Teri's Top 50 for 2003, in Alphabetical Order

ADAGIO - UNDERWORLD
David Readman would be enough of a reason to love this, but I love everything about it. The classical interludes added depth, the guitar and keyboard work is outstanding, and the production is immaculate. A neoclassical metal lovers dream.

ARENA - CONTAGION
I have always loved this band..moody melodic prog rock at its best. Arena is also one of the few bands I care about lyrically. Contagion captured my fancy in the same way The Visitor did. Rob Sowden's smooth vocals put them over the top for me.

AT VANCE - THE EVIL IN YOU
I had fears that the band would not be so good after Oliver Hartmann left. I had nothing to worry about. Matts Leven was a perfect substitute and delivered their particular brand of melodic power metal perfectly. You know what to expect with At Vance (although no Abba cover this time) but you are never disappointed.

ATMOSFEAR - INSIDE THE ATMOSFEAR
Progressive, melodic, killer vocals by Oliver Wulff...what more could you ask for?. Nothing. I waited a long time between their EP and this release, and it was worth the wait.

BALANCE OF POWER - HEATHEN MACHINE
People had mixed feelings about the direction the band took without Lance King. I love both versions of BoP, but I pretty much consider them 2 different bands now. John K brings an emotionality and range to the vocals, and the band has added extra testosterone to the music. One band is epic AOR and the other is metal. Both fine by me. This stayed in constant play mode for quite a while.

BLACK MAJESTY - SANDS OF TIME
This  isn't a cliche of any particular genre. so I get to make up my own again...melodiprogpower.  There are members of both Pegazus and Cyclone Tracy in this Australian band, but it sounds like neither. The vocals are strong, and the production is crisp and clear. I  like when albums do not have a "samey" quality to the songs, and the tempos vary enough to appeal to the most limited attention span.

BRAINSTORM - SOUL TEMPTATION
For heavy, chunky, melodic, "kick your ass from here till Monday" with some pretty heavy-duty vocals by Andy Franck, this one satisfies perfectly. Headbanger's delight.

CHARON - THE DYING DAYLIGHTS 
I love JP Leppaluoto's smooth-as-silk voice (see Poisonblack) so lets start with that. This gothy rock style has a special place in my heart anyway, and Charon never fails to put forth the goods. I wish the songs were longer only so i could enjoy each one more, but that is such a minor gripe.

CIRCLE II CIRCLE - WATCHING IN SILENCE
I've had this so long I was kind of surprised to see it was a 2003 release. Every single song is a winner. The Savatage influences are there, and they are the best of what I enjoyed in Savatage.  Zak Stevens was always my favorite vocalist of theirs, and he shines. Another one of those discs that got so much play time, it almost grew roots in the player. Sorry to hear the band is no more, but i look forward to whatever Zak comes up with next.

CONSORTIUM PROJECT III - TERRA INCOGNITA
A more symphonic approach than the earlier Consortium Projects sets this one apart and ahead. I am a sucker for concepts (seems to be a growing trend though) so that appeals to me, as does Ian Parry's emotive vocals and some killer chorus work.

CORNERSTONE - ONCE UPON OUR YESTERDAYS
Still playing this one almost daily. Between the strength of the strong structure (Former Royal Hunt members), the memorability of the melodies, the musicianship, and the Doogie White killer delivery, there is just nothing I don't love about it...just a great listen on every level.

CYDONIA - THE DARK FLOWER
If i WAS ranking, this one would be way at the top of the list. I can't think of one thing I dont love about this album. It is heavy, rich in the melody department, its even hooky while still throwing in some thrashy elements here and there. The cover of Russ Ballard's Voices is worth it right there, but there arent any weak tracks. An eargasm from start to finish.

DEAD SOUL TRIBE - A MURDER OF CROWS
He can call himself Devon Graves, Buddy Lackey, or Joe Schmo...whatever, he is one helluva gifted songwriter. This concept album has such heart and dimension you get sucked in to it without even realizing it. The music is gentler in approach than the debut, but in a lot of ways i like it better. Just a beautiful listen

DIMENSION F3H - REAPING THE WORLDWINDS
This disc is just plain cool. It is aggressive and heavy, yet throws some curveball avant garde stuff in to keep you fascinated. Morfeus' roots may be in Limbonic Art, but i was never a fan of LA...this one is another story entirely. 

