GMM2018 was the biggest Graspop edition ever. With 4 sold out days, the grounds of Dessel were overflowed with metal heads...oh well, many were not really metalheads actually. We saw several people coming for the first time and a good proportion of the crowed was not wearing black. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but due to that we faced several long lines, some logistical challenges (e.g. bathroom) and musically several alt rock bands that were not that great and shows like At The Gates or Corrosion of Conformity ended up being very empty. The days were long and an old chap like me had to plan very strategically in order to survive 4 days and watch my preferred bands. Unfortunately, I did miss some very cool shows like Ozzy and Meshuggah. Weather-wise, it was the driest edition I've been to. Not a single drop of rain. However, some days were really cold. Overall, a good edition, some amazing shows but it left me with a concern: In what direction is this festival going? Will it remain a "Metal Meeting"? or is it becoming a alternative and hard rock meeting?
****
Iron Maiden: The best Maiden set-list I have ever seen live. Great production and performance, as usually, but even more so now with The Legacy of The Beast Tour because they didn't have to stick to one album concept. If that wasn't enough, watching "Where Eagles Dare" and "Flight of Icarus" live was one of the greatest live experiences of my entire music life.
Guns N Roses: A 3.5-hour show with Axel delivering his best performance in many years and Slash shredding away was an unique experience. Believe it or not, this was my first time ever seeing a band that was so influential to me in the late 80's. Most of my favorite songs from that time were in the set-list so I can't complain.
Zeal & Ardor: I know their songs, I have been digging their new album, but still the live experience was way beyond any expectations. What an emotional and well executed show. Bravo!
TesseracT: with 3 songs out of their suberb new album and a vocal performance as impressive as in the studio, TesseracT hit this one out of the Dessel grounds.
***
Judas Priest: The show was great and Halford was at the top of his game. But it was shorter than Hellfest and the two songs out of the three that I wanted to see the most were left out (The Ripper and Saints In Hell). So I can't help it but feel disappointed.
Ayreon: Unique and amazing experience. Great set list and roster of singers. Damian Wilson and Tommy Karevik were the highlights. But of course the show was much shorter than the 013 shows and some key singers were missing e.g. Floor Janssen.
Arch Enemy: Great show, I hadn't seen them in a while and as far as I remember it was their first time on the main stage. I would've liked to see a bit more classics and less new songs though.
At The Gates: Killer performance, as usually, mainly focusing on the classic Slaughter of the Soul and last two albums. The bad news was that the sound failed a few times, the Marquee was empty and many people that were there didn't seem to know the band. All and all, the energy level wasn't great.
Kreator: The fact that I saw their headline show not long ago took a bit out of the fun. No surprises on the setlist. Also Kreator during a sunny day doesn't go that well. But despite all of that, it's a top band and delivered a top show.
Ghost: I love 3 of their 4 albums and I think they put a great live spectacle. Consequently, 60 min set is not enough. Besides I didn't get a good location to watch it. Regardless, the show was great and left me with the desire to see them headlining.
Galactic Empire: Prog metal treatment to the Start Wars soundtrack played by the band dressed as the dark side characters. The lead guitar player being Darth Vader and even talking like him during the transitions. Oh, by the way, it included a short sketch. No need to say more!
Killswitch Engage: One of my favorite modern metal bands did not disappoint. They played the classics and a few ones from the last two albums. The energy level was sub optimal but did not compromise the overall experience.
Avenged Sevenfold: I like most of their albums and I think they make a very good live performance. This year was no different. The interruption to attend a hurt fan was the right decision but it did kill the mood (no pun intended). Besides I was far and too anxious to see Maiden.
Accept: Same comments as for Kreator, I saw their headline show not long ago and no surprises on the setlist. Nonetheless, I had lots of fun.
Savage Messiah: Not many traditional metal and thrash metal bands this year, so this was a nice surprise. It was very early on Friday, but very solid performance with a setlist with songs I knew. Good times!
**
The Contortionist: It was a good show, but not as good as when I saw them before on a small venue. Even the Metal Dome was a bit big for them.
Arkona: I'm still getting to know this band, so far I like what I know. The show itself didn't really get my attention but I can't say it was bad.
Tyr: Another band that I am not too familiar with. The show was early and the sound failed a few times.
Corrosion Of Conformity: A great band and the last album is making a lot of noise. But the Sunday's audience was a weird one and the Marquee was half empty. Despite not knowing their catalog well, it was enjoyable.
Bullet For My Valentine: I only know them because they play every other year in this festival. Then I got to like some of their hits. But the latest albums are not good at all and several songs were out of those.
*
Iced Earth: One of my favorite bands of all times, but probably their worst show I've seen. By far, it was the worst sounding band of the weekend and the short set-list was full of new songs which was kind of a bummer.
Asphyx: Not a bad band but it didn't catch my attention for more than a couple of songs.
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.
