Heart of Metal's favorite 2008 album

So here it is, boys and girls. I'm going to try and create a list of the Heart of Metal boards favorite 2008 releases. So just post your top 20 entries, IN ORDER. Please do not add reissues, only new recorded material. And please add only your lists now. We can comment on this later, when all the lists are in, and I've created the final list. I think I'll do it like this: A number 1 spot gives the album 5 points, a number 2 to number 5 spot gives it 3 points, and from 6-10 gives 2 point. From 11 to 20 gives 1 point each. I'll let you have to the end of the month to add your lists.

I'll go first:

1. Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Global Warning'
   
2. Warrel Dane - 'Praises To The War Machine'
   
3. Iced Earth - 'The Crucible Of Man (Something Wicked Part 2)'
   
4. Metallica - 'Death Magnetic'
   
5. Theocracy - 'Mirror Of Souls'
   
6. Divinefire - 'Farewell'
   
7. Alice Cooper - 'Along Came A Spider'
   
8. Amaseffer - 'Exodus - Slaves For Life'
   
9. Once Dead - 'Visions Of Hell'
   
10. Brainstorm - 'Downburst'
    
11. Testament - 'The Formation Of Damnation'
    
12. Temple Of Blood - 'Overlord'
    
13. Helstar - 'The King Of Hell'
    
14. Avantasia - 'The Scarecrow'
    
15. Circle II Circle - 'Delusions Of Grandeur'
    
16. Evergrey - 'Torn'
    
17. Sinner - 'Crash & Burn'
    
18. In Flames - 'A Sense Of Purpose'
    
19. Faith Factor - 'Against A Darkened Sky'
    
20. Communic - 'Payment Of Existence'

1 F*ck the Facts - Disgorge Mexico
2 Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation - Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation
3 Holy Moses - Agony of Death
4 Krisiun - Southern Storm
5 Aborted - Strychnine.213
6 Coffins - Buried Death
7 Hate Eternal - Fury & Flames
8 Purgatory - Cultus Luciferi: The Splendour of Chaos
9 Moonspell - Night Eternal
10 Darkthrone - Dark Thrones and Black Flags
11 Grave - Dominion VIII
12 Unleashed - Hammer Battalion
13 Aura Noir - Hades Rise
14 Terdor - Axis Panzerzug Anno November 1942
15 Deathchain - Death Eternal
16 Belphegor - Bondage Goat Zombie
17 Putrevore - Morphed from Deadbreath
18 Hail of Bullets - ...Of Frost and War
19 Nervecell - Preaching Venom
20 Gloomy Grim - Under the Spell of the Unlight
21 Flesh - Worship the Soul of Disgust
22 Ivebeenshot - Doza
23 Flesh Consumed - ...Mutilate, Eviscerate, Decapitate
24 Demented - Psychoanalysis of Eternal Pain
25 Kataklysm - Prevail
26 Catalepsy - Iniquity
27 Benediction - Killing Music
28 Warbringer - War Without End
29 Sickening - Ignorance Supremacy
30 Prostitute Disfigurement - Descendants of Depravity
31 Agenda of Swine - Waves of Human Suffering
32 Inhuman Hate - Merciless Misanthropic
33 Septic Flesh - Communion
34 F*ck Off and Die! - Anti All
35 Septory - World War Chaos
36 Origin - Antithesis
37 Devastator - Conjuring Evil
38 Deicide - Till Death Do Us Part
39 Warvictims - Until Man Exists No More
40 Meathook - Infernal Torture
41 Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose of Death...
42 Fleshless - Hate Is Born
43 Proclamation - Messiah of Darkness and Impurity
44 Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery
45 Disfigured - Blistering of the Mouth
46 Feto in Fetus - Far From the Truth
47 Venom - Hell
48 Gaf - Mongofied
49 Purulent Jacuzzi - Stench of the Drowned Carrion
50 Deeds of Flesh - Of What's to Come

not sure i want to be included in a list compiled from everyone at this forum though, considering everyone here has much softer tastes than i do. don't want to be apart of a list that has Enslaved, Guns N Roses or Jon Oliva's Pain at #1.

Instead of re-writing the whole thing, I've just copied and pasted my list from another area.



I've spent an absurd amount of time, energy and thought on this list. Here it is:

1)Avantasia - The Scarecrow - It was hard to not make this #1. This is brilliant. So much talent collected and used with skill. Jorn's best vocals ever.

2)Theocracy - Mirror Of Souls - 3rd biggest surprise of 2008. Amazing!! So catchy!! So well done

3)Saint Deamon - In Shadows Lost From The Brave - Perfect. Everything about this is perfect. This could have been #1 as well. This is a Pelata suggestion.

