The Top 10 Movies To Watch Before You Die

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads. Welcome to the 1st of October!

I wanted to do something a bit different this year. Don’t worry, I’m okay. As dark as the title says, I’m not in some awful slump or anything. As a way to further vent out how I’ve been feeling since March & make some sense of it, I wanted to think of a list. 3 special lists in fact, on essential media that we all should partake in before we pass on to whatever realm of existence is in the beyond for us. More specifically, the 10 movies to watch, the 10 albums to listen to, and finally the 10 games we should play. I’m starting off the month of spooks and specters with the 10 movies to watch before you die.

As I made this list, I attempted to make sure that it was as varied as possible when it came to genres. One style of film might have been easier to do, but I wanted to cover a variety of styles so as to have a cornucopia to choose from. I may do a second one of these next year, but time will tell. In any case, here are the top 10 movies to watch before you die. Let’s begin!

10) Koyaanisqatsi (Trailer)

Like I’ve probably stated a few times on this blog, I’m not the biggest fan of Arthouse films. More often than not, I think they talk down to their audience, and feel like fluffy pieces that just stroke the director’s ego. That doesn’t mean they’re all like that, as there’s a couple that really make the brain cells ignite. Case in point, we have Koyaanisqatsi. Translated from the Hopi Indian language as “Life Out Of Balance”, it is one of the most stunning features I’ve ever watched. While there is some ego around the beginning, there isn’t much else in that regard during the rest of it’s 86 minute run time. It really is something not just to see, but hear as well, thanks to Philip Glass’s incredible soundtrack that plays across the entire movie. There’s no spoken dialog, and there aren’t any characters, though one could argue that when it focuses on a specific person there could be. Godfrey Reggio never put a story in, as he wanted all of it’s viewers to come up with their own opinion about what they saw. In the 42 years since it was released, older fans & newer fans alike have come to appreciate the wonderful photography & amazingly crafted music, and it’s contributions to motion picture should never be forgotten.

9) A Nightmare On Elm Street (Trailer)

In the past few years, I’ve grown more appreciative of the Horror genre. Like I’ve said for a while on this blog, I’m not a big fan, but like I said I definitely enjoy it far more now than I do maybe a decade ago (Even though I enjoyed it a little back then also). One such Horror film I’m a big fan of is the iconic & infamous A Nightmare On Elm Street. Directed by the late Wes Craven, it has been on this Earth for almost 40 years (Exactly 40 years on the 9th), and in all that time it carved a path through so many teenagers. Though aspects of it haven’t aged well over the nearly 4 decades (Mainly when it comes to certain special effects), much like the feature above the overall experience is awesome! Robert Englund chews up each & every scene he’s in, and was absolutely perfect as the titular Freddy Kruger, and everybody else does a great job as well (It was also Johnny Depp’s first screen role if I recall correctly). From the cinematography to the music, and even the special effects despite the hokiness at times, A Nightmare On Elm Street was a pop culture phenomenon, and did incredibly well at the box office. Even now, it manages to keep viewers’s lights on, and maybe just a little nervous when they go to sleep. If you want to get into Horror, perhaps a trip to Elm Street is in order.

8) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Trailer)

Animation has always been a powerful medium, no matter where it comes from. Japan especially has always been a juggernaut when it comes to that, as the titan that is Anime continues to be a powerful force practically everywhere. One of those champions from the Land of the Rising Sun is the iconic Studio Ghibli, where the grumpy yet oddly lovable Hayao Miyazaki & his cohorts have created some classic films. One of the best they’ve ever created was Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. It turned 40 years old this March on the 11th, but even before it turned 4 decades old it was incredible over in Japan, and made U.S. viewers’s jaws drop one it came over here. An environmental piece that’s the exact opposite of something like Avatar, it has wears the typical Ghibli charm on it’s sleeve, and isn’t ashamed of it because of critics. In addition to it’s environmental aspect, it’s also a great fantasy feature as well, filled not just with swordfights, but fantastical creatures, epic scenery, and even technology that counteracts nature. The voice acting is great also, whether it’s the original Streamline Pictures or the Disney re-release, as they’ll stay in your brain for quite some time. Studio Ghibli has released some amazing films since 1984, but it must be said that Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind might be their most essential. Definitely one to watch.

However, Japan is not the only country that wields animation like a sword. The United States is pretty damn good with it as well, and a little over a decade later after Nausicaä, something amazing created with computers was released.

7) Toy Story (Trailer)

By today’s standards it looks pretty primitive, but back in 1995 when this Pixar classic was released it was nothing short of amazing. Computer work beforehand was regulated mainly to special effects & action scenes, so to see a whole movie made by it was really incredible. I remember seeing Toy Story in theaters, and was completely enchanted by it from beginning to end. I was one of those kids that always wondered what my toys were doing when we weren’t looking, so to see that in front of my pre-teen eyes was really something. While CG since has been overdone in many movies since, back in the mid-90s to see an entire film made of it was incredible. The amount of work that was put in Toy Story is still evident today, and many of Pixar’s features in 2024 show that with the right crew, Computer animation can be a powerful force for film making.
 
6) Enter The Dragon (Trailer)

50 years old. That is how old Bruce Lee’s most iconic Martial Arts film turned in August of 2023 (August the 19th of that year more specifically). For half a century, it has wowed & awed viewers of all ages with it’s spectacular stunts, and blood pumping fights scenes. The acting might not be up to snuff when compared to everything else, and the cinematography is definitely dated by today’s standards, but the overall experience is just wonderful from beginning to end. The Dragon definitely cemented his legacy with other films after this one, but Enter The Dragon is such a landmark film in the Martial Arts genre, that they don’t quite have as much weight to them. If there was one Kung Fu feature that is required to watch, Enter The Dragon is that movie.

