Welcome to the big pain in the ass Top 50 of 2016 list! There may be another month left, but I have received essentially all of the unreleased discs for this year I’m interested in. I encourage you to take your time with sampling all of the music below. I guarantee you missed a few gems along the way.
For those unfamiliar, this is my annual post where I put politics and label/band relationships aside. You get my honest thoughts on the releases that caught my interest this past year across numerous heavy rock/metal genres.
Disclaimer:
a. This list caters to my personal taste, not the full spectrum of metal genres. If you are looking for tons of death metal, black metal, whateverthefuckcore metal, or anything like that…move along...nothing to see here.
b. I do not rank albums based on pure musical instrumentation ability or sonic clarity. While I fully believe technical chops demonstrate musical superiority in many aspects, I also think it is just as hard to write a *good* hook that draws a listener back again and again. Furthermore, a passionate vocal delivery that adds emotional depth to the lyrics wins out over power/range most of the time.
c. There is no right or wrong to this list. Music is a subjective listening experience. My opinion is no more valid than yours if we are on opposite sides of the fence.
d. I do not listen to every single release. If your favorite disc did not make the list, I may simply not have heard it…or I could have thought it sucked.
e. Keep in mind a highly ranked disc in any genre may not make the list. For example, the 10th best power metal disc of the year is not there. It’s still a great record, but there are only so many slots.
f. I may have simply forgotten a release. I reserve the right to insert a disc into the list at any time. It happens every year.
Onward….
50. Noveria- Forsaken: The band’s debut was pure Symphony X worship. They don’t stray too far from that formula here either. I will say that the slower moments veer more towards DGM territory. While not reaching the heights of either of those bands, they do a nice job of carrying the torch in this style. I don’t need the wheel reinvented with my music every time. Just give me a good song.
49. Grand Magus- Sword Songs: If you are looking for the most manly chorus in metal this year, look no further. “Viking Metal! Bring you to your knees.” That’s just Manowarian glorious. The rest of the power metal world can have their elves, unicorns, & dancing fairies. I’d rather drink beer in some dive bar with a Grand Magus.
48. Fallujah- Dreamless: Is it ok to call a disc brutally ambient? Truth be told, this is a dark progressive death metal disc that teeters here and there with some technical chops. I’d actually rank this a bit higher, but the songs start to blend too much as the disc goes on. Warning: If you cannot handle growls, then move your wussy ass along.
47. Spellcaster - Night Hides the World: Screw re-thrash. “Retro” traditional metal is where it’s at. Clean vocals, clean leads, clean melodies…it doesn’t get much better for this child of the 80’s. I’d like to give special props to the lead guitar player in the video. Sunglasses at night..check. Bon Jovi jacket...check. High kicks galore..check. Points at me after a shredding solo and smiles…check. This entire disc just gets a big fucking check from me.
46. Whispered- Metsutan: Songs of the Void: Samurai metal from Finland! That’s right, fucking Finland. The band blends their scorched earth style of melodic death metal with far Eastern folk influences. It’s Kabukis gone wild.
45. Universal Mind Project- The Jaguar Priest: Nils K. Rue, Mark Jansen, Diego Valdez, Charlie Dominici, Henrik Bath are just some of the names that appear on this fantastic melodic prog/power debut from guitarist, Michel Alexander. The real revelation are the vocals of newcomer, Elina Laivera. She anchors the disc while the others come and go in a cohesive maelstrom.
44. Serenity- Codex Atlanticus: Kamelot’s little brother has stepped out beyond the shadows and cemented their status in the symphonic power metal genre. Georg’s melodramatic vocals drip with a conviction that is not easy to pull off without being cheesy. He is Gouda free. Is this their best release? Nope. However, it’s still a deserving entry in their catalog.
43. Withem- The Unforgiving Road: While Circus Maximus zigged in this style, Withem continued to zag. They have the traditional melodic Prog metal formula down perfectly already. It’s just a matter of good songwriting going forward. I still think their best is yet to come.
42. Sirenia- Dim Days of Dolor: Sirenia have always been just one step behind the “name” bands of their genre a la Epica, After Forever, and even Delain now. They have had a bit of an identity crisis with their style over years in terms of combining elements of aforementioned bands. Regardless, any fan of symphonic beauty & beast metal needs to check it out.
41. Airbourne- Breakin’ Outta Hell: Sometimes, I just want to drink beer and crank the volume. I don’t want to analyze production, read lyrics, or ponder the meaning of life. I just want to laugh or break shit. Airboune does this for me as the bastard child of AC/DC.
40. Devilment- II: The Mephisto Waltzes: For the record, I despise Cradle of Filth. I hate Dani’s shrieking vocals on those discs. However, here he restrains himself just enough the majority of the time here with a more gritty approach. I do have to mention that I really enjoyed when he goes into his Oliva vocal cadence (check out the video around the 50 second mark for an example). It’s a campy Broadway show gone to hell.
