Metal-Rules.com Best of 2003
	Best of 2003 It's that time of year once again, the time when we, the staff of Metal-Rules.com, compile our best of lists to derive the top albums of the year. Below is the overall top 50 derived from each staff member's top 20 of the year. Points are scored with 20 points for #1, 19 for #2,....1 point for #20. Within each staff members lists you can also see each person's selections for best DVD of 2003, best new band, greatest hopes for 2004, and of course their disappointments of the year. Some restrictions were placed on the lists. The top album are for releases from 2003 that all full albums, not EP's or demos. They also had to be new albums for 2003, not re-recordings, re-releases, or live material. For best new band the restriction is that the band's debut full-length album (not including demos or EP's) had to be a 2003 release.   The Top 50 Heavy Metal Albums of 2003 #1. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death Even though Iron Maiden's new album didn't top the majority of our staff's personal lists, it was placed in nearly all of our top 20 lists. As such, it scored very highly with a whopping 247 points (in comparison, the #2 spot trailed behind with 147 points). DANCE OF DEATH was a welcome comeback from Maiden. This is NOT the quintessential Maiden CD by any means, but tracks like "Paschendale," "Montségur" and "Dance of Death" have ushered the band back into the minds of yet another generation of metalheads. [Review] #2. King Diamond - THE Puppet Master THE PUPPET MASTER is King Diamond's best CD in years.  He is still able to keep the concept album fresh by creating macabre tales and backing them up with outstanding music and players.  “Magic,” “Emerencia” and “Blood To Walk” are all standout tracks on what is clearly one of the year's best albums. [Review] #3. Helloween - Rabbit Don’t Come Easy The kings of German power metal have returned to the sound they are best known for: the "happy happy helloween" style that has taken the band to new heights on the tongue in cheek entitled RABBIT DON'T COME EASY. [Review] #4. Grave Digger - Rheingold Grave Digger's RHEINGOLD is a concept album based on composer Richard Wagner’s The Ring/The Nibelungs operas. Grave Digger unload with both barrels on this album. The speed metal side of Grave Digger and the epic power metal side of the band come together seamlessly into what is simply a monstrously heavy, absolutely incredible work. [Review] #5. Black Label Society - THE Blessed Hellride THE BLESSED HELLRIDE continues the tradition of southern blues-influenced American metal from Zakk Wylde. The sound Wylde gets out of his cavalcade of axes is always stunning and he continues to make himself comfortable among this generation’s greats. If you've yet to check out a BLS album, then this is the one to get as it is easily the best BLS to date!  [Review] #6. Cage - Darker Than Black Power metal, American style. With Halford-like influences, Sean Peck is one of the best vocalists to come from this side of the Atlantic in years. The perfect synergy of memorable riffs, chugging rhythms and catchy choruses establishes Cage as a powerhouse of American underground metal. [Review] #7. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon The sweeping sounds of an orchestra are perfectly interlaced with black metal riffs and blastbeats. This is the band's most ambitious work yet and deserves to be the crossover success that it is. [Review] #8. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion The Amott brothers have taken Arch Enemy in a slightly new and catchy direction on ANTHEMS OF REBELLION. Thankfully, the guitar wizardry we've come to expect is very much intact, if not at the forefront. The sophomore effort for Angela Gossow also features her distinct presence in the writing and lyrics dept., which no doubt added to the album. [Review] #9. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality Seattle’s own unclassifiable, yet metal, band has returned with a vengeance.  Stellar solos from Jeff Loomis and the soaring and haunting vocals of Warrel Dane highlight this short but sweet release. [Review] #10. Usurper - Twilight Dominion This is primal fucking metal. Twilight Dominion is a stripped down, bare bones, shitkicker; the ugliness rises to the top of the heap and so it stands as our number 10 pick. Need more? Usurper is a no bullshit, blue collar American metal band and this is their finest album to date. In Usurper We Trust. [Review]   Number 11 to 20............. #11 Agent Steel - Order of the Illuminati #12 Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild #13 Alice Cooper - Eyes Of Alice Cooper #14 Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll #15 Dream Evil - Evilized #16 Tarot - Suffer Our Pleasure #17 Overkill - Killbox 13 #18 Rage - Soundchaser #19 Anthrax - We've Come For You All #20 Masterplan - S/T Number 21 to 50............. #21 Moonsorrow Kivenkantaja #22 Poisonblack Escapexstacy #23 Seven Witches Passage To The Other Side #24 Morbid Angel Heretic #25 Lynch Pilson Wicked Underground #26 Lost Horizon A Flame to the Ground Beneath #27 Bathory Nordland II #28 Brainstorm Soul Temptation #29 Nightrage Sweet Vengeance #30 Evergrey Recreation Day #31 Soilwork Figure Number 5 #32 Dark Moor SELF TITLED #33 Kamelot EPICA #34 Falkenbach Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty #35 Krisiun Works of Carnage #36 Destruction Metal Discharge #37 Old Man's Child In Defiance of Existence #38 The Darkness Permission To Land #39 Doomsword Let Battle Commence #40 Dream Theater Train of Thought #41 Entombed Inferno #42 Skid Row Thickskin #43 Circle II Circle Watching in Silence #44 Cradle of Filth Damnation and a Day #45 Queensryche Tribe #46 The Haunted One Kill Wonder #47 Firewind Burning Earth #48 Twisted Tower Dire Crest of the Martyrs #49 Type O Negative Life Is Killing Me #50 Mago de Oz Gaia Top 20 Staff Selections For 2003 Includes: best new band, best DVD, greatest hopes for 2004, and disappointments of the year. EvilG #1. Seven Witches - Passage To The Other Side This album kind of crept it's way up my list as it took shape. I didn't set out to make this #1, but when I was thinking of all the albums I've heard in 2003, and the ones I've kept in heavy rotation since their release, this one came out on top. This album is easily the best that Seven Witches has done with their strongest song writing, production, solos, etc. Hopefully Jack Frost can keep this line-up together for another album.  # 2. Cage - Darker than Black Nailing down the top 3-4 albums in a top 20 is so damn hard to do because depending on my mood, I felt that I could have rearranged any of the top few. At #2 for this year I'm going with Cage's album DARKER THAN BLACK. What put this over the top for me is the vocal acrobatics of Sean Peck mixed with a solid heavy metal sound full of excellent riffing. Built  upon a strong foundation in traditional metal some thrash and black metal elements peek through here and there offering something for almost everyone. Like the Seven Witches album, I also think this is the best Cage album to date.  3. Helloween - Rabbit Don’t Come Easy 4. Agent Steel - Order of the Illuminati 5. Kamelot - Epica 6. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion 7. Overkill - Killbox 13 8. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 9. Lost Horizon - Flame To The The     Ground Beneath 10. Grave Digger - Rheingold 11. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality 12. Stratovarius - Elements Pt. I & II 13. Sinner - There Will Be Execution 14. VoiVod - VoiVod 15. Dream Evil - Evilized 16. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon 17. Soilwork - Figure Number Five 18. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 19. Dark Moor - S/T 20. Moonspell - The Antidote Best New Band As a big fan of Savatage, I've been looking forward to the return of vocalist Zak Stevens to the metal realm. He finally returned earlier in 2003 with a new band and album.  Best DVD Saxon - Chronicles This DVD has it all from the excellent concert filmed at Wacken, the interview with Biff, the videos, etc. The only other DVD that came close to knocking this one out of the #1 spot for 2003 is the new excellent new Primal Fear DVD. Disappointments 1. Skid Row - Thickskin I do like some of this album and I am very glad that Skid Row are back. Half of this album is great and makes me ALMOST forgive the other half. The best part of the album are the rocking songs like "Thick Is The Skin" "Hittin’ A Wall", & even "New Generation". Then there are the forgettable alternative radio rock songs like "Ghost", "Mouth Of Voodoo", and the blasphemous punk version of a classic Skid Row song now entitled "I Remember You Two". After all the years with no Skid Row I was hoping for a much stronger album with less of a radio friendly face. 2. Timo K. and Jorg M. leaving Stratovarius Stratovarius are one of my favorite bands. The loss of two key members from the band is a major blow. Even if Timo T. is able to find an excellent replacement singer the sound of the band will be forever altered. 3. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild It's not that this is a bad CD, but for some reason nothing on this album grabbed my attention like the material on ECLIPTICA or SILENCE. Maybe I didn't spin it enough times, or maybe I'm getting tired of too many overly happy power metal bands? hmm... Greatest Hopes For 2004 My greatest hope is for the new Death Angel CD. I am hoping it will be as memorable as ACT III with some of the raw thrash appeal of THE ULTRA VIOLENCE. Other albums that I have high hopes for would be the new Judas Priest with Halford back in the band, the new Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden, and Primal Fear - Devil's Ground amongst others too numerous to list. Rick 1. Brainstorm – Soul Temptation Brainstorm have outdone themselves on their latest offering, SOUL TEMPTATION. Their style of aggressive power metal has taken 5 albums to perfect but the wait has been worth it. With the addition of vocalist extraordinaire Andy B. Franck for the 2000 release AMBIGUITY, Brainstorm have cut a wide swath through the power metal ranks with few bands able to match them and their blend of power, aggression and melody. Soul Temptation is the culmination of the Franck era and hopefully only a beginning of the dominance of Brainstorm. 2. Circle II Circle – Watching in Silence Zak Stevens returned in 2003 with a new band called CircleIICircle and a new CD called WATCHING IN SILENCE. With a little help from his former Savatage mates Jon Oliva and Chris Caffrey, Stevens released one of the strongest discs of the year. Though similarities between CIIC and Savatage abound Zak was finally given the opportunity to be the master at the helm of his own project and the results are stellar. 3.Tarot – Suffer Our Pleasures 4. King Diamond – The Puppet Master 5. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality 6. Kamelot – Epica 7. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon 8. Helloween - Rabbit Don’t Come Easy 9. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 10. Overkill - Killbox 13 11. Firewind – Burning Earth 12. Agent Steel - Order of the Illuminati 13. Seven Witches - Passage To The Other Side 14. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 15. Evergrey - Recreation Day 16. Grave Digger - Rheingold 17. Dream Evil - Evilized 18. Burning Point – Feeding the Flames 19. Stratovarius - Elements Pt.1&2 20. Rage - Soundchaser Best New Band Zak Stevens returned in 2003 with a new band called CircleIICircle and a new CD called WATCHING IN SILENCE. With a little help from his former Savatage mates Jon Oliva and Chris Caffrey, Stevens released one of the strongest discs of the year. Though similarities between CIIC and Savatage abound Zak was finally given the opportunity to be the master at the helm with his own project and the results are stellar. Best DVD Dio EVIL OR DIVINE Being a huge fan of one of metals greatest vocalists has no doubt lead me to this particular choice for best DVD. The disc might not have the extras of some of the other DVDs that came along this year but what it lacks in quantity of material it makes up for in quality as Dio and his mates deliver a solid performance that runs the gamut of his years with Rainbow through Black Sabbath and onto his varied solo material. Truly a great performance from one of metal’s GODS!!!! Disappointments 1. Skid Row – Thickskin After such a long wait this is the best that they could do? Being a huge fan of Skid Row I was hoping that the band could recapture some of their former glory now that Snake and Rachel seemed musically refreshed and new singer Johnny Solinger was firmly established in the band. Instead what we got was 1 good new song and a plethora of Matchbox 20 cast offs. Not exactly a return to form. 2. Queensryche – Tribe I should have learned my lesson by now…… Greatest Hopes For 2004 Velvet Revolver Slash’s history of working with mentally unstable vocalists is the only handicap of this much hyped unit. First it was W. Axl Rose and now Scott Weiland ex-Stone Temple Pilots. If Slash and his former Guns-n-Roses mates can straighten out this wingnut then maybe Velvet Revolver will be an impact player. JP (Just Power) 1. Rage - Soundchaser The perfect blend between the melody of "Welcome To The Other Side" and the heaviness of "Unity". The perfect lineup for rage, stabilized at last? 2. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild 3. Bob Cately - When Empires Burn 4. Space Odyessy - Embrace The Galaxy 5. Firewind - Burning Earth 6. Nostradameus - The Third Prophecy 7. Ark Storm - Beginning Of The New Legend 8. Bathory - Nordland II 9. Soulless - Agony's Lament 10. Omnium Gatherum - Spirits and August Light 11. Madder Mortem - Deadlands 12. Norther - Mirror Of Madness 13. Summer Dying-One Last taste of Temptation 14. Goathorn - Storming The Gates 15. Lake of Tears - The Neonai 16. Elvira Madigan - Witches 17. Unearthly - Infernum 18. Nail Within - Nail Within 19. Type O Negative - Life Is Killing Me 20. King's X - Black Like Sunday Best New Band Space Odyessy - Embrace The Galaxy Best Metal DVD Kiss SYMPHONY Disappointments 1. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion Unfortunate decision to play for commercial acceptance which succeeded in terms of sales but lost credibility with me.  2. Grave Digger-Rheingold Didn't meet expectations. Lewis is sorely missed.  3. Genius - A Rock Opera With the calibre of talent involved it should have been better. Greatest Hope For 2004 Aina - Days Of Rising Doom A Metal Opera Could this be Paeth's greatest triumph and the project that knocks Rhapsody and Avantasia off the top of the heap? Luxi Lahtinen 1. Iron Maiden - DANCE OF DEATH Despite a somewhat horribly shocking cover, the most successful British Heavy Metal band of all time proved that they still have an incredible ability to write excellent songs ("No More Lies," "Dance of Death," "Paschendale," "Face in the Sand," etc.). This makes them the absolute biggest and most adored band by many metalheads worldwide in 2003. Therefore DANCE OF DEATH has rightfully earned its 1st place spot on my personal TOP 20 list this year. Up the fucking irons!! 2. Moonsorrow - KIVENKANTAJA I have always been a fan of epic and bombastic sounds. Since I heard Finland´s own ´Heathen Pagan Metallers´ 2nd full-length album VOIMASTA JA KUNNIASTA (OF STRENGTH AND HONOR) in 2002, I was immediately blown away. On their 3rd album Moonsorrow brought their epic sound even further, writing more lengthy, atmospheric, colossally moving, nearly soundtrack-ish ´battle sagas´ and really proving to be leaders in the department of all epic and bottomlessly folkish sounds. In the name of glory, honor and death... Moonsorrow´s KIVENKANTAJA reached the 2nd position on my album list in 2003 because of all those very strong ingredients listed above. ´No Johan on perrrkelettä...!!´. 3. Dimmu Borgir - DEATH CULT ARMAGEDDON 4. Tarot - SUFFER OUR PLEASURES 5. Agent Steel - ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI 6. Usurper - TWILIGHT DOMINION 7. Melechesh - SPHYNX 8. Deathchain - DEADMEAT DISCIPLES 9. King Diamond - THE PUPPET MASTER 10. Vorkreist - SABBATHICAL FLESH       POSSESSION 11. Vital Remains - DECHRISTIANIZE 12. The Haunted - ONE KILL WONDER 13. Luciferion - THE APOSTATE 14. Dew-Scented - IMPACT 15. Mokoma - KURIMUS 16. Kalmah - SWAMPSONG 17. Krux - S/T 18. Naglfar - SHEOL 19. Destruction - METAL DISCHARGE 20. Reverend Bizarre - IN THE RECTORY OF      BIZARRE REVEREND Best New Band Deathchain I had heard many good things about this relatively young Finnish band in advance, people basically praising and hyping them as ´The New Metal Hopes´ of the Finnish Metal scene for churning out their fast and furious, a bit Slayer-tinged ´deathrashing´ metal with such a devoted and ambitious way that makes an ´ol-skool´ Thrash/Death banger cry in joy... Well, it metaphorically nearly did for me indeed when I eventually placed the band´s debut album called DEADMEAT DISCIPLES into my CD-player for the very 1st time. Oddly all the huge talk about them was so true after all... Best Metal DVD Kreator - LIVE KREATION / REVISIONED GLORY I just have never seen a bad live show from these German Thrash -heroes and this DVD from them only proves that the entertainment level of the band´s live performance is very high all the time. ´nuff said, I guess... Disappointments Retallica - ST. "Cancer" Well, my shameless twist both from the band name and the album title should say it loud and clear already, shouldn´t it? There were a few other albums that were slight disappointments to me in 2003, but none of them even came near or topped these ´millionaires - wanna - play - for - their - own - funl´ latest package of shitty songs with a real shitty sound. Please do us metalheads a big favor and split up for good. You should realize that you have lost the game a long time ago. Greatest Hopes For 2004 Without no question... the Bay Area Thrash -veterans Exodus has returned to the very top of the Thrash Metal elite by a storm with their BEST album to date since their both BONDED BY BLOOD and PLEASURES OF THE FLESH albums. TEMPO OF THE DAMNED is not only a fantastic Thrash Metal album, full of great songs that truly stand out, but also gives a good lesson (in catchiness and kick-assness.  for younger generations how basically Thrash Metal can sound Thrash Metal without ´pretending´ to be Thrash just for the sake of this particular genre. A new revival of a testosterone-filled Thrash Metal starts off right from TEMPO OF THE DAMNED in February 2004... and the year 2004 will unquestionably be a great year for the whole Thrash Metal genre all in all (just keeping your eyes out and ears bleeding f.ex. for the new albums of Dark Angel and Death Angel!! ;.  Lord of the Wasteland 1. King Diamond - THE PUPPET MASTER Not only is THE PUPPET MASTER my pick for Best Album of 2003, it is also among the top releases from King Diamond EVER! The music and the story are nothing less than perfect and King should be proud to bounce back from last year’s crappy sequel, ABIGAIL II: THE REVENGE, to take top honors. Cool idea for the bonus disc, too! 2. Morbid Angel - HERETIC Trey Azagthoth has made a bold, artistic move with this CD. Not only has the band streamlined itself into a 3-piece once again, but the final third of the album is nothing but instrumental tracks. Despite subtle reminders of their first album present, what should have been a disaster is one of 2003’s highlights. 3. The Devin Townsend Band - ACCELERATED     EVOLUTION 4. Krisiun - WORKS OF CARNAGE 5. The Crown - POSSESSED 13 6. Dream Theater - TRAIN OF THOUGHT 7. Nevermore - ENEMIES OF REALITY 8. Children of Bodom -HATE CREW DEATHROLL 9. Six Feet Under - BRINGER OF BLOOD 10. Dimmu Borgir - DEATH CULT ARMAGEDDON 11. Soilwork - FIGURE NUMBER FIVE 12. Vital Remains - DECHRISTIANIZE 13. Skid Row - THICK SKIN 14. Iron Maiden - DANCE OF DEATH 15. Bruce Kulick - TRANSFORMER 16. Strapping Young Lad - SYL 17. Arch Enemy - ANTHEMS OF REBELLION 18. Cage  - DARKER THAN BLACK 19. The Haunted - ONE KILL WONDER 20. Akercocke - CHORONZON Best New Band Nightrage Will there be another Nightrage album? Who knows? Featuring members of The Haunted, Dream Evil and Evergrey and Tomas Lindberg on vocals, this was a “supergroup” of sorts. Given everyone’s other musical priorities, I hope they can reconvene for another album because SWEET VENGEANCE is…well, SWEET! Best Metal DVD Kiss SYMPHONY Kiss has always been about “the show” and going over-the-top. This 2-disc set features the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and embodies everything that is great about Kiss. All the hits are here and some cool extras, too.   