Musically, I like to define 2017 as lacking the star-studded appeal to previous years - noting how 2016 featured new albums from Theocracy and The Neal Morse Band, while 2015 produced the latest offerings by LEAH and Stryper - but it by no means was without its share of accolades either. Consider, for instance, how 2017 was the year of the comeback, at least when factoring prominent bands that returned following extended hiatus, including Biogenesis (7 years), Jacobs Dream (8 years), Galactic Cowboys (17 years) and XT (22 years!).
Of equal import is the international flair to 2017 when referencing not only bands from Europe (Within Silence, Signum Regis and Nozanopera), Brazil (Sunroad) and Japan (Imari Tones) but also those multinational: The World Will Burn, Evans & Stokes, Rainforce and Sombre Holiday.
Ultimately 2017 will be known for its ‘all star’ projects in that two of the top three finishers to the Angelic Warlord top 20 albums from 2017, Enzo & the Glory Ensemble and Revolution Saints, either include a high volume of guest musicians and vocalists (former) or is a ‘super group’ that draws its roster from members of well known bands (latter).
Another strong facet to 2017 is the depth to its quality re-issues in that both Retroactive Records and Roxx Records outdid themselves when factoring the abundance of out of print albums that each re-mastered (noting the work of by Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) and re-released with upgraded packaging (crediting Scott Waters of No life Til Metal). Due to the extensive volume at hand, I decided it would be best to compile a separate list outlining (in alphabetic order and at the end of the article) what in my opinion are the best re-issues of the year.
Looking ahead, 2018 promises to be every bit solid in that within the next month Stryper will be releasing its new album, (God Damn Evil), while new albums are also on the way from Bride (Snake Eyes), Impellitteri (Nature Of The Beast) and Millennial Reign (The Great Divide). Deliverance also released (in February) a highly regarded new album as well, The Subversive Kind. It would be safe to suggest that any star-studded appeal missing from 2017 is more than realized and then some in 2018!
The re-issue front continues to remain active in light of upcoming re-releases on Roxx Records (Soldier, Red Sea & Crystavox) and Retroactive Records (Prodigal, Daniel Band & Jerusalem). Thrashback Records has already gotten in on the act with a January re-issue of the 1988 custom cassette release from Revelation, Spiritual Wind.
Finally, I closed out the article I wrote last year outlining the top albums from 2016 with a ‘wish list’ for 2017 that (in a perfect world) would include a career defining melodic metal album from guitarist Rex Carroll (Whitecross) in addition to a progressive metal solo album from Matt Smith (Theocracy). Alas, neither came to fruition, but that does not deter me either in that for 2018 my wish list includes an album from a Christian AOR/melodic hard rock ‘super group’ in similar vein as Revolution Saint and Romeo Riot (our 18th finisher) to feature the following musicians:
Deen Castronovo - Lead Vocals & Drums
Rex Carroll - Guitars
David Bach – Bass
Whether something along these lines happens, only time will tell, but we can only hope that one of the better labels within the scene (Ulterium?, Frontiers SRL?, Roxx Records?) will get the ball rolling on such a project.
1. Enzo & The Glory Ensemble - In The Name Of The Son
Enzo & The Glory Ensemble return with a masterful sophomore album In The Name Of The Son in which it follows a similar ‘metal opera’ heading as its 2015 debut In The Name Of The Father: joining power and progressive metal with nuances of classical music, symphonic art/rock and New Age and World Music. Once more, numerous guest appearances abound, including Marty Friedman, Mark Zonder, Gary Wehrkamp, Ralph Scheepers and the Weza Moza Gospel Choir.
2. Biogenesis - A Decadence Divine
On A Decadence Divine, Dayton, Ohio based Biogenesis returns following a seven-year hiatus with its third full length offering unique to ‘hybrid metal’ that finds it conglomerating styles ranging from thrash to modern to progressive to Gothic to extreme. Tying such diverse forms together are the multifarious vocals of Chaz Bond, whom transitions between clean but lower register singing and that on the aggressive if not extreme side of things.
3. Revolution Saints - Light Into Dark
Frontiers SRL ‘super group’ Revolution Saints aligns the talents of bassist Jack Blades (Night Ranger), guitarist Doug Aldrich (White snake) and vocalist and drummer Deen Castronovo (Journey) to create some of the finest AOR/melodic hard rock you will hear on sophomore outing Light Into Dark. In the albums liner notes, Castronovo thanks ‘my Savior, my Restorer, my champion, Jesus Christ’.
