TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2016

What a year for Heavy Metal and Rock in general. As much new and very talented bands have sprouted up over the year, we have seen some bands that have been gone for years and putting out some of the best albums of their careers. With this list, because I could not narrow it down to ten albums, I had to make this a top twenty because I wanted to mention all these albums. Also, yes some of these I was not able to review this year but they get their chance to shine now. Just too many good albums this year and I will first begin this list with the top 20 sort of "runner up" albums of the year.

20-11


20.Artillery-Penalty by Perception

A terrific thrash album by a band that never quite got their due. This album really shows their true abilities to craft very well done songs.

19.High Spirits-Motivator



A very catchy NWOBHM influenced album with probably some of the most positive messages from metal in recent years. Definitely recommend it because you'll be humming these songs for weeks.

18.Wo Fat- Midnight Cometh



A great stoner metal release with some big riffs and very drawn out songs. Definitely recommend it because it is an absolute jam.

17.Sumerlands- Sumerlands



I always think of Witchfinder General with this album because it has the doom metal aspects but also has hints of early 80s metal like early Ozzy material. A very well written album that i keep coming back to and a heck of a debut.

16. Savage Master- With Whips And Chains



Part of the New Wave of Traditional Metal from the recent years, Savage Master have a minimalist yet catchy approach to their songs. Where the solos and rhythm may be simplified, Stacey Savages raw as hell voice is what really keeps you holding on til the last note.

15.Davie Allan/Joel Grind E.P



Cheating a bit with an EP but these four songs represent the awesome fuzzed out garage surf rock that practically inspired what heavy rock would become. Definitely one that has made constant trips to my record player in the recent months.

14.Testament-Brotherhood Of The Snake



A triumphant return for thew thrash legends with a good amount of catchy songs to it.

13.Hellfire- Metal Masses



The album cover says it all, catchy, raw speed metal from the early 80s and these guys pull it off well with the early Metallica influences shining all throughout. However, the musicianship is very tight and I still await for this sucker to be on vinyl.

12. Airbourne-Breakin Outta Hell


The fourth album from the aussie rockers and bringing more of their no holds barred rock n roll with possibly some of the sharpest production to date. I really love this album and has slowly become my favorite of theirs since I saw them live and wow, easily the best live band I've ever seen.

11.Seven Sisters-S/T



These guys are another traditional Heavy Metal band that came out this year and are one of my favorite new bands to debut this year. This album is epic in all sorts of ways, with amazing hooks, solo's and riff after riff, this album delivers a style of heavy metal that is almost long forgotten.


TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2016

10.Duel-Fears Of The Dead



What a great 70s rock revival album. Just some of the best riffs off any album this year. Basically if you mix a bit of Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and a dash of early KISS, you get this monster of a rock album.

9.Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper- Walking In The Shadows

An amazing return of one of the most epic vocalists out of the NWOBHM-era. Steve Grimmett returns with an all new band and delivers a traditional 80s heavy metal record and I think this one deserves to be called the comeback album because it easily can stand against Grim Reapers past three albums.

8.Blood Ceremony- Lord Of Misrule

An awesome album from the cult rockers with some heavy psychedelic thrown in the mix. I like the different directions some tracks take where it isn't all about being all doom but has more emphasis on the organ. A killer, haunting album from start to finish.

7.Demon Bitch- Hellfriends



Cult 80s US Power Metal done right in 2016. From the muddy bassy production tothe incredible falsettos, this album has some of the best crafted epic speed metal I have heard in a long time.

6.Tygers Of Pan Tang-S/T

A great comeback even if the band is a lot of new musicians. I think this added to Tygers viability because they sound as lively as ever on this album with a lot of great very big hooks as well.

5.Metallica- Hardwired...To Self Destruct



I know some people will get pissy for me putting this album so high on my list but I genuinely really like the album. I like the mix of basically all era's of Metallica and even though the second half gets bogged down a bit by too many slow numbers. the last track really makes up for it with one of the best songs they have written in thirty years.

