DEMONSPELL'S SONGS TO WATCH
2001: The Year In Review Part Two
The Comprehensive Album List
This is a list of every album from this year I've covered in this column. This list may be periodically updated as I receive more releases from this year. This includes live albums, demos, the occasional compilation, everything. Currently this list includes 90 albums, of which around half proved to be undeniably great. Detailed opinions on songs from nearly all of the albums can be found by digging through the archives on this page, or through your memory.
Rating system is as follows:
10 one for time eternal. An absolutely flawless record. This is about as rare as Lars speaking without making a complete ass of himself.
9.5 an album that is one step away from perfection, and may yet attain classic status.
9 An excellent record, one that is strong in every aspect. Albums that are 9 and over carry my highest recommendation
8.5 Usually, these albums are great, but their appeal may be limited to followers of that genre, who can willingly add another point or a half
8 An album that still usually has great songs and musicianship and demands repeated listening, but there is noticeable room for improvement.
7.5 Generally, an album with a few great songs, but here inconsistencies may start to outweigh the good parts
7 These albums may be highly impressive on the first spin, but rapidly lose their staying power. Albums that proved to be disappointing usually find their way here.
6 or 6.5 Here we descend into the land of mediocrity. These albums may hove some saving graces, but are too overcome with flaws that appear throughout.
Anything lower than 6 Technically speaking, a piece of shit. Better left unopened.
Adagio - Sanctus Ignis 8.5/10
After Forever Decipher 9/10
Agalloch - Of Stone, Wind, & Pillor 8/10
Ambeon - Fate Of A Dreamer 7/10
Amorphis - Am Universum 7.5/10
Anathema - A Fine Day To Exit 9/10
...And Oceans - A.M.G.O.D. 8.5/10
Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish 10/10
Angra Rebirth 8/10
Antithesis - Dying For Life 9/10
Ark - Burn The Sun 9.5/10
Armageddon - Embrace The Mystery 8.5/10
Attention Deficit - The Idiot King 9/10
Avantasia - The Metal Opera 8/10
Balance Of Power - Perfect Balance 8/10
Bal-Sagoth - Atlantis Ascendant 6/10
Beyond Twilight - The Devil's Hall Of Fame 8.5/10
Blind Guardian - And Then There Was Silence 9.5/10
Borknagar - Empiricism 8.5/10
Brainstorm - Metus Mortis 8/10
Brave - Waist Deep In Dark Waters 8/10
Bruce Dickinson - The Best Of 8/10
Cairo - Time Of Legends 7.5/10
Cathedral - Endtyme 7.5/10
Clockwork - Surface Tension 8/10
Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia 7.5/10
Dream Theater - Live Scenes From New York 9.5/10
Dysrythmia - No Interference 8.5/10
Edguy - Mandrake 7/10
Eldritch - Reverse 6/10
Elvenking - Heathenreel 7.5/10
Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise 8.5/10
Evergrey - In Search Of Truth 10/10
Falconer - s/t 7.5/10
The Flower Kings - The Rainmaker 8.5/10
Gamma Ray - No World Order 6.5/10
Hollenthon - With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell 8.5/10
Ice Age - Liberation 9/10
Iced Earth - Horror Show 9/10
Jacob's Dream - Theater Of War 6/10
Jag Panzer - Mechanized Warfare 9/10
Judas Priest - Demolition 1/10
Kamelot - Karma 8.5/10
Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down 9.5/10
Nikolo Kotzev - Nostradamus 7.5/10
Jorn Lande - Worldchanger 8/10
Leonardo - The Absolute Man 7/10
Lilitu Memorial 8/10
Magnitude 9 - Reality In Focus 8.5/10
Manticora - Darkness With Tales To Tell 8/10
Maudlin Of The Well - Bath, Leaving Your Body Map both 9/10
McGill-Manring-Stevens - Addition By Subtraction 8.5/10
Scott Mosher - Virtuality 8.5/10
Mullmuzzler - II 7.5/10
My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours 9/10
Nordream - Memories Progression 8/10
Onward - Evermoving 7/10
Opeth - Blackwater Park 10/10
Persephone's Dream - Opposition 8.5/10
Poor Genetic Material - Summerland 8.5/10
Porcupine Tree Recordings 8.5/10
Royal Hunt - The Mission 6.5/10
