Metal Awards

Chris's Top 15 albums of 2011

  1. Euphoreon - Euphoreon
    I know this shouldn't be in both cateogories but I can't shake the feeling it's the best album for 2011 for me, no matter how I look at it. If I had one album to choose for the year it will be this one.
  2. Dragonland - Under The Grey Banner
    Dragonland sign their best album to date, simple as that. Hope they continue upon this path.
  3. Blackguard - Firefight
    Maybe too inspired by the COB of old, but when it's so wonderfully played, I don't care ! Awesome, one of my most listened CD of 2011
  4. Powerwolf - Blood of the Saints
    A tad inferior than Bible of the Beast, but certainly a great power metal release
  5. Iced Earth - Dystopia
    AWESOME album from Iced Earth, I didn't think changing singers was good but the new vocalist is the best fit for IE, hope we won't see any lineup change from now on, IE has find perfect balance, please keep it going !
  6. Symphony X - Iconoclast
    Not as good as Paradise Lost but an awesome album nonetheless. You can't go wrong with Symphony X anyway :)
  7. Royal Hunt - Show Me How to Live
    An album I discovered late this year, reading Alex excellent review. DC Cooper back, awesome, I feel 16 again :).
  8. Theocracy - As The World Bleeds
    Killer Power Metal from a really great band.
  9. Edguy - Age of the Joker
    I know, you will ask what the hell is that doing here right ? Well, for what it is, Hard / heavy metal, it is an absolute great album, I miss the Edguy of old and I wish Tobias would return to his roots, but as Hard Rock goes, this is one of the best slabs of 2011 for me, with vocal melodies thaat stay forever engraved in my mind (who said 2 out fo 7 ?)
  10. Serenity in Murder - The First Frisson of the World
    An awesome album for those who like melodeath...
  11. The Unguided - Hell Frost
    Very good modern Melodeath with a healthy dose of clean vocals. Great melodies, I love it !
  12. Saxon - Call To Arms
    These guys won't stop and that's all the better for us fans ! Impressive album, best produced Saxon album to date, Call to Arms song is maybe one of their best ever !
  13. Stormwarrior - Heathen Warrior
    A great follow-up to Heading Northe, maybe a tad too similar somehow but still great force, great power and strong melodies. Keep them coming if they are as good as this !
  14. Iron Savior - The Landing
    A great return to form for german power metal force Iron Savior. Review to be published soon...
Chris's Top 5 surprises of 2011

  1. Euphoreon - Euphoreon
    Definitely a huge surprise, an instant classic for me !
  2. Amaranthe - Amaranthe
    A band with three singers, reminds me of Skillet somehow. Their first release is powerful and brilliant, can't wait to listen to more of them (and I should review this too :) ).
  3. Dragonfly - Non Requiem
    While I didn't think I would like it so much at first it grew on me, quite different from it's predecessor, but still a great album and a surprise in style and delivery.
  4. Van Canto - Break the Silence
    A Capella metal, this must be a joke right ? Not really, it's kick ass, these guys have such panache it's awesome, I love it !
  5. Norther - Circle Regenerated
    An album that took a lot of bad criticism, I personally find it a worthy album and a step in the right direction. NO Norther album approaches their debut for me, and that style the band will probably never again bring back. But this different while being still being great fun.
Chris's Disappointment(s) of 2011

  1. Nightwish - Imaginaerum
    Ok it's not a bad album, and maybe it's too early to be disappointed for me, I didn't listen to it much, but the little I listened doesn't really make me want to return to it (I will though, eventually). But it seemed very watered down for me… I also miss Tarja (she was something else) I think.
Chris's words about 2011
  1. I don't have much to say, except I listened a bit less metal this year (I didn't listen other things instead, just less music in general). And I had a hard time finding enough bands and albums for this list. But lately I've started listening more again, and as you might have noticed I've also reviewed more. 2011 saw some great albums and some great surprises and I look forward to 2012 musically. I'm also looking forward continuing reviewing in 2012.