4.Quartz-Fear No Evil



A band that has comeback at a perfect time and with undoubtedly one of their most solid albums. With a raw production and some awesome arrangements, Quartz are back roaring to life and I hope they have at least one more album in them because they definitely still have the chops and their new singer definitely holds his own as well.

3.Blues Funeral- The Search


One of the most creative releases of the year and for good reason. This album has 70s heavy rock mixed with jazz and slight hints of classical music as well  making for some amazing crafted songs. This band should be more well known especially for releasing such an amazing debut because this is what a creative band should sound like in the public eye to me.

2.Anthrax- For All Kings

Anthrax hit it out of the park again with an extremely focused, solid, well written thrash metal album. Their are some great melodies peppered throughout the album as well and I find it very rare for a lot of these older bands to write records still this good with this amount of musicianship and creativity.

1.Diamond Head- S/T

My number one album of the year by a band that should have been as big as Metallica. Brian Tatler has always been a very skillful guitarist in knowing how to make riffs that are just right and is one of my all time favorites as well. After losing Nick Tart, newcomer singer Rasmus Andersen who I believe is the best singer the band has ever had as well joined the band and created what I think is the true third Diamond Head album and really embodies what the band is about(granted I dig Canterbury but it isn't a Diamond Head album). Seeing them on tour for this album and meeting them really will always be one of my most treasured memories as well.

Well there is my top 20 albums of the year. This year is easily one of my favorites and shows that heavy metal is still alive and well. Here's to making 2017 just as fucking good thank you everyone for the support!

Album Review: Metallica- Hardwired...To Self Destruct

“Hardwired...To Self Destruct” is the tenth studio album by heavy, thrash metal quartet Metallica and is to be released on November 18th,2016. Finally the biggest heavy metal band in the world releases their next album unto the world. And Metallica definitely kept themselves busy as well with doing the Lulu collaboration, a big week long list of special shows to promote their thirty years together and they even made a movie akin to Led Zeppelin's the song remains the same. But finally they have graced us with not only a new album but a double album. However, with so much material does the album crumble under its weight or does it come out on top? Well lets wrap this Metallica-thon up by delving right in.


Track Rundown


1.Hardwired-Right off the bat, Metallica are going straight for the jugular and sound a lot more pissed off than they did on “Death Magnetic”. This song definitely is reminiscent of the early days and starts the album off just right. Very simple but very brash and very heavy with probably one of Kirk Hammetts most simple solo's as well.

2.Atlas, Rise!- This song is easily one of the more complex tunes on the album and is one of my favorites as well with “Death Magnetic” as well but the production I feel is a tad more slick here. James' voice also sounds just a lot more solid on this album as well and Kirk's solo in this is really good and really peaks during the melodic moment right before the song comes right around to the verses. The chorus is very Iron Maiden like as well and I dig it. So far the album is shaping up to be very lively.

3.Now That We're Dead- Whoa 90's Metallica has swept in! And it is the good kind with the big riffs and solid grooves. I love how this song groove's a long and slows the pace down from the past two tracks a bit. It has a bit of radio quality to it but mixes things up especially early in the game. James sings damn good here as well just as solid as he was singing on “Load” as well and the chorus is pretty solid as well.

4.Moth Into Flame- This song returns back to the more straight forward heavy metal moments but with a whole lot more melody to it and I don't think I have seen Metallica utilize melody like they had in this track. The chorus is extremely addicting on my 6th listen I still find myself singing to it. I also love Kirk's solo in this song as well, it is reminiscent of some of his old solo's from back in the day. I als0 have to compliment how much more audible the bass is on this record to, it rumbles a lot more than it did on “Death Magnetic” and I can dig that.

5.Dream No More- This song has a bit of “Sad But True” mixed in with the edge of a track like “King Nothing” and I really like it. The riffs are very simple but solidly done. The best thing about this song is easily James' vocals, it literally is James' voice off of “Load” and for good reason, he gives off a dark vibe to the song especially in the chorus. As simple as the song is it is catchy and is another one of the slower songs that I dig a lot.

6.Halo On Fire- This is sort of the epic song on the album with more of the softer guitars coming out during the verse and then a monumental chorus with James shouting the lines out and making this one of his strongest vocal performances I think ever. I enjoy the loose feeling of this song as well with Kirk kind of doing more simple but groove driven soloing throughout. Another great and emotional song off the album.

