Well, my top 15 that is anyway.
Haven't been here in an eternity almost. Possibly due to the lack of good metal. Maybe I just haven't felt like going on music boards. I don't know. But I am here now, posting this. Enjoy, hate, or feel indifference to what I am about to post.
15) Dead Soul Tribe "The January Tree" - Some good songs, some clunkers, some filler. Average CD. The drumming by Mustafa is excellent and singing from Buddy is great, but the songs and song structure are much too predictable. On a positive note, the singing has much more emotion than "A Murder of Crows," although still nowhere near the masterpiece of the self titled album.
14) Sleepytime Gorrilla Museum "Of Natural History" - Great bizarre stuff. I like it a lot, but don't find myself being drawn back to listen over and over. Beware of the Donkey headed aversary of humanity.
13) Gwar "War Party" - You may laugh, in fact you probably are, but seriously, listen to this album. I was amazed by the musicianship (granted, this is the first album of theirs that I listened to from beginning to end) of the members, the lyrics are satyrical, and the songs are fun and catchy. Serious Megadeth "Rust in Peace" era worship on this disc, and that is not a bad thing at all.
12) Ayreon "The Human Equation" - Great stuff. It has been discussed enough here to kill a horse, so I won't comment any more on it, except to say that Buddy owned all the other singers on that disc.
11) Riverside "Out of Myself" - The musical soundscape on this album can only be described with one word; lush. Great everything. Check out the cd if you haven't.
10) Iced Earth "Glorious Burden" - Okay, it took me a while to warm up to this disc, a long while. But it is indeed an excellent album, which I rank under Horror Show, which ranks under their best album "Burnt Offerings." Too bad Barlow did not sing. I hope you are busting criminal ass Matt.
9) Enertia "Force" - Excellently strong album with consitantly good song after song. I appreciate good ol' fashion heavy metal, not many bands do that now a days.
8) Megadeth "The System Has Failed" - Mustaine back in force. I will surely be looking forward to his next release, be it Megadeth or independant. Very happy that I saw Megadeth's supposed last tour, totally slayed every other concert I have been to.
7) 3 Inches of Blood "Advance and Vanquish" - If you are a fan of Manowar or Judas Priest and you have not heard this album, drop everything you have to do just to listen to this incredible album. If you are not a fan of the previous bands, drop everything anyway and enjoy the band. Who wouldn't love songs about pirates, war, and killer robots?
6) Into Eternity "Buried in Oblivion" - Awesome, simply awesome. If you are living under a rock, in a cave, on the bottom of the ocean, and still have not heard these guys - imagine if Death and Queensryche had a baby.
5) Fates Warning "FWX" - Many people feel this is just an "eh" release, but I love it for what it is, not what I want it to be. Well, it happens to be what I want it to be actually, a great combination of APSOG and Disconnected. Listen to "Handful of Doubt" and try not to get swept away in the song.
4) Textures "Polars" - Now this is what new thrash bands should be attempting to do. Meshuggah influenced, but they write very cohessive and complex songs that catch and grab your attention. Granted, the lyrics don't make much sense, but you don't understand the singer half the time, but you really get caught up and energized by his rage.
3) Age of Silence "Acceleration" - A mindbender of a listen. Beautifully moving and confusing listen, which requires many spins in order to comprehend the story and music.
2) Orphaned Land "Mabool" - Yeah, I believe way, way, way back I talked about this album. Well, I still listen to it and it is truly a unique album blending prog, death, and middle eastern music. A must listen.
1) Winds "The Imaginary Direction of Time" - There are not enough positive adjectives to describe how I feel about this amazing album. Every instrument is played with extreme precision and the album has by far the best lyrics that I have ever read.
Albums that I have still to hear for this year - Slipknot "Vol. 3" - surprisingly heard many good things, Angra "Temple of Shadows," and Nighingale "Invisible"
Haven't been here in an eternity almost. Possibly due to the lack of good metal. Maybe I just haven't felt like going on music boards. I don't know. But I am here now, posting this. Enjoy, hate, or feel indifference to what I am about to post.
15) Dead Soul Tribe "The January Tree" - Some good songs, some clunkers, some filler. Average CD. The drumming by Mustafa is excellent and singing from Buddy is great, but the songs and song structure are much too predictable. On a positive note, the singing has much more emotion than "A Murder of Crows," although still nowhere near the masterpiece of the self titled album.
14) Sleepytime Gorrilla Museum "Of Natural History" - Great bizarre stuff. I like it a lot, but don't find myself being drawn back to listen over and over. Beware of the Donkey headed aversary of humanity.
13) Gwar "War Party" - You may laugh, in fact you probably are, but seriously, listen to this album. I was amazed by the musicianship (granted, this is the first album of theirs that I listened to from beginning to end) of the members, the lyrics are satyrical, and the songs are fun and catchy. Serious Megadeth "Rust in Peace" era worship on this disc, and that is not a bad thing at all.
12) Ayreon "The Human Equation" - Great stuff. It has been discussed enough here to kill a horse, so I won't comment any more on it, except to say that Buddy owned all the other singers on that disc.
11) Riverside "Out of Myself" - The musical soundscape on this album can only be described with one word; lush. Great everything. Check out the cd if you haven't.
10) Iced Earth "Glorious Burden" - Okay, it took me a while to warm up to this disc, a long while. But it is indeed an excellent album, which I rank under Horror Show, which ranks under their best album "Burnt Offerings." Too bad Barlow did not sing. I hope you are busting criminal ass Matt.
9) Enertia "Force" - Excellently strong album with consitantly good song after song. I appreciate good ol' fashion heavy metal, not many bands do that now a days.
8) Megadeth "The System Has Failed" - Mustaine back in force. I will surely be looking forward to his next release, be it Megadeth or independant. Very happy that I saw Megadeth's supposed last tour, totally slayed every other concert I have been to.
7) 3 Inches of Blood "Advance and Vanquish" - If you are a fan of Manowar or Judas Priest and you have not heard this album, drop everything you have to do just to listen to this incredible album. If you are not a fan of the previous bands, drop everything anyway and enjoy the band. Who wouldn't love songs about pirates, war, and killer robots?
6) Into Eternity "Buried in Oblivion" - Awesome, simply awesome. If you are living under a rock, in a cave, on the bottom of the ocean, and still have not heard these guys - imagine if Death and Queensryche had a baby.
5) Fates Warning "FWX" - Many people feel this is just an "eh" release, but I love it for what it is, not what I want it to be. Well, it happens to be what I want it to be actually, a great combination of APSOG and Disconnected. Listen to "Handful of Doubt" and try not to get swept away in the song.
4) Textures "Polars" - Now this is what new thrash bands should be attempting to do. Meshuggah influenced, but they write very cohessive and complex songs that catch and grab your attention. Granted, the lyrics don't make much sense, but you don't understand the singer half the time, but you really get caught up and energized by his rage.
3) Age of Silence "Acceleration" - A mindbender of a listen. Beautifully moving and confusing listen, which requires many spins in order to comprehend the story and music.
2) Orphaned Land "Mabool" - Yeah, I believe way, way, way back I talked about this album. Well, I still listen to it and it is truly a unique album blending prog, death, and middle eastern music. A must listen.
1) Winds "The Imaginary Direction of Time" - There are not enough positive adjectives to describe how I feel about this amazing album. Every instrument is played with extreme precision and the album has by far the best lyrics that I have ever read.
Albums that I have still to hear for this year - Slipknot "Vol. 3" - surprisingly heard many good things, Angra "Temple of Shadows," and Nighingale "Invisible"
:Smug: more later