Jordan Rudess - Feeding The Wheel 9/10
Queensryche - Evolution 9/10
Savatage - Poets And Madmen 5/10
Saviour Machine - Legend Part III 8/10
Secret Sphere - A Time Never Come 9/10
Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape 9/10
Silent Force - Infatuator 7/10
Shadow Gallery - Legacy 9/10
Derek Sherinian - Inertia 7.5/10
Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait 7/10
Solefald - Pills Against The Ageless Ills 8/10
Sonata Arctica - Silence 3/10
Specter - Images Of The Innocent 7.5/10
Steel Prophet Book Of The Dead 6.5/10
Stonehenge - Angelo Salutante 9/10
Stratovarius Intermission 7/10
Symphony X - Live On The Edge Of Forever 10/10
Therion - Secret Of The Runes 8/10
Threshold - Hypothetical 9.5/10
Devin Townsend - Terria 9/10
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever 8/10
Tribus - Too Late...Damage Is Done 8/10
Tristania - World Of Glass 7.5/10
Ulver - Perdition City 8.5/10, Silence Teaches... 9/10
Vanishing Point - Tangled In Dream 7/10
Vintersorg - Cosmic Genesis 9/10
Within Temptation - Mother Earth 8/10
Zero Hour - The Towers Of Avarice 10/10
At the end of this column, I must pay tribute to the late Chuck Schuldiner. His passing after a long fight against a rare brain tumor was incredibly sad, definitely the worst news to happen to metal this year. Chuck was a true visionary and an inspiration for countless musicians, and one who has done more to push the boundaries of extreme metal than anyone else. Without his enormous influence, many of the bands I've featured in this column would not exist. Through the music of Death, I was inspired to explore the harsher territory of metal, and realize that great musicianship and realized that uncompromising heaviness need not be separate. Beginning with Human, Death produced four consecutive essential albums that tower above the rest of the genre he helped invent and perfect. Chuck also had an incredible gift for recognizing talent and surrounding himself with excellent musicians like Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, Steve Digiorgio, and Richard Christy. He was a remarkable talent and a great personality. My thoughts are with you and your family. May your legacy live on. If you haven't already, please sign the book of condolences at www.emptywords.org that has already received over a thousand entries.
2001: The Year In Review Part Two
The Comprehensive Album List
This is a list of every album from this year I've covered in this column. This list may be periodically updated as I receive more releases from this year. This includes live albums, demos, the occasional compilation, everything. Currently this list includes 90 albums, of which around half proved to be undeniably great. Detailed opinions on songs from nearly all of the albums can be found by digging through the archives on this page, or through your memory.
Rating system is as follows:
10 one for time eternal. An absolutely flawless record. This is about as rare as Lars speaking without making a complete ass of himself.
9.5 an album that is one step away from perfection, and may yet attain classic status.
9 An excellent record, one that is strong in every aspect. Albums that are 9 and over carry my highest recommendation
8.5 Usually, these albums are great, but their appeal may be limited to followers of that genre, who can willingly add another point or a half
8 An album that still usually has great songs and musicianship and demands repeated listening, but there is noticeable room for improvement.
7.5 Generally, an album with a few great songs, but here inconsistencies may start to outweigh the good parts
7 These albums may be highly impressive on the first spin, but rapidly lose their staying power. Albums that proved to be disappointing usually find their way here.
6 or 6.5 Here we descend into the land of mediocrity. These albums may hove some saving graces, but are too overcome with flaws that appear throughout.
Anything lower than 6 Technically speaking, a piece of shit. Better left unopened.
