Top 5 Albums Of 2016 (Revised)

Here’s something a little bit unique fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

You might remember from 2016 the top list of albums I had that year. Rather than 5 releases, I put up 10, simply because I had listened to so much music that year it would have been a crime to leave everything off. It’ll be a decade this December since I released that list, but in recent years I’ve been thinking about what I would have done different. Again, my top albums list that year was filled with good music, but in hindsight comes across as exceptionally bloated. So to trim off some fat, I’ve made a revised list of top albums from 2016. Virtually every choice I put here are incredibly predictable, but it’ll be the order that might surprise some of you. So with that said, here’s my revised top 5 albums of 2016. Let’s begin!

5) Septicflesh - Revolution DNA Re-Release (Song)

I stated it back in the original list, but I stated that this re-release of Septicflesh’s 1999 album was my least favorite. The overall quality was fantastic, and I still stand by that, but what made it disappointing were the bonus tracks. When this came out, it was actually the re-release of the 2005 version of the album: it had everything from the 1999 original, and included 3 bonus tracks, one of which was a version that was already on the album, but with parts that were sung in French rather than the original English. Again, it was certainly disappointing, yet it was nice to see one of the band’s more obscure entries return for newer audiences. The irony was that I had actually bought an original 1999 version earlier in 2016 through sheer dumb luck (Though it did cost me a pretty penny), but I was still thankful that I could get this one. 

4) David Bowie - Blackstar (Song)

I do find it ironic that David Bowie’s swan song was number one on my original list, but is much lower on this revised version. It’s not a bad album by any means: it’s still an incredible experience, and showed that even as he was truly at the razor’s edge of death due to cancer, Ziggy Stardust gave it his all. Sure, it is a bit on the pretentious even a little over a decade since it’s release, yet it remains an incredible piece of art that has stayed within the minds of Bowie’s fans since 2016. It has moved out of my mind for the most part, yet on rare occasions the Blackstar still shines it darkened light on me once in a while. 

3) Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering (Song) 

Korn were continuing their recovery in 2016 with The Serenity Of Suffering. The return of Brian "Head" Welch 3 years prior on The Paradigm Shift gave the band a massive shot of adrenaline to the arm, and it’s still fueling them to this day. The Serenity Of Suffering, despite losing a little bit of heaviness (I genuinely mean a little), still manages to grab you by the throat & throttle you hard, yet moved you at times as well. It’s really funny to listen back almost a decade ago (Officially a decade on the 21st of October of this year) & hear just how well this album has aged, and to continue to feel the unity of the band as well. Definitely an album to listen to if you haven’t already.

2) Devin Townsend - Transcendence (Song) 

It’s insane to me that I didn’t put this at number one on the original 2016 list, or this one. Epicloud may have made my jawdrop back in 2012, but Transcendence blew my mind to the point where I swear it opened my 3rd eye. Every single song is nothing short of beautiful & artistic, whether on the main album, or the B-Side CD that contains some wonderful hidden gems. Devin Townsend, through each & every album he puts out, shows just how creative he was in 2016, and still is today. It does fall a little short when it comes to two of the Japanese bonus tracks (Read here for details), but that doesn’t ruin what is a genuinely phenomenal experience.....yet it just barely missed the number one spot, and for anyone who knows me personally.....you will not be surprised as to what did make it to no. 1.

1) Sabaton - The Last Stand (Song)

Again, none of you should be surprised by this. 

Celebrating it’s decade anniversary on the 19th of August, the Swedes from Falun sing the praises of armies that went through some of the toughest odds in their life. While you can certainly argue that there are many similarities with their prior album Heroes, the difference is subject matter & attempts and musical experimentation definitely sets it apart. It’s a crying shame that this is the album where the criticisms & dislike for the band seemingly began, because this was one of the strongest releases in their career after their split with some of their prior bandmates. An oddity or two in spots for sure, but The Last Stand has made it’s mark, and NOBODY can deny that.

And that was my revised top 5 albums of 2016 list. A more streamline version of what I put out back about a decade ago, the releases I brought back for this one I felt definitely represented that year nicely. Not to say that the other records from 2016 were bad (Because they weren’t), but the ones I put here have just a little more weight to them. And with that, back to some corrections!


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If you like to take a look at the original list, click on the link below:

Top 10 Albums of 2016