Top Ten 2021

[Wyvern]

Is that time of the year again, and many know the drill, but there have been newbies coming lately.

Write your top (10 minimum, no maximum) list of albums, concerts, videos, for 2021.
No bashing, no hit and run comments, all lists are valid in the eyes of the poster.

I post mine usually on Dec 31, but anyone who like put it before is welcome. This thread will be "sticky" until Feb 2021 and then will have its own rotation.

 

[TageRyche]

I've been in a crunch to finish reviewing albums that I hadn't gotten around to yet. I've got to submit my list to one of the websites I write for by Monday and I'll write the longer form article of that list after that and post the link here when I'm done.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

i'll keep an eye out as at times i can't remember everything that came out in a year and other lists job my memory

 

[Slammed]

My listen list is longer than I thought given my main area is thrash, but maybe it will give you some guidance as to what was released.

There is always stuff that isn't thrash and often some albums people don't even call metal but it's what I listen to and rate. I also don't usually list cover albums or best of's but there is two on the list that I remember being released, they probably wont make any final release of mine, although that Lord covers album is great.

A few Aussie albums to start

Cosmic Psychos - Mountain Of Piss
Desecrator – Summoning
Effigy Of Madness - As The Page Burns
Hidden Intent - Dead End Destiny
Lord - Undercovers Vol 1
Militaria - Remains With Pain
Nothing Sacred - No Gods
Terrorential – Visions

The rest

Blazon Stone – Damnation
Cannibal Corpse - Violence Unimagined
Memoriam - To The End
Orange Goblin - Healing Through Fire Deluxe Edition
Stoner - Stoners Rule
Wizard - Metal In my Head
Dropkick Murphys - Turn Up That Dial
Black Label Society - Doom Crew Inc
Iron Maiden – Senjutsu
KK's Priest - Sermons Of The Sinner
Burning Witches - The Witch Of The North
Helloween – Helloween
Orden Ogan - Final Days
Powerwolf - Call Of The Wild
Kenn Nardi – Trauma
Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World
Angelus Apatrida - Angelus Apatrida
Black Mass - Feast At The Forbidden Tree
Bonded - Into Blackness
Enforced – Killgrid
Evile - Hell Unleashed
Exodus - Persona Non Grata
Flotsam & Jetsam - Blood In the Water
Nekromantheon - The Visions Of Trismegistos
Nervosa - Perpetual Chaos
Paradox - Heresy II (End Of A Legend)
Ravager - The Third Attack
Running Wild - Blood On Blood
Septagon - We Only Die Once
Space Chaser - Give Us Life
Wizardthrone - Hypercube Nerodimensions
Wraith - Undo The Chains
Wreck-Defy - The World Enslaved

 

[Wyvern]

KK's Priest - Sermons Of The Sinner
Kenn Nardi – Trauma
Paradox - Heresy II (End Of A Legend)
Septagon - We Only Die Once

I didn't know Kenn Nardi has a new album until I saw your list, alas it's only in digital format.

Most impressive list BTW.

 

[Slammed]

From memory I believe Kenn said the physical album would be out in Feb but I could be wrong.

I'm surprised covid P2 has so many releases that I was interested in until I wrote that this out.

 

[Wyvern]

From memory I believe Kenn said the physical album would be out in Feb but I could be wrong.

That will be dandy, I check it out then, thanks.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

ok. seeing some lists now heres my top 10. just numbering them to show 10 listed
1 kk's priest-sermons of the sinner
2 exodus-persona non grata
3 rob zombie- the lunar injection kool aid eclipse conspiracy
4 flotsam and jetsam- blood in the water
5 sunbomb-evil and divine
6 iron maiden-senjutsu
7 black label society- doom crew inc
8 l.a. guns-checkered past
9 the end machine-phase 2
10 sweet oblivion- relentless

some non metal releases
1 willie nelson-family
2 lindsey buckingham- self titled
3 billy gibbons-hardware
4 styx-crash the crown
5 night ranger-ATBPO
6 buckcherry-hellbound
7 billy idol-the roadside
8 dug pinnick- joy bomb
9 grinder blues-el dos

 

[Slammed]

That will be dandy, I check it our then, thanks.

Don't you count digital only releases in your lists?

 

[TageRyche]

Here's the link to my Top 10 CDs of 2021.

 

[Wyvern]

Don't you count digital only releases in your lists?

No, I'm old school on that . Only physical releases.

 

[Slammed]

Here's the link to my Top 10 CDs of 2021.

While I obviously couldn't get into Dee Snider as much as you I'm certainly going to need to check out that Illusory CD.

No, I'm old school on that . Only physical releases.

TBH I don't know how many digital only albums I have ever included in my lists over the years, I know it wouldn't be many because I don't have that many digital only albums. Kenn however I will have to list this year and then again in 12 months when everyone has forgotten I was one of the only ones to list the digital release

There was a thread on Metal Archives forum recently which started out as a bit of an Anacrusis appreciation thread, but then started to turn with people saying less than pleasant things about Kenn and his vocals. It wasn't as bad as some forums get but a few guys had a go at Kenn claiming he was shit and Anacrusis could have been better. Then Kenn stepped into the discussion, suggesting that he almost felt like apologising, but going on to talk about Anacrusis and the recordings. It turned out to be one of the best threads I've ever read on M-A because it didn't turn into a hate thread and while Kenn didn't change the guys minds he did explain a good number of things about him and the band. One of those things was that he hoped Trauma would be released in early 2022.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

Here's the link to my Top 10 CDs of 2021.

great list and i feel like a fool i forgot all about the cheap trick, dee snider and robin mccauley releases this year. i should make a list of new releases i buy because those 3 are top notch

 

[TageRyche]

great list and i feel like a fool i forgot all about the cheap trick, dee snider and robin mccauley releases this year. i should make a list of new releases i buy because those 3 are top notch

I always keep a running list throughout the year so I don't forget and have as accurate a list as possible.

