Written by FOOCK Nam on 20.11.2006 at 16:07

Written by Baz Anderson on 20.11.2006 at 14:42

yeh - i was going to see Iron Maiden on this tour, but i left it a bit late and the only tickets left were ones right at the back and seated - so i wouldnt have had such a good time anyway. i have been to that arena before and i would have needed binoculars from that far away

I thought live metal show in particularly and live rock show in generally, the audience must stand, so they can headbang or cheer the band. Was your gig occurred in stadium?

You don't have to stand during a metal show, most arenas do have seats. Small arenas though tend to not have seats.

Written by Warman on 20.11.2006 at 16:14

Written by FOOCK Nam on 20.11.2006 at 16:07

Written by Baz Anderson on 20.11.2006 at 14:42

yeh - i was going to see Iron Maiden on this tour, but i left it a bit late and the only tickets left were ones right at the back and seated - so i wouldnt have had such a good time anyway. i have been to that arena before and i would have needed binoculars from that far away

I thought live metal show in particularly and live rock show in generally, the audience must stand, so they can headbang or cheer the band. Was your gig occurred in stadium?

You don't have to stand during a metal show, most arenas do have seats. Small arenas though tend to not have seats.

well there are huge standing areas - the majority of people at the show will be standing, its just when they sell as many tickets as they can get people in the standign area - they sell seated sickets, and they are seats all around the stadium higher up
it isnt very metal being in a seated spot but at least you still get to go to the show
just the worst part is the tickets cost just as much as the standing tickets right in front of the stage..
so next time i am going to get my tickets streight away and get standing ones!

Written by Guest on 19.11.2006 at 13:02


IMO 2005 had much more to offer and I can see my list from last year being at least 20 artists long, how disappointing indeed.

I think 2004 had much more than 2005 and 2006, but well, that depend of tastes, I say this because many albums of that year, I think they were great, some some of those albums could be: Angra - Temple Of Shadows, Orphaned Land - Mabool, Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night, Wintersun's Debut, Ensiferum - Iron, Pain Of Salvation - Be, Finntroll - Nattfödd, Vintersorg - The Focusing Blur, Ayreon - The Human Equation, Dragonland - Starfall, Nightingale - Invisible, etc..., Just to name a few ones.

@Reckoning Winter- It's all a matter of taste I guess. Your statement is probably true for the genres that you like, but for extreme metal in general 2006 was the best year in a while. It was for me at least.

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

Written by ReckoningWinter on 20.11.2006 at 21:31

Written by Guest on 19.11.2006 at 13:02


IMO 2005 had much more to offer and I can see my list from last year being at least 20 artists long, how disappointing indeed.

I think 2004 had much more than 2005 and 2006, but well, that depend of tastes, I say this because many albums of that year, I think they were great, some some of those albums could be: Angra - Temple Of Shadows, Orphaned Land - Mabool, Sonata Arctica - Reckoning Night, Wintersun's Debut, Ensiferum - Iron, Pain Of Salvation - Be, Finntroll - Nattfödd, Vintersorg - The Focusing Blur, Ayreon - The Human Equation, Dragonland - Starfall, Nightingale - Invisible, etc..., Just to name a few ones.

Not to mention Quo Vadis' Defiant Imagination

I would say that Vinterworg's The Focusing Blur was a disappointment, especially after releasing a sub par release beforehand.

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 22:55

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

The 80's and 90's were much better imo, they had fewer artists, fewer clones (more originality), and of course there would have been far more common ground between most metalheads alike.

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:48

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 22:55

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

The 80's and 90's were much better imo, they had fewer artists, fewer clones (more originality), and of course there would have been far more common ground between most metalheads alike.

You're forgetting, in the 80's, we couldn't experience the music we had in the 90's and 00's, and in the 90's, we couldn't experience the music in the 00's, but now we can not only experience all that music, but all the original and brilliant bands today.

