features great artwork by Travis Smith as well. Clocking in at over 68 minutes, ‘The Evolution of Chaos’ is well worth the investment.
#7: SINBREED - When Worlds Collide
Sinbreed is based in Wiesbaden, Germany, and ‘When Worlds Collide’ is their debut album. It is mainly a project of German guitarist Flo Laurin, which features him on guitar and keyboards, along with vocalist Herbie Langhans (Seventh Avenue), drummer Frederik Ehmke (Blind Guardian) and bassist Alexander Schulz. It is full-speed ahead fist-pumping metal all the way. This is the kind of album I can throw in the car and drive 100 miles per hour. 'When Worlds Collide' fills the need for no-frills power metal, yet has enough sophistication to keep you coming back for repeated listens. I love to sing along with songs like “Newborn Tomorrow” and “Dust To Dust,” but really the whole album is enjoyable.
#6: BLIND GUARDIAN - At The Edge of Time (2-Disc Deluxe Digipak Edition)
Nuclear Blast Records says it best: “Blind Guardian possess a track record and back catalogue of classic staples that perhaps only Iron Maiden can match.” 'At The Edge of Time' stands proudly alongside all the classic Blind Guardian albums. Any year we are blessed with a new Blind Guardian album is a good year, and the band is at the top of their game in 2010. The album begins with a slow building, soaring intro to “Sacred Worlds,” the longest song on the album at over nine minutes. It picks up steam and blasts off three minutes into the song. The orchestration and horns are interesting additions. “Tanelorn" follows with Hansi Kursch’s trademark soaring vocals. “The Road of No Release” is next, a track that may have been at home on the ‘Nightfall In Middle Earth’ album. Killer chorus, and one of the best songs on the album. “War of The Thrones” is an excellent ballad. “A Voice In The Dark,” was the first single/video from the album, and is my favorite track. That song and “Wheel of Time” probably have the best choruses on the whole album. “Wheel of Time” is a pretty orchestral track, and mixes in horns and some arabic beats in the middle section. (There is a more orchestral version of this song on the bonus disc.) Great guitar work from Andre and Marcus. Bass is again played by Oliver Holzwarth. Frederik Ehmke has to be mentioned again. His drumming is superb, and he contributes flute and bagpipes as well. Gorgeous artwork and layout by Felipe Franco, which is mainly Egyptian-themed, although there are some different pieces in the 28-page booklet. The digibook comes with a bonus disc that features a video, demo tracks, and other assorted extras like a cover of Australian singer John Farnham’s hit song “You’re The Voice.” There is also a code that you can enter on the Nuclear Blast website to download exclusive content, like photos, wallpapers and (what sounds like a demo) version of “Valkyries.” Can’t recommend this album enough!
#5: ANGELS OF BABYLON - Kingdom of Evil
Angels of Babylon are a melodic power metal band assembled by Holy Hell drummer Rhino (aka the best drummer Manowar ever had.) Rhino began compiling the songs on ‘Kingdom of Evil’ over the past couple years, choosing to wait until he had the right lineup to complete his vision. Angels of Babylon features metal vets David Ellefson on bass, Ethan Brosh on guitar and former Masi and Hawk vocalist David Fefolt. (Fefolt previously worked with Rhino in the band Forgotten Realm.) Fefolt states: “I think this album will surprise a lot of people due to its classic metal sound, but with such majestic arrangements throughout.” And it’s true, it was a surprise to hear such high-quality songs from a project like this. The album has 13 songs, the first nine are classics in my opinion. The music is great, but the star of this album is Fefolt. His vocals are stellar, especially on “Night Magic,” “Tear Out My Heart,” “Tarot” and the title track. Also, he has a nice duet with Jeannie Lavelly on “House of Pain.” There are some cool drum fills by Rhino, especially on “Night Magic,” “Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen” and “Kingdom of Evil.” Probably a surprise that ‘Kingdom of Evil’ would make my top 5, but I love it. The CD stayed in my player for a long time this year. In a perfect world, AOB would sell a million copies of this album. Metal Heaven released this album after its initial release on Burnhill Union Records. I highly recommend tracking it down.
#4: DREAM EVIL - In The Night (Digibook Edition)
I love Dream Evil and this is my favorite album of theirs since the debut. Dream Evil’s positive energy cannot be denied. The first time you hear them, you may question if they are for real or not. Are these guys really that into metal and ‘winning the fight?’ After five albums, two EPs and a compilation-- it’s no doubt, yes -- Dream Evil are the ambassadors of Heavy Metal! These songs really get your head banging and your first pumping. The production is immaculate and this album is sonically perfect. After the initial punch in the face of “Immortal,” the instant classic title track announces “Hail Metal!” and from then on, it’s classic cut after classic cut. “Bang Your Head,” “See The Light” and “Electric” are favorites. The whole album is a headbanger’s delight. The digibook has 2 awesome bonus tracks, “Good Nightmare” and “The Return.” (The Japanese version has two more bonus tracks: “Save Yourself" and "Black Hole.") Gustavo Sazes’ artwork is worth mentioning, as it’s my favorite album cover of the year, and the photography/layout in the booklet is simply awesome. Great idea with the alter-egos. Can’t wait to see them live at ProgPower next year!
