#2 - Top of 2020

 Avatar - Hunter Gatherer (Century Media)

On the second place of the best albums of 2020, a very interesting band that never settle and always experiment with their sound leading to intriguing albums (including entries in the 2016 and 2018 Tops). Blasting its way into the top, the album starts with the brutal "Silence in the Age of Apes", an excellent specimen of  Swedish Death Metal with the obligatory melodic guitar riffs and impressive brutal vocals. This is rapidly followed by the equally great and different "Colossus" which has one of the catchiest heavy bass riffs of the year mixing an industrial vibe with clear theatrical vocals showing Johannes Eckerstrom's amazing vocal range. In the "A Secret Door" the balance is shifted towards the more melodic side with no loss on the heavy side that comes together with a memorable whistling sound that introduces and wraps up the song. Other highlights include the  melodic "Child" (with a great guitar solo ending), the groovy "Justice" (which will stick to your mind forever) and the sorrowful acoustic "Gun" with its bleak lyrical themes. After the angry "When All but Force Has Failed", we get the impressive "Wormhole" wrapping up the album with some seriously heavy riffs plummeting into an abysmal wormhole.

Hunter Gatherer is made for Avatar fans, including those who might have felt let down with the previous album, that leaned more on the melodic side. A well structured album with twists and turns that keeps interest high and is packed with tribal riffs, brutal vocals and that touch of threatrics that make Avatar's sound unique.

97.4/100

 

Below are the music videos for "Silence in the Age of Apes", "Colossus" and "A Secret Door"

Honourable Mentions - Top of 2020

 Welcome to another list of best albums, counting down the best among 2020 records. Before we get to the meat of the list, we will present some records that came out that while great, didn't quite get there. Without further delay, we are presenting:

2020 HONOURABLE MENTIONS (In no particular order)

Lucifer - Lucifer III (Trooper Entertainment)

 Lucifer, released their 3rd full length album in 2020 and it doesn't lack anything from what makes their sound unique including a retro dark feeling and amazing female vocals which steal the show. The band is not afraid to move between different sounds and styles, from atmospheric tracks like “Leather Demon”, to the more energetic “Flanked by Snakes” and the title-track “Lucifer” without missing out on their doomy beginnings. Worth a listen for those who are into that occult-inspired heavy rock.

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Merkfolk  - Echo (Independent)

 

Merkfolk is a an interesting folk band from Poland who released their third full length album in 2020. All songs are in the band's native language which fits perfectly with a mixture of flute, fiddle and accordion melodies. The record is pure folk with many tracks having a traditional but yet unique sound like "Dwa wina". A great listen by "the bringer of folk" (as the band's name loosely translates)!

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Moon Reverie - Moon Reverie (Rockshots Music)

 

Italian Neoclassical Rockers Moon Reverie truly impressed us with their debut outing from Rockshots last year. Their combination of technical musicianship with beautiful vocal lines and lengthy neoclassical instrumental pieces that demonstrate their virtuosity and their passion for music, was enough to stand out from the rest of the releases in their genre this year, exciting everyone regarding possible future music outputs from the band and  showing how a mildly contrived genre can get new ideas and directions from young and energetic artists that pay tribute to its past while shaping its future.

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Jet Jaguar - Endless Nights (Pride and Joy Music)

Another debut album, this time from Mexican speed/glam metallers Jet Jaguar. A breakout act from Wacken 2017's Open Air Metal Battle, they were able to take full advantage of that fact, by signing to a label (Pride and Joy) that is very good at showcasing new acts in a wider audience, and released a killer debut album, which includes not only hooky songs (such as "Blinding Lights"), but excellent compositions of pure speedy heavy metal! 

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Magnum - The Serpent Rings (Steamhammer)

 Magnum is one of those bands who still remain "true rockers" and ALWAYS deliver on their releases (making it into a number of our earlier Tops including 2016, Hard Rock Top and 2018). Armed with Bob Catley's unique voice, The Serpent Rings (the 21st full length album by Magnum!!!), has all the great traits of band including catchy tunes that are bound to be instant classics like "Where Are You Eden?" and chorus that are made for sing alongs like "Not Forgiven". Definitely worth a listen while waiting to see them live sometime in the future.

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Lord Vigo - Danse de Noir (High Roller Records)

In their 4th full length release, German Doomsters completely flipped the script, and presented a record that differs quite considerably from their previous releases, approaching their doom metal through the lens of the Dio-era albums of Black Sabbath and adding a very distinct 80s Neon/Scifi aesthetic to their distinct epic doom sound. Their experiment was successful for the most part and while we may miss the epicness oozing from their previous releases, this is still a great album unveiling a different aspect of the band, showing that the band is way more than a one-trick pony.

