 | Blog author: Alex Stojanovic The second year of the 2020s is already over. I just can't believe how fast time keeps ticking away. Anyway, nothing we can do about it, other than live our lives to the fullest and make every moment count. That being said, after two years of living in lockdown with all the restrictions and other nonsense we had to deal with, 2022 was the year that life came roaring back in full force. |
Restrictions disappeared by early spring, and boy, were we thrilled. It was amazing to see shows and all mass gatherings return, and to feel that weight of a ton of bricks being lifted off our shoulders. First off, as we always do, let's look back at some of the key moments that stood out during the year. First off, as we always do, let's do some reflection with some of the key moments that stood out this year.
As far as the notable stories that happened this year go, probably the biggest story was Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown teaming up with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante for a bunch of Pantera tribute shows. However, I guess for publcity purposes and ticket sales, it was announced that it would be under the Pantera name, which definitely got a lot of mixed reactions. The way I see it is that it's a tribute and not a full-blown reunion as most people and media are making it out to be. It's obviously not going to be same without the Abbott brothers. The guys have said that it's a tribute tour, and that's how it should be. Plus, the fact that they got the blessing from the Abbott estate pretty much says everything. If Phil, Rex, Charlie and Zakk started doing this without their permission, we would've been hearing about a lawsuit by now. It should be treated as a tribute, because that's what it really is at the end of the day.
Another big moment was earlier in the year when Testament announced the return of Dave Lombardo to the drum throne after they amicably parted ways with Gene Hoglan. The announcement got all us Testament fans incredibly excited, as there's no need to describe how loved Lombardo is by everybody. Mick Mars also announced his retirement from touring due to his ongoing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, which means that after years of performing live with the original lineup, Motley Crue will be reverting back to performing live with 3 original members for the first time since the early 2000s, with John 5 taking Mick's place.
The other notable moment was after 25 years of eligibility, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, but instead of being inducted as Performers like they should've been, they were inducted for Musical Excellence. The other thing that made this a notable moment was that it was the first time since 2009 that they performed with K.K. Downing, and Les Binks also performed with the band. Either way, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame is still a joke.
Now, as we also always do before we kick off the festivities, let's take a moment to remember all the fallen heroes that we lost this year, both in and out of music. Some of the most notable musical losses include Meat Loaf, Taylor Hawkins and Olivia Newton-John, but there was also Jon Zazula (Jonny Z), Alan White, Fredrik Johansson, Trevor Strnad, Alec John Such, Andy Fletcher, Steve Grimmett, Gord Kirchin, Dan McCafferty, and Christine McVie, just to name a few. Some of the biggest non-musical losses include Howard Hesseman, Nichelle Nichols, Gilbert Gottfried, Ivan Reitman, Bob Saget, Estelle Harris, Robbie Coltrane, David Warner and Ray Liotta just to name a few. R.I.P to all the great talents we lost this year.
While we're still on the subject of losses from this year, I also want to give a mention to a loss that us in the local Toronto scene experienced, which is Walter Froebrich. Pretty much everyone in the local Toronto scene knew Walter as a frequent face at shows. I personally didn't know him well enough to call him a friend, and I don't really have any stories about him to share, but we knew each other more as acquaintances. Either way, my condolences go out to everyone who knew him, and may he rest in peace.
Now normally, when it comes to picking our Top 10 albums for each year, it's normally really difficult due to the high volume of great albums that came out during the year, but this year seemed a little bit easier at least for me, because there were obviously lots of great albums, but there weren't really enough to the point where I was struggling to pick 10 as well as a few honourable mentions. Either way, I hope you enjoy my selection down below.
As far as the notable stories that happened this year go, probably the biggest story was Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown teaming up with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante for a bunch of Pantera tribute shows. However, I guess for publcity purposes and ticket sales, it was announced that it would be under the Pantera name, which definitely got a lot of mixed reactions. The way I see it is that it's a tribute and not a full-blown reunion as most people and media are making it out to be. It's obviously not going to be same without the Abbott brothers. The guys have said that it's a tribute tour, and that's how it should be. Plus, the fact that they got the blessing from the Abbott estate pretty much says everything. If Phil, Rex, Charlie and Zakk started doing this without their permission, we would've been hearing about a lawsuit by now. It should be treated as a tribute, because that's what it really is at the end of the day.