Disappointments 1.Superjoint Ritual - A LETHAL DOSE OF AMERICAN HATRED With Down and his fifty other bands, Phil Anselmo has spread himself a bit thin and it shows on this CD. Last year’s USE ONCE & DESTROY was a great disc. Its follow-up is not. 2. Sepultura - ROORBACK Oh, how I’d hoped the omission of tribal beats and dozens of guests would create a Sepultura album more in the “classic” vein. ROORBACK IS better than NATION and AGAINST but still a far cry from the glory days of ARISE and CHAOS A.D. Greatest Hope for 2004 The new CD from Judas Priest & Rob Halford. The “metal god” has returned! This CD will be the most scrutinized release of 2004 and anything less than stellar will be considered a failure. Topping their dismal DEMOLITION CD won’t be difficult, but being responsible for creating a worthy follow up to their last Halford-era CD, PAINKILLER, is not an envious position to be in. Here’s to the mighty Priest and let’s all cross our fingers!! Waspman 1. Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance Nightrage hit the metal scene like a nuclear bomb in 2003. Led by Greek guitarist Marios Iliopoulos and vocal legend Tomas Lindberg, the band intensified and improved on Swedish melodic death metal in every way. Both crushing and catchy, this album stands tall above all others. 2. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death After the great comeback in 2000, these old English sods came back and proved that it wasn't a mere fluke. Dance of Death is simply the best Iron Maiden album since 1988, and one of the best albums of this century. 3. Brainstorm - Soul Temptation 4. Throttlerod - Hell and High Water 5. Pharaoh - After the Fire 6. Swallow the Sun - Morning Never Came 7. Old Man's Child - In Defiance of Existence 8. Sargeist - Satanic Black Devotion 9. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon 10. Goat Horn - Storming the Gates 11. Cradle of Filth - Damnation and a Day 12. Dream Theater - Train of Thought 13. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 14. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality 15. Labyrinth - Labyrinth 16. Twisted Tower Dire - Crest of the Martyrs 17. Freya - As the Last Light Drains 18. Gordion Knot - Emergent 19. Five Horse Johnson - The Last Men on Earth 20. Chinchilla - Madtropolis Best New Band Swallow the Sun Their Morning Never Came debut is a devastating knockout. Slow and gloomy, the album is everything that a fantastic doom album should be. These guys will rule for years to come. Best Metal DVD Slayer - War at the Warfield I admit that I haven't seen too many new metal DVDs this year, but I highly doubt that any of them could match this one for pure intensity and sheer number of awesome songs. Yeah, this is the best, in spite of the lame "fan" segment.   Disappointments Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy This album has exactly seven great songs. The other five are naff at best. After the brilliance of The Dark Ride and Better Than Raw, that just doesn't cut it. Greenleaf - Secret Alphabets I've never been let down by a stoner rock band on Small Stone Records before, but I guess there's a first for everything. This album just didn't have the riffs. Transport League - Grand Amputation Their previous album was actually OK, but for whatever reason they decided to descend into mallcore idiocy here. Greatest hope for 2004 The new Heathen album! Death Angel's new one will come close, but I've always felt closer somehow to Heathen. A needed kick in the thrash ass is coming! Michael De Los Muertos 1. At Vance ~ THE EVIL IN YOU For an album that I didn't have high hopes for, At Vance's new effort totally took me by surprise. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but even without longtime vocalist Oliver Hartmann, At Vance have climbed higher with this album than any of their previous discs. An amazing, catchy and extremely well-done collection of songs, THE EVIL IN YOU epitomizes what power metal should be. 2. Moonsorrow ~ KIVENKANTAJA This full-on assault of melodic metal is masterful in drawing together elements as disparate as folk and power metal, to go the farthest down the trail this year that band like Finntroll and Vintersorg have done in years past. Full of very listenable, hard-hitting tunes, KIVENKANTAJA is one of the albums I've played the most during 2003. 3. Grave Digger ~ RHEINGOLD 4. Helloween ~ RABBIT DON'T COME EASY 5. Galloglass ~ LEGENDS FROM NOW     AND NEVERMORE 6. Falconer ~ THE SCEPTRE OF DECEPTION 7. Dark Moor ~ S/T 8. Iron Maiden ~ DANCE OF DEATH 9. Dimmu Borgir ~ DEATH CULT ARMAGEDDON 10. Finntroll ~ VISOR ON SLUTET 11. Runemagick ~ DARKNESS DEATH DOOM 12. Vhaldemar ~ I MADE MY OWN HELL 13. Graveworm ~ ENGRAVED IN BLACK 14. Black Label Society ~ THE BLESSED       HELLRIDE 15. Mourning Beloveth ~ THE SULLEN SULCUS 16. Sonata Arctica ~ WINTERHEARTS GUILD 17. Mago de Oz ~ GAIA 18. Doomsword ~ LET BATTLE COMMENCE 19. Divine Rapture ~ THE BURNING PASSION 20. Naer Mataron ~ RIVER AT DASH SCALDING Best New Band Galloglass Disappointments There were many disappointments for me in 2003, which generally I thought was the weakest year for metal releases in quite some time. Lost Horizon's A FLAME TO THE GROUND BENEATH fell incredibly short of expectations, as did Stratovarius's ELEMENTS. Even DANCE OF DEATH (which I suspect may make the top of the collective M-R list, simply because it will be somewhere on everyone's list.  was disappointingly simple for Iron Maiden. A new Iron Maiden album should automatically be the best album of the year, regardless. The fact that DANCE OF DEATH had to claw to get to #8 on my list is itself disappointing! Greatest Hope for 2004 Chaosbreed Hard-hitting, bloodthirsty Finnish death metal--after the crushing success of their 2003 EP UNLEASHED CARNAGE, I hope they reduce Europe to a smoking ruin in 2004! John (Night Of The Realm)  1. Cage - Darker than Black I called this one as "Album of the Year" on its very first spin, and my word still holds true. This is a textbook example of heavy metal: leads, riffs, catchy songs, heavy guitars, great lyrics, killer songwriting, incredible packaging. I'm glad that these US Power Metallers are finally getting the attention they deserve as they just keep improving with each album. 2. Grave Digger - Rheingold Ok, I got RHEINGOLD the very same day as I got the Cage disc, and I also called it album of the year. I was hard-pressed to choose my favourite of the two, but Grave Digger's best album to date fell just short of Cage's masterpiece. RHEINGOLD is a great theme/concept album; the songs are heavy, catchy as hell, and to the point. A little basic in the songwriting department, but damn is it ever headbangable. 3. Twisted Tower Dire - The Crest of Martyrs 4. Agent Steel - Order of the Illuminati 5. Falkenbach - Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty 6. Hammers of Misfortune - The August Engine 7. Drudkh - Forgotten Legends 8. Doomsword - Let Battle Commence 9. Usurper - Twilight Dominion 10. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 11. Lord Weird Slough Feg, The - Traveller 12. Mago De Oz - Gaia 13. Dragonforce - Valley of the Damned 14. Aria - Christening by Fire 15. Majesty - Reign in Glory 16. Type O Negative - Life is Killing Me 17. Summer Dying - One Last Taste of       Temptation 18. Tierra Santa - Indomable 19. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 20. Paragon - The Dark Legacy Best New Band Dragonforce It was really difficult to pick a best new band this year as no other debut album made it into my top 20 this year, save Dragonforce - Valley of the Damned. Although Dragonforce has become quite well known before VotD was released due to their internet release of their demo 3 years ago, the full-length debut is one of my most highly anticipated albums of 2003. (NotR's note: Drudkh, the Ukranian epic pagan black metallers have put out the best debut full-length with FORGOTTEN LEGENDS, but I'm being nit-picky here and considering them a side project..  Best Metal DVD Mago De Oz - A Costa Da Rock I'm not big on DVDs myself, mostly because I rarely find an hour or two to sit down in front of the TV to watch one, but A COSTA DA ROCK is one of the best live DVDs I have ever seen. This DVD is perfect in every way. The sound and video quality is immaculate, and the tracklist could not be better. A COSTA DE ROCK only confirms the fact that I am at a loss because I have not yet seen this amazing band perform live. Disappointments As good as the 2003 releases have been, I have also had a lot of disappointments this year. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion For the first time in their career, Arch Enemy have let me down with an insipid, uninspired offering. Is this just a temporary stagnation, or, as much as I dig Angela Gossow's vocals, is it time to bring Liiva back in? Falconer - The Scepter of Deception I really miss Mathias Blad, but Kristoffer's vocals fill in Blad's shoes quite well. As such, it is the weakness in songwriting that brings this CD down. The musicianship still holds the Falconer riffs and gallop, but the songs have no teeth. Rakoth - Tiny Deaths Is this the same band that released the most excellent PLANESHIFT and JABBERWORKS? It certainly doesn't sound like it. Sounds like they've gone down the "avant-garde" and "experimental" way of such crap bands as labelmates Ephel Duath. The Rakoth doom/folk elements that I loved on the first albums are still here with "Tiny Deaths," "Planekeep the Crypt," and "Just another Lament," but the rest is just crap. Greatest Hope for 2004 I have some high hopes for the upcoming year, especially since the new Iced Earth and Exodus albums are even better than I could have hoped. What do I see in store, or at least hope to have?  1. The new Dark Angel, Death Angel, and Heathen(?) albums will all live up to my hopes, and all 3 bands will team up with Exodus for a massive thrash tour. 2. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest will be the headlining tour of the summer. 3. Blackie Lawless will bring WASP back around for the massive double album and an even more massive tour. 4. I'm hoping for new releases from Skyclad, Stormlord, and Elvenking to come soon. It's been too long for each. 5. Although Jeff Plate seemed a little doubtful when I spoke to him at the TSO concert, a new Savatage album or at least a tour would be the best 2004 event. That's all for now guys. Happy New Year and a Metal 2004 to you all! Celtic Bob 1. Bret Michaels - Songs Of Life A great CD from start to finish. Good party rock music from the Poison frontman.     2. Alice Cooper - The Eyes Of Alice Cooper Great to see Alice back doing classic material that made him big in the first place. 3. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 4. Skid Row - Thickskin 5. Harem Scarem - Higher 6. The Darkness - Permission To Land 7. Rikki Rockett - Glitter 4 Your Soul 8. Dream Evil - Evilized 9. Wycked Synn - The Vision 10. Lynch Pilson - Wicked Underground 11. Michael Monroe - So Watcha Want 12. Queensryche - Tribe 13. XYZ - Letter To God 14. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 15. Helloween - Rabbit Don’t Come Easy 16. Kamelot - Epica 17. Lost Horizon - Flame To The The      Ground Beneath 18. Sinner - There Will Be Execution 19. VoiVod - VoiVod 20. Stratovarius - Elements Pt. I & II Best New Band The Darkness I know they are not 100% metal but they are borderline and do cross it at times. This is the best "New" band I heard all year despite the fact that the vocals are annoying at times. Best Metal DVD Zakk Wylde`s Black Label Society - Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned       Disappointments David Lee Roth - Diamond Dave I always got high expectations for Dave but this time he let me down slightly. Greatest Hopes for 2004 There are 2 things I am hoping for in 2004 and both are Motley related. 1. A reunion tour and album by the 4 original members. 2. Nikki's band Brides Of Destruction hit it big and become huge putting good music back in the public's face. Arto Lehtinen 1. Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death 2. Agent Steel - Order Of The Illuminati 3. Necrodeath - Tones Of Death 4. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 5. Usurper - Twilight Dominion 6. Krisiun - Works Of Carnage 7. Morbid Angel - Heretic 8. Tarot - Suffer Our Pleasure 9. Force Of Evil - S/T 10. Strapping Young Lad - S/T 11. Entombed - Inferno 12. Machine Head - Through The Ashes      Of Empires  13. Murder Squad - Ravenous Murderous 14. VoiVod - S/T 15. Torture Squad - Pandemonium 16. Arch Enemy - Anthems Of Rebellion 17  Destruction - Metal Discharge 18. Vital Remains - Dechristianize 19. Maple Cross - The Next Chapter       (Hyva Jarkka.  20. Invocator - Through The Flesh To The Soul Best New Band 2003 Force Of Evil   A new band featuring Hank Shermann and Michael Denner axe duet of the mighty Mercyful Fate. Best DVD Primal Fear - The History Of Fear A kick ass DVD package from the German power metallers!!!!     Disappointments Sepultura Still around and still unleashing several crap albums in a row. What an utter shame from these fallen and former thrash metal gods. Maybe they should drag their asses back to the jungle? Stratovarius - Elements I & II Both albums are perfect examples of how bands can start writing so-so stuff after great albums. Fortunately some line up changes happened at last!! Type O Negative The most boring live band ever seen!!! Greatest Hopes for 2004 1. Metal-Rules.com will survive thru these hard times! 2. More and More brutal bands from Brazil!!! 3. Wacken and Sweden Rock - Heavy Metal parties!!!!!!! Anders Sandvall 1. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 2. Entombed - Inferno 3. Opus Atlantica - S/t 4. Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome 5. Passenger - S/t 6. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion 7. Dream Evil - Evilized 8. Machine Head - Trough The Ashes of Empires 9. Dimension Zero - This is hell 10. Hardcore Superstar - No regrets 11. Denata - Art of the Insane 12. Poisonblack - Escapexstay 13. Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance 14. Carnal Forge - The More You Suffer 15. Anthrax - We've Come For You All 16. Sepultura - Roorback 17. Richard Andersson's Space Odyssey -       Embrace the Galaxy 18. Murder Squad - Ravenous Murderous 19. Disfear - Misanthropic Generation 20. Last Tribe - The Uncrowned Best New Band 2003 The band/project Passenger with their brilliant and impressive self-titled debut album represents the best new band for 2003..  