THE METAL DEN – Rocket’s Top 10 Albums Of 2016 Announced!

Den Headz, every year TMD’s creator and Editor-In-Chief, Randy “Rocket” Cody, selects his ‘Top 10’ best metal albums of the year. This year was perhaps the most crowded with great releases from all over the world. To be considered the album must have been issued by a record label. No self releases allowed.

Since its launch in 2006, TMD’s official site (www.themetalden.com) has remained one of the premiere resources for heavy metal news, interviews, reviews and rarities. Rocket’s work has been published at all of the major rock media webzines and radio sites all throughout the USA, viewed millions of times online and is read in over 100 countries around the globe!!

Yes, it’s safe to say… Mr. Cody is one of the most respected and influential rock music journalists working today.

Rocket comments: “2016 was chock full of ass kicking metal music! With new albums dropped by METALLICA and MEGADETH y’all knew this was going to be some bad ass shit! It was not easy picking the ‘Top 10’, but I really believe after seeing all the other “Best Of The Year” lists, that mine is truly the only one that got it right!”

10. VEKTOR – “Terminal Redux” (Earache Records)

“American progressive/thrashers VEKTOR and their brand of science fiction themed heavy metal onslaught delivered the sleeper hit of 2016. This album will go down as one of the most radical of its generation. It’s a damn shame the band broke up the other day, losing 3 out of 4 of its members. Who knows how truly great they could have become.”

9. METALLICA – “Hardwired To Self Destruct” (Blackened Records)

“The return of metal’s most iconic band only took 8 years, and despite this critic feeling the album is a bit overrated, it certainly is one of their strongest releases in the past two decades. A total lack of intriguing bass play by Trujillo (what a total waste… not ONE extended bass solo!!) and Hammett’s lack of writing on the effort hurt the chances of this record taking the top spot. Maybe they will speak up next time and actually play more of a crucial part in the songwriting.”

8. YNGWIE MALMSTEEN – “World On Fire” (Rising Force Records)

“Swedish guitar hero, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, is perhaps the most well known of the Neoclassical shredders since Randy Rhoads. In 2016, the wizard of the fretboard has returned to set the world ablaze with his six string talents once again. Does he really still have the goods at his advanced age of 52? World On Fire is his new collection of rockers, and let me make it clear that this is some of his finest work ever.”

7. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES – “World Gone Mad” (Suicidal Records)

“Mike Muir and Co. dropped a helluva record on our heads in 2016, enlisting ex-SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo, and delivering one of their most slamming records in the band’s legendary career.

6. HATEBREED – “The Concrete Confessional” (Nuclear Blast Records)

“American metallic hardcore band HATEBREED have truly outdone themselves with their new studio album entitled The Concrete Confessional. In my opinion, this is without a doubt the heaviest record they have ever made. If you want all out slamming drums and guitars with insanely angry sounding vocals all you need to do it press play on this bad boy.”

5. OPERATION: MINDCRIME – “Resurrection” (Frontiers Music)

“Ex-Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate has somehow stood the test of time and today sounds better than ever. The iconic metal vocalist – at age 57 – delivers an absolutely masterful singing performance on the second album from his current band project OPERATION: MINDCRIME, entitled “Resurrection”. The collection of progressive metal rockers impressed me way more than I thought they ever could.”

4. ZAKK WYLDE – “Book Of Shadows II” (eOne Music)

“American guitar hero, Zakk Wylde, released his second solo album in 2016. Rocking out on both the acoustic and electric guitar with melodic keyboard play, Wylde puts it all out on the table. The southern rock and blues vibe on each of the fourteen cuts in the collection is heavier than you’ve ever heard from him before. Point blank, the bluesy, absolutely on point solos the bearded one shreds on this gem are second to none.”

3. DIAMOND HEAD – “Diamond Head” (Dissonance Productions)

“NWOBHM legends, DIAMOND HEAD, are back in 2016 with a new self-titled studio album. Led by founding guitarist, Brian Tatler, the lineup features their new vocalist named Rasmus Bom Andersen, and I was immediately blown away by his incredible vocal prowess.”

2. SUPERJOINT – “Caught Up In The Gears Of Application” (Housecore Records)

“Ex-PANTERA lead vocalist Philip H. Anselmo had a difficult 2016, dealing with the continued fall out from his “White Power” incident at Dimebash in December of 2015, but “The Kid” truly stepped up and turned in perhaps the most pissed off record of his career. The song “Click Bait” hits at the heart of the ongoing problem in the music industry, wherein sites employ scandalous ‘gossip rag’ tactics to draw advertising revenue at the expense of the musicians themselves.”

1. MEGADETH – “Dystopia” (Tradecraft/Universal)

“Former METALLICA guitarist Dave Mustaine has long stood in the shadows of his past band, who immediately rose to international super stardom after he was kicked out of the band for being a mean drunk. But without a doubt, Dave finally out thrashed Lars and James this time around. “Dystopia” is far more technical, and filled with blazing fast guitar solos and precision drumming than anything out there.”