My Top 30 of 2007

[Harvester]

Disclaimer: I am not a music critic. I don't analyze rhythms. I don't count beats. I leave it to everyone else to tell me who is in what pitch on what scale. There is no method to my madness other than I like good music with a good hook and good vocals. This list does not succumb to politically correct standards associated with booking bands. It does not succumb to trying to impress people with any sort of bullshit knowledge or air of superiority. I like what I like.

Drum roll....


1. Nightwish- Dark Passion Play: My #1 disc of the year has a “poppy” female vocalist fronting it. Between the awesome hooks and Marco stomping my nads, I’m in heaven. The Kentucky Derby between War, Famine, Conquest, and Death is officially on.




2. Circus Maximus- Isolate: If you think I’m going to write another word about this disc after posting a 500,000 word essay earlier, you are just as insane as the dude on this disc. It’s called a search option.


3. Volbeat- Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil: Punk rockabilly? Sounds like Johnny Cash meets Elvis meets Life of Agony (how many care what that guys name was?). Hell, I even read a Stray Cats/Barry Bonds comparison. Regardless of how you describe it, I can dance to it.



6. The Poodles- Sweet Trade: It took a Danish dude with a skullet and picky as hell ears to convince me how great this disc before I would even listen to it. I was an idiot to wait so long. Gloriously cheesy 80’s stuff with just enough twists (insert prog snob reference: Rough Silk style music) to get me shaking my groove thang.



9. Fair to Midland- Fables from a Mayfly: What I Want to Tell You is True : I don’t know either. I like it though.




You get 20 more instead of 10 because I’m a caring guy:

11. Nation Beyond- The Aftermath Odyssey : This year's Mindcrime.
12. Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon: Tim soun....
13. Primal Fear- New Religion: No more JP worship, results better than ever.
14. The Showdown- Temptation Comes My Way: Down & dirty southern stomp.
15. Raintime- Flies & Lies: Bodom meets Skid Row
16. Kamelot- Ghost Opera: Almost a bit too polished, but great anyway.
17. Pagan's Mind- God's Equation: Slides a bit with the loss of the warmth.
18. Pathosray- Pathosray: Crunchy prog & great hooks = awesome debut.
19. Dimmu Borgir- In Sorte Diaboli: Danny Elfman's goat slaughter works for me.
20. Helloween- Gambling with the Devil: A honest surprise for me.
21. Ride the Sky- New Protection: What Masterplan should sound like.
22. Therion- Gothic Kabbalah: For when I don't know that style I want to listen to.
23. Anubis Gate- Andromeda Unchained: Rage for Order vibe.
24. Threshold- Dead Reckoning: PitSoD. 'Nuff said.
25. Sun Caged- Artemisia: Warmest prog disc I heard this year.
26. Allen/Lande- The Revenge: Like the music matters....
27. Nocturnal Rites- The 8th Sin: hook metal like I like it...some fillers though.
28. Gamma Ray- Land of the Free II: My expectations were too high I'd say.
29. Serenity- Words Untold & Dreams Unlived: I expect a masterpiece next time.
30. Awake- Illumination: Hits the Evergrey fix I have perfectly.

 

[booB]

1. Nightwish- Dark Passion Play: My #1 disc of the year has a “poppy” female vocalist fronting it. Between the awesome hooks and Marco stomping my nads, I’m in heaven. The Kentucky Derby between War, Famine, Conquest, and Death is officially on.

After all the flack I saw this one getting, I'm surprised to see it as anyone's #1... I'm no Nightwish fan, but I have to admit I like this stuff better than their previous output. If I can be made an After Forever fan, I could theoretically be made a Nightwish fan, too.

5. Thunderstone- Evolution 4.0: Ahhh..the “what the fuck” mentality continues. Those that have listened to this closely know how awesome the *songs* are. That’s right…the songs. Those that only gave it a few spins gave up too soon. Those didn’t bother because it was “Thunderstone” probably liked DC Cooper’s tiger goatee so it’s hopeless anyway.

Agree 100% with your comments... "Down With Me" is one of my favorite songs, period. I'm glad to see this on your list, as it's my #1.

12. Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon: Tim soun....

Now that's fucking funny.

 

[PurpleCrayonWriter]

Great post, Glenn!

I agree with 75% of your picks, especially #1. I can't seem to take Nightwish's Dark Passion Play out of my CD player. A few of the songs are so good that I leave them on repeat all day long while I write. (The Celtic-flavored instrumental "Last of the Wilds," for example. God, I love that song!)

Symphony X's Paradise Lost contains one of my all-time favorite songs: The title track, another tune I can leave on repeat all day long. I can't sing a note, but I can't help singing along with Russell on that one. What an incredible melody! Perfection.

Redemption's The Origins of Ruin is also in my top 10 for the year. That album has it all: killer lyrics, gorgeous melodies, and crunchy guitar riffs.

I must admit I'm diggin' Volbeat's Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. Infectious stuff.

I'm not familiar with a few bands on your list. But I love discovering new music. So your Top 30 will serve as an inspiration to me to explore new sounds.

Thanks for taking the time to post this!

Bill

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Good list, Harv !! The Volbeat, Pathosray, and Fair To Midland were all fairly close to making my list. They probably would have been on it had I spent just a bit more time with each of them. By the way .. Fair To Midland was pretty cool live .. saw them with Zod, and Dark One over at Wacken.

