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.
11. Black Trip - Shadowline (SPV)
12. Manilla Road - The Blessed Curse (Golden Core)
13. Terminus - The Reaper's Spiral (Stormspell)
14.Satan's Host - Pre-dating God part II (Moribund)
15. Satan's Host - Pre-dating God part I (Moribund)
16. Enforcer - From Beyond (Nuclear Blast)
17. Lord Fist - Green Eyleen (Ektro)
18. Stonegriff - Come Taste The Blood (Metal On Metal)
19. Imperial State Electric - Honk Machine (Psychout)
20. Trial -Vessel (High Roller)
21. Horisont - Odyssey (Rise Above)
22. Marduk - Frontschwein (Century Media)
23. Arkham Witch - I Am Providence (Metal On Metal)
24. Speedtrap - Straight Shooter (Svart)
25. Ironsword - None But The Brave (Shadow Kingdom)