Lockyard: Lockyard Best Of 2015 part 3: Albums

1. Tribulation – The Children Of The Night (Century Media)

Third masterpiece in a row by the best band in Sweden. I must admit that I was a bit skeptic toward how they moved even further away from their death metal-roots at first, but the more time I gave it, the more it grew. This band seem to be totally incapable of being anything else than brilliant.

2. Crypt Sermon – Out Of The Garden (Dark Descent)

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this Philadelphia quartet came saw and conquered us all with the best doom metal-album since Procession's To Reap Heavens Apart. A ridiculously strong effort, that most likely will be remembered as one of the milestones from our time in this genre.

3. Bäddat För Trubbel – Två Sjundedelar Av Ett Liv (Ljudkassett)

With an incredibly stripped down, honest and straight forward album, the third album by the Malmö-band was definitely one of the most diverse, engaging and absolutely best albums of 2015.

4. Blind Guardian – Beyond The Red Mirror (Nuclear Blast)

With their previous album being very strong, almost a return to the glory of their olden days (best band of the 90's, all cathegories, if you're asking me), the question was now if that was just a coincidence, or if they would be able to stay on the same high level. And I think they did, Beyond The Red Mirror might be a bit uneven, but the tops are ridiculously high.

5. Kadavar – Berlin (Nuclear Blast)

An album got some heavy rotation during the late summer, and hence slowly but steady grew to become one of my absolute favorites from the year that passed. Perfect album for the heavy rockers.

6. Ram – Svbversvm (Metal Blade)

Long awaited return by the Swedish iron tyrants. 2009's Lightbringer remains my favorite album of theirs, as well as one of the best heavy metal albums released in modern time, but Svbversvm is not far behind. Heavy metal supremacy.

7. Rocka Rollas – Pagan Ritual (Stormspell)

The band with the most insane productivity returns once again. I enjoyed last years The Road To Destruction a lot, but this is definitely their best album so far. We'll see if that curve keeps rising this year, I find it very unlikely that they wont have another album ready quite soon.

8. Iron Maiden – The Book Of Souls (Parlophone)

An album that shouldn't have passed anyone by, that I despite it's ambitious lenght find very qualitative, if not fantastic in its brightest moments. Maybe some parts of the longer tracks could have been shortened a bit, but I don't really consider any of the songs to be fillers. No doubt that the one and only heavy metal masters still has got it.

9. Dark Quarterer - Ithaca (Metal On Metal)

A super bombastic and surprisingly strong album from this cult band from Italy, whose first album should be mandatory in everyone's collection. Better than I ever had hoped for, and containing some tracks that are in the same league with their classics.

10. Circle II Circle - Reign Of Darkness (Ear Music)

The longing for something new from Savatage is as great as always, but the new album by Circle II Circle is an excellent substitute, their best one since the debut. Filled with the characteristic dark riffs and atmosphere that you desperately want more of, just as good from C II C as fromthe ”main” band.