4)Crom - Vengeance - 2nd biggest surprise of 2008. Never even heard of them. Haunting Epic/Viking/Pagan stuff.

5)Dreamtide - Dream And Deliver - Super smooth and melodic. Never heard of them either.

6)Falconer - Among Beggars and Thieves - Typically stellar release. They don't disappoint.

7)Rage - Carved In Stone - A big surprise. I liked Speak Of The Dead, I love this.

8)Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad - Great comeback. So many good songs.

9)Metallica - Death Magnetic - Another great comeback. Surprise #4.

10)Edguy - Tinnitus Sanctus - Very melodic & catchy. Just good, good stuff. Not super fast powermetal of old.

11)Once Dead - Visions Of Hell - Another big surprise. Brutal with a great sound. I like Thrash like this.

12)Sabaton - The Art Of War - Unique and super catchy Powermetal

13)Firewind - The Premonition - They can't make a bad alubm. Melodic and catchy.

14)Testament - The Formation of Damnation - First 6-7 songs amazing. Speedy, melodic and good vocals. Great Thrash!

15)Tesla - Forever More - What a great comeback.

16)Cain's Dinasty - Legacy Of Blood - My #1 Surprise of 2008. Got this in a trade. Never expected such good Powermetal for a first time album.

17)The Sword - Gods Of The Earth - Awesome heavy metal (Stoner?). Nice fat riffs.

18)Templar - Preaching To The Preverted - Very unique. Great sound. A big surprise.

19)Lonewolf - Made In Hell - Surprisingly good rough German Powermetal

20)Pyramaze - Immortal - This could/probably would be higher with more time. Blasphemy alert! Best thing Barlow's ever done.









21)Battlelore - The Last Alliance - Very good female fronted/beauty and the beast vocals Viking/Pagan metal.

22)Pharaoh - Be Gone - One of my recent favorite bands. With time this could rise higher. It's very good traditional heavy metal.

23)Saint - Crime Scene Earth - My first Saint. I was pleasantly surprised. More Kramer!

24)House Of Lords - Come to My Kingdom - Could be higher, but very good & well done. I actually expected this to be higher with the good reviews. Time might tell.

25)Brainstorm - Downburst - So hard to follow one of my favorite metal albums of all time - Liquid Monster - but this is still a good album.


That's always hard. The top-5 could all have been mixed around, but Theocracy made me say "Wow!" the most.

Then the middle area 11-20 is sort of a crap shoot.

These are the rest of my 2008 thoughts:

Martyr's Shrine - S/T - Closest to Top-25 that didn't make it.

Warbringer - War Without End - Next closest to Top-25 that didn't make it.

Dragonforce - Ultra Beatdown - I like it and it's solid, but just not enough wow factor for top-25

Wolf's Moon - Unholy Darkness - This was also hard to leave off the list. This would probably get there in a different year. SO many great albums in 2008. This is very good traditional heavy metal.

Alestorm - Capatain Morgan's Revenge - Great ideas and great music, but the vocals are flat and don't carry their own weight.

Holy Blood - The Patriot - Not a bad album, but not striking.

Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy - Not enough time to absorb this. Also, hard to match against the brilliant Terminate Damnation.

Stormwarrior - Heading Northe - Some GREAT songs, and then some so-so ones.

Blessed By A Broken Heart - Pedal To The Metal - This belongs to my kiddo - but I like it too. Good, catchy music...but I only like small doses.

Sencirow - The Nightmare Within - Power/Thrash that could have contended with more time OR with a couple songs that get stuck in my head. In any case, very good and speedy metal.

Driver - Sons Of Thunder - This is good, but out of the top-25 based on it just lacking that little something. All of RR's solo, Warrior, his Impellitteri and other stuff are better to me. This is good, but not his best.

Lordi - Deadache - Another one that belongs to my kiddo. Good and catchy, but not up to The Arocalypse.

Dark Empire - Humanity Dethroned - Disappointment #4. Their incredible EP - Distant Tides - had me pumped. This isn't bad, but it's inconsistant and I expected more.

Battleroar - To Death And Beyond - decent Traditional heavy metal.

Evergrey - Torn - My #2 disappointment for 2008. I love MMA so much, I was bummed this didn't stick.


Special category:

Deliverance - Weapons Of Our Warfare (re-issue). Doesn't count for 2008.
Deliverance - Deliverance (same story)

Thrash Clash - Vol 1,2,3,4 - Interesting two band Thrash comps with killer artwork, but not in the running for top-25 consideration. Vol. 4 was my disappointment #4. I'd been loving this series, but the lyrics of Vol. 4 are so pervasively Satan drenched that I can't listen to it. Oh, well.


Iced Earth - Crucible Of Man - Listened twice - SOLD. My #3 disappointment of 2008.

