The Top 20 Best Metal Albums of 2020 by BeMetalways Editor

 I am not gonna say all the clichés about 2020, we all know it, right? It mostly sucked, but I am not celebrating 2021 either because it won't be much different. Unfortunatelly. I do hear that I need to work on my optimism, so off to a bad start! Apart from the disaster to the music industry due to live concerts being fully cancelled. 2020 was very productive for me personally. I reconnected with my guitar, bought some new ones, learned how to record and produce my own music and have been writing music like never before. I started a YouTube channel that replicates this blog on a podcast format and continue to consume and review music as, almost, always. 

Speaking about new albums releases, we still got tons of new metal albums in 2020. The biggest name to release an album in 2020 was AC/DC which made a surprising return with their line-up from the previous album. But sadly, 2020 was not only bad due to the pandemic, I personally lost two of my top music idols, Neil Piert and Eddie Van Halen. RIP geniouses 

Regardless of lockdowns, the "listmania" tradition continues to inflate the internet and magazines around the world during the month of December. As I have been doing for years, I compiled and aggregated about 18 "best of 2020" lists posted in the last few weeks by major blogs and magazines. My conclusions were that the Code Orange hype from a couple of years ago is back. A major name like AC/DC will always come on top because it gets mentioned in several lists. My surprise was Deftones becaming the album of the year on my aggregated list. Apart from those names the list doesn't feature many big names. Imperial Thriuph is poping up as the new crtics darling of the year.

As I mentioned last year, I finally gave in and fully adopted Spotify premium and this was the first full year using it fully. I bought almost no CDs, I think 3. I did however bought more albums in vinyl than I expected. But I will continue to reduce that number and be even more selective. In order to prioritize quality over quantity and to free-up time to practice music myself, I finally achieved my goal of reducing the number of albums that I listened in a year  to under 100. More precisely "only" 85. 

Finally, on my YouTube channel. That's been an interesting but, not surprisingly, frustrating experience. Not sure how long I'll keep that up, it requires more work than a blog and the viewship is quite limited.

Oh, and I also did several album cover puzzels during the first wave of lockdowns. That was fun! 

I hope you get something useful out of this, so seat back and enjoy the read!

50.Heaven Shall Burn - Of Truth And Sacrifice

49.Primal Fear - Metal Commando

48.Stryper - Even The Devil Believes

47.Protest The Hero - Palimpsest

46.Kvelertak - Splid

45.Temple of Void - The World That Was

44.Ozzy Osbourne - Ordinary Man

43.Demons & Wizards - III

42.Heathen - Empire of the Blind

41.Long Distance Calling - How Do We Want To Live?

40.Code Orange - Underneath

39.Deftones - Ohms

38.Sylosis - Cycle of Suffering

37.Them - Return to Hemmersmoor

36.Shadowquest - Gallows of Eden

35.Manticora - To Live to Kill to Live

34.The Black Dahlia Murder - Verminous

33.Ensiferum - Thalassic

32.Axel Rudi Pell - Sign Of The Times

31.Joe Satriani - Shapeshifting

30.Enslaved - Utgard

29.British Lion - The Burning

28.Thoughts Factory - Elements

27.Lamb Of God - Lamb Of God

26.Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall - We Are the Night

25.My Dying Bride - The Ghost of Orion

24.H.E.A.T - H.E.A.T II

23.Rage - Wings of Rage

22.AC/DC - PWR/UP

21.Sepultura - Quadra

20.Psychotic Waltz - The God-Shaped Void

After 25 years, Psychotic Waltz returns with The God-Shaped Void, a well-written record with top-notch performances. Like many progressive rock albums, it is a grower and it requires some attention to capture all the nuances. I'm not an expert in their discography, but year 2020, Psychotic Waltz sound like a vital modern prog band with clear roots in the old school prog rock and metal. Highly recommended to any prog fan.

19.Fates Warning - Long Day Good Night

This is a very good album despite the length and some missteps. When Mateos, Alder and company hit the ball, it's a home run. There are enough great tracks here to get new and old fans psyched about FW in the new decade. That assuming the album title and the last song title are not foreshadowing the end of the band. Please come back in 3 or 4 years! 

18.Intronaut - Fluid Existential Inversions

Intronaut can be too much to digest - but after a few listens, you hear the beauty in it, so it may take time to get to a final verdict. I suspect that many publications may have rushed to review it and missed the point. It's really a shame because Fluid Existential Inversions is one of the best prog albums of the year.

17.Dark Forest - Oak, Ash & Thorn

While not completely original, the sound created by Dark Forest is magical and adventurous. Oak, Ash & Thorn is a well crafted and executed album creating soaring epic melodies with just enough power to avoid going into cheesy territory. It all comes down to impeccable songwriting which makes all the difference. Certainly one of the best traditional/power metal album of the year.

16.The Ocean - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic

This more experimental, more eclectic release impressed me from the get go. The first two tracks "Triassic" and "Jurassic | Cretaceous" each reference a period of the Mesozoic era are big and epic full of changes and exploring several musical influences. The Ocean continues to push heavy music forward, embracing heaviness and mood without boarders

15.Black Crown Initiate - Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape

This album as it is not a big departure from the previous records while having its own character. I believe it will have greater appeal to the prog fans than to the death metal ones. That's because there's a lot of clean vocals, atmospheric and melodic passages. For me that works and Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape is one of the best prog album of 2020.

