Closer contenders:
All That Remains 'For We Are Many'- insanely catchy, superior Metalcore from Phil LaBonte & Co.
High On Fire 'Snakes For The Divine'- Slayer meets Motorhead in High On Fire's third solid album in a row.
Grand Magus 'Hammer of the North'- JB and Co delivers the Magus' most mature and honed album yet.
As I Lay Dying 'The Powerless Rise' - Forget the Christian Metal tag, once again AILD shred all the competition in an impressive display.
Mutiny Within "Mutiny Within' - American take on Euro Metal with an English singer, high on melody and power, promises much for the future.
The credibility damaging Ratt 'Infestation'. This years 'Saints Of Los Angeles' FACT.
5. Monster Magnet 'Mastermind'
There is no doubt Monster Magnet have been in the wilderness of late. Dave Wyndroff's been playing by his own rules again...
Remember back in 1997 when 'Powertrip' was riding high on the crest of success with singles, iconic rock, leather, main stage appearances...? It looked like Monster Magnet would head up a level from cult stoner band to classic rock act. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your approach, Dave had other ideas and there followed the difficult ('God Says No'), the tongue in cheek ('Monolithic Baby') and the (allegedly) sub par ('4 Way Diablo'). Since those heady days the Bullgod has suffered from addictions, entered rehab and found a love of the pies.
No longer the rake thin, acid fried, Vietnam vet of old one might be forgiven for thinking that the Magnet's ideas and appeal were heading in the opposite direction to his waist-line... wrong.
'Mastermind' swaggers from the speakers with the confidence of a man who faced his demons and won; 'Hallucination Bomb' towers above anything he has written in the past ten years, 'Gods & Punks' sounds like the next step on from Crop Circle and the title track itself is a timely reminder than when he is on his A game no one writes a tune like Wyndroff.
This has a classic 'rock feel whilst retaining the stoner vibe of Spine of God and the pop sensibility of Powertrip'. His familiar biting sarcasm and social commentary is all on show here once more, the lyrics as much of a driving force as the music. In short he's back, he's focused and has delivered the best album he has made for 10 years.
4. Kingdom of Sorrow 'Behind The Blackest Tears'
The Crobreed/Hatebar project featuring Jamie Jasta and Kirk Windstien which made it's debut back in 2008 was a largely hardcore sludge mix that proved itself to be one of the years finer moments and changed my opinion of the Hatebreed vocalist from 'Meh' to 'Nicely done MTV Boy'; his often one note macho shouting balanced by Windstein's smoky, melodic rasp.
Two years on and the ever productive driving force Jasta has delved deep into the dark places once more. Surprisingly, the chief difference on The Blackest Tears is that it is not afraid to let the melody breathe. Songs like 'From Heroes To Dust' and 'God's Law In A Devils Land' have more in common with the New Orleans infused Crowbar than Jamie's day job, complementing the snarling aggression of 'Sleeping Beast' and 'Torchlight Procession' with a more mature balance.
Given the pedigree of the brains behind it, it would be easy to be crushed under the weight of expectation but this is a disc that thunders, rages and smothers the listener with emotion and is a must for anyone who likes Down, Crowbar, Hatebreed, CoC, Eyehategod...
This is a band that I would like to see continue and hope that after the reactivated Crowbar album and the Down IV reunion that 2012 will see the re-emergence of one of the finest side projects I have heard.
3. 36 Crazyfists 'Collisions & Castaways'
I must admit I have feared for my Alaskan boys over the last couple of years. Dropped from Roadrunner for a time and taking up residence on the last chance saloon label Ferret (home to 'Where are they now?' contenders such as Ill Nino and (Hed) PE). The two preceding albums were solid affairs but somehow failed to manage to spark the imagination of the masses (maybe due to the smaller reach of the labels advertising budget?) and this lack of confidence seemed to reflect in the band who stacked their shows heavily in favour of the Roadrunner released hit second record. Add to this the departure of long standing bassist Mick Whitney and things looked (realistically) bleak.
