Poll for 2003: We're halfway through!

[JayKeeley]

Time to check in people! So here we are in June, halfway through 2003. Let's all hear your thoughts on the year so far, and perhaps recap on 2002...
Below are my answers (and feel free to change the spelling of 'favorite' to 'favourite' if you geographically must, heh). You will probably have several answers to each question, but I'm truly interested in what album or band made the most IMPACT on a personal level.

For example, for 'album prior to 2003', I cannot deny the strength of the Ulver material I recently obtained, but Empyrium just made the personal impact that made me want to speak about it loudly either on the forum or in the review.

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*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: OPETH - DELIVERANCE (probably more so because of the rekindled interest before the Opeth gigs this year).

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): EMPYRIUM - WEILAND (I had to review it, I had to post threads about it, I had to give it my first and only 10/10 rating so far)

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): CRADLE OF FILTH - DAMNATION AND A DAY(where on earth did this come from?? They were replaced at Wacken Open Air by In Flames through choosing to do OzzFest instead....damn! This stuff live should be outstanding.)


Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): OPETH - DAMNATION (it's great but sorry, I'm just not listening to this anymore and I doubt if I will again for the rest of the year at least. I'll easily pick any other Opeth CD over this one. I didn't like it at first, then I liked it for a while, and then I got bored with it quickly. Too quickly.)

Best live performance: OPETH - FAIR JUDGEMENT TOUR, IRVING PLAZA NY JANUARY 19th 2003 (much better sound and performance than their latter returning NJ gig - the NY show and crowd was just mesmerizing. One of the best gigs for me. EVER.)


Overall worst album of 2003 to date: MADDER MORTEM - DEADLANDS (seriously, what the hell went wrong here and how sad that they made it to The End? And yet bands like Exit to Eternity remain unsigned?? No justice in this industry when you see shit like this)

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: CRADLE OF FILTH - DAMNATION....(I've got to say, there isn't a 2003 album yet that's made my eyes pop out of their head like this one did. I don't own or like any other Cradle of Filth either which makes it even more astounding in my collection)

I have yet to hear stuff like the new Enslaved and Vital Remains (based on our reviews, I'm excited), but this thread really is just a 'snapshot' in time. All these results could change again in December.

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:Spin:

 

[Nate The Great]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Agalloch - The Mantle

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): either .hopesfall. - The Satellite Years or Xasthur - Nocturnal Poisoning

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 Manes - Vilosophe or easily Negura Bunget - N 'Crugu Bradului Have you heard Manes - Vilosophe JayKeeley? I have no doubt in my mind you would love it. Think of Arcturs - The Sham Mirrors meets Ulver - Perdition City with a little bit of power metal thrown in (especially in the vocal area).


Most disappointing album of 2003 I haven't really been that disappointed by anything. I'm usually pretty selective with what I buy. However, I've recieved some pretty bad promos. Most notably God Dethroned and Amon Amarth.

Best live performance: Me

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: God Dethroned or Amon Amarth

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Aborym - With No Human Intervention Negura Bunget and Agoraphobic Nosebleed are right on the heels, though.

I would als like to hear Enslaved's newest.

 

[Demonspell]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Either Agalloch - The Mantle or Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Probably Daylight Dies - No Reply, would have been at least top 15. And of course Satyricon, top ten for sure.

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): The Gathering - Souvenirs

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): Soilwork - Figure Number Five

Best live performance: OPETH - FAIR JUDGEMENT TOUR, IRVING PLAZA NY JANUARY 19th 2003

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Evergrey - Recreation Day

 

[Weapon X]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: KREATOR - VIOLENT REVOLUTION Simply awsome album, it put my faith back into Thrash

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): ARCH ENEMY - WAGES OF SIN Got it, good album but not the best ever tho

Best live performance: DOWN they abosolutely kicked ass. One of the best shows I ever been to. Had nothing but fun.

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): Haven't got a 2003 release yet, lack of money.:Smug:


Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): Read above

Best live performance: Just seen Biohazard this year, which was pretty cool. Not really into the band but they are pretty good live. They really got the fans invoved (singing, playing guitars in the crowd or on top of them , bringing alot of fans on stage with them, jamming with all the bands they brought with them, except the one that got booed, haaha)

I'm dying to get Children of Bodom - Hatecrew Deathroll, Anihilator - Double Live Annihilation and Circle II Circle - Watching in silence

 

[NAD]

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Opeth - Deliverance and Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip vols. 1 & 2

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): Omnium Gatherum - Spirits and August Light. These guys are GOOD. Believe the hype, it's actually true!!!

