HMaM Global Mod
Post by GL on Jan 1, 2014 13:28:18 GMT -5
This was the one for me this year, the toughest group to rank and sort out with at least five albums rotating around the final two spots in the list within the last week or so, and it wasn't until I sat down over the weekend to finish this off that the final list emerged, where two of those five came in and one of the listings I had in the back half emerged closer to the front of the pack so this had a ton of turmoil overall in grouping this one together but I'm incredibly confident in the placement overall now, and for the third time in the last five years we crown the years' overall top album from this grouping so it's just growing and gaining every year and getting much more fun to rank.
10. Enforcer-Death by Fire
As we see elsewhere on the list, despite a strong showing from the veterans the retro scene is just as strong and healthy which certainly bodes well for the future success of the genre and these fiery Swedes will more-than-likely be among the upper echelon of that scene. Bristling with a boundless, youthful energy that keeps the majority of these tracks in the raging up-tempo pace, they utilize what brought them the expose in the first place with generally enjoyable riffs with simple melodic structures, pounding drumming and a falsetto-weaving vocalist that recalls many of the masters of this craft from back twenty-odd years ago, some of whom appear on here themselves. Those are important enough to make this one barely eke out a spot on a crowded list full of competent releases and those that barely missed off themselves.
9. Raven Lord-Descent to the Underworld
A fun trend in recent years has been the number of groups employing a stylized mixture of Symphonic Power Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal together in one explosive, sweeping path, and along with one of the more experienced practioners who appear elsewhere on this list, these guys are starting off their career in fine form by carrying on this fine tradition. As befits the group of this caliber, we have some strong performances here as the guitars are dynamic technically and variation-wise as they employ a series of extravagant riffs with mind-bending solos graced with thunderously heavy rhythms, graceful drumming and top-notch keyboards that add a significant layer of bombast to the music away towards the Symphonic with all the usual heavy metal trappings found within. As the style is rapidly gaining in importance and acceptance in the coming years due to such a high string of quality releases, it’ll grow by leaps and bounds with these guys at the forefront if it becomes a full-time project instead of the rumored side-act.
8. Warlord-The Holy Empire
One of the most overlooked American metal acts from the 80s, these vets are pretty much carrying on where they left off way back then with their grandiose blend of epic, medieval-sounding heavy metal. Armed with a grandiose sense of melody that comes from the sterling guitars that weave through epic patterns and complex variations at extreme ease that shows the effect of adding spindly melodies along the way to add that classic medieval-style sound they’ve employed to great effect. As well, the ability to morph between the fuller, more epic songs as well as the slower, Doom-inspired songs quite easily creating a rather inspired collage into a diverse whole is quite an undertaking. There’s a few problems here with the repetitious nature of some of the longer songs here which are done with some better degree of success elsewhere on here which keeps this from being higher up with all that it gets right, but it’s still good enough to get a spot here on the list.
7. Battle Beast-Battle Beast
Well, it seems like there should be a lot more vocal changes like this in the future as this was perhaps the one surprise in all of my rankings in any genre to have something like this be as high as it is, made all the more so due to the early nature of the record on the bands’ discography. While the first album made it by virtue of a series of strong, melodic riffing along the lines of true old-school Heavy Metal worship, this one takes it into a slightly different territory with far more fiery and up-beat songs that are quite simply stunners in every sense of the word. Fiery riffing, pounding drumming and melodic leads all conspire together into a tight, energetic package that stands out all the more so for the dynamic vocals than anything else present here, as this soaring, howling performance captures the music more effectively than their previous vocalist ever did and made them sound pretty flat and generic. Instead, these are fiery, graceful and even have a dirty, gruffer style that really makes you forget it’s a woman doing all these harmonious lines that not only fits perfectly with the more-pronounced up-tempo variety of songs but also the more traditional mid-tempo chargers, and in the end it’s an approved change. Give them some time and they can become monsters in the years to come.
6. Powerwolf-Preachers of the Night
As mentioned earlier, the new genre-trend is to mix sparkling Power Metal-style keyboards into Traditional Heavy Metal, and these guys are not only one of the genre’s instigators but remain one of the best. Due to being so early to the game, there’s a lot more Power Metal on display as the inclusion of symphonic choirs and orchestral patterns to the keyboards gives off a Gothic feel as well to the guitar patterns that happen to help along with that, but there’s still a strong, resonant Heavy Metal pattern to the music. The riffs hit harder and more viciously than a typical Power Metal band, even with the dynamic drumming and thumping bass-work. Altogether, this is more on the list for how enjoyable it is at doing what it does as this is nothing but pure, cheesy fun, in regards to the overall bouncy music and cheesy lyrics, as the more serious efforts that dominate this list need a little breather among it, which is what this ably provides.
