Legend | ||
Weak presence of
electric guitar |
Slightly loud,
but acceptable for a vast majority of listeners |
A true
heavyweight, sensible ears keep away! |
1 |
A Statue of the King Avatar |
|
---|---|---|
What an extraordinary surprise in October when
this music video appeared to me on YouTube! I had no
information that Avatar had went in studio, and I was
absolutely not expecting that they did because they were on
tour all year long in support of their album Feathers
& Flesh (May 2016), except for short 2-3 week
pauses. It is therefore in a state of astonishment that I've
learn the release of this new video and a new concept album
to come in January 2018! I listened to the song a first time
and instantly liked it, but definitely not like a #1, more
like a #8-10. Then, I started to listen to it in loop and I
went over the top! It is a total success! It is the
intensity and power of For the Swarm, my #3 of last
year, in a more complete and better developed song. It is
drum pedals "full blast" almost continuously, vocals more
hardly worked on than ever, guitar sounds completely new for
the band (during the choruses, which I love!), a melody
somewhat complex that we must listen to a few times to fully
get it, and a finale that leaves on a high, leaving us
begging for an encore! In all this unlikely surprise, Avatar becomes the first artist to accumulate three #1 in my personal annual charts, which I do since 1997. We may wonder whether Nirvana would have done such feat if I had started those charts a few years earlier (with Smells Like Teen Spirit in 1991, Lithium in 1992, Heart-Shaped Box in 1993 and About a Girl in 1994), but that would remain highly hypothetical because I remember that I liked SLTP more in 1992 that immediately upon its release in the Fall of 1991, and I am not convinced that Heart-Shaped Box would have been my #1 of 1993 at that time. One thing is sure, Avatar has become a legend in the Powhertz charts, and would I dare saying it, probably my new favorite band! Long live to the king! |
2 |
Spit Out the Bone Metallica |
|
---|---|---|
I will not surprise anyone here, because I was
ending my review of 2016 by saying that Spit Out the
Bone was, according to me, the best one from the
excellent album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, and
that it might become an official single of the album in
2017!! And so, in November 2017, it officially became the
album's 5th official single! Not meaning that it is as good
as the great classic Master of Puppets, I think that
this is the closest to it they've ever done. The structure,
the theme, the energy remind me Master of Puppets
almost as much as the excellent The Day That Never Comes
reminded me of One! More than 7 minutes of joy,
which go by so fast! This is in the top 5 of my favorite
Metallica songs of all time, next to prestigious Master
of Puppets, Battery, One and The
Day That Never Comes! |
3 |
Sultan's Curse Mastodon |
|
---|---|---|
A very strong #3 fort, which I was convinced
to be my big #1 until November 1st or so, before getting
passed at the finish line! In the preparatory videos on
YouTube for the new album Emperor of Sand, Mastodon
repeatedly used this phrase that marked me: "No shortage
of riffs!". It proved to be so true! They come back to
us with a first single, Sultan's Curse, amongst
their best riffs ever, and a first Grammy award for "Best
metal performance", after 3 unsuccessful nominations (High
Road in 2014, Curl of the Burl in 2011 and Colony
of Birchmen in 2006). What an excellent track and what
a comeback for the legendary American band! Once again, they
exploit their great strengths: some super guitars and a wise
use of their three singers. |
4 |
God Damn Avenged Sevenfold |
|
---|---|---|
A track that resembles no other from A7X in my
opinion, while keeping the A7X signature. That's what we
want! Extremely stirring verses and extremely catchy chorus
that I've had stuck in my head very often this Spring and
Summer. I so much did not understand why it had some trouble
climbing the charts, it is incomprehensible to me! |
5 |
The Sin and the Sentence Trivium |
|
---|---|---|
When I heard it for the first time on August
1st, I gave it a note of "B", no more than that. But, it
never stopped progressing until the very end of the year! At
the end of this path, it is now obvious that it's a big "A"!
The central pivot of the track is, according to me, the
spectacular drumming of Alex Bent, and the rest builds up
around it with great harmony! The lyrics are very
interesting as well, for instance the famous "You condemn
me 'cause you don't understand me" or the "Beware
those who speak in tongues for they may call your name".
I also enjoy very much the voices' arrangements, with the
screams in completely distinct sound tracks that do not
steal the whole place and just support the melodious voice.
