Top 10 Albums of 2016

Hello there, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Well, Christmas (Or Hanukkah/Kwanzaa for those who celebrate them) isn’t too far away. Some of us are probably still shopping for gifts, and things might be particularly tricky for those who are musically-inclined. Well, perhaps this list can help, as it shows off what I consider to be the top 5......wait......it’s not going to be top 5 this year.

2016 was a good year for metal. A great year for music in general, to be honest. Wondrous sound from all over the world was being made/released this year, proving to the nay-sayers that good tunes can still be found. I couldn’t do a top 5 albums list this time around, as there was so many great albums, skipping even 1 or 2 of them would be a crime! So, for perhaps just this year, I’ll be counting down the top 10 albums of 2016. Enjoy!

10) Septicflesh - Revolution DNA Re-Release (Sample Song)

Ironically, I was mildly disappointed by this one. Make no mistake, I’m glad this was finally re-released! With all prior albums put back out, and with the monstrous Titan put upon the world back in 2014, fans were eager for the return of their 5th album. All of the others had bonus content that hasn’t been heard in ages, and I was really looking forward to what goodies would be on DNA’s re-release. Sadly, I discovered it was nothing more than a re-release.....of a re-release. The 2005 re-release, to be exact. Those bonus songs have since been heard all over, so it’s a crime that no original material was put on here.

That said, it’s still great to see Revolution DNA come back & shine in 2016. This Gothic & Industrial tinged Death Metal album is really unique among Septicflesh’s discography, and hasn’t been replicated by any band since. It complements my original copy quite well, and I would highly recommend anyone even remotely interested.

9) Rotersand - Capitalism TM (Sample Song)

Truth be told, I’ve always thought that this band was a bit on the pretensions side. I’ve never necessarily been fond of the Industrial Pop band/group that tries to be too political for their own good, but Rotersand’s kinda grown on me. Granted, I still wanna slap the snot out of them, but I’ll give credit where credit’s due. With their newest release, we finally get an album from this band after a 7-year gap! Rotersand definitely is political with their lyrics, as themes of corruption & rebellion are very frequent throughout the entire CD. The band is definitely hammering their viewpoint into the listeners’s heads, but they seem to know when to let them take the messages on their own. An interesting album from a interesting band, and one I would definitely recommend.

8) Testament - Brotherhood of the Snake (Sample Song) & Destruction - Under Attack (Sample Song) & Sodom - Decision Day (Sample Song) & Megadeth - Dystopia (Simple Song)

It seems that doing the Summer of Thrash event around the middle of 2016 was prophetic. Sure, Megadeth & Destruction got their albums out beforehand, but Thrash legends put out material afterwords. Even Metallica, a band that’s fallen out of the spotlight in the eyes of hardcore Thrash fans, managed to get something out. Disregarding them, 2016 was a great year for Thrash Metal, and to pick one out of these 4 albums to put on here is a great disservice. So, these 4 are getting their own spot on the list, as all of these records offer something wonderful to listen to.

7) Pain - Coming Home (Sample Song)

I’ve only know about this band since last year, and even then it’s only because I came across Till Lindemann’s side project....Lindemann (Redundant, I know). In that time, I’ve slowly come across Pain’s material from across their entire career. I certainly enjoyed what I found, but nothing ever fully stuck with me. Then Coming Home comes around, things finally stuck in my head for good. The preview tracks were really good, and they showed off what’s to come nicely. The whole album finally comes out, and it was as good as I expected it to be. It’s Industrial Metal at it’s finest: thudding drums, guitar-work that cuts like a knife, vocal work that’s sinister & sensual, and electronica that’s all over the place, but in a good way. If I knew about Pain sooner, I would have possibly put Coming Home a little higher on the list. Regardless, if you want some Industrial that’s outside the more mainstream artists, then Coming Home isn’t a bad idea.

6) Ghost - Popestar EP (Sample Song) & Sabaton - The Last Stand (Sample Song)

Ghost has been hitting it out of the park since they emerged onto the music scene in 2010. Not quite Heavy Metal, not quite Rock ‘n’ Roll, but a group that seems to be right in the middle of the two. In their relatively short time, Ghost has amassed a sizable fanbase all over the world. Their music, not to mention their stage show & attire, is quite captivating. With the release of Popestar, we continue to receive great music from this Swedish sensation. While Popestar is only 5 tracks, you can already get a sense of what’s to come next year. The main singer & band appearance will probably change with the next album, so this is a nice way for Ghost 3.0 to go out. It’s only 10 dollars, so go to your local music store, and pickup this piece of bite-sized brilliance.