I'd love nothing more than live during the 70s in USA, but I know I would miss out on a *lot* of great music, not only music now, but music then, as you'd have to literally hear of it to hear it, today with the internet our music is so more easily accessable and listened to.

I think I barely purchased five albums released this year...

1. Enslaved - "RUUN" - I love this album. Not much more needs to be said - another great album by a great band.


2. Darkthrone - "The Cult is Alive" - I like the marriage of punk and black metal. I like the attitude. I like the visceral nature of the album.

3. Jesu - "Silver" - just an e.p. but I really enjoy it nevertheless.

4. Celtic Frost - "Monotheist' - I love the range in this album - from straightforward old school CF to more doomy pieces to flat out creepy atmospheric pieces.

5. Slayer - "Christ Illusion" - some list it as a disappointment, but I think it's the best album they've put out in a decade. "Fleshstorm" is an absolutely ripping track.


(editted as I still don't recall everything released in the past 11 months)

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:59

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:48

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 22:55

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

The 80's and 90's were much better imo, they had fewer artists, fewer clones (more originality), and of course there would have been far more common ground between most metalheads alike.

You're forgetting, in the 80's, we couldn't experience the music we had in the 90's and 00's, and in the 90's, we couldn't experience the music in the 00's, but now we can not only experience all that music, but all the original and brilliant bands today.

I'd love nothing more than live during the 70s in USA, but I know I would miss out on a *lot* of great music, not only music now, but music then, as you'd have to literally hear of it to hear it, today with the internet our music is so more easily accessable and listened to.

Yes, although isn't the metal industry saturated, so to speak?

Sure we have metal today, but there is definitely too much of it going around. IMO it was something to look forward to, with a far greater excitement than what we would experience nowadays.

There is also every possibility that you would still be alive to hear what is produced now anyway, although at a significantly later point in your life.

Fav's List

1 Sodom - Sodom
2 Blind Guardian - Blind Guardian - A Twist In The Myth
3 Norther - Till Death Unites Us
4 Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
5 Elvemking - The Winter Wake
6 Angra - Aurora Consurgens
7 Korpiklaani - Tales Along This Road
8 Ensiferum - 10th Annyversary LIVE

And my biggest disapointment it's

Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph Or Agony ....this album isn't that was i expected

Written by Guest on 21.11.2006 at 01:56

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:59

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:48

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 22:55

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

The 80's and 90's were much better imo, they had fewer artists, fewer clones (more originality), and of course there would have been far more common ground between most metalheads alike.

You're forgetting, in the 80's, we couldn't experience the music we had in the 90's and 00's, and in the 90's, we couldn't experience the music in the 00's, but now we can not only experience all that music, but all the original and brilliant bands today.

I'd love nothing more than live during the 70s in USA, but I know I would miss out on a *lot* of great music, not only music now, but music then, as you'd have to literally hear of it to hear it, today with the internet our music is so more easily accessable and listened to.

Yes, although isn't the metal industry saturated, so to speak?

Sure we have metal today, but there is definitely too much of it going around. IMO it was something to look forward to, with a far greater excitement than what we would experience nowadays.

There is also every possibility that you would still be alive to hear what is produced now anyway, although at a significantly later point in your life.

I'd rather have too much metal to sift through and pick the awesomest bands than have too little metal, of which the majority may just happen to be bad.

I know where you're coming from, but the real metal lifestyle is live hard and die young, no chance to enjoy the music to come :p

There were some fantastic cd's this year:

DARK ARENA - The alien factor
WINTERS BANE - Redivivus
VICIOUS RUMORS- Warball
BEYOND TWILIGHT - For love and the art of making
ADAGIO - Dominate
EIDOLON - The parallel otherworld
HALLOWEEN - Horror fire
IMAGIKA - My bloodied wings
KRUX - Krux II
MANTICORA - The black circus Part I
RUFFIANS - Desert of tears
SEVENTH CALLING - Monuments
VIRGIN STEELE - Visions Of Eden
...

