Kevin's Top 10 of 2011

Yes, I'm bringing up the rear of this year's "Best of Lists".

My methodology is relatively simple.  I look at what I listened to the most this year and played on the show.  I understand that this means that albums released earlier in the year will tend to rank higher, but if a late stellar release was out there, it would rise to the top.

So get ready and here we go!

1.  The Bronx Casket Co. - Antihero (Entertainment One Music)

The fourth album from Overkill's D.D. Verni and Seven Witches' Jack Frost was just plain fun.  Released in March, it was an album that I kept coming back to again and agian.

2.  Taletellers - Radicalizer (Metalville)


I'll be honest, I knew nothing of this band until I received this, their second album.  As soon as I heard the track Mary Anne, I was hooked.  Some say their sound is reminiscent of Priest circa British Steel.  I say that's only possible if they ran head on into Dokken.  Some have written it off as derivative, but again it's a FUN listen.

3.  Necros Christos - Doom of the Occult (Sepulchural Voice)

I don't know if I've ever chosen a pure Death Metal act this high.  Why?  Probably the production.  This is clear as a bell and I like it.  Dense, thick, and while a long listen, I can actually say I listened  to this from start to finish, more than once.

4.  Anthrax - Worship Music (Megaforce)


I admit, I'm an Anthrax fan.  They have always been one of my top four bands.  The return of Belladonna  could have been a back for the cash grab, but turned out to be a great return to the fold.  Now if they can just keep the line up solid, and stop some of the back biting that has hurt this band in the past, maybe we can keep Scot Ian off the TV, and back onstage.


5.  Children of Bodom - Relentless, Reckless Forever (Spinefarm)


Living up to your past is never fun, and since Hate Crew Deathroll people have made it their hobby to piss all over CoB.  Why?  They're fun, they don't take themselves too seriously and yeah, they don't have lyrical depth... But with album number seven, those who have been waiting for Hate Crew II, you may not be totally satisfied but you can lay off a little now.


6.  Galgamex - Galgamex (Self Released)


My highest ranking Canadian band this year, why?  One, when you think Deathgrind, you don't think Vangroovy.  Two, any album that at the end of listening makes you ask, "Is that all, I want more!" is a good album.  I still have to see them live, I'm hoping that will happen in 2012.

7.  Obscura - Omnivium (Relapse)


I'm not the guy to beat the Technical Death Metal drum to loudly, but damn, if there was ever a band to pick up the mantle from the late Chuck Schuldiner and his legacy...


8.  Amon Amarth - Sutur Rising (Metal Blade)


This is probably another case of an album benefiting from an early release date.  It's not their strongest ever release but there is something there that keeps you going back to it for a good dose of Viking Metal!


9.  Scythia - ...of Exile (Self Released)


I looked forward to this release from Vancouver's Scythia to continue the trilogy started back on ...of War.  With its combination of Folk, Pagan and Progressive sounds and the use of a non traditional metal instrument (oboe) it never grates on the nerves like some folk metal can.  A good roller coaster of a ride, I eagerly await the end of the tale.


10.  Famous Underground - Famous Underground (Babylon Music Group)


I will admit to knowing Nick Walsh for a very long time.  Most notably, as the lead singer of Slik Toxik, whom I met back in 1991 down in Los Angeles.  Nick should write a book on how to survive the music industry (hint, hint - I know a writer...) and he has come back with a group that reinvigorates Canadian Hard Rock and he just may be  the man to win the first Hard Rock Juno and the first Metal/Hard Music Juno, some twenty years later...


You may not agree with these choice, they are simply a reflection of the bands and albums that I just happened to go back to for my Metal dose in 2011.


Here's to a great 2012 and more great music!


Kevin

2011 TOP TEN

A few weeks back Kevin had suggested I try compiling my Year-End lists by sub-genre, which I thought might be fun. I also decided to give you a little insight into how I categorize albums and so on. I know most people don’t really care but for what it is worth here are my various year-end lists.