14.Katatonia - City Burials

Katatonia built on their foundation but also added some interesting elements leading to great songs such as "Behind The Blood", "Heart Set To Divide" and "Untrodden". City Burials is not perfect but still a very good album with moments of high-level song writing and melancholic catchiness. The production and delivery are excellent, it sounds beautiful. A suitable soundtrack for 2020.

13.Killer Be Killed - Reluctant Hero

Listening to Reluctant Hero made me not only go back to the debut album but also put The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon and early Sepultura back on my playlist. It follows the same direction as the debut album and the quality is at par or slightly above. A very good album and if you like those guys in their bands or the debut album, this is guaranteed fun. 

12.Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

Anaal Nathrakh delivered the goods following the previous album that I already loved. There's no way to label this band. It's Melodic Death Metal meets Black Metal and Grindcore with touches of Industrial. And given the riffs and operatic vocals at times, it's even Power Metal. Not sure how they make it work, but it does and I love it.

11.Napalm Death - Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism

While brutal and furious, Napalm Death was able to explore other forms of extremity in music and created a very diverse metal without loosing their identity. For example " Invigorating Clutch" is a groovy Black N Roll song and " Amoral" is catchy punk rock. The furious blast beats are still very much present in most tracks, but the exploration of other influences makes the album more fun and not repetitive. 

10.Vanden Plas - The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination

Overall, Vanden Plas surprised me with their best record in more than a decade. It proves again that VP is an underrated band continuing their own unique path. This is another glorious work that brings up their roots and influences while moving the band forward. A must have for any prog metal fans.

9.Mr. Bungle - The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo

The riffs and the drumming on this album are just great. I also love how they combine groove with insanely fast paced tempo. It's modern but with a thrash 80's vibe on the guitar tones. Mike Patton singing is very unique and great from start to finish. The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo is one of the best thrash albums of the year and a fantastic listening experience. 

8.Armored Saint - Punching the Sky

Punching the Sky is one of the best metal albums of the year, great production, sound, performance and music writing. Listening to it is a breath of fresh air from a very mature band. It will make you raise your fists and literally punch that sky. Join me celebrating this amazing and often underrated metal giants.

7.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

The diversity of Obsidian has the potential to please different segments of the band's fan base. It's trademark Paradise Lost full of melancholy and bittersweetness which fit well with the 2020 mood. But it also keeps the heavy elements from the last two albums while bringing the The Sisters of Mercy influence to the foreground. While not a radical departure in sound, Obsidian has just enough experimentation to keep those veterans relevant in 2020 while staying truthful to their roots.

6.Sorcerer - Lamenting of the Innocent

Sorcere's Lamenting of the Innocent features all the elements I'd expect from an Epic Doom album. Big epic choruses, catchy melodies, heavy riffs, strong vocals and great musicianship. If you put aside the fact that there's nothing really new about it, you will give yourself a treat.

5.Testament - Titans Of Creation

Testament did it again! Their 4th excellent album in a row shows no signs of those thrash veterans getting tired. More impressively they were able to do so by expanding their sound without loosing their identity and thrash roots. This is a mandatory album for any thrash metal fan.

4.Trivium - What The Dead Men Say

Nine albums in, Trivium has put it all together and created a masterpiece of modern metal. What The Dead Men Say transcends genres and perfectly combines the different sounds the band has explored over the last 20 years. It's the heaviest album they've made in more than a decade but it's also melodic progressive and diverse. In many ways I believe Trivium found their sound. No formulas, no pre-conceptions, just four guys making the music they love.  

3.Haken - Virus

The best concept album of the year. The band has said the title was actually a coincidence and not related to the corona virus. It is also a continueation of the previous record. Musically, the instrumental bridges on the album and each musician proficiency is jaw-dropping. Less self indulgent than Dream Theater but still quite similar at times, Haken have developed their own signature sound and are no doubt one of the best prog metal bands in activity today.

2.Nightwish - HUMAN. :II: NATURE.

Symphonic metal with female vocals can be a bit of a cliche and by far not my favorite metal genre, but Nightwish with the current lineup has reached a complete new level of music writing, arrangement, musicianship and delivery. This is an amazing record for any metal fan, old and new, there's a bit of everything in HUMAN. :II: NATURE and it could've been my album of the year. Thanks Tuomas and band for such an entertaining album in days like these.

1.Spirit Adrift - Enlightened In Eternity

Enlightened In Eternity is a great album. I got hooked from the first listen and it only grew on me since then. I love the homage to traditional heavy metal combined with doom influences but all done through a modern lens. Additionally the music writing is great and so is the sound, specially the guitar riffs, solos and melodies. I was surprised that the reviews I've seen are not as positive as mine. I suspect that's due to the fact that the album departs from the darker and doomy characteristics of the, also very good, previous albums. But I took this album in comparison to other 2020 releases and in an year like this, a well written and produced traditional heavy metal album is definitely fitting well in my agenda.  

