15 Years, 15 Records: 2005, Zakk Wylde makes an offer we can't refuse

Zakk Wylde finally put it all together with Black Label Society in 2005 for Mafia. Sure, the band had never released a bad record to that point, but the songs, the mix, everything was just right for Mafia.

Led by the charging rock of the opening single “Suicide Messiah” and the catchy hook of the main riff of “Fire It Up,” the record was a stark contrast to the mostly acoustic Hangover Music, released just a year before. There were mellower moments, as well, though, most notably the ballad “In This River,” which Wylde dedicated to Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott.

Mafia made a promise that 2006’s lackluster Shot to Hell couldn’t keep, and it wasn’t until 2010’s outstanding Order of the Black that the band got back on track.

15 Years, 15 Records: 2004, Iced Earth makes history ... sort of

In the wake of Sept. 11, Iced Earth singer Matt Barlow decided that he wanted to do something for his country and joined the Department of Homeland Security. Jon Schaffer regrouped by picking up former Judas Priest singer Tim Owens, and the pairing turned out to be a potent combination on The Glorious Burden.

It’s a concept record of sorts, featuring songs based on historical events and figures. It’s a topic that Schaffer is passionate about, and it shows in the music. While the first disc of the two-disc set is outstanding, it’s the second disc that really shines. “Gettysburg (1863)” is a 32-minute epic in three parts, telling the story of the Battle of Gettysburg from the American Civil War. It’s bombastic, symphonic and quite possibly the best work of Schaffer’s career.

What a concept: 10 metal tales worth exploring

The concept album, over the years, has become a staple of the metal genre. Though there are claims to the origin of the concept album stretching back to the 1930s (or I suppose you could argue that operas were the first concept albums), the form probably reached the public consciousness in the 1960s with bands like The Beatles and The Who. In the 1970s, the concept album became the provenance of prog rock. The hard rock and metal bands of the late 1970s and the 1980s soon jumped on board, and since then, just about every metal band that wanted to seem “epic” has given it a shot, and many of them have been dreadful. It’s a tricky proposition, the balance between story and music, the thin line between the almost necessary bombast of a concept album and pretentious self-indulgement. Proven, and even legendary bands (*cough,cough*Judas Priest*coughcough*), have failed in the attempt.

Best of 2009: Honorable mentions

These are the records that came close, but didn't quite make the cut on my final list. A few of them were in the running right up until the end and could almost be interchangeable with the last few on my final list. These are in no particular order. (The links will take you to my original reviews.)

God Forbid, "Earthsblood." With more progressive leanings, God Forbid is about the only band from the metalcore movement that remains in my playlist.

Lazarus A.D., "The Onslaught." This may be the best band to come out of the neo-thrash movement.

Goatwhore, "Carving Out the Eyes of God." I’ve never been a big fan of my hometown boys, but this record impressed me.

Ensiferum, "From Afar." The best folk metal I heard this year outside of Alestorm.

Lacuna Coil, "Shallow Life." Yeah, it’s incredibly poppy and commercial, but I still liked it.

Best of the year so far

I'm running a couple of weeks late on my roundup for the first six months of the year. In these days, of course, that's not the only thing I'm running late on. At any rate, here's a look at my top 10 so far:

1. Heaven and Hell, "The Devil You Know." I'll be very surprised if anything unseats this in the next six months. It's the band's best work since "Heaven and Hell."

2. Alestorm, "Black Sails at Midnight." Just as much fun as the band's debut record and better musically.

3. Amorphis, "Skyforger." This one's fairly fresh, but I think it's their best since "Elegy." It hasn't left my CD player in weeks.

4. Lazarus A.D., "The Onslaught." This is one of the best records that I've heard from the new thrash movement. There's an energy that's lacking in many of the others in the genre.

5. Lacuna Coil, "Shallow Life." It's probably their most poppy record to date, but I like it.

6. God Forbid, "Earthsblood." Another solid outing from one of the most underrated bands out there.

7. Lamb of God, "Wrath." An early favorite for album of the year in my book, this one has slipped down the list. Still a really good record, though.

8. Luna Mortis, "The Absence." The blend of power, progressive and melodic death is interesting and very catchy.

9. Candlemass, "Death Magic Doom." A solid addition to the Candlemass catalog. Robert Lowe continues to impress on vocals.

10. Spheric Universe Experience, "Unreal." Nothing fancy here, but some very well-played prog metal.

Album I'm reserving judgment on for now:
Dream Theater, "Black Clouds and Silver Linings." I wrote a quick, negative review of their last record and ended up liking it after more listens. I'm going to give it some more time before reviewing it.

Disappointments so far:
Queensryche, "American Soldier." At this point, I don't know if I can call a Queensryche album a disappointment since my expectations are low. Still, it was a good concept, and I'd hoped for a better record.

Tim Owens, "Play My Game." (review coming soon) Fairly solid musical outing brought down by weak lyrics and a lack of hooks. Not a horrible record, but not what I was hoping for.

