HAKEN Fauna | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by InsideOut Music on March 3rd, 2023

Quick Background

Haken are an English progressive metal band formed in 2007 by multi-instrumentalist Richard Henshall and vocalist Ross Jennings releasing their first album Aquarius in 2010. Their 3rd album, 2013's The Mountain made the band gain a more substantial fanbase. At Prog Sphere, it won first place in albums of 2013 and fourth place in The Prog Report. Haken did not drop the ball and the albums that followed Affinity (2016), Vector (2018) and Virus (2020) are all strong prog metal statements. So let's see how Fauna stack up to them. 

Fauna 

Fauna is just over 1hr long and features 9 new tracks. Song lengths are all over the place with the single "Lovebite" being only 3:50 and the epic "Elephants Never Forget" over 11 min. Funny enough Haken has been touring Europe with BTBAM and the intro of "Elephants Never Forget" reminds me a lot of BTBAM. Coincidence? It doesn't matter, but don't expect it will be a heavy track as their touring partners' music. In fact, the song seems to be an homage to Gentle Giant, the iconic 70's Prog band. I like the song but it goes on for too long.  About "Lovebite" I fully agree with singer Ross and I quote "This is the Phil Collins inspired upbeat love song in 11/8 with Cannibal Corpse inspired lyrics that you never knew you needed!” It's a great short and powerful single. 

Overall the greatest achievement of Haken is keeping their music complex without overdoing while being catchy and melodic. From Jazz to 70's prog rock to Metal, their influences are eclectic and the results are visible. Fauna is a collection of diverse songs each one with its own characteristics but they all share the comment theme of metaphor using animal fables. The two singles "Taurus" and "The Alphabet of Me" are fantastic songs. The album opener "Taurus" is heavy and catchy, the harmonic intro and somber chords lead us into the moody verse. Then the chorus is so beautiful and emotional, it's difficult not to sing along. There's a Tool vibe here that I really enjoy. "The Alphabet of Me" on the other hand has much more pop music vibe that's mainly due to the electronic drums and gang vocals. But I'm telling you that chorus is marvelous, it gives a heavy punch and lift things up. The contrast with the verses is just very well done. "Nightingale" brings back that 70's Prog Rock influence so present in the now classic album The Mountain.   

Another highlight for me is "Sempiternal Beings", it's a longer prog metal track in which, in case you hadn't notice by now, we hear an incredible vocal performance and fantastic drum work.  Talking about heavy, that intro of "Beneath the White Rainbow" is so Opeth meets Dream Theater, great song as well. But I must say I did not like the choice of using overdrive and distorting heavily the vocals for that bridge. "Eyes Of Ebony" closes the album on a very personal and emotional note, here I noticed more hints of Dream Theater. 

Haken is known for their exceptional musicianship, and Fauna is no exception. The band's technical abilities are on full display throughout the album, with complex time signatures, intricate guitar and keyboard work, and impressive vocal performances. The rhythm section of bassist Thomas MacLean and drummer Raymond Hearne provide a solid foundation for the music, with complex and innovative grooves. It took me a few years and some other albums to get used to the voice of Ross Jennings, and I am happy I insisted because he delivers a standout performance on the album, with powerful and emotive vocals. His range and versatility are particularly impressive, he is able to incorporate different styles and techniques without going out of his range and without using harsh vocals or screams. 

The Picky Guy

I can't really complain about this album, yes maybe a bit too long and "Island in the Clouds" doesn't really work for me, maybe too soft but it's by no means a bad song.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall, Fauna is one of Haken's best albums since The Mountain and a must-listen for fans of progressive rock and metal. It is a testament to the exceptional musicianship of Haken, with each member of the band contributing to a sound that is both technically impressive and emotionally engaging. The result is a unique blend of progressive rock and metal, with elements of jazz and pop music. The album theme using animal kingdom as metaphor for personal messages is quite interesting and the lyrics sound amazing under the soaring vocal melodies. An early contender for album of the year, 85/100 with high risk I will bump it up later in the year as I continue to listen to it.Have fun prog metal fans and be metal always! 