But most importantly, what a masterpiece from the drummer! I
had not realized how genious it was until I see Alex Bent's
video of him playing it in concert. WOW! You will find the
video in question below, just below the official music
video. It's worth it! Note: it's in my top 3 of the year
while I'm writing this, but it ends up only at #5 by my
fault, because it took me too much time before I fully
appreciate it to its full value! Note: this is a 3rd top 10 over the past 4 years for Trivium. We should now consider this American band amongst the great! |
6 |
The King Wants You Avatar |
|
---|---|---|
Released on December 19th, 2017, it did not
take long to take its place! Definitely less heavy than the
band's average, it was still disappointing after 2 or even 3
spins, but we must really take it seriously and give it a
chance, because it is a hugely underestimated song! I have
great fun listening and watching this epic music video (top
2 videos of a band that always makes great videos!) with my
3 and 1-year old sons! Yes, The King Wants You is a
rare song to have the versatility of being easily accessible
even for such young kids, while still having something to
offer to solid rock fans and musicians. I actually think
that the melody must sound extremely simple to a
lesser-trained ear, but it is actually pretty complex. The
guitar riff is much faster than it looks, as you could fully
see it by watching the following very interesting video of
the band's 2 guitarists, who teach us this riff : https://youtu.be/t9J9g9tjd64
. And for having heard it live by my own ears on January
9th, 2018 in Montréal (QC), I can witness that The King
Wants You is amply as good live as the studio version,
which is not necessarly the case of A Statue of the King,
which thrones at the top of the current chart. I was about to forget to speak about the solo... At first sight, it seemed to me like a very chaotic solo, a little but as in Hail the Apocalypse. It is not the case, after all. It exploits very well the two guitars and grafts admirably well to the composition. And what a finale, so simple but oh so memorable! "All hail the king" ! :-) Advisory : absolutely don't listen to this song with a single earphone! As it is often the case with Avatar, they play a lot with the stereo balance, and the use of the two earphones or speakers is totally essential. |
7 |
Let You Down Seether |
+ |
---|---|---|
Seether hits the target once again! I do not
really adhere to the theories of some YouTube users, who
accuse it to be too similar to Take out the Gunman
from Chevelle or Tool's Stinkfist. I can concede
some elements of resemblance, but Let You Down
definitely preserves its own personality, always totally
within the bounds of the South African band's post-grunge
hard rock style. It is powerful, not only in the music but
just as much in the lyrics. Shaun always have that gift to
hit with the right words at the right sports, as simple as
the vocabulary may be. Just take the chorus for example;
these are all very simple words, but used in such a great
way: "So say something beautiful, say what you're keeping
inside. [...] So say something meaningful, say what you're
trying to hide.". |
8 |
Now That We're Dead Metallica |
+ |
---|---|---|
I was just unable to understand that they
released this one before Spit out the Bone as a
single for the album, but it's still a very good thing that
it was amongst the singles, regardless of its rank. It a
very large audience metal, reminiscent of their albums of
the '90s, but with an absolutely unique offset drumming that
I had a lot of fun to watch and listen to when the band came
to Montréal in July. It is on those summer days that my
"trip" for this song reached its maximum level, more than 2
months after its release to the radios and 8 months after
the album's release, which I had purchased shortly after its
release. 7 quickly passed minutes, for a composition that is
actually not as elaborated than some other 7-minute
compositions by Metallica. |
9 |
The World is Yours Arch Enemy |
|
---|---|---|
A bomb! I am not ready to say that I like it
as much as You Will Know my Name, my favorite from
the band, but it is a very good second! There are some
little things that I would have done differently, but it is
nonetheless a great song. The lyrics are inspiring as well.
A part that particularly marked me is the: "Every empire
was raised by the slave". |
10 |
New Land Avatar |
|
---|---|---|
Not a bad choice of 5th official single for
the excellent album Feathers & Flesh, although I
would have preferred Tooth, Beak & Claw. I
thought that New Land would not be as good when
taken out of the album's context, but it's doing well after
all. A good song, better in its tender moments than in its
loud ones. |
11 |
Rx (Medicate) Theory of a Deadman |
|
---|---|---|
Huge success for the Canadian band. They score
a bullseye with a practically perfect pop rock song, catchy,
well arranged, delivered with emotion, intelligent, on a
subject (the opiods crisis) that strikes particularly hard
the band's province of origin (British Columbia). It's
exactly what pop should be! At the time of writing these
lines, the music video is getting close to 23 million views
on YouTube, which makes it the greatest hit of their 16-year
career. It is well deserved! |
12 |
Fabuless Stone Sour |
|
---|---|---|
The singer Corey Taylor is, once again, at his
best. He is the main reason of this track's success, as the
guitars are almost without melody, more to support Corey
than to lead the charge. But it works very well nonetheless!