7.Confusion-The Diamond Head influence cannot be denied here and not in a  total ripoff way, although I do get major Am I Evil vibes in the beginning. There are some good riffs throughout this track but it falls short just a bit for me around the chorus. It just doesn't have the magic the first two sides had. It isn't a bad song but just falls short a bit.

8.Manunkind- I really like how the music video is a total black metal show, almost seems like a tribute to black metal band mayhem. The song is a slab of old school heavy metal with a bit of  seventies rock influence to it as well. It is a good more hard rocking tune again with the “Lead” era in mind with some strong vocals laid over the top as well.

9.Here Comes Revenge- Another one of my favorite songs with a darker vibe to it as well. I love the riffs in this song with the heavy chugging but at a mid tempo adding a bit more of a groove. This song sports another pretty damn catchy chorus as well. Kirk has a dirtier solo on this track that I dig as well.

10.Am I Savage?- Opening with a darker vibe, almost Gothic in tone which I really dig, it's something different. The riffs are again more simple but with some good grooves in the verses but again falls flat a bit during the chorus. It just feels a bit bored in some aspects.

11.Murder One- Metallica finally give their tribute to Lemmy (with a kickass video too). This song has more of a hard rock edge to it and some dirty bluesy sounds too. It definitely is more of a jam tune and a cool little inclusion on the album.

12.Spit Put The Bone- Holy Hell what the hell happened! Metallica literally exploded on this song and haven't done it this good since Master Of Puppets honestly. It is so unrelentless and James' vocals are amazing like holy hell this track alone makes the whole album worth it. It is catchy as hell as well all the way through the chorus. This is heavier than anything on Death Magnetic I honestly can't believe they had it in them to still play THIS fast and tight still but I applaud them for ending the album with a  huge bang and I love Trujillo's bass solo as well, a killer inclusion!


Overall, I give “Hardwired...To Self Destruct” a good 8 out of 10. Honestly it isn't an album that is a complete return to form for Metallica, hell Death Magnetic was more of a return to the style of “...And Justice”. However there are aspects that are done better than that album and the variety from straight forward thrash metal to more of their 90's hard rock sound is what really works here. The album does trudge a bit during the second half but the good songs are really good and then the average songs are there but being a double album, I think we get enough songs that would make a concrete single album with some songs that would have worked more as bonus tracks. Overall, it is a welcomed return once again for the boys at least to me and I also gotta say, spring for the deluxe edition if you want an awesome revamped version of “Lords Of Summer”. So that concludes my Metallica retrospective with all ten studio albums and their Lou reed collaboration. No matter where you stand, you cannot deny that Metallica are as big as they are for a reason, because they still can write good tunes. Long live Metallica!

EP Review- Metallica: Beyond Magnetic

Beyond Magnetic is an EP by American Thrash/Heavy Metal band Metallica and was released in 2011. It contained four cuts that did not make Death Magnetic but in my opinion they easily all could have. I like just about everything Metallica has done with Reload being the only record i could not get into i even liked Lulu!!!! But lets talk about this ep.

Track Rundown

1.Hate Train-Right off the bat you will notice that for demos these have damn well production. The title is cheesy yes but the song has amazing riffs especially the one right before the verses kick in. I appreciate Metallica taking more thrash influences back into their sound i really appreciate this song.

2.Just A Bullet Away- I like the palm muting downpick riffing here and James' voice sounds pretty good the whole band sounds pretty tight the slow part is pretty cool very reminiscent of Master Of Puppets to me but this song takes more of a traditional kind of metal sound to it being more of a headbanging song than a mosh and stagedive track but pretty good overall. Also, an interesting fact James played the solos on this song which is pretty cool.

3.Hell And Back- A really groovy riff kicks in here after the cool slow intro. Even with just four songs there are tons of riffs on this ep to go crazy too i really like the chorus on this track as well. There is a weird kind of mainstream sounding feel here but it doesn't make for a bad song. the fast part really gets me going too it pushes out alot of power through James and Kirks guitars.

