The Top 6 Albums of 2014 to 2019

 Here’s the end of September fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Now we come to what was perhaps the hardest list to make. My number one lists on movies & games were tough, but I was able to make a list without too much trouble. For my no 1 albums? Yeah, this was tougher than the others. I loved all of these albums, and while not equally, they manage to stay in my brain in good yet different ways. 2020 looks to be a good year for music in it’s own right, but we’ll get to that when the time comes. For now, let’s take a look at the top 6 albums from 2014 to 2019, and see what’s up!

6) Faith No More - Sol Invictus (Song)

I noticed that, outside of perhaps 1 or 2 records....everything on this list were comeback albums. Practically everything at my number 1 spot from 2014 to 2019 was a comeback in some way. Starting things off is 2015, when on the 19th of May...Faith No More returned to the scene. It had been 18 years since their last release, so the fans (And even non-fans) were shocked to see them return. They had been laying down a hint or two about something in the years prior, and when Sol Invictus came into being...it was a shock!

I confess that this album is the one I least recall. Not saying that it’s bad, cause Sol Invictus isn’t in any way. As I said in my review back in 2015, Faith No More brought back the 90s for a brief time, and it was welcome by anyone that liked it. However, if there was one issue that I see in hindsight, it would be that the record may be a bit too artsy for it’s own good. The band were always odd, and whether sung by Chuck Mosley or Mike Patton...the group wasn’t afraid to show it. However, Alternative Metal groups (Faith No More was more than that) tend to have an ego, and Sol Invictus seemed a little full of itself. Still, it’s a great release from a band that never always got their just due, and I recommend it to anyone who’s even remotely interested in.

5) Ministry - AmeriKKKant (Song) & Turmion Kätilöt - Universal Satan (Song)

Now we’re talking!

To this day, I consider 2018 to have the weirdest top 5 list of albums. For anyone who may not have read that list, I basically have everything be a tie that year (Outside of it’s honorable mentions), but the albums had to match stylistically. Ministry & Turmion Kätilöt just so happened to be Industrial Metal giants from their respective countries, and they also had some shakeups as well. In Ministry’s case, they came back 5 years after they said they wouldn’t, and Turmion Kätilöt had one of it’s original singers leave. Still, they came back strong!

While AmeriKKKant wasn’t necessarily received well, at the same time many Ministry fans were delighted to see a legend come back, and while Turmion Kätilöt had an original singer leave, his replacement was just as good if not better. Both bands were swinging wildly, and while they weren’t hitting the target all the time....when they did, they hit hard!

4) David Bowie - Blackstar (Song)

Nearly 5 years later, the passing of one of music’s most iconic figureheads is still felt by everyone. I didn’t matter if you were a Metalhead, Punk, or Rapper......David Bowie’s death was a colossal earthquake, and the aftershocks still ripple out on rare days. 2016's Blackstar seemed to be a herald of his coming’s death 2 days after it came out, and even though he was dying....he never showed it. Sure, the music is perhaps some of the darkest he’s ever done, but even standing on the razor’s edge of the grave he sings his heart out! Even at his age at that time, he was still imaginative, artistic, and most importantly.....weird. Blackstar also happens to be the only non-metal album to reach no. 1 on any of my end-of-the-year lists, which I guess makes it special in another way. Even if you’re not the biggest David Bowie fan (Which I technically am), Blackstar is something to seek out if you enjoy music that’s more on the artistic/alternative side.....take your pick.

3) Kreator - Gods Of Violence (Song)

Looking back in hindsight, it seems coincidental that one of Germany’s most iconic Thrash Metal bands would release a particularly potent political (For the most part) album shortly after our current (Hopefully one time only) president Donald Trump was inaugurated in early 2017. Not only that, but it had been half a decade since the band had put out a record. It was quite welcome to have Kreator come back, and while Gods Of Violence didn’t surpass Phantom Antichrist from 2012, it did manage to stand alongside it & further helped to gain a presence among Metalheads here in the States. Full of potent instrumentation & vocal work, the album is the very definition of Thrash, and like their brethren Sodom it hit me hard. In the short time since then our country’s politics has only gotten worse, and in turn this album has become that much more with the times. Definitely something to seek out in 2020 if you’re interested.

