Guests: 5 Members: 0 On this page: 1 Members: 524, Newest: Moc
Poll
Chatbox
You must be logged in to post comments on this site - please either log in or if you are not registered click here to signup
Bato 31 Dec : 15:39 Metal Revolution Staff wishes all its readers, fans, artists and partners a Heavy New Year and see you in 2013 (our 12th anniversary)!
Bato 10 Nov : 08:15 Make sure to read our exclusive brand-new review of this year' annual Aalborg Metal Festival.
Bato 02 Nov : 15:37 Happy Halloween from the ghouls at Metal Revolution!
Bato 05 Sep : 09:24 Check our brand-new interview with Obituary's John Tardy to the right...
Bato 24 Jul : 15:46 Back from holidays and working my ass off again. Make sure to check our latests interviews, reviews and festival coverage.
The following is the list of the best METAL/ROCK releases for 2011 by some of writers at Metal Revolution Webzine. Please do remember this is subjective opinion of ours & it is not open for any form for further discussion. If you want to see our top-release list for 2006 look here, 2007 here 2008 here and 2009 here and the last year's list is available here.
TOP 10 OF 2011 BY BATO:
1.
Machine Head – Unto The Locust (Roadrunner)
Unto The Locust is characterized by truly epic song-writing and every song is strong on its own. I consider Unto the Locust as one of 2011's essential albums where these San Francisco metal giants re-found their lane, and they’re fucking riding it. I’m proud to be a fan of one of the best thrashing bands around.
Each song from The Hunter is a story for itself. With good production, outstanding melodies and awesome vocals, this album is one of the strongest candidates for the album of the year.
With all of the songs are perfectly composed and extremely well-balanced, offering a mixture of soft ballads, depressive and melancholic songs and heavier ones too - Aphotic is one of the best albums I’ve heard this year; portraying the band that is self-confident and highly skilled. Read the review of this album here.
4.
Staind – Staind (Atlantic)
Songs run smoothly keeping the high level throughout the whole album. Production is spot on give in the band certain heaviness, while still keeping the sound clean and balanced. Both song writing and performance are in top and, everything is the way it should be. Staind is one of their least predictable albums. Read the review of this album here.
5.
Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist (Capitol)
The ten songs of album are very good display of this band’s qualities, when it comes to performance and song writing. It is very catchy and smooth, yet short and direct. I simply love this album and can highly recommend it for any true lover of the Rock music.
This two and a half hour double-CD reflects how Iron Maiden continues to create, push boundaries, take risks, and follow their instincts. Forget all about fashion and trends; as this remarkable offering simply shows Maiden doing what Maiden does best – Metal! Read the review of this album here.
7.
Opeth - Heritage (Roadrunner Records)
Opeth has been known to experiment with their sound in the past, and they were good at it. With their latest 2011-album, Heritage, Opeth has once again stepped away from a traditional death metal, but crafts a more mystical and folk-laden sound than its predecessor. Thus, Heritage satisfies a reflective mood and progressive taste, and Opeth carries it out with the expected musical skill and brilliance that they have always been known for.
8.
KRV – Ograma (Zero Budget Productions)
Krv (Bosnian for ‘Blood’) is one of the rare black metal bands coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ograma is the title for the latest offering by a Bosnian black metal outfit; Krv. The opus is very strong and raw album which contains two different materials; firstly newly recorded Ograma with its ten tracks and U Kamenom Grobu, a 5-tracker EP from 2004. This shit is crazy, ambient and atmospheric. Read the review of this album here.
9.
Megadeth – Th1rt3en (Roadrunner)
Maybe not the best Megadeth album ever, but definitely one worth of your attention because it is basically ‘back to roots album’ and with a great balance, technicality and excellent song-writing.
Not an ordinary album but rather a collection of their best hits. Almost 14 years since its formation German’s most notorious metal outfit released this double CD as a career retrospective. Made in Germany 1995–2011, contains a ‘best of album’ and ‘best of remixes’.
Musical approach is somewhat simpler than that on Crack The Skye, at least there aren't long songs there and prog approach to songwriting is not as present. However Mastodon's music is, if possible, even more challenging. The Hunter is in its own right just as spectacular album as its predecessor.
Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist (Capitol)
The ten songs on the album are very good display of this band’s qualities, when it comes to performance and songwriting. Songs flow with ease and they are catchy from the first spin, but arrangements and textures of soundscapes keep surprising you with each new spin of the record. The Great Escape Artist was worth a wait and while it’s not as revolutionary as Ritual De Lo Habitual, in many ways it’s just as good an album.
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events (Roadrunner)
Mike Portnoy's departure was a kick band needed. After couple of weaker albums the band is back with a fresh and vital progressive metal album, their strongest in many years.
Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen have created their best album to date. The focus is on the very core of the songwriting, with some interesting musical textures making the musical experience even more pleasurable.
5.
Leprous - Bilateral (InsideOut)
Leprous music is mixture of just about anything that has been going on in rock/metal genre over last 4 decades. The best thing about this album is that none of the countless inspirations seem forced, calculated or futile – no, they just feel creative and genuine. Bilateral as a jaw dropping musical ride full of passion delivered by the band who knows how to keep that simple gist of the music, no matter how complex the material.
Wilson’s second studio album proved that Willson is one of the most important and most productive musician of past decade. The albums diversity, atmosphere and songwriting make this album even better than its predecessor.
7.
Insomnium – One For Sorrow (EMI/Century Media)
The feel of total control is overwhelming, but the beauty of it is that it never overshadows the absolute blistering force of energy and gorgeous atmosphere. No, it rather serves as a tool for accomplishing the two.
Anthrax have delivered another good album, but with more Anthrax identity in the sound this album could have been even better. On all the other levels this is very much so an Anthrax album and it's positive to see that The Big 4 success didn't make the band turn their heads on Bush era. Worship Music is a great representation of Anthrax's three decades long career.
Unto The Locust is another strong release from Bay Area thrashers. It might not be among their best albums, but it’s still a very good record. If only they could’ve left out that hideous album closer, “Who We Are”. Read the review of this album here.
10.
Man-Eating Tree – Harvest (Century Media)
Throughout the whole album there is a depth and emotion to each song yet The Man-Eating Tree make it sound effortless and that is such a statement of this band’s qualities and potential.
