So how is the year shaping up?

[JayKeeley]

Time for a check up....

So far, Primordial is probably leading the charge with The Gathering Wilderness.

Close behind is Bruce Dickinson with Tyranny of Souls.

Put it this way, the two best songs of the year so far are "The Coffin Ships" and "Kill Devil Hill". The title tracks from each of the albums are also excellent.

Both Moonsorrow and Novembers Doom will probably end up in the top 10.

That one Slough Feg song rules so much, I am dying to hear the whole album.

Dark Tranquility is good, nothing outstanding. I'm convinced now that I don't need any more DT. Yes, it's better than DD, but now we're in the 'been there, done it' territory.

The new Bloodbath is boring as fuck -- I liked it for a day, and then couldn't figure out what I liked about it.

The new Apocalyptica is very, very good - I'll review that one of these days. (This is the first album of theirs I'm hearing).

October Falls is fascinating - good for Mikko, he's really outdone himself, and the whole thing just sounds so genuine in its emotion.

SURPRISE RELEASES: The ex-Windir members delivering that brilliant Vreid album, Kraft, and Usurper's Cryptobeast. Oh and I'll include the new Yngwie Malmsteen as well -- I was expecting an atrocity, but I got something half-decent. Good for him.

DISAPPOINTING: Kreator. Ugh, it just lacks the spark. And from what I've heard, the new Nile just sounds too clinical and clean. The monolithic wall of sound has all but gone. The new Drudkh sounds dodgy too...I'll give them all the benefit of the doubt though since they're all class bands.

Best 'new' finds of the year so far: PAGAN ALTAR, ARK, and NOVEMBRE.

 

[J.]

Primordial is in front at the moment.

I'm kinda disappointed in the new Moonsorrow. It's OK. Voimasta is still their best.

Haven't given Evoken enough time or listens, but I'm just rrely in the mood for that kind of stuff.

Dark Tranquillity is pretty good, but yeah, been there, done that.

I think that's all I have so far. Looking for forward to new stuff from Belenos, Drudkh, Hate Forest, Mourning Beloveth, Nachtfalke, Nile, Nokturnal Mortum, Rudra, Spiritual Beggars, Suidakra, and Unsane.

Best finds of the year so far are Belenos, Spiritual Beggars, and old Century Media stuff like early Sentenced and early Tiamat. Old CM>>>>>New CM

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

Judas Priest and Overkill get no mention.

Tyranny of Souls hasn't quite hit me yet, but then, it took a while for Chemical Wedding to close its iron fingers around my soul. So I'm going to continue giving it chances.

Enemy of God was a pretty good heavy metal album. It failed as a THRASH FUCKIN TERROR release, but as modern metal goes, it blows comparable shit out of the water.

Need to hear Slough Feg ASAP. How's that Candlemass album?

 

[JayKeeley]

From what I've heard, the new Candlemass is great. It's a heavy metal album (as opposed to anyone thinking it's doom).

 

[MajestikMøøse]

NOKTURNAL MORTUMMMMMMMMMMM

 

[Nico]

Alcest and AN have both put out quality releases this year. The others have already been mentioned.

 

[Ellestin]

Best finds of the year so far are Belenos

You need to check Ancalagon and Himinbjorg's latest albums. Speaking of pagan metal from France, both are IMO a few strides ahead of Belenos, which is cool (has always been from the demos onwards) but starts sounding slightly too generic after you've heard the fifth song or something...

Ancalagon have more epic energy and accelerations, Himinbjorg just put out a splendid record ("Europa") which bears some bitterness reminiscent of Primordial - in a different style/sound package of course

 

[J.]

I'm somewhat familiar with Himinbjorg. I've heard the first two black metal albums as well as Third and Haunted Shores which were spacey vikign metal or something. I have not heard Golden Age or whatever or Europa.

Never even heard of th other band.

To me, Belenos doesn't sound generic. I love both Spicilege and Errances. Rousing stuff.

 

[Captain Beard]

Time for a check up....

So far, Primordial is probably leading the charge with The Gathering Wilderness.

Close behind is Bruce Dickinson with Tyranny of Souls.

Put it this way, the two best songs of the year so far are "The Coffin Ships" and "Kill Devil Hill". The title tracks from each of the albums are also excellent.

Both Moonsorrow and Novembers Doom will probably end up in the top 10.

That one Slough Feg song rules so much, I am dying to hear the whole album.

Dark Tranquility is good, nothing outstanding. I'm convinced now that I don't need any more DT. Yes, it's better than DD, but now we're in the 'been there, done it' territory.

The new Bloodbath is boring as fuck -- I liked it for a day, and then couldn't figure out what I liked about it.

The new Apocalyptica is very, very good - I'll review that one of these days. (This is the first album of theirs I'm hearing).