What I'm looking forward to:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, "Night Castle." Years in the coming, the most recent update was that it should arrive in October. We'll see.

Anthrax, "Worship Music." I'm a fan of John Bush, and I thought "We've Come For You All" ranked among the band's best. They'll have to really impress me with new singer Dan Morgan.

Megadeth, "Endgame." I like what I hear from "Head Crusher" and hope Mustaine and Co. continue the momentum from "United Abominations."

Slayer, "World Painted Blood." It's Slayer, what else is there to say?

Machines of Grace, "Machines of Grace." As a Savatage fan, I've got to check out this project of Zachary Stevens and Jeff Plate. Look for a review soon.

We could also possibly see new records from Ozzy (hope it's better than the last one) and Black Label Society before the year is up.

Review: God Forbid, "Earthsblood"

This record had the misfortune of coming out on the same day as Lamb of God's "Wrath," and has gotten a bit shortchanged in my listening because of that. It's a shame, too, because this record is easily as good, if not better.

God Forbid came to fame as part of the metalcore movement which blended elements of metal and hardcore. While the subgenre quickly stagnated, a few bands progressed and improved. God Forbid's last record, "IV: Constitution of Treason," was one of the best of 2005 and showed a band on the move. It was a more melodic, more complex record than their previous work, offering a wider range of sounds. "Earthsblood" continues on that path, bringing in even more progressive influence.

That's not to say that God Forbid can't still deliver the blocks that built the subgenre -- chugging guitar riffs and shouted verse vocals mixed with more melodic and catchy choruses. They prove it with "War of Attrition," which despite being one of the more typical metalcore numbers is also one of the best on the record. They can still deliver a solid breakdown as well. Just check out the ferocious segment from "Empire of the Gun."

But what makes "Earthsblood" truly interesting is the even more varied progressive and melodic elements the band adds. Sometimes it doesn't work quite as intended. "The New Clear," for example, perhaps takes those aspects too far and comes off sounding a bit like a metal band trying to play Santana. But when they blend together, as on "The Rain," it's well above and beyond what the other bands in the subgenre are doing.

The star of this record, as with the last, are the guitars of Doc and Dallas Coyle. They unleash some primo riffs here, most notably on the thrashing opening of "Shallow" and the old-school hard rock opening of "Walk Alone." The vocals see some changes as well. Lead vocalist Byron Davis still rages away, but the record features more clean vocals and harmonies, which are used particularly effectively to punctuate Davis' snarls on the epic title track.

While many of their contemporaries in the metalcore subgenre stagnate and fade, God Forbid continues to push forward and get better with each record they release. "Earthsblood" is yet another triumph for what may be one of the most underrated bands in the metal world right now.

Get Earthsblood.

Review: Original Soundtrack, "Alone in the Dark"

By all accounts the movie stinks, but for metalheads, the soundtrack is worth the price of admission.

"Alone in the Dark" is the first big Hollywood production to boast an all extreme metal soundtrack, and this is no collection of throwaway tracks. It's got some of the heaviest hitters in the business.

If you're looking for an introduction to the metal world, this two-disc set is your best bet. It covers all the bases from the goth metal of Lacuna Coil and Nightwish to the classic thrash of Death Angel and Exodus, the Gothenburg style of In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, the hardcore of Agnostic Front, the black metal of Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth, the stoner rock of Fireball Ministry and the experimental metal of Meshuggah and Mnemic.

The album takes a look back at some of the best releases of the past couple of years. High points include tracks from Fear Factory ("Cyberwaste"), Machine Head ("Imperium"), Diecast ("Medieval"), Shadows Fall ("What Drives the Weak"), God Forbid ("Gone Forever") and Arch Enemy ("Dead Eyes See No Future").

The album also offers fans a preview of Soilwork's latest album, due in early March, with the title track "Stabbing the Drama." (Take my word for it, the new Soilwork is killer. Watch for my review in a couple of weeks.)

The bottom line on this soundtrack is that if you like metal, there's something here for you.

Get "Alone in the Dark."

Review: God Forbid, "Gone Forever"

With their latest release, God Forbid join the ranks of a new breed of American metal bands like Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage and Chimaira that don't mind mixing and matching their favorite parts from all the various subgenres of heavy music.

To see a perfect illustration of this, you have to look no farther than the first single off this album, "Better Days." It pummels you into submission during the verse, then lifts you back up with a melodic chorus that will burn its way into your head and get stuck there.

The whole album follows suit. It takes elements of hardcore, death, thrash and good old-fashioned melodic metal and creates a Frankenstein monster that's just as volatile and just as fascinating as Mary Shelley's creation.

I can't resist a good melodic vocal with a vicious call-back scream, and this album is packed with them, most notably "Washed Out World." But the band can also rip out a good straightforward exreme metal number, too. Check out "Anti-Hero."

The New Jersey-based quintet tears through nine songs on "Gone Forever," each as good as the last. From the thrash of "Force-Fed" to the bludgeoning "Judge the Blood," the album is outstanding from start to finish. Welcome to the future of extreme metal.

Get "Gone Forever."