5) Rocky Horror Picture Show (Trailer)

More so that Horror & Arthouse films, I’m not a fan of musicals. Whereas I’ve gained some appreciation for the previously mentioned genres, when it comes to musicals not much ground has been gained (Outside of a few exceptions). However, my heart always had a home for the B rated classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. Getting slammed for the first 6 months, it would eventually gain a behemoth of a cult following due to midnight screenings back in the 70s, and eventually takes it’s place as a classic piece of cinema. Even today, the legion of fans it has all over the world shows it’s incredible staying power, what with it’s cast of quirky characters & surprisingly good songs. Not only that, but many in the Queer & Trans communities consider it an important piece of media when it comes to representation and such. Coming in on just under 50 years old last month (Turns exactly 50 years old on the 26th of September in 2025), it is a safe bet to say that nobody with ever forget Rocky.

4) Die Hard (Trailer)

For starters, I am one of those people that think Die Hard is a Christmas Movie! Yes, call me a dork, but this is a Seasonal essential for when December comes around.

Hell, even if it didn’t have anything to do with Christmas (Which it does), I & many others would still hail it as an 80s Action Movie classic! For the first time ever as a lead role, Bruce Willis was highly convincing as the fish that was massively out of water. Up against some highly armed & highly skilled “Terrorists” (If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I mean), he’s gotta do everything he can to rescue his wife & as many people as he can from out of Nakatomi Plaza, all the while avoiding getting shot at. All of the 80s Action Movie cliches are in Die Hard, heightened to a T, yet it all works so well that it somehow doesn’t feel old nearly 40 years after it came out in theaters. It is still an 80s film essential almost 4 decades since it first came out on the silver screen, and whether you watch it around the Holiday season or not, it’s sure to be exciting!

3) Blazing Saddles (Trailer)

Yet another movie that’s celebrating a half-century on this planet (Turned 50 years old back in February of this year on the 7th), Blazing Saddles could only have come from the minds of Richard Prior & Mel Brooks, who himself turned 98 back in June on the 28th. Taking the Western genre & turning it into a comical farce of the best kind, as practically every single joke lands and makes me laugh. Not only that, but Blazing Saddles is also one of the best examples of anti-racist media that’s ever been made. The acting is superb from beginning to end, with greats like Gene Wilder, Cleavon Little, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, and of course Mel Brooks chewing up every single scene they’re in. Given the social & political environment we unfortunately have nowadays (Most if not all critics don’t realize most the jokes are done at the EXPENSE of the racists), we’re likely to never have another movie like Blazing Saddles made, but that’s okay.....because one Blazing Saddles is enough.

2) Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (Trailer)

In a highly political year like 2024, it seemed only right to talk about this documentary. I remember watching this about 20 years, and while I didn’t understand a lot of the material back then, I comprehend practically all of it nowadays. The story behind the formation of Fox News is equal parts intriguing & terrifying, and it’s existence in then 2004 when the documentary came out. Those who were in the political sphere in the early 2000s were likely aware that Fox was nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Right, but for average joes like myself it was like staring into an abyss that none the less provided an illuminating yet horrifying experience. The inner working of this “News” network has become all the more obvious 20 years later, and it’s a shame that a 3rd version of the film hasn’t been released. Even so, Outfoxed is an important documentary that every one should watch at least once. Speaking of watching at least once.....

1) Schindler’s List (Trailer)

It’s a bit of a downer to end this list on a such a heavy note, but it’s only right.

I’ve known about what is perhaps Steven Spielberg’s biggest film ever (That’s saying something, considering what he released in the years before) for a long time, with my first actual introduction towards the end of 2019 thanks to a movie list I watched (Click Here), and I did view a few scenes afterwards, but it wasn’t until May of 2024 when I finally witnessed the story of one of the most incredible acts of bravery during World War 2. The story of Oscar Schindler, a man who sacrificed everything, saving the lives of 1,100 Jews from the hands of the Nazis. Though it does start further into his life during the war, we still see him turn from quite the prick, into one of the most heroic individuals ever in history. The fact that he is the only Nazi to be buried in Israel is testament to what he did, and screw those who discredit him. If there was ever a movie that you truly needed to watch once before you die.....it is Schindler’s List.

And those were the top 10 movies to watch before you die. More than any other list I’ve ever done, there’s something for pretty much everybody on here. Now, I turn my attention to the realm of music, as I’ll speak of the 10 albums you gotta listen to before you die. See you all around the middle of the month, but see you all next week for a spooky surprise!

No. 1 Movies From 2014 To 2024

Last list, and it’s a little shorter compared to the others!

As you know, I didn’t have a top 5 movies list for 2020 & 2021. The reason why should be very obvious, but regardless my no. 1 movies of the years you see before you are certainly an eclectic bunch. Fortunately, there weren’t any ties for my no. 1 films of these respective years (Save for 1), so making this list was quite a bit easier when compared to the others. So, with that said fellow Otaku & Metalheads, here are my no. 1 movies from 2014 to 2024, Enjoy!

2014) The Lego Movie (Trailer)

Hard to believe that this turned a decade old earlier in 2024. In all of that time, my love for this film has never once wavered, and while later features in the Lego world did fluctuate somewhat in terms of quality, the very first one has been a massive bedrock in that regard. It really did feel like my Lego collection came to life, and I was transported into my toy chest’s world to have my imagination blown out of the water. Though there hasn’t been a new Lego movie on the horizon for over 5 years now, we still have releases like this one to scratch that childhood nostalgia itch when we need it.

2015) Kung Fury (Trailer)

It is incredibly frustrating that the 2nd Kung Fury movie is being held up in post-production for the past few years, all thanks to lawsuit issues with an investor. It’s a massive shame, since if it’s anything even remotely like what the first one was, it’ll be a hell of a good time. The original Kung Fury, despite being only a little over a half-hour in length, is a wonderful love letter to every cheesy martial arts movie & cheesy action movie of the 1980s, complete with purposeful bad acting and special effects. It might be a relic nowadays on the internet, with it being almost a decade old now, but I’m willing to be that many of you who’ve watched this short feature get a kick out of it every time.

