Steve's Top 10 (And more) for 2005

[DarkOne]

Hi guys. It is nearing the end of the year, so it is time for the rush of "Top Whatever Albums of the Year" lists to flow. Far be it from me to avoid the trend. For your reading pleasure (or for you to ignore):

These are my favorite albums of the year, somewhat in order. It is hard for me to rank an album of one genre above another of a different genre, but I at least was able to separate them into sections.

Top Five Albums
Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls - No new ground broken, but just an overall great album
Kamelot - Black Halo - One of their best
Redemption - The Fullness of Time - I liked the first. This one blows it away
Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution - Can someone say "solid"? I knew you could.
Circus Maximus - 1st Chapter - Made even better by seeing them live. Awesome harmonies.

Next Five - Still great
Labyrinth - Freeman - Best since 'Heaven Denied'. Very catchy
Shadow Gallery - Room V - A little soft at times, but overall an excellent CD
Avian - From the Depths of Time - As good as Pyramaze
Savage Circus - Dreamland Manor - Cheesy? A little, but a return to the best of Blind Guardian
Arena - Pepper's Ghost - Catchy prog band that just hit me the right way.

Five very good albums that I wanted to like more:

Circle II Circle - The Middle of Nowhere - HUGE Savatage fan, liked the first CIIC, but this is just a little redundant.
Demons and Wizards - Touched By the Crimson King - Some great songs here, but also some filler.
Lana Lane - Lady MacBeth - I'm a big fan. Were it a little heavier, it would have been a top 5. Better than her last.
Masterplan - Aeronautics - See CIIC. Good, but redundant.
Falconer - Grime vs Grandeur - I really like this band, but am so glad the original singer is back now.

Five others under consideration -
Allen-Lande - The Battle - Panned by many, but I find it a good rock album
Nevermore - Godless Endeavor - The first Nevermore I've really liked.
Stride - Imagine - A little prog heavy at time.
Spheric Universe Experience - Mental Torments - Really like it, but need to digest it more.
Starbreaker - Starbreaker - Big Tony Harnell fan, and this is a good example why.

Thanks for listening.

Steve in Philly

 

[General Zod]

Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution - Can someone say "solid"? I knew you could.

I can say "solid", but "solid" doesn't make my Top 5. Personally, i thought this was their best in a while, but was still pretty weak.

Overall, a very eclectic list. Thanks for posting it. I always like reading these. Happy holidays.

Zod

 

[J-Man]

TOP 10
KAMELOT - The Black Halo
CIRCUS MAXIMUS - The 1st Chapter
SCAR SYMMETRY - Symmetry in Design
STRIDE - Imagine
FREAK KITCHEN - Organic
MINDFLOW - Just the Two of us...me and Them
AVIAN - The Depths of Time
ZERO HOUR - A Fragil Mind
SHINING STAR - Enter Eternity
ASCENION THEORY - Regeneration

There are a lot more from 2005 i have but i just haven't had the time to listen to them, plus i have (new to me) about 15 from 2002 - 2005 that i havent spun yet so i am a little behind.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, and i really mean it.

John

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Good list, Steve. Suprisingly though only six of those you mentioned made my top 30, although I liked a good number that you mentioned. I did listen to an absolute ton of cd's this year so I had a huge list to choose from. I'll probably post my list and thoughts here the next day or two. If you think about it post your list at Rmaq and maybe we can get some chatter going over there.

Britt

 

[General Zod]

Suprisingly though only six of those you mentioned made my top 30, although I liked a good number that you mentioned.

Yeah, I think Steve is missing out on some quality stuff. Given what I can discern about his tastes, from his various posts, there's a lot of quality stuff his list is missing.

Zod

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Yeah, I think Steve is missing out on some quality stuff. Given what I can discern about his tastes, from his various posts, there's a lot of quality stuff his list is missing.

Zod

I have now posted my list at PM:X, Rising, and RMAQ. I think I'm going to post it hear as well, but it is very long. Anyway, make sure to check it out when you get a chance at one of those locales.

Britt

 

[DarkOne]

Yeah, I think Steve is missing out on some quality stuff. Given what I can discern about his tastes, from his various posts, there's a lot of quality stuff his list is missing.

Zod

I'm always willing to be enlightened! Feel free to lay it on me.

Steve in Philly

 

[Andy Laudano]

Here is my Top 10 list for the year. My tastes usually lean to the power metal side, but this year there were a lot of really great melodic rock albums as well.