 

[Wyvern]

TBH I don't know how many digital only albums I have ever included in my lists over the years, I know it wouldn't be many because I don't have that many digital only albums. Kenn however I will have to list this year and then again in 12 months when everyone has forgotten I was one of the only ones to list the digital release

I buy a lot (IMO) of CDs per year. This one being my lowest point in history since I started collecting albums back in '84. My tastes become narrower with the passing of time, and I lately try to buy only bands I already dig. Said that I always got something new every time. The pleasure of having the stuff in it's shelves it's a big OCD for me , but I'm running out of space, not to mention the main factor that I don't have enough time to enjoy the music as it was in the beginning, so adding digital to what I already have is totally not logical in my case.

There was a thread on Metal Archives forum recently which started out as a bit of an Anacrusis appreciation thread, but then started to turn with people saying less than pleasant things about Kenn and his vocals. It wasn't as bad as some forums get but a few guys had a go at Kenn claiming he was shit and Anacrusis could have been better. Then Kenn stepped into the discussion, suggesting that he almost felt like apologising, but going on to talk about Anacrusis and the recordings. It turned out to be one of the best threads I've ever read on M-A because it didn't turn into a hate thread and while Kenn didn't change the guys minds he did explain a good number of things about him and the band. One of those things was that he hoped Trauma would be released in early 2022.

It took me a good time to dig the vocals in Anacrusis, but once I was into it, buying Kenn's solo stuff was easy. I think he has a great clear voice, but some shriek then and then it's digestible for me.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

I always keep a running list throughout the year so I don't forget and have as accurate a list as possible.

thats what i need to do as by year end i start getting mixed up on what was released this year or late the previous year

 

[Bloopy]

I'm more burnt out on new music than ever. Bands I follow released very little in 2021. I can scrape together 10 metal-related releases worth mentioning if I include EPs. Loving the Whitehorse album. Bit of a return to order as a non-metal album topped each of the last 3 years for me.

1. Whitehorse - Death Weight
2. DAHTM - Kurungaituku
3. Skull Patrol - This Is Skull Patrol
4. Black Velvet Butterfly - Feed Darklings Feed
5. Fatdick - Hits From the Skullbong
6. Novichoke - Wounds
7. Lucifungus - Clones
8. Stone Angels - Satanic Smoke Ceremony
9. Real Slam Poetry - Big Anxious Energy
10. Dopelord - Reality Dagger


It was a low point for live shows/concerts too with delta arriving in NZ in mid-August. I only went to 39 in 2021, the fewest I've seen in a year since 2007. I only saw NZ acts, but that includes Ulcerate a couple of times so... Anyway, here's 10 of any genre that were good:

- Wax Chattels - Wellington, 18th Jun (their postponed tour for their album which was my fav 2020 release)
- Somme/Demons of Noon/End Boss - Auckland, 19th Jun (drove all day to make it to this)
- Skull Patrol - Auckland, 26th Jun (first time seeing a friend's crossover thrash band)
- CubaDupa festival - Wellington, 27th Mar (a street festival with tens of thousands of people in the streets and bands playing bars/stages all over the place)
- Ovus - Wellington, 3rd Apr (kinda danceable instrumental metal, cool band)
- No Future Fest - Tauranga, 27th Feb
- Ripship - Auckland, 25th Feb (friend's daughter's awesome band, got free entry for my birthday!)
- DAHTM - Wellington, 21st May (at a sports bar, rather funny seeing old people covering their ears to sludge metal while trying to watch sports on the TV)
- Beastwars/Earth Tongue - Wellington, 22nd May (largest crowd I've seen in one room since the pandemic, up to 700 people attended)
- Ultimate - Rotorua, 17th Jul (reunion of a metal band from 30 years ago)

 

[Wyvern]

I'm more burnt out on new music than ever. Bands I follow released very little in 2021. I can scrape together 10 metal-related releases worth mentioning if I include EPs. Loving the Whitehorse album. Bit of a return to order as a non-metal album topped each of the last 3 years for me.

1. Whitehorse - Death Weight
2. DAHTM - Kurungaituku
3. Skull Patrol - This Is Skull Patrol
4. Black Velvet Butterfly - Feed Darklings Feed
5. Fatdick - Hits From the Skullbong
6. Novichoke - Wounds
7. Lucifungus - Clones
8. Stone Angels - Satanic Smoke Ceremony
9. Real Slam Poetry - Big Anxious Energy
10. Dopelord - Reality Dagger

Most interesting list, never heard of any of those bands. So much music under the sun.

 

[TageRyche]

I shared the link to my Top 10 list with the artists on social media and I've heard from a few of them and about half have shared the link on their Facebook pages or hit like on their Twitter pages. Always cool when that happens.

 

[Bloopy]

Most interesting list, never heard of any of those bands. So much music under the sun.

6 of them are New Zealand bands, which often happens to my lists these days as I go to so many shows here and follow the bands so closely. Whitehorse and Lucifungus are Australian doom/stoner bands I've also seen in concert. Lucifungus was my fav gig of 2019 per your Top Ten 2019 thread. So Dopelord is the most well-known band in my list (also stoner metal), but their release is just an EP of outtakes that didn't really grab me.

The new Exodus seems alright for one, and listening to it just makes it seem as if it's me that's burnt out somehow. Those songs would be great fun in concert though. I'd leap at the chance to see them with Souza on vocals.