ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
1. Falkenbach - Heralding The Fireblade: Just an majestic tour de force and 100% perfect blend of ripping black metal aggression, snarling punk attitude, epic viking prowess and mead-swinging jollyfolk. Not quite 10/10, but so damned close it occasionally gets its mail.
2. Manegarm - Vredens Tid: Epic. Massive. Bone-crushing. Splendiferous. All of those adjectives could be used to describe this "picture perfect viking metal album." I put it in the same world as Thyrfing's "Urkraft" record, so you know how much I enjoyed it. Almost took the top spot.
3. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor: A huge surprise for me, since Nevermore has always been a very-good-but-not-quite-great band to these ears, but this album blew me away from the get-go. The addition of Smyth to Loomis makes for the greatest bunch of riffs & solos in many a year, and "never" has this band's power thrash attack been "more" efficient, song after song. Brilliant record, and again, almost took the top spot.
4. Sin Origin - In The Presence Of A Dread Magician: I tried and tried to find a reason to knock this unknown black metal duo out of my top 5, but there's simply no way. The year's biggest surprise (to me) in that this slab of 60 minutes covers nearly every genre of metal, and all of them well. I can't think of a single headbanger that should be without this record. Accessible & challenging all at once. Fucking awesome.
DOWNLOAD: The Devil With Seven More Evil (warning, LONG song)
5. Moonsorrow - Verisakeet: Honestly, if not for the wasted final 13 minutes of this disc, it most likely would've been AOY. That's how fine the first 4 tracks/55 minutes are, and with "Haaska" and "Pimea," Moonsorrow have presented fans with 2 bona fide songs of the year. Probably the greatest "epic" metal band on the planet. Highly, highly recommended.
6. Drudkh - The Swan Road: Another newcomer for me, and (I guess) a semi-controversial album in that it wasn't "Autumn Aurora Pt. II." Having not ever heard that famed album, I had no preconceived notions of what this should be. What it is, is a brilliantly raw, atmospheric and riff-heavy tour de force of modern folk-influenced black metal. Fucking great, naysayers be damned.
7. Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness: This album just keeps getting better & better, and for a band who's song "Coffin Ships" seems to be universally worshipped, I found 3 songs even stronger than that instant classic. Nemtheanga's best performance by far, Primordial takes absolutely no prisoners with this album, bleeding so much passion & intensity, you'll need a crime scene clean-up crew to mop up once you're done listening. This completes the grouping of the best "viking/celtic/folk" metal year ever.
8. Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked: Another semi-controversial album: half its listeners were disappointed with the lack of Egyptian "atmospheric" effects and the superbly polished production, the other half welcomed the change to the newly "listener-friendly" Nile. Count me amongst the latter grouping, as Neil Kernon has accomplished what the previous 4 albums could not: let you hear every single instrument and growl!
9. Gromm - Happiness...It's When You Are Dead: I'm sure the kvlt elite black metal fans are shaking their head at me right now, but I honestly could not care less. This is NOT the most original album ever recorded, and Gromm wears his Norwegian influences proudly on his spiked gauntlet. However, that's not to say he hasn't produced 40+ minutes of guitar/riff-heavy, scorching (frozen?) black metal. Half warp-speed, half mid-paced thrashiness, you will headbang yourself to death.
DOWNLOAD: Time's Dust Upon Millstones Of Eternity
10. Helrunar - Frostnacht: Narrowly sliding into the top 10 over another half-dozen worthy competitors, Helrunar has put out the best slice of Dissection-influenced metal in 5 years. With just the right touch of dynamics, acoustic passages, ripping, intertwined guitars, and folky qualities, it's an easy listen and yet a rewarding one over time.
DOWNLOAD: Minis Brunnr (Gratr Onnor)
Special Honorable Mention:
HM: Jotenheim - s/t (EP): At only 25 minutes (3 originals, 2 covers), I just can't give up a valuable top 10 spot, but goddamn if the 25 minutes that's here doesn't kick your fucken ass. Great, gruff traditional metal.
Just missing the cut, aka other worthy 2005 releases:
Morrigan - "Headcult"
Falchion - "Legacy Of Heathens"
Horna - "Envaatnags Eflos Esgantaavne"
Bruce Dickinson - "Tyranny Of Souls"
Heol Telwen - "An Duiz Ruz"
Nokturnal Mortum - "Weltanschauung"
Thronar - "For Death And Glory"
Thyrfing - "Farsotstider"
Bloodbath - "Nightmares Made Flesh"
Gamma Ray - "Majestic"
Machine Men - "Elegies"
Black Majesty - "Silent Company"
Arallu - "The Demon From The Ancient World"
Sapthuran - "...In Hatred"
Bolt Thrower - "Those Once Loyal"
Sykdom - "Mjollnir"
Didn't hear enough to judge properly:
Dusk - "Carpathian Forest"
Solefald - "Red For Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey, Part 1"
Graveland - "Fire Chariot Of Destruction"
Overlorde - "Return Of The Snow Giant"
Equilibrium - "Turis Fratyr"
Sapthuran - "To The Edge Of Land"
Oathean - "Fading Away Into The Grave Of Nothingness"
Disappointments of the year 2005:
Opeth - "Ghost Reveries"
Paths of Possession - "Promises In Blood"
Dark Tranquillity - "Character"
Freedom Call - "The Circle Of Life"
Fire away.
