The Best Metal Albums of 2012

With the cream of the crap out of the way (The Worst of Metal Albums of 2012) it's on to the best of 2012. Pretty self expanatory. These are my top 25 metal albums released in 2012, counting down to number one.

25. Hour of 13 - 333

"Basically, what we have here is classic sounding doom metal drawing on some old school influences while utilizing some nice groove guitar and plenty of dark atmosphere."

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24. Brendon Small - Brendon Small's Galaktikon

"There's an almost stoner vibe to this at times fueled by his vocal style and some groovier moments, but the music is also unmistakably progressive. I dig the mix and I can't say I've ever really heard a soundalike for what he's doing here."

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23. Hideweaver - Silver Bullet
"Hideweaver are an up and comer that I would say is worth keeping an eye on. Always nice to hear some new blood doing power metal well."

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22. Castle - Blacklands

"Listening to Blacklands I can't help but think this sounds kind of like the soundtrack to some 70s/80s occult/satanist themed horror movie."

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21. Orange Goblin - A Eulogy For The Damned

"I find myself enjoying this album more than anything they've done since Coup De Grace, the album that got me into the band back in my college radio days. The grooves here are just massive and make my head want to move. Kind of the epitome of just doing your sound well."

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20. Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline

"It's not a perfect album and I'd love them to have more of their old sound, but I've also kind of accepted the newer version. Metal? That's debatable. Good? I have no real debate with that. I'd say Dark Adrenaline is their best release since they did go more mainstream."

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19. Doro - Raise Your Fist

"Raise Your Fist is pretty well represented by it's title as this album is all about straight up fist pumping anthems. Short and sweet tracks that are really about rocking out and have a somewhat retro feel to them."

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18. Running Wild - Shadowmaker

"I can't say that Shadowmaker is Everything I wanted, but it is more than I expected and a good album. It is also probably the best of their more mid-paced albums. Expect more Victory/The Brotherhood than Black Hand Inn/Pile Of Skulls and this is an enjoyable listen."

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17. Threshold - March Of Progress

"In terms of frontman changes this one seems pretty seamless and comes off without a real hitch. If you like Threshold's brand of progressive with a strong focus on melody and memorable songs then there's just no reason not to like this in my book."

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16. Liv Moon - Symphonic Moon

"If you like Symphonic metal with operatic touches to the vocals and aren't opposed to something just a little quirky with Japanese lyrics than check it out. I personally enjoy an album like this when I'm feeling like something a little outside the norm."

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15. Crimson Cult - Tales Of Doom

"What this band brings to the table is a great no frills power sound grounded in traditional, while also sounding unique, and even haunting at times. Tales Of Doom just has a nice edge to it without the more melodic power metal sound that seems to be more in style at the moment."

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14. Oddland - The Treachery Of Senses

"Basically, what we have here is a band doing a heavy slant on progressive metal with halting riffs, melodic moments, and some dark/goth flavor that you might expect from a Finnish band. The sound of Oddland comes together pretty well into a dark and interesting soundscape with a lot of changes/variation in the music."

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13. Orden Ogan - To The End

"To me this is just a band taking a variety of influences, crafting their own sound out of it, and making for good straight up power metal. Sometimes I just want epic, classic, speedy power metal and this is highly satisfying to that end."

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12. Lullacry - Where Angels Fear

"Everything sounds like it should without sounding rehashed and that is just fine by me. All the songs have great energy, an almost pop-punk catchiness that totally works, and a sort of gothic atmosphere that adds a bit of substance and feeling along the way."

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11. Tiamat - The Scarred People

"This is exactly the sort of Tiamat album I want. From start to finish this is dreary and just loaded with atmosphere. Basically, it's the sort of music I think this band excels at and it's nice to hear them doing what they do best."

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Top 10 Metal Albums of 2012

10. Saint Vitus - Lillie: F-65

"It seems like in all this down time Saint Vitus has neither changed nor missed a step. This is just such a strong collection of groove and atmosphere that you've gotta love it. Absolutely classic Saint Vitus from start to finish."

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9. Kobra And The Lotus - Kobra And The Lotus

"Kobra And The Lotus seem to have their act well together on this one and there is little to not like here. Their self titled release just has a lot of energy, a powerful sound aided by forceful wails, and rarely relents in it's headbanging pace."

