MY TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2019...
1) Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind (August 9)
I was expecting a good one from this band but what I got was far better than what I expected. This is far and away a masterpiece that so few have achieved. The territory this album goes into sets an overall mood that must be heard to be believed.
2) Babymetal - Metal Galaxy (October 11)
What can you say about this divisive group, every release gets better. A broader mix of genres than the last one, plus a slew of guests. This is one fun listen, plus SuMetal(Suzuka Nakamoto) proves she has got the goods to hang with the best of the genre's top voices.
3) Rammstein - RAMMSTEIN (May 17th)
Til and the boys delivered the goods on this much long awaited album. Plenty of familiar tropes as well as a few new ones, from the first note to the last, this one will grab you by the balls and not let go....but it does tease it from time to time.
4) Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion (May 10)
Much hyped over the years but never arrived until this year and oh boy is this one worth it. As aggressive as ever and clearly not losing a single sonic step from its 3 predecessors (which we're all 80's albums). This is a truly vicious album, the only thing that really holds it back is the fact it doesn't really try anything new.
5) Tool - Fear Inoculum (August 30)
13 years of waiting came to a screeching halt this year, did it live up to all the hype 13 years built....no. But what arrived is a great and varied piece of audio art that only tool can make, and on that it was worth the wait.
6) Darkthrone - Old Star (May 31st)
Well, this was a stunner. Guess Fenriz got tired of writing the same old boring crust influenced crap black metal. This is more in line with Hate Them as an album as far as feel goes but it does try things that actually work like slowing the riffs down from time to time to create a feeling with the atmosphere which the later albums really lacked, and that is a good thing.
7) Overkill - The Wings Of War (February 22nd)
A band doing yet another 180 into what I see as a step back in the right direction after 2 fairly phoned in releases. This one is actually a good listen with some creative choices in songwriting that truly elevate the whole record.
8) Gloryhammer - Legends from Beyond the Galactic TerrorVortex (May 31st)
A relatively by the numbers power metal album on the surface, however once you start sifting through the layers here, there is an extremely good album laying in wait for you.
9) Sammy Hagar & The Circle - Space Between (May 10)
This is Sammy Hagar....this is going to be good regardless. Sammy created yet another collection of great music here that only ads to his legacy. Not much else can be said except, if you like anything Sammy has been involved with, you'll most likely dig this too.
10) Whitechapel - The Valley (March 27th)
Finally a Deathcore band that actually gets it, this band has showed potential but never really put in the time to reach that next level...finally they have, and it really shows. An album ripe with great ideas and good presentation which displays emotion for days, a choice that really elevates this album from more of the same up to excellent.