Top 100 (Listed Alphabetically) Of the over 900 albums I enjoyed this year, a top 100 doesn’t seem unreasonable!  They are the best of the best, the Top 10%.    A whopping  25% of the bands that made the cut this year were brand new bands! (*= their debut album)

Absolute Power - Absolute Power (Feto)*

Amaranthe - Amaranthe (Spinefarm)*

Arachnes - A New Day (Lion)

Attick Demons - Atlantis (Pure Steel)*

Axenstar - Aftermath (Icewarrior)

Bloodbound - Unholy (AFM)

Brainstorm - On The Spur Of The Moment (AFM)

Burning Starr - Land Of The Dead (Limb)

Cage - Supremacy of Steel (MTM)

Cauldron - Burning Fortune (Earache)

Conflicted - Never Be Tamed (Nightmare)*

Crylord - Blood Of The Prophets (Lion)*

Crystal Viper - Legends (AFM)

Divinefire - Eye Of The Storm (Rivel)

Dr. Sin - Animal (Dynamo)

Dragonland - Under The Grey Banner (AFM)

Dragon Guardian - Destiny Of The Sacred Kingdom (Indie)

Dreamtale - Epsilon (Motley)

Eagleheart - Dreamtherapy (Scarlet)

Echoterra - Land Of The Midnight Sun (Blinding Force)

Edguy - Age Of The Joker (Nuclear Blast)

Eldritch - Gaia’s Legacy (Scarlet)

Else - Deathstrike (Shadowxvz)*

Epysode - Obsessions (AFM)*

Enbound - And She Says Gold (Inner Wound)*

Evenstorm - The Return Of The Storm (Indie)

Evergrey - Glorious Collision (SPV)

Exxplorer - Vengeance Rides Angry Horse (Pure Steel)

Falconer - Armod (Metal Blade)

Fireforce - March On (7Hard)*

Fullforce - One (SPV)*

Golden Resurrection - Man With A Mission (Liljgren)

Hammerfall - Infected (Nuclear Blast)

Hell - Human Remains (Nuclear Blast)*

Holy Force - Holy Force (Music By Mail)*

Hunted - Welcome The Dead (Indie)*

Iced Earth - Dystopia (Century Media)

Ilium - Genetic Memory (Escape)

Imperia - Secret Passion (Massacre)

Infinity - Existence (Indie)

Infinity Overture - The Infinity Overture Part 1 (Lion)

Instanzia - Ghosts (Metalodic)*

Intense - The Shape Of Rage (Pure Legend)

Iron Mask - Black As Death (AFM)

Iron Savior - The Landing (AFM)

Jag Panzer - The Scourge Of the Light (SPV)

Kaktus - Superstition (Metalodic)*

Leave’s Eyes - Meredead (Napalm)

Lord Volture - Never Cry Wolf (Indie)

Lorenguard - Eve Of Corruption (Indie) *

Love Might Kill - Brace for Impact (Massacre)*

Mastercastle - Dangerous Diamonds (Lion)

Max Pie - Initial Process (Ultimhate)

Meanstreak - Declaration Of War (Black Lodge)

Meliah Rage - Dead To The World (Metal On Metal)

Mistheria - Dragonsfire (Lion)

Myrath - Tales Of The Sand (XIII)

Mystic Prophecy - Ravenlord (Massacre)

Nightwish - Imaginaerum (Nuclear Blast)

Oliver Weers - Evil’sBack (Metal Heavens)

Overdrive - Angelmaker (Lion)

Oz - Burning Leather (AFM)

Pagans Mind - Heavenly Ecstacty (SPV)

Pegazus - In Metal We Trust (Indie)

Powerquest - Blood alliance (Napalm)

Powerwolf - Blood Of The Saints (Metal Blade)

Portrait - Crimen Laesae Majestitas Divinae (Metal Blade)

Redemption - This Mortal Coil (Insideout)

Reinxeed - 1912 (Liljgren)

Rhapsody - From Chaos To Eternity (Nuclear Blast)

Riot - Immortal Soul (SPV)

Royal Hunt - Show Me how to Live (Frontiers)

Saxon - Call to Arms (SPV)

Scarlatyna - Til The End (Pure Underground)*

Sequester - Shaping Life And Soul (Indie)

Serenity - Death & Legacy (Napalm)

Seven - Freedom Call (Nuclear Blast)

