2011 was an awesome year for hard rock & Metal in the form my album releases. This year was harder than any previous year when it came down to whittling my list down to 11 great albums. This years list also shows the many faces of Heavy Metal music. From the instrumental side to the progressive side, from Southern roots to the dark European roots, a lot of ground was covered with some of the greatest music I’ve heard in my 30 years of being a fan of heavy music. It was nearly impossible to say just which albums are better than the other so, much like last year, I have picked ONE album that reigned supreme and the other 10 are in no particular order. If you own or have heard any of these, good for you. If not, I can only hope that this post will inspire you to turn your ears on to some of these amazing albums that make up The Brainfart’s Top 11 of 2011.
See y’all in 2012!
Are you ready? Here we go!
THE TOP ALBUM OF 2011
Graveyard – Hisingen Blues
I was hard pressed to find one album that blew my mind and melted my face more than Graveyard’s 2nd album “Hisingen Blues.” From the first drum intro of “Ain’t Fit To Live Here” to the melodic yet crushing guitars and vocals of the closing song “The Siren” there wasn’t a single song that had me reaching for the skip button. In my opinion, Graveyard did it right and nailed it on all aspects of everything I love about heavy music. This is without a doubt the most perfect hard rock/metal album I have heard this year if not in the past 20 years. It’s melodic and dark yet soulful and full of passion. The production of the album is warm and organic as it was recording in 100% analog. I’ve heard some amazingly produced albums this year but hearing this band deliver an album in it’s most pure and natural state is something of a lost art form. While listening to this album it’s not hard to feel as if the band is playing right there in front of you. Since its release earlier this year, a week hasn’t gone by that I didn’t put this album on and absorb it from start to finish. With each passing listen I would find myself with a new favorite song or songs yet unable to only listen to one or two songs. This is an album that is meant to be played from start to finish. With “Hisingen Blues”, Graveyard managed to pull out all the stops and embrace and produce everything I love about this kind of music. Great songs, versatile and tight delivery and an organic production. Thank you Graveyard for this amazing release.
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Very Honorable Mentions:
Anubis Gate – Anubis Gate
I don’t care just how cheesy this sounds but Anubis Gate’s self titled release is one of the most absolutely beautiful sounding Heavy Metal albums I have heard in many years. In addition to this being their first album on Nightmare Records, it’s also the first album to feature bassist Henrik Fevre handling all of the lead vocals and trust me, the results are goosebumpingly outstanding. The kick off track “Holding Back Tomorrow” has what I consider to be one of the greatest, catchiest choruses in Heavy Metal history and the rest of the album follows suit. Anubis Gate is a band that has all of the technical prowess to appease the progressive fans yet their songs are catchy and accessible enough for even the most casual hard rock/Metal listener. “The Re-Formation Show” is a great example of the bands ability to take influences like Yes, Iron Maiden and Dream Theater and create a cohesive and unified sound that is all their own. “Golden Days” even sees the band dipping into an almost alternative sound while not losing focus of their progressive metal elements. “Anubis Gate” is a fantastic album that should find a great home in the collection of anyone who loves progressive yet melodic heavy metal. Don’t short change yourself by letting this one pass you by.
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Kyng – Trampled Sun
Los Angeles’ KYNG is yet another one of those pleasant surprises that I was totally not expecting. I was getting ready to head out to see Black Stone Cherry when my buddy Shawn messages me and says, “Get there early and see Kyng. You’re welcome.” Well, I got there early and needless to say, KYNG stepped up and melted my face clean off totally overshadowing the headliner that night. Kyng’s debut album “Trampled Sun” is a spectacular collection of songs that are versatile in their heaviness. At times Kyng channels the psychedelic mellowness of early Black Sabbath only to unleash massive, concussive blast beats that would give any Death Metal band out there a run for their money. Lead singer/guitarist Eddie Veliz plays with the finesse of Tony Iommi only to wail out vocals reminiscent of Chris Cornell and classic Ozzy while bassist Tony Casteneda accents with spot on harmony vocals. The album closer “The Beauty of the End (Shorline Pt. 1 & 2)” is a goddamn masterpiece and alone makes it worth owning this album. Luckily there are 11 other tracks that are just as worthy.
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Gnomonaut – The Cronocosm
Gnomonaut made its way onto the list as one of Atlanta’s best kept secrets. “The Chronocosm” is an instrumental album of facemelting proportions that can appease everyone from the most stern Prog Rock fan to the Metalheads to the casual fan of instrumental music. Whether or not they did this on purpose is beyond me but Gnomonaut managed to put together an amazing album of songs that show off the versatility of two unique guitarists and a rhythm section that is as tight as any progressive section I’ve ever heard. Their cover of Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard” complete with saxophone (instead of harmonica) is a treat in itself and while their jaw dropping cover of King Crimson’s “Red” is amazing in itself, I myself prefer their original material such as “Manbearpig” and the interstellar groove of “Celestial Dirt Nap.” From the progressive influences of YES and King Crimson to the metal influences of Black Sabbath, “The Chronocosm” is just a taste of what this band is capable of bringing to fans of great music.
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Six Shot Revival – Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Local Atlanta roots rockers Six Shot Revival came across my radar by accident as an opening act for Nashville Pussy earlier this year. These boys not only blew me away but they blew away everyone that they played with that night including the headliner Nashville Pussy. Six Shot Revival possess an old soul spirit of bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC with a touch of Guns N’ Roses and Tesla while adding their own touch to create a secret recipe of deep fried southern whoop ass. Six Shot Revival’s debut album is a solid platter of facemelting guitar riffs, whiskey fueled singing and good ol’ fashioned and well written rock n’ roll songs. There isn’t a band in this town that’s doing it like these guys and if this album is any indication of what they’re capable of, we’ll be seeing some great things from Six Shot Revival. I can only hope that more people will take notice and see what an unearthed treasure these guys are.