Biggest Disappointments:

Sons of Apollo - MMXX

Ayreon - Transitus

Caligula's Horse - Rise Radiant

Pain of Salvation - Panther

Pallbearer - Forgotten Days

Favorite Album Cover Art:

The Black Dahlia Murder - Verminous (Juanjo Castellano)

Napalm Death - Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism

Skeletal Remains - The Entombment of Chaos (Dan Seagrave)

Testament - Titans Of Creation (Eliran Kantor)

Spirit Adrift - Enlightened In Eternity (Adam Burke)

Ensiferum - Thalassic

Favorite Guitar Solos:

The End Of The Lie - Annihilator

Untrodden - Katatonia

As Blind As A Fool Can Be - Axel Rudi Pell

Black Waltz Death - Vanden Plas

On My Way Back To Earth - Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall

Nineteen Eighty - Joe Satriani

Top 5 songs:

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants by Armored Saint

Prosthetic by Haken

Come Clean by H.E.A.T

Astral Levitation by Spirit Adrift

Night Of The Witch by Testament

Favorite Shows (all of them):

GloryHammer at Trix

Steel Panther at Trix

DragonForce at 013

Testament/Exodus/Death Angel at Tivoli

Disappointing Shows:
None, but the fact that there were no more shows...I think a show will never be disappointing again in my life.

MR. BUNGLE The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Ipecac Recordings on October 30th, 2020

Quick Background

Mr. Bungle is an American band from Northern California, United States. Having gone through many incarnations throughout their career, the band is best known for their experimental rock period. On August 13, 2019, it was announced Mr. Bungle would reunite as a thrash metal band for a series of shows in February 2020, which saw them performing their 1986 demo album The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. The following month, it was announced that the band had returned to the studio to re-record the demo as a professional album. Although Mr. Bungle went through several line-up changes, the longest-serving members vocalist Mike Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn complete the line-up for this album.

The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo

After the moody/horror film/slayer-ish 3-minute intro "Grizzly Adams" we dive into the thrash extravaganza with the short "Anarchy Up Your Anus" which is a very Anthrax-like track with more hardcore vocals, very Paul Baloff-like (Exodus) . And that's pretty much the sample for the full hour of thrash metal lesson that's delivered by those metal veterans playing what they wrote as kids. "Raping Your Mind" is my favorite song of the album. The riffs and the drumming on this song are just great. I also love how they combine groove with insanely fast paced tempo, "Bungle Grind" being just one example. I also like how the album sounds. It's modern but with a thrash 80's vibe on the guitar tones. The bass sounds great always there blistering on the background. 

There are no real bad songs in here and there's quite some variability and dynamics. Some short songs and we also have two long tracks over the 7 minute mark: "Methematics" and the closer "Sudden Death". There are several tempo changes throughout the album. Mike Patton singing is very unique and great from start to finish.

The Picky Guy

The only thing I can say is that the album is a bit too long. Or some songs drag on just a bit like "Spreading the Thighs of Death" or "Loss for Words". 

Wrap Up Opinion 

The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo is one of the best thrash albums of the year and a fantastic listening experience. It's a very good album deserving a solid 85 out of 100.

SCORE: 85/100

Genre: Thrash Metal

Released by Ipecac Recordings on October 30th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 396

VANDEN PLAS The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Frontiers Records on December 4th, 2020

Quick Background

Vanden Plas is a German progressive metal band founded in the mid-1980s. Their first full length studio Colour Temple was released in 1994. Since then they have released 8 more albums with the same line-up. Vanden Plas is the German reaction to Dream Theater. The band incorporates elements of progressive metal and rock opera, keyboards, layers and specialize in longer songs. 

I'm a long time fan of the band and have enjoyed most of their albums. They are not as exaggerated as Dream Theater, vocals are more contained, solos are not that long or show off. That despite the songs being mid to long range but rarely going over the 10-min mark. In the last 15 years or so, they have moved more into big and theatrical concept albums. The song "Rainmaker" from 1997's The God Thing is my favorite song and the one that got me into the band in the first place. Christ 0 is probably my favorite record. While I enjoyed the last 3 records of this new phase, I still hold my heart to the earlier stuff. The previous record released only last year The Ghost Xperiment - Awakening is my favorite of the last three. So I am looking forward to see what part II will bring us.

The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination

About a year ago, Vanden Plas delivered the part one, entitled Awakening, of their two part concept album, The Ghost Xperiment. Now comes the dramatic conclusion of the story with their new album, The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination. It is also their 10th studio album and features 7 new tracks running a total time of 56 minutes. 

While the orchestral arrangements in the first album in the saga had been reduced compared to the two previous "Chronicles of the Immortals" series, this time the progressive aspects of the band’s sound are even more apparent. My overall impression is that this their back to the roots album. It pleasantly takes me back to The God Thing (1997), Christ 0 (2006) and The Seraphic Clockwork (2010). It's a heavy and guitar driven record, I mean how heavy is that instrumental interlude after the second chorus of the opening track "When the World is Falling Down"? And the drumming at the end of this song, beautiful! Then the guitar riffs on "Fatal Arcadia" are a mix of their old albums with Dream Theater from the early 2000's (e.g. Train of Thought). The song even bring some harsh vocals to the mix. 