Another big moment was earlier in the year when Testament announced the return of Dave Lombardo to the drum throne after they amicably parted ways with Gene Hoglan. The announcement got all us Testament fans incredibly excited, as there's no need to describe how loved Lombardo is by everybody. Mick Mars also announced his retirement from touring due to his ongoing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, which means that after years of performing live with the original lineup, Motley Crue will be reverting back to performing live with 3 original members for the first time since the early 2000s, with John 5 taking Mick's place.
The other notable moment was after 25 years of eligibility, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, but instead of being inducted as Performers like they should've been, they were inducted for Musical Excellence. The other thing that made this a notable moment was that it was the first time since 2009 that they performed with K.K. Downing, and Les Binks also performed with the band. Either way, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame is still a joke.
Now, as we also always do before we kick off the festivities, let's take a moment to remember all the fallen heroes that we lost this year, both in and out of music. Some of the most notable musical losses include Meat Loaf, Taylor Hawkins and Olivia Newton-John, but there was also Jon Zazula (Jonny Z), Alan White, Fredrik Johansson, Trevor Strnad, Alec John Such, Andy Fletcher, Steve Grimmett, Gord Kirchin, Dan McCafferty, and Christine McVie, just to name a few. Some of the biggest non-musical losses include Howard Hesseman, Nichelle Nichols, Gilbert Gottfried, Ivan Reitman, Bob Saget, Estelle Harris, Robbie Coltrane, David Warner and Ray Liotta just to name a few. R.I.P to all the great talents we lost this year.
While we're still on the subject of losses from this year, I also want to give a mention to a loss that us in the local Toronto scene experienced, which is Walter Froebrich. Pretty much everyone in the local Toronto scene knew Walter as a frequent face at shows. I personally didn't know him well enough to call him a friend, and I don't really have any stories about him to share, but we knew each other more as acquaintances. Either way, my condolences go out to everyone who knew him, and may he rest in peace.
Now normally, when it comes to picking our Top 10 albums for each year, it's normally really difficult due to the high volume of great albums that came out during the year, but this year seemed a little bit easier at least for me, because there were obviously lots of great albums, but there weren't really enough to the point where I was struggling to pick 10 as well as a few honourable mentions. Either way, I hope you enjoy my selection down below.
10. IBARAKI - Rashomon
For over 10 years now, Matt Heafy of Trivium has been working on a black metal side project with Ihsahn from Emperor producing and co-writing a few songs, but his commitments with Trivium kept taking priority. His long awaited black metal album Rashomon, under the moniker Ibaraki, is a black metal album for the ages. The more Heafy grew as a musician and a person, he started to break away from the traditions of black metal, and incorporate elements and directions that would make the most staunch black metal purist have a conniption fit. including a guest appearance from Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, who did black metal vocals on the track "Ronin", and crushed it in the process. With this creative freedom, the sky is the limit for what could come with new Ibaraki music. Given how immersed Matt is with his Japanese heritage, it should be no surprise that all the song titles are in Japanese as well, and the band name Ibaraki refers to a Japanese demon from feudal legend.
For over 10 years now, Matt Heafy of Trivium has been working on a black metal side project with Ihsahn from Emperor producing and co-writing a few songs, but his commitments with Trivium kept taking priority. His long awaited black metal album Rashomon, under the moniker Ibaraki, is a black metal album for the ages. The more Heafy grew as a musician and a person, he started to break away from the traditions of black metal, and incorporate elements and directions that would make the most staunch black metal purist have a conniption fit. including a guest appearance from Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, who did black metal vocals on the track "Ronin", and crushed it in the process. With this creative freedom, the sky is the limit for what could come with new Ibaraki music. Given how immersed Matt is with his Japanese heritage, it should be no surprise that all the song titles are in Japanese as well, and the band name Ibaraki refers to a Japanese demon from feudal legend.
