Top 21 of 2021: My favorite CD's of the year

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.

Top 21 of 2021: Those who just did not make my list

2021 was a horrible year on almost all fronts, but definitely not on CD releases. This year I could have easily made up a top 42 of 2021. Well in order not to bend the rules too much I had to take some tough decisions and tomorrow I will post my end of year list with my favorite 21 albums of the year. So today I will by subject come up with fake reasons and lame excuses why certain albums are not in my list.

So first to set the playing ground I don't have spotify or any other streaming service. I rarely receive CD's to review, since my reviews are mainly based upon personal experience with an album and not so much technically or deeply describing the music. So my range are CD's I bought throughout the year. Then there is my living in two countries factor. Sometimes I am looking for a CD, can't order it for a quick arrival and skip it. When coming back a month later, the list of albums still to buy only grew, so I never get back to actually buying some albums. Finally a few years ago the Dutch Olympic committee would send athletes back home if they were finished and not win anything. This became known as the losers flights. Welll no losers here, as I highly enjoyed all the albums I mention below. For omnious reasosn they just did not make it to my Top 21 of 2021

Reissues:

Some of the best albums this year were re-issues. If Marillion pack their best album in booklet format or UFO releases the best live album ever with all  shows of that tour competition is false. So I do not let these compete. Heir Apparent gave me Foundations I and II, Twisted Illusion now officially released their catalogue and Jump and Cyan came with good re-issues of albums I did not know originally. All not entering competition here.

Not enough time yet to fully grasp:

November gave us a ridiculous amount of albums I had to buy. This meant so much new music and so little time. I think Cynic is well above expectations, Mastodon one of their strongest ever and Kayo Dot needing many more spins to fully get. I did not dare ranking them yet, but especially the first two on long term should have made my list probably.

 

No gigs means no picking up of their album: 

Some bands I follow, but I typically would pick up their CD after appreciating a live show and supporting the band directly. So this year I for sure would have done so after shows of The Quill, Flotsam and Jetsam or Cryptosis. Now I did not get them online either.

Bands I still love to see live again, but stopped buying new albums of:

Same argument as above, but one class lower. They really must blow me away live to get me buying their album. In most cases I bought their music in the past and find myself never listening to them anymore or not needing more of similar albums. So I did not listen to Gojira, Evergrey, Leprous or Transatlantic this year.

Extreme metal I prefer live over listening at home to:

Some albums I got and I did see the bands live this year, Melting Eyes, Satan Worship. Others I got on CD, but would prefer to see live on stage (again) 1914 and Dordeduh.

Good albums but not their best:

Several bands I bought this year released good albums, but are not as good as other recent work. Among the examples here MSG, Cosmograf, Moonspell, Stormtrooper, Tuesday the Sky and definitely Vola (soon following Leprous?).

And than the last three categories, which all could have made my Top 21 on any other day really.

Albums I simply did not get to (yet), but pretty sure would love:

JUst that. No streaming means indeed I can't get everything. The following bands I did not have the chance to pick up yet for various reasons: Exodus, Big Big Train, Funeral, Fractal Universe, Eldritch and Helloween.

Albums I did not get due to ridiculous high postage costs or digital release only. 

If released digitally I shall never play it, so no Rust Belt Gothic or Kenn Nardi (CD in 2022) on my list. Others I tried to find against reasonable costs but postage twice the album price went against principles. Stone Healer, Black Sites and First Fragment.

Finally albums I loved and have, but today fell just outside my list:

Heyoka's Mirror - The Uninvited King exciting djenty progmetal

Cassius King - Field Trip  Doomy heavy metal by favorite artists

Vulture - Dealin'Death  Speed Metal Rules

Jason Bieler - Songs for the Apocalypse  Light music and dark lyrics by the Saigon Kick master

Slaves to Fashion - The History of Heavy Metal. One band visiting all genres 1970-2020 

Smith Kotzen - Smith Kotzen  wonderful bluesy hardrock by two famous gitarists

The Spectre Beneath - The New Identity of Sidney Stone  fast progmetal great female vocals

Resurrection Kings - Skygazer For thso emissing Dio Craig Goldy / Vinnie Appice classic heavy metal

Cynic - Swallow the Sun - Kayo Dot - Papangu - Mastodon - In Mourning - Opera Diabolicus

 When you thought that end November would mean the start of replaying 2021 CD's in order to make up an end of year list. That's when November gave us a shitload of brilliant releases. I didn't have enough time to play all properly and multiple times yet. But some last minute tips for those thinking that Cristmas is about giving and receiving presents.