The guitar being a highlight doesn't mean that the magic keyboards of Mr. Werno are at second place. There are plenty of solos and passages to prove that, take for example "The Lonely Psychogon" fantastic keyboard work and a solo twin with the guitar that's just great. In sum, as always the musicianship is brilliant. Stephan Lill (Guitar), Günter Werno (Keyboards), Andreas Lill (Drums), and Torsten Reichert (Bass) deliver the goods without suffocating us with unnecessary instrumental fillers. The album once again sees a solid performance from singer and lyricist Andy Kuntz and it is full of big epic choruses supported by a backing vocals team including Oliver Hartmann from Avantasia and Herbie Langhans from Firewind. This is all over the album, but a perfect example is the soon-to-be live favorite "Under the Horizon". 

"Black Waltz Death" is the most symphonic song on the album but as it is an 8-minute long song half way through it, the song gets heavier featuring the best guitar solo of the album. "The Ouroboros" one of their longest songs ever and it's fantastic. Many ups and downs and really good hooks. The album closes with the shortest track "Ghost Engineers", a soft and slow paced song to send us away knowing we just finished a fantastic musical journey and story.

The Picky Guy

I don't have a lot to complain here. I just feel that the vocal melodies are not always straightforward and catchy and it takes a lot of spins to really get into them. So I do hope people have the willingness to stay with the album for long enough to get hooked like I did.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall, Vanden Plas surprised me with their best record in more than a decade. Part one of this story was already very good, but this is even better. The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination proves again that VP is an underrated band continuing their own unique path. This is another glorious work that brings up their roots and influences while moving the band forward. "The Ghost Xperiment - Illumination" is a must have for any prog metal fans. A very good albums that I'm giving a solid 85 out of 100.   

SCORE: 85/100

Genre: Progressive Metal

Released by Frontiers Records on December 4th, 2020

Rating System*

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 786

HATEBREED Weight Of The False Self | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Nuclear Blast on November 27th, 2020

Quick Background

Hatebreed is an American metalcore band from Bridgeport, Connecticut, formed in 1994. Until now they had released seven studio albums, the latest being The Concrete Confessional in 2016 which I considered a good album. Their musical style blends influences from hardcore punk and heavy metal. They are considered important to the development of metalcore. I personally enjoy Hatebreed quite a lot, their concerts are always very energetic and fun. They exhibit the energy and attitude of the hardcore scene, but their guitars are quite metallic, to me it's a great balance. 

Weight Of The False Self

Weight Of The False Self is Hatebreed's eighth, full length album. The 12-track album clocks in at 35 minutes. This is pretty much their format of choice for many albums. So no surprises there. I'd prefer 10 songs, but no big problem. I have always loved how metallic their guitar riffs sound, particularly in the last two albums. The first single and album opener "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)" brings that feel and it was the right choice for the single as it is one of the best songs on the album. But it doesn't stop there,  I agree that "there’s no shortage of beefy-riffs and adrenaline-fueled-drums on this record". Some of my highlights are "Set It Right (Start With Yourself)" and "A Stroke of Red". The title track is also a good song but it sounds very familiar, something like "I Will Be Heard". There are also some sparkles of difference, like the nice guitar solo on "Cling to Life" or the intro of the longest track (with 3:18) and album closer "Invoking Dominance". Those were modest variations but nice touches. 

Not by coincidence, the album production is no different from previous efforts, as Weight of the False Self was produced by frequent Hatebreed collaborator Zeuss. The album artwork was created by Eliran Kantor who has recently been creating some fantastic covers (e.g. Iced Earth, Havok)

The Picky Guy

Am I a big fan of the self-help lyrics? Not really, but it doesn't bother me too much either. My main problem is the fact that I enjoyed a lot the previous two album because of their crunchy metallic riffs and bass riffs. But Weight of the False Self was a bit of a step back for my taste. But that's just me, it's possible that the big fans of the early albums will enjoy this one more than I did. It's closer to their earlier albums than to the last two.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall, you won't find many surprises on this record, and any old timers wouldn't expect to anyways. Weight Of The False Self features all the elements that Hatebreed is known for. In a way, it combines some of the ingredients of the last two records, but rely mostly on the older material. So, it's a good record with some songs that will bring a new flavor to their set-list. I'm giving the album 79 out of 100, a good album for what it wants to accomplish that will work for fans looking for more of the same. If you were not interested in Hatebreed before this release, it won't change your mind. If you want to give them a chance, I'd start with a playlist featuring their live favorites, that's where Hatebreed shine.   