"It's all downhill from here, motherfucker!" |
13 |
Flag of the Beast Emmure |
|
---|---|---|
First appearance in my annual charts for the
U.S.-based deathcore veterans. We must say that Emmure 2017
is no longer the same as the Emmure of 10+ years ago, not at
all! There were so many changes in the lineup, only the
singer did not change! I liked Flag of the Beast
from the first time I heard it on the radio in April, and
never got bored of it. It is extremely powerful, and I like
its subject as well. |
14 |
Malagueña Salerosa Avenged Sevenfold |
|
---|---|---|
A7X en español!!! Surprising for sure, and I
know that some Spanish-language people are complaining of
the poor quality of the Spanish sung in the song, but the
track's arrangement is unique and greatly successful. They
manage to reach great peaks of intensity without having to
violently hammer their instruments. I liked it very much! |
15 |
The Heart From Your Hate Trivium |
+ |
---|---|---|
I don't like very much the guitars in this
track, but it's an excellent song, with a catchy melody from
the voices, and excellent lyrics about the irrational
emotion and energy that people put in their hate of others,
especially in social medias. |
16 |
Betray and Degrade Seether |
+ |
---|---|---|
Strongly leaning towards grunge, the 2nd
single from their latest album is once again greatly
efficient. I am slightly annoyed by the "Go on, go on, go",
but I like everything else. And I know that I am repeating
myself, but Shaun Morgan always manages to hit the spot with
simple but accurate words, for example: "Your shallowness
defines you". |
17 |
Show Yourself Mastodon |
|
---|---|---|
Let's agree, it isn't really metal no more.
The first thing that comes to mind while I hear it, it that
we did not need an elite band like Mastodon to lay this
track; thousands of other bands could have done it. But they
did not! No matter that it's not at Mastodon's level of
talent, Show Yourself is a very good listen and
keeps my interest until the end. Furthermore, the music
video is funny and highly entertaining! |
18 |
Unfuck the World Prophets of Rage |
+ |
---|---|---|
My favorite to date from this supergroup.
Excellent guitar from the great Tom Morello, topped by good
lyrics. |
19 |
Kill4me Marilyn Manson |
|
---|---|---|
What should have been an essential pop anthem
is destroyed by completely crazy and violent lyrics! Manson
knows it very well; he was aware that he was no longer
scaring off people in his last albums, and he wanted to
re-become the shocking provocative man. He actually called Kill4me
a scary song "disguised in a pop song". We must go a little
over the lyrics and see them as theaterical (note, by the
way, the presence of actor Johnny Depp in the music video),
and that really becomes an excellent song, very accessible. |
20 |
Run Rabbit Run Black Map |
+ |
---|---|---|
The only new band to have cracked my top 20
this year. A simple but efficient trio, delivering a very
good rock song. |
21 |
Steambreather Mastodon |
|
---|---|---|
Another excellent track from the album Emperor
of Sand, even better than Show Yourself (my
#17) actually, but I listened to it much less often because
it had a lot less airplay on the radio. Lots of details in
there, for instance the triangle during the guitar solo. It
is also my favorite music video of the year, an absolutely
genious video that alloys mystery, suspense and so much
intelligence. |
22 |
Nimble Bastard Incubus |
|
---|---|---|
Very nice return for this great band of the
'90s! Not their most special one, for them who were used to
destabilize us with puzzling rythms and linkings (Pardon
Me, Stellar, Nice to Know You, etc.)
but certainly amongst their most stirring! https://youtu.be/GlA_rQ2JfCA |
23 |
Blood in the Cut F.Flay |
+ |
---|---|---|
Under her real name Kristine Flaherty, K.Flay
was an interesting discovery of 2017. A somewhat pop
alternative rock, but with attitude. She fully assumes her
particular accent, which gives a flavour to her singing. She
vaguely remembers me of Alanis Morissette, in less rock but
obviously more modern. Too bad that her next songs did not
manage to hook me at all, not even her big hit High
Enough. https://youtu.be/k2WcOdz96ko |
24 |
Judas Fozzy |
+ |
---|---|---|
Mainstream hard rock, without much surprise
but surely stirring, with even a touch of emotion! I'm still
not convinced of star wrestler Chris Jericho as a singer,
but not to a point where it would mess up the sauce. What a
success that track has become! Slowly but surely, it reached
15 million views on YouTube, for a band that was practicaly
unknown before! Yes, they already had a video with over 2
million views on YouTube in the past, but let's be lucid,
those were 2 million fans of Avenged Sevenfold who wanted to
see this collaboration of M Shadows et fans of wrestler
Jericho who were curious to see how he would do as a singer!