2016) Deadpool (Trailer) 

The first time we saw the Merc With The Mouth, it was in the notoriously awful X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Luckily, that awful taste was washed out with 2016's Deadpool, and what a refreshing film it was! Nobody was ever expecting a rated-R movie from Marvel, but by god we got one. Swearing, sexual content, politically-incorrect humor, and so much more was in this film! Ryan Reynolds was perfect at the lead role, and the rest of the cast put in great performances as well. Over 8 years later, a cancer-ridden mutant in red spandex still piles on the bodies & makes me laugh until I’m on the floor wheezing from said laughter. If you ever missed out on this movie somehow, then I suggest you give it a go!

2017) Lego Batman (Trailer)

And here marks the only year that I ever had a tie for the no. 1 movie of the year. In 2017, we got not 1, but 2 Lego movies. At first I was considering to put them both here, but I had to step back & think about it, and ultimately I decided to go with just one of them. Make no mistake: Lego Ninjago was definitely entertaining, and looked just as incredible as the films before it, but it still comes across as the weakest of the series in my view. Lego Batman, on the other hand, is a glorious feast of silly! We already got a glimpse of the titular character back in 2014, but for him to take center stage in his own film was a smart movie. A little bit of the humor isn’t as good as what was in The Lego Movie, but that doesn’t ruin what is a really fun time. If you liked the first Lego movie, then you’ll love this!  

2018) Christopher Robin (Trailer)

Hard to believe that pre-2023 Disney still rocks despite it’s faults, and 2023 Disney was such a dismal failure (Save for one or two exceptions). I don’t know what was going on last year, because it doesn’t reflect on the quality of movies like Christopher Robin. In a year that saw the Marvel monolith Avengers: Infinity War, it was nice to see a more simplistic & sunshine-filled feature that really tugged at the heartstrings. Like I said in years prior, I actually teared up at least twice while I was watching it with my folks, and even if it didn’t make me weep, Christopher Robin is still fantastic. Great acting, simple story, and harkening back to characters that many of us had in our childhood, it all comes together into a film that’s old-school Disney with modern day filming techniques. If you want to see a feature from a time where one of the most iconic companies still had credibility, make it Christopher Robin.

2019) A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (Trailer)

Maybe now, more than ever, we need Mr. Rogers to come back from the dead. We need the neighbor that we all knew & loved when we were growing up to come back, and help make sense of what life is like right now. We got a sliver of that in 2019, when Tom Hanks decided to step into the shoes of the legendary neighbor, and headline a movie inspired by an actual event from Fred Roger’s life. It was funny, it was serious, it was emotional, and it treated the incident that inspired the film fairly well from what I understood of it. Again, more now than in 2019, we need Mr. Rogers’s love.

2022) Violent Night (Trailer)

2020 & 2021 were brutal years for us, and at this point it seems silly to say why, because we know all too well what recent memory was like. Thankfully, by 2022 there seemed to be some amount of normality coming back, but at the same time we needed a few band-aids to put on us after the amount of scars we all got. One of these band-aids came in early December of 2022, when the absolutely over-the-top Violent Night was released in theaters. I’ve talked about it twice that year, and in both circumstances I gave it nothing but praise. Almost 2 years later I give it praise still, and I don’t think it’s gonna stop anytime soon. The movie was gory, funny, dramatic, and surprisingly touching in places I didn’t expect to happen. If you happen to be looking for a Christmas movie in a few months that’s different in all the right ways.....make it a Violent Night!

2023) The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Trailer)

Over a year later, and I still can’t get over The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Like I said in my top 5 movies of 2023 list, this movie made me nostalgic for a game series I have never connected with outside of a few circumstances. This movie made me feel for characters I never really had any connection to, and this movie made me cry in one scene (You know the one). When 90% of video game movies tank (Tank hard in some cases), it’s nice to see one that not only isn’t afraid to not only experiment a little bit, but also show that it has nothing but immense respect for it’s subject matter. If Illumination can keep this level of quality in future films based off of Nintendo games then I will be at every one of these, but even if they don’t for whatever cataclysmic reason, it was nice to know that they did it at least once.

2024) Deadpool & Wolverine (Trailer)

Like I talked about a few months ago, And seemingly throughout most of this year, my friends Isabelle & Neil passed away in March and April, and my year since their passing has been nothing but hot garbage (To be honest, it’s kind of been sucking since the start). There’s been a tiny few bright spots, and I’m doing a little better now, but overall 2024 has sucked nothing but ass. Not the kind of ass that would make a straight guy question himself, but the kind of ass that would turn a gay guy completely straight for the rest of their life. However, I digress.....

Back at the end of this past July, a special movie was released to the masses. A dumb, stupid, brain-rotting, over-the-top, foul-mouthed, hyper violent, dirty movie was aired on the silver screen, and some how.....some way.....Deadpool & Wolverine gave me some pep back into my step. Make no mistake: the movie has some small bumps in it’s armor, but the overall package makes this film one of Marvel’s best since Endgame from over 5 years ago (And Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 from last year to a lesser extent). Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman are genuinely perfect together, as every joke & quip they say to each other makes me laugh and smile. Hell, practically every joke that was said or shown was genuinely funny, and everybody in the theater was laughing from beginning to end. It’s definitely one of my favorite movies of 2024, and as you can tell by this list.....it’s my number one of the year.

And those were my no. 1 movies from 2014 to 2024. Again, it’s a weird bunch all things considered, but it’s a bunch that I think shows off my taste in film quite nicely. Well, the spooky season isn’t that far away, but I’ve got something different planned. Very different. See you in just a few short days!

No. 1 Games From 2014 To 2024

From albums, we’re looking at the best no. 1 games of the past 10 years!

There have been plenty of titles that have crossed my path during the decade that my blog has been up. Though some releases have since left my personal spotlight, the ones here definitely haven’t. Like with the last list, any year that had a tie will be narrowed down to just a single game. Most of the years that I have been doing these haven’t had a lot of game ties, so this was easier than I thought it would be. With that out of the way, here are my no. 1 games from 2014 to 2024!