Seven Witches - Call upon The Wicked (Massacre)

Skanners - Factory Of Steel (SAOL)

Skullfist - Head Of The Pack (Noiseart)*

Solar Fragment - In Our Hands (AFM)

StormWarrior - Heathen Warrior (Massacre)

Stormzone - Zero To Rage (SPV)

Stratovarius - Elysium (Armoury)

Symaka - Majestic 12: Open Files (Fantalzic)*

Symfonia - Paradisum (Armoury)*

Symphony X - Iconoclast (Nuclear Blast)

Taberah - The Light Of Which I Dream (Rusty Axe)

Theocracy - As The World Bleeds (Ulterium)

Twisted Tower Dire - Make It Dark (Cruz Del Sur)

Tyrant Eyes – The Sound Of Persistance (Indie)

U.D.O. - Rev. Raptor (AFM)

Valsans - Sword (Pure Underground)*

Vexillum - The Wandering Notes (My Graveyard) *

Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers (SPV)

Widow - Life’s Blood (Pure Steel)

Wisdom - Judas (Soundholic)

Wishdoom - Heliopolis (Metal On Metal)*

Wizard - Of Wariwolves And Blutowarves (Massacre)

Wolfpakk - Wolfpakk (AFM)*

Top 12 Heritage Artists (Formed mid-80’s or earlier) (Alphabetically)

Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare (Universal)

Anvil - Juggernaut Of Justice (SPV)

Burning Starr - Land Of The Dead (Limb)

Jag Panzer - Scourge Of The Light (SPV)

Magnum - The Visitation (SPV)

Overdrive - Angelmaker (Lion)

Oz - Burning Leather (AFM)

Riot - Immortal Soul (SPV)

Saxon - Call To Arms (SPV)

Skanners - Factory Of Steel (SAOL)

U.D.O. - Rev. Raptor (AFM)

Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers (SPV)

Top 12 Debut Albums (Alphabetically)

Absolute Power - Absolute Power (Feto)

Crylord - Blood Of The Prophets (Lion)

Fireforce - March On (7Hard)

Fullforce - One (SPV)

Instanzia - Ghosts (Metalodic)

Hell - Human Remains (Nuclear Blast)

Holy Force - Holy Force (Music By Mail)

Lorenguard - Eve Of Corruption (Indie)

Skullfist - Head Of The Pack (Noiseart)

Symfonia - Paradisum (Armoury)

Vexillum - The Wandering Notes (My Graveyard)

Wishdoom - Heliopolis (Metal On Metal)

Statistical Listen List (Top 20)

These are the albums I listened to the most according to stats tracked by iTunes and by my own records (Yes, I track what I listen to!)

Riot - Immortal Soul (SPV)

Dragon Guardian - Destiny Of The Secret Kingdom (Indie)

Fireforce - March On (7hard)

Necrocomiccon - Hotdog Cart Hunger (Indie)

Reinxeed - 1912 (Liljgren)

Alestorm - Back Through Time (Napalm)

Axel Rudi Pell - The Ballads IV (SPV)

Krampus - Shadows Of Our Time (Indie)

Mistheria - Dragonsfire (Lion)

Anvil - Juggernaut Of Justice (SPV)

Infinity Overture - The Infinity Overture Part One (Lion)

Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers (SPV)

Eagleheart - Dreamtherapy (Scarlet)

Symfonia - Paradisum (Armoury)

Lord Volture - Never Cry Wolf (Indie)

Magnum - The Visitation (SPV)

Pagan’s Mind - Heavenly Ecstasy (SPV)

Solar Fragment - In Our Hands (AFM)

Stratovarius – Elysium (Armoury)

U.D.O. - Rev. Raptor (AFM)

Top 12 by Sub-genre

Riot - Immortal Soul (SPV) (Traditional/Classic)

Nightwish - Imaginaerum (Nuclear Blast) (Gothic)

Visceral Disgorge - Ingesting Putridity (Amputated Vein) (Death)

Plaag - Ugh! (Indie) (Black)

Castle – In Witch Order (Van) (Doom)

Dragon Guardian - Destiny Of The Secret Kingdom (Indie) (Power)

Crashdiet - Generation Wild (Universal) (Glam)