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Aether Realm - Redneck Vikings from Hell (Napalm Records)

 Aether Realm are one of those releases you hear about randomly and gets you hooked right away. Coming from the US, the band has a melodic death sound with a more "radio-friendly" twist that makes them memorable. The album has a number of great tracks including the super-catchy "Goodbye" and the fanbase-dedicated "TMHC" (standing for the Tiny Metal Hand Crew) making it enjoyable to listen through the album. It is worth having this band in mind as they show some great traits differentiating themselves from the classic melodic death metal sound.

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Mike LePond's Silent Assassins - Whore of Babylon (Silver Lining Music)

In their third offering, the personal band of Symphony X's bassist continue playing unadulterated pure heavy metal with touches of speed. prog, power and epic metal sprinkled in at different quantities throughout the record. Lepond has developed over these three releases a personal sound and this is even more evident here, where almost any composition could easily be a hit single, with almost no filler chaff mixed in. Among the best tracks of the album are "Ironborn", "Ides of March" and "Dracul's Son", but virtually any song has the potential to grow into a mega-hit. Highly recommended for all metal-heads with an affinity for late 90's power/heavy metal sound!

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Temperance  - Viridian (Napalm Records)

Italy is known for a breadth of melodic heavy metal bands but not many are as successful in creating memorable and catchy tunes like Temperance. The album is packed with with tracks that stick to your mind and you are bound to listen on repeat with examples like the pumping "I Am the Fire", the melodic "My Demons Can't Sleep" and last but not list the Mission-Impossible2-inspired "Mission Impossible". With the bonus of a blend of great female and male vocals complimenting each other, Viridian makes for an uplifting release worth checking out.

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Boisson Divine - La Halha  (Brennus Music)

It might have been some time since we last heard from French folk band (previously in the 2013 Top) but they still got this unique sound that fits perfectly with their mixture of French and regional Occitan dialect. Straight from the first track "Lo pèla pòrc" to the memorable "Libertat", the album is packed with traditional sounds (including hurdy gurdy, flabuta, boha and accordion). A very interesting 2020 release from the French folk scene, making us wish there were more bands like them!

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Greyhawk - Keepers of the Flame (Fighter Records)

 What a debut album! Greyhawk show signs of great things to come in the future with their Keepers of the Flame. Riding on the wave of great heavy metal bands coming out of the US in the past couple of year, Greyhawk sound like a band to keep in mind with great clear vocals which along with heavy metal riffs make for some memorable EPIC tracks like "Frozen Star" and "Keepers of the Flame". Definitely worth a listen for all those true heavy metal fans!

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The Flower Kings - Islands (Inside Out)

Another year, another great release from Roine Stolt and company this time around, just one short year after the release of the excellent Waiting for Miracles! While not as masterful as its predecessor, Islands manages to be another highly enjoyable release in the long list of beautifully crafted albums by one of the most consistently good prog rock acts out there. Highlights of the record include the single "Broken" and "Tangerine" which interweaves the vocals of Hasse Fröberg with those of Stolt in a truly magical vocal interplay worthy of any previous release of the band!

# 40 - Top of 2019

Brymir - Wings of fire (Out of Line Music)

Finnish symphonic death metallers Brymir are back with their third (and so far the best!) full length album Wings of Fire. Opener "Gloria in Regum" brings to mind the early Turisas sound by combining imposing male choirs, melodic guitar riffs and Ensiferum-like vocals by Viktor Gullichsen. Titular track "Wings of Fire" takes a completely different approach by relying  heavily on synthesizers combined with melodic riffs and harsh vocals.  "Ride On, Spirit",  a personal favourite, is without a doubt the most epic song of the album, mixing heavy guitar riffs, blasting drum-beats and an EPIC chorus! The darker "Sphere of Halcyon" which follows, adds a blackened-death Dimmu Borgir-like touch relying heavily on a heavy aggressive symphonic sound. Songs in the middle of the album "And So We Age" and "Hails from the Edge" are more straightforward NWOSDM songs, following  a quick-paced format & act as a bridge to the rest of the record. The latter part starts with the dark and eerie "Starportal" with a more modern sound, before moving to the keyboard-based "Vanquish the Night" that is improved through the addition of orchestral parts and perfectly balanced low-key ending. The acoustic intro of "Lament of the Ravenous" allows some time for breath-catching before "Chasing the Skyline", an intriguing  track balancing well all the best parts of typical "Finnish" sound with melodic parts (like Amorphis) along blasting roars of death (like Wintersun), creating their own unique mixture. The album concludes  with the more mellow and epic "Anew", graced by a cameo of Noora Louhimo's distinct voice that complements the narration, perfectly wrapping up the record!