4. Within Silence - Return From The Shadows
Slovakia’s Within Silence hits another home run on the amalgamating of melodic, power and progressive metal of its second Ulterium Records album Return From The Shadows. Seventeen-minute magnum opus “In The Darkness” challenges for song of the year.
5. Sunroad - Wing Seven
Sunroad hits its bluesy hard rock and groove based melodic metal stride with its sixth full-length offering and first on Roxx Records in Wing Seven . Album finds the Goiania, Brazil based group achieving a level of musical consistency and songwriting acumen not found on previous releases.
6. XT - Saved By The Blood
Comeback of the year award goes to the XT partnership of vocalist Sonny Larsson and guitarist Bjorn Stimson, whom return following a twenty-year hiatus with the catchy melodic hard rock of its fourth album, Saved By The Blood. Another song of the year candidate is the twelve-minute “The Crucifixion” with its dramatic musical reenactment of the trial and crucifixion of Christ.
7. Sweet & Lynch - Unified
Second Sweet & Lynch album Unified might not be consistent as 90% graded 2015 debut Only To Rise but is more varied in adding elements of classic rock, blues and progressive rock to its AOR and melodic hard rock basis. As its namesake implies, Sweet & Lynch remains collaboration between vocalist Michael Sweet and guitarist George Lynch.
8. Galactic Cowboys - Long Way Back To The Moon
Speaking of comebacks, Galactic Cowboys return with its first album in seventeen years with Long Way Back To The Moon in which it revisits the heavy but melodic King’s X meets Metallica sound of its earlier albums. Featured in the process is the group’s classic inaugural line up of vocalist Ben Huggins, guitarist Dane Sonnier, bassist Monty Colvin and drummer Alan Doss.
9. The World Will Burn - RuiNation
The World Will Burn sophomore album RuiNation is not unlike 2016 debut Severity with its equal joining of modern to grungy moments and straightforward hard rock that hearkens back to the past. It also remains a partnership between iconic Bride front man Dale Thompson (from New Zealand) and guitarist Alan Zaring (United States), whom work remotely to create ‘new, fresh sounds combined with classic influences and thoughtful lyrics’.
10. Signum Regis - Decennium Primum
Signum Regis has released in Decennium Primum its fifth full-length album of quintessential European power metal infused with strong leanings towards the melodic and traditional side of things. Roughly translating as ‘the first decade’ in Latin, Decennium Primum was recorded by the Senec, Slovakia based group in celebration of its tenth anniversary.
11. Jacobs Dream - Sea Of Destiny
Jacobs Dream returns with both its first album in eight years, Sea Of Destiny, and a new vocalist in classic tenor Kevin Wright, who replaces the departed Chaz Bond. Sea Of Destiny finds the group revisiting the power metal mixed with progressive elements to its earlier albums Jacobs Dream (2000) and Theater Of War (2001).
12. Sombre Holiday - The Sea of Distance
Sombre Holiday continues to impress on fourth album The Sea Of Distance with its trademark dark and melancholic sound in which facets of the Gothic, doom-like, progressive and melodic are merged. Lyrically, it is a concept release revolving around our modern struggles with relationships- with God and the people in our lives.
13. Evans & Stokes - Beyond The Gates
Another remote partnership to feature a vocalist from New Zealand (Jenny Stokes) and a United States based guitarist (John Evans), Evans & Stokes have created in Beyond The Gates one of the finer independent releases of the year. In giving prominence to a Gothic based metal and hard rock sound, the duo have also conceived a concept album that details a lost soul enslaved to addiction that in the end finds redemption.
14. Rainforce - Lions Den
Multinational act Rainforce features members from Switzerland (guitarist Andy La Morte & bassist Matt Brand), Malta (vocalist Jordan Cutajar) and Germany (drummer Benjamin Mann) on the varied hard rock of its Roxx Records debut Lion’s Den. Guest performers include guitarist Rex Carroll (Whitecross, King James), bassist Jim LaVerde (Barren Cross), vocalist Rex Scott (GX Project, X-Sinner) and others.
15. Nozanopera - Peace In Our Hearts
A project of Swedish guitarist Thobias Wiklund, Nozanopera gives prominence to AOR/melodic hard rock infused with strong progressive leanings on its independent debut Peace In Our Hearts. Similar to the artist’s 2015 solo album To Remember The Forgotten, renowned vocalist Peo Pettersson (Leviticus) fronts the project.
