MetalReviews

Awards 2015

4 reviewers shared their picks for 2015.

← 2014 2016 →

Alex

Top Albums

  1. 1.
    9255
  2. 2.
    9291
  3. 3.
    Officium Triste - Reason
  4. 4.
    9083
  5. 5.
    9147
  6. 6.
    9001
  7. 7.
    9117
  8. 8.
    9097
  9. 9.
    9010
  10. 10.
    9127
  11. 11.
    9271
  12. 12.
    9221
  13. 13.
    9184
  14. 14.
    9294
  15. 15.
    9112

Surprises of the Year

  1. 1.
    9325
  2. 2.
    9305
  3. 3.
    9276
  4. 4.
  5. 5.

Disappointments

  1. 1.
    9072
  2. 2.
    Rhapsody of Fire - Into the Legend
  3. 3.
    9223
  4. 4.
    9207
  5. 5.

Joke of the Year

  1. 1.
    9372
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.

Words / Final Thoughts

  1. 0

Goat

Top Albums

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
    9038
  3. 1.
    9038 — How does this band do it? Always improving, always amazing, always earning your high regards. Incredibly good album.
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
    8982
  6. 2.
    9108 — A hell of a comeback from all of Wrest's troubles, and a fantastic album.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
    9334
  9. 3.
    9334 — Perhaps the year's most fun album from these veterans.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
    9108
  12. 4.
    8982 — Prog-power magic that was well worth the wait.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
    9131
  15. 5.
    9131 — Norway's kings return. Superb album.
  16. 6.
  17. 6.
    9025
  18. 6.
    9025 — Passionate, enjoyable prog/power metal, as usual.
  19. 7.
  20. 7.
    9346
  21. 7.
    9346 — Powerful, emotion-laden black metal from an artist who keeps improving.
  22. 8.
  23. 8.
    9196
  24. 8.
    9196 — Britain's most notorious black metal band turns up the heaviness, and does it well
  25. 9.
  26. 9.
    9102
  27. 9.
    9102 — More superb Cthonic death metal.
  28. 10.
    9051 — England's finest experimental black metallers kill again.
  29. 10.
    9051 — England's finest experimental black metallers kill again.
  30. 10.
    9051 — England's finest experimental black metallers kill again.
  31. 11.
    9061 — A wonderful piece of dark art.
  32. 11.
    9061 — A wonderful piece of dark art.
  33. 11.
    9061 — A wonderful piece of dark art.
  34. 12.
    9132 — The Ukranian kings prove they still have it
  35. 12.
    9132 — The Ukranian kings prove they still have it
  36. 12.
    9132 — The Ukranian kings prove they still have it
  37. 13.
    9005 — Have they made a bad album in the last two decades?
  38. 13.
    9005 — Have they made a bad album in the last two decades?
  39. 13.
    9005 — Have they made a bad album in the last two decades?
  40. 14.
    9094 — Masterful Mid-Eastern Metal, as ever.
  41. 14.
    9094 — Masterful Mid-Eastern Metal, as ever.
  42. 14.
    9094 — Masterful Mid-Eastern Metal, as ever.
  43. 15.
    9118 — A welcome return for this underrated band.
  44. 15.
    9118 — A welcome return for this underrated band.
  45. 15.
    9118 — A welcome return for this underrated band.

Surprises of the Year

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
    9274
  3. 1.
    9274 — A terrific album, full of fun, catchy tunes.
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
    9219
  6. 2.
    9219 — The tech-blackers go death metal, and it works wonderfully.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
    9257
  9. 3.
    9257 — Excellent, twisted, progressive black metal.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
    9106
  12. 4.
    9106 — Hellishly good debut.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
    8998
  15. 5.
    8998 — Behemoth plus Agalloch? Don't mind if I do.

Disappointments

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
    9050
  3. 1.
    9050 — Seemingly happy when being average, when so much promise is shown.
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
    9035
  6. 2.
    9035 — A step away from the prog-black heights of before, and even metal, to a rather dull meandering sound. A backwards move.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
    9220
  9. 3.
    9220 — Uninteresting songwriting, and Bell has never sounded worse. The machine needs an upgrade.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
    9258
  12. 4.
    9258 — Somewhere here there's not a bad album, but as a double-album this is bloated and a real slog. Tone it down next time, guys.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
    9218
  15. 5.
    9218 — Cavalera on autopilot, and it shows. Bor-ing.

Joke of the Year

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
  3. 1.
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
  9. 3.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
  12. 4.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
  15. 5.

