Welcome to part 2 of my mini series taking a look into my crystal ball at some of the albums I know, think or hope will see the light of day during the year ahead.

If you missed part 1, you can read it here: My most anticipated releases of 2017 – Part 1

Forgive me if you’ve seen a few of the names already mentioned in previous series from previous years. However, my crystal ball doesn’t always work and, when coupled to the oft-fickle music world and the fact that the bands I like aren’t always full-time musicians, there is a lot of scope for getting things hopelessly wrong. So I have.

But hey, I hope it still makes for interesting reading. And on that note, here are another five albums I’m hoping for in 2017…

Kingcrow – TBC
Release date: TBC

Are we due another Kingcrow album so soon after the incredible ‘Eidos’ from 2015? I don’t know and perhaps it is a little unlikely; this is definitely mentioned more in hope than expectation. However, I do know that the band are hard at work writing new music, so it isn’t perhaps beyond the realms of possibility.

What I can say for sure is that if ‘Eidos’ was anything to go by, the Italian progressive metal band are on an upward trajectory. ‘Eidos’ was a cracking album full of beautiful and sophisticated progressive music which was deceptively complex and technical. With Kingcrow, beauty and atmosphere come first, meaning that the songs themselves are packed full of emotion and gorgeous melodies. However, give the music time and those subtle intricacies reveal themselves and lend the music genuine longevity. The more I type, the more I hope that Kingcrow deliver another masterpiece in 2017.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-XL9XF4UcE]

Anathema – TBC
Release date: TBC

2017 must be the year in which we see a return of my favourite band ever from Liverpool…and no, I don’t mean The Beatles. Anathema are a top 5 band of all time for me, a situation only further cemented by the supreme one-two of ‘Weather Systems’ and 2014’s ‘Distant Satellites’.

Very few bands, if any, have the innate ability to reduce me to tears so easily. Theirs is a style of music that transcends genres and styles; Anathema write music that is emotionally charged, raw, honest, poignant and utterly majestic. They don’t sound like anyone else and no-one can replicate what they do so beautifully.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU0wpW564a0]

Nothing More – TBC
Release date: TBC

This is another band that I have mentioned in these series before as it seems like we’ve been waiting a long time for a new studio album. I’m not sure why we have this delay, but I’m hopeful that it will be worth the wait.

Nothing More were an utter revelation for me a couple of years ago as it’s not the kind of music I’m normally into. It’s actually difficult to pigeon-hole Nothing More into one single genre, but for brevity, I’d say it’s modern hard rock that contains elements of nu-metal, djent and demonstrable pop-rock sensibilities. What made their last self-titled album so strong in my opinion, was the combination of cocksure conviction from the band, a great song-writing nous and the inclusion of some of the biggest and catchiest choruses I’ve heard for quite a while. And they managed to prove a jaded cynic like me wrong by producing a slick, catchy album that avoided sounding plastic and soulless.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78pH07RFqmY]

Seventh Wonder – TBC
Release date: TBC

Waiting for a new Seventh Wonder album is a frustrating experience but one that is generally worth the effort and frustration. So, could 2017 be the year that we see a new album from this insanely talented Swedish band? I certainly hope so.

Unbelievably, their last studio endeavour, ‘The Great Escape’ saw the light of day around seven years ago. That’s simply too long if you’re looking to maintain momentum and keep a buzz going.  However, seventh Wonder are special. Blending tons of technicality with memorable melodies and almost pop-like vocal melodies from the incredible Tommy Karevik, they tick all the boxes and deliver a more than satisfying listening experience each and every time. There are some bands that can seemingly do no wrong and Seventh Wonder are one of those without doubt…except maybe releasing albums more timely of course!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sRDa-xTfwg]

Andromeda – TBC
Release date: TBC

2017 must be the year for album number six surely? After all, back in July 2016 the Swedish prog metal maestros had completed the bass tracking for the new record. Or am I just being impatient?

It has been, somewhat unbelievably, over five years since they released the utterly fabulous ‘Manifest Tyranny’ and I for one cannot wait to see what they deliver next. The thing I love most about Andromeda is their ability to sound quirky and properly progressive yet somehow pull it all together and put the complexity into compositions that have surprising amounts of metal crunch, hooks and melodies, giving the tracks a feeling that they are songs and not just self-indulgent virtuoso workouts. Technical they may be, but impenetrable they are not and the whole thing just screams ‘class’.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_a_2T9QBgQ]

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