 | Blog author: Alex Stojanovic Here we are again folks! Time just keeps flying by, holy shit! We're already at the end of 2016, but in a way, I'm glad that it's over and the reason why shouldn't be surprising. |
Comparing this year to the past couple of years, there were a few more dark clouds this year than in previous years with quite a number of deaths including the death of Lemmy which happened within the last four days of 2015, but also the deaths of so many other greats, not just in metal, but music as a whole like David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Dale Griffin, Maurice White, Merle Haggard, Keith Emerson, Jimmy Bain, Nick Menza, Leonard Cohen and Prince just to name a few, as well as so many greats outside of music. On a more personal note, I also experienced a loss in my family this year, but like in any tough situation, music was and always will be my therapy, whether it's just listening to music, playing drums, rehearsing with my band or writing lyrics for new songs. On a more bright side, there were still a ton of stellar new releases that came out. This served as redemption for all the dark clouds that appeared throughout this year.
Like every year, whittling down the hundreds of great new albums that came out to 10 is brutally difficult. It was like I was studying for my final exams. I was tossing and turning in bed for days wondering which albums I was going to pick, but after a lot of thoughtful hours, the list I compiled for this year is as follows.
Like every year, whittling down the hundreds of great new albums that came out to 10 is brutally difficult. It was like I was studying for my final exams. I was tossing and turning in bed for days wondering which albums I was going to pick, but after a lot of thoughtful hours, the list I compiled for this year is as follows.
10. HATEBREED - The Concrete Confessional
Now I'm not much of a fan of hardcore, but I do appreciate it. Over the last couple of releases, Hatebreed have incorporated more metal influences into their music. The new album The Concrete Confessional is another step in that direction while still being rooted in hardcore, and it doesn't offer too many surprises. Aside from the pounding tunes, the production on this album is a lot beefier and more pristine, making this in my opinion their heaviest album. I never had Hatebreed albums in my past top 10 lists, but The Concrete Confessional surprised me quite a bit in a good way that this is the first Hatebreed album to be featured in a year-end Top 10 list of mine. The opening track "A.D" is not only the thrashiest song on the album, but the thrashiest song in Hatebreed's entire song catalog. After that, songs like "From Grace We've Fallen", "Something's Off" and "Serve Your Masters" are just killer. This album definitely has the ability to appeal to those who were on the fence about Hatebreed.
Now I'm not much of a fan of hardcore, but I do appreciate it. Over the last couple of releases, Hatebreed have incorporated more metal influences into their music. The new album The Concrete Confessional is another step in that direction while still being rooted in hardcore, and it doesn't offer too many surprises. Aside from the pounding tunes, the production on this album is a lot beefier and more pristine, making this in my opinion their heaviest album. I never had Hatebreed albums in my past top 10 lists, but The Concrete Confessional surprised me quite a bit in a good way that this is the first Hatebreed album to be featured in a year-end Top 10 list of mine. The opening track "A.D" is not only the thrashiest song on the album, but the thrashiest song in Hatebreed's entire song catalog. After that, songs like "From Grace We've Fallen", "Something's Off" and "Serve Your Masters" are just killer. This album definitely has the ability to appeal to those who were on the fence about Hatebreed.
09. MESHIAAK - Alliance Of Thieves
After several delays, the debut album from Meshiaak, titled Alliance Of Thieves finally came out this year and the result exceeded the expectations of everyone who was waiting for the album ever since the band announced their arrival a couple of years ago. The album features a healthy amount of classic thrash and modern metal influences resulting in one of the best debuts of the year. Everyone was so devastated when Danny Camilleri initially left 4Arm in 2014, but if you've been living under a rock ever since, once you hear Alliance Of Thieves, all your concerns will be thrown out the window. The songwriting exudes excellence with songs like "Chronicles Of The Dead", "It Burns At Both Ends", "At The Edge Of The World", "Maniacal", the title track and "Death Of An Anthem". These songs are catchy, they're thrashy, they're groovy, they're melodic and oh so memorable.
After several delays, the debut album from Meshiaak, titled Alliance Of Thieves finally came out this year and the result exceeded the expectations of everyone who was waiting for the album ever since the band announced their arrival a couple of years ago. The album features a healthy amount of classic thrash and modern metal influences resulting in one of the best debuts of the year. Everyone was so devastated when Danny Camilleri initially left 4Arm in 2014, but if you've been living under a rock ever since, once you hear Alliance Of Thieves, all your concerns will be thrown out the window. The songwriting exudes excellence with songs like "Chronicles Of The Dead", "It Burns At Both Ends", "At The Edge Of The World", "Maniacal", the title track and "Death Of An Anthem". These songs are catchy, they're thrashy, they're groovy, they're melodic and oh so memorable.
