2006 METAL AWARDS (by reviewer)
Adam's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Adam's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Adam's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Adam's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Adam's words about 2006 |
| This was definitely an amazing year, one I'll remember forever. Not only is this my first year reviewing, but I've got a child on the way, and what an outstanding year of metal releases to boot! Thanks to everyone on the metalreviews.com staff for making this experience as enjoyable as possible. Also, I would like to thank all the readers and especially the forum dwellers, for making my work days fly by. Hopefully, this is just the beginning! Thanks, Adam Song of the Year: Agalloch - Falling Snow |

Al's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Al's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Al's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Al's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Al's words about 2006 |
|

Aleksie's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Aleksie's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Aleksie's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Aleksie's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Aleksie's words about 2006 |
| To me this year was filled with insane amounts of weird, melodic, death-growling, high-wailing, fret-tapping, epic metal n' rock that made the compiling of this list extremely difficult. But here it is, in all of it's subjective glory. Here's to a 2007 that is poised to be filled with quality metal the world around. Three words of anticipation: Up The Iced! -Aleksi- |

Alex's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Alex's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Alex's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Alex's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Alex's words about 2006 |
| Others worthy of your attention, which fell short of making the Top 15 cut: Leviathan/Sapthuran Split, Yyrkoon - Unhealthy Opera (the melodies have been missed), Gorgoroth - Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam (Norsecore, but not as bad as everyone says it is), Enslaved - Ruun (always solid), Amorphis - Eclipse (comeback under different colors), Place of Skulls - The Black Is Never Far (it is a shame no one posted in the review thread), Summoning - Oath Bound (unique and mesmerizing), Torture - Storm Alert (the work of a lifetime gets noticed), Wolverine - Still (I have given up on them too soon), Kampfar - Kvass (you have been missed), Sahg - I (so old school), Tyr - Ragnarok (two years ago I told you to look out for these guys), Enforsaken - Sinner's Intuition (it is a shame they are disbanded), God Dethroned - The Toxic Touch (old reliable), Dismember - The God That Never Was (older and just as reliable), Madder Mortem - Desiderata (there are some very powerful songs on this album), My Dying Bride - A Line of Deathless Kings (still got it), Pharaoh - The Longest Night (proudly carrying the Maiden banner), Lair of Minotaur - The Ultimate Destroyer (if you need to bash some skulls, this is the soundtrack), Sadus - Out for Blood (technical thrash), Sodom - Sodom (amazing that they are so relevant), Nachtmystium - Instinct:Decay (some of the best USBM). My thanks go out to my teammates who put up with me, my family who is forgiving of my passion for metal, the people who supply me with countless material to review (Dave of Earsplit, you are the best), the bands (keep it going on), and of course those who think my blabber is worth your reading time. |

Ben's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Ben's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
Ben's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Ben's Joke(s) of 2006 |
Ben's words about 2006 |

Chris's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Chris's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Chris's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Chris's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Chris's words about 2006 |
| All and all a great metal year, but I'm looking forward to 2007, hopefully it will see the new Avantasia project from Tobi, can't wait ! The most anticipated release for 2007 for me is : The new Wintersun album, 6 months seems soooooo freaking long. This band could very much be my all-time favorite band if they manage to deliver a better album than their debut which was quite extraordinary if you ask me. Also awaited, the next Kamelot, Lost Horizon (did they find a singer yet ?), Nightwish (how will it sound without prima-dona Tarja ?), I guess its also time for a new Sonata Arctica album soon... etc. Have a great year 2007 everyone, May the force be with you, Chris In Metal We Trust ! |

