Well it's that time again to look at some of the better albums of the past 6 months. Some will make it on the final list I am sure, but others...not so lucky.
1. As I Lay Dying - This Powerless Rise: not as good as An Ocean Between Us, but still the best album I have heard this year from start to finish. More death vocals than before, but that's ok. I don't know if it will end up number one though. I have been listening to some newer albums that might take that spot.
2. Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy: Definitely not on par with This Godless Endeavor, but still it's Nevermore, they really don't release anything that is bad. It is average. I don't know where I would put this album if I ranked their discography. It has everything you would want in a Nevermore album though, solid riffs, great solos from Jeff Loomis, and killer drumming. Warrel Dane does another great job on vocals. It isn't as thrashy as TGE, more of the mid tempo stuff like on Dead Heart in a Dead World.
3. Bullet for My Valentine - Fever: I talked about this album a few weeks ago and it isn't going anywhere. First off most of the screams are gone. They show up, but very sporadically. The music though is as catchy as ever. Betrayal is probably my favorite song of the year.
4. Blaze Bayley - Promise and Terror: For those who don't know Blaze, he was in Iron Maiden for a couple albums when Bruce Dickinson left the band. People bash those albums constantly, but after he left Iron Maiden he started making solo albums and they kick ass. Starting with Silicon Messiah til now, they have been classic heavy metal albums. Promise and Terror is no different. The musicians have all changed since the first album, but this is probably their best since Silicon Messiah. If you liked X-Factor, check out Comfortable in Darkness it could have easily been on that album...dark, slower, and the vocals fit in perfectly.
5. Periphery - Periphery: Now I never heard of this band, but then I kept seeing it pop up on metal boards, so I checked it out. Basically it is Meshuggah mixed with Animals as Leaders...with more Meshuggah. It is interesting because they also released an instrumental version of the album like Protest the Hero did with Fortress. I don't know which I like better, but this is definitely one of the albums I just got wind of a couple of weeks ago and it is groing on me.
6. Levi/Werstler - Avalanche of Worms: another instrumental album. This one is from the guys from Daath. It is a great album for metal fans. This probably has more in common with Animal as Leaders in terms of the guitar tone and soloing than Periphery. If Daath could put out an album like this...wow.
7. Silent Civilian - Ghost Stories: second album from these guys. It's better than their first and if I were to describe it I would say it is a cross of Chimaira and Trivium-type bands. It's solid, but will it be here in 6 months? Probably not.
8. Solution .45 - For Aeons Past: Former lead vocalist of Scar Symmetry's new band. Sounds pretty much just like them as well. I would love this album a lot more if the keyboards weren't pushed to the front so much. I mean keyboards are ok, but not when they take away from the guitars.
9. War of Ages - Eternal: this was the album that I was listening to heavily before AILD released their album...why? Produced by the vocalist from AILD and some guest spots from the guys as well. How does it sound? Like As I Lay Dying. More of the metalcore sound though with the breakdowns. This album might make another return in 6 months because everytime I put it on, I end up listening to most of it.
10. ReVamp - ReVamp: "chick/gothic/symphonic" metal. Former lead singer of After Forever's debut. It's pretty solid. Nothing special to be honest. Catchy at times, but forgetable at other times.
Honorable Mention
God of War III Soundtrack: This thing is really good, but only 6 songs. Trivium, Killswitch Engage, Dream Theater, Opeth, Taking Dawn, and Mutiny Within all have great songs on this album. Obviously, my favorite is Trivium's, but Opeth's song is probably the most shocking as they go back to their days of Damnation with their track. It works nicely in this album where the other songs are pretty fast and brutal.
It will be interesting to revisit this list in December.
Showing posts with label mid year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mid year. Show all posts
Friday, June 25, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Music Non Stop: Mid-Albums of the year this week
Not a long post, but just a heads up that I will be releasing my picks for mid-albums of the year. In the past, some have been keepers (like Testament's Formation of Damnation & Mercenary's Architect of Lies or all of 2007, what a year!). While others have been less than memorable (all of last year, seriously none of the mid-year albums made the top 10).