SCORE: 85/100

Genre: Progressive Metal

Released by InsideOut Music on March 3rd, 2023

Rating System

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

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INSOMNIUM Anno 1696 | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Century Media Records on February 24th, 2023

Quick Background

Insomnium is a melodic death metal band from Finland. The sound and lyrical themes of their music portray darkness, sorrow, loss, pain, and nature. They are primarily a melodic death metal band with occasional elements of doom metal and progressive metal. The band line-up has been quiet stable with the changes happening only for the guitar players. Niilo Sevänen on bass and harsh vocals founded the band with Ville Friman − guitars and Markus Hirvonen − drums in 1997. They release their first LP In the Halls of Awaiting in 2002. They have a very strong discography and I particularly like their 2016 concept album Winter's Gate. The album that followed it,  Heart Like a Grave in 2019 was also very good. So I am looking forward to this new one.

Anno 1696

Their 9th studio album is centered around a short story by bassist and vocalist Niilo Sevänen. With 50 minutes in 8 tracks, it is a shorter and tighter album than its predecessor, but there's no lack of memorable melodies and a massive choruses. Despite the slow build up from acoustic guitars and spoken words, the opening track, once it reaches  the 2 min mark, sounds more aggressive and fast paced than I come to expect from those guys. It's a good song to start the album and a sample of the picks and valleys of this album. We constantly go from anger and aggressiveness to sadness and melancholy. 

A notable moment on the album "White Christ" featuring Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ is a groovier song, with a distinctive drum beat. Given the song lyrics and dynamic, Sakis was the perfect guest singer to add texture to the album. It's almost like a tribute to the Greek band. Vocal wise, the band rarely uses clean singing this time around, sometimes some spoken words, but given the theme of the album and how dark and heavy it is, there's little room for more polished melodic clean singing. So I do appreciate the use of guest singers to add variation to the album without loosing its overall direction.  Johanna Kurkela is the other guest singer, and she brings this melancholic folky flavor to "Godforsaken" which is the longest song on the album. But as with the title track, it's a diverse song that goes into very heavy territories.    

Guitar work is strongly based on guitar licks during verses and choruses which creates an overall epic feel or sometimes using more tremolo picking to give a black metal flavor. With that said, the use of acoustic guitars is also very prominent often given a more atmospheric and folk sound to the album. The culmination of that is the fully acoustic dark ballad "The Unrest". The single "Lilian" starts with this beautiful acoustic guitar intro and then goes into a sort of folk metal territory. It is probably the most traditional Insomnium hit song on the album. "Starless Paths" is a very dynamic progier song (going from super heavy sections into acoustic guitars). In addition, I appreciate the guitarwork and vocal delivery giving me an epic vibe that reminds me of early Amon Amarth. I enjoyed the production quality with excellent mixing and mastering that highlights these dynamic sound choices by the band and overall delivering rawer sound than in previous releases.

The Picky Guy

There's no specific moment that I dislike on this album. So I guess my only criticism is that it's not very innovative and fully consistent with the latest albums.  

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall, Anno 1696 is a solid addition to Insomnium's discography, with the band continuing to deliver their unique brand of melodic death metal. While the album may not necessarily break new ground, it certainly delivers on the expectations of Insomnium's fans. It's a more cohesive and easily digestible statement and yet very dynamic between sadness and anger and diverse. A very good melo death album deserving 83/100 proving further why Insomnium are at the top of their class. 

SCORE: 83/100

Genre: Death Metal

Released by Century Media Records on February 24th, 2023

Rating System

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

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IN FLAMES Foregone | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by  Nuclear Blast Records on February 10th, 2023

Quick Background

In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed in Gothenburg in 1990. Alongside At the Gates and Dark Tranquility, In Flames pioneered the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal. Their 90's albums are classic Melo Death must haves but their sixth studio album Reroute to Remain (2002) showed the band moving toward a newer style of music that moved further away from melodic death metal and closer to alternative metal. This decision was criticized by fans of the group's heavier metal sound; however, it increased the band's mainstream audience and bolstered their album sales. I came to know the band in the year 2000 with the release and tour of Clayman, I love that album. I did lost touch with them until the release of Sounds of a Playground Fading (2011) which I surprisingly like quite a lot. But the 3 albums after that were really not for me, so I have been waiting for 12 years for an In Flames album that I actually like. 

Foregone

Foregone is their fourteenth studio album. It is the first album by the band to feature guitarist Chris Broderick and the first to entirely feature drums performed by Tanner Wayne. It features 12 songs in 47 minutes including "The Beginning Of All Things", a  2-min intro with acoustic guitars and symphonic arrangements. The album marks a return to their classic 90's elements without loosing their more recent influences. As a result many songs are quite heavy and mostly with death growls while others have a mix of growls and clean vocals. The focus on melody is a continuous stable in their sound. 