Words / Final Thoughts

  1. 0
  2. 0
  3. 0
    — A terrific year, despite the disappointments. Top 15 was a genuinely hard decision!

Jared

Top Albums

  1. 1.
    9376
  2. 1.
    9376
  3. 1.
    9376
  4. 1.
    9376
  5. 1.
    9376
  6. 1.
    9376
  7. 1.
    9376
  8. 2.
    9274
  9. 2.
    9274
  10. 2.
    9274
  11. 2.
    9274
  12. 2.
    9274
  13. 2.
    9274
  14. 2.
    9274
  15. 3.
    9269
  16. 3.
    9269
  17. 3.
    9269
  18. 3.
    9269
  19. 3.
    9269
  20. 3.
    9269
  21. 3.
    9269
  22. 4.
    9161
  23. 4.
    9161
  24. 4.
    9161
  25. 4.
    9161
  26. 4.
    9161
  27. 4.
    9161
  28. 4.
    9161
  29. 5.
    9138
  30. 5.
    9138
  31. 5.
    9138
  32. 5.
    9138
  33. 5.
    9138
  34. 5.
    9138
  35. 5.
    9138
  36. 6.
    9055
  37. 6.
    9055
  38. 6.
    9055
  39. 6.
    9055
  40. 6.
    9055
  41. 6.
    9055
  42. 6.
    9055
  43. 7.
    9236
  44. 7.
    9236
  45. 7.
    9236
  46. 7.
    9236
  47. 7.
    9236
  48. 7.
    9236
  49. 7.
    9236
  50. 8.
    9295
  51. 8.
    9295
  52. 8.
    9295
  53. 8.
    9295
  54. 8.
    9295
  55. 8.
    9295
  56. 8.
    9295
  57. 9.
    9308
  58. 9.
    9308
  59. 9.
    9308
  60. 9.
    9308
  61. 9.
    9308
  62. 9.
    9308
  63. 9.
    9308
  64. 10.
    9284
  65. 10.
    9284
  66. 10.
    9131
  67. 10.
    9131
  68. 10.
    9131
  69. 10.
    9131
  70. 10.
    9131
  71. 11.
    9281
  72. 11.
    9281
  73. 11.
    9281
  74. 11.
    9281
  75. 11.
    9281
  76. 11.
    9281
  77. 11.
    9281
  78. 12.
    9001
  79. 12.
    9001
  80. 12.
    9001
  81. 12.
    9001
  82. 12.
    9001
  83. 12.
    9001
  84. 12.
    9001
  85. 13.
    8974
  86. 13.
    8974
  87. 13.
    8974
  88. 13.
    8982
  89. 13.
    8982
  90. 13.
    8982
  91. 13.
    8982
  92. 14.
    9187
  93. 14.
    9187
  94. 14.
    9187
  95. 14.
    9038
  96. 14.
    9038
  97. 14.
    9038
  98. 14.
    9038
  99. 15.
    9028
  100. 15.
    9028
  101. 15.
    9028
  102. 15.
    9028
  103. 15.
    9028
  104. 15.
    9028
  105. 15.
    9028

Surprises of the Year

  1. 1.
    9040
  2. 1.
    9040
  3. 1.
    9040
  4. 1.
    9040
  5. 1.
    9040
  6. 1.
    9040
  7. 1.
    9040
  8. 2.
    9120
  9. 2.
    9120
  10. 2.
    9120
  11. 2.
    9120
  12. 2.
    9120
  13. 2.
    9120
  14. 2.
    9120
  15. 3.
    9216
  16. 3.
    9216
  17. 3.
    9216
  18. 3.
    9216
  19. 3.
    9216
  20. 3.
    9216
  21. 3.
    9216
  22. 4.
  23. 4.
    8984
  24. 4.
    8984
  25. 4.
    8984
  26. 4.
    8984
  27. 4.
    8984
  28. 4.
    8984
  29. 5.
  30. 5.
  31. 5.
    9284
  32. 5.
    9284
  33. 5.
    9284
  34. 5.
    9284
  35. 5.
    9284

Disappointments

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
  3. 1.
  4. 1.
  5. 1.
  6. 1.
  7. 1.
  8. 2.
  9. 2.
  10. 2.
  11. 2.
  12. 2.
  13. 2.
  14. 2.
  15. 3.
  16. 3.
  17. 3.
  18. 3.
  19. 3.
  20. 3.
  21. 3.
  22. 4.
  23. 4.
  24. 4.
  25. 4.
  26. 4.
  27. 4.
  28. 4.
  29. 5.
  30. 5.
  31. 5.
  32. 5.
  33. 5.
  34. 5.
  35. 5.