08. VOLBEAT - Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie
The last Volbeat record Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies was one of the band's finest albums with an insane amount of diversity. It was really well-written too. How Volbeat were going to top that album was a major question on the minds of all fans worldwide. I know that Michael Poulsen's vocals are not everyone's cup of tea. Even if they aren't, you can't not appreciate the catchy hooks and heavy riffs. The new album Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie is more of a rock-focused record and is devoid of pop and mariachi influences, but it's still diverse and oozes with great tunes like "The Devil's Bleeding Crown", "Mary Jane Kelly", "The Gates Of Babylon", "Seal The Deal", "The Loa's Crossroad" and their Georgia Satellites cover "Battleship Chains". It's been a few years since I last saw Volbeat live, but I cannot wait to see them next time they steamroll through town.
The last Volbeat record Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies was one of the band's finest albums with an insane amount of diversity. It was really well-written too. How Volbeat were going to top that album was a major question on the minds of all fans worldwide. I know that Michael Poulsen's vocals are not everyone's cup of tea. Even if they aren't, you can't not appreciate the catchy hooks and heavy riffs. The new album Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie is more of a rock-focused record and is devoid of pop and mariachi influences, but it's still diverse and oozes with great tunes like "The Devil's Bleeding Crown", "Mary Jane Kelly", "The Gates Of Babylon", "Seal The Deal", "The Loa's Crossroad" and their Georgia Satellites cover "Battleship Chains". It's been a few years since I last saw Volbeat live, but I cannot wait to see them next time they steamroll through town.
07. PRETTY MAIDS - Kingmaker
There was a period of time where Pretty Maids didn't get as much attention as they did in the 80s, but in 2010, their popularity went back up with the release of the incredible record Pandemonium. This was followed by the equally brilliant Motherland record three years later, and then the collection of re-recordings: Louder Than Ever a year later. The band's new record Kingmaker is a continuation down the path the band set out to take with Pandemonium with big heavy hooks, gigantic melodies, captivating vocals and slamming rhythms. There's nothing too different from the previous records to be found here. Ronnie Atkins is one of the most underrated vocalists ever that can give several vocalists from the 80s a run for their money. If you're new to Pretty Maids, all you need to know is that if you enjoy Def Leppard, Skid Row, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Ratt, Poison, Dokken and 80s era Bon Jovi, there's no doubting that the Danish legends' music will instantly hook you.
There was a period of time where Pretty Maids didn't get as much attention as they did in the 80s, but in 2010, their popularity went back up with the release of the incredible record Pandemonium. This was followed by the equally brilliant Motherland record three years later, and then the collection of re-recordings: Louder Than Ever a year later. The band's new record Kingmaker is a continuation down the path the band set out to take with Pandemonium with big heavy hooks, gigantic melodies, captivating vocals and slamming rhythms. There's nothing too different from the previous records to be found here. Ronnie Atkins is one of the most underrated vocalists ever that can give several vocalists from the 80s a run for their money. If you're new to Pretty Maids, all you need to know is that if you enjoy Def Leppard, Skid Row, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Ratt, Poison, Dokken and 80s era Bon Jovi, there's no doubting that the Danish legends' music will instantly hook you.
06. PRIMAL FEAR - Rulebreaker
The last four Primal Fear albums (including the new one: Rulebreaker) have been phenomenal. Primal Fear are another band that have not changed their sound much in their almost 20-year career, so in terms of sound and direction, you won't find anything on Rulebreaker that differentiates it from the last few releases. With song titles like "The End Is Near", "Bullets & Tears", "At War With The World" and "The Sky Is Burning", the only thing you will find is well-executed metal with incredible vocals, punishing riffs and soaring melodies. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Ralf Scheepers possesses a vocal range and abilities many metal vocalists wish they had. Rulebreaker's three predecessors: Delivering The Black, Unbreakable and 16.6 (Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) are great records, but as far as songwriting goes, Rulebreaker surpasses them all.
The last four Primal Fear albums (including the new one: Rulebreaker) have been phenomenal. Primal Fear are another band that have not changed their sound much in their almost 20-year career, so in terms of sound and direction, you won't find anything on Rulebreaker that differentiates it from the last few releases. With song titles like "The End Is Near", "Bullets & Tears", "At War With The World" and "The Sky Is Burning", the only thing you will find is well-executed metal with incredible vocals, punishing riffs and soaring melodies. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Ralf Scheepers possesses a vocal range and abilities many metal vocalists wish they had. Rulebreaker's three predecessors: Delivering The Black, Unbreakable and 16.6 (Before The Devil Knows You're Dead) are great records, but as far as songwriting goes, Rulebreaker surpasses them all.
