with '06 more than hlaf over, what are yur fav CDs this year (so far)?

SoundMaster

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I expect the remainder of the year to totally kill, with new releases from Motorhead, Slayer, Maiden, My Dying Bride, Oliva's Pain. Anathema, etc.

But, the first half jas kicked ass, as well:

1) Celtic Frost - Monotheist.
Never could I have imagined it would have been this good. Easily the best of all the 'reunion' albums, IMO.

2) Glenn Hughes - Music For The Divine
Once again, Glenn proves why he's the most talented songwriter and vocalist that no one's ever heard of. Stellar release.

3) Katatonia - The Cold
Another band that totally slays that no one's aware of.....the latest Katatonia continues their decade of dominance.

4) Rainbow - Live 1977
Although it's not a 'new' album, this gem proves why the Blackmore/Dio/Powell lineup was one of metal's all-time best. Awesome sound/mix. If you've have the other live Rainbow releases, you STILL need to pick this one up.

5) David Gilmour - On An Island
It's a shame he only releases records once a decade. This record picks up where "Division Bell" left off....only it's more mellow. Awesome.
 
My top five is pretty solid right now, mostly because nothing new has come out in recent months to even flirt with these awesome releases.

1) Devin Townsend - Synchestra (I don't know if anyone is going to top this monster of an album, maybe Jon Oliva's Pain.)

2) Benedictum - Uncreation (Now this is how you play OLD SCHOOL metal in the next century)

3) Rage - Speak of the Dead (Consistent as always)

4) Vanden Plas - ChristO (Bryant's constant harping makes me keep putting this album back in, hence it scores high on my list)

5) Queensryche - OM2 (I know most people didn't like this album, but I think it kicks ass. Not as heavy as I'd hoped, but still a great listen)

That's my top five, although Winter's Bane is threatening to break in, along with Rebel Meets Rebel.
 
The Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
Strapping Young Lad - The New Black (though definitely not their best)
OSI - Free (I can't get enough of this album. Amazing project.)
 
From what I got so far, of course I'm expecting Sabaton, Blind Guardian, Meliah Rage, Time Requiem, Motorhead, Riot, Derek Sherinian, etc. And although I have listened to some of them I don't count them until I have the CD in my hands :D, and of course some shuffling may or will come later.


Metal

1. Pharaoh – “The Longest Night”
2. Abandoned – “Thrash Notes”
3. Tipton, Entwistle & Powell – “Edge Of The World”
4. Jorn - "The Duke
5. Manigance – “L’Ombre Et La Lumière”
6. Majesty – “Hellforces”
7. Venom – “Metal Black”
8. Benedictum – “Uncreation”
9. Black Steel – “Hellhammer”

Rock

1. The Tangent – “A Place In The Queue”
2. Waterclime – “The Astral Factor”
3. The Flower Kings – “Paradox Hotel”
4. Joe Satriani – “Super Colossal”
5. Rick Wakeman – “Retro”
6. Blackmore’s Night – “The Village Lanterne”
 
Benedictum - Uncreation
Beyond Twilight - For the love of art and the making
Beautiful Sin - The unexpected
Celtic Frost - Monotheist
Jorn - The Duke

and looking forward to JOP, Outworld, Slayer, Symphony X (ever ?) and new Riot !!
 
So far this year and i haven't had a chance to get too many cds.
Neuraxis-Trilateral Progression, Truth Beyond...
Between The Buried And Me-Alaska, Anatomy OF...., The Silent Circus and S/T
Opeth-Ghost Reveries
MercyKill-Throw The Switch
Amongst The Swarm-demo
thats pretty much about it.
 
SoundMaster said:
I expect the remainder of the year to totally kill, with new releases from Motorhead, Slayer, Maiden, My Dying Bride, Oliva's Pain. Anathema, etc.

But, the first half jas kicked ass, as well:

1) Celtic Frost - Monotheist.
Never could I have imagined it would have been this good. Easily the best of all the 'reunion' albums, IMO.

2) Glenn Hughes - Music For The Divine
Once again, Glenn proves why he's the most talented songwriter and vocalist that no one's ever heard of. Stellar release.

3) Katatonia - The Cold
Another band that totally slays that no one's aware of.....the latest Katatonia continues their decade of dominance.