2014) Diablo 3: Reaper Of Souls (Trailer)

Me & a friend of mine have been saying this for a little over a decade now, but Reaper Of Souls basically saved Diablo 3. Some gamers might not remember, but D3's launch was rather rough. Launch Day has a server crash a few hours into it, balancing was rough on higher difficulties, and of course there was the Auction House (Gold Auction House wasn’t an issue in my mind). With the release of this expansion, most of the game’s faults were practically wiped off the map. There were still a few small hiccups, but they didn’t hinder the rebirth of Diablo 3 at all, and in all that time has made the game a certified classic!

2015) Heroes Of The Storm (Trailer)

I’ve stated this a few times since 2015, but I was never a MOBA fan at all. I don’t mind beating the crap out of other players in a nice battle, but with so many bells & whistles attached to the genre (Not to mention a steep learning curve for some), it can be oddly daunting to get into. Heroes Of The Storm has been the seemingly lone exception to this rule, and sure modern-day Blizzard almost does nothing with the game aside from some patches & maintenance the past few years, but it still has a sizable fan-base almost a decade since it’s release. Taking the MOBA genre and distilling it to it’s most basic formula, HotS has an incredibly simple learning curve, thus making it easy to get into! With Microsoft now owning Activision-Blizzard, many are hoping that this title has a big revival, and given that there are still people that play it.....I hope it does.

2016) Overwatch (Trailer)

It hard to believe that Blizzard’s most original I.P. in nearly 16 years by 2016 was sacrificed at the altar’s of Bobby Kotick’s greed. Today, the game that was Overwatch is a shadow of it’s former self, what with the wonky balancing, copious amount of broken promises, and a Battle Pass system that’s somehow more predatory than the Loot Boxes it used to have. It’s a crying shame, as the original OW was fantastic! Sure, there was the issues of balancing & previously mentioned Loot Boxes, but the game was an absolute blast to play. Hell, even in the era of Overwatch 2, a few wisps of the past creep into a match here & there. Still, for creating a colorful world with equally colorful characters, it’s hard to turn your gaze away from what was.

2017) Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Trailer)

RE7 still gives me the absolute creeps almost 7 years later. A massive reboot after the franchise went down a more action packed path, players had been a little worried when they were told that it was going to be first person, but those worries were thrown into a dumpster when the game came out. Bringing the series back to it’s survival horror roots, Biohazard is still chilling & horrifying over 7 years since it came out. Though the subsequent remasters & new games are absolutely scary, there’s just something about seeing biologically grown horrors in the first person perspective that really puts you on edge. As a gateway into the world of Resident Evil, however little I’ve traveled down, I’m more thank thankful for RE7 holding that door open for me.

2018) Hellgate: London (Trailer)

I may have said it in a prior list, but it was due to sheer blind nostalgia that this oft forgotten RPG got to the no. 1 spot in 2018. Hellgate: London doesn’t have the best reputation, but there was just something about it that charmed me all the way back in 2007 when it was originally released, and I was surprised that it was re-released (With multiplayer exclusive content from later additions) 6-something years ago. Funny enough, this is the no. 1 game that I’ve actually played the least, as I only have a few short hours put into this due to a weird save-prevention bug I never figured out. Even so, Hellgate is such a fascinating dumpster fire, it’s hard to not look at it a little bit.   

2019) Resident Evil 2: Remake (Trailer)

Resident Evil 7 was a blast, but the remake of Resident Evil 2 was huge! Going back to the 3rd person view, fans were treated of a wonderful reconstruction of an iconic game. Perhaps even more challenging that RE7 and the original RE2, I was definitely on edge as I explored the ruined Racoon City Police Department, not to mention the decrepit sewers & wrecked Umbrella labs. It was clear from the first few moments that massive amounts of love was put into bringing this title into the modern era, as well as a lot of respect when it comes to the Resident Evil lore. Coming in at 5 years old back in January of this year (The 25th of January to be specific), it’s a modern day classic that’s still talked about fondly.

2020) Doom: Eternal (Trailer)

Perhaps even more metal & Doom than the series’s triumphant return back in 2016, Eternal was an absolutely visceral experience! Taking everything that the previous Doom game did, turning the knob up to 10, and adding a few new bells and whistles helped Eternal become a game that was even more like Doom that what it was a few years prior. Even the lore that was added fleshed things out, as the once simplistic world has become surprisingly deep, and the implications of characters behind the scenes adds more to what’s going on. Even if you didn’t care for the lore or those that inhabit it, on gameplay alone Eternal has since become a timeless classic over the 4 years that it’s been out. If you’re in the mood for a Heavy Metal festival of demonic violence, then this is for you!

2021) Behind The Frame: The Finest Scenery (Trailer)

Out of everything that came out in 2021, and out of everything on this list (With maybe 1 exception a little later), Behind The Frame is the most peaceful game that I’ve ever played. A puzzle game centered around that of love & art, and using a visual style that’s reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, it was a great counterbalance to the disease-ridden year of 2020. Perhaps it’s biggest flaw is that subsequent playthroughs aren’t all that different from the very first, save for looking for achievements. This did go away a little when the DLC for Jack was released, but then came back by the time it was completed. Even so, Behind The Frame is a soothing and heartfelt experience that was absolutely needed when compared to what 2020 was like.

2022) Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Trailer 1/Trailer 2)

I will eternally sing the praises of the first MTG release of 2022. I will forever cheer on the return to one of the card game’s most iconic planes, and I will forever squee over all of the cyberpunk & anime references that were put in. To be honest, the circumstances around the release of Neon Dynasty were truly perfect in my opinion: the pre-release took place at a Hibachi restaurant, the actual release happened while I was at Katsucon 2022, and while this isn’t completely related, the release of Elden Ring happened a week after. All of these circumstances made a massive impact on my nerdy self, and it still hits me over 2 years afterwards. With glimpses of the plane being revealed in March Of The Machine & it’s aftermath, I can only hope that we go back again sometime this decade.

2023) Gloomwood (Trailer)

I will forever love this game!