The band Fozzy was nonetheless largely unknown and it's
ready Judas that put them on the map. https://youtu.be/lqURPBtGJzg |
25 |
Lights Out Royal Blood |
+ |
---|---|---|
Excellent track from Royal Blood, which fully
meets expectations! A comeback in my annual chart after a
one-year absence, and it comes very close to match its
record, with a #24 in 2015 for Little Monster. A 3rd
track in my top 30's in 4 years. When they release a new
song, we stop and listen! https://youtu.be/ZSznpyG9CHY |
26 |
SAY10 Marilyn Manson |
+ |
---|---|---|
It is the track we've been waiting for so long
(following a short teaser released last year), and surprise,
he releases it almost at the same time as 2 other singles, Kill4me
and We Know Where you Fucking Live! I liked all 3
very much, but it is clear that Kill4me has had
advantage over the other 2. Very simple composition, but he
manages to build a fascinating horror movie atmosphere,
topped by a very catchy key sentence: "You say God, and I
say Say Ten". How can someone make a satanic talk
catchy?! Only The King of Fuck (it's his real nickname!) can
do that! https://youtu.be/otSSwS_Nh9A |
27 |
Undead Arthemis |
|
---|---|---|
Unlikely discovery that I've made thanks to
the suggestions of online store Amazon! I'm still not fully
comfortable with the lyrics, but their power metal music is
absolutely great. A good little Italian band, which
instantly becomes my 2nd favorite Italian band after
Fleshgod Apocalypse (not like there were a whole lot of
bands from Italy! :D ). https://youtu.be/UK35WXWnniw |
28 |
Sorry Not Sorry Gemini Syndrome |
+ |
---|---|---|
Maybe a little too "copy-paste" of their
tracks from last year, but it is a good song with an
absolutely captivating and disturbing music video. https://youtu.be/0wINQBmlVuo |
29 |
Necessary Evil Motionless in White feat. Jonathan Davis |
|
---|---|---|
The voices of Chris Motionless and Jonathan
Davis (Korn) are merging so harmoniously, it's a highly
successful collaboration. I would just have liked to see
Davis in the video, though. https://youtu.be/zeq2nOKvSno |
30 |
He Is Ghost |
|
---|---|---|
Anything but metal, but I love the guitar in
the verses, and the choruses' vocal melody is very catchy. A
very funny choice to release He Is as a 3rd single
of album Meliora in August, almost exactly 2 years
after the 2nd, the two being separated by a mini album
("EP") last year. Obviously, Ghost did not have any new
material to offer in 2017, but absolutely wanted to remain
active after the unbelievable scandal that made the news in
the beginning of the year, as singer Papa Emeritus III
allegedly fired all of his musicians! https://youtu.be/7hMaHDTw-pI |
31 |
New Face PSY |
|
---|---|---|
My guilty pleasure of the year! I was already
hooked the first time I listened to it, and I've often got
it stuck in my head thereafter! It's exactly Gangnam
Style's recipe, but the imitation of brasses make it
nicer, if I can say! https://youtu.be/OwJPPaEyqhI |
32 |
Hostage Stamps At the Drive-In |
|
---|---|---|
Great return for this band that many were
identifying as the potential "saviors of rock" in the year
2000, release year of their hit One Armed Scissor,
largely untapped potential as the band splitted just one
year later! I've seen them live for the first time this
Summer, and that was spectacular! Probably the most
energetic show I've seen in my life, thanks to the singer
who's an unbelievable hyperactive! https://youtu.be/JoNJ6AQhmFY |
33 |
Cut it Short Red Fang |
+ |
---|---|---|
This good American band finally has its (real)
chance in my annual chart! A good little track without much
pretention, but still very efficient! https://youtu.be/wRAmSfUjBl0 |
34 |
Heartbreak and Seance Cradle of Filth |
|
---|---|---|
The British veterans of extreme metal remain
as relevant and deliver an epic performance, extremely fast,
intense, deep and melodious all at the same time. It took me
some time to really catch the melody, which was actually
still not settled at the turn of 2018, which harms it in
this chart. Otherwise, it could have easily aimed for a top
25. https://youtu.be/DNRIaeg6EyY |
35 |
Maximize Amaranthe |
+ |
---|---|---|
Another positive sample of their "pop metal",
although it's still not even close to the sample that made
me discover them in 2014, Drop Dead Cynical! https://youtu.be/nfk7YZJtmeo |
36 |
Feed the Machine Nickelback |
+ |
---|---|---|
Not only I will not make bad jokes on Canadian
band Nickelback to follow the trend, I will shamelessly
declare that Feed the Machine is a good song! But I
must concede that it's been a long time! Their last entry in
my personal annual charts was dating as far back as 2006! https://youtu.be/rtVU--O29oY |
37 |
Freeze Me Death From Above |
|
---|---|---|
Very good track from a band doing an
alternative rock that's a little hard to describe, but
surely integrating a little pop touch. Good song and epic
video of this Canadian (Ontario) duo that I did not know
despite its 16 years on the market. https://youtu.be/sdQqgVzex_w |
38 |
Goddamn I'm Dead Again Sum 41 |
|
---|---|---|
Great comeback for Canadian band Sum 41, which
had not visited my annual chart since the memorable We're
all to Blame in 2004! Excellent punk anthem (but at
the same time, not entirely punk!). https://youtu.be/fbqsGxm7iLQ |
39 |
9 à 5 Sally Folk |
|
---|---|---|
I am very shy of saying it, but this is the
only French-language song to have cracked my chart this
year. I did notice the downward trend following the 4
consecutive prosperous years from 2000 to 2003, but the 11
French-language songs of last year, highest total since
2006, seemed encouraging. Then suddenly, this crash. Only
the year 2010 had placed less than 6 French-language songs
in my annual chart, and suddenly just a single one this
year. I've been telling this for a long time,
French-language rock artists do not have enough exposure.