39. Almanac- Tsar: On paper, I didn’t understand how this would work. David Readman, Andy Franck, & Jeannette Marchewka (who?) would perform triple threat vocals. Was this going to be Victor Smolski’s powermetal Amaranthe? Nope. It ended up being one of the more anthemic power discs this year with outstanding choruses. The balls & chunk style is always welcomed.
38. Edensong- Years in the Garden of Years: Let’s ask the obvious question with this disc? Are you man (or woman) enough to handle shredding lead flute solos? I mean the kind that would make Ian from Jethro Tull envious? If you said yes, this disc is essential to check out. It’s Prog rock with elements of everything- folk, symphonic, classical guitar, Dream Theaterisms, etc. It’s a complex & exhausting undertaking straight through. The 9 part title track takes up the majority of the album (“Chronos” is an amazing instrumental). Themere mention of that should give a few of you old fart proggers a bit of wood.
37. Theocracy- Ghost Ship: Theocracy deserve a wider audience. Matt has taken the old school Edguy approach and ran with it. If you miss those type of riffs and choruses from Tobias, this is for you. Unfortunately, the vast majority of power metal heads continue to refuse the band simply because of thelyrical content. I guess they simply cannot handle that much positivity in their life.
36. Mob Rules- Tales from Beyond: This gem cane and went a bit too quickly. It deserved more hype as they really took their melodic power metal to the next level here. They wear their influences on their sleeves with nods to Maiden, Savatage, and others. Despite being around forever, they are one of power metal’s best kept secrets
35. Dynazty- Titanic Mass: The band has developed into melodic Power metal black ice. They are simply slick as hell. The disc is really just a continuance of “Retanus” and that is more than acceptable with me. Nilsdeserves to be recognized as one of the vocal elite. Arjen & Tobias need to take note next time around on their projects.
34. Tarja- The Shadow Self: It’s always nice to welcome back the lady that truly helped define a genre. I’m like everyone else in in that I long for the days of her fronting some bouncy, symphonic music. You are not going to get that here. What you do get is a vast improvement from the prior album in terms of both diversity& heaviness. This was quite the surprise.
33. Primal Fear- Rulebreaker: While many Power metal veterans have floundered with recent releases, PF continue their winning streak of traditional Power metal. They write some of the best damn crushing riffs in heavy metal. Check out the video link if you gave up on them a while back.
32. Pain- Coming Home: It’s always tough when a band follows up a release that you consider one will never be topped. I stand by that as “You Only Live Twice” is just a monster album that will remain at the apex of Peter’s career. “Coming Home” continues to diversify the band further away from the industrial vibe of prior releases. There is a wicked sense of humor found in the tongue-in-cheek lyrics in more than a few of the tunes. This one is for those that don’t take life too seriously & want a little something different in their metal.
31. Eternal Deformity- No Way Out: Devin Townsend goes Black metal? Cradle of Filth goes Prog? The answer lies somewhere in between. This one is not for the lighter crowd as they mix blackened vocals, deathgrunts, and some cool Alice in Chain type harmonies everywhere. The other reason I dig it is because it has so much more groove than full-on blast beat shit.
30. Katatonia- The Fall of Hearts: While it takes an act of congress to get the majority of Katatonia fans to agree on what is their best release, all will agree that this is a damn good disc. The grooves are still there, but the melodies are a bit more luscious. They are inching closer and closer to the Anathema world of Prog with excellent results.
29. Testament- Brotherhood of the Snake: The battle vest and white-high tops crowd can shut up for a second. None of the older Thrash bands will ever reach their early career heights. That said, Testament (andOverkill as well) continue to put out quality releases. Chuck sounds fierce and the riffs are neck breaking. I honestly wouldn’t mind if they went even heavier in the future despite being a bigger fan of the “Souls of Black” era.
28. Be’lakor- Vessels: I’m late to the party on this band as I had not heard a note prior to this release. That is huge regret. For those unaware, they are a Melodic Death metal band that appeals to your Prog senses witha dreamy, thick atmosphere & acoustic passages. Highly recommended for old Opeth fans that like to bitch.
27. Delain- Moonbathers: At the risk of getting my ass beaten by my wife, Delain lost me with the last two releases. They were just too pop oriented for me. I'm happy to say that I'm totally back on board as their previous Symphonic/heavier (relatively speaking) vibe has returned. In fact, I rank this just behind "April Rain" in their discography.