From the pre-alpha demo all the way back in 2020, to it’s early access release in September of 2022, to it’s current early access state here in 2024, Gloomwood has be nothing short of a genius game. In addition to being a loving tribute to the stealth classic Thief: The Dark Project, the title’s biggest strength is the studio that’s working on it. New Blood Interactive & it’s developers have been nothing short of transparent about the development of this game, showing off little changes in videos on their Youtube page, as well as the Twitter pages of some of the developers. This transparency has resulted in an early access title that feels like it’s complete.....and they’re still working on it! Hopefully by 2025 it gets fully released not just on PC, but on Switch & other consoles as well.....because everyone deserves to play this game.

2024) Botany Manor (Trailer)

2024 has been an incredibly rough year for me. Probably has been for a lot of us.

Like I talked about a few months ago, my dear friend Isabelle passed away 6 days shy of her 90th birthday, and her husband Neil died not even a month after her. Coupled with a few other things since around the end of last year, not to mention the fact that now I’m close to middle age, to say life has been a bitch is understating. However, leave it to an incredibly cozy game to bring a spark back. Leave it to a puzzle game about the growing of beautiful fictional flowers at a equally beautiful manor in the English countryside to make me feel a little more warm & fuzzy once again. Can’t say much else, other than this was fantastic!

And those were the no. 1 games from 2014 to 2024. Each of these were taken from a variety of genres, and I can only wonder what the next decade will bring us. Well, I got one more decade retrospective to cover, and it’ll be perhaps the most interesting. See you all at the end of the month!

No. 1 Albums From 2014 To 2024

10 years fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

10 years that I’ve been doing this blog. 10 years that I’ve been review anime, metal albums, conventions, and whatever else caught my fancy. 10 years that I’ve claimed my little piece of the internet, and hopefully I will claim 10 more & beyond. It’s a strange thing if you ask me: time is fleeting, but somehow what we do online can stay for quite a while. It’s weird, but there’s something oddly comforting about it at the same time.

So to celebrate this decade of me being online, I wanted to go over what all of the number 1's I’ve had over these years. The number 1's among my albums, movies, and games that is. To challenge myself somewhat, any year that had a time or such will have one of them picked out instead of any of the others so as not to clutter these up. On top of that, these 3 lists will also preview something that’s come from 2024 so far, and it may or may not change by the time December rolls around. With that out of the way, here are my no. 1 albums from 2014 to 2024. Let’s begin!

2014) Septicflesh: Titan (Song)

Over a decade by the time this list is released, I still hold the first ever Death Metal album I got into close to my heart. Septicflesh have been producing albums for a little over 30 years here in 2024, and it’s albums like Titan that keep it’s fans invested. The record is a perfect balancing act: just the right amount of symphonics, and just the right amount of Death Metal. Neither aspect overpowers the other, and the two walk a tightrope together without even remotely falling off either side. I may have physically owned the album since 2016, but I’d like to think it’s been with me for longer than that. I believe I’d said it before, and I’ll say it again, but Titan is the album you’ll want to listen to first if you want to get into the slaughterhouse that is Death Metal. Guaranteed!

2015) Faith No More: Sol Invictus (Song)

I dropped my jaw when I found out that Faith No More got back together & released a new album. It had been over a decade since the band released anything, as they split up in 1997 to pursue other things, but when they came back in 2015 it felt as if they never left us. Taking everything they learned from their time in the late 80s to 90s, they brought that all into the middle of the 2010s, and the end result is a massive nostalgia blast! For a while I’ve fallen away from it somewhat, yet I still can’t deny how hard it hit me nearly a decade ago. If any of you weren’t a child of the 90s and would like a gateway into what that decade was like, then I highly suggest that you listen to this!

2016) David Bowie: Blackstar (Song)

The stars were dimming quite a bit since Ziggy Stardust left Earth nearly a decade ago. For over 8 years, the airwaves have been a little less special with David Bowie no longer being in the musical picture, but not long before he left he managed to crank out a beast of an album! While I do think it’s perhaps a little too artistic, and there’s some ego to be felt here & there, I wouldn’t say that Blackstar is bad. Far from it: the album is perhaps at Bowie’s creative zenith. Much like Freddy Mercury on Innuendo, he is pouring our his heart & soul, and spending what little energy he had left in crafting his Magnum Opus. Though the No Plan would come out a year later, and have some great songs in it’s own right, it’s Blackstar that has a lot of punch behind it’s music. If you’d like to see the stars twinkle for only a little bit, I think this is the album to make them shine.

2017) Kreator: Gods Of Violence (Song)

In a year of political upheaval in the United states thanks to a certain somebody becoming president, it was comforting to know that one of the cornerstones of German Thrash Metal would release Gods Of Violence right at the very beginning of 2017. The album is exactly what you expect from modern-day Kreator: hard-hitting & heavy riffs, raspy & brutal vocals, and political commentary that’s in your face. In the years since Gods Of Violence was released, it seems that time is reflecting upon the album a little too well, especially here in 2024. I can only imagine what things are gonna be like by the time we get to 2027.....if we all make it to then. Speaking of reflecting.....

2018) Ministry: Amerikkkant (Song)

I will continue to defend this album. Flaws and all, I will continue to stand by putting this at no. 1 in 2018. One of the few pieces of anti-Trump media that has aged surprisingly well, one of the biggest advantages of Amerikkkant is that it actually isn’t fully anti-Trump. If anything, the former president is barely on the record at all, as Uncle Al & the gang wanted to examine the circumstances that led to the cheeto-in-chief taking power here in the United States hopefully for the only time. With Hopium For The Masses being released earlier this year (A great release in it’s own right, btw), we still have Ministry cranking out damn good music with a potent political message, but if Trump gets back into the White House, then I think that Amerikkkant might have a resurgence of sorts.

2019) Rammstein: Untitled (Song)

You might recall me heaping a lot of praise on Rammstein’s 2022 emotional colossus Zeit, and I still say it’ll take a baseball bat to the feels, but for whatever reason I love their incredible return in 2019 a little bit more. Turning 5 years old a few months ago, this album comes out of the gate hitting hard & fast, and upon each listen since then is just harder and harder. Whether it’s on this CD or live, the songs on this release are perhaps the most potent that the band has ever created. If you a longtime fan that for some reason never listened to this, or you’re a new fan that’s curious about Rammstein’s return, then you gotta seek this album out.