When I was little and got into Metal, Judas Priest was releasing albums that didn't interest me like Turbo and Ram it Down. So I didn't get into Painkiller until 92 or so. Back then, Power Progressive Metal was by far my favorite music genre and I realized that the sound I was in love with (specially the singing style) was pretty much created by Judas Priest. I taped and listened to Painkiller. It later became one of my favorite albums of all times and Priest one of my favorite bands. It also initiated the process that led me to discover their whole discography. With that said, I'm not a fanboy and I do like Jugulator and some Demolition songs. Halford had "left us" and was doing crappy music while Tim Owens stepped up. Then Halford came back and the latest album are quite good except for Nostradamus. And now we have the pleasure to be blessed with a return to form from the metal gods. Let me get right into it, Firepower is their best album since Painkiller. And probably will remain among my top 10 Priest albums. It's full of energy, heavy great drumming and riffs, Halford did a great job and the production is fantastic (albeit a bit loud). Firepower sounds like Priest in 2018. Meaning, it clearly has several hallmarks of their classic sound, but it also sounds modern and timely. It's a very direct album, most of the songs are below 5 minutes and fast tempo.
The album opens with the title track which is one of the best of the album. It has a Painkiller vibe, so yes, heavy and fast, catchy chorus and great vocal harmonies. Without loosing any momentum the second track is the single "Lightning Strike" which follows the same vibe as the opener. Fantastic bridge and awesome chorus with Halford using some aggressive singing. "Evil Never Dies" keep things up on the same lines and features a catchy bridge/chorus and breakdown reminding me of "Nightcrawler". "Never the Heroes" is another single and it's a bit slower tempo. It's ready to be a sing along favorite, I can already see this one live. "Necromancer" picks up speed and it's the closest one to the Jugulator era. "Children of the Sun" has a nice groove, it's very Sabbath-like, great track. "Guardians" is the short instrumental to get some breath and then the fantastic "Rising From Ruins". A more epic and mid tempo song with a huge chorus. "Flame Thrower" is a rocker in the lines of their mid-80's singles. Another single, "Spectre", follows and displays a very modern sound and groove. Then it gets really epic with "Traitors Gate" the longest song on the album with almost 6 min and a power metal vibe that would fit a Manowar album, love it! "No Surrender" is the other rocker, the shortest track and catchy as hell.
Now the album is not perfect. With 60 minutes, Firepower is a bit too long! Despite the fact that it actually flows very well until the penultimate song. But then, the last two songs are not at the same level as the rest of the album. They could've been bonus tracks. The only other complain I have is that I miss the twin guitar and some more riffs a la classic 70's Judas Priest. The guitars are modern and the riffs are very thick. That's OK but not 100% Priest.
Overall very good album, classic Priest with a modern twist and full of instant classics. If this is their last album, which is a high probability, then one of the most legendary metal bands will leave us with a dignifying swansong.
On March 9th, Judas Priest will release their 18th album, Firepower. Since they are one of the greatest metal bands of all time. It calls for something special. So while I anxiously wait, I decided to listen and review all 17 studio albums. To the metal gods!
Rocka Rolla (1974) - 7.5
It's not a bad album at all, it's just not Judas Priest yet. Yes, some basic elements that would become part of their sound are there. But for the most part the album has several influences from bluesy moments, to Sabbath-like songs. Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) - 9.0
What to say about an album that starts with two of the best metal songs ever? "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper" are perfect metal anthems. With Sad Wings of Destiny Priest established their sound. Halford didn't hold back and shows his full range, the twin guitar riffs and great solos are all there. The albums is heavy at times, but very progressive with many different styles influences. An essential metal album. Sin After Sin (1977) - 8.0 Sin After Sin is a natural evolution by taking the same elements from the predecessor while picking up the aggression and speed in tracks like "Dissident Aggressor" and the title track. I love the "Diamonds And Rust" cover. But it's not all that good, some long and slow tracks break the album flow. Stained Class (1978) - 9.5 Sin After Sin showed the way forward and with Stained Class Priest perfected it and delivered a masterpiece. From the killer proto-speed metal anthem "Exciter" to the effective closer "Heroes End", this album is a collection of some of the best Priest songs ever. The album showcases one of Halford's best performances e.g. "Saints In Hell". Moreover, Stained Class never looses its heaviness and speed. Even the fantastic "Beyond The Realms Of Death" with its slow parts keep it interesting with amazing builds up and full of great riffs and solos. A heavy metal class that has influenced countless bands to this day. Killing Machine (1978) - 8.0 Killing Machine (also known as Hell Bent for Leather in the US) was recorded less than a year after Stained Class. And therefore is a transitional album. While some songs such as "Delivering the Goods", the ultra classic "Hell Bent for Leather" and "Running Wild" are worthy of the previous album. Other songs fell flat in an attempt of a more accessible sound e.g. "Evening Star" and "Take On the World". British Steel (1980) - 8.5 British Steel is one of the most iconic Priest album and features two of their best songs ever "Metal Gods" and "Grinder". Overall it’s a strong album with fast and heavy songs like the opener “Rapid Fire”. And of course two of the most famous songs "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight". Now, both while good songs are too radio friendly for my taste and "United" is on the same line. So while I think it’s an excellent album, it has some less interesting moments.
Point of Entry (1981) - 7.5
Coming on the heels of their most successful album yet, Point of Entry had some big shoes to fill but unfortunately it didn't work. It's a soft and uninspired album with just a couple of good moments like "Heading Out To The Highway" and "Desert Plains".
Screaming for Vengeance (1982) - 9.0
If I take "Pain And Pleasure" and "Fever" out Screaming for Vengeance would be a perfect album. Because for the rest I have no complains. It features a huge hit "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" and all the other songs are heavy, fast and iconic like "Electric Eye" and the title track. This is Priest at its best, a metal masterpiece and an essential album.
