Metal Awards

Chris's Top 15 albums of 2012

  1. Wintersun - Time I
    While expectations where high and maybe the album lacks content, Sons of Winter and Stars is the best song of all the known universes AFAIK :)
  2. Eclipse - Bleed and Scream
    One of the best Hard Rock albums of all time, enough said !
  3. Freedom Call - Land of the Crimson Dawn
    Some might find it too cheesy, but to accuse Freedom Call to be cheesy is not understanding the band nor style they play. A grandiose album that gets better with each and every listen !
  4. Asia - XXX
    A masterpiece from a classic band
  5. H.E.A.T - Address The Nation
    Who said Hard-Rock is dead ? Listen to this album and you'll understand that it's still alive and kicking :)
  6. Iron Fire - Voyage of the Damned
    It's not every day you can drastically change your style and still come on top, Iron Fire's new opus is a true tour-de-force, congrats !
  7. Herman Frank - Right in the Guts
    Awesome album from the Guitar player of Accept, playing something more Melodic Metal with a great collection of songs
  8. Jimi Jamison - Never Too Late
    AOR done right !
  9. Accept - Stalingrad
    Another great release from the masters of Heavy Metal, it's so great that this band can still deliver albums of this caliber after so many years !
  10. Rage - 21
    Another Rage album, another grand album, as simple as that ! Rage doesn't know how to fail, one of the most underrated bands (they should be as famous as Metallica imho), EXTREMELY productive band, that release killer albums for decades... Except one or two sub-par release, Rage almost always consistently delivers killer material, this album is no exception
  11. Dragonforce - The Power Within
    A great album, new singer isn't all that but fits the band well, and I like the new, less busy sound. The music breathes in this new opus and gives us something a little different but still great at the same time
  12. Kamelot - Silverthorn
    It may not top Black Halo or Karma, but it's the best thing since, the last two albums have been utter disappointment for me, so it's good to see Kamelot on the right path again. I miss Khan but the new singer is pretty good !
  13. Sabaton - Carolus Rex
    Still waiting for Sabaton to make a bad album :), Carolus Rex is a great album, and I was thoroughly impressed with it, however I must admit I rarely listen to it now...
Chris's Top 5 surprises of 2012

  1. Crimson Shadows - Glory on the Battlefield
    Probably my favorite album of the year, an amazing surprise and the beginning hopefully of a great career for this awesome Canadian band
  2. Mercury Falling - Into The Void
    A great new contender in the Power / Prog category
  3. Die From Sorrow - Journey of Sadness
    Excellent Chinese melodeath, a true surprise, review to come...
Chris's Disappointment(s) of 2012

  1. Gotthard - Firebirth
    While it's a goodish album, I really expected more...
  2. Ensiferum - Unsung Heroes
    I might have been a little harsh with them but after the fantastic From Afar, an album that proved that Ensiferum can stand tall without Jari, well this is utterly disappointing. Bad timing to try and experiment imho....
Chris's Joke(s) 2012

  1. Running Wild - Shadowmaker
    The worse album from the band, some good ideas but an awful production, clearly an album to cash-in that tarnishes the image of Running Wild in my eyes.
Chris's words about 2012
  1. 2012 has been a good year metal-wise. I don't have much else to say, except I'm looking forward to 2013, and it started incredible with Helloween's newest album ! I look forward to the part II of Wintersun's Time, hoping it won't be delayed to 2014 ! I also hope to hear a new album from Crimson Shadows though that's probably wishful thinking. But who knows :). I also hope the new Avantasia album will be good, I'm not expecting a contender of the first two Avantasia, these days are gone, and I really hope Tobias will make more Power Metal releases like he did, and why not re-record Vain Glory Opera with an opera, and a better production. But also wishful thinking on my part I'm sure. I wish you all a wonderful 2013 Metal year !