09. BLIND GUARDIAN - The God Machine
For nearly 20 years, Blind Guardian were immersed in the progressive/symphonic world of power metal, with a lot of orchestral elements added into their music, longer songs and epic arrangements. While some may consider their long-awaited orchestral album Legacy Of The Dark Lands, which came out in 2019, as a studio album, Hansi Kursch was the only band member to perform on it, so I personally wouldn't consider it an official Blind Guardian studio album, but more as a side release under the Blind Guardian moniker. At the same time, old-school fans have been clamoring for an album that goes back to their thrash/speed metal roots, and the band delivered on all fronts with The God Machine, which is definitely the heaviest Blind Guardian album since Imaginations From The Other Side. It's safe to say that frustrations from the pandemic, and some of the more personal things the band members have gone through over the last couple of years, particularly Hansi Kursch dealing with the loss of his mother, bled their way into the album, resulting in more aggressive and faster songs. At the same time, the band didn't forget about the epic elements they became known for over the last 20 years.
For nearly 20 years, Blind Guardian were immersed in the progressive/symphonic world of power metal, with a lot of orchestral elements added into their music, longer songs and epic arrangements. While some may consider their long-awaited orchestral album Legacy Of The Dark Lands, which came out in 2019, as a studio album, Hansi Kursch was the only band member to perform on it, so I personally wouldn't consider it an official Blind Guardian studio album, but more as a side release under the Blind Guardian moniker. At the same time, old-school fans have been clamoring for an album that goes back to their thrash/speed metal roots, and the band delivered on all fronts with The God Machine, which is definitely the heaviest Blind Guardian album since Imaginations From The Other Side. It's safe to say that frustrations from the pandemic, and some of the more personal things the band members have gone through over the last couple of years, particularly Hansi Kursch dealing with the loss of his mother, bled their way into the album, resulting in more aggressive and faster songs. At the same time, the band didn't forget about the epic elements they became known for over the last 20 years.
08. LAMB OF GOD - Omens
The days of two year gaps between records seemed like a thing of the past for Lamb Of God since Ashes Of The Wake and Sacrament. However, since they released their self-titled album during the height of the pandemic and didn't have the chance to properly do shows to support it until a year later when touring came back even with restrictions still in place, it seemed like a no-brainer to already write a new album. Now, nobody was expecting a new album that soon from Lamb Of God, so it was quite the surprise when they announced the release of Omens. While I still stand behind my opinion that "Nevermore" was more on the weak side for an opener, and could've switched places with "Vanishing" or the title track, Omens is another solid release from one of NWOAM's leaders. If I may also add, it has the best production of any Lamb Of God album to date.
The days of two year gaps between records seemed like a thing of the past for Lamb Of God since Ashes Of The Wake and Sacrament. However, since they released their self-titled album during the height of the pandemic and didn't have the chance to properly do shows to support it until a year later when touring came back even with restrictions still in place, it seemed like a no-brainer to already write a new album. Now, nobody was expecting a new album that soon from Lamb Of God, so it was quite the surprise when they announced the release of Omens. While I still stand behind my opinion that "Nevermore" was more on the weak side for an opener, and could've switched places with "Vanishing" or the title track, Omens is another solid release from one of NWOAM's leaders. If I may also add, it has the best production of any Lamb Of God album to date.
07. MEGADETH - The Sick, The Dying...& The Dead
Plagued by tons of touring, cancer, the pandemic and lineup changes, Megadeth had hell of an excuse to delay their long-awaited sixteenth album The Sick, The Dying...& The Dead. With all the setbacks they experienced in the last six years, it can kind of be considered a comeback album, though not fully. That being said, album #16 for the thrash legends proves that even the most deadly setback (cancer) isn't enough to stop them. Does it top Dystopia? Hell no. However, with such strong tracks like "Life In Hell", "Nightstalkers", "Dogs Of Chernobyl" and "We'll Be Back", it's proof that there's still plenty of musical life and intensity in Dave Mustaine and the crew, and with Kiko Loureiro, James Lomenzo and Dirk Verbeuren in the lineup, we can only imagine what intensity is to come next. I just kind of wish that the drums had some more punch to them, then it would've been ranked a little higher.