5. Hell-Curse and Chapter
One of the more impressive comebacks in the genre as the debut offering last around for a band being inactive for so long was impeccable and this follow-up is just as good. Far darker and more occult-based than their contemporaries is really where this one lays as there’s a continuation of those themes throughout and by adjoining the type of off-kilter, angular riffing, dynamic drumming and those otherworldly vocals that can weave nightmares through their disjointed and plain weird inflections and patterns which gives them their own distinctive verse and sound. That’s one of the rarest qualities for a band to have, an identity that makes them memorable and recognizable which is what’s accomplished by this effort and showcases one more solid entry for a band leave a solid late-comer legacy.
4. Sacred Steel-The Bloodshed Summoning
Every year there’s a band I’d never heard of before that comes up with a spectacular effort that follows their till-then undiscovered past, and this year it’s these spectacular Germans. There’s something unique about this album that immediately grabs hold, and whether it’s the fiery, speed-laced riffing that seemingly doesn’t know the meaning of slowing down, the technical drumming or the epic arrangements that give off the Symphonic Power Metal that’s suddenly becoming en vogue to mix in the genre, though this is still far and away Traditional Heavy Metal at its finest. The bands’ trademark, though, has to be the vocals which might be one of the most obscure and difficult to get into for they’re whiny, nasally and yet seem to fit the music as close as any other band gets, making this a nice, pleasant surprise for a long running band to produce as fun an album as this is.
3. Satan’s Host-Virgin Sails
Leaving a legacy nearly as dynamic as their more renowned contemporaries, the dramatic twists and turns of the work in their catalog is almost equally as impressive as the work in this one. Taking perhaps the most extreme route through Traditional Metal ever by incorporating a number of blackened aspects from their past together with a dark, ominous vibe to the music, it creates a trippy, powerful combination which is quite imposing and devastating. There’s a grandiosity to the songs that it becomes hypnotic at times rather than devastating listening to the journey these guys pull off and that makes the album’s dynamics with the dexterous riffing, thunderous drumming or the eerie, soul-charred vocals soaring over the epic music within, and that creates one of the most enjoyable releases yet which is quite worthy of placement here.
2. Atlantean Kodex-The White Goddess (A Grammar of Poetic Myth)
Another big surprise of an album, and one that again came out of nowhere with a dynamic, pronounced and far more effective sense of style for their previous album almost exactly like the group above, only the difference here is the fact that these guys managed to produce a far effective album in a stand-alone sense and provide greater hope for their future evolution with what is one of the more impressive releases of the year. Grand, majestic and epic in numerous ways, for not only is this filled with tracks that routinely push past the double-digits mark in terms of song-length, this is done without the overwhelming sense of boredom that might be generated at such a feat with a series of dynamic, virtuous guitar work that effectively ebbs and flows throughout the album as a whole and mixed with fine drumming and a spectacular series of vocal lashings, creating a warmness to the music so often missing from the modern scene. The production on this is a grave indicator of this feat, making for a rather lush environment to place all this spectacular music on and giving all the various arrangements and styles that much greater impression than it would’ve with an otherwise more modern feel. Still, this would’ve been placed here without such a strong element present, but that takes it to where it is now, up near the top and challenging for the top spot overall.
1. Satan-Life Sentence
Yet another strong effort in a year filled with strong comeback offerings, and not only is that given great weight in placing this at the top of the year for the genre this ends up as the years’ overall best-of ranking. Decidedly old-school to the core with fiery, harmonious and soulful riffing that’s far more energetic than it had every right to be, with spectacular vocals that keep the music soaring along at fine tempos with the accomplished patterns and performances whipping through their paces quite like the skilled, seasoned veterans that they are, it allows for even more skillful and explosive dynamics when the music is given a fiery life to them that’s ably matched by the ease with which this is created with, and that’s where this shines as greatly as it does with so much effort placed into writing that kind of music in today’s genre. While the music alone is more than enough to make this great, again it’s the solid production job which allows the music to accomplish such feats where it gets as much love as it does, since there’s a whole host of different dynamics that creep into the music on offer here where it does alter greatly depending on the different moods being created, and that’s all combined into not only the genre’s best album but also a totally worthy Album of the Year award.
