Best of 2007

[metal4life]

Top CDs

1. EPICA The Divine Conspiracy
...a bleak year for female fronted gothic metal, but this is a truly stunning album.

2. KEN HENSLEY Blood On The Highway
... ex Uriah Heep dude brings his life story to music.

3. MICHAEL KATON Live & On The Prowl
... dirty, dirty blues, just downright nasty.

4. ANNIHILATOR Metal
... did exactly what it said on the tin - proper metal.

5. BONERAMA Bringing It Home
... the worlds greatest four-trombone rock 'n' roll.

Top DVDs

1. KAMELOT One Cold Winter's Night
... incredible presentation of awesome prog tinged power metal

2. HEAVEN & HELL Live From Radio City Music Hall
... don't listen to fools, cos this rules

3. THE REALM OF NAPALM RECORDS
... amazing collection of hard to find clips inc Korpiklaani, Leaves Eyes and Tyr.

4. SPACE RITUAL Satiricon
... hoary old Hawkwind dudes breathe life into hoary old Hawkwind tunes for hoary old Hawkwind fans.

5. SAXON To Hell And Back Again
... cos it's Saxon

Top gigs

1. HEAVEN & HELL Glasgow SECC
...it had to be, nothing else matched the power.

2. ALICE COOPER, MOTORHEAD, JOAN JETT Glasgow SECC
... great package with something for rockers of all ilks.

3. GRAHAM BONNET The Classic Grand, Glasgow
... one of my childhood heroes, up close and personal.

4. SAXON Glasgow Garage
...heavy metal thunder blasted out in a sweaty club like it was 1981.

5. KROKUS Glasgow QMU
... it's Krokus, people! In the UK! Rocking! Screaming In The Night!

[Ed!]

Top 5 CDs:

(In reverse order for suspense, like)

5. Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
More killer doom; I prefer Lowe to Messiah.

4. Evile - Enter The Grave
Thrash the way it should be. Better than the new Municipal Waste.

3. Moonsorrow - V - Havitetty
Epic blackened folk. Two songs and many, many minutes.

2. Mithras - Behind The Shadows Lie Madness
A rare modern death metal album which actually blew me away.

1. Deathspell Omega - Fas Ite Maledicti In Ignum Aeternum
Of course you knew I'd pick a BM album for the number one spot, right? I read a review slating this album for 'trying to be like Opeth', and it made me laugh 'til I cried. Needless to say, if you are a false, do not entry.



Top 5 live acts:

5. Evile - Birmingham, The Irish Club / London, Camden Purple Turtle
'For those about to die' is as headbangable as 'For whom the bell tolls'.

4. Destruction - Brighton, Engine Rooms
This was a once in a lifetime chance to see a massive band play a tiny club. Thrashed 'til death.

3. Sabbat - Wacken, Germany
Old thrash, but still vital and better than any other band there.

2. Watain - London, Brixton Fridge
The most powerful BM performance I've seen. Amazing.

1. Grand Magus - London, Camden Underworld
JB redefined my appreciation of clean vocals, and this is in a year in which I saw Candlemass and Sahg. Also, Grand Magus were leaden heavy as fuck.



Top 5 CDs I've discovered from yesteryear, this year:

5. Haemoth - Satanik Terrorism
Raw, raw BM. Ear splitting.

4. Katatonia - Dance Of December Souls
Because it made me feel false not to have already heard it.

3. Destroyer 666 - Phoenix Rising
Thrashing, hateful, blackened metal.

2. Peste Noire - La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence
My favourite BM album of all, now.

1. Asphyx - Last One On Earth
Because Van Drunen is the voice of death metal.

[Dalien]

I think I would only really have a couple of worthwhile gigs to mention:

1. Brand New Sin (Southern rock just got good again!)
2. Deathstars (Better than expected)
3. Soil (Just not the same with the new lead singer)

On the albums front absolutely nothing has screamed out at me and I have spent the last year downloading old stuff I used to have on vinyl or cassette... So cue Infectious Grooves and Temple of the Dog.

[metal4life]

That's what happens when you get sucked into the outer regions of Weegiedom.

Death by Wet Wet Wet.

[Dalien]

I suppose so but at the end of the day very little of what I like is coming out just now... Although RATM should be back next year and it will be like going back in itme again. I'm sure metallica will come back next year and ruin their credibility even further, if that is possible?

[Ed!]

Crikey, did the 'now playing' thread get pruned for lack of activity? I suppose I haven't been about for a while, which is a bit rubbish of me. :/ I am now returned to the local area so hopefully I can resume things a little.

Anyway, last year's late Primordial album should definitely be bothering my top 5, as well as, possibly, Wolves In The Throne Room's newest. Both great albums.

[metal4life]

Aye, it's been deathly silent round these parts...

[dan wdowikowski]

i thought everybody had given up!

[metal4life]

Yup, that'll be why I've been updating the site every day.

I take no responsibility for the disinterest of others.

Although, oddly enough, the stats have been rising consistently. Must be shy and delicate folks who don't want to say anything who visit.

[Dalien]

To be fair I've been checking the site but not been logging in.

Anyway we should start a new 'What have you been listening to thread or something'

Bring back the old days!