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Symphony X – Iconoclast
In an era where it seems some of the best Progressive Metal has been coming from overseas, leave it to New Jersey boys of Symphony X to put out the amazing “Iconoclast” album reminding everyone that the good ol’ US of A is still capable of putting out Metal as good if not better than our European brothers and sisters. “Iconoclast” was presented unto the masses with all the precision and intricacies of a progressive masterpiece while balanced by soulful rock edge of vocalist Russel Allen. Songs like “Iconoclast”, “Children of a Faceless God” and “Prometheus ( I am Alive)” drove home the powerful concept of technology in our modern times and heading into the future which is a concept easy to grasp and easy to absorb. Not only is this one of the best releases of 2011 but this is hands down my favorite Symphony X album to date.
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Rival Sons – Pressure & Time
Much like Atlanta’s Six Shot Revival, LA’s Rival Sons brought a different face to the hard rock world with an album that is every bit of gnarly, gritty and tongue in cheek as any early Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith album. “Pressure & Time” is a big ol’ can of whoop ass just waiting to be opened up and served up to anyone who likes their rock n’ roll just a lil bit dirty. With lyrics like “Pull up your dress and I’ll show you how the west was won”, Rival Sons are channeling not just a sound but an attitude that has long since been buried and covered up by slick productions and modern studio trickery. Call it retro, call it a rip off, call it what you want but the one thing you can’t say about it is that it aint good. Rival Sons are trying to re-invent the wheel by any means. They’re just reminding just why the wheel is so goddamn cool in the first place.
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Sabaton – World War Live: Battle of the Baltic Sea
Sabaton made in just under the radar with having not just one of the best live shows I saw in 2011 but one of the best albums of 2011 as well. “World War Live: Battle of the Baltic Sea” captured Sabaton in their finest element while on tour supporting 2010’s “Coat of Arms” album. Sabaton draw from metal influences as diverse as Europe and Iron Maiden and delivers it all in a live performance that is electrifying, exciting and physically exhausting. Sabaton’s music is very heavy on the keyboards which makes them a “love ’em or hate ’em” kind of band. I personally love what these guys do and the songs are just catchy, fist pumping facemelting masterpieces. Sabaton’s lyrical content is generally conceptualized around WWI and WWII and the live versions of songs like “Ghost Division”, “40:1” and “Primo Victoria” capture the energy and commanding presence of Lead Singer Joakim Brodén as he leads the band into a sonic battle before a horde of fans. “World War Live: Battle of the Baltic Sea” is the kind of album you recommend to someone when they ask, “What Sabaton album should I listen to first?” If they aren’t sold by this one right off the bat there is no hope for them.
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LoNero – JFL (Just Fuckin’ Listen)
It’s very rare that instrumental albums do much for these days but this year it seems that two of them really turned my head. LoNero’s “JFL” album was a breath of fresh air in not just the hard rock/metal world but in the instrumental world in general. Lead by guitarist Bill Lonero, LoNero delivered a collection of instrumental guitar based music (they call it Guitarcore) that was focused, reserved and less wanky than what you would expect from a guitar based instrumental album. Just because it’s “reserved and less wanky” doesn’t make LoNero any less talented or capable of ripping shit up and melting faces. I actually feel that it’s much more challenging to scale back and let the songs breathe formulate some form of melody. Influences ranging from The Ramones and Social Distortion to Joe Satriani are all covered song after song with melodic focus and technical precision. Bill Lonero has take the guitar and instead of using it as a device for shredding, he channels his voice through the guitar. The guitar literally seems to sing creating band oriented songs as opposed to guitar wankfests backed by a band. “JFL” is an album that you can put on and just forget about your cares to. You don’t have to think too hard. You don’t even really have to pay attention to it. You have to JFL… Just Fucking Listen.
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Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events
Not only did Dream Theater prove that there was indeed life after Mike Portnoy but the also went on to make what I believe to be the greatest album of their career. “A Dramatic Turn of Events” was an album that I was looking forward to and the wait was well worth it. This album showed Dream Theater dialing it back but not in bad way by any means. The band dialed it back a bit to showcase a more focused and structured sound. Drummer Mike Mangini brings a new, fun and youthful energy that is obviously contagious as this vibe is spread throughout the band and each of its nine songs. The songs are as epic if not more so than ever with the John Myung penned “Breaking All Illusions” proving to be the highlight of the album showcasing the finesse of Mangini as a drummer and solidifying his position as a member of Dream Theater for what I hope will be forever. Many have said that the band back stepped on this album but in my opinion they did but only in that they chose structure and melody of chaotic arrangements. Dream Theater didn’t do good with this album. They did amazing.
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Megadeth – Th1rt3en
Megadeth came in just under the radar with what I’d like to call the band’s ultimate return to form. The minute I heard the first single “Public Enemy #1” I knew that Megadave was back. This album also proves what a stable line up can do for the ultimate sound and influence on the writing of the material. Songs like “Whose Life Is It Anyway”, “New World Order” and “We The People” display Mustaine’s never ending fascination an frustration of the American government while musically exercising some diversity and with tempo changes and catchy hooks. The return of bassist Dave “Junior” Ellefson is very much welcomed as he has such a distinct style and let’s face it, Shawn Drover is one of the most solid fucking metal drummers out there today. Let’s not forget to talk about Chris Broderick and how he seems to gel with Mustaine better than any guitarist since Marty Friedman. Song for song this album did not wrong. It’s the most perfect Megadeth album since “Rust In Peace” and I cannot wait to hear these songs in a live setting. Megadeth is going nowhere but forward from here.
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