2011 was once again a great year for
Metal in my opinion. This year was more of a epic Progressive Metal,
treasure and gem finding for me there have been so many albums and
new bands I have found this year than really any other so far I think
I can safely say most metal heads have enjoyed this year because
through other metal heads I found some other nice bands but every
body was happy until Morbid Angel came along and shit on every ones
hopes and dreams hmm. Well You will not find Morbid Angels new hip
shit record if you want to call it that on my top 10 no.
1 Paul Wardingham - Assimilate
Regenerate
There has not been a day I have not
listened to this album, It is a branching out on the style of Scar
Symmetry´s Holographic Universe with not stop shred. Overwhelming
melodic death metal and atmosphere. When I really lose my self in
this album I really do feel in some since colors on what they might
feel like I mean shouldn´t epic space metal be like that?
2 Leprous -Bilateral
This was a very emotion provoking album
with its different styles of music and mood changes.
One thought that came to mind when I
wrote my review for this album was it made me think of if Modest
Mouse did a extreme progressive metal album haha and I mean that. I
think Frank Zappa were still alive to this day we would have loved
this album. The band worked along side Ihsahn on this album so you
know there is some extra creative genius in there some where.
3 Mournful Congregation – The Book of
Kings
It came as a shock to me that Mournful
Congregation put out a new album on the 1st of November it
slipped right under my radar. Thankfully through our very own Jon
told me about the albums release and I gave it a listen and I was
blown away It was a much better come back that their previous record
The June Frost. The album is really dark and ambient.
4 Anubis Gate – Anubis Gate
I have only been into this Danish
Progressive Metal act for about 6 months now This was a pretty common
Melodic Progressive Rock/Metal album but it made my top ten because
each songs moody segments where they kind of hit you hard in the
heart if you really get into the progressive sine like I do and also
Henrik Fevre´s vocals there is something powerful and magical about
his vocal tone. This also being my favorite release from them by far.
5 Dystopia Na! - Syklus
I found this band while searching
around on youtube just over the fall. It is a really moody
Post-Black/Doom Metal album and being really one out of a small hand
full of post-Black Metal bands I like there are calm moments of new
age atmospheres and melodic acoustic guitars and harsh slowed down
black metal this album a great gem for any post-Black Metal fan.
Underground bed room Black metal at its best.
6 Andromeda - Manifest Tyranny
Another shock to see I am a big fan of
these guys one of the best Progressive Metal bands to inspire me
musically and lyrical and this album might be their heaviest album to
date and maybe their darkest to the lyrical content which being
subjects on the New World Order and all the problems that the world
is facing today. One thing I loved is through parts of some of the
songs they play clips of world leaders saying some really scary
things that really make you think is there really some one pulling
the strings in world affairs.
7 Scar Symmetry – The Unseen Empire
Ah yes another anti New World Order
album makes the list. I waited day in and day for this album to come
out and at first after listening I was kind of disappointed in it but
after I did my review and gave it a couple of more listens and it
grew on me. The two new singers had improved than the previous
release Dark Matter Dimensions but I still think in some ways that
album is still a little better than The Unseen Empire, The lyrics to
this album when it comes to the subject matter more up front and out
there to say the least.
8 Taake - Noregs Vaapen
This one album I have been waiting for
this year and Taake always delivers the goods. They still remain to
the true Norwegian Black Metal sound though there were some
interesting influences on this album with the banjo, the album
brought back memories of the old Darkthrone sound. This also was a
much better improvement than the previous self titled album I
thought. Also with the band only singing in Norwegian I found it
interesting that there was a english sound clip of a girl saying I
hope we have the coldest winter ever.
9 Shattered Skies – Reanimation
Wow a Djent band made my top 10 list
strange huh ? Well to say the least this Djent band Shattered Skies
is more Groove Progressive Metal even though some people say that is
what Djent is any way but this does not have any break downs and less
of that bright Djent tone it is more melodic and colorful and the
vocal melodies are just fantastic the production is ok but the
musicianship makes up for where the production fails in my opinion.
This group has a lot of talent and deserves a little more notice I
will be looking forward from more from this band.
10 Galleon – In The Wake Of The Moon
One of my all time favorite if not
truly my favorite Progressive Rock band Galleon released this new
album on the 26th of November it caught me off guard since
their last album was released in 2007 it seemed like they were
running out of ideas. When I got this new album I found it to be a
small come back to what they have done in the past or at least in the
mid point in their carrier. I did like every song on this album Mr.
Murphy and In The Wake Of The Moon are my favorite songs by far. I
think a little more could have been done with this album but the
album is different in its self it has a lot of progressive rock and
pop melodies mixed in every but still remains moody.
Runners Up/ Almost made it on my top 10
list.
1 Abnormal Thought Patterns - Abnormal
Thought Patterns EP
2 Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of
Events
3 Devin Townsend Project – Ghost
4 Vintersorg – Jordpuls
5 Opeth – Heritage
What I hope for in 2012:
Well I hope to see some new stuff from
Mirrorthrone, up coming music from Christian Älvestam, Soilwork, and
I hope to God Winds puts out a new album in 2012 they are much over
do for a new release. Who knows what else is in store for in 2012
when it comes to music only time will tell.
-Bjørn
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