Brainstorm - Liquid Monster: Far and away the best power metal album of the year

Jorn Lande/Russell Allen - The Battle: Two of the best voices in metal, blended to perfection

Joe Lynn Turner - The Usual Suspects: Great old school hard rock, JLT's still got it and Al Pitrelli smokes on guitar

Gotthard - Lipservice: I can't believe I just discovered this band this year! Awesome hard rock album

Place Vendome - Place Vendome: Killer melodic rock album from Michael Kiske (say what you want about him personally, the guy can SING!) with a backing band consisting of Dennis Ward, Alfred Koffler, Kosta Zafiriou and Uwe Reitenauer from Pink Cream 69 and Vanden Plas' Gunter Verno

Circle II Circle - The Middle of Nowhere: I loved the first album and I really like this one too. Zak is one of my favorite vocallists

Freedom Call - The Circle of Life: Freedom Call takes their music to the next level with this fantastic album

Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter: By far the best progressive metal album I've heard all year

HammerFall - Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken - Cheesey power metal at it's best (could have done without the last song though)

Fozzy - All That Remains: OK, stop laughing! This really is a suprisingly good heavy metal album!

Other albums I've enjoyed this year, in no particular order ...

Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls
Demons & Wizards - Touched By the Crimson King
Stride - Imagine
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Thunderstone - Tools of Destruction
FireWind - Forged By Fire
Stratovarius - Stratovarius
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy
Jon Oliva's Pain - Tage Mahall

and a bunch more I'm sure to remember as soon as I hit the "submit reply" key!

 

[General Zod]

Here is my Top 10 list for the year. My tastes usually lean to the power metal side, but this year there were a lot of really great melodic rock albums as well.

It's funny; I'm a big fan of Power Metal as well. However, our tastes, withing the genre, couldn't be more different.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Freedom Call - The Circle of Life: Freedom Call takes their music to the next level with this fantastic album

Dude, you CAN'T be serious with this. I'm honestly the biggest FC fan I know (they were a huge reason I flew to Wacken to see them in 2003), and this last album is so god-awful, I'm ashamed for them, in addition to being severely disappointed that they would release such a bad album.

Crystal Empire it is not.

 

[General Zod]

Crystal Empire it is not.

Curious. Think I'll download it.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Greg, Crystal Empire is one of my VERY few 10/10 BUY OR DIE albums in the power metal world. Might be a bit too Euro-happy for you, though.

Want me to make it available?

 

[Ruthven]

SCAR SYMMETRY - Symmetry in Design

Great choice - I just picked that album up yesterday, and its landed on my top 10 list already. Excellent band; if I had to describe them, I'd liken them to a cross between "Awake"-period Dream Theater and Soilwork's "Natural Born Chaos."

 

[Andy Laudano]

Dude, you CAN'T be serious with this. I'm honestly the biggest FC fan I know (they were a huge reason I flew to Wacken to see them in 2003), and this last album is so god-awful, I'm ashamed for them, in addition to being severely disappointed that they would release such a bad album.

Crystal Empire it is not.

We'll have to agree to disagree, cuz I dont think it was a bad album at all. Maybe it's because I discovered them with Circle of Life so I had no pre-concieved ideas of how they should sound. I heard Circle of Life and liked quite a few songs on it right off, especially "Starlight." Then I went back and got Eternity and Live Invasion and they were all right but I still liked the songs on Circle of Life better. I also liked the fact that it wasn't a concept album like their previous albums (nothing wrong with concept albums, but a band doesnt have to do one every album) and they tried some differant things with their sound. I personally think it's a step in the right direction, but I can definitely see why a lot of long time Freedom Call fans hate it.

 

[Andy Laudano]

It's funny; I'm a big fan of Power Metal as well. However, our tastes, withing the genre, couldn't be more different.

Zod

That's the great thing about metal music - always something for everyone! What are some of your favorites from this year? I'm always willing to listen and learn.

Overall I'm not very picky when it comes to power metal. I'm not looking for someone to reinvent the wheel. I like clean vocals, loud guitars, strong melody, lots of hooks and nice catchy chorus that I can sing along (badly) to in my car.

 

[PowerFreak]

Fozzy - All That Remains: OK, stop laughing! This really is a suprisingly good heavy metal album!
quote]

Not laughing at all as this one is probably cracking my Top 5. I've listened to this album, Redemption, Circus Maximus and Disturbed the most this year and probably listened to the song 'Enemy' more than any single song all year.

Seriously good stuff that would surprise a lot of people if they gave it chance.

Zilla

 

[General Zod]

That's the great thing about metal music - always something for everyone!

Exactly.

What are some of your favorites from this year? I'm always willing to listen and learn.