26. Bind Ego- Liquid: Excellent heavier Prog rock that was an unheralded discovery. The disc would have ranked even higher if Arno (Subsignal) had done all of the vocals (there are three different vocalists). This release is more song oriented than instrumental wankery. The world would be a better place if more bands took that approach. This song is just beautiful:
25. Nordic Union- Nordic Union: Eclipse & Pretty Maids are at the top of the Melodic rock genre right now. It’s a no brainer that a union of Erik & Ronnie would produce an outstanding slab of catchy as hell hooks. Don’t over think this one.
24. Utopia- Mood Changes: It is an absolute crime that this did not get any hype in the Prog world when it was released. This just has that extra “it” factor with hooks & chops that flavor the music instead of drowning it. Those that want some crunchy Prog that doesn’t sound like DT, check them out.
23/22. Fates Warning- Theories of Flight/Redemption- The Art of Loss: Yes, this is a chicken shit move. However, I’m being honest. Obvious Ray comparisons aside, I cannot choose which I prefer more. One has more vocal melody lines and the other is superior in musical chops. There should be a rule where both bands cannot release music in the same year.
21. Dream Theater- The Astonishing: A friend of mine said, “I love this because it is like one 3 hour song.” That is the exact same reason it didn’t make my top 20. I couldn’t tell you what I heard on about half of the 2 discs even after repeated listens. You would think I hated the disc based on that. Wrong. It is still miles above the wannabees when it comes to musicality. They are just on another plane of existence in that regard. The bottom line is that I need more hooks to hang in there for that long of a listen. I need Scenes, Part II.
20. Pretty Maids- Kingmaker: I cannot think of another band who has made such as strong comeback this late in their career. It may be heresy, but I actually prefer the last 3 releases over any earlier era. While most Melodic rock bands tend to lighten up as they grow older, PM did the opposite. They are one of the few that add some balls to the genre.
19. Striker- Stand in the Fire: Take everything I said about Spellcaster and magnify it times ten for this disc. The disc is even further elevated as they also crank it up into traditional Power (perhaps a bit of NWoBHM?) as well with some galloping riffs & sky high vocals. This makes me proud to be a child of the 80’s.
18. Innerwish- Innerwish: One of the few bands that truly put the power into Power metal this year. They took the mantle from Brainstorm and ran like hell with it. They keep this up and I won’t retire without them getting a shot on stage in Atlanta.
17. Pervy Perkins- ToTeM: They are officially categorized as “experimental Prog rock.” In actuality, it’s the most fucked up disc I heard this year. Seriously. It’s like watching Adult Swim at 4:00am while tripping on acid. There are some sort of lyrics on there, but I was too busy trying to get my ears adjusted to the wild stylechanges & mood swings to even bother trying to focus on the Minion cult chanting. I have set the video to start off in the middle of the disc with the 23 minute cut. Hang in there till at least the 40 minute mark before you say a word.
16. Sunburst- Fragments of Creation: I cannot help but be obvious. The first thing I thought was Conception meets Nevermore. Gus’s shotgun riffing, along with Vasilis’s glorious Khan-esque pipes, combine for a one-two star punch that a lot of bands are missing these days. There really isn’t another band out there playing this style.
15. Fractal Cypher- The Human Factor: The band’s debut hits this chart with a bullet. They play a style that hasn’t been heard much of since Andromeda’s “Extension of the Wish.” In other words, it is heavy as fuck melodic Prog. Now, they do add the djenty picking along with some grunts here and there to sound modern enough. I see huge potential for these guys down the road.
14. Borknagar- Winter Thrice: Don’t hate me, but I have never been a big Borknagar fan. That changes with this release. Why? Primarily, because of the emphasis on clean vocals & harmonies by everyone (Eagles of Progressive Death Metal?). Don’t get me wrong though as the bleak Scandinavian frost of despair (along with the blast beats) still permeates the disc & pummels the shit out of your skull.
13. Lords of Black- II: This captured my attention due to two specific things: 1. Ronnie’s amazing voice. 2. Their use of a building crescendo that simply explodes. The combination brings an emotional intensity to the entire disc that few melodic/power discs rarely capture in their best songs. “Ghost of You” is damn near flawless.
12. Avantasia- Ghostlights: Anyone that can make Tate sound good these days deserves a medal. It’s the best song he has performed in 20 years. This is also the strongest Avantasia disc from Tobias since the debut. The songs perfectly match up with their guest vocalist. That is becoming a lost art form in the drowning world of all-star projects.
11. Epica- The Holographic Principal: Epica have done something extremely rare. They have stuck to their guns and gone from being part of a genre to being the genre. There is absolutely no one that comes close totheir mastery of the symphonic, beauty & beast style currently. This disc seems a bit less bombastic with the choirs & orchestration than in the past. That works well for me as it keeps it fresh.
10. Heaven Below- Good Morning Apocalypse: A concept album from a band that arose from Sunset Strip? Hell, yes….and a fantastic one at that. While it does have plenty of ass-shakin’ &bangin’ moments,
it is far deeper than the awesome single (damn, it gets the blood boiling) would have you believe. It just flat out rips in places. Guests include Jason McMaster, Kobra Paige, Udo Dirkschneider, & Lita Ford. I probably would have ranked it higher if I hadn’t been turned on to it so late.
9. DGM- The Passage: A band that is truly hitting their stride in all aspects. The disc ebbs & flows with crunch/melody/speed/atmosphere/Prog/etc. “The Secret Parts 1 & 2” are arguably one of the best songs of the year. I’d also like to proclaim that Simone ranks up there with the best guitarists of the genre.
8. Ihsahn- Arktis: Ihsahn continues to elevate his game with each release. It takes sheer genius to mesh catchy as hell melodies with a sheer sense of harsh, cold terror. One minute you are singing along with his fantastic clean vocals….the next your veins freeze full of ice with his trademark blackened vocals. If hell would ever freeze over here in Georgia, I cannot wait to spin it on a cold, winter night.
7. Allegaeon- Proponent for Sentience: Hell yes, a technical death metal disc just made the list! I have no idea about actual notes, scales, etc. Even lacking that knowledge, I still shake my head in awe watching these guys play. I have a hard time defining the difference between technical and progressive when it comes to labels, but they get both this time out. They add so many unique things that keeps it from just being a brutal aural assault. Check out the Spanish guitar they add on the video below:
**Bonus!!! They also released the best cover song this year (clean vox) as well. You *must* check this Rush cover out regardless of how lazy a bastard you truly are:
6. Southern Empire- Southern Empire: We now head in the opposite direction with a combination of classic rock & classic Prog. There are two things that jump out at you immediately: the choruses & extended musical jams. Think Toto, Yes, and the Eagles in a blender. It’s easy listening Prog. Props on the awesome soprano sax solos.
5. Haken- Affinity: All it took was the opening chords of “1985” and I fell in love with this disc. The nostalgia for the music of that decade just overwhelmed me. Add in the traditional approach of “The Architect,” and it only took Haken two songs to prove they are among the genre’s elites.
4. Neal Morse- The Similitude of a Dream: Let’s get this obvious out of the way. Portnoy won this round of the double concept albums. The big difference is this is chock full of individual songs that stick in your head. I make no secret of my love for bands (not projects) that use multiple vocalists & radio-friendly harmonies a la The Eagles. Furthermore, the pacing of the album allows both the music and your mind to breath instead of drowning. I cannot say that about certain other double concept albums.
3. Myrath- Legacy: This one hit me right in the Prog/Power gonads. I must have watched the video for “Believer” 20 times straight when it first hit. It didn’t end there as they delivered one great song after another (“all killer, no filler”). I’m manly enough to admit that I practiced my white boy belly dancing moves more than once while spinning this.
2. Evergrey- The Storm Within: I think the only surprise here for most that know me is it wasn’t #1 for this fanboy. Every Evergrey release is a personal journey for me. They are one of the few bands whose lyrics mean just as much to me as the music. There is such a different feeling when you able to become the character singing instead of just listening to them. What takes this specific release to another level is something missing in 99.9% of metal albums, *Love &Hope.* And yes…the big 6 ft. Swedish mangina is still my favorite vocalist on the planet.
1. Devin Townsend- Transcendence: I’m going to leave you with a note I wrote to Devin that I posted previously online to explain why this is an album I will never forget. I won’t share what Devin replied to me. Just know that I will forever be a fan.
“I want to take a moment to personally thank Devin Townsend. However, it is not for the reason you think. I'm not thanking him for being the nicest guy in "Lower Mid-Tier Prog Metal". I'm not thanking him for the fantastic performance this year at the fest that reminded me of why I still do this after all these years. I'm not even thanking him for all the amazing music over the years.
I want to thank him for "Stormbending."
There are times when a song transcends art. It brings out powerful emotions in you that you try to keep hidden from the rest of the world. It wraps its lush arms around you and takes you on a majestic journey from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. It can be a lyric that reminds you of someone. It can be a melody that brings back a single thought that makes you smile although you don't truly understand why. There is no exact science as to why a song connects with us on a deep, personal level. We simply all experience music in different ways.
I imagine standing on the beach staring into the darkness of the ocean. Memories of my mother continue to drown me in sorrow. Dawn beings to break. The sky begins to turn into the most beautiful collage of colors I have ever witnessed. "Stormbending" is the soundtrack playing that only I can hear. My sadness begins to lift as the music plays. The line, "Your soul: let if fly," whispers to me through the crashing of the waves. It's at that exact moment that I see my mom smiling at me from the clouds as they being to brighten. I shed a tear, but I know she is proud of me. Things are going to be ok.
Thank you, Devin. That scene will forever be a part of me.”