Redemption - This Mortal Coil (Insideout) (Prog)

Alestorm - Back Through Time (Napalm) (Medieval/Viking/Folk/Pagan/Pirate)

House Of Lords - Big Money (Frontiers) (Melodic Metal)

Neils Vejlyt - Sthenic (Lion) (Instrumental Metal Guitar)

Artillery - My Blood (Metal Mind) (Thrash)

Top 10 Misc. (Comedy/Childrens/Covers/Compilations/Remakes/Acoustic)  (Listed Alphabetically)

Gamma Ray - Skeletons & Majesties (Armoury)  (Collection of rarities)

Hevisarus - Rayh! (Universal)  (Children’s Metal)

Kingdom Come - Rendered Waters (SPV) (Re-recordings)

L.A. Guns - Accoustic Gypsy Live (Favoured Nations) (Acoustic, Live)

Necrocomiccon - Hotdog Cart Hunger (Indie) (Comedy covers)

Praying Mantis - Metalmorphosis (Indie)  (Re-recordings)

Reinxeed - Swedish Hitz Goes Metal (Liljgren)  (Cover tunes)

Scorpions - Comeblack (Universal)  (Half covers, half remakes)

Steel Panther - Balls Out (Universal)

Van Canto - Break The Silence (Napalm) (A Cappella Metal!)

Top 6 Live albums (Listed Alphabetically)

Cathedral - Anniversary (Nuclear Blast)

Hypocrisy - Hell Over Sofia (Nuclear Blast)

Sabaton - World War Live (Nuclear Blast)

Slash - Live In Stoke (Armoury)

Sonata Arctica - Live In Finland (Nuclear Blast)

Whitesnake - Live At Donnignton-1990 (Frontiers)

Canadian Top 12 (Listed Alphabetically) 

Anvil - Juggeranut Of Justice (SPV)

Anonymus - Etat Brute (Indie)

Beehler - Messages To The Dead (High Roller)

Blackguard - Firefight (Victory)

Borealis - Fall From Grace (Lion)

Cauldron - Burning Fortune (Earache)

Conflicted - Never Be Tamed (Nightmare)

Instanzia - Ghosts (Metalodic)

Scythia - …Of Exile (Indie)

Sequester - Shaping Life And Soul (Indie)

Skullfist - Head Of The Pack (Noiseart)

Stinger - Manic Depressor (Indie)

Top 10 Black Metal (Listed Alphabetically)

Blodfest - Lejres Fald (Phelgm)

Glorior Belli - The Great Southern Darkness (Metal Blade)

Horde Of Hel - Likdag (Regain)

Iceland - Old Temples Of Pagan Gods (Frenteeuropa)

Kampfar - Mare (Napalm)

Mordhell - Suffer In Hell (Fallen Angel)

Nidingr - Wolf Father (Jester)

Plaag - Ugh! (Indie)

Taake - Noregs Vaapen (Svartekunst)

Thulcandra - Under A Frozen Sun (Napalm)

Top 10 Classic/Traditional Metal (Listed Alphabetically)

Argus - Boldly Stride The Doomed (Cruz Del Sur)

Burning Starr - Land Of The Dead (Limb)

Exxplorer - Vengeance Rides An Angry Horse (Pure Steel)

The Gates Of Slumber - The Wretch (Rise Above)

Heathen Hoof - Rock Crusader (Iron Shield)

Iced Earth - Dystopia (Century Media)

In Solitude - The World. The Flesh. The Devil. (Metal Blade)

Jag Panzer - The Scourge Of The Light (SPV)

Portrait - Crimen Laesae Majestitas Divinae (Metal Blade)

Saxon - Call To Arms (SPV)

Top 10 Death Metal (Listed Alphabetically)

Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime (Severed)

Debauchery - Germany’s Next Death Metal (AFM)

Deceased - Surreal Overdose (Hell’s Headbangers)

Deicide - To Hell With God (Century Media)

Demisery - Hive Of Mutation (Indie)

Exhumed - All Guts, No Glory (Relapse)

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony (Nuclear Blast)

Heamorhage - Hospital Carnage (Relapse)

Visceral Disgorge - Ingesting Putridity (Amputated Vein)