2020) U.D.O. - We Are One (Song)

When I reviewed this album in 2021, one of the issues I had with We Are One was that the message that Udo Dirkschneider was trying to convey on the release was perhaps a bit too cheesy & hippy-ish.....but to be perfectly honest I’ve kind of repaired that dent in the armor. Perhaps now in 2024 more than 2020, we need the message of hope, togetherness, and working with one another to make this world a better place before it’s too late. Acquiring the services of the German Military’s own marching band, the end result is the modern equivalent of We Are The World......only more metal!

2021) Mastodon: Hushed & Grim (Song)

By the time Hushed & Grim came out, I was listening to the band for a little over 4 years. Emperor Of Sand and Cold Dark Place may have been the albums that got my ass in a seat, but it was the band’s most emotional colossus that has kept me glued to said seat. It may be a bit on the long side (Nearly an hour and a half), but their 2021 release was the culmination of everything that the band was feeling. From the aftershocks of EOS, to the isolation of 2020 & 2021, Mastodon were definitely in an emotional hotbed, and the end result is perhaps their strongest outing ever in their career. If you got over an hour to spare, Hushed & Grim is a great way to spend that time!

2022) Devin Townsend: Lightwork (Song)

A perfect counterbalance to the plague-ridden chaos that was 2020 & 2021, Devin Townsend’s mental balm that was Lightwork was a much needed breath of fresh air in 2022. Though I said in my review from last year that at times it’s too soothing, at the same time the soft energy from a majority of the album was needed as we were all leaving the diseased miasma from the prior years. Devin had already captured what we were already feeling somewhat in 2021 with the dual release of The Puzzle and Snuggles, but Lightwork amplified that to 10, and continues to do so in 2024. If there was a way that HevyDevy would barge into this new decade, and with plenty of that Mad Canadian style, it was definitely with this album.

(Also, we got Powernerd coming towards the end of October, and if the title track is anything to go by, he’ll have another hit release on his hands!)

2023) Host: IX (Song)

2023 was definitely a rough year. Wasn’t it?

With all of the social & political upheaval here in the United States, not to mention the horrors going on over in the Middle East (That are still going on, btw), it’s easy to see why a lot of people were really down & out. Hell, a lot of us are still feeling that year’s aftershocks, and I don’t think that’ll stop anytime soon. Because of that serious energy, I felt that more serious albums should end 2023, and this Paradise Lost side-project was at the top of the list. Nick Holmes & Greg Mackintosh really managed to bring back the Host era of the band, but without the record company interference, as well as vastly superior recording & production technology behind it. The end result is an album that’s nostalgic in every way, yet doesn’t feel like it’s old either. If you’re able to survive going through a little bit of the black, then you’ll like what IX provides!

2024) Judas Priest: Invincible Shield (Song)

Invincible Shield marks something of a significant milestone for one of the world’s most oldest Heavy Metal bands: Judas Priest has been releasing albums for half a century. In fact, it will be exactly 50 years this month on the 6th that they’ve been putting out releases. That alone is simply incredible. On top of that, Rob Halford just recently turned 73 years old! Sure, his body (Along with the oldest band members) shows off his age nowadays, but the one thing that hasn’t lost any vigor is his voice. He can still scream, screech, bellow, and other things with his voice, which is impressive if you ask me. As for Invincible Shield, Judas Priest knock it out of the park! There is a little bit of fluctuation when it comes to the quality of certain songs, but the overall experience was just wonderful. If the group was to bow out at any points during the rest of 2024 (and beyond) for any reason, Invincible Shield is not a bad way to say goodbye.

And those were the top 10 albums from 2014 to 2024. An interesting bunch of records from classic acts across the ages, it’s a safe bet to say that there will be something for everyone on this list. Now, we transition to the realm of video games, so see you all in the middle of September for the number one games of this past decade. Until then, take care!

Top 5 Sabaton Albums

Well fellow Otaku & Metalheads, it’s the last day of the Summer Of Sabaton.

This was a fun little summer event. Sure, I had taken a break last month to talk about my dearly departed friend Isabelle, but she’s just as badass & metal as these glorious swedes, so I think it’s okay. At the beginning of August, I took a look at the last 2 releases from these guys (Carolus Rex & The Great War), but to conclude things for this event, I wanted to talk about the Sabaton albums that you need to listen to, and to add to your musical library. In my view, these are all essential, but everybody is going to have their own opinion, and I think that’s okay if you ask me. So, without further delay, here are the top 5 Sabaton albums you have to own. Let’s begin.

5) Metalizer (Song)

I might have said this in my review back in June, but I feel kinda bad for Metalizer. Sure, the audio & production quality leave a little to be desired, and it somehow feels older than even Primo Victoria, but there’s just some kind of odd charm to it. Much like Against The Law from Stryper, this record acts as a window into Sabaton’s distant past. Long before the band became known for mixing historical warfare & Power Metal, they came across more like a typical Power Metal band that sang about typical metallic things, and yet it’s still tons of fun to listen to. Thanks to the Metalizer re-release, we have both the original Fist For Fight version, and the updated one released in 2007. While it’s not uber essential, Metalizer shall forever remain a curiosity that pops into my head from time to time.

4) The Great War (Song)

As much as I enjoyed The War To End All Wars from 2022, I gotta admit that the band’s first venture into the history of World War 1 is the one that I enjoy just a little more. Not only did it mark the second time I ever saw the band (Hint Hint), but taking things in a darker direction was surprising to me, but oddly welcome at the same time. From the introduction of tanks, to the tale of Francis Pegahmagabow, and concluding with the tragic poem of Flanders Fields, Sabaton hit surprisingly hard with this release. If anything, it would be a crime to not have put the record on the list, especially since the album turns 5 not that long ago. If you like the band more on the darker side than the serious side, The Great War is for you.

