Your Top 2009 releases so far...

[NvmbrsDoom5]

You guys like your classics I see; I'd think the band members would be more into death and doom.

Not really. And the death and doom that Paul and I tend to like the most are stuff that came out years ago, again the "classic" stuff. Most of the modern doom/death bands bore the shit out of me. They're all following the same path and not enough variety in the sound for my taste. One of the few doom bands I've heard recently that I liked was Isole, very strong Candlemass/Trouble vibe to their stuff which I like.

It's funny how often people are surprised to learn that bands of certain styles don't listen much to other bands in their genre. While perhaps some of the other bands don't come forth and speak quite so openly about what they really listen to (for fear of fan reaction perhaps??)...I've never been afraid to talk about what music I listen to, at this point I couldn't give a fuck if people like it or not. Everyone in this band has very different, diverse tastes in music and I think that's what helps us to create the music that we do.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Not in any real order and will probably change:

Grimmstine: S/T
Manimal: The Darkest Room
Astra: The Weirding
Hardline: Leaving the End Open
Heaven and Hell: The Devil You Know
Candlemass: Death Magic Doom
Megadeth: Endgame
Cain's Offering:Gather the Faithful
Uriah Heep: Celebration
Fool's Game: Reality Divine
I.Q.: Frequency
Axxis: Utopia
Dream Theater: Black Clouds...
Saxon: Into the Labyrinth
Mind Key: Pulse For a Graveheart
Cage: Science of Anihilation
Sepultura: A-Lex
Iron Fire: To The Grave
November's Doom: Into night's Requiem Infernal
The Poodles: Clash of the Elements

 

[richseered]

Hey Kthulu, there was an excellent feature on one of the guitar mags back in the early 90s (think it was in "Guitar World") where Dime and Snake Sabo from Skid Row both interviewed Ace. I think I'm right in saying that Dime got Ace to autograph him and he later got it tattooed over! You might be abloe to find the interview on line if you haven't read it, it's worth finding.

Another good album this year if you like classic metal in the Rainbow / Dio vein is Impelliterri's "Wicked Maiden", which has Rob Rock back in the band on vocals. Completely OTT solos and vocal harmonies, but in a good way!

 

[great_kthulu]

bealeave it or not, I have seen the interview, and not only that, I maeged to dig up a vid on youtube of dime getting the autograph tatooed.

 

[Lateralus14]

Draft for top 15 right now:

1. Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II
2. Urna - Iter Ad Lucem
3. Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind
4. maudlin of the Well - Part the Second
5. Ulcerate - Everything is Fire
6. Mournful Congregation - The June Frost
7. Baroness - Blue Record
8. Teitanblood - Seven Chalices
9. Katharsis - Fourth Reich
10. Grave Miasma - Exalted Emanation
11. Novembers Doom - Into Night's Requiem Infernal
12. Stabat Mater - Stabat Mater
13. Siena Root - Different Realities
14. Isis - Wavering Radiant
15. Gungfly - Please Be Quiet

I expected Ruins of Beverast to make this list when I finally get around to it. I also need to listen more to Siena Root, Gungfly, Urna, and Grave Miasma as I feel there's the most untapped potential there in future listens.

 

[Srontgorrth]

In no order, the albums I enjoyed quite a bit this year are:

The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite
Cobalt - Gin
Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II
motW - Part the Second
Mournful Congregation - The June Frost
Novembers Doom - Into Night's Requiem Infernal
Absu - s/t
Amesouers - s/t
Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse Now
Hull - Sole Lord
Mumakil - Behold the Failure
MDB - For Lies I Sire
Napalm Death - Time Waits for no Slave
Sunn O))) - Monoliths&Dimensions
Mastodon - Crack the Skye

Things that didn't live up to my expectations:
Ahab, Portal, Glorior Belli, and Shining

Still looking forward to Katatonia (Forsaker sounded pretty good), and These Are They.

 

[Lateralus14]

Ruins is not disappointing, as expected. Doesn't top Rain but if it did it would be in the top 3 or 4 easy so it's cool. All those you listed are good too, I just can only put so many albums on repeated listening..

 

[Srontgorrth]

It tops Rain for me, but not Unlock the Shrine. Either way, all of the TRoB albums area pretty damn great.

 

[richseered]

For straight up traditional metal, the latest Hammerfall album, "No Sacrifice, No Victory" is excellent. Depends on your tolerance for cheese, lol, but they've got a couple of new members and sound pretty fired up.

 

[Jasonic]

For straight up traditional metal, the latest Hammerfall album, "No Sacrifice, No Victory" is excellent. Depends on your tolerance for cheese, lol, but they've got a couple of new members and sound pretty fired up.

Agreed. It's their best since Legacy of Kings.

 

[CladInDarkness]

Things that didn't live up to my expectations:
Ahab, Portal, Glorior Belli, and Shining

That's because Shining are severely overrated.

Anyway I'm listening to this Wendess Ep and it's not too shabby.

 

[Srontgorrth]

That's because Shining are severely overrated.

Anyway I'm listening to this Wendess Ep and it's not too shabby.

I think that Halmstad deserved quite a bit of praise, it was one of my favorite albums of 07, but this one just didn't even get close for me.

 

[FUBAR]

Can't stop listening to Devin Townsends' Addicted. It's very urm addictive. Kinda like feel good metal.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

That new WOODS OF YPRES cd is shaping up to be one of my top favorites of the year for sure. I'm digging the fuck out of the songs I've heard.

 

[richseered]

Finally got the time to listen to Ahab's "The Divinity of Oceans" last night, and that's definitely made my list, superb album.

 

[Novembers Paul]

So far, 2009... In no order, as my favorite changes with my mood. (And I have to add my own CD's to this list! Proud of our material this year!)

NOVEMBERS DOOM - INRI
THESE ARE THEY - WHO LINGER
Mastodon - Crack the Skye
Ajattara - Noitumaa
Devin Townsend - Ki
Devin Townsend - Addicted
Anneke Van Giersbergen (With Agua De Annique) - Pure Air
Anneke Van Giersbergen (With Agua De Annique) - In Your Room
My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire
Lamb of God - Wrath
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us
Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way
Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs
Hail of Bullets - Warsaw Rising
Slayer - World Painted Blood
Steel Panther - Feel the Steel
Warbringer - Waking Into Nightmares
The 11th Hour - Burden of Grief
Seventh Void - Heaven is Gone


A few CD's I was eager for this year, and expected to be in my top list, failed to impress me. This has been a great year for music in general.

 

[affinityband]

recently got my copy of night is the new day. It is absolutely incredible from start to finish.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

recently got my copy of night is the new day. It is absolutely incredible from start to finish.

It's decent.

 

[FUBAR]

It's decent.

I'm hearing alot of mixed opinions about this album. But apparently it's more diverse than their other stuff so I can imagine I'll dig it.

 

[Katatonic89]

I got my copy of Night Is The New Day recently. I think it's fantastic, my favourite of all the "later era" Katatonia albums. Only time will tell how it will age.