*Ahem* Is this thing on? *tap* *tap* *tap* [feeeeeeeedback]. Oops. Sorry. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I have a prologue to my top-10 list of 2005. And the first thing I have to say is I can't make a top-10 list. It's top-20 or nothing! If ya don't like it, don't read it!
This was a strange year for me. Nothing this year impacted my music world as much as last year's Ayreon, Orphaned Land, and Wuthering Heights releases. But there were still a ton of great albums released in '05 and I had a hard time making my list (witnessed by the fact that I had to make it top twenty).
It's weird this year because I had so many different genres vieing for supremecy. Stream of Passion and Leave's Eyes score high in a genre I like, goth metal, but isn't my favorite. The prog bands automatically jump to the top of my list because they are so creative and it is apparent the band took their time in writing good material. Then there's the old school metal bands that are always refreshing to hear since I lived the 80s in my prime.
I'd like to say these are in exact order but that changes with time and my mood, hence the lack of #numbers in my list. It's closest I can come at this time, on this date. My list is based on two factors: how excited I get when listening to the album, and how frequently it was played (especially in a certain period of time).
TOP 20 2005
Stream of Passion - Embrace the Storm: Once again, musical mastermind Arjen Anthony Lucassen has delivered album of the year for me. There is something about this guy's songwriting that just hits the right note with me. Like Jon Oliva, everything the guy writes tickles my eardrums. I'm not sure this would have landed at #1 for me though...if it weren't for the captivating vocals of Marcela Bovio. I'm in love with the woman, what can I say?
Kamelot - The Black Halo: I've always had to be in a certain "mood" to listen to Kamelot, but this album broke through that barrier. I'll admit this album didn't do much for me early on, but around the 10th listen it started clicking for me. Now, it's an album I can put in anytime and enjoy it. Their best so far IMO.
Astral Doors - Evil is Forever: What can I say? Astral Doors is a prime example of the kind of music Mr. Dio SHOULD be putting out these days, instead of the lifeless songs of recent years. To me AD sounds like Dio-era Rainbow on steroids. This pleases my ears greatly!
Beyond Twilight - Section X: Jorn Lande may have left the band, but the replacement singer didn't miss a step! This one lands at the top of my prog metal albums, possibly only because I've owned it the longer than the others.
Masterplan - Aeronautics: I don't know much about this band except Jorn Lande is the singer, and that's always a plus. I saw the original on several "must have" lists a couple years ago, and this new one was also well-recieved. I finally broke down and bought a Masterplan album and I'm glad I did! Awesome prog/power!
Pagan's Mind - enigmatic: calling: The new Pagan's Mind ranks right up there with Masterplan and Section X as prog/power metal masterpieces of 2005. I had Celestial Entrance on my wish list all of last year, but never got around to buying it (mostly because it was only available online). I finally bought my first Pagan's Mind 10 days ago (same time I bought Masterplan) and it's kicking my ass on a daily basis!
Shadow Gallery - Room V: This prog metal jewel picks up where my previous favorite SG album, Tyranny, left off. Literally. You can almost link the last song on Tyranny to the first song on Room V and call it a double cd. If I had to describe this band in only one word, that word would be "melodic".
Iommi/Hughes - Fused: Riff-master Tony Iommi is back in top form! And Glenn Hughes on vocals? Icing on the fucking cake! Nice to hear old school music by old school musicians sounding so modern, so kick ass, and...well, so old school.
Leave's Eyes - Vinland Saga: Goth metal just doesn't get much better than this. Awesome songwriting, awesome singing, and godly arrangements. This album was attractive to me from the first time I heard it back in September and I still listen to it at least once per week.
Icarus Witch - Capture the Magic: Capture the magic they did, the magic of the 80s. Many of the younger crowd critcize this album because of it's slower mid-tempo. That's the problem with all this extreme metal these days. It gets people so accustomed to fast-paced music that when great bands like Icarus Witch come along and play in the 80s tempo, it sounds like it's in slow motion. Well, the 80s were my heyday and I like slow motion music. Long live Icarus Witch!