Cody's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Cody's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Cody's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Cody's Joke(s) of 2006 |
Cody's words about 2006 |
| First and foremost: one of my New Year's resolutions (amongst lose weight and find a cool job), is to listen to more recent releases! This was an eventful year for me to say the least. I finally graduated from college and I moved into the "real world." I have a job now (which isn't the greatest in the world, not by a long shot), and am making a little money. Lucky for me, I have good friends, and a good city to live in, or else I'd definitely be going nuts right now. As for the music! This year wasn't a year of excessive exploration in the the realms of up and coming music. This year was a year of reflection, in which I took most of my time and money to listen and build up a back catalog of old school necessities. So while I didn't necessarily excel at building my 2006 reportoire of knowledge, I think I have bettered my tastes by examining the music that makes this genre great. I am looking forward to 2007 both in my personal life and for more of a musical exploration. Now that I have returned to MetalReviews, I know with all the bands and albums that roll through here on a weekly basis, that finding new music will be no challenge. As for my personal life? Well, I guess that is a whole other can of worms. Have a good year everyone! |

Crims's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Crims's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Crims's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Crims's Joke(s) of 2006 |
Crims's words about 2006 |
| 2006 was a very exciting year for me. I moved in with my girlfriend, who is now my fiancee and I'll be getting married in September. I received a very nice promotion at work which resulted in the start of a potentially profitable career. All this meant having to completely change the way I managed my time. The result was very little reviews and CD listening. As things settle done this year I hope to return to 1 review a week plus a lot more CD listening. So for all two of you who read my reviews, I'm back. :) And btw, when the hell is Hollenthon going to release something new?? Stay Metal, Crims |

Danny's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Danny's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Danny's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Danny's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Danny's words about 2006 |
| I wish all the best for my family, especially my brother Chris (be this year the year of resurrection). No time for reviews once again this year. We cannot have everything in life. I am now very happy and successful with my new job, leaving me very little time for www.metalreviews.com. The good thing is that our child - Chris and myself created this website - is supported by wonderful dedicated human beings. So as I am saying each year, the real "heroes" of this website are these guys sacrificing a part of their week-ends to share with you (readers) their music passion :-) Another great metal year is coming ahead: Metallica, Manowar, Dimmu Borgir, Kiss (?), AC/DC (?), System of a Down, Grave Digger, Sabatton, Edguy, Iced Earth, Kamelot, Heaven and Hell, Machine Head, Gamma Ray, etc, etc). Death, Thrash, Power, Heavy, Melodic, Black, Indus, Prog, Celtic, Folk, Viking, AOR, Doom, Dark, Melancholic ... ... Long Live Metal !!! |

Dylan's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Dylan's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Dylan's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
Dylan's Joke(s) of 2006 |
Dylan's words about 2006 |
How ironic that this amazing 12 month period for metal comes two decades after what many consider to be its best defining year, 1986. All I can say is that 2006 has given 1986 quite a run for its money. Everyone and their headless corpse knows what an outstanding year the world of death metal had. From Deicide's old-school lightnening speed and newfound melodicism, to Suffocation'smethodical experiment in how to fit a killer breakdown amidst a flury of punishing speeds and riffs, all the active heavyweights of the genre put out some of the best material of their respective careers, while showing that theirs is a genre that has much more life than its name implies. The fact that Decapitated, Necrophagist, Suffocation, and Skinless have all been able to draw crowds in my hometown, which is THE mecca for country music, is saying something about how the genre's fans are growing. Melodic metal also had a very strong showing this year.DragonForce's popularity with mainstream audiences is getting closer and closer to a breaking point, while their hyper-sonic power metal sound is holding its ground firmly. Gus G. has put his six string skills behind a very good honorable mention this year taht almost made my list, Firewind's Allegiance. As for Blind Guardian... well lets just say that their next album will have quite an act to follow after this year's A Twist In The Myth. Melodic death metal bands Amon Amarth and Into Eternity also put out some of the best material of their respective careers. Metal just seems to be gettting bigger, catchier louder, faster, more varied, and better as each year goes on. There are dozens of sub-genre's to pick from, so many giants and rising bands releasing great material, which has led me to believe taht the golden age of metal is now. The 80's may have been it's defining decade, but there was not as much depth within the genre as there is now. Real metal in all it's forms is making a strong comeback fromm the mid-late nineties indeed. Being as young as I am, I can't really describe how lucky I feel to have the opportunity to be involved with a site like metalreviews. I hope to improve on a lot of things next year to become a better listener and reviewer. The two releases next year I am looking forward to the most are Equilibrium's Sagas and Down's Down III, those two are going to slay for sure. Not much more to say about this year other than it ruled! |