Defenders of the Faith (1984) - 8.5
At last and to our delight Defenders of the Faith did not greatly depart from its predecessor and contained some of the greatest metal anthems: "Freewheel Burning", "Jawbreaker" and "The Sentinel". Overall there are no bad songs in this album, very heavy, fast and even progressive at times, Defenders of the Faith is a masterpiece. But I have one problem with it, "Love Bites" which was an experiment that led to 1986's Turbo.
Turbo (1986) - 7.0
The album marked the band's first use of guitar synthesizers. It's a controversial album that did very well in sales but since it focused more on light and pop rather than metal, it is also not appreciated by many fans. There's certainly a glam vibe in the album and it's hard to compared to any of the previous albums. But listening to it "independently", it's not all that bad.
Ram It Down (1988) - 7.5 Ram It Down is a transitional album still influenced by the Turbo experiment (e.g. "Blood Red Skies") and flirting with the glam metal sound which was in an all time high in 1988 (e.g. "Heavy Metal"). There are still a few gems in it like the title track and "Come And Get It" which hint into the direction the band would take in the next album. While not a bad album, it's one of their worst. Painkiller (1990) - 10
Not only Priest's best album but one of the best metal albums of all times, Painkiller is basically perfect. Every single song is powerful and amazing. Halford is impeccable and the twin guitars better than ever. Moreover, Scott Travis debut behind the kit brought new energy to the band. The tittle track drum fill intro is one of the best in metal. The songs are not only heavy but also so perfectly crafted and in a way progressive. The song structures are diverse and the simple choices to add a bridge here or a solo there are all fantastic. All of that makes Painkiller a perfect metal album.
Jugulator (1997) - 8.0
Released 7 years after the magnificent, Painkiller, Jugulator is the first album without Rob Halford on vocals. Tim "The Ripper" Owens who was singing on a tribute band took over vocal duties after impressive audition performances singing classic Priest songs. Of course it was an immense the challenge for the band to not only replace Halford but also follow-up one of the best Metal albums ever. Given all that, I think Jugulator is an underrated album. While having some basic Priest elements from Painkiller, it does sound different, more modern and heavier, and I really like it. Ripper did a fantastic job and most of the songs are great. Demolition (2001) - 7.5
IfJugulator was a pleasant surprise, Demolition was not. Simply put there's only three songs that are really worth it "Hell Is Home", "Feed on Me" and "One on One". With that said, I must say, I really like those songs. Angel of Retribution (2005) - 8.0 Angel of Retribution was a return to form but still the band was taking some risks which I appreciate. But not all of them worked for me, for example the epic 13 min "Lochness" is a bit dull and "Revolution" sounds uninspired. But I did like "Worth Fighting For". For the rest, most of the songs are Priest back to its classic sound, including some fantastic performances from Halford, specially on "Deal with the Devil".
Nostradamus (2008) - 6.5
Priest is not the band to release a double concept album. I never got into this one. Kudos for trying something different, but in the end it didn't work for me. Redeemer of Souls (2014) - 8.0
When the album came out, I really liked it. Most of the songs are classic Priest. But the album is too long and 4 years later, I realize I rarely go back to it.
There you go! It took some time, but totally worth it. And now if I'd rank them from most to least favorite, it would look like this...
1Painkiller
2Stained Glass
3Screaming for Vengeance
4Sad Wings of Destiny
5Defenders of the Faith
6British Steel
7Sin After Sin
8Killing Machine
9Angel of Retribution
10Jugulator
11Redeemer Of Souls
12Rocka Rolla
13Point of Entry
14Ram It Down
15Demolition
16Turbo
17Nostradamus
Yes, it's the time of the year blah, blah, blah...top lists continue to flourish all over the internet and it's not my job to stop them. "People are attracted to lists because we live in an era of overstimulation, especially in terms of information, and lists help us in organizing what is otherwise overwhelming." says David Wallechinsky, a co-author of the Book of Lists (1977). When December starts and you realize you've listened to 100 new albums, compiling a list is not only "a bit" of work but also a very interesting exercise. According to a New Yorker article lists are easy to write. Since I'm no writer, thank God for the lists!
While seeing the world going into shit in 2017 (when we though 2016 was bad), which makes me worried and sad, I personally can't complain about 2017. Specifically in the metal world, despite countless big losses, we saw very good releases and extreme music doing well. I went to more concerts than the last couple of years. Two major highlights were seeing Maiden in a closed arena and Helloween reunion with Kiske and Hansen...those events alone would already make an amazing year in music. But there was much more, including Anthrax playing Among the Living in full. This year, I kept my "new album capacity" at about 100 which is still a lot, but I can't seem to reduce that. But I did "gave up" more quickly on albums and moved on more effectively than I did in 2016. I also tried to buy less records, because it was getting out of hand, but I'm not sure I succeeded. Anyways, let's get to it...
As always, this is personal list. Music is not a competition and sometimes the difference between albums is virtually non existent. Moreover my appreciation for a specific album or piece of music varies depending on mood and feelings of a particular day or moment. This year was unusually skewed with several Death Metal and Hardcore related albums while not forgetting my prog/power metal roots. Without further ado, here it is...