Another good Swedish band is Sabaton. Since their first album back in 2005, they have produced their own take on Power Metal. Using warfare throughout history, the group have crafted some really unique music. I’ve listened to a lot of their music for a while, but I’ve never acquired anything from them physically until The Last Stand. Taking the theme of final battles and giving it a metallic edge, Sabaton neither glorifies warfare, but doesn’t necessarily demonize it either. The band shows both sides of conflict in each of the songs, and tells some incredible stories in the process. Pick this up if you’re interested in Power Metal that’s a little more on the serious side.

5) Devin Townsend - Transcendence (Sample Song)(Japanese Edition Bonus Track)

The king of Prog Metal has outdone himself this year. In my first music list back in 2014, I had both of his releases (Casualties of Cool & Z2) on the list as a tie at the no. 2 spot, and I still believe in that decision. 2016 doesn’t give me that option, but that doesn’t mean HevyDevy was keeping quiet! With Transcendence, we continue to see the evolution of Devin Townsend’s music. As befitting of the album’s name, there’s a spirituality that’s sewn in each of the tracks, and in the process of listening to them you’re taken to a higher level of consciousness. If you happen to come across the edition with the 2nd cd, you’re given another helping of mind-altering music. An absolutely wonderful album to listen to!

4) Korn - The Serenity of Suffering (Sample Song)

I’ll eventually update my Metal Overview I did on Korn earlier this year with info about this record, but suffice it to say I loved their offering for 2016. It certainly has an issue or two, but those faults don’t ruin an otherwise fantastic! Like I said when talking about The Paradigm Shift, the return of Brian "Head" Welch infused the band with an old-school sound & feel that wasn’t felt since their record from 2003, and that old-school spice is definitely felt in this album. It also continues to show that Nu Metal still has a place, even in this time!

3) Myrath - Legacy (Sample Song)

When one thinks of Tunisia & the Middle East, one doesn’t think of Heavy Metal. As it always seems to be, the metal gods bless individuals from all over the world to weave their magic, and even in the heart of the desert, disciples of metal are born. Despite being around for only a little over a decade, Myrath has made a great splash into the world of Heavy Metal. Weaving together Prog, Oriental, and even Power Metal, the band creates music that transports you to desert kingdoms of the past, filled with fantasy & Middle Eastern sorcery. With their latest album Legacy, Myrath cements their rightful place in the world of Heavy Metal, and they don’t show signs of slowing down any time soon.

2) Surgical Meth Machine - Surgical Meth Machine (Sample Song)

When I first heard that Al Jourgenson was starting a solo project, my heart skipped a beat. If any of you read my top 10 singers & bands post, you’ll know that Ministry is my number 1 band of all time (For personal reasons). Then when the previews for this album came out, I couldn’t wait. And on April 15th of this year, the album was released, and it felt like discovering Ministry all over again. It might not be as fast as Uncle Al promised it would be, but goddamn does this album sound fantastic! It comes across as modern, but the vibes are old-school Ministry through & through. If you want old-school Industrial Metal with a modern take, Surgical Meth Machine’s initial output is for you!

1) David Bowie - Blackstar (Sample Song)

Yeah, kinda cheap to put the album of a dead man on here isn’t it?

Truth be told, maybe it’s not so cheap. David Bowie is a legend in rock & pop music, and was tragic to see this album come out a mere 2 days before he passed away at the start of this year. However, this albums seems to be a fitting record to go out on, much like Bad Magic from Motörhead. If When The Sky Comes Looking For You was Lemmy talking about his eventual demise, then the entirety of Blackstar is about David Bowie’s inevitable passing. This record is great, and serves as a nice conclusion to the career of Ziggy Stardust.

So these were my top 10 albums of 2016. The beefiest list for this time of year, to be sure. Hopefully, you’ll find a record here that somebody might want. I’ll see you all next week, when the Hinata Apartments will be within sight. See you them!




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If you’d like to see what my top 5 albums of last year were, check out the link below.

Top 5 Albums of 2015

Also, if you’d like to see what I thought of Revolution DNA, check out my review I did earlier this year, complete with revisions for the re-release.

Album Review - Revolution DNA