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): My friends raved and raved over Skindred, a rasta/metal hybrid. BORING, I'm just glad they gave me a CD-R before I went out and bought it.

Best live performance: Danzig and Opeth at Blackest of the Black. Opeth is incredible, and I cannot believe that Danzig is STILL that intense live, the man is well into his 50s!!!

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: Opeth - Damnation. It's not bad at all, but I don't listen to it much. It's Opeth Lite.

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: King Crimson - The Power to Believe. This will more than likely be the overwhelmingly easy choice for #1 at the end of the year.

 

[Lutz]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Agalloch - The Mantle

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Dödfödd - Besvärjelse För Omvänd Rekreation

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): None yet..

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): None yet either.

Best live performance: None.

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: Above ;-)

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Skepticism - Farmakon, ok.. I just got it today, but it beats all the other albums I've heard in 2003.

 

[JayKeeley]

Awesome responses so far! Very interesting reading. And the thread got a 5 star rating!

 

[JayKeeley]

Have you heard Manes - Vilosophe JayKeeley? I have no doubt in my mind you would love it. Think of Arcturs - The Sham Mirrors meets Ulver - Perdition City with a little bit of power metal thrown in (especially in the vocal area).

No but I just added it to my shopping cart. I did see it previously, and even the front cover art had me intrigued.

 

[Nate The Great]

You'll dig it homie.

 

[NAD]

Oh yeah, I can't stop listening to Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf, and I just picked it up a month or so ago.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh yeah, I can't stop listening to Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf, and I just picked it up a month or so ago.

Do you like System of a Down? You know, the stuff I heard on Toxicity is not bad at all....but I digress.

 

[bloodfiredeath]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Immortal – Sons Of Northern Darkness
I absolutely love this album. Period.

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Hammerfall – Crimson Thunder
I loved Legacy of Kings and was very underwhelmed by Renegade, so it took me a while to hear this. I ‘ve been enjoying it a lot lately though.

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): Naglfar - Sheol
Never thought I liked this band before, but maybe I was wrong. I like this a lot and I guess I need to check out their older stuff.

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): The Haunted – One Kill Wonder
Bore City.

Best live performance: GRAVE
Just saw them last weekend. Made the roadtrip to Columbus and it was well well worth it. Everyone must go to the Grave/Immolation tour that’s going around. Grave was fucking incredible.

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: Opeth – Damnation
In the course of a year, I went from being bored by them, to being annoyed by them, to flat out disliking them. Fuck this hippy dippy drum circle shit.
(Keep in mind, I’m sure there are albums I would find way worse, but I’m keeping it to ones I have either bought or downloaded).

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Vital Remains – Dechristianize; Runner Ups: Bathory – Nordland II, Blood Red Throne – Affiliated With Suffering, Enslaved – Under the Lights, God Dethroned – Into The Lungs Of Hell, Marduk – World Funeral, Nightingale – Alive Again, Usurper – Twilight Dominion

 

[Nightmarez]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: PORCUPINE TREE - IN ABSENTIA Definately still holds that hypnotic power it had when I first got it.

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): TODAY IS THE DAY - SADNESS WILL PREVAIL This is one monster of an album. Ugh, I can't believe I lived with out it for so long! There's going to be two answers to this by the way, because the second is .hopesfall. - THE SATELLITE YEARS All I can say about this album right now is that I haven't put it down since I got it.

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): EVERGREY - RECREATION DAY Having heard nothing but good things about this band, but hearing none of their music in advance I was quite skeptical when I bought the CD. Rest assured, this album blew me away.


Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): OPETH - DAMNATION I just can't get into it as much as my other 2003 releases. It's not at all horrible, but it's nothing special right now for me. It's one of those 'you have to be in the mood for it' albums.

Best live performance: N/A


Overall worst album of 2003 to date: OPETH - DAMNATION for the reasons stated above. Because of a lack of money, I don't own very many 2003 releases. But I can tell you this is the one I listen to the least.

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: EVERGREY - RECREATION DAY You'd think I'd ignore this album with recent addtions to my collection such as 'The Sattelite Years', 'Sadness Will Prevail' and 'Accelerated Evolution'. But this album has kept the same spot in my 5 CD rotation through everything so far. I love it.


I too, am eager to hear the new Enslaved. :Spin:

 

[NAD]

Do you like System of a Down? You know, the stuff I heard on Toxicity is not bad at all....but I digress.