What ... no Amorphis ?? Have you listened to their last two? I'd think it might appeal to you, but who knows.

Britt

 

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

Great selections, Glenn! There's a few on here that I'm unfamiliar with or haven't had a chance to pic up yet, so maybe I'll have to do some more listening before I finalize my own Top of 2007 list.
I have to say that I was surprised to not see Threshold up the list further, but there was a lot of good music this year and everyones tastes vary.

I can't seem to take Nightwish's Dark Passion Play out of my CD player.

Unfortunatly, I can't seem to get this one into my CD player, as for some ungodly reason it refuses to play in my car stereo, which is where I listen to the majority of my music. Grrr... I've heard it and know I like it, but I will have to make a purposful effort to give it a few more listens before the completion of my top list for this year.

 

[Dark One]

What ... no Amorphis ?? Have you listened to their last two? I'd think it might appeal to you, but who knows.

Yep - obviously I have no idea if Glenn heard Silent Waters or Eclipse, but I've definitely talked to several people who checked one or the other out after finally realizing that they are actually kicking ass again.

Nice list Glenn, looks like I really have to give that new Nightwish the attention it deserves.

Jason

 

[Harvester]

If I would have continued with the rankings, the new Amorphis would have been in the next 10.

 

[Perditions Ghost]

I definitely agree with some of your picks, though my #1 slot goes to a different female-fronted band (Epica). There's a few bands on there that I haven't heard, so I'll also be using this list to check them out.

 

[Cheiron]

No Lizzy Borden? I'm shocked.

BTW good album Glenn. If you haven't listened to it, I think you'll like it a lot.

Glad somebody else is propping Thunderstone's new album. Its really good.

As for Machine Head, I do need to listen to it. At first I thought you said Diamondhead and I was going to tell you that you had one of the worst albums of the year up there =p

I'm also a little surprised not to see Astral Doors up there. But I don't think they got to my list yet either, as I haven't had enough time to fully absorb it.

I guess I should check out Hardcore Superstar and.... the Poodles...

 

[speedy1383]

Good list. I was pleasantly surprised how much I have enjoyed the new Nightwish album. Still don't think Annette is a better singer than Tarja. The group just needs to limit the wailing that she does on future albums because she clearly struggles when tries it.

I would have the Threshold album higher up. Wonderful album. The Symphony X album has grown with me with each listen. I really like it now after being indifferent with it in the beginning.

The Thunderstone album just hasn't done it for me. I really love the group, but there has been a fall off since The Burning album. Maybe I will give this album a few more spins to see if my opinion has changed on it. I just don't think the lead singer (now ex-lead singer) seems interested or committed to this material.

The Primal Fear album is very good. I have really enjoyed the last 2 albums by them. Surprised that After Forever didn't make the top 20. Their new album is pretty good.

Very glad that the Sebastian Bach album didn't make it. Too much wailing and not enough singing.

 

[General Zod]

Interesting. Some stuff I like, some stuff I don't. If I did a Top 30 list, we'd have 8 discs in common.

Zod

 

[Harvester]

If I did a Top 30 list, we'd have 8 discs in common.

Zod

That's probably more than you would have thought eh?

 

[Rider of Theli]

gotta get me some Poodles... yeah, The Poodles. I already love Jakob's voice on The Ring and I love 80's music, so this is a no-brainer.

there's a few more on this list I never gave a chance I may have to check out, and also a few I may have to re-visit.

Thanks Glenn!

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

THERION's "Gothic Kabbalah" ran away with the best of 2007 for me! The new NIGHTWISH is very good and I prefer the non-operatic to the operatic vocals. I LOVE TO DEATH KAMELOT's "Ghost Opera"! Far and away my favorite by them. "The Black Halo" was just way too mellow and proggy for me. GO was more to the point and more hook laden, IMO. I loved it!

 

[MetalAges]

Well I just finished digging more on The Poodles. Quite the deceiving name!

Really digging this band. I was trying to figure out who the heck they reminded me of and once I heard "Metal Will Stand Tall" it hit me - Dream Evil. They have a more symphonic Dream Evil type style - loving it.

Now - where the heck to get the albums without paying out the wazzu.

 

[Harvester]

Now - where the heck to get the albums without paying out the wazzu.

Both are $9.99 on I-tunes.

 

[MetalAges]

Ah very nice. I had a little over $20 left of my Christmas money - now it shall be spent.

And I revise my description of The Poodles to: a more symphonic Dream Evil with some Midnight Sun thrown in.

 

[Yippee38]

After watching that Nightwish video I have to ask: Has anybody else noticed that when women "squeeze the grapefruits", they're really "squeezing the breasts"?

Of all the female fronted bands I like, I've been disappointed with all of their current releases, though After Forever's is growing on me. I don't think I've listened to the new Nightwish, Epica and Within Temptation more than a dozen times between them.

 

[J-Man]

Love the list, I think we have also 8 to 10 in common, with #1 being the same. I was sueprised to see Fair To Midland, but happy as hell, these guys have paid a lot of dues and it's time for them, Oh by the way their live show is kick-ass.

 

[Jibrille]

Funny you mentioning the Life of Agony sound in Volbeat. In an episode of The Office, Dwight is listening to a Life of Agony song in his car and my boyfriend told me he swore it was Volbeat.