Top 10 (or whatever) for 2022!

Black Rider wrote:Somebody else realized The Brave put out a good album.

They did. 2 years ago. It’s called Evie’s Little Garden. I highly recommend it.

The Angelic Forces album is fantastic, definitely top 10 stuff. I may edit that post after another week of listening. I wasn't as impressed with the single Armageddon as I am with the whole album experience.

Andrew from Angelic Warlord has posted his top albums of the year:

https://angelicwarlord.com/articles/albumoftheyear22.html

Having spent more time with it, I’m gonna have to move Demon Hunter’s Exile into my top 10 for Christian metal this year. It’s really grown on me.

Another vote for The Brave.

Black Rider wrote:Another vote for The Brave. :laughing

Keep in mind that he also gave Affector’s Harmagedon 100% a few years ago.

One misstep years ago. He's grown.

At least we agree that was a misstep.

And he tends to overrate a lot of Dale's stuff.

Black Rider wrote:And he tends to overrate a lot of Dale's stuff.

Agreed.

And he underrates Petra .

I think the last Stryper record is not worth the first place in Angelic Warlord rating.

I don’t have any objection to Stryper and Saint in 1st place, even though they weren’t quite that high in my ranking (still top 10). 

I find many people overrating (IMHBAO) Fear Not. It’s a good album for sure, but I don’t think it’s as fantastic as others seem to think.

Pethead wrote:Andrew from Angelic Warlord has posted his top albums of the year:

https://angelicwarlord.com/articles/albumoftheyear22.html

I still need to hear Preterist, Sign Of Jonah, and Time Horizon from that list.

Now that I've gotten some more listening in, here's my top 10:

1. Children of the Great Extinction - Becoming the Archetype
2. Exile - Demon Hunter
3. Lines in the Dirt - Dispraised (So short, but it hit me hard.)
4. Dominion - Skillet
5. Heaven Fell - Saint

6. The Final Battle - Stryper
7. Eulogies - Wolves at the Gate
8. Dark Side of the Ocean - Rusty Shipp (There's a line in the last track on the album that makes me want to drop this lower, but I don't know the context of it, so I'll leave it for now.)
9. Blood Moon Rising - Preterist
10. Death by Admiration - Seventh Day Slumber

EP's (not ranked):

The Body - Earth Groans
Silverline - Anberlin

Albums I didn't finish:
The Woods Will End You - Brotality 
The Hell We Create - Fit for a King (Not a fan of their darkness-with-no-hope lyrics)
Pain Split - Plead the Widow's Cause (Sounded like same old screamo-hardcore)
Punishing Myself Before God Does - Confessions of a Traitor (Sounded like same old metalcore)
Nazarites - Chaotic Resemblance (I liked the lyrics and vocals, but every song sounded the same, and they seem really similar to Disciple.)
The Sick, the Dying…and the Dead! - Megadeth (Just didn't grab me like some Megadeth.)

No offense meant to anyone who liked what I didn't like.

ReedBenson wrote:3. Lines in the Dirt - Dispraised (So short, but it hit me hard.)

8. Dark Side of the Ocean - Rusty Shipp (There's a line in the last track on the album that makes me want to drop this lower, but I don't know the context of it, so I'll leave it for now.)

Albums I didn't finish:

The Hell We Create - Fit for a King (Not a fan of their darkness-with-no-hope lyrics)

We had a lot in common on our lists but I thought I'd make a few comments on these:

I put both of Dispraised album's in my top 15 as one release just because their brevity. I love their style like I enjoy The Blamed. Thomas is pretty extreme in his views but so far I'm with him on a lot of it.

Always heard good things about Rusty Shipp and now especially about the new album. I've listened to some tracks over the years but they never seem to be quite my style. They are really good at what they do for being relatively unknown.

Fit For A King - I'm with you. I actually don't see them going for hope. It's been three albums now without anything positive, at least from my view. I'm not sure who in the band has faith (maybe Ryan only?) but he seems embittered by the hardships he's faced and willing to condemn unnamed betrayers in his lyrics (which I guess is supposed to make it better?). I don't consider the band Christian and did not purchase the album though I'm sure musically I would find some positives in it. I generally like their style and as such I'm always tempted. I just can't do it. I definitely have sympathy for the difficulties Ryan has been through and openness about them but that's different than buying their material.