Plagued by tons of touring, cancer, the pandemic and lineup changes, Megadeth had hell of an excuse to delay their long-awaited sixteenth album The Sick, The Dying...& The Dead. With all the setbacks they experienced in the last six years, it can kind of be considered a comeback album, though not fully. That being said, album #16 for the thrash legends proves that even the most deadly setback (cancer) isn't enough to stop them. Does it top Dystopia? Hell no. However, with such strong tracks like "Life In Hell", "Nightstalkers", "Dogs Of Chernobyl" and "We'll Be Back", it's proof that there's still plenty of musical life and intensity in Dave Mustaine and the crew, and with Kiko Loureiro, James Lomenzo and Dirk Verbeuren in the lineup, we can only imagine what intensity is to come next. I just kind of wish that the drums had some more punch to them, then it would've been ranked a little higher.
06. DISTURBED - Divisive
Back in 2018, when Disturbed released Evolution, it was met with mixed reviews for having a few too many acoustic ballads. It was obviously a one-time thing, because the band's long-awaited eighth album Divisive is a return to their heavier, hard-rocking roots. I personally am also glad that they didn't go back to Kevin Churko for production duties, because I am not a fan of that guy's production style, as he makes records sound way too computerized. While there may be a little bit of trappings of that sound on this record, it's not as severe, as you can hear glimpses of the production from the first five records, which feels like a more in-your-face attack. The duet with Ann Wilson on "Don't Tell Me" is one of the album's standout moments, because the voices of Ann and David Draiman together is something that must be heard, because it's truly goosebump-inducing. I also wanted to note that this also marks the first Disturbed album since Asylum to make my Top 10 list.
Back in 2018, when Disturbed released Evolution, it was met with mixed reviews for having a few too many acoustic ballads. It was obviously a one-time thing, because the band's long-awaited eighth album Divisive is a return to their heavier, hard-rocking roots. I personally am also glad that they didn't go back to Kevin Churko for production duties, because I am not a fan of that guy's production style, as he makes records sound way too computerized. While there may be a little bit of trappings of that sound on this record, it's not as severe, as you can hear glimpses of the production from the first five records, which feels like a more in-your-face attack. The duet with Ann Wilson on "Don't Tell Me" is one of the album's standout moments, because the voices of Ann and David Draiman together is something that must be heard, because it's truly goosebump-inducing. I also wanted to note that this also marks the first Disturbed album since Asylum to make my Top 10 list.
05. SABATON - The War To End All Wars
If anyone feels the need for a history lesson, but were never into the method of reading books, the solution is very simple: listen to Sabaton. I found that I've learned more about WWI and other historic events by listening to Sabaton than I ever did by reading books in history class in high school. Since WWI has so many stories to tell, Sabaton followed up The Great War with another collection of songs related to WWI with The War To End All Wars. Honestly, they can continue making albums based on WWI, and not run out of topics to talk about. If you were to ask me which of the two WWI-themed Sabaton albums would I prefer, I would easily go with The War To End All Wars. It contains the better collection of songs, and is more consistent than The Great War.
If anyone feels the need for a history lesson, but were never into the method of reading books, the solution is very simple: listen to Sabaton. I found that I've learned more about WWI and other historic events by listening to Sabaton than I ever did by reading books in history class in high school. Since WWI has so many stories to tell, Sabaton followed up The Great War with another collection of songs related to WWI with The War To End All Wars. Honestly, they can continue making albums based on WWI, and not run out of topics to talk about. If you were to ask me which of the two WWI-themed Sabaton albums would I prefer, I would easily go with The War To End All Wars. It contains the better collection of songs, and is more consistent than The Great War.