Complete youtube playlist for reference (courtesy of Jen): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLKbU7H3GVFKONJE7fugccVoCAlvv2xp3
For those unfamiliar, this is my annual post where I put politics and label/band relationships aside. You get my honest thoughts on the releases that caught my interest this past year across numerous heavy rock/metal genres.
Disclaimer:
a. This list caters to my personal taste, not the full spectrum of metal genres. If you are looking for tons of death metal, black metal, whateverthefuckcore metal, or anything like that…move along...nothing to see here.
b. I do not rank albums based on pure musical instrumentation ability or sonic clarity. While I fully believe technical chops demonstrate musical superiority in many aspects, I also think it is just as hard to write a *good* hook that draws a listener back again and again. Furthermore, a passionate vocal delivery that adds emotional depth to the lyrics wins out over power/range most of the time.
c. There is no right or wrong to this list. Music is a subjective listening experience. My opinion is no more valid than yours if we are on opposite sides of the fence.
d. I do not listen to every single release. If your favorite disc did not make the list, I may simply not have heard it…or I could have thought it sucked.
e. Keep in mind a highly ranked disc in any genre may not make the list. For example, the 10th best power metal disc of the year is not there. It’s still a great record, but there are only so many slots.
f. I may have simply forgotten a release. I reserve the right to insert a disc into the list at any time. It happens every year.
Onward….
50. Noveria- Forsaken: The band’s debut was pure Symphony X worship. They don’t stray too far from that formula here either. I will say that the slower moments veer more towards DGM territory. While not reaching the heights of either of those bands, they do a nice job of carrying the torch in this style. I don’t need the wheel reinvented with my music every time. Just give me a good song.
49. Grand Magus- Sword Songs: If you are looking for the most manly chorus in metal this year, look no further. “Viking Metal! Bring you to your knees.” That’s just Manowarian glorious. The rest of the power metal world can have their elves, unicorns, & dancing fairies. I’d rather drink beer in some dive bar with a Grand Magus.
48. Fallujah- Dreamless: Is it ok to call a disc brutally ambient? Truth be told, this is a dark progressive death metal disc that teeters here and there with some technical chops. I’d actually rank this a bit higher, but the songs start to blend too much as the disc goes on. Warning: If you cannot handle growls, then move your wussy ass along.
47. Spellcaster - Night Hides the World: Screw re-thrash. “Retro” traditional metal is where it’s at. Clean vocals, clean leads, clean melodies…it doesn’t get much better for this child of the 80’s. I’d like to give special props to the lead guitar player in the video. Sunglasses at night..check. Bon Jovi jacket...check. High kicks galore..check. Points at me after a shredding solo and smiles…check. This entire disc just gets a big fucking check from me.
46. Whispered- Metsutan: Songs of the Void: Samurai metal from Finland! That’s right, fucking Finland. The band blends their scorched earth style of melodic death metal with far Eastern folk influences. It’s Kabukis gone wild.
45. Universal Mind Project- The Jaguar Priest: Nils K. Rue, Mark Jansen, Diego Valdez, Charlie Dominici, Henrik Bath are just some of the names that appear on this fantastic melodic prog/power debut from guitarist, Michel Alexander. The real revelation are the vocals of newcomer, Elina Laivera. She anchors the disc while the others come and go in a cohesive maelstrom.
44. Serenity- Codex Atlanticus: Kamelot’s little brother has stepped out beyond the shadows and cemented their status in the symphonic power metal genre. Georg’s melodramatic vocals drip with a conviction that is not easy to pull off without being cheesy. He is Gouda free. Is this their best release? Nope. However, it’s still a deserving entry in their catalog.
43. Withem- The Unforgiving Road: While Circus Maximus zigged in this style, Withem continued to zag. They have the traditional melodic Prog metal formula down perfectly already. It’s just a matter of good songwriting going forward. I still think their best is yet to come.
42. Sirenia- Dim Days of Dolor: Sirenia have always been just one step behind the “name” bands of their genre a la Epica, After Forever, and even Delain now. They have had a bit of an identity crisis with their style over years in terms of combining elements of aforementioned bands. Regardless, any fan of symphonic beauty & beast metal needs to check it out.
41. Airbourne- Breakin’ Outta Hell: Sometimes, I just want to drink beer and crank the volume. I don’t want to analyze production, read lyrics, or ponder the meaning of life. I just want to laugh or break shit. Airboune does this for me as the bastard child of AC/DC.
40. Devilment- II: The Mephisto Waltzes: For the record, I despise Cradle of Filth. I hate Dani’s shrieking vocals on those discs. However, here he restrains himself just enough the majority of the time here with a more gritty approach. I do have to mention that I really enjoyed when he goes into his Oliva vocal cadence (check out the video around the 50 second mark for an example). It’s a campy Broadway show gone to hell.