Joke of the Year

  1. 1.
  2. 1.
  3. 1.
  4. 1.
  5. 1.
  6. 1.
  7. 1.
  8. 2.
  9. 2.
  10. 2.
  11. 2.
  12. 2.
  13. 2.
  14. 2.
  15. 3.
  16. 3.
  17. 3.
  18. 3.
  19. 3.
  20. 3.
  21. 3.
  22. 4.
  23. 4.
  24. 4.
  25. 4.
  26. 4.
  27. 4.
  28. 4.
  29. 5.
  30. 5.
  31. 5.
  32. 5.
  33. 5.
  34. 5.
  35. 5.

Words / Final Thoughts

  1. 0
  2. 0
  3. 0
  4. 0
  5. 0
    — 2015 may had been one of the busiest years in recent memory, due to my final college semester, but there were still was great records to cross paths with. Matriden may have taken the top spot (a band which I believe needs much more praise), but it was good to hear Lindemann's debut solo album to help with my Rammstein withdrawals. I know Ghost isn't enjoyed much here on the site, but they delivered their best record to date, and what a hell of a good time last year to see them live for the second time. With what I believed to be a stale year in 2014 in metal, 2015 changed that for me.
  6. 0
    — 2015 may had been one of the busiest years in recent memory, due to my final college semester, but there were still was great records to cross paths with. Matriden may have taken the top spot (a band which I believe needs much more praise), but it was good to hear Lindemann's debut solo album to help with my Rammstein withdrawals. I know Ghost isn't enjoyed much here on the site, but they delivered their best record to date, and what a hell of a good time last year to see them live again for the second time. With what I believed to be a stale year in 2014 in metal, 2015 was able to flip that around for me. As always, thanks for reading and supporting Metal Reviews.
  7. 0
    — 2015 may had been one of the busiest years in recent memory, due to my final college semester, but there were still was great records to cross paths with. Matriden may have taken the top spot (a band which I believe needs much more praise), but it was good to hear Lindemann's debut solo album to help with my Rammstein withdrawals. I know Ghost isn't enjoyed much here on the site, but they delivered their best record to date, and what a hell of a good time last year to see them live again for the second time. With what I believed to be a stale year in 2014 in metal, 2015 was able to flip that around for me. As always, thanks for reading and supporting Metal Reviews.

Andy

Top Albums

  1. 1.
    9250 — This one and Visigoth practically tie for the best heavy metal of this year
  2. 1.
    9250 — This one and Visigoth practically tie for the best heavy metal of this year
  3. 1.
    9250 — This one and Visigoth practically tie for the best heavy metal of this year
  4. 2.
    9001 — If not for Magister Templi narrowly edging it out with their own bombastic creation, this unapologetically epic album would get my #1 vote.
  5. 2.
    9001 — If not for Magister Templi narrowly edging it out with their own bombastic creation, this unapologetically epic album would get my #1 vote.
  6. 2.
    9001 — If not for Magister Templi narrowly edging it out with their own bombastic creation, this unapologetically epic album would get my #1 vote.
  7. 3.
    9019
  8. 3.
    9019
  9. 3.
    9019
  10. 4.
    9282
  11. 4.
    9282
  12. 4.
    9282
  13. 5.
    9262
  14. 5.
    9262
  15. 5.
    9262
  16. 6.
    9395
  17. 6.
    9395
  18. 6.
    9395
  19. 7.
    9352
  20. 7.
    9352
  21. 7.
    9352
  22. 8.
    9088
  23. 8.
    9088
  24. 8.
    9088
  25. 9.
    9338
  26. 9.
    9338
  27. 9.
    9338
  28. 10.
    9004
  29. 10.
    9004
  30. 10.
    9004
  31. 11.
    9315
  32. 11.
    9315
  33. 11.
    9315
  34. 12.
    9187
  35. 12.
    9187
  36. 12.
    9187
  37. 13.
    9142
  38. 13.
    9142
  39. 13.
    9142
  40. 14.
  41. 14.
  42. 14.
  43. 15.
  44. 15.
  45. 15.

