The 10 Best Metal Albums of 2012

First off, I hope you guys had a very merry Christmas and that you got to celebrate it with your loved ones. Now onto the metal:

Another year of metal music is passing us by. There were some really good albums, and the race to be in the top ten was a close one this year. It also took me quite a few spins to really determine the top five, but in the end, I think I have it, as there is a nice mix of thrash, death, progressive, alternative, and straight up rocking metal to please all rock and metal fans here. It was also nice to see bands put out some of their best work around. Anyways, let's starts this fucker, already!
 
10. Overkill- The Electric Age- After the amazing Ironbound, the best musical act to ever come out of Jersey release this fast and heavy hitting album that is even better! Songs like "Old Wounds, New Scars" rank among the most badass songs that they have ever fuckin made!!!






 
9. Testament- Dark Roots of the Earth- Much like Overkill, Testament had a lot to live up to after their phenomenal return and last album, The Formation of Damnation. This album is almost as good as that one. This is a heavy and blistering fucker, that even throws in killer covers of Scorpions and Iron Maiden. And, Chuck Billy remains one of the best signers in all of thrash metaldom.




8. In This Moment- Blood- Growing and maturing for a band is clearly important. Though change can alieanate fans, it can be quite crucial. In the case of In This Moment, a band not afraid to stray away from their metalcore beginnings, have done just that with what is their best work since their debut. In Blood the band mixes metal with some tinges of industrial and enough of a pop beat to sound accisable but never like sell-outs. Maria Brink sounds amazing and the tracks "Whore" and "Beast Within" ranks among the best of the year. Clearly people are agreeing cause this the band's most successful album, yet.


7. Fear Factory¬ The Industrialist- After all of these years Fear Factory have lost none of their edge. And, as great as their previous album, Mechanize, was; this one is even better. It's pounding, heavy music that pummels the listener. It's pretty much a jackhammer to your skull from beginning to the fucking end.
  
 



6. Kreator- Phantom Antichrist- This is Kreator's best album since Coma of Souls and considering how good the last few have been that's saying a lot. It just mixes the perfect amount of speed, heaviness, and brutality, with the just the right amount of melody to pull of the best thrash metal album from an old-school band of the year.







5. Gojira- L’Enfante Savauge- Technically sound and aurally brutal France's progressive metal master's have released a juggernaut of an album. One that from the very first listen is clearly one of the year's finest albums. In fact, the opening track alone, firmly certifies that they righteously belong on this and every other best of metal list for 2012.

 


4. Dethklok- The Dethalbum III- The best death album of the year comes courtesy of a band that is cartoon band. Of course, said band has some real fucking talent behind it including Gene fucking Hoglan! This album is every bit as heavy, badass, and brutal as you would expect from one of these guys; who are one of the best selling death metal acts, ever. And, the songs and album only get better with each listening!






3. Deftones- Koi No Yokan- Continuing with the sound and excellence of their last album, Diamon Eyes, the Deftones have provided us with another masterpiece. I still don't know which of the two albums I prefer, but I can say that this is my favorite album to write/ work to. And, I mean that compliment in all the best possible ways, since music is very important to me when I'm writing.

 

2. Halestorm- The Strange Case of…- I have heard of the dreaded second album curse, where it is said that a band who makes a great first album fucks up royally with the following album. Well that was not the case here. In fact, PA's Halestorm have released an album totally trumps their self-titled debut, which, in of itself, is one of my favorite albums to spin. I have listened to this album, God only knows how many times already. It's their biggest success, too, making them the highest charting for the first week sales of a female fronted metal/ hard rock act. Yes, this means they beat even acts like Evanescence! Both of the singles, "Love Bites (So Do I)" and "I Miss the Misery",  they released this year are not only big hits, but my favorite singles of the year. The fact that band did this by actually sounding heavier than ever, makes it that much better. But, they still have a lot of heart and soul to them, with some moving songs ("Here's to Us", "Beautiful with You") as well giving us seriously kick ass music with some headbanging good shit ("Mz. Hyge", "Daughters of Darkness", etc.).

