Best Albums 2023

Here is my very late end of year list. Life has been rough in resent years. I fell way behind in my new album search. By new years day I still had around 4000 albums I wanted to preview tracks from before I put my list out.

1. "Suicidal Self Harm" Lugubrious Cult (Depressive Black Metal)
This was a big surprise. Given the really generic sounding band name and album title for a DSBM band. And even the lyrics are pretty cringy, so I wasn’t expecting much.  But the music and vocal performance are fantastic.  This is one of the extremely rare black metal albums that I really enjoy and each listen it grew on me more. Its kind of funny how cathartic this stuff ends up being for me. 

2.“We Don't Rise We Just Fall” Firmament
Looking at this as basically a follow up to “Decay” Tension as this band is mostly the same line up. Overall this was a big improvement over that album.  Maik Huber has an amazing voice, so I’m sad to see it appears he left the band already. Hope to see him in another project like this. 

3. “Threatening Skies” Goat Explosion (Stoner/Epic Doom Metal)
Fairly unique sound that shifts from epic doom to more straight forward stoner metal. 

4. “IV: Sacrament” Wytch Hazel (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)
This album was a pleasant surprise. I was disappointed with “III: Pentecost” which sounded like it was trying to me more in your face then the albums before it and it felt like Wytch Hazel was losing it’s unique voice. They are much better when there is more subtlety to their music and “IV: Sacrament” felt like a return to their earlier sound and I really enjoyed the album a lot. 

5. "Golden Arm" Haunt (Heavy Metal)
Trevor William Church still keeps impressing me with his high output of quality albums.

6. "Treacherous Ways" Helms Deep (Heavy Metal)
Excellent debut album. Was surprised to see John Gallagher from Raven in the line up. 

7. "The Grateful Undead" Druid Stone (Stoner/Sludge Metal)
The production on this album is great sounds like the band is playing live one room over.  The cover of “I Walked with a Zombie” is the real stand out piece on this album. 

8. “Miracle of Death” Vanishing Kids (Post Rock/Stoner Metal)
Unique blend mixing elements of psychedelic rock, gothic rock, dream pop on a foundation of doom metal. 

9. "Follow the Cold Path" Autrest (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Excellent debut, sounds sort of like Olhava but is still fairly distinct. 

10. “Les Ombres Maladies” Trépas (Atmospheric Black Metal)
Very solid album, nothing really outstanding, but it has good melodies and the whole album maintains a consistent quality. 

11. “色即是空” (“Shiki Soku Ze Kuu”)人間椅子(Ningen-Isu) (Progressive Hard Rock/Doom Metal)
Ningen-Isu has been consistent since I started listening to them, and always deliver a satisfying listening experience. 

12. “Outward” Moozoonsii (Progressive Metal)
Its rare that I find an instrumental album I really like. While many instrumental bands fail because they focus on the guitar players technical skill but lack focus in their musical composition Moozoonsii makes complex music while still maintaining a compelling composition. 

13. “Morgöth Tales” Voivod (Progressive Thrash Metal)
My introduction to Voivod was the bum “Target Earth” and I haven’t dug into their back catalog yet, so I can’t compare these new recordings to the originals. But the album is consistent with the last few albums they put out. I tend to like their faster thrashier songs. So like the last few albums their was some tracks I liked some I didn’t. 

14. “黄泉ガヘリ(Back from the Underworld)” 兀突骨(Gotsu Totsu Kotsu) (Death Metal)
Gotsu Totsu Kotsu feels like they are starting to stagnate. It’s much the same as their previous albums. But Nothing particularly stood out on this album in a positive way, and the album felt front loaded. 

15. "The Coral Tombs" Ahab (Funeral Doom Metal)
A good album, but it’s hindered by long ambient segments that go on wat to long. 

16. "Shattered Vanity" Leathürbitch (Heavy/Speed Metal)
Joel Starr’s over the top vocal performance makes the album. Without it the music wouldn’t hold up. 

17. "Supernatural" Wizards of Hazards
Decent album elevated by Ville Willman’s emotional vocals. 

18. "Might & Power" Megaton Sword (Epic Heavy Metal)
A good album, unfortunately dragged down by the slower tracks which just weren’t very interesting. If it had a few more tracks like “Might” and a few less tracks like “Power” it could have been a contender for my album of the year. 

19. “Beyond the Breakers” Diamonds Hadder (Progressive Metal)
This seems to be a continuation of what John Evermore started on Metal Guard Pacifica which I’m glad to see and this is a good album. However the best tracks on this album were from “The Crying Game” Metal Guard Pacifica and this album has a new rendition of “Ballad of the Dead Rabbit” that is nothing compared to the original. So it has me worried that the other musicians he had before contributed a lot more to the album and the new band isn’t going to be able to produce the same quality.  

20. "Zero Body" Berserkyd (Heavy Metal)
One of the better instrumental albums I’ve heard in a while . Sounds like a really good video game soundtrack. 

21. “The Fractal Ouroboros” Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze (Atmospheric Black Metal)
When the album gets going its good, but the long ambient sections hinder the overall composition. “Trophy” and “Suffocate O Earthen Lungs; They Now Lungs of Ash” were the stand out tracks.

22. "Fatal Encounter" Air Raid (Heavy Metal)

23. "Lionheart", & their cover of "Pegasus Fantasy" are the really outstanding tracks on this album the rest is ok but pretty forgettable. 

24. "Midnight Dreams" Valentino Francavilla (Heavy/Power Metal)
Album was front loaded, “Fireland”, & “Midnight Wolf” were great but the rest of the album was forgettable. 

25. "Geomancy" Owl (Stoner Metal)
I put this on my list because I bought the album, and I still feel it’s a good album. However after repeated plays I got tired of it, and it doesn’t grab me the way it did when I first listened to it. 

Best Albums 2022

 Finally got my list together, I got a lot better at sifting through albums and finding what I like, so I made the effort to preview every heavy metal album could find. 

1. "Tragic Magic" Spell (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
They have been very consistent with their unique blend of heavy metal with elements of classic hard rock. Band is still best described as hypnotic metal. 

2. "Of Solitude Triumphant" The Temple (Doom Metal)
They are still the best example of what I call cathedral doom metal. It was a close second to Spell’s album.

3. "Feed the Fire" Trial (Swe) (Heavy Metal)
I was a bit worried with their “Sisters of the Moon” EP that these cover songs were indicating that they were moving in a new direction. But this album still delivered what they have put out on their past albums. “In the Highest” was one of my favorite songs I found this year. 

4. EP "Emissary" Emissary (Power Metal)
Band sounds like they listened to Matthias Steele’s “Haunting Tales of a Warrior's Past” and said lets do that. Really great stuff but I wish they had chosen a different band name since there is another Emissary currently active and it will likely cause confusion. 

5. EP "First Contact" Kontact (Heavy Metal)
Interesting stuff, and the Sacred Blade cover was a pleasant surprise even if it doesn’t quite work with their style. Band sounds very promising and I hope to hear more from them soon. 

