Top Ten Albums of 2002 So Far

[JayKeeley]

It's an obvious thread I know, but it's still interesting to hear everyone's opinions (doubling up as a recommendation thread)

Here's my Top 10 in descending order:

10. Summoning - Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame
9. Bolt Thrower - Honour Valour Pride (brit spelling, heh)
8. Rhapsody - Power of the Dragonflame
7. Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera
6. In Flames - Reroute to Remain
5. Dark Tranquility - Damage Done
4. Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
3. Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
2. Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland
1. Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines

The order changes all the time, but this is it for today.

 

[ProgMetalFan]

This is a rough list and there are still some things I need to hear... like Sham Mirrors... but here goes:

1. Pain Of Salvation - "Remedy Lane" (Sweden, Inside Out Music America)
2. Enchant - "Blink Of An Eye" (USA, Inside Out Music America)
3. Amaran - "A World Depraved" (Sweden, Listenable)
4. Tad Morose - "Matters Of The Dark" (Sweden, Century Media)
5. Soilwork - "Natural Born Chaos" (Sweden, Nuclear Blast)
6. November's Doom - "To Welcome The Fade" (USA, Dark Symphonies)
7. Threshold - "Critical Mass" (UK, Inside Out Music America)
8. Arabesque - "The Union" (Netherlands, Lion Records)
9. Star One - "Space Metal" (Netherlands, Inside Out Music America)
10. Brave - "Searching For The Sun" (USA, Dark Symphonies)

 

[rhavin2112]

Okay I'll take the bait.....

10-PoS-Remedy lane
9-....am god-Cypher
8-Vehemence-God Was Created
7-Novembers Doom-To Welcome The Fade
6-Meshuggah-Nothing
5-Elvinking-Heathenreel
4-In Flames-Reroute to Remain
3-Enchant-Blink Of An Eye
2-Agalloch-The Mantle

1-Blind Gaurdian-ANATO

 

[chibitotoro]

I haven't really heard enough new metal recently, but I'll throw up a couple votes, in no particular order:
Star One - Space Metal
Blind Guardian - ANATO
Elvenking - Heathenreel

That's it off the top of my head...

 

[Se7enChurches]

I'm too out of the loop and broke to pick up many new CDs lately, and most of my favorite bands haven't released one this year, so I don't have a top 10, but I thought that King Diamond's "Abigail II" was his best in a while... definitely a very solid album, if not quite recapturing the glory days of the band...

I do like what I've heard of Star One, as well. Angel Dust's was a little disappointing. I expected more.

Ryan

 

[JayKeeley]

I agree that Elvenking's Heathenreel is great, but wasn't it a 2001 release?

 

[Wishmaster]

Dunno if I can come up with a full ten.. Most of my purchases this year were released in previous years.

These are in no real order...

1. Nightwish - Century Child
2. Blind Guardian - ANATO
3. Brave - Searching For The Sun
4. Joe Satriani - Strange Beautiful Music
5. Dream Theater - Six Degrees...
6. Pink Cream 69 - Endangered
7. Star One - Space Metal
8. Lana Lane - Project Shangri La
9. Fozzy - Happenstance
10. Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane

--Mike

 

[ricochet]

I haven't bought too many new albums this year.

In no particular order:

Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines
Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Agalloch - The Mantle
Vintersorg - Visions from the Spiral Generator
Novembers Doom - To Welcome the Fade

It only gets better, though...Opeth, Bloodbath, Nightingale, etc.

 

[Demonspell]

Opethian Soul: outstanding list. I think Arcturus, Agalloch, and especially Opeth are just as, if not more, progressive as anyone discussed here.

 

[JayKeeley]

Originally posted by Demonspell
Opethian Soul: outstanding list. I think Arcturus, Agalloch, and especially Opeth are just as, if not more, progressive as anyone discussed here.

I'm just curious as to how you would 'define' progressive? I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I have heard anything this year as progressive as Nile. It's worth checking out.