Too often, the band does not even have a YouTube channel and
rely on the channel of its little label of completely
disparate artists, channel to which I will not be tempted to
subscribe and getting tons of notifications about artists
that don't interest me. Sometimes even NO presence on
YouTube at all, maybe in fear that it make them lose some of
their few sales of the year... There is also the French FM
radio of the Montréal area that remains so shameful. Another
factor not to be ignored: the fact that numerous bands
composed of French-language individuals who choose to make a
career in English (Gojira, Kataklysm, Karkaos, etc., etc.).
So it's multiple reasons that explains that debacle, but I
will absolutely need to find ways to give this an upswing in
2018. That said 9 à 5 by Sally Folk is hands down my
favorite French-language song of the year. Very cute song
on a subject into which I am totally concerned!
https://youtu.be/Z8_c6jAZgPw |
40 |
The Free Life Turbowolf |
|
---|---|---|
Very good track with some development, lots of energy
and a part of unexpected! I classified it as an "A" as
soon as I heard it, but then I somewhat forgot it then and
started listening to it again only at the very end of the
year while writing this chart. I think that it would have
deserved an even better fate.
https://youtu.be/pFAjEpBXJm4 |
41 |
The Cell Gojira |
|
---|---|---|
That's fine, but I can't believe they picked it before
Only Pain as an official single for the excellent
album Magma!
https://youtu.be/J13GI4Xik1o |
42 |
No Roots Alice Merton |
|
---|---|---|
Pop rarely can do any better than that! It is simple
and "organic" (except the kind of electronic solo before
the last chorus), but catchy and well made. In interview,
she was telling that it was important to her to put a very
particular emphasis on each occurrence of the word
"ROOTS"; she did it simply and very efficiently. Story
about a girl who, as in her song, has lived in 4 different
countries (Germany, U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom)
according to Wikipedia.
https://youtu.be/PUdyuKaGQd4 |
43 |
Unbreakable Of Mice & Men |
|
---|---|---|
That song has a special meaning since it is the first
new song of the band since the departure of its singer for
health reasons... and the title of this song is Unbreakable!
It nicely fills its role.
https://youtu.be/_3P26FaPxgk |
44 |
I Only Lie When I Love You Royal Blood |
|
---|---|---|
Short and less developed than Lights Out, but
still very pleasant to hear.
https://youtu.be/BermIHe03zU |
45 |
JudasStein Devilment |
|
---|---|---|
Not as good as their Hitchcock Blonde from last
year and obviously not pushing as far as Cradle of Filth
(Dani Filth's other band) does, but absolutely nothing can
explain that this passes that much below the radar and get
only 92,000 views on YouTube in 8 months! It is a good
track! Right from the first "unleash the creature"
near the beginning of the song, I am still 100% into it!
https://youtu.be/h0y0EqKLsWI |
46 |
We Know Where You Fucking Live Marilyn Manson |
|
---|---|---|
Horribly violent and gratuitous (in the lyrics as much
as in the music video), to a point where I'm really
ashamed to like that. But in all honesty, yes I like that
anyway! The chorus is pretty good and the whole is giving
me chills!
https://youtu.be/2KWpuVrRek4 |
47 |
Black Rose Volbeat feat. Danko Jones |
|
---|---|---|
"Poppier" than ever, Volbeat falls into a kind of
"candy metal" that we can no longer really call metal. I
does not really like this "slide", but that remains a
relatively catchy song that followed me almost all year
(having heard it for the 1st time on March 7th) and that
still finds a way to crack into my top 50 !
https://youtu.be/mxxVuDXJtrE |
48 |
Come Together Godsmack |
|
---|---|---|
Good cover of the Beatles' classic, adding some
attitude to it without denaturing it at all. Particularly
tangible proof that I very clearly prefer Sully Erna to
John Lennon as a singer!
