TOP CDs of 2007 *official entries only*

I know there is a 'top 20' thread floating around here, but I figured the year is pretty much at a close now. Most of us have bought all the 2007 albums we're going to buy until next year, and that thread was a lot of 'speculation' if you will.

This thread is for your finalized list. AND only your top 10, not top 20. This is only the cream of the crop albums.

What are your official TOP 10 albums from 2007?

Well, 2007 was a VERY good year for me - musically speaking.

It's hard to do this - but after much thought - here is my conclusion. I might not buy anymore albums from 07 until 08, so this is a good time to do this. The only album I'm missing in my list is the new Sodom. I've ordered it - but it has not arrived yet. That will probably sit somewhere in the top 10 for sure.

1. Pagan's Mind - God's Equation

This album just BLEW me away upon first listen. It's like a modern day "Rage for Order", only better. Progressive, gothic, and synth elements all together in one ball of mind-blowing power metal. What more could you ask for? For me personally, this album is a dream come true!

2. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

I was pretty convinced this would be my number one album this year, that was until I heard the new Pagan's Mind. Anyway - this sits as Nightwish's best album in my books and it's virtually flawless. Marco does his best performance and Anette is a fantastic replacement for Tarja. There is not one 'dud' on this masterpiece.

3. Sirenia - Nine Destinies and a Downfall
4. Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin
5. Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
6. Sonata Arctica - Unia
7. Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything
8. KMFDM - Tohuvabohu
9. Erasure - Light at the End of the World
10. Kamelot - Ghost Opera

Well, that's my top 10. It wasn't easy.

Here are some other honorable mentions from 2007, not necessarily in any order:

Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Shadows Fall - Threads of Life
Ultimatum - Into the Pit
HIM - Venus Doom
After Forever - After Forever
Epica - The Divine Conspiracy
Echoes of Eternity - The Forgotten Goddess
Autumn - My New Time
Behemoth - The Apostasy
Bon Jovi - Lost Highway
Silent Force - Walk the Earth
Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands
Skeletonwitch - Beyond the Permafrost
Grave Digger - Liberty or Death
Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain

I liked all the albums I picked up from this year. However, my two least favorites/disappointments were:

Deliverance - As Above/So Below

This just isn't the Deliverance I love.

Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me

I've never been a HUGE Marilyn Manson fan, but I've liked some of his old stuff. This new one just bores me, though I still do like it when I'm in the right mood.

But...wouldn't the top 10 be in the top 20?

BAH HUMBUG!!!

This is the 'official' thread. That was 'practice'.

Some people's list may have changed in two months.

Man, look at what a smiley does! I almost didn't post one. Haha. I can't say I'll be posting a list. I've bought over 100 CDs that came out in 2007. Picking a top 10 would be ridiculously hard, methinks. Even a top 20 would be tough.

I honestly think my favorite album of the year is Machine Head's The Blackening, but I haven't bought a copy so it won't be on any list of mine. I'm waiting for Roadrunner's inevitable reissue, so I'm holding onto the download, which I normally don't do. Either way, "Clenching The Fists Of Dissent" is hands down my favorite track of 2007. That song is so frickin' amazing! When I got that baby cranked, it literally brings tears to my eyes! I love it when songs do that! Absolutely killer.

I've heard a lot of good things about that new Machine Head album. It's on my list, but I've not picked it up yet. Will probably get it in 08 sometime.


But yeah ... I don't mean to be 'redundant' with all the top 2007 threads. But I know that my list has changed drastically since I posted in that thread, thus I just wanted a fresh thread, rather than to just 'repost' in that one. I think a lot of people will feel the same.

blackieboy wrote:

I've heard a lot of good things about that new Machine Head album. It's on my list, but I've not picked it up yet. Will probably get it in 08 sometime.

But yeah ... I don't mean to be 'redundant' with all the top 2007 threads. But I know that my list has changed drastically since I posted in that thread, thus I just wanted a fresh thread, rather than to just 'repost' in that one. I think a lot of people will feel the same.