1. Shadows Fall- Fire in the Sky- The album to beat Halestorm out of my top spot comes from this Springfield, Mass band. Now, I have long liked these guys, but now I like even more. And, it is most definitely thanks to this album. Shadows Fall has long left the metalcore sound, they were first known for and come into a more thrash influenced style. The result had been some solid work, but this trumps any of those. With a good classic thrash sound and quality production comes an exciting, ass kicking, fast, heavy, and pounding release. One that maybe the one to even convert the haters. Yes, it's that damn good!!


Honorable Mentions:
Huntress- Spell Eater
Meshuggah- Koloss
Sister Sin- Now and Forever

 

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Accept & Kreator Live in NYC- 9/7/12

This past Friday I had the pleasure of attending a awesome night of German metal, as Accept and Kreator rocked the fucking house at the Best Buy Theater in NYC!! I got there just in the nick of time, as Accept was just about to come on! From the get go they ripped onstage with killer music! They opened with my favorite song, "Hunt, Drawn, and Quartered" from their awesome new album, Stalingrad. From there on they played the title track, stuff from their modern classic album Blood of Nations (including the AWESOME Teutonic Terror), as well as classic, old school songs, including a song they didn't play when I saw them last year, my all time favorite Accept track, "Princess of the Dawn"!! As always they closed off the set with their most known song the classic "Balls to the Walls"!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 Closing the night was the greatest German thrash band, EVER, in the form of the mighty Kreator!!! They are, quite simply, one of the best live acts I have ever seen. They fuckin destroyed from the first to very last song. And, the band has so much energy onstage!!! Believe me when I say they sound as good live, if not better, than they do their albums. They played a truly KILLER set with songs from the excellent new album (which I think is their best in years, and that is saying A LOT!), Phantom Antichrist, that included the kick title track and United in Hate, as well as songs from various albums of their careers like vicious Hordes of Chaos, People of the Lie (a personal fav of mine!), Voices of the Dead, and they even went real old school and played a face ripping Pleasure to Kill. One of the true highlights for me, was when they said what a honor it was to play with their heroes Accept!! Meanwhile, the mosh pit was fucking sick!! They closed the night off with classic Flag of Hate.

 

 

Waving the FLAG OF HATE!!!!

In all, it was an awesome fucking night and a killer, kick ass show!!  

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The 10 Best Metal Albums of 2009

As far as metal/ hard rock music goes 2009 was another great year. Particularly for heavier music, as thrash, death, and black metal bands put out some of the best and heaviest music my ears had the pleasure of hearing. It was a truly awesome year to bang your fucking head, get in the pit, and kick some fucking ass. As always, this is not an easy list to make, whittling down so many great albums to these ten is hard work. But, I do hope it makes you get the albums on the list you don't already own. Or, at the very least, makes for some great discussion.

10. Otep- Smash the Control Machine-- Smart lyrics and a great mix of the heavy and the melodic makes this album from one of metal's most original and exciting acts a must hear. The lovely Otep Shamaya is easily one of metal's most charismatic and intelligent signers (male or female). And, this album continues the perfection of the sound that they started with Ascension. Extra points for having one of the most artistic looking covers of the year.

9. Kreator- Hordes of Chaos- - It's always great to see one of the old school bands still able to pull out a classic. That fact that is band as awesome as Kreator is even better. And, even even more so is when this album tops their last one, Enemy of God, which was an amazing album. In fact, this is their best album since Coma of Souls, and ranks, in my humble opinion, as the third best album the band has ever done. The lyrics are fucking cool and great to sing along to and the musicianship is phenomenal.

8. Killswitch Engage- Killswitch Engage- KSE continue to evolve their melodic metalcore. But, they never leave the heaviness behind. The music always feels and sounds like something to get the mosh pit going. Howard Jones remains one of the best signers of the current crop of metal masters. And, the drumming and guitar work never fail to give that great grove that makes KSE one of my favorite bands. This self titled album continues all of that to perfection.