3) Primo Victoria (Song)

It wouldn’t be right not to include the band’s first official release on this list. Though it doesn’t sound or feel as dated as Metalizer, you can definitely tell that it’s almost 20 years old. Even with that fact, it’s still a great starting point for Sabaton, as well as their historically charged Power Metal. From the opening track about the D-Day landing, to the 1st of three Heavy Metal tribute songs, there’s a surprising medley of tunes to get into. Hell, there was even coverage of Operation Desert Storm & Operation Iraqi Freedom, the later of which just under or over by the time that this album came out. With it turning fully 20 in March next year, I can only hope that the boys do something special to celebrate the occasion.

2) Carolus Rex (Song)

Like I said in my review at the beginning of the month, Carolus Rex is my least favorite of the band’s discography. The one step towards seriousness turns me off somewhat, but I cannot deny the incredible levels of quality that Sabaton put into this release, nor can I not ignore it’s legacy. In the 12+ years since it’s release, many of the songs off of the record have been played the world over, and even in America the legacy of one of Sweden’s most iconic kings is well known. As for how it performed in their native country.....quadruple platinum status after being on the Swedish charts for 326 weeks (This is taken from my review, btw). Don’t think I can say anymore than that.

1) The Last Stand (Song)

And here it is. The no. 1 Sabaton Album you should have in your collection. I admit that The Last Stand makes it here because it was the first ever record I ever bought & listened to, so I confess that there’s a bit of a bias here. Even so, it’s hard not to appreciate what the band was going for here: taking a similar page from their prior record Heroes, they tell triumphant tales of some of warfare’s most iconic last stands, and the men that went through them. Regardless of whether they won or not, each song fills you up with positivity & get you moving for quite a while. On top of that, they were touring this album all the way back in 2017, and that was the first time I ever saw them live....so that will always stick with me.

And this was the top 5 Sabaton albums you should listen to. Most of the choices I picked for this list are quite standard listening from the band, but they’re so good & iconic it’s hard to disagree. With that everyone, the Summer Of Sabaton is truly done, and we’re not too far away from the beginning of the Fall season. However, September is not too far away, and with that something special is coming. See you soon!

Album Review: Sabaton's The Great War

The Summer Of Sabaton’s end is just about here fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

It’s definitely been an interesting ride this year. I covered their releases from 2006 to 2008 in June, and took a brief break last month to show off the book that my sadly departed friend Isabelle had tried to write. Already in August on the 1st, I reviewed their ode to their home country & one of it’s most iconic rulers in Carolus Rex, and now we turn our attention to World War 1. The first truly modern war in history, the scars left by all of the shelling & gas is still very apparent if you know where to look, and still sends a chill up the spine. Fast forward to 2019, and the band finally decided to enter the Western Front with what is possibly the bleakest record they’ve ever done. Also, with it turning 5 years old last month on the 19th, it seemed only right to celebrate it’s shellshocked birthday. So, get on your gas mask, fix your bayonet, and prepare to go over the top to check out my review for The Great War. Let’s begin.

Background
The beginning of 2019 marked a busy period for the band. On January the 8th, Sabaton announced the creation of Sabaton History, which was a cooperation between Indy Neidell, TimeGhost History and the band themselves. The youtube channel documents the history of the events behind the band’s songs and the songs themselves, with the channel being created on the 7th of February. Then a few months later of the 22nd of April, the band released a standalone single "Bismarck", in a collaboration with the company Wargaming and their game, World of Warships. A few weeks prior to this on the 2nd of April, it was announced that a new concept album about the First World War would be released a little later on in the year. Entitled as The Great War, it would go on to be released on July the 19th, 2019, and have 3 singles before it came out: Fields of Verdun on the 3rd of May, The Red Baron, on the 13th of June, and on the 27th of June, the title track for the album came out.

The Great War received mostly praise upon release. Metal Hammer's Holly Wright gave it 4/5 stars, praising it as "a rip-roaring, riff-addled march towards victory, coaxing influences from folk and power metal that sounds remarkably upbeat for an account of bloodthirsty mass destruction", The Guardian's Dave Simpson rated it 3 out of 5 stars, saying he preferred the History version, which precedes the songs with voiceovers describing the events the songs are about (I didn’t review the History version), and Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019. Some nice praise right there if you ask me.

Basic Description
The trenches brought to life.

No matter what stage of warfare they cover, these beautiful swedes all manage to find a proper balance between immense respect of the history in question, and knowing how to have fun with it. Even on The Great War, that balance between respect & fun is still very apparent, and it never wavers at any point. With that said, this release is the darkest that Sabaton has ever done. Outside of an exception or two, this album really feels like they managed to somehow resurrect World War 1 & it’s overall bleakness a little over a century after it concluded in 2019. From the mud, to the drumfire from the artillery, and the devastation from all of the fighting, they really crafted a record that’s as devastating to the ears, as it was to the soul.....silly as that last part sounds.

Best Track
I said it when I updated the overview, and I’ll say it again here: Attack Of The Dead Men is the best damn song on the album. Detailing one of the most horrific battles of the early parts of WW1, the band managed to craft what is quite possibly their first ever horror song. The atmosphere is thick & corrosive, the vocal work has the vibe of an officer giving orders, and while the instrumentation is powerful, there’s this uneasy feeling that creeps into your body as the song plays, letting go only when the final note plays. The band has definitely crafted tunes that’ll make you feel a little uneasy, but Attack Of The Dead Men is the first time they’ve ever creeped you out.

Attack Of The Dead Men

Worst Track
Like I said when I updated the overview back in 2019, but The Great War is shockingly dark for a Sabaton album. Granted, this is Sabaton we’re talking about, as there’s still plenty of upbeat energy to find, but just the fact that they went dark in any capacity is very surprising. Even Carolus Rex, as serious as that release was, knew when to let a little light in. Outside of that, the only thing I could complain about would be it’s length, or rather how the length feels. Coming in at 38 minutes & 27 seconds, the record is on the smaller side of lengthy, but when I listen to the whole this it feels like it goes by faster than that. I don’t know why, as when I listen to individual tracks I don’t get this feeling, but when I listen to The Great War in it’s entirety for some reason I do.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

The Great War

Overall Impression & Rating
The Great War is good. Damn Good. In addition to charging into WW1 history without a scratch, it also was a great way to close out their time in 2010s. Darkness not withstanding, Sabaton showed that they were just as comfortable using the history of the war to end all wars as effectively as everything else they’ve used prior, they also laid the groundwork for them to come back to a prior subject matter in 2022....but I already covered that last year (Read Here). Regardless, The Great War was the band stepping into some new shoes, and walking around without missing a beat. Definitely something to listen to if you’re looking for something different from these guys.

