Best Albums of 2022

[Jack the Stripper]

Couldn’t get into Thorns at all. Heavy yes, but unimaginative and unmemorable down-tuned nu metal riffing with bland generic vocal melodies and silly lyrics.

Was actually one of the worst years for new releases I can remember. Hoping 2023 is a much better year.

[Zzzptm]

While I'll disagree with the gent from Oz on Thorns , I'll agree with the big beautiful bastard that 2022 was slim pickins for new albums.

[Charger]

This year surely didn't see a lot of albums coming out...Anthrax was one that I was looking forward to but they pushed that way back...might not even come out next year! Sucks.

Alice Cooper also recorded a new album but that didn't come out either...

Candlemass' new album is supposed to come out on Nov 18th so that's next week....that still has pontential then.

Tim Ripper Owens' new solo EP comes out on Dec 9th but that's just an EP....although the songs I've heard from it are sounding rather excellent!



But all in all this was a bit of an underwhelming year as far as albums go.


Next year might be better...I'm not holding high hopes for Anthrax but would be nice if they finally get it out.
Blaze is recording a new album as we speak.
Alice's album should come out next year
Delain's new album is coming
Tim Ripper Owens but that'll be at the end of the year I think.
Death Angel maybe
Judas Priest maybe
Doctor Butcher maybe
Solitude Aeturnus maybe
Archon Angel maybe
Doro maybe


So there are a bunch of maybes out there and some sure things....looking pretty positive though.

[Jack the Stripper]

Yeah a number of possibilities for releases in 2023.

Judas Priest
Anthrax
W.A.S.P.
Overkill
Mercyful Fate
Testament
Metallica?
Iommi?

[Zzzptm]

Full length album from Mos Generator coming in mid-December.   

VERY MUCH looking forward to this one!

[Zzzptm]

Ranking albums I bought released this year (expecting Mos Generator to make a great one, so rankings will change after 16 December!)

1. Tony Martin - Thorns
2. Sasquatch - Fever Fantasy
3. Deaf Radio - Arsenal of Hope
4. Wo Fat - The Singularity
5. Chris Joss - TR 013
6. Paralyzed - Heavy Road
7. The Marlboro Men - It Ain't a Hunting Party Until Something Gets Broken
8. Black Sky Giant - End of Days Pilgrimage
9. Josiah - We Lay on Cold Stone
10. Sons of Arrakis - Volume I

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Releases for 2023 we can now add:

Metallica - 72 Seasons (14th Aoril 2023)
Black Sabbath - Tony Martin era Box Set sometime next year according to Tony Martin!

[Jack the Stripper]

Yeah the Metallica release was one no one saw coming. They had said they’d been working on new music while not being able to tour during the pandemic hence the ? on my list of albums to look forward to in 2023 but I still thought it would be much more unlikely than likely let alone an April release.

As for the Tony Martin boxset, I’ll believe it when it actually comes from Iommi’s mouth with a definitive release date and pictures of the boxset and preorders go up.

[Charger]

The new song was pretty meh...Kind of like modern Metallica by the numbers...which was no real surprise to anyone I think.

I didn't bother with the last one as the songs they put out weren't all that good...part from the title track which had a bit of that classic 80s Metallica feel to it...too bad the others were like left over tracks from ReLoad!

The Tony Martin Boxset should come out next year. I am hoping there would be some unreleased tracks included but I'm not holding my breath to be honest...But we might get some unreleased live stuff though which would be awesome too!

[Jack the Stripper]

I don’t love the new song but I think it’s ok. Riff has a NWOBHM vibe to it and James sounds pretty good on it. Sounds very much like a HWTSD song with structure and production. In saying that I probably prefer it over most songs on the new Megadeth album.

I think the tour concept is very cool. Two shows in each city with completely different set lists. Also with two different opening bands. Not many bands would do that these days. Least of all Maiden who play the entire same setlist for the whole tour.

[Charger]

Yeah the tour idea is really cool. Metallica is one of the few bands that do these kind of things. Sure it means that the preformances are anything but tight but I guess that just adds to the whole live feel.

[Zzzptm]

Getting a listen of the Mos Generator tracks before they drop on Friday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAkTX-LIAGU for the opening track, "Aja Minor".

It has an interesting hard progressive feel to it, like really early Rush from Caress of Steel or Black Sabbath from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Tony Reed cites Joni Mitchell's Hejira as an influence, and there's a lot going on in this track. There's a good groove in the fast-moving parts. Yes, that means there are also slow sections, it's that kind of track. Great finish on it, I think, and I'm enchanted and intrigued by it.

[Zzzptm]

"Burn Away the Years" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkP42MvLkB0

Definitely another step away from heavy-hitting rock and towards the more progressive side of things. I'm ready for the move and open to it, and I think I'm going to really enjoy the rest of the album come this Friday. I'll need to hear the whole thing to see if it cracks into my top 5 or not. Wondering if it will play through like Whooosh! did, where it's better taken in as an album than as individual tracks.

[Zzzptm]

I really love the new Mos Generator album - it's VERY prog, which I'm enjoying greatly. It's not so prog that it's experimental, but it do be proggy.

So where do I slot it in on my list for the year after playing it through about 4 times just now?

1. Tony Martin - Thorns
2. Sasquatch - Fever Fantasy
2.1 Mos Generator - Time // Wounds
3. Deaf Radio - Arsenal of Hope
4. Wo Fat - The Singularity
5. Chris Joss - TR 013
6. Paralyzed - Heavy Road
7. The Marlboro Men - It Ain't a Hunting Party Until Something Gets Broken
8. Black Sky Giant - End of Days Pilgrimage
9. Josiah - We Lay on Cold Stone
10. Sons of Arrakis - Volume I

I already had something of a tie between Sasquatch and Deaf Radio, and this one somehow manages to land in between the millimeters between those two. It's excellent work, and I'm thrilled with it.

[Charger]

Just listened the new Candlemass again and I have to say it is very very good indeed.

Sure Johan's voice has gotten bit grittier and he doesn't even try to do the highs or push it to operatic style but that's okay. The music is great. Bunch of great riffs, I'd say the riffs on this are better than anything on The Door To Doom.

So this rocketed to the top albums list for sure!

So I think my list looks like this now:

1. Tony Martin - Thorns (This album is just about as perfect as an album can be. An instant classic)
2. Savage Master - Those Who Hunt At Night
3. Wolfsbane - Genius
4. Candlemass - Sweet Evil Sun
5. Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying...And The Dead
6. Hammerfall - Hammer Of Dawn

Just received the Visions Of Atlantis' Pirates so haven't had the chance to listen to it yet but I have a feel it would rise above Hammerfall...

Tim Ripper Owen's EP Return To Death Row is rather excellent as well but it's just an ep with 22 minutes of running time so I don't think it counts...if it did it would be #3.

This is a rare year that I didn't not even get to top 10 albums...meaning I haven't even bought 10 new albums this year....wow. That might be a first....