Honorable Mentions:
Municipal Waste - Slime And Punishment SECT - No Cure for Death Savage Messiah - Hands Of Fate Ne Obliviscaris - Urn Thy Art Is Murder - Dear Desolation
50.Code Orange - Forever
49.Cavalera Conspiracy - Psychosis
48.Cannibal Corpse - Red Before Black
47.August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem
46.Sólstafir - Berdreyminn
45.Decapitated - Anticult
44.Immolation - Atonement
43.Stone Sour - Hydrograd
42.Soen - Lykaia
41.Steven Wilson - To The Bone
40.Temple Of Void - Lords of Death
39.Arch Enemy - Will To Power
38.Archspire - Relentless Mutation
37.Accept - The Rise of Chaos
36.The Faceless - In Becoming a Ghost
35.Pink Cream 69 - Headstrong
34.Iced Earth - Incorruptible
33.Unleash The Archers - Apex
32.Black Country Communion - BCCIV
31.BloodBound - War Of Dragons
30.Communic - Where Echoes Gather
29.John 5 & The Creatures - Season of the Witch
28.The Contortionist - Clairvoyant
27.Leprous - Malina
26.Sepultura - Machine Messiah
25.Threshold - Legends Of The Shires
Threshold have been on my best of list since 2007 and their winning streak continues. It isn’t their best work, as typically happens with a double album, it overstays its welcome. But it's full of interesting music and prog overdose that hooks you.
24.DragonForce - Reaching Into Infinity
It's a fact that my lists are influenced by the bands I saw live in that year. While I really liked their previous album, at first I was disappointed with this one. But their show was great and the new songs on the setlist are awesome. Yes, the full album is not perfect, but the best parts are so great that makes it worthwhile repeated listens. 23.Almanac - Kingslayer
A very late release from a band that I didn't know (albeit featuring very well known power metal legends), Almanac simply brought one of the best power metal album of the year. The impressive line-up led by former Rage guitarist Victor Smolski sophomore release is bombastic, catchy and pure melodic power metal brilliance!
22.The Black Dahlia Murder - Nightbringers
The album is brutal, groovy, direct and "easy" to digest. Vocals and riffs are sick and as evil as fuck. Note that despite the new guitar player, the solos are fantastic, different, but great. Melo Death Metal as it should be. 21.Trivium - The Sin And The Sentence
While not perfect, this is Trivium's best album in a long time, probably since Shogun. It features some of the heaviest moments of the band's career, conversely it doesn't shy away from catchy choruses, hooks and accessibility. A highlight is the guitar riffs and solos, just great stuff all over the album.
20.Paradise Lost - Medusa
Building on the highly acclaimed predecessor, Medusa is a logical next step in the Paradise Lost discography. The album masterfully mix Gothic, Doom and Death metal without loosing its identity and also being true to the band's sound. The musicianship is superb and the songs are each independent and unique but glued by their gloomy and dark atmosphere. No doubts that after 30 years, they continue to be one of the best in their genre.
19.Witherfall - Nocturnes And Requiems
Brilliant and unique, it’s almost like a tech death band with a power metal singer. The guitar work is superb and so are the vocals. The song structures are also very interesting, the guitar solos are all over the place and not only before the last chorus. I hope for Witherfall to have a brilliant future! Shout out to Jake Dreyer, who is also on Iced Earth, as one of the best young guitar players out there. Debut album of the year? Yes sir!
18.Orden Ogan - Gunmen
Gunmen grew on me to the point of becoming the best power metal album of the year. In fact it's another case in which going to their show has helped, my initial review was not that great. Orden Ogan continues to be consistent with their sound based on epic German melodic metal (think Blind Guardian) with folk, symphonic and modern metal elements into their sound. If you are not into this genre or band, it is worth checking it.
17.Caligula's Horse - In Contact
Now here is another "djent band" that expanded their sound and with great evolution into a prog rock band. Think Haken with touches of Periphery. Great vocals, guitar work, specially the solos and overall song writing. They balance the technical musicianship with slow beautiful moments. One of the best modern progressive albums of the year.
16.While She Sleeps - You Are We
I'm glad I gave this record several spins because I was very close to miss one of the best metalcore albums of the year. While I liked the previous effort, I didn't give it a lot of chance. Therefore leaving comparisons aside, You Are We is a jump forward for a band that was already being seen as the "next big thing" in this genre.
15.Dying Fetus - Wrong One To Fuck With
This is a very consistent album with no surprises for those who know the band. There's groove, technicality and brutality well mixed by one of the most brutal Death Metal bands out there. From the first second to the final 10th tittle track, we are hammered with crushing drums and super technical, fast and heavy riffs. Great extreme metal album!
14.Tombs - The Grand Annihilation
It's black metal, sludge, death metal, post-punk...no, it's not messy or schizophrenic, this is actually Tombs 4th studio album. A concise and impressively executed genre mix resulting in one of the best extreme metal albums of the year.
13.Sorcerer - The Crowning Of The Fire King
The songs are strong, powerful and obviously epic and doomy. The tCofFK proves that Sorcerer has perfected the song writing, and delivered great riffs and guitar solos. But the most impressive performance is from the singer, Anders Engberg. The vocals are clean but powerful delivering epic melodies throughout the record.