Wait for the reissue. It sold well, so I assume it'll get done. Plus Machine Head wrote on their website once how they were recording bonus tracks at one point. No bonus track aside from their cover of "Battery" showed up on any release, and that song was recorded for that Kerrang! tribute, so they recorded other bonus tracks. They'll likely appear on a reissue, since they weren't on the European or Japanese imports.

And I expect no less than 20 new best of 2007 threads to pop up in the next few weeks.

I'm still doing a little thinking on this subject.

I do have the new Machine Head and it will be in my top 10 for sure. A great return to form for those guys.

i have a top 50 list ... i'll wait until 2007 is over & done before posting it here. it can be viewed elsewhere though.

O.K I'll play along.
1.HYADES-And the Worst is Yet to Come
2.EVILE-Enter the Grave
3.SYMPHORCE-Become Death
4.MUNICIPAL WASTE-The Art of Partying
5.DEKAPITATOR-The Storm before the Calm
6.ULTIMATUM-Into the Pit
7.FUELED BY FIRE-Spread the Fire
8.BACH-Angel Down
9.MEGADETH-United Abominations
10.AS I LAY DYING-An Ocean between Us

I'm not even going to attempt to put them in order but these are probably my top 10 of 2007:

Circus Maximus - Isolate
Mad Max - White Sands
Eden's Curse - Eden's Curse
Primal Fear - New Religion
As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Ultimatum - Into The Pit
Sebastian Bach - Angel Down
Deliverance - As Above So Below
Demon Hunter - Storm The Gates Of Hell

Honorable mentions:

D.I. - On The Western Front
Bad Religion - New Maps Of Hell
Agnostic Front - Warriors
Dirty Looks - Gasoline
Masterplan - MKII
Shadows Fall - Threads Of Life
Allen/Lande - The Revenge
Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
Essence Of Sorrow - Reflections Of The Obscure
Letter 7 - Salt Of The Earth
U.D.O. - Mastercutor
Scorpions - Humanity: Hour I
Bad Brains - Build A Nation

1. Heaven and Hell - Live At Radio City
2. Black Sabbath - Live At Hammersmith Odeon
3. Era Vulgaris - What Stirs Within
4. Al Atkins - Dreamer Deciever
5. Evile - Enter The Grave
6. Rush - Snakes And Arrows
7. Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead
8. Iced Earth - Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1)
9. Megadeth - United Abominations
10. Moutain - Masters Of War

Eyesore wrote:

Man, look at what a smiley does! I almost didn't post one. Haha. I can't say I'll be posting a list. I've bought over 100 CDs that came out in 2007. Picking a top 10 would be ridiculously hard, methinks. Even a top 20 would be tough.

I honestly think my favorite album of the year is Machine Head's The Blackening, but I haven't bought a copy so it won't be on any list of mine. I'm waiting for Roadrunner's inevitable reissue, so I'm holding onto the download, which I normally don't do. Either way, "Clenching The Fists Of Dissent" is hands down my favorite track of 2007. That song is so frickin' amazing! When I got that baby cranked, it literally brings tears to my eyes! I love it when songs do that! Absolutely killer.

10 was pretty hard for me, but i'm probably less open minded/informed then you are.

I don't have the time right now but later today I will post my top 10 overall then some top 5 lists (by genre).

1.Alter Bridge - Blackbird
2.Nocturnal Rites - The 8th Sin
3.Allen Lande - The Revenge

4.Pagans Mind - Gods Equation
5.Pro-Pain - The Tenth Crusade: Age of Tyranny
6.Machine Head - The Blackening

7.Therion - Gothic Kabbalah
8.Overkill - Immortalis
9.Symphony X - Paradise Lost
10.Persuader - The Hunter

I haven't really bought much of anything released this year....

my favorite has to be DAX RIGGS- "We Sing Of Only Blood Or Love"

fantastic disc!!