DREAMTIDE - DREAMS FOR THE DARING
I was a huge Fair Warning fan. Go is one of those albums i consider essential rock. So Dreamtide, with former Fair Warning members has an edge for my affections. Their first was just ok, but this one fulfills the promise that i knew was in them. It just all out rocks. Hooks, great chorus work, killer riffs...yep, a winner.

EVERGREY - RECREATION DAY
This album started off weird for me. The first couple of songs didnt grab me, and i feared i might not like it as well as their previous releases. By the third track i was hooked, and it just held me from then on. Now having listened to it umpteen million times, even the first 2 tracks sound great to me. Tom's vocals get more and more polished. For some who liked the earlier rawness, not a good thing, but for me...thumbs up.

FAIRYLAND - OF WARS IN OSYRHIA
The chorus work is excellent, and the female vocalist (Dark Moor) sounds more powerful than most of the men in this genre.
There isn't a Rhapsody fan who won't love this. It is epic and symphonic, and has enough melody surrounding the required double bass elements to keep even me interested. I am a sucker for lots of things going on musically within the framework of a song, and that seems to be a factor for this band, too. 

FIREWIND - BURNING EARTH
This is one of those bands, like KenZiner, that you either like or you don't. I havent heard too much middle ground on them. I like this album a lot. Stephen Fredrick's rawish powerhouse vocals, Gus G's brilliant riffage, how wrong can you go?

GRAND MAGUS - MONUMENT
Heavy and doomy with a hint of stoner, it suits my needs perfectly when i need that "sit on your soul with a bag of boulders" feeling... great production, and the vocals by JB (from Spiritual Beggars, another band i love) are exactly what the atmosphere calls for.

GREEN CARNATION - A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
This was such a departure from Light of Day..... For me, it was a good departure, because i was one of the few people who didnt care much for their last one. What i enjoyed most was the variety of songs. Each one has its own personality and style, but it still flows well. Every song is beautifully structured, and sung to perfection by Kjetil Nordhus.

ION VEIN - REIGNING MEMORIES
I will always have a soft spot for this album. I heard the first rough mix and many months later debuted the finished product on my radio show. It stands head and shoulders above their first album, and is truly progressive metal. I especially like the fact that the well-constructed and executed songs vary in tempo and vibe.

IRON MAIDEN - DANCE OF DEATH
Bruce is back...with a vengeance. This is another one of those albums that started off kind of "just ok" for me, and then hit me with both hands by the fourth track. Paschendale remains one of my favorite songs for the year. People seem very polarized on this album. Love it or hate it. All i know is this was a come-back thrill for me. Like Dream Theater, i havent been that happy with their albums for a while. This brought me back to truly enjoying IM again.

KAMELOT - EPICA
I almost forgot this was from 2003. Such is the fate of some January releases. After loving Fourth Legacy so much, i confess i didnt warm up to Epica immediately. Of course it was masterfully done and sung, but it took several times at bat for the home run i was waiting for. Now i can't imagine what i was thinking the first couple of spins. Great disc, but Khan could sing a chinese take-out menu and i would be raving.

KING DIAMOND - THE PUPPET MASTER
KD had to grow on me over time...i was never a big fan of his vocals, but i liked the dramatic aspects, so i acquired a taste for him. i am glad i did. this album is terrific. Theatrical would be my best attempt at an adequate description. Sure it's bizarre and macabre...thats what captured my imagination.

LAST TRIBE - UNCROWNED
The songs are well done, the production is excellent, and there is more heaviness overall than they have shown before. The harmonies, vocals (i have a soft spot for Rickard Bengtsson) guitarwork, and hooks leave nothing lacking. One of the best at doing melodic rock/metal right.

LOST HORIZON - A FLAME TO THE GROUND BENEATH
I feel ashamed at enjoying a band that looks like the rejects from the casting call of Braveheart, but the truth is, they put out a terrific blend of power and melody, so i avoid looking at their picture, tune out the lyrics and just enjoy the hell out of the music. 

LULLACRY - CRUCIFY MY HEART
The few female fronted bands i enjoy have a heaviness to them and the vocals aren't reedy and aetherial...Lullacry is such a band. Lots of heavy chuggy basslines with crunch and melody and those gothy minor keys all over the place. I really love that sort of thing.

