After many delays (thank you, computer, for being so crappy) and way too late for anyone to care, I can finally present my completed top 10 list for 2011. I felt this past year was very strong for metal in general—so much so, in fact, that I was inspired to expand my list to a top 20. Don’t take the actual numerical rankings of this list as being rigid. Every album from 1 through 9 is absolutely spectacular and probably could have each been #1 had they been released last year (a year in which I felt no true #1-quality album was released).
As always, the release dates I used for determining the year is the North American date (hence why Kvelertak can be on here even though their album came out in Europe in June of 2010). And now, since I think this list has already been delayed far too long, I will now cut the preamble and get right to the albums. Here they are, starting with #10!
#10 Bleed the Way Orpheus (Rockstar)
Hailing from Australia, Orpheus play a synth-laden form of melodeath that is strongly influenced by Dark Tranquillity. The formula for success playing this style requires powerful vocals, excellent production, and tunes that make enough of a lasting impression to encourage repeat listens—and Orpheus meet those prerequisites easily. Like Dark Tranquillity, Orpheus arrange keyboard lines over massive bonesaw riffs and bellowing abstract death growls. However, the keyboard tone here is interesting enough to be of note, as it often ventures into a spooky, astral type of sound that makes you stand up and take notice. Overall, Bleed the Way is an album with no real weaknesses and tons of “oh hell yeah!” moments. TOP TRACKS: Societies of Steel, Unscathed#9 Surtur Rising Amon Amarth (Metal Blade)
Without fail, whenever a new album by a favorite band of mine disappoints me, I always end up reading a review on that album where the reviewer announces that the band’s songwriting has “matured.” Apparently “maturing” means “sucking” in critic speak. On an unrelated note, Amon Amarth’s newest offering is yet another slab of epic, crushing Viking death metal, albeit with a more mature take on the songwriting. Fortunately, even a sucky Amon Amarth album is still an amazing album by any other standards, and there is just too much to love on this album for it to fall out of the top ten. TOP TRACKS: You really expect me to choose? It’s AA; they don’t make a less-than-awesome song. Just buy the album.#8 Ritual The Black Dahlia Murder (Metal Blade)
Like a bulldozer race on a corpse-covered road, TBDM seem to leave a gory scene of carnage everywhere they go on their fifth full-length offering. After sacrificing their trademark tunefulness for the sake of “brutality” on 2009’s Deflorate, these Michigan boys get back to the formula that made Nocturnal and Miasma such incredible albums—catchy riffs, intestine-grinding vocals, and blood-stopping tempo changes. Make no mistake, this album will destroy you…and leave you begging for more. TOP TRACKS: Moonlight Equilibrium, Great Burning Nullifier
#7 Hammer of the North Grand Magus (Roadrunner)
Ever since venturing away from their doom roots, Grand Magus have developed into a extraordinary amalgam of every good quality to come out of the 70’s and 80’s rock/metal scene. JB Christofferssen has become one of my personal favorite metal musicians thanks to his powerful, emotive vocals; massive 70’s style guitar riffing; and his ability to pay tribute to the great pioneers of the genre without ripping them off. This album is a 53-minute long lesson on metal history and needs to be heard by every metalhead, regardless of personal subgenre preferences. TOP TRACKS: Black Sails, Ravens Guide Our Way
#6 As the World Bleeds Theocracy (Ulterium)
Having grown from a one-man project on their debut to a quintet on this—their third full length album—Athens, Georgia-based Theocracy show that they are more than just a collection of musicians; they are master songsmiths. Forging songs is their craft, and they have mastered it completely despite their relative greenness. Each song on As the World Bleeds is infused with a life, energy, and purpose entirely its own, with pounding riffs, soaring vocals, and structures that are allowed to breathe and move in a beautifully organic manner. Though there are many excellent traditional metal elements here (in particular the incredible guitar riffs found on nearly every track), Theocracy transcend metal and create pure art with their music. TOP TRACKS: Nailed, As the World Bleeds#5 Kvelertak Kvelertak (Indie)
Taking a wrecking ball to genre walls and all preconceived notions of what metal is, Kvelertak have set a new precedent for innovation on their self-titled full length debut. The seamless and effortless way by which they move from tremolo picking to punk power chords—or blackened shrieks to shouted gang vocals, or from singing in their native Norwegian to playing screaming American blues guitar solos, or from blast beats to cowbell and tambourine—is astounding. On paper it sounds like it should be a chaotic, nonsensical mess of notes and conflicting styles, but in practice these youngsters execute it as near to flawlessly and coherently as possible. TOP TRACKS: Blodtørst, Utrydd dei Svake#4 Blood on Snow Eastern Front (Candlelight)
This album is a prime example of how execution can trump originality when it comes to music. Though they feature a mostly generic black metal sound (albeit with some doomy interludes to break things up), Eastern Front execute that sound so perfectly that I can’t help but love their debut album, Blood on Snow. The main draw here is a crushing rhythmic attack of which even Immortal would be jealous, and song structures that are as long and grueling as a Siberian winter. Put this album on and prepare to be enthralled by the swirling blizzard of mesmerizing and soul-crushing riffs unleashed by Eastern Front! TOP TRACKS: Blood on Snow, Unleash the Panzer Division
#3 Forever Abomination Skeletonwitch (Prosthetic)
Though it is unlikely Skeletonwitch will ever be able to top the flesh-rending adventure that was Beyond the Permafrost, Forever Abomination comes pretty freaking close. From the first moment of the opening track, which stomps back and forth on your ear drums like a runaway rhino, you know these Ohio rockers mean business!
#2 V Vreid (Indie)
I’m calling Vreid’s brand of music here “progressive black metal,” but regardless of the appellation, this is some fascinating material. The root of their sound structure is black metal, but they branch out in many different directions, utilizing elements of doom, thrash, prog, melodeath, and post-metal. With equal parts of hypnotic atmosphere, head thrashing riffs, mournful melodies, musical innovation, and instrumental showmanship, this is an album that delivers everything you could want from a metal release…and more. TOP TRACKS: The Others & the Look, Then We Die#1 Iconoclast Symphony X (Inside Out)
At this point I feel like there’s nothing more I can say about Symphony X. I have previously named their two most recent albums among the best of the last decade, including placing Paradise Lost at #1 over that time period, and I also consider their 1997 album Divine Wings of Tragedy to be one of the best albums from the 90s. All this high praise leads me to the conclusion that these New Jersey prog metallers are the best, most consistent metal act to arise since the golden days of the 80s. So when I say that this might be their best album to date, know that it means a lot. Front to back, the intensity, musical brilliance, and combined talent of Symphony X on Iconoclast is unmatched by anything I have ever heard before. These guys just keep raising the bar and then surpassing it. I’m positively giddy that I have had the opportunity and privilege to witness greatness in motion—and its name is Symphony X. TOP TRACKS: Bastards of the Machine, When All is Lost
