Blog author: Alex Stojanovic
Wow, has it really been 10 years? I started high school in 2006 when I was 14 years old, and during the fourth quarter of that year, and throughout all of 2007, I was starting to take metal more seriously by discovering many more underground bands, and I was starting to embrace bands with more extreme vocals, whether they're the metalcore screams or death metal gutterals. Of those bands, Trivium was the band that I listened to the most because they were the first band with screaming vocals that I embraced, and as I mentioned many times before, they're the reason I started getting into the more extreme and underground side of things because I heard about all these other bands that they were touring with at the time, so I decided to check out these other bands and I liked what I heard from a lot of them. Around that time as well: late 2006-early 2007, it was when I was just getting used to using YouTube, so it was easier to check out many of the underground bands I was being exposed to at the time.
The last couple of times I did lists of my favourite albums of past years, I normally did albums from five years prior, so I thought why not go back further in time to a decade ago this time? Without further ado, here is a list of my top 10 favourite albums from 2007.
The last couple of times I did lists of my favourite albums of past years, I normally did albums from five years prior, so I thought why not go back further in time to a decade ago this time? Without further ado, here is a list of my top 10 favourite albums from 2007.
10. ANNIHILATOR - Metal
This was right around the time I got into Annihilator. They came on my radar through Trivium because they took Annihilator out as a support act on their massive European headline tour on The Crusade cycle in spring 2007. For those who've seen the first of our two interviews with Jeff Waters, we talked about the Metal album, the Trivium tour and how getting all the special guests featured on this album helped bring attention back to the band after the sales in their big territories took a bit of a dip for a few years. Corey from Trivium is one of the guests on the record, shredding a solo on the track "Kicked", which is a killer track. It's not just Corey on here. There's also Michael Amott, Jeff Loomis, Jesper Stromblad, Willie Adler, Angela Gossow, Alexi Laiho and Danko Jones just to name a few.
This was right around the time I got into Annihilator. They came on my radar through Trivium because they took Annihilator out as a support act on their massive European headline tour on The Crusade cycle in spring 2007. For those who've seen the first of our two interviews with Jeff Waters, we talked about the Metal album, the Trivium tour and how getting all the special guests featured on this album helped bring attention back to the band after the sales in their big territories took a bit of a dip for a few years. Corey from Trivium is one of the guests on the record, shredding a solo on the track "Kicked", which is a killer track. It's not just Corey on here. There's also Michael Amott, Jeff Loomis, Jesper Stromblad, Willie Adler, Angela Gossow, Alexi Laiho and Danko Jones just to name a few.
09. ALTER BRIDGE - Blackbird
When it comes to quality music, Alter Bridge have it down to a science. I remember when One Day Remains came out in 2004 and I heard "Open Your Eyes" on the radio, my first thought was that it musically sounded like Creed, and sure enough, I learned that the band featured Mark Tremonti, Scott Philips and Brian Marshall along with Myles Kennedy on vocals. That record was fantastic because while it still contained an abundance of melody, it definitely sounded heavier than Creed, but I digress. When the follow-up: Blackbird came out, it didn't sell as well as One Day Remains at first, but the reception was really positive. At the same time, it didn't grab me instantly like One Day Remains did, but I gave it a few more chances and it just grew on me more and it's an awesome album. To this day, the band's live setlist for each individual show features more songs from this album. "Ties That Bind", "Coming Home", "Before Tomorrow Comes", "Rise Today" and "Blackbird" are all great tracks.
When it comes to quality music, Alter Bridge have it down to a science. I remember when One Day Remains came out in 2004 and I heard "Open Your Eyes" on the radio, my first thought was that it musically sounded like Creed, and sure enough, I learned that the band featured Mark Tremonti, Scott Philips and Brian Marshall along with Myles Kennedy on vocals. That record was fantastic because while it still contained an abundance of melody, it definitely sounded heavier than Creed, but I digress. When the follow-up: Blackbird came out, it didn't sell as well as One Day Remains at first, but the reception was really positive. At the same time, it didn't grab me instantly like One Day Remains did, but I gave it a few more chances and it just grew on me more and it's an awesome album. To this day, the band's live setlist for each individual show features more songs from this album. "Ties That Bind", "Coming Home", "Before Tomorrow Comes", "Rise Today" and "Blackbird" are all great tracks.