2) Septicflesh - Titan (Song)

Picking who would go in this position was easy. It was the order in which they would be placed that proved to be difficult, as both records turned out to be some of the most important things I’ve ever listened to. However, what I ultimately decided which album would go where due to emotional impact, and 2014's Titan just barely missed the no. 1 spot. Make no mistake: I genuinely adore the 3rd venture into Septicflesh’s journey of Symphonic Death Metal. It was this album that finally got me to understand the subgenre that is Death Metal, and got me to understand Death Metal’s fans as well. Even if I’ll never be a full-blown fan, I can appreciate this style of metal I’ve judged for so long, and in the years since my library has be graced by a few Death Metal releases. Despite this, one fairly recent album made it to number one.....and I have a feeling that none of you will be surprised by this.

1) Rammstein - Rammstein (Song)

I said it in 2019, and I’m say it again here: this album is like meeting an old friend you haven’t seen in a decade. An old friend that has changed so much, but in all the right ways. It had been nearly a decade since Rammstein had put out an album before this self-titled release, and for a long time fans wondered if they ever would put out anything again. Sure, they still toured all over the world,  Richard Kruspe brought back his side band Emigrate for 2 more albums, and Till Lindemann started up a special project with Peter Tägtgren in 2015, but there seemed to be nothing from the Rammstein camp. Cut to May the 17th of last year, and one of the best ways to close out the 2010s was released.

Received almost universally in a positive light, the album takes everything that the band has done over the 25 years of their existence, distilled it, and released it as a fine vintage spirit for everyone to enjoy. There is not a single bad track through the entire running time of the record, and while you could argue it took forever for the band to release a proper record, I would counter argue and say that this decade-long wait is what allowed the album to be that genuinely perfect. Again, nothing on here sucks, and the touring for the record after this release was just as good as the album itself. Once this plague subsides, I hope that they come again to the states, cause if this record is to be the last one like it supposedly is......then it’s not a bad way to go out on by any means.

And those were my top 6 albums from 2014 to 2019. Again, this was the hardest of the 3 lists I made for this month, but it was still fun to do. With October coming, some gothic wind will be blowing through this blog......so let’s see what it brings in a few days!

The Top 6 Movies of 2014 to 2019

It’s the middle of September fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

No, there’s nothing special going on. I just wanted to put a little pep into our steps, and with how the world is right now we kind of need it. Anyways, on the 1st of this month, we took a look at what I thought were the number one games from 2014 to 2019. That was a fun list, but so is this one! Now we’re onto the number one movies from those respective years, and I gotta tell you....this one was tough. I loved all of these movies, and putting them into a specific order was a challenge. With that moment of complaining out of the way, here are my number 1 movies of 2014 to 2019. Let’s begin!

6) Kung Fury (Trailer)

I kind of feel bad for putting this movie so low on the list.  Released back in May of 2015, this half-hour ode to the 1980s was an absolute treat to watch! It was funny, corny, cheesy, and surprisingly heartfelt & genuine at the same time. Heck, even the deadpan acting and absurd story were part of Kung Fury’s charm, and further keeps it nestled in your brain long after you’re done watching. The only reason I have Kung Fury so low on this list......is because I want more. It obviously sequel-baits itself at the end, and luckily for us......a second film is getting made. It’s taken a while, but we’re returning to Kung Fury’s world. Hopefully, the plague that has ravaged this planet won’t prevent it from coming back!

5) Lego Batman (Trailer) & Lego Ninjago (Trailer)

If there’s one thing that can be said about the Lego Movie franchise, it would be successful. Thanks in part to the first release in 2014 (More on that later on down the list), it paved the way for other movies to follow & expand the franchise. 2017 gave us not one, but two Lego Movie releases! I was surprised that two movies came out in the same year, but looking back it was a welcome surprise at the same time. Between the two, I easily enjoyed Lego Batman much more than Ninjago. Not that Ninjago is bad, cause I found it to be entertaining, but at the same time I considered it the weakest release (Ironic, given The Lego Movie 2 from 2019). At the same time despite it’s weak nature, it’s more than worthy to stand beside the Dark Knight as he fights the various baddies of Gotham City. If there was ever a combo that’ll bring back your childhood, it’ll be these two movies.

4) Christopher Robin (Trailer)

There were 2 times where I cried during this movie. Well, it was technically one that I cried. When the original scene came up, my Mom noticed and held my hand (I saw this with my folks). Then, the scene I actually cried at.....was this:

Tigger Song

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear: Disney has been shooting themselves in the foot in recent years. Live action remakes that shouldn’t have been done (Mulan anyone?), not to mention some rather choice business decisions have really soured people to the company’s name, has put them in a rather odd spot. However, when they get something right.....they genuinely get it right. Such is the case of my no. 1 movie of 2018, Christopher Robin. Equal parts mature & sunny, it’s also amazing and how much nostalgia is packed into each and every scene. Parents who saw the older Pooh series will get a kick out of it & cry, and younger people like me who saw the newer Pooh series will love Christopher Robin also. Good job Disney, you did something right!