7. Shadows Fall- Retribution- - Continuing the thrash inspired, no metalcore sound they started with thier last one, Threads of Life; Shadows Fall have, I think perfected itd with this one. The twin guitar riffs and in your face heaviness makes for a very pleasing sound that manages to mix the old school with a more modern and fresh take. This album features some of the year's most pleasing and ass kicking tracks.

6. Lamb of God- Wrath- - One of the masters, if not THE masters of the so-called New Wave of American Heavy Metal, LoG manage to mix the impressive musicianship (those riffs! the double base!) into some of the heaviest and groove filled music you will ever wanna mosh to. Songs like Choke Sermon and In Your Words will give your neck whiplash.

5. Warbringer- Waking into Nightmares- - So many bands try to bring the 80s thrash metal style back, but none of them are as successful as these young guys. After making the most impressive debut(last year, at that!), that I had heard in ages; they make an even more impressive second album! America's answer to Kreator have managed to put out an album so blisteringly good that they manage to top a great album from Kreator, themselves, released the same year! And, that brothers and sisters in metal might be THE accomplishment of the year.

4. Chthonic- Mirror of Retribution- - The absolute best black metal album of the year, did not come from Europe, but from Taiwan, as Chthonic hit us with their beat album, so far, in their careers. While, melodic sounds are definitely present the band also sets out to makes some of the heaviest music the sub-genre has ever had and succeed immensely at that. Freddy has become one of my favorite voices in current extreme metal. The band gets a lot of attention from the press thanks to their beautiful bassist Doris Yeh, the most gorgeous woman in music and number 43 in my list of The Hottest Babes of 2009. But, it is great that the band got much deserved critical acclaim thanks to this dark and amazing piece of metallic work. The track Venom in My Veins might the most fucking awesome, kick you in your fucking teeth song of 2009.

3. Megadeth- Endgame- - While, I have enjoyed last few Megadeth albums, I never thought they reached the level greatness of their older work. Returning to a full blown thrash metal sound, Megadeth craft their absolute best work since their godly masterpiece Rust in Peace. As always, the guitar work is phenomenal and drummer Shawn Drover is the best they have had since Nick Menza. Many of the songs on here only get better with each listening, with the album closing off with two of the best songs that they have written in a very long time.

2. Slayer- World Painted Blood- - Much like Megadeth made their best in years, so did the mighty Slayer. Bringing back Lombardo has reinvigorated them giving them their best and tightest sound. It began with Christ Illusion, but it is perfected with this one. The lyrics are as awesome as ever, the musicianship as sharp as ever, and the music is dark and heavy with the right amount of melody. In fact this is undoubtedly their best work since the classic Seasons in the Abyss. World Painted Blood might just be the best fucking single of the year. With Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer hitting some of their finest work, one wonders if Anthrax is next to do so...

1. Dethklok- The Dethalbum- - Yes, dear readers THE best album of the year is from a band, that is not really band. But, yet features amazing musicians in their midst, including drumming god Gene (Dark Angel, Death) Hoglan. The lyrics are fun, violent, and over-the-top as they deal with cyborgs, pulling life support, laser death, and basically anything and everything dealing with dying in bloody and nasty ways. A couple of songs are some of fucking best songs released in the entire year. In fact this not just the best album of the year, but one of the finest death metal albums of the past decade.