However, becoming the second band to experience a Volte-face at the hands of Roadrunner after Machine Head, they found themselves back home and subsequently delivered possibly a career best record.
Discarding the pop sheen once and for all but never abandoning the ability to write a catchy tune, 'Collisions & Castaways' crushes all before it, from the stop-start explosion of 'In The Midnights' to the apocalyptic 'Waterhaul II'. This is an album that shows maturity and a renewed confidence that allows them to turn in their heaviest offer yet with tracks like 'Death Renames The Light' and the subliminally hook-laden 'Reviver'.
Seeing them last month on a double header with Devildriver they turned in a set that showcased the new material proudly and had every word sung back to them in rapture. If there is one band this year who deserve your support and admiration, it's these guys.
2. Deftones 'Diamond Eyes'
I love the deftones. Ever since 'Adrenaline' they captured my imagination and a place in my heart that, in my mind, made them more special than Korn when everyone was creaming themselves about the Bakersfield crew. This event solidified by the fact that they grew with each release up until 'White Pony' their creative impetus increasing lock step with Korn's decline in quality control, band members and credibility. However even the most ardent of deftones fans will be hard pushed to say that since 2000's 'White Pony', or even the subsequent 'Back To School' Ep, they have fired on all cylinders.
'deftones' was a difficult album, some great tunes, but lacking the direct song writing punch of before; 'Saturday Night Wrist' was a slight disappointment continuing this trend, being not only the weakest thing they had penned but exhibited some bizarre, throwaway experimentation and evidence that the fire that once burned so bright was fading.
Fast forward to 2010 and the planned album 'Lovers' (or 'Eros') was shelved, unfinished with bassist Chi Cheng still in a coma following a car crash and the 'tones resembled, drafted in former Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega and have delivered one of the most urgent and compelling releases of their career.
The title track shimmers in transcendent medley and groove, 'Royal' rages like the band of old, in fact the whole album makes the band sound hungry and rejuvenated again.
There is no denying that the circumstances are unenviably cruel but songs like 'Rocket Skates', 'Sextape' and 'This Place Is Death' are among some of the best they have penned as they soar and snarl with the majesty of old.
1. Iron Maiden 'The Final Frontier'
An obvious choice really for me and not just an automatic reaction, I actually have reasons to justify it...
The post reunion albums have been a tough act to accept for some of those who grew up on 'The Trooper' and 'Aces High'. "Brave New World' seems to have gotten away with being hailed as a classic (but then anything after 'X Factor' and 'Virtual IX' would have been); 'Dance Of Death' seemed to put people off with it's rubbish CGI cover despite the fact it had some fantastic tracks, 'A Matter Of Life And Death' pleased the band to the extent that they played the entire thing live (and in my mind is a phenomenal record) much to the chagrin of people who wanted to here the same songs for the 70th time and moved them further down the prog path Harris has been pushing since he wrote 'The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner' back in 1984.
So the 15th studio album, with talk of being the last ever (now debunked), is a strange, forward looking affair and incredibly impressive.
The first reason being it has actually been produced. For the first time since BNW, Harris has actually let Kevin Shirley finish his job as opposed to using the rough daily mixes and from the bizarrely industrial into of 'Satellite 15' to the melancholy closer 'Where The Wild Wind Blows' it leaps from the speakers.
The songs themselves are expansive, tinges of folk, prog and metal collide in an album that sees Maiden push their boundaries further. It has balls out rockers like 'El Dorado' and 'The Alchemist', sprawling epics like the delicious 'Isle Of Avalon', lighters in the air (sorry mobiles in the air) anthems like 'Coming Home' and those thunderous galloping tales like 'The Tailisman'.
Maiden may have moved too far away from their eighties heyday for some who yearn for 'Wrathchild' or ''Two Minutes To Midnight' but, for the patient, they are ploughing a much more rewarding furrow.
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