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8. Tankard -  A Girl Called Cerveza

"Everything on here just screams to me Thrash and I enjoyed the album thoroughly from start to finish. While I've liked the past couple of Tankard releases this one just hit me harder and stayed with me better. The songwriting on this one is top notch for the style they aim for."

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7. Accept - Stalingrad

"No huge changes are found on Stalingrad, but none were really necessary either. This is a suiting follow up for a band who just came back to life in the scene. Just some strong traditional metal with good riffs and gravelly vocals."

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6. In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

"Listening to A Fair Dream Gone Mad I just love the smooth atmospheres of this and how the songs incorporate metal/heavy guitar into their sound. It's quite a nice blend and they manage it well, neither getting too soft or too heavy, but rather using the heavy guitar to enhance the atmosphere."

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5. Luca Turilli's Rhapsody - Ascending To Infinity
"In the end, this is a pretty damn good Rhapsody album with strong lead guitar that sets it up for success. Luca Turilli shows here that he's still got it and that he can do it without the other guys in the Rhapsody Of Fire camp."

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4. Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol
"As much as I've always like Paradise Losts's releases, this is exactly the sound I want this band doing. The gothic vibe is still there and takes the frontseat every once in awhile, but make no mistake... Paradise Lost are doom metal again and it is good."

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3. OverKill - The Electric Age
"I have not a doubt in my mind that all but the most jaded old school thrash fans will enjoy this and it might even grab a few of the more cynical. Certainly, OverKill is sounding a lot more like their 80s/early 90s incarnation than the Mid 90s/2000s version."

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2. White Skull - Under This Flag
"Overall, Under This Flag comes pretty close to everything I want from a straight up power metal album. This is one of those reviews where choosing highlights is like picking between children. The material here just seems to ride that perfect line where the songs sound epic and powerful while remaining heavy and never getting Too overblown or happy."

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1. Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead
"There is nothing non-badass about Psalms For The Dead. From the fantastic doomy titles/lyrics to the punishing riffs, gloomy atmosphere, great variation within the songs, and killer solos... there's absolutely nothing to not like. Not to mention the rather awesome melodramatic wailing of Lowe."

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That wraps up the top metal albums of 2012 for me. Thanks for reading. Everyone's list is bound to be a bit different, but I thought these albums all worthy of mention. Candlemass in particular created one fine piece of metal and it's a fine closing chapter to the band. Feel free to comment with your own top album picks. Happy holidays.

Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol

Doom Metal
Century Media

2012

1. Solitary One
2. Crucify
3. Fear Of Impending Hell
4. Honesty In Death
5. Theories From Another World
6. In This We Dwell
7. To The Darkness
8. Tragic Idol
9. Worth Fighting For
10. The Glorious End

My expectations had to be high going into this new one from Paradise Lost. Lately, the band has made sort of a habit out of outdoing themselves and releasing heavier, doomier albums. Certainly, a trend I can appreciate. I've always enjoyed Paradise Lost's albums, but this back to the roots approach has been fantastic. Few artists do heavy and somber like Paradise Lost.

Tragic Idol pretty much delivers more of the same. This album does a great job of once again grounding the band in probably their most popular sound. Tragic Idol, along with Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us and Requiem, sounds like a journey of a band rediscovering itself. Really, these albums have been the logical continuation of the Draconian Times album that never happened. It's what the fans asked for and while it took awhile... it's what we are getting now.

From the rougher vocals to the slow and methodical heaviness, there is just such a great feeling about Tragic Idol. There's no big changes from the previous couple albums, but that's perfectly fine by me. This is just a band doing what they do best and the songwriting once again hits home. As much as I've always like Paradise Losts's releases, this is exactly the sound I want this band doing. The gothic vibe is still there and takes the frontseat every once in awhile, but make no mistake... Paradise Lost are doom metal again and it is good.

In conclusion, Tragic Idol is just the sort of album that is a must have for fans. The is the kind of release that fans ask for... a band in their best, classic sound. Trust me... I am one. I would also recommend this one to any fans of gothic/doom metal.

