#28 - Top of 2020

 Six Foot Six - The End of all  (Scarlet Records)

The End of All is the second full length album by melodic heavy metallers Six Foot Six which came out just in time for the 2020 wrap up (December!) and is once again led by great clear vocals, by lead vocalist Kristoffer Göbel (known by Falconer & Destiny), also on rhythm guitar, spewing amazing guitar melodies. From beginning to end, the album is full of memorable tunes and choruses including awesomely catchy tracks like the intro "Welcome to Your Nightmare", dynamic and groovy twists like the title-track "End of All", as well as more imposing tunes like "In God We Trust" and the Falconer-reminiscent "Blood Will Out"! The band shows how versatile they can be by shifting between different tunes and tempos without losing their melodic side, creating a very interesting album that can be heard on repeat and can be appreciated increasingly the more you listen to it. Highlights include "Last Days of Our Lives" which has some of the best guitar solos & mid-song surprises of the album and personal favourite "Finale Vittoria" which acts as refreshing change of pace! Overall, the Scandinavians know how to create the 100% perfect melodic riffs and are worth keeping an eye on! 

93.21/100

Below is the official music videos for "Welcome To Your Nightmare" and "The Last Days of Our Lives".

 

#29 - Top of 2020

Warbringer -  Weapons of Tomorrow (Napalm Records)

Although thrash has not really been the bread and butter of our blog, we always have a soft spot for bands that try to spicen-up their thrash with a pinch of more diversity. Such is the case of Warbringer and their latest output Weapons of Tommorow, for very rarely have feelings of such epicness been portrayed through the medium of thrash metal which is usually the medium of choice for portraying either (i) dissent or (ii) partying which results in anthems of "angry partying", "joyous rioting" and oft a mix of the two [and when dangerous ingredients are mixed to songs of "angry rioting", but rarely, if ever, of "joyous partying", reserved for genres of a more "speed" predisposition]. Warbringer however evokes images of war on a grand scale and produce such a unique thrash album that makes them completely distinct from other bands of the so-called new wave of thrash that begun in the late 00s. This album, which ranks surely among the best of the new wave of the genre, is no exception and provides clear proof that the band is among the pioneers of an otherwise stale genre, subverting its aesthetics without changing its core, all the while making heads banging and pits thrashing!

93.2/100

Below is the lyric video for "Glorious End".

#30 - Top of 2020

Alestorm - Curse of the Crystal Coconut  (Napalm Records)

The Scottish pirate metal crew is back with their 6th full length album which provided the perfect dose of fun & adventure needed for the dreadful 2020 (also see Top of 2014 and Top of 2017)! Alestorm have definitely not lost their magic touch and have given us a number of quirky and funny tracks such as "Treasure Chest Party Quest" and "Shit Boat" which are not so much on the heavy metal side but make everyone listening to the album miss live concerts even more! Packed with the equally enjoyable but also more epic tracks like " Fannybaws" and "Call of the Waves", the band achieves a balance of the elements that makes them what they are, with the best example being "Tortuga" juggling between electronic elements and epic choruses. However, the most interesting song has got to be none other than "Wooden Leg Part 2" which spans over 8 minutes and between 3 languages to tell the story of The Woodening of a pirate who loses more than a leg in the course of the track! If you are itching to go on a quest for an entertaining album of pirate adventures, look no further than the Curse of the Crystal Coconut! 

93.1/100

 

Below are the official music videos for "Treasure Chest Party Quest", "Pirate Metal Drinking Crew", "Shit Boat" and "Fannybaws"!

#31 - Top of 2020

 Manticora - To Live To Kill to Live (ViciSolum Productions) 

We are kicking off the best albums of 2020 with the newest offering from the exquisite Danish prog/power outfit Manticora. Released back in August, this is a follow-up to 2018's "To Kill To Live To Kill". The album is the culmination of the best period of the band, with an abundance of creativity both on a conceptual and an executional level. The album kicks off with the epic Blind-Guardianesque  "Katana - The Moths and the Dragonflies / Katana - Mud". The oriental interlude that follows paves the way for "The Farmer's Tale pt3", which closes out a trilogy of songs from the previous record, adding a more proggy sound bridging into "Slaughter in the Desert Room" which features a much more darker sound, in addition to the vocal contributions of June Dark (Clandestine).  There is a lot to uncover throughout the album with multiple musical styles intermingling with a very fresh-sounding production. Among our personal favourites are the Katana trilogy of songs which rank among the best power/prog songs all decade long and particularly the head-banging finale "Beheaded". Truly a memorable album among one of the oft-overlooked bands of the European power metal circuit!

93/100

Below is the lyric video for "Katana - Death of the Meaning of Life".