Some honorable mentions:

Five Finger Death Punch- War is the Answer
Suffocation- Blood Oath
Atreyu- Congregation of the Damned
Behemoth- Evangelion

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Now playing: Dethklok - Comet Song
via FoxyTunes

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The Top 10 Thrash Metal bands Ever

Like I said over on my myspace, thrash metal is my absolute fav type of metal. So, here then is my comprehensive list of the Top Ten thrash Metal bands of all Time:

1. When, Dave Mustaine was fired from Metallica it was the best thing that could happen to metal. Because, Megadeth is not just the best thrash metal band, ever, but my personal fav band in the whole world. Mustaine is one of the greatest guitarists the world has ever seen. And, Megadeth have made some many classic albums and songs; as well being one of the most technically sounding bands, ever. Plus, they have some of the coolest covers, ever! Their best album remains Rust in Peace, a technically ferocious godlike work that leaves your jaw dropping and your headbanging away till it falls off.
2. They sign about Satan, hell, the occult, evil, Nazis, war, atrocities, death, murder, serial killers, horror, and other unsavory subject matter, with amazing power and viciousness. Their mosh pits are legendary in their brutality. Their music controversial, but loved by both fans and critics. No list of great metal bands would be complete without them. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman play the twins guitars with amazing speed and quality. While, Lomabardo is one of the finest drummers, ever, in any genre. Many will swear by Reign in Blood, but I prefer Season in the Abyss. Why? Because that is one of the albums that truly changed my life. Slayer has amongst the most ardent fan following anywhere, and rightfully so.
3. Listening to filth like St. Anger, Load, and Reload, it is many times hard to believe that, in the first four Metallica albums lie four of the greatest thrash metal albums ever. Kirk Hammet has said that Metallica invented thrash metal. While, this is debatable, what is not debatable is the magnificence of their early work. One of the first thrash metal bands to not be afraid to slow things down in masterpieces like Fade to Black and yet play blistering music like Creeping Death, Damage Inc, The Four Horsemen, etc, Metallica were metal gods. Master of Puppets remains their best work, as well as the best metal album, ever, thrash or otherwise.
4. Mixing heaviness without right fun Anthrax rounds the big four of thrash metal, with the aforementioned three other bands. Yeah, they were one of the first bands to bring rap to metal, and their work with John Bush had a different feel that the Joey era stuff. But, the real point is that when it came down to it they made some killer music. And, they help bring moshing to metal. So, now you did not just bang your head, but you thrash around and got busted up. Fuck yeah! I actually prefer John Bush signing and Sound of White Noise is one of my fav albums, but the Joey era is more in tune with classic sounding thrash metal, and some purists will say that is all that matters. For them, I pick Persistence of Time, the best album of that era. And, by the way, is Charlie Bennatte an amazing drummer or what?
5. Often underrated, and unjustly so, the best damn band to ever come out of Jersey (it sure as hell ain’t Bon Jovi!), Overkill are fucking heavy as hell and, when the song fits it, fast as fuck. With songs filled with badass attitude Overkill destroy much of the competition. Horrorscope is their best work, being immensely heavy and utterly and completely awesome.
6. What can be said about the band that made THE definitive song about mosh in the form of The Toxic Waltz? Yeah, they have had three different signers, but guess what? The quality of the music has never, ever suffered. Their debut Bonded by Blood is one of the greatest and most influential thrash metal albums ever put on this Earth. Exodus, at their best, make you wanna beat the crap out of someone. All hail!
7. Chuck Billy truly has one of the best voices in all of thrash metal. He can sign a ballad (The Legacy) or rip your fucking head off with his ferocity (Dog-Faced Gods). The same can be said of the band. Souls of Black remains my fav album, a great mix of melody and brutality, but arguments can be made for the viciousness of The New Order.
8. Germany proved they can thrash with the best of them. In fact, Kreator’s heaviness would be influential in the creation of death metal. Coma of Souls is one fucker you can hear a million times and never tire. And, guess what? They still have it. See the amazing Enemy of God for proof.
9. by mixing hardcore punk and thrash Suicidal set themselves apart from the rest of the thrash metal heap. Their later day work incorporated more melody and more metal, and me thinks, their best work, as evident by Lights, Camera, Revolution.
10. Much like the rest of the supposed second tier thrash metal bands like Exodus and Testament, Nuclear Assault don’t get the respect they deserve, but if you listened to stuff like Something Wicked, you would know they deserve to get much more respect.

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