My Top 10+

[ToddS]

I'm playing catch up on everyone's list. I missed quite a few things this year. I can't say the order of my list is written in stone. I could swap these around for days, but I ended up here.


01. Thank You Scientist / Terraformer - Love their fused mix of rock-jazz-metal with horns, and bonus points for the theremin. So much fun!

02. Flotsam And Jetsam / The End of Chaos - One of the best metal records this side of Painkiller! Vocal performance of the year? I played this one more than anything else this year.

03. Arch Echo / You Won't Believe What Happens Next! - Outstanding new wave of fusion!

04. Arch-Matheos / Winter Ethereal - Keep them coming please.

05. Darkwater / Human - For my money these guys are a lot more interesting than Vandan Plas, and Threshold these days. Wonderful melodic prog metal!

06. Devin Townsend / Empath - A mash of all things Devin for the most part. Sometimes chaotic, but yet melodic and beautiful.

07. Myrath / Shehili - More commercial, but still so well done, and so much fun.

08. Richard Henshall / The Cocoon - Hen stretching out a bit from Haken.

09. Voyager / Colours In The Sun - They still can do no wrong by me. Love the heavier tracks most.

10. Soen / Lotus - Soen finding their groove on the last couple of records. Excellent followup to Lykaia.

Just outside the top 10.

Stone Leaders / Stone Leaders - Certainly some Ark in their sound. This one aged quite well for me.

Aristocrats / You Know What? - Jaw dropping fusion of rock, metal, jazz, etc. Got to see them live this year. This is where they truly shine. Amazing!

M.I.GOD / Specters On Parade - I feel like this should be in the top ten. A bix of a Nevermore, SX, & Conception mix. Heavy too!

Dream Theater / Distance Over Time - Another that I thought would squeeze in my top ten. Their best in some time. I'm still having a problem with LaBrie's soft whisper style that just has to be on (most) every song. Excellent though! Caught them live a few months ago for the first time in 20 years. Petrucci is still a madman!

Evergrey / The Atlantic - Their best since the first half of ISoT or even Recreation Day for me.

The Neal Morse Band / The Great Adventure - Similitude pt2.

Edit: Adjusted the list to get Devy in there

Happy New Year!

[Hearing Aid Man]

3 of your top 5 in my top 5. Right on Bro. I liked Flots as well. Also, need to check out #3. Never got around to it.

Debated TYS in the 2 thru 4 spots. Could've been anywhere there for me.

[ToddS]

3 of your top 5 in my top 5. Right on Bro. I liked Flots as well. Also, need to check out #3. Never got around to it.

Debated TYS in the 2 thru 4 spots. Could've been anywhere there for me.

Nice! Happy to see TYS getting some love.. Flots seems like an oddball for me, but it really hit the spot.

[ToddS]

Just realizing my database didn’t pick up Devin Empath (wondering if it missed anything else?). This is definitely a to 10 for me. Where to put it? Hmmm....

[introclaus]

I'm playing catch up on everyone's list. I missed quite a few things this year. I can't say the order of my list is written in stone. I could swap these around for days, but I ended up here.

Great list Todd!

03. Arch Echo / You Won't Believe What Happens Next! - Outstanding new wave of fusion!
07. Richard Henshall / The Cocoon - Hen stretching out a bit from Haken.
10b. Aristocrats / You Know What? - Jaw dropping fusion of rock, metal, jazz, etc. Got to see them live this year. This is where they truly shine. Amazing! Had to cheat a bit and squeeze them in the top ten.

I haven't listened to those (besides one of the Arch Echo songs that Glenn posted), but in general fusion doesn't sit well with me, and in particular instrumental fusion. Should I give any of these a shot?

[LarryD]

I haven't listened to those (besides one of the Arch Echo songs that Glenn posted), but in general fusion doesn't sit well with me, and in particular instrumental fusion. Should I give any of these a shot?

***It's normally not my thing - but Arch Echo is awesome instrumental ...... when Glenn played it for me I was blown away, especially by the fantastic production.......I don't listen to this type of music often, but I when I'm in the mood, it's magical .......these guys are super talented, and keep the melodies flowing for non-listeners like me......

[ToddS]

I'm playing catch up on everyone's list. I missed quite a few things this year. I can't say the order of my list is written in stone. I could swap these around for days, but I ended up here.

Great list Todd!

03. Arch Echo / You Won't Believe What Happens Next! - Outstanding new wave of fusion!
07. Richard Henshall / The Cocoon - Hen stretching out a bit from Haken.
10b. Aristocrats / You Know What? - Jaw dropping fusion of rock, metal, jazz, etc. Got to see them live this year. This is where they truly shine. Amazing! Had to cheat a bit and squeeze them in the top ten.

I haven't listened to those (besides one of the Arch Echo songs that Glenn posted), but in general fusion doesn't sit well with me, and in particular instrumental fusion. Should I give any of these a shot?

Larry liking Arch Echo proves anything is possible. They don’t sound like everyone else. Give it a shot.

As for Aristocrats, worth a try listen just for Guthrie’s guitar work if nothing else. That guy is seriously gifted.

You can listen to the entire AE recording on bandcamp
https://archecho.bandcamp.com/

[Guillaume]

From the ones you listed, I enjoyed the Flotsam & Jetsam, Darkwater, Myrath, M.I. God and Evergrey. Some of the Voyager, some of the Dream Theater. Not too bad