By Andrew Bansal
The year of 2015 has rolled on to its half-way point, and it’s been six months of compelling new music, released consistently week after week, across all sub-genres of all things heavy. Without further ado, here are my picks for the top 15 full-length studio albums released in 2015 so far:
#15. Leprous – The Congregation: Longstanding Norwegian progressive/avant-grade metal group Leprous have an appreciable fan-following in the prog world, and were deemed worthy enough by Ihsahn to play as his live backing band for four years. Leprous’ fourth album ‘The Congregation’ draws from and expands upon the previous three, and no harm whatsoever, and does the band’s reputation no harm whatsoever, coming across as an excellently composed and arranged serving of modern prog.
#14. Demon Lung – A Dracula: Las Vegas-based band Demon Lung are everything their city does not stand for, and their brand of occult/horror themed doom metal has satiated fans of the genre for the past four years. Their second full-length album ‘A Dracula’, which gets its title from the 178 horror film ‘Alucarda’ spelled backwards, also draws inspiration from the film’s subject matter, which manifests itself into the progressive, psychedelic, haunting set of tunes it boasts of. One of the most outstanding doom releases of the year.
#13. Author & Punisher – Melk En Honing: San Diego-based musical innovator Tristan Shone has taken his interactions with self-created machines to a new level on the fifth Author & Punisher album ‘Melk En Honing’, as the contrast between the industrial and human elements widens further and the progressive tendencies of Shone’s songwriting takes prominence. In an era where intelligent heavy music of the industrial variety is rarely found, Author & Punisher has come forward as a worthy flagbearer of the sub-genre. ‘Melk En Honing’ is one of the most compelling musical creations of the year.
#12. Visigoth – The Revenant King: Salt Lake City, Utah heavy metal quintet Visigoth have risen as a force to be reckoned with in the realms of clean-sung old-school metal, and it is none more evident than on their debut full-length album ‘The Revenant King’, a set of epic metal tales of battle and victory. Singer Jake Rogers’ distinct vocal delivery leads the way, while his band mates excel at their respective instruments, together making for a formidable cavalry. With ‘The Revenant King’, Visigoth are well on their way in their quest for glory.
#11. Pendulous – A Palpable Sense Of Love & Loss: Los Angeles-based doom metal group Pendulous have been a mainstay in the city’s ever-burgeoning underground music scene, and have only strengthened their relevance with their debut full-length ‘A Palpable Sense Of Love & Loss’, which deserves to be heralded not only by the band’s local fans but by fans of doom and psychedelia everywhere. Pendulous have clearly poured a 100 per cent of their heart, soul and creative effort into this album, and can take pride in releasing what is without doubt a brilliant representation of beautifully depressing music.
#10. Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock – Spirit On A Mission: Guitar icon Michael Schenker has turned his newest moniker Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock into a real band, with the release of the group’s second album ‘Spirit On A Mission’ which presents Schenker in mighty fine form on the axe, injecting his signature stylings into the songs but at the same time also experimenting with the seven-string exploits of band mate Wayne Findley. Meanwhile, vocalist Doogie White puts in a superior effort than the previous album, and the old Scorpions rhythm section of Herman Rarebell on drums and Francis Buccholz on bass further heighten the legitimacy of the band. A delightful serving of classic hard rock.
#9. Raven – ExtermiNation: NWOBHM cult legends Raven still possess the energy, skill and enthusiasm that has fueled their creativity and peformance from day one, as is evident from their thirteenth studio release ‘ExtermiNation’, a hefty 15-track dosage of true old-school heavy metal. Brothers John and Mark Gallagher on bass/vocals and guitar respectively along with Joe Hasselvander on drums are at the peak of their powers on every single note that makes ‘ExtermiNation’, and the result is an undeniably strong and contemporarily relevant album that’s a must-listen for old-school metalheads.
#8. King Parrot – Dead Set: Fast-rising Australian grindmasters King Parrot have already come a long way since their 2010 start and are rapidly becoming a household name in the heavy music community. Their second album ‘Dead Set’ clearly showcases the fact that musically they are more than what first meets the eye, and treats listeners with ten compositions filled to the brim with menacing intensity and a full-on brute force heavier than a ten ton hammer. A skull-crushing, ear-splitting slab of sonic violence that deserves a spot in any and every valid best-of list.