6. "Reclaim the Might" Pöwer A.D. (Heavy Metal)
With so many bands having flat sounding overproduced albums, this was a nice change of pace. I could see it being a hard sell for some people, but I love the raw ancient haunting vibe I get from this album.  

7. "Basom Gryphos" Pestilength (Black/Death/Doom Metal)
Cool stuff, fairly unique sound title and some of the track names give off Lovecraft vibes. 

8. "In the Lonely Light of Mourning" Eric Wagner (Doom Metal)
Sadly ended up being a really great farewell album. “If You Lost It All” hit particularly hard.  R.I.P. Eric Wagner you will be sorely missed. 

9. "The Tunnel, The Well, Holy Bedlam" JIRM (Psychedelic Rock/Doom Metal)

10. "All That Has Never Been True" Ultha (Black Metal)

11. "Dwell in the Fog" Firebreather (StonerMetal)

12. "Kosmic Attunement to the Malevolent Rites of the Universe" Kamru (Doom Metal)

13. "Geddon Dangerous" Doublegeddon (Heavy Metal)
Fun stuff, lyrics are quite humorous on some of the tracks.

14. "Electric Elite" Riot City (Heavy/Speed Metal)
A big improvement over the last album. 

15. "Pathological" Mythosphere (Progressive Doom Metal)

16. "Serpent Storm" Armagh (Heavy Metal)

17. "Midnight Marauder" Powertryp (Heavy Metal)

18. "Where the Shadows Adorn" Mother of Graves (Atmospheric Death/Doom Metal)

19. "Island" 明日の叙景(Asunojokei) (Post Black Metal/Hardcore Punk)
Really interesting sound, blending the raw aggression of hardcore with the more elegant nostalgia feeling that post black metal bands get. 

20. "Acheron" Blood Python (Heavy Metal)
Infesting sound bringing elements an theme of epic metal, but played with simple and very effective riffs.  

21. "Riders of Rohan" Riders of Rohan (Hard Rock/Proto Heavy Metal)
Fairly unique band. Sounds dominantly like 70’s Rock but leans into the NWOBHM a bit. 

22. "Āl Bēlūti Dārû" Wyatt E. (Drone/Doom Metal)

23. "Synchro Anarchy" Voivod (Progressive Thrash Metal)
I enjoyed this a lot more than “The Wake” which I thought was pretty boring on the whole. This album reminds me more of Target Earth which was my introduction to the band and I like a lot. 

24. "Return into Forever" Clarent Blade (Epic Heavy Metal)
Very raw weird and haunting sounding. One of the more interesting albums I found this year. 

25. "Windows of Your Heart" Haunt (Heavy Metal)
Still solid but didn’t like the songs as much as the past couple of albums.

 26. "Decay" Tension (Heavy Metal) 

27. "Deadlights" Sleazer (Heavy Metal)

28. "Loose Lips" Pursuit (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)

29. "The Sick Die by Sunrise" Athanasy (Death/Doom Metal)
Concept album about the last day of a dying man. Probably the bleakest album on my list, but very interesting to contemplate on. 

30. "Solid Source of Steel" Sin Starlett (Heavy Metal)
Fun stuff, vocalist is what I imagine Rob Halford would sound like if he was cast as Skeletor in a He-Man musical. 

31. "Reborn" Olhava (Atmospheric Black Metal)

32. "Pathos" Obsidian Sea (Doom Metal)

33. "This Sceptred Veil" Sergeant Thunderhoof (Stoner Metal) 

34. "Cities of Mars" Cities of Mars (Atmospheric/Stoner Metal)

35. "Echoes from the Gutter" Venator (Heavy Metal)

36. "Inward" Moozoonsii (Progressive Metal)

37. "Strange Machine" Alunah (Stoner Metal)

38. "Sons of a Lie" Rave in Fire (Heavy Metal)

39. "Beyond the Wall" Metalian (Heavy/Speed Metal)

40. "Metal Dream" Witchunter (Heavy/Speed Metal)
“Metal Dream” & “Rolling Queen” were the only songs I really liked on this album.

41. "Isomorphism" Hispÿn (Sludge Metal)
“Hammernaut” & “Call” were the only songs I really liked on this album.

42. "Shadow of a Fallen Star Pt. 1 - The Demos" Seven Sisters (Heavy Metal)
On the whole the final version of the album was much better sounding, but I liked the way Kyle McNeill’s voice sounds on “Truth Eternal [Demo Version]”. I can’t decide if I like it or the album version “Whispers in the Dark” better.

43. "Crest of the Martyrs Demos" Twisted Tower Dire (Heavy/Power Metal)
Sound is a lot better than the original release which had a really fake sounding production. I still don’t like most of the album but “Some Other Time, Some Other Place” sounds great. 

44. "Stay With Me When You're Gone" Rise to the Sky (Funeral Doom Metal)
Made the list because of the song “A Time I Was Loved”. It really got the mournful beauty and elegance this genre can have, unfortunately the rest of the album didn’t capture the same magic.

45. "Between The Circles" Moon Shepherd (Heavy Metal)
Made the list because of “Methusalem”.

46. "Michigan Drag" Locust Point (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
Made the list because of “Quiet Ones”.

Best Albums 2021 (End Of Year List)

Note: Posting this later than usual. I was working a lot of overtime hours last year, and fell much further behind in new album search.  

1. “The Crying Game” Metal Guard Pacifica (Progressive Power Metal)
This is a really unique and outstanding album. But it’s strange as it appears it was released in 2018 according to the bands twitter page that hasn’t been updated since then and all the links are broken. Now suddenly the album resurfaced on bandcamp in 2021. I don’t know if it’s a weird strategy to try and get people talking about the band, a legal dispute between people involved, or if the band is even still active. I hope to see more from the band as this is one of the most haunting and unusual albums I have heard. But sadly, projects this ambitious tend not to make it. I sent the Metal Guard Pacifica a message on bandcamp but have not received a reply, so right now all I can do is wait.

2. “9 Mile Square” Crawl Below (Post Doom Metal)
This album was a pleasant surprise. It reminds me of “The Inside Room”  by 40 Watt Sun which is one of my favorite albums, and since that band has changed directions musically it’s nice to have a band releasing similar post doom metal.  “Feed the Towers Above the Trees” and “Monument” were probably the songs I listen to most this year. But Crawl Below’s earlier material sounds different, so I hope that this is the direction they continue to go in as its currently a rare style. 

3. "Shadow of a Fallen Star Pt.1" Seven Sisters (Progressive Power Metal)
An album I keep coming back to a lot because of all the great melodies. The songs are all diverse but unified and make up a really strong album. Really looking forward to Pt.2 of this collection.    

4. "Shock to the System" Tower
It’s Sarabeth Linden’s vocal performance that really makes this album shine. Her delivery sort of sounds like a mix of Blackie Lawless from W.A.S.P. and Daniel John Miller from Apollo Ra. 