October Falls is fascinating - good for Mikko, he's really outdone himself, and the whole thing just sounds so genuine in its emotion.

SURPRISE RELEASES: The ex-Windir members delivering that brilliant Vreid album, Kraft, and Usurper's Cryptobeast. Oh and I'll include the new Yngwie Malmsteen as well -- I was expecting an atrocity, but I got something half-decent. Good for him.

DISAPPOINTING: Kreator. Ugh, it just lacks the spark. And from what I've heard, the new Nile just sounds too clinical and clean. The monolithic wall of sound has all but gone. The new Drudkh sounds dodgy too...I'll give them all the benefit of the doubt though since they're all class bands.

Best 'new' finds of the year so far: PAGAN ALTAR, ARK, and NOVEMBRE.

I often disagree with everyone on this forum, but I totally agree with you on all this.

 

[Dev]

Primordial is the best from this year. It's not a very exciting year so far , Taake , Jesu , Drudkh and Red Sparowes I like . Still haven't heard the Moonsorrow which , it seems , rules.

Expectations = Sigur Ros , Tool , Kayo Dot , Dredg (demos = w1n!) , Pelican , Lunar Aurora (just got into that band) , The Ocean (?) , Ulver , Blut aus Nord , Woods of Ypres (?) etcetc.. and ... Opeth

2005 = live , guys : Isis , Orphaned Land , Arcturus , Sigur Ros not to mention the festivals (which I won't go to though ) like Fury Fest in France with no less than : Neurosis , Isis , Cult Of Luna , Envy , Enslaved , Megadeth , Dissection , Jesu , Slayer , Anthrax (former line-up) etc... One of the best european festivals (two years before , there were none in France) ; well also Dimmu Borgir , In Flames , Soillwork , Dark Tranquillity , Arch Enemy but who cares ?)

 

[NAD]

I've heard a bunch of stuff this year, but only Primordial and Queens of the Stone Age are worth serious consideration for a year end list. So far.

Looking forward to new Nine Inch Nails, Fantomas, Meshuggah, Dredg, and Ulver. I'll probably only pick up half of those anyhow, as 2005 is XXXTREME LOW FUNDAGE for me, a rebuilding year if you will. :Smug:

I wouldn't look for Tool and Kayo Dot albums this year, Tool is in the studio right now apparently but they usually take a year or more to finish up all that crap (even though they allegedly had over an hour of material leftover from Lateralus which HOPEFULLY sees the light of day eventually), Kayo Dot goes into the studio in August but currently don't have a drummer, possible end of year release, but I doubt it.

 

[NAD]

Oh yeah, Toby Driver has a solo album coming out this year, I've heard a few samples and it sounds VERY good, fans of the Kayo Dot album should be pleased. I also have a full mp3 of one of the songs and STILL HAVEN'T LISTENED TO IT BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING my pals.

I need to give more spins to the Adrian Belew album, parts 2 & 3 of that trilogy will be out this year as well apparently.

New Manes, Slough Feg, and Hammers this year will be interesting to hear, but they really aren't a priority for me. I'm sorta tired of having 5 albums from the same band but only listening to one of them ever.

I have too many CDs, time to thin this herd.

 

[Chaostar]

Primordial and Shining !! But I wonder now if I don't love last Shining more... Really amazing album !!

Other nice surprises from Paradise Lost & Moonsorrow... and I still haven't listened to the third Taake album

 

[Chaostar]

well also Dimmu Borgir , In Flames , Soillwork , Dark Tranquillity , Arch Enemy but who cares ?)

Try to take a look to Dark Tranquillity on stage, you could be surprised

 

[Nico]

I'm eager to hear Sunn O)))'s Black1.

Anyone else?

 

[Dev]

Try to take a look to Dark Tranquillity on stage, you could be surprised

If they play Punish my Heaven then ok

 

[Thanatopsis123]

Am I the only one enjoying the new Immolation?

 

[Demilich]

I'm eager to hear Sunn O)))'s Black1.

Anyone else?

I haven't heard this band in a year or two, but yea!

 

[Henrik Main]

Am I the only one enjoying the new Immolation?

No.

Good/great 2005 releases:

Blood Red Throne - Altered Genesis
Immolation - Harnessing Ruin
Taake - Hordaland Doedskvad
Equilibrium - Turis Fratyr
Moonsorrow - Verisäkeet
Nokturnal Mortum - Weltanschauung
Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked

Upcoming releases/releases I haven't listened to enough yet

Gehenna - WW
Deeds Of Flesh - Crown Of Souls
The upcoming Cryptopsy record
Defleshed - Reclaim The Beat
Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
Astrofaes - Those Whose Past Is Immortal
Drudkh - The Swan Road

 

[NAD]

I'm eager to hear Sunn O)))'s Black1.

Anyone else?

Yeah I'd like to hear this.