Metal Awards

Alex's Top 15 albums of 2014

  1. Primordial - Where Greater Men Have Fallen
    After long contemplation this one takes the honors. The passion is unmatched
  2. Vintersorg - Naturbål
    Best since Cosmic Gensis
  3. Battleroar - Blood of Legends
    Epic, melodic and powerful
  4. Sargeist - Feeding the Crawling Shadows
    Breaking no new ground, but fantastic catchiness given raw riff simplicity
  5. Novembers Doom - Bled White
    I missed their full force on the two prior albums, but this one delivered entirely
  6. Arkona - Yav
    Whatever others say, I think this one revealed a darker symphonic side
  7. Martyrdöd - Elddop
    Hardcore punk album of the year
  8. Pestilential Shadows - Ephemeral
    Oppressive black slab
  9. Ribspreader - Meathymns
    This one may be too simple straightforward death metal for many, but Rogga Johansson touched the right buttons with me here
  10. Cult of Fire - Ctvrta Symfonie Ohne
    It is not how long the record is, or whether you are in between the genres, when you deliver powerful music, you make my list
  11. Sleeping Pulse - Under the Same Sky
    For thinking man prog rock Mick Moss of Antimatter got the right project going
  12. A Sound of Thunder - The Lesser Key of Solomon
    Proud to have supported their Kickstarter campaign
  13. Ainulindale - Nevrast
    This one came after I reviewed Nebelung (one step below) and asked to be reviewed. No regrets I agreed
  14. Nebelung - Palingenesis
    As I am maturing (read, get older) more and more quiet folk records are bound to creep into my list
  15. King of Asgard - Karg
    In the absence of Amon Amarth record this one will have to fill that niche
Alex's Top 5 surprises of 2014

  1. Dinner Music for the Gods - Beautiful and Treacherous
    Progressive jazzy instrumental surprise of the year
  2. Evergrey - Hymn For The Broken
    After almost hanging it up ... they did not
  3. Lake of Tears - By the Black Sea
    A strong live record with all the right selections
  4. Dead in the Manger - Transience
  5. Heid - Voces De La Tierra Dormida
Alex's Disappointment(s) of 2014

  1. Dodsferd - The Parasitic Survival of the Human Race
    Unlike Sargeist, primitive and punk gone boring
  2. Conan - Blood Eagle
    Expected more after all the praise
  3. Death Penalty - Sign of Times
    Cathedral riff writing did not materialize and vocals even worse
Alex's Joke(s) 2014

  1. Hard Tension - Fear and Guilt
    The dudes probably don't take themselves seriously anyway
  2. The Unguided - Fragile Immortality
    Epitomy of what I don't like about melodeath/metalcore crossover
Alex's words about 2014
  1. I am surprised I am still at it, reviewing at the best pace I can. A lot of shorter releases and unusual genre choices were my listening preferences in 2014, since I am so pressed for time I just can't find myself being fair without properly delving into longer releases. And then, when I find what I like (Primordial, Vintersorg), I tend to not let go, so the little time I have for everything else gets even shorter. My very special thanks to all of the bands, labels, promoters and PR firms who have fed me/us with the material. I know we owe you coverage. Perennially and constantly. To promise that we will do better means we need to have more writers. Therein lies the segue - thanks to all of the MR colleagues who have stuck it with us in these years past. Without you it would have been long gone ...