05. DEATH ANGEL - The Evil Divide
If you're a fan of thrash, you should know who Death Angel are. Continuing a winning streak of great albums with their current lineup, Death Angel keep the ball rolling with their eighth studio album The Evil Divide. After releasing the insanely heavy and diverse Relentless Retribution, they pushed the gas pedal further on The Dream Calls For Blood resulting in their thrashiest album since The Ultra-Violence. On The Evil Divide, they've created a successful fusion of the past two records and Frolic Through The Park. Rob Cavestany is a riff machine that's still churrning out masterful riffs and Mark Osegueda is still sounding as godly as ever vocally. Right from the opening riffs of "The Moth", you know that this album contains magic. If you haven't heard Death Angel before, start listening.
If you're a fan of thrash, you should know who Death Angel are. Continuing a winning streak of great albums with their current lineup, Death Angel keep the ball rolling with their eighth studio album The Evil Divide. After releasing the insanely heavy and diverse Relentless Retribution, they pushed the gas pedal further on The Dream Calls For Blood resulting in their thrashiest album since The Ultra-Violence. On The Evil Divide, they've created a successful fusion of the past two records and Frolic Through The Park. Rob Cavestany is a riff machine that's still churrning out masterful riffs and Mark Osegueda is still sounding as godly as ever vocally. Right from the opening riffs of "The Moth", you know that this album contains magic. If you haven't heard Death Angel before, start listening.
04. METALLICA - Hardwired...To Self-Destruct
This is a no-brainer for any Top 10 of 2016 list. 8 years is a long time between records, but after touring for two years behind Death Magnetic, the Big 4 shows, the horrible experiment known as Lulu, filming a 3D movie, hosting their own festival, and several other things, Metallica finally put the long wait for their 10th studio album Hardwired...To Self-Destruct to rest this year. The hype surrounding the album was overwhelming and we were all wondering whether it would deliver. After listening to it, I can say that it definitely did. Combine Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, And Justice For All, the Black Album and Load in a huge bucket of steel, and you've got Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. There's also the best production they've had in years. No distortion to be found here. There may be only a couple of songs on here that are more of a snooze-fest, but Metallica have released an awesome record that is a career summation with something for everyone.
This is a no-brainer for any Top 10 of 2016 list. 8 years is a long time between records, but after touring for two years behind Death Magnetic, the Big 4 shows, the horrible experiment known as Lulu, filming a 3D movie, hosting their own festival, and several other things, Metallica finally put the long wait for their 10th studio album Hardwired...To Self-Destruct to rest this year. The hype surrounding the album was overwhelming and we were all wondering whether it would deliver. After listening to it, I can say that it definitely did. Combine Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, And Justice For All, the Black Album and Load in a huge bucket of steel, and you've got Hardwired...To Self-Destruct. There's also the best production they've had in years. No distortion to be found here. There may be only a couple of songs on here that are more of a snooze-fest, but Metallica have released an awesome record that is a career summation with something for everyone.
03. ANTHRAX - For All Kings
Following up Worship Music wasn't easy for Anthrax as that album was a masterpiece. After 5 years, we received some amazing new music from Anthrax with the release of their eleventh album For All Kings, and their first to feature new guitarist Jon Donais from Shadows Fall. The album is on par with Worship Music in terms of brilliance with tons of memorability and very well-written songs. Each member is performing in top form, especially Joey Belladonna. The man is a godly vocalist. Much like Worship Music, For All Kings contains the classic thrash elements from the early records, as well as the more melodic groove-oriented elements from the John Bush era records. Upon first listen, I knew instantly that For All Kings would end up in my top 10 for this year. Without a doubt, one of Anthrax's finest.
Following up Worship Music wasn't easy for Anthrax as that album was a masterpiece. After 5 years, we received some amazing new music from Anthrax with the release of their eleventh album For All Kings, and their first to feature new guitarist Jon Donais from Shadows Fall. The album is on par with Worship Music in terms of brilliance with tons of memorability and very well-written songs. Each member is performing in top form, especially Joey Belladonna. The man is a godly vocalist. Much like Worship Music, For All Kings contains the classic thrash elements from the early records, as well as the more melodic groove-oriented elements from the John Bush era records. Upon first listen, I knew instantly that For All Kings would end up in my top 10 for this year. Without a doubt, one of Anthrax's finest.
