TOP CDs of 2007 *official entries only*

1. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - a pure masterpiece if you ask me.

2. Megadeth - United Abominations - i really dig this return to form from dave mustaine and probably ranks as my second fave mega disc

3. Opeth - the Roundhouse tapes - a stonking live album from my second favourite band after metallica that only misses out on the top spot due to being a live album. roll on the new studio album

4. municipal waste - the art of partying - this album gets a high ranking becuase it is such an awesome amount of fum to listen to each and every time.

5. Ozzy Osbourne - black rain - once again ozzy has churned out a steel plated belter of an album that while not his best has still become one of my top listens in 2007

6. Evile - Enter the grave - the thrash comeback rumbles on witht this necksnapping assualt from the four lads from Hull who while sounding like stuff you have heard before carry out their holy metal mission with enough power and passion for it to be a winner.

7. Machine Head - The Blackening - back in march this was my record of the year marking Mh's finest body of work since the classic Burn my Eyes however on repeated listens it starts to sound pretentious and my interest has lessened but still a stonking metal album

8. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos - while not their best work by a country mile their are still enough awesome prog metal moments to warrant this a mention

9. Annihilator - Metal - while slammed by many for the use of special guests i think this is a smoking metal album with some tight riffing in a similar vein to Jeffs recent work

10. Down - Over the Under - its business as usual for Phil and co with another slab of southern sludge that is very good but does not match how i was blown away by Nola and has thus failed to garner mass spins

Let down of the year - Iced Earth - Framing Armageddon. i actually really like this album but it was not the classic i hoped for so in a way my own expectations let it down for me

1. FAITH FACTOR - 7/7/7 EP

1. DELIVERANCE - As Above So Below
2. ULTIMATUM - Mechanics of Perilous Times (remastered)
3. AUGUST BURNS RED - Messengers
4. BECOMING THE ARCHETYPE - Physics of fire
5. ULTIMATUM - Into the Pit
6. IMPENDING DOOM - Nailed. Dead. Risen.
7. FROM THE SHALLOWS - Beyond the Unknown

I'm really surprised by your number 1, ult. It's an ok disc, and all. So far I only have a download. But I'd have thought that Overkill or any of the legendary bands would be your number 1 this year.

kmorg wrote:

I'm really surprised by your number 1, ult. It's an ok disc, and all. So far I only have a download. But I'd have thought that Overkill or any of the legendary bands would be your number 1 this year.

It's not final yet. I'm just basing it on the fact that I played that disc more times than any other disc this year, including my own, which says a lot.

ult

After careful consideration and that i am not getting anymore cds from 2007 this year the final ranking is:

1. Keldian Heavens Gate 2007 Perris Records
2. Circus Maximus Isolate 2007 Sensory Records
3. Anekdoten A time of Day 2007 Virta Records
4. Gotthard Domino Effect 2007 Nuclear Blast Records
5. Steel Assassin War of the Eight Saints 2007 Sentinel Steel
6. Ensiferum Victory Songs 2007 Candlelight USA Records
7. Pride of Lions The Roaring of Dreams 2007 Frontiers Records
8. Povertys No Crime Save My Soul 2007 SPV Records
9. Grave Digger Liberty or Death 2007 Locomotive Records
10. Helloween Gambling with the Devil 2007 SPV Records

and because I really want to do 25 here are the rest:

11. Rob Rock Garden of Chaos 2007 Candlelight USA Records
12. Primal Fear New Religion (digi) 2007 Frontiers Records
13. Astral Doors New Revelation 2007 Locomotive Records
14. Sieges Even Paramount 2007 InsideOut Records
15. Threshold Dead Reckoning 2007 Nuclear Blast Records
16. Bloodbound Book of the Dead 2007 Avalon Records
17. Fair to Midland Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times in a True 2007 Universal Records
18. Beyond Fallen MindFire 2007 Melissa Records
19. Immortal Souls Wintereich 2007 Dark Balance Records
20. Riverside Rapid Eye Movement 2 CD 2007 InsideOut Records
21. Masterplan MK II 2007 AFM Records
22. Grand Lux Carved in Stone 2007 Ulterium Records
23. Symphony X Paradise Lost (Digi) 2007 InsideOut Records
24. Winds Prominence and Demise 2007 The End Records
25. Agent Steel Alienigma 2007 Mascot Records

honorable mention:

Avantasia Lost in Space Part 1 2007 Nuclear Blast Records
Avantasia Lost in Space Part 2 2007 Nuclear Blast Records
Flower Kings The Sum of No Evil 2007 InsideOut Records
Kosmos Kosmos 2007 The End Records
Road to Ruin Road to Ruin 2007 Metal Heaven Records
Titanic Full Steam Ahead 2007 Retroactive Records
Turisas The Varangian Way 2007 Century Media Records
ultimatum - Into the Pit
Cypher Seer - Awakening day
Freedom Call Dimensions