4.Rebel Of Babylon-This 8 minute epic surely is one to be reckoned with any of the complex tracks featured on ...And Justice For All. This song probably is the thrashiest and even sounds like a Mercyful Fate song after Hetfields wail into the chorus. This is definitely my favorite track on this EP it shows Metallica today giving it all they got and i really wish this made it onto Death Magnetic with a bit higher production on it.

Overall i give this ep a 9.5 out of 10. you would think with a bunch of demos they would be more of throw away tracks but honestly it baffles me how Metallica left these off their 2008 monster. they are insanely heavy and catchy and since the band isdue for a new album in 2015 i hope they pull out something like these tracks.

Album Review- Skeletonwitch: Serpents Unleashed

 

Serpents Unleashed is the fifth album from Blackened Thrash metal band Skeletonwitch and was released in 2013. Like their past albums (which all kicked ass) they manage to crank out some great ripping songs but here they seem to make it still sound fresh which is what i really like from bands like this, Toxic Holocaust and plenty of others. Now lets unleash the serpents of this album (see what i did there?)

Track Rundown

1.Serpents Unleashed- This song starts out sounding like a Toxic Holocaust song who i also really dig. It then rips into some awesome thrashing riffs and Chance Garnette comes in with his awesome vocals which sound like Johan Hegg singing like Alexi Laiho. great opener really revs up the rest of the album .

2.Beneath Dead Leaves- this song has kind of the more melodic sound coming through with the power metal kind of riffs from Nate and Scott. This is the type of song that would sound amazing live with an audience almost sounds like it could be an Amon Amarth song and the drumming is pretty tight too. More epic sounding track which is pretty cool.

3.I Am of Death(Hell Has Arrived)- the second song goes right into this and this goes right back into those thrash riffs very in vein to bands like Testament and tons more of that double beat drumming which seems to never stop on this album. I really like the chorus on this song its got a good hook to it.

4.From A Cloudless Sky- another more epic sounding song which works well with SkeletonWitch's brutal sound. Its kind of repetitive but there are some different good headbanging rhythms here too and a guitar solo two in fact which sounds really fresh and pumps more life into this album.

5.Burned From Bone- awesome and very frantic song with an awesome scream from from Chance its pretty badass. this song features some really awesome fast chugging rhythms and guitar harmonizing. The solo isnt anything epic but its really cool with the riff in the backround and the bass from Evan in the backround is awesome. Favorite track on this album.

6.Unending, Everliving- Starts out a bit slower and has a cool kind of hard rock rhythm at the beginning and goes right into that fast blackened thrash playing which if i could describe my experience of this album so far its like being in a battlefield of a mosh pit which is what this album is made for. The musicianship is very superb here as well.

7.Blade On the Flesh, Blood One My Hands- some cool drum fills in the beginning with a fast doomy riff and then back into the fast playing but kind of lacking the power metal feel that the songs before had more of which is a bit of a nice change of pace. The bass with just the drums was cool to hear as well when the guitars slowly came back in which gave it that chanting hey hey kind of feel.

8.This Evil Embrace- Starts out with this interesting riff in the beginning and into this fast higher scaled riffing kind of a weaker song i felt it was kind of a filler track but its still listenable it has some good verses to sing to.

9.Unwept-  the bass again sounds really tight and thick in the beginning i like when songs begin with the bass more up front. another more epic black/ thrash kind of chorus which is where the meat of this song really is its so powerful yet emotional.

10.Born Of the Light That Does Not Shine- a cool intro where all the instruments come in a kind of seperate way and then a really cool harmonizing part in to beginning even the verse riffs harmonize which is pretty impressive.

11.More Cruel Than Weak- the beginning has a very Metallica Nothing Else Matters or Call Of Cthulhu feel to it but oddly heavier awesome opener definitely a good change of pace and how ever instrument fades in is so badass this song ends the album pretty strong for what these guys are going for.

Overall i give this album an 8 out of 10. these guys still suprisingly make their brand of thrash sound fresh while combining a kind of European power metal undertone into it. this album is not groundbreaking by any means but still an awesome listen and something to bang your head to until the next release comes along.