Looking back on 2007 it occurs to me that it really was a strange old year in the world of music. There were some amazing releases by newly discovered bands, many old favourites reunited to produce some fantastic material (Three of my top 10 albums could be classed as reunion albums) and I was fortunate to attend quite a few top drawer gigs and tick several bands off my "Must see before I die" list.
There were a few disappointments this year however. Several bands who up until this point have always released fairly high quality albums let their standards slip (Manowar, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Nine Inch Nails, I'm looking in your direction) and the continued tradition of bands ignoring Scotland on their touring schedules continued as usual. Although it is getting slightly better with the increasing popularity of Metal in Scotland. Also far too many albums remain un-listened to or un-purchased as there truly are not enough hours in the day.
Anyway, all moaning aside please now allow me to waffle on about my personal album and gig highlights of the past twelve months:
Top Ten Albums of 2007
1. Syth- Warzone
Ok, so it's perhaps a bit cheeky selecting this as my album of 2007 as I've had a hold of an advanced copy since October 2006. But it didn't receive an official release till April last year so I feel justified in doing so. All technicalities aside, this is an astonishingly good slice of Scottish Power Metal combining hard and fast riffing with lashings of melody and some of the best musicianship heard on anything in the past year. Sadly Syth announced that they were splitting up at the years end and played their last gig on 21st December 2007. Will we ever hear from them again? Only time will tell.
2. Mayhem- Ordo Ad Chao
The award for the most bewildering and terrifying release of the year goes to Mayhem with their first album in over a decade with the true "voice of the dead" Attila Csihar. This is the sound of a 40 minute wade through the darkest, most foul recesses of the mind with a murky production that has to be heard to be believed. Attila's vocals really do add an aura of mystery to the record as he alternates between guttural groans and shocking high pitched squeals that can only be likened to the sound of a pig being slaughtered. Just turn out the lights, stick on a pair of headphones and prepare to be taken to the other side.
3. Smashing Pumpkins- Zeitgeist
An excellent release from one of my all time favourite bands. Only main man Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain remain from the original line-up but really it doesn't affect the music too much as they were always the song writing core of the band. The music perhaps doesn't scale the heights of some of their earlier work but it's still a more that worthy addition to the Pumpkins legacy. The sustained guitar squeal during the solo on
Tarantula is one of my musical moments of the year.
4. W.A.S.P.-Dominator
Blackie Lawless effortlessly sidestepped the lukewarm reception afforded to the two Neon Gods releases by taking a step back to the sound of Unholy Terror and Dying for the World. In this process he has written what could possibly be one of the finest songs of his career in
Heaven's Hung in Black, an almighty ballad about the death of a solider on the battlefield. But if you haven't heard the album and are worried Blackie has gone totally political on us, never fear as the other fantastic ballad on the album
Take Me Up is all about his other specialist subject, making love to a beautiful woman.
5. Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
In 2006 grunge guitar god J Mascis finally decided that it was time to reunite the original Dinosaur line-up of himself, Lou Barlow on bass and Murph on drums. 2007 saw the release of the fruits of that reunion Beyond, which despite using the exact same formula as every other Dinosaur Jr. album since the beginning of time, is a invigorating, fuzzed up slice of power pop perfection. Stand out track
Pick Me Up is a contender for song of the year with its uplifting refrain of "Hold on" and wondrous 3 minute guitar solo.
6. Iced Earth- Framing Armageddon
Tim Owens's first release with Iced Earth The Glorious Burden saw him take up the reigns of the highly regarded Matt Barlow and was a solid release. Framing Armageddon, the first of two concept albums based around the Something Wicked trilogy sees him coming into his own as the bands front man as he turns in a terrific performance on songs like
Ten Thousand Strong and
The Clouding. The album occasionally gets tangled up in guitarist John Schaffer's eagerness to expand the storyline with interlude tracks but the majority of songs on the album are strong enough to overcome this.
7. Burning Saviours- Nymphs and weavers
I won't say too much about this album as I intend to review it in the upcoming months. But it's an excellent release, mixing retro doom/stoner and folky influences to maximum effect. Without doubt one of the finds of the year, cheers Steen!
8. High on Fire- Death is This Communion
Steam rolling over the vast majority of releases this year with ease is Matt Pike and company with their fourth release Death Is This Communion. I actually only ended up checking these guys out as I had arranged to go see them and Pelican play in Glasgow. I'm seriously glad I did as not only was it an excellent gig but a quality album with a bowel-shaking production based on the idea that everything should indeed be louder than everything else.
