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The HMO Top Albums of 2015

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As the Earth and the world of metal complete yet another revolution of the sun… it’s time for HMO’s Top Albums of the Year! This is the second end-of-year list to feature at HMO and, like the proverbial second album, it has proven most difficult. 2014 had some very clear outliers but in 2015 there was very little to separate the albums on my list. Placing them in order was a challenge and whittling it down to ten was tough. As a result, there were some especially painful omissions: Europe’s War of Kings; Australasia’s Notturno; Un’s The Tomb of All Things; Possession’s 1585-1646 and Macabre Omen’s Gods of War – At War. In a weaker year any of these albums might have made the cut but, much as it pains me, I couldn’t include them here.

So, without further ado… the list! Drum roll please.

THE HMO TOP ALBUMS OF 2015

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NUMBER TEN: Obscene Entity – Lamentia

Obscene Entity don’t reinvent any wheels on their debut album but they do kick the absolute fuck out of them. Tight, accomplished, well-written and intensely performed death metal. It’s impossible to tear your ears away from this.

[Obscene Entity – Euphoric Vanity]

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NUMBER NINE: The Antichrist Imperium – The Antichrist Imperium

David Gray and Matt Wilcock continue the work of their former band Akercocke with their new project The Antichrist Imperium. And it’s the devil’s work! The dual vocals of Sam Bean and Sam Loynes add a sexy eclecticism to proceedings but Wilcock’s guitar performance is the star here. He riffs and solos like a man… umm… possessed.

[The Antichrist Imperium – Elegy]

'Album Cover of the Year' Winner
‘Album Cover of the Year’ Winner

NUMBER EIGHT: Paradise Lost – The Plague Within

Paradise Lost go deathier and doomier: reintroducing some long-abandoned extreme elements from their early days. The added fire and brimstone of the band’s delivery mixes with the band’s more established melodic goth metal to ensure this is less a throwback and more a new beginning. Few bands of their vintage sound this vital.

[Paradise Lost – Beneath Broken Earth]

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NUMBER SEVEN: Mgła – Exercises in Futility

As soon as you hear the opening, ringing chords you know this album is going to be the real deal. It’s black metal in the most classic sense: frosty and nihilistic. The music expresses a bleak sense of hopelessness but it’s also strangely inspiring. So never mind your broken dreams or the shitey sky hanging over you, just enjoy this new chapter in the handbook of classic black metal.

[Mgła – Exercises in Futility IV]

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NUMBER SIX: Shrines – Shrines

Matt Adnett (Obscene Entity) and Sam Loynes (The Antichrist Imperium) make the list twice by teaming up for Shrines’ impressive and moreish debut album. A couple of right list-hogs! Myriad styles and influences weave and thread throughout the album and Loynes’ idiosyncratic vocals make Shrines one of the most hypnotic and magnetic listens of the year. A very promising debut indeed.

[Shrines – Ariadne’s Thread]

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NUMBER FIVE: Saxon – Battering Ram

It might be tempting to call this “business as usual” for the still-prolific metal legends but there’s magic at work on album No. 21. Thanks to Hell’s Andy Sneap, this is the best-sounding album they’ve put out in aeons and the tracks are all well-crafted and fully-realised: the veteran band finding the perfect intersection between their Hard and Fast metal pounding and their uncanny knack for melody. And the best of it is, you know Saxon will be back with more of this in a year or two. All hail the old school!

[Saxon – Battering Ram]

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NUMBER FOUR: Avatarium – The Girl with the Raven Mask

Avatarium’s 2013 debut was a big act to follow but they pull it off by expanding their sound into a glorious technicolour of classic rock. The whole band sound like they’ve been allowed more input here: there’s Heeps of Hammond, a vibe right out of Purple’s Soldier of Fortune, awesome Blackmore-esque leads and it’s all topped off with Jennie-Ann Smith’s magnificent and sumptious vocals. But the whole thing rests, as always, on Leif Edling’s songwriting wizardry and bottomless well of quality riffs.

[Avatarium – Hypnotized]

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NUMBER THREE: Tribulation – The Children of the Night

Sweden has produced more than its fair share of quality metal bands over the years and Tribulation thrillingly combine elements from a whole bunch of them: the classic rock and occultism of Ghost; the snarling danger of Watain; and the crusty, dug-up goth and swagger of In Solitude’s Sister. I knew I had to get this the moment I heard the opening track but, as well as being immediate, The Children of the Night has a lot of depth. It rewards repeat listens and I keep finding new things to like.

[Tribulation – Strange Gateways Beckon]

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NUMBER TWO: Faith No More – Sol Invictus

Earlier in the year I would not have predicted a top spot on the podium going to Faith No More. I was not a fan of the initial “singles” from the album but even the best Faith No More albums took many listens to reveal themselves and Sol Invictus follows that tradition. The album just oozes confidence, wit and theatricality. It’s a more modern and mature sound and even the tracks I thought were crap at first now sound like old favourites. Classic Faith No More then! Reunions don’t count for anything unless they’re backed up with new music and Faith No More have made their reunion count with Sol Invictus.