Cynic - Ascension Codes

The return of Cynic is definitely one I did not see coming after the sad loss of both Seans in 2020. Paul Masvidal found the strenght to write another Cynic album and it sounds exactly like that. For those stopping after Focus, this is much more in line with the later releases. First thumps up to Matt Lynch who drums in such a way that is worthy of following up one of the best drummers I saw live on stage in Sean Reinert. The album is holding 18 songs, which is actually 9. The other nine are soundscapes, bits and pieces of around 30 seconds all. To me those do not add anything to the overall listening pleasure, but Cynic had intervals before. The Nine proper songs make up one great album in the best Cynic tradition, so there is lots to love on this release. The vocoder voice remains in the background like always. This makes Cynic stand out musically and vocally that it is impossible not to recognize their music as Cynic. Best song possibly In A Multiverse Where Atoms Sing, as it does go heavy and fast. Given the great surprise this album was even released I treat it like a very welcome bonus. So far it gets better each time I play it, but I guess only somewhere in February I can judge how much I like it.

Swallow the Sun - Moonflowers

The masters of Gloom, Beauty and Despair are back giving us just that again. Swallow the Sun became more accessible over the years. As this album was released when I just left the country my first contact with Moonflowers was the cartoon movie accompanying the full album on Youtube. As from first time hearing the music I just knew I woudl spend many happy (or in fact not so happy) hours with this release. It seems impossible not to be touched by their music and rarely loss was put so wonderful into music. An absolute highlight of an album. Cammie Gilbert makes a guest appearance  on one song, which only adds more variation. This shows again how right I was to drive to Germany when the package Swallow the Sun / Oceans of Slumber skipped Holland in 2019. Is there nothing to crritizise than? well their wonderful logo does not appear on the front cover, as that might not have mixed with the artwork.I would prefer adapting the artwork to the logo if you have such a strong one, but than again I'm no designer or similar.

Kayo Dot - Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike

The only certainty you have when putting up a new Kayo Dot album, is that you won't be in for an easy walk through the park. Their avant garde metal is challenging and than more challenging. I liked the predecessor band Maudlin of the Well. When Kayo Dot appeared I got lost with the album Blue Lambency Downward, which went very high above my head. So I stopped following them until in 2019 Blasphemy got several good reviews and Rune played an interesting song on the Progfiles.Not buying that one still I did get this new CD with the long title. And yes it is challenging. I now played it four times which is some twenty too little to come to a final judgement. First thoughts are rather positive, although Kayo Dot shall never be for every moment of the day. Ask me agan next September what I thought about the album in the end.

Papangu - Holoceno

When Andrew asked me if I had heard of Brazilian band Papangu the answer was negative. Similar to Kayo Dot maybe not an easy album, but it got me by the throat upon first listen. This band also mixes styles and the opening instrumental brings Mastodon to mind. Later on there are more influeneces poppin up with often quoted King Crimson indeed somewhere blended in. Than in Bacia das Almas I hear Brazilian spacy progrockers Violeta de Outuno passing by. No matter what you hear in it all, the end effect is one hell of an album. Every next song lasts longer than its predecessor, so we end with the 10:34 title track where even a saxophone comes by. Really a highly recommended album for the open minded ones. Next year I hope to be back in Brazil some time. Who knows Papangu are on tour? After ordering the CD I later found their longsleeve looks rather sensational as well, so that one stays for picking up when seeing them on stage somewhere.

Mastodon - Hushed and Grim

As if having to go through so many albums fast isn't enough, Mastodon released a double album. This means 86 minutes divided over two albums. Similar to Iron Maiden this works for me better than one 75 minute album. Now you can take it in small doses and it turns out to be a fine album indeed. Mastodon turned more accessible as well over time and this album has several songs that could be hits in an honest world. To stay in line with the title all the artwork is in black and white, which I think  makes it less outstanding than some of their epical covers. Musically again it seems early to judge, but definitely an album to spend more time with. Another band with a very own sound and pleased to see they dared to present us a double album live on tour throughout Europe next summer, if....

In Mourning - The Bleeding Veil

Those three guitars of In Mourning always grasp my attention when blending the loud  with the soft intervals. At the same time vocals also are blending the heavy with the mild and another topnotch In Mourning album is born. I believe that after seeing their last tour both in Baroeg and at Brainstorm I like them even more. This is the soundtrack for dark winter nights that helps us forget the wokeness on horrible christmas commercials on TV. Swallow the Sun speak of Gloom, beauty and despair, well In Mourning play on the same playground. Simply beautiful

Opera Diabolicus - Death on a Pale Horse

Coming home from Portugal does not only mean updating CD turns, but also updating reading reviews. When both Aardschok and AMG are very positive about an album I will check it out. This one hit the jackpot with me. A metal opera that might remind of King Diamond (Andy LaRoque and Michael Denner guest on one song), but I am also reminded of latter day Savatage and after recieving the CD some Hell as well. That might be helped by the title of the song Bring Out Your Dead. Now I am no fan of most metal or rock operas (Ayreon bores me easily) but when it is all done in such a doom metal way with one voice to lead all songs it becomes a whole different story. Mats Levén is the voice on duty and man does he deliver. Those liking his bands Krux and Abstrakt Algebra might also like this album. In my ears just a must-hear album, which if you have good taste in music won't disappoint you. All packed in a proper metal album cover as well.