You're not hallucinating, this recording was really released in 2012, as the post date on YouTube shows. However, it was really released as an official single only in March of 2017, and entered the Billboard charts just before the end of March 2017. https://youtu.be/kPi-MOxR0l4 |
49 |
Rivers Chevelle |
+ |
---|---|---|
Subscribers of my annual charts! Like with Volbeat
earlier, even a disappointing song is enough for them to
rank into my top 50!
https://youtu.be/DNk5P2XFUGA |
50 |
Black Moon Cellar Darling |
|
---|---|---|
Cellar Darling is a new trio from Switzerland, born
from the separation of three members of well-known metal
collective Eluveitie. If singer Anna Murphy takes a part
of Eluveitie's sound with her, Cellar Darling
nonetheless sounds very different, with simpler and more
conventional arrangements, while still standing out of the
crowd with Anna's very particular instrument that we call
the "hurdy gurdy". The result is good, pretty catchy and
very accessible for some metal. I would recommend this
song to a wide audience.
https://youtu.be/r-5ZkRL-EV0 |
51 |
Run Foo Fighters |
|
---|---|---|
Expectations are very high for Dave Grohl's crew,
especially since its #4 (for Rope) in 2011, that
could (and should) have easily been a #2 or #3. Run
couldn't do otherwise than disappointing me. The
ingredients are there, but it's like the cake doesn't
raise completely. I did not hook on this one, but I did
listen to it many times still!
https://youtu.be/ifwc5xgI3QM |
52 |
Waking Lions Pop Evil |
|
---|---|---|
Mixed feelings! The firs minute and 10 seconds
kicks in strong, but a weak chorus then cools things off!
Sad!
https://youtu.be/DOhsP6F2RmQ |
53 |
Dark Black Makeup Radkey |
|
---|---|---|
Cute little rock track that I liked quickly, but I got
bored of it pretty quickly too!
https://youtu.be/bSV3AROTSmI |
54 |
Ghost Ship of Cannibal Rats Billy Talent |
|
---|---|---|
Some pretty standard Billy Talent... therefore good!
https://youtu.be/XaNpka54DqQ |
55 |
Thrown into the Fire Trivium |
|
---|---|---|
Not that inferior to the album's other singles, it was
probably just released too late in the year.
https://youtu.be/MnjZqQhZYiY |
56 |
My Champion - Berlin VUUR |
|
---|---|---|
Released in September, but me I doscovered it only on
December 29th! That's why it finds itself a little bit
low, but I am convinced it deserves more, at least
definitely and easily a top 50. Excellent track for a very
little-known progressive metal band from the Netherlands
that can boast having good musicians, a good singer and
good authors-composers all at once. The (female) singer
has previously worked with Devin Townsend, a highly
respected figure in the industry of prog metal.
https://youtu.be/gAwDw5zXtLI |
57 |
Novacaine 10 Years |
+ |
---|---|---|
Those veterans no longer manage to surprise me, but Novacaine
is still a very defendable one in their singles
repertoire.
https://youtu.be/1glGnGOpf6c |
58 |
The Seven Primus |
+ |
---|---|---|
Not many people know it, but Primus, a legendary
alternative band of the '90s, is still active. The
Seven is obviously not the greatest performance of
these great musicians, but it has that nice weird
atmosphere brushing the comic, that fits well with the
band.
https://youtu.be/kZVToL4LhDQ |
59 |
The Race Arch Enemy |
|
---|---|---|
Another very intense track by the Swedish metal band,
although a lot less melodious than The World is Yours,
which occupies the #9 position of the current chart.
https://youtu.be/7GXIqR7P5ZQ |
60 |
Kolossos Karkaos |
|
---|---|---|
Powerful return for the Montreal-based metal band! It
is a bad mistake of mine; I heard it for the first time on
April 28th, I liked it, but I forgot to add it to my
playlists completely forgot it until I start working on
the current chart at the end of December! It amply has the
required qualities for a higher ranking, within the top
50.
https://youtu.be/pScb6OmjcQU |
61 |
Can You Hear Me Shallow Side |
|
---|---|---|
Nice, easy-going little rock track, without having
too great depth.
https://youtu.be/pMaS1jdLNxI |
62 |
Promise Everything Basement |
+ |
---|---|---|
Alternative rock song for anyone, without lacking
attitude. Strongly inspired from the '90s, with its
little touch of grunge.
https://youtu.be/IJ-YWOja248 |
63 |
Cast the First Stone Corrosion of Conformity |
|
---|---|---|
First appearance in my annual charts for this veteran
American metal band, who was celebrating its 35 years
of existence this year! A good track that could
certainly have done even better in the current chart if it
was not released that late in the year (November).
