8. Allegaeon, Formshifter (Metal Blade)
The more that I listen to Allegaeon, the less I am able to believe that the members of this band are as young as they are. These guys have, in their mid-to-late 20s, the same level of skill as veteran members of Arsis, Arch Enemy, Darkane, and many other bands that have been around for much longer. Their style of melodic death metal on 2010’s Fragments of Form and Function was something that I raved about many times in 2010 and 2011, especially when discussing Allegaeon’s contemporaries (Wretched, Conducting from the Grave, Woe of Tyrants, etc.). However, on Formshifter, I was blown away by the level of technical proficiency and songwriting maturity that was displayed. Without a doubt, this band is a huge part of the future in American metal. Do not ignore this band, because they are going to be huge in a very short period of time, if they can be consistent in growing their skills like this.
7. Lamb of God, Resolution (Epic)
Sometimes, the albums that come out early in the year get lost in the shuffle when these best-of lists are compiled. I know of a great many albums that have suffered such a fate, but thankfully, Resolution was not one of them. Lamb of God found a way to craft an album that had the best of both worlds, bringing together the gritty and crunchy punk influence of their earlier albums with the polished, unbridled heaviness of their more recent work. They’re not re-inventing the wheel here, they’re just making it run even better than it already does. With some surprising bits of progression and unexpected elements appearing throughout the album, Resolution walks the fine line of advancing Lamb of God’s sound while keeping them true to their roots. Don’t forget about this album when you write your end-of-year lists, because it deserves to be praised.
6. Kamelot, Silverthorn (Steamhammer/SPV)
It’s extremely rare for me to find a nearly-perfect power metal album, simply because any flaws or inconsistencies that occur on a power metal song are much more obvious (at least to me) than those that occur on songs in other metal subgenres. As such, I was floored when I heard Silverthorn for the first time. In addition to having my top-ranked song of the year, the positively gorgeous “Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)“, Silverthorn features some of the most well-composed power metal that I’ve ever heard, running the gamut of different styles that the genre can feature and doing all of them well. Considering the low expectations that many people had for this album, I am immensely pleased that it came out as well as it did, and I hope that this newest lineup for Kamelot continues to produce such tremendous material going forward.
5. Overkill, The Electric Age (eOne)
Two years later, I still stand by what I said on my best of 2010 list – the Big 4, for all their bombast and grandiosity displayed on the various Big 4 shows worldwide, are still being outclassed by the thrash bands that they have eclipsed in popularity for many years now. Yes, Anthrax had a great year in 2011, but their great year doesn’t make up for years of all four bands being overshadowed by their less-popular kinsmen. Overkill was my example two years ago, and they are my example once again in 2012. Despite the fact that their members are all over the age of 40 (in fact, both Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and D.D. Verni have passed the half-century mark), Overkill plays with more energy, ferocity, and pure adrenaline-surging force than most bands half their age. Ironbound proved that two years ago, and The Electric Age has kept the proof going in 2012. Without a doubt, Overkill is proof of the thrash dominance being exhibited by all of the veteran groups worldwide that stand below the Big 4, and I hope that dominance continues.