I certainly do not agree with those who think that "Christ Illusion" were an dissapointment ... I think it is very very good! I almost put it on my "good" list in this topic.

Well, first of all, 2006 has been a great metal year. Probably one of my favorites. Almost every album I expected to be great, it has been. Even some albums that I tried but didn't hope I would like them were great, for example, new Slayer. But the big disappointment to me has been...

Rhapsody Of Fire - Triumph Or Agony

Well, maybe this album it's amazing. Maybe it's a grower. But at first listen, I really didn't like it. And I haven't listened to it again. I just remember, 2 cool songs, a good ballad, then a lot of slow songs, most of them boring or bland. Then a big epic, which was quite good, but with the fucking narrator in the middle, and an outro. The end. I really expected more of them. Heck I even liked Symphony of Enchanted Lands II!!

But the hits for me were:

1) SuidAkrA - Caledonia

Album of the year, hands down. I didn't even had to think it. SuidAkrA have made a very big return to roots album, being more melodic, accessible, catchy and refined than ever. They even have a ballad here! They are also more celtic than ever. They have bagpipes!

2) Tool - 10.000 days.

At first, as many people, I just liked Vicarious, Jambi and a couple more. But this album grows on time. The Wings duo are the best Tool songs, probably. Tool manages to own in every aspect, as always. The problem is that I think Intension it's a bit useless. If it weren't for that, I would say this is the album of the year.

3) Týr - Ragnarok

I didn't think they would even beat Eric the Red. That album was a milestone of originality, brilliance, and showed amazing songwriting and power. Now, they made a conceptual album, that flows better than water. Words fail to describe how good this album is. Of course, the competence was amazing, so third spot it's amazing for them.

4) Angra - Aurora Consurgens

First: This album isn't better than Temple of Shadows. Second: this album destroys almost every power metal record. So it's almost as good as their masterpiece. This is a bit more 'in your face' than Temple of Shadows, and more experimental, but isn't as complex and rich. You may prefer this to their previous album. Both are amazing

5) Communic - Waves Of Visual Decay

Third in a row of bands that made albums even better than their previous masterpiece (and not the last one). The same music as before, but richer, more complex and more diverse. Get this if you don't have the debut: it's better.

6) Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet

One of the albums I've really wanted to see this year. As Týr, they have succeed at making their own masterpiece beaten. This album is by far the best of theirs. Folk/Power/Prog metal with even some neoclassic influences, how this band is so underground... I fail to understand.

7) Eluveitie - Spirit

This is the best Celtic Metal band ever. Cruachan tries it. Eluveitie makes it. This is the perfect blend. Even though SuidAkrA have also celtic elements in their music, I think of them of Melodeath with Celtic influences. Eluveitie are a PURE Celtic Folk Metal band. Surprise of the year: get it if you like celtic or folk music in general.

8) Kiuas - Reformation

If you knew how I love this band, you'll know this spot for me is very low. But:
1) This band didn't manage to beat their debut. That was quite hard.
2) Look at the albums above. You see how difficult is to beat those masterpiece?

A big clap to Kiuas, even though.

9) Blind Guardian - A Twist in the Myth

Blind Guardian can do no wrong. Refined style, which remembers a bit of the new Angra album.

10) Mastodon - Blood Mountain

My first impression of the band. I've looked for them because I though I could go to see Tool. I couldn't, but at least I've discovered this band. Amazing *something* metal band. As a drummer, I'm very impressed, of course.

---

Now I see, I've listened very few of the new albums. Anyway, another good albums are the new Iron Maiden, To-Mera's debut and Crematory's album. Even though when I listen to Diablo Swing Orchestra I may put it even in the top 10...

2006 was a fairly decent year for metal, but it is surely beaten by last year.