So what does this year have in store? Well, I only have 5 or 6 strong contenders. I will talk about why Exodus' latest isn't on the list. And musically, it is probably the best album I have heard the whole year.
That's it. Back again later.
So what does this year have in store? Well, I only have 5 or 6 strong contenders. I will talk about why Exodus' latest isn't on the list. And musically, it is probably the best album I have heard the whole year.
That's it. Back again later.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Who Decides: mid-year albums of the year 2009
Well, obviously my work never unblocked blogger, but hopefully next year will be different. Not going to say much about 09, they were a great class and I knew a bunch of them through classes and it was my last year coaching. So I will simply move on as I do every year.
Onto the topic at hand, this has been a slow music for me this year. I have only heard a couple of albums that have blown me away. As I stated earlier, I am really looking forward to the second half of the year. So what has caught my eye...or should I say ear? (lamest joke I ever wrote on here)
1. The Sorrow - Origin of the Storm: this is classic metalcore at it's best. I'm talking Killswitch Engage good. Best surprise of the year and if KsE doesn't release a great album, this could easily top it.
2. Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught: ok, so this is a remastered album with A.D. thrown on the end of their name. But the album sounds better than before and clearer, so why not mention it twice?
3. Icon in Me - Human Museum: this is what Mnemic's last album should have been, not that craptacular Passenger. Great sound very reminiscent of Mnemic's earlier stuff.
4. The Beneath - City of Lights: who? That's what I said when I looked at it, but The Beneath is basically a Protest the Hero type band, and I love PtH.
5. God Forbid - Earthsblood: solid, but nothing special
6. The Agonist - Lullabies for the Dormant Mind: sounds very very similar to Amaran in certain parts...that's a good thing.
7. Suidakra - Crogacht: more folk metal...pretty solid.
8. Crimfall - As the Path Unfolds...: imagine if Nightwish had a death metal vocalist you have Crimfall.
9. Darkness by Oath - Fear Yourself: solid melodic death metal album...generic, but good.
That's all that has caught my eye so far. Nightrage has released their album on their Myspace page and it sounds good. I really liked the dynamics of A New Disease is Born, but this one seems to be more straight forward like Descent into Chaos... and that's not necessarily a bad thing either. I expect the album to make my top 10 like their previous 3 albums did.
I don't expect more than one or two of these to make the end of the year list. That's it.
Onto the topic at hand, this has been a slow music for me this year. I have only heard a couple of albums that have blown me away. As I stated earlier, I am really looking forward to the second half of the year. So what has caught my eye...or should I say ear? (lamest joke I ever wrote on here)
1. The Sorrow - Origin of the Storm: this is classic metalcore at it's best. I'm talking Killswitch Engage good. Best surprise of the year and if KsE doesn't release a great album, this could easily top it.
2. Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught: ok, so this is a remastered album with A.D. thrown on the end of their name. But the album sounds better than before and clearer, so why not mention it twice?
3. Icon in Me - Human Museum: this is what Mnemic's last album should have been, not that craptacular Passenger. Great sound very reminiscent of Mnemic's earlier stuff.
4. The Beneath - City of Lights: who? That's what I said when I looked at it, but The Beneath is basically a Protest the Hero type band, and I love PtH.
5. God Forbid - Earthsblood: solid, but nothing special
6. The Agonist - Lullabies for the Dormant Mind: sounds very very similar to Amaran in certain parts...that's a good thing.
7. Suidakra - Crogacht: more folk metal...pretty solid.
8. Crimfall - As the Path Unfolds...: imagine if Nightwish had a death metal vocalist you have Crimfall.
9. Darkness by Oath - Fear Yourself: solid melodic death metal album...generic, but good.
That's all that has caught my eye so far. Nightrage has released their album on their Myspace page and it sounds good. I really liked the dynamics of A New Disease is Born, but this one seems to be more straight forward like Descent into Chaos... and that's not necessarily a bad thing either. I expect the album to make my top 10 like their previous 3 albums did.
I don't expect more than one or two of these to make the end of the year list. That's it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Albums of the Year: Mid-year
This list is ever changing it seems like. There are so many solid albums coming out this year that I might have to do a top 20. Great year for metal, so let's get started...