The Great War gets a 9.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for The Great War. Definitely a little less approachable when compared to their prior output on account of the seriousness, but still an absolute blast to listen to when the mood hits. Now ladies & gentlemen & everything in between, the Summer Of Sabaton has come to an end. However, join me at the end of the month for one last little thing. See you then!

Album Review: Sabaton's Carolus Rex

The Summer of Sabaton continues & ends this month fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

I took a break last month from covering these steely swedes to show off the book that my sadly departed friend Isabelle tried to write, as I considered her just as badass as the band. Now that I’m done looking at her book, it’s time to get back into looking at the remaining albums I haven’t looked at yet, and today’s review is an interesting one. Released in 2012, it would go on to be one of if not their most popular album they’ve ever released. So popular in fact, that it got a re-release in 2018 & sold insanely well in their native Sweden. And yet, it’s an oddity for me....but we’ll have to wait for that in just a little bit. In any case, get on your blue & yellow uniform, pray to god and country, and enjoy my review for Carolus Rex. Let’s begin!

Background
With Coat Of Arms helping Sabaton storm into the 2010s, it seemed like it would be smooth sailing for the band. Once it reached 2012 however, that was not the case, as guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mullback and keyboardist Daniel Myhr left the band, leaving Joakim & bass player Pär Sundström as the soul original members (Joakim confirmed this in March of 2012). The band members that left would go on to form the band Civil War alongside vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson and bassist Stefan Eriksson, while Sabaton brought on Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund on guitar, and Robban Bäck on drums, and once Sabaton 2.0 was completed, they got back to work on the record they were working on, and on the 25th of May in that year, their ode to their home country of Sweden was released, and it’s name was Carolus Rex. A few months later in November, Robban took a break from touring due to becoming a father, and was replaced by Snowy Shaw as touring drummer, who in turn was replaced by Hannes Van Dahl in November 2013 (Prior to the replacement, Van Dahl worked as Shaw's drum technician while drumming for the band Evergrey).

The reception for Carolus Rex was absolutely wild. On the 18th of September in 2012, it would sell over 30,000 copies (20,000 copies is needed for a record to be certified gold in Sweden), in March of 2013 it was certified gold in Poland, and just a few months later in June of 2013 it would be certified platinum in Sweden with 40,000 album sales, making it the "most successful Swedish heavy metal album ever" according to Sabaton. Flash forward to the 28th of September in 2018, and it would be given quadruple platinum status after being on the Swedish charts for 326 weeks, a number of limited edition versions and merchandise were created to celebrate the occasion, and were set for release on the 30th of November, 2018, on the day of the 300th anniversary of the death of Charles XII. Finally, in 2019 Metal Hammer magazine would declare Carolus Rex to be the 20th best power metal album of all time (Read Here).

Basic Description
My least favorite Sabaton album.

Right away, fans of the band will have done a double take so hard, their necks will snap. Let’s get this out of the way: Carolus Rex is not bad. Far from it. As their second release in the 2010s, it manages to eclipse the excellent Coat Of Arms in so many ways. The instrumentation is grander, the vocal work is epic, and the history that’s covered is something you don’t often hear about. Swedish history is interesting, especially when it comes to the various rulers of the monarchy. However, the reason why this album is my least favorite.....is because I think they take themselves too seriously. To play devil’s advocate, I understand why they were kinda serious, as Sabaton were showing their love towards the country of their birth, and it’s glorious past. Even so, it is surprising that they were more serious than normal, but luckily that would not last long (Read Here).

Best Track
In a bizarre twist, my favorite track actually has nothing to do with the story that the band is telling, but instead is a bonus song. Available only on later releases, their cover of In The Army Now stands out when compared to the main bulk of Carolus Rex, especially when you find out that it’s a cover of a cover. It was originally released by Bolland & Bolland back in 1981, and would receive it’s first cover in 1986 by British rock band Status Quo. Sabaton’s take on the song is far better than the prior two: Bolland & Bolland’s original comes across as weirdly dream-like in terms of vibes, and while Status Quo adds in a little bit of militaristic feels, it still comes across like a dream. This version goes full-blown military, complete with militaristic instrumentation, and serious vocal work from Joakim that’s really unusual for those who are newer fans of the band. It definitely stands apart from all of the other songs, and that’s why it’s my favorite track & the best track on this CD.

In The Army Now

Worst Track
Like I said above, Carolus Rex doesn’t have a single bad song on it. From beginning to end, you’re treated to a fascinating story about one of the most interesting kings in history, and it’s quite the story. Again, my only fault with it is that it takes one step towards being too serious, and losing sight of the history/fun balance. The Great War from 2019 would have a similar issue....but I’ll talk about that next week.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Carolus Rex (w Bonus Tracks)

Also, I should say that I reviewed the English version of the album. While it’s cool that the band performed in their native language for the record (And live as well), something about hearing it in my language let’s me understand it better.

Overall Impression & Rating
Carolus Rex is a fine feather in Sabaton’s cap. While I do think the move towards being a little more serious is odd (But understandable), it doesn’t ruin just how good all of the songs on Carolus Rex are, and it is a genuinely good listen to. Even though it’s not my absolute favorite record of theirs, I still can’t deny that it does get me going a little. Definitely something to enjoy if you’re in the mood for some Swedish!

Carolus Rex gets an 8 out of 10 for me, but I can easily understand why most if not all fans give it a 10 out of 10.

And that was my review for Carolus Rex. Again, it’s not my favorite Sabaton, but I recognize the level of quality & respect for the history is speaks of. So, join me next week for when we’ll enter the Great War for the second time.....for the first time. Until then, take care!