Stick a fork in them cause their dead:
Deliverance As Above - So Below 2007 Retroactive Records
Heavenly Virus 2007 Locomotive Records
Iced Earth Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 (Digi) 1984 Warner Brothers Records
Iron Savior Megatropolis 2007 Locomotive Records
Ride the Sky New Protection +1 2007 Nuclear Blast Records
Olympus Mons - Medieval
Megadeth - United Abominations
Rebellion Miklagard - History of the Vikings Vol II
Gaia_Epicus-Victory
Eternal Legacy - the coming of the tempest
Sonata_Arctica-Unia


Stuff I have should have gotten:
black Bonzo - Sound of Apocalypse
White wolf - Victim of the Spotlight
Stan Bush - In this Life
Hawkwind - Take me to your Leader
Hidria Spacefolk - Symetria
Blitzkrieg - Theatre of the damned
Powerwolf Lupus Dei


Have to say in the final analysis 2007 was an excellent music year. I hopw 2008 is as good!

Alex

i dont even have 5....

august burns red - messengers
the devil wears prada - plagues
avenged sevenfold - self titled
as i lay dying - an ocean between us

I want to get some AILD as well as TDWP. Have a few songs from each and really like them. Especially TDWP.

ya gotta get em bro.
great records.

DallasBlack wrote:

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)

I've noticed several people have made this comment about this album. They either didn't like it or thought it was "just ok" until after seeing them live.

TOP 25 for 2007
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. LIZZY BORDEN - Appointment with Death
9. COHEED AND CAMBRIA - No World For Tomorrow
10. SAXON - The Inner Sanctum
11. HYADES - Worst Is Yet To Come
12. DIRTY LOOKS -GasolineZ
13. MUNICIPAL WASTE - The Art Of Partying
14. SYMPHONY X - Paradise Lost
15. EVILE - Enter the Grave
16. ANVIL - This Is Thirteen
17. W.A.S.P. - Dominator
18. HIRAX - Assassins of War
19. DELIVERANCE - As Above, So Below
20. BLACK SABBATH - The Dio
21. ROB ROCK - Garden of Chaos
22. TESLA - Reel to Reel
23. TROUBLE - Simple Mind Condition
24. HEAVEN & HELL - Live From City Radio Music Hall
25. ANNIHILATOR - Metal

I've tweaked my list some. I just cannot take 3 Inches of Blood out of the #1 spot. I can't think of any other CD besides my own Into the Pit CD that dominated my CD player more than it. Discovered Coheed & Cambria this year and was quite surprised at how much I liked "No World Tomorrow". It made my Top 10.

Disappointed that Sevendust, Ozzy, Scorpions, Iced Earth and Exodus didn't make my list. All released new albums this year that just didn't see as much spin time as I would normally give these bands. Not that I don't like them, they just didn't seem to hold my interest as much as past albums. However, I do think the new Annihilator is much better than most people are giving it credit for.

The new Ozzy turned out to be a grower. Didn't like it much on the first listen but it has grown on me. The packaging still ticks me off, as does the packaging of the new Coheed & Cambria.

Also disappointed that the new Annihilator wasn't higher on my list. It's actually better than most reviews state, but it also isn't Waters' best work IMO. I debated including it at the 25 spot or giving that spot to Fueled by Fire.

I included the Black Sabbath - Dio Years compilation for the 3 new songs. It might have been higher on my list if it had been a full length. I don't usually include live albums in my Top list, but the Heaven & Hell album received a lot of spins this year. It was a great tour and I was happy it was released on CD/DVD. I hope the promised new CD in '08 will kick butt.

The new HYADES was a bit surprise for me. Finally secured a copy just last week and it overtook the spot that EVILE was holding.

The new Ted Nugent might not be a surprise being in my Top 10 knowing the Nugent fanatic I am, but I honestly feel that "Love Grenade" is a great release for Uncle Teddy. Even Blabbermouth gave it a good review, even though most of the responses to it from posters were quite negative. However, I think the response was more to do with Ted's political views. I don't think most of the people who gave the album such a low rating probably even heard it.


Hirax would have been higher had they released a full length! They released TWO EPs this year, all recorded at the same time with Glenn Rogers on guitar. Why Katon didn't include the song "Chaos & Brutality" and the re-recorded version of WAlk with Death on "Assassins of War" is beyond me.


U.D.O. just keeps releasing solid heavy metal albums. This one easily could have been in my #1 spot.

Honorable mentions to: 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, MACHINE HEAD - The Blackening, BLOOD TSUNAMI - Thrash Metal.

This list still might change between now and posting it on NLTM, but I don't see much changing unless I receive the new Avenger of Blood or Nocturnal Rites before that time. Also, I'm still debating between Annihilator and Fueled by Fire for the 25 spot.

kmorg wrote:

I'm really surprised by your number 1, ult. It's an ok disc, and all. So far I only have a download. But I'd have thought that Overkill or any of the legendary bands would be your number 1 this year.

i'm suprised 3 inches got no 1 as well. your review on it was that it was a solid disc, not a shining review like udo or overkill

it must have been a grower for sure

TheGooch wrote:

it must have been a grower for sure

That's what she said...

spectrefate wrote:

TheGooch wrote:

it must have been a grower for sure

That's what she said...