16. Four Star Revival - The Underdog
As “four veteran musicians (who) were brought together by a mutual love of Jesus and a desire to use their talents for His glory”, Four Star Revival has released in The Underdog an EP of five songs inherent to a traditional metal and power metal basis. The Underdog follows on the heels of the groups 2014 debut Knights Of The Revival.
17. Rose - Songs For The Ritually Abused
Fifth solo album from Randy Rose, Songs For The Ritually Abused, draws upon all aspects of his extensive musical background in ranging from stoner-doom-groove to modern and alternative rock to psychedelic nuances to the progressive and classic rock side of things. Lyrics are every bit dark and contemplative as the albums title.
18. Romeo Riot - Sing It Out
Mainstream AOR/melodic hard rock ‘super group’ encompasses a ‘who’s who’ of the Kivel Records roster: vocalist Mark Giovi, guitarists Scott Miller & Erik Johnson, keyboardist Jace Pawlak and bassist Ty Sims. Giovi in the albums liner notes thanks ‘My Lord Jesus Christ, Thank you for loving me’.
19. Lipstick - Lipstick II
Theatrical rock of independent Lipstick sophomore album does not musically differ significantly from its 2015 self-titled debut (also independent) with its focus on melodic metal, commercial hard rock, hair/pop metal, glam rock, classic rock and AOR. The Lipstick material accordingly comes across upbeat, infectious and just plain fun in which to listen.
20. Imari Tones - Jesus Wind
Christian metal and Japan might seem like an oxymoron but such is what we have in Imari Tones, a Yokahama based group that released in Jesus Wind its fifth full-length album. Conceptually based, Jesus Wind focuses on Japanese history from a Christian point of view in terms of the past, present and future.
Honorable Mention: All For The King - All For The King, Cleanzed Soul - Cleanzed Soul, The Crimson Bridge Ministry - Choices, Disciples Of God - Unleashed, Michael Cutting - Unspoken, Pastor Brad - Crush, Pastor Brad - Storm The Gates 2
Re-issues
Barnabas - Approaching Light Speed & Feel The Fire (Retroactive)
Female fronted Barnabas was all over the stylistic map throughout a five-album career spanning the early to mid-eighties, but was arguably at its best on the at times progressive and others straight on heavy metal of its third and fourth albums,
Approaching Light Speed and Feel The Fire.
Deliverance - Deliverance (Roxx Records) & Weapons Of Our Warfare (Bombworks)
Deliverance unveiled on its first two albums a groundbreaking ‘Metallica cross Queensryche’ sound in which it combined the soaring lead vocals of founding member Jimmy P. Brown II with very heavy and fast paced riffing.
Fear Not - Fear Not (Roxx Records)
Quintessential eighties influenced AOR and melodic hard rock. Good as it gets as far as the form is concerned.
Guardian - Fire & Love (Retroactive)
See above.
Haven - Age Of Darkness & III (Retroactive)
Former is the groups 1991 sophomore album that touched upon more of a progressive basis as opposed to the power metal of debut Your Dying Day (1990), while later further plays up the progressive elements with songs recorded over a four-year period in the early to mid-nineties.
Holy Soldier - Last Train (Roxx Records)
Early nineties melodic metal act might not have reached similar heights as its self-titled debut but remains in fine form on sophomore effort Last Train.
Killed By Cain - Killed By Cain (Retroactive)
It can be problematic pigeonholing Killed By Cain due to drawing upon so many different musical forms on its 1993 self-titled debut - thrash, groove, doom, classic metal and even blues based hard rock - but you cannot say it is not good.
Resurrection Band - Colours & Mommy Don’t Love Daddy Anymore (Retroactive)
Of the renowned Chicago, Illinois straightforward hard rocking bands three albums on Light Records, which also includes DMZ, Colours and Mommy Don’t Love Daddy Anymore in my opinion are the best.
Sacred Warrior - Master’s Command (Roxx Records)
Sacred Warrior bassist Steve Watkins handles re-mastering to the groups 1989 sophomore album Master’s Command and produces perhaps the finest sounding re-issue of the year. Next up is for Watkins to re-master the remaining albums in the Sacred Warrior back catalog, Rebellion (1988), Wicked Generation (1990) and Obsessions (1991), and for the band release all four as part of a box set.
Xalt - Dark War (Retroactive)
Eighties metal of long lost custom cassette release of Xalt (originally released in 1988) finally sees the light of day! Included are six previously unreleased demo tracks the group recorded during the Under The Ruins (its 1990 Pure Metal Records self-titled debut) pre-production sessions.