1. Testament: Formation of Damnation - This should be the top album of the year, unless Metallica's album, Death Magnetic, is a true return to form. I am a sucker for Bay Area Thrash and this album brings it back in all it's glory. Chuck Billy hasn't lost his harsher vocals either. I was a little worried that with the original line-up reuniting that we would see some more catchy stuff, but we got some classic Testament. It isn't as "hard" as The Gathering. The album feels like a natural progression from Low (my favorite Testament album).
Testament's Myspace
2. Mercenary: Architect of Lies - Ahh Mercenary, started out as a pure death metal band, then added a "clean" vocalist and went big. 11 Dreams was a classic, but after that album the "death" vocalist left the band. It showed on their follow-up, Hours That Remain. It was a solid album, but they needed a death vocalist. Well they got one again and it's nice to see classic Mercenary. Not as solid as 11 Dreams, but a big improvement over Hours That Remain.
Mercenary's Myspace
3. Biomechanical: Cannibalized - Biomechanical is a crazy band. If I had to describe them I would say they are part Halford, part Strapping Young Lad, and part symphony. Yeah it's that crazy. I was blown away by Empires of the World, but this is harder, heavier, and faster. It also completes the trilogy of the albums, but honestly I can't figure out the story. The vocals go from the high Halford-esque to some pretty solid harsh vocals. Musically, it's all over the place.
Biomechanical's Myspace
4. Protest the Hero: Fortress - I thought this would be my album of the year. I was waiting on this one ever since I heard their debut, Kezia. It sounds pretty much like Kezia part 2, which is a good thing. Nothing seems forced and the album flows very well.
Protest the Hero's Myspace
5. Eluveitie: Slania - It seems like every year an album comes along and is just so different it makes my top 10. Last year it was Deadlock and before that it was Borknagar. Now it is Eluveitie's turn. Their music is described as folk metal, and does it eveer come across that way. Imagine a death metal band with a violin and a hurdy gurdy! yeah that's not a typo. The music is so grand it's not even funny. Throw in some female vocals and you have yourself one hell of an album.
Eluveitie's Myspace
6. Mygrain: Signs of Existence - Mygrain's sophmore follow-up is so much better than their debut. This is pure Swedish Death Metal. Great riffs, stellar keyboards, fantastic vocals, and of course catchy choruses. A surprise album if there ever was one.
Mygrain's Myspace
7. Textures: Silhouettes - This is an album that is growing on me like you wouldn't believe. For me they are coming across as a heavier version of Into Eternity. Not as progressive as Circles, but it's not straight death metal either. Great combination and they somehow tweaked their formula just enough to catch me.
Textures' Myspace
8. Warrel Dane: Praises to the Warmachine - Ok for those of you who are into metal, you know who Warrel Dane is..lead singer of Nevermore. Now, Nevermore is one of my favorite bands. I hate it when bands do side projects because I am worried about them breaking up because of it. This year Dane is doing one as is their guitarist, Jeff Loomis. So I was worried, but then I heard it wasn't going to be anything like Nevermore...ok I feel better. But wait, this album is Nevermore light. Seriously, if you are a fan of The Heart Collector or The River Dragon pick this up. I don't know why some of these songs never made it to an album, but they are solid Nevermore style songs. So where does this leave Nevermore? I guess we will have to wait and see.
Warrel Dane's Myspace
9. 36 Crazyfists: The Tide and Its Takers - Now somewhere in the last few years I started to appreciate the metalcore genre. I couldn't stand it at first, but some bands can do it and make it sound great. 36 Crazyfists is one of those bands. Their latest is classic metalcore. The music is sharp and the breakdowns are memorable. The first track The All Night Lights is killer and sets the tempo for the rest of the album. Vocals go from Tompa screams to clean singing, not the emo style either, just clean vocals. Huge surprise for me.