Following the intro the album kicks off with the high-energy track "State of Slow Decay" which is old school In Flames, I really enjoy this track. Fast paced guitar riffs, aggressive singing, relentless drumming, and melodic guitar solos. It's a perfect opener that demonstrates In Flames' ability to write memorable hooks while still maintaining their heaviness. Another standout tracks on the album is

"Meet Your Maker" which is also a heavy track with a lot of groove and a catchy chorus. "Foregone Pt. 1" is so Colony, I love it and Pt 2 is still OK but it's a much mellower song. Still, the guitar work and that heavy pre-chorus makes it an interesting song, it reminds me of Sounds of Playground Fading era. 

Throughout the album, the band seamlessly blends their heavier roots with the melodic sensibility of the 2000's. "Bleeding Out" is a clear example of that, it features heavy and engaging guitar riffs and a very cool guitar solo, kind of Malmsteen at half speed. On the other hand, the verse and chorus go much more into their softer melodic side of the last few albums. It sounds to me like Bullet For My Valentine. But this time it works for me as a whole experience. Then at track number 7 we hit the sort of ballad "Pure Light Of Mind" and I must say it's not too bad, I mean by the time we get here I am super invested in the album and while I will never love the song I think it bridges well into the single "The Great Deceiver" which is again a punch in the face and back to 90's In Flames! "End The Transmission" closes the album in a high note, a heavy mid tempo song that balances early sound with the direction of latest albums. So it's a good summary of this album and good way to close it. 

In Flames' musicianship is top-notch throughout Foregone specially when it comes to the guitar work. The melodic and short guitar solos are memorable and Chris Broderick contribution is a big plus for the band. In addition there are some harmonized guitars and tons of cool chugging heavy riffs. The keyboards are on the background only and the rhythmic section does a good job holding the album together. I also really like Anders Fridén harsh vocal delivery and there's a lot of it on this album. The clean vocals though are weird. I'm not sure what it is, but it sounds overproduced almost artificial at times.

The Picky Guy

I do struggle with albums with more than ten songs, and it's no different here. All in all, the last one third of the album is not so strong. "In The Dark" is a mid-tempo groovy and heavy song but I am on the fence on this one. The same for "A Dialogue In B Flat Minor". Both feel like they were trying too hard to build a catchy chorus but it didn't work. With that said parts of these songs are still quite OK. Then "Cynosure" doesn't help to bring me back into the album.  And that's my main problem with this album, but I am sure many old time fans won't like this album very much because it is still modern In Flames with lots of melody and clean singing. While that side of the album is not my favorite, at least this time around it is quite OK.  

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall Foregone is the best In Flames album in many years, and while some songs really bring me back to their 90's sound, the band has maintained their later alt-rock influences very much alive, I just think the song writing and the balance is much better than in previous albums. At the end of the day, it may just be that I wanted to like a new album from them so much that I'm glancing over their over produced vocals and sounding like Bullet From My Valentine at times. With that said, I'm enjoying it and it's a very good effort deserving 82/100. 

SCORE: 82/100

Genre: Alterative Metal

Released by  Nuclear Blast Records on February 10th, 2023

Rating System

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

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XANDRIA The Wonders Still Awaiting | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Napalm Records on February 3rd, 2023

Quick Background

Xandria is a German symphonic metal band founded by Marco Heubaum in 1994. since then the band has gone through various lineup changes. Their seventh album, Theater of Dimensions was released on January 2017 and after that the whole band left leaving founder Marco alone. In 2022, then he announced a new lineup, with the addition of the band's new vocalist Ambre Vourvahis. Ambre has an impressive dynamic range varying between beautiful classical harmonies to powerful clean singing in the style of Nightwish, to even harsh growls that remind me of Arch Enemy.

The Wonders Still Awaiting

The Wonders Still Awaiting is their eighth studio. It is the first studio album to feature not only Ambre  but also Tim Schwarz on bass, drummer Dimitros Gatsios and guitarist Rob Klawonn. With 13 songs and clocking in at 75min, this is a very long album. 

From the first bars of the opening track "Two Worlds" the use of choir and orchestral elements creating an epic and cinematic feel of the album are very clear. While the symphonic elements are very prominent, there's also a considerable emphasis on the guitars. At some moments it gets pretty heavy as in the bridge of this song. Not only it's a heavy guitar tone with cools riffs but also Ambre showcases her ability with death metal growls. While not used very frequently, they appear throughout the album and to me they add a lot of character to their music. In "Illusion is Their Name" the growls are prominent. On the other hand, in the single "Reborn" we can hear she going full operatic (e.g. the Post-Chorus). 

