JOHN FRANK'S
TOP RELEASES OF 1999
#1
NEVERMORE - DREAMING NEON BLACK
My favorite music is the progressive/technical thrash of the late 80's-early 90's, and Nevermore is by far the best existing example of this excellent subgenre of metal. I loved Sanctuary (Into the Mirror Black is #3 on my all time list), and I am thrilled to see Nevermore continue the tradition of complex catchy crunch riffing and well sung (as opposed to screamed) relatively intelligent lyrics. I have to admit that I was initially disappointed with this disc (and I still think it is not as good as 1996's The Politics of
Ecstasy), but it grew on me in a huge way. I especially appreciate this release in this time of few good thrash bands (I know many call Nevermore power metal, but I categorize them as progressive thrash). The skill and variety shown in the riffing and time changes along
with the driving double bass drumming and Dane's amazing vocals will ensure that Dreaming Neon Black will be a favorite of mine for many years to come.#2
SKYCLAD - VINTAGE WHINE
This disc absolutely surprised the hell out of me! I had heard rumors that Skyclad had taken a heavier approach on their latest release, but I was not prepared to like this CD as much as I do. I have been a fan of Martin Walkyier since his Sabbat days (Dreamweaver is my favorite release of all time), and I really like Skyclad's first two discs. However, with the exception of Prince of the Poverty Line, I haven't been overly thrilled with Skyclad's
work starting with Jonah's Ark in 1993 (Of course, I still own all of their CDs). Their releases have been improving, and I like The Answer Machine, but Skyclad had really mellowed out. Well, I don't know if Martin has just been really pissed off because of some bad relationships with women (something must've happened - songs like Bury Me are damn brutal lyrically), but Skyclad has come back with a vengeance and has produced their best disc since A Burnt Offering for the Bone Idol. The combination of catchy electric guitar riffs and fiddle (I wish more bands would incorporate violin as well as Skyclad does) and the sardonic vocals from one of my favorite singers and lyricists is truly inspiring. Skyclad's limited acoustic work on this disc is wonderful as well - No Strings Attached is probably my favorite song of 1999. An amazing comeback!#3
CHILDREN OF BODOM - HATEBREEDER
Another big surprise for me in 1999. I think Something Wild is a decent melodic death/black metal release (I'm a sucker for the Gothenburg sound), but it never thrilled me. Hatebreeder is a huge advance in this band's evolution. Everything works on this disc - it is extremely catchy and well done. Its unique blend of melodic death/black metal with significant power metal and thrash influences consistently blows me away. I am constantly reminded of how much I like this disc because there are so many facets to pay attention to
and appreciate. Of course, the crunchy rhythms are excellent, but the leads are among the best I have probably ever heard, and the keyboards significantly add to the enjoyment of the tunes (I think the keyboards on Something Wild are annoying at times). I hope these guys continue to develop along this path - they have made me very happy so far.#4
NIGHTWISH - OCEANBORN
Let me start by saying that Tarja is quite simply the best female vocalist I have ever heard in metal (sorry Anneke, you're a close second). I would probably love this disc even if it did not exhibit strong musical compositions as long as I could listen to her sing. Fortunately, the power metal framework of catchy riffing and keyboard runs works well on Oceanborn. The melodies are very engaging, and many of the choruses are quite memorable. My only complaint is that the male vocals are completely unnecessary and take away from the two songs (Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean and The Pharaoh Sails to Orion) in which they are featured. This, along with the slightly less interesting mellow tracks and the instrumental, unfortunately contribute to a gradual decline in quality as the disc plays. However, this by no means could severely damage my opinion of such a beautiful musical accomplishment.#5
SKYMNING - STORMCHOIRS