SCORE: 79/100

Genre: Metalcore

Released by Nuclear Blast on November 27th, 2020

Rating System*

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 553

KILLER BE KILLED Reluctant Hero | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Nuclear Blast on November 20th, 2020

Quick Background

Killer Be Killed is a super group featuring Greg Puciato (Vocals/Guitar) (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Max Cavalera (Vocals/Guitar) (Soulfly, Ex-Sepultura), Troy Sanders (Vocals/Bass) (Mastodon) and Ben Koller (Drums) (Converge, All Pigs Must Die, Mutoid Man). The band began when Max and Greg ran into each other at a Los Angeles benefit show for Chi Cheng. The two discussed doing a project, which led to a demo. In late 2012, Puciato was telling Mastodon’s Troy Sanders about the new band. Before too long, Sanders and Cavalera met, they all got together and that resulted in their self-titled first-album released in 2014. The debut was on my top 20 list of that year but honestly I did not expect they would ever release another album. That surprised me because I don't like super groups. However, I love all the original and current main bands of all members. More importantly, I like bands with multiple singers and here the three vocalists are fantastic and have some of the most recognizable voices in heavy music. 

Reluctant Hero

Reluctant Hero features 11 songs and clocks in at 48 minutes. Pretty decent length and a balanced album. The new endeavour is quite melodic and groovy while keeping that aggressiveness that we can expect from these guys. It builds on the latest efforts of the band members. Puciato uses a lot his clear voice and melodic approach that were prominent in the last two The Dillinger Escape Plan albums. The same goes for Sanders who have also doubled down on his melodic side on the last couple Mastodon albums. Cavalera brings the heaviness with his trademark guttural vocals. This combination of Max voice and the melodic groove underneath made me think a lot on Killswitch Engage. Specially on the first couple of songs. Like the fantastic single "Dream Gone Bad".  

Most songs are straightforward and are around the 4 minute mark. There are 3 exceptions though. "From a Crowded Wound", the ferocious "Animus" which is a 1-minute hardcore punch in the face and the album closer and title track which is a slow tempo 6-minute melancholic curved ball. It's a interesting experimental way to close the album with a unexpected touch. But I want to come back to "From a Crowded Wound" which beautifully splits the album into two. It's a nice way to catch the breath with a mid tempo build up following the heavy songs that come before. It's a 7-min sludgy song with some of the coolest drums and bass sections of the album. Actually all the songs leading into this one are my highlights of this album. "Filthy Vagabond" is one of the most hardcore songs on the album, but I do not like the Oh Oh Oh on the chorus, it almost ruins the song for me. Other than that nothing complain. 

Koller's drumming throughout the album is a highlight by itself. The aggressiveness and grove combined with some cool fills is just great. Reluctant Hero is not a guitar album. Mostly no solos and rather simple riffs, but usually, very effective and groovy. And that's OK, with three amazing singers, the guitars are an enabler and not the focus.

The Picky Guy

 I feel that the album loose a bit of steam on the second half. I can't really specify why. It is just that the songs are less memorable and less interesting. It's a song specific problem, it's the blending of it all. Of course it's not an innovative or different album. And they don't have always to be. Because it is fun.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Listening to Reluctant Hero made me not only go back to the debut album but also put The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon and early Sepultura back on my playlist. It follows the same direction as the debut album and the quality is at par or slightly above. So, it's a 80 out of 100 good album and if you like those guys in their bands or the debut album, this is guaranteed fun.  

SCORE: 80/100

Genre: Thrash Metal

Released by Nuclear Blast on November 20th, 2020

Rating System*

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 671

AC/DC PWRϟUP | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Columbia Records on November 13th, 2020

Quick Background

Unless you are an alien researching humankind, AC/DC needs no introduction. It is one of the biggest bands on the planet. They have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, making them the 16th best selling artist worldwide. To give you an idea, Back in Black, their 1980 album post Bon Scott death, has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide, making it the highest-selling album by any band. It's even more impressive when they are "blamed" for making the same album over and over again. The band name even become synonym to qualify a band that doesn't change their sound, e.g. the AC/DC of thrash metal. So, will Power Up change that? Let's find out.

PWRϟUP

Power Up (stylized as PWRϟUP) is the seventeenth studio album by the Australian rock legends. It marks the return of vocalist Brian Johnson, drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams, all of whom left AC/DC sometime after their previous album Rock or Bust from 2014. This is also be the band's first album since the death of co-founder and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017 and serves as a tribute to him, according to his brother Angus. The album features 12 tracks, all of them are about 3 minutes long, give or take. So it clocks in at 42 minutes.  

Track number 3 and video single "Shot In The Dark" is a great song and the right choice to bring the band back after all those years. It is best in class AC/DC trademark track. And the video is pretty cool as well. And so is the opener "Realize", in fact all first seven songs are very good. Some of them like "Through The Mists Of Time" have a vibe of late 60's / late 70's rock. So in a way, it feels like they revisited their roots. "Demon Fire" is one o my highlights and the most unique song on the album. First is the fastest tempo song on the album going at 160 bpm, also Brian Johnson uses different registries and drive for parts of it. The guitars are also slightly different with a nice lick from Angus. Another tracks having a different touch is the groovy "Kick You When You're Down" which displays a southern rock vibe specially due to Angus' riff and solo. And then "No Man's Land" doubles down on the southern style. On the later part of the album, I love "Systems Down" which is maybe the heaviest and darkest song on the album (by a small margin though). It also features one the coolest vocal melodies on the bridge before the chorus.