Alrighty, I finally got around to making my top-9 list for 2022 (since I only bought nine Christian metal albums released that year).  Take the order with a grain of salt because it changes by the day!
 
Albums
1.      Omegashift – Doctrine Of Dust.  I was blown away by their first single Lazarus Brigade and was instantly hooked.  This is progressive female-fronted doom of high quality that’s not afraid of experimentation – which makes for a very unique and organic feel.  While the bulk of the band are veterans in the scene (check out two of the members’ past band Tonka!) and play very proficiently, the singer needs special note.  She’s allegedly not so much a metalhead and brings to the table an amazing performance but also quite diverse and non‑typical vocal melodies that helps push this release to the top of my list.
2.      Trinity – Memories Of The Ancient Presence.  “Haunting” is the most commonly used descriptor I’ve seen for this album and I couldn’t think of a better adjective.  This epic doom metal project from the Czech Republic has incredible atmosphere that’s difficult to describe: it’s got an almost otherworldly feel but also somehow retro…  Regardless, it’s a stellar album without a weak track.
3.      Miriam - Murrun ja vaikenen.  This isn’t a metal album, but it’s an acoustic album from a metal band so I’ll include it.    Miriam reimagined songs from their previous two albums [plus one more song I’m not familiar with] into acoustic versions for this one.  I’m very impressed with how well they were able to breathe fresh new life into these tracks while still maintaining the essence of the originals.
4.      Preterist – Blood Moon Rising.  Preterist burst onto the scene with an amazing debut of progressive and ultra‑melodic power metal with theologically deeper lyrics than most.  The songs are ridiculously catchy and well crafted, and every instrument is expertly played.
5.      Marble Tomb – Dawn Of The Vertical Flame.  Calling this a “perfect” black metal album may be an exaggeration since what’s perfect, but dangit this album somehow merges and executes all the elements of black metal so well.  It’s dark, catchy, triumphant, sorrowful, melodic…  So good!  There has been very little black metal that’s really captivated me but this album is a cut above the majority of others and sure to be a modern‑day classic.
6.      Midnight Worship – The Darkness.  This is some cool prog metal with a darker and more atmospheric vibe than typical in the genre.  Most of the lyrics are straight from Scripture which earns extra points from me.
7.      7^th Servant – The Tree Of Life.  It’s a great concept to take Scripture and put it to rockin’ music.  This album is very well done and enjoyable.
8.      Becoming The Archetype – Children Of The Great Extinction.  BTA made a surprise comeback with this album and it’s solid.  I don’t find myself itching for this type of music much these days, but for what it is, it’s very good.
9.      Sorrowstorm – Triune Eminence.  This album is much more melodic and epic than Sorrowstorm’s previous works and for the most part I really dig the new direction.  Though admittedly some of the clean vocals aren’t my cup of tea.  Nonetheless there’s a lot of great music here and also some deeper lyrics than is typical for the genre.
 
2022 brought some great stuff not released on full-length albums.  Here are some of my favorite EPs and singles:
 
EPs:
1.      Karv – Abominations Of The Canaanite.  Top-notch black metal; I hope to hear more from this project!
2.      The Lightness – Let There Be.  This is some very interesting heavy metal that’s got a bit of a retro feel.  I hope they make more music!
3.      Golgatha – Prisoner.  I don’t believe this was ever properly released back in the day, so I’ll count it here.  Upbeat melodic classic metal with bold lyrics.
 
Singles:
1.      Angel Distress – Fallen In Pain.  I had this single basically on repeat since it was released.  Doom/Death metal done right!
2.      Warpriest – In A Land Without A Sun.  DOOOOM.
3.      Warpriest – Curse Of The Living Dead.  A very cool doomy dirge from CMR’s DeathIsGain!
4.      Warpriest – Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.  2022’s Warpriest Christmas song does not disappoint!
5.      Longing – Polaris.  Post-black metal from this eclectic project.  Be on the lookout for more music from him!
6.    Llafineve - I Am.  Melancholic death metal the Finnish way!  The guy behind Llafineve has released a handful of various singles but I really wish he'd make a proper album!
7.      Within Silence – Flame Of Peace.  A Christmas song from these Slovak power metallers.  It’s not going to revolutionize the genre, but it’s a very nice song!

EDIT: added Llafineve - I Am (single).