04. NORDIC UNION - Animalistic
One of Scandinavia's dynamic duos: better known as Nordic Union, featuring Ronnie Atkins of Pretty Maids and Erik Martensson of Eclipse got together this year to release their first album in 4 years. Since the release of Second Coming in 2018, many people were wondering whether there would be another album from the two melodic hard rock masters. However, Ronnie's ongoing stage 4 cancer battle became a guessing game for a while, but the man is making the best use of the time he still has on earth with as many recording projects, including a couple of solo albums and a new Nordic Union album. The band's third studio offering: Animalistic picks up where Second Coming left off, and you know what you're getting when you listen to pretty much anything that either Ronnie or Erik are involved in.
One of Scandinavia's dynamic duos: better known as Nordic Union, featuring Ronnie Atkins of Pretty Maids and Erik Martensson of Eclipse got together this year to release their first album in 4 years. Since the release of Second Coming in 2018, many people were wondering whether there would be another album from the two melodic hard rock masters. However, Ronnie's ongoing stage 4 cancer battle became a guessing game for a while, but the man is making the best use of the time he still has on earth with as many recording projects, including a couple of solo albums and a new Nordic Union album. The band's third studio offering: Animalistic picks up where Second Coming left off, and you know what you're getting when you listen to pretty much anything that either Ronnie or Erik are involved in.
03. KREATOR - Hate Uber Alles
When it comes to the best thrash releases of this year, there's no way you can't count Kreator's 15th offering Hate Uber Alles as one of the best of the year. Marking their first release with new bassist Frederic LeClercq, known for his time in DragonForce, Kreator sounds like they went back to basics a little bit with the inclusion of a bit more thrash while still maintaining the epic, melodic elements that were really prevalent on their records since Violent Revolution. Now Hate Uber Alles doesn't come anywhere near the level of quality experienced on Phantom Antichrist and Gods Of Violence, which are two Kreator albums in a class of their own, but I think it really stacks up with Enemy Of God and Hordes Of Chaos. Fantastic guitar work from Mille Petrozza and Sami Yli-Sirnio, and shredding drums from Ventor, as well as strong songs like the title track, "Killer Of Jesus", "Strongest Of The Strong", "Conquer & Destroy" and "Dying Planet". There's clearly plenty of gas in the tank for the German thrash kings.
When it comes to the best thrash releases of this year, there's no way you can't count Kreator's 15th offering Hate Uber Alles as one of the best of the year. Marking their first release with new bassist Frederic LeClercq, known for his time in DragonForce, Kreator sounds like they went back to basics a little bit with the inclusion of a bit more thrash while still maintaining the epic, melodic elements that were really prevalent on their records since Violent Revolution. Now Hate Uber Alles doesn't come anywhere near the level of quality experienced on Phantom Antichrist and Gods Of Violence, which are two Kreator albums in a class of their own, but I think it really stacks up with Enemy Of God and Hordes Of Chaos. Fantastic guitar work from Mille Petrozza and Sami Yli-Sirnio, and shredding drums from Ventor, as well as strong songs like the title track, "Killer Of Jesus", "Strongest Of The Strong", "Conquer & Destroy" and "Dying Planet". There's clearly plenty of gas in the tank for the German thrash kings.
02. MACHINE HEAD - Of Kingdom & Crown
After all the challenges they faced since 2018 with a rather bloated album, tours cut short due to lineup changes and the pandemic, Machine Head bounced back from the brink of destruction with Of Kingdom & Crown, which sees the band returning to firing on all cylinders, and is undoubtedly their finest album since Unto The Locust. Containing qualities of Unto The Locust, The Blackening, Through The Ashes Of Empires, Burn My Eyes, and Bloodstone & Diamonds, the ecstatic reception the album received from fans and critics is no surprise. While still a long record with 13 tracks, and clocking in at the 1-hour mark, the narrative keeps you invested as much as the compositions do. With Matt Alston on drums (although not on the album) and Vogg from Decapitated on guitar joining Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern for the new chapter, Machine Head seems reborn on Of Kingdom & Crown with a new vigor and exuberance that they were missing on the last record.