9. Black Francis-Bluefinger
So the much lauded Pixies reunion of 2005 didn't result in a new album. Who cares when the driving force behind the band, Frank Black has reverted back to his previous name and has produced an album which leaves behind the country rock path he had been following and goes off road with a delightfully odd selection of songs. Just check out how happy Frank sounds on
Threshold Apprehension or
She Took All My Money to see how much fun he is having.
10. Watain-Sworn To the Dark
The last place on my list was a closely fought race between several bands. This Swedish Black Metal combo won out due to being probably the best "true" and "kvlt" release of the year. With a guitar sound and song writing focus that sounds like they have spend some time summoning the ghosts of Mayhem and Dissection, they have come up with 11 tracks of unholy metal which more than justifies their status as one of the most exciting bands in the Black Metal pantheon.
Top 10 Gigs of 2007
1. U.D.O at Sweden Rock Festival
A titanic performance from the Wee Man that will stand long in my memory as one of the most enjoyable gigs I've ever seen. Everything was perfect, the weather, the sound and the atmosphere all added up to
the outstanding set of yet another excellent weekend at the Sweden Rock Festival. Check out this footage of Balls to the Wall filmed by one of my travelling companions Andrew for proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCfKCQRVw-s
2. Nevermore at Bloodstock Festival
Nevermore just don't do bad gigs do they? It's the fourth time I've had the pleasure of seeing them and this time was made even more special by getting to meet them in the signing tent after the gig.
3. Sonic Youth at The ABC in Glasgow
The full of their classic Daydream Nation album preformed live combined with some newer songs off their latest release Rather Ripped made this gig a feedback (and sweat) drenched classic.
4. Heaven and Hell at Sweden Rock Festival
I was lucky enough to see Dio and the boys twice this year but the first time will always be the most special. It was my first chance to hear Tony Iommi crank out outstanding riff after riff first hand and I was not disappointed. His soloing during the song Heaven and Hell was out of this world.
5. Celtic Frost, Kreator and Watain at the Garage in Glasgow
Celtic Frost have slowly become one of my favourite bands over the last few years and they put on an mesmerising show on a impressive bill that featured German Thrash legends Kreator and Watain (who impressed despite only having a 20 minute set and the singers blasphemous closing words of "Thank you England")
6. The Dwarves at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow
Coming on stage at 11.15 pm and ripping through exactly 45 minutes of Punk Rock madness, The Dwarves were a riot. I was already pretty drunk by the time they came onstage (having been drinking since I finished work at 5) and managed to grab space at the barrier allowing me to get a chance to sing along to Everybody's Girl and Unrepentant as front man Blag passed the mic to us lucky ones in the front row.
7. Sabaton at The Barfly in Glasgow
It was a show where the odds were stacked against them. The gig had been moved a few hours before doors opened to the upstairs "stage", which consists of a raised section of the floor about 3 centimetres high lacking in a proper P.A system, which meant the amps caused a power surge and blew up about 30 seconds into the first song. Yet somehow the war-obsessed Swedish metalers battled on to provide Glasgow with one of the most fun gigs of the year. The crowd were totally up for it and helped the band get over their apprehension of all the last minute changes. Let's just hope they stick to their word and come back to Scotland to play on a proper stage.
8. Europe at the Academy in Glasgow
Despite being stuck in easily the worst venue in Glasgow and insisting on playing a fair few songs off their average at best newer albums, Europe yet again blew my mind. Nothing beats hearing Seven Doors Hotel, Sign of The Times and of course The Final Fucking Countdown live. We met up in the pub before hand and the enthusiasm was so high we managed to convince about 4 other people who were not thinking of going to join us. Check out this rather lovely solo acoustic rendition of Carrie filmed that night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qJwga1mK0k
9. Meat Loaf at the SECC in Glasgow
Many people who have seen Meat Loaf recently may be surprised with his inclusion on this list. I myself had seen him at Sweden Rock this year and was a bit saddened to find out that his once mighty voice is not quite what it used to be and that he tends to let his backing band pick up much of the slack when he misses a note or two. But despite that fact this gig still felt like a triumph. Meat was on much better form that he was in Sweden and was able to relax more as he was afforded a longer set. The surprise hit of the night was a heartbreaking rendition of It's All Coming Back To Me Now as Meat and his stunning backing singer Aspen Miller preformed it beautifully.
10. Sabbat at the Bloodstock Festival
They may not have pulled the biggest crowd of the festival and the weather may have been miserable but Sabbat took Bloodstock (or should I say Mudstock) though a commanding hour long set consisting of their excellent back catalogue. Martin Walkyier is without doubt one of the most charismatic front men I have even seen and the rest of the band were showing no adverse signs of being out of the game so long as they raced through songs like The Clerical Conspiracy and For Those Who Died with real vigour.