If you are distracted as the single "You Will Never Be Our God" starts, I can bet you will think it's a new Arch Enemy song. Now, this song features Ralf Scheepers from Primal Fear and I must say, why? His voice is so low in the mix that it barely makes a difference and he only does backing vocals, not for a sentence he sings alone. I liked the song a lot, but what a missed opportunity.

The title track is so Nightwish, but ok I like it. There's even more emphasis on keyboards which is not the case for most of the album. And actually this focus on guitars backed up by symphonic arrangements is what I like the most in Xandria's new sound. That's very evident in many tracks, but specially in the single "Ghosts", sick riffs here and super over the top symphonic blasts. Worth noting how cheesy this song's video is, it's so bad that it's good, if you know what I mean. And damn the chorus is catchy. 

In terms of musicianship, Xandria showed their technical proficiency on instruments, particularly in the guitars, while maintaining a strong sense of melody and catchiness. Take "My Curse is My Redemption" as an example. The album was produced by Marco Heubaum to a high standard, with a clear and balanced mix that allowed almost all elements of the music to shine through. The only exception is the bass. 

Finally I want to talk about the epic album closer "Astèria", a 9 min piece translating from Greek into stars. One of Marco's passion is film scores and the best example is the album closer. Featuring a eastern flavor and lyrics about refugees leaving their home country behind. The whole song could be part of the soundtrack of an actual movie. Marco is so proud of all the symphonic arrangements on this album that a deluxe version can be found with a second CD with  Orchestral Version of the entire album.

The Picky Guy

Xandria demonstrate their versatility as songwriters, incorporating elements of different sub-genres of metal into their sound. The album features a mix of aggressive, fast-paced tracks and more atmospheric, slower pieces that showcase the band's strong sense of dynamics. Do I really like the slower tracks such as "Your Stories I'll Remember" and "Paradise"? Not really. The other thing is when we reach track number 10, we are already 50min into the album and still 4 songs to go. It's difficult to keep the focus.

Wrap Up Opinion 

Overall, The Wonders Still Awaiting is Xandria's long waited comeback showcasing strong songwriting skills and musical talent from the new members, specially singer Ambre, making it a standout release in the symphonic metal genre. The album is a diverse blend of symphonic metal, power metal, and subtle death metal elements. And while not innovative and a bit too long, it is a good release deserving a strong 81/100. For fans of the genre, this is a must check release. 

SCORE: 81/100

Genre: Symphonic Metal

Released by Napalm Records on February 3rd, 2023

Rating System

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

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RIVERSIDE ID.Entity | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by InsideOutMusic on January 20th, 2023

Quick Background

Riverside are a progressive rock band from Warsaw, Poland. They were founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda (vocal, bass, main songwriter), Piotr Grudziński (guitars) and Piotr Kozieradzki (drums) and soon after Michał Łapaj(keyboards), who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal. On February 21, 2016, guitarist Piotr died of a pulmonary embolism. 

Wasteland, their seventh studio and first album without founding guitarist was released on September 2018. The album was released as a trio, meaning without a replacing guitarist, but Maciej Meller contributed with 4 guitar solos. In 2020, Riverside announced that Meller had now become an official member of the band.

ID.Entity

The group’s 8th studio album features seven new tracks in 54 minutes and marks the return to Riverside’s heavier roots that defined their 2000s output: theatrical keys, maximalist songwriting and metal-inspired riffing as opposed to more moody and atmospheric direction from recent albums. "I’m Done With You", the album's first single is a good example of a track that revisits that energy and aggression. Duda began writing ID.Entity while on the tour for Wasteland. But the band worked together in the studio so final arrangements were a team effort. Lyrically, ID.Entity sees Duda questioning his own place in the world and, also, Riverside’s place in the prog scene. 

The opening track, "Friend or Foe?," sets the tone for the album in the sense that you don't know what's coming next. It's not a typical opening track. It's impossible not to think of  the song "Take on me" by a-ha. So it takes some spins to get used to it, but then you can appreciate how cool the vocal melody sounds. Moreover, the song builds up and delivers some heavy riffs. I really enjoyed the overall result. One of the standout tracks on the album is the 13-min long "The Place Where I Belong". It features a long intro with acoustic guitars then a very cool instrumental interlude, amazing bass lines, bluesy guitars and cool Deep Purple-like keyboards. And then the mid section with this amazingly beautiful melody, not to mention the melodic guitar solo that closes this masterpiece of a prog song.  Other cool tracks are the short and catchy "Landmine Blast" and the riff driven "Post-Truth".

