THE BEST METAL ALBUMS OF 2010, AS CHOSEN BY METAL MUSICIANS THEMSELVES — PART II

FEATURING MEMBERS OF FIREWIND, THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, TESSERACT, BISON B.C., BONDED BY BLOOD, HAARP, THE UNGUIDED, AND ANNEX THEORY

For 2010, we decided to do something special as part of our regular end-of-year festivities here at MetalSucks — namely, ask musicians from across the vast spectrum of the metalsphere (or, in a few cases, the almost-metalsphere) what their favorite albums of the year were. Death metallers, thrash metallers, black metallers, stoners, grinders, and djenters alike graciously contributed lists to MS, and we’ll be running them in groups of ten to eleven musicians at a time twice a day for the rest of the week.

After the jump, check out the second group… we hope you enjoy seeing what some of metal’s heaviest hitters were into this year as much as we have!

(And please note that these are musicians and that they, um, have a lot on their minds. So some of ’em named albums that actually came out last year. Please don’t freak out.)

GUS G., FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE

1. Firewind, Days Of Defiance
2. Ozzy Osbourne, Scream
3. Scorpions, Sting In the Tail
4. Dimmu Borgir, Abrahadabra
5. Iron Maiden, The Final Frontier
6. Halford, Made Of Metal
7. Psycho Choke, Unraveling Chaos
8. Black Label Society, Order of the Black
9. Accept, Blood of the Nations
10. Black Sabbath feat. Tony Iommi, Seventh Star (re-issue)

DANNY RODRIGUEZ, THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD

1. Ion Dissonance, Cursed – I’ve always been a huge fan of Ion Dissonance, their second album, Solace, is easily my favorite tech metal album of all time. Ion Dissonance is brutal, technical brilliance at its finest. Cursed definitely delivers that. Their drummer, Jean-Fancois Richard, is a mastermind behind the kit. If you haven’t heard this album yet definitely give it a spin, for MATURE listeners only.

2. Fleshwrought, Dementia/Dyslexia – Navene Koperweis is a musical genius. Period. LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM.

3. Veil of Maya, ID – I’ve always loved Veil’s work and this album is awesome. Every song is very catchy and well written, but the main thing I get off of this album is the creativity.

4. Defeated Sanity, Chapters of Repugnance – Brutal as FUCK. This album is dark, devastating, and relentless. The artwork basically paints a good picture at to what you’re getting yourself into before you blast this cd.

5. The Tony Danza TapDance Extravaganza, Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events – Heavy as fuck. Catchy as fuck. This album did a good job at standing up to Danza 2: The Electric Boogaloo, which if you haven’t heard yet, you NEED to check out… after listening to Danza 3, that is ;)

6. Decrepit Birth, Polarity – Technical, melodic, progressive death metal with a lot of feeling. This album definitely sucks you in. Epic.

7. Ihsahn, After – [The Faceless’] Michael Keene got me into this band. It’s the lead singer/guitarist of Emperor’s solo project. It rules. End of story.

8. The Dillinger Escape Plan, Option Paralysis – Dillinger is one of those bands who is hard to top themselves. This album has some great songs on it, other songs are so-so. (for Dillinger that is) I definitely like this album more than Ire Works. However, it doesn’t stand up to Calculating Infinity or Miss Machine. Still a good album, worth checking out.

9. Deftones, Diamond Eyes – Great.

10. Periphery, S/T – This was a highly anticipated album for fans familiar with Bulb. This album definitely delivered the goods. Everything about this album from song structure to musicianship is great. It’s hard to NOT like this album.

JAMES MONTEITH, TESSERACT

1. Danza 3: The Series of Unfortunate Events — Josh’s off the wall technical riffing is taken to a new level on this record. Spazzy, crazy and fucking heavy!

2. Chimpspanner, At the Dream’s Edge — A real journey of an album. incredible (bedroom) production, great riffing, highly intelligent musical composition and the most tasteful cheese you’ve ever heard

3. Deftones, Diamond Eyes —  Their fattest sounding record yet. The guitars are massive and Chino’s haunting melodies sound even more accomplished than ever.

4. Terror, Keepers of the Faith — The best record to break stuff to this year. End of.

5. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow – great sludgy riffs and edgy melodies are as expected, although the song writing is definitely some of the band’s best yet

6. Periphery, Periphery — Technical riffing that will impress even the most technically proficient guitar players out there. What a debut this is!

7. Ion Dissonance, Cursed – The heaviest thing I have ever heard. Seriously, nothing is heavier than this. Nothing.

8. Proghma-C, Bar-do Travel — Awesome prog/post metal from poland. Reminiscent of Tool and Mastodon, but with their own weird edge. Very cool.

9. Cloudkicker, Beacons — A beautiful instrumental record — etherial atmosphere, big guitars, lush melodies, djizz.

10. Fear Factory, Mechanize — What a return to form from these metal pioneers. Dino rules, nuff said.

BRAD MACKINNON, BISON B.C.

1.Wormrot, Abuse — Crippling.
2.Ceremony, Rohnert Park — Punk as Fuck.
3.Coliseum, House with a Curse — Ryan, Mike and Carter can just keep on evolving because everything they’re writing just gets better and better.
4. Fuck the Facts, Live In Whitby — Released on cassette, fuck yes!
5.The Bastard Noise/The Endless Blockade, The Red List (split) — POWERFUL powerviolence
6. Neil Young, Le Noise
7. Kvelertak, S/T — I could listen to these dicks speak Norwenglish all goddamn day. This album gets me pumped, but live is where they do it best!
8. Darkthrone, Circle the Wagons — “Destroy the modern metal and bang your fucking head”
9. Slayer — World Painted Blood
10. Boris & Ian Astbury — BXI

JAMES FARWELL, BISON B.C.

