Metal Awards

Kayla's Top 15 albums of 2006

  1. Korpiklaani - Tales Along This Road
    Tales Along This Road saw these forest-dwelling Finns branching out farther into the realm of folk orchestration, with ample use of what a friend of mine described as a "really bitchin' accordion."
  2. Amorphis - Eclipse
    Melodic, heavy and some of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful music I've heard all year.
  3. Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side
    While I enjoyed Fate Of Norns immensely, I was very glad to see Amon Amarth return to their more aggressive roots, with an album as focused, driven as bloodthirsty as a horde of Viking berserkers.
  4. Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
    My favorite part of this band is probably thier sense of humor - they know power metal is supposed to be cheesy and silly, and revel in it. That doesn't stop them from being incredible musicians, though.
  5. Zyklon - Disintegrate
    Evil, intense and every bit as good as World Ov Worms and Aeon.
  6. Kataklysm - In the Arms of Devastation
    Melodic but brutal, Kataklysm have put forth another solid, soul-burning album.
  7. Into Eternity - The Scattering Of Ashes
    You'd think a band using as many elements, melodies and styles in a single song as Into Eternity would fall apart, but not only is The Scattering Of Ashes cohesive, it's quite possibly their best.
  8. Cannibal Corpse - Kill
    Aggressive but not without melody and catchy in the way only death metal can lay claim to, this might be the best thing they've done after Eaten Back To Life.
  9. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance
    Some of the best music to be lonely to I've ever heard.
  10. The Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
    Melodic, multilayered and masterfully composed as always, plus the video for Vampira is hilarious.
  11. Elvenking - The Winter Wake
    Folk with teeth, and a solid addition to their growing catalogue.
  12. Strapping Young Lad - The New Black
    Although The New Black is quite different than the rest of their catalogue, it's still a brilliant showing (and, if it turns out to be, a fitting farewell).
  13. Gwar - Beyond Hell
    It's a concept album about a journey through Hell. With Jitler. Enough said.
  14. Unleashed - Midvinterblot
    Apparently the metal gods decided that 2006 would be the year that flagging bands came roaring back with a vengeance, and Unleashed certainly blew their last couple of albums out of the water with this one.
  15. Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress
    With Soilwork and In Flames seemingly stuck in mediocrity, it's nice to know that at least one melodic death metal band is still going strong.
Kayla's Top 5 surprises of 2006

  1. Canopy - Serene Catharsis
    With their recent signing to Disconcert Music, Canopy is set to make a real name for themselves with their sincere, earnest slab of Swedish-style death metal.
  2. Deicide - The Stench Of Redemption
    I admit, I expected a complete and utter pile from these guys, and was shocked to hear an absolutely excellent album, the best they've done since Once Upon The Cross.
  3. Cellador - Enter Deception
    Right now, these guys are at the point I expect Canopy to be soon; grabbing attention left and right, and for good reason.
  4. Tool - 10,000 Days
    Another band whose day had seemingly come and gone, especially with the direction A Perfect Circle had been heading. However, 10,000 Days is quiet, intense and introspective in the same way Lateralus is, but still showing musical evolution.
  5. I - Between Two Worlds
    With the news of Immortal's reformation, it would be easy to overlook Abbath's side project I, but you'd miss out on quite a lot.
Kayla's Disappointment(s) of 2006

  1. Norther - Till Death Unites Us
    Shining exceptions notwithstanding, melodeath does seem to be flagging as a genre, and Norther are an unfortuate example as to why.
  2. Thyrfing - Farsotstider
    For some reason, Thyrfing lost a lot of the energy and intensity they've shown on previous albums.
  3. Metalcore still exists.
Kayla's Joke(s) 2006
  1. Glen Benton's forehead.
  2. Roadrunner reissuing Trivium's Ascendancy and Opeth's Ghost Reveries.
Kayla's words about 2006
  1. 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!