5. “Legacy of Atlantean Kings” Cauldron Born (Power Metal)
A big improvement over the original recordings on “...and Rome Shall Fall”.

6. “Har” Dordeduh (Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal)
A better album then I probably give it credit for. “Dar de duh” is one of my favorite albums so its almost impossible for a band to live up to that hype with a release 9 years later. 

7. “Helloween” Helloween
It’s inspiring to see a reunion album so late in a bands career that holds up to their classic material. The Keeper’s albums are a mixed bag and have some songs I really like and some duds. This album is very similar with some really killer tracks and others that are just meh. But when comparing them together I honestly think I like this new album better. 

8. "苦楽"(Kuraku) 人間椅子(Ningen-Isu) (Progressive Hard Rock/Doom Metal)

9. Compilation "Dead Lady Gloves" Fathom Nagg (Progressive Thrash/Power Metal)
Really great stuff, it’s a shame the band didn’t make it. You can hear influence from some of  Manilla Road’s more thrashy songs. 

10. “As Strangers We Depart” Cross Vault (Doom Metal)
Cross Vault have a fairly unique approach to doom metal. It kind of sits in a middle ground not quite traditional doom, or atmospheric. It sort of teeters on what I would call cathedral doom metal, in that it sounds like it would be playing over a bunch of monks during a funeral procession. 

11. “Watcher of Skies” Lynx (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
I was surprised by this album. Bands that try really hard to get that classic sound from the 70’s/80’s tend to fall short in actually writing really good songs that stand out when compared to stuff from that time period.  Lynx nailed the sound but then managed to put together a really solid album. I found it to be back loaded with the second half of the album having some of the best tracks on the album. 

12. "Suffer, Then We're Gone" Mourn the Light (Heavy/Doom Metal)
This album didn’t really jump out at first but it grew on me more with repeat listens. 

13. “Certain Death Austerities” Palsied (Death Metal)
This is the only death metal album I found this year that really stood out. The frenzied music is awesome, this is what you would expect to play behind a swarm of humanoid insects in a movie. 

14. “Beautiful Distraction” Haunt (Heavy Metal)
Haunts sound quality continues to improve. I don’t think I like the material itself as much as “Flashback” but its still a really good album. 

15. "Neon Nights" Küenring (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal)

16. “Dealin' Death” Vulture (Speed/Thrash Metal)
A good album but there weren’t any really outstanding tracks or any thing new to distinguish itself from the last to albums. Vulture is at their best when they are playing really fast and intense and this album felt slower and more reserved. 

17. “Glimt” Glimt (Atmospheric Post-Black Metal)
Reminds me of some of  Deafheaven’s material. 

18. “Aether” Stellar Descent (Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal)
This style that Stellar Descent and Starless Domain play is starting to grow on me. It can come off as boring, but when I’m in the right mood its very contemplative. 

19. "Frozen Bloom" (Olhava Atmospheric Black Metal)
Solid atmospheric black metal album but I didn’t care for the instrumental tracks.

20. “Game Over” U.D.O. (Heavy Metal)
A good album but none of the songs stood out like on the last couple U.D.O. albums.

21. "Black Carpet" Crimson (Heavy Metal)

22. “...and Again into the Light” Panopticon Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal
Very solid album but sounds a bit muddier then the last few Panopticon albums.

23. "A Dismal Repertoire" Choria (Atmospheric Black Metal)

24. "My Nostalgia" Colotyphus (Atmospheric Black Metal)

25. "Tombstone" Swamplord (Stoner Metal)

26. EP “Sisters of the Moon” Trial(Swe) (Heavy Metal)
It’s a good EP, but different sounding then past Trial albums. I don’t know if this is just because these are cover songs, or if this EP marks a new direction they are taking their music in with their new vocalist. 

27. “Creatures” Creatures (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
This album is getting mentioned because I really liked the song “Children of the Moon”, which ad a super smooth production and great energy, the rest of the album just didn’t hold up. 

Best Albums 2020 (End Of Year List)

 1. "Opulent Decay" Spell (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
As a whole album I think "For None and All" was a little better; but this album definitely has some really outstanding tracks that are some of the best the band has put out. In particular the title track and "Sibyl Vane" showcase the bands hypnotic metal sound the best.
Recommended Tracks: "Psychic Death", "Opulent Decay", "Sibyl Vane", and "Deceiver".

2. “Blood Hails Steel - Steel Hails Fire” Megaton Sword (Epic Heavy Metal)
Overall a very strong release, Megaton Sword is becoming the band I was hoping Eternal Champion would be.

3. "Subaqueous" Drown (Funeral Doom Metal)
Excellent funeral doom that reaches that point of gravity and elegance that makes this genre special.  Recommended Track: "Drowned VI: Mother Cetacean" 

4. “Ravening Iron” Eternal Champion (Epic Heavy Metal)
Overall a little better than “The Armor of Ire” but still has the same issues. Some tracks are really killer, but others are just good. They have potential to be one of my favorite bands but they just keep falling short, and it doesn’t help that my favorite track on this album is a re-recording of a track from their first demo, which makes me worried they are starting to stagnate.
Recommended Tracks: “A Face in the Glare”, “War at the Edge of the End”, and “Worms of the Earth”.

5. "Termination Shock" Traveler (Heavy Metal)
Seemed like it had less variety than the self-titled album but feels a bit more focused.
Recommended Tracks: "Shaded Mirror", "Termination Shock", and "Terra Exodus". 

6. “Wilderness of Hearts” Lord Fist (Heavy Metal)
Very solid album, classic sounding heavy metal.
Recommended Tracks: "Sisters", and "Princess of the Red Flame". 

7. "Servants of Steel" Ironsword (Heavy Metal)
A lot of Manilla Road influence but more straight forward heavy metal though it leans in epic metal territory. This is my introduction to the band but I will need to check out more from them at some point.
Recommended Tracks: "Rogues in the House", "Upon the Throne", and "Keepers of the Crypt".

8. “Flashback” Haunt (Heavy Metal)
I went into this album with the expectation that it was going to be bad given that “Mind Freeze” had just came out 5 months ago, and in my experience a bad releasing more then one album in a year is a sign that the album is rushed and not going to be well developed. But somehow Trevor William Church managed to do it. While I think “Mind Freeze” as a whole was more cohesive, when I compare the songs individually, I think I like “Flashback” better. I’m really glad Church keeps improving, especially with his voice. There was something off about his voice on the earlier albums that annoyed me, and that is completely gone on this album. 

9."Fear" Valkyrie (Heavy/Doom Metal/Hard Rock)
Recommended Tracks: "Feeling So Low", "Afraid to Live", "The Choice", and "Evil Eye"

10. "Mind Freeze" by Haunt (Heavy Metal)
I’m glad to see Haunt keep improving, this was the first album where I think Trevor William Church really got things right. 

11. “Stygian Crown” Stygian Crown (Doom Metal)
Overall a really great doom metal album, with a bit of death metal punch to the sound of the guitars. Also, a great vocal performance by Melissa Pinion who voice compliments the music really well. 

12. “Pompei” Dark Quarterer (Progressive Metal)
It has less variety than “Ithaca” and no songs really jumped out at me the way they did on that album. But the tracks on “Pompei” have peaks at time that are quite outstanding. 

13. “Refractions” Lowrider (Stoner Metal)
Good bit of variety between the songs.  Unlike a lot of stoner bands that lose my interest because of the whole album blurring together. 

14. "Blessed Be the Hunter" Eisenhauer (Heavy Metal)
The vocals are really outstanding on this album.
Recommended Tracks: "Priestess of Delight"

15. “Ladoga” Olhava (Atmospheric/Post-Black Metal)
Overall, a very solid album. 

16. "Danse de noir" Lord Vigo (Epic Doom Metal)
This so a weird album and most of it didn’t really do anything for me but there was two really outstanding track that had me keep coming back to it and they were the songs I ended up listening to the most this year. They are written well but there is something off about them that just makes them more endearing to me.
Recommended Tracks: "Danse de noir", "At the Verge of Time".

17. “Placebo” Aktor Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Aktor remain a very unique sounding band, A really good album but the one thing holding it back is the vocal delivery. The vocals just sound to ordinary and I feel it calls for a more unusual delivery. 

18. “Computer Warrior” Oath (Heavy Metal)
Production is a big improvement over “Legacy”.  Album is full of great melodies and energy.

19. “Apocalypse” Nightfear (Power Metal)
A good album but front loaded the second half was forgettable compared to the first half of the album. “The Stranger” was my favorite power metal song I found this year.
Recommended tracks: “We Are Back”, “Shine” “A Better World”, and “The Stranger” 

20. "Hard Enough" Hitter (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock)
Rock/metal that’s pretty standard but with enough of a punch to it, and energy in the vocals to make it fun.

21. "Hypnotized" Midnight Dice (Heavy Metal)
Overall a pretty strong ep.
Recommended Track:"Starblind"

22. “Full Metal Jacket” Shok Paris (Heavy/Power Metal)
Has a few good tracks that make the album worthwhile.
Recommended Tracks: “Full Metal Jacket”, “Do or Die”, “Brothers in Arms”, “Black Boots”, “Up the Hammers”

23. "True Bearings" Freeways (Hard Rock)
The album is dominantly hard rock, but has enough NWOBHM influence to make it appeal to me. It was really the opening track that was really outstanding. The rest was alright.
Recommended Track: "Eternal Light, Eternal Night".

24. “Frozen Wastes” Gigafauna (Progressive Sludge Metal)
I really liked the title track but the rest of the album fell flat to me. 

25. "...and She Leaves Town" "Brûlons une Sorcière" (Post-Black Metal)
There is potential but the whole album felt underdeveloped it only made the list because of "Rêverie...", for some reason that track just stuck with me.

 

Best Albums 2019 (End Of Year List)

0. "Album title" Band (Genre) [score out of 10]
description. Recommended tracks: (If any particularly stand out.)

1. “The Course of Empire” Atlantean Kodex (Epic Doom Metal) [10]
Overall better then "The White Goddess" even though that album had some of my favorite songs by Atlantean Kodex. Almost as good as “The Golden Bough”.

2. “Uncertain Times” Midnight Prey (Heavy/Speed Metal) [10]
A really outstanding album, very unique as well its hard for me to think of bands to compare with this. The vocals have a lot of emotion and the guitar tone is very smooth and worm sounding.
Recommended Tracks: “Black Forest”, “The Tower”, “Uncertain Times”, and “The Fall (Into the Atmosphere)”

3. “Nothing Remains” Carrion Mother (Atmospheric Sludge/Doom Metal) [10]
Good somber atmosphere and the pained vocals compliment it well. When I first listened to this album I was thinking about giving it an 8 out of 10, but it just kept getting better with each listen. 
Reccomended Track: “The Turning Goodbye”

4. “Traveler” Traveler (Heavy Metal) [9]
Its interesting most heavy metal bands tend to sound dominantly like one classic heavy metal band.  Every song on “Traveler” reminds me of different bands. Parts make me think of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Omen, Angel Witch and even in a few parts a little like Sacred Rite and Shok Paris. Recommended Tracks: “Starbreaker”, “Street Machine”, “Fallen Heroes”, and “Speed Queen”.

5. “Winter Ethereal” Arch / Matheos (Progressive Metal) [9]
I haven’t heard the first Arch / Matheos album so I can’t compare it to that, but this album does remind me of the old Fates Warning albums, but more modern sounding.
Recommended Tracks:  “Vermilion Moons”, and “Wanderlust”.

6. “Legends of Human Spirit” ShadowStrike (Symphonic Power Metal) [9]
In resent years I’ve had a hard time finding bands that play in this style that I enjoy and I was starting to wonder if it was just me, but ShadowStrike proved its was just bands writing mediocre music was the problem. This is a really great album that’s lots of fun to listen to.
Recommended tracks: “Heart for Yearning Journey”, “Fly with Me”, “The Fiery Seas and Icy Winds”, “A Dream of Stars” and "Gales of Winter".

7. “Ghastly Waves & Battered Graves” Vulture (Speed/Thrash Metal) [9]
A lot more consistent then their last album “The Guillotine”.  Definitely worth checking out.

8. “Neon City” Angel Sword (Heavy Metal) [9]
This album is my introduction to Angel Sword, I wasn’t sure about the vocals at first but they grew on me as the album went on.  The whole album has good energy with a lot of heart to it, and with each listen the album grew on me more.

9. “New Organon” The Lord Weird Slough Feg (Heavy Metal) [8]
A lot more inspired sounding then “Digital Resistance”
Recommended Tracks: “Being and Nothingness”, “Uncanny”, and “The Cynic”.

10. “Gypsy” Gypsy (HardRock/Heavy Metal) [8]
Overall really good straight forward rock/metal. Nothing amazing but performed with good energy and very enjoyable.

11. “Vortex” Metalian (Heavy/Speed Metal) [8]
A bit more mellow Midnight Rider and Metalian seem to be at their best when playing at high speed. Still a solid album overall.

12. “Forgotten Lands” Booze Control (Heavy Metal) [8]
I liked the last album “The Lizard Rider” better than this album, but its very close. Overall a very solid, and straight forward heavy metal album.

13. “Midnight Impulsion” Dressed to Kill (Heavy Metal) [8]
Surprisingly good NWOTHM album from China that sounds like it really could have been released by a Norther European band back in the 80’s. The album that comes to my mind first while listening to this is   “Unchained”(1986) by Speed Limit.

14. “Pyramid of Terror” Mirror (Heavy Metal) [8]
Overall a very solid album, but the tracks that didn’t fit thematically were the weaker tracks on the album and they hindered it a bit.
Recommended Tracks:  “Pyramid of Terror”, “Apollo Rising”, and “Nitocris”.

15. “新青年”(New Youth) 人間椅子(Ningen-Isu) (Hard Rock/Doom Metal)[8]
Overall a very good album, the one outstanding track was 無情のスキャット(Heartless Scat).

16. Demo “Pour Forth Surquidous” Serpent Rider (Epic Heavy/Doom Metal) [8]
Sounds a lot like Wrathblade mainly because of Nick Varsamis, not entirely the same but anyone that likes  Wrathblade will probably enjoy it.

17. “Forgotten Paths” Saor (Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal) [8]
This is the first album by Saor I’ve listened to since “Roots” as I had overlooked the last few releases. It seems like the band has improved but kept their overall sound relatively the same. Overall a very solid album.

18. “Panopticon” Metal Inquisitor (Heavy Metal) [7]
Overall a pretty decent album but kind of front loaded.

19. “High Fantasy” Gygax (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [7]
Overall very solid album but nothing really grabbed me the way “Dice Throwers & Rock n' Rollers” and  “Pure Hearts” did on the last album.

20. “Niralet” Megaton Sword (Epic Heavy Metal) [7]
The vocals are really outstanding, but unfortunately the production on the guitar is kind of flat and holds the album back a little bit. The faster tracks on the album is where the band shines. With a better production and some work on the sound of the guitar this could be an incredible band. 
Recommended Tracks: “Pristine War”, and “For Glory”.

21. “An Oblivion Above” Together to the Stars (Post Black Metal) [7]
The opening track “Timeless” is really outstanding, and meets that chaotic elegance I look for in post black metal, unfortunately the rest of the album doesn’t reach that same level. Still an alright album overall.
Recommended tracks: “Timeless”, and “Oblivion”

22. “The Throne Within” Ram (Heavy Metal) [7]
Overall a good album, but nothing really grabbed me.

23. “Space Nights” Knightmare (Heavy/Power Metal) [7]
Like their last album “Walk Through The Fire” its overall pretty good, but nothing really outstanding.
Recommended Tracks: “Heart Of Stone”, and “Space Nights”.

24. “A Stone Engraved in Red” Ravensire (Epic Heavy Metal) [7]
Overall decent but the songs kind of blurred together for me and after it was over I just thought “That was it?”


25. “Astronoid” Astronoid (Post Rock/Metal) [7]
Decent album but the vocals needed more of a punch to them.

26. “Blind Justice” Frenzy (Heavy Metal) [6]
I really loved the title track, it was a great opener but the rest of the album did nothing for me.
Recommended track: “Blind Justice”

27. “Ragnarok” Mighty Thor (Symphonic Power Metal) [6]
Symphonic power metal in the vain of Luca Turilli/Rhapsody. Doesn’t do much to distinguish its self from those groups.
Recommended Track: “El Poder del Martillo”

28. “State Of Shock” War Cloud (Heavy/Speed Metal) [6]
Had a really strong opening track, the rest of the album is pretty decent.
Recommended Track: “Striker”

29. “Ecosystem” Botanist (Post Black Metal) [6]
Pretty decent album, but nothing Botanist has done since “IV: Mandragora” has really grabbed me. I don’t care for the muffled chanting vocals.

30. “Angel of Light” Angel Witch (Heavy Metal) [6]
This was pretty disappointing; the opening track caught my attention but the rest was pretty bland.
Recommended track: “Don't Turn Your Back”

31. “Dystopia” Summoned Tide (Progressive/Power Metal) [6]
The vocals are really outstanding, music is decent but could use some work. 

32. “If Icarus Could Fly” Haunt (Heavy Metal) [6]
Its an improvement over “Burst Into Flame” but there’s something off about the vocals that holds it back from being great, something about them annoys me but it’s hard to describe. 

33. “Steeping Corporeal Mess” Fetid (Death Metal) [6]
Had some cool moments but overall didn’t really grab me.

34. “Atl Tlachinolli” Blue Hummingbird On The Left (Black Metal) [6]
Not really a fan of black metal outside of the atmospheric or post black metal, but this album caught my attention. Some of the tracks felt like filler but overall a decent album. 

35. “Lost From the Start” Galaxy (Heavy/Power Metal) [6]
Good, but overall needs improvement. They are on the right track though, and have potential to be really great. I will keep an eye on them for future releases. 

36. “The Poisoner” Sanhedrin (Heavy Metal) [6]
Really good vocalist but the music is pretty average.
Recommended Track: “The Getaway”

37. “Mystik” Mystik (Heavy/Speed Metal) [6]
Overall good music and the production sound good, but the vocals need work.

38. “EOS” Starless Domain (Atmospheric Black Metal) [6]
Seems like it would be cool as a backing track for a movie or maybe while your working on a project and want something playing in the background. Not something I would listen to with my full attention.

39. “In Another Time” Tanith (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [6]
At times pretty good, but the compositions felt kind of wonky and in parts the guitar playing sounds a little sloppy.  The vocals sound best when they are both singing together, both vocalists are kind of weak on their own.   

40. “Ascension” Paladin Power/Melodic Death Metal) [6]
Decent album, very modern sounding but nothing that really sets it apart from its contemporaries that play in the same style.

41. “Screamer on the Rocks (The Lost Album)” Desire (Heavy Metal) [6]
Album is the same as “Cry at the Sky” only with a different vocalist. Was unfamiliar with the original release until I found this. If you like the original its probably worth checking out. 

42. “Masquerade” Powergame (Heavy Metal) [6]
an alright album, but the vocals kind of hindered it.

43. “Infest The Rats' Nest” King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (Thrash/Stoner Metal) [6]
Bits of Voivod and Ice Dragon are the first things that come to mind when listening to this. Its a decent album but nothing really outstanding all the fast songs kind of sound the same. I heard some songs from this band on YouTube that leaned more toward Psychedelic rock and I thought that worked better for their sound.

44. “Passage of Mind” Ice Dragon (Psychedelic Rock) [6]

45. “Burn The Night” Riot City (Heavy Metal) [6]
I might be rating this a bit harsh becase a traditional heavy metal band putting “Riot” in their name bothers me, and really asks me to compare them to a great band; and they are not on that level. The vocalist is pretty good but the songs don’t grab me and just feel dull. 

46. "Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring" Smoulder[6]
Production was good and really seems like something I would enjoy but I just found the album boring. I will definitely keep an eye on them for future releases though. 

47. “Second to None” Dream Tröll (Heavy Metal/Alternative Rock) [5]
I had heard Dream Tröll once before and didn’t think much of them, but I decided to give a full album a chance. They sound like a heavy metal band for people that listen to modern rock. It reminds me of the stuff I used to hear on the radio back in the early 2000’s before finally quit listening to the radio.       Vocals give off a pop punk vibe, and the production sounds clean, and pretty familiar to what you would here on your typical alt. rock radio station. Its too safe and doesn’t interest me.

48. “Saint Vitus” Saint Vitus (Doom Metal) [5]
I don’t know why the decided to release a second self-titled album. The original self-titled is one of my favorite albums, so they set my expectations very high, and this was a total let down for me. 
Recommended Track: “Last Breath”

49. “Blood of Angels” Spillage  (Heavy/Doom Metal) [5]
This was a very disappointing album. The self-titled album had a distinct sound that made it stand out and feel special. This album felt a lot more generic and lacked energy. I think Lothar Keller must have had a greater influence on the band then just his vocals.

Best Albums 2018 (End Of Year List)

0. "Album title" Band (Genre) [score out of 10]
description. Recommended tracks: (If any particularly stand out.)

1. “The Final Stand” Gotsu Totsu Kotsu (Death Metal) [9]
Consistent with the last two releases, a really great album overall.

2. “Akula” Akula (Atmospheric/Stoner/ Post Metal) [9]
A really outstanding debut album, its biggest hindrance is its low production quality. With a little more development and better production this band could become something really incredible.
Recommended Tracks:  “A Pound of Flesh”, and “Born of Fire”.

3. “Twist of Fate” Hitten (Heavy Metal) [9]
I was surprised with this album. Usually I don’t care to much for albums that try to sound exactly like a classic 80’s heavy metal album; as they usually end up being kind of dull since they add nothing new to the table and sound like an imitation of a much better thing. But Hitten are vary proficient and actually manage to pull off a classic sounding heavy metal album that’s a lot of fun. 
Recommended Tracks: “Final Warning”, “Twist of Fate” and “On the Run”.

4. “Seeking Infinity” Pantheist (Funeral Doom Metal) [9]
A really great album. “Control & Fire” is a really incredible track, monstrous and elegant at the same time. “1453: An Empire Crumbles” is just filler and kind of hurts the pace of the album when listening as a whole, but the rest is so good that it doesn’t hinder the album much.
Recommended track: “Control & Fire”

5. “2nd Edition” Gygax (Heavy Metal/Hard Rock) [8]
Good energy and lots of fun.
Recommended Tracks: “Dice Throwers & Rock n' Rollers”, “Pure Hearts”, and “Wish”.

6. “Conqueror's Oath” Visigoth (Heavy/Power Metal) [8]
Overall an improvement over “The Revenant King”, especially Jake Rogers whose vocal delivery has improved a lot.
Recommended tracks: "Steel and Silver", and "Outlive Them All"

7. “The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness I and II” Panopticon (Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal/Bluegrass) [8]
Overall a very good double album, each part with its own style but still works well as a whole.
 
8. “The Endless Road Turns Dark” The Skull (Doom Metal) [8]
An improvement over the last album, the really great heavy guitar tone really helps the album jump out at the listener.
 Recommended Tracks: “Ravenswood”, “From Myself Depart”, “All That Remains (Is True)”

9. “II: Sojourn” Wytch Hazel (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [8]
More consistent than the previous album “Prelude”, but while there are no dud tracks on “II: Sojourn” it didn’t have any really outstanding tracks either; so its sort of a trade off. 

10. “Contrasts” Imber Luminis (Atmospheric/Post Black Metal) [8]
The whole album has good energy and is complimented by strong emotional vocals.

11. “The Midnight Tales” Stonewitch (Heavy Metal) [8]
Recommended Tracks: “The Phoenix Risen”, and “The Midnight Tale”.

12. “Abyss Between the Stars” Ursa (Doom Metal) [8]
Very good debut album.

13. “Electric Messiah” High on Fire (Stoner/Sludge/Doom Metal) [7]
For the most part an alright album, it’s the fastest tracks on the album that are really outstanding.
Recommended tracks: “Spewn from the Earth”, “Electric Messiah”, and “Freebooter”.

14. “Steelfactory” U.D.O. (Heavy Metal) [7]
The tracks range from great to mediocre, the one really outstanding track was “In the Heat of the Night”.
Recommended Tracks: “Tongue Reaper”, “In the Heat of the Night”, “One Heart One Soul” and “A Bite of Evil”.

15 “The Full Moon Sessions (Expanded Edition)” Spell (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [7]
The new tracks are better then most of the tracks on the original version.
Recommended tracks: “Never Enough”, “Sisters of the Moon”, “Maniac” and “Ozymandias”

16. “Mad Hatter” Mad Hatter (Power Metal) [7]
Not bad for a debut album, mostly reminds me of Edguy and during some of the tracks DragonForce. Vocalist has a good voice but his delivery can use some work. A lot of the tracks have good ideas but the compositions need improvement. When they are on point they are quite good.
Recommended Tracks: "Mad Hatter Shine", "Vengeance in His Mind", "Mad Hatter Become"

17. “The Sciences” Sleep (Stoner Metal) [7]
Definitely the most literal stoner metal album I’ve ever heard.
Recommended Track: “Marijuanaut's Theme”

18. “The Joker King” Jesters & Klowns (Power Metal/Hard Rock) [7]
A good debut album, most of the album falls short of being really great. With more expirence this could be a really great band.
Recommended Tracks: “Song of That Glory Day”, and “Love on Mars”

19. “Ordinary Corrupt Human Love” Deafheaven (Post Black Metal) [7]
Recommended Track: “Honeycomb”

20. “Manor of Infinite Forms” Tomb Mold (Death Metal) [7]
Musically very cool but the vocals didn’t compliment it well. The whispered growls just don’t have the punch this album really needs. 

21. “Sentiment” Un (Funeral Doom Metal) [7]
Recommended track: “A Garden Where Nothing Grows”

22. “The Edge of Sanity: 88 Demo Session” Shelton Chastain (Heavy/Power Metal) [7]
Good demo, with more development could have been really great.

23. "Walk Through the Fire" Knightmare (Heavy/Power Metal) [7]
Recommended Tracks: "Banshee", and "Spirits"

24. “ØMNI” Angra (Progressive/Power Metal) [7]
I bought this after listening to “War Horns”, if I had previewed some of the other tracks, I would have skipped this. The only other Angra albums I have are “Angels Cry” and Holy Land so I can’t compare “ØMNI to their recent albums, But the things that made those classic Angra albums special to me seem downplayed or absent from most of “ØMNI”. While not a bad album it didn’t really have anything to distinguish it from other big names in the European power metal scene. 

25. “Ultimate Force” Sacred Leather (Heavy Metal) [7]

26. "Esoteric Malacology" Slugdge (Progressive Death Metal) [7]
Decent album and interesting thematically but I couldn’t really get into it. 

27. “Grievous” Convulsing (Blackend Death/Doom Metal) [7]
Recommended Track: “Beaten”

28. “Támsins likam” Hamferð (Doom/Death Metal) [7]
Decent album, the vocals are what really stood out and made it interesting.

29. “Unleashed Upon This World” Chemicaust (Thrash/Death Metal) [7]
A decent album but lost my interest fairly quickly. At its best when playing on high speed. The vocals are a bit spotty and at times sound more comical then menacing. Thought it was interesting that I found this album to be back loaded instead of front loaded, as bands like this typically are.

30. “Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed” Hooded Menace (Death/Doom Metal) [7]
An decent death/doom metal album. The first two tracks were the most interesting.
Recommended Tracks: “Sempiternal Grotesqueries”, and “In Eerie Deliverance”.

31. “Tales of Splendor and Sorrow” Ironflame Heavy/Power Metal [7]
Overall decent but nothing outstanding.

32. “Damned If You Do” Metal Church (Heavy Metal) [6]

33. “Last Horizon” Eliminator (Heavy/Power Metal) [6]

34. “The Fallen King” Frozen Crown (Power Metal) [6]

35. “The Wake” Voivod (Progressive Metal) [6]
Target Earth was my introduction to this band, and I like their faster more thrash-oriented songs. This new album is a lot slower and when they play slow I just find the music and vocals annoying. The only track I really enjoyed on this album was “Obsolete Beings”. 

36. “The Waters of Death” Lethean (Epic Metal) [6]
Musically a strong album, but the vocals don’t compliment it well and their delivery is kind of boring.

37. “Locust Point” Locust Point (Heavy Metal) [6]
A good album but the vocals hinder it.

38. “Apokalupsis” Aurora Borealis (Black/Death Metal) [6]
Ron Vento seems to be attempting more technical song writing, and I can tell he put a lot of work into it. But the end result sounds unfocused, each song felt like I was skipping around an entire Aurora Borealis album. 

39. “Beyond Celestial Echoes” Sacral Rage (Technical Thrash Metal) [6]
The band is very talented, however the song writing still feels juvenile and silly in and off-putting way that keeps me from enjoying the album. 

40. "No Fear to Persevere..." Manacle (Heavy Metal) [6]

41. "Blades, Chains, Whips & Fire" Magick Touch (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [6]

42. "Chapitre II" Chevalier (Speed Metal)[6]
At times very fun but always feels like it teeters on the edge of just being a sloppy mess.
Recommended track: "The Messenger"

43. “The Keeper's Curse” Candle (Heavy Metal) [6]
A fairly good album but the vocalist needs work as they really hinder the album at times.

44. "Melencholia" Doppälgängär (Post Rock/Doom Metal) [6]
The music is pretty good, drawn out and sort of hypnotic. While mostly instrumental there are segments with vocals in each song which are sung in a strained style that sounds sort of flat which doesn’t compliment the music very well, mabey with some reverb it would have worked better.

45. “East of Sun” Gatekeeper (Epic Heavy Metal) [6]
I really enjoyed their material from the “Vigilance/Retaliator” Split, and was really looking forward to a full release. I had high hopes for this album, but I just found it disappointing.

46. “Sunrise” Hadeon (Progressive Rock/Metal) [5]
The vocalist is great, but the music is bland and underdeveloped.

47. “Mask of Morality” Salems Lott (Hard Rock/ Heavy/Power Metal) [5]
Album is really held back by its awful loud production, and the songs sound underdeveloped. If the band matures a little bit, gets a better sounding production, and stops trying to be so in your face all the time, it might be worth listening to.

Singles:
1. “Witch's Game” Cirith Ungol (Heavy/Doom Metal) [10]
Really outstanding single and amazing for a band that hasn’t put out anything new in 27 years. Tim Baker voice has only gotten better with age. Hoping we get a full release from them soon. 

2. “Mors Ontologica” Ice Dragon (Stoner/Doom Metal) [8]

2017 Best Albums (End Of Year List)

0. "Album title" Band (Genre) [score out of 10]
description. Recommended tracks: (If any particularly stand out.)

1. “Behind the Demon's Eyes” Hellwell (Progressive/Epic Heavy Metal) [9]
I guess I judged Hellwell to soon. After hearing a track off “Beyond the Boundaries of Sin” I thought,  ‘Eh, progressive metal Manilla Road with keyboards, not digging it.’ and moved on.  So at the end of 2017 I finally went on Manilla Roads youtube page and gave this album a full listen and was really surprised at how great this album was. It reminds me of “The Courts of Chaos” but a lot better overall.

2. “Undulating Waves of Rainbiotic Iridescence” Gigan (Progressive/Technical Death Metal) [9]
It actually took me a few listens to get used to this album. To the casual listener it probably won’t seem all that different from previous Gigan albums. But its whole tone feels like a deep brooding anger, while the past albums gave off more of a raw power and intense energy. It’s still a great album but I probably won’t play it nearly as much as the past Gigan releases. Overall the song were written, and the new vocalist was good and fit the album well. 

3. “Midnight Rider” Metalian (Heavy/Speed Metal) [9]
 The bands that come to mind when listening to this are Lord Fist & Judas Priest played with high energy.

4. “The Guillotine” Vulture (Speed/Thrash Metal) [8]
The album is front loaded with the first 3 tracks being amazing, and the rest being good but forgettable in comparison. Recommended Tracks:  “Vendetta”, “Clashing Iron”, and “Triumph of the Guillotine”.

5. “Bring The Magik Down”  Riddlemaster (Folk Rock/Epic Heavy Metal) [8]
Kind of sounds like current  Manilla Road mixed with Mark Shelton’s solo album and a little bit of early Manila Road. Recommended Track: Lair Of The White Witch

6. “Dawn Of Genesis” Legionnaire (Heavy Metal) [8]
Overall a very good album, the riffs remind me of Slough Feg. However the Vocals are a little wonky and there seems to be some production issues on the final track.

7. “Something Wicked This Way Comes” Thunderstick (Hard Rock/Heavy Metal) [8]
I was really surprised at how good this album is. Usually NWOBHM bands releasing new albums tend to sound either modernized or really stale. This album actually felt like it could have been released back around the end of the 70’s early 80’s.  Recommended tracks: "Dark Night Black Light", "Go Sleep with the Enemy (I Dare Ya)", "Lights (Take Me Away)"

8. “Motherless” Trial(Swe) (Heavy Metal) [8]
Another strong album by Trial. The material on “Motherless” is about the same as  “Vessel”, but it didn’t quite have the same impact on me that “Vessel” did.

9. “When Colors Fade Away” Blackfinger (Doom Metal) [8]
Overall a pretty good album, but it was kind of disappointing since it didn’t have the same melancholic folk that the last album had mixed in throughout the album. This album felt more like Eric Wagner’s other band The Skull. So while its still a good album it’s just not as special as the self titled was. Recommended tracks: “When Colors Fade Away”, “ My Old Soul”, and “Waiting for the Sun”.

10. “God of the Deep Unleashed” Wrathblade (Epic Metal) [7]
A good album but I expected more considering how great “Into the Netherworld's Realm” was, and the length of time that’s past since its release.  “God of the Deep Unleashed” songs aren’t as varied as its predecessor and all kind of blur together. The shorter song lengths also don’t help the album, as it feels like its rushing you through. The previous album was 6 minutes longer and had one less song and was paced much better. Short song lengths just  don’t work very well with the epic metal style.
Recommended tracks: "Sheer Vengeance Will Out Upon Thee (God of War Pt. II)", and "Vaunted Pride". 

11. “No Warning” Venomous Maximus (Heavy/Doom Metal) [7]
I really liked this album a lot, unfortunately there are two tracks that are just keyboard noises and two weak acoustic tracks. And those tracks just really hurt the album as a whole. If you cut those tracks out and added one or two more Heavy/Doom tracks this would have been a much more solid album and would have placed a lot higher on my list. Recommended tracks: “Spellbound”, and “Return of the Witch”

12. “To Kill a King” Manilla Road (Epic Metal) [7]
I enjoyed it more than “The Blessed Curse” but overall felt like a pretty standard modern Manilla Road album. There’s not a whole lot of outstanding moments, and Bryan Patricks performances lack any enthusiasm and he sounds really board on most of the tracks he sings. I saw Manilla Road live again this year and hearing Bryan Patrick in concert all I could think was,‘why can’t he do that on the studio recordings’. If he brought as much energy as he had live it really could have taken this album up a notch. Recommended Tracks:    “Never Again”, and “Blood Island”

13. “Visions in the Night” Lethal Night (Heavy Metal) [7]
The title track is really what caught my attention.  Overall an ok album but the band could use improvement overall. Steven Villa has a great voice but he  still needs to  practice singing more. 

14. “Architecture of a God” Labÿrinth (Progressive Power Metal) [7]
The album is front loaded and full of wonky keyboard segments. Everything after “Someone Says” is really forgettable.  Recommended tracks: “Bullets”, and “Take On My Legacy”

15. “Dawn Of Ages” Arduini/Balich (Progressive/Doom Metal) [7]
The music is great, but while Butch Balich’s is a good singer I just don’t like his voice. I kept feeling I would enjoy this album a lot more if it was just an instrumental album.

16. "The Depths" Cover of Night (Atmospheric Black Metal) [7]
It really felt like more of a black metal EP buried in about 16 minutes of soft instrumental sections. The soft parts while not bad don’t really add much to the experience. The best part is the  first two tracks which are really well crafted.
Recommended tracks: "Wind Catches Sail", and "Open Ocean"

17. "Anointing" Lo-Ruhamah (Progressive Death/Black Metal) [7]
This was kind of a difficult album to rate. It had some brilliant moments scattered throughout it, but ultimately I felt the compositions as a whole weren’t that compelling. But the album does have a great atmosphere, and unsettling lyrics that are very well written. So I would recommend listening to at least once. 

18. “Mirror Reaper” Bell Witch (Funeral Doom Metal) [7]
Good but very dragged out and minimalistic.

19. “Lightning Strikes the Crown” - I R O N F L A M E –  (Power Metal) [7]
Overall a decent album. All the songs are good but nothing outstanding.

20. “Twisting The Blade” Stereo Nasty (Heavy Metal) [7]
Overall a decent album. All the songs are good but nothing outstanding.

21. “Cloaks of Oblivion” Eruption (Thrash/Power Metal) [7]
A very front loaded album, all the tracks after “Drones” are just dull.
Recommended Tracks:  “Sanity Ascend”, “ Cloaks of Oblivion”, and “Drones”

22. “Loviatar” Loviatar (Atmospheric Doom Metal) [7]

23. “Urraca” Sunless (Progressive Death Metal) [7]
The music was pretty strong but the whispered growls didn’t compliment the music well.

24. “Wall of Sound” Marty Friedman (Progressive Rock/Metal) [6]
I’ve heard various tracks by Marty Friedman but this is the first of his solo albums I’ve listened to all the way through. He is a great guitar player but the compositions on this album are pretty bland, and all over the place in a bad way.

25. “Slaves of Fate” Fire Strike (Heavy Metal) [6]
 Overall a solid album but nothing special.

26. "Turm am Hang" Horn (Black Metal) [6]
The first track caught my attention but the rest of the album was just ok. Recommended Track: "Alles in einem Schnitt"

27. “Will of the Strong” White Skull (Power Metal) [6]
This is the only White Skull album I’ve heard besides “Public Glory, Secret Agony”, and my feelings a pretty much the same. It has its moments but overall it’s just fairly standard euro power metal and just doesn’t hold my attention for very long. So while a decent album there are many other bands playing the same style that I enjoy much more. So I feel I gave White Skull a fair chance so this is probably the last album I check out by them. 

28. “Collective: The Shape of He to Come”  Botanist (Experimental/Post Black Metal) [6]
I feel like the saying,  ‘too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth’ applies here. This is the first Botanist album where the live members were involved in the recording, and it really
doesn’t have the feeling that the solo Botanist albums had.

29. “Far From Light” Lunar Shadow (Epic Heavy Metal) [6]
The guitar melodies are really outstanding however the rest of the band just is isn’t as competent. The vocals are acceptable but need work. The drums are just dull and the production on them just makes them feel really flat. During the slow parts of the album the performances are good but as the tempo picks up things start to sound really sloppy. But with practice and maybe a few lineup changes this could be an incredible band. 

30. “Emblem” Emblem (Epic Heavy Metal) [6]
Musically a very strong album, however the vocals are bad and really detract from the enjoyment of the music and got more irritating as the album went on. With a better vocalist this could end up being a really great band. 

31. “Truth in Legend” Burning Shadows (Power Metal) [6]
Similar to the problem I had with Emblem’s album. Vocalist needs improving, music was good but nothing outstanding.

32. "Anomie" Violet Cold (Post Rock/Atmospheric Black Metal) [6]
The title track was the most outstanding piece on the album and reminds me of Panopticon. However the rest of the album just wasn’t as interesting.
Recommended track: "Anomie"

33. “Ascetic Eventide” Pure Wrath  (Atmospheric Black Metal) [6]
The first track caught my attention but I lost interest as the album went on. I gave it a few listens but my opinion didn’t change.  Overall a decent album but nothing particularly outstanding.

34. EP "Enlisé" Malebranche (Atmospheric Black Metal) [6]

35. EP “Iron Guard” Cromlech (Epic Doom Metal) [6]
This was a big disappointment.  If I didn’t know this was new material I would have assumed it was from a rough demo made before Ave Mortis.

36. "Sci-fi/Fantasy" Book of Wyrms (Stoner/Doom Metal) [6]
The highlight of the album is the hypnotic rhythmic sections and vocal patterns. Unfortunately the music just doesn’t sound as proficient during the solos.

37. "The Wolf" Resurrect Tomorrow (Thrash/Speed Metal) [6]
Not bad, but overall could use improvement.