Jason's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Jason's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
Jason's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
Jason's Joke(s) of 2006 |
Jason's words about 2006 |
2006 was a great year for Metal, and if you ask me, especially good for Powermetal. Rather than comment on the year's releases, i'd like to take this opportunity to send my blessings to everyone who is reading this, especially the Metalreviews team, for being true to what they love. In a world where little comes free, and where trends and music are curbed by profit-hoarding industry, it is truly a beautiful thing to see people driven by a passion for music come together and support that which they love albeit the norm. My hat goes off to all of you, and may 2007 be the greatest year yet for Metal. Cheers! Jason. |

Jeff's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Jeff's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Jeff's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Jeff's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Jeff's words about 2006 |
| Out of all the years I've had to compile my yearly awards list, this one seems to be the toughest for me. During the first six months of the year, there were very few albums that grabbed me. It's now been another six months and I can still come to the same conclusion. When I use the term "grabbed", I refer to it as any album that can get some kind of reaction out of me, whether it be positive or negative. Alot of albums I listened to this year did neither. There could be other factors as to why many releases of 2006 didn't click with me. Time is always a factor; trying to free some of it up in order to really dedicate a fair listen and try to absorb what is being played. There are probably numerous releases that went under my radar that could have well deserved a few spins. Only word of mouth, discussion boards or news of some kind would have helped these appear on my scope. In any case, I tried to compile my list the best I could. Aside from the top 5, everything else is really in no particular order..... The following releases would be albums that didn't make the list but do deserve an honorable mention: Hallow's Eve "History of Terror" Box Set (for this box set to even see the light of day as remastered with a bunch of rare tracks was definately something that stoked me!) Pearl Jam "Pearl Jam" (another good comeback album, concentrating on getting back to a more rock oriented style.) Beyond Fear "DTO" (nice to see "Ripper" Owens doing something that showcases what he can do without being in already established acts.) Cheap Trick "Rockford" (another classic rock band that keeps on rocking; their sound never seems to age.) Motörhead "Kiss of Death" (just when you thought these guys have done it all, they still show that they had THE ACE OF SPADES up their sleeve!) Circle II Circle "Burden of Truth" (very good melodic heavy metal, probably their best yet) Attacker "The Unknown" (another underground heavy metal band from the 80's that has reformed to try and continue what they started. Excellent American made power metal!) Cronian "Terra" (this avant garde/progressed out album probably deserved to be in my top 15 just based on the 90 / 100 score, but like I said earlier, these listings are really in no particular order after the first top few.) Hammers of Misfortune "The Locust Years" (it's because of Alex's review for Metal Reviews that I learned about this band. I really like Slough Feg and like progressive metal, especially with some NWOBHM thrown in the mix. Thanks dude!) Cradle of Filth "Thornography" (I really like the direction the Filth have taken last few albums: less bombastic blast beat stuff and screaming til you up-chuck your vocal chords, and more melody and more memorable song passages. The shit is still erie and as gothic as ever!)/p> Paul Stanley "Live To Win" (not what I was expecting from him, but it's something I came to like and respected the effort made to do something other than was expected.) I also want to thank all of my metal brothers and sisters at Metal Reviews for all of their support and the endless dedication and effort they put into Metal Reviews. I also want to thank the readers for reading the reviews and participating in the discussions. Here's to 2007! I hope it's better than 2006! Jeff |

Kayla's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Kayla's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Kayla's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Kayla's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Kayla's words about 2006 |
| 2006 was quite exciting, both for the metal world in general and me personally. There were some tremendous releases this year, and narrowing down a list of the top few was extremely difficult. It was my first year reviewing for this site, which I've enjoyed immensely and from which I've learned quite a bit as well. Here's hoping for another great year of metal in 2007! |

