So for the first time in Rock Out Stand Out history and my time as a journalist, I have decided to include the first Readers Choice post for the end of the year. I cannot thank you all enough for your support for my writing so to give something back, I wanted to include your say. So here we go.
Andrew G
Album hands down for me has to be Meditations by KATAKLYSM. They always make great music and I’ve been able to relate to on a lot of my ongoing demons!
Top single for me has to be Your Salvation by WESTFIELD MASSACRE. It contains a very powerful message that I can relate to first hand. I know what losing a child hood best friend and brother is like. Biggest tear I’ve shed to a song in ages!
Chris P
SCORCHED – Ecliptic Butchery, LIK – Carnage, CRAWL – Ritual, VHS – The New Batch, VORBID – Mind, HOODED MENACE – Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed, SLUGDGE – Esoteric Malacology, GAMA BOMB – Speed Between The Lines, JUDAS PRIEST – Firepower, SAXON – Thunderbolt, CONAN – Existential Void Guardian and OUTRE-TOMBE – Necrovortex
That’s just off the top of my head. It’s been a good year!
Jake M
1. JUDAS PRIEST – Firepower
It’s JP, what more do you want? Standout track is Children of The Sun
2. BEHEMOTH – I Loved You At Your Darkest
Unfortunate that it exists in the post Satanist era of BEHEMOTH but I think if it were released by another band it would be considered a great example of the genre
3. DRUDKH – Їм часто сниться капіж
Bought this cheap at Bloodstock and it was well worth the price of admission
4. WINTERFYLLETH – The Hallowing of Heirdom
The title track is a lot mellower than expected but awesome still
5. HEIDEVOLK – Vuur Van Verzet
Crushing riffs and the fun of folk metal.
6. BLAZE BAYLEY – The Redemption of William Black – Infinite Entanglement Part III
This was long expected for me and continues the story started in 2016
7. RIVERSIDE – Wasteland
I was initially confused by the sudden appearance by Vale of Tears in my Spotify playlists, but this random encounter worked out well
8. OPETH – Garden of the Titans: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater
It’s Opeth.
9. MYRKUR – Juniper
10. KAINE – A Crisis of Faith
I think I’ll have fond memories of this one for years to come.
Shout out to: JASON BECKER – Triumphant HeartsIRON MAIDEN, MORASS OF MOLASSES and ISARNOS who need to get on with releasing something new.
Tim J
It’s been a really good year and I feel spoiled for choice:
1. POWERWOLF – Sacrament of Sin
2. ALIEN WEAPONRY – Tu
3. ZEAL AND ARDOR – Stranger Fruit
4. BLEED FROM WITHIN – Era
5. OMNIUM GATHERUM – The Burning Cold
6. ANGELUS APATRIDA – Cabaret De La Guillotine
7. THE ATLAS MOTH – Coma Noir
8. BURY TOMORROW – Black Flame
9. KAMELOT – The Shadow Theory
10. SOULFLY – Ritual
Brett R
I was first thinking of local Australian acts because we have a few great ones emerging, but I’m going to go with ONCE – After Earth. Starting as a YouTube artist Alina Lesnik produced some fine covers of many symphonic and power metal bands.
Martin W
2 albums that I keep going back to that came out this year:
AETERNITAS – Tales of The Grotesque: I stumbled across this band courtesy of a Facebook sponsored post since I was very intrigued of the Edgar Allen Poe influence. I was not disappointed at all: eerie, and haunting lyrics ripped straight from the pages of a Poe work of art and transferred to song – melancholic beauty you might say. Favourite track: The Raven
TEMPERANCE – Of Jupiter and Moons: What can I say other than wow! What an album! TEMPERANCE were suggested to me by my good friend Dan and I found out they were touring so we travelled down to Sheffield to see them and were blown away. As good live as they are on album and what a nice bunch of guys (and gal) they are too. Hooked from the start with opener The Last Hope in a World of Hopes
Do you agree with the reader’s choices? What would you have picked? There will be more opportunities for Reader’s Choices and Reader’s Say in future posts, so if you missed the chance this time round not to worry. Thank you to those who contributed and thank you all for your ongoing support.