Disappointments 1. Ricky Warwick's - Tattoos and Alibis Here is an old hero that nowadays apparently does singing / song writing music that sucks. One of the most disappointing releases this year. 2. Dungeon - A Rise to Power Standard power metal from Australia. This years second most unnecessary release. 3. Thin Lizzy - Live Scott and John, maybe it's time to do something by yourselves and not abuse this band name anymore. You only do it for the money and nothing else. 4. Last Tribe This band has released 3 albums and still not made a live show, I'm still waiting! Greatest Hopes for 2004 Debase - the metal icons from Malmö, Sweden will release their third album UNLEASHED and to conquer the world with their new company and album which is due to be released at the beginning of '04. My expectations are very high on this album! Denata their third album "ART OF THE INSANE" were released late -03 were brilliant. Hopefully it will sell enough to put the guys out on the road. Marko Syrjälä 1. King Diamond - Puppet Master 2. Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death 3. Alice Cooper - Eyes Of Alice Cooper 4. Arch Enemy - Anthems Of Rebellion 5. Anthrax - We've Come For You All 6. Masterplan - Self-titled 7. Black Label Society - Blessed Hellride 8. Krokus - Rock The Block 9. Hughes Turner Project - HTP 2 10. Force Of Evil - Self-titled 11. Lullacry - Crucify My Heart 12. Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy 13. Dream Theater - Train Of Thought 14. Dream Evil - Evilized 15. Glenn Hughes - Songs From The        Key Of Rock 16. Rage - Soundchaser 17. Queensryche - Tribe 18. Deep Purple - Bananas 19. Skid Row - Thickskin 20. Victory - Instinct Best New Band 2003 Force Of Evil Disappointments 1. Stratovarius - Elements 1 & 2 What has happened for this band who once released high quality albums like Destiny and Visions? Maybe Tolkki noticed that himself and decided to do something about that? 2. Sepultura - Roorback This is their third album with Derrick. Still the whole album is really weak as are it's two predecessors. Beats Soulfly but that's not  much! Best DVD KISS - Symphony Looks good, sounds great. Also I was at that show myself!         Greatest Hopes for 2004 1. Lot's of new albums coming from my old fave bands: Judas Priest, Lizzy Borden, Exodus, Annihilator and Death Angel. 2. Many interesting re-unions and tours: Judas Priest, Europe, Mötley Crüe ... etc. 3. Nu/Rap-metal / Mallcore will die slowly but surely.  :.  Keith McDonald 1. Britny Fox - Springhead Motorshark Even I was surprised by this release. Maybe I was expecting some sappy 80's rock but what I got was a great guitar record. 2. Lynch Pilson - Wicked Underground 3. Alice Cooper - Eyes of Alice Cooper 4. Anthrax - We've Come For You All 5. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 6. Queensryche - Tribe 7. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 8. Hatebreed - The Rise of Brutality 9. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 10. Opeth - Damnation 11. Overkill - Killbox 13 12. Superjoint Ritual  - A Lethal Dose... 13. Michael Monroe - So Watcha Want 14. Type O Negative - Life is Killing Me 15. Cradle of Filth - Damnation and a Day 16. Bret Michaels - Songs of Life 17. Living Colour - Collidescope Best New Band 2003 Best DVD Mötley Crüe - 'Greatest Hits' You just gotta love the Crüe! Disappointments Skid Row - Thickskin I expected a little more from such great writers like Snake and Rachel. This isgood music but I'd rather see them get back with Bas and write they way they should. Greatest Hopes for 2004 Judas Priest new album and tour...enough said right there. Ice Maiden 1. Dark Moor - Dark Moor 2. Skyforger - Thunderforge 3. Falkenbach - Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty 4. Ancient Rites - And The Hordes Stood as One 5. Paragon - The Dark Legacy 6. Tierra Santa - Indomable 7. Grave Digger - Rheingold 8. Cage - Darker Than Black 9. Mago de Oz - Gaia 10. Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja 11. Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground       Beneath 12. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion 13. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 14. Vhaldemar - I Made My Own Hell 15. Dream Evil - Evilized 16. Falconer - The Sceptre of Deception 17. Seven Witches - Passage to the Other Side 18. Twisted Tower Dire - Crest of the Martyrs 19. Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathrow 20. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon Best New Band Extractor Disappointments The newest Dimmu Borgir release. Although I still think it is a strong album, and worthy of my Top 20, it doesn't have the same visceral appeal of Enthroned or Puritanical. Greatest Hope for 2004 I'd like to see Manowar and Stormlord play Wacken 2004. Best Concert 2003 As usual, nothing compares with the Wacken experience, but that sort of seems like cheating. The best non-festival concert experience for me in 2003 was probably Motorhead/Dio/Iron Maiden at the Cricket Pavillion in Phoenix, Arizona. CrashTest 1. Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll 2. Monstrosity - Rise To Power 3. Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride 4. Masterplan - S/T 5. Cage - Darker Than Black 6. OverKill - Killbox 13 7. Nightmare - Silent Room (A Virtual Drama.  8. Destruction - Metal Discharge 9. Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground     Beneath 10. Gorgasm - Masticate To Dominate 11. Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance 12. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 13. Evergrey - Recreation Day 14. Grave Digger - Rheingold 15. King Diamond - Puppet Master 16. Nevermore - Enemies Of Reality 17. CircleIICircle - S/T 18. Steel Attack - Predator of the Empire 19. Krisiun - Works of Carnage 20. Rage - Soundchaser Beat New Band Masterplan You just can't beat the combination of the amazing Jorn Lande on vocals with former Helloween members Roland Grapow and Uli Kisch. When it's all said and done, it's better that Grapow and Kusch are no longer with their former band. The result of the break from Helloween has produced a solid new band, a superior album and a permanent home for a great vocalist. Best Metal DVD Judas Priest - Electric Eye I'm not big on music DVDs. Most are good for one, maybe two, viewings and then it's off to eBay to be sold. This one is a real keeper. Great chronology of videos and a full Priest concert. Can't go wrong with that!   Disappointments Only two albums released in 2003 were truly ass-kicking experiences for me. Those were Children of Bodom's Hate Crew Deathroll and Monstrosity's Rise To Power. CoB has been kicking my ass all year, but Monstrosity just started beating me senseless when I picked their new one up this week! There are usually a half dozen or more albums every year that totally kick my ass, but not this year. A solid year for good metal releases, but it was a down year for great metal releases. I expect great things for 2004 though! 1. Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy After the amazing album that was The Dark Ride we get this mediocre slab of mostly generic, rehashed power metal with some of the worst lyrics the band has ever done. We all expect that Helloween will add some cheese to what they do, but this whole "something's growing in my pants" things is just plain limburger cheese. Rabbit Don't Come Easy is good for maybe 3-4 decent songs and the rest goes quickly down the crapper. Anybody wanna buy my copy? 2. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality The mix on the new Nevermore album. Absolutely gawd-awful! So muddy that I could barely stand to listen to it when I first picked up my copy. Though the mix makes it hard to appreciate the very solid metal to be found on Enemies Of Reality, in the end the album is still a keeper. Greatest Hopes for 2004 I originally called this one about 4-5 months ago and I still hold to this ... a world tour featuring a lineup of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Iced Earth. EvilG's requirement on this category was that the "greatest hope" be something realistic. Call me crazy for this prediction, but in 2004 you'll be calling me a prophet. Count on it! Wisco 1. Usurper - Twilight Dominion 2. Cage - Darker than Black 3. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 4. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 5. Metal Shop - Hole Patrol 6. Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy 7. Enuff Z'nuff - Welcome to Blue Island 8. Carpathian Forest - Defending the Throne      of Evil 9. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality 10. Gorgoroth - Twilight of the Idols 11. Lynch/Pilson - Wicked Underground 12. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon 13. Morbid Angel - Heretic 14. Darkthrone - Hate Them 15. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion 16. Marduk - World Funeral 17. Grave Digger - Rheingold 18. Lamb of God - As the Palaces Burn 19. Overkill - Killbox 13 20. Nebula - Atomic Ritual Beat New Band Metal Shop Remember Danger Kitty (i.e. Love Rocket)? Well, these are the same dudes. Do you want to experience 1987 all over again? If you answered yes, go grab yourself some Metal Shop. Best Metal DVD Motley Crue - Greatest Video Hits In 2003, new Maiden, Priest and Crue video compilations hit the shelves. Even though Priest is my favorite band of all time, Motley videos are second to none. It was a difficult decision, but I had to go with the Crue. Disappointments The Dance of Death album cover. We were hoping for a classic album cover and we got a dud. Oh well, we haven't had a classic cover from Maiden since Seventh Son. Actually, I find the new cover sort of amusing, what with the little kid on the wolf and all. However, Killers it is not. Greatest Hope for 2004 My greatest hope is going to happen. Judas Priest will indeed return to the throne of metal domination. Against the adamant tide of many o' metal authority (ahem, JP, cough), I've been predicting the reunion for years. Not only did the reunion announcement occur in 2003, but Ripper Owens switched over to Iced Earth and that's pretty fucking cool as well. In 2004, one thing is for sure… CAN'T STOP THE METAL MELTDOWN!!! Wisco's Top 5 Songs of 2003 1. Ravage - Terror's Head 2. Usurper - I Am Usurper 3. Cage - Eyes of Obsidian 4. Lamb of God - 11th hour 5. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death Patton 1. Usurper - Twilight Dominion I picked this album as the top album for 2003 because of it pure headbang - ability! Every time I listen to this blackened thrash masterpiece, I find my head banging of it's own free will. 2. Grave Digger - Rheingold Valhalla is possibly one of the best metal songs ever written (even with the crappy lyrics. . This album is class from start to finish, and continues Grave Digger's trend of releasing great albums. 3. The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Traveller 4. Virgin Black - Elegant...and Dying 5. Doomsword - Let Battle Commence 6. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 7. Destruction - Metal Discharge 8. Forest Stream - Tears Of Mortal Solitude 9. Farmakon - A Warm Glimpse 10. How Like A Winter - ... Beyond My      Grey Wake 11. Bathory - Nordland II 12. Concerto Moon - Life On The Wire 13. Dismal (I)  - Rubino Liquido 14. Runemagick - Darkness Death Doom 15. Cryptic Wintermoon - A Coming Storm 16. Cage - Darker Than Black 17. Cult of Luna - The Beyond 18. Geasa - Fates Lost Son 19. Pantheïst - O Solitude 20. Carpathian Forest - Defending the        Throne of Evil Best New Band 2003 Forest Stream This band formed back in 1995, but released their first full-length album in 2003. That album reached number 8 in my top 20 list, and hopefully these guys can do more great things in the future. Disappointments Voivod - s/t Greatest Hope for 2004 New My Dying Bride album. Enygma 1. ENSLAVED - Below The Lights When I first heard this album, I would not have expected it to appear at the top of my picks for this year. However, as with all brilliant albums, listening to this album has been a gradual process of discovery. The blend of 70's synths with slow and epic guitar solos, black metal vocals, sparse and tasteful clean chants, and the all-pervasive buzz of blackened guitars was mind-blowing, adding up to my most-listened album of the year. 2. OLD MAN'S CHILD - In Defiance Of Existence Much more difficult than the top spot, I eventually decided on "In Defiance" as runner-up to this year's metal harvest (even though any of my Top 10 could have made it. . Old Man's Child always struck me as playing in the Norwegian Black Metal minor leagues. Then came this brilliant slab of beautiful dark art featuring some of the strongest songwriting to date in Symphonic Black Metal - a genre often plagued by clichéd and generic composition. In defiance of my prejudice, this album proves that symphonic black metal still remains a compelling and feasible genre. 3. Arch Enemy - Anthems Of Rebellion 4. Rage - Soundchaser 5. Agro - Forthcoming 6. Bathory - Nordland Ii 7. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon 8. Grave Digger - Rheingold 9. Finntroll - Visor Om Slutet 10. Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll 11. Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death 12. Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy 13. Lacrimosa - Echoes 14. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild 15. Type O Negative - Life Is Killing Me 16. The Haunted - One Kill Wonder 17. Stratovarius - Elements Part II 18. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 19. Opeth - Damnation 20. The Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated       Evolution Best New Band 2003 An album that has helped me to channel my frustration during the final stretch and stress of this year is the new Century Media (US) band WATCH THEM DIE with their self-titled debut. Nothing ground-breaking or exceptionally original, but nonetheless oddly compelling. PS: Although not strictly speaking newcomers, the two Southern African bands ARCANA XXII and AGRO impressed me with their first internationally distributed full-length albums (both of which were released earlier this year in Europe. . Best DVD ENSLAVED - Live Retaliation This has been, arguably, the best year thus far for DVD's. There have been excellent offerings from KISS, Slayer, Nightwish, Primal Fear, Saxon and Dark Tranquillity, to name but a few (and I have not even seen the much-anticipated December releases by Doro and Manowar!). However, for me this has been the year of Enslaved. In addition to their album which I rate as the best of 2003, the Norwegian veterans have provided a gem of a DVD: showcasing a confident and mature (and still heavy!) delivery, with superlative and artful production by Poland's Metal Mind. A truly impressive and mandatory product!   Disappointments Only one album this year has really made me angry (pun most definitely intended!) at myself for having bought it against my better judgment (or shall we call it optimism?). But let us not dwell on that. An album that is bound to appear on many "Best Of" lists this year, but which I found rather mediocre even by the band's own fluctuating standards, was CRADLE OF FILTH's "Damnation and a Day". I had hoped that Dani and his rotating roster of musical minions would have been able to use Sony's vast resources to better effect. The album unfortunately ended up musically thin, boring, tepid and uninspired. By no means the worst album of the year, "Damnation" simply fell far short of the pre-release hype. Greatest Hope for 2004 May the long promised new Black Sabbath album finally see the light (or darkness!) of the world. May Stratovarius successfully sort out the mess they have gotten themselves into. And a new Manowar album at some point would be a nice little present at any time. MetalGeorge 1. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild Simply the BEST new Power Metal act in years, this band continues to improve, progress, and blow my mind with each new emotionally breathtaking release. This band can do no wrong. 2. Children of Bodom - Hatecrew Deathroll Yet another Finnish metal wonder, Bodom returned with a vengeance this year, delivering the album of their career. This one kicked my ass with stellar song writing, brilliant arrangements, and electrifyingly memorable execution. Simply stunning. 3. To Die For - Jaded 4. Helloween - Rabbit Don't Come Easy 5. Poisonblack - Escapextacy 6. While Heaven Wept - Of Empires Forlorn 7. Soilwork - Figure Number Five 8. Evergrey - Recreation Day 9. Cradle of Filth - Damnation and a Day 10. Anaal Nathrakh - When Fire Rains Down      From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap What It      Has Sown 11. Farmakon - A Warm Glimpse 12. The Duskfall - Frailty 13. The Old Dead Tree - The Nameless Disease 14. Naglfar - Sheol 15. King Diamond - The Puppet Master 16. Iron Maiden - Dance of Death 17. Watch Them Die - S/T 18. Axis of Perdition - The Ichneumon Method 19. Dark Fortress - Profane Genocidal Creations 20. Leviathan - The 10th Sub-Level of Suicide Best New Band Farmakon The New Opeth. Succeeding where that band has failed as of late, Farmakon bring me back back to when I first heard albums like "Still Life" and "Morningrise", yet add to the mix an insanely infectious mix of old school deathrash and prog. The solos alone are worth the price of admission. Best Metal DVD Iron Maiden - Visions of the Beast Simply a must for Maiden fans. Totally comprehensive...and the Camp Chaos renditions are classic!!     Disappointments 1. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon Dimmu BORING is more like it. This release was over-hyped, with not enough going on musically to back it up. Dumbed down, simplified, and commercialized, this album lacks all of the power and atmosphere "Black Metal" should have. See "Damnation and a Day" as an example of how this style SHOULD be done, by a band who still remembers their roots. 2. Arch Enemy - Anthems of Rebellion The ultimate commercial cash-grab, this released started out promising, then quick degenerated into an all out denial of everything that got this band where they were in the first place: guitar work. "Anthems" is a plea to the American Nu-Metal scene for acceptance, where real musicianship and songwriting talent were replaced with one-eyed riffage, and washed-up song ideas. Pathetic. 3. Nevermore - Enemies of Reality A simple case of not quite good enough. The title track rocks, and there were moments of interest here. I just expect a lot more from these guys than what I got. I'll just chalk it up to a slight misstep, which I'm sure they'll rectify next time. After all, everyone makes mistakes. 4. Nightrage - Sweet Vengeance If this "supergroup" wasn't as hyped up as they were, they might have avoided this. The band performs the Melodic Death style quite fine; it's just that there was way too much emphasis placed upon the clean vocals of Tom Englund, whose presence is barely felt on the songs here. Each track suffers from "almost, but not quite"; missing out on prime clean vocal opportunities, abandoning song ideas before their time, and settling for fade outs rather than learning how to end a damn song. Either use Englund or don't: just don't advertise it next time. The Crown - Possessed 13 Ya know...I really hate this trend of my favorite bands all releasing lackluster albums. For the first time in their career, The Crown delivers a slight miss. It's not that the album is terrible; it just doesn't electrify with the power I KNOW The Crown can deliver, and HAVE delivered on their 5 previous longplayers. Ah well, nothing lasts forever; maybe the band's just out of ideas. Let's just hope their much publicized "style change" doesn't follow in the footsteps of this disappointment. Greatest Hopes for 2004 The return of the Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles Festival for another year. It was by far the best Festival and best weekend of my life. Brat 1. Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild There isn't a day this CD hasn't been played at least once since I first got the CD. The speed, the melodies and the complex vocal lines just make it a perfect CD. 2. Poisonblack - Escapexstacy The writing of Ville (Sentenced) and singing from JP (Charon) make this CD the sexiest sound for 2003. If a guy played this CD as background music at his place, I'd ask him to marry me! 3. Masterplan - Masterplan 4. Tarot - Suffer Our Pleasures 5. Charon - The Dying Daylights 6. Apocalyptica - Reflections 7. Rage - Soundchaser 8. Daysend - Severance 9. Alchemist - Australalien 10. Nevermore - Enemies Of Reality 11. Evergrey - Recreation Day 12. Nightingale - Alive Again: The Breathing Shadow Part Iv 13. Lacuna Coil - Comalies 14. Opeth - Damnation 15. Type O Negative - Life Is Killing Me 16. Circle Ii Circle - Watching In Silence 17. Black Majesty - Sands Of Time 18. For My Pain - Fallen 19. Altaria - Invitation 20. Dungeon - A Rise To Power (Technically A 2002 Release In Australia, But It Was Released World-Wide In 2003) Best New Band MASTERPLAN - Masterplan This was a tough decision between Masterplan, an Aussie and a Finnish b