Ken's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Ken's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Ken's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Ken's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Ken's words about 2006 |
Strapping Young Lad - You Suck ![]() This past year was a ridiculously great year for music in general—tons and tons of great releases in all genres I like—not just metal. Coming up with a list of fifteen was virtually impossible, and many of those I chose could likely be swapped with other albums many other reviewers here listed. I tried to think back on the albums I think I listened to most. I gave Zero Hour the distinction of Best Metal Album of 2006, and they surely deserve it. I listened to that album a thousand times—at least! Had Solitude Aeturnus' new album, Alone, come out sooner they would like have taken the top spot. But even though I know I will love this album a few months from now, I can't know for sure; thus it's only fair to give it to Zero Hour and Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond, as I have given that album some rigorous listening. With the seemingly countless amazing releases we saw this past year, 2006 should go down as one of the best years for music in a long, long time. And as we look back on 2006 we can do so without lament, because right there on the immediate horizon we’ve got plenty more to look forward to. 2007 will bring new releases from Iced Earth, Nightingale, Orphaned Land, Judas Priest, Masterplan, Threshold, Megadeth, Battlelore, Sirenia, Rebellion, Suspyre, Avantasia, Swallow The Sun, Slumber, Trouble, Tristania, Nightrage, Dark Tranquillity, Manowar, After Forever, Dark Moor, Deadsoul Tribe, Machine Head, Primal Fear, Symphorce, Brainstorm, and that’s only scratching the surface. If you thought 2006 was a great year for metal, get ready for 2007! So as my first—and, sadly, final—year with MetalReviews.com comes to pass, I’d like to thank the team for making it a great one; but highest praise goes to the readers of this site, and to the bands that continue to make such great music—and even to those who do not! And a special thanks goes out to the forumites who made my 10-hour shifts at work much more enjoyable—and even to those who did not! Thanks for a great year! Note: The above lists are in no special order. |

Marty's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Marty's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Marty's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Marty's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Marty's words about 2006 |
| Well, we've come to the close of another great year for metal and 2007 will mark my 5th anniversary here at MetalReviews. I seem to have less and less time to listen to music with everything else going on in my life but I try to keep up with the new releases although there's a few that I just got around to listening to. Other great albums worth mentioning that didn't quite make my list are Mystic Prophecy - Savage Souls (massive riffs and a killer power metal album), Hammerfall - Threshold (better than the last two but still pales in comparison to the first 2), Warmachine - The Beginning Of The End (A local metal act that combines great old school Megadeth/Metallica style metal), SAHG (solid 70's influenced doom) and Shatterpoint (another local rip-your-face-off thrashy metal band). I'm trying to branch out and sample other metal genres like doom and gothic metal (I haven't quite softened up to death and black metal yet!). I'm also taking quite a liking to band's like Cruachan, Wuthering Heights and others that are offering something just a little bit different than the mainstream. My heart is still in the power/prog/traditional heavy metal genres but I guess there's some hope for me yet!! Once again, I thank the labels and the artists themselves who are invaluable in their efforts in getting us material to review. To the other members of the MR team, we are brethren and part of something that is very special to me...I thank all of you for you contributions. Last but not least, I thank you the readers...I'm not much of a forums person but I do read them and respond once in a while. Without your constant input and enthusiasm, MR.com would not have lasted this long.....2007 is shaping up to be another great year!! Cheers, Marty |

Mike's Top 15 albums of 2006 |
|
Mike's Top 5 surprises of 2006 |
|
Mike's Dissapointment(s) of 2006 |
|
Mike's Joke(s) of 2006 |
|
Mike's words about 2006 |
For me, 2006 was a much stronger year for great music than 2005. I found myself trimming a lot more killer albums from my list at the end of this year than last year. While it's always hard to finalize a list such as this, it's satisfying to realize that there is a healthy amount of great music for the year to indulge in. |





