08. SANCTITY - Road To Bloodshed
Sanctity was another one of those bands that came on my radar through Trivium when they were touring on The Crusade. Sanctity also supported Trivium on the same European tour I mentioned above with Annihilator. At the time, the two bands were label mates on Roadrunner Records and I've heard a lot of positive feedback about Sanctity, so it encouraged me to check out their great album Road To Bloodshed, which is the only album they've ended up putting out before disbanding in 2008. For those that don't know, Machine Head bassist Jared MacEachern was the frontman and guitarist for Sanctity. I was kind of disappointed when Sanctity broke up, but I was really happy when Jared landed the Machine Head gig because he's a great musician. I unfortunately never got to see Sanctity live, but Road To Bloodshed is a hell of a record with great riffs, great vocals and overall great songs like "Brotherhood Of Destruction", "Beneath The Machine", "Road To Bloodshed", "Once Again" and "Beloved Killer" just to name a few. If you like what Jared's doing in Machine Head right now, definitely check out Road To Bloodshed and I would definitely recommend picking it up if you can find it.
Sanctity was another one of those bands that came on my radar through Trivium when they were touring on The Crusade. Sanctity also supported Trivium on the same European tour I mentioned above with Annihilator. At the time, the two bands were label mates on Roadrunner Records and I've heard a lot of positive feedback about Sanctity, so it encouraged me to check out their great album Road To Bloodshed, which is the only album they've ended up putting out before disbanding in 2008. For those that don't know, Machine Head bassist Jared MacEachern was the frontman and guitarist for Sanctity. I was kind of disappointed when Sanctity broke up, but I was really happy when Jared landed the Machine Head gig because he's a great musician. I unfortunately never got to see Sanctity live, but Road To Bloodshed is a hell of a record with great riffs, great vocals and overall great songs like "Brotherhood Of Destruction", "Beneath The Machine", "Road To Bloodshed", "Once Again" and "Beloved Killer" just to name a few. If you like what Jared's doing in Machine Head right now, definitely check out Road To Bloodshed and I would definitely recommend picking it up if you can find it.
07. SAXON - The Inner Sanctum
I will say that even though Lionheart is Saxon's best album of the 2000s, The Inner Sanctum is just as enjoyable. This album also saw the band's longtime drummer Nigel Glockler return to the band after taking a hiatus for a couple of years due to some back problems, making this the first album since Unleash The Beast, released 10 years prior, to feature the current lineup. Of the two versions of the single "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)", I prefer the single version, mainly due to the guest appearances of Lemmy, Angry Anderson of Rose Tattoo and Andi Deris of Helloween. That's not the only great song here. Listen to "State Of Grace", "Need For Speed", "Let Me Feel Your Power", "Going Nowhere Fast", "Red Star Falling" and "Ashes To Ashes". Killer tracks and a great album overall!
I will say that even though Lionheart is Saxon's best album of the 2000s, The Inner Sanctum is just as enjoyable. This album also saw the band's longtime drummer Nigel Glockler return to the band after taking a hiatus for a couple of years due to some back problems, making this the first album since Unleash The Beast, released 10 years prior, to feature the current lineup. Of the two versions of the single "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)", I prefer the single version, mainly due to the guest appearances of Lemmy, Angry Anderson of Rose Tattoo and Andi Deris of Helloween. That's not the only great song here. Listen to "State Of Grace", "Need For Speed", "Let Me Feel Your Power", "Going Nowhere Fast", "Red Star Falling" and "Ashes To Ashes". Killer tracks and a great album overall!
06. RUSH - Snakes & Arrows
After becoming a Rush fan in early 2003, Snakes & Arrows was the first Rush studio release that I was anticipating, excluding the Feedback covers EP, which was awesome of course. I remember in February 2007, my dad, brother and I were ice fishing and we brought a radio with us to listen to music while we were out on the ice. The station we were listening to premiered a clip of the intro to "Far Cry". as part of the announcement that Snakes & Arrows was finished and ready for release. Once it finished, I was like "Give me more, goddamnit!" However, we bought the record when it came out, and it was a great record as expected. Aside from great tracks like "Far Cry", "Armor & Sword", "The Larger Bowl", "Workin' Them Angels", "Malignant Narcissism" and "The Way The Wind Blows", Alex Lifeson's solo acoustic piece "Hope" gives me chills every time, whether it's the studio version or the live version on Snakes & Arrows Live. A fine fine album from Geddy, Neil and Alex.
