Decibel Geek‘s Swedish contributor Mikael “The Lionsheart” Svensson chimes in on the best albums race with his Top Ten Albums of 2016:
10 – Running Wild – Rapid Foray. The pirate ship sails once more. The captain is alone on the ship which is a pity. The sheer quality of a Running Wild album still brings it into top 10.
BUY: Rapid Foray /(Album Review)
9 – Pretty Maids – Kingmaker. Danish dynamite that blasts a little less than usual. One of my favorite bands of all times is missing it’s keyboard player!
BUY: Kingmaker
8 – Grim Reaper – Walking in the Shadows. Another great 80’s band makes a comeback with one member of the classic setting. A great rocking album and the powerful vocals of Steve Grimmet cannot be denied.
7 – Quartz – Fear No Evil. Still dripping with attitude and loaded with shit-kicking tributes to UK metal’s late 70’s and early 80’s glory days. Best Black Sabbath album without actually being Black Sabbath!
BUY: Fear No Evil
6 – Briar – Hard Times. Mix NWOBHM sound with the British pop scene and you get something unique. You basically get Briar. So underrated and so great!
BUY: Hard Times / (Album Review)
Briar Website / Briar Facebook
5 – Q5 – New World Order. I never expected the new album to be as good as the debut and of course, it is not quite. Still a very fresh comeback album in the vein of Krokus, Shakra, Crystal Ball etc. Only North American band on my list.
BUY: New World Order / (Album Review)
4 – Tygers of Pan Tang – Tygers of Pan Tang. A fresh and heavy riffing comeback from NWOBHM veterans with a new shredding guitarist in Micky Crystal. These guys show all youngsters how to play classic British metal old school – period!
BUY: Tygers of Pan Tang / (Album Review)
3 – Kissin’ Dynamite – Generation Goodbye. These German youngsters are the reason why I think there is a future for the sleaze rock genre. Where others fail to get hooked to the new album I am tempted and hooked. Not their greatest but the great latest.
BUY: Generation Goodbye
2 – Mob Rules – Tales from Beyond. Another masterpiece from German Power metallers lead by Mathias Mineur. European power metal at it’s best!
BUY: Tales From Beyond (9 pts) (Album Review)
Mob Rules Website / Mob Rules Facebook
1 – Phantom V – Phantom V. Take a large dose of Bonfire, add some Mad Max and the Scorpions. As the icing on the cake, you put a large dose of Frontline and Jaded Heart. Mix it together and you get the best album of the year from this “supergroup”.
BUY: Phantom 5 (10 pts = 19 pts) (Album Review)
PHANTOM 5 Website / PHANTOM 5 Facebook
Honourable mentions to Shakra, Crystal Ball, Axel Rudi Pell, House of Shakira, Primal Fear, Nordic Union, Resurrection Kings, Inglorious, Diamond Head, Metal Church, Treat, Dynazty, Vega, Iron Savior, Fates Warning.
Mikael ”The Lionsheart” Svensson
Check out the big article with the collective ten best of the year chosen by the Decibel Geek staff.
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