Top Albums of Q1/2018

Tribulation - Down Below

After the highly acclaimed The Children of the Night (2015) which significantly steered their sound into traditional heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and gothic rock, Tribulation is back with Down Below. A cohesive musical experience with 9 songs in 47 minutes, one being the beautiful instrumental "Purgatorio". I can't really pinpoint other songs, they are all great and don't stand out individually. But as a full length album from start to finish, there's a dark hypnotizing atmosphere that sucks you into it. Additionally the production is great, the guitars are fantastic and the vocals as dark as we came to know, growling with melody. We will be seeing this one in many year-end lists, no doubts and with merits.

Joe Satriani - What Happens Next

This album, while consistent with only direct and short songs, has a lot of diversity. Energetic songs like "Energy" and "Headrush" which resemble the Surfing With The Alien album. Love songs like "Smooth Soul" and "Forever and Ever" (featuring a fantastic Hendrix-like intro). A modern song that sounds like a cat robot trying to speak. Typical Satriani melodic songs like the title track. And of course great shredding. For the record, my favorite solo is on "Thunder High on the Mountain". Overall, this is Satriani back to basics, a great rock album. The grooves and rhythmic section with Glenn Hughes and Chad Smith are just perfect (check "Cherry Blossoms" and "Super Funky Badass" for example). A great addition to such a fabulous and long catalog.

Visigoth - Conqueror's Oath

"The hammers of heavy metal ring loud and true in the mountain halls of Salt Lake City, Utah!". The text from their own page says it all. Those Americans deliver traditional no nonsense heavy metal as if they were part of the NWOBHM. It's not original or reinventing the wheel, but it's very well executed and produced. The song writing is just great, clean powerful vocals, twin guitars and big choruses. All songs are great except "Salt City" which is a bit out of place to me. Highlights are "Outlive Them All" which could've been in Iron Maiden's Killers, the opener "Steel and Silver", the epic "Traitor's Gate" and the Candlemass-like title track. A great album for those looking for good old fashion Heavy Metal.

Long Distance Calling - Boundless
After the fantastic 2016's "Trips" which contained some solid vocals. The post-rockers from Germany are back and returning to their roots with a completely instrumental album. With the exception of a couple of songs, most of the tracks display a lively energy, heaviness, melodies and twists that grabbed my attention. One of the best instrumental albums I've recently listened to .

Watain - Trident Wolf Eclipse

The sixth full-length studio album by Watain comes more than 4 years after the predecessor The Wild Hunt. Back in 2013 vocalist Erik Danielsson performed a song with clean vocals for the first time in the track "They Rode On". While I enjoyed the song and the overall album quite a lot, many fans didn't. For those, you can rest assured because Trident Wolf Eclipse has no clean vocals. Actually the first nine tracks are a bulldozer that will crush you with fast and aggressive black metal. Only the 9th and last song, "Antikrists Mirakel" slows things down a bit and closes the album with a different vibe. Overall, it's a very good black metal album, no frills, no surprises, just straight up quality song writing that hooks you and makes it easy to listen to it repeatedly.

Hamferð - Támsins likam
Hamferð is a Faroese doom metal band from Tórshavn which formed in 2008. In early January 2014, lead singer Jón Aldará also joined the Finnish band Barren Earth. Together they released 2015's fantastic On Lonely Towers. I didn't know Hamferð but I was curious to give it a try given the good experience with Jón Aldará. I'm very happy I did because Támsins likam is a great funeral doom album.

Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits

Despite being quite busy with several other projects and bands, including a tour with Ozzy, Zakk Wylde had the time to put together another good Black Label Society album. No, it's not a compilation album despite the deceiving title. But it does set the tone of the record, a dark, mid tempo album with huge guitar riffs, great solos, heavy grooves, melodies and a Black Sabbath influence more prominent than previous albums. Additional shout out to John DeServio on bass, not only great basslines but also well placed in the mix. A great BLS album and a enjoyable homage to the creators of Heavy Metal.

Necrophobic - Mark Of The Necrogram
Not sure how or why, but I am late to the Necrophobic party. They are part of the first wave of Swedish death metal bands and have already issued a total of seven studio albums. But this is the first time I check them out. From the first song intro I was already sold. Overall, my first impression is of fantastic song writing which displays Amon Amarth with early Slayer and a hint of Watain. In other words, speed, killer riffs and catchy melodies.  So now I know where both Amon Amarth and Watain got some inspiration. The final touch is a fantastic cover by Kristian "Necrolord" Wåhlin. One of the best Death Metal albums of 2018 so far.

Audrey Horne - Blackout

I was blown way by their 2013's Youngblood. But I felt they rushed into releasing Pure Heavy in 2014 which I didn't like at all. Now 4 years later, it looks like they really took the time to create something special. Fantastic rock songs with guitar duo to amaze the Murray/Smith fans. And solid vocal performance from Torkjell Rød. While clearly referring to 70s and 80s rock sound, Audrey Horne has always been able to still sound fresh and new. I hope these guys will tour during the summer festivals, cause it's a perfect fit to a sunny day with beers.

Magnum - Lost on the Road to Eternity

There are not many rock/metal bands that reach the 20th studio album mark. Most importantly, there last few albums have all been really good. While there's nothing new here, it's again a very enjoyable album full of catchy riffs and choruses.

Corrosion of Conformity - No Cross No Crown

While I didn't know those guys very well, the fact that it’s been a dozen years since C.O.C. recorded new material with vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan caught my attention. And I really liked what I heard. It's hard to define their sound: sludge, stoner, thrash, rock, it's all in there. But the trademark southern rock sound is impossible to miss. However with running time of 1hr, the album overstays its welcome and the second half kind of blends together.