39. Almanac- Tsar: On paper, I didn’t understand how this would work. David Readman, Andy Franck, & Jeannette Marchewka (who?) would perform triple threat vocals. Was this going to be Victor Smolski’s powermetal Amaranthe? Nope. It ended up being one of the more anthemic power discs this year with outstanding choruses. The balls & chunk style is always welcomed.
38. Edensong- Years in the Garden of Years: Let’s ask the obvious question with this disc? Are you man (or woman) enough to handle shredding lead flute solos? I mean the kind that would make Ian from Jethro Tull envious? If you said yes, this disc is essential to check out. It’s Prog rock with elements of everything- folk, symphonic, classical guitar, Dream Theaterisms, etc. It’s a complex & exhausting undertaking straight through. The 9 part title track takes up the majority of the album (“Chronos” is an amazing instrumental). Themere mention of that should give a few of you old fart proggers a bit of wood.
37. Theocracy- Ghost Ship: Theocracy deserve a wider audience. Matt has taken the old school Edguy approach and ran with it. If you miss those type of riffs and choruses from Tobias, this is for you. Unfortunately, the vast majority of power metal heads continue to refuse the band simply because of thelyrical content. I guess they simply cannot handle that much positivity in their life.
36. Mob Rules- Tales from Beyond: This gem cane and went a bit too quickly. It deserved more hype as they really took their melodic power metal to the next level here. They wear their influences on their sleeves with nods to Maiden, Savatage, and others. Despite being around forever, they are one of power metal’s best kept secrets
35. Dynazty- Titanic Mass: The band has developed into melodic Power metal black ice. They are simply slick as hell. The disc is really just a continuance of “Retanus” and that is more than acceptable with me. Nilsdeserves to be recognized as one of the vocal elite. Arjen & Tobias need to take note next time around on their projects.
34. Tarja- The Shadow Self: It’s always nice to welcome back the lady that truly helped define a genre. I’m like everyone else in in that I long for the days of her fronting some bouncy, symphonic music. You are not going to get that here. What you do get is a vast improvement from the prior album in terms of both diversity& heaviness. This was quite the surprise.
33. Primal Fear- Rulebreaker: While many Power metal veterans have floundered with recent releases, PF continue their winning streak of traditional Power metal. They write some of the best damn crushing riffs in heavy metal. Check out the video link if you gave up on them a while back.
32. Pain- Coming Home: It’s always tough when a band follows up a release that you consider one will never be topped. I stand by that as “You Only Live Twice” is just a monster album that will remain at the apex of Peter’s career. “Coming Home” continues to diversify the band further away from the industrial vibe of prior releases. There is a wicked sense of humor found in the tongue-in-cheek lyrics in more than a few of the tunes. This one is for those that don’t take life too seriously & want a little something different in their metal.
31. Eternal Deformity- No Way Out: Devin Townsend goes Black metal? Cradle of Filth goes Prog? The answer lies somewhere in between. This one is not for the lighter crowd as they mix blackened vocals, deathgrunts, and some cool Alice in Chain type harmonies everywhere. The other reason I dig it is because it has so much more groove than full-on blast beat shit.
30. Katatonia- The Fall of Hearts: While it takes an act of congress to get the majority of Katatonia fans to agree on what is their best release, all will agree that this is a damn good disc. The grooves are still there, but the melodies are a bit more luscious. They are inching closer and closer to the Anathema world of Prog with excellent results.
29. Testament- Brotherhood of the Snake: The battle vest and white-high tops crowd can shut up for a second. None of the older Thrash bands will ever reach their early career heights. That said, Testament (andOverkill as well) continue to put out quality releases. Chuck sounds fierce and the riffs are neck breaking. I honestly wouldn’t mind if they went even heavier in the future despite being a bigger fan of the “Souls of Black” era.
28. Be’lakor- Vessels: I’m late to the party on this band as I had not heard a note prior to this release. That is huge regret. For those unaware, they are a Melodic Death metal band that appeals to your Prog senses witha dreamy, thick atmosphere & acoustic passages. Highly recommended for old Opeth fans that like to bitch.
27. Delain- Moonbathers: At the risk of getting my ass beaten by my wife, Delain lost me with the last two releases. They were just too pop oriented for me. I'm happy to say that I'm totally back on board as their previous Symphonic/heavier (relatively speaking) vibe has returned. In fact, I rank this just behind "April Rain" in their discography.
26. Bind Ego- Liquid: Excellent heavier Prog rock that was an unheralded discovery. The disc would have ranked even higher if Arno (Subsignal) had done all of the vocals (there are three different vocalists). This release is more song oriented than instrumental wankery. The world would be a better place if more bands took that approach. This song is just beautiful:
25. Nordic Union- Nordic Union: Eclipse & Pretty Maids are at the top of the Melodic rock genre right now. It’s a no brainer that a union of Erik & Ronnie would produce an outstanding slab of catchy as hell hooks. Don’t over think this one.