Sabaton - Primo Victoria: Sounds like Pirate Metal ala early Running Wild, but the lyrics re-label the music as Battle Metal! Absolutely awesome old school album that hearkens back to the mid-80s for me. And I love the 80s!
Russell Allen's Atomic Soul: The lead singer of Symphony X put together a very good collection of songs here. Mostly reminiscent of 70s and early 80s music, it is fun to pick out the large number of influences he used in creating this hard rock gem.
Symphorce - Godspeed: This is an awesome compliation of really heavy prog/power metal. Like Nevermore, it's almost too extreme for my tastes. But when I'm in the mood to thrash about, this is one of the first albums I turn to. If I was more a fan of extreme metal, this album would have ranked right up there with Beyond Twilight and Pagan's Mind.
Lana Lane - Lady Macbeth: Lana Lane and hubby Erik Norlander have created their greatest masterpiece yet with this concept album based on the Shakespeare play. Very little of this album could be considered metal, it is mostly progressive hard rock and at times AOR. The lack of heaviness is probably the only reason this album doesn't appear higher on my list.
Deadsoul Tribe - The Dead Word: First, let me say that I am a total DsT nut. Murder of Crows and January Tree have been spun in my hallowed halls at least 50 times each. No newer band has touched me quite the way Devon Graves has done. This new one seems a bit rushed though, and not quite on par with the previous two releases. That's the only reason it doesn't appear higher on my list. That said though, a "good" album by Devon Graves still kicks ass over most metal band's best albums.
Falconer - Grime vs Grandeur: This album kind of died out for me later in the year, but that could be a direct result of my recent prog metal kick. Over the summer, though, Grime vs. Grandeur was a mainstay in my cd player. Old school, modernized with a touch of folk. While I like the past two Falconer albums, I am happy to hear the original singer will be back for their next album and it will have even more folk influences.
Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter: One of two rookie prog/power metal releases on my list this year, along with Communic. Many complain that CM's influences (Dream Theater and Symphony X to name two) are worn a little too close to the sleeve. I don't care about this however. I just care about really good music. And this debut album from Circus Maximus is really good music.
Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor: Warrel Dane and company have always been a little too extreme for my tastes, even back in the Sanctuary days. For some reason I found this album more accessible, possibly because I'm slowly being desensitized to the more extreme elements of music as more and more bands are blending extreme and prog. Like Symphorce and Opeth, this album would be higher on my list if my tastes ran in a different vein. Fact is, I'm just not pissed off at the world anymore, so aggressive music doesn't call to me as often as it once did.
Communic - Conspiracy in Mind: Another great prog/power metal debut! This album is a little more aggressive than most of this genre's offerings...closer to a Nevermore/Symphorce style of playing than it is to Pagan's Mind and Shadow Gallery. Again, it's aggressiveness is probably what landed it lower on my list. Still, I have to give Communic their due. Great job for a debut.
Opeth - Ghost Reveries: Great album, and when I'm in the mood I really enjoy Opeth's latest. This album only appears so low on my list because of the extreme elements. I think Mikael Akerfeldt is the best growler in the business. But the fact remains, I fucking hate growling.
Styx - The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings: Okay, this one can't be on my list (at #21) because it was a re-release. But it certainly deserves mentioning because I spun this disc at least as much as those who scored in my top five. This is a 2 disc set that contains the first four Styx albums, back when they really rocked out! There is a huge variety of musical styles displayed on these early Styx releases and any fan of old 70s progressive hard rock is sorely missing out if they haven't heard them. Dare I say that they are better than classics like Grand Illusion and Paradise Theater? I might!
DISCLAIMER: Many bands probably would have appeared based off of reviews, recommendations, and song samples I've heard, but couldn't afford to buy before the cut-off point: Pantommind, Presto Ballet, Sieges Even, Arena, Glenn Hughes, Redemption, Morgana Lefay and many more...