#1: !T.O.O.H.! - Rad A Trest (Order And Punishment) Killer album from one of the best bands in the world. Filled with a lot of jazziness. Better than Pod Vladou Bice if you ask me. Too bad this is out of print and that !T.O.O.H.! split up. They are some of the most technical musicians on the planet. Humanoid is a musical genius. Awesome vocals, solid drumming, brutal riffs, melodic solos, and a fuckin' amazing bass player (Freedom) make this album what it is: the best of 2006!

#2: Suffocation - Suffocation The best album from these brutal tech death monsters since Pierced From Within. Mullen especially pulls off an amazing and intense vocal performance. It is in the running for the best Suffocation album ever, which it may very well be. Mike Smith makes this album his best performance behind the kit ever and as usual the guitarists awe me with the super technical riffs and solos. Derek Boyer also does a killer job on the bass.

#3: Deicide - The Stench Of Redemption The death metal legends that are Deicide return to form with possibly their best album yet. Jack Owens and Ralph Santolla are obviously the reason for this. The ultra-melodic solos and the out of theis world riffs are the reason why I like this release so much. Benton never fails to amaze me with his vocal performance either.

#4: Tool - 10 000 This year I just got into this band, and this album is not the best they have released, but it's only slightly short of awesome. MJK has one of the best voices in the world and he shows that off. Danny Carey has incredibly tight and unique drumming and Justin Chancellor proves why he is one of the best bassists in the music scene. Vicarious was the first ever song I ever heard by these guys and it felt so good on the ears to listen to such an awesome song.

#5: Mastodon - Blood Mountain/ The Mars Volta - Amputechture BOth awesome releases by unique bands. Mastodon had awesome riffage and better vocals this time around and Brann Dailor's drumming was very good. TMV has another masterpiece here. More progressive than before. All of the musicians are in top form especially Omar Rodriguez-Lopez for making some of the best solos in the world and Cedric, because I love his voice and he can just all around sing very well.

I think its impossible for me to name just 5 that really stood out...so I have 10. In no particular order:

1)Wuthering Heights - The Shadow Cabinet: When I first heard this album, I was impressed without a doubt. However, I didnt think it would be as good as Far From the Maddening Crowd. The more and more I listen to it, the more I like it. Its filled with great songs and in the end I think its just as good as FFMC. They know how to play their instruments thats for sure! One of my favourite albums of 2006.

2)Manticora - The Black Circus Pt 1 - Letters: WOW! This is one killer album. Great guitar work, drum work...well hell everything about it is great. The songs are very memorable. Ive listened to this album quite a lot!

3)Communic - Waves of Visual Decay: This is their second release and its amazing. Much better than their first one...and their first one was a great album. They are a talent bunch thats for sure. The singer/guitarist is extrememly talented in my opinion. The lyrics and songs he writes are just excellent...and the fact that he plays and sings at the same time the way he does...its just excellent.

4)Dragonland - Astronomy: 4th release from Dragonland, and its quite a unique album. In this one, they incorporate some melodic death (at least thats what it sounds like to me) in 2-3 of their songs. Like the amazing album Starfall, Astronomy's last 3 songs are part of a series. Ive always enjoyed their symphonic elements...imo they are some of the best. Dragonland is definitely one of my favourite power metal bands.

5)Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph or Agony: Another great album by Rhapsody (of Fire). I really enjoy their albums no matter how cheesy they are. Not much to say about it really. The only complaint I have is that they really dont introduce anything remotely new. Still a great release imo.

6)Deicide - The Stench of Redemption: Huge improvement over their last album. What really makes this album stand out is the solo's. The guitar solo's and riffs by Owens and Santolla are just excellent. Their best release imo.

7)Mercenary - The Hours that Remain: Mercenaries latest release is just awesome. A lot of great songs from a very talented band. I think as a whole, it is The Hours that Remain is a better release compared to 11 Dreams.

8)Adagio - Dominate: 3rd album by Adagio and this time they have a new singer. At first I really missed the old singer but the more I listen to this album, the more I realize how great a voice Gus Monsanto has. This album also has more death vocals and is heavier than the previous 2. I dont know if its their best release, but its a damn good one.