https://youtu.be/ljxyItzRZm4 |
64 |
Black is the Soul Korn |
|
---|---|---|
Not totally cumfortable with the chorus, but the verses
are bewitching and the "Give me back my LIIIIIFE"
are powerful!
https://youtu.be/z0EY-vQXRwc |
65 |
Where the Wind Blows Blacktop Mojo |
|
---|---|---|
As for Dark Black Makeup, a song that I
(moderately) liked quickly, but lost some points later.
https://youtu.be/fAAlu9XZjgs |
66 |
Living on the 110 Prophets of Rage |
|
---|---|---|
Tom Morello will always surprise us! In a less
energetic song (without going as far as calling it a
ballad), he goes beyond the ordinary again by playing his
guitar with a bow, as if it was a cello, during the
choruses! We see that well in the song's music video. Very
socially conscious lyrics too... as usual! A must-see
video!
https://youtu.be/PzAvPcM7Vw0 |
67 |
Shape of You Ed Sheeran |
|
---|---|---|
I hear this mega-hit a few times before discovering
with much surprise that it was Ed Sheeran who was singing
it. I thought it was a black-skin new artist. I could
hardly be more wrong, it rather was one of the most
popular singers of the moment, a white guy! Despite its
baffling simplicity, we must admit that it hits the target
in a very efficient way, even if I don't really like the
lyrics. A little guilty pleasure in 2017, although with
less intensity than with PSY's New Face.
https://youtu.be/JGwWNGJdvx8 |
68 |
Era Opeth |
+ |
---|---|---|
Not great in a YouTube playlist its practually mute
1:07 intro, but the song is not bad! It is the very first
song that I wrote down for eventually making this list, in
very early January.
https://youtu.be/98wXIjkO4i0 |
69 |
The Way of Vikings Amon Amarth |
|
---|---|---|
Surprisingly catchy melody for such a garish song! I
was not sure it would qualify for my chart, but it finally
succeeded very well at getting its way in. A first show in
my annual charts for these Swedish death metal veterans.
https://youtu.be/55OJ17cHeJA |
70 |
Song #3 Stone Sour |
|
---|---|---|
Played too much on the radio, up to a point where I was
changing station when it was starting!! A cliché song that
I do not admire because I know that Corey Taylor can do
much better, but I still listened to it often (willingly
or not!) and I sincerely think it still deserves this #70.
https://youtu.be/TgSiyDFwL9U |
71 |
Toe to Toes Mastodon |
+ |
---|---|---|
"Uncatchy" enough that we don't wonder why it did not
qualify for the album Emperor of Sand and had to
wait the release of an EP a few months later, but it's
still the good Mastodon recipe, with good guitars and two
complementary singers who share the task.
https://youtu.be/HDjKC_DjsWo |
72 |
The Eagle Flies Alone Arch Enemy |
|
---|---|---|
I did not like it right from the start, finding it a
bit too cliché, but it finally ended up hooking me after a
few months!
https://youtu.be/mjF1rmSV1dM |
73 |
Get Higher Palaye Royale |
|
---|---|---|
Some rock n' roll as classic as possible, but it is not
bad in its genre, and most importantly, I was very
impressed to see the so young man who sings that!
https://youtu.be/R3feE0RCLsw |
74 |
This is War Bush |
+ |
---|---|---|
Totally decent return for the ex-icons of British
grunge. It did relatively well on the charts, but for a
reason that I ignore, it ceils at only 68,000 views on
YouTube...
https://youtu.be/KObCUpDeAA4 |
75 |
I'll Find a Way Dead Girls Academy |
|
---|---|---|
Hardcore/metalcore that doesn't have much new stuff to
offer, but its little "emo" touch, its energy and its
finale make it clearly catchier than average.
https://youtu.be/IorDNcIpgI0 |
76 |
Hook, Line & Sinker Royal Blood |
|
---|---|---|
Clearly less catchy than the first two from Royal Blood
in this current chart, but nonetheless very pleasing to
listen to, like pretty much anything this duo does,
actually.
https://youtu.be/FgrLHKM5z4E |
77 |
Wolves of Winter Biffy Clyro |
|
---|---|---|
The only one from Biffy Clyro on which I hooked up a
little bit, even though it's not that I didn't try! I
don't really understand the buzz around this band, but
this track is interesting.
https://youtu.be/bpJvP4b5fX8 |
78 |
How did we get so Dark? Royal Blood |
|
---|---|---|
The "less good" amongst Royal Blood's 4 singles, but
the best music video! You got to see this! The first
seconds are repulsive, but it's worth watching it until
the end! It becomes original, mysterious and captivating!
https://youtu.be/GwrnjtW-rfk |
79 |
Wish You Were Here Avenged Sevenfold |
+ |
---|---|---|
Rock ballad that definitely won't make history, but the
melody of the chorus has somewhat of an attraction.
https://youtu.be/GwrnjtW-rfk |
80 |
Doomsday Architects |
|
---|---|---|
Just getting up from the death (skin cancer) of their
guitarist Tom Searle one year earlier, they are back
stronger than ever and deliver their greatest hit to date!
Nice proof of character! I don't like the singer's
performance very much, but I like the music and the
arrangements, reminding me a little bit of the good tracks
from the very inconsistant Bring Me The Horizon.
https://youtu.be/RvWbcK3YQ_o |
81 |
Meadow Stone Temple Pilots |
|
---|---|---|
STP, a band amongst the most popular of the
'90s, has seen its two singers ever die over the past 2
years: Chester Bennington in 2017 and Scott Weiland in 2015!
What a challenge for a band! But they are true passionates
of music, and there was no way that would stop the DeLeo
brothers! They called for candidates for a new singer,
received "from 15,000 to 20,000" applications, auditioned
hundreds of them, and finally selected the former American
reality TV star Jeff Gutt. His voice resembles Weiland's so
much that you could be mistaken, and it fits wonderfully
with the band. The first single that comes out of this new
union is far from original, but assures an appropriate
transition to the the band's new era. Note: There is surprisingly no official music video for Meadow (very surprising for the 1st single of a new album from such a big band), so I suggest you the following video, from Sirius XM, the band's first show with Jeff Gutt: https://youtu.be/CMhiXmjA7pA I also recommend this video of a very interesting interview with the remaining 3 original members, in which they talk a lot about Weiland and Bennington, and a little bit about their future: https://youtu.be/SWo2J57CMiU |
82 |
Reasons Pain of Salvation |
|
---|---|---|
Yet another Swedish band! It is a strange mix of
styles, but we cannot blame them for a lack of
originality! They seem to be grabbing elements from Queen,
Soundgarden and metal bands. On their Facebook page, they
even cite Meshugghah (some somewhat extreme metal) within
their influences! Expect to be destabilized a bit, but
give them at least a chance!
https://youtu.be/i_qZpLgvdOI |
83 |
On Our Own Obey the Brave |
|
---|---|---|
The Quebecker metalcore band has been noticed
internationally with its first album in 2012, and it is
back with a new album, including the single On Our Own
which, without really meeting my expectations, is nice
listening to. The singer Alexandre Erian is busy these
days, with a reunion of Despised Icon last year and a
comeback of Obey the Brave this year!
https://youtu.be/bKsmmSntEzw |
84 |
The Way you Used to do Queens of the Stone Age |
|
---|---|---|
Josh Homme once was more inspired, but it is cool
listening to as long as we don't make too much
expectations!
https://youtu.be/3lw6MZBmY-U |
85 |
Shadows Inside Miss May I |
|
---|---|---|
Nice intense track, even though I can't seem to be able
to remind the melody without having to listen to it.
https://youtu.be/TgSiyDFwL9U |
86 |
Lost in the Grey Miss May I |
|
---|---|---|
A little less melodious than Shadows Inside,
but a pretty equivalent track after all.
https://youtu.be/uY2jLCYIZg0 |
87 |
Primo Victoria Sabaton |
|
---|---|---|
That will excuse me for The Last Stand that I
did not name in 2016! Primo Victoria is a very
similar song, just less memorable, for some unknown
reason. A first appearance in my annual charts for these
Swedish metal veterans (yes, Sweden again!).
https://youtu.be/kPVm-QkWbBQ |
88 |
They Put a Body in the Bayou The Orwells |
|
---|---|---|
Clearly softer than the previous 3, it is some large
audience alternative rock, inspired by the '90s and maybe
even a little bit the '80s.
https://youtu.be/xvoKjjF6Yf0 |
89 |
Less Than Nine Inch Nails |
|
---|---|---|
Clearly disappointing for the first single of a Nine
Inch Nails album, less rock and less intelligently built,
but it just steals a little place in my chart!
https://youtu.be/gDV-dOvqKzQ |
90 |
Small Dark Lines Threshold |
+ |
---|---|---|
Music video much more outstanding than the song, but it
still land them the last step of this chart!
https://youtu.be/e9NCuOe4zJk |
Songs noted, but not retained |
|
My Champion | Alter Bridge |
Back from the Dead |
Skillet |
Flammable |
Biffy Clyro |
20 Below |
September Mourning |
Drama |
Obey the Brave |
High Enough |
K.Flay |
Blackened Karma |
Rage |
The Beat of your Heart |
Bush |
Solid Gold |
The Darkness |
Roadtrip |
Les Chiens de Ruelles |
Whole Wide World |
Cage the Elephant |
Passion |
AWOLNATION |
Roots |
In This Moment |