36 Crazyfists' Myspace
10. Machinery: The Passing - Who is Machinery? An upstart band that plays some classic thrash inspired metal. Now, Helloween's The Dark Ride is one of my favorite albums of all time and at times that's what this reminds me of... only darker and heavier. The vocalist is reminiscent of Andi Deris at times, but not a complete copy. Musically, like I said classic thrash with some tight solos. Of all the albums I picked up this year, this one is the most surprising.
Machinery's Myspace
on the bubble:
Pyramaze: Immortal - return of Matt Barlow on lead vocals. Killer album. I expect this or Iced Earth's new one in the top 10.
Eminence: The God of all Mistakes - tribal metal combined with thrash...better than Sepultura, but not as solid as Soulfly's last album. Most years this would be in the top 10 right now.
Arsis: We Are the Nightmare - an improvement over United in Regret, but still something is missing.
In Flames: A Sense of Purpose - I am a huge In Flames fan, but this is just missing some memorable songs right now. When I heard Take This Life, lead single off of their last album, I was hooked. Nothing like that here.
Bullet for My Valentine: Scream, Aim, Fire - ok this might make it in the top 10. I couldn't stand it when I heard it the first time, but it is growing on me like nobody's business. Plus a cover of No Easy Way Out...come on.
The Arcane Order: In the Wake of Collisions - classic melodic death metal with some symphonic undertones...definitely original.
Perzonal War: Bloodlines - classic thrash.
Raunchy: Wasteland Discotheque - This is what Mnemic's Passenger should have sounded like. Classic industrial metal with those catchy choruses. This should easily make the top 10. It comes out on Tuesday, but is streaming on their myspace, HERE.
So there you have a good 15 albums, and there is still 6 months to go. And what's to come. Ok second part of the Iced Earth double album with Matt Barlow back on lead vocals. Into Eternity's latest album and 1st concept album. All That Remain's new one. And their last album was a classic... not one filler song on that thing. Trivium, who are said to be going back to a style more similar to Ascendancy which would be a great thing. Oh yeah and this little band called Metallica. We might as well give #1 to Metallica now. I am a sucker for new Metallica. So you can see that there are at least 4 albums that will probably end up in the top 10. Exciitng year.
----------------
Now playing: Eminence - Day 7
via FoxyTunes
1. Testament: Formation of Damnation - This should be the top album of the year, unless Metallica's album, Death Magnetic, is a true return to form. I am a sucker for Bay Area Thrash and this album brings it back in all it's glory. Chuck Billy hasn't lost his harsher vocals either. I was a little worried that with the original line-up reuniting that we would see some more catchy stuff, but we got some classic Testament. It isn't as "hard" as The Gathering. The album feels like a natural progression from Low (my favorite Testament album).
Testament's Myspace
2. Mercenary: Architect of Lies - Ahh Mercenary, started out as a pure death metal band, then added a "clean" vocalist and went big. 11 Dreams was a classic, but after that album the "death" vocalist left the band. It showed on their follow-up, Hours That Remain. It was a solid album, but they needed a death vocalist. Well they got one again and it's nice to see classic Mercenary. Not as solid as 11 Dreams, but a big improvement over Hours That Remain.
Mercenary's Myspace
3. Biomechanical: Cannibalized - Biomechanical is a crazy band. If I had to describe them I would say they are part Halford, part Strapping Young Lad, and part symphony. Yeah it's that crazy. I was blown away by Empires of the World, but this is harder, heavier, and faster. It also completes the trilogy of the albums, but honestly I can't figure out the story. The vocals go from the high Halford-esque to some pretty solid harsh vocals. Musically, it's all over the place.
Biomechanical's Myspace
4. Protest the Hero: Fortress - I thought this would be my album of the year. I was waiting on this one ever since I heard their debut, Kezia. It sounds pretty much like Kezia part 2, which is a good thing. Nothing seems forced and the album flows very well.
Protest the Hero's Myspace
5. Eluveitie: Slania - It seems like every year an album comes along and is just so different it makes my top 10. Last year it was Deadlock and before that it was Borknagar. Now it is Eluveitie's turn. Their music is described as folk metal, and does it eveer come across that way. Imagine a death metal band with a violin and a hurdy gurdy! yeah that's not a typo. The music is so grand it's not even funny. Throw in some female vocals and you have yourself one hell of an album.
