Articles : Martin Michea’s Top Albums of 2015

2015 has been a pretty weird year for me. I have listened to a lot of music, but I still struggled to finish this list, as I felt that it was pretty difficult to find ten albums that completely stood out from the rest. 2015 has been flooded by good releases, but not many excellent ones.

10. Gloryhammer – Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards

There’s not much left to say about Gloryhammer that hasn’t been said already. The uninitiated might take them for a parody band, but they’re far from it. Exceptional musicianship combined with some of the best lyrics of the year makes Space 1992 one of my favourite power metal albums of all time. Not quite as epic as the debut, but it is a close call.

Listen to: Rise of the Chaos Wizards

9. Periphery – Juggernaut: Alpha/Omega

Periphery is a band that I have been meaning to listen to for ages. They’re a late inclusion on this list because I didn’t get around to until early November. Alpha/Omega are two albums that will grow heaps on me over the coming months, there’s no doubt about that. Their music is not for everyone, but compared to earlier releases, it feels like these albums should be way easier to grasp for new listeners.

Listen to: Alpha

8. We Came As Romans – We Came As Romans

Probably the biggest surprise for me personally. There aren’t a great deal of good metalcore being released lately, and I had never been a fan of WCAR until I heard this album. There is nothing ground-breaking about the music, but it’s extremely professional and sincere, and that goes a long way in a pretty watered down genre.

Listen to: Regenerate

7. LORD – What Tomorrow Brings

I’m not sure if we’ve got any proper rules with this list, but if I’m to break one, it would be for this EP. The title track is without a doubt one of the most insane and ambitious productions I have heard in a long time. Lord managed to pull it off, and the result is a journey for the ears and the mind unlike anything I have heard in the past. Cheeky bonus points for the great covers.

Check out the trailer.

6. Bullet For My Valentine – Venom

Bullet For My Valentine are truly back with a vengeance. It feels like the band did a lot of true soul searching for this record, and they both sound and feel like the old Bullet For My Valentine, although with a bit of depth added. I hope that they will be included on the Legion lineup, as I was really looking forward to seeing them at Soundwave this year. You Want A Battle? (Here’s A War) perfectly summarize this record.

Listen to: No Way Out

5. Lindemann – Skills in Pills

Insane. Bizarre. Wrong. Wonderful. Till Lindemann is being as Till Lindemann as only Till Lindemann can be. Same goes for Peter. The duo has conjured something truly unique. I have to be in the right mood for the music, and I realise that it’s not something for everyone, but this is the most special release of 2015.

Listen to: Praise Abort

4. Nightwish – Endless Forms Most Beautiful

I had such high hopes (harh) for this Nightwish album. I always enjoyed the Anette version of Nightwish, but I felt that there was an extra dimension added to the band when Floor joined back in 2012. Therefore my excitement for the first studio album with the current line-up was through the roof. I think this is the reason for my initial slight disappointment. I am still not impressed with Greatest Show On Earth, but overall the album grew heaps on me after having seen most of the songs performed live in November. I am sure that the tour starting this week will be a great success for both the band and the fans.

Listen to: Yours is an Empty Hope

3. Earthside – A Dream in Static

When I first reviewed A Dream In Static I was sure that it would end up being the best album of 2015. However, the growth factor wasn’t quite as strong as I had anticipated. That being said though, every single track on the album was extremely strong from the get-go, this warrants A Dream In Static a top 3 finish. The Closest I’ve Come is musical perfection.

Listen to: The Closest I’ve Come

2. Trivium – Silence in the Snow

The initial impact of this album was absolutely huge. I had been looking forward to new Trivium material for most of the year, especially since I was a big fan of Vengeance Falls. The fact that the band has abandoned harsh vocals completely doesn’t bother me at all, Heafy is in my opinion one of the best metal vocalists out there in 2015. This classic/modern metal fusion is amazing in every single way, and I think that Silence In The Snow might be Trivium’s best release since Shogun.

Listen to: Silence in the Snow

1. Caligula’s Horse – Bloom

Not in a million years did I expect Bloom to be the album of 2015. Mainly because I haven’t really listened to Caligula’s Horse before. Sure, I saw them live in 2014, and whilst I was very impressed already back then, I just never followed up on that one gig. Ironically, Bloom is an album that has grown on me like very few have in the past. Marigold is probably the best song of 2015 as well, opening with an Opeth quality riff. Most of the songs on Bloom, despite the extreme diversity, are solid 9/10 or better. All I need now is a proper Australian tour in 2016. Someone make this happen.

Listen to: Marigold

Related Posts

• “The world’s changing so quickly around us!” – An Interview With Jake Ewings (Ebonivory)
• 

  “It’s all about that light at the end of the tunnel.” – An Interview With Sam Vallen (Caligula’s Horse)
• 

  Caligula’s Horse announces details of their forthcoming album ‘Rise Radiant’.
• 

  Divine Ascension announces national tour dates in February and April.