1. Moonsorrow - V: Havietty 2. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play 3. Nightrage - A New Disease Is Born 4. Fall of the Leafe - Aerolithe 5. Novembre - The Blue 6. Slough Feg - Hardworlder 7. Masterplan - MK II 8. Omnium Gatherum - Stuck Here On Snake's Way 9. The Foreshadowing – Days of Nothing 10. Machine Men - Circus of Fools
European metal still owns American metal, a common occurrence dating back to the mid-90’s, so it was no surprise that nine out of 10 releases on my list came from our friends across the pond. The above ten come with the highest recommendation from yours truly, especially the savory songcraft of Moonsorrow and the egotistical bombast of Nightwish. No real surprises, save for the excellent debut of The Foreshadowing and the remarkably memorable Nightrage, both of which warranted repeated spins in the Gehlke Metal Compound.
Not sure how ’08 is going to turn out, especially here in America, but one can hope (and possibly pray) that someone will wipe out this deathcore/metalcore nonsense and bring back some semblance of pride and character to the American metal scene. That probably won’t happen, so again, we’ll turn to Europe…
Justin Donnelly
Another year has passed, and so too has a lot of discs through my hands. While there were plenty that were good, there was only a handful that really stood out as real contenders for the best of 2007.
As is the tradition toward the closing of any year, I have compiled a best of list for albums, concerts and DVD’s, along with a salute to those within the scene who passed away in 2007. So without further ado, here’s my picks of the year (Which I might add, are in no particular order).
The Top Ten Best Albums Of 2007
The End - Elementary
Breaking free of the confines of their former sound, this Canadian based outfit finally emerged with an album that blew away many of the preconceptions that most had about them (Especially the one about them being a carbon copy of The Dillinger Escape Plan), to eventually became a real force to be taken seriously.
Threshold - Dead Reckoning
If there’s a year that boasts a brand new Threshold release, then it’ll be in my top 10 for the year. Once again, this is a band that dared to experiment a little more beyond their standard sound, and came out with their strongest release ever! Where they go from here is anyone’s guess (Especially given the departure of vocalist Andrew ‘Mac’ McDermott), but there’s no doubt that I’ll be following.
Bad Religion - New Maps Of Hell
I was a latecomer to Bad Religion, but I have been a devoted follower ever since. Sure, some may criticize the band for becoming more melodic and sticking to the same style and sound for the last twenty-five years, but there’s something to be said for the talent to be able to craft a strong, melodic anthem with a messages, a quarter of a century after they first started out, and yet still manage to connect with the current generation of punk fans.
Heaven & Hell - Radio City Music Hall Live!
I’m a huge fan of Black Sabbath, but unlike most, I actually love all incarnations of the band. But having said that, I can’t help but feel letdown with the original line-up’s struggle to move beyond the reunion show that has been doing the rounds for the last decade. Thank God for Ozzy Osbourne’s demanding solo career, and Ronnie James Dio’s opening schedule. This live show is nothing short of stunning, and validates the chemistry between Dio and (Tony) Iommi under the Black Sabbath banner outside the long shadow cast by Osbourne.
Paradise Lost - In Requiem
They may have alienated a large proportion of their audiences with some of their prior releases (Although I am one of the few that have enjoyed all their albums), but Yorkshire (U.K.) based morbid heavy rockers certainly found the happy medium between rock, morbid gothic influences and metal on ‘In Requiem’. Many may have claimed that Paradise Lost had disappeared for the better part of five years, but I’m inclined to think that a lack of exposure (Rectified with their signing to Century Media Records) and fans willingness to accept the growing musical maturity has allowed the band the last laugh.
Tesla - Real To Reel
It was the last thing I expected from the classic rock outfit, but just what the doctor ordered! Classic (And some not so classic, but none less worthy) covers were given the Tesla makeover, and reintroduces the band as one of the world’s premier hard rock acts to survive the times. It might not be a brand new album, but I’ll be damned if it’s not the next best thing!
Freestate - Surrender
Speaking of hard rock, Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) based outfit Freestate finally emerged with their debut full length album this year, and what a stunner it was. The group’s heavy guitars, mixed with equally huge melodies make this album one of those debut’s you hoped would deliver in a big way. And thankfully, it did!
Lump - Choose Your Weapon…
Emerging out of the Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia) scene, Lump has not only become one of the state’s biggest live drawcards with their two releases, but a real major player with their second full length release ‘Choose Your Weapon…’. Expanding their line-up, and growing as songwriters, Lump finally come up with an album that allowed to them to forge a style and sound of their own with an album that was meant to be played live, and loud. The fact that they’re still unsigned is all too telling about the lack of foresight within the recording industry today.
Gorefest - Rise To Ruin
Looking back, La Muerte was simply a testing of the waters. Rise To Ruin is very much the definitive comeback album for the Danes. Experimental, daring and steeped in their trademark death metal sound, Gorefest officially returned with Rise To Ruin, an album that truly qualifies as an equal beside their three classic releases from the early ‘90’s.
