I'm currently trying to write down my "Highlights Of The Year 2008", a fun but hair pulling assignment.
I found time to listen to quite a range of different CD's during the holidays, here's a few words for some of them.
A rocking new year to all.
Alliance. Road To Heaven
Quite a few songs appear unfinished, a chorus line that never kicks in or a rhythm section cut short. That said this is a very cool disc with some brilliant harmonies.
Anthrax. Stomp 442
I quite like the more modern touch this album has. The groovy In A Zone is just massive Metal and Nothing a real melodic smasher.
Brainstorm. Downburst
There are some decent melodies in here, but it becomes a bit too much a same sounding tune.
Code. The Enemy Within
Varied Melodic Rock/Metal with slightly progressive tendencies. Production is a bit thin and not all songs leave a lasting impression but intriguing and catchy stuff.
Crimson Glory. Transcendence (Re-release)
Mystical, spacy, heavy, cunning, unique. This album has a lot going for it.
D:A:D. Monster Philosophy
New album from the veteran Danish Rock act and a fine one indeed. A track like the noisy Chainsaw doesn't fit the band but most songs win with time. I fancy the slower songs the best this time around; If I Succeed is just so warm and inviting.
Edguy. Tinnutus Sanctus
It has quality material but I'm still disappointed. Too many songs settle as mid-tempo fillers, going in circles.
Evergrey. Monday Morning Apocalypse
One great song after another. The choruses and melodies contain a really high level of catchiness and still the sorrow is painted all too authentically.
FM. Tough It Out
It doesn't reach the brilliant highs of Indiscreet but it's still a fun and solid piece of AOR.
From The Inside. From The Inside
I have been spinning this for quite a while and it just kept getting better, a bit like the brilliant 2008 effort Visions. This debut is nearly as amazing with its smooth, vivid and extremely melodic core.
Grave Digger. Liberty Or Death
It has its moments, but the historic drama, conceptual mystics and overcharged power...well it's just not really the same.
Hammerfall. Threshold
Their downhill slide finds a new low, uninspiring and at times comic. Is this the same band that made Glory To The Brave and Legacy Of Kings?
Jimi Jamison. Crossroad Moments
Jim Peterik has written fifteen songs for this album, most of them really enjoyable pieces of AOR, filled with warmth and character.
Iron Savior. Unification
Very competent Power Metal release with a high standard from beginning to end. The chorus and support lead melody in Unchained is particular outstanding.
Khymera. The Greatest Wonder
Melodic Rock overload, Dennis Ward's voice just fits in perfectly.
Labyrinth. Freeman
Haven't heard this in a while but its more complex/odd style makes it worth revisiting. Power Metal with a twist.
Labyrinth. 6 Days To Nowhere
Production is thin and quite weak and the music is stripped from a lot of the creativeness that the band has swelled in before.
Night Ranger. Seven Wishes (Re-release)
A couple of catchy tunes, a range of quite good songs and some more unmemorable stuff too. Decent disc.
Northern Light. Northern Light
A solid round of AOR with some very cool and smooth melodies.
Pride Of Lions. Pride Of Lions
It's almost as fantastic as the later Pride Of Lions releases. Sound Of Home creates the perfect comfortable feel of belonging and It's Criminal and Turn To Me are two effusive rockers.
Rage. Carved In Stone
Another Power Metal band half way in crisis. This album just doesn't leave you with much. Sure the technical side of things look good and some of the songs are quite groovy, but it just becomes to uninspiring in the long run.
Poley/Rivera. Only Human
This comes highly recommended. The raw rhythm guitar goes extremely well with Poley's charismatic pipes. Top Of The World is one of the best songs all year, captivatingly catchy.
Shadrane. Temporal
Interesting Progressive Rock/Metal project, highly original and quite compelling. Göran Edman does a magnificent and diverse job on his vocal duties.
Sieges Even. The Art Of Navigating By The Stars
Each time I listen to this album I'm amazed of just how sweepingly brilliant it is. Intelligent, atmospheric, mellow and soul searching. Anyone ever liking progressive music should check this one out.
Strangeways. Native Sons
A solid round of well-performed AOR, not everything clicks but definitely a cool album.
Tesla. Forever More
A fresh and tight band delivers a fine album. The First Time is just ear candy.
Tyketto. Don't Come Easy
Melodic Hard Rock with a bunch of interesting ideas keeping things fresh.
Virgin Steele. Life Among The Ruins (Re-release)
Perhaps not as brilliant as the over the top concept albums from the band, but it contain some absolute thrilling Melodic Rock songs. Among the quite interesting bonus tracks you'll finally be able to hear Snakeskin Woodoo Man on CD.
Virgin Steele. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell - Part 1 (Re-release)
A timeless gem with so many ingenious ideas that I won't even begin mentioning them. If I Will Come For You doesn't leave you in a state of bliss I don't know what will. Bonus track here is a fun version of Blood And Gasoline performed by Crystal Viper and Virgin Steele.
Virgin Steele. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell - Part 2 (Re-release)
This one is even more epic and bombastic, simply a Symphonic Metal masterpiece. Bonus tracks consist of two raw sounding but energetic live versions.
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