Eluveitie's Myspace
6. Mygrain: Signs of Existence - Mygrain's sophmore follow-up is so much better than their debut. This is pure Swedish Death Metal. Great riffs, stellar keyboards, fantastic vocals, and of course catchy choruses. A surprise album if there ever was one.
Mygrain's Myspace
7. Textures: Silhouettes - This is an album that is growing on me like you wouldn't believe. For me they are coming across as a heavier version of Into Eternity. Not as progressive as Circles, but it's not straight death metal either. Great combination and they somehow tweaked their formula just enough to catch me.
Textures' Myspace
8. Warrel Dane: Praises to the Warmachine - Ok for those of you who are into metal, you know who Warrel Dane is..lead singer of Nevermore. Now, Nevermore is one of my favorite bands. I hate it when bands do side projects because I am worried about them breaking up because of it. This year Dane is doing one as is their guitarist, Jeff Loomis. So I was worried, but then I heard it wasn't going to be anything like Nevermore...ok I feel better. But wait, this album is Nevermore light. Seriously, if you are a fan of The Heart Collector or The River Dragon pick this up. I don't know why some of these songs never made it to an album, but they are solid Nevermore style songs. So where does this leave Nevermore? I guess we will have to wait and see.
Warrel Dane's Myspace
9. 36 Crazyfists: The Tide and Its Takers - Now somewhere in the last few years I started to appreciate the metalcore genre. I couldn't stand it at first, but some bands can do it and make it sound great. 36 Crazyfists is one of those bands. Their latest is classic metalcore. The music is sharp and the breakdowns are memorable. The first track The All Night Lights is killer and sets the tempo for the rest of the album. Vocals go from Tompa screams to clean singing, not the emo style either, just clean vocals. Huge surprise for me.
36 Crazyfists' Myspace
10. Machinery: The Passing - Who is Machinery? An upstart band that plays some classic thrash inspired metal. Now, Helloween's The Dark Ride is one of my favorite albums of all time and at times that's what this reminds me of... only darker and heavier. The vocalist is reminiscent of Andi Deris at times, but not a complete copy. Musically, like I said classic thrash with some tight solos. Of all the albums I picked up this year, this one is the most surprising.
Machinery's Myspace
on the bubble:
Pyramaze: Immortal - return of Matt Barlow on lead vocals. Killer album. I expect this or Iced Earth's new one in the top 10.
Eminence: The God of all Mistakes - tribal metal combined with thrash...better than Sepultura, but not as solid as Soulfly's last album. Most years this would be in the top 10 right now.
Arsis: We Are the Nightmare - an improvement over United in Regret, but still something is missing.
In Flames: A Sense of Purpose - I am a huge In Flames fan, but this is just missing some memorable songs right now. When I heard Take This Life, lead single off of their last album, I was hooked. Nothing like that here.
Bullet for My Valentine: Scream, Aim, Fire - ok this might make it in the top 10. I couldn't stand it when I heard it the first time, but it is growing on me like nobody's business. Plus a cover of No Easy Way Out...come on.
The Arcane Order: In the Wake of Collisions - classic melodic death metal with some symphonic undertones...definitely original.
Perzonal War: Bloodlines - classic thrash.
Raunchy: Wasteland Discotheque - This is what Mnemic's Passenger should have sounded like. Classic industrial metal with those catchy choruses. This should easily make the top 10. It comes out on Tuesday, but is streaming on their myspace, HERE.
So there you have a good 15 albums, and there is still 6 months to go. And what's to come. Ok second part of the Iced Earth double album with Matt Barlow back on lead vocals. Into Eternity's latest album and 1st concept album. All That Remain's new one. And their last album was a classic... not one filler song on that thing. Trivium, who are said to be going back to a style more similar to Ascendancy which would be a great thing. Oh yeah and this little band called Metallica. We might as well give #1 to Metallica now. I am a sucker for new Metallica. So you can see that there are at least 4 albums that will probably end up in the top 10. Exciitng year.
----------------
Now playing: Eminence - Day 7
via FoxyTunes
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