9)Bal-Sagoth - The Chthonic Chronicles: One of my favourite Bal-Sagoth albums. Its much heavier than their last 2 releases, going back to power found in their first 2 albums, while maintaining their great use of symphonic elements.

10) Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death: Once again, Iron Maiden has released an awesome album, which is quite different from their old material thats for sure. Not much needs to be said about this album or Iron Maiden in general. Imo, they've proved once again that they are one of the greatest metal bands to exist.

Edit (AHHHHH! I have to add Moonspell):
11) Moonspell - Memorial - Amazing release by the best portugese metal band. This is one hell of an album. Its dark, haunting...every song just kicks ass. Definitely one of my favourite albums of 2006!

Special Mention: Kiuas - Reformation, Rage - Speak of the Dead (both are great albums), Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side, Beyond Twilight - For the Love of Art and the Making (2 more great albums).

Disappointment:
Tarot - Crows Fly Black: Its not a bad album and really I only gave it one good listen, but it wasnt that impressive. I found it boring and there was only one good song that I can remember...Ashes to the Stars (great song and a great music video for it). Perhaps, I should listen to it again.

Of all the albums purchased this year, it came down to these two.

Most Pleasing:

Northwind by Falconer. The return of Mathias Blad was something I had been craving since Scepter of Deception. Grime vs Grandeur was a good album, but only if you didn't think of it as a "Falconer" album. It was a very big slack period in Falconer's awesomeness. I grabbed Northwind the second it became available to my grubby fingers, and it surpassed my self-constructed hype. This album was well worth the agonizing wait. Not a single bad song on the album.

Least Pleasing:

Threshold by Hammerfall. Not a BAD album, really. It was certainly better than Chapter V was. Overall, it didn't seem to offer anything fresh. I can listen to the album, but it blends so far into the background that I find myself not paying attention to what's going on. It leaves me hoping that Cans gets his next solo album out soon.

Written by Guest on 21.11.2006 at 16:23

Written by Guest on 21.11.2006 at 01:56

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:59

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 23:48

Written by Guest on 20.11.2006 at 22:55

2005 was a fucking fantastic year, and so was 2004...2006 wasn't as good, but still awesome. Either way, it's a brilliant decade to be metalheads

The 80's and 90's were much better imo, they had fewer artists, fewer clones (more originality), and of course there would have been far more common ground between most metalheads alike.

You're forgetting, in the 80's, we couldn't experience the music we had in the 90's and 00's, and in the 90's, we couldn't experience the music in the 00's, but now we can not only experience all that music, but all the original and brilliant bands today.

I'd love nothing more than live during the 70s in USA, but I know I would miss out on a *lot* of great music, not only music now, but music then, as you'd have to literally hear of it to hear it, today with the internet our music is so more easily accessable and listened to.

Yes, although isn't the metal industry saturated, so to speak?

Sure we have metal today, but there is definitely too much of it going around. IMO it was something to look forward to, with a far greater excitement than what we would experience nowadays.

There is also every possibility that you would still be alive to hear what is produced now anyway, although at a significantly later point in your life.

I'd rather have too much metal to sift through and pick the awesomest bands than have too little metal, of which the majority may just happen to be bad.

I know where you're coming from, but the real metal lifestyle is live hard and die young, no chance to enjoy the music to come :p

I do think Vidrageon has a good point though. I know you wouldn't have been around at the time to experience the music at the time, which probably would've been better, but now you have a wider sampling of music. You don't have to listen to stuff you don't like anyway. And also people's tastes are different, so a wider selection is better IMO. And a person who lived back then who is around now is just like what we will be in the future and when we're +30 years old other people will be having this discussion.