Steve Earle – Washington Square Serenade
Although having been a fan for many years, it was until 1996 that country/rock artist Steve Earle finally created, what I consider to be, his ultimate masterpiece release I Fell Alright. It boasted rock, blues, country, bluegrass and folk influences, but without sounding out of place and disjointed. It may have taken over ten years to find the right mix, but Earle has once again created an absolute classic with Washington Square Serenade. Earle may have left his hell raising days of old well behind him, but he maintains his reputation as a unique, outspoken and controversial spokesperson for the working class.
Top Five DVD Releases Of 2007 Megadeth – That One Night – Live In Buenos Aires Monsters Of Death – The Ultimate Death Metal Compilation Vol. 2 - Various Artists Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy - World Tour 2005/2006 - Live In Sao Paulo All That Remains - All That Remains Live Heaven & Hell - Radio City Music Hall Live!
Top Five Concerts Of 2007 Alarum/Dreadnaught/Testament – The Prince Of Wales Hotel Wednesday 7th February Kristina Olsen/Eric Bibb - Australian National Memorial Theatre Thursday 15th March Terrorust/Ruins/Celtic Frost - The Prince Of Wales Hotel Thursday 14th June Down/Heaven And Hell – Rod Laver Arena Friday 10th August The Shine/Tesla – The Hi Fi Bar Thursday 18th October
Highlight Of The Year Getting a brand new custom built computer that allows me to solely focus my talents on critiquing music.
Travesty Of The Year Spending the last five weeks trying to get my internet connection up and running after moving house, only to have my beloved Compaq (Which was still operating on Windows 98) quite literally die in the arse! Prediction For 2008
Promoters will realise that there’s people out there more than happy to relive rock’s golden years, thus we’ll see more tours from more hard rock acts from the late ‘80’s/early ‘90’s. Oh, and the start of a huge backlash toward the tired and repetitive metalcore trend.
Darren Cowan
Every so often, I hear someone lament on the sorry state of today’s metal scene. One way or another, these people are unable to open their mind to fresh ideas. They are stuck in a woebegone era or merely have not taken the time to sample today’s brightest acts. Case in point, my compiling of ten albums to represent the best metal of 2007 came with much difficulty, which was no different from every year since I started this compulsive habit. So many albums held me enthralled. A bombardment of amazing releases caused a constant rotation of my top ten. In the end, I asked myself, “What albums found the most play in my stereo?” Readers will agree and disagree with some of my following selections, that’s fine. No two people are exactly alike. The only request I have of readers is not to pass judgment on an album before hearing it.
1. Shroud of Bereavement-Alone Beside Her 2. Divine Heresy-Bleed the Fifth 3. Arch Enemy-Rise of the Tyrants 4. Dream Theater-Systematic Chaos 5. Winds-Prominence and Demise 6. Evile-Enter the Grave 7. Limbonic Art-Legacy of Evil 8. King Diamond-Give Me your Soul…Please 9. Municipal Waste-The Art of Partying 10. Severe Torture-Sworn to Vengeance
Other must-have albums: Sear Bliss-The Arcane Odyssey, Sol-Let There Be a Massacre, Three Inches of Blood-Fire up the Blades, Blinded By Faith-Weapons of Mass Distraction, Keen of the Crow-Hyborea, Wolves in the Throne Room-Two Hunters, Megadeth-United Abominations, Blood Red Throne-Come Death, Fleshcrawl-Structures of Death, Paths of Possession-End of the Hour, Xasthur-Defective Epitaph, Nile-Ithyphallic, Ministry-The Last Sucker
Ken McGrath
1. Neurosis - Given to the Rising 2. Baroness - Red Album 3. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet 4. Machine Head - The Blackening 5. Pelican – City of Echoes 6. Everytime I Die - The Big Dirty 7. *Shels - Sea of a Dying Dhow 8. Jesu - Conqueror 9. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City 10. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
2007: a good year for the metal all in all. Loads of highs and a few lows thrown in for good measure (often in the same weekend if you were at Hellfest, France). Machine Head stuck it in drive early on and kept on going, Baroness put the foot in, standing tall with their debut full-length, Everytime I Die brought back the dirty groove (“I’ve been bitten by the party animal”), while Pelican departed down a slightly different road in their city of echoes and Jesu shone new light on shades of grey. The return of Neurosis, heralded by posting the painful, searing ‘Water Is Not Enough’, on-line was rightly treated like the master of the house retaking his place at the top of his table.
And of course there was Dio fronting Sabbath, putting on shows that frontmen over half his age, were envious of.
This year also bore witness as Porcupine Tree prepared to take off skywards, new boys *Shels took up the Isis mantle, attempting to give it new shape and Down fought back against the disasters which would have destroyed lesser bands. Banging tunes, great live shows and good company, all washed down with some tasty, newly discovered Polish beers. Can’t wait until stinkin' December is out of the way and it’s time to get some new Genghis Tron in. Keep rockin’.