Highlights: Honesty In Death, Crucify, Tragic Idol, To The Darkness

Rating - 4.0/5

Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us

Doom/Gothic Metal
Century Media

2009

1. As Horizons End
2. I Remain
3. First Light
4. Frailty
5. Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
6. The Rise of Denial
7. Living With Scars
8. Last Regret
9. Universal Dream
10. In Truth

Paradise Lost's last album really took a step back for the band and that is by no means a bad thing. What Paradise Lost managed to do on In Requiem was recapture the spirit of their older doom metal days and bring a lot of heaviness back to the sound of the band. Certainly, that album reignited a lot of interest from the band from their older fans and I must say it was a great release. In Requiem really left me wondering what the band's next move would be and I looked forward to this one.

Now that I've listened to this album it's safe to say that Faith Divides Us - Death Unites us continues to move the band back to a more doom oriented and heavy sound. Really the band has blurred the line between doom and gothic metal again as this album conjures up memories of Icon and Draconian Times without sounding like a rehash. Something has just stirred Paradise Lost's interest in heavier music again and they continue to move in that direction with great results. There are definite moments of more somber, gothic material, but they are blended with heavy riffs in a way that most songs seem more towards the doom side. This is just a massive sounding album with plenty of heaviness to go around.

One sort of exception to the rule is the lead single which is probably the most gothic metal sounding track here. This is also a fantastic track in it's own right though and genuinely moving in it's dark atmosphere. Even this track does feature some heavier vocals that boost the power of it. I get such a great complete vibe from this album as the vocals have the diversity of atmosphere and heaviness and the music follows suit. Never a dull moment and Faith Divides Us - Death Unites us paints a complete picture of what a truly dark, heavy album should be.

Though I wouldn't call their recent albums a comeback as some have, seeing as I've always enjoyed their varying styles and albums, I would say that this is a really pleasing heavy album. If you like the older, classic Paradise Lost albums this is a must listen. I'd recommend this one to anyone who likes this sort of dark doom metal.

Highlights: Faith Divides Us - Death Units Us, I Remain, As Horizons End, First Light, The Rise Of Denial

Rating - 4.5/5

Symphony X - Paradise Lost

Power/Progressive
Inside Out

2007

1. Oculus ex Inferni
2. Set the World on Fire
3. Domination
4. The Serpent's Kiss
5. Paradise Lost
6. Eve of Seduction
7. The Walls of Babylon
8. Seven
9. The Sacrifice
10. Revelation

It's been a long wait since The Odyssey and that last album hinted at something of a new direction for the band... which has made it seem even longer. Certainly, I have been waiting for this one curiously to see where Paradise Lost would take the band.

Well to an extent this album takes the band over familiar ground from the Odyssey as there is a lot of bottom end chug driving it along. Sometimes the pace picks up and takes the album to even heavier places than The Odyssey, but more or less the style starts to become a little troubling in it's familiarity. What I tend to enjoy about Symphony X is originality, majesty, and atmosphere which is sometimes laid by the wayside in favor of more heavy chug which starts to get samey.

Not a lot of the choruses or music have that majestic smoothness that I've come to expect of the band and focus too much on just 'trying to sound heavy'. Neoclassical shredding is injected in places, sometimes seemingly randomly as though a reminder of the old, but the combination can be awkward or at least not as blended back and forth. Also, the rich atmospheres generated by a fair bit of keyboard, orchestration, etc are largely missing here. Rarely do I get the feeling of a flowing, rich song like I did from past works like Communion & The Oracle or Egypt and as a result the songs tend to not have quite the same impact on me. The only songs that really strike me as having a lot of feeling to them are the title track and Set The World On Fire. The song Paradise Lost is largely piano driven, smooth, and complete with an ultra-memorable Russell Allen chorus which crackles with power and Allen also unleashes a powerful chorus during the quite heavy Set The World On Fire which makes for a good blend of sounds.

As far as the originality aspect gos, I really don't get a feeling of much of it from Paradise Lost. Maybe it's just that Symphony X has been around awhile, but there really isn't a moment on this album where I go 'this sounds strikingly different from other Symphony X material'. In the end, it leads to not as strong of highlights as usual from the band and that is a disappointment. With such a long way and a concept album I was expecting considerably more from this department.