The musicianship on this album is truly great. Each member of the band showcases their talents and abilities throughout the album, from the intricate bass lines to the heavy riffs. I also love the keyboards in here going from Deep Purple to Pink Floyd and brining a lot of flavor and texture to their music. Riverside are able to seamlessly blend different styles and instruments, creating a cohesive and immersive sound. The bass work is particularly noteworthy, with the instrument often taking the front stage. The pop rock elements of the album are also expertly executed, adding a catchiness to the music without loosing the heavy elements. Overall, the band's musicianship is top-notch and it is clear that they allowed themselves to go where their imagination led them.

The Picky Guy

While I don't think "Big Tech Brother" and "Self-Aware" are by no means bad songs, I do think that for me they have some ups and downs. Therefore they do not captivate me from start to finish like the other songs on the album. And that's my only criticism of this album. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

ID.Entity Riverside's latest album is a masterful blend of hardrock and experimental prog rock. The band takes the listener on a journey through a variety of moods and emotions. Overall, ID.Entity is a must-listen for fans of prog-rock. The band has truly allowed themselves the freedom to create something unique. It is a testament to their skills as musicians and composers in this newly open new phase for the band. To me except for a couple of missteps it's a very good album deserving 83/100. 

SCORE: 83/100

Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal

Released by InsideOutMusic on January 20th, 2023

Rating System

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

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OBITUARY Dying of Everything | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by Relapse Records on January 13th, 2023

Quick Background

Obituary is an American death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1984. They were a fundamental act in the development of death metal music, and are one of the most successful death metal bands of all time. The band has gone through several lineup changes, with the Tardy brothers (John on Vocals and Donald on the drums) and Trevor Peres (rhythm guitar) being the only constant members. Their music is based around heavily groove-based riffs and drumming along with John Tardy's growling vocals, which create their signature brand of death metal. Slowly We Rot is their debut album released on June 14, 1989. Obituary were changing Death Metal with this album, it was  blueprint for a generation of death metal bands to come. 

Dying of Everything

The death metal pioneers' Dying of Everything is their eleventh studio album and first new album in five years. It features 10 crushing death metal songs in 45 minutes. Obituary deliver a masterclass in death metal precision. All in all, the band members' musicianship is top-notch, making for a brutal and satisfying listening experience.

The lead single “The Wrong Time” released back in November last year is still my favorite song on the album. This mid-tempo magnificent groove is a banger. It starts with a somber and dark intro, but soon this sick groovy riff kicks in displaying the brutal guitar tone of Trevor Peres and the rhythmic skills of Donald Tardy. The barely human vocals of John Tardy confirms that this is classic Obituary. Now, I love the ideas on this song, the chorus is brilliant, you wait for the second call to the track's title but all you hear is the suffering growl, it's awesome and subtle. Besides there are post-chorus parts, a bridge, a guitar solo, it's overall quite dynamic. In this album the band experiments with different tempos and structures, which keeps things interesting and prevents the album from feeling monotonous. "Barely Alive", the opening track, is a blazing fucking song with a double-bass at about 200 bpm. Not sure if this one will be played live! It's the best Slayer song written by another band of 2023. On the other hand the closer "Be Warned" is a super slow almost sludge metal song. Other standout tracks include: The tile track with its nightmare-like bridge, melodic guitar solo and precise drumming and the nonstop groovy single "My Will to Live".

In terms of songwriting, Obituary continues to deliver on this album. The band has always been known for their ability to craft catchy, memorable death metal songs, and that's definitely the case here. Almost every song on the album is built around a set of killer riffs and memorable hooks. Whether it's the Pantera-like riff and drumming of "Without a Conscience" or the memorable chorus of "Weaponize the Hate". By the way, the lyrics are also worth mentioning, as they often deal with social and political issues and are thought-provoking.

The Picky Guy

If you know what you are going for, there's nothing really to complain here. It's pure Obituary at its best. But a couple of songs fell short for me and not at the same level of the whole album. That's my only complain. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

Dying of Everything is a solid addition to Obituary's extensive discography. The band's trademark sound is on full display throughout the album, with heavy, chugging riffs and John Tardy's guttural growls leading the charge. The musicianship is tight and precise, with each member of the band delivering a strong performance. Overall, fans of Obituary and death metal in general will find plenty to enjoy on this very good album which deserves a 82/100.

