Angelic Warlord: Top 15 for 2012

OK, so I finally did something I have never previously done before with Angelic Warlord- and that is to create a list of the best albums from the prior year and post it online. So following are what I feel to be the top 15 albums from 2012:

1. AFFECTOR - Harmageddon
Brilliant Dream Theater style progressive metal with End Times themed based lyrics.

2. Joshua Perahia - Resurrection
Renowned eighties guitarist returns after ten year hiatus with melodic metal masterpiece.

3. ATKINS MAY PROJECT - Valley Of Shadows
Sophomore album from UK duo represents traditional metal at its finest.

4. THE SACRIFICED - III
Classically trained vocalist Eli Prinsen and guitar virtuoso
Michael Phillips combine for top notch classic power metal release.

5. Neal Morse - Momentum
Another year and another great progressive rock album from Neal Morse.

6. Driver - Countdown
The partnership between vocalist Rob Rock and guitarist Roy Z remains a formidable one.

7. TERAMAZE - Anhedonia
Sometimes melodic, sometimes progressive and sometimes thrash-like comeback album from veteran Aussie unit.

8. INNERSIEGE - Kingdom Of Shadows
America’s answer to the European power metal scene- and a very good one at that.

9. Germán Pascual - A New Beginning
Debut melodic power metal solo release from former Narnia vocalist.

10. SAINT - Desperate Night
Veteran Salem, Oregon outfit maintian penchant for quality classic metal.

11. LIBERTY N’ JUSTICE - The Cigar Chronicles
Two CD set of original cuts and covers set to eighties melodic metal and hard rock.

12. SOMBRE HOLIDAY - Four Shadows
Overlooked and underrated SAVIOUR MACHINE meets DELIVERANCE progressive based metal.

13. MILLENNIAL REIGN - Millennial Reign
Quality melodic metal debut album that stays relevant to the past and the present.

14. GX PROJECT - Bite Stick
Exciting high energy rock and roll from vocalist Rex Scott.

15. MESSENGER - You Choose
An assertive joining of traditional heavy metal and straightforward hard rock.

The list is also available at the following link: http://www.angelicwarlord.com/#top15
Please let me know if you have any questions or if you disagree (I anticipate everyone agreeing with me perfectly here- no not really. LOL!).

I also have a review online of the new album from Atkins May Project, "Valley Of Shadows": http://www.angelicwarlord.com/reviews/a/atkinsmayproject12.html


Thanks, Andy

It's cool to see your favorite CDs of 2012 Andy.
Those who have posted the favorite CDs of 2012 have most the same bands in their lists.
Only the place in the list is different.

Nice list, but I think I would have saved the L N' J album Cigar Chronicles for 2013, since it technically won't be released until 2013.

Desperate Night feels almost like a return to form for Saint. From "The Mark" to "Hell Blade" they used a different guitar tuning and had a different riff sound. With the new album, I think it sounds more like In The Battle or TE/TLFL than the other albums.

Quote :

Nice list, but I think I would have saved the L N' J album Cigar
Chronicles for 2013, since it technically won't be released until 2013.

Yes, that is technically correct, but since other reviewers were adding "The Cigar Chronicles" to their 2012 Best Of lists I found no harm in doing the same. And besides, I believe the product was available in 2012 as well (I could be wrong in this area).

Dynamis wrote:

Quote :

Nice list, but I think I would have saved the L N' J album Cigar
Chronicles for 2013, since it technically won't be released until 2013.

Yes, that is technically correct, but since other reviewers were adding "The Cigar Chronicles" to their 2012 Best Of lists I found no harm in doing the same. And besides, I believe the product was available in 2012 as well (I could be wrong in this area).

That is true, you could purchase the mp3 version (and get it ) in December. One of the reasons I decided to wait to add it to my list is because "Hell Is Coming to Breakfast" was a 2012 release and it seemed a little odd to have two L N' J albums on my "best of" list.

If I had made a Top 20 list instead it would have included "Hell Is Coming To Breakfast".

Well Here we go my top for 2012

Actually they are not in order of best to worst. It is actually the order I can Remember them

1. Inner Siege -Kingdom of Shadow

2. Joshua Perahia- Resurrection

3. Driver- Countdown

4. Messenger- You choose

5. Saint- desperate Night

6. Millenial Reign- Self titled

7. Affector- Harmageddon

8. Atkins May Project- Valley of shadows

9. Gx Project- Bite Stick

10. German Pascual- New Beginning



There ya go Staybrite I did my top ten of the Year. Now I could make a top 20 but the albums did not come out in 2012. i just discovered them in 2012.

What can I say I am a late bloomer!!

