Here we go with another year end list of my fave records from the past 11 months or so. #15 comes from a band that I have been following since their first record in 1983. One of Canada's best, and underrated hard rock bands...Killer Dwarfs.
#15. Killer Dwarfs - Start @ One
What was to be their 6th studio album in 1993, has finally been released 20 years later! This record is full of all the things that make the Dwarfs great. Nice riffage, catchy choruses, and amazing vocals once again from Russ Dwarf. This record sits along nicely with their catalog, and is a perfect follow up to 1992's Method To the Madness. The opening trio of Lonely Road, Solid Ground, and Sky is Falling set the tone with lots of melody and classic metal. Down in Hollywood might be one of their best ever. Although recorded 20 years ago, the production has been brought up to todays standards and sounds great. The boys are out on tour supporting this album, and I personally hope this is the beginning of a new phase of their career, with a new studio record to come. I have seen the Dwarfs live a couple of times, and they always deliver. So buy the record, and go see them when they hit your town. Glad you are back! GO DUNK!
#14 Coney Hatch - Four
Like the Dwarfs, Coney Hatch is back after an extended absence. The last studio album was 1985's Friction, which should have put them into the upper echelons of Hard Rock and Metal. It was not to be, and the band broke up soon after.
So here we are all these later, with all original members back with their fourth studio album. If you ever enjoyed this band back in the day, go out and get this one. Great melodic hard rock, with both Carl Dixon and Andy Curran handling vocals as always. Tunes like Boys Club, Blown Away, and a great cover of Angel City's Marseille, show Hatch hasn't lost a step. Hopefully this is a new start to their career! Welcome back boys!
Until next time, keep the faith and MUYA!
Hey all! I'm back after a bit of an absence, and ready to Rock! It's been a great year for music, and I had quite a few faves that were left out of my Top 15. Here is a quick selection of albums that rocked me hard this year, but didn't crack my Top 15.
1. Dream Theater - S/T. DT came back again this year with a brilliant piece of prog metal, that shows they still haven't lost a step since replacing drummer Mike Portnoy with the machine that is Mike Mangini. This S/T album is full of all of DT's trademark riffs, keyboard flourishes, and soaring vocals. I hear lots of Rush influences on this record on The Looking Glass and Surrender To Reason, and that a good thing. In true DT style they close the record with an amazing 22 minute piece called Illumination Theory. This should probably be in my Top 10, but didn't get as many spins as some of the others. I'm sure I'll regret that because it's killer. ;)
2. Sahg - Delusions Of Grandeur. Again, I feel bad for leaving this out of the Top 15, because it is an amazing record. The Norwegian four piece is back with another slab of retro style hard rock with a modern edge. The Sabbath vibe of the previous three is not as apparent, though still there, and has more of a proggy ,sort of Pink Floyd meets VoiVod sound. I like this record a lot, and the standouts for me are the opening song, Slip Off The Edge Of The Universe, and the closer, Sleeper's Gate To The Galaxy. Again, would have placed much higher, but there were some records this year I could not stop listening to. Recommended.
3. Havok - Unnatural Selection. A bit of a latecomer for me, I jumped all over this after hearing one or two tracks online. Classic retro-Thrash from a band that make no bones where their influences lie. Think classic Anthrax, Kreator and Megadeth. Technical prowess abounds with killer solos, and drums from Pete Webber. Standouts are pretty much everywhere, but really love Waste Of Life, and Chasing The Edge. With releases like this, Havok are definitely leaders of the new Thrash movement. Great stuff and highly recommended. Will be checking out the back catalog.
4. Annihilator - Feast. Canada's premiere thrashers are back for 2013. This one got quite a few spins on the workouts this year lol.
Jeff Waters has put together again a great record full of tight thrashers like Deadlock (my fave), left turns (Wrapped) and metal epics (One Falls, Two Rise). Dave Padden has proved himself again that he should always be THE Annihilator vocalist, and Feast is probably their best record in almost 20 years. The two CD set comes with a disc of re-recorded classics that sound as good as they did when they were released. Nice to see these guys still making great Metal. Awesome.
5. Helker - Somewhere In The Circle. Argentina's own, Helker are another new find for me, and a great band they are. These guys are very traditional in their overall vibe, sounding a little like Priest, Maiden, as well as Gamma Ray and Primal Fear. Standout for me is vocalist Diego Valdez, who sounds like the little brother of Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio. An absolute monster. If you love your metal REAL, do yourself a favor and check out tracks like No Chance to Be Reborn and Wake Up. A great album from a band I'm glad I discovered. Excellent.
There are a few I'm missing too, Hatchet's Dawn of The End, Ashes Of Ares S/T and Black Spiders This Savage Land. Anyway, I'd go on forever. Lots of great records to get through, so keep checking back and I'll be posting my Top 15. There's a few surprises (even for me)! See Ya Soon and Keep The Faith.
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