Album of the Year 2017 – Number 28
Somehow it’s already day three of my ‘Album of the Year 2017 top 30 countdown’. I swear that time speeds up the very moment I start to publish this series of posts; I know for sure that I am busier than at any other time of the year, as I bust a gut or two to ensure I keep the results coming.
It still amazes me how many of you out there are so interested in what I think about music and that I’m always encouraged to publish this epic series every year. All the while there is a demand, I shall keep it coming. In return, all I ask is that you let me know what you think of my picks and, should you feel sufficiently moved to do so, share information about the choices that you agree with.
Inevitably, there are some big hitters within this list. But equally, as with my choice at #29, there are some lesser-known artists in the list that can do with all the support that they can get. I can’t do it all alone, so please spread the word about the abundance of talent and passion out there within the world of heavy music.
If you have missed any of the previous posts in this series, links can be found at the bottom of this post along with links to the entire countdowns from previous years.
Number 28
Kreator
Gods of Violence
Nuclear Blast Records
“Kreator have been around for practically forever and yet aside from a cursory dabble here and there, I’ve never spent any significant time with the band. Formed in Essen in 1982, ‘Gods of Violence’ represents the fourteenth studio album of the band’s career and it has taken until now for the penny to finally drop.
I liked ‘Gods of Violence’ on a first spin. I liked it more on the second spin. And now, a week or two into my listening experience, I am loving it and I can’t stop playing it. I love the guitar tones that deliver the sharp, incisive riffs; they sound rich and full, offering the kind of primeval tone that I fell in love with all those years ago and made me realise that forevermore I’d be a slave to heavy metal.
From start to finish, I am kept engaged and delighted by what I hear. And as rich as it might sound coming from me given my previous history with Kreator, but if you don’t find ‘Gods of Violence’ to your liking in some shape or form, it might be time to question whether you actually like heavy metal at all.”
Read the full review here.
As you might be able to tell from the quotes above, I like this record. A lot. You might also be able to identify that, until now, my relationship with these thrash metal veterans has been largely non-existent. We are not all infallible and this is one of those massive oversights that I have been able to remedy this year.
As I mentioned in a previous post in this series, a little of this oversight has to do with the fact that I’ve never been the most enormous thrash metal fan. Indeed, outside of the ‘big four’, my exposure to the genre has been embarrassing limited up until now.
What Kreator did with ‘Gods of Violence’ was lay down a reminder early in 2017 that thrash metal can be very good and hugely enjoyable. It then acted as the catalyst to check out more thrash metal releases during the year, many of which I liked. So, thanks largely to Kreator and ‘Gods of Violence’, I have enjoyed a thrash metal renaissance during 2017. I owe them a huge debt of thanks as a result.
What I still like so much about ‘Gods of Violence’ in particular is the blend of razor-sharp thrash metal aggression, classic ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’ influences and the huge, unforgettable melodies that make the whole thing so infectious and a joy to listen to. Almost every song is an anthemic heavy metal anthem where you feel compelled to raise the horns, headbang like a loon and sing along at the top of your lungs.
In essence, ‘Gods of Violence’ is an album that reminds me of all those feelings and emotions that I experienced as a young teenager when I was first discovering the magical world of heavy metal. Is there a better endorsement that I can give?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUv8GxrqXPk&w=560&h=315]
If you missed either of my 2017 ‘honourable mentions’ posts, here they are should you be interested:
Album of the Year 2017 – honourable mentions Part 1
Album of the Year 2017 – honourable mentions Part 2
Previous posts in my 2017 Top 30 countdown:
Album of the Year 2017 – Number 29
Album of the Year 2017 – Number 30
And from previous years:
Album of the Year 2016
Album of the Year 2015
Album of the Year 2014
Album of the Year 2013
Album of the Year 2012
