Tim Bolitho-Jones' Top 10 Albums Of 2016.
January 7, 2017
No. 10:
Band: Civil War
Album: The Last Full Measure
General Info:
Year of Formation: 2012
Record Label: Napalm Records
The guys in Civil War might have been a bit nervous heading into 2016, knowing their third album would be facing up against the latest release by their ex-bandmates Sabaton. They needn't have worried though, "The Last Full Measure" blows "The Last Stand" out of the water with a massive power metal bombardment. This is over the top war metal characterised by fist-pumping choruses and a deep love of Judas Priest and Helloween. Singer Nils Patrick Johansson has a truly incredible voice and speaking of good singers!
No 9:
Band: Westfield Massacre
Album: Westfield Massacre
General Info:
Year of Formation: 2014
Record Label: Urban Yeti
!nine years on from the one (incredible) album he recorded as frontman for Divine Heresy, Tommy Vext finally returned with his new bandmates in Westfield Massacre to deliver its spiritual sequel. A highly polished and terrific sounding metalcore release, this self-titled effort packed some huge anthems into the tracklist and was utterly invigorating from start to finish. The guest appearance of one D. Randall Blythe was a pleasant surprise too.
No. 8:
Band: Artillery
Album: Penalty By Perception
General Info:
Year of Formation: 1982
Record Label: Metal Blade
There was lot of hype at the beginning of the year about the latest releases from Megadeth and Anthrax. As good as they were though, Danish underdogs Artillery stole the crown from under them with "Penalty By Perception." Fast, fun and brimming over with energy, this was old-school thrash metal that didn't put a foot wrong.
No 7:
Band: The King Is Blind
Album: Our Father
General Info:
Year of Formation: 2013
Record Label: Cacophonous
Rabid, teeth-grinding charnel house hell-metal from The King Is Blind cast a dark spell over England this past year. Despite being utterly ferocious blackened death from the very depths of Lucifer's basement, "Our Father" was surprisingly accessible without sacrificing one iota of brutality. Their appearance at Bloodstock was a memorable one too.
No. 6:
Band: Caliban
Album: Gravity
General Info:
Year of Formation: 1997
Record Label: Century Media
"Can you feel the paaaaain!of the ocean's heart?"
No. 5:
Band: Devildriver
Album: Trust No One
General Info:
Year of Formation: 2002
Record Label: Naplam
5After a few so-so albums, "Trust No One" was a brutal return to form and the best Devildriver record in nine years. A few line-up changes and Dez taking time off to return to Coal Chamber may have cast some doubts on the band's future, but this was the sound of a rabid dog being let off the leash once more.
No 4:
Band: Grand Magus
Album: Sword Songs
General Info:
Year of Formation: 1999
Record Label: Nuclear Blast
Eight albums into their career and Sweden's Grand Magus are still brilliantly old-school. This thunderous combination of traditional metal with shameless Odin-worshipping machismo was a joy from start to finish. This was hairy chested testosterone charging into battle waving an axe round its head and if you've ever wondered who might succeed Manowar as metal's pantomime lords, look no further.
No 3:
Band: Killswitch Engage
Album: Incarnate
General Info:
Year of Formation:
Record Label:
The twin spectres of "Alive Or Just Breathing" and "The End Of Heartache" have loomed large over Killswitch's career, but even when compared to those two milestones, "Incarnate" is terrific. The Massachusetts mob have now unquestionably seized the throne as metalcore's premier band and this album was an early highlight for 2016. Earnest, passionate and bristling with great songs, this cemented the comeback they began with 2013's "Disarm The Descent" and justified their ascent to the big leagues. The track "Hate By Design" couldn't be more relevant to today's political landscape either.
No 2:
Band: Every Time I Die
Album: Low Teens
General Info:
Year of Formation: 1998
Record Label: Epitaph
A rampage of emotional chaos, "Low Teens" was another exceptional release from Every Time I Die. Written at a time when frontman Keith Buckley was convinced he'd lose both his wife and unborn baby, it's a far more open and raw offering from the New York party-animals than usual, yet still makes emotional trauma sound like an absolute blast. It's undoubtedly one of their best records to date and best of all, both mum and baby were fine in the end too.
No 1:
Band: Amon Amarth
Album: Jomsviking
General Info:
Year of Formation: 1992
Record Label: Metal Blade
1. Amon Amarth ' Jomsviking
On the surface, "Jomsviking" is just another Amon Amarth album. All the usual hallmarks are there; surprisingly accessible death metal with lyrics about Norsemen and an epic sense of sorrow, but unlike their past few releases this one isn't just treading water, it's a masterpiece. They don't really do anything here that they didn't do on "Deceiver Of The Gods," but the songs on "Jomsviking" are just!well, better. "First Kill," "Wanderer," "Way Of Vikings," "Raise Your Horns," "At Dawn's First Light," "Vengeance My Name!" the track list is a catalogue of awesome songs coming one after the other and the fact they combine like The Constructicons into one single story makes it even better. This was Amon Amarth's first true concept record and it is a masterpiece. Ten records into their career and with their legacy already assured, no-one could have blamed Amon Amarth for phoning it in but instead they created 2016's best. Horns to the sky brothers, here's to Amon Amarth.
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