24. Utopia- Mood Changes: It is an absolute crime that this did not get any hype in the Prog world when it was released. This just has that extra “it” factor with hooks & chops that flavor the music instead of drowning it. Those that want some crunchy Prog that doesn’t sound like DT, check them out.
23/22. Fates Warning- Theories of Flight/Redemption- The Art of Loss: Yes, this is a chicken shit move. However, I’m being honest. Obvious Ray comparisons aside, I cannot choose which I prefer more. One has more vocal melody lines and the other is superior in musical chops. There should be a rule where both bands cannot release music in the same year.
21. Dream Theater- The Astonishing: A friend of mine said, “I love this because it is like one 3 hour song.” That is the exact same reason it didn’t make my top 20. I couldn’t tell you what I heard on about half of the 2 discs even after repeated listens. You would think I hated the disc based on that. Wrong. It is still miles above the wannabees when it comes to musicality. They are just on another plane of existence in that regard. The bottom line is that I need more hooks to hang in there for that long of a listen. I need Scenes, Part II.
20. Pretty Maids- Kingmaker: I cannot think of another band who has made such as strong comeback this late in their career. It may be heresy, but I actually prefer the last 3 releases over any earlier era. While most Melodic rock bands tend to lighten up as they grow older, PM did the opposite. They are one of the few that add some balls to the genre.
19. Striker- Stand in the Fire: Take everything I said about Spellcaster and magnify it times ten for this disc. The disc is even further elevated as they also crank it up into traditional Power (perhaps a bit of NWoBHM?) as well with some galloping riffs & sky high vocals. This makes me proud to be a child of the 80’s.
18. Innerwish- Innerwish: One of the few bands that truly put the power into Power metal this year. They took the mantle from Brainstorm and ran like hell with it. They keep this up and I won’t retire without them getting a shot on stage in Atlanta.
17. Pervy Perkins- ToTeM: They are officially categorized as “experimental Prog rock.” In actuality, it’s the most fucked up disc I heard this year. Seriously. It’s like watching Adult Swim at 4:00am while tripping on acid. There are some sort of lyrics on there, but I was too busy trying to get my ears adjusted to the wild stylechanges & mood swings to even bother trying to focus on the Minion cult chanting. I have set the video to start off in the middle of the disc with the 23 minute cut. Hang in there till at least the 40 minute mark before you say a word.
16. Sunburst- Fragments of Creation: I cannot help but be obvious. The first thing I thought was Conception meets Nevermore. Gus’s shotgun riffing, along with Vasilis’s glorious Khan-esque pipes, combine for a one-two star punch that a lot of bands are missing these days. There really isn’t another band out there playing this style.
15. Fractal Cypher- The Human Factor: The band’s debut hits this chart with a bullet. They play a style that hasn’t been heard much of since Andromeda’s “Extension of the Wish.” In other words, it is heavy as fuck melodic Prog. Now, they do add the djenty picking along with some grunts here and there to sound modern enough. I see huge potential for these guys down the road.
14. Borknagar- Winter Thrice: Don’t hate me, but I have never been a big Borknagar fan. That changes with this release. Why? Primarily, because of the emphasis on clean vocals & harmonies by everyone (Eagles of Progressive Death Metal?). Don’t get me wrong though as the bleak Scandinavian frost of despair (along with the blast beats) still permeates the disc & pummels the shit out of your skull.
13. Lords of Black- II: This captured my attention due to two specific things: 1. Ronnie’s amazing voice. 2. Their use of a building crescendo that simply explodes. The combination brings an emotional intensity to the entire disc that few melodic/power discs rarely capture in their best songs. “Ghost of You” is damn near flawless.
12. Avantasia- Ghostlights: Anyone that can make Tate sound good these days deserves a medal. It’s the best song he has performed in 20 years. This is also the strongest Avantasia disc from Tobias since the debut. The songs perfectly match up with their guest vocalist. That is becoming a lost art form in the drowning world of all-star projects.
11. Epica- The Holographic Principal: Epica have done something extremely rare. They have stuck to their guns and gone from being part of a genre to being the genre. There is absolutely no one that comes close totheir mastery of the symphonic, beauty & beast style currently. This disc seems a bit less bombastic with the choirs & orchestration than in the past. That works well for me as it keeps it fresh.
10. Heaven Below- Good Morning Apocalypse: A concept album from a band that arose from Sunset Strip? Hell, yes….and a fantastic one at that. While it does have plenty of ass-shakin’ &bangin’ moments,
it is far deeper than the awesome single (damn, it gets the blood boiling) would have you believe. It just flat out rips in places. Guests include Jason McMaster, Kobra Paige, Udo Dirkschneider, & Lita Ford. I probably would have ranked it higher if I hadn’t been turned on to it so late.