Overall, this is not a bad album at all and I don't mean to focus on the negative, but the thing that troubles me is that Paradise Lost seems more like a technical power album than a progressive one with some power elements. This is more X than Symphony if you will and I find this album a bit lacking as a result. It's almost as though part of the band is missing on this one and I feel it's absence. Paradise Lost is almost the other side of the same coin when compared to the latest Allen/Lande album which focused too much on softer atmospheres. Paradise Lost is good for what it is... heavy power metal... but I hope that the smooth atmospheres, epic feel, and soulful singing of Russell Allen do not disappear from the band. Fans should not be displeased with this release and it's fairly solid as indicated by the rating... it's just not one of their best efforts and I expected more.

Highlights: Paradise Lost, Set The World On Fire, Eve Of Seduction

Rating - 3.5/5

Paradise Lost - In Requiem

Gothic/Doom Metal
Century Media

2007

1. Never For the Damned
2. Ash & Debris
3. The Enemy
4. Praise Lamented Shade
5. Requiem
6. Unreachable
7. Prelude to Descent
8. Fallen Children
9. Beneath Black Skies
10. Sedative God
11. Your Own Reality

Paradise Lost are a band who have gone through many changes over the years and have indeed both lost and gained fans along the road. Let's face it... there's a fair bit of difference between the doom death of Lost Paradise and the electronic goth rock of Believe In Nothing and it's easy to see why their Entire career might not appeal to everyone.

Besides those albums though there have been more 'balanced' released that have blended both the doom, goth, and just plain metal elements of the band into something more palatable to all. It seems to me that this yearning for balance is what has driven Paradise Lost lately and more and more of the old band seems to creep into the newer catchy goth rock with each album. This album is no exception and may raise some eyebrows from past fans who haven't given the band the time of day in quite some time.

While the past couple albums have attempted to bring more metal guitar to the goth rock formula, etc this album takes a more evident step backwards to a lost era. The music itself shifts at times to a doomy lurch between more uptempo parts and Nick Holmes drops out of the deep and melancholy to a more sinister sound... the likes of which I don't think I've heard since Draconian Times. Newer Paradise Lost is still present but the album seems to have more variety as it shifts styles throughout. Overall, I find this revisiting of the old to be refreshing and also just mixes up the songs on the album and gives each one more of a sense of itself. The band's interest in the heavier side of metal seems to be reawakened lately after experimenting in more goth rock realms for so long and it has interesting results here. It's nice the newer isn't totally lost as I like both eras and In Requiem seems to be a best of both worlds scenario. While I'm not sure the band will ever reach such a beautiful mix as the incredible Draconian Times again, this is an extremely satisfying listen from start to finish.

In conclusion, if you're a fan of all eras of Paradise Lost than this is a certain must. If you're one of the fans the band lost along the goth rock way than this might just be enough metal to reignite your interest. Well worth pursuing for fans of goth metal and or goth oriented doom.

Highlights: The Enemy, Praise Lamented Shade, Requiem, Beneath Black Skies

Rating - 4.0/5

Paradise Lost - Paradise Lost

Gothic Metal
GUN Records

2005

1. Close Your Eyes
2. Grey
3. Red Shift
4. Sun Fading
5. Don't Belong
6. Laws of Cause
7. For All You Leave Behind
8. Accept the Pain
9. Shine
10. Spirit
11. Forever After
12. Over the Madness

Ok it was said by the band that this would be their heaviest release in a long time and that lit up some expectations from former fans. Now the answer to the question... Will this bring back the disillusioned fans of old? Will it ignite the interest of their former doom/death fans? Nope. It won't.

While this is probably the most heavy sounding thing they've done since Draconian Times it isn't a drastic change. Basically, this album continues in the direction that Symbol Of Life started. Still gothy and full of atmosphere, but with a bit more focus on heavier sounding guitars. There's really no upbeat riffage like from Draconian Times and certainly none of the doom/death sound. The vocals continue on in the goth sound without any of the former harsher vocals.

But the real question is... is this a good albun? The answer is absolutely yes. If you dig goth metal than this is a somber, yet heavy treat. Any fans of more recent Paradise Lost should definetely enjoy what they find on this album. Plenty of well written, catchy yet heavy goth material to please. I'm glad they've incorporated their goth sound with a bit more heaviness as it is, to me, the best of both worlds. Keep it coming.

Highlights: Forever After, Grey, Red Shift

Rating - 3.5/5