Eyesore wrote:

I honestly think my favorite album of the year is Machine Head's The Blackening,

Wow...thought I'd check it out if you put it at the top your list. Thanks. Gonna need to put this on the gotta get list. Listening to samples now.

Cool. keep 'em coming.

My overall top 10:

1. Nightwish-Dark Passion Play (It is definatly the best Nightwish album all around, however my favorite remains Oceanborn, mainly for the songs Orion Sails... and Sleeping Sun)
2. The Showdown-Temptation Come My Way (Great hooks, riffs, solos, and catchy songwriting)
3. Helloween-Gambling With The Devil (One of the best Deris era Helloween discs so far and IMO, far superior to Kepper The Legacy)
4. Rob Rock-Garden Of Chaos (Rob Rock never fails to blow me away)
5. Grave Digger-Liberty Or Death (I'm relativly new to this band but I really like this album)
6. Amorphis-Silent Waters (I gave up on Amorphis a long time ago but now they've got my attention)
7. Therion-Gothic Kabbalah (Not as spectacular as the last release, but still a bad ass album)
8. Nocturnal Rites-The 8th Sin (I'm liking these guys more and more)
9. Iced Earth-Framing Armageddon (Not the best IE album but IMO, a very solid album... if you take away the interludes)
10. Kamelot-Ghost Opera (wasn't impressed with this one until after I saw them live and realized that the songs on here were much better than I origionally thought)

Top 5 Pseudo Thrash, Thrash, and Extreme
1. Daath-The Hinders
2. Ultimatum-Into The Pit
3. Megadeth-United Abominations
4. Deliverance-As Above So Below
5. Shadows Fall-Threads Of Life
Honorable mention: Becoming The Archetype-The Physics Of Fire

Top 5 Progressive Metal/Rock
1. Symphony X-Paradise Lost
2. Dream Theater-Systematic Chaos
3. Vision Divine-The 25th Hour
4. Neal Morse-Sola Scriptura
5. Domine-O3 A Trilogy

Top 10 Goth Metal (so many goth metal releases this year)
1. Amorphis-Silent Waters
2. Therion-Gothic Kabbalah
3. Epica-The Divine Conspiracy (tie) After Forever-s/t
4. Within Temptation-Heart Of Everything (tie) Visons Of Atlantis-Trinity
5. Virgin Black-Requiem: Mezzo Forte
6. Battleore-Evernight
7. Trail Of Tears-Existentia
8. Fountain Of Tears-Fate
9. Sirenia-Nine Destinies And A Downfall
10. Tristiana-Illumination
Honorable mention: Octavia Seperati-Grace Submerged

Top 10 Power
1. Nightwish-Dark Passion Play
2. Helloween-Gambling With The Devil
3. Rob Rock-Garden Of Chaos
4. Grave Digger-Liberty Or Death
5. Nocturnal Rites-The 8th Sin
6. Iced Earth-Framing Armageddon
7. Kamelot-Ghost Opera
8. Sonata Arctica-Unia
9. Masterplan-MKII
10. Emerald Sun-Escape From Twilight

Top 5 Everything else (EPs, Live Albums, and Compilations)
1. Black Sabbath-The Dio Years
2. Heaven & Hell-Live From City Radio Music Hall
3. Iced Earth-Overture Of The Wicked
4. Megadeth-That One Night
5. Nuclear Blast All Stars-Into The Light

1. Action - Action
2. Candlemass - King of the Grey Islands
3. Monstrosity - Spiritual Apocalypse
4. My Silent Wake - The Anatomy of Melancholy
5. Obituary - Xecutioner's Return
6. Runemagick - Dawn Of The End
7. Lizzy Borden - Appointment with Death
8. Dekapitator - The Storm Before The Calm
9. Morgana Lefay - Aberrations of the Mind
10. Ultimatum - Into The Pit

