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bato 13 Aug : 09:11 Just received my new Iron Maiden CD; check it out yourself...
bato 26 Jun : 08:53 It's been a been quiet on these pages in the last two weeks, but it is mostly due to the moving of the chief editor and one another member of the Staff. More info soon.
bato 10 Jun : 19:54 Next week's metal events in Denmark: Guns n' Roses on monday and KISS on wednesday, both at 'Gigantium' Aalborg.
bato 26 May : 08:57 It is terrible and I'm scared who might be next: Pete Steele, Dio & now Grey :(
WESna 24 May : 23:48 Another great musician passed away Paul Grey #2 1972-2010, Slipknot WTF with this 2010???
01: Testament – The Formation of Damnation (Nuclear Blast) (First album on my list is not necessary the best one in 2008 but it is very close to, as I feel that the original Testament is back. Original, yet fresh and renewed band that is once again leading the hordes of thrash fans into the right direction. Simply one of the best albums of their long career.)
02: AC/DC – Black Ice (Sony/Columbia) (This is a release that we have been waiting for ten years now and I must say that AC/DC is one of the rare bands nowadays that never really disappoints. On this album, there’s no talk of a concept album, no keyboards, no disco, no ballads, no gospel choirs. Black Ice is their best argument in years, maybe decades, and AC/DC proves that evolution is for suckers.)
03: Metallica – Death Magnetic (Sony/Universal) (This release is quite opposite to the one from AC/DC, as Metallica is all about evolution and progress, sometimes unfortunately with very varied results. After all this albums marks the return of one of the best and most influential metal bands on planet and it is much better than its predecessors.) 04: Slipknot – All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner Records) (Slipknot have taken their place among metal's most acclaimed behemoths; the nearest thing today's world has to Metallica. With this new album the band is stronger and more united than ever before. They’re the leaders and not the followers of a brutal metal scene setting the standards for how this kind of metal should be played. Come back album of the year.)
05: Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thunder God (Metal Blade) (With some extremely catchy riffs this band from the far North has released a record that is very united in sound and quality which gives a good impression from the first time the play button has been pressed. Songs stay on your mind for hours after you have turned off your stereo and it is definitely not something I experience every day.) 06: Alice Cooper – Along Came a Spider (SPV/Steamhammer) (Just like in the case of AC/DC, everything has been said when it comes to this grandfather of shock-rock. Alice Cooper is back and again this time he surprises me with his ‘back to the roots’ horror-rock tunes. Powerful lyrics, awesome production, nice and to times also scary concept story… makes this album an extraordinary one. Additional emblematic guitar solos from Mr. Slash himself helps a big deal too.)
07: Dismember – Dismember (Regain Records) (If it wasn’t a piece of death metal I suppose this record, simply because of its quality, will be on every playlist and radio top-five in the world. The band is back with their 8th studio album and I must say ‘the best one’. One of the best and most brutal albums in the last couple of years, heavy to the bone.)
08: Volbeat - Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Rebel Monster/Mascot) (I was very much in doubt if I’m to include latest Volbeat album to the list of ten best albums in 2008. The album, like its predecessors is right, clear and with powerful sound. Even though the music has got more ‘rockish’ and melodic I must surrender and give Volbeat the recognition they deserve. Every gig was sold out on their latest tour and I guess it is enough proof for how this band and its latest release have been received by wider metal/rock audience.)
09: Silent Kingdom – Legends of an Old Grave (Walk Records) (This is one of the albums that didn’t receive the highest possible score, but an album that has marked my understanding of music forever. Great, unique and quite unusual blend of traditional ethnic music with raw and progressive black metal sound is something I have never heard before. Simply amazing- and if they had just bigger support from some major European record, I think they would rank among the best bands around.)
10: Origin – Antithesis (Relapse Records) (This has got to be one of the overall best productions this year. Origin has to be part of the absolute elite when it comes to technical skills and, to some point, lyrics as well. If you haven’t heard this album before, I urge you to do so as soon as possible…)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY SIMONA: 01: Machine Head - The Blackening Special edition (Roadrunner Records) (As far as I remember I do not think that Machine Head has ever released a bad album. The Blackening is a great and solid CD because it has fast galore riffs, and some thrashy elements combined with solos and harmonies as well. Rob Flynn is always able to create an aggressive and angry sound of his voice, and it makes the album even more enjoyable to listen to.)
02: Nickelback – Dark Horses (Roadrunner Records) (Some says that they can not sing, and some says it’s not rock. But for me there is something about Nickelback that fascinates me about the way that they play. They have always some really good and fantastic lyrics, powerful instruments and clear & sexy voice let by Chad Kroger.)
03: Type O Negative – Dead Again (Roadrunner Records) (Peter Steele is a man with a dark and melodic voice. He melts every woman’s heart with his sexy and soft voice. Dead Again is an album which has some good lyrics, melodic and dark instruments. It the darkest depths of the human condition and there are many different variation on this CD. Peter Steele and Co. is on the brink of a rebirth. But still you have to remember first they are Dead Again.) 04: Guns N Roses – Chinese Democracy (Geffen) (I didn’t know what to expect from GNR after 14 years of break. I must say that I was a kind of surprised when I heard their new CD. Axl still has his screaming vocals like on Appetite for Destruction. But I do miss Slash’s boiling solo guitar riffs in some of their tracks. But again Axl is a great man, and CD must be one of the best albums in 2008.) 05: Thorium – Feral Creation (Target) (The Danes can do more than just drink beers. The Danish metal scene is growing more and more. Thorium’s Feral Creation is a CD with tons of old school death metal. It’s like a volcano ready to explode. Among that there are also some fast and brutal instruments combined with hate full voice.) 06: Exmortem – Funeral Phantoms (Mighty Music) (Extreme death metal, lots of energy and depressive atmosphere elements. It’s what you can say about Exmortem’s new release. There are a lot of moments to head bang until you ears fell of. It gives the death metal a very horrific and sick atmosphere, and you can not get enough.)
07: Another Life – Memories from Nothing (Vic Records) (It’s the first time that I have head Memories from Nothing, and I didn’t think that I should pick it as album of the 2008. The band has it focus on heavy and strong riffs, dark and melodic vocals and progressive and doomy metal tunes. And with that in mind I think that the year 2009 will be memories from the 2008.)
08: Kamelot – One Cold Winters Night (SPV) (I have never been a big fan of progressive metal. But the first time I’d listen to Kamelot I have chance my mind. I have never in my life heard a CD which has so much energy like One Cold Winters Night. The band has a lot of powerful and memorable moments combined with intense sound. The vocals are clear as always, and they combined the CD with different choir and progressive elements). 09: Metallica – Dead Magnetic (Sony/Universal) I know that their new release isn’t the same as The Black Album, but its better than Load and Reload. There are still lots of aggression, fast head banging and combined as always with rapid-fire guitar riffs and drums patterns. Even though it’s not like the old Metallica, I do think that James Heitfield still maintained to sing as a real man with his voice full of hate and aggression
10: Dimmu Borgir - Invaluable Darkness (SPD) (It’s always a pleasure to hear Dimmu Borgir. Invaluable Darkness is a CD with pure & raw Norwegian black metal. Even though they don’t sing in English makes the CD even greater to listen too. As always Dimmu Borgir managed to deliver the music so intense with fires off volleys of manic blast beats, and double bass drum mayhem.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY ZOKA: 01: Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy (Geffen) (Axl Rose made a huge mistake releasing this album under the GN’R name, because this is NOT GN’R and also it doesn’t come close to Appetite For Destruction or Use Your Illusion, but at the same it is a great piece of music that proves this man’s genius.) 02: Tiamat – Amanethes (Nuclear Blast) (An almost five year long break resulted in one of Tiamat’s best and most diverse albums to date. This is Goth at its best.) 03: Testament – The Formation of Damnation (Nuclear Blast) (Original lineup joined by Paul Bostaph has recorded a first album in nine years and which sees the band at the top of their game, creating a true trash metal masterpiece and one of the best albums of their long career.)
04: Murder By Death - Red of Tooth and Claw (Vagrant Records) (By keeping the same Old West outlaw feel of the previous release and more aggression Indiana’s finest take us to a journey through lust, betrayal, despair, love and hate.) 05: The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath (Universal Motown Records) (After a minor setback in form of their previous album Amputechture, these untraditional prog wizards are back with an album, which is a brilliant display of songwriting, production and musicianship.)
06: Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse) (Yet another big step forward for these Swedes who break the barriers and present us with their best and most ambitious release to date - a perfect bland of aggressive and beautiful.)
07: Oceansize – Frames (Superball Music) (Third studio album by alternative art rock band sees them teaming up again with producer Chris Sheldon who seems like a perfect producer for this band. Frames is their best album to date and for the listener a perfect atmospheric and emotional urban experience.)
10: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (Mute) (By looking back a bit more at their roots and more edgy sound, the legends from Down Under have created another masterpiece that mixes beauty with dust.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY ZANA:
01: Azaghal – Omega (Moribund) (I don't want to loose to much words for this release. Everyone knows it is my favourite band I was hardly waiting to hear the new attack from them. I worshiped it the minute I heared it and played it over and over again. It is not their best release but when it comes to year 2008 it is definitely on top.)
02: Catamenia - VIII - The Time Unchained (Massacre) (Another band that I absolutely love. They changed their style quite a lot and I liked the old Catamenia more but concerning the variety of riffs, melodies and vocal extensions this album really offers a lot more than it looks. Definitely worth of having at home if you are melodic black metal fan.)
03: Vinternatt/Bleeding Fist - ...Echoes/Sabbath (Histria Cult) (I choose this split cause it holds two really important parts and is made by Slovenian hand. A bit of home country loving wont harm and this guys deserve the spot here as they work hard and they work good. Get really to hear more about them soon. And believe me you will!)
04: Mora – Slaughter Begins (Self-released) (Another Slovenian band to give the spot to. Mora guys are on the rise. They perform quite a lot and people seems to like them. Also this demo is a big prove that the next release will be in a new age black metal style. Not really old school but people enjoys that.)
05: Nefarium – Haeretichristus (Agonia) (Haeretichristus is playing a lot in my cd player. Once you hear it..you love it and play it over and over again. Pure black metal with no compromises. You can read their review to see and understand more about my choice to put this review to Top 2008 playlist.)
06: Naberius/Vedmak - Legacy of Hate (Kvlt 666) (Half Slovenian-half Russian. The mixture of countries and nations but not mixture of music. Both is black metal but what else did you expect from me anyway. Pure underground with more stuff coming to haunt you soon! Check out both bands and see what Legacy of Hate has to offer!) 07: Svarti Loghin – Empty World (ATMF/A Sad Sadness Song) (Time for depressive stuff besides Vinternatt's songs. Hard to listen this kind of music unless you understand what's all about! This is more for depressed fanatics like myself or for suicidal people with razors in their hands (emo's please listen to this). Great style and great powerful feelings while you listen to it.)
8: Incorporea - Tongue of the Moribund (Self-released) (Another melancholic and suicidal black metal band. And who the hell said that after you hear one you hear them all? That is true only if you kill yourself after you hear the first one just to make it clear. Incorporea are making „hard“ music as well. Definitely worth of listening as it gives you a lot of things to think about. Not only about which clothes you will wear but about stuff that are really important in life.) 09: Melencolia Estatica - Letum (ATMF) (Hail the mighty Melencolia Estatica! Not really a lot to say except that depressive black metal is pure addiction when you hear these bands. Vocals of Melencolia Estatica singer are haunting you for days if you don't listen to them and they stay in your memory like a constant whisper. Listen to them!) 10: Sothis – De Opresso Liber (Candlelight) (Sothis are quite big already but their music is quite cool. Some say they are to much industrial (Keyboards doesn't make bands industrial you know!) and some say they are to commercial. I don't agree with any of them but I do agree with putting them on this list! They will get big and you will miss all the good parts if you don't hear this release!)
02: Pilgrimz - Boar Riders(I Scream) (Danish newcomer, and winner of “Best Video” at DmeA 2008.) 03: Michael Kiske - Past in Different Ways (Frontiers) (Ex-front man for German power-kings, Helloween. Interpreting Helloween-classics with a twist!)
07: AC/DC - Black Ice(Sony/Columbia) (Have they been gone? Nah, not really. At least, they haven’t forgotten how to rock the house!) 08: Metallica - Death Magnetic(Sony/Universal) (Back in black, back on track! The classic old- school Metallica-sound as we love it.)
10: Rage - Carved in Stone(Nuclear Blast) (Classic easy-listening album from German/Belarus/American speed/power trio.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY MIKKEL:
01: Gojira – The Way of All Flesh (Listenable) (Definitely the album of this year. Perfectly executed, modern metal from Gojira. They came, they saw and they conquered most of the metal scene with this release.)
02: Soilent Green – Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction (Metal Blade) (The unfortunate sludge group did it again. This album is an angry fist of chaos that hits you right in the face.)
03: Psycroptic – Ob(Servant) (Nuclear Blast) (The Australian tech-death kings in Psycroptic really got under my skin with this album. Technical, brutal death metal with a lot of thought behind.)
04: Dawn of Demise – Hate Takes Its Form (Deepsand) (Probably my favorite Danish band right now. Hard-hitting New York-inspired death metal stuffed with groove and great riffs.) 05: Slow Death Factory – From the Gutter to your Ears (Self financed) (Not the most recognized album of the year, but I really dig it. I've heard it a shitload of times, and this piece of groovy death metal never seem to get boring.)
06: Septic Flesh – Communion (Season of Mist) (The blend of dramatic, symphonic arrangements, evocative vocals and a crispy production hit me right in the nuts. In a good way, that is.) 07: Cynic – Traced in Air (Season of Mist) (The return of Cynic – and what a great follow-up to the well-renowned Focus. Progressive, dreamy and original.)
08: Disfear – Live the Storm (Relapse) (Great crusty d-beat release from Disfear with a very distinct sound.)
10: Necrovation - Breed Deadness Blood (Blood Harvest) (One of the best international death metal releases this year, As the big shots such as Bloodbath and Kataklysm was nothing special, Necrovation did the prevailing that Kataklysm couldn't.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY THOR: 01: Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls (Lion Music) (Fantastic songwriting here; a very coherent prog release where nothing goes on for too long, the melodies stand out and the choruses are actually catchy. Creating a follow-up to Mercy Falls will not be easy.)
02: Cynic - Traced In Air (Season of Mist) (Everything is in its right place, and it gets better with every listen. Extremely refined.)
03: Ihsahn - angL (Mnemosyne/Candlelight) (angL is a complex and fascinating creation. A worthy addition to Ihsahn's oeuvre.)
04: Dir En Grey - Uroboros (The End) (DEG have taken elements from their past eras, mixed them with their latest influences and added what must be a secret ingredient of sorts. Whatever measures they have taken, this is a gigantic step up from their last album; it's their most heavy, progressive, inventive and adventurous album to date. This will no doubt be a staple in my iPod throughout most of 2009.)
05: Farther Paint - Lose Control (Lion Music) Almost every moment on Lose Control is a hook. Progressive from start to finish, Lose Control sees the drummer, the keyboard-player and the rest of the excessively talented members of Farther Paint fight for the listener's attention while still keeping the songs tight and enjoyable.)
06: Enslaved - Vertebrae (Indie Recordings) (A pleasant listen, with fantastic riffs and their strongest vocal performance to date. Whether they're at their most subdued, busy progging out or compelling you to throw up the horns, everything Enslaved does on Vertebrae is very engaging.) 07: Gojira - The Way of All Flesh (Listenable) (The Way of All Flesh is a standout album in more ways than one. For starters, it's a great record. It is also quite unique, not only from other releases, but from song to song; there's a lot of stuff going on here, most of which is rather interesting.) 08: Ayreon - 01011001 (InsideOut Music) (Arjen's Ayreon projects are always worth a listen just for the sheer spectacle of it. 01011001 pales in comparison with earlier works both musically and lyrically, but is still a good album.)
10: Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation - Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation (Bizarre Leprous Productions) (Not the strongest release of the year, but I still get a kick out of it even after countless play-throughs. Super-fun grind.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY CHERIE:
01: Caïna - Temporary Antennae (Profound Lore) (This album is a great mixture of black metal and post-rock. Low-tempo clean guitars and keys create a relaxing and unique atmosphere.)
02: Cor Scorpii - Monument (Descent Productions) (This is the closest approximation to the sound Windir created, and even has some former members of the band.)
03: Amethystium - Isabliss (Neurodisc Records) (Amethystium puts forth yet another beautiful ambient album, continuing their sound of soft, melodic atmospheres with a unique new age feel.)
04: Daylight Dies - Lost To The Living (Candlelight Records) (Yet another crushing, yet beautiful album from Daylight Dies; nothing less than what I've come to expect.) 05: Agalloch - The White (Vendlus Records) (The White is yet another great neo-folk album from Agalloch. It combines influences from bands like Death in June, Current 92, Sol Invictus, as well as the movie "The Wicker Man".)
06: Mourning Beloveth - A Disease for the Ages (Grau Records) (Much like Shape of Despair, Mourning Beloveth rely on crushing rhythms and atmosphere coupled with a sense of sadness and longing. A beautiful and melancholic doom metal album.)
07: Nacthmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Part I (Century Media) (Nachtmystium stray further from the black metal flock with their latest release, incorporating use of 70s prog elements and psychedelic rock.)
08: Akira Yamaoka - Silent Hill V: Homecoming Soundtrack (Konami) (The musical producer and composer of this survival horror genre stands out yet again, making a game more than just a game by creating a unique and chilling atmosphere all its own.)
09: The Fall of Every Season - From Below (Aftermath Music) (One-man-band Marius Strand produces an album that is nearly startling in the sheer pain here. This album is a glimpse into an extremely personal sadness. Combining doom, progressive, and death metal, it alternates between soft and gentle to pure brutality.)
10: Krallice - Krallice (Profound Lore) (This album seems to borrow elements heard in Portal's "Outre'" album and 90s black metal bands like Darkthrone. Krallice's use of frantic solos and aggressive tone and riffing make for an overall excellent sound.)
TOP 10 RELEASES FOR YEAR 2008 BY MARTIN:
01: Jeff Loomis - Zero Order Phase(Century Media) (nevermore, with everlasting guitar solo!)