This release is a great example of how melodic death/black metal bands with the Gothenburg sound can incorporate some thrash elements in their music to create an exciting, catchy sound while still remaining brutal. The oscillating riffs and folk melodies often remind me of the excellent work of Fall of the Leafe (a new album guys, please!), but Skymning adds their own flavor into the mix, and they are not as repetitive as the aforementioned band (however, they are also not as catchy). The thrash elements do not predominate, but they do contribute to making this disc stand out in the crowd of melodic death/black metal. I hope the band lives up to the notable promise they exhibit on this, their debut disc, on future releases.#6
THEORY IN PRACTICE - THE ARMAGEDDON THEORIES
I have recently been listening to Third Eye Function a lot, and I was thrilled to hear that Theory in Practice was releasing their second disc. I was not disappointed in the slightest. This disc is a notable example of another underrepresented metallic subgenre -
technical/progressive death. I can hear bits and pieces of Meshuggah, Death, and Coroner in this release, but their sound is their own (more so than on their Meshuggah-influenced debut - don't get me wrong, I like Theory in Practice much more than Meshuggah). The Armageddon Theories has an impressive amount of time changes and challenging guitar work, yet it remains catchy and does not become discordant (as Meshuggah often does, at least for me). I would have liked to hear more acoustic guitar interludes such as those on their debut, but the keyboards are a welcome addition to an already very complex sound. A must for all tech-metal fans!#7
DARK TRANQUILLITY - PROJECTOR
I have heard a lot of bitching about this release, but I really like what Dark Tranquillity has done on this disc. They have retained their heaviness and their edge, but they have introduced significant amounts of atmosphere and melody through the use of clean (don't worry, the glass gargling growls are still present) male vocals as well as an increased use of female vocals. I have felt that the band had not really progressed that much from Skydancer before Projector was released. I don't know if I like Projector better than Skydancer (my favorite Dark Tranquillity disc in the past), but I applaud the band for what they have accomplished. This is a very engaging CD that should be given a chance.#8
CONTROL DENIED - THE FRAGILE ART OF EXISTENCE
I only recently received this CD, but it was pretty much a given that I would like it. After all, it is the work of the musicians who created Death's amazing disc The Sound of Perseverance and a new vocalist. The clean vocals are a welcome addition to the trademark Schuldiner sound (although I never minded Chuck's vocals - except, of course, on their cover of Painkiller - Chuck is no Rob Halford), and the music is still thankfully complex and catchy. I do not like this disc nearly as much as Death's last release, but I respect their new direction. The music may not be quite as complex, and it definitely is mellower, but the time changes and song progressions are still interesting. Long live intelligent metal!#9
ARCH ENEMY - BURNING BRIDGES
I have a soft spot in my heart for thrash, and I want to thank bands like Arch Enemy and Witchery (although Dead, Hot & Ready is quite disappointing in my opinion) for introducing some thrashy elements into their relatively unique brand of melodic death metal. These band members are experts at combining brutality and catchy hooks. The tune Seed of Hate contains one of the most memorable riffs in recent memory. I hope excellent bands such as Arch Enemy influence others to incorporate thrash influences into their music. The future could be very bright indeed.#10
NEW EDEN - OBSCURE MASTER PLAN
I believe this is the best of the many traditional power metal releases of 1999 (Nightwish doesn't count since it does not exactly fit in with these other bands in my opinion). I am actually not a big fan of a lot of the popular power metal currently out there (Hammerfall, Primal Fear, Blind Guardian, etc.) as most of the bands are a bit too cheesy and simplistic for me. That said, 1999 was quite a good year for power metal in my world with releases by Destiny's End, Steel Prophet, Sinergy, and, of course, New Eden. Many of the songs on Obscure Master Plan are unbelievably catchy and still quite heavy. In addition, the vocals are a pleasant change of pace from the screaming/growling I usually listen to. I guess I prefer the power metal bands that have a more thrashy sound (surprise, surprise). I hope 1999 heralded the beginning of a new generation of classier, more complex power metal bands. Based on this release, I expect New Eden to be one of the leaders of this movement.
Honorable Mention:
Soilwork The Chainheart Machine
Without Grief Absorbing the Ashes
Destiny's End Breathe Deep the Dark
Sinergy Beware the Heavens