Whiplash Neckbreakers 07

Anvil - This is Thirteen

This suckers still in the mail but damn just hearing that title track reserves first place for the Canuck Metal Prime Ministers

highs: T.I.T., Ready To Fight, Bombs Away

Exodus - The Atrocity Exhibition

Why so heavy? Crushing! Just crushing! The definitive thrash team of Holt/Hunting back in action! The vocalist bores the shit outta me (see "As It Was..") but that doesn't even matter...These riffs are thrash metal defined.

highs: Children of a Worthless God (lose my shit at 0:51-1:18 every fucken time, heaviest recorded thing this year), Riot Act, Funeral Hymn, Bedlam 123

WASP - Dominator

Still rips my head off 10 months later. "There ain't no way out tonight!"


highs: Mercy, The Burning Man, Heaven's Blessed

Darkthrone - F.O.A.D.

"Fucken listen to Venom's Acid Queen!"

highs: These Shores Are Damned, FOAD (Algy Ward to a tee in those first two lines), Raised on Rock!

Arch Enemy - Rise of the Tyrant

sure most of these harmonies sound like they were lifted from a day time soap opera, but they work fine when folded into all these vicious riffs. possibly their best ever but certainly good enough to make me forget the last two.

highs: Blood on Your Hands, The Great Darkness (an homeage to"Entombed's Chief Rebel Angel" or what?), Vultures

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient

something is seriously wrong with this record. humour in metal is toxic for me, but damnit this album just works. i've never been a fan of this guy's work either which was an even bigger surprise. hawkwind + floyd + starwars + muppets w/ metal gtrs and drums = an enthralling hour long space battle that all takes place in a coffee shop.

highs: the whole journey. it's hard to listen to this in installments

Prong - Power of the Damager

what a surprise, but this really made me remember why their BTD and PYW albums were so great and it might actually be better than both. Coulda really done with a better drum production though.

highs: Messages Inside of Me, The Banishment, 3rd Option, Looking for Them, POTD

Entombed - Serpent Saints

LG!!!!

highs: Serpent Saints, Masters of Death, Ministry, Warfare Plague Famine and Death

Dark Tranquility - Fiction

crushing riffs, endless harmonies and totally infectious tunes. DT never dissappoint and overall this could be their best yet (minus the experimental album closer ).

highs: Blind at Heart (thrash!), Nothing to No One, Empty Me

Naglfar - Harvest

A very nice replacement for the D666 vacancy this year. not familiar with their older stuff but this one is bloody ripping!

highs: The Mirrors of My Soul, Way of the Rope, Breathe Through Me

The Hidden Hand - The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote

The godfather of the sludge guitar returns. It's quite a trip. Who let the other guy sing? That's blasphemy!

highs: Dark Horizons, Majestic Presence, Purple Neon Dream, Spritually Bereft (all the Wino tunes)

Mors Principium Est - Liberation = Termination

masters of super speed riffing. well it sure aint making the list for the club beat breakdowns/intro and "tinkle tinkle" kybd bits. WTF dudes!? alright back to the fireball riffage and ultra noodlely shredding. \m/ GO! \m/

Highs: Terminal Liberation, Sinners Defeat, It is Done (scale riff insanity), Finality

Megadeth - United Abominations

as close a return to form as you could possibly hope for. a little too overtly political at times, small price to pay for some pure Mustaine venomous gold though. the gtrs just rip on most tunes.

highs: Sleepwalker, You're Dead, Washington

Dimension Zero - He Who Shall Not Bleed

as you'd expect this is riff central! I coulda sworn this was a new singer. pretty lack lustre in the vocal dept. a little blacker than before but they're more insignificant overall. whatever, THRASH!

highs: Unto Others, Paler Shade of White, Hell is Within, Deny

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???:

Scarve - The Undercurrent

damn. loved the last one but i just aint getting this one.

Mediocre at Best:

One Man Army (and i aint even gonna say the rest) - Error in Evolution
some of the worst lyrics recorded this year. too bad cause the riffs are decent.
Dimmu - In Sorte Diaboli:
less orchestral for sure which is a needed change but still too same ol', same ol' otherwise.
Impious - Holy Murder Masquerade
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. oh cool riff!!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.oh.yeah!\m/...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Utter Disappointments:
Akercocke - Antichrist:
You can't record the follow up to WTGU DTGU in a cardboard box. There could be some good stuff in here but it's just so damn hard to listen to this thing.

Nightrage - A New Disease is Born:

those bubble gum vox are inexcuseable. No wonder Lindberg left.

Simply Embarassing:

DimZero - Staying Alive
piss off!!!

Most overlooked of 2006 :
Dissection - Reinkaos

this thing is a masterpiece. woulda topped my list last year if i'd only known.

The "let's have an album already" awards '07:
Morbid Angel - let's have a full on FLA transam death metal album w/David Vincent. like now!

Destroyer 666 - gawdammit. get in the freakin studio. looks like it might finally happen in '08.
Hollenthon - thankfully they're back from the brink this year. another shoe-in for '08