1. Boris with Ian Astbury, BXI — Best thing since “Love Removal Machine.”

2. Grinderman, Grinderman II — “My baby says I’m like the Loch Ness Monster, two great big humps then I’m gone.” Enough said.

3. Deftones, Diamond Eyes — Pleasantly sincere for an over-produced album that may have been written to get someone laid.

4. Neil Young,  Le Noise – Thanks to Daniel Lanois for stepping away from U2 and getting weird with Neil.

5. Nu Sensae, TV, Death and the Devil – One of the best bands in Vancouver right now, a pleasure to see live.

6. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mojo – Can still write a fucking song.

7. Death Angel, Relentless Revolution – Thanks for not turning nu-metal.

8. Coliseum,  House With a Curse – Indeed a grower – change of pace, but seeing it live blew me away.

9. Bad Religion, The Dissent of Man – Still writing epically catchy tunes with the same four chords – you fucking try to do that, and go out and get five thousand college degrees.

10. Kvelertak, Kvelertak – Well, singing in their native tongue, and I think some of those riffs are pure Norway as well, without the sailor hats that is. These peckersniffs are gonna be huge.

JERRY GARCIA, BONDED BY BLOOD

1. Holy Grail, Crisis in Utopia — Gave me a chubby and a half.

2. Exodus, Exhibit B — RIffffffffffffs!!!!

3. Heathen, The Evolution of Chaos — Amazing song structures and killer lead guitar work.

4. Overkill, Ironbound — Still showing people how its done!

5. Bonded By Blood, Exiled to Earth — Is it wrong to like your own bands release? If so, then fuck off — this is my list, not yours.

6. Lich King, World Gone Dead — Great riffs, I like what I hear, and apparently the king IS here.

7. Megadeth, Endgame — Even though it was released last year, it still surpasses most of this years releases. Lyrical subject matter, riffs, & solos!

8. The Black Dahlia Murder, Deflorate — Another album that was released last year and is still kicking my ass! Quite possibly my favorite release since 2009, right next to Megadeth’s Endgame.

SHAUN EMMONS, HAARP

1. Godflesh, Streetcleaner reissue
2. Arson Anthem, Insecurity Notoriety
3. Torche, Songs for Singles
4. The Roller, Wasted Heritage
5. Melvins, The Bride Screamed Murder
6. Kill The Client, Set For Extinction
7. The Sursiks, I Didn’t Know I Was Singing
8. Howl, Full Of Hell
9. Omean, Sea God
10. Warbeast, Krush The Enemy

GRANT TOM, HAARP

1. Autopsy, The Tomb Within
2. Satanic Warmaster, Nachzehrer
3. Triptykon, Eparistera Daimones
4. 1349, Demonoir
5. Drudkh, Handful of Stars
6. Burzum, Belus
7. Ramesses, Take the Curse
8. Torche, Songs for Singles
9. Sahg, Sahg III
10. Malevolent Creation, Invidious Dominion

KEITH SIERRA JR., HAARP

1. Autopsy, The Tomb Within
2. Admiral Angry, A Fire to Burn Down the World
3. Ramesses, Take the Curse
4. Salome, Terminal
5. Torche, Songs for Singles
6. The Dreamers, Ipos:The Book of Angels Vol. 14
7. Kill the Client, Set for Extinction
8. Howl, Full of Hell
9. Suma, Ahses
10. Unearthly Trance, V

RICHARD SJUNNESSON, THE UNGUIDED, EX-SONIC SYNDICATE

1. Blind Guardian, At The Edge Of Time — Well, seeing as they are my personal gods, it wouldn’t matter how the CD sounded, I’d still buy it and love it, hehe ;) “Sacred Words,” “Road of No Release,” and “A Voice in the Dark” is top favs!

2.Dimmu Borgir, Abrahadabra — Even after losing two members, Dimmu comes out stronger than ever! I think Abrahadabra blows In Sorte Diaboli out of the water.

3. Parkway Drive, Deep Blue — Impressed alot on me! First time I got in contact with the Australian band and the vocals and heaviness are just ace.

4. As I Lay Dying, The Powerless Rise — Maybe not their strongest release, but still really solid!

5. Heaven Shall Burn,  Invictus — HSB is everything I loved about the 90’s death metal scene, and Marcus Bischoff vocals are top five in the world to me.

6. Kamelot, Poetry For The Poisoned — Doesn’t beat Karma or The Fourth Legacy, but still solid and very dynamic album. It’s almost the only power metal band I listen to, save for Blind Guardian.

7.Amorphis, Magic & Mayhem — Heavy and oldschool as fuck! Tomi Joutsen proves just how tallented a heavy vocalist he is, which didn’t do as much on the last effort, seeing as it was more clean singing.

8.Raubtier, Skriet Från Vildmarken — Best band from Sweden, hands down!

9. Soilwork, The Panic Broadcast — Not Stabbing the Drama, but kills Sworn to a Great Divide any hour of the week!

10. Stone Sour, Audio Secrecy — Well… Had its moments. I like Corey’s voice, but I think the songs could have been more creative. Still enjoyable.

TREVOR BIRNIE, ANNEX THEORY, EX-QUO VADIS

1. Periphery, S/T
2. Baptized in Blood, S/T
3. Fear Factory, Mechanize
4. Underoath,  Ø (Disambiguation)
5. Deftones, Diamond Eyes
6. Comeback Kid, Symptoms & Cures
7. Solution 45, For Aeons Past
8. Vanisher, The History Of Saints
9. A Day to Remember, What Separates Me from You
10. The Ocean, Anthropocentric