Quote :

Actually they are not in order of best to worst. It is actually the order I can Remember them

1. Inner Siege -Kingdom of Shadow

2. Joshua Perahia- Resurrection

3. Driver- Countdown

4. Messenger- You choose

5. Saint- desperate Night

6. Millenial Reign- Self titled

7. Affector- Harmageddon

8. Atkins May Project- Valley of shadows

9. Gx Project- Bite Stick

10. German Pascual- New Beginning

Real good list- looks like we share a lot of the very same albums but just in a different order.

Yes we do. I use your site allot to find new music or to get old classics that I missed.

Timshell64 wrote:

There ya go Staybrite I did my top ten of the Year. Now I could make a top 20 but the albums did not come out in 2012. i just discovered them in 2012.

What can I say I am a late bloomer!!

Fantastic! Great List, I had many of those albums on my favorites for this year too.

I'm going to be extremely biased, but I believe Saint should be on everyone's list. Boy, do I feel better now that I got that off my chest.

as a fan I may be biased but.. I can't believe that Tourniquet didn't even MAKE the list.... sad sad... the lack of musical taste here... lol

top 3 for me (of what I got)

1. Tourniquet - Antiseptic Bloodbath
2. Saint - Desperate Night
3. Messenger - You Choose

IM4given wrote:

I'm going to be extremely biased, but I believe Saint should be on everyone's list. Boy, do I feel better now that I got that off my chest.

I agree!

Quote :

as a fan I may be biased but.. I can't believe that Tourniquet didn't
even MAKE the list.... sad sad... the lack of musical taste here... lol

Tourniquet was not included because they are outside the sites style guidelines.

I agree with what everyone has to say about Saint.

Dynamis wrote:

Quote :

as a fan I may be biased but.. I can't believe that Tourniquet didn't
even MAKE the list.... sad sad... the lack of musical taste here... lol

Tourniquet was not included because they are outside the sites style guidelines.

?

Tourniquet heads in a more thrash based direction and I do not cover a lot of thrash, unless it is melodic based such as Deliverance or Temple Of Blood.

Am I out of line in describing the new Tourniquet as "thrash". Perhaps you could please go into more detail in terms of the musical direction of the new album.

I'm sorry I just didn't know your site had stylistic guidelines..

Tourniquet isn't really any one thing.. but if you consider their last couple to be "thrash" then the new one would be as well...

Dynamis wrote:

Quote :

as a fan I may be biased but.. I can't believe that Tourniquet didn't
even MAKE the list.... sad sad... the lack of musical taste here... lol

Tourniquet was not included because they are outside the sites style guidelines.

I agree with what everyone has to say about Saint.

What no Extreme stuff!! Heretic!!! C'mon get on board.... I mean I realize you already don't have a life!! LOL.....

There were people who complained about my list and said, 'Why isn't so and so there....'

ah...... time and money...... and I do this by myself......

The real question is when do we get time to listen to music just to ENJOY it..... without all the reviewer trappings.... yes there are many..... I listen with a critical ear.... and then try to write about what I hear....

Wait a minute why is this about me....

Andrew it's all about you!!!


I still don't have the Atkins/May stuff or Affector....

Quote :

What no Extreme stuff!! Heretic!!! C'mon get on board.... I mean I realize you already don't have a life!! LOL.....

There were people who complained about my list and said, 'Why isn't so and so there....'

ah...... time and money...... and I do this by myself......

The
real question is when do we get time to listen to music just to ENJOY
it..... without all the reviewer trappings.... yes there are many..... I
listen with a critical ear.... and then try to write about what I
hear....

Wait a minute why is this about me....

Andrew it's all about you!!!


I still don't have the Atkins/May stuff or Affector....

LOL! Thanks for the commentary. Of course its not about me but rather supporting the scene.

I just never developed a taste for the extreme/thrash based stuff- so decided it would be best to let others cover those genres. White Throne Blog does a much better job in this area than I every could.

As for Tourniquet, I have the debut album, Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance & Where Moth & Rust Destroy and just cannot get into them. So, again, thought it would be best for others to cover Tourniquet.

But I know what you mean- it can be difficult finding time to listen to music for enjoyments purpose without having to lend a critical ear. I guess that is what road trips are for, correct?

Affector comes highly recommened if you are into progressive metal. Keep up the good work.

Personally, I think AW and WT do amazing jobs at what they do. I also appreciate the difference in writing styles, musical styles, and rating system. Let me give you guys, though, a list of things I'd change:


1. NOTHING


It was a short list.

alldatndensum wrote:

Personally, I think AW and WT do amazing jobs at what they do. I also appreciate the difference in writing styles, musical styles, and rating system. Let me give you guys, though, a list of things I'd change:


1. NOTHING


It was a short list.

I agree 100%!

Staybrite wrote:

alldatndensum wrote:

Personally, I think AW and WT do amazing jobs at what they do. I also appreciate the difference in writing styles, musical styles, and rating system. Let me give you guys, though, a list of things I'd change:


1. NOTHING


It was a short list.

I agree 100%!

Great minds think alike. I don't know what our excuse is.

Umm...less than great minds think alike too?