Vomitory - Opus Mortis VIII (Metal Blade)

Top 10 Doom/Stoner (Listed Alphabetically)

Castle - In Witch Order (Van)

Earth - Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light Part I (Southern Lord)

Enth - Enth (Solitude)

Karma To Burn – V (Napalm)

Lake Of Tears - Illwill (AFM)

Nightbitch - Sex And Magic (Indie)

Pentagram - Last Rites (Metal Blade)

Seidr - For Winter Fire (Feinser)

Shooting Guns - Born To Deal In Magic (Indie)

Wizard’s Beard - Pure Filth (Pyschedoomelic)

Top 10 Glam (Listed Alphabetically)

Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare (Universal)

Black Veil Brides - Set The World On Fire (Lava)

Crashdiet - Generation Wild (Universal)

Electric Boyz - And Them Boyz Done Swang (Escape)

Rough Angel - Hear The Angels Rock (Indie)

Sanchez - Run The Streets (Indie)

Sandra Dee - Visions Of Pain (Eonian)

Steel Panther - Balls Out (Universal)

TNA - TNA (Eonian)

Vain - Enough Rope (Frontiers)

Top 10 Gothic (Listed Alphabetically)

Draconian - A Rose For The Apocalypse (Napalm)

Imperia - Secret Passion (Massacre)

Issa - The Storm (Frontiers)

Leaves’ Eyes - Meredead (Napalm)

Nemesea - The Quiet Resistance (Napalm)

Nightwish - Imaginaarum (Nuclear Blast)

Stream Of Passion - Darker Days (Napalm)

Trillium - Alloy (Frontiers)

Visions Of Atlantis - Delta (Napalm)

Within Temptation - The Unforgiving (Roadrunner)

Top 10 Guitar Gods (Listed Alphabetically)

Alexandre Cthulu - Pysche (Indie)

Beto Vazquez (Infinity) - The Infinity Overture Part I (Lion)

Brian Robertson - Diamonds And Dirt (SPV)

Elias Viljanen - Taking The Lead reissue (Lion)

Glen Drover - Metalusion (Magna Carta)

Guido Campiglio - Rumble In The Jungle (ST Records)

Guiseppe Iampieri (aka Mishteria) - Dragonsfire (Lion)

James Byrd - Beyond The Pillars (Lion)

Lars Eric Mattson - Aurora Borealis (Lion)

Niels Vejlyt - Sthenic (Lion)

Top 10 Medieval Metal (Folk/Viking/Pirate/Pagan etc) (Listed Alphabetically)

Alestorm - Back Through Time (Napalm)

Arkona - Slovo (Napalm)

Cruachan - Blood On The Black Robe (Candlelight)

Meads of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew (Candlelight)

Oprich - North The Boundless (Casus Belli)

Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan’s Hand (Metal Blade)

Skalmold – Baldur (Napalm)

Suidakra – The Book Of Dowth (AFM)

Svartsot - Maledictus Eris (Napalm)

Tyr - The Lay Of Thyrm (Napalm)

Top 10 Melodic Metal/Hard Rock (Listed Alphabetically)

Black & Blue - Hell Yeah! (Frontiers)

House Of Lords - Big Money (Frontiers)

King Kobra - King Kobra (Frontiers)

Mecca - Undeniable (Frontiers)

Night Ranger - Somewhere In California (Frontiers)

Shy - Shy (MTM)

Talon - III (Frontiers)

Ten - Stormwarning (Frontiers)

Whitesnake - Forevermore (Frontiers)

Voodoo Circle - Broken Heart Syndrome (AFM)

Top 10 Prog Metal (Listed Alphabetically)

3 - The Ghost You Gave To Me (Metal Blade)

Derek Sherinian - Oceana (Insideout)

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events (Roadrunner)

Hammers Of Misfortune - 17^th Street (Metal Blade)

Karmakanic - In A Perfect World (Insideout)

Magnum - The Visitation (SPV)

Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two (Insideout)

Pallas - XXV (Ais)

Redemption - This Mortal Coil (Insideout)

Textures - Dualism (Nuclear Blast)

Top 10 Thrash (Listed Alphabetically)

