THE BEST OF 2006
As chosen by our East Coast Editor, Christopher J. Kelter
In a year when I probably spent more time listening to classic rock than
metal/hard rock I find myself adjusting my Top 20 list to reflect the quantity of times I listened to an album over the relative quality and
merits of the best discs of 2006. You might find fault with that and I wouldn’t blame you. But it seemed to be an appropriate approach this time
around, especially given time constraints. However, my initial fears of actually reviewing all the new music I listened to in 2006 would not allow
me to come up with a satisfactory Top 20 list but I discovered that there were some pretty good albums released in 2006.
As usual some honorable mentions in no particular order that deserve their moment of glory:
Borknagar – Origin
Audioslave – Revelations
Walls of Jericho – With Devils Amongst Us All
Burn In Silence – Angel Maker
Fall of Serenity – Bloodred Salvation
White Willow – Signal to Noise
Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime II
Wastefall – Self Exile
Evergrey – Monday Morning Apocalypse
All That Remains – The Fall of Ideals
Teeth of the Hydra – Greenland
Home – The Gathering
The Hellacopters – Rock & Roll Is Dead
Krisiun – AssiNation
Karmacode – Lacuna Coil
By Night – A New Shape of Desperation
Trivium – The Crusade
Top 20 of 2006
20: Joe Satriani – Super Colossal
Satch’s most complete effort since “Crystal Planet.”
19: The Red King – Somniferum
Deliciously diverse and haunting.
18: Amon Amarth – With Oden on Our Side
Solid and unforgettable.
17: Dysrhthmia – Barriers and Passages
A real man’s thinking man’s album.
16: Canvas Solaris – Penumbra Diffuse
Wickedly wild – a mind-bending trip.
15: Misery Index – Discordia
Relentless and catchy – Baltimore’s favorite sons never disappoint.
14: Moonspell – Memorial
Moonspell return to the black metal roots and produce an inspired
collection of songs.
13: Witchery – Don’t Fear the Reaper
Catchy grooves and tight musicianship make this Witchery’s best album to
date.
12: Tool – 10,000 Days
Brooding and thoughtful – difficult to fully absorb but extraordinarily
rewarding.
11: Iron Maiden – A Matter of Life and Death
Simply my favorite post-reunion Iron Maiden album.
10: Burst – Origo
In the future music critics will look kindly upon the sonic wrath of Burst.
9: My Dying Bride – A Line of Deathless Kings
It doesn’t take me much to get excited about My Dying Bride – yet, even my
critical ear was pleased by the solid form of this disc.
8: The Haunted – The Dead Eye
The Haunted have been the blueprint for modern thrash, but with “The Dead
Eye” are creating a more unique style.
7: Killswitch Engage – Daylight Dies
Slightly heavier, just as emotional, and even more refined.
6: In Flames – Come Clarity
Catchy aggression never goes out of style.
5: Lamb of God – Sacrament
Another powerful statement from the leaders of American heavy, heavier,
and heaviest metal.
4: Amorphis – Eclipse
One of my favorite bands produces one of my favorite albums of the year.
3: Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance
Dark, gloomy, and emotionally draining. One of a kind.
2: Mastodon – Blood Mountain
Brutal, complex, and ultimately exhilarating.
1: Isis – The Absence of Truth
This is the sound of contemplation and discovery. This is the most
rewarding album of 2006 bar none.
Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 06 Oct 2019 11:48:48 -0400.