MANDRAGORA SCREAM - A WHISPER OF DEW
The first time i played this, it earned a WTF. I just couldnt decide what to make of it. Was it beauty and the beast metal?. was it theatrical goth rock? Am i liking this?. There was a certain something that drew me back to it though. Next thing i knew i was really loving its quirky dark dramatic approach. I still grab for it every once in a while when the vampiric side of me emerges.

MERCURY TIDE - WHY
I have heard this described as Angel Dust light, or it has been likened to Sentenced. Although i can see where those comparisons could be made, (especially with Dirk vocals) the beauty of this is that it has its own quality. It grew on me. Though i liked it at first, it didn't wow me. Subsequent listens burned it more and more strongly into my consciousness. I cannot really find a genre description that does this justice, so knowing how much i love to make up my own, you can call it gothmelodidoompowerockmetal ...yeah, that should do it.

MYSTIC PROPHECY - REGRESSUS
Valley's Eve was one of those bands that always fell just slightly short of all i wanted. I liked them, especially the vocals, but none of the albums REALLY stayed with me. Mystic Prophecy is Valleys Eve with more balls...so now i know, i was missing the balls...:)

NIGHTINGALE - ALIVE AGAIN - THE BREATHING SHADOW
Dan Swano, revered by most for his death vocals, is loved most by me when he sings clean. Unicorn, Odyssey, and Nightingale...just love em as "mood pieces"...Swano's voice is deep and smooth. The vibe is wonderful dark rock, for lack of a better description.

ONCE AND FUTURE KING (PART I AND II)
Its composed by Gary Hughes, and Gary, D.C. Cooper, Bob Catley, Irene Jansen and Harry Hess sing on it...i don't need more than that to fall in love with it. And i did. Despite some comments i read to the contrary, i found the music memorable and enjoyable. To say every song is sung well is an understatement. In this Arthurian opera, each character and each song can stand individually or as parts of what was a pleasurable sum for me . 

POISONBLACK - ESCAPEXTACY
The very first cd of 2003 to capture my fancy totally. I played this so often my household members were prepared to have me committed. No one was safe from me saying "you HAVE to get this disc!!"...An argument could be made for calling it gothpop, but i sort of think of it as either "Happy Charon" or "Upbeat Sentenced"...the hybridization of both bands ( Sentenced vocalist plays guitar/Charon vocalist does the honors with both bands) works great for me...i hope they do it again!

PRAYING MANTIS - THE JOURNEY GOES ON
Hey, i just never get enough Doogie White...I guess a pattern has emerged...whatever albums he was on this year made my top 50...sue me...:).... For some bizarre reason this band still gets listed as NWOBHM, but that is a total misnomer...this album is for people who love Mood Swings era Harem Scarem as far as i am concerned.

RAGE - SOUNDCHASER
Its Peavy Wagner, its Victor Smolski guitars, its Mike Terrana on drums, its three guys that sound like 10, its all-out killer in every aspect. From the anthemic Human Metal to the slightly proggy Stranger in a Weird World to the building strength of Flesh and Blood, damn i love this!

RAWHEAD REXX - DIARY IN BLACK
Heavy!! This doesn't cut new swaths through the paths of metal. It's power metal without the frills. Just go-for-the-gut heavy riffage and thunderously produced melodic aggressiveness. I can't sit still when i play this, and that is an endorsement in and of itself.

REDEMPTION - S/T
I have mentioned before that i am not a huge fan of Rick Mythiasin's voice. However, i like him better here than with Steel Prophet, and can tolerate him mostly because i love the music so much. Seeing this band live with Corey Brown brought the dimension to the band that made it perfect for me. Well paced with diversity in song structure, proggy without being noodly, with the bonus of being melodic. If they re-release this with Corey Brown, i am one happy camper.

SCARIOT - STRANGE TO NUMBERS
What do you get when you mix Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Power Metal and Melodic Metal? Scariot. The only metalheads who could keep from headbanging during this disc are in traction. Send them a get-well card.

