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Initial comments TOP 15 of 1999 !!!

 
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FALCON



Joined: 19 Nov 1998
Posts: 1019
Location: Phoenix AZ USA

PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 1999 11:00 pm    Post subject: Initial comments TOP 15 of 1999 !!! Reply with quote

Hey guys! =), it has been a little while, but still on the metal track all the way. Here are some of my initial thoughts on the tunz thus far for the year, and a few comments. Scores are on the 1000 point scale, sorry so high, but that’s how I always do it!!, kinda my ranking system =). Included heavy hitters ranked from last years releases as well, though a couple of those I actually picked up this year. Not able to include some I have not been able to listen to or pick up yet, but this is how I see it, let me know what you think..


Top 15 1999 (as of Aug 31)

Nevermore Dreaming Neon Black 964
A blistering saga of sludgetuned, crisp epic metal. Fierce and mysterious riffing and powerfelt vocals with viscious hooks and brave arrangements. The next generation of the sensational, staggering swagger of the great Santuary, which finally overextends their vigorous roots. Progressive and thrashy, nothing’s missing from this formula, unique enough to garner broad metal appeal. The only question is anybody gonna step up and knock this one down for 1999? A good step ahead of the pack.

Pink Cream 69 Electrified 939
What a nice slab of hard, slightly inventive, hook tangled melodic rock. Def Leppard take note (863), this is where the leaders of this genre are playing, Vocals that are heavy and dangerous, nothing overly commercial, and always compelling.

Edguy Theater of Salvation 936
Open the floodgates on production quality and strike the Dragonslayer Marching beat. What a vocal performance and display of ear candy, maybe not quite Vain Glory Opera, but close, beware those that aren’t savy to Progressive power metal, though a tried and truly stimulating formula none the less.

Blind Guardian Nightfall on middle earth 933
Another symphonic legacy in the direction of even being over consistent with the growing animal of a production that romps all over the Power Metal formula. Heavy Wasp or old Savatage like at times and progressive and soothing during others. Like a pack of metal monks laying down some tribute to an eary and metalbent world.

Dokken Erase the Slate 929
Heavy and Guitar wrought. Put these guys back on the map, heading away from the cheesedomland of easy grunge, straight toward hard melodic land. Younger fresher, back to the attack daze flury with some fresh arrangements. Little toward their progressive land of mystique and fire which maybe Lynch brought to the table, but Reb’s flavor is far fresher and more progressive.

Black Label Society Sonic Brew 924
Album flavored, rip open a tall boy by chewing the bottom corner off, sludgefest of harmonic laiden, redknecked brew. All satisfying heavier Pride and Glory, with riffs upon riffs strutted in a droped D clogging pattern of beauty and repulsion.

Testament The Gathering 922
Wake up to the bells of fierce metal mayem. Quickly rising the charts to serious contendor status. Wonderful structures and mixes of Heavy oppression and Progressive sensibility, tredding on the status of the crystal clean “Low”, less song-clean, yet more Oldschool mix of thrash and 90’s ala “Jugualtor” style pounding.

Slaughter Back to Reality 921
The year the Hair gods bring in the new axe grinders pays off big time hear. This rivals their Stick it to Ya daze, yet is more dynamic and clean. Mark uses a much expanded vocal style, much like recent outings, but the intensity is back. Much do to the guitar sound, ala Zack Wylde, and songs that groove somewhere in the GNR early Skid Row camp. Spectical at first, but this one does not let down.

Machine Head The Burning Red 919
Inventing how guitar driven true metal shows itself in the 90’s, the Machine quickly changes the formula again. I love this one, showing the pimpcore bizkuit kids how to use riffs and artistry while stealing their vibe and modern swagger. A little taken back my the kornisms at first, but this album is far beyond that. A few let down songs, but mostly inventive and powerful. A mix of heavy gut wrenchers with the 311 like fused path of hardcore, keep it up and this one should keep climbin.

Gamma Ray Powerplant 917
A little disappointed for the German Giants, but so well done, mixed and produced to the finest quality. Some all too timely cheese ala the Power Metal Sprectrum, but still solid and highly credible.

Grip Inc Solidify 913
No holds barred. Pounding riff snatching metal. So overlooked these daze.

Godsmack S/T 911
Alice in Chainish Grunge belter music, heavy and consistent. Awesome auto crankin vibe rock. Hard and intense with hooks and sleeze.

Overkill Necroshine 908
Behold true showmanship to their craft, a hearty scarry helping that is pounding and rabid.

Freedom Call Stairway to Fairyland 905
Maybe better than Gamma Ray this year, but so much like the formula and consistency that Angra and Stratovarius reign over. Great tunz amazing talent.

****ing Razors Cast Down the Plague 903
Capabilities to groove the hardcore Pantera songs to the next level, really strong stuff, hangin out in the Vulgar Daze, which is a good thing, but adding little twists to take this machine of flying shrapnel to the next level. The great Pantera better rethink it ultraheavy strut and scream approach, as the sonics and musicianship of these newer cowboys is sounding real good.


Here is basically, my last years poll positions,
Top 15 1998:
Anthrax Vol 8: The threat is real 960
Angra Fireworks 947
Chroming Rose A New World 943
Helloween Better than Raw 942
Iced Earth Something Wicked 937
Magnitude 9 Chaos to Control 934
Savatage Wake of Magellan 931
Quiet Room Introspect 930
Dickinson, Bruce The Chemical Wedding 929
Shock Pinultimate 928
Eldritch El Nino 927
King's X Tapehead 926
Power of Omens Eye of the Oracle 924
Cantrell, Jerry Boogie Swamp 923
Elegy Manifestation of Fear 918

Rock on my friends, let me know what your thoughts are?

NP_Stratovarius_Destiny
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DeathtofalseMetal



Joined: 18 Nov 1998
Posts: 1529
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 1999 11:35 pm    Post subject: Initial comments TOP 15 of 1999 !!! Reply with quote

Thanks Falcon. I'm gonna look for a few of those. My top 15 of 1999? I've gotten a whole lot of brilliant albums this year. Some I'd place in my top 10 of all time. Unfortunately, not one of these is metal so I'll keep them to myself!!
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