Time for end of year lists ?

[LarryD]

Not the actual favorite list per se - just a list of bands that are contenders ? I know it has been a weird year for all of us .......but this is about the time we start discussing end of year contenders........ post your lists !!!!!

[Sir Exar Kun]

Another year where there's been a lot of really GOOD releases, but I haven't had a single album just blow me away completely. As of right now, the new Haken is probably my top pick.

Others near the top include Psychotic Waltz (I'm shocked how much I love this album, as I was a marginal PW fan back in the day), Damnation Angels, Dynazty, Demons & Wizards (another one where I'm surprised how much I enjoy this) and Green Carnation. Sorcerer, Thoughts Factory, and Vanishing Point all solid picks also.

[Mardoch]

I'm still sorting and there are still things coming out, but mine is looking something like this:

Aeternam - Al Qassam
Caligula's Horse - Rise Radiant
Conception - State of Deception
Delain - Apocalypse & Chill
Mobius - Kala
Paralydium - Worlds Beyond
Protest the Hero - Palimpsest
Thoughts Factory - Elements
Alchemists - Chapter One : Love
Harkla - Ruktur
Chaosbay - Asylum
James Norbert Ivanyi - Omen Faustum
Orphic - Chroma
Panzerballett - Planet Z
PreHistoric Animals - The Magical Mystery Machine (Chapter One)
Seven - Interdimensional - Act I: A Ghost in Cepheus
Seven - Interdimensional - Act II: Set Fire to Saturn
The Progressive Souls Collective - Sonic Birth
Novelists - C'est La Vie
Arch Echo - Story I
Plini - Impulse Voices
Intervals - Circadian

[Random Axe]

I did mine early a couple of weeks ago. However I did no rankings. I may do a top five, not sure.

I certainly look forward to some new perspectives and new opportunities. I'll certainly have some time tonight after work to put headphones on and try out Glenn's annual list, which I think was just posted this morning.

[Hearing Aid Man]

Just started writing one out. Waiting to spin Vanden Plas over & over to see where it ranks. Guessing it will make my top 10. Surprisingly I had 40 + cds I've checked out this year. Guess that happens when you're home alot.

[Random Axe]

I normally will only have a top five, and some years I don't even have that. This year I've had so many I like I can prob ably rank 10. I'll wait a few weeks before I finalize.

[Psychotic Symphony]

There just aren't that many discs I liked this year as opposed to years previous. There is still time tho and I usually get a few from Harvester's list. I don't know if my tastes are changing, my listening habits are changing, or this year has been just too depressive for me in general.

[Norén]

Vulkan – Technatura
Lazuli – Le fantastique envol de Dieter Böhm
Conception – State of deception
Stefan Altzar – The empty house by the beach / The way that we love
Fish – Weltschmerz
PreHistoric animals – The magical mystery machine (chapter one)
Haken - Virus
Yello – Point
Katatonia – City burials
Chaos Divine - Legacies
Fish on friday - Black rain
Kansas - The Absence of Presence
Kyros - Celexa dreams
Lonely Robot - Feelings are good
Lunatic sould - Through shaded woods
Marko Hietala - Pyre of the black heart
Nik Kershaw - Oxymoron
Pure reason revolution - Eupnea
Ulver - Flowers of evil
Undefy - Light in between
Silent Skies – Satellites (only heard the two singles, but sounds promising. Will be released dec 11)

[johnhead]

what really surprises me is that John Petrucci's solo disc is not on more lists - Terminal Velocity is my second most listened to album this year! It's so damn good.

[Mardoch]

what really surprises me is that John Petrucci's solo disc is not on more lists - Terminal Velocity is my second most listened to album this year! It's so damn good.

That's an album I have continually forgotten to check out.

[johnhead]

That's an album I have continually forgotten to check out.

It was my second most streamed album of the year, by far. the first time in maybe 5 years that SFAM wasn't one or two. LOL (number one was the Light the Torch Album).

It's not DT, it's not LTE, but man it just has that JP feel. and it feels perfect. and the MP drums stuff just fits in like a glove you lost 10 years ago and you find it in the back of the closet and it still fits perfect.

[Kez]

It's not DT, it's not LTE, but man it just has that JP feel. and it feels perfect. and the MP drums stuff just fits in like a glove you lost 10 years ago and you find it in the back of the closet and it still fits perfect.

This is a great description of how I feel about this disc as well. It just feels and sounds so right. And let's not forget the bass contributions of Dave LaRue...what a monster he is!

I'm also surprised that I'm not seeing it on any lists...if I ever put together such a thing, Terminal Velocity would definitely be in my Top 5. It's a great disc.

[jhallum]

I think I have a top ten list. From 11 to 1

Odd man out:11. Caligula's Horse -- Rise Radiant
Dynazty -- The Dark Delight
DeadRisen -- s/t
Psychotic Waltz -- The God-Shaped Void
Pyramid Theorem -- Beyond the Exosphere
Vulkan -- Technatura
Oceans of Slumber -- s/t
Pure Reason Revolution -- Eupnea
Ad Infinitum -- Chapter 1: Monarchy
Unleash the Archers -- Abyss
AEther Realm -- Redneck Vikings from Hell.

I started a radio show this year on our college station, (wcbn.org) so I've listened to far more stuff this year than I have in many many years. Hopefully I'll keep the opportunity to keep going, so the bottom half of the list was hard to fill in.

[LarryD]

So far - and this could change - this is what most of my list will look like - not in order yet.

Sorcerer / Lamenting of the Innocent
Paralydium / Worlds beyond
Vanden Plas / The Ghost Experiment - Illumination
Black Fate / Ithaca
Pendragon / Love Over Fear ( my disc says 2019 but everything else says 2020 release )
Fates Warning / Long Day Good Night
Delain / Apocalypse & Chill
Thoughts Factory / Elements
Nightwish / Human:II:Nature
Ad Infinitum / Chapter 1
Dream Theater / Distant Memories - Live in London ( yes I count this as a release )


I can say for sure that 8 of these will remain ....... still sorting it out.

[Alberto]

For me it should look like this:

1) Draconian / Under a Godless Veil
Another gorgeous work by my beloved Draconian. More dreamy and hypnotic this time out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ssWn4TeRHU

2) Vulkan / Technatura
Fairly unusual for me to like this style, but Vulkan's classy heavy-ish modern prog was too good to pass up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=967oz5kxc2s

3) Hail Spirit Noir / Eden in Reverse
Sweet effort from these psychedelic visionaries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKQYc3m1Drk

4) Thy Catafalque / Naiv
I was unable to get into TC past albums, but for some reason I found this one to be really a fun listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u81brPxpD2Q

5) Myrkur / Folkesange
Pure folk, gentle release that I'm not often in the right mood for, admittedly. I hope Myrkur will bring back the black metal elements on her next one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=558TW8qVuNE

The only other 2020 release I'm aware of that I still plan to hear is Uada / Djinn.

[devomeister]

Glad to see Vulkan getting some love. That's one hell of an album.

[johnhead]

ProgReport user poll awards is out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuMRY1O ... 2b3_O8HuFg

Love seeing Terminal Velocity get so much love