#7. Secrets Of The Sky – Pathway: Oakland, California doom/black metal quintet Secrets Of The Sky have continued from where they left off on their 2013 debut, and have unveiled ‘Pathway’, an intricately composed 13-track effort, with the tunes created in the same order in which they appear on the album. ‘Pathway’ was much of a journey for the band itself as it is for the listener, and a powerful one at that. With this release, Secrets Of The Sky have transcended beyond genre definitions and have come up with music that can truly be appreciated by everyone across the board.
#6. Royal Thunder – Crooked Doors: Atlanta GA psychedelic hard rock group Royal Thunder won accolades aplenty for their 2012 debut album ‘CVI’, and defying the odds, have achieved new heights on their sophomore effort ‘Crooked Doors’. It is discernibly more melodic and vocal-centric but still features great guitar work to accompany Mlny Parsonz’ incredible singing voice. With ‘Crooked Doors’, Royal Thunder have succeeded in branching out to a more accessible sound, but have done so in a tasteful manner that does not repulse their initial fan base. One of the most beautiful pieces of music to have surfaced this year.
#5. Venomous Maximus – Firewalker: While plenty of metal bands going around at present are attempting to gravitate towards the stoner doom sound to cash in on current trends, Houston, Texas quartet Venomous Maximus have been audacious enough to follow their creative instincts and venture in the opposite direction with ‘Firewalker’, a decidedly more metal follow-up to their 2012 debut album ‘Beg Upon The Light’. Tracks like ‘White Rose’, ‘Through The Black’, ‘Dark Waves’, ‘October 14th’ and ‘Angel Heart’, boasting of excellent guitar parts, poetic vocals and a simple yet effective rhythm section, render ‘Firewalker’ extremely repeatworthy, and an unmissable release for fans of classic hard rock and old-school heavy metal.
#4. Paradise Lost – The Plague Within: British gothic doom metal pioneers Paradise Lost never went away since their 1988 inception, but went through an experimental phase in their second decade, to mixed responses. Of late, in their Century Media years, Paradise Lost have enjoyed a strong resurgence and their latest release ‘The Plague Within’ emphatically drives this point home, as one cannot imagine a better representation of the heavy goth/doom sound. This is a truly masterful album that captivates the listener from the first note to the last, and boasts of therapeutic powers. One of the classiest albums of the year from one of the classiest bands in existence.
#3. Enslaved – In Times: Norwegian progressive extreme metal titans Enslaved are without doubt one of the most respected and admired groups in the genre, simply because they continue to refine and redefine the extremities of their music on every album. Their thirteenth full-length studio effort ‘In Times’ witnesses them develop further with the aggressive as well as mellow elements of what makes them Enslaved, and they do so in a manner that leaves fans thrilled and first-timers and critics speechless. Each of the six tracks that constitute ‘In Times’ is as splendid as the entirety of the album. The greatest extreme metal album of 2015 at the mid-way point, and in all likelihood, by the end of the year too.
#2. Armored Saint – Win Hands Down: Los Angeles metal veterans Armored Saint have come out with their best set of tunes in a long, long time, presenting some of their most well-crafted songwriting efforts and strongest performances, led by perennially supreme vocalist John Bush and well supported by all four of this band mates. Besides, the production and mix is exemplary. ‘Win Hands Down’ is Armored Saint’s finest hour, and hands down one of the top releases of the year.
#1. Enforcer – From Beyond: Staying true to their reputation of old-school righteousness, Swedish classic metal quartet Enforcer have outdone the entirety of their first decade as a band with their fourth LP ‘From Beyond’, a fist-pounding 10-track album that reigns supreme in every aspect of what makes it the quintessential heavy metal release of 2015, whether it be the clean high-pitched vocal delivery, the catchy guitar riffs and harmonies, the crisp rhythm section, the album-oriented approach, the second-to-none production quality, or the Iron Maiden-worshipping instrumental track. Enforcer’s ‘From Beyond’ stands above all in 2015 so far.
