After the parody that was 2019, 2020 has been an excellent year. Lots of good music, I barely got used to one album, that another great one was released. So here are 20 albums and EPs from 2020 that I really enjoyed.
Albums I love
Brothers of Metal - Emblas Saga
Emblas Saga is a truly epic album. Whenever I listen to it, I am taken on a musical journey full of wonder. The narrations set the stage, while the orchestral arrangements and choir build up the grandiose atmosphere, as background for the fist-pumping, adrenaline-releasing power metal riffs. The world is filled with characters with properly-pronounced Nordic names, and their goofy stories are sang with unflinching seriousness by a vocal trio, which I would describe as: the angel, the beast, and the buffoon. It's the most ludicrous mix you can imagine. The buffoon mostly narrates and speaks the lyrics, the beast is the growler of the band, while the angel… is one of the most enchanting female voices I have heard in this genre, delivering anything from powerful choruses to emotional intros. We finally have a band that has a proper take on Norse mythology: epic, preposterous, and with just the right amount of silliness.
Brothers of Metal is a seriously ridiculous band. They have three guitarists and three vocalists, only one of which has any actual talent, and their videos are comical. Considering the name (I couldn't find an explicit connection to Manowar), you would really think that they are just a bunch of friends, gathered to have fun and sing about whatever floats their boat. That might be so, but they strive for perfection and succeed both at delivering high quality music and tons and tons of joy. So move over, Amon Amarth, you old farts! Brothers of Metal is the Nordic band of the moment!
Ozzy Osbourne - Ordinary Man
With Black Sabbath officially retired, the Prince of Darkness has summoned a bunch of people with loads of experience to release a kick-ass album. (I mean just look at the personnel section - you'd think they were making a movie, not a solo album.) The production values and attention to detail are evident at every second of music on this record, but don't get in the way of keeping a down to earth attitude, making it a fun and enjoyable listen. You've got your classic "rock music is dark but the fun" tunes like opener Straight to Hell and the mandatory classic Ozzy "I know I'm crazy, and I know you like that" songs with oddball lyrics like Eat Me or Scary Little Green Men. You've even got the two collaborations with Post Malone -fun and interesting, but not anything jaw-dropping to be honest. The highlight - at least for me - has to be the two auto-biographies - Ordinary Man (feat. Elton John) and Under the Graveyard. Don't know or care how honest they actually are, but they are powerful and emotional, not only due to lyrical content, but also because of the song writing and the aforementioned attention to detail. I think they really are up there with the rest of Ozzy's ballads. And the latter has a really awesome video that reminded me of the cool ones bands used to make during the 90s. Really well edited and acted. Overall, this is a very well made, very enjoyable album on all levels and would be a great wrap for Ozzy Osbourne's career.
Alestorm - Curse of the Crystal Coconut
We live in a time where a bunch of guys who are into beer, pirates and gaming, produce one of the best metal albums of the year. Honestly, if I were to actually make a ranking, I'd have no regrets in putting this at the top spot. Curse of the Crystal Coconut is an almost perfect album! The only complaint I have is that there are no references to the Monkey Island game series as the album cover and title would lead you to believe. (The title is actually a Donkey Kong reference.)
You might think it's just a silly parody metal album. Sure, you have the "we don't care about anything but drinking" party songs, funny lyrics and absurd stories, but the song writing is outstanding, from the orchestration down to the silly barking dog inserts. They have loads of guests, both vocal (like the guy from Finntroll) and instrumental, and many people contributed to making this the great record that it is. The highlight for me would be the excellent use of the hurdy gurdy (played by Patty Gurdy) in many of the tracks. And the songs are just crazy in their variety and creativity. There's something for everyone. You have the epic Wooden Leg Pt. 2 (The Woodening), the traditional folk song of Henry Martin, the motivational anthem Call of the Waves, and last, but not least, you have the pirate rap-metal hit Tortuga, featuring Captain Yarrface of Rumahoy. And even the bonus tracks are so amazing, I can't believe they chose not to include them in the regular release.
Curse of the Crystal Coconut is an album I will definitely enjoy for a long, long time from now.
Falconer - From a Dying Ember
Falconer is one of those bands I've heard about in passing, but only stumbled upon a few years ago, randomly hearing the excellent Heresy in Disguise. I listened to more of their discography but it didn't really stick with me. So I was surprised how great From a Dying Ember turned out, with solid track after solid track. They hold strong on the medieval topic, with a pronounced folk influenced, but definitely heavy metal sound. There are a dime a dozen such bands, but, at least with this album, Falconer stands out. What I like the most is that the medieval themes are just pretext, not the central subject, and most of the songs read more like allegories for modern times. Kings and Queens is a call to be the master of your own fate. In Regal Attire is a satire of all upstarts who are where they are without merit, but that doesn't stop them from boasting. Quite a lot of them these days, wouldn't you say? Fool's Crusade is a thoughtfully written criticism of humankind's onward march towards enlightenment, without regards for the consequences.