SCORE: 82/100

Genre: Death Metal

Released by Relapse Records on January 13th, 2023

Rating System

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

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The Top 35 Best Metal Albums of 2022 by BeMetalways Editor

 

It's that time of the year again! 

35.Elder - Innate Passage

34.Misery Index - Complete Control

33.Magnum - The Monster Roars

32.Axel Rudi Pell - Lost XXIII

31.Avatarium - Death, Where Is Your Sting

30.Watain - The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain

29.Long Distance Calling - Eraser

28.Wilderun - Epigone

27.Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun

26.Therion - Leviathan II

25.Joe Satriani - The Elephants of Mars

Joe Satriani has nothing to prove, after almost 20 studio albums he has collected millions of fans and accolades. However, with  The Elephants of Mars he demonstrates that standing still is not option. A dynamic album combining classic elements from the early albums with experimentation and fusion music makes this new album a pleasure to listen to. It's another delight also to inspire guitar players around the world.

24.Saxon - Carpe Diem

After more than 40 years on the road, Saxon brings their impressive new album with bristling steel-clad riffery and proud intent, the band draws on a variety of ingredients from its career to keep it loyal to their roots but also sounding fresh and modern. They kept simple and straightforward, pure traditional heavy metal flourishing from their 80's success. What else to say? Despite being frontloaded, a very good album, deserving the attention of new and old fans. 

23.Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One - Revel In Time

Musicians and singers choices make total sense for the style or vibe of each song, Arjen knows how to pick them. And his song writing is top notch as always. He delivers the material so that those singers can perform at their best. Given the pandemic, it's even more impressive that he was still able to produce such a high quality album with so many top musicians. I can only highly recommend this one. If you like prog/power metal and clean powerful singing over great guitar work and amazing solos, you can't go wrong with Star One's best album to date. 

22.Bloodbath - Survival of the Sickest

Bloodbath, Sweden’s undisputed masters of old school death metal, are back doing what they know best. This is a return to 90's death metal within the boundaries of the genre with a little flirting into death doom in the best Obituary veins. Old fans of the band or of the legends Morbid Angel or Death will have a great time with Survival of the Sickest. A very good death metal album deserving a sore neck.

21.Lamb of God - Omens

It took me a long time to get to this album (it is one of the only ones in this list that I didn't review on this channel). But I am glad I took the time because it's a voracious groove metal delight. Nothing that they haven't done before, but it's so well done that I couldn't find one song that I didn't like. No ballads, no BS, no clean singing, just modern metal madness from start to finish. It

s great to see the band going back to the basics and to their roots. 

20.Arch Enemy - Deceivers

In terms of marketing and promotion, band and label went all in with Deceivers. It's understandable, they have a superstar line up, a charismatic front woman, good songs, and rich discography. And as we all know headliners are needed. So Century Media did not save money on their budget here: A fantastic production, a whopping 6 music videos, (so more than half of the album) and a long pre promotion of the album starting from October 2021 with the first single "Deceiver, Deceiver". Although the album was officially announced on January 2022. Overall I like the results, it's their strongest album with Alissa and a very good one. 

19.Michael Romeo - War Of The Worlds, Pt. 2

As in Part 1, War Of The Worlds, Pt. 2 features a lot of super-heavy cinematic music and, obviously, lots of guitars to impress any seasoned player or prog metal fan. Musicianship is superb and the new singer Dino brought a lot of power to this album. The arrangements on this album are great, there's a lot happening and the symphonic parts are truly impressive. A very good album recommended for SX fans, prog metal in general and certainly if you liked part 1.  

18.Slipknot - The End, So Far

Another one I didn't review on the channel, but I did spend some time with it and I think it's pretty good. It's different, experimental, but also heavy and full of future live favorites. It didn't seem to have scored many points with different reviewers and magazines, but I dug it. It's worth the time. 

17.Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)

Less than a year after the previous record Evergrey delivered one of their strongest albums in years, it can even become my favourite. The album flows greatly and I could sense I'd be hooked on it after the first listen. And since them it only grew on me. An overwhelming journey through progressive heaviness and searing emotionality is repeatedly accented by sonic melancholy and gripping lyrics. There's a lot of heaviness in this album but masterly combined with melancholy and slower moments. Besides it's very catchy and musically featuring strong riff and solos. Very good album. A progressive metal lesson without overdoing it.

16.Avantasia - A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society

Overall it's another very good symphonic power metal album from Avantasia. There are no surprises really, but it's fun, well written and executed. To me all songs but one are good to very good. The guests singers have all delivered great performances and the addition of Floor and Ralf was spot on. All in all, very good album, anyone who enjoyed the last four albums will like this one and any power metal fan should give it a try.