I forgot about My Silent Wakes CD being released this year and must change my top 5 Pseudo Thrash, Thrash, and Extrme

1. Daath-The Hinders
2. Ultimatum-Into The Pit
3. Megadeth-United Abominations
4. Deliverance-As Above So Below
5. My Silent Wake-The Anatomy Of Meloncoly
Honorable Mention: Shadows Fall-Threads Of Life and Becoming The Archeytpe-Physics Of Fire

My origional was:

DallasBlack wrote:

Top 5 Pseudo Thrash, Thrash, and Extreme
1. Daath-The Hinders
2. Ultimatum-Into The Pit
3. Megadeth-United Abominations
4. Deliverance-As Above So Below
5. Shadows Fall-Threads Of Life
Honorable mention: Becoming The Archetype-The Physics Of Fire

However, I liked My Silent Wakes album quite a bit more than Shadows Fall's.

faith factor
sacred oath-darkness visible
a tortured soul- kiss of the thorn
warning-watching from a distance

This usually isn't done til the beginning of the new year so I am waiting on my list. There are still things coming out yet! Its not the end of 2007 just yet. Got 3 more weeks yet!

Lurideath wrote:

This usually isn't done til the beginning of the new year so I am waiting on my list. There are still things coming out yet! Its not the end of 2007 just yet. Got 3 more weeks yet!

I understand that. However, for me, my personal spending for the year is over now and I won't have any disposable income til probably mid-late January so I went ahead and posted my list (and I'm sure there are other people here in my position).

Not set in stone yet but here is how my Top 20 is stacking up:

1. 3 INCHES OF BLOOD - Fire Up the Blades
2. ULTIMATUM - Into the Pit
3. U.D.O. - Mastercutor
4. TED NUGENT - Love Grenade
5. OVERKILL - Immortalis
6. MEGADETH - United Abominations
7. GRAVE DIGGER - Liberty or Death
8. SAXON - The Inner Sanctum
9. COHEED AND CAMBRIA - No World For Tomorrow (surprise of the year for me!)
10. SYMPHONY X - Paradise Lost

11. EVILE - Enter the Grave
12. DIRTY LOOKS -GasolineZ
13. MUNICIPLE WASTE - The Art Of Partying
14. LIZZY BORDEN - Appointment with Death
15. TESLA - Reel to Reel
16. ANVIL - This Is Thirteen (might have been higher, but I only have a few tracks on MP3. My CD copy hasn't actually arrived yet.0
17. W.A.S.P. - Dominator
18. HIRAX - Assassins of War (would have been WAY higher if it had been a full length)
19. DELIVERANCE - As Above, So Below
20. BLACK SABBATH - The Dio Years (would have been WAY higher if it had been a new full length instead of the 'best of'. However, the 3 new songs are fantastic IMO)

Honorable mentions:
TROUBLE - Simple Mind Condition
FUELED BY FIRE - Spreading the Fire
MELTDOWN - Executioner
MERCILESS DEATH - Evil In the Night
MASS EXTINCTION - Creations Undoing
SHADOWS FALL - Threads of Life
MAD MAX - White Sands
ANNIHILATOR - Metal
MACHINE HEAD - The Blackening
BLOOD TSUNAMI - Thrash Metal (might have been in the Top 20 but I don't have my own copy. Only got to hear a friends copy a few times and loved what I heard.)

I like these but they weren't quite as good as I hoped:
SEVENDUST - Alpha
GRAND LUX - Carved in Stone
TROUBLE - Simple Mind Condition
ICED EARTH - Framing Armageddon
EXODUS - The Atrocity Exhibit-Exhibit A
SCORPIONS - Humanity-Hour 1
OZZY OSBOURNE - Black Rain

Still MIA:
HYADES - Worst Is Yet To Come
ROB ROCK - Garden of Chaos
BLOOD TSUNAMI - Thrash Metal
THRESHOLD - Dead Reckoning
SODOM - The Final Sign of Evil