 

[Angrafan]

I;ve been buying a lot of old stuff, so I didn't really hear much CD's released this year.. But from what I've heard:

1-Pain Of Salvation- Remedy Lane
2-Jerry Cantrell- DEgradation Trip
3-Blind Guardian- ANATO
4-Shaman- Ritual
5-DAve Matthews band- Busted stuff

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Mine's easy thus far...

10. Vanden Plas - Beyond Daylight
09. Blind Guardian - ANATO
08. Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness
07. Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
06. Kalmah - They Will Return
05. Beyond The Embrace - Against The Elements
04. Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines
03. Arch Enemy - Wages Of Sin (2002 NA release)
02. Vader - Revelations
01. Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done

 

[IcedEarth556]

I have at least ten albums still to hear (tis so hard to keep up with all this music without having much of an income. I buy 8 CDs a month and its still pretty hard to keep up) But this is my list as of yet.
10.Immortal-Sons of Northern Darkness
9.Soilwork-Natural Born Chaos
8.Red Hot Chili Peppers-By The Way
7.Kalmah-They Will Return
6.Shadows Fall-Art of Balance
5.Arch Enemy-Wages of Sin
4.Sinergy-Suicide by my Side
3.In Flames-Reroute to Remain
2.Dark Tranquiliity-Damage Done
1.Blind Guardian-A Night at the Opera

 

[rushzil2112]

here are my top ten releases of the year, in no particular order:

Rhapsody - Power of the DragonFlame(this is my number 1)
Rage - Unity
Threshold - Critical Mass(haven't heard it yet, but know it will be)
Luca Turilli - new one(same as the Threshold)the single I have heard, and it is absolutely amazing
Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin
Angra - Hunters and Prey(tied for number 1)
Blind Guardian - ANATO
Avantasia 2
Vintersorg - Visons from the Spiral Generator(number 2, this cd is genius)
Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland
Nile - the new one
Immortal - Sons of the Northern Darkness

There are plenty more cds I can name, but won't at this time. This has been a good year for metal releases, and I hope they keep on coming in the truckload.

 

[woosta]

1. Soilwork NBC
2. Tiamat "Judas Christ"
3. Pretty Maids "Planet Panic"
4. In Flames "Reroute"
5. Chinchilla "The last millenium"
6. In Extremo "Under ohne zugel"
7. Dream Evil "Chasing the Dragon"
8. Sentenced "Cold White Light"
9. Metalium "Hero Nation"
10. Blind Guardian "ANATO"

 

[JayKeeley]

Glad to see all the votes for Nile in such a strong prog/power community. Just proves that brutality doesn't make people shy away from a certain calibre.

I've yet to hear the new Immortal one - now I'm intrigued - but I can't get Arcturus out of the CD player!

 

[J.]

Originally posted by JayKeeley

I've yet to hear the new Immortal one - now I'm intrigued - but I can't get Arcturus out of the CD player!

Ugh....once you hear the new Immortal, you'll throw Arcturus out the window

 

[Demonspell]

...And now the list, you've all been waiting for, in no order Still have to finalize it to ten.

Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Agalloch - The Mantle
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Enchant - Blink Of An Eye
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
Threshold - Critical Mass
Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera
Amaran - A World Depraved
Novembers Doom - To Welcome The Fade
Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
All That I Bleed - Dying To Remember
Everon - Flesh
Into Eternity - Dead Or Dreaming
Planet X - Moonbabies
Brave - Searching For The Sun
Power Of Omens - Rooms Of Anguish
and of course Opeth when it comes out...

 

[Se7enChurches]

Originally posted by Demonspell

Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane
Porcupine Tree - Remedy Lane

Not that I'm at all familiar with them (and I'm not), but I don't think that this Porcupine Tree album has the title you say it has. A quick websearch reveals "In Absentia".

Ryan (and on an unrelated note, I'm suddenly noticing some vocal similarities between the CD I'm listening to and King's X (though Doug Pinnick isn't quite so high pitched))

 

[Demonspell]

Damn, must have had a severe mental lapse...usually I catch those things.