Overall it all sounds like AC/DC and no big surprises. Angus is soloing nicely all over the album, but all very concise. The rhythm section is solid and basic, but it does sound good. We can hear and feel the bass throughout the album and the groovy drums do their job. 

The Picky Guy

The complain is a the cliché but true one, the songs sound a lot like each other. They are all similar in length, tempo (all but 4 are between 110 and 120 BPMs) and level of heaviness. No songs are very heavy but also no ballads or mid-tempo ones. Specially on the second half of the album it all blends together. The good thing is that the song writing is still very good, the energy high and the melodies catchy enough that after a few listens you star to "get it". 

Wrap Up Opinion 

I mean it's AC/DC, so I wasn't expect a jazzy progressive rock or whatwever, what I did want is a very energetic and catchy rock n' roll album. And that my friends, we got it. Is it comparable to the 70's albums, of course not. But in 2020, this is a very good album.2/3 of it is actually excellent for what it is. But it's not perfect as the other third gets repetitive, so at the end of the day, I am giving Power Up 82 out of 100, meaning a boarderline very good album. If you like them, you will like this, maybe even more than other of their recent records. So crank it up, sorry, power it up and have fun.

SCORE: 82/100

Genre: Hard Rock

Released by Columbia Records on November 13th, 2020

Rating System*

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 709

FATES WARNING Long Day Good Night | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

 

Released by Metal Blade Records on November 6th, 2020

Quick Background

Formed in 1982 by guitarist Jim Matheos, Fates Warning have been a formidable presence in progressive metal for more than 35 years. A pioneer of the movement, they have been referred to as one of the "Big Three" of the genre, along with Queensrÿche and Dream Theater; namely, the bands who are most responsible for progressive metal's creation, development and popularization. It is one of my favorite bands and I found their previous album Theories of Flight, the best album of 2016. So the wait has been relatively long and the expectations high for their 13th studio album.

Long Day Good Night

They return in 2020 with Long Day Good Night, the longest album of their discography. Featuring diverse 13 songs totaling 72:22 (do the math). So indeed they purposely inflated the album to generate this cool play with the number 13. While that's cool it has some unwanted consequences, but more on that later. There are plenty of progressive and heavy sings on Long Day Good Night to keep old fans happy. In a way the album revisits different stages of the band history while pushing the boundries in new direcations. Track 12, "The Longest Shadow of the Day" is an example of doing it right. An amazing epic 11:30 minute long prog jewel where the band goes into jazz fusion territory while soundin like FW. While the songs are different from each other and explore different avenues, the trademark sound of Matheos guitars and Alder vocals, give the album a consistent feel and sound. In that sense is not a departure from the previous record but a logical next step. The band has aged and matured, the vocals are more contained and while there are also some pretty heavy songs, there's a lot of calmer and mid-tempo songs or passages. There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel, a couple of tricks that are not often if at all used by the band before. And “Under The Sun” sees the band incorporating a full string section for the first time. There are also some pretty heavy songs and they are some of the best on the album such as "Shuttered World" and "Liar". The very good album opener, "The Destination Onward", combines as masterfuly as always progressiveness with heaviness.

Guitarist Jim Matheos wrote the album working closely with Alder. Long time members Joey Vera (bass guitar) and Bobby Jarzombek (drums) complete the line-up. The record also features guest appearances from touring guitarist Mike Abdow who contributed with 5 solos in 3 songs, plus Porcupine Tree/The Pineapple Thief drummer Gavin Harrison plays on "When Snow Falls". Production is top notch as always and it ticks like a clock. Always love the guitar tone from Matheos and the prominent bass from Vera.

The Picky Guy

As I mentioned, reaching 72:22 minutes means it's a very long album. The the mid-session is loaded with very mellow songs. I appreciate the effort and the songs are not bad but a couple of them simply don't appeal to me. I learned how to enjoy "The Way Home" and "Under the Sun", both still progressive and with ups and downs. But the single "Now Comes the Rain" and "When Snow Falls" are way too pop music for my taste. At the end of the day, I ended up with 8 to 9 songs totaling about 45 minutes in my playlist which, in my opinion, is the ideal record length. Of course the track 13, "The Last Song", feels like their wild card they use to complete 13 tracks and adjust the album length. But it worked.

Wrap Up Opinion 

If I am critical to this band is just because I love them and have all of their albums. So putting expectations and history aside, it is a very good album despite the length and some missteps. When Mateos, Alder and comapny hit the ball, it's a home run. There are enough great tracks here to get new and old fans psyched about FW in the new decade. That assuming the album title and the last song title are not foreshadowing the end of the band. Please come back in 3 or 4 years! As an almost very good album, I am giving Long Day Good Night 81 out of 100. Make sure to check it out.

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Progressive Metal

Released by Metal Blade Records on November 6th, 2020

Rating System*

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 729

THEM Return to Hemmersmoor | Weekly Heavy Metal Album

 

Released by Steamhammer Records/SPV on October 30th, 2020

Quick Background

THEM was originally formed in 2008 by vocalist Troy as a King Diamond tribute band, the project started to evolve when Troy came up with a concept idea in 2014 and molded a story, band, album and show around it. The result was THEM, a theatrical Heavy Metal band comprised of musicians from around the globe. THEM's debut concept album, Sweet Hollow, caught my attention as I can't get enough of anything that sounds similar to Mercyful Fate. They released their follow up entitled Manor of the Se7en Gables in 2018. I didn't like it as much as the debut, so the third album is a defining moment for my relationship with the band. THEM not surprisingly sound a lot like King Diamond, but there's a hint of more power metal acts, specially Powerwolf. They also use thrash elements that add speed and aggressiveness  to some songs.

Return to Hemmersmoor

With Return To Hemmersmoor, THEM continue the concept of combining the horror/fantasy theatrical piece with (thrash/power) metal. This is actually the third part of a trilogy that was launched back in 2016 on the aforementioned Sweet Hollow and continued  with Manor Of The Se7en Gables. Return To Hemmersmoor definitely sounds more mature, both from a songwriting and production perspective. It's also a heavier one. After the intro track, which is a bit too long, we get two short and thrashy punch in the face songs: "Age of Ascension" and "The Tumultous Voyage to Hemmersmoor". The former is when Metallica meets King Diamond, special touch the very impressive guitar solo. I also like how Troy doesn't hold back on the falsettos. The latter track almost merge together but with less high pitched screams, it goes more into the Powerwolf territory. Later on "Waken", THEM combine the aggressiveness of those first tracks with melody and epicness. Another early on highlight for me is the pair of high energy, super melodic and epic songs "Free" and "Field of Immortality". Great songs, very catchy and fist pumping. I also love the bass sound, it's not in your face but it is there and you can feel the ferocious beat throughout the album. But specially on "Field of Immortality". 

Despite being a theatrical album, I am happy the number of narrations and transition tracks is rather limited. which make the 49 minutes an ok length for the album, more on that later. Only 6 minutes of those are with the three narration based songs (the intro, "Memento Mori" and closer "Finis"). The single "Battle Blood" is another good song and I am happy it is placed at the final moments of the album. It makes it more interesting and gives us something to strive for as you heads towards the end. The last proper track "Maestro's Last Stand" is also an engaging closer.

The Picky Guy

Not that it's a surprise, but sometimes it is a bit too much King Diamond-like, for example the "The Thin Veil" with Miranda instead of Melissa. It's almost funny. The other thing "Return to Hemmersmoor" does get a bit long at the later part. A couple of tracks don't work as well. For example "Hellhounds".

Wrap Up Opinion 

I was positivily surprise with Return to Hemmersmoor when comparing to the previous records. The full packadge is top notch from the album cover to the production. It's all very well written and executed. Yes, it's nothing original but it is a lot of fun. Balancing those two sides, I give Return to Hemmersmoor 81/100 which means a confident good album. Having finished this trilogy, I hope they will build from here and maybe spread there wings and fly beyond the Kind Diamond framework.

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Heavy Metal

Released by Steamhammer Records/SPV on October 30th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 614

ARMORED SAINT Punching the Sky | Weekly Heavy Metal Album

 

Released by Metal Blade Records on October 23rd, 2020

Quick Background

Armored Saint is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1982 in Los Angeles, California. The band has consisted of John Bush on lead vocals, Joey Vera on bass, Jeff Duncan on rhythm guitar (who replaced original guitarist Dave Prichard, who died of leukemia in 1990) and the Sandoval brothers, Gonzo and Phil, on drums and lead guitar, respectively. Armored Saint eventually broke up when Bush joined Anthrax in 1992 to replace Joey Belladonna, but reunited in 1999, and has continued to tour and record since then.

Punching the Sky

Armored Saint's eighth full-length Punching The Sky sees the band going a little more to the point than the previous record, the good Win Hands Down from 2015. Most of the eleven songs are not very long with 4 to 5 minutes long and the album clocks in at 54 minutes. The majority of the music written by Vera and the lyrics penned by Bush. Punching The Sky sounds modern and yet captures Armored Saint's signature sound. Bush's voice is unmistakable and once again he delivers and amazing performance. As always there are no lack of great catchy choruses along with tons of sections that feel huge and epic. The album is also dynamic and diverse with some crushing parts, some epic parts, some groove parts, some quiet parts. 

The huge and epic "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants" is such a powerful opener! What a great song. An almost 7-min epic with an incredible build-up, cool lyrics and a powerful chorus. I can't help to think of the best Anthrax's work with Bush. I find it really fun that the album title is part of the chorus but not the title of the song. And when you hear it, you actually want to punch the sky. On the crushing facet of it we have "End of the Attention Span" which is fast tempo thrashy bombastic and certainly a future live favorite. "Do Wrong to None" a very melodic song and still also crushing. The single "Missile to Gun" which sounds like an homage to 80's German power metal is another crushing missile, pun intended. 