SECTION A - THE SEVENTH SIGN
Its Andy Engberg. Oh, are there other musicians on this?..Apparently so, and they do an excellent job, but its Andy who brings this home for me. There are some incredible musicians and a variety of tempos on this album

SETHIAN - INTO THE SILENCE
I get to make up another subgenre...Melodigothrock. You may know the vocalist Wilska from his work with Finntroll, but this sounds nothing like the "Weird Al meets Dimmu Borgir" band. The songs are catchy and heavy, with gothy overtones. With 3 guitars and killer choruses, there is some massive sound going on here. The song "Blood Calling" alone is worth the price of the disc. It imbeds itself in your brain immediately, and causes all body parts to move in anthemic delight. It isn't a complex, challenging album...its just great songs, produced and sung perfectly, that stick with you long after you hit "stop" on the player.

SILENT EDGE - THE EYES OF THE SHADOW
I just plain love this. A couple of the songs have a huge range requirement for the vocalist (like Lost Conscience), and Willem Verwoert (who sometimes reminds me of Josh Pincus of Ice Age) rises to the occasion with nary a waver. The pace varies, from Sabbathy grindy (for some reason i find this kind of tempo incredibly sexy) to Euro speed and everything inbetween. Another Dutch band that just wows me. The Netherlands is giving Sweden some real competition lately.

SONATA ARCTICA - WINTERHEARTS GUILD
Speaking of competition...i realize quite a few of my faves are out of Finland. For me, these guys picked up the power metal torch where Stratovarius dropped it, and ran with it...sure, they have the Eurospeed signature sound, but there is so much melody and heart in their music even an "anti-doublebass" person like me can just fall in love with them. Is this a huge departure from their previous work?..nah, but they do it so well, i still like this more than half of the other bands i listened to all year.

SUN CAGED - SUN CAGED
This is not one of those discs you put in the player and zone out on..There is so much going on you WANT to pay attention. There is a little bit of everything to be had here, and nothing left wanting. Sun Caged has enough chunk, melody and power to please me and enough technical proficiency to please the more techprog fans.

SUPREME MAJESTY - DANGER
The Swedes know how to give metal a melodic, almost commerical rock edge. It makes for a great listen, because you always find something to wrap your ears around. It is still Euro metal, but the extra dimension of catchiness puts it over the top.

TAD MOROSE - MODUS VIVENDI
They havent brought anything new to the table, but its still the same energetic heavy melodies you have come to know. i dont like it as well as Undead, but i like it more than Matters of the Dark, and they are still better than a lot of other bands in the genre, which is why it makes the top 50.

TAROT - SUFFER OUR PLEASURES
It's heavy, it's melodic, it's powerful, it's intense, it's Tarot...and worth the 5 year wait. They start off with "I Rule" and indeed they do. Marco slays vocally, and the band is one of the tightest to be found anywhere....Just terrific from start to finish..(or is that Finnish)......

THRESHOLD - WIRELESS
Whatever Threshold would release in any given year would no doubt make my top 50, and this is no exception. I am not usually a fan of acoustic albums, but hearing these songs done in such a pure form was a delight, Mac's voice was wonderful, and the lyrics seemed even more meaningful.

TO/ DIE/ FOR - JADED
Another Finnish winner here. This album defies description, really. They call themselves goth metal, but the songs are so varied in texture and vibe, i don't think that does them justice. Lots of keys, some synthesized, yet guitar driven as well. Their cover of I Just Died in Your Arms is better than the original. The band has a darkish edge, and weaves pop, heavy, melodic, and goth into such a beautiful cloth. The flow of this album is terrific, with no song sounding like the one that preceded it. 

TWILIGHTNING - DELIRIUM VEIL
Hmmm...another Finland entry makes my top 50. For power metal, that country probably sets the bar for me. But this isnt standard issue speedy power metal. The songs are catchy underneath the spectacular guitarwork and overall stellar musicianship. From what i gather, these guys are VERY young, but its hard to believe listening to the talent and maturity of song structure within this band. Euro-style power metal isn't my first choice of genre as a rule, but when it is outstanding from the field, it gets me hooked every time. 

XYZ - LETTER TO GOD
Just plain rocks. Good to see this band come back with a solid album that needs no other dissection other than to just say the songs are great, the music makes you move, and the energy is infectious.

top

click here for the text of the best of 2002


top