Not all of these are quote unquote Power Metal, but CDs that seem like they'd fit within what you like:

Avian - From the Depths of Time... the vocalist is Lance King (Pyramaze, Balance of Power). Melodic Rock/Power Metal.

Dead Soul Tribe - The Dead Word... similar to Tool, but with much more straight ahead songs, and a more Metal vibe to it.

Grand Magnus - Wolf's Return... classic Metal with hints of Power and Doom. Superb vocals.

Lanfear - aNother gOlden rAge... thrashy Power Metal, with hints of Prog. Wouldn't be surprised if these guys were eventually at ProgPower.

Mystic Prophesy - Neverending... more thrashy Power Metal, but more melodic than Lanfear. Another great fit for the ProgPower crowd.

Redemption - The Fullness of Time... equal parts Power and Prog. Ray Alder on vocals. Awesome music.

Spheric Universe Experience - Mental Torments... think Vanden Plas, but a bit more Proggy and with Melodic Rock leanings.

Symphorce - Godspeed... Andy's other band. If you love Brainstorm, I'm shocked this wasn;t in your list.

Zod

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

We'll have to agree to disagree, cuz I dont think it was a bad album at all. Maybe it's because I discovered them with Circle of Life so I had no pre-concieved ideas of how they should sound. I heard Circle of Life and liked quite a few songs on it right off, especially "Starlight." Then I went back and got Eternity and Live Invasion and they were all right but I still liked the songs on Circle of Life better. I also liked the fact that it wasn't a concept album like their previous albums (nothing wrong with concept albums, but a band doesnt have to do one every album) and they tried some differant things with their sound. I personally think it's a step in the right direction, but I can definitely see why a lot of long time Freedom Call fans hate it.

Alright then, I can see how it might be well-received by you since it's the first Freedom Call album you've heard. But put it this way, after 3 great, great records ("Stairway to Fairyland," "Crystal Empire," and "Eternity"), this album is just poop.

You really should go back and get all of them, and give more listens to "Eternity," it's got such better songwriting than this last one.

 

[Andy Laudano]

Exactly.

Not all of these are quote unquote Power Metal, but CDs that seem like they'd fit within what you like:

Avian - From the Depths of Time... the vocalist is Lance King (Pyramaze, Balance of Power). Melodic Rock/Power Metal.

Dead Soul Tribe - The Dead Word... similar to Tool, but with much more straight ahead songs, and a more Metal vibe to it.

Grand Magnus - Wolf's Return... classic Metal with hints of Power and Doom. Superb vocals.

Lanfear - aNother gOlden rAge... thrashy Power Metal, with hints of Prog. Wouldn't be surprised if these guys were eventually at ProgPower.

Mystic Prophesy - Neverending... more thrashy Power Metal, but more melodic than Lanfear. Another great fit for the ProgPower crowd.

Redemption - The Fullness of Time... equal parts Power and Prog. Ray Alder on vocals. Awesome music.

Spheric Universe Experience - Mental Torments... think Vanden Plas, but a bit more Proggy and with Melodic Rock leanings.

Symphorce - Godspeed... Andy's other band. If you love Brainstorm, I'm shocked this wasn;t in your list.

Zod

Hey Zod!

Thanks for your list!

I already have Avian. I love Lance Kings voice! Balance of Power's Perfect Balance is one of my all time favorites.

I also have Symphorce's Godspeed. I really liked the song "Nowhere" a lot but when I got the CD it was good and heavy but the other songs just didn't seem to grab me the way that one did. Overall I just really seem to like Brainstorm better. I loved Liquid Monster, especially "All Those Words," "Inside the Monster," "Worlds Are Comin Through" and "Heavenly." I'll give Godspeed a few more spins.

I've been meaning to check out Mystic Prophecy cuz I'm a big fan of Gus G. Talented guitarist and a real nice guy. I got to interview him when he was on tour with Arch Enemy. I'm already a big fan of his other bands FireWind and Dream Evil (which he's no longer with).

I've been meaning to pick up the new Redemption, I've heard good things about it. I'll have to give the others a try too now. Thanks for the list!

 

[Imagikafan]

All of these discs are excellent...

1. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
2. Kamelot - The Black Halo
3. Scar Symmetry - Symmetric In Design
4. Paradise Lost - Paradise Lost
5. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
6. Imagika - Devils On Both Sides
7. Perzonal War - When Times Turn Red
8. Soilwork - Stabbing The Drama
9. Opeth - Ghost Reveries
10. Kreator - Enemy Of God
11. Morgana Lefay - Grand Materia
12. Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny Of Souls
13. Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine
14. Rob Rock - Holy Hell
15. Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion