Re: Top 10 (or whatever) for 2022!

by Soldier777 Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:44 pm

What are your thoughts on including Deliverance Camelot Redux? Can this be included where it's not just a complete rerecord but has new artwork and narrations.

by Pethead Fri Dec 30, 2022 7:11 pm

Soldier777 wrote:What are your thoughts on including Deliverance Camelot Redux? Can this be included where it's not just a complete rerecord but has new artwork and narrations.

Feel free to include it!

by oldschooldoom Sat Dec 31, 2022 1:15 pm

In Chrono order:

All For The King-Let There Be Light
Thee Final Chaptre-So Let it Be Done
Signum Regis-Made in Switzerland (live)
True Strength-The House, The Holy, The Third

Latter Reign-II
Reign Of Glory-All Will Bow
Images of Eden-Weathered And Torn (EP)
Seventh Servant-The Tree of Life
Saint-Heaven Fell

Not Of This World-Never Forget
Trinity-Memories Of The Ancient Presence

Stryper-The Final Battle

Lordchain-Surviving The Wicked Storm

Les Carlsen-He's Coming

Angelic Forces-Arise

by Constantine Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:38 pm

mothy wrote:10.The Lightness - Let There Be

Sadly just a 3 song EP at release but they added some instrumentals later. This is my sleeper of 2022 and I cant wait to see what they bring in the future

Who is this band and do you have a link? I can't find this even with a Google search.

by mothy Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:39 pm

^^Bandcamp. Heavy metal band out of Utah

by mothy Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:42 pm

https://thelightnessmetal.bandcamp.com/album/let-there-be

by Constantine Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:53 pm

I may edit this later (very likely) but for now this is my list.

The Top 4: (2 Christian, 2 not)

1. Robin Trower - No More Worlds To Conquer
2. Preterist - Blood Moon Rising
3. Life Like Gravity - Break The Silence
4. Sacred Skin - The Decline Of Pleasure

The Rest:

5. Teramaze - Flight Of The Wounded
6. Sumerlands - Dreamkiller
7. King's X - Three Sides of One
8. All Things Fallen - Shadow Way
9. Reign Of Glory - All Will Bow
10. Black Leather - Ride Over Death

Honorable mentions:

- Lonerider - Sundown
- Julian Lage - View With A Room
- Talas - 1985
- All For The King - Let There Be Light
- Theandric - Flight Among The Ruins E.P.
- Fear Not - Fields Of Sorrow
- Tinsley Ellis - Devil May Care
- Light Unseen - Visions of Archetype & Apocalypse

Biggest Disappoint:

- The Brave - Gravedigger

by Black Rider Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:54 pm

Sumerlands are so good.

by Ammocas Sat Dec 31, 2022 5:28 pm

2022 was a really good year for new Metal releases.

My top 10 (or Whatever) in no particular order:

Lordchain - Surviving The Wicked Storm
Seventh Servant - Tree Of Life
Saint - Heaven Fell
Time Horizon - Power Of Three
Reign Of Glory - All Will Bow
Fear Not - Fields Of Sorrow
Stryper - The Final Battle
Les Carlsen - He’s Coming
Mosh-Pit Justice - Crushing The Demons Inside
All For The King - Let There Be Light
Angelic Forces - Arise
Signum Regis - Made In Switzerland(Live)
The Brave - Gravedigger

I haven’t listened to Preterist….but everyone seems to love it, so I’m anxious to check ‘em out.
Also, I need to check out the new one from All Things Fallen a little more…I only briefly heard some of it.

by Ammocas Sat Dec 31, 2022 6:31 pm

^ I almost forgot one of my favorites:

Testimony of Apocalypse - None Escape The Judgement

by Grindboy Sun Jan 01, 2023 11:03 pm

Clearly I don't go after tons of new music (though you might make me go check out Mosh Pit Justice), here's my whole list:

1. Becoming the Archetype -- Children of the Great Extinction
Really strong album, not my favorite from theirs but that's not a fair standard for anything.

2. Lamentations -- Passion of Depression
I'm very surprised I haven't seen this on anybody's list yet? It's really quite stunning. It's 2 here because at least for the moment it's more progressive than I prefer, although sometimes with enough repeated listens that becomes a positive. But I don't know, like I loved Hope for the Dying's "Dissimulation" right away, but thought "Aletheia" was too hard to listen to, and those opinions haven't changed many years later. But regardless of my more modest level of enjoyment, this is objectively excellent.

3. Flood -- Polaraized
I've always been a moderate Tourniquet fan, especially compared to so many who name them as or among their very favorite(s). So I was only minimally interested when I heard about this. . . but then I heard that first track. WOAH! Now they had me, ordered immediately (which clearly I do not do often at this point). But honestly, other than that one spectactular track, it doesn't do a lot for me. I get why bigger TqT fans were batty for it, but that's just never quite been me.

by Black Rider Mon Jan 02, 2023 12:17 am

Grindboy wrote:Clearly I don't go after tons of new music (though you might make me go check out Mosh Pit Justice), here's my whole list:

1. Becoming the Archetype -- Children of the Great Extinction
Really strong album, not my favorite from theirs but that's not a fair standard for anything.

2. Lamentations -- Passion of Depression
I'm very surprised I haven't seen this on anybody's list yet? It's really quite stunning. It's 2 here because at least for the moment it's more progressive than I prefer, although sometimes with enough repeated listens that becomes a positive. But I don't know, like I loved Hope for the Dying's "Dissimulation" right away, but thought "Aletheia" was too hard to listen to, and those opinions haven't changed many years later. But regardless of my more modest level of enjoyment, this is objectively excellent.

3. Flood -- Polaraized
I've always been a moderate Tourniquet fan, especially compared to so many who name them as or among their very favorite(s). So I was only minimally interested when I heard about this. . . but then I heard that first track. WOAH! Now they had me, ordered immediately (which clearly I do not do often at this point). But honestly, other than that one spectactular track, it doesn't do a lot for me. I get why bigger TqT fans were batty for it, but that's just never quite bee

I find that Lamentations album wanders too much. Take the song Sombre, it's got this really cool section from the 3 to 6 minute part but it's 10 minutes long and kind of meanders. It's good but I wish they'd tighten things up a little.
BTW, I really enjoy Aletheia.

by CrimsonWarrior Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:21 pm

Scratch Children of the Great Extinction from my list since BtA is not a Christian band. AotY is Blood Moon Rising.

by Black Rider Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:28 pm

What? Where did you hear that?

by Pethead Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:32 pm

Black Rider wrote:What? Where did you hear that?

See the Reformed Rock Bands thread for the background.

I’m not going to say BtA isn’t a Christian band, although I do find Seth’s theology troubling.

by Black Rider Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:33 pm

Saw that, really disappointed.

by Temple of Blood Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:04 am

Pethead wrote:

I’m not going to say BtA isn’t a Christian band, although I do find Seth’s theology troubling.

This is the first I've heard of this. What is wrong with his theology?

by Pethead Thu Jan 05, 2023 11:15 am

Temple of Blood wrote:
Pethead wrote:

I’m not going to say BtA isn’t a Christian band, although I do find Seth’s theology troubling.

This is the first I've heard of this. What is wrong with his theology?

See the Reformed Rock Bands thread. There’s a quote from him there.

by alldatndensum Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:39 pm

Here's my list for 2022:

1. Fear Not - Fields Of Sorrow
2. Skid Row - The Gang's All Here
3. Reign Of Glory - All Will Bow
4. Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9
5. Lordchain - Surviving the Wicked Storm
6. Chaotic Resemblance - Nazarites
7. Angelic Forces - Arise
8. Les Carlsen - He's Coming
9.Stryper - The Final Battle
10. Saint - Heaven Fell
11. Ted Nugent - Detroit Muscle
12. The Brave - Gravedigger
13. Latter Reign II

by Pethead Thu Jan 05, 2023 6:40 pm

The new Skid Row was way better than I expected. It’s good stuff.

by ReedBenson Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:49 pm

I haven't listened to much from last year yet (I spend a lot of time listening to sermons, podcasts, and other talking stuff), but these are my rankings so far. I'm sure they will change if I listen to each of these again.

1. Children of the Great Extinction by Becoming the Archetype
2. Exile by Demon Hunter
3. Dominion by Skillet
4. The Final Battle by Stryper
5. Eulogies by Wolves at the Gate

Eulogies is only last because it's been a while and I don't remember it very well. I've listened to the first three multiple times, and I listened to Stryper a week or so ago. Plus, the track "Transgressor" popped up on Heaven's Metal Radio while I was listening at work, so it's freshest.

by Frozen Fire Fri Jan 06, 2023 6:00 pm

1. Demon Hunter - Exile - This is a song and story first album. It’s not riff first but melody first. It is not the same old DH. Every word I just stated should be a reason for disappointment yet I have spent over 3 months playing this constantly, back to back many times over. Lyrically it is one of my favorite albums of all time. It captures our world as it is today with a healthy disdain for the direction we’ve gone. I didn’t think this album would end up here. I’d never been so disappointed with singles from a band I like. I love every song on the album today. I’m not sure where they go from here but I have and am still thoroughly enjoying this.

2. Stryper - The Final Battle - I didn’t think this would end up here. I maintain I am not a huge fan of Stryper though I’ve always liked what they do. After a week with this album I thought maybe it was a little weak. A month later I was still listening daily and couldn’t figure out why I thought less of this. Every song has had its week or two stuck in my head. As I said with Even the Devil Believes two years ago, this is perhaps my favorite.
3. Wolves at the Gate - Eulogies - I thought this would be my album of the year. I fought about that in my head making this list. The top 3 are so tight! It’s not a “metalcore” album like people would think. WATG don’t do “breakdowns.” The harsh vocals aren’t one dimensional. Their music is filled with passion and melody. It is the reason why they’ve always been outliers in the genre from the start but it’s also the reason for their longevity, outlasting its trendiness. This is their best album by a margin. Lyrically, this is the best album of the year, a masterwork of challenging, worshipful music.

4. Becoming The Archetype - Children of the Great Extinction - one of my favorite bands of all time returns! They picked up in a similar vein to where they left off with Celestial Completion (The last time these three were in the band together) but with new elements. The clean vocals are a fantastic addition. The production & album artwork all compliment a tremendously interesting concept. I do wish this stuck with me a little more after Exile and The Final Battle came out. It was overrun by those but it’s still an outstanding album.

5. Brotality - The Woods Will End You - The worst name in metal hasn’t stopped the progress this band has made. They’re outstanding songwriters. Tough to put them in a box but their Mastodon/Opeth influence shows more here with meandering and epic arrangements. Great sound, great band, crazy talent. I’m expecting to enjoy them more as Reece’s shouted vocals gain some manly heft in the future but they are legitimately great not even considering their young age. I’m interested in them finding their final sound in the future.

6. Preterist - Blood Moon Rising - What an album! I’m still digging into this. One of my favorite styles expertly crafted as a one man project. Classic euro-power metal with a slightly more epic bend. It’s less about speed and more about melody. I’m amazed that this many fantastic choruses came out within a single album. Lyrically it’s filled with meat, both encouraging and challenging.

7. Flood - Polarized - Hate the drum sound, not a fan of the instrumentals but some of these songs are absolutely amazing! The Really high highs on this album help it stand up for repeated listens. Love the vocals, the thrashy tracks and the killer guitar work. It’s so good to hear this familiar sound.

8. Saint - Heaven Fell - This is an odd place for a Saint album. Usually they are vying for the top. Musically it is outstandingI I love Dave’s vocals. The songs are solid, some of their best material. I just can’t get into a lot of the lyrical topics. 13 years ago I left secular music partially because the lyrics just didn’t do anything for me anymore. These aren’t really bad like maybe I’ve let on but they are often confusing. Great album regardless. Love where the band is headed over all.

9. In-Conquered - The Wide Path to the Lake of Fire - Love me some death metal and despite this album being 100% all the time, with some good time spent with the lyric booklet, the songs differentiated and began to stand out. Considering this album lyrically and the artwork, I’ve never been more starkly impacted regarding my need to evangelize than through this album. It’s absolutely brutal to read the lyrics. Unless you absolutely don’t believe in hell this album has to make an impact on how you think. It is overwhelming. I do hope Jordan will bring some more diversity to the next album. This material will rank up much higher if he can.

10. Chaotic Resemblance - Nazarites - not a huge fan of the style on this album though it is good. The Disciple influence here is glaring and I don’t think it fits exactly. That said, the messages and the passion are infectious! This album is BOLD. My only other complaint is there are times when the album is too 100% vocally for me. Travis has a great, gritty hard rock voice well showcased on choruses but he’s pushing too hard on some of the verses. I’d love it if the next album were more melodic and honed in on their 80s rock style a bit more. That’s just me though. Wishing them all the best and keeping an eye out for the future.

11. Trinity - Memories of the Ancient Past - what an interesting album! It has an 80’s epic metal feel to it, like Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass and Warlord. I wish it were a bit heavier like the aforementioned bands but its so musically solid it remains an excellent album.

12. True Strength - The House, The Holy, The Third - love the topic! Ezekiel is one of my favorite books of the Bible. Musically this is great. The thin production across the album strips some of the impact of the songs and it gets a little too long for me. Listening to individual tracks is more the way I have to go. I’ve never been able to listen to this beginning to end in one sitting. II suppose that’s my only really knock against this because it really is a great album.

13. Dispraised - Lines in the Dirt/Moral Rot - hardcore punk just like The Blamed. A style I love but with two albums/eps where the songs just fly by I miss some of the experience of a full album. Great new band though with an abrasive, challenging message.

14. Sorrowstorm - Triune Emminence - I really like this album musically but would have preferred a different harsh vocal style (or at least production choices on it). The harsh vocals are too muffled and lose their power. The clean vocals are a nice touch but they also could be more consistent. Those I supposed sound like goofy criticisms for a black metal album with a lot of death metal influence but it’s the way it is. I would still submit this is a step up for the band and proves a bright future. Some minor changes will make a big difference in the future.

15. Black Leather - Ride Over Death - The last album from this project. It’s death n’ roll, crust punk with catchy choruses and a nice in your face style. I have a heart for this style like I do for bands like Dispraised above. Sad to see all these projects ended by the artist as he’s walked away from the scene. A great last album that I suppose could rank higher on my list. I didn’t end up listening to it like I thought I might.

Other notable mentions:

Deliverance “Camelot in Smithereens Redux” - amazing! A fantastic production that brought life to an album I never truly loved and made it one of my favorite Deliverance albums. Amazed by this and so happy it came to be!

Signum Regis “Made in Switzerland” - not big on live albums but this is how you do it! High energy great sound in an intimate venue. Retaining power while still sounding 100% live. I love hear Jota’s vocals on all this material.

Voluntary Mortification “Suffer to Rise” - grinding deathcore with a nasty early 90s Swedish death metal guitar sound. Not a big fan of Catholic doctrine but a cool album.

Angelic Forces “Arise” - still coming in the mail. Smile

by ReedBenson Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:46 pm

ReedBenson wrote:I haven't listened to much from last year yet (I spend a lot of time listening to sermons, podcasts, and other talking stuff), but these are my rankings so far. I'm sure they will change if I listen to each of these again.

1. Children of the Great Extinction by Becoming the Archetype
2. Exile by Demon Hunter
3. Dominion by Skillet
4. The Final Battle by Stryper
5. Eulogies by Wolves at the Gate

Eulogies is only last because it's been a while and I don't remember it very well. I've listened to the first three multiple times, and I listened to Stryper a week or so ago. Plus, the track "Transgressor" popped up on Heaven's Metal Radio while I was listening at work, so it's freshest.

I can now add Rusty Shipp's Dark Side of the Ocean to my list. Maybe it's not exactly metal, but it's hard enough to be hard rock. It's often called "surf rock" or "nautical rock," but I think those terms relate more to the lyrical themes than the music itself. And the band is definitely harder than the Beach Boys.

by zelote Sun Jan 15, 2023 9:36 am

1. Flood- Polarized
2. Megadeth- The Sick, the Dying and the Dead
3. Askara- Lights of the Night
4. Ninth Sphere - Uriel (EP)
5. The Brave- GraveDrigger
6. Stryper- The Final Battle
7. Frost LikeAshes- Hoarfrost- The Compendium
8. Wolves at the Gate- Eulogies
9. We the Kingdom
10- Tobymac- Life After Death

by Black Rider Sun Jan 15, 2023 10:14 am

Somebody else realized The Brave put out a good album.

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