Brat’s (Sydney Australia) best of 2019
2019 was a great year with so many brilliant album releases I had a very hard time putting them in some sort of ‘I like this better’ order. While this is a metal website and some of my choices are not technically metal, they’re heavy enough to be included in my personal list.
Equal 1st. Turilli & Lione Rhapsody – Zero Gravity (Rebirth & Evolution)
Equal 1st. Sabaton – The Great War (my Earbook edition review here)
Equal 1st. Saint Daemon – Ghost (my review here)
Equal 1st. Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia – Moonglow (see my album review here. See below for the concert review)
Equal 1st. Eclipse – Paradigm
Best song on the album with great footage taken from their appearance at Wacken Open Air 2019
6. Crazy Lixx – Forever Wild
Not the fastest song on the album, but the best
7. Rammstein – Rammstein
8. Sacha Paeth’s Masters of Ceremony – Signs of Wings
9. Vision Divine – When all the Heroes are Dead
10. Whitesnake – Flesh & Blood
11. Iron Savior – Kill or Get Killed
12. Týr – Hel
13. Marco Hietala – Mustan Sydämen Rovio
14. Devin Townsend – Empath
The genius that is Mr Townsend…
15. Amon Amarth – Berserker
16. Pretty Maids – Undress your Madness
17. Lacuna Coil – Black Anima
18. The Dark Element – Songs the Night Sings
19. Timo Tolkki’s Avalon – Return to Eden
20. Myrath – Shehili
Best New Band
Sacha Paeth’s Masters of Ceremony
OK so most of these musicians have been around the block a few times, but this is a new group.
Best EP
Delain – Hunter’s Moon
Technically, this album is a full-length one, but only 4 songs are new and are a prelude to the full album to be released in 2020.
The CD/DVD bundle includes footage from the Danse Macabre Tour in Utrecht’s Tivoli Vredenburg featuring George Oosthoek and Marco Hietala (Tarot, Nightwish).
Best Live Album
Graham Bonnet – Live in Tokyo
Jorn – Live on Death Road
Best Rock release
Equally the best:
Eclipse – Paradigm
Crazy Lixx – Forever Wild
Best Industrial/Gothic release
Rammstein – Rammstein
Best Fancy-Schmancy Box Release
Motley Crue – Dr Feelgood 30 year anniversary deluxe edition
Fabulous packaging, but at AUD$560 I can’t afford it.
Best Concert
Avantasia at Metro Theatre, Sydney – an all-star spectacular! See my report here.
Apocalyptica plays Metallica by four cellos 20th anniversary tour at Sydney Opera House with guest 4th cellist Lauri Kankkunen (2nd solo cellist of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)
Premium seats for a band I’ve never been able to get this close to.
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Turilli/Lione Rhapsody at Crowbar, Leichhardt (Sydney) – a bucket list band that I got to see on my birthday! Could it have been any better!?
Best Festival
Download Sydney – Parramatta Park
I only went to one, but Download put on a great event so it is worthy of this list.
Best Music DVD/Blu-Ray
Helloween – United Alive
My Discovery of 2019 was
Valhalore, heading off to perform at Wacken Open Air 2020
2019 Disappointments
Sonata Arctica – Talviyö
While it’s not a bad album, it’s no longer the music that made Sonata Arctica one of my favourite Finnish bands.
Looking forward to in 2020
CDs
Marco Hietala – Pyre of the Dead Heart (English version)
Dynazty’s new album – with Amaranthe singer, Nils Molin up the front
H.E.A.T – H.E.A.T II with the insanely talented Erik Grönwall on vocals. (Erik became an international hit with his vocal performances on Sweden’s Idol in 2009 with his performances of classic rock/metal.)
Nightwish has also announced a new album for 2020.
Festivals and gigs
Vintage and contemporary glam and hair metal at MelodicRock Fest, Melbourne – XYZ, Firehouse, Kip Winger, TNT, Janet Gardner (Vixen), Crazy Lixx, Reckless Love, Eclipse – just to name a few
Finally seeing Michele Luppi live as keyboardist for Whitesnake (although I would prefer to see him live as a lead vocalist)
