#18 - Top of 2020

 Marko Hietala Pyre of Black Heart (Nuclear Blast Records)

Marko Hietala might have become known by joining Nightwish as a bassist and providing some rougher vocals as a support vocalist but he has a very unique mellow but at the same time edgy voice that has led him to get involved in a range of very diverse projects including his own heavy band Tarot for which he is a lead singer, providing supporting vocal for Amorphis but let's not forget his perfect "casting" by Arjen Lucassen for his Theory of Everything progressive metal album (Top 2013) as the vengeful rival. Although he recently announced that he will be stepping down from his role with Nightwish, it doesn't seem he is ready to stop making music as it can be seen from his diverse outputs which include his new solo project. Although the aim was to release his debut as half English, half Finnish the decision was made to first release the album Mustan Sydämen Rovio in 2019 in Finnish with the English version being released in 2020 so this is technically a double entry. Both version are great and enjoyable with Hietala being equally confident in signing and writing lyrics in both languages, though the uniquely-sounding Finnish language adds a folky feeling in every track. The album has been years in the making and presents some more personal themes, including his father's alcoholism which affected him deeply, that would not fit with his other projects and can be heard in tracks like "The Voice of My Father" or "Isäni ääni"" . All tracks have interesting melodies with the catchy "Stones", the more sorrowful "For You" (which has an Ayreon vibe) and the electronic keyboard-based "Star, Sand and Shadow" while the album could be best described as hard rock/prog. Overall, a unique entry that is elevated by Hietala's amazing voice and his great lyrical themes that clearly show he was truly passionate about this album!

 

94.5/100

 Below is official music video for "Stones".

#19 - Top of 2020

Brothers of Metal - Emblas Saga (AFM Records)

Brothers of Metal have definitely grown a lot since their first album, Prophecy of Ragnarök, which showed some interesting elements that have leveled up in the Emblas Saga. Straight from the great intro about the well-known trickster god, "Brood of the Trickster" to the melodic "Powersnake" (talking about Jörmungandr) and the more brooding but mellow "Hel" (telling the story of the queen of the Underground) the band retells the epic Scandinavian sagas under their own heavy/power sounds and great song writing. The combination of female vocals by Ylva Eriksson, rough & clean male vocals by Joakim Lindback and Mats Nilsson and of course epic choruses with strong male vocals elevate all tracks and make them memorable! The list of tracks that are sing-along worthy is long as they achieve a great balance between the catchy Van Canto-like rhythm and one-of-a-kind Sabaton-reminiscent epicness adding their own touch. The most memorable tracks are the uplifting "Chain Breaker",  the heavier "Njord" and the 100% feel-good "One" which show two different aspects of the band's sound! Brothers of Metal do not only excel in heavy riffs but also in more melodic slow-paced songs like "Weaver of Fate" and the Enya-turns-heavy title song "Emblas Saga" which change the album's pace midway preparing the listener for a second and equally awesome dose of power metal epicness! The band goes the extra mile and puts a lot of effort in the presentation of their songs through imaginative, funny and in theme music videos which fit perfectly with the mood and makes you wanna join them for some beer/wine/ale to sing along together!

 

94.45/100

Below are the official music videos for "Njord", "One" and "Chain Breaker".

#20 - Top of 2020

Dynazty -  The Dark Delight (AFM)

Dynazty are a power/rock band from Sweden with little claim to fame up to this release. While their previous two albums have been relatively good showing a steady progress, their latest endeavour "The Dark Delight" shifts the tone in a darker, more visceral direction, resulting in their best release so far. It is still full of melodic pop metal with ‘80s glam references, while Nils Molin remains a great singer, with amazing vocals throughout, which elevate the already pretty good compositions.

