TONEwood's Top 10 Albums of 2019

While preparing the write-up for my top 10 albums of 2019, I realised that most of the albums I had listened to only really felt like top 10 material because, as a whole, I haven't felt very strongly about many releases this year.

I had looked forward to the new albums by Tinariwen, The Budos Band, Death Hawks, Lord Gore, Power Glove, Black Mountain, Grand Magus, and more. But they all sounded aggressively "okay" to my ears.

So, rather than doing an elaborate triple-entendre of top 10 metal and top 10 non-metal albums and runner-ups like I normally would, I ended up deciding on a more concise 10 album format with 5 runner-ups.

TONEwood's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2017

Following the format from 2016, I'll be making two separate lists for the end of 2017. One specifically for metal and its subgenres, and one for all other genres - including hard rock.

Skull: "Beer, Metal, Spikes"

Still as great today as in 2004

More often than not, the passage of time is the only factor that can truly determine if a release truly holds up. Albums that blow you away at first listen may in the long run prove to blow off their steam too quickly to have lasting appeal, and vice versa an EP that failed to impress at first may grow on you and become a favourite over the years. With Skull's Beer, Metal, Spikes demo tape from 2004, it's sort of a double whammy.

Black Rock: "Black Rock"

Down to basics take on thrashy, blackened speed metal

Black Rock might be one of the most fitting band names in recent times; The Finnish crust punk and Hellhammer aficionados from the township of Hyvinkää take the term 'rock n roll' and extrapolates it to fit a blackened speed metal aesthetic coupled with a raw, shouting vocal style in a simple setting.

2016 Top 10 - Part I: The Metal Part

2016 has been an incredibly strong year for music. Although we've had to say goodbye to several legends, many new hopes continue to arise and bring the sound and feeling that we crave.

I've had the chance to listen to a relatively high amount of new albums this year, and only few of the albums I was anticipating were disappointing. Of course choosing just ten was incredibly tough with many huge contenders sadly having to be left out.

Stalker: "Satanic Panic"

Wild speed metal flagellations

It is not often - unless you specifically seek it out - that you hear about new bands from New Zealand. And when you do, it is even rarer for that band to be one of those exciting new names that randomly pops up every so often. Bands like Ranger from Finland and Encyrcle from Denmark both fit the bill, and Stalker from Wellington are most definitely one of those new names to look out for!

Ranger: "Knights of Darkness"

Bust open your trashiest beer and put on this thrashing masterpiece

The artwork says it all: Black background, painted chrome-style logo, four black figures in front of a night time cityscape, and a small sticker with the words "skull splitting metal" around a fanged skull. Knights of Darkness is one of those records you love to bust out and show your friends for a night of binge drinking, air guitaring and shouting to the sound of shredding riffs and high-pitched screams, straight from Finland in a classic 80s speed metal style with no shenanigans.

Intrinsic: "Nails"

Back from the dead, American power-thrash act Intrinsic finally release their original sophomore album

Connoisseurs of all American power-thrash may recall a certain Californian outfit from back in the day known as Intrinsic. After the release of their eponymous debut in 1987, and the Distortion of Perspective EP from 1990, the group found that the industry had shifted toward a more mainstream, groove oriented sound - A sound that their sophomore album, to be called Nails, did not fit. The Nails album was shelved until 2014 when Divebomb Records agreed to finally release the forgotten gem.

Disco Rundown: Blind Guardian

Blind Guardian - A Tale of Power and Speed

Evolving from the speed metal band Lucifer's Heritage in 1986, Blind Guardian have been turning heads on the international power metal scene ever since. With ten full length albums and a slew of other releases in their back catalogue, by 2015 they're a heavy metal mainstay. Almost universally acclaimed, every album shows a band still ready for more with fresh ideas and hard-hitting compositions.