12.Avatarium - Hurricanes and Halos
With the 3rd album the band has distanced themselves from their traditional doom roots and dove into more 70's bluesy rock with a Deep Purple touch. At first I wasn't into it because in comparison I still favor their debut album. However, the album grew on me and I came to appreciate it for what it is. I listened to it so many times this year that it deserves to be that high in the list.
11.Below - Upon a Pale Horse
This album showcases an epic, heavy and dark style of doom. Think late Black Sabbath, Candlemass, King Diamond but with vocals that remind me of Michael Kiske or Geoff Tate. I really enjoyed this album, tight song writing, catchy songs, fantastic vocals, and awesome doom riffs. All packaged with a very good production and dynamic mix. A top traditional doom album.
10.Full of Hell - Trumpeting Ecstasy
24 min of voracious headbanging metal madness. With that said, the album is dynamic with pauses, samples, tempo variation and two vocal styles. After 9 brutal metal songs, we come to the title track that unexpectedly opens with a beautiful female vocal over some samples. While for some this would sound like an album closer, no, Full of Hell returns to voracious grindcore to close the album with the 6 min "At the Cauldron's Bottom" featuring fantastic marching drums.
9.Pallbearer - Heartless
Heartless is a very progressive and melodic album. Clean singing dominates, but in a good way and it's brilliantly executed. It's never too high and translates well the melancholic feel of most songs. The 12-min "Dancing in Madness" is a masterpiece and almost an homage to Pink Floyd. In addition to fantastic song writing and musicianship, Heartless also sounds amazing and dynamic. Over the last couple of years, doom bands have been making appearances in my year-end list. 2017 was not an exception.
8.Darkest Hour - Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora
A perfect blend of hardcore and melodic death metal. The memorable songwriting showcases fantastic guitarwork and drumming throughout the record. John Henry delivers relentless visceral vocals from start to finish. And that's a great thing. because due to outstanding guitarwork, groves, and tempo changes, Darkest Hour is able to break the monotony and add enough variability to the songs. A fantastic metalcore record as it should be.
7.Kreator - Gods of Violence
A fantastic album that cements Kreator as the current masters of Thrash Metal. The album is a lesson of modern thrash metal with no frills, no bullshit. Kreator can combine one of the best thrash vocals and very aggressive thrash riffs with melody therefore creating instant heavy metal anthems. Not to mention the drumming and guitar solos that complete this receipt for success. With that said, Kreator took baby steps to incorporate traditional heavy metal (e.g. Priest and Maiden) into the mix . Therefore avoiding repeating themselves while delivering another modern masterpiece. Gods of Violence is one of their best albums ever. Hail to the hordes!
6.Pain Of Salvation - In The Passing Light Of Day
The tenth studio album by the Swedish progressive metal (or rock?) band Pain of Salvation was one of the first releases of 2017. And since then it has been topping my list. Their last studio album with original songs dates back 7 years ago. Overall ItPLoD sounds heavy, full of tempo changes and deeply emotional. All songs are great and the album flows beautifully. Special highlight to the title track that closes the album. It is a 15:30 min beautiful and emotional masterpiece of modern prog rock.
5.Enslaved - E
Enslaved has released so many good album that every time the comparison is difficult. The good news is that E, despite an average production, is a great album, relatively short with easier to digest. There's a lot of groove and some different tricks like the keys sound (Jon Lord?) and the sax (Pink Floyd?). Enslaved were able to seemly transition to the new key player/vocalist while maintaining their sound progression from last albums. .
4.Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Year 2017 and Power Trip delivered a Thrash Metal masterpiece that can already be included in best thrash metal album of all times. That's how good it is. When it comes down to it, it's all about song writing. The melodies, the riffs, the album flow, it's all perfectly mastered. All of that without loosing high level of energy from the hardcore influences. One of the biggest accomplishments of Power Trip is to tear down barriers among sub genres and create a something special that appeals to many metal heads, new and old.
3.Converge - The Dusk In Us
Now, that was a pleasant surprise. The Dusk In Us is one of those records that hypnotizes you. From the first riff, I was sold! Then we go into 5 aggressive tracks with lots going on before diving into the 7 min title track. It's basically a post-rock song with a very slow build up and a great pay-off. And in one of those rare moments an album gets even better as you enter the second half. It has even more groove and killer riffs. Overall, the vocals are emotional and pissed off, the drumming is relentless, the riffs catchy and dissonant at times. It's modern music as art for a world that is completely fucked up.
2.Ayreon - The Source
The Source is a concept studio album from Ayreon, a project by Arjen Lucassen. 12 characters are portrayed by some of the best prog/power metal singers in activity. All singers deliver amazing performances without loosing his own sound. Arjen is able to get the best of each singer, they sound natural and relaying on their strong characteristics. The Source concept and story are told in 17 songs which flow perfectly, like an opera. The 1.5 hr fly by when enjoying this fantastic piece of music. Power progressive metal lovers will dig this masterpiece!
1.Mastodon - Emperor of Sand
Emperor of Sand is by far the album that I listened to the most this year. An outstanding modern prog metal showcase. The album sounds like a fusion of the latest efforts with Crack the Skye. The musicianship is superb, the division of vocal duties among the 3 singers has been perfected, and the 3 are singing better than ever. The guitar riffs, duos and solos are just fantastic, Brent and Bill have found the perfect harmony. Troy maintains the trademark bass sound and Brann is, simply put, one of the best drummers in activity. I love all 11 tracks and have almost no complains. The album flows amazingly well and it's my album of the year.