02. TESTAMENT - Brotherhood Of The Snake
Putting albums together in a short period of time usually results in mediocre albums, but if there's one band that can put an album together really quickly and have it turn out amazing, it's Testament. I almost thought we wouldn't get the new Testament album this year due to the amount of touring the band has done in the last couple of years and they've always said that they cannot rush things. Even though the record was written and recorded in a rush this time around, their new album Brotherhood Of The Snake is a monster of an album with all the trademark Testament elements we've come to love. The title track, "The Pale King", "Stronghold", "Neptune's Spear" and "Canna-Business" are primary examples of the metal majesty that shines throughout the record. Dark Roots Of Earth has not been topped, but Brotherhood Of The Snake is paralleled with that record in terms of greatness.
Putting albums together in a short period of time usually results in mediocre albums, but if there's one band that can put an album together really quickly and have it turn out amazing, it's Testament. I almost thought we wouldn't get the new Testament album this year due to the amount of touring the band has done in the last couple of years and they've always said that they cannot rush things. Even though the record was written and recorded in a rush this time around, their new album Brotherhood Of The Snake is a monster of an album with all the trademark Testament elements we've come to love. The title track, "The Pale King", "Stronghold", "Neptune's Spear" and "Canna-Business" are primary examples of the metal majesty that shines throughout the record. Dark Roots Of Earth has not been topped, but Brotherhood Of The Snake is paralleled with that record in terms of greatness.
01. MEGADETH - Dystopia
After the release of the incredibly mediocre Super Collider three years ago and its mixed to negative reactions, many people had written Megadeth off. However, after the simultaneous departures of Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover and the injection of new blood (Chris Adler and Kiko Loureiro), expectations for the new Megadeth album were through the roof. Dave Mustaine knew that with a new lineup, playtime was over and it was time to get serious again. With Dystopia, Megadeth came back with a vengeance with some of their fiercest and heaviest material since Endgame like "The Threat Is Real", "Fatal Illusion", "Death From Within", "Post American World", "Poisonous Shadows" and "Lying In State", which got all us Megadeth fans salivating excessively. There are so many old-school moments reminiscent of Peace Sells, So Far, So Good...So What?, Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction but it's still diversified. Aside from Mustaine's crushing riffs, David Ellefson's monstrous bass lines and Kiko Loureiro's majestic solos, Chris Adler's drumming elevated the Megadeth sound to greater heights. Dystopia is continued proof of why Mustaine is a genius. Ever since its January 22nd release, it's been on a regular rotation with me. With all my expectations for this album exceeded, I'm very happy to crown Dystopia as my favourite album of 2016!
After the release of the incredibly mediocre Super Collider three years ago and its mixed to negative reactions, many people had written Megadeth off. However, after the simultaneous departures of Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover and the injection of new blood (Chris Adler and Kiko Loureiro), expectations for the new Megadeth album were through the roof. Dave Mustaine knew that with a new lineup, playtime was over and it was time to get serious again. With Dystopia, Megadeth came back with a vengeance with some of their fiercest and heaviest material since Endgame like "The Threat Is Real", "Fatal Illusion", "Death From Within", "Post American World", "Poisonous Shadows" and "Lying In State", which got all us Megadeth fans salivating excessively. There are so many old-school moments reminiscent of Peace Sells, So Far, So Good...So What?, Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction but it's still diversified. Aside from Mustaine's crushing riffs, David Ellefson's monstrous bass lines and Kiko Loureiro's majestic solos, Chris Adler's drumming elevated the Megadeth sound to greater heights. Dystopia is continued proof of why Mustaine is a genius. Ever since its January 22nd release, it's been on a regular rotation with me. With all my expectations for this album exceeded, I'm very happy to crown Dystopia as my favourite album of 2016!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (No Order)
| Jim Breuer Songs From The Garage  | Alter Bridge The Last Hero  | Tremonti Dust  |
| Sabaton The Last Stand  | Serpentine Dominion Serpentine Dominion  | Amon Amarth Jomsviking  |
Now before you start complaining about certain choices and certain albums missing, and I know a lot of you will, as I said before, and you should all know this. Getting to every single album that came out this year is impossible, but I have listened to so many other albums and really liked what I heard in a lot of them. For example, I also enjoyed the new Gojira, Artillery, Flotsam & Jetsam, Destruction, Revocation and Meshuggah just to name a few. It's just that the ones I listed above had the biggest impact on me.
With that said, that concludes my Top 10 Albums of 2016. Thank you very much for reading. Wishing everyone a very very happy holidays, and here's to a much better year in 2017. Horns up!
With that said, that concludes my Top 10 Albums of 2016. Thank you very much for reading. Wishing everyone a very very happy holidays, and here's to a much better year in 2017. Horns up!
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