Metal Awards

Mike's Top 15 albums of 2006

  1. Metal Church - A Light In The Dark
    Old schoolers proove that it doesn't take a new twist on metal, orchestrations, female backing vocals, or complex arrangements to deliver a fantastic heavy metal album. The band dedicated this album to orginal vocalist David Wayne, who recently passed away. With that motivation, they've delivered a heavy metal classic that would surely make David very proud.
  2. Falconer - Northwind
    This is a fine return to form for a band that appeared lost after the past couple albums. Falconer is really on top of their game right now.
  3. Bloodbound - Nosferatu
    This is an excellent album that will be hard for the band to surpass, especially given the departure of Urban Breed.
  4. Final Frontier - Freelight
    This is just one of those bands whose music really connects with me.
  5. Heavenly - Virus
    I like how this album blends some of the new found sounds of Dust to Dust with their earlier Sign of the Winner type of sound.
  6. Leatherwolf - World Asylum
    Despite the loss of their original vocalist, the band makes a very true to form comeback with Wade Black behind the mic. This band disappeared well before their time, so I hope this second life is successful and long lasting.
  7. Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
    This album is surely not an unpredictable one, but if you're a fan of speedy power metal, this is just what the doctor ordered!
  8. Winter's Bane - Redivivus
    Ripper who? Here's another outstanding pure heavy metal album that is hopefully a sign of things to come for this band. Winter's Bane has never had a stable lineup, but I really hope that changes going forward.
  9. Blind Guardian - A Twist In The Myth
    While not their best effort, Blind Guardian still delivers the goods.
  10. Wig Wam - Wigwamania
    Again, not an unpredictable, complex, or thought provoking album. However, it is fun to listen to and it is just full of good party rock songs.
  11. Wolf - The Black Flame
    Any fan of classic Iron Maiden can't ignore this band. They've prooved themselves to be a consistent force in the traditional heavy metal scene.
  12. Pretty Maids - Wake Up To The Real World
    Planet Panic left me frustrated and unsure of the band's future. Luckily, the Maids get back on track with this album.
  13. Ted Poley - Collateral Damage
    This is an album that was never on my high priority list to acquire. However, once I did spin this disc, it stayed in my stereo for a long time. Now, if only Danger Danger can actually put together a new studio album, that would be great.
  14. Edguy - Rocket Ride
    This is certainly a different approach for the band, but I came to enjoy it the more and more I just listened to it and dropped my preconceptions for what an Edguy album "should be." Still, I do enjoy the soaring power metal of the band's earlier albums, but Tobias shows that he can full a fine rock album out of his pocket.
  15. Majesty - Hellforces
    This is another album that unexpectedly stole a place in my stereo for a long, long time this year. Although not original or innovative, it's just a damn good album.
Mike's Top 5 surprises of 2006

  1. Power Project - Dinosaurs
    Just missed my top 15 list. This is 80's metal at its best, performed by notable personalities from the 80's metal scene.
  2. Cellador - Enter Deception
    Wow. I thought the only things that existed in Nebraska were corn fields and little dudes that look like Gollum. Cellador puts Nebraska on the metal map in impressive fashion.
  3. Iron Fire - Revenge
    These guys left on a disappointing note with their second release a few years ago. This comeback is much what I would have expected to follow up their fabulous debut album.
  4. Bonfire - Double X
    After the turd of all turds (their last album, Free), I left this band for dead. This album goes a long way in restoring fans' faith in Bonfire.
  5. Caroline Blue - Slave to the Hourglass
    This is an impressive band from upstate New York. I hope they can catch on with a label as they are a very hard working and talented band that would certainly draw interest.
Mike's Disappointment(s) of 2006

  1. Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph or Agony
    Not a bad album, but it certainly doesn't inspire me to listen again and again. These guys need to refresh the stale energy of this album.
  2. Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
    Again, not a bad album, but I'm not sold on the slower, sometimes progressive sounding Iron Maiden of today. Where are the blistering drum beats and scorching guitar work? I still enjoy this album, but nowhere near as much as I should enjoy a Maidn album.
  3. Fair Warning - Brother's Keeper
    This was a much anticipated release from these German hard rockers who have delivered a classic debut and an almost as good album in "4." This offerring is nowhere near the same league as previous efforts.
  4. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime II
    Not bad considering that Queensryche has been stuck in mediocrity for years now. However, naming an album as such creates very high expectations. Sadly, the band didn't step up and delivered just an "OK" album. Not a bad album compared to their other post Empire albums though.
  5. Fairyland - The Fall Of An Empire
    What happened to the captivating arrangements of the debut? A well performed album, but the songs themselves are boring compared to the great debut album.
Mike's Joke(s) 2006

  1. Michael Kiske - Kiske
    This has been discussed ad nauseum, and so I don't need to beat this dead horse any more. At this point, it appears that Place Vendome was a teaser.
  2. Skid Row - Revolutions Per Minute
    Wow.... The subpar Thickskin coupled with Sebastian Bach's absence from the band had already left Skid Row on life support. Now, this mish-mash of hillbilly / punk / modern rock renders Skid Row irrelevant and a parody of their former selves. If any other 80's bands would like to tarnish their fine legacies and become a modern day joke, see Skid Row.
Mike's words about 2006

  1. 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.