Here are my choices for the top 30 CDs of 2008 (there are 10 per page).
1. Opeth - 'Watershed' (Roadrunner)
Roadrunner Records
Opeth has developed a distinctive style over the years, and Watershed continues the development and refinement of that style. Beautiful acoustic passages lead into intense death metal, with lengthy progressive and experimental sections. There are more of those progressive and experimental parts than ever before.
Watershed kicks off with "Coil," a quiet acoustic song with melodic vocals from Akerfeldt and guest female vocals from Nathalie Lorichs. The next song leads the CD into the diverse ebbs and flows we expect from Opeth. Their sonic palette is a large one, going from a single sparse acoustic guitar to layers of guitars, keyboards and other instruments. Subtleties abound, and you'll hear new things with every additional listen.
2. Meshuggah - 'ObZen' (Nuclear Blast)
Nuclear Blast Records
ObZen is more traditional in terms of structure, but with Meshuggah there's always something unique. The songs have mind-bendingly complex riffs and technicality along with unusual time signatures and clever song structures. There are also plenty of progressive sections. And while it's easy to marvel at Meshuggah's technical prowess, the songs are groovy and catchy and hold up well upon repeated listens.
After giving way to a drum machine on the last album, Tomas Haake returns and adds much needed groove and human element. Jens Kidman's vocals are fierce, an angry dose of raw emotion. And that's what makes Meshuggah so good. They are able to skillfully blend the technical and the emotional into a razor sharp musical weapon.
3. Metallica - 'Death Magnetic' (Warner Brothers)
Warner Brothers Records
Death Magnetic isn't a nostalgia trip, but Metallica does embrace some of the elements that made their early albums so good. The songs aren't short, radio-friendly singles. That gives plenty of room for solos and musical exploration, and Metallica takes full advantage. Kirk Hammett is one of the best guitarists in metal, and his full repertoire of classic riffs and shredding solos is on display.
There's a nice amount of diversity as well. Old school, balls-out thrash, mid-tempo groovy jams and slower songs like "Unforgiven III" show a lot of range and versatility. And in the vein of previous songs like "Orion" and "The Call Of Ktulu," Metallica has an instrumental on Death Magnetic, the 10-minute epic "Suicide & Redemption."
4. Ihsahn - 'Angl' (Candlelight)
Candlelight Records
Ihsahn's first solo effort was good, but Angl is even better. The songs are more focused, while still retaining diversity. There are still a lot of progressive elements, but Ihsahn increases the black metal quotient on this one along with sprinkling in gothic, death and traditional metal. He weaves the varied genres into a cohesive package, and the CD has excellent flow.
Ihsahn's vocals are a combination of melodic singing and harsh growls. Mikael Akerfeldt from Opeth's contributions on "Unhealer" makes it a standout and very memorable. In addition to the vocals, Ihsahn's guitar talents are also pretty good. Angl is an elegant CD with a lot of depth and complexity, but it also has a dark underbelly that gives it balance.
5. Nachtmystium - 'Assassins: Black Meddle Pt 1' (Century Media)
Century Media Records
Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 continues Nachtmystium's musical evolution. Blake Judd and company lay down a base of traditional black metal, and then add numerous other genres to the mix. They mix in elements of psychedelic, progressive and electronica.
The songs are atmospheric. Sometimes the atmosphere is thick and oppressive, while other times it is light, airy and mysterious. Sparse instrumentals flow into harsh black metal with flailing blast beats, sometimes backing off into progressive and experimental parts that you don't usually hear on black metal CDs. Nachtmystium continues to push the boundaries of the genre and remain one of the most creative and interesting bands in black metal.
6. Gojira - 'The Way Of All Flesh' (Prosthetic)
Prosthetic Records
The Way Of All Flesh is a complex effort that takes a few listens to fully unravel and appreciate. Gojira's sound blends death, progressive and thrash metal, and they add a few industrial parts as well. Some tracks are dense and technical, with waves of riffs and pummeling blast beats that are brutal and intense.
Other songs leave more room to breathe, with mellower progressive sections and groovier riffs. The Way Of All Flesh has diversity in tempos, textures, intensities and song lengths that keep the listener engaged at all times. Vocalist Joe Duplantier has a distinctive sound, and his death metal vocals are both intense and understandable. He's brutal, but also uses excellent technique that makes it a bit more accessible.
7. Enslaved - 'Vertebrae' (Nuclear Blast)
Nuclear Blast Records
The Norwegian veterans Enslaved once again masterfully mix the brutality and harshness of traditional black metal with progressive and experimental elements. Fast and driving guitars and blast beats give away to dreamy and spacious mellowness. There's more atmosphere and less of the Viking metal sound than on some of their previous albums.
The vocals on Vertebrae are also very diverse. They range from black metal rasps to melodic singing, and are a combination of subdued talking and whispering on "Center." The harsh vocals are as solid as ever, and I'm not sure if it's better production or a better performance, but the clean vocals are stronger on this CD compared to Ruun.
8. Judas Priest - 'Nostradamus' (Epic)
Epic Records
The typical Judas Priest guitar attack is there, but it's fully unleashed only on a few songs. The rest of the time it's more subdued, with acoustic guitars and guitar synths taking front and center on many of the tracks. There are some catchy songs on the CD. When taken in context with the epic album storyline, the orchestral elements and interludes fit in well.
9. Arsis - 'We Are The Nightmare' (Nuclear Blast)
Nuclear Blast Records
Arsis' technical mastery has never been in doubt, and they continue that on We Are The Nightmare. The songs are complex, with great guitar riffs and impressive solos. My biggest complaint with their last album was the lack of hooks. That has been remedied here. In addition to their impressive musicianship, Arsis has made the songs on this CD very catchy and memorable.
Subtlety and extreme music don't really go together, but there is a surprising amount of nuance and subtlety here that you'll notice upon repeated listens. James Malone is Arsis' vocalist, and he adds some variety by using both angry, high pitched screams and ominous death metal growls.
10. Amon Amarth - 'Twilight Of The Thunder God' (Metal Blade)
Metal Blade Records
Amon Amarth isn't a band that drastically reinvents their sound from album to album. Their brand of Viking themed melodic death metal has remained fairly consistent over the years. However, they do something on their latest CD Twilight Of The Thunder God that they haven't done in the past: bringing aboard guest musicians.
Fellow Swede and close friend L.G. Petrov from Entombed duets with Johan Hegg on "Guardians Of Asgaard." Children Of Bodom guitarist Roope Latvala also lends a guitar solo to one track. Metal cellists Apocalyptica also make an appearance on "Live For The Kill." These new elements along with Amon Amarth's trademark sound make Twilight Of The Thunder God a familiar yet fresh album.
