Brat’s Best of 2021
1. Eclipse – Wired
2. Crowne – Kings of the North
3. Circus of Rock – Circus of Rock
04. Arion – Vultures Die Alone
05. Laurenne/Louhimo – The Reckoning
06. Orden Ogan – Final Days
07. Helloween – Helloween
08. ENDVS – Cessation
09. Seven Spires – Gods of Debauchery
10. Feuerschwanz – Memento Mori
11. Joel Hoestkra’s 13 – Running Games
12. Powerwolf – Call of the Wild
13. Leverage – Above the Beyond
14. Evergrey – Escape of the Phoenix
15. Crazy Lixx – Street Lethal
16. Epica – Omega
17. Voodoo Circle – Locked & Loaded
18. Creye – II
19. Phantom Elite – Titanium
20. Ad Infinitum – Chapter II Legacy
Best Concert/Best Live Streamed Concert
Nightwish – An evening with Nightwish in a virtual world (scheduled for release on DVD in 2022)
Australia’s borders have been sealed for 2 years so I have been mourning the lack of live music.
Best female metal release for 2021
Laurenne/Louhimo – The Reckoning
Best New Band
ENDVS – Cessation
Proud to be naming an Australian band for this category.
Best Live Album
One Desire – One Night Only – Live in Helsinki
Best Metal DVD/Blu-Ray
Hands down has to be SABATON’s The Great Box with a build your own stage out of Cobi blocks. How old am I?
Favourite non-metal release from 2021
The Pretty Recklass – Death by Rock and Roll
Contemporary grunge with a ballsy female singer.
Best Remake Album
Jeff Scott Soto – Duets
Best Covers Album
LORD – Undercovers
While Nuclear Blast released a massive 2CD behemoth with metal bands covering songs over the decades, LORD’s Undercovers including iconic Australian acts/songs can’t be overlooked.
Best Local Band
Australia’s live music scene has been shut for a good part of 2 years as a result of the pandemic so no-one’s been playing.
Disappointments of 2021
Iron Maiden – Senjutsu
Hopes for 2022
I hope for original and international live music to return. That the Australian federal and state governments stop the hypocrisy of allowing large sporting events to take place while live music venues, artists and crew suffer financially as well as mentally.
