Metal Awards

Adam's Top 15 albums of 2007

  1. Reverend Bizarre - III: So Long Suckers
    In time, this will be seen as one of the best doom albums ever recorded. A fantastic end to an amazing band.
  2. Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum
    A beautifully chaotic black metal album, with a little death metal thrown in. This is as good as Kenose, and that's saying something in my book.
  3. Neurosis - Given to the Rising
    Their best album since Times of Grace, and a return to the top of the Sludge scene.
  4. Evoken - A Caress of the Void
    A late entry that hasn't had time to fully sink in yet. This has the potential to be their best album yet.
  5. Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
    A bit of a stylistic change that was pulled off nearly flawlessly, and a second straight strong 2-disc release.
  6. Immolation - Shadows in the Light
    This release catapults them to the forefront of death metal for me. It is just as interesting as it is brutal.
  7. Coheed & Cambria - No World For Tomorrow
    While I liked the last album better, this one is still outstanding in its own right.
  8. Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
    Messiah who? Lowe's emotional performance mixed with a slightly darker sound make for great doom.
  9. Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient
    The comical and unique storyline was a enjoyable break from the typical metal lyrical subject matter. Oh, and Devin is still a kickass songwriter.
  10. Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
    A bit more polished than Terrifyer, but still more chaotic than just about everyone else.
  11. Manticora - The Black Circus Part 2 - Disclosure
    This band deserves way more recognition. This is a step up from Part 1 which was one of the best albums of '06.
  12. Cage - Hell Destroyer
    This album is the first I have heard from Cage, and what a first impression it is!
  13. High on Fire - Death is this Communion
    Matt Pike, the riffmaster, keeps going strong. As long as he's around, the future of High on Fire looks very bright.
  14. Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today
    This is what the fans of this band needed after a bit of a decline with their last couple albums.
  15. Sigh - Hangmans Hymn
    A wonderful mix of styles and a definite step up from Gallows Gallery.
Adam's Top 5 surprises of 2007

  1. Cage - Hell Destroyer
  2. Dekapitator - The Storm Before The Calm
    2007 was a great year for thrash, and this is one of the main reasons.
  3. Direwolf - Beyond the Lands of Human Existence
    A unique blend of black metal with technical and progressive elements.
  4. Gire - Gire
    After hearing Thy Catafalque, I probably shouldn't have been surprised, but being that this was better, I was.
  5. Machine Head - The Blackening
    A surprising change in sound that worked very well.
Adam's Disappointment(s) of 2007

  1. Primal Fear - New Religion
    Seven Seals to this?! Hopefully they will get back on track next time out.
  2. Nile - Ithyphallic
    Death metal had the most disappointing major releases. None of them were awful, but they weren't great either. Obituary or Malevolent Creation could have just as easily been inserted here.
  3. Pelican - City of Echoes
    Their pendulum is tipping more and more toward post-rock, which has me missing the harder approach of Australasia more and more.
  4. Blut Aus Nord - Odinist: The Destruction of Reason by Illumination
    The decline continues in earnest. They have shown they can do much, much better.
  5. Mekong Delta - Lurking Fear
    The disappointment of my year is that I haven't heard this album yet! Upon hearing it, I seriously doubt it will still be on this list.
Adam's Joke(s) 2007
  1. The price of gasoline --
    I have a feeling this will continue to be an unusually cruel running joke for years to come.
  2. Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
    Is this damn thing ever coming out?
  3. The BCS of college football --
    Another repeat from last year, and it was an even bigger joke this year.
Adam's words about 2007
  1. As special as last year was, this year was even better. Seeing my daughter born was the greatest experience of my life. Watching her grow has given me less time to listen to music, and there were no shortage of great releases this year that didn't make the top 15. Dark Tranquillity - Fiction, Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying, 3 Inches of Blood - Fire Up the Blades, and Redemption - The Origins of Ruin just to name a few. As always, thanks to the MR.com staff for being a wonderful group to work with and be a part of, thanks to the readers, and thanks to the forum members for another year of interesting banter. Adam