#3: HELSTAR - Glory of Chaos
If you haven’t been following Helstar since they reformed, then you are missing out on one of the best bands in the world. Their 2008 release ‘The King of Hell’ was awesome and the album they released this year, ‘Glory of Chaos’ will totally shred your face off! There aren’t too many bands with the ferocity of Helstar. “Angels Fall To Hell,” “Pandemonium” and “Bone Crusher” are favorites from this album. Bonus points for the song “Dethtrap” for being based on the movie “Cube.” Vocalist James Rivera can still peel the paint off the wall with his voice, the guy is amazing. This album is heavy as hell power metal, with speed and thrash influences. Helstar have been on AFM Records since reforming in 2007. There are 12 songs, all being totally ass-kicking, except for the last song, which is an instrumental outro. The album also contains two bonus tracks, covers of Saxon’s “Heavy Metal Thunder” and Scorpions’ “Animal Magnetism.”
#2: ACCEPT - Blood Of The Nations (Bonus Track Edition)
Accept’s resurrection is easily the comeback of the year, if not the decade! Former T.T. Quick singer Mark Tornillo stepped in and really saved the day. Simply a great metal album, really inspiring. Every song is worth repeated listens. “Teutonic Terror” is one of my favorite songs and videos of the year. Also love “Locked and Loaded,” “Rolling Thunder” and the title track. The bonus track edition is worth buying for the song “Time Machine.” Accept totally killed at ProgPower this year.
#1: OVERKILL - Ironbound
Overkill celebrates 30 years of existence in 2010 and ‘Ironbound’ is their 15th studio album. They are the most reliable and persistent band in heavy metal and they still sound hungry on ‘Ironbound,’ which is the culmination of progression through the last several albums. The band is at their peak, and they sound absolutely venomous! Standout tracks are, well...all of them, but I am particularly fond of “The Green and Black,” “Bring Me The Night,” “Give A Little” and the title track. Overkill sound incredibly tight. Bobby Elsworth’s voice has never sounded better and Ron Lipnicki’s drumming is absolutely blistering. This is just a fun album to listen to. Their tour with Forbidden, Evile, etc. cemented Overkill as one of the top bands in the business. Also one of the best album covers of the year. Kneel down and worship at the thrash altar!
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Honorable Mentions (In no particular order):
Rhapsody - The Frozen Tears of Angels
Ratt - Infestation
Kamelot - Poetry For The Poisoned
Pretty Maids - Pandemonium
Death Angel - Relentless Retribution
Jon Oliva’s Pain - Festival
Therion - Sitra Ahra
Allen-Lande - The Showdown
Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy
Masterplan - Time To Be King
Virgin Steele - The Black Light Bacchanalia
Favorite Songs:
Flotsam and Jetsam - “Black Cloud” - Best lyrics of the year.
Overkill - “Ironbound” “Bring Me The Night”
Dream Evil - “See The Light”
Angels of Babylon - “Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen”
Accept - “Rolling Thunder” “Teutonic Terror”
Exodus - “Burn, Hollywood, Burn” - I couldn’t have said it better than this song does.
Forbidden - “Overthrow”
Heathen - “No Stone Unturned”
Firewind - “World on Fire”
Halford - “The Mower” - Only wish the rest of the album was this awesome.
Sinbreed - “Dust To Dust” Cool video for this song.
Helloween - “Raise The Noise” (Flute solo!) “Long Live The King”
Favorite Album Covers:
1. Dream Evil - In The Night
2. Firewind - Days of Defiance
3. Overkill - Ironbound
4. Blind Guardian - At The Edge of Time
5. Jon Oliva’s Pain - Festival
6. Kamelot - Poetry For The Poisoned
7. Heathen - The Evolution of Chaos
8. Therion - Sitra Ahra
9. Helloween - 7 Sinners
10. Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition
Favorite CD Layouts:
1. Dream Evil - In The Night (Digibook)
2. Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition
3. Blind Guardian - At The Edge of Time (Digibook)
4. Kamelot - Poetry For The Poisoned (Digibook)
Favorite Videos:
Accept - “Teutonic Terror”
Blind Guardian - “A Voice In The Dark”
Exodus - “Downfall”
Helloween - “Are You Metal?”
Kamelot - “The Great Pandemonium”
Firewind - “World On Fire”
Favorite Books:
Mustaine - (Dave Mustaine autobiography)
Mean Deviation - Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal - by Jeff Wagner
Tattoos and Tequila - Vince Neil
White Line Fever - (Lemmy autobiography. No, it didn’t come out this year, but I just read it this year.)
Hit Hard - Joey Kramer autobiography (Ditto)
Slash - Slash autobiography (Ditto)
Thanks for reading. Sorry for any typos.
Have a great New Year!
-Alex