1. Falkenbach - Heralding The Fireblade: Just an majestic tour de force and 100% perfect blend of ripping black metal aggression, snarling punk attitude, epic viking prowess and mead-swinging jollyfolk. Not quite 10/10, but so damned close it occasionally gets its mail.
2. Manegarm - Vredens Tid: Epic. Massive. Bone-crushing. Splendiferous. All of those adjectives could be used to describe this "picture perfect viking metal album." I put it in the same world as Thyrfing's "Urkraft" record, so you know how much I enjoyed it. Almost took the top spot.
3. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor: A huge surprise for me, since Nevermore has always been a very-good-but-not-quite-great band to these ears, but this album blew me away from the get-go. The addition of Smyth to Loomis makes for the greatest bunch of riffs & solos in many a year, and "never" has this band's power thrash attack been "more" efficient, song after song. Brilliant record, and again, almost took the top spot.
4. Sin Origin - In The Presence Of A Dread Magician: I tried and tried to find a reason to knock this unknown black metal duo out of my top 5, but there's simply no way. The year's biggest surprise (to me) in that this slab of 60 minutes covers nearly every genre of metal, and all of them well. I can't think of a single headbanger that should be without this record. Accessible & challenging all at once. Fucking awesome.
DOWNLOAD: The Devil With Seven More Evil (warning, LONG song)
5. Moonsorrow - Verisakeet: Honestly, if not for the wasted final 13 minutes of this disc, it most likely would've been AOY. That's how fine the first 4 tracks/55 minutes are, and with "Haaska" and "Pimea," Moonsorrow have presented fans with 2 bona fide songs of the year. Probably the greatest "epic" metal band on the planet. Highly, highly recommended.
6. Drudkh - The Swan Road: Another newcomer for me, and (I guess) a semi-controversial album in that it wasn't "Autumn Aurora Pt. II." Having not ever heard that famed album, I had no preconceived notions of what this should be. What it is, is a brilliantly raw, atmospheric and riff-heavy tour de force of modern folk-influenced black metal. Fucking great, naysayers be damned.
7. Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness: This album just keeps getting better & better, and for a band who's song "Coffin Ships" seems to be universally worshipped, I found 3 songs even stronger than that instant classic. Nemtheanga's best performance by far, Primordial takes absolutely no prisoners with this album, bleeding so much passion & intensity, you'll need a crime scene clean-up crew to mop up once you're done listening. This completes the grouping of the best "viking/celtic/folk" metal year ever.
8. Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked: Another semi-controversial album: half its listeners were disappointed with the lack of Egyptian "atmospheric" effects and the superbly polished production, the other half welcomed the change to the newly "listener-friendly" Nile. Count me amongst the latter grouping, as Neil Kernon has accomplished what the previous 4 albums could not: let you hear every single instrument and growl!
9. Gromm - Happiness...It's When You Are Dead: I'm sure the kvlt elite black metal fans are shaking their head at me right now, but I honestly could not care less. This is NOT the most original album ever recorded, and Gromm wears his Norwegian influences proudly on his spiked gauntlet. However, that's not to say he hasn't produced 40+ minutes of guitar/riff-heavy, scorching (frozen?) black metal. Half warp-speed, half mid-paced thrashiness, you will headbang yourself to death.
DOWNLOAD: Time's Dust Upon Millstones Of Eternity
10. Helrunar - Frostnacht: Narrowly sliding into the top 10 over another half-dozen worthy competitors, Helrunar has put out the best slice of Dissection-influenced metal in 5 years. With just the right touch of dynamics, acoustic passages, ripping, intertwined guitars, and folky qualities, it's an easy listen and yet a rewarding one over time.
DOWNLOAD: Minis Brunnr (Gratr Onnor)
Special Honorable Mention:
HM: Jotenheim - s/t (EP): At only 25 minutes (3 originals, 2 covers), I just can't give up a valuable top 10 spot, but goddamn if the 25 minutes that's here doesn't kick your fucken ass. Great, gruff traditional metal.
Just missing the cut, aka other worthy 2005 releases:
Morrigan - "Headcult"
Falchion - "Legacy Of Heathens"
Horna - "Envaatnags Eflos Esgantaavne"
Bruce Dickinson - "Tyranny Of Souls"
Heol Telwen - "An Duiz Ruz"
Nokturnal Mortum - "Weltanschauung"
Thronar - "For Death And Glory"
Thyrfing - "Farsotstider"
Bloodbath - "Nightmares Made Flesh"
Gamma Ray - "Majestic"
Machine Men - "Elegies"
Black Majesty - "Silent Company"
Arallu - "The Demon From The Ancient World"
Sapthuran - "...In Hatred"
Bolt Thrower - "Those Once Loyal"
Sykdom - "Mjollnir"
Didn't hear enough to judge properly:
Dusk - "Carpathian Forest"
Solefald - "Red For Fire: An Icelandic Odyssey, Part 1"
Graveland - "Fire Chariot Of Destruction"
Overlorde - "Return Of The Snow Giant"
Equilibrium - "Turis Fratyr"
Sapthuran - "To The Edge Of Land"
Oathean - "Fading Away Into The Grave Of Nothingness"
Disappointments of the year 2005:
Opeth - "Ghost Reveries"
Paths of Possession - "Promises In Blood"
Dark Tranquillity - "Character"
Freedom Call - "The Circle Of Life"
Fire away.
