Top Ten Albums - 2016

1.       Legacy – Myrath

While Myrath continues the simpler approach, they began with their previous album, they still manage to satisfy the thirst for chugging guitars and complexity that most prog-metal fans are looking for.  On top of that, the more streamlined approach absolutely works for them and has allowed them to carve out their own path, far away from their Dream Theater/Symphony X inspirations.  Now, Myrath is all their own, churning out some of the most infectious and energetic songs around.  While I came to love the band for their proggier roots, Legacy is by far their best and most consistent material yet.  Not a single track fails to disappoint the ears and the Arabic flair that was once a neat little gimmick that came with their Tunisian heritage, is now on full, glorious display with every song.  The lyrics may be not leave much room for imagination, but they get the message across without pretension and are perfectly carried by the stellar vocal performance of Zaher Zorgati.  There’s honestly not a bad thing I can say about this album, save that it ends.

Alien: Out of the Shadows (An Unnecessary Midquel)

So I decided to pick up both versions of “Alien: Out of the Shadows” which Audible couldn’t help but recommend to me on “Alien Day”. On that note, do we really even need an Alien Day?  I mean that May the Forth shit with “Star Wars” is embarrassing enough, I don’t think the “Alien” franchise really needs its own mini-holiday.

Paprika

Yet another high recommendation that it took me forever to get around to, and just like those before, yet another splendid feature.  Unlike the previous recommendation and quick review, “Paprika” is a brighter and more upbeat film, so there’s a lot less depression and domestic issues this time around.  Which is a nice change of pace after sitting through a very bleak and depressing film.

Possession

Finally!  Thanks to the might of the Blu-Ray player, I can watch “Possession”, a film that has been highly recommended, but that I have not been able to watch as I did not have anything that played in the format.  Well, now I do and, the best I can say of “Possession” in a few words would be “Holy shit that’s fucked.”  That’s not to say “Possession” is a bad film, far from it actually, but it is to say that it’s really dark, twisted and very, very confusing.

Top Ten Albums - 2015

10. Pyramaze – Disciples of the Sun:

Nothing revolutionary, but a very solid and very well written effort from a band I’ve only just discovered this year. While still keeping to traditional prog elements, with technical precision ruling the day, Pyramaze crafts a concise and easily accessible record that doesn’t overstay its welcome. As seems to be the tradition in a great deal of prog metal, there is a power metal vibe and sound that permeates the record and there’s a whole hell of a lot of synth spread throughout. While not a turn-off for me, this could be reason enough for some to steer clear from the album. If, however, you’ve no problem with power metal and synth goodness, this is a top notch record that should definitely be added to your collection.

Jurassic World - Modern Satire

So, given I’ve let the movie sit for the several months after initially watching it in the theater and, having watched it again, I can confidently say that Jurassic World is actually a pretty damn good movie.  Despite my initial complaints upon first viewing the film, which, for the most part, still stand, it’s far from the travesty most of us Jurassic Park fans were thinking it was going to be based off the trailers.  Is it good or even up there with the original film?  Hell no, it doesn’t capture the magic and sense of wonder of Jurassic Park, but that’s not really a bad thing when one considers the inspiration behind the film.

Symphony X - Underworld

Well, I’ve had the album now for a couple weeks and, it’s a letdown, pure and simple. This year has been a great year in music for me, from Steven Wilson to Iron Maiden, damn near all of my favorite bands and musicians have, or are, releasing new material. When I heard Symphony X finally had a new album coming out, I was excited. The hype train fully took off when I read that Michael Romeo stated they were going to try to focus on the more symphonic/neo-classical elements that the band had been known for, while, of course, keeping with the faster/heavier style they’d taken since 2007’s Paradise Lost. However, despite this claim, the album is even more streamlined and heavy than both Paradise Lost and Iconoclast.