1. Sabaton - The Art Of War
2. Lechery - Violator
3. Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
4. Bobnoxious - Superscar
5. Theocracy - Mirror of Souls

1. Enslaved - Vertebrae
2. Grand Magus - Iron Will
3. Cynic - Traced In Air
4. Jon Oliva's Pain - Global Warning
5. Skepticism - Alloy
6. Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine
7. Moonspell - Night Eternal
8. Ihsahn - angL
9. Daylight Dies - Lost to the Living
10. Testament - Formation of Damnation
11. Motörhead - Motörizer
12. Hail of Bullets - ...Of Frost and War
13. Opeth - Watershed
14. Death Angel - Killing Season
15. AC/DC - Black Ice
16. Stam1na - Raja
17. Zimmers Hole - When You Were Shouting at the Devil... We Were in League with Satan
18. Judas Priest - Nostradamus

1. Sevendust - Hope and Sorrow
2. Avantasia - The Scarecrow
3. Pagans Mind - Gods Equation
4. Theory of a Deadman - Scars and Souvenirs
5. Brainstorm - Downburst
6. Jorn Lande - Lonely are the Brave
7. Evergrey - Torn
8. Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine
9. Rage - Carved in Stone
10. Royal Hunt - Collision Course
11. Pyramaze - Immortal
12. Ayreon - 01011001
13. Firewind - The Premonition
14. Shinedown - The Sound of Madness
15. Blessed by a Broken Heart - Pedal to the Metal
16. Byzantine - Oblivion Beckons
17. Axel Rudi Pell - Tales of the Crown
18. Cloudscape - Global Drama
19. Andromeda - The Immunity Zone
20. Iced Earth - Crucible Of Man

1. Enslaved - Vertebrae
2. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
3. Dokken - Lightning Strikes Again
4. Jon Oliva's Pain - Global Warning
5. My Silent Wake - A Garland of Tears
6. Yngwie Malmsteen - Perpetual Flame
7. House of Lords - Come To My Kingdom
8. Rage - Carved In Stone
9. Eden's Curse - The Second Coming
10. Paradox - Electrify
11. Journey - Revelation
12. Venom - Hell
13. Scarlet Angel - Enter The Magic
14. Exciter - Thrash Speed Burn
15. Mindwarp Chamber - Delusional Reality
16. Temple of Blood - Overlord
17. Metallica - Death Magnetic
18. AC/DC - Black Ice
19. Jefferson Starship - Jefferson's Tree of Liberty
20. Terror - The Damned, The Shamed

10. Metallica - Death Magnetic
9. ZZ Top-Live From Texas
8. AC/DC - Black Ice
7. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
6. Theory of a Deadman - Scars and Souvenirs
5. Sevendust - Hope and Sorrow
4. Motorhead-Motorizor
3. Judas Priest-Nostradamus
2. Alice Cooper-Along Came A Spider
1. Jesse James Dupree-Rev It Up and Go Go

1 Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Global Warning'
2 Journey - Revelation
3 Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
4 inexordium - inexordium
5 Driver - Sons Of Thunder
6 sebastian bach - angel down
7 seventh avenue - terium
8 AC/DC - Black Ice
9 Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
10 Ayreon - 01011001
11 theocracy - mirror of souls
12 x-sinner - world covered in blood
13 Harmony - Chapter II: Aftermath
14 jacob's dream - DOMINION OF DARKNESS
15 TITANIC - Wreckage
16 Helstar - The King of Hell
17 asia - phoenix
18 judas priest - nostradamus
19 tankard - thirst
20 exodus - led there be blood

It hurts so bad not to comment!

1. Warrel Dane - Praise To The War Machine
2. Firewind - The Premonition
3. Metallica - Death Magnetic
4. Opeth - Watershed
5. Evergrey - Torn
6. Pyramaze - Immortal
7. Iced Earth - The Crucible Of Man
8. Demain - Building an Empire
9. Guns n' Roses - Chinese Democracy
10. Axel Rudi Pell - Tales Of The Crown
11. Jorn - Lonely Are The Brave
12. Into Eternity-The Incurable Tragedy
13. Judas Priest - Nostradamus

I was broke for the majority of 2008, so I didn't purchase much...but here's a small list of standouts that I did pick up.

1. King's X - XV
2. Motorhead - Motorizer
3. The Sword - Gods Of The Earth
4. Dead Man - Euphoria
5. Metallica - Death Magnetic
6. Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull

couldn't even make it to 10.

Didn't buy much this year.