15.Kreator - Hate Über Alles

Kreator's 15th studio album is  remarkably consistent with the previous records. Aggressive German thrash metal, well written, produced and executed from start to finish. It doesn't bring a lot of new things to the table, other than the song "Midnight Sun" featuring a guest female singer, but it's damn good. A very good album where there are no weak songs. 

14.Threshold - Dividing Lines

Threshold keeps getting better with time and also takes the opportunity of the recent change of singers to evolve their sound while bringing back elements from the earlier albums. With Dividing Lines they fused their 2nd album signing style with the darker and heavier sound from the late Mac era but the band kept the adventurous side from the recent albums. Musically there's the heaviness of heavy metal acts such as Symphony X and Dream Theater combined with 80's Rush and 70's prog rock and Deep Purple. I just found this melting pot extremely interesting and satisfying. Musically the band is very talented but never overdo it. All in all ne of the top prog metal albums of 2022.   

13.Ghost - IMPERA

One of the things I love about Ghost is how concise they are, the songs are short the albums are not too long. And yet the songs feature changes, variations and go to different places all of that while being super catchy and dark or heavy at times. It's a powerful combination and it's not a surprise that they have grown so much so quickly. To me this is a very good album from a band that will continue to grow and increase their fan base while not alienating (all) the older ones like myself.  

12.Decapitated - Cancer Culture

Decapitated delivered an angry album with blasting energy and heaviness from start to finish but with enough variability and groove to keep it interesting throughout.  You can expect to hear an outstanding production, enjoy a fantastic artwork, and benefit from a little something here and there that you would not expect from Decapitated before Cancer Culture. A very good album, and one that may grow further on me as I keep listening to it. And did, it made my Spotify top list of artists and songs that I listened the most in 2022.

11.Behemoth - Opvs Contra Natvram

Opvs Contra Natvram is a heavy album and a natural evolution from The Satanist and Loved You At Your Darkest, it's super aggressive but also epic and melodic. It's also dynamic showing several influences from death metal to black metal but also very melodic moments. I didn't expect much from this album and I thought I'd brush it off quickly, but the truth is I found myself addicted to it and I came to the realization that it's a very fucking good album. If you like this phase of the band you gonna love this. 

10.Meshuggah - Immutable

I start the top ten with a surprise as I was not very kind with the initial review of this album. Immutable is less harsh sounding and more dynamic than previous albums. But it sounds like we come to expect from Meshuggah since Obzen. It features some good tracks, interesting moments, some risk taking and a lot to unpack. I think if you are new to this band, and you like this kind of music, this is as good as any of the last albums. But for seasoned fans like me, it did not stand out compared to recent albums. But it turns out that I was addicted to it and I listened this band more than any other one in 2022. Besides seeing some of those songs live in my first concert after the pandemic was a big positive factor.  

9.Steve Vai - Inviolate

Vai continues to use his solo work to expand and explore. He has been continually challenging notions of traditional guitar playing and composition even at the age of 60 and having accomplished so much in his successful career. With Inviolate he has done it again. Not only he re-imagined the instrument itself with the Hydra, but also this time around, Vai quite literally invented a new guitar-playing technique. And those are just two highlights of the so many things he did and explored in this album. Besides all that, the music is fun and entertaining to listen to. So I can only say it's a very good album and the guitar album of 2022.

8.Cult Of Luna - The Long Road North

Cult of Luna have very productive the last few years. The emotions and dedication of the band in those albums in undeniable. The lack of fixed structures and templates gives the album an open and honest artistic vibe. The music takes you to different places from super heavy screams, to beautiful melodies, melancholic moments and ambient soundscapes. All these combined really appeals to me and I like this album a lot, another very good album.

7.Dark Funeral - We Are The Apocalypse

I came to this album with no expectations and I am now surprised how much I enjoyed it. It's nothing new or innovative, but it's damn good straightforward black metal with that black and roll flavour at times. But most importantly, for a Black Metal album, it is also really dynamic with variability and not just tremolo picking guitars and blast beats. It's well written, performed and produced. In sum a very good black metal album, the best of 2022.

6.Blind Guardian - The God Machine

Blind Guardian revisits their early heavy and raw sound with The God Machine. A straightforward, mostly fast tempo and heavy album with minimal orchestrations but as expected great hooks, melodies and big choruses. If you know the early work of the band, there's nothing new here, it's a natural reaction to previous albums and sets the scene for maybe taking some more risks in the next album. For now, this is a good album and a certain success among long time fans.