Heh... sure do. Been a fan since their first one in 1998. Granted, during the colder months I may mumble "nu-metal crap..." whenever they're on the radio, but I forgot to mention them in my Summer Music thread.

Oh yeah, Nile has really gotten to me this year as well, In Their Darkened Shrines is just incredible, I have even gotten into their older stuff more as well.

 

[lurch70]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: DECAPITATED - Nihility (this is in my car on constant rotation .. this band will be huuuuge)



NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): ???



*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): VOIVOD - S/T ... they really outdone themselves on this one ... real groovy, memorable stuff ... their hearts were into it and it shows.



Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): METALLICA - St. Anger .. this just reeks of confusion and no direction



Best live performance: TWISTED SISTER - Lamour's, Brooklyn, NY ... what a show from some veterans that can still rock like 20 years ago. What energy at this show!!!

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: see above for the Metallica comment ...



Overall favourite 2003 album to date: NEGURA BUNGET - n'crugu bradului ... were you expecting something else from me? Quite simply, the most though out masterpiece I heard in years. Still sitting in my car and it gets better with every listen ... not an easy task considering that I usually hate long epic songs.

 

[Papa Josh]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: SATYRICON & NILE as of late. They will be around for some time to come!

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Anything that I've gotten this year has been from 2003...

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): VITAL REMAINS- Dechristianize. No matter how big of a fan I may have been of this band, I never thought Glen Benton would sound as good with them as he does.


Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): SINISTER- Savage Or Grace. Piss poor production, terrible drum sound, vocals aren't near as strong as their last...

Best live performance: NAPALM DEATH Houston, TX.. sometime in Jan....


Overall worst album of 2003 to date: I haven't heard anything truly horrendous yet... but Metallica is in a week...

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Either ENSLAVED, VITAL or CRADLE....

 

[ProgMetalFan]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most: Enchant - "Blink of an Eye" I listened to this album several times every day in the summer of 2002... and I still listen to it all the time.

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!): Isis - "Oceanic" Just got this a couple weeks ago after hearing great things about it for a long time. A mesmerizing and beautiful release.

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!): The Gathering - "Souvenirs" I had never liked The Gathering before, but I love their new trip-rock direction. This is a very lush album, and one of my favorites of the year.

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!): Opeth - "Damnation" I really thought this would be my favorite Opeth album. I was expecting the material to be of the quality of stuff like "Harvest", "Benighted" or Porcupine Tree... but it's quite boring and listless.

Best live performance: Symphony X - sometime in March at the Agora (shithole) in Cleveland (shitho... oh, that isn't nice, sorry Cleveland!)

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: M.O.D.

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: Evergrey - Recreation Day

 

[Papa Josh]

Can't beleive I forgot to mention the latest Voivod..

 

[Ayeka]

*2002*

Top Ten 2002 album that you're still listening to the most:
I think Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera. When I first heard it I was all "wtf?! These Germans need to leave their instruments alone and finish paying their reparations " but after some listens it turns out to be startlingly good! The anthemic choruses in pretty much all the songs sure help. We all love anthemic choruses

NEW great album of 2002 (but you've only just got round to hearing it for the first time this year!!):
Nightwish - Century Child but I only listened to it once and can't remember much of it at all

*2003*

Most surprisingly good album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much better than expected!!):
Emperor - Scattered Ashes: A Decade of Emperial Wrath - I never had much of an opinion of Emperor but this shit is pretty damn good.

Most disappointing album of 2003 (one which turned out to be much worse than expected!!):
Anthrax - We've Come For You All - I knew kind of what to expect from Sound Of White Noise but I didn't realise it'd be this bad. They could've cut half the songs from it to at least not make it last so bloody long. Quite painful to listen to...

Best live performance: Iron Maiden - Donington 31/05/03, skullfucking. If you weren't there, you missed, brother!

Overall worst album of 2003 to date: Anthrax - We've Come For You All is fucking shit and boring.

Overall favourite 2003 album to date: DragonForce - Valley Of The Damned - fucking amazing power metal.

I'm expecting the new Iron Maiden album to come out and blow everything else away. Maiden own this year, to deny it is pure folly. UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!!!!!! :hehe:

 

[JayKeeley]

Best live performance: Iron Maiden - Donington 31/05/03, skullfucking. If you weren't there, you missed, brother!

Got the setlist? Was it the same setlist that they played elsewhere? I'm just wondering if they're varying the songs at all from venue to venue....