[Faith No More – Sunny Side Up]

But there can be only one! And the HMO Top Album of 2015 award goes to…

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NUMBER ONE: My Dying Bride – Feel the Misery

My Dying Bride’s recent albums have been more solid than remarkable but they’ve pulled off an incredible return to form with Feel the Misery. It’s their first in 15 years to feature original guitarist Calvin Robertshaw and his return seems to have brought new life to the band. The album heaves with colossal riffs, profound lyrics and a rich atmosphere that transports you right back to the glory days of the “Peaceville Three”. Of that unholy trinity, I’ve always preferred Paradise Lost and Anathema but My Dying Bride have surpassed both with this masterpiece. And delivered the best metal album of 2015 while they’re at it.

[My Dying Bride – Feel the Misery]

HMO TOP ALBUMS BY YEAR

2015: My Dying Bride – Feel the Misery

2014: Voices – London

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60 thoughts on “The HMO Top Albums of 2015”

  1. What I great list! I’m so glad you did one this year!

    I don’t know much about MDB, but that’s a pretty sweet metal band name. A vote from HMO is a take note moment from me!

    Also: SAXON!!

    Also: Wasn’t it those Shrines that 1537 was on about?

    Also: I saw that Paradise Lost album n my local shite HMV store and thought of you. The cover art just screamed HMO at me! 🙂

    Superb list, sir. 2015 is lookin’ great, from your compound.

    And hey, aren’t you the first of the bunch to get yours online? WAY TO GO!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks A! It was a tough one to do and I was not expecting MDB to blow me away like they have.

      I think it was Shrine or The Shrine that Joe was on about. Different band. His one was more shitey-shoed rawk.

      Out of our bunch… I might be! I know Nick Green had his up a while back though.

      When are you getting yours up? (Insert your line here) Will it be one of your Sunday Services or will it get its own post?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Oh man these lists are always tough to do! Good on y for succeeding! I definitely gotta check out MDB. It’d take alot to blow away a knowledgeable metal god like yourself!

        Haha shitey-shoed rawk. I wanna see that on a placemarker at HMV.

        When am I getting mine up? I think my line is: mine is always up! As for my list, I won’t lie, I’m working on it. But it’s a weird year, for me, as you’ll see. I had thought it would get a separate post from the Sunday Services.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Definitely Metal HMO! Good on Ya buddy as I wouldn’t expect anything less! I enjoy reading your reviews even though I haven’t heard these bands but man it’s awesome your supporting the cause and the artist as well!
    Cheers,
    Deke

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Yep I post at Mikeys site as its tradition since I was doing it before i started Arena Rock! Hard to narrow it down to a Top 5 but those are Mikes Rules! Not that he enforces it..I could go with 5 albums tied which would equal a top 10 hahaha…

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Course it always good to see those Ol geezers Saxon releasing a album in 2015 that you dig and for the hardcore fan as yourself that’s awesome!
    Ok Aaron you continue on with the knob job! Hahaha

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. What a great list.

    I’m glad you came to like Avatariums’ album eventually. It’s definitely an album that grows with each and every listen.

    I’m definitely going to check out that Mgla album. The words “black metal” alone send shivers down my spine.

    Cheers to another year of overloading us with heavy metal, HMO!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks Nick! Glad you liked the list. Avatarium was a real grower. And Tribulation kept creeping up the list too. Every time I went back to it I liked it more.

      Don’t miss Mgła! Best black metal album of the year for sure. It’s going to be a classic.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. Pingback: My Top 15 Albums of 2015 | Nick Green's Reviews

  9. Smashin’ list, sir. Obviously there’s a few on there that I couldn’t listen to for risk of inducing a metal migraine, but I do really dig what I’ve heard of Paradise Lost and Shrines. Also, if I was doing a top 10 I reckon Faith No More woukd be up there also.

    … and Saxon! I’m really enjoying that one. Hurrah!

    … and no Iron Maiden?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. After putting it at my Top Album of the year, I have to say I noticed it was missing here (easy to say now that J. has pointed it out, but I really did notice!), but I seem to recall way back when you saying that it was good but not hitting you just yet, something like that. It was maybe in a comment on another blog, or in the email chains… Also, to be fair, with all of those other metal records on your radar, they had their work cut out for them!

        Anyway, I keyword-searched ‘Iron Maiden’ on your site and the most recent was your post mentioning it was coming up, and you called it “essential.” Hm. Ah well, the boys did their best!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Nice list, at least three of them frighten me far too much to even click on the Youtube links, especially that Obscene Futile Bride one.

    I did really enjoy the Saxon one though, there’s a bar maid in our local pub that looks just like Biff Byford does these days. True story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
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