Stratovarius-Destiny 
As I stated BEFORE this disc was released, after listening to the heart stopping, "4000 Rainy Nights", I knew where this disc stood in my heart.   It mirrored my emotions and completely left me breathless.  This was a very personal album for the band, the lyrics went deeper into their souls than any other before it.  Stratovarius may very well have "made the same disc over and over"   but they have also kept their trademark sound and improved on it constantly, finely tempering it into a beautfiul creature, worthy of all the praise lavished on them.   Album of the year and number one in my heart.

Virgin Steele-Invictus
If it had not been for Stratovarius, this would have recieved my nod for top pick of the year, but after hearing the above raved over disc, this was shoved down one notch to number two.  Still it takes nothing away from this disc.  This is a perfect example of a more harder edged Virgin Steele.  Everything sounds more powerful.   Not their best but a damn good one, including one of their best songs ever, "Sword of the Gods".  By the gods...

Axel Rudi Pell-Oceans of Time
Axel Rudi Pell really managed to get his act together and release an album that was a surprise, without really being one at all.  I knew ARP's potential would be fully realized one of these days, and I think this disc may be the highest point of his career.  "Oceans of Time" is his magnum opus, and "Carousel" is insanely addicting.  The vocals of the new singer are lush and versatile, matching the mood of the song.  A must have for any ARP fan or a lover of any type of Rainbow-Yngwie influenced music.

Savatage-The Wake of Magellan
Not a hard disc to fall in love with.  This cd really has two sides to it.   Half one and half two.  Half one features throwaway cuts like the first two songs, an opening instrumental passage and an opening song with vocals, but the rest   of it picks up and runs.  Jon Oliva turns out two of the best vocal performances of his career on "Paragons of Innocence" to mention one, and Zak Stevens sounds downright gritty on the get up and go soon to be metal classic, "Blackjack Guillotine".  The second half features more broadway Savatage which we have all grown to love.  A disc so good, even my metal hating relatives make fun of it..."He sounds like Neil Diamond" "Is he really supposed to sound like that?"...  A sign of true greatness....

Blind Guardian-Nightfall In Middle Earth
This cd takes some getting used to.  The choruses are overdone, the speed metal tracks are too speedy, and the whole thing just sounds gigantic, never have heard so many layers of sound in my life.  But after I got over the initial headache of trying to take it all in, I managed to fish out some really outstanding melodies.   "Mirror Mirror" and "Nightfall" being the absolute highlights.   There are some audio bits of people talking and such spliced inbetween the songs to encourage a better flow and understanding of the story since this is a concept album.   Like Savatage, this is music for the intellectual metal head, all based after Tolkien's stories, which everyone can tell from the title. 

Rhapsody-Symphony of Enchanted Lands
One of the best all time openings to a disc, the absolutely huge, blow your brains out, operatic, Epicus Furor, by far the best thing on the disc.  My heart stopped so long I thought I'd have to call the hospital to come bring me back to the land of the living.  Some might think the lyrics are cheesy and that they are just another average speed metal rip off band, but I disagree.  Its big, pompous, and very speed metal-ish.  Solid overall, with enough classical stuff thrown in to make it different.  The violin solo in the middle of "Wisdom of the Kings" is one of my favorites, listen to it and you'll know what I am talking about. 

Pink Cream 69Electrified
This one is for all the hard rock fans out there.  I really am one at heart, just haven't heard enough of the newer material this year to make a good judgement.   But this one is a wonderfully flowing disc.  I keep pulling it back out to give it another spin even after having it for quite a few months.  Melodically flowing, "Stranger In Time" and "Losing My Faith" really stand out in my mind, while "Rocket Ride" will keep you addicted to it for days.  I heard that song in my sleep now and then.  The last two songs, "Best for You" and "Gone Again" are beautiful gems of the ballad type. One of the best put together cd's of the year.  A nod goes out to their new lead singer, who has really come into his own and perfected his vocal style and range, giving alot of personality to the music.

Hammerfall-Legacy of Kings
These guys were so average it was pathetic when they first arrived on the metal scene last year, with Glory to the Brave.  Everyone loved them, bought their album and then realized...wait a minute, this ISN'T really what it was supposed to be.  No matter, the guys whipped out another studio album, said here it is, and popped it right out.  Making some mistakes and does the right things at the same time.   Highlights include their absolute shining jewel of musical perfection, a flawless copy of the Pretty Maids song "Back to Back", the two ballads, including another ode to the dead type thing, "The Fallen One", and a handful of other songs.   Its not album of the year, but if you pick and choose through it, there are some really solid songs lying within. 

All selections made by Alanna Evans, webpage creator and maintainer. 

Alanna Evans
Yngwie Malmsteen-Live!!
Dio-Inferno
Kamelot-Siege Perilous
Iced Earth-Something Wicked This Way Comes
Bruce Dickinson-Chemical Wedding

Ilya Ulberg
Primal Fear - Primal Fear
Stigmata IV - Court of Eternity
Helloween - Better than Raw
HammerFall - Legacy of Kings
Stratovarius - Destiny
Explorers Club - Age of Impact
Labyrinth - Return to Heaven Denied