1. Metallica - Death Magnetic
2. Motörhead - Motörizer
3. Evergrey - Torn
4. AC/DC - Black Ice
5. Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider
6. Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God

1. GnR - Chinese Democracy
2. Tesla - Forever More
3. Metallica - Death Magnetic
4. Testament - Formation of the Damnation
5. TAB the Band - Long Weekend
6. Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine
7. Black Tide - Light From Above
8. The Sword - Gods of the Earth
9. Motorhead - Motorizer
10. Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain

I gotta compile my "Best of 2008" list for Detritus later this week but haven't had time to sit down and think about it much yet... so tune back in a few days from now...

The only thing I'm sure of, is that I'll be the lone vote for Bad Biscut's WE STILL BELIEVE THE HYPE.

1. Motorhead - Motorizer
2. AC/DC - Black Ice
3. Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider
4. Testament - The Formation of Damnation
5. My Silent Wake - A Garland of Tears
6. Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain
7. Dirty Looks - California Free Ride
8. Dirty Looks - Superdeluxe
9. Kings X - XV
10. Brainstorm - Downburst
11. Avenger of Blood - Death Brigade
12. Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
13. Sevendust - Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow
14. Once Dead-Visions of Hell
15. Metallica - Death Magnetic
16. Helstar - The King Of Hell
17. Death Angel - Killing Season
18. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
19. Hallows Eve - The Neverending Sleep
20. Merciless Death - Realm of Terror

Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
Once Dead-Visions of Hell
Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
Motorhead - Motorizer
AC/DC - Black Ice

1.Metallica- Death Magnetic
2.Avantasia- The Scarecrow
3.Judas Priest- Nostradameus
4.Rage- Carved In Stone
5.Testament- Formation Of Damnation
6.Almah- Fragile Equality
7.Mudvayne- The New Game
8.Firewind- The Premonition
9.Grand Magus- Iron Will
10.DragonForce- Ultra Beatdown
11.Scars On Broadway- S/T
12.Jon Olivas Pain- Global Warning
13.Jorn- Lonely Are The Brave
14.Into Eternity - The Incurable Tragedy
15.Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine
16.Pyramaze- Immortal
17.Powerquest- Master Of Illusion
18.HeadHunter- Parasite Of Society
19.Motorhead- Motorizer
20.Destruction - D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N

1. Helstar - The King Of Hell
2. Unleashed - Hammer Battalion
3. Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
4. Deathchain - Death Eternal
5. Venom - Hell
6. Urn - Soul Destroyers
7. Avenger of Blood - Death Brigade
8. Warbringer - War Without End
9. Head On Collision - Ritual Sacrifice
10. Hail of Bullets - Of Frost And War
11. Guillotine - Blood Money
12. Holy Moses - Agony Of Death
13. Exmortus - In Hatred's Flame
14. Gravehill - Metal of Death & The Advocation of Murder
15. Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
16. Battalion - Welcome to the Warzone
17. Nocturnal Fear - Code Of Violence
18. Hexen - State Of Insurgency
19. Motörhead - Motorizer
20. Destruction - D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N

1.Hexen - State Of Insurgency

2.Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
3.Warbringer - War Without End
4.Death Angel - Killing Season
5.Metal Church - This Present Wasteland
6.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God
7.AC/DC - Black Ice
8.House Of Lords - Come To My Kingdom
9.The Sword - Gods Of The Earth
10.Paradox - Electrify

It seems I spent most of 2008 attempting to catch up on bands from the last two decades. Maybe in 20 years I'll have had a chance to pick up and listen to these 2008 CDs (I am actually a tad appalled I haven't heard Death Magnetic and The Formation of Damnation in full yet). Anyway, of what I can remember buying, I think these deserve a mention:

1. Avantasia - The Scarecrow
2. Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
3. Electric Six - Flashy
4. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer
5. Jon Oliva's Pain - Global Warning
6. Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge
7. Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine

1. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh
2. Bison b.c. - Quiet Earth
3. Torche - Meanderthal
4. Protest the Hero - Fortress
5. Grayceon - This Grand Show
6. Cynic - Traced in Air
7. Burst - Lazarus Bird
8. Opeth - Watershed
9. The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
10. The Sword - Gods of the Earth
11. Cult of Luna - Eternal Kingdom
12. Meshuggah - obZen
13. Intronaut - Prehistoricisms
14. Red Sparowes - Aphorisms
15. Russian Circles - Station
16. Marillion - Happiness is the Road
17. Metallica - Death Magnetic
18. Testament - The Formation of Damnation
19. Genghis Tron - Board up the House
20. Sigur Ros - Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

ult: Main Line Riders was released in 2007. Might wanna edit your list.

Lurideth: My "Death Bridage" CD states that is was released in 2007, and it was also on my last years top 20 list. I know you say that it ws officially released on 2008, but just wanted to let you know why it doesn't appear on some of the obvious lists here....