10. Enforcer-Death by Fire
As we see elsewhere on the list, despite a strong showing from the veterans the retro scene is just as strong and healthy which certainly bodes well for the future success of the genre and these fiery Swedes will more-than-likely be among the upper echelon of that scene. Bristling with a boundless, youthful energy that keeps the majority of these tracks in the raging up-tempo pace, they utilize what brought them the expose in the first place with generally enjoyable riffs with simple melodic structures, pounding drumming and a falsetto-weaving vocalist that recalls many of the masters of this craft from back twenty-odd years ago, some of whom appear on here themselves. Those are important enough to make this one barely eke out a spot on a crowded list full of competent releases and those that barely missed off themselves.
9. Raven Lord-Descent to the Underworld
A fun trend in recent years has been the number of groups employing a stylized mixture of Symphonic Power Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal together in one explosive, sweeping path, and along with one of the more experienced practioners who appear elsewhere on this list, these guys are starting off their career in fine form by carrying on this fine tradition. As befits the group of this caliber, we have some strong performances here as the guitars are dynamic technically and variation-wise as they employ a series of extravagant riffs with mind-bending solos graced with thunderously heavy rhythms, graceful drumming and top-notch keyboards that add a significant layer of bombast to the music away towards the Symphonic with all the usual heavy metal trappings found within. As the style is rapidly gaining in importance and acceptance in the coming years due to such a high string of quality releases, it’ll grow by leaps and bounds with these guys at the forefront if it becomes a full-time project instead of the rumored side-act.
8. Warlord-The Holy Empire
One of the most overlooked American metal acts from the 80s, these vets are pretty much carrying on where they left off way back then with their grandiose blend of epic, medieval-sounding heavy metal. Armed with a grandiose sense of melody that comes from the sterling guitars that weave through epic patterns and complex variations at extreme ease that shows the effect of adding spindly melodies along the way to add that classic medieval-style sound they’ve employed to great effect. As well, the ability to morph between the fuller, more epic songs as well as the slower, Doom-inspired songs quite easily creating a rather inspired collage into a diverse whole is quite an undertaking. There’s a few problems here with the repetitious nature of some of the longer songs here which are done with some better degree of success elsewhere on here which keeps this from being higher up with all that it gets right, but it’s still good enough to get a spot here on the list.
7. Battle Beast-Battle Beast
Well, it seems like there should be a lot more vocal changes like this in the future as this was perhaps the one surprise in all of my rankings in any genre to have something like this be as high as it is, made all the more so due to the early nature of the record on the bands’ discography. While the first album made it by virtue of a series of strong, melodic riffing along the lines of true old-school Heavy Metal worship, this one takes it into a slightly different territory with far more fiery and up-beat songs that are quite simply stunners in every sense of the word. Fiery riffing, pounding drumming and melodic leads all conspire together into a tight, energetic package that stands out all the more so for the dynamic vocals than anything else present here, as this soaring, howling performance captures the music more effectively than their previous vocalist ever did and made them sound pretty flat and generic. Instead, these are fiery, graceful and even have a dirty, gruffer style that really makes you forget it’s a woman doing all these harmonious lines that not only fits perfectly with the more-pronounced up-tempo variety of songs but also the more traditional mid-tempo chargers, and in the end it’s an approved change. Give them some time and they can become monsters in the years to come.
6. Powerwolf-Preachers of the Night
As mentioned earlier, the new genre-trend is to mix sparkling Power Metal-style keyboards into Traditional Heavy Metal, and these guys are not only one of the genre’s instigators but remain one of the best. Due to being so early to the game, there’s a lot more Power Metal on display as the inclusion of symphonic choirs and orchestral patterns to the keyboards gives off a Gothic feel as well to the guitar patterns that happen to help along with that, but there’s still a strong, resonant Heavy Metal pattern to the music. The riffs hit harder and more viciously than a typical Power Metal band, even with the dynamic drumming and thumping bass-work. Altogether, this is more on the list for how enjoyable it is at doing what it does as this is nothing but pure, cheesy fun, in regards to the overall bouncy music and cheesy lyrics, as the more serious efforts that dominate this list need a little breather among it, which is what this ably provides.