4) Rainbow - Live 1977
Although it's not a 'new' album, this gem proves why the Blackmore/Dio/Powell lineup was one of metal's all-time best. Awesome sound/mix. If you've have the other live Rainbow releases, you STILL need to pick this one up.

5) David Gilmour - On An Island
It's a shame he only releases records once a decade. This record picks up where "Division Bell" left off....only it's more mellow. Awesome.

Can you give more details on the new Celtic Frost album?

So far, "Organic Hallucinosis" by Decapitated is pretty good. I havent bought many other albums released this year.
 
1. Celtic Frost - Monotheist (hands down, favorite of the year so far)
2. Enslaved - Ruun
3. Vanden Plas - Christ O
4. Tool - 10,000 Days
5. Queensryche - OM2

I expect the Queensryche to drop off the list by the end of the year, but maybe not.
I'm expecting good things from:
The new Maiden
The new Motorhead
The new Mars Volta
...a few I'm forgetting.
OH, and I don't have the Glenn Hughes yet. I really liked the last Voivod too, so the new one could be good....

A great year so far, as I consider Monotheist to be close to the "classic" category (time will tell), and the Vanden Plas and Enslaved are both pretty much there as well. Again, time will sort that out....
 
1. Vanden Plas - Christ 0
2. Red Circuit - Trance State
3. Benedictum - Uncreation
4. Beautiful Sin - The Unexpected
5. Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress
6. Mercenary - The Hours That Remain
7. Communic - Waves of Visiual Decay
8. Firewind -- Allegiance

I realize a few of those haven't been released yet, but they're so good that they've already made my tops for the year.
 
MURAI said:
Can you give more details on the new Celtic Frost album?

.

Sure. It's honestly a fair mix of their first three releases (Morbid, Therion and Pandemonium). It's got the familiar TG Warrior grunts, but also some of the clean, morbid singing introduced on 'Pandemonium'. It also features some background female 'chanting', for lack of a better word.

The production is AWESOME. Simply stated, had "To Mega Therion" been recorded in the 21st century, this is exactly as it would sound!!

It's, all at once brutal, beautiful, avant garde, and darker than f*ck. THIS is darker than any so-called black metal release you've ever heard.
It never sounds phony like so much supposed dark, extreme metal does.

You can feel the dark heart of messers. Warrior and Ain.

Album of the year, hands down.
 
Vanden Plas
Benedictum
QR
Adagio - Dominate (might be very late '05, but I think it was released in the US in '06)
Eidolon - The Parallel Otherworld
Rage

rock/non-metal:
Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat
 
SoundMaster said:
I have the release with Jorn supplying vocals and feel that it's easily one of the best records released this decade. It's probably my fav Jorn vocal performance.

How does this record and vocalist compare?

I have their older CD's in my listening list, haven't come to them yet, so I'll have to come back to that later... Even didn't know Jorn was singing on an earlier CD, have to check that out :)
 
I've only heard a handful of 2006 releases but Evergrey's Monday Morning Apocalypse is by far the best. It's getting a lot of shit everywhere but IMO it's one of their best, if not the best.

The new Rage was ok. Some great songs and a bunch of fillers, as usual in the case of this band. The thing with Rage is that they're consistent in making inconsistent albums. There's great songs scattered throughout their career, but they've only hit the bullseye twice IMO, with Trapped and Unity.

My most anticipated albums are coming in the second half of 2006 though. Maiden, Blind Guardian, Falconer, Vicious Rumors, Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle etc. I'll get back to you in January.:)
 
SoundMaster said:
How does it compare to the awesome debut?

Personally, I think it's slightly better. I think it's more cohesive and flows better. They didn't mess with their sound or style at all, just polished things up a bit. I like 'em both quite a bit.
 
Trans-Siberian Outcast said:
4) Vanden Plas - ChristO (Bryant's constant harping makes me keep putting this album back in, hence it scores high on my list)

Ha ha ha stop lying. If not for pride, I think you might bump it up a notch or two. >:p~ You know it rocks !! Anyway, this release seems to be well represented. I am proud as I certainly am unashamedly the uber Vanden Plas fanboy of UMOS. I will hold off on my top five due to just getting the new Leatherwolf. This could break my top five. I am digging it.


Bryant