Biggest Disappointments:
Byzantine - The Cicada Tree
Serious Black - Magic
Sons Of Apollo - Psychotic Symphony
The Best Sounding Albums:
Pallbearer - Heartless
Steven Wilson - To The Bone
Mastodon - Emperor of Sand
Ayreon - The Source
Threshold - Legends Of The Shires
Favorite Album Covers:
Bell Witch
Full of Hell
Favorite Guitar Solos:
Pain of Salvation - Angels of Broken Things by Daniel Gildenlöw
Mastodon - Jaguar God by Brent Hinds
Ayreon - The Dream Dissolves by Marcel Coenen (Sun Caged)
Decapitated - Kill the Cult by Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka
Witherfall - What We Are Dying For by Jake Dreyer
Black Country Communion - Wanderlust by Joe Bonamassa
Sons Of Apollo - Signs Of The Time by Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Top 5 songs:
Roots Remainby Mastodon
The Day That The World Breaks Down by Ayreon
Curse of Darkness by DragonForce
The Passing Light Of Day by Pain of Salvation
Kill the Cult by Decapitated
Favorite Shows:
Iron Maiden at Sportpaleis, Antwerp
Helloween at O13, Tilburg
Anthrax at Trix, Antwerp
Disappointing Shows:
Axel Rudi Pell at GMM2017
Omnium Gatherum at Biebob, Vosselaar
Converge - The Dusk In Us
Now, that was a pleasant surprise. The Dusk In Us is one of those records that hypnotizes you. From the first riff, I was sold! Then we go into 5 aggressive tracks with lots going on before diving into the 7 min title track. It's basically a post-rock song with a very slow build up and a great pay-off. And in one of those rare moments an album gets even better as you enter the second half. It has even more groove and killer riffs. Overall, the vocals are emotional and pissed off, the drumming is relentless, the riffs catchy and dissonant at times. It's modern music as art for a world that is completely fucked up. Album of the year material.
Sorcerer - The Crowning Of The Fire King
Despite being formed in the late 80s in Sweden, the epic doom band Sorcerer released their first album in 2015. A very good album. But tCofFK is even better. The songs are strong, powerful and obviously epic and doomy. The single and opener "Sirens" showcases that very well, but it's track 2 "Ship Of Doom" that ups the ante with an almost 10 min epic journey. The other 8 songs feature 7 songs between 6 and 10 minutes of the same quality plus a beautiful short acoustic instrumental. The tCofFK proves that Sorcerer has perfected the song writing, and delivered great riffs and guitar solos. But the most impressive performance is from the singer, Anders Engberg. The vocals are clean but powerful delivering epic melodies throughout the record. In sum this is record of the year contender for the doom, power and traditional metal lists.
Enslaved - E
Enslaved has released so many good album that every time the comparison is difficult. The good news is that E is also a very good album. They were able to seemly transition to the new key player and vocalist and maintain their sound progression from last albums. E opens with the powerful "Storm Son", a 11 min typical modern progressive Enslaved track. It features a slow build up intro, mixes black metal vocals and clean singing masterfully, and stays at mid tempo throughout. The chanting parts and some of the riffs give it a folk touch. "River's Mouth" on the other hand is a short and more accessible 5 min track dominated by clean vocals and catchy vocal melodies. Within this frame, It’s a good almost rock song. My favorite track is "Sacred Horse" which picks up speed and aggressiveness. It's dominated by harsh vocals, folk elements and features an interesting key solo, almost Deep Purple like. "Axis of the Worlds" starts with a bluesy riff, a bit out of place, but it doesn't compromise the song. Overall, the pace, melody and keys remind me a lot of Opeth's latest album with the addition of guttural vocals. Full of chants and clean vocals, the prog rock "Feathers of Eolh" is the softest track on the album. "Hiindsiight" mix some very doomy parts with Pink Floyd-ish sax over guitar arpeggios. It works for me. Despite an average production, overall E is a very good album, relatively short with easier to digest songs, there's a lot of groove and some different tricks like the keys sound and the sax. It won't be unanimously liked though.
Witherfall - Nocturnes And Requiems
This one is for the fans of Symphony X and the like. With that said, it’s unique. It’s almost like a tech death band with a power metal singer. The guitar work is superb and so are the vocals. The song structures are also very interesting, the guitar solos are all over the place and not only before the last chorus. The highlight is “What We Are Dying For”, a song full of riffs and solos, and most notably a Spanish guitar solo that pays homage to Al di Meola - fantastic. The bass and the drums are also high level and make a solid and perfect base. I hope for Witherfall to have a brilliant future! Debut album if the year? Likely.
The Contortionist - Clairvoyant
For me personally, this band is an example of why bands open shows. While I went to see Periphery I caught those guys and really enjoyed their show based on their previous album Language (2014). I was happy to see that Clairvoyant is another right step in their career, the forth to be precise. The set list of that show is consistent with this album: little to no screamed vocals and not really heavy, almost post-rock. But indeed compared to their first two albums, there's a big evolution in The Contortionist's sound and compared to the precious one an improvement in the song writing, production, and musicianship. If you are looking for a "djent band", you won't find it in Clairvoyant , but if you want a dreamy and unique experience, then you are in the right place.
Caligula's Horse - In Contact
Now here is another "djent band" that expanded their sound and with great evolution into a prog rock band. Think Haken with still touches of Periphery. Great vocals, guitar work, specially the solos and overall song writing. I do think however that the song with a spoken monologue breaks the album flow and doesn't work for me. One of the best modern progressive albums of the year.
The Black Dahlia Murder - Nightbringers
The 8th album of melodic death metallers is one of their best. While the last two album were quite good and I enjoyed them, Everblack (2013) and Abysmal (2015) were a bit inconsistent and longer. Nightbringers is only 33 min, 8 tracks below 4 min and the closer "The Lonely Deceased" is 5 min. All of that plays on Nightbringers advantage. The album is brutal, groovy, direct and easier to digest. Vocals and riffs are sick and evil as a fan would hope for. And despite the new guitar player, the solos are fantastic, different, but great. Fans will love this, and it will be all over year-end lists.
Paradise Lost - Medusa
Building on the highly acclaimed predecessor, Medusa is a logical next step for Paradise Lost discography. The album masterfully mix Gothic, Doom and Death metal without loosing its identity and also being true to the band's sound. The musicianship is superb and the songs independent and unique but glued by their gloomy and dark atmosphere.
Arch Enemy - Will To Power
While the previous album was bad, Will To Power is a huge step up for Arch Enemy with Alissia on vocals. I specially liked how she expanded her vocal range and sound more unique rather than simply mimicking Angela. The riffs and solos are also great, as expected. There are tons of hooks and groove to get you headbanging from start to finish. I hope this new era for the band will continue to ascend into new highs.
Archspire - Relentless Mutation
Yes, it's one of the millions of tech death bands, but credit must be given where it's due. Archspire makes a very unique take on this crowded genre. 7 songs in 30 min certainly makes it easy to get through and never gets overdone. The vocal delivery which is basically the 5th instrument makes Archspire's a unique affair. Not to mention that the guitars are also amazing. Relentless Mutation proves that you don't need long songs to be progressive
Trivium - The Sin And The Sentence
While not perfect, this is Trivium's best album in a long time, probably since Shogun. The production is OK, the vocals are dynamic and alternating the different styles . The new drummer is a monster behind the kit. Overall while the album features some of the heaviest moments of the band's career, it also don't shy away from catchy choruses, hooks and accessibility. Another highlight are the guitar riffs and solos, just great stuff all over it. welcome back guys, please don't loose track again and take it from here.
As I get ready for the Pumpkins United Tour, I went back and reviewed the discography of one of my favorite bands. Walls of Jericho (1985) - 8.5
Walls of Jericho is the debut LP released on October 1985 when the band was a quartet featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist and guitarist. This is a great first album, production is sub optimal, not all songs are great and Kai was singing well but the song writing demand more from a vocalist. Still, songs like Ride The Sky, Guardians and How Many Tears are first class classics and showed what those guys were capable of. This album features songs with high tempo. It basically combines Kill em All with The Number of the Beast while adding some humor and their own German melodic touch. The writing credits are split between Michael Weikath and Kai Hansen, 3 songs each and 3 together. When WoJ was released on CD, it also included the S/T debut EP. And it actually includes some great songs such as Starlight and Victim of Fate.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I (1987) - 9.5
The second album and now an absolute power metal classic, Keeper I marks the debut of the phenomenal Michael Kiske on vocals. Due to an injury, Weikath did not contribute significantly to the song writing (just one song) leaving it to Hansen and Kiske with one song. The tempo slows down a bit at some points and the song writing is slightly more progressive with more variations to their tool box. Of course, Kiske's vocal range allowed Helloween to have much more freedom. The guitar duos, the big choruses, backing vocals and harmonies, melodic and powerful verses and bridges are all perfected and hallmarks of Power Metal. I'm glad they didn't release it as a double album because part I is almost perfect, and then part II is basically the perfect album of this genre.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II (1988) - 10
Not much else to say about this absolute heavy metal classic! It's one of my top albums of all times. It's just perfect. With a good balance of writing being shared among Hansen, Weikath and Kiske. After the intro song it's a collection of metal anthems and when you think it can't get any better, it closes with an epic 13 min masterpiece title track. I rest my case.
Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991) - 8.0
This is not a great album, but it's not as bad as you may have heard. The departure of guitarist Kai Hansen, with Roland Grapow replacing him, is one reason. But I think it has a lot to do with Kiske's desire to make softer and less epic music. Weikath only wrote two songs, leaving the rest to Kiske and Grapow. The band also got completely rid from the Halloween/Pumpkin imagery. There are some good tracks like: "Kids of the Century", "Number One" and "Mankind". but the highlight is Grapow's "The Chance". A decent album, specially for those who enjoy Kiske's singing.
Chameleon (1993) - 7.0
I admire the guys for taking the risk and do something different, unfortunately the result was not a Helloween album. The Power Metal sound, that the band helped to create, was replaced by a progressive rock with some pop elements. And Chameleon is a great name for the album which features a lot of different sounds and musical influences. Reflecting the tensions within the band, none of the songs was co-written. Each of the song writers contributed with 4 songs and they are all very different from each other. It's definitely one of worst Helloween albums if you judge it by the standards set by the first three albums. However, it's not a bad progressive rock album and it was very well produced ( a problem with the earlier albums). On the bright side, the pumpkin returned to the band's logo and the commercial failure led to positive changes.