Adagio - Sanctus Ignis 8.5/10
After Forever Decipher 9/10
Agalloch - Of Stone, Wind, & Pillor 8/10
Ambeon - Fate Of A Dreamer 7/10
Amorphis - Am Universum 7.5/10
Anathema - A Fine Day To Exit 9/10
...And Oceans - A.M.G.O.D. 8.5/10
Andromeda - Extension Of The Wish 10/10
Angra Rebirth 8/10
Antithesis - Dying For Life 9/10
Ark - Burn The Sun 9.5/10
Armageddon - Embrace The Mystery 8.5/10
Attention Deficit - The Idiot King 9/10
Avantasia - The Metal Opera 8/10
Balance Of Power - Perfect Balance 8/10
Bal-Sagoth - Atlantis Ascendant 6/10
Beyond Twilight - The Devil's Hall Of Fame 8.5/10
Blind Guardian - And Then There Was Silence 9.5/10
Borknagar - Empiricism 8.5/10
Brainstorm - Metus Mortis 8/10
Brave - Waist Deep In Dark Waters 8/10
Bruce Dickinson - The Best Of 8/10
Cairo - Time Of Legends 7.5/10
Cathedral - Endtyme 7.5/10
Clockwork - Surface Tension 8/10
Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia 7.5/10
Dream Theater - Live Scenes From New York 9.5/10
Dysrythmia - No Interference 8.5/10
Edguy - Mandrake 7/10
Eldritch - Reverse 6/10
Elvenking - Heathenreel 7.5/10
Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise 8.5/10
Evergrey - In Search Of Truth 10/10
Falconer - s/t 7.5/10
The Flower Kings - The Rainmaker 8.5/10
Gamma Ray - No World Order 6.5/10
Hollenthon - With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell 8.5/10
Ice Age - Liberation 9/10
Iced Earth - Horror Show 9/10
Jacob's Dream - Theater Of War 6/10
Jag Panzer - Mechanized Warfare 9/10
Judas Priest - Demolition 1/10
Kamelot - Karma 8.5/10
Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down 9.5/10
Nikolo Kotzev - Nostradamus 7.5/10
Jorn Lande - Worldchanger 8/10
Leonardo - The Absolute Man 7/10
Lilitu Memorial 8/10
Magnitude 9 - Reality In Focus 8.5/10
Manticora - Darkness With Tales To Tell 8/10
Maudlin Of The Well - Bath, Leaving Your Body Map both 9/10
McGill-Manring-Stevens - Addition By Subtraction 8.5/10
Scott Mosher - Virtuality 8.5/10
Mullmuzzler - II 7.5/10
My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours 9/10
Nordream - Memories Progression 8/10
Onward - Evermoving 7/10
Opeth - Blackwater Park 10/10
Persephone's Dream - Opposition 8.5/10
Poor Genetic Material - Summerland 8.5/10
Porcupine Tree Recordings 8.5/10
Royal Hunt - The Mission 6.5/10
Jordan Rudess - Feeding The Wheel 9/10
Queensryche - Evolution 9/10
Savatage - Poets And Madmen 5/10
Saviour Machine - Legend Part III 8/10
Secret Sphere - A Time Never Come 9/10
Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape 9/10
Silent Force - Infatuator 7/10
Shadow Gallery - Legacy 9/10
Derek Sherinian - Inertia 7.5/10
Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait 7/10
Solefald - Pills Against The Ageless Ills 8/10
Sonata Arctica - Silence 3/10
Specter - Images Of The Innocent 7.5/10
Steel Prophet Book Of The Dead 6.5/10
Stonehenge - Angelo Salutante 9/10
Stratovarius Intermission 7/10
Symphony X - Live On The Edge Of Forever 10/10
Therion - Secret Of The Runes 8/10
Threshold - Hypothetical 9.5/10
Devin Townsend - Terria 9/10
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever 8/10
Tribus - Too Late...Damage Is Done 8/10
Tristania - World Of Glass 7.5/10
Ulver - Perdition City 8.5/10, Silence Teaches... 9/10
Vanishing Point - Tangled In Dream 7/10
Vintersorg - Cosmic Genesis 9/10
Within Temptation - Mother Earth 8/10
Zero Hour - The Towers Of Avarice 10/10
At the end of this column, I must pay tribute to the late Chuck Schuldiner. His passing after a long fight against a rare brain tumor was incredibly sad, definitely the worst news to happen to metal this year. Chuck was a true visionary and an inspiration for countless musicians, and one who has done more to push the boundaries of extreme metal than anyone else. Without his enormous influence, many of the bands I've featured in this column would not exist. Through the music of Death, I was inspired to explore the harsher territory of metal, and realize that great musicianship and realized that uncompromising heaviness need not be separate. Beginning with Human, Death produced four consecutive essential albums that tower above the rest of the genre he helped invent and perfect. Chuck also had an incredible gift for recognizing talent and surrounding himself with excellent musicians like Paul Masvidal, Sean Reinert, Steve Digiorgio, and Richard Christy. He was a remarkable talent and a great personality. My thoughts are with you and your family. May your legacy live on. If you haven't already, please sign the book of condolences at www.emptywords.org that has already received over a thousand entries.
