HEADBANGERS HELL : My Favorites of 2015

[Vader]

One of my favorite Hard Rock / 70s Metal acts ...while admittedly the true cream of the UFO crop is the Michael Schenker era in their 70s heyday.I will also admit to being very underwhelmed by the post Schenker era for the most part. BUT ...That has changed a great deal ever since the arrival of guitar wizard Vinnie Moore. Vinnie while never able to take the place of the mighty Schenker ...they are giant shoes to fill after all...has brought back the fire and fury to the once near lethargic rock and roll spacecraft known as UFO.
Phil Moog is still singing his ass off and sounding inspired again. And with Moore as the high tech riff master and incredibly gifted virtiouso lead guitarist UFO have once again been writting recording and releasing some very solid, rollicking, good time Hard Rock the last decade or so.
.The Monkey Puzzle, Visitors, and Seven Deadly all got me excited about this band again and now Conspiracy Of The Stars joins them at the top of the heap of the

Vinnie Moore era UFO discography. ....BTW, Moog once heckled me for wearing a

MSG concert T at the front of the stage while he tried to flirt a bit with my GF between

songs during a performance but I won't let that influence my score here... haha


My Rating: 8/10

I'm watching........

Ghost? Tribulation?

Voyeur ... Ghost made my list. Haven't heard Tribulation yet.

 

[Magic]

I'll toss out my comments when your done with the list. A couple you've mentioned, I haven't heard yet.

 

[Vader]

Highly technical burtal Death Metal. Varied and extremely well executed and just flat out, balls out fun. UNDERRATED ...this thing's a monster ! New vocalist and new second guitarist is a change in sound in some degree but listening to this with an open mind without comparing and dwelling in Death Metal nostalgia the sound Is still a killer brutal tech experince for me.I will play this one til my ears bled or some other brutal slab steals my attention away to more gruesome pastures.


My Rating: 8.5/10

 

[Vader]

After being blown away by COBs highly addictive and original style of Melodic Death Metal showcased on their debut album Something Wild I became a card carrying fan with their subsequent releases up to and including Hate Crew DeathRoll. But after that they lost me and I was anything but impressed with the next 3 releases.
I was pretty resigned to the "fact" the band that had once blown me away with their songcrafting and amazing interplay between riffs, solos and keyboard runs ( yep, keyboards, like a death metal Jon Lord or some shit haha ) was no more and I moved on. That was until Halo of Blood keep calling my name one day at the local Best Buy. And while last years triumphant return ( one of last years very favorite for me ) has not been surpassed it is another return to the Children of Bodom of old I so relish headbanging to. I thoroughly enjoy this album everytime I play it... to the haters..whatever..haters gonna hate.

My Rating: 8.2/10

 

[Vader]

Autopsy have been on a tear since their comeback release of Macabre Eternal in 2011 . This is another savage, relentless, action packed, sonic pummeling, by the purveyors of, grimey,gorey, Sludgey, Death Metal..one that refuses to follow any rules. This Is Death Metal that may not fit the mold of what modern Death fans expect. Autopsy continues to follow their own brutal path leaving predictably to others. That is why Autopsy will always be at the top of my list just so long as they continue to create Death Metal at the level they have been of late. Does their latest material live up to Severed Survival & Mental Funeral ? No, but it does kick some serious ass.
My Rating: 8.5/10 ..... -1/2 point for being far too short.

 

[joker1961]

great reviews Vader...

 

[Riff Raff]

Seriously can't wait for when the Autopsy album is released.

 

[Vader]

Seriously can't wait for when the Autopsy album is released.

It's out on vinyl. They also just released a huge comp that has Skull Grinder on it called After The Cutting. It's an EP. BTW.

 

[Riff Raff]

May have to be my first ever vinyl purchase then. lol Not a bad starter.

 

[Vader]

One of my all time favorite hits ...



Now that's METAL \m/ ..haha