1. Impellitteri - The Nature Of The Beast
The joining of guitar virtuoso Chris Impellitteri and vocalist extraordinaire Rob Rock that is Impellitteri continues its strong run with eight full-length offering between the two, The Nature Of The Beast. As with any great album, it resides upon the depth to its material, noting choice cuts “Run For Your Life”, “Wonder World”, “Man of War” and “Kill The Beast” in addition to an equally essential pair of cover tracks in “Symptoms Of The Universe” (Black Sabbath) and “Phantom Of The Opera”.
2. Images Of Eden - Soulrise
A near photo finish at second place, Soulrise from Images Of Eden backs from many of the progressive leanings to the Phoenix, Arizona based five-piece back catalog in favor of a newfound melodic heavy metal designation. Added variety comes in the form of how Soulrise not only places greater emphasis on heaviness and accessibility but also features moments that range from the modern to even ballad-like AOR.
3. Narnia - We Still Believe: Made In Brazil
Third position for a live album might be a reach but also consider how Narnia delivers the total package as far as the segment are concerned: accurate recording of the audience to include banter with vocalist Christian Liljegren, introduction of band members and a pair of self-explanatory songs in “Drum Solo” and “Guitar Solo”. I find the true ‘live’ feel to We Still Believe a refreshing change of pace in an era in which many live albums do not always, well, leave impression as being all that live (pumped in audience track, songs doctored too much in the studio, etc).
4. Sardonyx - Sons Of the Kingdom
Sophomore Sardonyx album Sons Of The Kingdom leaves little doubt as to how it is by far the best progressive release of 2018, at least as far as metal is concerned. The group’s signature qualities it introduced on its powerful 1992 debut Majestic Serenity remain in full force in the form of technical songwriting, theatrical lead vocals and ministry based lyrics with scriptural references. “My Bride Beloved” challenges for song of the year.
5. Stryper - God Damn Evil
If the God Damn Evil title is not controversial enough, you also have cover art depicting God as a Greek statue tossing bodies like ragdolls and opening track in “Take It To The Cross” to touch upon very un-Stryper like thrash territory. Yet, go beneath the surface and God Damn Evil succeeds as another solid Stryper comeback album to join predecessors No More Hell To Pay (2013) and Fallen (2015). No doubt the group delivers its share of heavy hitters, noting the albums catchy title track and metal anthem “The Valley” but also some very fine deep cuts in ballad “Can’t Live Without Your Love”, groove based “Own Up” and speed metal of “The Devil Doesn’t Live Here”.
6. Visual Cliff - Refuge
I always have held in high regard Visual Cliff with its ‘artists creating art’ approach in joining jazz fusion shred instrumentals (to feature talented guitarist Rob Perez) and heavier rocking progressive vocal cuts (noting the warmly tinctured vocals to Shane Lankford). Refuge, the groups eight full length album, comes with a whopping 16 cuts, with the CD version encompassing twelve and vinyl eight, but vinyl is inclusive to four not appearing on the CD version (not a skip button among them!).
Of equal import is how all proceeds from the sale of Refuge go to Loving The Lost Boys, a ministry started by Lankford that houses kids that have timed out of the foster care system in Baltimore, MD.
7. Jimmy P. Brown II’s - Eraserhead
Ranking alongside the years most prolific artists is Jimmy P. Brown II, whom not only released an old school thrash Deliverance comeback album in The Subversive Kind (see 18 below) but also made his debut as a solo artist under the title Eraserhead. Musically, it is also a throwback but instead revisits the technical metal to the Deliverance mid-period ‘creative years” and albums such as Learn, River Disturbance and Camelot In Smithereens. Also featured is the same roster that performed on Learn in that joining Brown (on lead vocals and guitars) is bassist Manny Morales and drummer Jon Knox.
8. Bride - Snake Eyes
Metal and hard rock veterans Bride deliver as promised a return to the blues based hard rocking sounds of its iconic 1992 release Snakes In The Playground on its fifteen album, Snake Eyes. Of equal import is how founding member’s vocalist Dale Thompson and guitarist Troy Thompson deliver similar levels of musical acumen in that you will not find a bad cut among the bunch.
9. Millennial Reign - The Great Divide
Third album with as many vocalists for Millennial Reign as found in its second Ulterium Records release The Great Divide. Joining holdover guitarist and founding member Dave Harvey is newcomer and front man Travis Wills, both of whom combine to maintain the group’s affinity for burnished melodic power metal. Cover art ranks with the years best.