9. DGM- The Passage: A band that is truly hitting their stride in all aspects. The disc ebbs & flows with crunch/melody/speed/atmosphere/Prog/etc. “The Secret Parts 1 & 2” are arguably one of the best songs of the year. I’d also like to proclaim that Simone ranks up there with the best guitarists of the genre.
8. Ihsahn- Arktis: Ihsahn continues to elevate his game with each release. It takes sheer genius to mesh catchy as hell melodies with a sheer sense of harsh, cold terror. One minute you are singing along with his fantastic clean vocals….the next your veins freeze full of ice with his trademark blackened vocals. If hell would ever freeze over here in Georgia, I cannot wait to spin it on a cold, winter night.
7. Allegaeon- Proponent for Sentience: Hell yes, a technical death metal disc just made the list! I have no idea about actual notes, scales, etc. Even lacking that knowledge, I still shake my head in awe watching these guys play. I have a hard time defining the difference between technical and progressive when it comes to labels, but they get both this time out. They add so many unique things that keeps it from just being a brutal aural assault. Check out the Spanish guitar they add on the video below:
**Bonus!!! They also released the best cover song this year (clean vox) as well. You *must* check this Rush cover out regardless of how lazy a bastard you truly are:
6. Southern Empire- Southern Empire: We now head in the opposite direction with a combination of classic rock & classic Prog. There are two things that jump out at you immediately: the choruses & extended musical jams. Think Toto, Yes, and the Eagles in a blender. It’s easy listening Prog. Props on the awesome soprano sax solos.
5. Haken- Affinity: All it took was the opening chords of “1985” and I fell in love with this disc. The nostalgia for the music of that decade just overwhelmed me. Add in the traditional approach of “The Architect,” and it only took Haken two songs to prove they are among the genre’s elites.
4. Neal Morse- The Similitude of a Dream: Let’s get this obvious out of the way. Portnoy won this round of the double concept albums. The big difference is this is chock full of individual songs that stick in your head. I make no secret of my love for bands (not projects) that use multiple vocalists & radio-friendly harmonies a la The Eagles. Furthermore, the pacing of the album allows both the music and your mind to breath instead of drowning. I cannot say that about certain other double concept albums.
3. Myrath- Legacy: This one hit me right in the Prog/Power gonads. I must have watched the video for “Believer” 20 times straight when it first hit. It didn’t end there as they delivered one great song after another (“all killer, no filler”). I’m manly enough to admit that I practiced my white boy belly dancing moves more than once while spinning this.
2. Evergrey- The Storm Within: I think the only surprise here for most that know me is it wasn’t #1 for this fanboy. Every Evergrey release is a personal journey for me. They are one of the few bands whose lyrics mean just as much to me as the music. There is such a different feeling when you able to become the character singing instead of just listening to them. What takes this specific release to another level is something missing in 99.9% of metal albums, *Love &Hope.* And yes…the big 6 ft. Swedish mangina is still my favorite vocalist on the planet.
1. Devin Townsend- Transcendence: I’m going to leave you with a note I wrote to Devin that I posted previously online to explain why this is an album I will never forget. I won’t share what Devin replied to me. Just know that I will forever be a fan.
“I want to take a moment to personally thank Devin Townsend. However, it is not for the reason you think. I'm not thanking him for being the nicest guy in "Lower Mid-Tier Prog Metal". I'm not thanking him for the fantastic performance this year at the fest that reminded me of why I still do this after all these years. I'm not even thanking him for all the amazing music over the years.
I want to thank him for "Stormbending."
There are times when a song transcends art. It brings out powerful emotions in you that you try to keep hidden from the rest of the world. It wraps its lush arms around you and takes you on a majestic journey from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. It can be a lyric that reminds you of someone. It can be a melody that brings back a single thought that makes you smile although you don't truly understand why. There is no exact science as to why a song connects with us on a deep, personal level. We simply all experience music in different ways.
I imagine standing on the beach staring into the darkness of the ocean. Memories of my mother continue to drown me in sorrow. Dawn beings to break. The sky begins to turn into the most beautiful collage of colors I have ever witnessed. "Stormbending" is the soundtrack playing that only I can hear. My sadness begins to lift as the music plays. The line, "Your soul: let if fly," whispers to me through the crashing of the waves. It's at that exact moment that I see my mom smiling at me from the clouds as they being to brighten. I shed a tear, but I know she is proud of me. Things are going to be ok.
Thank you, Devin. That scene will forever be a part of me.”
Complete youtube playlist for reference (courtesy of Jen): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLKbU7H3GVFKONJE7fugccVoCAlvv2xp3
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