Surprises of the Year

  1. 1.
    9307 — Surprisingly good black metal from a band that many metalheads wrote off long ago.
  2. 1.
    9307 — Surprisingly good black metal from a band that many metalheads wrote off long ago.
  3. 1.
    9307 — Surprisingly good black metal from a band that many metalheads wrote off long ago.
  4. 2.
    9339 — Dark, creepy, and beautiful all at once -- this seriously needs to be heard.
  5. 2.
    9339 — Dark, creepy, and beautiful all at once -- this seriously needs to be heard.
  6. 2.
    9339 — Dark, creepy, and beautiful all at once -- this seriously needs to be heard.
  7. 3.
    9241 — Not being a punk fan, I was surprised to find I loved this album.
  8. 3.
    9241 — Not being a punk fan, I was surprised to find I loved this album.
  9. 3.
    9241 — Not being a punk fan, I was surprised to find I loved this album.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
  12. 4.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
  15. 5.

Disappointments

  1. 1.
    9194 — Sad to see a formerly great band go this far downhill...
  2. 1.
    9194 — Sad to see a formerly great band go this far downhill...
  3. 1.
    9194 — Sad to see a formerly great band go this far downhill...
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
  9. 3.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
  12. 4.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
  15. 5.

Joke of the Year

  1. 1.
    9107 — The real joke is that someone may have actually paid real money for this album.
  2. 1.
    9107 — The real joke is that someone may have actually paid real money for this album.
  3. 1.
    9107 — The real joke is that someone may have actually paid real money for this album.
  4. 2.
  5. 2.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 3.
  9. 3.
  10. 4.
  11. 4.
  12. 4.
  13. 5.
  14. 5.
  15. 5.

Words / Final Thoughts

  1. 0
    — 2015 sure was a fast-moving year. With regard to the metal scene, some of my high points were the release of some of the best heavy metal albums released by new bands in quite some time. A lot of bands with previous experience returned with high-quality offerings -- the new Horrendous album was especially welcome -- and all in all I never felt like there was a paucity of great music this year. In fact, for me there was too much to check out at once -- regretfully, the insane work schedule this year gave me was so great that my listening queue is backlogged, meaning that several deserving releases probably aren't on this list because I have yet to make their acquaintance. But there were sorrowful events as well, including several deaths -- chief among them being that of Lemmy Kilmister, a man who left a legacy for metal that few have equalled. At the end of the year, it comes as a sad reminder that even those people we sometimes think will always be around are no less mortal than the rest of us, and that we must treasure them while we have them. We're a couple months into 2016, and it feels like it's going to be a year of surprises -- some of them, perhaps, not quite as agreeable as others. But I think I can safely predict some excellent new metal to listen to this year, and that, at any rate, will be something to look forward to.
  2. 0
    — <p>2015 sure was a fast-moving year. With regard to the metal scene, some of my high points were the release of some of the best heavy metal albums released by new bands in quite some time. A lot of bands with previous experience returned with high-quality offerings -- the new Horrendous album was especially welcome -- and all in all I never felt like there was a paucity of great music this year. In fact, for me there was too much to check out at once -- regretfully, the insane work schedule this year gave me was so great that my listening queue is backlogged, meaning that several deserving releases probably aren't on this list because I have yet to make their acquaintance.</p> <p>But there were sorrowful events as well, including several deaths -- chief among them being that of Lemmy Kilmister, a man who left a legacy for metal that few have equalled. At the end of the year, it comes as a sad reminder that even those people we sometimes think will always be around are no less mortal than the rest of us, and that we must treasure them while we have them.</p> <p>We're a couple months into 2016, and it feels like it's going to be a year of surprises -- some of them, perhaps, not quite as agreeable as others. But I think I can safely predict some excellent new metal to listen to this year, and that, at any rate, will be something I impatiently look forward to.</p>
  3. 0
    — 2015 sure was a fast-moving year. With regard to the metal scene, some of my high points were the release of some of the best heavy metal albums released by new bands in quite some time. A lot of bands with previous experience returned with high-quality offerings -- the new Horrendous album was especially welcome -- and all in all I never felt like there was a paucity of great music this year. In fact, for me there was too much to check out at once -- regretfully, the insane work schedule this year gave me was so great that my listening queue is backlogged, meaning that several deserving releases probably aren't on this list because I have yet to make their acquaintance. But there were sorrowful events as well, including several deaths -- chief among them being that of Lemmy Kilmister, a man who left a legacy for metal that few have equalled. At the end of the year, it comes as a sad reminder that even those people we sometimes think will always be around are no less mortal than the rest of us, and that we must treasure them while we have them. We're a couple months into 2016, and it feels like it's going to be a year of surprises -- some of them perhaps not quite as agreeable as others. But I think I can safely predict some excellent new metal to listen to this year, and that, at any rate, will be something to look forward to.