And so the time has come, I reveal my final pick of 2016. It’s been a good ride! We’ll have coverage as usual for anything we deem Metal worthy! See you on the other side of Christmas! Make it Metal!!
Album Of The Year Day #23 : Ihsahn – Akrtis
Album of The Year #21 : Metallica – Hardwired…To Self Destruct
Can I get an “Ooh yeah-yeah?!” Day 21 sees us welcomed back into the Metallica familiyeah! With the brilliant Hardwired…To Self Destruct.
Album Of The Year #19 : Fallujah – Dreamless
As we come into the final five Fallujah astounded the world with their work of pure genius that is Dreamless.
Album Of The Year #17 : Deftones – Gore
Despite its bloody title, Deftones’ Gore is a work of beauty and understanding. Arriving in at #17 in our Album of The Year Christmas Countdown, find out why below!
- Iamthemorning – Lighthouse
- Myrath – Legacy
- Touche Amore – Stage Four
- Ghost/Aeon – Metanoia
- Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep Of Reason
- Avantasia – Ghostlights
- Gojira – Magma
- Devilment – II : The Mephisto Waltzes
- The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation
- Periphery – III : Select Difficulty
- Opeth – Sorceress
- Epica – The Holographic Principle
- Katatonia – The Fall Of Hearts
- Twilight Force – Heroes Of Mighty Magic
- Revocation – Great Is Our Sin
- Equilibrium – Armageddon
As they say if things were easy everybody would be doing it. Taking somewhat longer than previous records to finish up their new record, Deftones were in the studio for what seemed like an unfeasibly long time. At last breaking the silence with their single “Prayers / Triangles” it was clear that good things do come to those who wait. Finding it harder than usual to get his head around the record, Stephen Carpenter, the band’s thunderous riff machine slowly but surely cottoned on to the record. Delivering knockout classics the likes of “Doomed User” to the rather more arid “Hearts / Wires“.
Album of The Year #15 : Revocation – Great Is Our Sin
Now having gone further than the halfway line in our Christmas Album of The Year Countdown we continue with a new breed of Death Metal pedigree in the form of Revocation. Check out the list to see a more in depth analysis of why we chose each below!
- Iamthemorning – Lighthouse
- Myrath – Legacy
- Touche Amore – Stage Four
- Ghost/Aeon – Metanoia
- Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep Of Reason
- Avantasia – Ghostlights
- Gojira – Magma
- Devilment – II : The Mephisto Waltzes
- The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation
- Periphery – III : Select Difficulty
- Opeth – Sorceress
- Epica – The Holographic Principle
- Katatonia – The Fall Of Hearts
- Twilight Force – Heroes Of Mighty Magic
Returning back to the vanguard of Death Metal, Revocation wasted no time this year in delivering their calculated masterstroke of Metal once again. Like clockwork the band put out albums every two years. Deciding instead go for a more well rounded approach this time, Dave Davidson decided that thematically the record would center around humanity and its varying degrees of idiocy in its idea of humanity in itself. However this was also the first record not to feature long time drummer Phil Dubois-Coyne. Enlisting the help of one Ash Pearson of previous 3 Inches of Blood fame, the drummer in a word totally floored everyone. From the fluttering Jazz style beats to the all out blasting that Revocation are known for Pearson truly stepped up his game.
Album Of The Year #13 : Katatonia – The Fall Of Hearts
Leading the way at lucky #13 we have the astounding and quite possibly my personal favourite release of 2016, Katatonia’s The Fall Of Hearts.
Album of The Year #11 – Opeth – Sorceress
On Day 11 of our Album of The Year Christmas Countdown, Sweden once again graced us with their presence with the brand new record from the Progressive stalwarts, Opeth.
Album of The Year #9 : The Dillinger Escape Plan – Dissociation
Day Nine sees us say goodbye to one of the greats in the Extreme music category with The Dillinger Escape Plan’s swansong, Dissociation.