The folkish elements blend perfectly with metal, but the star of the album is frontman Mathias Blad, whose performance is better than I remembered on previous releases. His voice is powerful, but with a soft delivery, effortlessly reaching the high notes when needed. And the spotlight falls on him during Rejoice the Adorned, where he carries the whole song, practically accompanied by just a piano. It is a lovely ballad about not suffering from the pain of loss. And his delivery makes it that much more effective.
As I was writing this review, I just found out that the band had decided to retire, this album being their last. I'm sad to hear this, but wow… what a send-off!
Bush - The Kingdom
I was scrolling through TV channels one night and stumbled on MTV Rock or something and recognized Gavin Rossdale. Hey, this is Bush! Bush, in my mind, was the kind of band that I didn't know much about, but remember really loving a few songs back when I was a kid in the '90s: Glycerine, Machinehead and especially The Chemicals Between Us. I thought that was it, a band lost in the mists of time and I was lucky enough to have these memories.
Anyway, they're still alive and kicking, and put out a really cool record in 2020. A bit '90s sounding, but definitely modern, with some nifty riffs, catchy melodies, thoughtful lyrics and a few killer tracks. When it came out I kept listening to it all the time, but after a week I thought I got bored with it. However, I find myself enjoying it from time to time. On the video for Flowers on a Grave, Katie comments: "In 1995, I was 12 & Gavin was the hottest dude I'd ever seen. I'm 37 now & my opinion hasn't changed. Holy shit." Kinda sums it all up.
Alanis Morissette - Such Pretty Forks in the Road
In a world where pop stars like Adele or Sia take their God-given gift, throw it on the floor, trample on it and bang it repeatedly against the wall like an old rag, it's refreshing to listen to Alanis Morissette deliver a collection of simple, soothing songs. It may be far from the energy of Jagged Little Pill, but there is a lot of strong emotion flowing from the words penned for these tracks and her confident delivery. Each song is about different struggles she faced throughout life, but which in the end built her resilience, making the overall feeling an optimistic one, as the title of the album beautifully implies.
Deep Purple - Whoosh!
This album is like well-aged cognac. You pour yourself a glass, sit back and listen. Deep Purple have nothing to prove, they don't need to dive into new territories of music. The past has already been told, all that matters now is the sip you just took, the taste filling your mouth and your soul. Five musicians with two centuries of experience among them. Two centuries collapsed into less than an hour. It seems as if the music just came forth, already formed, perfectly blended. Time feels frozen for the 50 minutes it takes to finish the glass of joy. The future is unknown, but it flows directly from this moment. So make the best of it! Enjoy it while it lasts, because it will be gone soon. Whoosh!
Pain of Salvation - Panther
I think this is the most creative album I've listened to this year. It covers a lot of genres and styles, which blends in perfectly with the subject matter - people feeling like panthers in a dogs' world, as the title track describes it. Or in other words, people with an always active, easily distracted, but deeply curious mind. It's like a vast modern impressionist painting. Ragged riffs paint grooves on the canvas, alternating with rhythmic melodies, as mastermind Daniel Gildenlöw dashes his vocal brush, ranging from high-pichted singing, to vocalizing, to anger, even to rapping. Patterns incessantly repeated, abruptly interrupted by tirades about how the "normals" always get into the way of "panthers". All in all, a captivating and thrilling album, that I'm sure I will want to get back to from time to time.
Blue Öyster Cult - The Symbol Remains
Yet another band from the good old '70s having some fun together. You can just feel it in the music how the band gels together. There's a pleasureful feeling as the sound waves roll into your ear, from the outright heavy metal tracks (Stand and Fight is like a Metallica + Manowar parody - or homage, who the hell knows?!) to the more rock'n'roll and country tunes. The lyrics are witty and satirical (Florida Man - LoL) even in the most serious of songs. The Symbol Remains is one hour and one minute of high quality fun, with just the right amount of cowbell.
Albums I was thrilled by
Grave Digger - Fields of Blood
Grave Digger are a very productive band. They release a new album every two years or so, this one being their 20th! And as you might expect, the quality of the albums is all over the place. The previous one was very disappointing, a very flat and unimaginative collection of songs, utterly forgettable. Fields of Blood, however, is one of the good ones, the really good ones! They went back to their favourite subject of Scottish history, basically retelling the same stories from their biggest hit - Tunes of War. Of course, that's not what makes this album a great one. It's the music. And I was delighted at the diversity I found among the different tracks. There is a lot of creativity on this album and it feels like they are trying different things. With every song there is something to grab your attention and keep you interested, and that's what makes this such a fun listen. Of course, we definitely have the air-fisting old-school metal riffs and chants, and the quirky but inexplicably effective vocal performance, that you expect from Grave Digger.
Nightwish - HUMAN. :||: NATURE.
I really enjoyed Nightwish when I was in high school, but haven't listened to them since Tarja left. With Floor Jansen they are more to my liking again. However, I couldn't get into the pompous Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Their latest release is less so, at least by modern Nightwish standards - I mean just look at that title 🙄 and let's completely ignore the superfluous instrumental second part. Sure, some of the lyrics and attitude might be obnoxious for the narrow-minded, but musically, thematically, it's all well rounded, a symphonic journey through different feelings exploring different but related themes, from the rawness of Noise and Tribal, to the mellowness of Harvest and How's the Heart?, and some classic symphonic metal in between.