After becoming a Rush fan in early 2003, Snakes & Arrows was the first Rush studio release that I was anticipating, excluding the Feedback covers EP, which was awesome of course. I remember in February 2007, my dad, brother and I were ice fishing and we brought a radio with us to listen to music while we were out on the ice. The station we were listening to premiered a clip of the intro to "Far Cry". as part of the announcement that Snakes & Arrows was finished and ready for release. Once it finished, I was like "Give me more, goddamnit!" However, we bought the record when it came out, and it was a great record as expected. Aside from great tracks like "Far Cry", "Armor & Sword", "The Larger Bowl", "Workin' Them Angels", "Malignant Narcissism" and "The Way The Wind Blows", Alex Lifeson's solo acoustic piece "Hope" gives me chills every time, whether it's the studio version or the live version on Snakes & Arrows Live. A fine fine album from Geddy, Neil and Alex.
05. EXODUS - The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A
This was when I started listening to Exodus. The first song I heard was "Riot Act" and the crushing guitar tone from Gary Holt and Lee Altus drew me in and said "Listen to the rest of this fucker, then check out the old shit!" and that's exactly what I did. This was also the first album where they started writing longer songs, with the longest song being the title track, reaching at 10.5 minutes. Most fans were pretty pissed off because they felt the band were heading into more progressive territory, but hey, these tracks still rule, and they're still heavy as fuck and still thrashy. Each song is just crushing riff after crushing riff. Blood In, Blood Out was a great record, but I surely hope that on their next record, Exodus go back to the tone from Exhibit A and Exhibit B, or even Shovel Headed Kill Machine because the tones on those records are just vicious.
This was when I started listening to Exodus. The first song I heard was "Riot Act" and the crushing guitar tone from Gary Holt and Lee Altus drew me in and said "Listen to the rest of this fucker, then check out the old shit!" and that's exactly what I did. This was also the first album where they started writing longer songs, with the longest song being the title track, reaching at 10.5 minutes. Most fans were pretty pissed off because they felt the band were heading into more progressive territory, but hey, these tracks still rule, and they're still heavy as fuck and still thrashy. Each song is just crushing riff after crushing riff. Blood In, Blood Out was a great record, but I surely hope that on their next record, Exodus go back to the tone from Exhibit A and Exhibit B, or even Shovel Headed Kill Machine because the tones on those records are just vicious.
04. MACHINE HEAD - The Blackening
Having a list of the best albums of 2007 without including Machine Head's The Blackening would be just wrong, and I'm sure many people would agree with me. A modern metal classic in its own right, The Blackening was where Machine Head really showcased their songwriting skills, especially wtih epic masterpieces like "Clenching The Fists Of Dissent", "Aesthetics Of Hate", "Halo", "Now I Lay Thee Down" and "Wolves". After dabbling in nu metal for a number of years, the band returned with a slamming, epic album that grabs you instantly. If you never heard this album, you better get on it.
Having a list of the best albums of 2007 without including Machine Head's The Blackening would be just wrong, and I'm sure many people would agree with me. A modern metal classic in its own right, The Blackening was where Machine Head really showcased their songwriting skills, especially wtih epic masterpieces like "Clenching The Fists Of Dissent", "Aesthetics Of Hate", "Halo", "Now I Lay Thee Down" and "Wolves". After dabbling in nu metal for a number of years, the band returned with a slamming, epic album that grabs you instantly. If you never heard this album, you better get on it.
03. ONSLAUGHT - Killing Peace
"Spitting blood in the face of GOOOOOODDDDD!" After Onslaught reunited in 2005, they thought the best way to celebrate the reunion was to make a new record, so they did, and the result is the amazing comeback album Killing Peace. With Sy Keeler back on vocals, the band set out in the direction they should've gone in after The Force, which was pure old-school thrash. I remember as I was getting into more and more thrash bands, I went hunting online for a lot of old-school thrash bands, and I came across Onslaught. Upon first listen to "Burn", I knew I had to hear this album in full, and it blew me out of the water. I then went back and discovered Power From Hell, The Force and In Search Of Sanity. Killing Peace's two successors: Sounds Of Violence and VI are incredible as well, but it's all thanks to Killing Peace for turning me on to Onslaught! If you love your thrash and haven't heard Onslaught, get on it.
