Metal Awards

Khelek's Top 15 albums of 2011

  1. Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times
    Once again the Finns do not disappoint. Another spectacular album that only gets better the more you listen.
  2. Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors
    These guys have been in my playlist since I heard Fables and this album was more refined, more stripped down, more awesome than the last.
  3. Nightrage - Insidious
    In my opinion the best melodeath album to be released in 2011.
  4. Insomnium - One For Sorrow
    One of the few melodeath bands out there still doing it old-school and still sticking to their guns.
  5. Ava Inferi - Onyx
    Only 8 tracks long, but a great doom album needs no more. This is a walk through gothic melancholy and doomy riffs that any fan of either genre should hear.
  6. Weedeater - Jason...The Dragon
    Dirty, southern fried stoner sludge done just the way I like it. Heavy and mean with a touch of hopelessness.
  7. Giant Squid - Cenotes
    Takes some time to appreciate, but overall an excellent sludge album.
  8. Touchstone - The City Sleeps
    Love the guitar work and wide range of influences this band uses to create some really interesting arrangements.
  9. Dragonland - Under The Grey Banner
    It took awhile for it to be released, but this is the best power metal I heard in 2011. Jonas Heidgert’s voice sounds excellent as always with the layers of heavy, melodic guitars and powerful drums.
  10. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
    By far the best mainstream rock album to be released all year
  11. Mastodon - The Hunter
    Not quite as complex as their past work, but an excellent album nonetheless.
Khelek's Top 5 surprises of 2011

  1. Dirty Rotten Liars - Dirty Rotten Liars
    It’s not often that a mainstream rock album takes me by surprise and these guys are a local act from my area no less. Exceptionally well-crafted rock music, watch for these guys to get bigger in 2012.
  2. Hugenelk - Hugenelk
    Excellent traditional stoner metal
  3. Euphoreon - Euphoreon
    Interesting and very energetic take on old-school melodeath
Khelek's Disappointment(s) of 2011

  1. In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
    The most uninspired In Flames album I've ever heard. Picked this back up several more times after reviewing it to see if I missed something. Nope, sorry guys it just does not do anything for me.
  2. Darkest Hour - The Human Romance
    A handful of good songs does not make a great album and these guys have more than enough talent to do a lot better than this.
Khelek's Joke(s) 2011

  1. Nemesea - The Quiet Resistance
    Simply awful
Khelek's words about 2011
  1. A bit of a slow year for metal and a fast year in terms of my life since 2011 was my first full year in the "real" world and not in college. I didn't get to listen to/review nearly the amount of material I wanted to, but even so I managed to discover some great music. Are you ready for the world to end in 2012? I am.