Floor Jansen is used to her full potential, always striking the right tone, aptly sliding from operatic to energic to preachy etc. I think there was room for a classic Marco Hietala-fronted song, but his softer delivery on Endlessness is a nice touch. And Troy Donockley is a great addition, Harvest being such a catchy song, although clearly an odd-one-out. With Tuomas Holopainen's creative orchestration the album offers a very rich and enjoyable musical experience.
Beyond the Black - Hørizøns
As I've previously stated, Beyond the Black is my recent favourite female-fronted symphonic metal band. While I don't mind their march towards a more pop aesthetic, their overly refined sound makes it harder to connect with the music and sit through listening to the whole album. Thankfully, there still are a few standout songs (Human especially) and Jennifer Haben's voice is as fascinating as ever.
Ulver - Flowers of Evil
All I knew about Ulver is that they are a black metal band from the '90s that three years ago released a purely synth-pop album. Flowers of Evil follows that exact same style, so I thought I'd see what it's all about. It didn't impress me at first, but it grew on me, and I guess it's nice to have a gloomy dark wave band to listen to now and then. I wish they'd stop shortcutting their lyrics with bible verse references. I really don't think we need footnotes with our music.
Haken - Virus
Progressive metal mostly bores me to death. That was until I found Haken, who make it fun. I was thrilled when I heard they were planning the release of a new album, with the unintentionally ironic name Virus. The first few singles also thrilled me, especially Prosthetic and Invasion. But other than that I couldn't get into the album. Sonically, it just feels like too much going on all the time, and you don't know what to even focus on. That's the kind of progressive metal I don't like. It's still a good album, just not something I would like to listen straight through.
Demons & Wizards - III
Everything about this album is Demons & Wizards as they were when I discovered them some time in the 2000s. A slow build up to a frenzied guitar and Hansi Kürsch's unmistakable voice, the atmosphere of a dark, cold, cathedral. If you liked Demons & Wizards back then, you'll like them today, too, only with 15 years or so of listening to other music as well.
Magnum - The Serpent Rings
I had forgotten to list them in 2018's review, but I'll do justice now since The Serpent Rings is very similar to Lost on the Road to Eternity. Heh, if I listen to songs from both albums mixed together, I won't be able to tell which is which. Anyway, it's just another album that offers an enjoyable listen: an old-school yet modern sound, with judicious use of keyboards, Bob Catley's powerful ragged voice (73 years old, wow!), crafted lyrics. There's something soothing but at the same inspirational about these songs.
Lockdown EPs
Beyond the Black - W:O:A Acoustic Clash - The Lockdown Session
This seems to be some sort of bet, but more like a challenge from the organizers of Wacken Open Air. In just 48 hours, the band arranged and recorded acoustic covers of four metal songs:
• Volbeat - A Warrior's Call
• Iron Maiden - The Trooper
You can see for yourself this was not just something done for fun over a few drinks, the attention to details is remarkable, the rearrangements very creative. Jennifer Haben handles the various male vocal styles with skill and shows her versatility with regards to musical instruments as well, playing the piano, cello, flute and even the wine glass!
Thrawsunblat - Insula EP
These 20 minutes of music were created in less than a month in the spring of 2020, just when most of the people in the world were in isolation. Four songs born in isolation, about isolation and beyond. Joel Violette, the leader of the band, seems to have done all this himself, from writing the songs, recording every instrument and producing the EP. It is inspired by astronaut Chris Hadfield's guide to self-isolation and each song is dedicated to one of the four steps for thriving in such an environment: identify the risks, identify your goals, identify your constraints, take action. The result is very poetic and very inspiring.
Zeal & Ardor - Wake of a Nation
Another EP born as a spur-of-the-moment reaction, this time to police brutality and discrimination against people of colour in the USA. Well, it has been the topic of the band since its inception, anyway, the overall musical style being a blend of African-American spiritual music and black metal. Wake of a Nation still has a little of that style, but the six songs are less cohesive and have a rawer quality to them, like the full-on black metal track Tuskegee, dealing with the horror of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. Other than that, the style remains avantgarde, sprinkled with electronic bleeps and bloops, while the drums provide a marching rhythm throughout. The despairing cries of the victims involved in previous incidents ("I can't breathe!", "Don't shoot, it's a cellphone!") are incorporated as lyrics to great effect. All in all, a creative musical mix, evoking raw feelings, from despair to anger.
Romanian Metal
White Walls - Grandeur
This is the only Romanian album I've listened to. I wanted to listen to White Walls for some time now, but never got to, and this release was the perfect chance. I'm not very impressed. It's a good album, but it falls short. There is ambition, but the parts don't connect. I see a bit of Goodbye to Gravity, a bit of Days of Confusion, a bit of Implant pentru Refuz's Cartography, a bit of Alternosfera or Grimus even, but not really reaching either of them in quality, not to even think of better than the sum of the parts.
Feel good song of the year
Twenty one pilots have released an absolutely lovely feel good song about making the best of living locked at home, and an even lovelier "live" version:
A powerful podcast
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