3) Deadpool (Trailer)

2016 proved that Marvel could make a M-Rated movie.....that, or the Merc with a Mouth was pointing a gun at the exec’s heads. Take your pick.

The point is, Deadpool was a blast to watch! It practically redeemed Ryan Reynolds in the eyes of moviegoers, and compared to every movie before (And some since) it was the dirtiest thing Marvel Studios had ever released. The film is filthy, funny, bloody, and all manner of politically incorrect. I think the 2nd one may have tried too hard in terms of it’s political incorrectness & humor, but the original Deadpool still holds up well nearly 5 years since it came out. If you don’t like how clean most of the other Marvel features are, then Deadpool is for you.

2) The Lego Movie (Trailer)

It’s only by a few hairs that the inaugural Lego film misses the no. 1 spot on this list, but that doesn’t mean it sucks. As I said above, the movies to come out after this would not have been possible if The Lego Movie wasn’t made, and it’s blatantly obvious why. This feature created the world of Cinematic Legos, and for the entire time it plays, it feels as if your childhood came back to life. The animation is incredibly realistic, or at the very least they took Legos & animated them to lifelike status. The voice acting is great thanks to the actors picked, the music is fun to listen to, the characters are likable, and the story & moral are simplistic but not insulting. The Lego Movie is indeed a warm and fuzzy movie.....but there is a film that is warm & fuzzier.

1) A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (Trailer)

Since 2018, we’ve gotten into something of a small Mr. Rogers resurgence. That year gave us the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor (Trailer here), and 2019 gave us A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. At first people weren’t sure what to think or expect, since the documentary was such a delight to watch & answered quite a bit of things. Not only that, but it showed that Mr Rogers was indeed that much of a genuine human being. Many wondered what a movie would bring to the table when a year before so many answers were given. As it turned out......quite a lot was brought.

Let’s get 1 thing out of the way: This is not a documentary. Despite what the trailers showed, this is actually more of a based on real events movie than anything. In fact, Mr. Rogers isn’t in the spotlight as much as the trailers let on. He’s more of a mentor/wiseman (Take your pick) to the main character, who is going through a bit of a rough patch with his marriage & estranged father as the film plays. It’s really touching, but also a little funny, and just a pinch sad in certain places. As much as it deserves to be the number one movie of 2019, with how the world has gone seemingly completely to crap........I think we need Mr. Rogers and the neighborhood now more than ever.

And those were my number 1 movies of 2014 to 2019. A little more difficult than what I posted on the 1st of this month, but sometimes a challenge is good for any content creator. However, with the final list at the end of the month......I may be facing the toughest challenge yet. See you all then!

The Top 6 Games of 2014 to 2019

 Welcome to September, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Normally with this month I talk about what are my highest viewed posts, as well as some other stuff I feel fits the moment. This year, I wanted to do something a bit different. Over the years on this blog, I’ve talked about what I considered to be the top 5 games, movies, and albums. To this day I still stand by what I selected, but in an effort to challenge myself I came up with an idea. What if I were to take the number 1 pick of each list from 2014 to 2019, and put them on a list of their own?

So that what I did! Over the course of this month, I’ve taken the number 1 game, movie, and album, and ordered them on a list. My opinion on some of these have changes over the years, while some of the others has more or less stayed put. To start things off, let’s talk about the number 1 games of 2014 to 2019. Where do they rank, and has anything changed? Let’s find out!

6) Hellgate: London (Trailer)

I confess in hindsight Hellgate was the number 1 game of 2018 due to sheer nostalgia. Though it was somewhat of a janky/buggy thing in 2007 & 2008, there was an odd charm to it at the same time. When I found out it came back nearly 2 years ago, I was genuinely surprised by it’s return. After watching some footage on Youtube, it seemed like things were fixed, and after a bit I bought it on Steam......that may have been a mistake.

If anything, it may have even been a more buggy experience than it was in 2007 & 2008! The gameplay was improved, thanks in part to it being the revised version used in multiplayer....but for whatever reason it just wouldn’t hold onto my saves! I was absolutely furious because of this, and yet that late 2000s nostalgia came back every time I played, and pretty hard if I’m being somewhat honest. So, due to said nostalgia it made my no. 1 on the 2018 list, but the jankness gets it to no. 6 here.