The first songs are really  good, while "From Sound To Silence" has some more bombastic drums and a chorus that really takes the song to the next level. "The Man And The Elements" has a more eclectic feel, while "The Road To Redemption" is a slower more introspective track. "The Black" is a light piece (probably the only  mediocre composition in "The Dark Delight"). "Heartless Madness" is by far one of the most stand out compositions here, while "Waterfall" is a must for hard rock fans, as is the ballad "Hologram". There are two parts on the album, power metal and hard rock/AOR, which do not necessary blend, but are presented in succession as the bands quickly shifts gears from one track to the next. We were impressed with how good "The Dark Delight" sounds and are looking forward to the next release from Dynazty!

94.25/100

Below is the lyric video for "Heartless Madness"

#21 - Top of 2020

 HEAT - HEAT II (Avalon Label)   

It seems like some Swedish hard rock bands have found the secret to creating memorable tunes that can become instant hits. H.E.A.T are the perfect example of Whitesnake-reminiscent bands with songs like "Rock Your Body" which stick to your mind and are perfect to lift your mood at any time and day. The band has been active since 2007, but changed their sound along with their lead singer for 10 years. The return of Kenny Leckremo in the lead vocals is a pleasant surprise which notes their return to the earlier days of the first album. Leckremo's energy fits perfectly with the melodic tunes that ooze from all tracks.  The album is packed with awesome tracks like "Adrenaline" and "Dangerous Ground", but there is no doubt that "Rise" is by far the most uplifting song and personal favourite. H.E.A.T have gone back to their heavier but still melodic sound, so if your are looking for an unapologetically upbeat album do not hesitate to check H.E.A.T II out!

 

94.2/100

 Below is the official animated video for "Rise".

#22 - Top of 2020

The  Night Flight Orchestra - Aeromantic  (Nuclear Blast)

What started as a fun side project has slowly grown to the point that it currently is way more popular than its ingredients (Soilwork, Archenemy). Through their fun and kitsch attitude, combined with energetic and positive music, the band has succeeded in creating a very diverse audience which now follows very carefully the next steps of the group.

TNFO quickly became  one of the most creative acts of melodic 80s rock.  In their newest album, the band has retained its creativity with the  spirit of ABBA very much haunting many songs here.  Synth-pop elements are also present, with keys playing a slightly more substantial role in comparison with Aeromantic's predecessors. Highlights include "Divinyls", "If tonight is our only chance" and the excellent "Taurus". In these dark times, TNFO show once more that there can be music that elevates the spirit as well as the heart, while not shying away from the complexities of today.

94.05/100

Below is the music video for "Divinyls"!

#23 - Top of 2020

 Ensiferum - Thalassic (Metal Blade)

Three years after their previous effort, and following two regrettably mediocre releases by their standards (One-Man Army and Two Paths), Finnish epic folk metallers Ensiferum returned with a vengeance, releasing Thalassic in 2020. Bringing keyboardist/vocalist Pekka Montin (Judas Avenger) into the fold, the band embraces all aspects of their music in this album, making their intentions known from the epic intro "Seafarer's Rum". "Rum, Women, Victory", leans on the pirate-y side, which is not the bands forte, and is possibly the weakest moment of the whole album. However, it is nothing but epicness from hereon till the end of the album, with the truly epic "Andromeda" and the power metal anthem "The defence of the Sampo". These are followed by the quite heavy "Run from the Crushing Tide" and the Amorphis-leaning folk metal "For Sirens". For the final three songs of the album, "One with the Sea" and "Cold Northland" are true epics and among the best songs of the bands for more than a decade, while "Midsummer Magic", provides a nice folk breather between the two, as to not overwhelm the listener with epic brutality. In conclusion, this is one of the best recent Ensiferum albums and among the best epic folk metal releases in a while. 

94/100

Below is the music video for "Andromeda"

#24 - Top of 2020

Bütcher - 666 Goats Carry My Chariot (Osmose Productions)

Bütcher blast their way with the EPIC instrumental "Inauguration of Steele" and the heavy speed anthem "Iron Bitch (Unholy Wielder of the Blade)" leaving no doubt that this album will pump the listener with their high-pitched vocals by Hellshrieker (shifting between King Diamond to rabid shrieks), quick-paced guitar riffs and HEAVY-AS-HELL drumming! The album oozes rough epicness which has a dark twist due to the black metal touches (as heard in "Sentinels of Dethe") that are blended perfectly with speed metal. But you are in for a treat as the band takes epic on another level with the title-track "666 Goats Carry My Chariot" and its awesome Bathory-inspired intro and the mid-song heavy metal riffs that need to be heard to be believed! Closing with an amazing acoustic instrumental, "Exaltation of Sulphur", at just 36 minutes, the album is an uncut gem that does not overstay its welcome and has tremendous replay value for every fun of true metal. 

93.68/100

 

Below is the music video for "Iron Bɪtʃt".

#25 - Top of 2020

 Falconer - From a Dying Ember (Metal Blade Records)

After a too long hiatus (see Top of 2014), Falconer released their "swan song" record in 2020 while announcing that they will be splitting up permanently after that.  "From a Dying Ember" remains loyal to Falconer's style with great melodic guitar riffs, folk elements dispersed throughout and of course Mathias Blad's unique and theatrical voice that makes each song memorable. The album is full of little gems like the amazing intro "Kings and Queens", the medieval-like "Fool's Crusade" (with a great acapella interlude) which is follow by an equally awesome instrumental "Garnets and a Gilded Rose" and "Bland sump och dy" which is sung in Swedish. There are also some tracks that change the pace, adding a more melodic twist  like the acoustic "Rejoice the Adorned" which is heavily based on piano. Overall the album is a welcome addition to Falconer's interesting journey as a band continuing to explore music without losing their unique sound. Fans can only hope that this split will not be permanent and at some point in the future we will get to hear more music from them!

93.45/100

Below is the official audio for "Kings and Queens".

#26 - Top of 2020

 Traveler - Termination Shock (Gates of Hell Records)

Less than a year  passed since the debut of Traveler, a very interesting album, among the highest rated classic metal releases of 2019. Today, having raised the bar, "Termination Shock" seems to be directly stylistically related to their debut, as the similarities of their covers leave no room for doubt. Musically the evolution of the band has been rapid, with a shift to more complex structures, a cleaner, clearer and more balanced production and the compositions while losing some of the edge of its predecessor become more interesting and timeless. The greatest comparative advantage of the new album lies in the clearly upgraded, more mature and controlled performances of Jean Pierre Abboud, the best so far in his career, which stand on the front line of "Termination Shock", along with the exemplary, well-groomed guitars by Ries and Schadlich. Ultimately,  only time will reveal if the new material becomes popular (as their predecessor), however I am looking forward to see where the band goes next!

93.33/100

Below is the official audio for the titular track

#27 - Top of 2020

Ironsword -  Servants of Steel (Alma Mater Records)

Portugal's truest band of brothers returns after a 5-year gap. The band had its start back in 1995 and have had a very sporadic output since then. Most original members  beyond singer/guitarist Tann have departed, while he continues his solitary treck into the hidden crevices of true epic metal (Think Manilla Road meets Visigoth). "Servants Of Steel" is an album that can be easily dismissed as "simplistic" but at the same time it is a truly rich and majestic in its straightforwardness. For it is not the complexity of the compositions that makes this album interesting, but the fact that in its simplicity, barbarism, grandeur and a feeling of Robert E Howard at its best, gush forth.  There are no excess interludes here, only heavy metal cut and sewn from the flesh of the enemies to be performed live as the earth is trembling. Tan's voice is a  classic case of  love or hate - his voice is a perfect fit for the genre, but non-fans would easily dismiss it. However Ironsword are like that; with uncompromising heavy metal anthems like "Rogues In The House" or "In The Coils Of Set", baptised in a personal sound. They are  unwavering in what they do as they continue their solitary journey; their manner makes sure that only those worthy of the blessing of Crom will follow!

93.25/100

Below is the lyric video for the song "In the Coils of Set"