5.Porcupine Tree - Closure Continuation

Many would never expect to see a new Porcupine Tree album ever again, but here we are. It was worth the wait. Not a heavy album, but another interesting step forward in the band's discography. Featuring an interesting guitar tone, odd time signatures, unconventional song structures and beautiful melodies. It's everything I'd hope to see from those guys. It's one of the albums I listened the most this year, with 3 songs featuring in my Spotify top 5 list. 

4.Machine Head - Of Kingdom And Crown

Specially compared to Catharsis, Of Kingdom And Crown is a heavier and more technical album. It builds from their roots, specially Burn my Eyes and The Blackening while paying homage bay area thrash metal, specially Exodus. To me it's a return to form and their best album since Unto the Locust which I like a lot. We get sick riffs and harmonics (it's nice that Flynn leveraged the writing music skills of new members), nice melodies, a good balance between clean and harsh vocals and a lot of aggressiveness. A very good album, enjoy it!

3.Battle Beast - Circus of Doom

I liked this album a lot, but I haven't seen many good reviews. That doesn't surprise me and it's one of the reasons I started this channel. Of course if you want extreme metal or prog metal adventures this is not the album. But we have to judge an album for what it is and tries to accomplish. In that sense Battle Beast stayed true to the formula of “100% heavy metal - 0% bullshit!” This is fun, catchy and contagious while delivering energy and quality song writing. It's a very good album and I keep listening to it and I am not ashamed. The band was also in my Spotify top 5 list. For me their best album yet. I also saw them live this summer and it was fantastic.

2.Soilwork - Övergivenheten

Soilwork has been evolving their sound for years into this perfect blend between Swedish Melo Death Metal meets Hard Rock/Traditional Metal. With Övergivenheten they may have found the perfect formula and it's their strongest album in many years. A very good achievement reaching easily the top of my list. If it would be just a bit shorter, it would've been number one. Overall for those who enjoy melo death and were happy with their latest albums, Övergivenheten will be a delight. And don't mind the Swedish title, my good friend Michael almost let is slide because of it.  

1.Zeal and Ardor - Zeal & Ardor

I'm a big fan of Zeal & Ardor first two albums and the trend continues now with the self titled third album. Zeal & Ardor continue to build on their unique combination of Black Metal and African American music. But this time around they doubled down on the heaviness of some tracks and post-metal elements in others. The album is dynamic, heavy, catchy and super interesting. I saw them live twice this year and those new songs blend perfectly with the older ones. I knew it was going to be high on my list, and here it is as number one. It was also the second most listened band for me in 2022. So all good reasons to be my album of the year.

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Honorable Mentions:

Krisiun - Mortem Solis

Queensrÿche - Digital Noise Alliance

Amorphis - Halo

Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!

Amon Amarth - The Great Heathen Army

Stratovarius - Survive

Audrey Horne - Devil´s Bell

Scorpions - Rock Believer

HammerFall - Hammer of Dawn

Biggest Disappointments:

Parkway Drive - Darker Still

Architects - The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit

Favorite Album Cover Art:

Axel Rudi Pell - Lost XXIII

Dark Funeral - We Are The Apocalypse

Evergrey - A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)

Saxon - Carpe Diem

Stratovarius - Survive

Favorite Guitar Solos:

Little Pretty by Steve Vai from Inviolate

Hybrids by Michael Romeo from War Of The Worlds, Pt. 2

Sahara by Joe Satriani from The Elephants of Mars

We'll Be Back by Kiko Loureiro from Megadeth's The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!

Top 10 songs:

Passenger                 by Wilderun         from Epigone

Cold Burn                 by Cult Of Luna from The Long Road North

Master of Illusion         by Battle Beast from Circus of Doom

Candlepower                 by Steve Vai     from Inviolate

Deceiver, Deceiver         by Arch Enemy from Deceivers

Electric Again                 by Soilwork     from Övergivenheten

Övergivenheten         by Soilwork     from Övergivenheten

Slaughter the martyr by Machine Head from Of Kingdom And Crown

The Abysmal Eye         by Meshuggah from Immutable

Spillways                 by Ghost         from IMPERA

Favorite Shows: 

Mercyful Fate

Iron Maiden 

Helloween

Zeal & Ardor

Battle Beast

Disappointing Shows: None, after COVID...I think a concert will never be disappointing again in my life.