5) Resident Evil 2 Remake (Trailer)

I’ll be talking about Resident Evil a little later down the list, but I must say that as someone who’s not always a horror guy.......I genuinely loved Resident Evil 2!

I do admit there are some small things that keep me from putting this higher up: resources sometimes seem too scarce, sometimes you’re forced to use up resources, and while Mr. X definitely provides some scares & can be a great antagonist for the player, there are times where it seems all too convenient that he’s nearby. However, those nitpicks do not ruin what in my mind is a fantastic survival horror game. Not only that, but it helped restore some prestige to the Resident Evil franchise, and brought back some old-school fans who may have given up when things became too action-oriented. Definitely a game to check out!

4) Heroes Of The Storm (Trailer)

I feel pretty bad for Heroes of the Storm. Despite coming onto the scene towards the end of the MOBA craze, it managed to entice players with it’s quirky premise & more relaxed take on the genre. Pulling in heroes from across Blizzard’s various IPs (As well as 2 OCs), and creating some of the best battlefields to wage war on, HotS managed to get pretty popular. It even managed to have a big e-sports scene, and it seemed like all was right with the world. Then 2018 came, and things changed: e-sports scene was eviscerated, developers were moves to other games (Diablo: Immortal anybody?) and a skeleton crew is all that’s left, & due to the reduced team updates became significantly slowed. However, there’s still many players to this day, and getting into a game isn’t hard at all. Even with Heroes no longer being in Activision/Blizzard’s eye, it still manages to be a game that’s separated from the rest of the MOBA genre, and that’s a-okay in my book!

3) Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Trailer)

Even more so than the RE2 remake, Resident Evil 7 is proof positive that Survival Horror is still a force to be reckoned with in the gaming world. Though the use of first person was seen as odd at first, it actually made the horror even more impactful. There was no over the top action, and there sure as hell were no horde of zombies or other mutated freaks. It was just you, 3 diseased rednecks, mold monsters, devious traps & puzzles, and most importantly......Survival Horror! You weren’t a walking tank like you were in RE5 & 6, but instead just a normal guy looking for his wife, and instead were plunged into a situation that was way beyond anything you’d ever imagine. Resident Evil 7 brought prestige back into the franchise, and it got a new fan in me.

2) Overwatch (Trailer) & Shadow Warrior 2 (Trailer) & Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour (Trailer)

2016 had a hell of a lot of great games, and when it came to number 1 I jam-packed it with 3 of the biggest release that yeah, & I still agree with it to this day. Each of these releases have shifted in gamers’s opinion: Overwatch didn’t evolve enough over it’s 4+ years of existence, SW2 didn’t have much added outside of 3 pieces of free DLC, and World Tour came out while Megaton Edition got taken off of Steam (Although people who bought it were allowed to keep it). Despite these shifts in opinion, I still get a lot of joy out of these 3 FPS titles. Overwatch was welcomed with open arms (Especially since it was the 1st original Blizzard game for over a decade) with it’s bright colors & unique characters. Shadow Warrior 2 continued the resurrection of a 90s classic, and World Tour was welcomed more strongly than DNF from 5 years prior. 2016 was indeed filled with great games.....but what ended up being number 1 in 2014 just barely passed these 3.

1) Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls (Trailer)

Let me say this right now.......Reaper of Souls saved Diablo 3. People who got into it in recent years may not know about the rough times back in 2012 & 2013, when things weren’t quite as well received. Legendaries weren’t always great, some skills & passives were more overpowered than others, difficulty spikes were scary, hacking was somewhat rampant (I got hacked at one point), some of the monster affixes were overpowered, and in general the game was a bit of a grind and not always fun to play. For a little bit it looked like D3 was going to be abandoned, but then Reaper of Souls came out in 2014....and things were going to be okay.

Reaper of Souls did some pretty significant stuff. It killed the often reviled Auction House, revamped items, skills, and affixes (As well as removing certain monster affixes), revised the difficulty system, added an alternative game mode, a brand new episode, and for anyone who weren’t fans of the more bright look/feel on the base game....the dark gothic tones of Diablo 1 & 2 came back with force. There was still an issue or two (Mainly the always online thing), and there was some further updates later on down the road (The Necromancer class pack as an example), Reaper of Souls was proof that game companies sometimes do care about the products they put out.....and the gamers that buy what they make.

And those were my top 6 games from 2014 to 2019. Definitely some top games from those years, and it was interesting to order them here. Join me in the middle of September, when I’ll take a look at the no. 1 movies of those years. See you then!