10. Chaotic Resemblance - Covenant
New school modern hair metal band drawing moniker from Isaiah 40:18 uphold a high intensity joining of catchy hooks and youthful exuberance of Oz Fox (Stryper) produced sophomore album Covenant. Sustained is the Chaotic Resemblance motive to ‘shine the light of Jesus to a hurting world’ and to ‘play anywhere from a bar to a church’ and ‘offer love and hope through rock 'n roll’.
11 (tie). Riot V - Armor Of Light
Legendary traditional metal act with a legacy dating to the mid-seventies, Riot V returns with its second comeback album in a row with Armor Of Light, noting 2014 effort Unleash The Fire. The ‘V’ added to the groups moniker stands to represent its fifth era to feature a different vocalist, as found in Todd Michael Hall, who lyrically makes his faith known on several tracks, including “Messiah”, “Armor Of Light”, “End Of The World” and “Ready To Shine”. In the liner notes, he thanks ‘God for everything’ and states ‘may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and keep you’.
11 (tie). Peacemaker - Concrete And Terror
Another mainstream traditional metal act with believing members, Peacemaker proves a ‘super group’ in the truest sense when factoring how vocalist Ronny Munroe (Metal Church), guitarist Scott Miller (Tango Down) and bassist RC Ciejek (Belladonna) grace its line up. Whereas lyrics touch upon atypical metal topics (in a positive sense) such as fast cars ("Big Block"), zombies ("Jane Slain") and nuclear holocaust ("The Bomb"), liner notes find the band thanking God and Munroe ‘our Almighty Creator’.
12. Perpetual Paranoia -The Reapers
Bride vocalist Dale Thompson challenges Jimmy Brown for busiest artist of the year in that his second project, the technical metal and thrash to Perpetual Paranoia, sees him joining forces with guitarist Tiago De Souza (Hand Of Fire). Musical mayhem ensues in that no doubt the group draws upon a resounding heaviness, noting the influence of De Souza, but does not overlook the melodic, referencing the accessible vocal presence of Thompson. “Romance X” is a mini classic to deserve album of the year consideration.
13. Ecthirion - Psalms Of The Risen Dead
Theatrical metal for UK based Ecthirion on its Soundmass Records sophomore outing Psalms Of The Risen Dead. A manifold of styles presents, including influences of the symphonic, classical, theatrical, Gothic, epic, folk-like and extreme but all steeped with a power and progressive metal basis. Driving force behind the project is the husband and wife team of Gabriel (guitars & bass) and Hannah (vocals) Neale.
14. KDB3 - I Fill My Days With Noise
Best progressive ROCK release of the year, indicating the progressive METAL to fourth position Sardonyx, goes to I Fill My Days With Noise, the third full-length album from multi instrumentalist Doug Bowers. If interested in epic length songs, albums comes with 6 tracks but over 50 minutes of music, intrinsic to the soaring, majestic and symphonic to play up interesting segues, time signatures and melodic transitions, then I Fill My Days With Noise fits the bill. Lyrics represent the artist’s life experiences and Christian worldview.
15 (tie): Hearts On Fire - Call Of Destiny
First of two mainstream AOR acts to include believing members, Hearts On Fire represents the project of guitarist Jean Funes, whom many will recall from his work with Codigo Eterno and Sound Of Eternity. The groups Melodic Rock Records debut Call Of Destiny has the genres bases covered in the form of strong leanings towards the radio friendly, needed heaviness to touch upon hard rock, complementary soaring lead vocals and guitar soloing to taste.
15 (tie): Steel City - Fortress
Second, Steel City, also mirrors all things AOR but with a heavier bent towards eighties melodic metal, a particular attributing to virtuoso guitar shredder and founding member Mike Floros. Vocalist Bryan Cole provides the needed heartfelt range and gritty emotion inherent to the form.
16. Dream Patrol - Phantoms Of The Past
One cannot question the star-studded appeal to Dream Patrol when factoring how bassist Ronnie König (Signum Regis) and vocalist Eli Prinsen (The Sacrificed) grace its lineup, but do not expect a sound in line with the power metal to the respective bands of either. Rather, Dream Patrol on its Mighty Music debut Phantoms Of The Past pursues a heading rooted in eighties metal and hard rock with leanings towards classic rock, blues and even some country & western twangs.