92.6/100


Below is the official music video for the song "Wings of Fire".

#32 - Top of 2017

Aeternam - Ruins of Empires (Independent)

There have been many worthy bands with oriental influences that have drawn attention to their excellent craftmanship in the last 15 years. Among the most prominent are the brutal pioneers of the scene, Orphaned Land and the more radio-friendly Myrath. Aeternam are clearly more at home with the former, rather than the latter, releasing their 3rd full length album, feature a healthy mix of oriental sound and melodic death metal in equal doses. Ruins of Empires is their first album in 5 years and is an impressive return for the band, a few months before Orphaned Land also releasing their new record "Unsung Prophets and Dead Messiahs". Ruins of Empires kicks off with the melodic "Damascus Gate", before shifting gears with "Paropamisadae" unleashing a death metal fury. "Sun Shield" leans on a more symphonic death metal side, eschewing the oriental elements and alternates between symphonic clean passages and thrashing death metal. "Keeper of Shangri-La" is a beautifully crafted acoustic breather, with influences ranging from European to far-eastern folk music and symphonic elements mixed throughout. "Fallen is the Simulacrum of Bel" kicks off with a choral part eerily reminiscent of Therion and influences to Swedish symphonic giants are evident throughout the track's guitar lines, truly a great song. "Colossus" blends the metalcore influences of the band with symphonic elements and intricate riffing. The follow-up "Nightfall on Numidia", brings back the oriental elements, and acts as a relaxing oriental break, with additional female vocals provided by Hind Fazazi of Manahil.  The following "Praetor of Mercury" switches again to melodic death metal, with clear influences from Septic Flesh . The closer Zadyin Arga, attempts to unify the elements present across the record, featuring everything from typical death metal breakdowns, oriental vocal lines, symphonic keys, infectious melodies and cool solos, bringing the album to a glorious end. Check the album out and support the band at their Bandcamp page here.

92/100

Below is the music video for the opener "Damascus Gate".

#34 - Top of 2017

Wintersun - The forest seasons (Nuclear Blast)

Wintersun, the melodic death band led by Jari Mäenpää (known from Ensiferum) are back with a great melodic concept album, following the amazing "Time I". The four songs of the record, drawing inspiration from Vivaldi's four seasons, change their tone and imagery according to the depicted season and its weather. The first song "Awaken from the Dark Slumber (Spring)" is a great starting point for the album with great orchestration and brutal vocals without missing on the clean vocals and epicness. "The Forest that Weeps (Summer)" is based on amazing guitar riffs, starting soft before going to the heavy side, with the help of an impressive instrumental section. "Eternal Darkness (Autumn)" starts with the sound of a storm brewing in the background before going into full growls and intense drumming. The record wraps up with "Loneliness (Winter)", combining a more lyrical approach with a sorrowful chorus, appropriate for the representing season. Overall, a great example of melodic death metal record with an underlying  conceptual theme, showing that even though Wintersun started as a side project it still graced us with another engaging and thought-provoking release!

92/100


Below is the official lyric videos for the 4 seasons.

#21 - Top of 2016

Avatar - Feathers and Flesh (eOne)

The top albums of 2016 continue with the latest release from Avatar, a very unique avant-garde project from Sweden. Avatar have slowly but steadily been building a very devoted fan-base and
creating their personal sound by combining Swedish Death Metal motifs with a "circus" framework, along with very catchy and quirky songs. This is their 6th full-length release and the band continues refining their sound, even more than their previous very successful release (2014's "Hail the Apocalypse"). "Feathers and flesh" kicks off with a short interlude ("Regret") which transforms into "House of Eternal Hunt", a true epic hymn, with lyrics exploring the experience of hunting. The next song "The Eagle has landed" is a much more pompous song, almost sung from within a circus tent, complete with a catchy chorus and over-the-top lyrics.  The album is unrelenting in mood shifts, as "New Land" demonstrates clear 70's prog rock elements with a solemn atmosphere, while its successor "Tooth, Beak and Claw" combines groovy lines with a deep aggression, and an over-the-top chorus. "For the Swarm" is a frantic piece of circus madness, followed by dark and claustrophobic "Fiddler's Farewell". “One More Hill” is a chaotic piece of progressive extreme music, "Black Water" is a downbeat southern tune, while “Night Never Ending” is very upbeat with the vocalist leading the joyous parade. "Pray the Sun Away" is another piece of chaos, at time reminiscent of Messugah and others of soft esoteric prog rock. “When the Snow Lies Red” swings between true epic moments and sick beats that are close to the spirit of early Slipknot. The album closes out with “Raven Wine” and “Sky Burial”. The former fluctuates between sudden attacks and jazz interludes, while the latter is more solemn and quiet as the album comes to a whispering end, in stark contrast to some of its louder moments.

A very interesting and multifaceted release, that needs multiple hearings in order to be fully appreciated, but can still be a fun listen at face value.


93/100 

Below are the music videos for the tracks "For the Swarm", "The Eagle has landed" and "Night Never Ending".

#20 - Top of 2011

 Brymir - Breathe Fire to the Sun (Spinefarm Records)

Breather Fire to the Sun is the first full length album of the Finnish melodic death band Brymir. The band might initially sound as a standard melodic death band but the use of symphonic and folk elements in their music gives them a more unique sound. The album is full with fast paced songs such as the "Burning Within" and blasting riffs in "Withering Past", without being afraid to experiment with longer and more epic songs like the "Breathe Fire To The Sun" and the "Unconquerable"! The songs "In Silence" and "Ragnarök" could be described as the most interesting songs of the record showing that, even though this is the first piece of work we have seen from Brymir (with the second album being released in 2016), we should keep an eye on them to allow them to show their full potential!

92/100


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

#16 - Top of 2012

Ensiferum - Unsung Heroes (Spinefarm Records)

Viking folk metallers Ensiferum released in 2012 one of their most epic records, in Unsung Heroes. The album starts off with the epic intro "Symbols", leading into the first awesome song of the record, "In my Sword I trust", a fast Viking metal sing-along which sets the tone for what is to follow. The eponymous track who follows brings the speed down and has a more epic feel to it with folk metal overtones. "Burning Leaves" follows with a fully blown folk tune that breaks into power intermitted by folkloric interludes. "Celestial Bond", which follows is mainly dressed in the voice of Laura Dziadulewicz, singer of Medeia and acts as an acoustic interlude to the album's frantic energy. Speedy folk is back in "Retribution Shall Be Mine", while the folky Star Queen is simply a melodic elegy. "Pohjola" is another folk song, which is more reminiscent of older Ensiferum records with a more "black" feel and an added grandiosity to it. "Last Breath" is more solemn with an acoustic vibe and acts as an intro to the final 17 minute epic "Passion Proof Power" which acts as a perfect close to the album. There is an added bonus track of a loose cover of Bamboleo which is a fun note to an otherwise cool and solemn epic folk record. An excellent effort, truly a gem for its genre.

94/100

Below is the music video for "In my Sword I Trust"

#25 - Top of 2012

Wintersun - Time I (Nuclear Blast Records)

Wintersun was initially a side project of Ensiferum's vocalist, Jari Mäenpää who recorded the first album of the band along with Kai Hahto (drums). "Time I" is the second album of the symphonic/ melodic band from Finland who has since gained new members; Teemu Mäntysaari (in guitars and backing vocals) and Jukka Koskinen (bass and backing vocals). The record is full with amazing orchestrations and choruses which make the songs sound epic, and although there are few songs in the album each stands out for a different reason. Starting with the instrumental songs " When Time Fades Away", moving to the powerful "Sons of Winter and Stars"(which spans over 13 minutes!), the amazing "Land of Snow and Sorrow", back to another unique instrumental song "Darkness and Frost" and finally wrapping up with the amazing " Time" (which gave its name to the album), this is an amazing 40 minute journey. Though some might call it "not metal enough", I think that the listener cannot deny the captivating atmosphere that fills this ambitious album making it deservedly one of the more intriguing albums of 2012.


93/100

Below is a video with a live performance of the song "Time".

#21 - Top of 2013

Hagbard - Rise of the Sea King (Soundage Productions)

Welcome again, once more, to the beginning of another Top List. This is the first entry of the top list for 2013, and once again we revert back to a list of the top 21 albums for this year.
We begin by exploring the 2013 debut by Brazilian Power/Folk metallers, Hagbard. The band succeeds in combining epic, symphonic and acoustic elements with folk metal inspired by a host of different mythologies. The band took its name from the eponymous Norse sea god and their music is indeed worthy of that name! The album has a range of songs with the atmosphere ranging from epic choirs of male voices in "Let Us Bring Something for Bards to Sing" and "March to Glory" to Igor Rhein's growling vocals in "Sail to War", and from slow-paced songs with violins, flutes and guitars in "Mystical Land" and "Hidden Tears" (with guest female vocals by Vitória Vasconcelos) to the blasting epic sounds of "Dethroned Tyrant". Hagbard's debut album is a little gem in a sea of mediocrity and probably one of the best folk metal debuts of this decade!The band recently released their second album, which will soon be available here, along with their butt-kicking debut!


91/100

Below is the music video for "March to Glory"