The modern sounding and groovy "Bubble" works very well, On the other hand the more alt rock "Bark, No Bite" not quite the same impact. "Lone Wolf"  gets a bit quieter and mid-tempo, it's an OK song but I am not a big fan of the chorus. "Fly in the Ointment" is also a mid-tempo but in this case it works for me as it keeps the epicness alive. "Unfair" is the shortest song and the calmer of all. But it doesn't sound like a power ballad. It's rather a doomy melancholic tune with a very bluesy guitar solo and an epic ending. It works well and to me would've been a perfect closer. But they preferred to lift the mood and close the album with "Never You Fret". While a good song, it doesn't add much to the album.

One thing is clear, the band works in favor of the music and not to show off themselves so while there are many solos, cools riffs and difficult parts to sing, it's never overdone. The album sounds great and Vera while the main song writer and producer does not exaggerate on the bass emphasis, but it's enough to appreciate it throughout the album.

The Picky Guy

My only complain is the length of the album and 2 or 3 songs that didn't add much to me. I didn't like the sound of "Lone Wolf" and "Bark, No Bite" both felt a bit out of place. I'd also like more epic songs like the opener which is by far my favorite song on the album. Other than that can't complain much.

Wrap Up Opinion 

While not perfect PTS is one of the best metal albums of the year, great production, sound, performance and music writing. Listening to it is a breath of fresh air from a very mature band. It will make you raise your fists and literally punch that sky. Join me celebrating this amazing and often underrated metal giants with an 85/100, a very good album.

SCORE: 85/100

Genre: Heavy Metal

Released by Metal Blade Records on October 23rd, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 694

Album Review: SPIRIT ADRIFT Enlightened In Eternity (10/16)

 

Released by Century Media Records on October 16th, 2020

Quick Background

Classic doom and heavy metal band Spirit Adrift was formed in Phoenix, Arizona. The project began in 2015 as the solo endeavor of Nate Garrett, and eventually grew into a full touring band. Currently the only other member is drummer Marcus Bryant. Eric Wagner and Chase Mason left Spirit Adrift to concentrate fully on Gatecreeper. Spirit Adrift released 3 studio albums: Chained to Oblivion (2016), Curse of Conception (2017) and Divided by Darkness (2019). Those were already very good albums, so I am curious to see how the changes will impact the new endeavor.

Enlightened In Eternity

Enlightened in Eternity includes Nathan Garrett on vocals, bass and guitars and Marcus Bryant on drums. The music is more energetic and positive than previous records and with a raw immediacy and urgency. The classic metal influences from Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden are all over the place. But the cool thing about Spirit Adrift is that it doesn't sound retro or "remake", to me it sounds fresh and modern sometimes also reminding me of Mastodon. The album structure is classic 80s metal and I love it for that. 45 min and 8 songs, mostly short songs but an epic doomy 10-min closer. It's really easy to have this album on repeat. It's fun, heavy, riffy and catchy. Garrett's vocals fit very well this music style, and it kind of reminds me of Paul Di'Anno.  

 

The album opens with "Ride Into The Light" and from the get go we are blessed this Judas Priest vibe and uplifting feel. It's a headbanger full of cool riffs. And that instrumental passage from 3:00 is just so cool, classic 80's stuff and very well mixed, it sounds great on a headphone. Another favorite of mine is track number two "Astral Levitation". Overall the groove of the song is really moving and I find the vocal performance top notch, specially because the melodies are so catchy. We also get this spacy guitar solo and some emphasis on the bass lines. It all leads to a high tempo last third of the song featuring also great guitar solos and twin guitars in the best Maiden style. It's just overall a fantastic tune. I like the drumwork throughout the album which brings a high energy feel. Take "Cosmic Conquest" for example, nice drumming right there. On the same song we get more Maiden/Priest-like twin guitars and solos. "Screaming From Beyond" was the song that made think on Mastodon the most, specially their recent catalog. Obviously this means it is another great tune. The album closes with the almost 11-min "Reunited In The Void" which is a very different tune from the rest of the album. It relates more to previous releases as it's a doom slow paced song. Even more emotional but also not that dark. It's a great way to bring the album to a close with some variability and reminds us of the other side, more Sabbath-like, of  Spirit Adrift.

The Picky Guy

My only small remark on the album is the second half sequence of 3 4-minute songs that doesn't quite live to the expectation created by the first 4 tracks and also don't bring anything really new to the mix. Don't get me wrong, I also like those songs, especially "Battle High" but a bit more variability and progressiveness here would've helped further my Enlightened In Eternity score.   

Wrap Up Opinion 

Wrapping it all up, Enlightened In Eternity is very good album, close to be great, hence why I am giving it 85/100. I got hooked from the first listen and it only grew on me since then. It's currently among my top albums of the year. I love the homage to traditional heavy metal combined with doom influences but all done through a modern lens. Additionally the music writing is great and so is the sound, specially the guitar riffs, solos and melodies. I was surprised that the reviews I've seen are not as positive as mine. I suspect that's due to the fact that the album departs from the darker and doomy characteristics of the, also very good, previous albums. But I took this album in comparison to other 2020 releases and in an year like this, a well written and produced traditional heavy metal album is definitely fitting well in my agenda.  

SCORE: 85/100

Genre: Heavy Metal

Released by Century Media Records on October 16th, 2020

Rating System*
99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

* slightly adapted on May 24th, 2020 due to statistical review
wordcount = 726