"Spitting blood in the face of GOOOOOODDDDD!" After Onslaught reunited in 2005, they thought the best way to celebrate the reunion was to make a new record, so they did, and the result is the amazing comeback album Killing Peace. With Sy Keeler back on vocals, the band set out in the direction they should've gone in after The Force, which was pure old-school thrash. I remember as I was getting into more and more thrash bands, I went hunting online for a lot of old-school thrash bands, and I came across Onslaught. Upon first listen to "Burn", I knew I had to hear this album in full, and it blew me out of the water. I then went back and discovered Power From Hell, The Force and In Search Of Sanity. Killing Peace's two successors: Sounds Of Violence and VI are incredible as well, but it's all thanks to Killing Peace for turning me on to Onslaught! If you love your thrash and haven't heard Onslaught, get on it.
02. EVILE - Enter The Grave
I think we can all agree that Evile's debut album Enter The Grave is a modern thrash classic. From start to finish, this record just beats the snot out of you. What's even more amazing is that the album was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios, the same studio where Metallica recorded Ride The Lightning, And Justice For All and Master Of Puppets. There isn't a song on here that doesn't contain the thrash beat, or is a bad song. Songs like "Thrasher", "Enter The Grave" and "We Who Are About To Die" have all become signature Evile tunes and have always remained in the live setlist. This album contains all the elements of old-school thrash. Those elements being raw production, aggressive riffs, gruff vocals, shredding solos and rampaging drums.
I think we can all agree that Evile's debut album Enter The Grave is a modern thrash classic. From start to finish, this record just beats the snot out of you. What's even more amazing is that the album was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios, the same studio where Metallica recorded Ride The Lightning, And Justice For All and Master Of Puppets. There isn't a song on here that doesn't contain the thrash beat, or is a bad song. Songs like "Thrasher", "Enter The Grave" and "We Who Are About To Die" have all become signature Evile tunes and have always remained in the live setlist. This album contains all the elements of old-school thrash. Those elements being raw production, aggressive riffs, gruff vocals, shredding solos and rampaging drums.
01. MEGADETH - United Abominations
As I've mentioned several times before, I first discovered Megadeth on Countdown To Extinction after finding that album in my dad's CD collection (the original pressing too) and I liked what I heard, but it didn't exactly hook me the way Metallica did when I started listening to the Black Album, but when Megadeth came out with United Abominations, that was the turning point to where I took a much bigger liking to them. Upon hearing tracks like "Sleepwalker", "United Abominations", "Play For Blood", "Blessed Are The Dead", "Gears Of War" and my favourite track on here: "Washington Is Next", my interest skyrocketed through the roof. I would also have to say that this is one of the best Megadeth album covers, along with Rust In Peace and Dystopia. Of course I don't agree with a lot of Mustaine's views on certain things and he can be a little nuts with his views sometimes and his ego is a bit up there, but aside from that, he's a genius songwriter and this is one of Megadeth's best albums ever.
As I've mentioned several times before, I first discovered Megadeth on Countdown To Extinction after finding that album in my dad's CD collection (the original pressing too) and I liked what I heard, but it didn't exactly hook me the way Metallica did when I started listening to the Black Album, but when Megadeth came out with United Abominations, that was the turning point to where I took a much bigger liking to them. Upon hearing tracks like "Sleepwalker", "United Abominations", "Play For Blood", "Blessed Are The Dead", "Gears Of War" and my favourite track on here: "Washington Is Next", my interest skyrocketed through the roof. I would also have to say that this is one of the best Megadeth album covers, along with Rust In Peace and Dystopia. Of course I don't agree with a lot of Mustaine's views on certain things and he can be a little nuts with his views sometimes and his ego is a bit up there, but aside from that, he's a genius songwriter and this is one of Megadeth's best albums ever.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (No Order)
| Ozzy Osbourne Black Rain  Destruction Thrash Anthems  | DevilDriver The Last Kind Words  Shadows Fall Threads Of Life  | U.D.O. Mastercutor  Overkill Immortalis  |
There you have it! My top 10 albums of 2007. Next list coming up is my top 10 albums from 1987 that turned the big dirty 30 this year. Keep your eyes open for that, and also the lists for our individual top 10 albums of this year coming in the next few weeks. Thank you very much for reading!
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