17. Apostolou, Kikis - Phases Of Time
Greek guitarist Kikis Apostolou goes the ‘Visual Cliff route’ with a joining of instrumental and vocal cuts on his independent debut solo album Phases Of Time. Difference, however, is musical form from how the artist takes a heavier stance with his instrumental material derivative of eighties based guitar shred standpoint and that vocal a merging of melodic and power metal.
18. Deliverance - The Subversive Kind
Deliverance ‘returns to form’ in a mighty way with its eleventh album and first to hearken back to a thrash/speed metal direction since 1991’s What A Joke. Yes, expectations were high, almost unreasonably so in light of the groups vaunted 1990 sophomore album Weapons Of Our Warfare, but The Subversive Kind delivers the old school thrash goods in a manner about subtle as an incoming hand grenade. Equally notable is the return of guitarist Glenn Rogers, whom last graced the Deliverance roster on its self-titled debut from 1989.
19. Menchen - The White Metal Album
Veteran guitarist Bill Menchen, of the bands and projects too numerous to mention, has released in The White Metal Album his third full length offering of straightforward metal and hard rock under the Menchen moniker. Also known for his various re-record projects, artist returns with the same in that what we have is a re-recorded version to the third Titanic album from 2007, Full Steam Ahead, but with Robert Sweet (Stryper) on drums and upgraded production values.
20 (tie): LEAH - The Quest
Vancouver, British Columbia based songstress LEAH follow up her 95% Angelic Warlord reviewed (and 2015 album of the year recipient) sophomore effort Kings & Queens with third album of ‘Celtic fantasy metal’ in The Quest. Along with a strong challenge for years best cover art, is also includes one of my favorite songs for 2018 in the albums ten minute epic opening title track.
20 (tie): Wytch Hazel - II: Sojourn
Speaking of international flair, UK’s Wytch Hazel maintains its affinity for combining a 70’s hard rock foundation with aspects of sacred medieval music to draw upon the influences of Jethro Tull and Thin Lizzy on sophomore album II: Sojourn. Similar to 2016 debut Prelude, lyrics continue to reflect the faith of founding member and vocalist and guitarist Colin Hendra.
Re-issues
Crystavox - The Bottom Line
Roxx Records re-mastering breathes new life into re-issue of Crystavox 1992 sophomore release, upgrading muddy production to original and turning it into a near classic in the process, noting our 95% review. Great song after great song equates to as fine a melodic metal and hard rock album you will hear. Also re-issued on Roxx Records is the Crystavox self-titled debut from two years previous.
Emerald - Armed For Battle
At long last, No Remorse Records steps to the plate to provide a proper re-issue to the joining of heavy and melodic metal that is the six song Emerald EP from 1987, Armed For Battle. Bonus material comes in the form of two additional songs the group recorded during the Armed For Battle sessions and a pair of demo tracks from 1984.
Jerusalem - Dancing On The Head Of The Serpent
My favorite of the first six Jerusalem albums, all of which saw 2018 re-issue on Retroactive Records, stands out with its consistency, both in terms of songwriting and heaviness. Further separating it is how the Retroactive re-issue is a two disc set, with the first the albums USA version and second the European, which details the grittier and rawer sound in comparison not to mention a bonus track in “Covered In Blood”.
Malachia - Red Sunrise: The Complete Anthology
Complete is the key word in that the Roxx Records 2-CD set re-issue to the Malachia back catalog comes with both the groups debut EP Under The Blade and follow up full length offering Red Sunrise, but also its initial demo from 1985 and several lost garage/basement recordings. You will also find two versions to the song it placed on the California Metal II compilation, “Runaway”, under the Vision moniker.
Revelation - Spiritual Wind
Attributing to Thrashback Records is a ‘30th Anniversary Edition’ re-release to the two demos of unsigned act Revelation recorded in the late eighties, Visions and Spiritual Warfare. A bonus DVD also includes footage of the group’s performance at Cornerstone 89 in addition to live versions to several unreleased songs performed at various South Florida venues.
Soldier - Babylon & Beyond: 30th Anniversary Edition
Roxx Records 2-CD re-issue to the Soldier back catalog incorporates well-known eighties demos Louder Than Hell and Babylon in addition to the two tracks it placed on the California Metal II compilation, “Borderline” and “Tears”. Rounding things out are four unreleased songs Soldier recorded in the early 90’s and a live recording of its performance at the HIS Festival from 1987.
