Thursday
Dec272012
Top 10 of 2012 - The Australian's Take
Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 12:02AM I know some of these albums came out in 2011, but the following are the 10 CDs I could not get enough of throughout 2012. Let me know your thoughts on my list.
10. Rival Sons - Head Down. The classic sound of 70s blues rock. Stand out track: "All the Way."
09. Europe - Bag of Bones. A modern hard rock master piece. Are there really still people who think of these guys as a one hit wonder? Stand out track: "Bag of Bones."
08. Slash - Apocalyptic Love. More of a band effort than the star studded solo debut, this one left me hoping that Velvet Revolver never reforms. Stand out track: "Standing in the Sun."
07. Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline. Dark, brooding euro metal. Their best album yet. Stand out track: "Give Me Something More."
06. Testament - Dark Roots of Earth. Better than anything the '"big four" have released for years, this was the thrash masterpiece of 2012. Stand out track: "Man Kills Mankind."
05. Manowar - The Lord of Steel. Everything that is epic about heavy metal, without any self consciousness. Best Lyric: "In heavy metal we believe/ If you don't love metal/ time to leave." Stand out track: "Lord of Steel."
04. Nickelback - Here and Now. Yes, people hate them for the same reason they hated Poison or Def Leppard back in the day (except Nickelback's ballads are good). But, these guys are the best shot for arena rock moving forward and this was a good example of that. Stand out track: "Midnight Queen."
03. Five Finger Death Punch - American Capitalist. Top shelf, bone crunching modern metal. Stand out track - "Coming Down."
02. Stone Sour - House of Gold and Bones Pt. 1. Amazing new modern rock CD, the only CD I felt strongly enough about to put on this list without giving it a lot of time to prove it will remain a top favorite. Stand out track: "Absolute Zero." (Fun fact, Rachel Bolan from Skid Row plays bass on this CD).
01. Nightwish - Imaginarium. Hands down the best CD in a long, long time. Epic, orchestral metal. Stand out track - the whole thing. Played over and over at high volume. If I had to pick one song, I'd say "Ghost River."
Over the next few days, Allyson, Brian and Kim will post their favorites of 2012 as well.
Reader Comments (25)
And I am relieved to see you actually have one album that meets what should be the criteria for your ENTIRE List -- being both Glam Metal (or, at least, formerly) and actually Released in 2012: EUROPE, "Bag of Bones" (April 25, 2012) which is a HELLUVA album, indeed.
I, METALBOY!, have THREE Lists ready to provide in the Comments section under Allyson's forthcoming post of her "Best of 2012". One other list be comprised of "The Best Singles of 2012", since some bands have just released singles in 2012 from forthcoming albums to be released in 2013.
I am not divulging the contents of my third list but here's a hint -- it will test one's encyclopedic knowledge of Early 90's Hair Metal.
LOOK for my 3 lists in Comments on Al's forthcoming "Top 10 of 2012" and be ready with your own! People all year long have offered great tips in Comments that I subsequently purchased, as I have also done so much of based on Allyson & Co.'s suggestions over the last 12 months.
EVERYONE, yes, even Nickelbackers -- I strongly suggest you prepare your Top 10's NOW!
Personally, I will not CHEAT by posting ANYTHING that was released before January 1, 2012. There was SO MUCH great stuff released over the last year, most of it posted by Allyson and her staff right here, there's just no need.
p.s. I was happy to see you commenting recently, Christian. Keep it up! Your opinion is of extreme value to the conversation. Rock on in 2013, my Metal Brother!
I know a lot of this stuff was released late 2011, but the truth is, the only sort of list that feels honest to me is, what CDs did I listen to over and over in 2012 ? I buy a lot of CDs ( 3008 and counting ) and most get listened to once. Trying to pick of the stuff that came out in 2012, instead of the stuff I GOT in early 2012 and listened to a lot more, would not be a real top 10 of what I liked this past year.
And yes, the Europe was excellent. So was his solo CD.
Christian -- if I could cap numbers I would! "2-0-1-2"! You don't have to BUY anything to determine an ACCURATE "Best of 2012". There's always YouTube and bands' websites to listen their stuff RELEASED in 2012!!!
Yep, it requires RESEARCH to fulfill the challenge of REALLY being honest and accurate in compiling an end of year, "BEST of 2012"! All I can say, is get ready for MY Lists. And I don't expect you to like them since you're not really a GLAM METALLIST!!!
Kenny! Put together a List and enter it into Comments when Allyson posts hers comin' up soon! I know you've got a helluva list up your sleeve! Share the wealth o knowledge and set these greasers straight! Checkin' out FOXY SHAZAM now! Any band with hat name has got to be KILLER!
Kix Rules! Love Charm City Devils! C'mon, man' put up a List! All you need is 10! Or 20, if ya wanna do a Singles List, too!
C'mon, Boyz! Let your freak flag fly!
I can get why people who hate metal won't like testament or 5FDP. But, I don't get how anyone who likes glam can hate Nickelback for doing the same act that Poison and Def Leppard did through the 80s ( and still do ).
I'm not a 'glam metaller'. I like good music, some of which is glam.
I found a lot of bands I like have forthcoming albums coming out in 2013 but released singles in 2012 so I decided to do a separate list for those.
Dude, if you start researchin' now, you'll find the stuff on no time. There are so many great bands out there right now! I look forward to hearin' what ya got!
But, Christian! Seriously! Nickelback s*cks and are nothing like Def Leppard and Poison!
here you go, MB...impress me. The top ten list of "fletch posts" of the yast year. And, while you're at it...the top ten, since the beginning. now, "there's" a list for you to tackle (not interfere) with.
Man, you are delusional, Christian! Beyond the fact that Nickahook wear plaid and Def Leppard and Poison wear sequins, they have nothing, I repeat, NOTHING in common musically!
The main difference is in the vocals and phrasing. Nibblesack are Generock Modern Rock whereas there are other current bands (with members in their late teens and early twenties) on my lists whose output has much more in common with Def/Poison, who have a more melodic pop 80's Hair Metal throwback feel -- In other words, MORE Rock & Roll than Nickelcrap!
Fletch, though you have had some very amusing commentary, to say the least, this past year, alas, I'm going to confine my LISTS to the great music that was the highlight of 2012, the result of so many great bands toiling away on the road and in the studio, donating their Blood, Sweat & Tears to that thing we call... ROCK'n'ROLL!!!
Make your LISTS, check 'em twice and find out what bands were naughty and nice in 2012!