Master of the Rings (1994) - 8.5
Vocalist Michael Kiske and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg were fired after the Chameleon tour. The charismatic vocalist Andi Deris from Pink Cream 69 and drummer Uli Kusch joined the band to help Weikath and Grapow to bring back the original Helloween sound. For starters, Master of the Rings opens with a short symphonic instrumental, just like the Keepers. Weikath took matters on his own hands and wrote 60% of the album, some in partnership with Deris. Grapow wrote 3 and Deris one by himself. The first 3 proper songs are Helloween at its best. 3 powerful power metal classics. Mr. Kusch didn't hold back on the drums! "Sole Survivor" starts with a drum riff which is one of the best drums intros ever*. But funny enough the tracks 3 "Where the Rain Grows" and 4 "Why?" also start with drums albeit in very different styles. Except for the ballad that could've been cut out, I don't think this album has a bad song. Overall, a very strong come back album.
The Time of the Oath (1996) - 8.5
Two years after the come back album, Helloween returned with a darker and heavier album, but one of the best post-Keepers albums. The album cover features the keeper hood mixed with Master of the Rings cover and the album artwork features a lot of pumpkins! Actually, each of the 12 songs has a pumpkin avatar. Those are 12 proper songs, no intros or instrumentals, with just over 60 min it's a long album . The song writing is all over the place but slightly dominated by Deris and just one song credited to Grapow, the title track. Overall, I love this record, it's very well written, produced, and executed. It sounds powerful, dark, melodic and catchy at the same time.
Better Than Raw (1998) - 8.0
Another good album, but it didn't hold up against the previous two albums. The artwork is great, again there's a pumpkin per song, and it brought back the instrumental intro song. The album is not as heavy as the predecessor but the song Push is one of their heaviest songs ever. But at moments the album is melodic (Falling Higher) or mid tempo (Time). Grapow didn't write any songs, all the other four contributed. Great album.
The Dark Ride (2000) - 8.5
After three albums on the same line, Helloween threw a curved ball with this one. The title says it all, it's a dark album, lyrically and musically. and that works for me. The evil black pumpkin on the cover makes a statement. After the instrumental intro, they deliver 4 very strong melodic and yet heavy songs. Then the single "If I Could Fly" doesn't work for me, too radio friendly, it feels out of place. Foreshadowing the line up changes that would come, none of the 12 songs was written in partnership. Deris dominated with 5 songs, and quite honestly at least two of those could've been cut out. I really like this album, and I was sad to see this line-up break-up after delivering 4 solid records.
Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003) - 7.5
This was the first album to feature Sascha Gerstner on guitars, who replaced Roland Grapow. Mikkey Dee of Motörhead played the drums on a session basis. Despite a couple of good moments, I never really got into this album. It's again long, 12 songs in 61 minutes and pretty much feels like a transitional album.
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005) - 7.0
Dani Löble debuts as drummer in the album that is supposedly the continuation to their Keeper albums. It's their only double CD to date with nearly 80 minutes playing time. It features their longest song yet "The King for a 1000 Years" with almost 14 min. Like the majority of double albums, it's a difficult one to go through and it has some fillers. It's been 12 years and I still don't get this album.
Gambling with the Devil (2007) - 7.5
Albeit still a bit too long, GwtD is more digestible than Keeper 3. It starts very well with a sequence of 4 good songs. They are heavy and emotional. But then the album drags and overstay its welcome. Luckily the closing track finishes GwtD in a high note. There are good moments, riffs and songs and a very nice artwork. But like most (if not all) album post Grapow/Kush, it's long and inconsistent.
7 Sinners (2010) - 7.5
7S builds on GwtD and it's even heavier. Specially the first half of the album is very good and aggressive. "Where The Sinners Go" and "Are You Metal?" are some of their best songs in years, straight up metal. The 12 song in 60 min formula from the Gerstner era doesn't really work for me. Too many fillers and the mandatory ballad that makes it again an inconsistent album.
Straight Out of Hell (2013) - 8.0
The formula is the same, 13 songs in 60 min including a ballad. But somehow SOoH is a bit more inspired than previous releases and it's the best album of the Gerstner period. Helloween goes back to its roots: melodic and fun. "Wanna Be God" and the tittle track are great tracks. "Wanna Be God" for being different and catchy and SOoH is just lots of fun.
My God-Given Right (2015) - 7.5
After SOoH, this album came just two years later and disappointed me. I thought Helloween would be able to build on the predecessor and continue to grow. But it just went back to the same level of the other releases since 2005. Of course that there are good songs, but many fillers. I hope that the Pumpkins United experience will inspire the band to break these formulated albums and do something different and truly memorable.
At the end of the day, here is my take on the Helloween albums ranked from best to worse.
1Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2
2Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1
3The Time of the Oath
4Masters of the Ring
5The Dark Ride
6Walls of Jericho
7Better Than Raw
8Straight Out of Hell
9Pink Bubbles Go Ape
107 Sinners
11My God-Given Right
12Rabbit Don't Come Easy
13Gambling With The Devil
14Chameleon
15Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy
