I've found that whenever I review an annual Top 10 list of mine a few months after the fact, CDs released in the 4th quarter (that I was high on in January) tend to slide down the list a bit. So I figured, why not give everything six months to settle? And since I find the number 10 to be a completely arbitrary number to which to confine a list, here is my Top 13 of 2006.
Amon Amarth With Oden on our Side - hands down the best Death Metal band on the planet. Their ability to blend melody and brutality is simply stunning.
Zero Hour Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond - it seems Prog Metal is such a rare thing. Most "Prog Metal" acts are actually either Prog Rock or Math Metal. Zero Hour owns this landscape.
Drudkh Blood in our Wells - a return to form. Beautiful, brutal, Burzumesque Black Metal. Not quite as good as Autumn Aurora, but few discs are.
Isis In the Absence of Truth - each of the band's last three proper releases has seen a decrease in aggression. While I prefer Panopticon, this is still an superb release.
Pyramaze The Legend of the Bone Collector - if the debut was a 10/10, than Bone Collector is a 9.997/10.
Vanden Plas Christ 0 - as with the last VP CD, the first half of the disc is spectacular, the last half is a bit dull (comparatively speaking).
Wolves in the Throne Room Diadem Of 12 Stars - awesome USBM. Can't wait to hear what they do next.
Satyricon Now, Diabolical - Black n Roll at its best. In the car, at the gym, this disc just slays.
Wolverine Still - beautiful Prog Rock, with a decidedly Metal ethos. Few bands are capable of building songs from the ground up like Wolverine. (cough, cough, ProgPower IX)
Kiuas Reformation - why Kiuas doesn't get more recognition, I'll never know. If you like Metal, buy this.
Amorphis Eclipse - I played this CD for six weeks. It has since done little but collect dust in my CD rack. That said, few discs hold my attention for six weeks.
Iron Maiden A Matter Of Life And Death - make no mistake, this isn't a nostalgia pick. This is Maiden's best work since 7Soa7S.
Place of Skulls The Black is Never Far - if this disc had more guitar playing like that found on "Lookin' For a Reason", it would have been my disc of the year. Why Victor Griffin didn't take the time to do a two minute solo on every song is beyond comprehension. If you love great, emotive guitar playing, with a distinctively 70s vibe, track this song down.
Zod
Amon Amarth With Oden on our Side - hands down the best Death Metal band on the planet. Their ability to blend melody and brutality is simply stunning.
Zero Hour Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond - it seems Prog Metal is such a rare thing. Most "Prog Metal" acts are actually either Prog Rock or Math Metal. Zero Hour owns this landscape.
Drudkh Blood in our Wells - a return to form. Beautiful, brutal, Burzumesque Black Metal. Not quite as good as Autumn Aurora, but few discs are.
Isis In the Absence of Truth - each of the band's last three proper releases has seen a decrease in aggression. While I prefer Panopticon, this is still an superb release.
Pyramaze The Legend of the Bone Collector - if the debut was a 10/10, than Bone Collector is a 9.997/10.
Vanden Plas Christ 0 - as with the last VP CD, the first half of the disc is spectacular, the last half is a bit dull (comparatively speaking).
Wolves in the Throne Room Diadem Of 12 Stars - awesome USBM. Can't wait to hear what they do next.
Satyricon Now, Diabolical - Black n Roll at its best. In the car, at the gym, this disc just slays.
Wolverine Still - beautiful Prog Rock, with a decidedly Metal ethos. Few bands are capable of building songs from the ground up like Wolverine. (cough, cough, ProgPower IX)
Kiuas Reformation - why Kiuas doesn't get more recognition, I'll never know. If you like Metal, buy this.
Amorphis Eclipse - I played this CD for six weeks. It has since done little but collect dust in my CD rack. That said, few discs hold my attention for six weeks.
Iron Maiden A Matter Of Life And Death - make no mistake, this isn't a nostalgia pick. This is Maiden's best work since 7Soa7S.
Place of Skulls The Black is Never Far - if this disc had more guitar playing like that found on "Lookin' For a Reason", it would have been my disc of the year. Why Victor Griffin didn't take the time to do a two minute solo on every song is beyond comprehension. If you love great, emotive guitar playing, with a distinctively 70s vibe, track this song down.
Zod
