#16 - Top of 2019

Mileth - Catro Pregarias no Albor da Lua Morta (Soundage Productions)

Mileth with their first full-length album are a breath of fresh air for the folk scene which can sometimes sound like any celtic album of the past decade. Packed with pagan folk sounds (including bouzouki, whistle and mouth harp) mixed with metal tunes, each song adds a unique aspect to the album. One of the most memorable tracks is "De Bruma e Salitre" which has a visually stunning & unique music video to complete the Galician magic. "Esperta, Letárxica e Erma Fraga" which is introduced by an invocation & a high pitched yell is the perfect example of how rhythmic metal tunes & rough vocals can blend naturally with a range of voices, choruses and folk harmonies, and is so exciting that definitely needs a follow-up instrumental "Ela, Que Camiña Sobre as Raíces do Frío Inferno" to calm the spirits and act as a transition to the second heavier part of the album! If you are looking for a different type of folk band which incorporates metal elements in a fresh way, this is an album you should listen to and a band all pagan folk fans should keep an eye on!


94.8/100

Below is the official music video for the song "De Bruma E Salitre".

#17 - Top of 2019

Enforcer - Zenith (Nuclear Blast)

This is perhaps the most controversial pick for our list, as it was lauded by fans of the band for "selling out" and for "hitting rock bottom". However, to our humble opinion neither could be further from the truth; it simply is a statement from the band that they want to diversify and change into a different kind of monster. Not better or worse, simply...different.
To better explain what occurred here, a track by track mini-dissection of the record is warranted; "Die for the Devil" is an AOR  anthem type of song, featuring callbacks to Motley Cure and Def Leppard. "Zenith of the black sun" is a slower heavy metal track, which is not too removed from similar work of the band in the past. "Searching for you" is more or less what fans were expecting and they are getting that too here, albeit in smaller doses.  "Regrets" is a power ballad, another experiment of the band, the reason most people attacked the record and well, truth be told it is a weak composition. "The End of the Universe" is where things start to come into focus; a epic anthem with a bass line eerie reminiscent of "For Whom the Bell Tolls", followed by the slightly cheesy but enjoyable "Sail On". "One Thousand Years of Darkness" is an AOR/neoclassical blend from an alternate timeline of one of the early Malmsteen releases (probably released a little time after Trilogy). "Thunder and Hell" goes full speed-metal mode, galloping through the mosh-pits of the world. Forever We Worship the Dark emanates a somewhat brooding mood, mixing equal parts of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest into a melancholic heavy metal song that paves the way for "Ode to Death" with the grandiose intro, the galloping riff, the screams of Eric Adams, even the proper solos in guitars and bass to qualify as an honorary Manowar release!
In conclusion, the album is a pastiche of a multitude of very different aspects of metal and rock music into a record that is way more than a sum of its parts and if given the opportunity, will appeal to heavy metal fans around the world. On my end, I can't wait to see the band every time I spin "Zenith" and I think that is saying something.





94.7/100

Below are the music videos for "Die for the Devil" and "Regrets".

#18 - Top of 2019

The Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure (Radiant Records)

It seems that Neal Morse has found the fountain of limitless inspiration on feel good prog and keeps making his way into our Top of 2015 and 2016 without even getting started on his other work and side projects like Flying Colors and Transatlantic!! This album is the follow-up to the 2016 concept album "The Similitude of a Dream", and the band's third full length album. The album is split into two CDs that correspond with two Acts and five Chapters of the concept moving between different lyrical themes and musical vibes, never losing that amazing positivity that everyone needs! Though each track adds a unique element, there is no doubt that the most catchy track with a strong reply value (with an awesome chorus for sing-alongs!!!) is "Welcome To The World", a musical contrast between the lyrical and musical tone that showcases the band's ability to work together as well as, how their voices blend perfectly! The band knows this well and we get to hear the chorus lines in other songs like pipe-organ-packed "To the River" which wraps up Chapter two of Act I bringing back the theme of "The Similitude of a Dream" in a guitar solo and the groovier "Welcome To The World 2". Chapter 3 is darker with tracks like "Venture in Black" and more intense vocals by the amazing Mike Portnoy briefly taking over from the newcomer Bill Hubauer, and it closes with serene ringing of a church bell. But there is more to come in Act II and chapters 4 & 5 which open with the orchestral epic "Overture 2" and close on a positive note with the Yes-inspired "A Love That Never Dies" (with the customary lead vocals by Eric Gillette), while we get to listen to how the story, narrated by Neal Morse, and "The Dream Continues".
The Great Adventure is a dose of positivity desperately needed and a cohesive prog album showing that Neal Morse and his band of amazing musicians know how to blend classic prog elements into something new and memorable.


94.55/100

Below is the official video for the title-song "The Great Adventure" and the official lyric video for "Welcome to the World".

#19 - Top of 2019

Borknagar - True North (Century Media Records)

Despite the title, cover and premise, misleading the hapless listener for a probable regression to black metal paths,  for  Borknagar,  north and has been transformed here into a more philosophical place with appearances deceptive of its true nature. The meaning of the above phrase is not immediately apparent as "The Fire Burns" is more along the lines of a "typical" song of  the band with progressive and Viking black metal alternations, heralding the return of ICS Vortex to the band. However all that changes as soon as track #2 ("Up North") starts. I think that what one can hear in this track is how the future of the band looks like: Guitars that have a reason to exist,  riffs that sound aggressive without being too extreme, a belief that old-school aesthetics can be aggressive but also thought provoking and deep. Of course, Vortex's vocals are in the spotlight, a driving force throughout the disc, almost  reminiscent, through the scattered rhythmic alternations, of Arcturus. Borknagar, once more, manage to release another album with a multitude of great songs. The concept of the album is quite  cohesive, culminating in the nine-minute nautical epic "Tidal", which acts as a mirror and a finale at the same time. "True North" is an endoscopic, almost solemn in its way, album - a result of true artistic collaboration among its creators.

94.35/100

Below are the music videos for "Up North" and "Voices".

#20 - Top of 2019

The Flower Kings - Waiting for Miracles (Inside Out)

Another year, another excellent release from prog masters The Flower Kings. After Roine Stolt's "almost" personal album in 2018, he decided to return to a more collective take and reactive the full band, releasing a new album, called "Waiting For Miracles ". Here we find the "permanent" lineup of Hasse Froberg (vocals) and Jonas Reingold (bass), but not Tomas Bodin (keyboards) who has been newly replaced by Zach Kammins, along with Mirko DeMaio  on drums.
There are few musical differences  with its predecessors as is always the case with The Flower Kings. Even more so when the band leader himself mentions that he wanted to write a "pure prog rock" album, according to the teachings of Floyd, King Crimson and Yes. Thus, "Waiting For Miracles", is treading on familiar ground and does not disappoint.  There is a good, healthy amount of a traditional prog here, with many layers of keyboards, unconventional measures and extensive guitar solos, sometimes having a more symphonic and sometimes a more pop approach, but always remaining top quality. Among tracks found here, the 10 minute "Vertigo" with its  beautiful vocal melodies, "Ascending To The Stars" which is straight from a sci-fi soundtrack, the instrumental "The Rebel Circus" and the magical "Sleep With The Enemy" truly stand out. Overall the truth is that with "Waiting For Miracles" nothing changes radically either for the band or for its fans. It's not the best work of The Flower Kings, but it continues to be remarkably above almost anything else out this year and can serve as a starting point for exploring the wonderful musical world they have created over the years.


94.3/100

Below is the official audio for "Miracles in America".

#21 - Top of 2019

Finsterforst - Zerfall (Napalm Records)

The German folkers are back with their fifth album, Zerfall, and it sounds like they have refined their epic folk sound even further in this new endeavour. The record blasts its way with "Wut" which is an amazing example of how the mix of folk and black elements should sound like an epic German warrior song. All tracks overflow with melodic guitar riffs and orchestral elements that add to the the grandiose feeling while balancing the blackened rough vocals with imposing male choirs. Finsterforst have evolved their sound since their first albums making it sound bigger and more distinct. Even if the language might put some people off, the song-writing is so good that the listener might forget that the songs are not in English. The title song "Zerfall" which is the album's shortest track at 8 minutes (!!!) perfectly summarises the band's epic sound being heavily based on the awesome guitar riffs (mainly heavy electric but with a touch of acoustic) and a memorable chorus which makes it by far the most radio friendly track. But do not be tricked! The band also gives us the unique "Ecce Homo" which is a 36 minute theme that has everything Finsterforst are good at while succeeding in making it even better by making it flow like one track and not a pastiche of different melodic pieces pasted together. A fitting EPIC way to close this EPIC entry in the 2019 top!


94.25/100

Below is the music video for the song "Zerfall".