Top 20
1. Triptykon – Eparistera Daimones
After the demise of the mighty Celtic Frost, Mr T.G. Warrior went on and formed Triptykon. The band’s debut album Eparistera Daimones presents the pure hate and anger of Mr. Warrior from beginning to end. The songs are massive, heavy, and above all depressive crowning all the Daimones experience.
2. Hail Of Bullets – On Divine Winds
Hail Of Bullets visited the Finnish metal fest Jalometalli Festival up in Oulu. The five piece’s delivery was a bone and crushing experience. It was therefore more than logical to expect more war based death metal from these Dutch warriors. On Divine Winds is another piece of brutal death metal art which will be remembered for years to come.
3. Immolation – Majesty and Decay
The legendary NY death metallers combo have always released outstanding great outputs since the demo days. No compromises, no sell out, no gothic keyboards or other added tricks. Just pure death metal in the old school mindest. Excellent!
4. Overkill – Ironbound
5. Kylesa – Spiral Shadow
6. Atheist – Jupiter
7. Halford – Made of Metal
8. Melechesh – The Epigenesis
9. Watain – Lawless Darkness
10. Forbidden – Omega Wave
11. Accept – Blood of the Nations
12. Danzig – Deth Red Sabaoth
13. Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier
14. Death Angel – Relentless Retribution
15. Rotting Christ – Aealo
16. Hour of Penance – Paradogma
17. Soulfly – Omen
18. Grand Magus – Hammer Of The North
19. Ufomammut – Eve
20. Spiritual Beggars –Return To Zero
Best New Band
Ghost – Opus Eponymous
The Swedish band GHOST came as a huge surprise with their grim and occult image reminding slightly of the mighty Mercyful Fate. Ghost’s occult metal with old heavy metal influences gives real chilling shivers. Above all, the band’s vocalist’s outlook is quite creepy.
Best Metal DVD/Blu-Ray
Heaven And Hell – Live at Wacken
Does this need any explaination? Well Heaven And Hell was absolutely great when playing in Helsinki in the old ice hall and a week later at Sweden Rock. The Wacken show is basically the same as was seen at Sweden Rock. Ronnie James Dio’s premature move to the end of the rainbow increases the value and respect toward the last Heaven And Hell shows. This is the best concert you could of attended in 2010!
Best Live Show
Carcass at Jalometalli in Oulu. The band sounded tight and clear and above all murderous.
Album disappointments of 2010
1. The latest Iron Maiden output “The Final Frontier” didn’t convince me at all.
2. The newest Ozzy Osbourne Scream. I still prefer the 80’s albums.
Greatest hopes for 2011
Seriously I rather not predict anything as the year 2010 was already a full of setbacks and unwanted pieces of news and major disappointments from the world of heavy metal.
