After explaining the criteria this morning, plus mentioning 45 bands that did not make my end of year list, herewith my final choice for best albums of 2021. Only CD's I bought qualifying and what a great year 2021 was if we just look at CD's released. Without giving too much away, the majority of bands I never bought before (debut or first buy from catalogue) and my top four representing all four nordic European countries so all hail Scandinavia this year.
Now let the countdown begin.
21. Iron Maiden - Senjutsu
No Iron Maiden won't surprise me anymore. Nor will they ever reach the level of their first seven albums. If we take that out of consideration Senjutsu is just a very good album with my favorite song the opening title track with their heavy drums from hell.
20. Dream Theater - A View From teh Top of the World
Same story as Maiden, no suprises. Still it might be their best album in 18 years only competing with their self-titled 2013 album. All songs last long, but seem to be much shorter, always a good sign. Killer epic closing track as well. Bring on that tour with Devin Townsend.
19. Vokonis - Odyssey
Thanks to the Progfiles for this tip. A wonderful stonerish album where doom and sludge are near as well. Sensational album cover and six beautiful tracks, closing with their best song Through The Depths, almost 13 minutes epicness.
18. A Dying Planet - When The Skies Are Grey
Jasun Tipton's lighter technical band. Better than their debut with Paul Adrian Villarreal now singing on all songs. At times reminding me of Enchant or his own band Cynthesis. Now I am ready for a new Zero Hour album in 2022.
17. Frost* - Day and Age
What if you have in John Mitchell one of progrock's best guitarists in your band and you let him play zero solos? What more I don't even miss them as the songs speak loud for themselves? Frost* is different and succeeding in keeping your attention spanned originally without showing off.
16. Robin McAuley - Standing on the Edge
This year I ranked my favorite Michael Schenker albums and rediscovered what gems the McAuley/Schenker albums are as well. Than Robin released a solo album bringing me straight back to those haydays of hair metal. His voice still strong a great melodic hard rock album we got.
15. Soen - Imperial
Soen are masters of melancholy and this might be their best album yet. Check out the videoclip for The Antagonist as it might be the best clip of 2021. Still sad that I missed their Lisbon show this month due to timing issues.
14. Todd LaTorre - Rejoice in Suffering
Todd LaTorre known for his work with Queensryche (and Crimson Glory before that). First solo album and it is heavier than Queensryche and maybe better as well. This is pure metal and written and played by Todd and Craig Blackwell alone. Very nice surprise this was.
13. The Paradox Twin
PROG magazine bringing this prog surprise of the year to my attention on their sampler CD. Reminding strongly of latter day Anathema, but to me even better. They write some beautiful melodies and Wake Vortex one of the prog songs of the year. Only female vocals on my list this year.
12. Rivers of Nihil - The Work
Perfect example of how a band I knew of and saw live before, suddenly can blow you away with a new album. They are still Progressive Tech Death maybe, but explore so many other directions that this is a feast for music lovers in general. First album I bought of them and loving it.
11. Demoniac - So It Goes / Papangu - Holoceno
Two albums having the same effect on me. Demoniac from Chile singing partial in Spanish playing old school black with speed metal influences. Papangu from Brazil singing in Portugues playing well what exactly? King Crimson old school metal sludge prog? Highly recommended both and also both ending at their best with a long epic.
10. Agent Steel - No Other Godz Before Me
So finally it arrived from space the new Agent Steel album with John Cyriss on vocals. No matter the stories on complicated live shows, this album surprised me positively. Favorite track The Incident as it is sung in Portuguese and tells the story of me, a different looking creature looking for Iron Ore in Minas Gerais Brazil.
9. In Mourning - The Bleeding Veil
Even with little time to play it, this album already proved to me again that In Mourning might be the best Progressive melodic doom death metal band around. Their mix of very good clean vocals and grunts matches their mix of very melodic guitars with the heavy riffing. Perfect live band too.
8 Witherfall - Curse of Autumn
Witherfall are the best Heavy Metal band of the past five years. If you keep on releasing albums of this level it can be the only conclusion really. Top vocals and all instruments of the same high level resulting in what is most important great songs. Pretty sure they would have blown Evergrey of the stage if only...
7. Dec Burke - Life in Two Dimensions
Probably the most underrated artist on my list. I follow him since his work with Darwin's Radio. This is his fourth solo album and sounding best. Not all that proggy we get a very strong melodic hard rock album by the man with a great voice and some brilliant guitars.
6. Opera Dabolicus - Death on a Pale Horse
The biggest surprise two minutes into extra time of my musical purchasing year 2021. What a metal opera they present to us, heavy from start to finish, no clichees and with Mats Levén on vocals a singer that adds more quality to the fun. I forgot to mention while reviewing, but definitely also for fans of Them. Scandinavian Doomy Heavy Metal at it's best.
5. Pentesilea Road - Pentesilea Road
A progmetal album having as guests Ray Alder and Mark Zonder (A-Z 2022) drew my attention. A wonderful ride divided into sections by four very strong instrumentals. Loved the album as from first hearing and the fact that the man behind the Italian album lives in my hometown and turned out a very nice guy to share a beer with at the beach did not impact my ranking.
4 Swallow The Sun - Moonflowers
Beauty, Gloom and Despair at it's very best. Swallow the Sun are getting more accessible maybe, with less heavy parts. They do keep the level of their songs way up there and in these dark days of December it is hard to find a better soundtrack really. And I still have to listen to the Trio NOX version. Finland rules.
3. Iotunn - Access All Worlds
One of the surprises at the begin of the year definitely were Iotunn. Their progmetal is of the heavy kind with death tendencies. JonAldará is one of the best voices around in metal today and supported by a very able band one of the highlights of 2021. Last week their February show at Baroeg got cancelled. One of the very few advance tickets I bought as I want to see this live on stage. Denmark Rules
2. Paranorm - Empyrean
It took me five seconds to be drawn into this Technical Thrash metal album and I never left it. What a power in their songs and how nice to see a younger band (even if 11 years old already) waiving the tech metal flag proudly. Energy pouring out of all their songs even if they last 9:35. Definitely must see live band (visiting Douwe in Uppsala?) and get that awesome T-shirt with the cover artwork. Sweden Rules
1. Terra Odium - Ne Plus Ultra
Even in a year filled with many great albums I did not have to think one second what my album of the year would be. This is progmetal in the style I love it at it's most. At times old Fates Warning or Psychotic Waltz do come to mind and of course several memebers have a past in Spiral Architect, Scariot and Manitou. It might need a few spins, but then you will be rewarded with the album of the year. Surprisingly released on the Frontiers label I do hope this band feels like touring. In a week where PPE goes all progrock and hippie a band like this would be such a welcome announcement for 2022 in Baarlo. No favorite tracks as album peaks throughout its 52:24 minutes. If by chance you missed this album so far, go get it now and enjoy progmetal as it is meant to be (we can even forget about the album title sounding like a new washing powder). Norway rules most.
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