Well, Overkill, U.D.O. or Ultimatum could have easily taken the #1 spot for me. Of course it would be easy for me to put Ultimatum there since it's my band. However, I honestly do love this CD and listened to it quite frequently after it was officially released. U.D.O., Ted Nugent and Overkill could have easily been in the #1 spot for me too, but I keep wondering to myself as I make these silly lists how much my prejudice towards these artists causes me to place them so high. However, I honestly can say that all 5 of my Top 5 were those that were in the CD player repeatedly this year. Any one could have been in the #1 spot for me I suppose.

ultmetal wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

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)

I've noticed several people have made this comment about this album. They either didn't like it or thought it was "just ok" until after seeing them live.

I can vouch for this. After seeing Kamelot live (they are one of the best live acts I've ever seen - quite a stage presence!), I immediately gravitated towards the new album and it seemed to really bring back a lot of memories of the show. They play live very closely to how they sound on cd. Heck, they even had a blind-folded violinist (depicted on the new cover), so it really brings the album to life.

I do want to say though, that IMHO, Kamelot's "Ghost Opera" is one of the most 'under-rated' albums of 07. It just doesn't seem to have garnered the praise it deserves as a whole in the metal community at large. I'm a bit disappointed in this.

Anyway - "Ghost Opera" made my top 10 list, and there is a chance it might be due to seeing them live.

ultmetal wrote:

TOP 25 for 2007
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. LIZZY BORDEN - Appointment with Death
9. COHEED AND CAMBRIA - No World For Tomorrow
10. SAXON - The Inner Sanctum
11. HYADES - Worst Is Yet To Come
12. DIRTY LOOKS -GasolineZ
13. MUNICIPAL WASTE - The Art Of Partying
14. SYMPHONY X - Paradise Lost
15. EVILE - Enter the Grave
16. ANVIL - This Is Thirteen
17. W.A.S.P. - Dominator
18. HIRAX - Assassins of War
19. DELIVERANCE - As Above, So Below
20. BLACK SABBATH - The Dio
21. ROB ROCK - Garden of Chaos
22. TESLA - Reel to Reel
23. TROUBLE - Simple Mind Condition
24. HEAVEN & HELL - Live From City Radio Music Hall
25. ANNIHILATOR - Metal

I've tweaked my list some. I just cannot take 3 Inches of Blood out of the #1 spot. I can't think of any other CD besides my own Into the Pit CD that dominated my CD player more than it.

I just got a BestBuy gift card from my inlaws from Christmas. I'm gonna go there and just really get a lot of new stuff! I think I might pick up that 3 Inches of Blood cd. Based on your recommendation of it.

Here are some of the albums I dug, in no particular order.

o Ozzy Osbourne--Black Rain
o Bon Jovi--Lost Highway
o Rush--Snakes And Arrows (*favorite release of the year)
o Ted Nugent--Love Grenade
o Neil Young--Live At Massey Hall 1971
o Airbourne--Runnin' Wild (even though it's to be released in the U.S. next year...oops)
o Mountain--Masters Of War
o Eagles--Long Road Out Of Eden
o Serj Tankian--The Unthinking Majority
o Paul McCartney--Memory Almost Full
o Queens Of The Stone Age--Era Vulgaris
o Bruce Springsteen--Magic
o The White Stripes--Icky Thump
o Velvet Revolver--Libertad
o Sixx: A.M.--The Heroin Diaries
o Led Zeppelin--The Song Remains The Same (rerelease)
o Radiohead--In Rainbows

I think that's all.

I will make my top 25 list the first or second week of 2008 and post it. Thanks

I'm still working on my list. I'll get it on here soon.

1. Baroness - The Red Album
2. Machine Head - The Blackening
3. Hyades - An The Worse Is Yet To Come
4. Melechesh - Emissaries
5. Jesu - Conqueror
6. Ultimatum - Into The Pit
7. Saxon - The Inner Sanctum
8. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
9. Evile - Enter The Grave
10. Helloween - Gambling With The Devil

Honorable mentions:
Solace - The Black Black ep
Skeletonwitch - Beyond The Permafrost
Witchcraft - The Alchemist
Swallow The Sun - Hope
Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

Worst:
Stuck Mojo - Southern Born Killers

nevermore wrote:

1. Baroness - The Red Album
2. Machine Head - The Blackening
3. Hyades - An The Worse Is Yet To Come
4. Melechesh - Emissaries
5. Jesu - Conqueror
6. Ultimatum - Into The Pit
7. Saxon - The Inner Sanctum
8. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
9. Evile - Enter The Grave
10. Helloween - Gambling With The Devil

Honorable mentions:
Solace - The Black Black ep
Skeletonwitch - Beyond The Permafrost
Witchcraft - The Alchemist
Swallow The Sun - Hope
Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

Worst:
Stuck Mojo - Southern Born Killers

Nice list. However, I've never heard of your #1. What's it like?

Ult, if you'd like to check out Baroness you can hear them at myspace.com/yourbaroness

I'm not sure if you'd dig 'em or not but this disc was the one I spun the most this year.

Nevermore,your #3 was my fave for the year.Awesome disc eh?