Maiden33's Top 25 Albums of 2011

[Maiden33]

#2: Riot - Immortal Soul


Riot are one of my favorite bands, largely because I think they've tried a bunch of different styles throughout their 35-year career and never really failed at anything. From the Hard Rock sound of their early years, to the speed-metal/US power metal style of their classic Thundersteel album, to the Thin Lizzy-influenced classic metal sound of the Mike Dimeo-fronted era - the band has never released anything I don't like - and I especially did really love their previous album, 2006's Army of One, so even though this is a reunion of the 1987-1991 lineup of the band, I don't really consider it a comeback album. The band has revisited the speed/power metal style of the Thundersteel and Privilege of Power albums, with a renewed force of energy. I just love this album, that's really all there is to it, since this is my own personal list. Aside from Ravenheart, I actually haven't seen this get any negative reviews, but I know he's still going to give me some sort of shit about it.

Featured Track: "Riot"

[Maiden33]

#1: Symphony X - Iconoclast


Well, here we are. I will say that this wasn't even close for me actually. Most years, I end up strongly conflicted between 2 or 3 albums for this #1 spot, but this year, I've been pretty determined for months that this would take the honor. Don't get me wrong, this was a great year - this is probably the strongest top 20 I've ever assembled, but Iconoclast just has a certain quality to it that makes me love it so much more than everything else.
I admit I was not the world's biggest fan of 2007's Paradise Lost. There were a few songs I loved (Title track, Revelation, Eve of Seduction) - but on the whole I didn't particularly care for the new direction, and was really scared of what the future might hold for the band. Iconoclast is, in my opinion, the album Symphony X needed to make at this point in their career. This album has enough of the new ground they covered on Paradise Lost, and a solid dose of what made their older stuff so great that it sort of makes everyone happy. Each year I usually only encounter maybe a half-dozen to a dozen albums that easily transcend the "new music" label as stuff I listen to for that year and become just music I love and music I want to listen to regularly, regardless. Iconoclast made that jump by far the most easy of any 2011 release, in fact the actual double-CD has barely left my car since the week the record came out. Though the album is full of highlights, for me, the far-and-away highlight track is without a doubt "When All is Lost", which to me is not only the best song on the record, but at this point I would say it's one of my favorite songs this band has ever recorded, which is a huge deal for me. It's just perfect.

Featured Track: "When All is Lost"

[GarageMetal468]

For some reason I didn't like the new Symphony X as much as I thought I would, even after 2 or 3 listens... But it's been a while since I've listened to it and I've been meaning to give it another listen just to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Anyway, this was a great list. Though I'm not as big into prog/power as you are and Iconoclast was pretty much the only album on here I've heard, I can tell this was a fun time putting it together as it was seeing what was next. I'll probably get around to checking some of these bands out in the future.

[maidenpriest]

Definitely the best album of the year. I agree that When All is Lost is the best song on the album. Only songs that i thought were below the cut were Heretic and Lords of Chaos. everything else was fantastic to me. So excited to see the tour for this album.

[SomewhereInTime72]

Wow, I honestly wasn't expecting Iconoclast to be your #1. But I think it's completely understandable to put it there. It's really high up for me too and it's just overall . I just thought that with it's similarity to Paradise Lost it might have it's position swapped with Evergrey or something . Awesome list man.

[Maiden33]

Thanks to everyone who followed this list. I just posted this to Facebook:
40. Fate - Ghosts From the Past
39. Elevener - Symmetry in Motion
38. Serpentine - Living and Dying in High Definition
37. Doogie White - As Yet Untitled
36. Iron Savior - The Landing
35. Hibria - Blind Ride
34. Demon's Eye - The Stranger Within
33. Royal Hunt - Show Me How to Live
32. Ronny Munroe - Lords of the Edge
31. Mr. Big - What If?
30. Sinner - One Bullet Left
29. Enbound - And She Says Gold
28. The Magnificent - The Magnificent
27. Saxon - Call to Arms
26. Charred Walls of the Damned - Cold Winds on Timeless Days
25. Voodoo Circle - Broken Heart Syndrome
24. Myrath - Tales of the Sand
23. Arch / Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance
22. Anubis Gate - Anubis Gate
21. Presto Ballet - Invisible Places
20. Anthrax - Worship Music
19. Flaming Row - Elinoire
18. Journey - Eclipse
17. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
16. Lost in Thought - Opus Arise
15. Theocracy - As the World Bleeds
14. Malison Rogue - Malison Rogue
13. Eumeria - Rebel Mind
12. Epysode - Obsessions
11. Borealis - Fall From Grace
10. Stratovarius - Elysium
09. Redemption - This Mortal Coil
08. Iced Earth - Dystopia
07. Toby Hitchcock - Mercury's Down
06. Subsignal - Touchstones
05. Eden's Curse - Trinity
04. Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstasy
03. Riot - Immortal Soul
02. Evergrey - Glorious Collision
01. Symphony X - Iconoclast

[Fe Maiden]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

#22:
Arch/Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance

Those who love the voice of John Arch from his tenure with Fates Warning back in the early/mid 80's were given a teaser of a return back in 2003 with his EP "A Twist of Fate". Arch is back now with a full album, featuring the entire current lineup of Fates Warning (minus Ray Alder, of course) behind him. As a result, the musicianship is absolutely top-notch, not question about it. The production also shines, and the songs (only 6, but 3 are over 10 minutes) are very strong as well. The only thing that stops me from loving this so much more is that I just am not a huge fan of John Arch's voice. I never have been, and that probably won't ever change. If Alder had sung on this as a Fates Warning record, it would probably be in the top 10 or 15. Nevertheless, it's still a great record.
Featured track: "Midnight Serenade" (Official Video)

I'd put this much higher based on just the music alone.....I understand what you mean about Arch's vocals.....but it sounds great overall.

[Fe Maiden]

Originally Posted by Maiden33

#9: Redemption - This Mortal Coil

Even though #9 is clearly a very high position, when a band previously held three top 3 albums in 2009, 2007, and 2005 with 3 consecutive albums, #9 feels like a step down, and sadly, it is. I've praised Redemption as the best new band of the 2000-2009 decade, who have a fairly unique approach to Progressive Metal. For those who aren't familiar with them, the band takes a relatively darker and more emotional approach to Prog Metal, with very personal and introspective lyrics sung by the very emotional vocals of Fates Warning's Ray Alder. Despite all of the players in the band being outstanding, they usually don't get too much into typical Prog wankery and remain relatively song-based. This Mortal Coil is no exception to any of that, with the lyrics taking on an even more personal tone, as this album was inspired by guitarist/lyricist Nic Van Dyk being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, and his coming to grips with his own mortality. On paper that should've made this my favorite Redemption album, but sadly two things I think hold it back. One, I think this Ray Alder's weakest vocal performance on a Redemption album. I don't know if it was just a weak performance or if he's truly losing his touch, but his voice is just a bit dry and weak at times. My other complaint is the production and overall sound of this album, which to me is just strange. It's not necessarily bad, just very weird, and I particularly don't care much for the guitar tone. That being said, the songs are pretty much as strong as anything Redemption have done before, hence how they can still manage to land at #9 in such a competitive year. They remain one of my favorite bands around today. Also, this album features a bonus disc on some versions that includes some cool and unexpected covers.

Featured Track: "No Tickets to the Funeral"

I think this album is spectacular.