Artillery - My Blood (Metal Mind)

Assassin - Breaking The Silence (SPV)

Children Of Bodom - Relentless, Reckless Forever (Spinefarm)

Evile - Five Serpent’s Teeth (Earache)

Havok - Time Is Up (Candlelight)

Legion Of The Damned - Descent Into Chaos (Massacre)

Mortal Sin - Psychology Of Death (Noiseart)

Onslaught - Sounds Of Violence (AFM)

Toxic Holocaust - Conjure And Command (Relapse)

Warbringer - World Torn Asunder (Century Media)

Best Live Album

Whitesnake - Live At Donnigton-1990. (Frontiers)  Captured at the height of their power I saw this tour just a few months prior to the recording of this show. The band was firing on all cylinders on it’s home turf, finally released for all to hear.

Best New Band

Masterforce - Masterforce (Indie) Young Italian hopefuls, worth watching.

Discovery Of The Year

Dragon Guardian - Destiny Of The Sacred Kingdom (Indie)  With seven albums already under their belt I have a long way to go to explore this Japanese bands catalogue.

Best EP

Cradle Of Filth - Evermore Darkly.(Nuclear Blast)  An EP done right with tons of bonus material on DVD.

Best Misc. Release (Covers/Remakes/Childrens/Comedy/Acoustic/Compilations etc)

Necrocomiccon - Hot Dog Cart Hunger. (Indie)  Deadly brilliant Black Metal cover tunes of 80’s pop tunes performed perfectly by Pat of Swashbuckle and friends!

 

Best DVD

There are so many different types of DVD’s (Documentaries, video collections, concerts) it’s hard to rank, so of the dozen I saw this year here is my Top 2 breakdown. 


1.     Hypocrisy - Hell Over Sofia (Nuclear Blast) Killer concert and the bonus documentary, 20 Years Of Chaos And Confusion is one of the better band histories I’ve seen.

2.     Deep Purple - Phoenix Rising (Eaglevision)  Best DVD packaging I’ve seen in years. Fascinating documentary as well as awesome, rare live, footage from Japan.

Best Book

Again like DVD’s there are so many categories of books, biographies, autobiographies, academic works, photo/art books, books of lists, that it is hard to only pick one!  These three stood out for me. 

1.     Metallion: The Slayer Mag Diaries (Bazillion Points)  All 20 glorious issues in one place and a history of the fanzine!

2.     Glenn Hughes - Deep Purple And Beyond (Foruli) A quintessential Rock Star autobiography.

3.     The Collectors Guide To Heavy Metal Vol IV: The 00’s.  Martin Popoff completes the quadrology of the best series of Metal album review books.

Album Disappointments

Hibra - Blind Ride (King Records) Too dark, too slow and the singer changed his style too much into a ‘so-called’ modern style.

Best Concert  

It was nice to finally see Arkona, Mayhem, Grave, Chthonic and Sepultura. 

1.     Festival Style: 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise.  (Florida/Mexico)

2.     Bar Show: Skullfist, Hrom and Stinger (Calgary, Alberta) followed closely by Gatekrashor and Midnight Malice at Noctis Valkyries 4.20 (Calgary, Alberta)

Lucky Seven Greatest Hopes for 2012

1.     New Manowar album. (Carried over from 2010, again)

2.     W.A.S.P.’s Blackie Lawless decides to release the mountain of archived footage (and the long-lost Japanese only video collection) in a cool, historical 3+ DVD set.  Blackie also finishes his autobiography he has been rumored to have working on for years. (Also carried over from 2010, again)

3.     Metalocalypse Season Four. (Carried over from 2010, again)  The only TV series worth watching. Delayed from 2011, it got renewed on Adult Swim and returns to it’s original episode run-time of 15 minutes.  Watch for the DVD by late 2012.  Season Four airs on April 15^th.

4.     New albums by Kiss and Van Halen dominate the universe.

5.     The return of the International Heavy Metal Industry Conference at Noctis Valkyries 6 in Calgary, Alberta in October.

6.     The new album by Dragonforce featuring their new vocal god, Mark Hudson!

7.     Metal Evolution is released on DVD with mucho bonus material.

JP JP