5. Hell-Curse and Chapter
One of the more impressive comebacks in the genre as the debut offering last around for a band being inactive for so long was impeccable and this follow-up is just as good. Far darker and more occult-based than their contemporaries is really where this one lays as there’s a continuation of those themes throughout and by adjoining the type of off-kilter, angular riffing, dynamic drumming and those otherworldly vocals that can weave nightmares through their disjointed and plain weird inflections and patterns which gives them their own distinctive verse and sound. That’s one of the rarest qualities for a band to have, an identity that makes them memorable and recognizable which is what’s accomplished by this effort and showcases one more solid entry for a band leave a solid late-comer legacy.
4. Sacred Steel-The Bloodshed Summoning
Every year there’s a band I’d never heard of before that comes up with a spectacular effort that follows their till-then undiscovered past, and this year it’s these spectacular Germans. There’s something unique about this album that immediately grabs hold, and whether it’s the fiery, speed-laced riffing that seemingly doesn’t know the meaning of slowing down, the technical drumming or the epic arrangements that give off the Symphonic Power Metal that’s suddenly becoming en vogue to mix in the genre, though this is still far and away Traditional Heavy Metal at its finest. The bands’ trademark, though, has to be the vocals which might be one of the most obscure and difficult to get into for they’re whiny, nasally and yet seem to fit the music as close as any other band gets, making this a nice, pleasant surprise for a long running band to produce as fun an album as this is.
3. Satan’s Host-Virgin Sails
Leaving a legacy nearly as dynamic as their more renowned contemporaries, the dramatic twists and turns of the work in their catalog is almost equally as impressive as the work in this one. Taking perhaps the most extreme route through Traditional Metal ever by incorporating a number of blackened aspects from their past together with a dark, ominous vibe to the music, it creates a trippy, powerful combination which is quite imposing and devastating. There’s a grandiosity to the songs that it becomes hypnotic at times rather than devastating listening to the journey these guys pull off and that makes the album’s dynamics with the dexterous riffing, thunderous drumming or the eerie, soul-charred vocals soaring over the epic music within, and that creates one of the most enjoyable releases yet which is quite worthy of placement here.
2. Atlantean Kodex-The White Goddess (A Grammar of Poetic Myth)
Another big surprise of an album, and one that again came out of nowhere with a dynamic, pronounced and far more effective sense of style for their previous album almost exactly like the group above, only the difference here is the fact that these guys managed to produce a far effective album in a stand-alone sense and provide greater hope for their future evolution with what is one of the more impressive releases of the year. Grand, majestic and epic in numerous ways, for not only is this filled with tracks that routinely push past the double-digits mark in terms of song-length, this is done without the overwhelming sense of boredom that might be generated at such a feat with a series of dynamic, virtuous guitar work that effectively ebbs and flows throughout the album as a whole and mixed with fine drumming and a spectacular series of vocal lashings, creating a warmness to the music so often missing from the modern scene. The production on this is a grave indicator of this feat, making for a rather lush environment to place all this spectacular music on and giving all the various arrangements and styles that much greater impression than it would’ve with an otherwise more modern feel. Still, this would’ve been placed here without such a strong element present, but that takes it to where it is now, up near the top and challenging for the top spot overall.
1. Satan-Life Sentence
Yet another strong effort in a year filled with strong comeback offerings, and not only is that given great weight in placing this at the top of the year for the genre this ends up as the years’ overall best-of ranking. Decidedly old-school to the core with fiery, harmonious and soulful riffing that’s far more energetic than it had every right to be, with spectacular vocals that keep the music soaring along at fine tempos with the accomplished patterns and performances whipping through their paces quite like the skilled, seasoned veterans that they are, it allows for even more skillful and explosive dynamics when the music is given a fiery life to them that’s ably matched by the ease with which this is created with, and that’s where this shines as greatly as it does with so much effort placed into writing that kind of music in today’s genre. While the music alone is more than enough to make this great, again it’s the solid production job which allows the music to accomplish such feats where it gets as much love as it does, since there’s a whole host of different dynamics that creep into the music on offer here where it does alter greatly depending on the different moods being created, and that’s all combined into not only the genre’s best album but also a totally worthy Album of the Year award.