After all the challenges they faced since 2018 with a rather bloated album, tours cut short due to lineup changes and the pandemic, Machine Head bounced back from the brink of destruction with Of Kingdom & Crown, which sees the band returning to firing on all cylinders, and is undoubtedly their finest album since Unto The Locust. Containing qualities of Unto The Locust, The Blackening, Through The Ashes Of Empires, Burn My Eyes, and Bloodstone & Diamonds, the ecstatic reception the album received from fans and critics is no surprise. While still a long record with 13 tracks, and clocking in at the 1-hour mark, the narrative keeps you invested as much as the compositions do. With Matt Alston on drums (although not on the album) and Vogg from Decapitated on guitar joining Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern for the new chapter, Machine Head seems reborn on Of Kingdom & Crown with a new vigor and exuberance that they were missing on the last record.
01. PARKWAY DRIVE - Darker Still
"Wow, I wasn't expecting this to be your #1 pick." Yeah, surprise! I started to take a big liking to the Aussie lads in Parkway Drive over the last 3 years. I was really impressed with their last two albums: Ire and Reverence, as it's where they really started to hone their songwriting skills, and they continued that with their new album Darker Still. You can compare listening to Darker Still and Reverence in particular to watching Lord Of The Rings, because those movies were so meticulously crafted, and they have the ability to have you invested in every little bit of detail that is shown and heard, even if they are 3+ hours long. That's what I felt with listening to these two albums in particular, because not only were they so brilliantly produced, but the songs themselves were crafted with so much care and passion, it shows that the band care about what they put together. You can feel that care and passion in songs like "Ground Zero", "Glitch", "The Greatest Fear" and "Imperial Heretic", but especially the title track. These songs were built for arenas. It's no wonder why Winston McCall has hyped up Jeff Ling as one of the most underrated guitarists of all time. There's so much more to great songwriting than playing fast and technical riffs with heavy breakdowns, and ripping your throat out vocally (even with proper screaming technique), and that's something that the old Parkway fans and most metal fans in general seem to be oblivious to. I know it's all opinionated, but some people need a serious dose of a reality check. With the albums since Ire, the songs had much more depth compared to any of the songs on the first four records. Despite the one song that was a dud: "If A God Can Bleed", if this album was a school project, it deserves and A+ marking. I cannot wait to see where Parkway Drive go from here.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting this to be your #1 pick." Yeah, surprise! I started to take a big liking to the Aussie lads in Parkway Drive over the last 3 years. I was really impressed with their last two albums: Ire and Reverence, as it's where they really started to hone their songwriting skills, and they continued that with their new album Darker Still. You can compare listening to Darker Still and Reverence in particular to watching Lord Of The Rings, because those movies were so meticulously crafted, and they have the ability to have you invested in every little bit of detail that is shown and heard, even if they are 3+ hours long. That's what I felt with listening to these two albums in particular, because not only were they so brilliantly produced, but the songs themselves were crafted with so much care and passion, it shows that the band care about what they put together. You can feel that care and passion in songs like "Ground Zero", "Glitch", "The Greatest Fear" and "Imperial Heretic", but especially the title track. These songs were built for arenas. It's no wonder why Winston McCall has hyped up Jeff Ling as one of the most underrated guitarists of all time. There's so much more to great songwriting than playing fast and technical riffs with heavy breakdowns, and ripping your throat out vocally (even with proper screaming technique), and that's something that the old Parkway fans and most metal fans in general seem to be oblivious to. I know it's all opinionated, but some people need a serious dose of a reality check. With the albums since Ire, the songs had much more depth compared to any of the songs on the first four records. Despite the one song that was a dud: "If A God Can Bleed", if this album was a school project, it deserves and A+ marking. I cannot wait to see where Parkway Drive go from here.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS (No Order)
| Amon Amarth The Great Heathen Army | Saint Asonia Introvert/Extrovert | Revocation Netherheaven |
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| Xentrix Seven Words | Vio-Lence Let The World Burn | The Halo Effect Days Of The Lost |
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That concludes my picks for 2022. It has been a really great year, and we're already looking forward to what 2023 has in store. Looks like it's going to be another jam packed year. Happy Holidays everyone! Horns up!
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