Top 5:
1. BLIND GUARDIAN - A Twist in the Myth
Old School Power Metal. I waited for it eight years

2. KIKO LOUREIRO (ANGRA) - No Gravity
Mix from Power metal,Brazilian Ethno Music and sometimes Latino Jazz.

3. CRADLE OF FILTH - Thornography
Better than Nymphetamine

4. STONE SOUR - Come What Ever May
Good album. Better than Slipknot

5.KATAKLYSM - In the arms of devastation
I think, its a best Death Metal Album in 2006

Disappointment:
I want a New album of Dimmu Borgir!!!
Not re-release,but New!!!
Chrome Division is not the alternative for Dimmu Borgir!
Shagrath, please

2006 meant nothing special for me. The three albums I've listened most to this year (Iron Maiden - "A Matter of Life and Death", In Flames - "Come Clarity" and Sepultura - "Dante XXI") had both nice tracks and big flaws. Perhaps the one that prevailed out of these was Maiden's last release because of the increasing complexity in their compositions (which they started to make clear in Brave New World) and the masterpiece For the Greater Good of God, best song of 2006 for me. It was a controversial album, nevertheless, with some even boring songs ("Lord of Light", "TRoBB", "The Legacy"... what the hell was Harris thinking about?).

However, I have decided my vote for "Best newcomer" long ago. Please check that masterpiece of Epic Symphonic Power Metal, El Último Caballero by Valencian band Opera Magna. This is their debut album, yet an absolutely mature, complex and beautiful album, full of Symphonic finesse and Power Metal riffs, worthy of being quoted as the album that resurrected the genre. Remember that name: Opera Magna.

In my opinion, there was nothing clamorously worthless in 2006. I didn't like Norther's Till Death Unites Us at all but I have never liked this band, nor understood the style they play; thus, I guess this release doesn't count. Oh, and Trivium sucks anyway, so I'll rather not comment on "The Crusade".

For me ..Iron Maiden - "A Matter of Life and Death" and Deicide - "The Stench of Redemption" were the best album of this year.

Cradle Of Filth was A Great disapointment!!

I will just refer Amon Amarth's "With oden on our side" as the best 2006 album I had the pleasure to listen to and have.

As far as disappointments are concerned, I must say Lacrimas Profundere's "Filthy notes for frozen hearts" was quite disappointing for me. It didnt seem to bring anything new to what they've done. I guess I was expecting something else.

BTW, no editting, but I'd add on my list, almost at the top, Outworld's debut. To sum up: The logical succesor for Painkiller (but MUCH better!). Check it out!

Shade Empire's album "Intoxicate O.S." pretty much made the year for me. That album hooked me so fast, I didn't listened to anything else for like 2 weeks.

Best of 2006:

Deicide - the stench of redemption
I - between two worlds
Iron maiden - a matter of life and death
God dethroned - the toxic touch
Amon amarth - with oden on our side
Rebel Meets Rebel - Rebel Meets Rebel

Disappointment:

Evergrey - Monday morning apocalypse
Slayer- Christ illusion

Top 5.
5.Amon Amarth
4.Blind Guardian
3.Mastodon
2.Tool
1.Iron Maiden

Written by Guest on 19.12.2006 at 17:11

2. KIKO LOUREIRO (ANGRA) - No Gravity
Mix from Power metal,Brazilian Ethno Music and sometimes Latino Jazz.

I think it was called Universo Inverso ,and yes, it's an awesome release !! Better than No Gravity imo.

1.Mastodon - Blood Mountain
nobody mentined that!!
2.Amorphis - Eclipse
great great! still after Koskinen left they managed to do such a great record!
3.Moonspell - Memorial
back at the roots! f**k yeah!
4.Disillusion - Gloria
yeah i likes it a lot! and it's worth! it has nothing to do with the previous, that's why it is so magic!
5.The Answer - The Answer
pure hard rock it need's balls to play that stuff

stuff worth mentioned: Wastefall - Self Exile, Unearthly Trance - Trident, The Mars Volta - Amputechture, Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain, Converge - No Heroes (maybe i'll edit with more when i think of it better)

dissapointment...
Celtic Frost - Monotheist i don't like it... i just don't like it!